I received this photo from Brad Buckle of Collingwood who found my blog when he was researching the Black cemetery in Priceville, he found my article on the Priceville Cenotaph.

The photo taken 5 October 1916 shows the Flesherton Greys WW1, 36 of them leaving for overseas with all their family members in the background.

Thanks Brad for sharing this.

© 2012 Janet Iles

Wordless Wednesday - North Sauble Community Church

North Sauble Community Church - Summer 2008 photo by Janet Iles

Kemble Women's Institute Lookout/Parkette

Last Saturday, my sister and I stopped at the Kemble Women's Institute Lookout/Parkette on our way to Keppel Croft Farm and Gardens for Art in the Park. Keppel Croft is beautiful. It is worth a visit. If you live too far away, check out the web site for the beautiful photographs.

The Parkette is found at the top of Grey Road 1, formerly known as the Island View Drive and the 'S' band of the Kemble Rock road. Island View Drive is a picturesque way to go to Wiarton, but don't be in a hurry. The road winds it way near the shore.

The Parkette is a memorial to the members of the Kemble Women's Institute, past and present, and it celebrates the 110th anniversary of the organization.

View Larger Map

In a past post, I talked about the Tweedsmuir histories, a major project of the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario and in the other provinces. For anyone doing genealogical research, especially in rural Ontario, this resource should be on your list to check. You may find information on your family. The photographs can be quite helpful in answering some of your questions. It solved a problem for one of my past clients. He had a photo that matched one in one of the Tweedsmuir histories. It named those in the photograph that he did not know.

The Township of Georgian Bluffs provided the land for the Parkette. Dick Davidson, landscape architect drew up the plans for the lookout. With the assistance of the Trillium Fund and local donations, funds were received to pay for the cairn. On the plaque are the known names of fourteen of the original members, a bas relief of Clara Gardner, the founder and the wording of the Mary Stewart Collect. Marnie Cheyne designed and sculpted the unique tea service and open book. The open book has the words of the Mary Stewart Collect. The chair welcomes you to sit down to read the words of the Collect and to have your photograph taken.

While we were there a gentleman stopped by and offered to take our photograph together. He commented that if everyone read the words of the Mary Stewart Collect everyday, there would be fewer problems in the world.

It is a beautiful spot to stop, take a breather, take some photographs and read the words of the Collect before continuing on your way to your destination.  

 Mary Stewart's Collect (A Collect for Club Women) Mary Stewart (April 1904)

Keep us, oh God, from pettiness;
Let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.
 Let us be done with fault-finding

And leave off self-seeking.
May we put away all pretense
And meet each other face to face,
 Without self-pity and without prejudice.
May we never be hasty in judgment
And always generous.
Let us take time for all things;
Make us to grow calm, serene, gentle.
Teach us to put into action our better impulses,
 Straightforward and unafraid.
Grant that we may realize it is
The little things that create differences,
That in the big things of life we are at one.
And may we strive to touch and to know
The great, common human heart of us all.
And, oh Lord God, let us not forget to be kind!

Information about the lookout -- Joyce Robinson "Kemble Women's Institute Lookout/Parkette" The Grey County Historian, Newsletter No. 17, November 2007, p. 38-39.

Photographs owned by Janet Iles, taken 12 July 2008

Novia Scotia Agrictulture - Women's Institutes of Nova Scotia, "Mary Stewart Collect" (http://gov.ns.ca/agri/wi/about/mission.shtml : accessed 17 July 2008)

A Place Called Home

A Place Called Home. Carnival of Genealogy #47. It's time for a geography lesson. Pick out a city/town/village where one of your ancestors once lived and tell us all about it. When was it founded? What is it known for? Has is prospered or declined over the years? Have you ever visited it or lived there? To a certain extent, we are all influenced by the environment we live in. How was your ancestor influenced by the area where they lived? Take us on a trip to the place your ancestor called home.

Three of my ancestral lines called Markham Township, Ontario, Canada home for various lengths of time.

STIVER / STOBER / STOEBER The Stiver / Stöber line came to Markham Township in late 1794, having left Germany in 1792 and spending over a year in New York State. The family was part of the Markham Berczy Settlers.

The 200 acre parcel of land that William Berczy allotted to Johann Niclaus Stöber was at Lot 19, Concession 2 of Markham Township. This is south of the present day Major Mackenzie Drive, between Bayview Avenue and Leslie Street [Headford], near the Town of Richmond Hill. On the Ontario Archives Land Record Index, Johann is called Nicholas Stöber. He received the land by free grant and it was issued July 3, 1797. He received the patent for this land in 1808 but Johann immediately sold it to Henry C. Philips. There is also a lease of land at lot 20, concession 6 [east of what was to become Unionville] dated January 5, 1804.


