TALBOT TIMES

Newsletter of the

ELGIN COUNTY BRANCH

ONTARIO GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

BOX 20060, ST. THOMAS, ON N5P 4H4

ISSN 0827-2816

20th ANNIVERSARY

VOLUME XXI ISSUE ONE MARCH 2002

Chairman’s Message

Jim McCallum

By the time you read this newsletter, Elgin OGS will have celebrated its 20th anniversary! Our March meeting has been set aside for this purpose, when we will honour 20-year members and recognize our many volunteers with presentations. All past chairs have been invited to attend.

We had a very successful Beginners’ Night at our February meeting. We were quite overwhelmed at the number of new faces in attendance. A follow-up Beginners’ meeting is being planned for the spring.

Our Places of Worship project is progressing. The first volume, dealing with Malahide & Aylmer is being prepared for publication. Work on compiling the next volume, Dunwich, is well under way. Another new publication just completed is the first volume to an index of the General Register, which we have on microfilm. The microfilm is now at the St. Thomas Public Library.

Our publications sales table will be busy again this spring. We will be going to the Region 1 meeting in Chatham in April, and the OGS Seminar in Alliston in May. I will be representing the branch at the Chairs Conference in Toronto at the end of March.

During the past few months, I have been busy typing cemetery transcriptions into the computer.

When completed, we will have all our transcriptions safely stored on disc. We are also in the process of making a storage copy of all our publications that have been done on computer.

I’d like to thank the executive and committee chairs for again accepting their positions for the year 2002. Elgin OGS is lucky to have such a dedicated bunch!

Table of Contents:

Executive & Committees for 2002

EXECUTIVE

Chairman James L. McCallum (6676)

Past Chairman Ross L. Harrison (19320)

1st Vice Chair vacant

Secretaries:

Recording Pat Earl (21363)

Corresponding Marg Daugharty (4341)

Treasurer Jean Bircham (10334)

COMMITTEES

Membership Pat Temple

Newsletter: Editor Brenda Edmonds

Queries Norma Smith

Publications Jean Bircham & James L. McCallum

Publicity Dixie Lemon

Research Pat Temple, Brenda Edmonds, Marg Daugharty, Jim McCallum, Norma Smith, Jean Bircham, Bruce Johnson (Malahide)

Web Publisher Bruce C. Johnson; (seasonal Port Bruce, Ontario)

Library James L. McCallum

Pedigree Charts Jane Gordon

Surname Cards Carol Hall

Vital Statistics Clippings Pat Temple & Bea White

Cemeteries Dean Paddon

Archivist Kay Lemon

Telephone Pat Temple, Frances Hindmarsh, Kay Lemon, Donna Longhurst, Joyce Ostrander

The Executive will coordinate the Program and Events Sales

Queries

ENGLES /INGALLS: Miranda Sophronic (Sarah?) b1832 Upper Canada. Where? Parents? When

did she go to Michigan to marry David Lucas HOSE?

George D. Willits gdw@oxford.net

UPCOMING EVENTS

Topic: Genealogical Research in England

Speaker Gordon Hillman

Date" Monday, April 22, 2002

Topic: Visit to the Dairy & Heritage Museum

Location 48075 Jamestown Line (R. R. #2 Aylmer)

Date Monday, May 27, 2002

Meet at 6:45 p.m. at Zellers Garden Centre at the Mall.

Topic: Transcribing Trinity Anglican Cemetery,

Location Port Burwell

Date Monday, June 10, 2002

We will be gathering at Craiger’s Cove, 33 Robinson St. Pt. Burwell for dinner at 5 p.m.

If not joining us for dinner please meet at the Cemetery at 6 pm - All Welcome.

St. Thomas Public Library - Carnegie Room - FOURTH MONDAY of the MONTH - 7:30 p.m.

CATHARINE McCALLUM - McBRIDE - McLACHLIN

A Pioneer of Dunwich, Reaches a Great Age

DIED AFTER TELLING HER HISTORY

DUTTON ADVANCE, 3 NOVEMBER 1921, PAGE 5, COL 2

Dunwich lost its oldest and one of its most respected residents on Saturday in the person of

Mrs. Catharine McLachlin, who suddenly passed away at the patriarchal age of 96 years and 10

months. The venerable lady was in her usual good health and was being interviewed by a St. Thomas newspaper man regarding her life history for publication and shortly after completing her story suddenly collapsed and in a moment or two the spark of life had fled.

