North Lanark Marble Quarries Co and Marble Bluff

In March of 1909-A marble block weighing several tons was lost in the Clyde River a few days ago. It was being hauled to Clyde Forks from the quarries of the North Lanark Marble Quarries Co., and while crossing the ice at the “Stretch” the sleigh broke through, the large block slid off tha sleigh and was deposited in about 4 feet of water. Mr. Stewart Houston of Drummond was the teamster, but he and his team luckily escaped.

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada13 Apr 1910, Wed  •  Page 1

Mr. W. H. Wylie of Almonte, (now of St. Catherines) and a few associates, secured the property and formed a company to place the output on the market which is now being done. The several shades will be known to the trade as Lanark Green, Lanark Ivy, Lanark -Heather and Lanark Buff

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada19 Apr 1911, Wed  •  Page 10

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada06 Jul 1910, Wed  •  Page 1

Exploration History-Marble Bluff

Opened in the early 1900s (1909-10) by the North Lanark Granite and Marble Quarries Ltd. on a 500 ft wide marble unit. The original cut in green, serpentinized marble measured 30 x 80 ft and 12-15 ft deep but was destroyed by road construction in 1984-5. 5,000 cu ft of dimension stone blocks (3 x 3 x 6 ft) were hauled to the Clyde Forks railway station and some blocks are said to remain there (1956). 1962 : Angelstone purchased the property and in 1962-3 quarried a few blocks of serpentine marble for sampling and testing. It was given the name ‘ Lanark Green ‘. 1976 : the OGS sampled the marble : # PM 127, 128 and L5

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada25 Aug 1909, Wed  •  Page 5

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada22 Sep 1909, Wed  •  Page 5

So Where Was Craig’s Camp? How About Marble Bluff?

So What Happened to the Marble at the Tatlock Mine?

The White Wonder of Tatlock — The Buchanan Scrapbook

The Ghost Horse of Tatlock — A Faerie Tale???

What Happened to Walter Hudson? Hudson Tatlock Genealogy

More Notations on Tatlock

The Mysterious Tatlock Mine

Guthrie Genealogy — Tatlock

Fire in Halls Mills — The Last of the Log Houses 1923

All that’s left at 4186 Tatlock Road in Lanark County that represents the former village of Halls Mills is an old clapboard house. It was built in 1856 and was the first frame house in Darling Township. William Hall, who the name of the village was named for lived in that house. In 1885 Hall went to Colorado for health purposes and ended up dying of small pox.

March 1923 Almonte Gazette

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Command, of Halls Mills, one of the old landmarks of the County of Lanark was destroyed by fire on Sunday. Nothing of any value was saved and the fire was confined to the dwelling house. The family had retired for the night and about 11.30 Larry, one of the four sons at home, awoke smelling smoke. 

He roused the others and they discovered that the whole upstairs was on fire. The sleeping quarters were all downstairs. The alarm was given and neighbors arrived quickly to assist in dousing the flames, but the fire had secured too strong a hold. By “6 o’clock on Monday morning everything was burnt down. The family had had time to dress before the flames and reached downstairs. The Command house was a log home built over 100 years ago and was well known.  The loss is partially covered by insurance.

A very quiet but pretty wedding took place at Hall’s Mills, when Cora, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Munro Sr., became the bride of Arthur Yuill, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Yuill of the same place. The young couple were married in Middleville by the Rev. McNab, pastor of the United Church. After the service they drove to the home of the bride’s parents, accompanied by the pastor and his wife, where a bountiful wedding dinner was served. The presents were numerous and costly showing the esteem in which the young couple are held. The evening was spent in music, song and recitations, which were enjoyed by those present., Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Watchom and daughter Rose Edith of Almonte, were among the guests who attended. September 1931

Dawn Jones added:

My brothers and aunts and uncles attended public school at Hall’s Mills in the 50’s and 60’s. The teacher at the time was Ida Guthrie. The school house still stands and was renovated into a house. My grandparents bought their farm ( a large property that extended from the 8th concession to the 9th concession of Darling Township from David Caldwell in the early 50’s.

