Did you know that one of the landmarks for Scotch Corners used to be “to turn off Highway 7 at the lXL Cheese Factory”? It was a hopping corner with traffic jams consisting of farmers waiting to get their milk weighed in and upon leaving, a quick trip to the back to the whey vat pick up some whey to feed their pigs.
Local lad Alfie Poole had the answers to the local stories in those days and there was a reason as to why this particular cheese factory was called ‘the IXL’. Seems there was a couple of cheese factories down the road and no one wanted to mix them up. There was one past the St John’s Anglican Church on the Ferguson Falls Road called the “Fair Play” and another opposite the church called the “Grab All”. These were the actual names I kid you not.
Well the farmer’s around the McCreary settlement were having none of that, and wanted to have the best cheese factory in the area. So up the factory went and it became known as the IXL but was sadly destroyed by fire in 1969.
I document history for the young readers of the future. Good or bad– I feel it must be documented so we learn from it. The fact that hate groups are multiplying these days scares me… read this and spread the word that hate should not exist. Thanks- Linda
Actually after reading the above article in the Almonte Gazette from 1927 the local Rideau Klavern was hiding more than racism under the bedsheets. J. S. Lord stated that one of the purposes of the establishment of the Klan was for the protection of the physical purity of current and future generations. They also had a complicated financial system built on receipts from sheet sales, “Wizard” taxes and Klavern dues. Through the mid-1920s, representatives of the Ku Klux Klan would creep into Canada, sprouting branches from Vancouver to the Maritimes and enlisting thousands of followers.
Klansmen believed that Canada’s immigration policy made it the dumping ground of the world and in Smiths Falls and other Lanark County towns they encouraged folks to buy from locals, white locals, and stay away from those merchants that had just immigrated here. In the western provinces like Saskatchewan where they had a heavily saturated foot they falsely stated that out of Regina’s 8,000 recent immigrants, only 7 were Protestants. In July 1927, a Klan organizer claimed that there were 46,500 members in Saskatchewan.
They promoted a “100 percent Canadian” policy to deter the declining influence of Protestant Anglo-Saxon Canadians as a result of increasing immigration from Europe, particularly Eastern Europe, which was primarily Roman Catholic and Jewish. On April 28th, 1926 the first Rideau Klansman’s cross was burnt. After a fourth cross was burnt by Klansman on Franktown Road, people had to wonder what it all meant.
On September 26, 1926, Smith’s Falls found our what it meant s evidenced at a mammoth Klan demonstration there Sunday afternoon and night in McEwen‘s open field (McEwen‘s Field became the Rideau Regional Centre now OPP Centre). The estimated at one point there was 5-6000 at that field but in reality there were 12,000 to 15,000 evidenced at a mammoth Klan demonstration that Sunday afternoon and night. Read-The Day the Ku KIux Klan Came to Smiths Falls
Larry Cotten commented on one of my stories that–‘I found the picture of the KKK in Smiths Falls interesting. Many don’t realize that the Klan was well organized across Southern Ontario in the mid 1920s. There are similar pictures of parades in Collingwood, Barrie, Penetanguishene and Owen Sound in Central Ontario from the 1920s. A Catholic Church in a major city in Ontario was torched … allegedly by the Klan during that time period’.
Of course only Protestants were allowed onto the Smiths Falls grounds and the vicinity was guarded by members of the Rideau Klansmen in full costume and carrying swords. The trains dropped off hundreds, and hundreds of cars bearing American and Quebec license plates entered the town that day. All taking part were gowned in white with white hoods and masks. The horses used in the ceremonies were draped in white. A twelve-piece orchestra furnished the music, and during the ceremonies six large crosses were burned.
As the King Keagle said that day: “The Klan is here in Smiths Falls”, he said, “and it has been here for some time. At first there were only 20 members, but you can now multiply that number and put some 0’s on it”. That night in Smiths Falls 105 new candidates were accepted in to the Rideau Klansmen and a ladies’ degree team from Kingston took a prominent part in the initiations as 22 were women. The town of Smiths Falls now had a solid group of over 700 members.