Mrs. McLachlin was the last survivor of a family of twelve and was born in Scotland and came

to Canada with her parents, the late Alexander and Mrs. McCallum in 1831, in the days when

steamships were unknown and the long and tedious trip across the Atlantic was made in a sailing ship, taking nine weeks before they were able to reach Port Stanley. Here the family resided for several years when, receiving a grant of land from Col. Talbot in Dunwich, they moved to the township, which at that early period was almost an unbroken forest. The story of the pioneers of the now prosperous and contented community has been frequently related - the privations, the hardships and the utter feeling of loneliness that prevailed, but with all the indomitable perseverance and courage of the hardy band that ultimately led to better conditions. These were the experiences of the venerable lady, and which she frequently recalled. She was twice married, her first husband being James McBride, of Dunwich, who died in 1854. Her second husband, Archibald McLachlin, died in 1884. Many years ago diphtheria broke out in her home when she passed through a trying ordeal, six of the family dying within a few weeks.

She was the last of the original members of Cowal Presbyterian Church, which was established

sixty years ago. Despite her great age she was very active and took a deep interest in passing events, reading the newspapers with an eagerness of one many years her junior.

Of her twelve children she is survived by four: Mrs. John Kindree, Dunwich; Alex McLachlin,

London; Miss Effie McLachlin and Archibald McLachlin, Dunwich, with whom she made her home.

The funeral was held on Tuesday to the Cowal cemetery, when many friends and acquaintances paid the final tribute of respect to an honored pioneer. The service was held in the church and was conducted by Rev. C. A. Malcolm, assisted by Rev. Mr. Leitch, of Kintyre, the bearers being Alex Kindree, Walter Kindree, Arch McLachlin, J. D. Graham, E. Anderson and D. McLachlin...

SOME COOL INTERNET SITES

by Jim McCallum

Starting with this issue, I will be featuring some Internet sites that I have found useful in my own

genealogy. I will offer a short review of the site and a summary of what can be found there.

An important part of genealogy is connecting with other people who may be working on the same family. Prior to the Internet, genealogists relied on published surname directories and queries in newsletters. While this traditional method still has merit, the Internet has opened up almost endless possibilities to connect with people.

There are no doubt dozens of web sites that offer message posting, but two of my favourites are

Rootsweb and Genforum. Most of you are probably already familiar with these, but for those who are not, I will review how to access the information in these web sites.

Rootsweb’s World Connect Project: Global Search - http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com

This page is actually a link from Rootsweb’s Home Page at: www.rootsweb.com

There are several search options found on this page. You can search for Family Trees, Surname Locality

Message Boards and Web Sites by Region or Surname. There are also searchable indexes of various

databases, and a list of over 24,000 surname or regional mailing lists you can subscribe to. The Family Tree

section actually contains submitted genealogy reports and the e-mail addresses of the authors.

Genforum - http://www.genforum.genealogy.com

This web site offers message boards for both surnames, localities (regions) and general topics. To

see if the surname you are interested in has a message board, enter the name in "Jump to Forum". If there are no results, try variant spellings of the surname, or search the "Surname List", or "Forum Finder". Once you find the Family Forum you want, you can search that forum for a particular name or location. This is helpful for the Forums of common surnames, where there can be thousands of messages posted. For instance, if I know my family came from a particular county in Ireland, I will search the Forum for that county name. If there are no results or only a few, I will search again just using "Ireland". The search engine will pick up any message that contains the word you searched for. You can be as creative as you want to be in choosing a keyword to search to narrow your results. Of course, you can post new messages as well as reply to ones already posted. There is an option you can select to be notified when someone replies to your message. There is also an option to search all Genforum sites for a surname. This will pick up surnames mentioned in Forums not of that family. This site is useful to track surnames that married into your family as well. For instance, if you are trying to find descendants of great-great aunt Sarah Smith who married a Jones, check the Jones Family Genforum in case someone is searching her husband’s family

