Seeking Leitch Descendants

This year we are commemorating the Scottish people who settled in Aldborough Township (now West Elgin) in and before 1819.  Some arrived on the ships the Hope and Harmony in 1819, some in 1818 on the Mars and others before came from New York State.  Some then moved on to Dunwich Township and surrounding areas.

On June 22-23, 2019 at the Landing of the Settlers living history event we hope you will join us to celebrate these people and their contributions to our community.  As a descendant we are hoping you can provide us with genealogy and family history before the event.  

519-762-3072  info@backuspagehouse.ca

LEITCH

John Leitch 1766-1843  m.  Flora Johnson 1770-1818 (buried at Queenston)

emigrated 1818 on Mars of Glasgow from Achachosin Farm, North Knapdale Argyll Scotland

settled Conc 13 L17 NW

their children-

Margaret Leitch 1795-1881    m.  Jeremiah Gray 1790-   , Conc 8 L12 NW Dunwich

Mary Leitch 1798-1894    m.  Samuel McColl  1785-1849,  Conc 12 L16 NW

Neil Leitch 1800-1872  m.  Janet Munro  1807-1848

Peter Leitch 1801-1878  m.

Nancy Leitch 1802-1912  m.   Adam Cluver 1798-1880   , died in Simcoe, Norfolk ON

Isabella Leitch 1804-1891  m.  Malcolm Downie  1797-1872  Conc 12 L9 SW

Donald Leitch 1806-1859  m.  Anne Stewart  1808-

Hugh James Leitch 1811-1900  m.  Catherine McLachlan 1812-1876

Alexander Leitch 1814-

*Flora died en route to Aldborough and she would have had many young children with her.  What did John do with all of his children in a new land that was not yet settled?

Malcolm Leitch (1766- 22 Sep 1850) m Julia (Giels)Leitch (1771-20 June 1846)

 came on the Mars in 1818 with his 8 children

settled  SE L20 C12

their children-

1.Sarah Leitch (1793- Aug 14 1874) m Duncan Paterson (1788- 21 March 1872)

NE L17 C 13

2.John Leitch (Oct 20 1797-) m Mary Johnston (1811-)

3. Duncan Leitch (14 May 1801-31 July 1890) m Nancy McAlpine (-May 8 1880)

NE L20 C13

4. Nancy Leitch (1802-06 Dec 1884) m Archibald McKillop (25 April 1798- 26 Aug        1879)

to Dunwich in 1824

5. Christie Leitch (01 March 1807-1881) m John Campbell (04 Dec 1791-09 Sept   1875)

SE L13 C12

6. Margaret Leitch (1808) never married

7. Colin Leitch (12 Feb 1809- ) m Nancy McLarty ( )

SW L20 C12

8. Julia Leitch (1811- 27 Aug 1893) m Hugh Johnston (1803-30 June 1883)

Settled in Lobo

Behind the Scenes with Ben - The Battle for Spicer Trail

The Battle for Spicer Trail

Today we have heard reports that a battle has happened at Backus-Page House on the Spicer Trail.  General Bobier had heard reports that Mother Nature had sent in weed and tall grass divisions to invade what we know as Spicer Tail.

 In response to this General Bobier sent in Captain Buchanan who is under the command of the MNR battalion.  Captain Buchanan’s orders were simple.  Go in to enemy territory on Spicer Tail and destroy any enemy resistance.  Captain Buchanan had put together a small division from the MNR battalion which consisted of Sergeant Weed Wacker, Corporal Hard-Hat, Private First Class Safety Glasses, Private Garden Gloves, and Private Work Boots. 

As Captain Buchanan and his division set out towards Spicer Tail Colonel Leitch was left behind to guard Backus-Page House in case of a full scale invasion from Mother Nature from surrounding areas. 

Captain Buchanan and the MNR division headed into Spicer Tail and the battle lasted for about an hour until Sergeant Weed Wacker suffered an injury and an emergency evacuation was put into action.

