Arlene Stafford-Wilson's Blog, page 51
May 27, 2017
Rideau Ferry Inn – Those Hot Summer Nights!
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Oh, those hot summer nights at the Rideau Ferry Inn! The dancing, the laughter, stolen kisses, sneaking drinks in the parking lot, and the best live rock and roll around!
Its official name back then, was the Poonamalie Pavilion, but nobody called it that. To my friends and me, it was simply the Rideau Ferry Inn; and you could find us there most weekend nights in the summer, socializing, laughing, and dancing the night away.
Situated along the clear, blue waters of the Rideau, the Rideau Ferry Inn has hosted many generations of tourists and boaters, providing sumptuous meals, comfortable accommodation, and lively entertainment. Arguably, the highlight of the small settlement of Rideau Ferry, our former teenage haunt, wasn’t the original structure at this location. The original building was actually a home.
The original structure was a house built in 1853 by Archibald Campbell. Archibald married Elizabeth Buchanan, a preacher’s daughter. Her father was the Reverend George Buchanan, and was one of the early Presbyterian ministers of Beckwith Township, serving the congregation at Franktown.
Their daughter, Helen Buchanan Campbell, married John Coutts. As her parents were aging, and needed assistance, the couple moved in with them in 1870. During that time, John made some additions to the home, and when he was finished, they not only had ample room for themselves, but had more than enough room to accommodate guests. They began to rent rooms in the house to summer tourists, who were traveling by boat ,along the mighty Rideau waterways.
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As the years went by, their home became known as ‘Coutts House’, and eventually, had the reputation of being a very fine hotel. In 1893 a three-storey addition was built at the back of the house. A large dining room was added to the first floor. The second and third floors had fifteen hotel rooms each, and an indoor bathroom.
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After 1905, the building was rented to a series of business men. During the 1920s and 30s, regattas became popular, and Coutts House held canoe races, and rowboats races. The Coutts family also sponsored competitions for sailboats, and it was the site of many grand daytime celebrations, and intimate evening affairs, for the wealthy travelers, visiting in the summer.
In 1947, Doug Wallace, native of Osgoode bought Coutts House, tore it down, and built a new structure with wood framing, and grey granite blocks. It was a two-storey building, and the second floor featured a large dance area, with seating on three sides.
By the 1960s, the building had become known as the Rideau Ferry Inn, and during this time, became licensed for liquor sales. Up until that time people would smuggle in their own booze, particularly in the roaring twenties when rum-running along the Rideau had its hey-day.
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It was in the 1970s, that I first heard the tales about the popular night spot, and all the good times that were had at the Rideau Ferry Inn. There were stories told up and down the halls of the Perth High School – stories of summer romances with cottagers staying at seasonal properties nearby, or the ultra-cool teens that traveled by boat along the Rideau, with their parents. There was also talk of the teenage kids from the States, and their hip clothing and accessories; styles that would take years to reach our little communities near Perth. There were lots of accounts at our high school of the talented rock bands that performed, and of the nights spent dancing to the top hits played by edgy disc jockeys. I couldn’t wait to go and see it for myself.
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photo: L. Steve Francis, Mike McPherson, Brian Jones, and seated – Paul Tarle.
The main house-band at ‘The Inn’ in the early 1970s was the Paul Tarle Band – and we showed off our cool dance moves, as we listened to their popular rock classics.
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One of the best parties of our steamy Lanark County summers was the annual Rideau Ferry Regatta. Beautiful, sleek, boats from all over, competing for the sought-after prizes, and the prestige of being ‘Number 1’ on the big lakes.
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Regattas were all about hot sun, cold beers, the cool, clear waters of the Rideau Lakes, and beautiful boats all around us.
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We’ll never forget the annual regattas, or the great music at the Rideau Ferry Inn. Bands like ‘Sammy Seaman’ and his group kept us up until the wee hours. Some nights it was ‘Woody Herman and the Young Thundering Herd’, and other evenings we were entertained by the ‘Paul Chabot Band’. Occasionally, instead of live bands at the ‘Inn’, there was a ‘Disco’ dance provided by a local disc jockey, by the name of ‘Sounds Great’.
Many years after our frequent teenage visits to the Rideau Ferry Inn, the building was purchased by Elmer and Eva Purdon. It was still ‘the’ place at that time to host fancy wedding receptions, or 50th wedding anniversary celebrations.
Because we’d had so many good times at the Rideau Ferry Inn, it was a terrible shock for my friends and I when we heard about the fire in February of 1986, that destroyed our former dance hall. The fire started on the top floor, where the dances had been held for so many years. The ground floor was also destroyed in the fire, and that is where the kitchen, the large dining room, and bar were located.
My friends and I drove down to Rideau Ferry a few days after the fire. I don’t think it was so much out of curiosity, but more out of disbelief. Could it be true, that the place where we’d passed so many of our happy youthful hours was really gone? There were so many memories of friendships, dancing, and all of the special evenings we spent at the Rideau Ferry Inn.
We drove up to where the Inn had stood, and looked around. No one said a word. I think that as we stared at the charred foundation of the building, each of us was recalling our own versions of the times spent there, in our youth. They were such innocent, awkward, magical, teenage times. We sat there for a few more moments, still silent, and then drove away, back up the Ferry Road toward Perth.
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The building may be gone, but our fond memories of the Rideau Ferry Inn will remain with us forever. We will always remember the music, the friends, and the good times. Those long summer nights, when the stars seemed to shine a little brighter, the sunsets glowed a little softer. The peaceful, pristine, waters of the Rideau Lakes made a perfect backdrop for those innocent days of our youth, when life stretched out ahead of us…..so full of promise, and our dreams for the future.
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An excerpt from – ‘Revelry and Rogues on the Rideau’ – ‘Lanark County Chronicle’ available in local book stores, or online. ISBN 978-0-9877026-23
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Local Names:
Although there were lots of tourists and visitors in the summer, they were only there for a few short weeks at most. We became acquainted with many of the folks who lived year-round at Rideau Ferry, and some of the local names at that time were: McLean, Donaldson, Buchanan, Gemmill, Frost, Sewell, Coutts, Gallagher, Beveridge, McKay, Wills, McVeety, Millar, Tully, Oliver, Dettrick, Bethune, Purdon, Hitchcock, Fitzgerald, Hall, Gould, Irving, Joynt, King, McCue, Wallace, McKay and Campbell.