MAPLETON

O. L. Fuller’s - 1865 & 1866 Directory for Counties of Elgin & Norfolk

A small village in the Township of Yarmouth, and County of Elgin. Population about 80

Appleford, William, general merchant

Bray, Y. B. , farmer

Culver, Edwin, farmer

Charlton, Peter, farmer

Charlton, William, farmer

Dexter, David, farmer

Luton, George, teacher

Luton, William, Sen., farmer

Luton, William, Jun., general merchant

McNeil, Peter, farmer

Park, W. L. , general merchant

White, F. Farmer

DID YOU KNOW

In the 19th century, horse drawn buses were a common sight in every large town. As these competed with

one another for passengers, it was vital that the horses were kept in good condition. To ensure their wellbeing,

many a driver used to spend his day of rest on the vehicle to see that everything was being managed

satisfactorily by the relief crew. Thus a "busmans holiday" means time off which is taken at work.

HISTORY OF MAPLETON FOR TWEEDSMUIR BOOK

April 17, 1947 (the Aylmer Express)

A very interesting resume of the history of Mapleton and district has been compiled by Mrs.

Mabel (Bray) Smith and Mrs. Florence (Finch) McGregor. The story is to become part of the

Tweedsmuir History Book encouraged among the Women’s Institutes of Canada by Lady

Tweedsmuir, wife of the former Governor-General of Canada. In two parts, The Aylmer Express offers the first of the series this week. The balance will follow next week.

Early records reveal that the first settlers in the township of South Dorchester were Isaac Willis

and Archibald McLachlin in the year 1826. They were Americans of British parentage and came

from Livingston County, New York. Isaac Willis located on the 10th concession north of Springfield and Archibald McLachlin on the 11th concession east of Mapleton. His son John succeeded him and then William Charlton, Azel Finch, J. C. Dance and the present owner, Clare Appleford.

In 1831 Andrew Warwick, of Irish descent, also settled on this road. His son James inherited

the farm and continued in his father’s purpose of making a fine home out of the wilderness. Mr. and Mrs. James Warwick had no family and upon Mr. Warwick’s death a nephew and namesake, James Warwick Jr. and his wife took over, with whom "Aunt Celicia", as the first Mrs. J. Warwick was affectionately known in the community, lived until her death. Gordon and Celicia (Warwick) White now own this fine home.

Peter Charlton, also in 1831, settled on the farm across the road from the Warwick place. Later his son John H. And his wife Kate Brown, took over the farm which in due course was handed

down to their two daughters Maude (Mrs. Harry Cloes) and Myrtle, and is now owned by H. M.

Brown. At the same time (1831) that Peter Charlton settled east of Mapleton, his brother William Charlton with his bride, a New York state girl, came from Kingston and purchased land from the Crown at $1.00 pr acre north of Mapleton on the townline between Yarmouth and South

Dorchester townships, cutting down trees to clear this land for a log house and barn. There were

twelve children in this family, all living to a great age. Mr. Charlton himself lived to the age of 99. As the family grew up and married, William Jr., John R., Abram and Miles settled on farms in the Mapleton district. Abram and his bride, Mary Barrett, taking over the homestead, passed it on, on their retirement, to their son Roy. Herbert E. Thomson, a veteran of World War I, now owns this farm. William Charlton Jr. took over the John McLachlin place east of Mapleton having married their only daughter, Isabel, a granddaughter of the pioneer Archibald

McLachlin. This place is now owned by Clare Appleford. John R. Charlton and his bride, Emily

Jane Bray, settled on the Daniel McGregor place on the 10th concession of South Dorchester just off the townline. Later, his son, Ansel E. And wife (Edith Thomson) and later still his son, John A., and wife (Veda Brown) took over. Karl Thomson was the next owner and since his death Mrs. Thomson and little son, Jimmie, a great grandson of William Charlton Sr., own this farm.

Miles Charlton, the last of the family living, and his bride, Saphronia Brooks, a descendent of the pioneer David Brooks, settled on 50 acres of the homestead but later acquired the Capt. A. McMillan farm farther north about one mile on the town line, now owned by his eldest son,

Orlando and his wife, Minnie Gates.

