Headstone photos for the following cemeteries in the "Heart of the Talbot Settlement" area are available on-line; click on a name to see the photos.
http://cemetery.canadagenweb.org/ON/ONS10634/ St Stephen's
Showing posts with label Looking Back. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Looking Back. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Saturday, September 25, 2010
The War of 1812-14 in Southwestern Ontario: The Battle of Malcolm’s Mills
Backus-Page House summer term employee Jackson Stanley was asked to compose a submission for the autumn edition of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society newsletter "The Pioneer Press". Due to space limitations we were not able to include the entire composition in the issue. The complete work, along with research resources listed, can be found below.
The War of 1812-14 in Southwestern Ontario: The Battle of Malcolm’s Mills
November 1814
Mathias Saxton grimaced with a dull pang of rising anxiety. He took in his surroundings in full regard for the first time, and saw only a swarm of ordinary lives. Five-hundred lives to be precise he reminded himself, as he had overheard Colonel Salmon estimating the number gathered as he was confessing his doubts on a successful counteroffensive to one of his forward commanders. Saxton, however had an undying faith in his superior, a fierce will to protect his property, and as he had volunteered for the position he was in now, he was bound to whatever fate he met.
In fact, at this moment, five-hundred local volunteers had all assembled in Waterford, a place of appointed rendezvous. In the weeks previous, calls from Port Talbot to Brantford had been made with the clear intent of requesting able-bodied men ready to face their duty. Masses of men came, raw to the business, void of acceptable discipline, and armed with nothing less than muskets, which all needed to be charged from the powder horn, bullet pouch, and wadding (a slow process against cartridges). The men were to make a rapid advance to Malcolm’s Mills, a location where, according to circulating rumours, the American forces had recently assembled themselves.
Now, when it seemed that all willing men, capable or not, had answered the call, they were finally ready for the march.
A crisp and potent bark ripped through the dead air. “ATTENNN…HUN!”
The men snapped erect, and remained motionless, as if their muscles had all seized up at exactly the same moment in time. Mathias did not dare blink, and he soon found that his eyes had come to rest on a rather large walnut tree.
The orders from a senior drill sergeant continued to cut through the thick silence.
“ABOUT…! FACE…LEFT! QUICK…MARCH!”
The men without any hesitation lurched forward as a single mass, and began their march to Malcolm’s Mills.
******************************************************************************************
The militia arrived at Oakland Township, a part of Brant County several days later and had been camping out at Malcolm’s Creek and mill pond. The men had spent two days fortifying a good-sized hill, which overlooked the surrounding area. Below them was a planked bridge over a swampy marshland. Mathias was proud of his militia’s strategy, as they had designed their armaments in such a way that any American troops going over the bridge and past their encampment toward Longwoods would most surely be held fast by their impenetrable barricade.
The next morning, Mathias’ once towering confidence in his militia began to slowly wane away. His fellow men were becoming increasingly uneasy, and had a look about them as if they knew of some impending doom. Of course with being at war, the inevitable fate of battle was always looming for a soldier, but for some reason Mathias felt a gnawing fear at the pit of his stomach, that he could not fully explain.
A few hours past and Mathias Saxton’s fear was soon exposed for what it really was.
The men, who were already on edge, almost jumped out of their skins when an officer ran past their encampment informing them that the Americans, the ones whom they had been waiting for these many days, were finally upon them.
Encouraged by his neighbours and friends…the militia, Mathias grabbed his weapon and following his commanders orders, marched toward the enemy with his brethren. As he surged forward, Mathias could begin to see the Americans alarmingly close in their battle formation below the hill. It was evident that his militia’s laborious work at barricading the bridge above the marshy creek had been for naught, as the Americans had simply forded through it. Mathias finally came to a stop and entered into a line. He could see now that his enemy outnumbered him with vast numbers, and now to his own and the militia’s utter surprise, the opposing army had begun to corner them by flanking them on either side of the hill. Mathias blinked in shock. He thought of himself, ‘So few against so many, I am surely to die.’ He thought of his wife and children, ‘If it is God’s will that my life be taken up so that they may live, then I shall give it.’ He thought of his commanding superiors, ‘I will put up a good fight for them. We, mere farmers and merchants will make them proud of their last charge.’ He thought of his home, ‘Canada.’