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photos: Perth Historical Society, Carol-Ann McDougall, Perth Remembered, Vintage Smiths Falls and Perth, The Perth Courier, Georgia McNally, Vintage Race Boat Shop, and from private collections.
For more information on the history of Rideau Ferry Rideau Lakes Township
For boating on the big lakes – Rideau Ferry Marina
To travel the Rideau Heritage Route – Rideau by Canoe
For genealogy and family history of Rideau Ferry Lanark County Genealogical Society
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May 21, 2017
10th Anniversary Celebrations at The Book Nook in Perth, Ontario
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Through the ages, we have always marked births, marriages, the change of a season, harvest time, and turning the page to a new year. This month, in the town of Perth, we mark another special event – the 10th anniversary of a popular bookstore on the main street – The Book Nook.
As part of the celebrations for this important milestone, owner Leslie Wallack invited special guests to her store, for each of the four Saturdays in May. It was my pleasure to take part on Saturday, May 20th, to mark this happy occasion, in the pretty town of Perth.
When we arrived on Saturday morning, The Book Nook was decorated with cheery signs inside and out, and as visitors came through the store they were reminded of the special draws being held for prizes, throughout the day. On this particular Saturday, the three separate draws featured prizes of distinctive, natural wood, hand-crafted containers – a lovely addition to anyone’s home.
Looking around the store, I paused a moment to recall the history of this building, and that 60 Gore Street East was not always home to The Book Nook. In my teenage years in Perth, this was the location of Haggis’ Candy Store. My friends and I were frequent visitors, and often scrounged our pennies together to buy some peanut clusters, or horehound candy, made with care by Mrs. Sophia Nee. I looked around, remarking to Leslie that in my youth Mrs. Nee’s large glass and wooden display case was near the front window, and minutes later Leslie reappeared with an old photo of Mrs. Nee in front of the store.
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photo: courtesy of Leslie Wallack
Leslie remembered when she first took over the store, there was a cot in the rear where former owner Mrs. Nee would often sleep, after a long night of tending to her candy-making. Clearly, this store has a proud history of women operating a business.
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photo: Sophia (Haggis) Nee
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Sophia with her Easter candy
The Book Nook enjoyed steady traffic all day, in and out, with the large section of children’s books being a popular spot for browsing, and picking up special gifts.
We were lucky to have such beautiful weather, and the warmth and sunshine streamed through the windows of the store, and reminded us that spring was finally here.
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Kevin paused to take a rare moment on the other side of the camera.
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While the entire day was filled with happy moments, and good conversation, one of the highlights for me was three special ladies who dropped by to say ‘Hello’, and chat for a while.
I had a great visit with Rosetta Van Alstine, sister of former classmate Anne. With the annual maple harvest just passed, we discussed some of the history of the early maple producers – her Uncle Ken Van Alstine among them. I learned that Rosetta’s grandfather was also a maple producer, going back yet another generation. Her Uncle Ken was one of the first in the 1960s to use plastic tubing to transport the sap for part of his maple harvest, as well as using the traditional methods of horse and sleigh.
To read more about some of the legacy maple producers like Rosetta’s uncle – Ken Van Alstine – Lanark County’s Maple Legacy
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photo: Arlene and Rosetta Van Alstine
It was a real delight to have a visit with Shirley (Kerr) Scott. Shirley is the sister of my former classmate Marie Kerr. The Kerr family goes back for generations in the DeWitt’s Corners, former Bathurst Township community. Shirley was my sister Jackie’s classmate, and they sat together on the school bus each day, and were the best of friends. Shirley shared a story of visiting Jackie out west, and how much she enjoyed the time they spent together; a reminder that special friendships continue through the decades, growing richer as the years pass by. I had my own memory for Shirley, a reminder of the time as young girls Jackie had invited her to stay overnight when our parents were out of town, and when Shirley’s parents learned that the girls were alone, they came to the house and brought her back home. Young girls today would be surprised to learn how much stricter our parents were back in those days!
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photo: Arlene and Shirley (Kerr) Scott
Another special visitor was Carol-Ann McDougall. Carol-Ann, originally from Kirkland Lake, now makes her home in a delightful water-front property, built on the shores of the mighty Big Rideau Lake. Carol-Ann and her husband Ken purchased a piece of land along the shores fifteen years ago, and came up to visit each summer, dreaming that someday they would build a home there. Last year, their dream came true, and an account of their heart-warming tale is titled “Lake Life: A Rideau Ferry Love Story”.
Lake Life – A Rideau Ferry Love Story
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photo: Arlene and Carol-Ann McDougall
Another highlight of the day was the draw for prizes! I was honoured to be asked to pull three names from a basket. The three winners each received a beautiful, hand-crafted wooden case – a lovely container for special keepsakes and treasures. These were generously donated by Simply Shaker , makers of one of a kind, hand-made furniture, on the main street of Perth.
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photo: Arlene, Leslie’s Mom, and Leslie
It was a special day to mark a milestone for The Book Nook. It was also a time to reflect on the history of the store, and to recall another woman entrepreneur Sophia Haggis Nee. Like Sophia Haggis Nee, Leslie Wallack will take her place in the history of the town of Perth, another woman entrepreneur making her mark, adding to the charm and character of this delightful and historic main street. Congratulations Leslie!
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An event is always more memorable when it’s shared with some special people. Many thanks to all of those who stopped by, and congratulations to the lucky winners of the draw! Happy 10th Anniversary to The Book Nook, and wishing you much success in the years to come!
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April 25, 2017
Maple Trailblazers: Founding Families of Lanark County’s Maple Legacy
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Did you know that the very first Festival of the Maples was held in Perth, Ontario back in the 1970s?
The story that follows is dedicated to the Lanark County families who played such a significant role, back in the early days, leading up to this annual festival in Perth: Andrew and George Korry, Bowes family of Glen Tay, Ernie and Evelyn Miller family of Glen Tay, Robert McEwen of Prestonvale, Ken VanAlstine of Maberly, Leonard and Tom Adam of McDonald’s Corners, Brien and Marion Paul west of Hopetown, Lanark, James ‘Carman’ and Edna Gibson of Dalhousie Township, Don and Marion Dodds of Clayton, George Coutts of Rideau Ferry, Wheeler family of McDonald’s Corners, and Fulton family of Pakenham to name a few.