The Bray farm, in concession 11, lots 18 and 19, Yarmouth, was obtained from the Crown in 1840 by James Lewis. He sold to Amos Jeffrey in 1848 and he to William Rogers in 1851. In

1857, J. Warwick acquired it and in 1863 he sold to T. B. Bray from the Paris district. In 1869 his

son, Ansel, took over and upon his death it passed to his son, John, who still lives on the old

homestead. It is on the southern end of this farm that the village of Mapleton and the Mapleton

cemetery are located. The very first burials in the community were made in a plot of land on the hill just north ofthe William Luton home - the first recorded being that of Samuel Weir in 1824. This land, however, was soon found to be springy and another site was chosen on the hill on the southeast corner of the Bray farm. This cemetery was non-sectarian and people for many miles around chose it as a last resting place for their dear ones.

Duncan and Daniel McGregor settled on the 10th concession of South Dorchester, Daniel taking the corner farm on the 10th concession and the Yarmouth-South Dorchester town line, and

Duncan taking the next farm east which was later sold to W. G. Charlton and then to Hiram Peer.

Across the road from the McGregors came an English family, Mr. and Mrs. William Cox. Their

daughter married Frederick Carter who had come from England with the Cox’s. Mr. and Mrs. Carter succeeded to the farm keeping it up in true English style with its hawthorne hedges and open ditches. Their only son William Carter next came into possession and then his son J. G. Carter who sold the place to Eardly Finch.

Peter McNeil was a carpenter in Scotland and was lured from his native land to seek fortune in

Canada. He obtained the land and in 1856 built the house in which Fred Brown now lives. When he sold this property to Robert Putnam he went about one mile farther east to make his home on the farm now owned by his grandson, Lorne McNeil. Putnam married a daughter of John Wismer and sold his place to Wismer, he too, finding a home farther east. In about 1880 Wismer sold to L. M. Brown, who spent the remainder of his years there. His son Fred, now owns this place.

Jacob Augustine lived in Welland county, but when the Welland canal was started (18241829),

he decided it was a poor place in which to raise a family, so coming west, he settled on land on

the north side of the road opposite the Bentley and McNeil places. His son, Henry Augustine married a Miss Brown, whose brother, William Brown, had moved from Yarmouth Centre and settled on the farm just west of the Augustines. William Brown married Fanny Augustine. In 1876, Henry Augustine sold his share of the property to James Vail and moved to Michigan. James Vail sold in turn to D. D. Finch and W. H. Brown while L. M. Brown got the west 50 acres where W. Herbert now lives.

The farm now owned by H. M. Brown was early settled by a Mr. Brickley and later by Robert

Allen, Darius Appleford, James Brown and J. C. Legg.

Archie E. Thomson’s farm was settled by Robert Allen who sold to R. Waite who sold to J. D.

Thomson, father of the present owner.

In 1819 William Luton and his wife Mary Bye came from England, receiving their land from the Crown. Of their six sons and three daughters, John, the eldest, married Amanda Crane and

settled on what later became known as the Jim Meikle farm at Crossley-Hunter. William married

Eliza Crane and coming to Mapleton district settled on a farm about one mile south of Mapleton on the east side of the road, and Daniel and his wife, Emma Hawley, took the farm on the northwest corner of the intersection of the Edgeware Road and the Mapleton-New Sarum roads.

The Lutons were very active in the civic affairs and in 1867 Daniel Luton was elected member of the first legislative assembly of Ontario. They had two sons and three daughters but on the

death of their parents they sold the farm and went to St. Thomas. Their successors on the farm were: F. Dunsford, then James Drake, and now John Schneider and son Lorenzo.

William Luton and wife had four sons and three daughters. George studied law and practised in Michigan; Robert became a medical doctor and also practised in Michigan; Daniel who farmed just south of the Edgeware road where A. Paddon now lives; and William F. who married Jennie, daughter of Jacob Cline of Dorchester and bought land in Yarmouth, the first farm north of his Uncle Daniel Luton’s. W. F. Luton was also a man with great public interests and in time became warden of the county. Later in life he went to St. Thomas where he became governor of the jail, which position he held until his death. In this family there were five sons and one

daughter. One of the sons, Dr. William Luton, paid the supreme sacrifice in World War I. While

another, Dr. Robert Luton, enlisted in World War I and became a major. Remaining in the forces he was in World War II, elevated to the status of General. William Luton Sr.’s farm is now owned by James Moore III.