Hannah Munro-Wright commented on one of my stories and said:‘Growing up in Smiths Falls this was something not taught to me by teachers in school but by class mates who found it in history books. Also, my parents and their friends knew of this. A lot of them believed the burning of the crosses at the 4 corners of town put some bad karma on the town.‘
It wasn’t the only places in Lanark County the crosses were burned as the Perth Courier and other local newspapers continued to report on cross burning incidents. Stories about local Rideau Klavern cross burnings appeared in print from 1926-1927 with various cross burnings every 4 to 6 months. One report that coal oil filled the scent of the evening one night while a cross burned in Scotch Corners.
I found an article by accident that even in the small hamlet of Richmond, Ontario a hop skip and a jump from Carleton Place– an event occurred on Sept 12th, 1929.
Imagine the astonishment on Sept. 12, 1929 when bewildered residents of Richmond,Ontario awoke to find large, white arrows painted on the village’s main street. The arrows were not through traffic directions for Model T’s, wagons or carts, but were part of one of the most bizarre incidents in the Valley’s rich history: The day Valley men embraced the Klan.
On that quiet Sunday, the Klan held a mass rally on the village’s outskirts in a field opposite what is now St. Paul’s United Church cemetery. The arrows were placed there, mysteriously, in the dead of night, to direct Klan members to the meeting place. And in the morning, an unlikely gaggle of men, many all gussied up in white sheets and hoods trundled through town on white horses clattering along to the strains of coronets and the hollow thump of bass drums.
An eerie day, indeed. One former village resident, a young girl at the time, recalled recently how terribly frightened she had been. “We could not see their eyes. There were just dark slits tn the hoods. I recall thinking at the time there were men from the area, but I could not be sure.” Another remembered: “We were on our way home from church and I recall looking across the field and seeing a great number of people milling about the field. There were men in white costumes on horseback. It was all very mysterious to us.”
Unlike Its infamous namesake of post-civil war days in the United States, the Richmond Klan was more of a protest group of rural poor folk caught in an age of change. There was little similarity between them and their race-bating U.S. counterparts. There was no swooping through the night terrifying the Innocent. There were no midnight floggings, shootings, or hangings from the nearest tree. Quite likely there were no Grand Wizards, Grand Titans, Grand Dragons or other silly titles bestowed upon chief bigots of U.S. Klans.
The Richmond Klan was a sorry group formed out of frustration. They were mostly farmers protesting falling incomes and glutted markets in the 20s. Men also rising against the erosion of family life and the decaying morals of the Jazz age. Today, for at least the agricultural reasons they march with placards on Parliament Hill, dump their milk in fields or drive processions of tractors, ant-like along highways, to snarl traffic and make their points. Braver men today, too. They don’t disguise themselves in ghostly sheets or burn crosses on the agriculture minister’s lawn.
Another aspect of the Richmond Klan was a call for a single, dominant language an issue which did not die with the Klan, but more of a scape-goat issue In those times for all the problems farmers faced. On that Sunday in Richmond a newspaper of the times estimated a crowd of 5,000 took part in the proceedings. Old accounts also say the Klan’s Richmond branch probably began about 1927 and fizzled around 1930. Lack of interest killed it And many men suspected of gliding about in bed sheets, put them back where they belong out of good old-fashioned embarrassment.
Note: This material was condensed from an essay prepared by Peter Robb, and three others during the summer of 1976. It is from material gathered under a research grant from the ‘ Ontario government to study the history of the town of Richmond, Ontario. Peter Robb is now the city editor for the Ottawa Citizen at Post Media.
S.S. #10: Scotch Corners Union School School Lot 2, Con 10 —Scotch Corners. The first school house was built of logs and was located on the corner of the property close to the 11th Concession to be more central.
The frame school house was built in 1872 located in the same vicinity as the log house that was located just to the left of the frame school house, and nearer to the to road. Initially, they had decided to rebuild the school a mile farther down the road as that location seemed to be more centrally located because more people lived down by the lake then. Finally it was decided to be built just off Highway 7 where the log school had been built.
Glass Plate Negative – Inside a 19th Century Schoolroom NLRM 2012.55.20-Almonte Gazette
19th Century —North Lanark Regional Museum This rare photograph depicts the inside of a school house classroom in the late nineteenth century. A chalkboard and wooden desks are visible. This image was scanned from a glass plate negative from the Almonte Gazette archives.