Mathias Saxton took a deep breath of crisp autumn air into his lungs and began to load his rifle…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you have been reading this story, you have been seeing the events of the Battle for Malcolm’s Mills unfolding before the eyes of Mathias Saxton, and therefore yourself. Although the character of Mathias Saxton is a conjuring of fiction, the Battle described therein was completely genuine. In November of 1814, as part of a series of the War of 1812, five-hundred men from various locations across southwestern Ontario marched to Brant County to be met by an overwhelming force of American cavalrymen lead by Brigadier General Duncan McArthur. The opposing military force soon overran and scattered the small force of Canadian militia.
The resulting skirmish left the Canadian militia suffering the loss of several dead and many wounded, while they fled from the panic and pandemonium that ensued.
Although an undeniable loss for the Canadians, the ferocity of the soldiers and their utter resolve in the face of impossible odds at Malcolm’s Mills is honourably commendable. With a love of their homes, livelihood, leaders and nation, the men of Canadian militias during the War of 1812 were a different breed then those of their enemies. These men, neighbours, friends, family members, and brothers, fought for a sense of righteousness. They shed blood for the hope that their great land, Canada, could continue to be a beacon of prosperity for them, but more importantly, for their future generations.
By:
J.Q. Stanley
Source~
-Oakes, Garrett. Garrett Oakes: Tales of a Pioneer. Ed. Thorman, George, Clarke, Frank. London: Frontline Publications, 1991.
-Stott, Glenn. Greater Evils: The War of 1812 in Southwestern Ontario. London: M&T Instaprint.
November 1814
Mathias Saxton grimaced with a dull pang of rising anxiety. He took in his surroundings in full regard for the first time, and saw only a swarm of ordinary lives. Five-hundred lives to be precise he reminded himself, as he had overheard Colonel Salmon estimating the number gathered as he was confessing his doubts on a successful counteroffensive to one of his forward commanders. Saxton, however had an undying faith in his superior, a fierce will to protect his property, and as he had volunteered for the position he was in now, he was bound to whatever fate he met.
In fact, at this moment, five-hundred local volunteers had all assembled in Waterford, a place of appointed rendezvous. In the weeks previous, calls from Port Talbot to Brantford had been made with the clear intent of requesting able-bodied men ready to face their duty. Masses of men came, raw to the business, void of acceptable discipline, and armed with nothing less than muskets, which all needed to be charged from the powder horn, bullet pouch, and wadding (a slow process against cartridges). The men were to make a rapid advance to Malcolm’s Mills, a location where, according to circulating rumours, the American forces had recently assembled themselves.
Now, when it seemed that all willing men, capable or not, had answered the call, they were finally ready for the march.
A crisp and potent bark ripped through the dead air. “ATTENNN…HUN!”
The men snapped erect, and remained motionless, as if their muscles had all seized up at exactly the same moment in time. Mathias did not dare blink, and he soon found that his eyes had come to rest on a rather large walnut tree.
The orders from a senior drill sergeant continued to cut through the thick silence.
“ABOUT…! FACE…LEFT! QUICK…MARCH!”
The men without any hesitation lurched forward as a single mass, and began their march to Malcolm’s Mills.
******************************************************************************************
The militia arrived at Oakland Township, a part of Brant County several days later and had been camping out at Malcolm’s Creek and mill pond. The men had spent two days fortifying a good-sized hill, which overlooked the surrounding area. Below them was a planked bridge over a swampy marshland. Mathias was proud of his militia’s strategy, as they had designed their armaments in such a way that any American troops going over the bridge and past their encampment toward Longwoods would most surely be held fast by their impenetrable barricade.