John Luton’s son Gilbert married Lynn Allen, daughter of Robert Allen and they took over

the Allen place east of the Mapleton (Disciple’s) Church while the Allen family moved farther south into the Kingsmill district.

Other early settlers were Stephen Tuttle who built a home on the north side of the South

Dorchester-Malahide townline, just off the Mapleton-New Sarum road. This farm passed to his son John and then to George Tuttle who held it until about 1900. Paul Leathers was the next owner and now J. Erickson of Danish birth.

Godfrey McTaggart and his wife, Kate Gregory, made their home among the hills of Catfish creek east of Daniel Luton’s.

Jabez Culver came north taking the corner farm bounded on the two sides by concession 11

Yarmouth and the townline between Dorchester and Yarmouth. This place passed on to his son Edwin who lived there until his death in 1906. Melvin Claus is now the owner of this farm.

Thomas Finch came also in 1831 from New York State and took up land in Yarmouth about

one mile south of Mapleton. This homestead was later, about 1860, sold to T. W. Michael and again about 1900 to Thomas Penhale. It is now owned by Samuel Garton. In 1840 Mr. Finch’s son, David Wellington Finch and his bride Rebecca House, moved from the home of his father to lot 18, concession 8 South Dorchester which at that time was native woods with the nearest neighbour, John Deacon, two and one-half miles away by the blazed trail. This pioneer couple was blest with thirteen children, the two youngest sons returning to the Mapleton district to farm. David Denzil and his wife, Amy Charlton settling on a farm about one mile east of Mapleton, purchased from John Gostick, the present home of Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Wodham - and George Culver and his wife Emma Venning, on the Peter Caughell farm, one half mile north of Mapleton across the road from William Charlton Sr., purchasing this farm from his brother John in 1884. His son, Eardly Finch, now owns and resides on this farm.

Other early settlers were J. S. Finn on the first farm east of Mapleton on the south side of the road. He was superceded by William Appleford, George Doan, Titus and Lewis Doan; George Doan’s two youngest sons; H. M. Brown, M. Warwick, George McCaulley and the present

owner Bruce Brown.

The farm just east of this was purchased in 1856 from the pioneer Walter Chase by Frederick

White, a young man of German birth, who, with his young Irish wife came up from Halton county. Mr. and Mrs. White spent the rest of their lives on this farm, building it up into one of the show-places of the neighbourhood. Their son, David, took over the farm on their retirement, the other sons having entered professions. Upon D. O. White’s death, the farm became the property of the only child, Mabel, Mrs. (Dr.) M. D. Campbell.

When the Moores came to the New World from their native Ireland, they first established

themselves in New Hampshire but in a few years they began to hear tales of the splendid country to the far west and in 1838 decided to hit the trail for Indiana. By the time they had assembled their families and their belongings there was quite a caravan. They came with wagons and teams

crossing into Canada at Buffalo and all went well until one of their number fell ill, so they stopped at Orwell for rest and aid. While in Orwell they heard of land for sale a little to the north, and liking the country hereabout, they decided to give up their long trek and make their home in Canada. David Moore settled on the 10th concession of South Dorchester where four generations have held the same farm, and his brother, James settled east of Mapleton between the A. McLachlin and the W. Chase farms. Of his two sons, Samuel became a doctor and went to the States, and James II took over the home farm. His only son James III in turn carried on the work until his elder son Hugh came to manhood and took over the farm, his father moving first to Yarmouth Centre and then in 1841, back to the William Luton place south of Mapleton.

John Wismer settled on a farm just west of the Peter Charlton farm. Mr. Wismer was very active in both church and political life, serving for many years as magistrate. In 1856 he and his

neighbour, Peter Charlton, both supplanted their original log homes by the red brick residences still standing.

