Arlene Stafford-Wilson's Blog, page 17
September 27, 2023
Lanark Era’s Review of “Lanark County Kitchen”
Sept. 26, 2023, p. 7, “The Lanark Era”
Sept. 26, 2023, p. 16, “The Lanark Era”
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Arlene Stafford-Wilson
Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society
Member, Association of Professional Genealogists
Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections”
September 26, 2023
McEwen’s Maple Baked Beans
Robert McEwen’s Pancake House, in Ferguson Falls, was the first of its kind in the region. It began as a centennial project, opened in 1967, with the intention of providing jobs for local youth.
Through their decades of operation, Robert and Kaye McEwen did indeed employ not only dozens of local youth, but many others from the community, both in the sugar bush, and the pancake restaurant.
“Local legends say that Dorothy Horricks, who lived next door to the McEwen’s, and worked at their restaurant, likely cooked at least one million pancakes over the years.”
McEwen’s Pancake House, Ferguson Falls (1967-1993)
Although the ingredients are simple, this recipe became a well-loved and much in-demand dish at McEwen’s Pancake House, over the years.
“Maple syrup was used extensively by my mother, in all kinds of dishes, and her baked bean recipe was very popular.” Tom McEwen
Kaye (Huckabone) McEwen’s
Maple Baked Beans
Ingredients
3 c beans
1 tsp mustard
1/2 c maple syrup
1 tsp salt (if desired)
1/2 c butter
1/4 c tomato ketchup
Method:
Cover beans with water, and simmer for 2 hours.
Add mustard, maple syrup, salt, butter, and ketchup
Put in a baking dish and cover with water
Bake in a slow oven for several hours
Add more liquid as needed
McEwen’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush
“Bob McEwen was one of the first maple producers in the area to install pipelines in the sugar bush, and he installed them for the 1968 season.”
Robert ‘Bob’ McEwen was a trailblazer in the close-knit community of maple syrup producers, and was continually embracing new methods and upgrading his equipment in order to achieve the highest possible standards of sap collection and processing.
To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of McEwen’s Pancake House in 1992, – local artist, Ben Babelowsky (1932-2019) created an impressive work of art depicting the McEwen property, capturing this special moment in time.
Mar. 11, 1992, p. 14, “The Ottawa Citizen”
Some of the surnames of the people (and youth) who worked at McEwen’s over the years:
Horricks, Beekman, Blair, McNaughton, Quinn, Ennis, Campbell, Mitchell, Hodgins, Lindenstruth, Closs, Bruneau, Eschke, Morris, Crosbie, Brittain, Couch, Dickenson, Vanderlaan, Badour, Hollington, Kelford, MacLaren, McCullough, Stach, Scott, Leuders…..
(The former McEwen’s Pancake House and Sugar Shack is now home to the award-winning Temple’s Sugar Bush……..another story of a legacy maple family, in the new book, “Lanark County Kitchen”.)
Who were Lanark County’s maple trailblazers? Who are the ‘legacy’ maple syrup producers whose families have been making maple syrup and maple sugar since the times of the early settlers?
Coutts, Dodds, Ennis, Fortune, Fulton, James, Oliver, Paul, Temple, Thompson, VanAlstine, Wheeler….
Meet the families with a long history of maple syrup-making, the award-winners, the names you know, the syrup that you love. Discover their stories, from the old days up to the present.
Enjoy the special collection of heirloom maple recipes – some passed down through the generations, and some made popular in their own restaurants…
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Arlene Stafford-Wilson
Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society
Member, Association of Professional Genealogists
Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections”
September 20, 2023
Book Review – “Lanark County Kitchen”
HOPE FOR THE SPRING
Glenda Jones, Columnist, TheHumm: Arts, Entertainment, & Ideas
Sept. 19, 2023
You may be cozying up to the wood stove soon, but there are intrepid farmers already planning and hoping that the winter will be kind enough to produce an abundance of maple sap in the spring.
Arlene Stafford-Wilson, the authority on all things Lanark has produced a stellar history of the maple producing dynasties of Lanark County. Her latest book, “Lanark County Kitchen” delivers not only the history of these families, but also the favourite recipes passed down through generations. How these busy people had time to cook such delicacies defies imagination! Extensive research has been accompanied by personal conversations that illustrate the perseverance required to pursue this age-old tradition. What is clear throughout is that, as one producer said, “maple syrup is in the veins”. That explains why one generation follows the next, tromping through the woods in early spring to clear trails, set up lines, and wait for that first drip, drip of sap.
“Each story is unique,
each recipe is worth trying.”
From the Coutts family to the Wheeler family, Fultons, Fortunes, Ennis, Paul, and others, they have adapted to the whims of weather, new technology, and often tragedy in their own ways, to rise to the challenge the following years.
“Her in-depth compassion for each family
makes this book an ideal read
when the trees are bare,
the snow deep,
and pancakes are on the griddle.”
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It is apparent that the Ice Storm of 1998 and the Derecho of 2022, along with Covid had the most significant impact on maple syrup production and sales, but these determined families banded together to replant, retool, and carry on. Each story is unique, each recipe worth trying.