The next morning, Mathias’ once towering confidence in his militia began to slowly wane away. His fellow men were becoming increasingly uneasy, and had a look about them as if they knew of some impending doom. Of course with being at war, the inevitable fate of battle was always looming for a soldier, but for some reason Mathias felt a gnawing fear at the pit of his stomach, that he could not fully explain.
A few hours past and Mathias Saxton’s fear was soon exposed for what it really was.
The men, who were already on edge, almost jumped out of their skins when an officer ran past their encampment informing them that the Americans, the ones whom they had been waiting for these many days, were finally upon them.
Encouraged by his neighbours and friends…the militia, Mathias grabbed his weapon and following his commanders orders, marched toward the enemy with his brethren. As he surged forward, Mathias could begin to see the Americans alarmingly close in their battle formation below the hill. It was evident that his militia’s laborious work at barricading the bridge above the marshy creek had been for naught, as the Americans had simply forded through it. Mathias finally came to a stop and entered into a line. He could see now that his enemy outnumbered him with vast numbers, and now to his own and the militia’s utter surprise, the opposing army had begun to corner them by flanking them on either side of the hill. Mathias blinked in shock. He thought of himself, ‘So few against so many, I am surely to die.’ He thought of his wife and children, ‘If it is God’s will that my life be taken up so that they may live, then I shall give it.’ He thought of his commanding superiors, ‘I will put up a good fight for them. We, mere farmers and merchants will make them proud of their last charge.’ He thought of his home, ‘Canada.’
Mathias Saxton took a deep breath of crisp autumn air into his lungs and began to load his rifle…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you have been reading this story, you have been seeing the events of the Battle for Malcolm’s Mills unfolding before the eyes of Mathias Saxton, and therefore yourself. Although the character of Mathias Saxton is a conjuring of fiction, the Battle described therein was completely genuine. In November of 1814, as part of a series of the War of 1812, five-hundred men from various locations across southwestern Ontario marched to Brant County to be met by an overwhelming force of American cavalrymen lead by Brigadier General Duncan McArthur. The opposing military force soon overran and scattered the small force of Canadian militia.
The resulting skirmish left the Canadian militia suffering the loss of several dead and many wounded, while they fled from the panic and pandemonium that ensued.
Although an undeniable loss for the Canadians, the ferocity of the soldiers and their utter resolve in the face of impossible odds at Malcolm’s Mills is honourably commendable. With a love of their homes, livelihood, leaders and nation, the men of Canadian militias during the War of 1812 were a different breed then those of their enemies. These men, neighbours, friends, family members, and brothers, fought for a sense of righteousness. They shed blood for the hope that their great land, Canada, could continue to be a beacon of prosperity for them, but more importantly, for their future generations.
By:
J.Q. Stanley
Source~
-Oakes, Garrett. Garrett Oakes: Tales of a Pioneer. Ed. Thorman, George, Clarke, Frank. London: Frontline Publications, 1991.
-Stott, Glenn. Greater Evils: The War of 1812 in Southwestern Ontario. London: M&T Instaprint.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
HMS Investigator Sees The Light of Day
HMS Investigator was a merchant ship purchased in 1848 to search for Sir John Franklin's lost expedition. She made two voyages to the Arctic and had to be abandoned in 1853 after becoming trapped in the ice (but not before sailing the last leg of the elusive Northwest Passage).
Archeologists working with Parks Canada first discovered the ship on July 25, after ice had cleared from Mercy Bay, a remote site in Aulavik National Park on Banks Island.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Ontario Visual Heritage Project
The Ontario Visual Heritage Project: Elgin was funded with a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and support from the Elgin-St. Thomas Tourist Association.
Click the link below to explore the history of Elgin County and St. Thomas interpreted through an entertaining visual medium. You will need a Quick Time viewer (which can be downloaded for free here) to view these short videos.
Ontario Visual Heritage Project
Click the link below to explore the history of Elgin County and St. Thomas interpreted through an entertaining visual medium. You will need a Quick Time viewer (which can be downloaded for free here) to view these short videos.
