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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-10-30, Page 3,r Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 3 Photographer's backdrop once township treasury office Lynda Hillman-Rapley Once the home of Bosanquet Township treasurer, and later a photographer's backdrop- the old Laird homestead on 1 lighway 79 burned to the ground October 17th in the early morning. Built in the early 1800s, the Laird homestead began as part of the Carrother's empire. That family line married into the Willsie family with William Carrrothers marrying Rhonda Wilkie and soon the Jacob Kennedy's owned the land. Agnes Carrothers, only child of Tom Carrothers and Mary Elliot would marry George C. Laird in 1889 and the 100 acres would remain in the Laird family name. Richard Eldon, Wesley and Ruby were the children of George Laird and Agnes 1lelen "Lena" Carrothers. ('Their daughter Olive Mary died as an infant). Eldon married Annie Marguerite, daughter of John Way and Mary Crossley Way. They had three children, Marjorie, Terence and Dorothy. Eldon and Marguerite would later move to Forest and son 1'erty would take over that farm. Terry was the second child of Eldon and Marguerite and was well known to the Bosanquet community. 1 ie was horn January 25,1927. 1 Ie married Margaret 1 Tolland and they had four sons, 'limn, Ben, Bob (who inherited the homestead) and Dan. kVhile'l'erry was an organic farmer and did some con- struction work, including being on the building crew for Bosanquet school, Margaret was a teacher who hegan teach- ing in Huron County, taught at Forest Central (now Forest Baptist Church) and at Bosanquet. She died in 1986. Terry died April 5th, 2011. 'Ihe family was musical- it piano wits at the homestead from the years George and Lena were there until the house was no longer inhabited in the Seventies when the family moved. Barns and fruit trees, at one time, surrounded the home. It had a closed in porch and Terry told tales of about the open veranda at this home and sitting on a seat for three that was sold to someone from Stoney Point when he was very young. Terry said his dad sold it for $5 some eggs and butter. Terry knew the local history, not just because he lived 0, but because he was born and raised in Bosanquet Township and his three - time great grandfather also settled in Bosanquet in the early 1800s. Terry said his grandfather told him about the seven and a half years of digging of the Ausable River Cut beginning in 1073 and stories about Lake Burwell being drained. When he died, Terry owned more than 435 acres of Bosanquet land and could tell you the history of each and every acre. I le talked about I lighway 21 before it was a highway and low lake I luron levels in 1934. He knew stories about the Storni of 1913 because his father was there. Ile talked about the Laird reun- ions at Ipperwash Provincial Park and his cousin Clifford working there. Terry never accepted that the river flowed into Janette Balllle, Tewynia Kungl, Laird family The farm as it was in the 1960s, the house until the fire, and the ruins on this 100 acre property. Lake 1 luron originally at (rand Bend. I hs views regarding the ice jams and how they carne about were plenty, but not with- out facts of the past. Eldon, ferry's father, was the treasurer for the town of Bosanquet for more than 30 years and his office was at the front of their home. The treasury files, stored in the attic would later be sent to theTownship. "Ihe desk he used is part of the Lampton Heritage Museum collection. Torn says the family moved from there in 197(1 to the home on the curve on 1 lighway 79. No one ever lived in the original home again and with hard tittles, there was no extra money to care for it.'Ihe family placed no trespassing signs on the prop- erty but that slid not stop looters from stealing everything from the barns and sheds. 'Tann says there were no services in the home, which gives thein pause to wonder what could have caused the fire. 1 le says although they are saddened the home is gone, 'now maybe people will stop trespassing." 'Medford Eire chief Don Dew said the OPP and fire depart- ment investigated the fire but because the building wits so far gone they could not pin point the cause. Dew slid say it seemed "suspicious." The Laird homestead, as it stood for the past f 'w decades was a photographer's dream landscape. As photogs reminisce, many regret they did not get hark to the I lighavay 79 site before their backdrop became the ruins ave' see today. Arbortech/Taylor Professional "free ('are Inc. 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