Stafford-Wilson has included material on the production of syrup, grading, and judging, and on the Maple Syrup Producers Association. Her in-depth compassion for each family makes this book an ideal read when the trees are bare, the snow deep, and pancakes are on the griddle.
Never take that syrup dripping over the sides for granted. It’s nature’s gift provided by intense labour honed over generations that makes it very special. Read this book, and then head for the sugar bush.
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For more information, or to reserve a signed copy: 613-267-2350
September 16, 2023
Which Maple Syrup Grade is Best?
Have you ever thought about which maple syrup grade tastes the best? Maybe you already have a preference, or maybe you are like many consumers who are content with the knowledge that the syrup is ‘real’ maple syrup and not a manufactured substitute.
Maple Syrup Capital
of Ontario
If you’re looking for maple syrup experts, look no further than Lanark County, the “Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario”. This is where you’ll find the true maple connoisseurs. Most of these long-time maple farmers can easily identify the four different grades of syrup, and they may even be able to tell you whether it was produced by old traditional methods, or modern technology.
The 4 Grades of Maple Syrup:
Golden Color and Delicate Flavor Amber Color and Rich FlavorDark Color and Robust FlavorVery Dark and Strong Flavor
In today’s modern grading, an instrument is used that measures the amount of light that passes through the maple syrup. The lightest grade, ‘Golden’, has the greatest amount of light (75%) passing through it. As the grades become darker, less light passes through them when they are measured. Below is the system used in Canada to determine the grade of maple syrup.
Usually, as the maple season progresses, the colour of the syrup becomes darker. Maple syrup harvested at the beginning is normally lighter in colour. By the end of the season, the maple syrup becomes darker, and the maple flavour is far more intense.
Golden Maple Syrup
Golden Maple Syrup, light in colour, delicate in flavour, is often preferred by those who like mild cheeses, and milk chocolate. Golden Maple Syrup can be drizzled on yogurt, or vanilla ice cream, or added to smoothies.
Maple Syrup Smoothie
1 frozen banana (freeze your extra ripe bananas)
1 Tbs Golden Maple Syrup
1/2 cup yogurt plain or vanilla
1/4 cup almond milk
1 cup of crushed ice
Add ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth
Drizzle Golden Maple Syrup on top if desired
Amber Maple Syrup
Amber Maple Syrup is said to have the ‘quintessential maple flavour’, and is the one most commonly used as a table syrup, and in pancake restaurants. Amber has a more pronounced flavour than golden, and is mild enough to suit most people’s tastes.
Ray Fortune’s Waffles for Two
(Ray Fortune, of Fortune Farms Maple)
1 c bread flour
1 egg
2 Tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp baking powder
Add “just enough milk to make batter – but not runny”
Heat waffle iron
(iron should be hot and well-seasoned)
Serve with lots of maple syrup and butter
Leftover waffles may be frozen
Dark Maple Syrup
Maple experts describe Dark Maple Syrup as having a ‘robust’ maple flavour. This is the grade of syrup that many use for baking.
Maple Cake & Maple Icing
2 ½ c flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ c Dark maple syrup
1 c softened butter
½ c brown sugar
2 eggs
8 ounces of plain yogurt
Icing:
½ c Dark maple sugar
¼ c softened butter
2 Tbsp milk
1 c icing sugar
Method:
Mix flour, baking powder, salt and soda
Mix butter, sugar and maple syrup, add eggs, yogurt then add flour mixture
Bake in a 9- inch square pan at 350 for 45 minutes
Icing – Melt butter in a saucepan, add maple sugar and heat until melted
Add the milk, bring to a boil, then remove from heat
Add icing sugar, beat, and spread onto cool cake
Very Dark Maple Syrup
Some people say that true maple connoisseurs prefer the taste of Very Dark Maple Syrup because of its deep, strong, true maple flavour. For those who like strong cheese and dark roasted coffee, the Very Dark Maple Syrup may suit those tastes best. This maple syrup is harvested at the end of the season, which gives it the deep unmistakable maple characteristics.
Very Dark Maple Syrup is ideal for recipes that require the maple flavour to carry through the cooking process, and is popular as a glaze for beef, pork, and chicken.
Maple Glazed Pork Chops
Ingredients
4 boneless pork chops
2 Tbsp cooking oil for browning
¼ c Very Dark maple syrup
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 ½ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp ground ginger (if desired)
Method
Add oil to large skilled, place pork chops in pan, and cook on medium 4-5 minutes, then flip over until both sides are cooked.
Combine maple sauce ingredients into a small bowl and mix together with a whisk.
Spoon maple sauce over port chops, cook well, turn, and coat the other side, until pork is done and glaze begins to thicken and caramelize.
Serve with potatoes, or rice, and fresh vegetables (if desired)
Which is Best?
So, once again, we’re back to our original question – Which of the four grades of maple syrup is best?
The answer to that question is a matter of your personal choice!
Are you the type who likes mild and quiet flavours, something delicate and soft?
Do you prefer strong, bold, flavours – the bigger, the better?
Like our preferences when it comes to cheese, or wine, we all have our favourites that suit us best.