1911-1912

11365-12 William John BARR, 28, Halls Mills Ont., same (also says res of Darling twp since 18 April 1884), s/o David BARR, merchant & farmer, & Grace K. illegible, married Jean WATT, 26, Halls Mills, same, d/o James WATT, farmer, & Jean METCALFE, witn: Hope? H. BARR & Annie A. WATT, both of Halls Mills, 26 June 1912 at Lanark twp

7680-15 Gordon BARRY, 26, farmer, Clay Bank, same, s/o Walter BARRY & Mary CAMERON, married Lila MORPHY, 21, Pakenham twp., same, d/o William MORPHY & Frances Maria SCOTT, witn: M. BLAKELY of Arnprior & Bella Jane BARRY of Clay Bank, 8 Dec 1915 at res of William Morphy

Hugh Alexander Munro
Born	17 Mar 1864	Halls Mills, Ontario, Canada
Gender	Male
Died	27 Apr 1906	Halls Mills, Ontario, Canada
Buried	Middleville Pioneer Cemetery, Middleville, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
Person ID	I02345	Family Tree
Last Modified	22 Dec 2020

Father	Hugh Munro,   b. 7 Nov 1825, Creich, Highland, Scotland ,   d. 19 Sep 1902, Lanark Highlands Township, Ontario, Canada   (Age 76 years)
Mother	Catherine McKay,   b. 4 Dec 1833, Herron Mills, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 4 Dec 1916, Lanark Highlands Township, Ontario, Canada   (Age 83 years)
Married	1849	Middleville, Ontario, Canada
Family ID	F0733	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

Family	Jane Watchorn,   b. 12 Apr 1864, Clayton, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 2 Dec 1928, Rockland, Ontario, Canada   (Age 64 years)
Married	19 Dec 1894	Clayton, Ontario, Canada
Family ID	F0796	Group Sh

Halls Mills School– Earl Munro –1968

The Ghost Towns of Eastern Ontario

The White Wonder of Tatlock — The Buchanan Scrapbook

Tatlock Mine – With files from The Keeper of the Scrapbooks — Christina ‘tina’ Camelon Buchanan — Thanks to Diane Juby

Lila Leach-James
June 30  · 

In the spring, my two friends and I visited Tatlock Marble Mine which was originally owned by my husbands Uncle Archie Guthrie (now owned by OMYA)….I collected some marble stones , big and small that the company sets out for visitors to take so I had some fun with them! I’m also displaying a marble clock that Uncle Archie made and sold or gave away as gifts! The ends of the clock are the core bits! Many of the relatives have these similar clocks!

Shauna Bennett Lemenchick
June 30  · 

That is really cool family history! This is Mom’s clock from Uncle Archie.

Don Duncan
June 30  · 

Archie gave this mantle clock to my mother Elizabeth Coxford Duncan many years ago. It sits proudly on a hall table in our condo.

Darlene MacDonald
July 1  · 

We bought this from Archie to present to our parents on their birthdays in 1990. Dad worked with Archie drilling these cores.

The Ghost Horse of Tatlock — A Faerie Tale???

What Happened to Walter Hudson? Hudson Tatlock Genealogy

Guthrie Genealogy — Tatlock

Dr. Metcalfe Guthrie Evoy

Archie Guthrie’s Notes on Lanark Mines Hall’s Mills and Cheese 1993

So What Happened to the Marble at the Tatlock Mine?

More Notations on Tatlock

Kings Warks and Cemeteries–Interesting Discoveries of Lanark County

The Old Horseshoe Bridge

I found this old conversation as I was researching yesterday. I believe we have our answer is at the bottom and if you read the caption under the photo it says “sinkhole”:) but the discussion was great so I decided to document it.

It began like this……

February 19, 2016 update

I see pictures of the Floating Bridge in several places bearing a date of 1890.

While it is a good picture of the bridge, the date is absolutely wrong.

First it shows the telephone line. We didn’t have telephones in these parts in 1890. I think 1910 is closer to the correct date.

Also as to the railing on the bridge. My neighbours and myself, helped build the railing shown, and it could be the last one before the bridge was closed in 1944. It could be in the (thirties) with wages at 25 cents or 30 cents an hour/

Thank You. Eldon Ireton.

Lila James (nee Leach) added this:

Rose Mary Sarsfield I don’t think it is the Floating bridge. I’ve seen lots of photos of the floating bridge but I never saw this one before

Rose Mary SarsfieldThis appears to be a different bridge than the famous Floating Bridge over the narrows between Taylor Lake and Clayton Lake, which was in Lanark Township. There was an area in Ramsay along what is now called the Tatlock Road that had a sinkhole. The above photo may be of a bridge over that area. Eventually the road was built around this area as many efforts were unsuccessful in finding a solid bottom.

Lila Leach-JamesRose Mary Sarsfield Alf says you are correct as there was a sinkhole on the Tatlock Road near Donald Millers…Alf also said an engineer came back from the war and said it was 44 feet to the bedrock, reason that they could not fill it so built the bridge…it’s the curve near Cavanagh Pit…between Miller Road and Donnie Miller’s…

Diane DuncanI think Rosemary is right, this is the bridge on tatlock road. Realigned in 1950s, and improved in 1960s when it became a county road.

