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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWingham Advance-Times, 1981-07-22, Page 2t • 4* WinklikinkiltilifleR- Times, July 22, 1981 Townshiiit This is the first of several excerpts from the book Morris Township: Past to Present written by Jeanne L. Kirkby for the township's 125th anniversary this year. The book is now available for sale in newspaper offices and print shops around the area. This is from the section "The Community Devel- ops". Reprinted by permis- sion. 0 —0 — 0 One of the outstanding characteristics of Morris Township people was their tendency to make many tasks lighter by sharing the work in a neighborhood "bee". Held for many purposes, these bees featured an amazing amount of work ac- complished, a spirit- of competition between teams with the task divided into sections plenty of good food available for the workers and a lively party or "jig" at the end of the evening to 4finish things up. Pranks and jokes were not uncommon on , such occasions and served to liven up the situation even more. WOOD BEES Planning a logging bee was no small affair. Preparation had to be started systematically, far ahead of the time that the gang of workers was due to arrive. The farmer would choose an area of timber — about 10 acres — and have the timber that was valuable cut and Sent to the mill The rest of the timber would be cut and lie fallow on the ground, several years if necessary, until the bee was held. On the day cif the bee, 20 or 30 hand spikes would be cut, trimmed and peeled, then put aside to stake out the fallow when the crew arrived. Usually a logging crew consisted of about fiye or six teams of oxen and Nat to Present' in accompanied by about five men. When all was assembled and marked off, the teams would be in position to hear the signal that would start them into their strip. Everything had to be taken out of the area and piled up. Stumps, logs, small poplars and willows all were removed as the small boys scampered here and there supplying drinking water. Their older sisters were busy in the house, where the women worked to prepare large meals. In the sounds of compe- tition between the teams, the clanking chains, the creaking timbers, the snapping whips and the shouting men, the day moved at a hectic pace to see who could be in first for supper. Spoof—Wood bee at Robert Laidlaw' Huron Expositor, IRAQ: "At eight o'clock in the morning, men armed with saws and axes were heading out. At nine they are into it. At 11 o'clock, 29 saws are going at lightning speed. At 12 o'ciock they are sum- moned to dinner served in a rude•camp. At 12:35 the saws are filed, and back to work. At 2:40 the competition is keen, trees falling in all directions to the mingled sounds of 36 saws, 11 axes and six pilers. "Peter McFarlane, who was stupefied by a falling limb, remains insensible at this point: the pilers declare not less than 130 cord. At 4:11, 143 cords are scored. McFarlane shows signs of life. At five o'clock, 197.5 cords are piled up, the sick man is able to walk home and the restareready for the dance. There will be music by a string band, but it will be over at a reSpectable hour." • ' 0-0-0 horses with chains —and --The early Morrisites en - strong harness, each team joyed a bit of fun -and were MOMS sketches together, quite ready to get involved in every situation, right to the fullest. This is a story told by Howard Wilkinson in conver- sation with Ross Procter in 1979: "In those days -the young people had to make their own pleasure in the neighbor- hood. My uncle•wanted to get a joke on some of the others, so he thought this plan out to cause excitement. "When they butchered pigs in the fall, when it got cold weather, they had this meat put away. My uncle gathered up the blood and he put it away in a quart sealer. "When they got a nice snowfall and the river was frozen over, there had been a wood bee at McMurray's farm. We carried this pig's blood; he went down the road and walked in across the front field for a piece, and then he sprinkled a little blood around on the snow, and a long track until he got to a place on the river. He chopped a hole in the ice, and then from there he walked along to the centre abutment of the bridge and climbed out. Then he carne back up to the road and walked in beside the other track and he toed in a little more to make it look like two people, and where he'd sprinkled the blood in the field, he dragged himself from there to this hole in the ice. He walked out ' his tracks about the centre abutment and when this here wood bee was held, with a dance after or some sort of entertainment, that was the topic there. "Who had been murdered? It must be somebody. So the next day Bob Armstrong — he was our police magistrate, lived up the 6th line he was wondering what he should do and he was going to hitch up and go to Clinton and find out from a higher authority what he should do about it. There was nobody missing in the community that they knew of. Milo Casemore recalls early days in township: Milo Casemore passed away at his Morris Township home July 16, a few days after this,interview. 