Recipe for Ray Fortune’s Waffles for Two
photo: Ray Fortune, his wife, Ruth, Sherry Holt, and Jamie Fortune – photo: Fortune Farms website
The Fortune family has been producing maple syrup in Eastern Ontario for over six generations, since 1840.
Almonte Sugarbush – About Fortune FarmsRay Fortune’s “Waffles for Two” is one of the heirloom recipes from, “Lanark County Kitchen: A Maple Legacy from Tree to Table”
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Arlene Stafford-Wilson
Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society
Member, Association of Professional Genealogists
Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections”
September 13, 2023
Oliver’s Maple Tarts
Featured this week in, “The Lanark Era”, a sneak preview of one of the recipes from the new book, “Lanark County Kitchen: A Maple Legacy from Tree to Table”.
September 12, 2023, p. 13, “The Lanark Era”
Heritage Maple
This recipe comes from the Oliver family, one of Lanark County’s heritage maple farms.
Maple syrup has been produced at the Oliver farm going back to 1827, when George Oliver (1787-1845), native of Roxburghshire, Scotland settled on Concession 8, Lot 25, of North Elmsley Township.
Award-Winning
Maple Syrup
Through the years, the Oliver family has produced award-winning maple products. In 2016, David and Tressa Oliver, and their cousins, Richard and Jay Hendry shared in the prestigious Sugar Maker of the Year Award.
photo: Oliver’s Mapleworks website
150-Year
Legacy Farm
In the same year, the Oliver’s property was designated as a 150-Year Legacy Farm, as part of the 200th anniversary celebration of the Perth Military Settlement.
Today, Oliver’s Mapleworks produces maple syrup, soft maple sugar, maple butter, and they also invite the public to enjoy scenic wagon rides, and tours of their sugar camp.
photo: Oliver’s Mapleworks website
Oliver’s Mapleworks
Oliver’s Mapleworks
158 Lakewood Lane,
Perth,
Ontario K7H 3C7
Phone: 613-264-8612
If you are using a GPS,
please be sure to enter 158 Lakewood Lane, Drummond/North Elmsley Township
rather than Perth.
Oliver’s Mapleworks website:
https://www.oliversmapleworks.com/
Discover the stories and the heirloom recipes of our Lanark County Maple Syrup Producers in the new book, “Lanark County Kitchen: A Maple Legacy from Tree to Table”
To reserve a copy of “Lanark County Kitchen: A Maple Legacy from Tree to Table”
Books can be signed or inscribed for gift-giving.
At The Book Nook, 60 Gore St. E., Perth, ON, – 613-267-2350
Lanark County Kitchen: a Maple legacy from tree to table – Arlene Stafford Wilson – BOOK LAUNCH September 30, 12-3 pm * reserve your copy in a preorder
September 7, 2023
“Lanark County Kitchen”
New Release – Fall 2023
“Lanark County Kitchen:
A Maple Legacy from Tree to Table”
What’s Included in the book:
The stories of Lanark County’s ‘legacy’ maple syrup producing families, beginning with their arrival in Lanark County. Each family’s story is told through several generations, from their first maple syrup harvest, and how their methods and tools evolved over the years from gathering sap with horse-drawn sleighs, to the introduction of plastic pipe-lines, up to the modern technology used today.
Also included:
Tapping the Trees
Flavours and Grades
Judging Maple Syrup
Health Benefits of Maple Syrup
Recipes
From the savory to the sweet, the recipes come from our county’s maple syrup experts – the award-winning legacy maple syrup producing families.
Some recipes have won multiple awards at local fairs, some have been passed down through the generations, and many are from their own popular pancake restaurants. Some are closely-guarded secret recipes, kindly shared exclusively for this book.
Also Included:
Index of Recipes
Index of surnames appearing in the book
Listing of Past and Present Producers
Formation of the Lanark & District Maple Syrup Producers Association
To reserve a copy:
Copies may be reserved in advanced, and may be signed or inscribed for gift-giving.
Price: $25.99
To reserve: Call The Book Nook – 613-267-2350
Official book launch: Saturday, September 30th from noon – 3:00 p.m.
60 Gore Street E., Perth, Ontario
Shipping within Canada is available through The Book Nook 613-267-2350
Worldwide shipping is available – contact: lanarkcountybooks@gmail.com
Special thanks to those who shared memories and stories
of their maple syrup harvest, past and present.
Lloyd Cameron, Brenda (Chaplin) Gutoske, Gordon Chaplin, Margery Conboy, Wayne Conboy, Diana Coutts, Ron Coutts, Stephen Dodds, Karen (Stead) Ennis, Marty Ennis, Jamie Fortune, Ray Fortune, Shirley Fulton-Deugo, Dwight James, Tom McEwen, Bill McEwen, David Oliver, Tressa Oliver, Darrell Paul, Susan Snyder, Charlie Temple, Leann Thompson, Ray Thompson, Rosetta (Van Alstine) McInnes, Judy Wheeler, Tracy Wheeler, and Vernon Wheeler.
Arlene Stafford-Wilson
Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society
Member, Association of Professional Genealogists
Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections”
“Autumn in the country advances in a predictable path,
taking its place among the unyielding rhythms of the passing seasons.