Ontario Visual Heritage Project
Friday, March 12, 2010
Merinda Pearce- A Woman’s World
Women’s diaries are a wonderful resource for those of us who would like to understand what it was like to live in a bygone era. Women would write about what could have been considered the commonality of their daily schedule. Journal entries might include recipes, details of chores completed, who came to visit or what was the new rage in hats for that season. Sickness, births and deaths, weddings, harvests, all the events and tasks that marked the span of a woman’s day could find a place of note. These small details, the minutia of a life lived, when combined paint a picture of a place and an existence fixed in time.
Merinda Williams was born in 1842 near Iona, Ontario. She married Thomas Pearce in 1865. Thomas came from fine pioneer stock being the grandson of John Pearce who along with the Patterson, Storey and Backus families help found the Talbot Settlement. For the last 14 years of her life, Merinda kept a personal journal. Her entries are brief for the most part but clearly illustrate what life was like between 1892 and 1906 here in the Dutton Dunwich area.
Today is March 12, 2010. It is a Friday. The week has been wonderfully mild and graced by sun lit skies until today. The sky is overcast but the fine drizzle that fell this morning seems to have moved on. The shoreline here is home to strong winds that can gust for days but there has only been a sigh of a breeze for the past several days. The mild weather and drizzle have made a hazard for walking with mud and slick leaves but deeper down the soil is still frozen and hard. There are small shallow patches of snow in the open fields despite the recent mild weather and under the tree line and shaded woodlot paths it lays a little deeper.
In 1893, March 12th was a Sunday. The weather for that week was bright but it seemed that the snow was lingering longer. The names of towns and families that are still common to the area shout out of the text. Reading Merinda’s entries for the same time of year one cannot help but see that time laid like a curtain over the contemporary landscape.
Here are excerpts from Merinda’s diary for this week in March over 100 years ago…
“ 8th- Bright & nice. Men getting noggins scalded, Sammy staid home to help. Had to shovel snow around camp. Been a great winter for snow. Good sleighing began last December and staid firm on till now. Mr Andrew Lunn brought James Lunns wife & baby in afternoon & had tea with us. Very nice baby, glad to see them. Rain commenced before they went away. Nearly 10pm and Sammy & Willy are out bathing old Dolls leg with hot water. Thomas not well.
9th- White frost yesterday and today. Thomas paid Jackson after breakfast and let him go, he has very little sense, poor man, too messy for anything. Thomas tapped 110 trees and had noggins scattered. In afternoon we saw someone coming up lane and behold it was Bertha, Frances, Eva & Stewart Pearce. Willie, Leslie, & Harry Sifton had started to drive up the lane with democrat and broke down in gully. So girls had to walk to the house, of course they all had to look over the house in every nook and corner. (as does everyone who come around) From cellar to garret. Staid until 11, Thomas and Sammy led them to road.
March 10th 1893- Fine. Mr Sloan helped tap trees and got all big bush but 40 trees done. Sammy rode to P.O. in evening, took Damas beef.
11th- Thomas to Shedden in morning, Mr Sloan & boys gathered 26 buckets of sap. Rain came on at 9 and continued all day and evening."
The sap is running here and now in Dutton Dunwich. Conversation at the local eatery touches on the weather, how many trees got tapped and how fast (or slow) the sap is running. While many things have changed it also seems that just as many stay the same.
Merinda Pearce's diary is one of numerous interesting documents archived at the Elgin County Archives in St Thomas Ontario. If you'd like to venture a little further afield visit the Archives of Ontario to discover even more resources.
Merinda Williams was born in 1842 near Iona, Ontario. She married Thomas Pearce in 1865. Thomas came from fine pioneer stock being the grandson of John Pearce who along with the Patterson, Storey and Backus families help found the Talbot Settlement. For the last 14 years of her life, Merinda kept a personal journal. Her entries are brief for the most part but clearly illustrate what life was like between 1892 and 1906 here in the Dutton Dunwich area.