Reports say Captain Buchanan and his MNR division have taken back half of Spicer Tail and little resistance remains until Captain Buchanan and his MNR division head back to calm the rest of Spicer Tail.

                                                                               Captain Ben

World War Wednesdays 4

     2014 has been a very exciting year for people across the world as we join in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the First World War. It has provided the opportunity for us to reflect on the past century, and to think about what has changed and what has remained. Without a doubt, the global conflict has impacted every area of life for a great majority of people. As a result, this anniversary year is the time to gain perspective on its magnitude.

     Last week, renowned Sociologist, speaker, and CEO of the Vanier Institute of the Family Nora Spinks held a lecture with my second year Sociology class at UOttawa. She spoke of a recent event at the Vanier Institute where a time capsule was dug up which had been compiled by a group of Sociologists one hundred years ago. In this capsule, they expressed some concerns which faced the families of their time which they hoped to be solved in a hundred years, and posed three questions which they hoped to be answered. For their concerns, they worried that young people would not be able to improve beyond the living standards of their parents, that young people would be safe and secure in their families, and that people could find meaningful work for meaningful pay without affecting family time. What is startling about these concerns is that none of them has been resolved, and they are still highly prevalent problems in the families of today.

     For their three questions, the Sociologists asked: Have you discovered and explored the North Pole? Have you perfected the flying machine? And, have you developed the ability to communicate with family members who are far away? Clearly, we have done all of these things and more since 1914. Not only have we perfected the flying machine, but it is now a major form of everyday transportation. We have the ability to communicate across long distances even face-to-face, which would be a real shock and fascination for the Sociologists.

     If we were to really look into it, the First World War is a major contributing factor to these advancements, especially in the case of the flying machine. The arms race against Germany caused Great Britain to develop planes that could fly faster and for longer, naval vessels that could withstand the demands of time, combat and transportation in foreign waters, and sophisticated telegraph systems to allow communications along the lines. While a major, terrible loss occurred as a result of the Great War, there were significant technological gains which have a legacy in everyday life a century later.

     I was able to further explore the legacy of the First World War when I interviewed Dr Andrew Burtch, acting director of research at the Canadian War Museum, as part of my research position with the UOttawa Central and Eastern European Studies Research Group. He said that this year of recognition for the hundredth anniversary is less about commemoration, and more concerned with acknowledging the history. The museum itself, for example, has focused on highlighting different aspects of the war throughout the year. For instance, they had an exhibit featuring wartime art by Canadian artist A.Y. Jackson and German artist Otto Dix, which showed the different artistic interpretations of the wartime experience. They also launched a new exhibit this week which focuses on the internment of Ukrainian Canadians during the war, a topic which has only recently been explored. In the years to come, they plan to continue these spotlight events, which will allow people to experience all aspects of the Great War, such as the war in the air and individual battles.

     "[The First World War is] one of the most written-about subjects of all time", said Dr Burtch. "It's the First World War internationally... the United States has the Civil War... This is a defining conflict." In terms of establishing our identity as a new nation, as well as creating groundbreaking technological advances, this war directly paved the way for a great many modern concepts. We should be keeping them in mind as we honour it's hundredth anniversary.

        Thanks for reading,

           Delany Leitch

-What would you write in your time capsule? What questions would you like to have answered?

-If you've ever been to the Canadian War Museum, I'd love to hear about your visit! Join the conversation!

World War Wednesdays #2

World War Wednesdays Blog #2

            I recently had the opportunity to attend a lecture given by British military historian Martin Middlebrook at the Canadian War Museum. The lecture was called Up the Line and Back Again and followed the path of a First World War new recruit. It told how infantry soldiers were trained and mobilized to the Western Front, the various stages of treatment and evacuation after having been wounded, and the process of being discharged when no longer fit for military service.

            Before I attended the lecture, I had never heard of Mr. Middlebrook, but I now know that he is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, an author of a number of books related to military history (list below), a soldier himself, and a Knight of the Order of the Belgian Crown. Clearly, hearing him speak was a great privilege.