It follows the summer harvest, ushering in cooler nights, and shorter days,
enveloping all of Lanark County in a spectacular riot of colour.
Brilliant hues of yellow, orange, and red exclaim, in no uncertain terms,
that these are the trees where maple syrup legends are born.”
Lanark County Connections
Memories Among the Maples
Link provided below to pre-order from The Book Nook:
Lanark County Kitchen: a Maple legacy from tree to table – Arlene Stafford Wilson – BOOK LAUNCH September 30, 12-3 pm * reserve your copy in a preorder
September 6, 2023
History of Tayview
The opening of the House of Industry, later known as Tayview Nursing Home, then Perth Community Care Centre, was held at the site, just outside of Perth, on January 30, 1903.
Cost to Build:
From a report published in “The Perth Courier”:
Opening Ceremonies
& Entertainment
Speeches were made by visiting dignitaries, and tours of the new building were attended by many from the community and surrounding area.
“The programme committee had planned out a good list of diverse amusements. It was their desire to meet all demands. Music was provided and good music at that, for those who have a musicianly vein in them.”
“A smoking-room was given over to the men who had an enjoyable pull at the brier, and at the same time were entertained to gramophone selections.” Mr. Everard Doyle was in charge of the tobacco and cigar counter.”
“Two ping-pong tables were located in the confectionery room over which Mrs. Foy presided, while in the attic was a shooting gallery in the keep of Mr. George King. In the evening the large crowd was treated to some popular singing by a chorus of male voices, led by Mr. Chris Forbes, of Lanark.”
Reverend A.H. Scott delivered the dedication of the House of Industry, which included:
“Wilberforce, when he had reached the Indian summer period of his life remarked: I can scarcely understand why my life is spared so long except it be to show that a man can be as happy without a fortune as with one.”
Rev. Scott continued, “With the blessing of the Lord and the practical kindness of this community those who are to be occupants of this institution shall have reason to confirm the declaration of David:
“I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
Members of Lanark County Council
representing their constituents
at the Grand Opening:
Warden : Walter G. Cameron
Lanark County Councillors 1903-1904:
W.H. William Stafford, K.C., Almonte barrister, representing Galbraith
A.F. Shearn, representing Galbraith
Wm. Campbell representing Montague
J.S. Livingstone, representing Montague
Wm. Pattie – representing Mississippi
Joseph C. Cram – representing Mississippi
Wm. Watters – representing Tay
Robert Smith – representing Tay
J.M. Rogers – representing Perth
Robert Laidley, representing Western
John Forsyth – representing Highland
John MacLean – representing Highland
The House of Industry, 1911
First known as “The House of Industry”, then as “Lanark County Home”, then “Tayview Home”, and now Perth Community Care Centre
Name Changed 1940
to Lanark County Home
In 1940, the name of the institution was changed from “The House of Industry to “Lanark County Home”
In 1958, the home was presented with a brand new television set, from the Lionettes
An ad for a nurse was published in “The Perth Courier” on September 10, 1958, p. 7:
“The Perth Courier” Sept. 10, 1959, p. 7
Name Changed 1959
to Tayview Home
In December of 1959, council recommended a name change to Tayview:
“The Perth Courier”, December 24, 1959, p.5
Name Changed to
Perth Community Care Centre
Life at the Perth Community Care Centre
Featured in 1980s News Column
In the 1980s, “The Perth Courier” began to publish a column outlining the recent activities of the residents of the Perth Community Care Centre, as it was know. Residents birthdays were listed, as well as a ‘Resident of the Month’
Oct. 1981
Surnames: BARTRAW, CHURCH, CLARKE, CLOSS, MACMILLAN, REED, RITCHIE, WHITE
Nov. 1981
Surnames: CHARLTON, CONBOY, CUMMINGS, DODDS, FINNERTY, LALONDE, MCTAVISH, MURRAY, PERDUE, PITURA, RICHMERE, ROBERTSON, TROMBLEY,
Resident of the month: Nettie Charlton Dodd
December 1981
Surnames: ARCHAMBEAULT, BISSONETTE, BRODERICK, COOPER, CRAIG, CYBACK, DOWSETT, KANE, KEEPING, MACKLER, MCSHANE, MORRISETTE, MULHOLLAND, NAGLE, SEABROOKE.
Resident of the month:
With autumn decorations
Perth Community Care Centre, in modern times, with additions built to accommodate more residents
Established in 1903, the Perth Community Care Centre continues its long tradition of serving and housing seniors and those requiring assisted living. With accommodation for 120 residents, this historic facility is located at 101, Christie Lake Road, Perth, Ontario.
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Arlene Stafford-Wilson
Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society
Member, Association of Professional Genealogists
Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections”
September 5, 2023
Lanark Sweaters: Soft as a Kitten
Each year, in the late summer, thoughts at our house turned to all the rituals associated with going back to school. This included inspecting last year’s clothing, shoes and boots, gathering up pencils and erasers for the inevitable homework that would take place at the big kitchen table, and checking to see if the old lunch pails were still intact. Some articles would be passed down to younger members of the family, and some things would have to be purchased new.