Today is March 12, 2010. It is a Friday. The week has been wonderfully mild and graced by sun lit skies until today. The sky is overcast but the fine drizzle that fell this morning seems to have moved on. The shoreline here is home to strong winds that can gust for days but there has only been a sigh of a breeze for the past several days. The mild weather and drizzle have made a hazard for walking with mud and slick leaves but deeper down the soil is still frozen and hard. There are small shallow patches of snow in the open fields despite the recent mild weather and under the tree line and shaded woodlot paths it lays a little deeper.
In 1893, March 12th was a Sunday. The weather for that week was bright but it seemed that the snow was lingering longer. The names of towns and families that are still common to the area shout out of the text. Reading Merinda’s entries for the same time of year one cannot help but see that time laid like a curtain over the contemporary landscape.
Here are excerpts from Merinda’s diary for this week in March over 100 years ago…
“ 8th- Bright & nice. Men getting noggins scalded, Sammy staid home to help. Had to shovel snow around camp. Been a great winter for snow. Good sleighing began last December and staid firm on till now. Mr Andrew Lunn brought James Lunns wife & baby in afternoon & had tea with us. Very nice baby, glad to see them. Rain commenced before they went away. Nearly 10pm and Sammy & Willy are out bathing old Dolls leg with hot water. Thomas not well.
9th- White frost yesterday and today. Thomas paid Jackson after breakfast and let him go, he has very little sense, poor man, too messy for anything. Thomas tapped 110 trees and had noggins scattered. In afternoon we saw someone coming up lane and behold it was Bertha, Frances, Eva & Stewart Pearce. Willie, Leslie, & Harry Sifton had started to drive up the lane with democrat and broke down in gully. So girls had to walk to the house, of course they all had to look over the house in every nook and corner. (as does everyone who come around) From cellar to garret. Staid until 11, Thomas and Sammy led them to road.
March 10th 1893- Fine. Mr Sloan helped tap trees and got all big bush but 40 trees done. Sammy rode to P.O. in evening, took Damas beef.
11th- Thomas to Shedden in morning, Mr Sloan & boys gathered 26 buckets of sap. Rain came on at 9 and continued all day and evening."
The sap is running here and now in Dutton Dunwich. Conversation at the local eatery touches on the weather, how many trees got tapped and how fast (or slow) the sap is running. While many things have changed it also seems that just as many stay the same.
Merinda Pearce's diary is one of numerous interesting documents archived at the Elgin County Archives in St Thomas Ontario. If you'd like to venture a little further afield visit the Archives of Ontario to discover even more resources.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Black History Month
Black History Month is a remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated annually in the United States (US) and Canada in February and the United Kingdom in the month of October. The remembrance was founded in 1926 by United States historian Carter G. Woodson as "Negro History Week" (source Wikipedia).
If you'd like to learn more about the the role that Canada played in the history of slavery in the Americas you can find links to resources at Black History Canada . You may also visit the Archives of Ontario to view several online exhibits including images from The Alvin McCurdy Collection.
If you'd like to learn more about the the role that Canada played in the history of slavery in the Americas you can find links to resources at Black History Canada . You may also visit the Archives of Ontario to view several online exhibits including images from The Alvin McCurdy Collection.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
A Little Something for History and Early Film Buffs
Click here to view an early film of San Francisco's main thoroughfare as seen from the front window of a moving Market Street cable car, before the downtown area was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. This unusual record has been called the first "structural film" because it follows exactly the externally imposed structure of the car ride. This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives . For a view of what confronted survivors after the disaster click here.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Paper Trail
Since its inception in the early 1990s the Tyrconnell Heritage Society has gone through many changes. With the passage of 16 years from the moment the concept was first envisioned many of the original founding members have retired or moved on. Locked within the experience and memories of those individuals is a wealth of information about the Backus Page House site, the organization and the area itself. The opportunity exists to access information from a small number of those founding members who remain in the community while a portion of that information is gone forever. A glimpse into yesterday can be found, on occasion, hidden in the extensive paper work accumulated through the operation and administration of the society business. The current administration is working to compile a complete source of board meeting minutes and have been reasonably successful in doing so. One item of interest that has come to light is a log book kept by A. L. Paterson. The entries are brief but act to give the reader a clear glimpse into the birth pangs of the THS. The first entry in the handwritten notebook reads thusly:
“March 28, 1993- At a meeting of the W.E.G. & Historical Society it was brought up that the Ministry of Natural Resources was considering disposing of Morley Page house in Dunwich Twp. D.C. Mckillop & Don carol were asked to write to the Ministry expressing the opinion of the group. DCM. wrote and submitted a 7 page report.”