            Upon arriving at the museum’s Barney Danson theater, my roommate and fellow history colleague and I were confronted with the usual intimidating feeling of being the youngest ones at a history event. Right away, the elderly man onstage came down to shake our hands and thank us for coming in front of the whole audience. It was a remarkable touch that made us feel appreciated and instantly more comfortable.

            As he began talking, I could see right away that Mr. Middlebrook knew his subject very well, having been a tour guide of the war cemeteries in France for many years, and that he was very passionate about what he had to say. I also began to notice something that left me feeling sad. Mr. Middlebrook would often go off on tangents while he was talking and end up diverting from the point and confusing the audience. As you can imagine, he was eaten alive with corrections and “added information” during the question hour. I felt that this was very unfortunate. Here is a man in his eighties who has given his life in research, and has travelled a great distance despite the recent death of his wife to share his information with us for free. We as a group seeking to do the same thing should have been embracing what he had to tell us and chalking his faults up to the inconveniences of age. Perhaps as a young historian I am more naïve to the topic, but I feel that our older historians are an incredibly valuable asset. There should be no room for competitions of knowledge, but everyone’s individual areas should be embraced. There is something to be learned from all people, old or young, and it is people like myself who are trying to be worthy of inheriting the legacy that people like Mr. Middlebrook will be leaving behind. For me, it was an honor to meet Mr. Middlebrook and hear what he had to say, and I’ll try harder from now on to appreciate everything that can be learned from people like him.

                     Thanks for reading,

          Delany Leitch

        

Mr. Middlebrook, courtesy of the Ottawa Sun.

 

Martin Middlebrook Books:

•  The First Day on the Somme with much co-operation from John Howlett. (1971)
• The Nuremberg Raid (1973)
• The Kaiser's Battle with much co-operation from Neville Mackinder.(1978)
• The Battle of Hamburg (1980)
• The Peenemünde Raid (1982)
• The Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission (1983)
• The Falklands War, 1982 (1985) first published as Operation Corporate
• The Berlin Raids (1988)
• Convoy
• Battleship (with Patrick Mahoney)
• The Bomber Command War Diaries (with the late Chris Everitt)
• The Somme Battlefields (with Mary Middlebrook)
• Arnhem 1944
• Your Country Needs You
• The Fight for the Malvinas
• The North Midlands Territorials Go To War/Captain Staniland's Journey

 

We Will Remember Them: 70 Years Since D-Day in Our Nation's Capital

We Will Remember Them: 70 Years Since D-Day in Our Nation’s Capital

by Delany Leitch, Guest Blogger and Former Backus-Page House Museum Summer Staff

Sacrifice. Honour. Heroism. These words were used by every speaker at every ceremony honoring veterans of the Day of Days, Operation Overlord on its 70^th anniversary Friday, June 6^th. They are the chosen words of those of us living in the legacy of this momentous event in an attempt to describe something to which no words can do no justice. During my time at the ceremonies held at the Canadian Museum of Aviation and Space in Ottawa yesterday, I heard these words and felt profoundly speechless. But, after a great deal of reflection and thought, there are some things that I can put into words as a sort of personal homage to this day.

            From the minute I stepped into the museum, I knew that the day was going to be one that would remain in my memory for a lifetime. As an incredibly passionate student of history, both academically and informally, I always feel a sense of emptiness and melancholy around the eleventh of November, and quietly acknowledge the anniversaries of the hugely significant moments in our past such as D-Day and VE Day. This year being a major anniversary for D-Day was very exciting for me, as the whole world would share in the reflection and honoring of the event, and I would be in Ottawa to be a part of it. So, I made the journey to the museum on the morning of the sixth, where Canada’s ceremonies were to be held, eager to witness what was sure to be a memorable and emotional event.