It was usually on a Saturday, the first or second week in September, that we made the annual trip to Lanark, to buy a couple of new sweaters at the Kitten factory outlet, and a new pair of shoes, maybe some new snow boots, at Gus Quinn’s store.
We drove down the Third Line, turned at Glen Tay, and headed up Highway 7, toward Lanark. The village of Lanark was a nice easy drive from our house – about twenty minutes or so. I suppose we could have done it in a bit less time, but Mother was never one to let Dad go over the speed limit; she was very strict about that and said that the laws were there for a reason. Dad would sometimes say that he ‘had’ to speed a bit, to burn the carbon off of his spark plugs, but Mother never fell for that, and she’d just give him ‘the look’, and he’d be back under the speed limit in no time.
After about ten minutes had passed, we’d be driving into Balderson. Sometimes Mother would stop and get some curd for us kids, and some old sharp cheese for Dad, but that was usually on the way back home from Lanark, so it wouldn’t spoil in the heat. We all knew the story of the giant cheese, made in Balderson, in 1893, for the World’s Fair in Chicago. The old timers said that it was six feet high, and weighed over 22,000 lbs. It was mostly butter and cheese that was produced there, when we were kids, and people would drive for miles around, even up from the States, because it was so good.
Another ten minutes or so and we’d be driving into Lanark. It was a pretty little village, built along the Clyde River. Mother said that it had been named for Lanarkshire in Scotland, and had been settled back in the 1820s, mostly by Scottish weavers and farmers.
Dad grew up on the family homestead, on the 11th concession of Drummond Township, not far from Lanark, and he often visited his Aunt Stacia, who owned a home in Lanark Village, right along the Clyde. Dad said that the Caldwell Woollen Mill, in Lanark, was a big employer back in the early days, but the building had been destroyed by fire. He said that there had been another huge fire in the late fifties, that destroyed many of the old original buildings in Lanark, and over 100 people had lost their homes.
After passing many of the homes and businesses along the main street, we finally arrived at 44 George Street, at the Glenayr Kitten Outlet. The business was started in 1944, by the Markle family, from Toronto, and Derek, son of the founder worked there as the superintendent of the mill. Some of the wool was already spun onto cones when it arrived from Scotland, and was knitted by circular machines. In 1951 they began to produce sweaters under the ‘Kitten’ label.
All kinds of sweaters were made at the Kitten mill, knitted with orlon, angora, mohair, lamb’s wool, or pure cashmere. There were a number of different styles– pullovers, cadet style, cardigans, ski styles, crew necks many different colours, zip front, turtleneck, six button, eight button cardigans, and alpine styles.
Glenayr Kitten also manufactured pantsuits, skirts, blazers, blouses and slacks.
Buttercup yellow cardigan sweater from the Glenayr Kitten Mill, c.1970s
Workers at the Glenayr Kitten Mill stitch sweater pieces together
The Kitten Mill stores were a popular tourist attraction, and visitors traveled by motor-coach from Ottawa, Kingston, and the U.S.
I think one of the things that attracted my frugal Mother to the Kitten outlet, was the fact that they sold ‘seconds’. They sold some sweaters that had small defects – without labels, and sold discontinued colours, ends-of-lines, and clearance items. The ‘seconds’ usually sold for between $4.50 and $12.00 at that time, so was very appealing when you were buying back-to-school clothing for a large family.
After a busy afternoon in Lanark, we’d head back home, with our new sweater ‘seconds’, ready for the new school year. Looking back, we were lucky to live such a short drive from the Kitten Mill, because the sweaters there really were lovely. Mother always found a way to add on the missing button, or to mend the seam that was beginning to unravel, so that you couldn’t tell that it was a second. Most of my Kitten sweaters lasted for years, because they were so well made, and were knitted with such high-quality yarns.
Sometimes during our visits to Lanark, I’d see huge, sleek, modern buses, pull up out front, and forty or fifty people got off the motor-coach, to shop at the outlets. I think many of them came all the way from Kingston or Ottawa. We didn’t realize it at the time, but people in the cities had already figured out that in our little corner of the world, folks had crafted their products with skills, passed down over generations, and they took great pride in what they manufactured.
Every spring, around the middle of March, we’d see city folks, suddenly appear around the Perth area, because they knew that the best tasting maple syrup came from Lanark County. It was also no secret that the finest tasting cheese in the world was made at the modest, little, factory in Balderson, and, if you wanted the highest quality sweaters, at a good price, and ‘soft as a kitten’, there was only one place to get them, and that was the village of Lanark.
(This story is dedicated to the people who worked at the Glenayr Kitten Mill. Many families had more than one member working at the Mill, and some worked for two or three decades, or more. Thank-you for producing the beautiful, cozy, sweaters, that kept us warm on those chilly days. You won’t be forgotten.
Thanks also to the Markle family, who provided work for the village of Lanark, and who kept their prices fair, so even those with a modest income could afford to purchase one of their high quality sweaters.)
Arlene Stafford-Wilson
Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society
Member, Association of Professional Genealogists
Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections”
August 31, 2023
Ompah Stomp!