When the family arrived in the recently, partially-surveyed area of Markham Township, few European people would have lived there. The arrival of the Berczy Settlers of about 200 people is considered the first "systematic attempt at settlement" of the area. By November of 1794, the people were on their land living in make-shift homes. The land needed to be cleared. The first few years were very harsh. Some families left. Our Stöber / Stiver ancestors remained and there are still descendants living in the area. There is some indication that some of the family may have returned to the Niagara Region for a short time but returned when the War of 1812 broke out.

When the family arrived, the area was heavily forested with pine, oak, maple and butternut trees. The main rivers of the area were the Don and Rouge and were most likely were the main transportation routes as there were only trails between homes and settlements. Many of the Berczy settler men helped with clearing parts of Yonge Street going north from York, which became Toronto, the capital of the province. "The first saw and grist mills in York County were built by William Berczy in early days of settlement. They were situated on the River Rouge, on lot no. 4, in the 3rd concession, and were known as the German Mills." [History of Toronto and York County, 1885 v1. p. 115]

HEMINGWAY The exact date of the arrival of Josiah Hemingway in Markham Township is not known but would most likely have been by 1800. The area would still be very much in the development stages as noted in the quote below. Josiah settled Lot 4 & 5, Concession 4 of Markham Township.

In The History of Toronto and York County (1885 v.2 p.290): Josiah was described as follows:

After his marriage, he settled on lot 4, concession 4 of that township, his land then being in its primaeval state; but through succeeding years he and his faithful helpmate after the first of the hardships -- the labourious work of clearing -- was accomplished, got together a very comfortable home. Josiah died in the year 1854, at the advanced age of eighty years, leaving a family of three sons and six daughters. Relative to the early history of York County, it may be mentioned that Josiah Hemingway with his seven and a half pound axe cleared the first part of Yonge Street leading north from Toronto.

His date of death is incorrect in the book. [More on that in a future posting.]













JOHNSTON David Johnston came from Annan, Scotland with his parents and siblings in 1833 and lived in Richmond Hill for about a year and a half. In 1834, the family moved to Uxbridge Township, Lot 35, Concession 5. At what point, David left home is not known. The 1846-7 Brown's Directory shows him at Lot 5, Concession 4, which was the same property that was listed for Josiah Hemingway, his father-in-law. The Roswell's Toronto & York directory, 1850-1 shows him living at Lot 1, Concession 6, Markham Township.

In Lovell's Canadian Dominion Directory of 1870-1 David Johnson, shoemaker is listed as living and working in Unionville, which had a population of about 250 at that time.

Markham Township grew as more settlers joined the original German families that settled the area. By 1842, the township had 5,695 people living there. By 1871, the population had grown to 8,152. By the 1881 census, the population of 6,375 is reported with incorporated municipalities of the villages of Markham, Stouffville and Richmond Hill taken out of the count.

Today, Markham Township, no longer exists on the map of Ontario as a municipality. In 1952, part of the township was annexed by Richmond Hill Village. In 1971, part was annexed by Markham Town, part by Richmond Hill Town, rest by the new Whitchurch-Stouffville Town". Markham is part of the Regional Municipality of York.

Within the Town of Markham now can be found the former municipalities of Milliken, Thornhill, Village of Markham and Village of Unionville. The once mainly agricultural area is a fast growing urban area. From the early days with the German Lutherans being joined by the German speaking Mennonites to the arrival of the English speaking people, Markham has become home to 285,000 of many cultures. Thanks to Heritage Markham, the Town is trying to preserve and remember its heritage. The Town's motto is "Leading While Remembering." Unionville is a beautiful area with the early main street buildings maintained. It is a great place to spend the day.

I have never lived in Markham Township. Fortunately, it is only a three-hour drive. Since 1993, I usually visit once a year for the Markham Berczy Settlers meeting. I have seen the growth of the area. New sub-divisions are being added. The agricultural land is disappearing. In 2004, I spent a week there while attending the Markham Berczy Settlers' Research Days.

To help you locate the area, I have now added a map.



View Larger Map


Sources
All photos are from Unionville, Ontario taken in 1992.