            After arriving early, there was time to explore the museum before the events would get underway. The museum is home to some fascinating pieces of our military history, including the Avro Lancaster bomber plane which was used by the RCAF and had a fascinating feature in Peter Mansbridge’s D-Day special which aired yesterday during the broadcast of the ceremonies in Normandy. At 11:30, the museum offered a live showing of the Normandy ceremonies on Juno Beach, with Canada’s ceremonies to be held outside afterwards. I entered the theater to watch the showing and was immediately overcome with awe at the crowd. Here was a room full of veterans, their walkers and canes filling the aisles, sitting altogether with their families, watching footage of their comrades being honored on the beach where they fought and fell. It was an absolute honor to sit in the same room as them. The ceremonies ended up being delayed and so the live footage was pushed back, but the CBC showed a number of interesting features hosted by Peter Mansbridge. During one such feature, Peter talked about a veteran in England who escaped from his care home to attend the ceremonies in France after being told he was too weak to travel. The entire crowd watched in silent awe as he described the man’s amazing journey, and after it was over, the veterans broke into a huge round of applause. Here was one of their fellow soldiers, determined to storm that beach one more time! Of course, with the day being especially emotional, this is about the point where the tears welled up, and they stayed there for the rest of the day.

The theater at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum with the crowd of veterans watching Peter Mansbridge’s features.

            Unfortunately, with the ceremonies being delayed, we were unable to watch them because our own ceremonies were due to start. We joined the procession of shuffling veterans and made our way into the brilliant sunshine where tanks and other army vehicles were parked around a center area draped in Canadian flags. As someone who has not attended many official Canadian ceremonies before, I was in awe of the entire thing; it looked just the way such events always do on television.

It was very exciting to see two RCMP officers and their horses standing guard at the entrance.

Finally, the ceremonies got underway. They began with a parade of troops with an army band, followed by an introduction of the dignitaries in attendance. The governor general David Johnston was the highest official there, and he inspected the troops. Then came the speeches by Johnston, as well as the ambassadors from France and the United Kingdom, and Minister of Justice Peter Mackay, among others. Then, a man came to the podium and directed our attention towards an airplane near the front of the stage area. He told us that the plane was called the Hawker Typhoon, and that they were used in the D-Day offensive to attack in several waves and target beach defenses in order to clear the way for ground troops. Spitfires would then fly overhead to protect the Typhoons flying at low levels. The man then asked that the veterans in attendance who had flown Typhoons come forward to be photographed with the plane. In the seconds following this, the entire audience was still, and it seemed to last forever with no movement. Everyone was looking around frantically to see the heroes reunited with their old plane. Finally, a slow procession of veterans emerged, burdened with the effort of walking, but medals shining brightly in the sun. It was a glorious thing to witness, and something that I will remember forever. The crowd appropriately gave them a resounding applause, and many photos were taken of the amazing moment.

The Hawker Typhoon

The veterans with David Johnston and the Hawker Typhoon, courtesy of the Ottawa Citizen.

            Following this, more speeches were made, and the laying of the wreaths began. A choir of local students serenaded the sombre moment, and their haunting rendition of the wartime song “White Cliffs of Dover” did me in emotion-wise. Then came the last post, moment of silence, reveille and lament played on the bagpipes with a flyover by a Canadian jet, which was an intensely powerful moment. In the silent aftermath of this, a tiny little veteran climbed up to the podium in his navy uniform, leaned into the microphone and began the Ode of Remembrance: “They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.” My voice blended with the crowd’s responding promise to his emotional tribute: “We will remember them.”

            Every time I croak out that promise, I mean it with everything in my being. I will be studying and researching these historical events not only for the years of my university degree, but for the rest of my life. The passion fully extends into all aspects of my life, and a huge portion of my life is devoted to it. For me, these anniversaries and ceremonies represent a moment when the world joins me in the passion, reflection and appreciation that I carry with me every day. To have had the privilege to be in our nation’s capital among my heroes was something that I will treasure for the rest of my life, and it was an experience that I am honored to be able to share.

D-Day Veterans pose with the Avro Lancaster at the Canadian Museum of Space and Aviation