The Church of Christ (Disciples)

As the early settlers began to put down roots in their newly established homes, they also began to

feel the need of a place to worship and on Jan. 6, 1850 a meeting was held at the home of Edmund Sheppard, formerly of Toronto, who lived in a house just back and a little to the west of the present church site, near the home of R. S. Bentley, now

owned by R. Stover. At this meeting it was decided to build a church and immediately the men began work hewing out timber from their forests. R. S. Bentley gave the land for the church site and the adjoining cemetery and by August of that year the church, a frame structure 18' X 30' was completed. On August 25 it was opened for the first service with a charter membership of eleven souls. R. S. Bentley and E. Sheppard had been elected elders and Elder Sheppard, as he was

known throughout the countryside, became the first pastor. Elder Sheppard was an outstanding scholar and lecturer, as well as superintendent of public schools in this district and his success as a minister was evident from the first. It was said of him that he officiated at more weddings than any other minister in the county. The church in a few years outgrew the building and a new octagonal church of white brick was erected in 1872, the original church being sold and moved to Mapleton where it became the residence of Miss Maude Bray and her sister, Mrs. John Smith.

Again the church outgrew its walls and in 1904 in Rev. Ballah’s pastorate, was replaced by

the present red brick edifice.

The ministers who have served this congregation are -Revs. E. Sheppard, Keifer, Grice, W. Campbell, E. R. Black, R. W. Ballah, W. G. Charlton, W. N. Arnold, D. McColl, T. W.

Bradt, S. W. Fay, S. R. Aldrich, H. K. Franks, J. D. Stephens, A. Butler, C. Wells, F. R. James, and W. Fermer.

It may here be stated that Edmund E. Sheppard, only son of Elder Sheppard, grew to manhood while in this community becoming journalist and editor. Later he moved with his bride, Duckie Culver in Toronto. It was he who founded the "Toronto Saturday Night".

Early Settlers in North Yarmouth

In the early 1830's Canada was a land of great promise and a great many Scottish families

came from their homes, chiefly in Argyll and Inverness shires, and settled in North Yarmouth and west. Among these was Donald McLean who settled in the 12th concession of Yarmouth, a long farm facing the Yarmouth-South Dorchester town line. Of their two daughters, one, Mary married Hugh McKillop and succeeded to the farm. Mr. McKillop was a carpenter as well as farmer and in 1885 it was he who erected the large white brick house now standing, tearing down the original log house. This farm was afterwards owned by A. J. Campbell, later by J. J. Smith, and now by Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Free.

James Campbell settled on lot 16, concession 12 Yarmouth. This farm passed to their son Alexander and later to Jacob Cline, son of Dr. Daniel Cline, and grandson of Jacob Cline Sr.,

South Dorchester pioneer. Elmore, son of Jacob Cline Jr., now owns this place.

Angus McIntyre and wife located on lot 17, concession 12, Yarmouth and of their nine children,

two, Neil and Janet, still reside on the home farm and still retain their native tongue - the Gaelic.

The McCallum’s settled west of Mapleton. Alexander McCallum in concession 11, lot 17, later

owned by M. Bray and now by Allan Grawburg. Across the road in concession 10, John McCallum located. This farm was in time acquired by Duncan G. Taylor and is now owned by his son Herman Taylor. Farther west in concession 10, lot 16, Archibald McCallum settled. Having no family of his own he left his farm jointly to a nephew Neil McCallum, and wife Mary Campbell McCallum. This farm is now owned by Walter Matthews.

John McLarty located on lot 16, concession 11 Yarmouth also receiving his land from the Crown. This farm has remained in the family through three generations, his son Daniel taking over the old home which in time passed to his two sons, John and Daniel, who still reside there. Paul, another son of Daniel McLarty, received the north half of the original farm.

Lot 15, concession 11 was early owned by A. McKellar, later by J. Wismer, and about 1883

was acquired by Colin Smith son of the pioneer John Smith, a little farther west, and father of

Donald G. Smith, P.I.S. for South Middlesex, who received his early education in the Mapleton school. From C. Smith the farm passed to G. and N. Taylor and is now owned by their sister Miss Flora Taylor.

These Highland Scotch people felt the need of a place of where they could worship in their own

dearly beloved tongue, the Gaelic, and so in 1837 a church was built a couple of miles west of Mapleton which they named "Kilmartin", in honour of their home church in their homeland. In this the Presbyterian form of worship was followed.

