TALBOT TIMES

Newsletter of the

ELGIN COUNTY BRANCH

ONTARIO GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

BOX 20060, ST. THOMAS, ON N5P 4H4

ISSN 0827-2816

VOLUME XVIII ISSUE FOUR DEC. 1999

Extracts of Genealogical information

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CHAIRMAN's MESSAGE:

As this will be the last newsletter before our branch's annual meeting and elections in January, I would like to thank the 1999 executive and committees for their dedication and hard work this year. Our branch has accomplished a great deal thanks to our many volunteers.

At our November meeting, the membership accepted a research policy drafted by the executive, which will be printed elsewhere in this newsletter.

Our latest publication, "Discovering Your Roots in Elgin" is now available at a cost of $12, and I recommend it to everyone as a reference tool for finding records in Elgin County. It should be especially useful for our long distance members to find out what is available here.

In October, I represented Elgin branch at the O.G.S. chairs conference in Guelph, where many informative and useful sessions were held. It proved also to be an excellent opportunity to share ideas with other branch chairs.

Our branch recently purchased 21 reels of microfilm containing the Elgin County Land Registry Office Abstract Index Books and the Index to the General Register (wills). These reels are now at the St. Thomas Public Library, and a more detailed article about them will be found in this

newsletter.

For many years, our branch has been clipping birth, death and marriage announcements from local newspapers, and we are currently working on organizing this collection so it can be used by researchers at the St.Thomas Public Library.

On behalf of the executive, I wish you all a happy holiday season.

Jim McCallum

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Abstract Index Books on Microfilm

Recently our branch received permission from the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations to purchase microfilmed copies of the Land Registry Office’s Abstract Index Books from the Genealogical Society of Utah, which had microfilmed these records in 1957. There are a total of 21 reels. We also purchased the index (one reel) to the General Register (1866 - ca 1900) which consists of transcripts of wills, administrations, indentures, etc. involving land transactions. This collection of microfilm is now available to researchers in the George Thorman Room of the St. Thomas Public Library.

The Abstract Index book lists all transactions relating to a property and is arranged by township, concession and lot (for urban areas, a plan number is used). The name of the grantor, grantee, date, quantity of property, description of land parcel (eg. SW ½ of N ½ ), monetary value, the type of transaction (deed, bargain & sale, quit claim, etc.), is recorded, along with the instrument number which is required to retrieve and view the actual document giving the complete details of the transaction.

The original Abstract Index books are held at the Elgin County Land Registry Office. Having microfilmed copies of these records will benefit researchers who find it difficult to visit the Land Registry Office during business hours.

Researchers must be aware that the microfilmed copies contain entries of land transactions up to about 1900, with a few exceptions. It is assumed there was an agreement with the Genealogical Society of Utah at the time regarding the filming of recent transactions. Therefore, for transactions on the property after 1900 in most cases, the original Abstract Indexes must be consulted at the Land Registry Office.

Please note that these microfilms are an index which will lead you to the actual document. In order to find documents relating to your ancestors in these books, you must know the lot and concession on which they lived. Documents dating prior to 1867 have been transferred to the Archives of Ontario where they can be viewed on microfilm. Documents for the period 1868 to 1955 have also been microfilmed and can be viewed at the Elgin County Land Registry Office. Documents after 1955 are in their original form and are available at the Land Registry Office. The Genealogical Society of Utah (LDS) also holds microfilmed copies of these documents in their collection, and can be ordered from any Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Consult the LDS Library Catalogue under “Ontario, Elgin - Land and Property”, for microfilm numbers.

Because the Abstract Index books were microfilmed in 1957, the layout of the books are in their original format. What this means is that at the bottom of a page there will be a notation “continued on page whatever”, and later transactions will appear further on in the microfilm. At some point after 1957, these pages containing continuations of transactions were photocopied and placed together for easier searching. All this means is that when using the microfilm, the researcher will have to do a bit of forwarding and rewinding to see the complete list of transactions.9

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NEW SARUM BAPTIST CHURCH TO CELEBRATE CENTENARY

Special Events on July 3rd and 4th to Mark the Founding; History of Village and Church Closely Connected

Whatever the little village of New Sarum may have aspired to be in its early days, it now has only two links with its one hundred and twenty-five years old past. Its church, which is this year celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of its founding, and its general store, are about all that remain. Like so many other small places, it was one of those that was squeezed out of a future through its proximity to another community, in this case, St. Thomas, which through some more fortunate set of circumstances was to outgrow it.