Taffy on the Tay
Years ago, many of the local farmers produced maple syrup. Some made just enough for their families, and for others it was a supplement to their farm income, at a time of year that was less busy, than during the summer months. There were also a few dealers in the area that sold sugar bush supplies – Max Miller of Snow Road, Percy Drysdale of McDonald’s Corners, and W.J. Ballantyne in Lanark. James Brothers Hardware and the Co-Op in the town of Perth also sold supplies for maple production. Labels for the bottles were often printed by ‘The Perth Courier’.
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The Korry family farm was located across the road from our farm. They owned a medium sized sugar bush, and produced enough syrup to sell locally. Andrew Korry’s son-in-law John Chaplin sold it through his business – Chaplin’s Dairy, door to door, to their customers on the milk routes. Andrew and his son George were very busy for several weeks each spring making syrup, and my brother Tim Stafford worked with them in the bush one season. Extra help was always welcome. They used a team of horses, with a tank mounted on the sleigh, to draw the sap back to the evaporator, at the sugar shack; typical of many other producers at that time.
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The Bowes and the Miller families of Glen Tay also produced their own syrup. I recall that Art Bowes used to tap quite a number of trees in the mid-sixties. Their land was known as Tayview farm, and it straddled the Tay River -a beautiful setting. At that time they had about 300 acres including hay fields, pastures, and of course maple bushes. Art’s son Doug traveled along with us on our school bus each day in the 1960s, and he often spoke about helping his Dad back in the bush each spring.
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The Miller family’s farm, known as Tayside was owned by Ernest ‘Ernie’ Miller and his wife Evelyn (Mather). The Miller family arrived from Scotland in 1809, and their farm was purchased by Ernie’s great grandfather Dodds in 1858. Their kids were Diane, Nancy, John and Ruth. Evelyn was a lovely, soft-spoken lady, and she was my first 4H club leader. I also recall that Ernie was tapping about 1,500 trees back in the sixties, and had about 30 acres of maple woods. Ernie was a forward thinker, and one of his ideas at that time was that sap should be gathered by trucks from each farm, and taken to a large central evaporator – similar to the way that milk was trucked to cheese factories. It seemed through the years that Ernie was into everything. When he wasn’t farming he wrote history books, he researched genealogy, he worked with young people, and it was no surprise to me when he was inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2003.
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Ernest Miller – Photo by Malak for Cover of Family Herald in support of War Bonds. Photo courtesy of Diane (Miller) Duncan.
The McEwen clan in Ferguson Falls was another family who made their mark in the maple syrup business back in the 60s. In 1966 Robert McEwen of Prestonvale opened up the first pancake house in the area. Originally, Robert made his syrup the old fashioned way, out in the bush, and boiled a cauldron of sap over the fire. Later, in the 1970s I remember that he was one of the first to use plastic pipelines to bring the sap from the trees to one main location. Our Dad knew the McEwen family well, having grown up in that area, and said that Robert often spoke of the difficulties involved in syrup production. It was difficult to find reliable labour, and also challenging was finding the capital to purchase new equipment. Robert was very active in the local industry, and at one time was the President of the Lanark and District Maple Syrup Association.
When the former McEwen Sugar Shack went up for sale, Charles Temple and his wife Susan Snyder bought the property – the very first day it was on the market. The property known now as Temple’s Sugar Bush consists of 70 acres of maple bush where 5,000 trees are tapped annually.
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Temple’s Sugar Bush on the site of the former McEwen’s Sugar Shack, Ferguson Falls
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Ken VanAlstine in Maberly tapped over 2,000 trees when I was a kid, and he was among the first to use pipelines. He experimented at first, and tapped just 200 trees using the pipeline system, but the rest was collected in buckets, the traditional way, and transported to the evaporator by horse and sleigh.
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Ken, like other producers in the area, found the cost of hiring labour prohibitive, and found that distributors wanted too much money per gallon. Ken was well known in the area for his excellent quality maple syrup, and said on his best day at that time he gathered 3,300 gallons of sap.
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The Ennis family also has a long history of maple production. Their ancestor Arthur Ennis came from County Cavan, Ireland to Lanark County in 1840, and the family has been producing maple syrup for almost a century. Their sugar bush is located on the eastern shores of Bennett Lake, at the end of Ennis Road, Balderson, in Lanark County. Five generations of the Ennis family have been tapping trees on this property.
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George and Karen Ennis – photo – Ennis Maple Products
Another local family of long-time maple producers is the Adam family of McDonald’s Corners. Leonard Adam and his brother Tom tapped an average of 2,250 trees, and owned about 500 acres of land between them. They were hard workers, and spent many days sawing, chopping, and stacking the 20 cords of wood required for their evaporator. The Adam family were one of the first to use a brand new style of evaporator which was 4 by 14 feet. They produced enough to sell locally, and the remainder was shipped out West.
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Adam family of McDonald’s Corners – ‘The Perth Courier’ – Nov. 28, 1963
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Brien and Marion (McLaren) Paul of R.R #3 Lanark owned a 575 acre farm, about three miles west of Hopetown, and began maple production in 1953. Marion was raised on a farm near the village of Lanark, was known locally as the ‘First Lady of Maple’, and served proudly as a Maple Judge at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. Their kids Kathy, Wayne and Darrell were also very involved in maple production, and provided additional labour for the family business. In 1972 Kathy was crowned Maple Queen in the local competition.
Back in the 1960s the Paul family used two sleighs, one pulled by a tractor, and the other by a team of horses. Brien’s father Raymond Paul often tended the evaporator, keeping a watchful eye as the sweet, fragrant, steam boiled off into the air. Russell Foster and Raymond Watt often assisted the Paul family with their production. They tapped an average of 4,000 trees at that time, produced about 700 gallons of syrup, and used approximately 30 cords of wood during the season.