Moving further into the notebook another entry notes some progress:
“Wed July 28
Meeting held at Wallacetown Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Several persons were phoned and invited to be present.
14 present
-get acquainted, discussion on how to proceed.”
Later on that year it can be seen that the foundation for the Society was being laid in place:
“Thurs. Nov.18. 7:30 p.m.
Meeting at Wallacetown Hall.
18 persons present
- meeting chaired by DC. McKillop
- decision to ask for rent- free use of hall for meetings
adopted name of Tyrconnell Heritage Centre
-next meetings will be Dec 9, 1993 and Jan 13, 1994 (second Thursday)
-nominating committee named
D.C. McKillop, Anne Lilley, Alice P to bring slate of officers to Jan. mtg.
-Alice to send account of meeting to local newspapers and insert notice of next mtg in paper. “
The last entry for the year is as follows:
“Thursday Dec 9,1993.
Meeting at Wallacetown Hall
-Speaker Henry Valks of Min of Nat resources
-encouraging re our proposal
-would probably give house & 5 acres of land.”
Following entries in the notebook show that 1994 was a very busy year with community members meeting regularly to work out the details of how the organization should proceed. Correspondence and records indicate that in June of 1994 the Tyrconnell Heritage Society became an incorporated nonprofit organization as an affiliate of the Ontario Historical Society. With its incorporation in place the Society was ready to take the next step in fulfilling its mission to restore and preserve the Backus-Page House and the grounds situated in the heart of the Talbot Settlement.
“March 28, 1993- At a meeting of the W.E.G. & Historical Society it was brought up that the Ministry of Natural Resources was considering disposing of Morley Page house in Dunwich Twp. D.C. Mckillop & Don carol were asked to write to the Ministry expressing the opinion of the group. DCM. wrote and submitted a 7 page report.”
Moving further into the notebook another entry notes some progress:
“Wed July 28
Meeting held at Wallacetown Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Several persons were phoned and invited to be present.
14 present
-get acquainted, discussion on how to proceed.”
Later on that year it can be seen that the foundation for the Society was being laid in place:
“Thurs. Nov.18. 7:30 p.m.
Meeting at Wallacetown Hall.
18 persons present
- meeting chaired by DC. McKillop
- decision to ask for rent- free use of hall for meetings
adopted name of Tyrconnell Heritage Centre
-next meetings will be Dec 9, 1993 and Jan 13, 1994 (second Thursday)
-nominating committee named
D.C. McKillop, Anne Lilley, Alice P to bring slate of officers to Jan. mtg.
-Alice to send account of meeting to local newspapers and insert notice of next mtg in paper. “
The last entry for the year is as follows:
“Thursday Dec 9,1993.
Meeting at Wallacetown Hall
-Speaker Henry Valks of Min of Nat resources
-encouraging re our proposal
-would probably give house & 5 acres of land.”
Following entries in the notebook show that 1994 was a very busy year with community members meeting regularly to work out the details of how the organization should proceed. Correspondence and records indicate that in June of 1994 the Tyrconnell Heritage Society became an incorporated nonprofit organization as an affiliate of the Ontario Historical Society. With its incorporation in place the Society was ready to take the next step in fulfilling its mission to restore and preserve the Backus-Page House and the grounds situated in the heart of the Talbot Settlement.
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