However that may be in New Sarum’s case, the little village, which once thrived in a lovely setting in and along the valley of Catfish Creek where the Talbot road cut through it at a ford, may still boast of a strong church and the people who live in the community retain their devotion to it. That is why, when the church anniversary celebrations are held on Sunday and Monday, July 3 and 4th, there is very likely to be a great crowd on hand to take part in special Sunday services which are now being arranged, and in the celebrations being held in conjunction on the following day. Many having gone from the New Sarum district, the anniversary may take on the air of old boys reunion for the people native to New Sarum and its precincts.

The story of the founding of the 2nd Regular Baptist Church of Christ at New Sarum goes back to the winter of 1838, about twenty-nine years after the first settling was done in the community. The families of James Stokes and William Wilcox, from England, were the first white people to break land in the New Sarum district, and it was William Wilcox who gave the village its start by building at the foot of the west hill, a hostel for the accommodation of travellers along the Talbot Road which had just been run through a few years before. His hotel was established about 1814 on the south side of the first hill where it ran down into the Catfish Creek valley a few rods north and west of the present road.

Named After Old Sarum

A man named Coney, who came from England, after the Wilcoxes and Stokes’ gave the village its name. His home in England had been in Old Sarum, a parish two miles north of Salisbury in Wiltshire, once a city of importance. Of the man Conley, not much is known, other than that he established a store of some kind and purchased some land at New Sarum. He remained in Canada for several years, but went back to England to visit and did not return. Friends who had followed him from Old Sarum to New Sarum never saw him again. He sold his property in Canada to the family of a man named Hethcott. He bore the reputation of a scapegrace son, and his family, anxious to bring him to his senses, or solely to be rid of a black sheep, bought Coney’s property at New Sarum and sent him out to Canada. The date of his arrival in Canada is not certain, but two or three other items concerning him are definite. Hethcott never bothered to reform and he never lost his wildness. But he seems to have been well liked. He once staged a huge party in the open woods on the south side of the road at the top of the west hill when an ox was roasted whole. That was in 1841. Fourteen years later, he died and was buried beneath the spot where that ox was roasted. His remains still rest there although the broken headstone is now buried at a depth below where it will never be touched by plough. Just where it is now only one person knows. Aldert Wilcox, one of the trustees of the church, buried the stone to keep it from being entirely destroyed, when he was a young man.

New Sarum’s Early History

Such is New Sarum’s link with Old Sarum. More about its early history concerns the establishment of two more hostels after the Wilcox House was built. One of these was Methcott’s, which thrived mightily through the business done at its tavern. The Methcott hotel burned down in 1885. Kennel’s, which was located half-way down the hill and opposite the Wilcox Hotel was the third hotel in the village. The burning of Kennell’s Hotel occurred within the memory of many residents of the present community, not more than thirty years ago. The Wilcox House did not suffer the fate of being burned but it was razed. Relics from the old place are still to be found in the district. Outstanding among them is the old clock whose age is estimated at about 130 years and which is still running. It is now in the hands of Aldert Wilcox, great-grandson of the original owner of the hotel.

New Sarum’s most thriving industry in its early days was the Ketchum whisky distillery situated in a little glen some forty rods south of the highway. Its site may still be traced though it is over one hundred years since it went out of operation, ceasing to manufacture a tasty product that sold well in the community at 25 cents a gallon, or the

equivalent. Also, there was a shingle mill on the flats on the east side of the ford, and some people can still remember George Upper’s saw mill. About the only other industries the village has ever boasted were the blacksmith shop and the wagon repair shop. Now its only industry is Crane’s garage, result of times much changed during these past forty years.

