HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-03-14, Page 7Until now, I have not revealed that the tull name of
my dear old friend was Angus James MacCrimmon.
When I first knew him, his background was a mystery,
but little by little, I uncovered .the romance of the
MacCrimmons of Skye, from Angus and thepages of
history:
.One day, I found Angus clipping •the grass around
the family 'monuments, on a hill. in the northeast
corner of the Hungry Hundred. A few yards to one
side, ana entirely isolated from the family plot., was a
cairn with no marker.
"Who js buried there, Angus?" I asked reverently.
Angus looked contemptuously at the pile of
coloured stones, At first he did not speak and it
seemed as if he had no wish to reply. I had thestrange
feeling that l was raking amongst old bones.
' "e ain't one !o my folk. 'e died right there where 'e
is. now.'.'
The burial plot of the MacCrimmons was hallowed
earth and had been tended with loving care across the
years, but the cairn was just a heap of forgotten
stones, Miley amongst the dank brown grass, as, if
unworthy of identity; condemned to eternal 'neglect.
Perhaps Angus read my thoughts.
"Mi grandfather, 'e' buried 'im like that - it •were
the only way 'e could do itl"
It was one of the those rare moments when Angus,
dug deep.. into the past and revealed a story which;. like.
so -many other exploits of the 'pioneers, might
otherwise have been -lost in the mists of time.
In 1855, Niel MacCrimmon left his wife in "Muddy
York" and set out to find his crown grant at a place
which became a Scottish " settlement known as
Redtrees.,He had intended 4.6 goalone but his young
son James,a. boy of some. 12 years begged to go with
him to find`the new.."hame"..:
"Can I no go wi ye? I.'m a brew lad now father -
be needin' me, to help!" •
It was the month of, May,. the leaves were about to
burst forth from the dormancy of a long winter .but.
snowstill nestled in the shaded hollows. Niel and his
son. arranged to 'ride .in a waggon as far as "the new
settlement of Pantown. From there they would' pack a
few belongings and walk ;into the bush to find. the
land: Their greatest possession was a 'small.. leather
bag._ of, golden coins saved from Niers 'diversified:'
labours: He had worked as a.iogger, as: -a labourer on'•
the docks at Quebec and as a stone mason in Muddy
York. Five years of almost endless toil and thrift had
produced the:means tobuy the basic necessities and
Livestock .for the • farm he would chop Out df ' the
wilderness.
• Their wagon,. journey ended at a cluster of rough.
buildings in a cleared area Of bush. The spring thaw
and countless wagon wheels had: turned the one and
only makeshift road into an oozing morass of mud and
manure. Here the : essential businesses. had " been
established, a 'mill', blacksmith, generarstore,"stock
dealer, the ineYitable tavern and atinker''s shop'whuch
sold rough pots and pans - hence the name :Pantown!
They bought some items of food `in•the general store
flour, oatmeal, tea, sugar and salt. The blacksmith
provided them with an axe:and`'some rough nails: Niel
left his son engrossed ` in the blacksmith at, work,
whilst he went out to find the stock dealer, a man
called Fred Hinton. He found him in the tavern, his
usual place of business:
Fred was an, unsavoury waster who had somehow
manager( to keep one step ahead of his creditors. His
eyes, still Wearing• the tinge of yesterday's 'liquor, •
eyed the moneys bag which Niel producedto pay for
their liquid refreshment. Here was his escape from
the sheriff if only he could find a way to get hishands
on it! •
• "I don't have an ox right now, but I'll be getting
some more in a day or so - where did you say your
crown grant is?" ••
Niel had to check his official papers again to make.
sure of the location. "Lot 25, concession' 6!','
"I'll bring one out to you it wi'lI be a good strong
• worker. You can trust me. I know what you want!" '
With 'the business in Pan#own completed, Niel
collected his son and they headed down the trail
towards the rolling wooded hills in the distance; the
big Scotsman carrying the pack and his lad following
him,. an axe in one hand and a muzzle loading musket
in the other. •
"Always keep the weapon handy lad - Ye' I I never
know when ye might need it!'.' Niel cautioned his son. •
Three days later Fred Hinton brought an ox down
the same trail which Niel and his:son had followed. It
was: a.long.. jour•ney'and Fred had lots of time to think.