“Drivin’ country roads, highway 509,
August sun is shinin’, and we’re feelin’ fine,
Been workin’ real hard, and we need a little break,
Headin’ for the party up at Palmerston Lake
Grab a bottle, twist the cap, and pass it around,
Swayin’ with my baby to the country sounds,
Music’s loud, fool around, go for a romp,
This is how we do it at the Ompah Stomp”
Arlene Stafford-WilsonThe Ompah StompIt was late August, 1978, when we heard about a music festival, to be held over the Labour Day weekend, in Ompah. This was going to be a back-roads tour, to end all back-roads tours – an outdoor party with live music, and we couldn’t wait!
In those days, Ompah was a tiny, quiet, village. The most popular place in Ompah, was the Trout Lake Hotel, owned by Wayne Kearney.
The building was originally a private residence; over 150 years old, in fact it was the oldest building in Ompah. Over the years, the residence became a popular local bar. The old timers around there say that they began serving liquor there in 1904. It was the first licensed establishment in Eastern Ontario, and the locals also claimed that it was one of the first bars in the province.
The hotel was rumoured to have been the setting for some famous and infamous barroom brawls too, but we won’t get into that. The busiest times were in the summer. During the year, there were quiet times, but the seasonal visitors, mostly summer fishing enthusiasts, and the winter snowmobiling patrons, kept it fairly busy.
After much anticipation, Labour Day weekend, 1978, finally arrived.
We jammed as many young people that could fit, into one of my friend’s parent’s cars, and off we headed to Ompah. We drove up the Third Line, and turned onto Cameron Side Road, past Calvin Church, over the railroad tracks, and onto Hwy 7. We turned onto the Elphin Maberly Road, and continued onto Hwy 509, then Lake Road, and Lafolia Lane. We parked, and got out of the car. The Stomp grounds were beautiful, green, and lush, with tall, majestic trees, situated on a hill, overlooking scenic Palmerston Lake.
That first Ompah Stomp, was held on September 3, 1978, and their special guests were Max Keeping, of CJOH TV, and Doug Anderson of CKBY FM. There was a step dancing contest, held at about 8 p.m., followed by old fashioned round and square dancing. The musical guest artists that year were Sneezy Waters, Mike O’Reilly, and Wayne Rostad.
Over the years, we grew to believe, that this annual country music festival, was our own little ‘Woodstock’. The Ompah Stomp grew, in leaps and bounds, as people heard about it, and wanted to experience the live music, and party atmosphere.
That first year, in 1978, the organizers had anticipated about 200 people attending, and the total numbers were closer to 3,500. The second year, the crowds grew to 5,000 and the third year, saw the attendance numbers rise to 6,500.
Some of the musical acts that performed at the Stomp were: Neville ‘Nev’ Wells, , the Family Brown, Jack McRae and the King of Clubs, The Prescott Brothers, Hugh Scott, Ron McMunn and Carbine, Steve Glenn, David Thompson, Fred Dixon, Lynn and Chris, Lloyd Wilson, Dallas Harms, Ted Daigle, C-Weed Band, Terry Carisse and many others.
Guitar: Neville Wells
“Perth Courier” September 12, 1979 – a review of the second year of the ‘Stom p’:
Sneezy WatersA poem written by Kathy Norwood, about the ‘Stomp’, printed in March 1980
The Ompah Stomp became a much-anticipated annual event, and was featured in the local newspapers.
“Perth Courier” Sept. 2, 1981, page 19:
Poster from 1982
The Road to ‘The Stomp’ – 1983
Poster from 1984
Liquor and beer flowed freely from coolers and wine-skins, and the lineup at the washroom facilities was unbelievably long, but everyone enjoyed themselves just the same. It was wonderful to have a music festival so close to us. In those days, if we wanted to hear live music of that caliber, we’d have to travel to Ottawa or Kingston, so it was great to have the Ompah Stomp so nearby.
As the years passed by, the Ompah Stomp had a reputation as a wild party, and the local police adopted stricter controls for the festival.
The Stomp carried on for many years, after those first few annual celebrations. Visitors traveled from the U.S., and from neighbouring provinces as well.
Labour Day weekend was one of the busiest and most exciting times for us, in the area, because of the Ompah Stomp.
Looking back, it’s difficult to imagine that a tiny village of around 100 people, and their local snowmobile club, could create a music festival, attracting thousands of people, from all around.
The Ompah Stomp was a shining example of the spirit of the people in rural Eastern Ontario, and what they could accomplish. They never faltered in their belief that they could succeed, or lacked the confidence to organize a music festival just because they were a handful of folks, from a tiny village.
The Ompah Stomp became a metaphor, an example for all of us, that it only takes a few people who believe strongly in something to make a difference. It sure made a difference for us kids in the country, who were always looking for a little excitement.
I will always remember those special times at the Ompah Stomp, and how they made our last weekend each summer something we’d all remember fondly for years to come.
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Photos from the 1978 Ompah Stomp from the private collection of Don White, from the band, Grateful We’re Not Dead: Grateful We’re Not Dead Facebook Page
Many thanks to Don White and Neville Wells for providing the names of the musicians in the photos!