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‘The Perth Courier’ – March 21, 1971
The Paul’s were pioneers in the maple industry, and were very modern in their approach. They were one of the first to install plastic tubing, and an oil fired evaporator. The plastic pipes were attached to the tree spiles, and the sap flowed through the pipes, and emptied into a storage reservoir located behind the evaporator. Brien and Marion were inducted into the International Maple Hall of Fame, and were proud members of the Ontario Maple Producers and the Lanark and District Maple Producers Association.
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Gibson was a name known for their excellent syrup. James ‘Carman’ Gibson, and his wife Edna (Rodger) had a maple business in Dalhousie Twp at R.R. # 4, Lanark. The nearby areas of Hoods and Poland were well known for their fine quality maple syrup. The Gibson family began tapping trees in 1821 with the arrival of James Gibson from Lanark, Scotland. He was the first pioneer settler in the area, and named their new home Lammermoor after the Lammermoor Hills in Scotland. Their five children Verna, Beatrice, Norma, Carol and Earl helped with the operation. The Gibson family also raised beef, dairy on their busy farm, and hauled milk to the Middleville cheese factory.
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When locals think of a long running maple operation, the name Dodds comes to mind. They had a substantial sugar bush at R.R. 2 Clayton, in the Lanark Highlands. The Dodds family has owned Springdale Farm for generations, producing maple syrup since 1917, and Don and Marion Dodds, and their sons Bryan and Stephen helped with production through the years. The family has won many awards for being long term maple producers, and Stephen Dodds won the Grand Champion Trophy at Perth Festival of the Maples in 2011. Their long, long, list of awards include trophies for World Champion Maple Syrup, Sugar Maker of the Year, and a memorable meeting with HRH Prince Charles at the Royal Winter Fair.
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Dodds family – Don, Marion and Stephen Dodds
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One of the maple syrup families that I remember fondly was the Coutts family on the Rideau Ferry Road. I’ll never forget how George Coutts invited local kids to visit his sugar shack. He would take the time during the very busy season to patiently explain how the maple syrup was made. Miss Norma Devlin from the North Elmsley School was invited each year to bring her grade one class to visit the Coutts farm. George along with his son Kenneth showed the children how syrup was made and even provided the kids with some maple taffy at the end of the tour.
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In the 1960s the Coutts family tapped about 1,300 trees yearly, and produced more than enough syrup for both the family and for area sales. Maple syrup was produced in the early 1900’s by Archibald Coutts. In 1920, George Coutts purchased an evaporator, and the production of maple syrup has continued ever since.
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Coutts Country Flavours – 5th generation maple producers
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The ancestors of the Fulton family began to tap their maple trees back in the 1840s when John Fulton and his brothers came to Lanark County from East Kilbride, Scotland. Their large 370 acre farm is located between Almonte and Pakenham, and they have tapped their huge 4,000 tree sugar bush for many, many, generations. Well known for their high quality syrup they have also operated a pancake house for many years, and their sugar camp has been a popular attraction for both area families and visitors.
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Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush –
Shirley Fulton-Deugo 4th generation, and Scott Deugo 5th generation maple producer
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With these, and other long-time maple producers in Lanark County, it’s not surprising that back in the 1970s, there were lots of conversations, up and down the concessions, of hosting a maple festival in the town of Perth. It was Victor ‘Vic’ Lemieux, owner of Norvic Lodge, at Christie Lake, who first came up with the idea, and presented it to the Perth Chamber of Commerce. Thankfully, Vic was successful in his campaign to launch the first festival, with the hope that it would bring people out to celebrate the spring season, after a long, cold, winter.
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On April 19, 1975 the very first Festival of the Maples was held in Perth and it was quite an event!
When my friends and I arrived at the very first Maple Festival that Saturday so long ago, part of Gore Street and Foster Street had been closed to traffic, and many local maple vendors had set up their displays. At 10 a.m. the Festival was officially opened by the Ontario Minister of Industry – Claude Bennett. The Perth Legion ladies, and the ladies from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church had displays of delicious home baking for sale, and there were also side-walk sales on Gore Street, and many arts and craft exhibits.
There were a tremendous number of district producers, and many of them offered syrup for sale in different grades, and various sized containers. Pancakes were available for purchase, and free samples of Balderson Cheese were available to anyone who asked, and I recall we went back a couple of times to that booth! One of the most unique displays was a wood-burning evaporator set up on one of the main streets of Perth. I’ve seen a few of those out in the bush, but I never thought I’d see one in town on the main street!
Fiddling and step-dancing competitions were held that day, and I recall Dawson Girdwood saying that some of the best fiddlers from Eastern Ontario were competing in the Open and Junior fiddling classes. The talented Jimmy Heney, one of our neighbours, won the fiddling prize hands down, as he often did, and Karen Grey of Perth was the top step-dancer that night.
The folks in Perth were always enthusiastic supporters of a beauty competition, and so part of the evening program, at the arena that night ,was the crowning of ‘The Sweetest Girl in Lanark County’. Miss Perth 1975 Michelle Hughes crowned the winner – Maple Queen – Susan Thompson, of Perth.
Over the years, we attended the Perth Maple Festival, and each spring it seemed to grow by leaps and bounds. Every year it seemed that there were more vendors selling their maple goods, more artisans displaying their crafts, and an increasing number of booths and displays. We also noticed a steady stream of tourists coming from Ottawa, Kingston, and even as far away as the States to visit our festival.
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People in Lanark County, understandably, have always taken their maple syrup very seriously. Because of this, it was devastating to many when January of 1998 brought the most destructive ice storm in Canadian history. From January 4th to 10th Lanark County was severely affected by freezing rain, and ice pellets. Day after day it fell, and accumulated on tree branches, bending their limbs until they snapped off with the weight of the ice. The relentless freezing rain created a thick, heavy coat, damaging both the maple trees and the pipelines in the sugar bushes. Millions of tree branches were caked with the build-up of ice, and became so heavy that they split right off of the trees; severely affecting the sap flow. At the time, there were speculations that it might take forty years for maple production to return to normal.
Through hard work, and good fortune, many of the damaged trees came back, and the maple production resumed within a few years of the ice storm.
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Many of us, raised in Lanark County, have participated in making maple syrup at one time or another, and know from experience that it’s extremely labour-intensive. We also have a clear understanding of the enormous amount of sap it takes to make a very small quantity of syrup. No matter how modern the equipment or methods, it still takes forty gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.