0-0-0 Milo Casemore has lived in the Township of Morris for over 80 years and has seen many changes in his lifetime. Mr. Casemore was born in 1901 on the second con- cession of Morris. He was the eldest of three Children horn to John and Elizabeth (Baird) Casemore. He had two sisters, one of whom died when she was six years old and one, Laura,. who died 20 years ago. Mr. Casemore said it was common in those days for families to lose children to what would be considered very ordinary diseases by today's standards, measles or even the flu. He attended Stone School on the second concession of Morris. He said that between 30 and 35 pupils attended the school at one time, and reported that in. his father's day. between 70 and 80 children attended Stone School at one time. Mr. Casemore had the job of starting the fire in the school ,room stove every morning in the winter. He would float down the river from his home to the school on a chunk of ice, he said, and would jump off onto an island in front of the schoolhouse and go in. He was paid five cents for every morning he fit a fire and would make perhaps $4.50 for a winter's work. There were only four school days in a week then, he added. Mrs. Casemore said when he was a boy in the winter he would ice-skate on the pond and the river; in the sunimer he would swim in the river, sometimes even at recess. He said neighbors visited more in the homes and played cards and danced followed by a lunch. • Everyone would go, even the small children, and enjoy themselves immensely. He remembers attending the Wingham Fair and_12th of July celebrations as a boy. He also can recall . when the Titanic sank, and the first prime minister and Ameri- can president he, can remember, hearing about were Wilfrid Laurier and Theodore Roosevelt. 'He finished public school at the age of 14, and since few people went on to high school, he went out to work as a hired man on the farm of Bill Elston Sr. He was 17 years old when the First World War ended. He said he lost several friends at the battle of Vimy Ridge in 191'i. An influenza epidemic raged across the area in 1917-18, but Mr. Casemore never caught the disease. Many of his neighbors contracted the disease and several dice He bought the farm on the first concession where his son, Glen, now lives and when Glen was married Mr. Casemore moved to the home where he now resides near the Wingham Golf and Curling Club. He married Edna Gibson of Clifford in 1927 and they have two daughters, Betty Glousher of Morris Township and June Saunders of Chatham and one son. Mrs. Casemore now resides at Brookhaven Nursing Home. Looking back over 80 years in Morris Township, Mr. Casemore said he has wit- nessed many chianges. For example, there are only two of his first neighbors still living on the first line, Mrs. Victor Haines and Mrs. 011ie Campbell. Mrs. Casemore said he feels that people were 'friendlier 'when he was young, but. added that some people are still pretty helpful today, as- he witnessed several yeffi's ago when his barn was destroyed by fire. Looking back over his life in Morris, Mr. Casemore said he never had any desire to leave the area and added that he wouldn't change anything about his life, even if he could. MILD CASEMORE "But then my uncle thought this had gone far enough, so when he told him he said, 'Dont you go to Clinton.' " 'Well,' Mr. Armstrong says, 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' "There were a couple of fellows in the conununity that didn't get along well, and they thought that they had gotten into a fight. Garner Nicholson, who wore a beard, was remembered down on his knees looking into the hole on the ice, and his beard all hanging in big icicles from being in the water when he'd been looking to see if he could see the body." Howard Wilkinson's uncle, who was the originator of this prank, was George Washington Wilkinson, commonly known to his friends as Wilkinson. '‘w ash" BARN RAISING Early barns 'were usually built with a barn raising bee. Again they had to be carefully prepared far ahead of time. The farmer would draw loads of stone, pile up a huge amount of sand and bring wagon loads of lime. There was no cement than, so the mortar had to be mixed on the job. The timber for the building,,would have already been collected as part of the winter's logging. With adequate provisions laid by to feed the workers, the farmer was ready for the framer to arrive:. First, the framers would lay out the timbers and raise the frame. Some framers who built many of the barns in Morris Township would • include R. Armstrong, "Big George" Procter ,and "Little George" Procter. Little George • waS an average - sized man with a beard, but by comparison, Big George was very big. On raising day, the people were invited.. First the men woujeriaise all the bents", and then it was every man down from the frame. Two captains were chosen to caJJ sides for the race to put on the main plates, the high plates, the purloin posts and the rafters. The head framer would give the word and the lace was on. Besides wood bees and barn raisings, the most popular types of bees in early Morris Township were the Manure Bees. In 1901, Obert Young-ef the 6th line held his regular one and 125 loads were . hauled and spread on the fields. In the late 1800s, paring bees became popular as the • bags of apples froththe prolific orchards of the town- ship were dried for the winter. In 1884, at Mr. Mellon's paring bee, , eight bags of apples were pared, cored and strung to dry in one hour. Again the evening wound up with a big meal and some entertainment. When the threshing ma- chines started to be used ex: tensively to harvest the crops, the neighborhood bees were an essential part of the operation. A large crew of harvesters was needed to feed the machine and every farmer who