Neville Wells, a founding father of the ‘Ompah Stomp’, was inducted into the Ottawa Valley County Music Hall of Fame, in 1994.
For more information on Grateful We’re Not Dead: Grateful We’re Not Dead Official Band Website
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Some of the families who settled around Ompah: Dunham, Kelford, Closs, Conlon, Dawson, Ellenberger, Elliott, English, Gunner, Hitchcock, Cox, Keller, Killlingbeck, Kirkwood, Mabo, Massey, McGonigal, McDougall, Molyneaux, Moore, McDonald, Murphy, Payne, Praskey, Sproule, Thomas, Tooley, Richardson, Riddell, Roberts, Sproule, Stewart, Stinson, Thomas, Uens, Ostler, MacRow, Martelock, James, Ackerman, Allen, Struthers, Brown, Gunsinger, Lemke, Armstrong, Jeannerett, Hermer, McNeil, Badour, Johnston, Kring, HIll, Weiss, Wood, Card, Boyd, Dempster, Donaldson, Larock, Morrow, Mundell, Praskey, Ryder, Shanks.
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Why Did the Ompah Stomp end? Find out the real reasons behind the final days of the Ompah Stomp, from the people who were there…Discover the ‘glory days’ of the Ompah Stomp, how it began, who was there, the unforgettable parties, the music, and more:
“The Legendary Ompah Stomp”, in the book –
‘Lanark County Calling: All Roads Lead Home’ ISBN: 978-0-9877026-61
.
Arlene Stafford-Wilson
Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society
Member, Association of Professional Genealogists
Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections”
August 29, 2023
Haggart House, Perth
Haggart House, located at 41 Mill Street, Perth, Ontario, was formally recognized for its heritage value in 1984, and a commemorative plaque was attached to the entrance gates. One of the grandest homes in the town, the history of the early occupants, the Haggart family, is one filled with both triumph and tragedy.
Haggart House, as it appeared in the early 1900s
photo: Parks Canada
photo: Parks Canada
John Haggart Sr.
John Haggart Sr. arrived in the Perth, Ontario, in the 1820s from Breadalbane, Scotland. He was a stonemason, and worked on both the Rideau Canal and Welland Canal. He also constructed Chaffey’s Locks, and operated a four-mill business on the Tay River.
He formed a partnership with George Buchanan in 1832, and he had acquired a lease to operate Alexander Thom’s grist mill in Perth, on what came to be known as Haggart’s Island in the Tay River.
By 1840 he had erected a group of carding, flour, and sawmills and a finely crafted stone house of Regency design.
He married Isabella Graham, native of the Isle of Skye, Scotland, in January of 1836, near Kingston.
John and Isabella Haggart had five children:
John Graham Haggart (1836-1913)
Duncan Archibald Haggart (1838-1851)
Norman James Haggart (1839-1840)
Mariam Anne ‘Mina’ Haggart (1840-1879)
Isabella (Haggart) Millar (1846-1917)
Hon. John G. Haggart
Hon. John G. Haggart, Minister of Railways and Canals — photo: Library & Archives Canada
John Graham Haggart was the eldest child of John Haggart and Isabella Graham. He was educated in Perth, and after the death of his father he abandoned his studies and focused his attention on the management of the family’s mill. Through several successful business partnerships, he established the Perth Mills, and in 1870–71 the flour mill was rebuilt and he converted it to roller-mill technology. By 1896 he had also become President of the Tay Electric Light Company Limited.
He entered politics and was elected Mayor of Perth, and later was elected as a Member of Parliament representing Lanark, and also served as Postmaster General.
He married Caroline Douglas, and they had two children, one who died in infancy, and Duncan, a young law student, who died at age 22 from typhoid fever.
Hon. John G. Haggart, Postmaster General – photo: Library & Archives Canada
“Haggart left all of his property
to his widowed sister, Isabella (Haggart) Millar.”
Duncan Archibald Haggart (1838-1851)
The second child born to John Haggart Sr. and Isabella (Graham) Haggart, Duncan Haggart, died at the age of 12 years.
Jan. 10, 1851,”The Perth Courier”
Norman James Haggart (1839-1840)
The third child of John Haggart Sr. and Isabella (Graham) Haggart, Norman Haggart, died in infancy
Mariam ‘Mina’ (Haggart) Bell (1840-1879)
Mina Haggart, was the fourth child of John Haggart Sr. and Isabella (Graham) Haggart. In 1866, she married James Bell, a banker, at the family home, Haggart House.
Mina and James Bell had eight children:
Mariam ‘Minnie’ (Bell) Armour (1867-1950) Twins: Norman and Amy (1870-1870) who died of pneumonia, Louise (1871-1941), Alice Mary (1873-1949), Graham (1874-1929), George (1876-1906) and Agnes (Bell) Stone (1878-1949)
Mina died, in 1879, at age 38, from double pneumonia.
Isabella (Haggart) Millar (1846-1917)
Isabella Haggart, their fifth child, was born in 1846. She married in 1868, at the age of 21, to James Morton Millar, a Chicago businessman, and they lived first in Perth, later in Chicago, then retired in Perth. They had no children, and he passed away in 1889, age 47. After James died, Isabella moved in with her brother, John Graham Haggart, who was Postmaster General at that time.