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Now, add in the hours of labour for the tapping, transporting from the tree to the evaporator, the boiling down, the straining, the bottling, and the labeling. Next, factor in the cost of equipment such as the spiles, the pails or tubing, the evaporation tank, fuel, the straining equipment, the bottles, cans, and cost of transporting to market. The price per gallon really doesn’t sound like all that much anymore now, does it?
So, the next time you pass by the maple syrup display in your grocery store aisles, or visit a maple vendor at his farm, or at a festival, please remember how it’s produced.
Pause a moment, to remember the proud, hard-working, pioneer families who settled in Lanark County, and passed down their knowledge through the generations. Think of the enormous quantity of sap required to make a very small container of syrup. Most of all, please stop and consider the origin of your syrup, and take it from this Lanark County kid – you won’t find any better, more flavourful syrup, than from the Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario!
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(an excerpt from “Lanark County Chronicle: Double-Back to the Third Line” Lanark County Chronicle)
ISBN 978-0-9877026-2-3
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November 8, 2016
WWII Soldiers from Perth and Area
A tribute to our Lanark County soldiers
In memory of all of the soldiers from the Perth area
who fought bravely for our country,
so that we might live in peace and freedom.
Lest We Forget……
October 30, 2016
Memories of an Old Fashioned Hallowe’en
It doesn’t seem that long ago, back in the 1960s and 1970s, when we couldn’t wait for that magical night in October – Hallowe’en!
Preparations were made weeks in advance – deciding what we would wear. Any of you who are familiar with the late fall weather in Lanark County knows that our costumes would need to be loose enough to fit over our fall jackets. I recall a few Hallowe’en nights when there was snow on the ground, which meant clunking around in a big pair of boots all night.
Today’s kids would not have been impressed with our costumes. They were homemade, and usually consisted of a pair of old pants, an old shirt, maybe some tattered sheets. No one in those days bought a pre-made costume, so we had to be creative.
One year, Kellogg’s advertised free Hallowe’en masks on the back of their cereal boxes. All you had to do was cut out the mask, punch two holes in it, and add a rubber band or a string. These were all the rage! Especially the Tony the Tiger mask!
Mother always helped us find a suitable sack for our candy, and we could usually choose between a number of her old pillowcases. It was always a good idea to bring at least two pillowcases – just in case it was a busy night.
After we had donned our costumes and had a couple of pillowcases in hand, we’d begin the trek up and down the Third Line. Some of the lanes were long. Very long. So we had to debate at the end of each lane with our friends, and decide whether it would be worth the walk.
Another thing that might surprise the kids today is that people didn’t decorate their homes, nor did they have elaborate displays on their front steps or in their yards. Most people didn’t have any decorations at all, and the ones that did would usually have a single carved pumpkin on their front porch.
We may have had less than glamorous costumes, and the decorations were a little bit sparse in those days, but the homemade treats and goodies made up for that.
It was not uncommon to receive farm fresh apples, loose peanuts, homemade fudge, and Hallowe’en Kisses
The best fudge on the Third Line was at Radford’s and Korry’s. Mrs. Radford’s fudge was legendary in the area, and Ethel Korry’s fudge was creamy and silky smooth. Sometimes Mrs. Korry would be cutting up her fudge into little squares when we arrived, and she’d place them in little bags for us.
One of the best stops for trick-or-treating on the Third Line was the popular general store – Cavanagh’s – owned by Jim and Helen.
The Cavanagh’s were generous with their candy, and some of our favourite treats were the Pixie Stix, the Thrills and the Gold Rush gum.
Kraft Caramels were always a popular treat and many of the neighbours would throw a handful into our pillowcases, along with some pumpkin teeth candies.
Our Mother often made caramel apples with the apples from our orchard.
One of our favourite treats on Hallowe’en were Mother’s caramel popcorn balls. She would make them, let them dry on a cookie sheet, and wrap them in plastic before handing them out at our front door.
Those were certainly nights to remember – the long, dark, lanes in the country, our costumes made from discarded clothes, and our pillowcase sacks. The cool fall air and the tall bare maple trees that lined the dark roads leading up to the farmhouses all added an air of suspense as we ran from house to house. The homemade treats fresh from our neighbour’s kitchens couldn’t be beat. We had a little song that we’d sing on Hallowe’en and perhaps it will bring back some memories of those happy Hallowe’ens of our youth:
It’s Hallowe’en,
The lamp is lit,
And ’round the fire
Is where we sit,
A-telling ghost tales
Bit by bit,
‘Til sister Jane says “Hush!”
What’s that a-peeping
‘Round the kitchen door?
What’s that a-creeping
‘Cross the bedroom floor?
What’s that a-sweeping
Down the corridor?
Oooooh! It’s a goblin!
Happy Hallowe’en!
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The families who lived along our ‘Hallowe’en route’: Blair, Brady, Bowes, Cavanagh, Chabot, Closs, Doyle,Heney, Johnston, Jordan,Kerr, Korry, Kyle, Leonard, Majaury, Mitchell, Morrow, Munro, Murphy, Myers, Paul, Perkins, Pettigrew, Popplewell, Radford, Scott, Siebel, Somerville, Stafford, Stiller, Truelove,Turnbull,Tysick,Webber.
For more memories of Hallowe’en in the 1960s and 1970s:
“Recipes & Recollections: Treats and Tales from Our Mother’s Kitchen”
Available at The Book Nook, The Bookworm and Blackwood Originals in Perth, Mill Street Books and Divine Consign in Almonte, Arlie’s Books in Smiths Falls, Perfect Books and Books on Beechwood in Ottawa, and on http://www.staffordwilson.com
(photo of Cavanagh’s store courtesy of JoAnne Cavanagh Butler)
October 9, 2016
Book Fair at the Crystal Palace
Autumn’s brightest maple trees were the colourful backdrop for the 3rd annual Book Fair at the Crystal Palace in Perth, Ontario. Nestled along the historic Tay Basin, the Farmer’s Market hosted a number of local authors, along with their usual offerings of produce, craftspeople, artisans and home-baked goods.
The yearly event is a wonderful opportunity for visitors and residents alike to meet with authors, share in discussions, ask questions, and discover the literary offerings produced in their community.