Arrival of the Church

Up to the winter of 1838, the villagers at New Sarum and in the district had no church. If they attended any services, they probably had to come to St. Thomas, or go to the Plains Church or the Union-Sparta road, which was organized as the First Regular Baptist Church of Christ. During the winter of 1838, a congregation was organized with Hosea Baker and Peter Caughell taking the leading hands as deacons, and Mark W. Hopkins acting as clerk. It was arranged at that time that meetings and services would be held in the old Union School which stood on the north side of the Talbot Road on the Secord farm just one mile west of Orwell. Hosea Baker and Thomas Mills served as the first pastors for the congregation.

At times of organization, the following signed their names in the record book as being charter members of the 2nd Regular Baptist Church of Christ, belonging to the Society of Regular Baptist, (the same as the Old Plains Church): O’Neol Cloes, Daniel F. Yorke, John Graves, Stephen Wilcox, George Brown, Susan Hopkins, Margaret Wilcox, Elizabeth Graves, Frances Teeple, Catharine Learn, Elmira A. Yorke, Eunice Cloes, Mary Caughell, Sarah Brown, Mary Frances, Mary Ann Brown, Mary Gilbert, Sally Hester Crane, Margaret Brush, Sarah Ann Brush, Agnes Teeple, Lady Brown, Eliza Brown, Margaret Thompson, and Jane Smith. Of these pioneers of the church, the descendants of three are still members of the church. They are the Wilcoxes, the Cloes’ and the Gilberts.

For nine years, the congregation held regular services in the old Union School and prospered insofar as membership was concerned. With growth of the congregation, it became apparent that a church would be needed and in the summer of 1847, steps were taken to procure land for the erection of a church. From O’Neal Cloes, a small lot, in area three-eights of an acre, situated in the northwest angle of his farm directly opposite the point where the Nilestown Road reaches No. 3 Highway, was procured for the sum of 3 pounds, 2 shillings, in present funds about $15. Elgin county was not then existent and the township of Yarmouth was part of the huge county of Middlesex. The deed for this lot was registered in London on September 10, 1847, signed by Hosea Baker, Stephen Wilcox, and Daniel F. Yorke, who were members of a board of trustees appointed by the congregation, and by O’Neal Cloes as the seller.

Well-Kept Records

The church records are unusually complete and they contained detailed information of the affairs of the church since its organization. These records are now in the hands of Aldert Wilcox, who, in going over them, has found that since 1837, there have been 974 members brought into the church. At the present time there are 125 members.

A peculiar thing about the records books is that they contain no mention of the building of the church sometime between 1847 and 1850. The records simply report the last meeting held in the Union School and continue with a report of the first meeting in the new church. Were it not for the deed, little would be known about the actual building of the church. As it is, little enough is known other than it originally was of frame construction similar to that used in building barns. The first service held in the church appears to have been held on Wednesday, March 20, 1850.

At the time the church was built, the Nilestown Road extended south of the Talbot Road, now No. 3 Highway. This extension was however, little used because of bad hills to the south, and because of a newer road running south from the top of the hill was much better. The church then stood at the southwest corner of the intersection. Because of disuse, the old road was eventually closed and the land occupied by the right-of-way just west of the church property became a sort of commons. Now the New Sarum community hall, just west of the church, stands in the middle of the old roadway south of the highway.

Building Turned Around

In 1879, the church, which originally faced to the west on the Nilestown Road extension, was turned around to face north onto the Talbot Raod. At this time, improvements were made an it was faced with whie brick. Marking this change, a tablet was placed high-up on the front wall above the main entrance, bearing the date of the change and the name by which the church had come to be known, the “New Sarum Baptist Church”. Still later improvements were made to the church about thirty years ago when the building was raised and a basement put under it. At this time, the old white brick facing was replaced with red brick, and this is how the church now stands.

NEW SARUM BAPTIST CHURCH TO CELEBRATE CENTENARY

With the founding of the church under the Society of the Regular Baptists in 1838, the first baptismal service was held at the Union School on October 21, 1836. The candidate was Mary Lee. It was not until 1858 when a marriage record book was started at the parsonage, kept by the succeeding ministers and continued to the present itme. The first marriage recorded was that of Andrew Laur to his cousin, Betsy Laur, in 1859. The marriage records contains a record of all marrriages performed either at the church, the parsonage, or at the private homes in the community where the Baptist minister at the New Sarum church has officiated.