“The late Mrs. Isabella Millar, Perth, left many bequests of from $5,000. to $10,000 to relatives and institutions, and gave her home, the late Hon. J.G. Haggart’s place to Perth to be used as a home for returned soldiers.”
1 Oct 1917, “The Ottawa Journal”
Minnie (Bell) Armour (1867-1950)
In 1923, after serving as a convalescent home for soldiers returning from WWI, the house was returned to the family. When John. G. Haggart passed away, he left the house to his sister Mina (Haggart) Bell.
When Mina passed in 1917, the house was willed to her eldest daughter, Minnie (Bell) Armour.
Haggart House Dedicated
Heritage Building in 1976
In 1976, Haggart House was the home of Judge Edward Shortt. He and his family moved to Perth in 1964.
Judge Edward Shortt (1915-1978) took possession of the old stone mansion in 1965, purchasing the home from the son of John Haggart’s nephew.
At that time there were a total of 11 rooms in the house, with 12-foot ceilings. When Judge Shortt purchased the house, he was told that some of the furnishings were quite old. The bookcases in the library were built by an English cabinet-maker, whose previous job was making coffins. A small table was brought back from the Spanish-American war, and the original wooden desk used by John Haggart was still functioning.
Oct. 18, 1976, p. 21, “The Ottawa Journal”
Martin Family
Following the death of Judge Edward Shortt, in 1978, his widow, Willa (Dole) Shortt (1913-2005), remained in the house until the 1980s, when the property became too difficult to manage by herself.
Mrs. Shortt advertised the house for sale, and it was purchased by David and Connie Martin. David owned Randall’s Paints in Ottawa, along with his two business partners, since 1976.
Over the years the Martin family did extensive work on the house. They renovated the kitchen, added a new cedar roof and a copper roof on the front porch. They also replaced old plumbing and wiring and added two new furnaces – one to heat the upstairs and one for the downstairs. They added a garden room with heated tile floors and large windows. They built a pergola, a deep koi pond, and designed large flower beds with perennial gardens. They also replaced the old carriage house with a new garage designed in the same style. The doors of the carriage house were narrow, built for horses and the stone pillars holding the iron gates at the road were moved farther apart to allow cars and construction vehicles onto the grounds.
Jamie Shortt, son of Judge Shortt, shared some stories with the new owners about his time living in the house:
“And there are, of course, ghost stories. There’s a body buried in the back yard in a grave with a stone frame around it – allegedly a stable boy who got kicked in the head by a horse.
When the Martins first moved in, they’d get up in the morning thinking they’d left a radio or TV on because they heard voices mumbling downstairs.
Jamie Shortt told them he had heard the same sounds when he was growing up. One night, he and his sister had both dreamed that they saw a woman going up the attic stairs. And a workman who stayed in the house swears he saw a woman in the window.”
Early in 2004, the Connie and David had a new granddaughter, living in Ottawa, and they wanted to be closer to her, and so put the house up for sale. At that time, it was listed as having 6,000 square feet, a library, living and dining rooms, fully renovated kitchen, a garden room, five bedrooms, four bathrooms and a billiard room. Their original asking price for the mansion and 2 1/2 acres of gardens and lawns was 1.2 million dollars.
June 26, 2004, p. 85, “The Ottawa Citizen”
July 10, 2004, p. 86, “The Ottawa Citizen”
Bartleman
Although the specific dates are unknown, during 2008-2009, James Bartleman (1939-2023), former diplomat and Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and his wife, Marie-Jeanne were living at Haggart House with their three dogs. In 2008, they participated in a Christmas House Tour.
Nov. 15, 2008, p. 95, “The Ottawa Citizen”
Haggart House was included with nine other distinctive homes, decorated for Christmas, as a fund-raiser for literacy programs.
Into the Future
Although specific dates of ownership are not known, Scott Reid, MP, and his wife, Robyn Mulcahy, became owners of Haggart House, and were recognized for their work on the home.
In 2017, Perth Mayor, John Fenik, right, presented a “Heritage Perth Architectural Conservation Award”, to Robyn Mulcahy, wife of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MP Scott Reid, in recognition of their restoration work on Haggart House. The specific improvements were the installation of a new cedar shake roof and the extensive landscaping maintenance of their home.
photo: Desmond Devoy, “Inside Ottawa Valley”, Feb. 10, 2017
And so, through the years, the Haggart House has a long and storied history in the town of Perth, from the early days of the first occupants – John Haggart Sr. , his wife, Isabella Graham, and their children.
Through the decades there were members of the Haggart family who experienced tremendous success, and at the same time, other members of the family who suffered a series of tragic losses.
This elegant home remained in the Haggart family until it was sold to Judge Edward Shortt in 1965.
The Haggart House is one of the architectural gems in the town of Perth, and its history and proud tradition elevate it as one of the many remarkable homes in Lanark County, with a uniquely interesting story to tell.
Arlene Stafford-Wilson
Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society
Member, Association of Professional Genealogists
Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections”
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