Anne Raina, author of ‘Clara’s Rib’, and Kay Rogers, Editor of ‘At Home in Tay Valley’ share a few words at the opening of the event.
Author Gene Bassett was back this year with his books ‘Tall Tales’ and ‘Stolen Moments’. In Gene’s words, “Hopefully, these vignettes will give the reader time to pause, and give reflection to the humour and serendipity that keeps us in tune with life in all its ups and downs.”
Larry Cotton, author of ‘Whiskey and Wickedness’ brought the full complement of books in his series.
Kay Rogers was on hand at the event to promote “At Home in Tay Valley”, a collection of stories and memories from the people of Tay Valley. Proceeds from the sale of At Home in Tay Valley will support an annual scholarship for a student graduating from Perth & District Collegiate Institute, or from St. John Catholic High School who has demonstrated a keen interest in history.
Also available at the Book Fair were copies of the souvenir book marking 25 years of the Stewart Park Festival.
A number of local readers as well as some out of town visitors stopped by to say hello.
What a treat to see a former classmate and neighbour from the Third Line – Dawn-Marie Brady, and share a few memories!
Signing a copy of my new book “Lanark County Classics: A Treasury of Tales from Another Time” for Scott Reid, member of Parliament for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston. Scott kindly shared some fascinating stories and history of the historic Haggart residence in Perth. It was a pleasure to meet with such an avid reader and history buff!
Once again, many thanks to those who stopped by to say ‘hello’ on this busy Thanksgiving weekend.
Thanks as always to our host the Perth Farmer’s Market for sponsoring this event, for promoting local authors, and most importantly for supporting literacy in the community.
October 2, 2016
35th Anniversary – Lanark County Genealogical Society
Maple leaves displaying a kaleidoscope of colour, and crisp fall air set the scene for the 35th Anniversary of the Lanark County Genealogical Society. As we drive along Highway # 7 the bright signs along the way remind us that we’re entering the ‘Maple Syrup Capital’ of Canada, although the spectacular scenery leaves no doubt in our minds.
The celebrations were held in the Beckwith Township Hall, near Carleton Place – the perfect setting to mark this milestone for the genealogy society.
A beautifully decorated cake was the centerpiece for the buffet table, generously laden with all sorts of delicious choices for the celebratory luncheon.
After lunch, LCGS President Jayne Munro-Ouimet opened the program, welcoming one and all to the celebration.
Honoured to be the invited Guest Speaker, my presentation focused on Genograms, and how they can be used in addition to vital statistics in a family tree.
Mary Kerfoot spoke briefly on the Kerfoot family and their history in Lanark County.
The Historical Artifact Committee of the LCGS presented a Kerfoot Family Bible, featuring entries going back to the earliest times in the township.
Several presentations were made to distinguished members for their service and dedication to the Lanark County Genealogical Society.
At the conclusion of the formal presentations, a book-signing and meet and greet was held at the book table.
A special highlight of the day was a gift from the LCGS of the heavenly liquid gold produced in the Lanark County maple trees each spring. This particular bottle was produced at Wheelers Maple Syrup near McDonald’s Corners.
It was a day to remember in Beckwith Township! A proud day for the Lanark County Genealogical Society, marking 35 years of continual service in helping people far and wide connect with their family roots.
Congratulations on 35 great years!
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To find out more about the Lanark County Genealogical Society LCGS
To discover the family history collections, land records, wills, and research aids held at the Lanark County Archives Archives Lanark
For information on Wheeler’s Maple Syrup Wheelers
September 25, 2016
Lanark County Classics – Book Launch
A sunny, warm, late September day brought record crowds to the official book launch for “Lanark County Classics: A Treasury of Tales from Another Time”.
The Book Nook, a popular store on the main street of historic Perth, Ontario, was the setting for a steady stream of book lovers eager to read the latest collection of stories set in Lanark County, the picturesque maple syrup capital of Ontario.
The newly released stories in this series are set in Perth, Lanark, DeWitt’s Corners, Pakenham, Clyde’s Forks, Middleville, and the former North Burgess Township, taking the reader along on a journey back to the 1960s and 1970s in rural Eastern Ontario.
An early visitor to the store on Saturday, was Tara Gesner, from Metroland Media, a reporter covering the book launch for the local newspaper.
There were many new faces stopping by, after reading the glowing reviews appearing in several publications Review of Lanark County Classics
A reader from Port Elmsley stopped by, interested in local history, and had certainly come to the right book launch for stories set around the region.
Dianne Tysick Pinder-Moss, former classmate of the author has purchased the entire collection for her mother, who has been a fan of the series since the beginning.
Nancy Townend, Pakenham resident, came to the launch after hearing that one of the stories ‘Perils in Pakenham’, was set in her lovely,scenic, village.
Carol-Ann McDougall, resident of the Big Rideau Lake, featured in the story “Lake Life – A Rideau Ferry Love Story” Lake Life – A Rideau Ferry Love Story brought a lovely, bright yellow chrysanthemum to grace the table of the book launch. Carol-Ann has read all of the books in the Lanark County series, and has been looking forward to reading the newest collection of stories.
Carla Brown stopped by, as she often does, to purchase the latest Lanark County book for her grandmother Shirley Myers.
Avid reader of local history, Tom Ayres was eager to get the latest book in the series. Tom has read all five in the collection, and is the reader who requested the story on Antler Lodge, featured in the last book – Lanark County Connections. Antler Lodge
One of the stories in the new book, Lanark County Classics is ‘Meet Me in DeWitt’s Corners. The story takes the reader back to the earliest days of the hamlet, recounts the history of this proud settlement, and the DeWitt family, whose name still graces the community today. It was a special treat to have members of this founding family attend the book launch.
Jane DeWitt Brady O’Grady – descendant of pioneer Zephaniah DeWitt, founding family of DeWitt’s Corners.
Also, a direct descendant of Zephaniah DeWitt, and native of DeWitt’s Corners – William ‘Bill’ Cavanagh, son of Helen DeWitt and James ‘Jim’ Cavanagh, and his wife Brenda.
Another native of DeWitt’s Corners, and descendant of pioneer Zephaniah DeWitt, sister of Bill, JoAnne Cavanagh Butler, daughter of Helen DeWitt and James ‘Jim’ Cavanagh:
It was a real treat to share some memories of DeWitt’s Corners with Jane, JoAnne and Bill!