In 1864, Elder Hosea Baker, whose farm was just west of New Sarum to the south of Talbot Road, deeded the church an acre of land to be used as a cemetery. This cemetery is as it has not been used for the past thirty years at least. The cemetery is to be found on a knoll in the valley of Nineteen Creek one-half mile west of New Sarum, south of No. 3 Highway. The grounds of the cemetery are located about one-quarter miles back from the Highway. Headstones show that burials were made there as early as 1844.

May Improve Cemetery

It is possible that the church celebrations will lead to steps being taken to have something done about the old cemetery which, as it now stands, is in poor condition. It has been newly fenced, but it is overgrown with a dense growth of raspberry bushes and other brush. Groundhogs have dug burrows in it. Few of the headstones are left standing and many of them have been broken. To clean up the cemetery and put it in shape as a memorial to the pioneers of the New Sarum Church, will require a considerable fund. This matter may be brought up at the time of the centenary. There is a right-of-way from the highway to the cemetery but the roadway has been long washed out and could not be used unless it too was given attention.

The church property also includes a fine residence in the village five lots east of the church, which is used as the parsonage.

Present Officials

The present officials of the church include, in addition to Rev. W.E. James, the pastor, the Deacons’ Board made up of Frank Doan, David Norton, Edward Small and Aldert Wilcox, with William Cook and Murray Ashton as Junior Deacons; Frank Doan as church treasurer and Harold Wilcox as his assistant; Lewis Norton as clerk and Mrs. Karl Gloin as his assistant; Aldert Wilcox, David Norton and John Couse and trustees; Mrs. K. Gloin as choir leader, and Mrs. Harold Wilcox as organist. The church societies include the B.Y.P.U., headed by Harold Ashton; the Sunday School with a membership of over one hundred, of which Roy M. McTaggart is superintendent; the Ladies’ Aid, of which Mrs. George Brower is president; and the Mission Circle, of which Mrs. W.E. James is president.

The following is the list of pastors who have served the New Sarum Baptist Church from the time of organization, together with the years in which they were in charge: Elder Hosea Baker, 1839-1841; Elder Thomas Mills, 1841-1851; Elder Abraham Smith, 1851-1865; with Elder Gibson supplying; Elder D.W. Rowland, 1865-1866; Elder Clutton, 1866; Elder Bostelow, 1866-1869; Elder M. Mulchay, 1869; Rev. H. Richmond, 1869-1871; Rev. Folger, 1871-1873; Rev. G. K. Haycock, 1873-1875; Rev. G.W. Tompkins, 1875-1877; Rev. A. Smith, 1877; Rev. H. Richmond, 1877-1884; Rev. Gostelow, 1884; Rev. Dann, 1885-1887; Rev. D.W. Rowland, 1887-1888; Rev. John Mills, 1888; Rev. Mr. Stokes, 1888; Rev. D.W. Rowland, 1888-1889; Rev. J.H. Sowerby, 1889-1891; Rev. John Gray, 1891-1898; Rev. William Spencer, 1898-1904; Rev. G.W. Ray, 1904-1907; Rev. T.M. Dadson, then a student pastor, 1907-1908; Rev. W.S. Buckerrough, 1908-1916; and since then, Rev. W.S. Walker, now of Diverside, Ont.; Rev. L.D. Huxtable, of Endicott, N.Y.; Rev. E.J. McEwen, of New Hamburg; and the present pastor, Rev. W.E. James

The anniversary services on Sunday, July 3, will probably be taken by Rev. L. D. Huxtable, who early accepted the invitation which was extended to him, as well as to all other former pastors of the church who are still living, to attend. The church will be specially decorated for the event and the basement will be arranged to house an exhibit of relics of pioneer days of this village. Special music is being arranged for the choir. The Monday program will include a special morning meeting on the grounds of the old school about one-half mile west of the village, and a picnic outing there during the afternoon. The B.Y.P.U. is arranging a garden party for the wind-up of the anniversary celebrations on Monday evening."