Rose Mary SarsfieldThanks Lila Leach-James that’s the area in the photo from Google earth below. When you get it enlarged it sure shows that it is quite a large area. As I was doing research on my Clayton book, I kept coming on to pieces in the old Gazettes about them trying to fix the road through there, over and over again, without success.

Rose Mary SarsfieldIn the image below from Google Earth the area is quite clear as the road takes a definite turn

Mary HurdisRose Mary Sarsfield this map don’ t show the 12th line that passes Gerald Tennants road and straight acrossthe Wolf GROVE and past David Thompsons across where the bridge was to the Thompsons on the other side.

Rose Mary SarsfieldMary Hurdis this shows where the sink hole was on the second line.

Ken MacDonaldYes the map you displayed is the Tatlock Rd between hiway 7 and Union Hall,. the angle Rd. near the bottom is by Cleary’s its the Old Perth Rd

Mary HurdisIt’s possible that it was part of the bridge,becausethere were posts driven down to hold the bridge in place.They may have been cut lower so wider loads could pass.They seem to be too close together for telephone poles.I remember fishing therewhen I was very small and seeing the posts cut off at the sides.f you look close these posts are on both sides!

Allan StanleyFloating bridge at the narrows did not have any posts on the sides… and finally was destroyed when Hurricane Hazel (1954) damaged many parts of eastern North America.

Lila Leach-JamesKen MacDonald Hubby Alf James did….that particular bridge went across a sink hole between Don Millers farm and the Miller Road on the Tatlock Road but new road now goes around sink hole….Cavanaghs have a pit on the other side now….He also said an engineer stated the bedrock was 44 feet below in that sink hole….It is located in Ramsay Twp and was a smaller version of a floating bridge…….

Rose Mary SarsfieldThe original post attributed to Eldon Ireton I believe did not refer to the above photo, but to one of the Floating bridge over the narrows between Clayton Lake and Taylor lake and was in Lanark township.. This bridge is another bridge in Ramsay Township.

Stuart McIntoshPretty well says it all,

In Claudia Smith’s Book: Gypsies Preachers and Big White Bears she says that long before 1900 there was a floating bride of some sorts on the road to Carleton Place from Clayton. It went straight across the sinkhole in Ramsay Township. That would be the one that everyone above was talking about. It was 20 acres of muck that was some sort of ode to a corduroy road and it was supposed to be stable. When Spring or wet weather occurred I am sure that you don’t have to imagine hard what it looked like. They got so desperate to keep it stable that they added logs from old barns and an old Presbyterian church.

They battled that sinkhole for years to no avail. In 1910 they tried new things that just did not work and the whole thing turned into a mud pile. No matter what they did it just sunk into oblivion. The next thing they did was a half moon crook in the road. However, Bert Miller’s steam threshing machine was just too much for that thing they called a bridge and it began to tip sideways, Somehow, all those folks that had gathered to watch got the front wheels of Miller’s machine up and stabilised the back and got it over to the other side. One does have to think twice that the was the very last heavy machinery to go across and by 1939 any new ideas for that bridge was gone; hook line and sinker.

So in going back through my blogs was this it??? I think so!!!

Does this sinkhole still exist? Thanks to Lucy Connelly Poaps here is a photo of one of the last pictures of Horseshoe Bridge on the 2nd line of Ramsay that carried traffic around the sinkhole. The bridge was closed in 1940 in favour of a detour road around the pit. The photo shows the deteriorating old bridge on the right. I would like to create some memories of this. Anyone remember anything? Read more here..The Horseshoe Sinkhole Bridge? Mysteries of Lanark County

The Ghost Horse of Tatlock — A Faerie Tale???

Photo of Sophia Seccaspina by Stephanie Seccaspina–Stephanie Seccaspina Photography

Once upon a time Tatlock was a thriving little village with various outcrops of natural marble formed from the glacier age everywhere you looked. On the Indian River in the north of Ramsay township, was a section where some of the last Natives of the township lived. Over the five year period before the pioneers of Ramsay had arrived settlers had located at points along the Mississippi from Morphys Falls and Mississippi Lake up to Dalhousie Lake.

Sections still occupied by Indians included those at Mississippi Lake where as then noted by the Rev. William Bell, ‘some of the islands in the lake are still inhabited by Natives, whose hunting grounds are on the north side and who are far being pleased with the encroachments our settlers are making on their territories’.