Along with the DeWitt descendants, long-time residents of DeWitt’s Corners, Elaine and Dave Morrow stopped by the book launch. Both Dave and Elaine contributed their memories and stories of DeWitt’s Corners for the book. Owner of The Book Nook, Leslie Wallack, is standing to the right of Elaine. Leslie and her staff were busy the entire day assisting visitors to this popular store.
Beverly Miller Ferlatte also stopped by the book launch. Beverly shared her memories of S.S. # 4 , Bathurst, School for the story based in DeWitt’s Corners. Beverly’s grandmother Mary Jordan was a well-loved and respected teacher at the school for many years. The school house has been converted into a residence and Beverly’s brother Brian is the current owner of this historic building.
Janice Jordan Gordon was another contributer to the DeWitt’s Corners story in the book. Janice was very helpful in identifying the children in several class photos from S.S. # 4 Bathurst School.
A book launch would not be complete without a visit from former neighbours from the Third Line of Bathurst, Margery Conboy and her daughter Diana. Margery and her husband Wayne Conboy also shared their memories of DeWitt’s Corners, and the historic cheese factory that remained at ‘The Corners’ until 1979.
Another former neighbour, Dave Mitchell,stopped by the book launch. Dave was also interested in reading the story on DeWitt’s Corners, and finding out more about the history of the area where he was raised.
The Book Launch at The Book Nook was a great success! Many thanks to host Leslie Wallack and her staff, for keeping up with the steady crowds, and for providing the delicious refreshments.
A special thanks to all who came, from near and far, to stop by and chat, to share some memories, and to be a part of the busy day!
………………………………………………
Stories in “Lanark County Classics”:
Baffling Banshees in Burgess
Meet Me in DeWitt’s Corners
Mystery in Clyde Forks
Multitudes in Middleville
A Grand Era in Lanark
Perils in Pakenham
Perplexed in Perth
September 16, 2016
Port Elmsley – Drive-In Dreamin’
Someone decided one night that to save a few dollars we should put a couple of people in the trunk of a car so that they could get in for free at the Port Elmsley Drive-In Theatre.
I guess we can just chalk this one up along with the other peculiar things that we did as teenagers. Luckily no one was hurt, but for the three bucks they each saved on admission it was a pretty undignified way to arrive at the movies.
It’s possible that we weren’t the first ones to try that little stunt. After all, the Drive-In had been open for a long time before any of us had ventured there.
It was in September 1952 that ‘The Perth Courier’ ran a short article about a Drive-In being constructed at Port Elmsley. The article stated that it was the first to be fabricated in this district and it was built by Gordon White of Ottawa for W.J. Williams, of Newboro.
The article went on to say that it would be assembled on a ten acre property a half mile south of Highway 15 and that the Drive-In would have a capacity for 300 cars. It would feature a design first of its kind in Ontario, where the projector booth would be in a two-story building nearly 400 feet from the screen. This was a distance that was 150 feet greater than any of the other Drive-In theatres at that time. It was to open the following May of 1953 at a total cost of $75,000. True to their word, they opened on schedule and called the new Drive-In ‘the Showplace of the Golden Triangle’.
Port Elmsley was indeed a great location for a Drive-In theatre because it’s situated about halfway between Perth and Smiths Falls. There were always droves of cottagers and tourists staying around Rideau Ferry and the surrounding lakes in the summer. There were also many residents of the towns and villages nearby that enjoyed a drive up Highway 15 on a warm summer night to see some great movies.
Because the Drive-In opened in 1953, many folks had parked in that huge parking lot and viewed many movies on that big screen long before my friends and I ever made it there in the ‘70s. In fact, it was more than twenty years after it opened that it became one of our familiar haunts each summer as we passed the nights away under the stars.
Some of us were lucky enough to have gone to the Drive-In as children, dressed in pajamas, playing on the teeter-totter and swings between the first row of cars and the giant screen. As the sun sunk low in the sky, we were having the time of our lives. What could be better than staying up past your bedtime with a whole bunch of other kids, the aroma of popcorn in the air and watching the cartoons at the beginning of the show?
Every kid knew the words to the concession jingle ‘Let’s all go to the lobby, let’s all go to the lobby, let’s all go to the lobby, to get ourselves a treat.” When we heard that song it was our cue to start heading back to our parents’ cars because the movie would be starting soon. By the time they played the Chilly Dilly song about the big, juicy, dill pickles, we were in the back seat with our pillows and blankets, all ready for the show to begin. Much to the delight of most parents I’m sure, we were asleep by the time the second feature began and this allowed them some peace and quiet and time alone – well, almost alone.
We’d usually begin assembling all of our gear during the afternoon. First, we’d pack up a bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels, because there was nothing worse than having a big messy streak or some bugs splattered right in the middle of your window.
Mosquito coils were also vital to a relaxing evening. Because of the speaker hanging off of the front window we weren’t able to close it all the way, so burning a mosquito coil would take care of any of the little pests that flew into the car. If none of the gang had any, we’d have to head out to Canadian Tire on Highway 7 and pick some up before the show. We’d place one of the little green coils on its small metal stand, set it on the dashboard and light it up. Many years later I happened to read on the side of the package that those coils were for outdoor use only. Oh dear!
A couple of pillows and a blanket were a nice touch and made movie-viewing a comfy, cozy event. We’d also bring a small flashlight because nothing was worse for us girls than stumbling around on the gravel path trying to find our way to the washroom on a dark, moonless night; especially right after watching a scary scene in a horror movie. That just didn’t work for us. Sometimes we’d bring a roll of t.p. from home, in case they ran out, which happened once in a while during the all-night movie marathons.
I still recall the crunch of the gravel as we slowed down to enter through the gates into the Drive-In and began scouting for a good spot. A good spot to us was front row centre and enough space for the three cars to park side by side so that we could socialize. We also had to make sure that all three speakers worked so we would pull into the spots and test the speakers, otherwise we’d have to move all three cars to a new location, maybe a row behind. Of course every row farther back that you were you would have to contend with people getting in and out of their cars in front of you or turning on their cars to clear their windows because they were fogged up for some reason. So, the best real estate in the lot was the front row, right in the center of the screen and if we went early enough the best spots would be ours.