THE JONES FAMILY RE-UNION

The Aylmer Express, July 13, 1939

Held at Dunboyne July 1st. Richard Jones, Aged 94, Was Present

On July the 1st a very enjoyable time was spent at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John McKnight, Dunboyne, where the Jones Family reunion was held this year. In former years it has been held in Dundas and surrounding district.

Although the day was rather showery, about a hundred and fifty registered. They came from Dundas, Hamilton, Toronto, Simcoe, London, Windsor, Cleveland and other parts of the country.

After dinner, the president, Thomas Hunt, and the secretary, Albert Jones, both of Copetown, took charge of the program, which consisted of speeches. Among those speaking was Mr. Richard Jones of Copenhagen, who is ninety-four years old and very smart and alert for his age. Rev. Mr. Kennedy was also asked to speak.

One feature of interest at this time was the unfolding and reviewing of the family tree, which had been prepared by Albert Jones and others. It had been very cleverly worked out on paper and pasted on a long stretch of cotton. Each branch of the family could be traced very easily and clearly. It has taken nine years to collect the authentic material for this script and it dates back to the time the original parent, James Jones and his two brothers left their home in Wales, in the early years of the past century to make their homes in America. James Jones first settled in Pennsylvania, where he married and became a prosperous farmer, but when the war broke out which gave the British colonies, now the States of America, their freedom, his family along with many others, being loyal British subjects, had to leave their hard-earned property behind them and flee to Canada.

They first took up Crown land in Lincoln township, near what is now the city of St. Catharines, but soon left there and took up a tract of land in that very fertile section of the county near Dundas in Beverley township. This beautiful home is still in the family and is owned by George Jones who is one of the sixth generation. A large number of the descendants live near the old home and in Hamilton and around there, while others settled in more distant parts. One branch, Peter Jones and family, came to Malahide and settled south of Aylmer where he took up over seven hundred acres of land, nearly all wooded, along and back away from the lake, which he planned to divide among his nine sons. There were four daughters also. However, they did not all wish to become farmers: two became Methodist ministers; two were school teachers, one a veterinary surgeon, one a carpenter, and two or three others decided to take up land in other parts. Only one of these sons is now living, the most of them passing away a number of years ago and three when quite young men. The remaining son is Mr. Richard Jones, who has made his home for the past seven years, since his wife passed away, with his daughter, Mrs. Fred Roberts, of Copenhagen.

When Peter Jones and family settled in what was soon afterward called Copenhagen, there was neither a day school or a Sunday School, so he cleared a place in the woods, which is now owned by Mr. Will Grainger and built the first school among the stumps. The first teacher was a Miss Burdick, of Grovesend. Then a Sunday School was organized and was held in this same building. Shortly afterwards a singing school was started and the young people were taught music which gave them some diversion from the hard work of clearing and building as well as the weaving of carpets, woollen blankets and cloth for clothes and linens, all for their home use, the material all being products of their own farms.

About the time the program was finished, the clouds cleared away and the sun came out very brightly, so all went out on the lawn where they could mingle more freely. There was time for those with cameras to take some pictures and one amusement was a moving picture camera which Mrs. Harold Lindsay manipulated, taking snaps of the different ones in all kinds of places and poses, when least expected. She wandered all over the grounds.

In parting one and all spoke of the delightful time they had spent together and gave a very hearty vote of thanks to the host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. McKnight, who with their daughter Gwendolyn, had done so much to make their guests welcome.

Next year the gathering will meet at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alec. Wallace, at Simcoe, who gave all a hearty invitation."

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FRANK H. TRIM MARKS HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY

Aylmer Express, December 7, 1939

Born Near Port Bruce, Mr. Trim Remembers That Port When It Was a Great Shipping Centre.

He Has Lived In Aylmer For 70 Years. Was Prominent Butcher and Hotel Man Here.

Frank H. Trim, a resident of Aylmer for seventy years, celebrated his 80th birthday on Friday last, December first. The event was marked quietly at his home, Talbot street west, because of the death of Mrs. Trim, which occurred on September 3rd last. He is one of Aylmer’s best known citizens, and for many years was prominent in the butcher business here and was a proprietor of the former Mansion House and Brown House Hotels.