Dunford, Fraser. Municipal Records in Ontario : History and Guide. Toronto : Ontario Genealogical Society, 2005
The 1846-7 Brown's DirectoryHistory of Toronto and York County, Ontario is now available for reading and searching at http://www.ourroots.ca/ Volume 1 contains the history of Toronto and York up to 1885. The Township of Markham in the book format is from p 114 to 124. Volume 2 contains the biographical sketches.
Lovell's Canadian Dominion Directory of 1870-1Markham, 1793-1900. Markham, Ontario :Markham District Historical Society, 1989. 2nd ed. Isabel Champion Editor.The Roswell's Toronto & York directory, 1850-1
A Story of the Markham Berczy Settlers : 210 years in Markham 1794-2004 : a Story of Bravery and Perseverance. Markham, ON : Markham Berczy Settlers Association, 2004

Tweedsmuir Histories - a goldmine of information

Tweedsmuir Histories are a goldmine of information for genealogical and local history information for many localities in Ontario, Canada. What are Tweedsmuir Histories? Briefly, they are "village history books" in the form of scrapbooks produced by Women's Institutes in Ontario. On Saturday, Grey Roots launched the virtual exhibit of Tweedsmuir histories from Grey County. To date, 32 volumes have been digitized and are available for searching and reading by anyone with Internet access. Congratulations on completing this phase of the project. The Grey County Historical Society was one of the supporters of this project.

Tweedsmuir Histories are one source of information that has helped me in my own personal research, research for a client and as part of my research for Churches of Grey Presbytery of the United Church of Canada: Historical Highlights.

When I was beginning my early research into my ancestors in Markham Township, Ontario, I visited the Unionville Public Library and viewed the actual Tweedsmuir histories for the Unionville Institute. These have been digitized and are now available in the Markham Public Libraries as part of Lunauweb. They were very helpful in giving me an introduction to the family.

Several years ago, I had a client send me a photograph of a family grouping taken in Port Elgin, Ontario. He only knew the names of some of the people in the photograph. Would you believe that the same photograph was in the West Arran Women’s Institute. Tweedsmuir History. volume 1. It had the names that the client was missing. There is a photocopy of this Tweedsmuir History at the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library.

The Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library has some of the area Tweedsmuir histories on microfilm and the original copy of the Salem (Derby Township) Women's Institute.

When I was researching the church history book, I used the Federated Women's Institute of Ontario. St. Vincent. Tweedsmuir History; microfilm that included church history from St. Vincent Township. Of particular interest was the letter from Arthur G. Reynolds, archivist of the United Church of Canada to Jeanette Short concerning Bethesda Church, November 12, 1964. At Grey Roots, I used the Priceville Tweedsmuir History as a source when researching the Priceville churches.

At the Archives of Ontario, I found the Tweedsmuir histories that have been microfilmed for Manitoulin Island. Big Lake Institute (MS 8 Reel 13) to be very helpful in my research of that area. Almost every page had information that related to my families. The photographs unfortunately did not print out well. I would love to see the originals and to get copies of the family related photographs. One of the photos was of taken of the people who attended the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. James [Ernest] Johnston [Zella Beatrice Johnston]. Note: The Tweedsmuir History microfilms are not available for interlibrary loan from the Archives of Ontario. You may find them at libraries.

For information on the Women's Institutes check the Federation of Women's Institutes of Ontario web site. Wellington Ontario Tweedsmuir histories are available for searching and viewing. Elgin County Tweedsmuir Histories are available for browsing. King Township Tweedsmuir histories are available for browsing but a table of contents aids in the search. This is not an exhaustive list of those that have been digitized. Some are searchable while others can only be browsed.

Have you used the Tweedsmuir Histories? Have you made any discoveries? If you have any that you recommend please share it with the readers.

Berczy Bunch

Back on the 14th of August, I talked about the Markham Berczy Settlers Association web page and the search Rollyo I had created, but I didn't explain the purpose of this group.

It is an association comprised primarily of descendants & spouses of the original settlers to Markham Township, Ontario who came from Germany to Markham in 1794 via the USA. The group promotes research about the group as a whole and the individual families. In 1993, I made the discovery that I was a descendant of one of these early settlers. Johan Stoeber (changed to Stiver)- his daughter Anna married Josiah Hemingway. Then his daughter Hannah married David Johnston and goes on from there.

http://www.bmts.com/~jiles

I knew from a handwritten chart (my mother's handwriting with information from her mother) that Hannah Hemingway and David Johnston were my ancestors and they lived in the Markham Township area. It was through reading the history of Markham that I had purchased at an Ontario Genealogical Society seminar in Toronto that I made the discovery. See my LibraryThing holdings to see books about Markham Township. http://www.librarything.com/catalog/researchergal

In 1994, the newly formed Markham Berczy Settlers Association had a large reunion of descendants of the early families. What a day! Since then, I have been an active member of the organization serving on the Board of Directors. I act as webmaster of the web site and this week updated the newsletter index. It is now on 10 pages. The annoucement of the upcoming meeting is also posted. Robert M. MacIntosh, author of Earliest Toronto will speak.

It is always fun to get together with other members of the group, especially the 5th cousins! This group is a combination genealogy and historical association. It is through this orgnization, I became really interested in combining the study of history and genealogy.
http://www.markhamberczysettlers.ca/