April 24, 1947 (continued from last week)

The School

Following the settlement of the district in the 1830's, the necessity of schools for their children’s

education naturally presented itself and resulted in the building of a little log schoolhouse south of the village on the east side of the Mapleton-New Sarum road. The land was owned by Edwin Culver. Later this school and its situation were found unsatisfactory and it was decided to erect a new school in the village. The land on the north east corner of the intersection of the 11th concession of Yarmouth and the Mapleton-New Sarum road was chosen as a site.

Here a blue frame building was erected and came to be known as the "Blue School". This

building was later bought by R. Fonger and converted into a house. Later it was moved to

Lyons. In 1870 the present school, a frame building, was erected on still another site, a plot of land obtained from E. Culver on the 11th concession of Yarmouth at the foot of the east Mapleton hill.

The first school teacher of the district was a Mr. McCormick. He was followed by Leonard

Luton, George Luton, Robert Luton, Albert Luton, Margaret Caughell, Colin McTaggart,

William Campbell, James Campbell, Thomas Hughes, Hugh McIntyre, George Campbell, Archibe McKellar, W. A. Galbraith, Alex McLarty, Kittie Bray, Ed Ferguson, George Smith, Havelock Nevills, D. L. Ewin, Neil McIntyre, Jno. Currie, Leota Cloes, Clara Saywell, Bessie Foraker, Emily Wilson, Jean McGregor, Olive Weaver, Violet Morris, Eva Taylor, Myrtle Paddon, Etta Fitchett, Maud Sweet, Jean Betterley, V. Shaver, D. Martin, Ruth Charlton, F. Simpson, E. Kilpatrick, D. Smith, Grace Taylor, Glen Charlton, Stuart Walker, Jean McNeil, Mrs. Audrey Faulds, and Mrs. Louise Taylor.

It was in this school that D. G. Smith, P.S.I., for east Middlesex received his early education as

did Miss Kathleen Moore, daughter of James Moore II, who is author and co-author of severaltext books. It is worthy of mention also that W. A. Galbraith, the teacher, was the father of Kenneth Galbraith, who became price administrator in Washington, D.C., during World War II, and who holds high administrative positions in the United States and in England since.

Cheese Factory

In about 1859 William Appleford built the first cheese factory in the district, the second in the

province of Ontario, east of Mapleton in a field purchased from John Wismer. He hired Ellen Ward to make the cheese and John Leitch as assistant, sending out a team and wagon morning and evening to gather in the milk. Later, a new cheese factory was built south of Mapleton on the banks of the Catfish Creek on the Learn farm. William Appleford left the old site and operated this factory, hiring George Mundy as cheesemaker. Soon after, Mr. Appleford, having bought the Mapleton store, sold out to Mundy. John Brodie next acquired it and built up a fine business which he held until about 1920 when he sold out to Canada Milk Products who tore down the main structure and for several years the community was without a milk processing plant. In 1932 the farmers got together and built the fine co-operative cheese factory which now stands at the north end of the village and serves the surrounding country. This factory was operated for about nine years by Harold Frost and since by Guy Harris.

Community Activities

It was in the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Brodie in 1907 that the Women’s Institute first

organized their local branch, naming it the Mapleton District Women’s Institute with Mrs. D. D. Finch their first president, and Mrs. J. Brodie their first secretary.

The name later was changed to Kingsmill-Mapleton Women’s Institute. The following ladies

from this district in turn served as presidents: Mrs. D. D. Finch, Mrs. D. O. White, Mrs. James Moore Sr., Mrs. J. Cline, Mrs. D. Caughell, Mrs. J. Bray, Mrs. Mahlon Bray, Mrs. Roy Charlton, Mrs. J. B. Drake, Mrs. Bruce Brown, Mrs. Jno. Smtih and Mrs. James Moore Jr.

It is interesting to note that during the first World War the Kingsmill-Mapleton Women’s

Institute decided to establish a canning centre for the preservation of surplus fruits, vegetables and fowl for the use of our boys overseas and again Mr. Brodie came to the front and graciously loaned the butter room of his factory for this purpose. Ladies came from Sparta to Belmont, from west and from east to do their bit. The result was 6313 cans valued at $4081.60, sent to cheer our boys.