In an interview with Mr. Trim he informs us that he was born at Jamestown, in Yarmouth township, not many miles from Port Bruce, on December 1st, 1859. He was a son of the late Samuel Trim and Mary Jane Shaddock. When he was three years old his family moved from Jamestown to Port Bruce where his father followed the butcher business, supplying Jamestown, Sparta, Union, Dexter, and Port Bruce with meat, as well as the farmers along the concessions.

Mr. Trim remembers Port Bruce when it was one of the biggest business and shipping centres of this district. There were five big grain warehouses and in season it was nothing to see a line of teams and wagons a mile long, waiting to unload their grain at the warehouses. There were several good general stores and three hotels. The principal hotel was operated by a Mr. William Young, an uncle of the late George and Levi Young of Port Bruce.

“I well remember Mr. Young’s meat order for this hotel”, said Mr. Trim. “It was for from 300 to 400 pounds three times a week in the grain season. My brother Albert and I would deliver it. We had about a mile to travel and our delivery outfit consisted of a wheel-barrow for each of us. A Mr. S. Young, father of Levi and George Young, ran the fish business at Port Bruce. Mr. Young would make us haul with his drag net for $1.00 in those days. Some of the hauls would be so great that a team wagon would not hold it all. The haul would probably include several sturgeon from 4 to 6 feet long, weighing from 100 to 200 pounds each.”

Aylmer’s First Delivery Boy

About the year 1870, Mr. Trim says his father opened a meat market in a store where the Freeman Electric store is now located, on the corner of the alley and John street. The store was a frame building about 10 X 12, and Frank was brought along for delivery boy. He says he believes he was Aylmer’s first delivery boy at the age of about 10 years. He and his father drove back and forth from Port Bruce to Aylmer for awhile. They would leave Port Bruce about 4 a.m. so as to have the Aylmer shop open at 6.

That was 70 years ago and Aylmer was not nearly as large as today. Mr. Trim says there were only four or five houses north of the Catfish creek and no foot bridge to cross on. He has seen the business places on both sides of Talbot street all destroyed by fire, with the exception of the block now occupied by the Bank of Montreal.

Mr. Trim well remembers the old corduroy road between Copenhagen and Dunboyne. “I remember its bumps used to waken me up as father and I travelled back and forth over it night and morning,” said Mr. Trim.

Mr. Trim Sr. tired of this nine mile drive each way to Port Bruce and about the year 1872, the year before Aylmer’s town hall was completed, Mr. Trim’s father moved to a new meat shop in the rear of the town hall, where the fire apparatus is now kept. In those days all butchers had to go there, where each had a stall. There were no separate shops, but one meat market.

In 1887 Frank Trim purchased the meat business of Leeson & Leverton, located on Talbot street, about where the Filby grocery store is at present. After carrying on this business for several years, Mr. Trim sold it to the late Joe Benson, whose widow is still a resident of Aylmer, and moved to Springfield, where he kept hotel for three years. After selling his hotel to a Mr. Ballard, Mr. and Mrs. Trim, for he was married on February 6th, 1886 to Estella Caverly, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Eli Caverly, returned to Aylmer and a few weeks later purchased the furniture and good will of Messrs. Dudley and Binder, proprietors of the Mansion House. Mr.and Mrs. Trim conducted the Mansion House for four years and sold the business to the late George Sears, who carried it on as long as the building remained a hotel. After disposing of the Mansion House business, Mr. Frank Trim and his brother, Albert, bought the Brown House (now the Selrite Store corner), which they conducted as Aylmer’s leading hotel for fourteen years.

Mr. Trim has lived to see Aylmer grow from a village, smaller than Port Bruce in the early days, to the present progressive town. From muddy dirt streets to the present modern paved highways, and he has done his part as a loyal citizen to see the town progress. He has a host of friends who join with The Express in congratulating him on his 80th birthday anniversary.