took part kneW that his neighbors would be at his place when ' the machine moved into his barn. In the same manner, the women banded together in the kitchens, working cooperatively to prepare the, mountains of food that would be consumed by the hungry workers. It really wasn't a bad' 'Way to get the work done. People worked together and had some fun while doing so. Neighbors were close then and depended on each other to supply, in manpower, what today we try to do with machinery. THE DAILY ROUTINE John Barnhill, S1.2 Lot 21, Concession 9, Morris, lived with his wife Rachel, his children Charles and Meggie and brother James on his homestead in 1874. From his diary, this is a look at the lifestyle of the time: —Teamed spring wheat to Seaforth on the gravel road. The trip took from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Met many teams with cordwood on the way. —For tea we' had fresh me.qt, stewed; syrup and $ steamed apples. —Communion Sabbath. Heard Mr. Mann on Eph. 5, "Walk in Love". Mr. Rennell preached a striking sermon from "we are the Circum- cision" Weke out about 3. Deep snow...manysleighs at Walton. Interesitng com- • '4• munion „service. Just one table in hrea, only two elders required. Mothers with in- fants came and sat all the while. —James made a rake and teeth from a stick of new firewood from McArthur's. —Took woolen and cotton yarns to Stewart's to weave. —Johnny Mann came about the proposed bee tomorrow. Brought three Weekly Mails. Ordered a Farmer's paper for six months. Paid V2 dollar. —At night Mrs: John •1 Douglas and her infant fordaughter .came to. stay a night. Heard four �I . thecFrthija:msMuch , halie"dilatY of °ifelt.13 —A busy day. Sitq opot:in and, elikted 20 'fleeces, Itturithig, with black paint. I dhpped seved.. and James 13.. 41ii.A.'4014$10 , fore all is 11940. 410#•;,.losh:IptiNt. on the 00014.thijviflg,getting do feed Ar410Passed in es ..With. 'flags ,Facing at t Morris Welcomes You To Their 125th Anniversary Celebrations July 31, August 1, 2, 3, 1981 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Friday, July 31,1981 8 p.m. -10 p.m. Variety Concert featuring: singing, step dancing, instrumentals, square dancing and introduction of the Beauty Queen Contestants. 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. Beer Garden (Local Entertainment) 8 p.m. until 12 Midway Midnight Saturday, August 1, 1981 10:00 a.m. Registration Baby Contest Registration begins at 9:30 Girls 1 -6 months Girls 6- 12 months Boys 1 -6 months Boys 6- 12 months At least one parent must be resident or former resident of Morris Township. Horse Shoe Tournament Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre 12 Noon 12 Noon - 12 Midnight 1:00 - 7:00 p.m. 1:00.- 3:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre "Auditorium" Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre "Ice Surface" Brussels, Morris & Grey Community Centre Brussels Legion Brussels, Morris & Grey Community Centre "Auditorium" Best overall baby Registration begins at 12 noon. Com- petition for every class Of player. Small entry fed. ." Midway Beer Garden School Reunion Lawn Bowling - Begins at 1:30 sharp. Registration prior to 1:30 p.m. Lots of prizes including trophies for high man and high lady. Beef Barbeque Log Sawing Contest Registration Brussels Bali Park from 6:15 to 6:30 Tug of War "North against South" Water Fight "Fire Departments" Your choice of Dancing to: Lincoln Green - $5.00 per person Ian Wilbee - $5.00 per person Teen Dance - Stephen's Country Gold Admission - Free Judging of the Morris Township 125th Beauty Queen and Beard Contestants. Sunday, August 2,1981 Church of Your Choice in the morning. Registration Midway 2:00 p.m. 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 10 p.m. 11:30 p.m. 12 Midnight to 2:30 a.m. Old Timer's Ball Game Chicken Barbeque Community Church Service. Guest Speaker: Mass Choir Fireworks Shirt Tail Parade Dance - Free Spirit Monday, August 3,1 1:00 • • , 4••,„,-. .".•'-g; • • • Bruseels, Morris Er Grey Community Centre Brussels, iitio:ris is. Grey Community Centre "Ice Surface" Brussels Public Schooi Brussels Bowling Greens Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre "Auditorium" Brussels Ball Park Brussels Ball Park Brussels Ball Park Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre "Ice Surface" "Auditorium" "Upstairs Auditorium" Brussels Legion Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre Brussels Ball Park Brussels, -Morris Et Grey Community Centre "Auditorium" Brussels Ball Park Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre Begins: Brussels Ball Park Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre Registration Brussels Legion Midway Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre Parade (Biggest Parade Morris has had since 1956) Registration of entries until 11 a.m. at the Brussels Fairgrounds. Parade will line up at the Brussels Fairgrounds. Judging begins at 12 noon. Official Ceremonies - immediately after parade in the Brussels Ball Park. "Guest Speaker" Huron -Bruce MPP "Murray Elston" Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community Centre 4 - 7 p.m. Pork Barbeque Brussels, Morris Et Grey Community ca REGIeTRATION FOR VISITORSncr Friday night at the arena 7:30 p.n't. Saturday at the Legion 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Brussels Public School 1 to 3 p.m. Monday at the Legion 11 a.m. Beer Garden Sunday at the Legion 2 to 4 p.m. A.,.••••••••:. .4.4'•3'," • 4.*