I think the lads liked having spots near the front not just for the sake of the movie, but so that their cars were together and very visible in the front row. There’s no denying that they all had sweet cars. Those three cars managed to get some looks touring around town and had been known to burn up more than a little rubber on the quarter mile runs down Roger’s Road.
The warm summer air would be filled with strains of Foreigner’s ‘Hot Blooded’, or Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and typically a little bit of our favourite space cowboy, Steve Miller singing “The Joker’; a song that you could say became a symbol of the times. Some have said that it was an era of music like no other, before or since and the sounds of our generation could be heard throughout the parking lot of the Drive-In on those sultry summer nights in Port Elmsley.
As the sun slid down lower in the sky the horizon glowed first in a dusty pink, then a soft purple. There was always one car that began honking their horn because they believed that it was dark enough to see the movie. After a minute or two, more people started to honk and then shortly after that the show would begin.
One of the things that we enjoyed the most were the ‘Dusk to Dawn’ shows where the first movie would begin at dusk and the movies would continue all night until the early morning when it became too light to see the picture on the screen. The movies were played back to back and were often horror films like ‘The Exorcist’ or ‘The Omen’ or ‘Jaws’. I recall one night that my friend and myself, even after having consumed large quantities of pop, did not want to use the washroom just in case that giant crazy shark ‘Jaws’ had somehow compromised the plumbing system out in Port Elmsley. We just weren’t taking any chances.
We saw many nights come and go in Port Elmsley. There were some beautiful, sleek, muscle cars in those days parked row after row, paint glistening in the moonlight. We made numerous trips to the concession stand in an attempt to fill our unquenchable teenaged appetites. We even had a few scary trips in the dark, giggling on our way to the washroom and back. We screamed a few blood-curdling screams as did some of the folks in the neighboring vehicles one evening I recall, as the character Jason appeared in his hockey mask in the thriller ‘Hallowe’en’.
Today, the Port Elmsley Drive-In is one of a handful of drive-ins still operating in Ontario. Leave it to the folks in Lanark County to know a gem when they see one and to continue to go out and enjoy movies under the stars. I hope that in the future that the little kids in their p.j.s, young people and not so young people will take the time to visit the drive-in and have as much fun as we did. Take a trip to Port Elmsley and make some of your own memories!
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In its heyday, Port Elmsley had many residents and some of the family names that were common in that area were: Armstrong, Taylor, Stone, Hunter, Weatherhead, Best, Couch, Wicklum, Weekes, VanDusen, Seabrook, Shaw, Sherwood, O’Hara, Moore, Dudgeon, Lavender, Findlay, McTavish, McVeety, Beveridge, and Clements.
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The full story “Dusk to Dawn in Port Elmsley” is part of a collection of stories in the book “Lanark County Chronicle”
Book Signing – at The Book Nook, 60 Gore St. E., Perth, Ontario,
Saturday, September 24th, 2016
12 noon to 4 pm
Refreshments will be served. All are welcome
Call 613-267-2350
September 14, 2016
Stomping in Ompah!
Late one summer, we heard that there was going to be a music festival over the Labour Day weekend, up 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!
There wasn’t really much up there at that time. The most popular thing in Ompah was likely the Trout Lake Hotel owned by Wayne Kearney. It was a former residence; over 150 years old, in fact it was the oldest building in Ompah and was now a 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 said it was one of the first bars in the province. That place was the home of some famous and infamous barroom brawls too, but we won’t get into that. There were quiet times, but the people who went up there mostly summer fishing enthusiasts and the winter snowmobiling patrons kept it fairly busy.
After much anticipation, Labour Day weekend finally arrived. We packed as many of us 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 up Cameron Side Road, past Calvin Church and over the 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 with tall, majestic trees, situated on a hill, overlooking 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. The step dancing contest was held at about 8pm followed by old fashioned round and square dancing. The musical guest artists that year were Sneezy Waters, Mike O’Reilly and Wayne Rostad.
I guess we thought that it was our own little ‘Woodstock’, and over the years the Ompah Stomp grew as people heard about it and wanted to experience the live music and party atmosphere. That first year, the organizers had anticipated about 200 people showing up and they ended up with a crowd of closer to 3,500. The second year the crowds grew to 5,000 and the third year saw that rise to 6,500.
Some of the musical acts that performed at the Stomp were: Neville ‘Nev’ Wells, also a member of the Ompah snowmobiling club, 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.
“Perth Courier” September 12, 1979 – a review of the second year of the ‘Stomp’:
A poem written by Kathy Norwood, about the ‘Stomp’ printed in March 1980
“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 wineskins 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. Usually, if we wanted to hear live music of that calibre we’d have to travel to Ottawa or Kingston, so it was great to have the Ompah Stomp so close by.
The Stomp would carry on for many years after those first few annual celebrations, and people would come up from the States and would come from neighbouring provinces as well, some came from as far as Alberta. Labour Day weekend was one of the busiest and most exciting for us in the area, because we had the Perth Fair and the Ompah Stomp.
Who would have ever thought that a small village of around 100 people and their little snowmobile club would be able to create a music festival that would attract thousands of people from all around. It was another example of the spirit of the people who lived in rural Eastern Ontario. 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; and the Ompah Stomp made our last weekend each summer something we’d all remember fondly for years to come.
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Some of the families who settled around Ompah: Dunham, Kelford, Closs, Conlon, Dawson, Ellenberger, 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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A link to the 1911 Census of Frontenac County, Palmerston, including Ompah:
http://ontariocensus.rootsweb.ancestry.com/transcripts/1911/3811-1.html
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If you would like to read more about the Ompah Stomp, the complete story “Stomping in Ompah” is included in a collection of stories in the book “Lanark County Kid: My Travels Up and Down the Third Line”
To get your signed copy of “Lanark County Kid” featuring the story Stomping in Ompah,
Join us – Saturday, September 24, 2016
from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at The Book Nook, 60 Gore St., E., Perth, Ontario
Refreshments will be served! All are welcome. For information: 613-267-2350
For more information on the history of Ompah and some of its founding families:
Clarendon and Miller Community Archives:
http://www.clarmillarchives.ca/index.html