He feels the death of his wife very keenly. They were married some 53 years, and have one daughter, Mrs. Foster Cook, 25 Kains St., St. Thomas. Of the Trim family of nine, but three are living: Frank and George, of Aylmer; and Mrs. Ida McGrath, of Winnipeg. Of a family of 12 on the Caverly side of the house, but three are living: Arthur and Charles, Malahide, and Edith (Mrs. Charles Ralph), of Detroit. "

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QUERIES

GREENSLADE

, Thomas - b ca 1815 in England, d 23 Apr. 1890, bd Tiffany Cem, Delaware, Twp. Middlesex County. One son, James GREENSLADE 1850 - 1937. Seeking info re wife of Thomas and any other children. <mailto:derf@execulink.com>

WALKER, Ira, b Ontario c 1830, m Margaret SMITH. Ch: Ira, Charles, Mary, James, William. Resided in Windham Twp until approx. 1871. Known to be tenant farmer.

Pat Temple, Box 121, 35639 James St., Fingal, ON N0L 1K0. E:mail - derf@execulink.com

MILLS / SIMPSON

- Looking for Felix MILLS &/or his wife Jane/Jennie SIMPSON in Elgin Co; from Botsford parish, Westmorland, NB? Ca 1820-1830

Sandra DEVLIN, E:mail - devlin7@attglobal.net

FINCH / EDWARDS / GUSTIN / BECKWITH / FURGUERSON

- Thomas Henry FINCH of Toronto and later Komoka and wife had large fam including: Salinda married EDWARDS,d 1899, Henry (merchant Aylmer, ON.) Thomas, Aylmer, William, Komoka, Jane mar Eliphalet GUSTIN, London, ON., David Wellington d 1866, dau mar BECKWITH, dau m FURGUERSON, Strathroy. Looking for evidence to confirm above info and add more info on descendants.

MACGREGOR / MCKELLAR / PIGGOTT

- James MACGREGOR mar 1841 Sarah MCKELLAR. Five sons: Donald b 1845, John b 1847, James b 1850, Duncan b 1851, Peter b 1853,(source Family Bible). John MACGREGOR mar Jan 1883 in Forest, ON to Mary PIGGOTT. First 2 ch: Laura, & John b Yarmouth Twp, Elgin Co - 4 more ch b in Widder (later Thedford, Lambton Cy. Searching for any info re James MACGREGOR and his 4 other sons, where lvd, families, etc.

Linda KOOLEN, R.R. E:mail - hlkoolen@xcelco.on.ca

I am searching for marriages and births of some members of the BLACK family who left Dunwich in the 1880s for Detroit, married there and probably had children. Is there a web site that might have this sort of information on it?

Ross Davidson E:mail - davidsons@idirect.com

Can anyone identify this unknown source/obituary found in a Michigan Bible - Sparta, Elgin County or Sparta, Michigan?

AN OLD CITIZEN CALLED HENCE. -

Mr. George HORSMAN

, an old and respected citizen passed away last Sunday Sept. 28, 1902, after a brief illness. Though he had been in feeble health for a long time, having heart trouble especially, his final illness continued only about a week and in the form of pneumonia.

Mr. Horsman was about 72 years of age and resided in Sparta since along in '67 or '68, being engaged in glove manufacturing and repairing almost up to the time when failing health compelled him to give up active work. His sterling qualities of mind and heart ever retained for him a high place in the esteem and respect of this community. His wife, Mrs. Jennie June HORSMAN and one daughter survive him.

Brenda Edmonds,

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AMERICAN RAILROAD RECORDS

if your ancestor was an American railroad worker, you might find information from the State Historical Society Railroad Museum in the appropriate state or the United Association of Railroad Veterans, 187 Illinois St. Paterson, NJ. 07503. Also you might write to Railroad Retirement Board, 844 Rush St, Chicago, IL. 60611.

If your ancestor had a Social Security number starting with "7" he probably worked for the railroad between 1937-1943. The Railroad Retirement Pension was set up at the same time as Social Security, and railroaders received their own Social Security numerical prefix. Railroad pension records are available from the Railroad Retirement Board at the Chicago address.

Via Kishwaukee Genealogists, Nov/Dec. 1998

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