Unfortunately, his mind only .pictured golden coins'
and the ways and: means of wrestling there from that
greenhorn of. ,a Scotsman.. Wouldn't it be easy. to
bludgeon hire and leave his body under a felled tree,
as if it had fallen upon him? Nobody would see him,
(he did not know about James),. and he couldtell
everybody that Niel was dead when he found. him!
It was twilight when the trader re,ached• MacCrim-
mon's land, Niel was preparing a makeshift bed on
the ground and James was returning' from 'washing-
himself in the.. creek. The lad saw .thesilhouette of e•
man with' a club in his hand strike' the head of his
father's kneeling, body The big. Scotsman crumpled
into a heap and James feared for his father's fife' He
picked. up the musket. It was already primed, He had
remembered his father's instructions!
James crept ste!Tilytowards-the man whowas
now searching his father's clothing. In the half light;
he aimed the gun at the man's head and squeezed the
trigger!
"Niel were.. only .stunned, but the man, 'e were
dead!" Angus told me, more in triumph than regret.
"They buried 'im right there in a'shallow grave. Later.
they covered it wi' stones, ter stop•the'wild animals
from diggin' up the body!"
was fascinated by the story but perhaps Angus
thought 1 had not believed him.,
"It's' true, so it is," He thought seriously for a
rngwent and then his blue eyeslit up with prideand a
soft gentle smile appeared on his face.
"The lad Jamie; 'e were mi 'father: 'an yer know
somethin'? Theygot an ox, an'. it were delivered all
'fer' free.!"
So lucky to tome to Canada....
CONTINUED, FROM P. 6
frig another bay and it never occurred to •
them that there would be probleiiis. But they
were Wrong.
. . The nearest Doctor *as inGoderich about
25 miles away Henderson was David Hend the
only; neight?,opX•.,,9i!kth a,•hors l t�,.Weat•.to.•.
,, G,y a eh and, waited, to guide,,the Doctor to
the homestead before there were anrroads
Aunt Margaret never forgot the Doctor
shaking his head when he saw .the patient,:.
and saying: "It's too late - had I beenhere
earlier it would have been different". Forty
eight hours had. elapsed.
The nine year old girl remembered the
funeral. The coffinhad been made by- a
neighbour -. the grandfather of the Fishers.
In those days before hearses and horses
were available the coffins were carried by
four - men with two-handspokes'. After
walking about twenty rods, four would•take a
turn and four would drop to the back of the
line and be ready to take a turn again.
Aunt Margaret married John McMurchy
and raised a large family on 'the 4th
concession of Huron. Alexander, the young-
est of 5 boys and three girlt lives at 'Whitby.
He and Mabel were able to•come to Fetielon
Falls for our family gathering when we were
married fifty years.
In 1903 our mother died when sister,
Anna, was 13 months old. Aunt Margaret, a
widow, and over 50 volunteered to take the
baby and look after her till she was ready•to
go to school '.his :•she• dad, and gave Anna
such loving care that by the time`"s'Yre'"Was
• ready for school she did not want to leave
Aunty.
The descendants of John and Margaret
McMurchy can be proud of pioneers who
helped , make a better world.
correc•
tor
The following names were'
inadvertently missed in last
week's letter to the editor
regarding the -March of Dim-
es canvass. These ladies also
canvassed on behalf of
March of Dimes: Jane Ham-
ilton, Cora MacDonald, Hen-
nie Hilverda, Kay Collyer.
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Lucknow Sentinel, We , ,, 10, March 14, 1979 --Page. 7
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