The Scotch Corners Frame school house was built by Charles Stewart and his son Dan, and the small porch was added by Andrew Bellamy and Thomas Ireton shingled the school. in 1907 they added an small addition to the school and in 1908 the school was hit by lightening but not seriously damaged.
Salaries for the teachers ranged from $200 a year in 1886 to $1800 in 1955.
The school was closed in June of 1959 and pupils were to attend Innisville School in Drummond for the following three years. In 1962 they were then transported to S.S.#9: Ferguson’s School.
Bits of lumber is all that remained of the former rural school house located on Highway 7 east of Scotch Corners after a fire. The familiar landmark was destroyed in a suspicious November fire in the early morning hours in the 1990s. The old wooden frame was observed engulfed in flames and reported by a passing motorist. It was unknown whether the fire was started accidentally or if it was a case of arson. Police believed the old school was used as a shelter by transients.
Photos below from Scotch Corners Remembered by Lillian (Gardiner) McNab
1.In the days of the log farm boys took to smoking a pipe. One day the boys began smoking the pipe they hid in the hollow log of the schoolhouse at lunchtime. Each boy took his turn asking to go out until the teacher became suspicious, so no one else was allowed to leave their seat. Of course the pipe did not go out and by recess time the corner of the school was on fire.
2. After several years of reporting that the book on the rural schools of Ramsay Township is nearly finished, it has finally come to pass. Years ago Archives Lanark decided to document the history of the rural schools of Lanark County since the one room schools were amalgamated into larger schools by 1970 and many records disappeared when the Upper Canada District School Board was formed.
Last night I was reading a book about Scotch Corners by Lillian(Gardiner) McNab and I found an amusing story about one of our local cheese factories.
Did you know that one of the landmarks for Scotch Corners used to be “to turn off Highway 7 at the lXL Cheese Factory”? It was a hopping corner with traffic jams consisting of farmers waiting to get their milk weighed in and upon leaving, a quick trip to the back to the whey vat pick up some whey to feed their pigs.
Local lad Alfie Poole had the answers to the local stories in those days and there was a reason as to why this particular cheese factory was called ‘the IXL’. Seems there was a couple of cheese factories down the road and no one wanted to mix them up. There was one past the St John’s Anglican Church on the Ferguson Falls Road called the “Fair Play” and another opposite the church called the “Grab All”. These were the actual names I kid you not.
Well the farmer’s around the McCreary settlement were having none of that, and wanted to have the best cheese factory in the area. So up the factory went and it became known as the IXL but was sadly destroyed by fire in 1969.
Historical Note
August 18, 1979William Gordon James
William Gordon James, R. R. # 1, Carleton Place, a former reeve of Ramsay Township and warden of Lanark County, died in Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital, Saturday, August 18, 1979 in his 73rd year after a lengthy illness. Born April 20, 1907, Gordon was the eldest of the late William E. and Annie James of the James Settlement in Lanark Township. In earlier years he spent some time surveying in the Rouyn District of Northern Quebec. At one time he played on the Union Hall Ball Team. Mr. James was active in community affairs. He was a member of Lanark Township Council, Reeve of Ramsay Township and Warden of Lanark County in 1964. He was a Past County Master of Lanark County Loyal Orange Lodge. Mr. James was an active member of St. George’s Church, Clayton, and later of St. John’s Church, Innisville. He took a keen interest in the Union Hall and IXL Cheese factories. As well as his wife, the former Wilhemena Dunlop, Mr. James is survived by one son, Charles and daughters, Eleanor (Mrs. David Aldus) R. R. # 1, Carleton Place, Marilyn, R. R. # 1, and daughter-in-law, Evelyn James. Mr. James is also survived by his grandchildren Lisz and Shelley Aldus and Marshall and Travis James. Also surviving are three brothers, Warren, Perth; Frank and John E., R. R. #2, Carleton Place and one sister, Eleanor (Mrs. Ray Bartlett), Carleton Place, as well as his aunt, Mrs. Eleanor Stewart, Calgary, Alberta. The funeral took place from the Alan R. Barker Funeral Home, Carleton Place, Tuesday, August 21, 1979 to St. John’s Church, Innisville, for service at 1:30 p.m. with Rev. Roger Young officiating. Interment took place in St. George’s Cemetery. Pallbearers were Leonard Dowdall, John Weir, George Wright, John R. W. James, Steven Bartlett and Gary Hudson.