In 2012 Abigail Gossage wrote about seeing a ghost stallion moving through the grass in the Tatlock area. Could it be real? It seems that decades ago in the mists of local history one of the Native chiefs had a beautiful daughter who was loved by another young chief who lived nearby.

Photo of Sophia Seccaspina by Stephanie Seccaspina-Stephanie Seccaspina Photography

Her father consented to marriage and the young couple were happy. Sadly, that was not to be meant for long however. There was a chief from another local band who also desired the maiden. When he heard she was being given to another he vowed to kill them both. To save his daughter and her future husband the Chief advised them to run away as far as they could.

To speed the couple on their way he gave them his favourite white horse, noted for its speed and its stamina. However, the villainous Chief did catch up to them and killed the young couple. But the horse escaped, and for years afterwards it was seen on occasions, roaming the roads and forests in the Talock area. Sometimes he was seen with a tiny bright light following him. That tiny white light was said to be the spirit of the young Native maiden that was killed and had turned into a white fairy because of her tragic love story and pureness.

In the 1960s two men were walking down the road to the Tatlock mine and one looked up and said to the other,

‘There’s an old white cow coming up the road!’

The other man looked and saw it and then both of them just stood there looking at the thing that was soon close and the other said:

‘Jim, that ain’t no cow, it is too big for a cow, it’s a white horse’.

Well, that white vision came up closer and closer and when it was almost up to the both of them it stopped. It was so close they could see its ears and tail a twitchin’ and they both decided someone should hit it with a rock.

The rock flew thought the air and went right through that horse and hit way down the hillside. It was obvious that white steed was a ghost. It stood there and switched its tail and flicked its ears for a little bit longer in the moonlight and then turned slowly and walked right over the bluff. It just kept on going until it was out of sight.

With the skies full of UFO’s and other things that go bump in the night maybe you wouldn’t be interested in such things as harmless ghosts. But next time you are driving on the Tatlock back roads and you see that magical white horse— look for the tiny white light that follows him. That tiny fairy princess constantly is beside him and protects him from harm.

Before you shake your head in disbelieve remember—-things like this happen all the time on the backwoods of Lanark County — you just have to look carefully. They don’t only exist in fairy tales, they live and breathe in our local countryside having come from the old country with all the old settlers that made their homes here. Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale!

Photo of Sophia Seccaspina by Stephanie Seccaspina-Stephanie Seccaspina Photography

Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place and The Tales of AlmonteInformation where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun  Screamin’ Mamas (USA)  and The Sherbrooke Record

Somewhere in the Lanark County Woods– Inukshuk — Faeries of the Woods?

The Mysterious 5th Line ?????

Faeries on the Malloch Farm

Tales from the Ghost Story Wagon– 1- Alligators on Lake Avenue East

Pat Burns And the Black Pig– A Ghost Story?

The Mysterious Tatlock Mine

.

The Faeries of McArthur Island- Dedicated to the Bagg Children

Oddities — Lanark County Puffball Mushrooms

Beware of the Lanark County Fairy Rings

The Seven Wonders of Lanark County

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada02 May 1917, Wed  •  Page 5

Guthrie Genealogy — Tatlock

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
25 Feb 1939, Sat  •  Page 18

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
01 Dec 1939, Fri  •  Page 7

 

Tatlock:
In 1864 Tatlock had a post office with James Guthrie as postmaster. Tatlock PO shows in the Historical Atlas for Lanark County

CJohns76 I found this on the middleville museum website… I have a copy of the Guthrie family book packed away somewhere, where this picture was published

 

Dr. Metcalfe Guthrie Evoy

Archie Guthrie’s Notes on Lanark Mines Hall’s Mills and Cheese 1993

Our Fathers Never Talked About the War — Clippings of Norman Melville Guthrie

Sometimes You Just Need to Remember– Reggie Bowden

 

-Photos from the Canadian and Gazette files from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Author’s Note- Everyone deserves to be remembered– and so many remembered Reggie. If you have any more info to add about Reggie -leave a comment or email me at sav_77@yahoo.com

Dawn Jones– The late Reggie Bowden from Tatlock. He lived on the Darling Road (formerly 8th line Darling Twp) now Lanark Highlands. He was a well known trapper and hunter in these parts. He used to stop when I was wee and show us some of his efforts of trapping.