Another outstanding movement in the community during World War I was the literary society which was organized by the young people of the district and was held during the winter months in the school house. Of such excellent quality were the programmes given that the house never failed to be packed to the doors and many were the comforts our boys overseas received from the proceeds of this enterprise and great was the intellectual and cultural growth of those participating.

Also, during these trying years, the Women’s Institute staged a large garden party each summer turning over from $500 to $1000 from each toward the War work. Thus did our women and our

young people stand shoulder to shoulder with our men and thus the neighbourhood bound by a

common purpose.

Village of Mapleton

In the early days when men had to team their grain over mud roads for long distances to

market and to mill it was natural that you would find taverns along the way where horses and men could be rested and refreshed; and so we find one on the northwest corner of the intersection of the 11th concession of Yarmouth and the Mapleton-New Sarum Road.

So, also it was a happy day when John Wismer bethought himself to start a general store

just south of the corner on the Culver farm. This store was operated first by himself, then by William Appleford, John Doan, and Philip Boughner. In the meantime Wismer went across the road and built another store on the north east corner of the cross roads. This store was operated first by the Wismers, John and Stephen, and then sold to Benjamin Knight, who in turn turned it over to P. Boughner, Mr. Boughner closing the first store. Mr. Boughner, becoming ill sold out to Thomas McKee and he to W. A. Barons who I 1911 sold to the Bray sisters who still own it.

In the early days these stores served in turn as post office, the mail being drawn by horse and

cart from Kingsmill. Lansing Johnson, T. Hammond and George McCauley served as couriers.

Thomas Hughes, a cousin of Judge Hughes of St. Thomas and his bride came out from

England in these early days and built a home and started a butchering business on the corner just

north of the first store. To him we owe the name of Mapleton, from the fine maple trees which bordered his lot and which he pruned and tended with care. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes had two sons, George, going to Michigan and becoming superintendent of public schools, and Thomas, also going to Michigan and becoming instructor in law in the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Thomas Yeo’s was another English family to early establish themselves in a home just north of

the second store. There were three children in this family, Rhoda, going to Detroit and marrying,

William, going to Michigan and becoming a successful lawyer. He also served several terms as

the representative of his constituents in the State Legislature, and James, who became a successful businessman in Saginaw, Michigan.

When the new school was built at the foot of the Mapleton hill, the old Blue School was sold to

Ralph Fonger who made it into a residence. He built a blacksmith shop in the Culver field on the

south east corner of the intersection of roads, and it was here that first he, then Thomas Stanley, and then Samuel Bancroft lived and plied their trade for many years. Mr. Bancroft moved away and his place was taken by W. Cloes. In a few years, however, Mr. Bancroft returned and erected a new shop on the west side of the road which he operated until ill health and death claimed him. This place is now owned by Percy Drake, the shop having been turned into a garage and repair shop. The J. Grady house and store is situated on the north side of the Bancroft property.

In the flats just west of the old tavern, Seth Thompson erected and operated a grist mill in the

early years of the century. This was afterwards torn down and W. A. Barons who was then general merchant built a new mill just back of the store on the site of the old Blue Schoolhouse which had by that time been moved to Lyons. W. A. Barons in time tore down this mill and now Keith Drake, returned from over five years service overseas, is operating another mill on his property on the western side of the village.

Mrs. Durdle

The story of this community would not be complete without mentioning Mrs. Mary Durdle, a

little English lady who lived on a plot of land across the road from the Bray’s which now is included in the Finch farm. Mrs. Durdle had three children, but after they grew up and established homes for themselves, by the products of her garden, her vineyard and her labour, she eked out a living. In those early days Canada had few if any clothing manufacturers and so the busy farm women looked to Mrs. Durdle to do their knitting and make the large straw sun hats which their men and children required. It was a hey day in the lives of the Bray children when, after the wheat was gathered into the barn, Mrs. Durdle would come over to get her bundles of straw. The wheat was gathered into small bundles and the heads chopped off to save the grain. Then the straw was unjointed at the first joint and soaked in the rain barrel until it was soft. She then braided it and sewed it into hats. With all this labor, Mrs. Durdle found time to cultivate her small English flower garden with its hyacinths, cowslips and daisies which was the marvel and delight of all who beheld