Scottish Glen Golf Course
Scottish Glen Golf Course does not have a magnificent clubhouse or
manicured fairways but what it does have is a tremendous layout that
uses the rolling hills and natural flow of the country side. I would say
it's key features are changes in elevation, dogleg fairways and enough
water here and there to make it an interesting and challenging course
that you can play over and over again and not become bored in the least.
It is also a very scenic course. Some times you just look around at the
vista and say to yourself “this is beautiful”.
The course is a nine hole 3,065 yard par 36. Don't dismiss it just
because it is a nine hole. It is challenging enough and a good workout
if you decide to walk it. Prices are very reasonable at $15 on weekdays
and $18 on weekends. Add $10 for a power cart. Bring cash as they don't
take plastic yet.
The first hole is a 476 yard par 5. Downhill with a slight dogleg to the
right. Trees on both sides and a pond with lots of bullfrogs on the
right just before the green. If you can make the top of the hill at
about 180 yards with your drive you will be in good shape for par. We
shorter hitters just like to get over and a bit down the hill in two.
The second hole is a 329 yard par 4. You pull a u turn off the first
green to get to the second tee. It is back up the hill to an elevated
green. The first 200 yards or so is pretty flat then strait up the hill
and on to the green. If I get on top of the hill in two I am happy.
The third hole is a 152 yard par 3. Up the path to the elevated third
tee. It is a sharp drop down about 35 feet just off the tee. The green
is protected by a ball eating pond just in front referred to as Bart's
big ball washer. There is a small bunker on the left. Due to the 35 feet
drop in elevation I tend to play this more like a 125 yard depending on
tee placement. Get on the green and you are good for par or better. Miss
the narrow fairway or splash down in the pond and 5s and 6s come into play.
The fourth hole is a 375 yard par 4. The fairway is on the side of the
hill that dominates the first three holes. If you hit on the left you
will have an awkward side hill lie. The fairway doglegs left and you
can't always see the pin after your drive. Small bunker on the right of
the green. Because of the shape and slant and blind second shot of this
fairway most tend to miss the green to the right.
The fifth hole is a 508 yard par 5. The fairway narrows about 100 yards
off the tee and there are many balls in the shrubs there. I swallow my
pride and play from the red tees on this hole. If you go too far right
you can get into lots of trouble and I have seen some big scores from
that side. There is a sixty degree dogleg right at the end of fairway
to make things even more interesting.
The sixth hole is a 370 yard par 4. It looks easier than it is. It
narrows around 200 yards and there is a small creek there to catch your
ball. Watch where you tee the ball as the tee box can slant to the right
encouraging a slice into the woods.
The seventh hole is a 376 yard par 4. It is wide enough fairway but many
balls seem to end up in the pine trees on the right. There is a large
swampy area on the left. Scenic but if you put a ball in here you won't
find it. The dominating feature of this whole is the pond/creek that
crosses the fairway about 250 yards out. You have to decide to layup or
go for the glory and try for the elevated green. Many a ball has found
its way into the pond by a glory seeker.
The eight hole is a 177 yard par 3. From the tee down through a small
valley then up to the green. Pine trees on the right and water on the
left. There is a small creek about 140 yards out that also eats golf balls.
The ninth hole is a 300 yard par 4. Sharp drop off the tee to water and
then up the hill to a ninety degree dogleg left. There are trees on the
left and you can not see the flag from the tee or if you don't make it
up the hill on your first swing. The big hitters try to go over the
trees and land it blind on the green. They don't always make it. The
green is the hardest on the course. Lots of slope. If you are putting
downhill even a slow moving putt can roll ten feet past the hole. Three
and even four putts are not unusual on the ninth.
They have recently opened a driving range and have a putting green where
you can practice your game or just bring the kids to whack a bucket of
balls.
Scottish Glen Golf Course is owned and operated by Bart and Carol
Bennett and Family
On Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scottish-Glen-Golf-Course/176179582456618?fref=ts
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