 

Ray Paquette Unfortunately, I never met him although my late wife was able to regale me with stories of Mr. Bowden who she met during her nursing stints at the Almonte General Hospital. Seemingly, he was quite a character…

Dawn Jones He was a character for sure. I knew his family well. He was unique–trapping fishing and hunting to sustain his family and his lifestyle. The mould was broke after Reg was made and respected by many.

Mary Hurdis— I remember in his later years his art work was special.

Julie Phillips-Bowden--Living with Reggie was interesting to say the least. His history is something else–from a Home Child from Barnardos to his life here–to being a hand on a fox farm–and meeting his future wife–to raising his family and how far he came is an amazing story in itself.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun andScreamin’ Mamas (USA)

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.

 

Remembering Maggie Graham Lanark County

A Pillar of Carleton Place– Remembering Ron Roe

Remembering Leonard McNeely and Gordon Willard Stewart 1939

Remembering Private Gordon Willard Stewart WW 2 Veteran

Remembering Ernest Donnelly– July 4 1951

Remembering a Shoemaker in Lanark Village–Thomas Wilson

More Notations on Tatlock

Photo from –1963 from the Times Weekly

From Fuller’s Directory for 1866 and 1867

Darling Township appears to have been mostly a timber area and in 1864 Tatlock had a post office with James Guthrie as postmaster.

A small post village situated in the Township of Darling, and County of Lanark, North Biding. It has one Presbyterian Church, and is distant from Perth, the County Town, 25 miles. Population about 35. The Township in which Tatlock is located contains no stores. Its whole population either follow lumbering or agricultural pursuits.

Coulter, John, saw mill proprietor

Guthrie, James, postmaster

Kobb, John, saw mill proprietor.

Perth Courier, September 8, 1899

Tatlock: Messrs. J. Caldwell, J. Traill, J. Rintoul, and J. Pretty, have gone from our midst to the Prairie Province.

Perth Courier, Oct. 13, 1898

Tatlock:  Mrs. W. J. Rintoul is at present visiting her daughter Mrs. Albert Affleck of Middleville

Perth Courier, January 6, 1899

Tatlock:  John Pretty, who died suddenly on Sabbath last was buried on Tuesday.  The funeral was the largest ever seen in Darling.  He was a man well known and highly esteemed.  The Rev. W.S. Smith preached a funeral sermon at the house.  He leaves a wife and six children, mostly grown up.  He was 55(?)58(?) years of age.

Perth Courier, June 2, 1899

The Gazette says that Mrs. Archibald Robertson, sister of Robert Watt of Almonte, died at her home in Ramsay on May 23(?) 25(?).  The deceased was born in Darling in 1838(?).  Four brothers and five sisters survive her:  Robert of Almonte; James of Middleville; Daniel of Carleton Place; Alexander of Rosetta; Mrs. William Dow of Hibbert Township, Perth County; Mrs. James Richardson of Drummond; Mr.s James Robertson, Sr. of Ramsay; Mrs. James Muir of Middleville; and Mrs. W.J. Rintoul of Tatlock.  She leaves her husband and two sons and two daughters to mourn an unexpected and irreparable loss.  The eldest son, John resides on the homestead; James who is a molder by trade lives in Carleton Place; Miss Maggie has of late been living in Middleville and Miss Emma has also been absent from home for some time.

Perth Courier, October 13, 1898

Tatlock:  On Wednesday, Oct. 5, Mrs. Peter Guthrie died at her home after a few weeks illness in the 70^th (?) 79^th (?) year of her age.  The deceased lady was held in great esteem among her friends and acquaintances. Though a great sufferer, she bore her affliction with much calm and fortitude.  The funeral on Friday was a very large one, many coming from a distance to pay their last tribute of respect.  A sermon was preached at the house by Rev. W.S. Smith of Middleville from the words of St. Paul in Hebrews IV:1.  The body was interred at Middleville.

Perth Courier, March 3, 1893

Tatlock—Died at Carleton Place on Sunday, 26^th Feb., Eliza Frizzelle Tatlock, relict of the late Mr. Samuel Tetlock, aged 84.

Perth Courier, April 12, 1872

Tatlock—Died on Saturday, 6^th inst., Alfred (Tatlock), son of Mr. William Tatlock, Drummond, aged 6 years and 9 months.

Tatlock Open Pit Mine. Calcium & Marble with Calcitic marble is mined to produce high-purity, fine-grind calcite for fillers, with terrazzo chips and landscaping stone as secondary products. Marble from the OMYA quarry in Tatlock might be in your driveway, your printer paper, or even the paint in your living room.

Kings Warks and Cemeteries–Interesting Discoveries of Lanark County

The Mysterious Tatlock Mine

 

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in Hometown News