HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1939-08-10, Page 3THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1939
THE SEA>~ ORTH NEWS
Early Days In
Tackersynith Twp.
Tuckersmith Had A Township
Board System For Schools
Sixty Years Ago.
,(By W. H. Johnston in the Lon-
. don Free Press)
The following synopsis of the early
history of robe Township of . Tinker -
smith, in Huron County, is from the
now defunct Hensall Observer and is
.said to have been written in 1879, is
Tot interest to those of the .present day,
The article was a long •one and recited
many minute items of 'history that we
shall omit.
The chief interest will 'be found in
the many first things mentioned. As
apreviously noted, the history was
written .60 years ago and nearly all of
those bfirst events happened more than
410 years before 'that date.
For instance, the first settler on the
London road, the western boundary
o'f the 'township, was (Weil Ross, on
lot 34, who came in 11830. In 118311 he
was joined by James Campbell, on lot
'John McIntosh, lot 216; 'Robert
Hunter, William Hunter,• W 1liatn
Bell and Alexander McKenzie, on lot
Q15, Neil Ross was the first settler,
not only in Tuckersmrth, but on the
'whole London road, from London—
'then a ibackwoods village — and
Goderich, with the exception of a
small settlement north of London of
'colored ,people who had escaped from
slavery in the United States, On the
Huron roacl, the eastern :boundary of
ih•e township, there was at that date
only one settler in the county and he
was living on the Hullett side of this
famous road. He was the noted Col.
'lranEgmond, soon followed by Fran -
els Fowler, Samuel 'Carnochan and
Dr, Chalk, the founder of Harpurhey,
In I1632 Arthur Squires, Leslie Craig
and John Young arrived. By 119315
many niore carte in and small settle-
ments dotted the •bushland on every
concession.
The first sermon preached in the
township was by a Methodist mission-
ary named Whitehead, and his con-
grugation consisted of Neil Ross and
Angus and James Campbell, This
service was held south of Brucefield
in a •cabin, erected by the Canada
Company for their workmen who
'were cutting .ant the London road.
The first church, erected years
after the foregoing service, was finish-
ed far enough to hold services in it
during the summer months Later it
FRU SERVICE
OLD, DISABLED OR DEAD
HORSES OR CATTLE
removed promptly and efficiently.
Simply phone "COLLECT" fo
IILL[AM STONE SOS
L1METED
PHONE 21 r INGERSOLL
PHONE 219 MITCHELL
a1
was taken do an and rebuilt in lht c
field. The :earliest ministers el
preached in it were he. -s, McNvenzi
a settler in Stanley Township, Skiun
and Broadford, frcoi London, and A4
hitt, from Gaderich.
The settlers who mane in ,I.1i3!1 had
to go to London and sometimes to
Port Stanley to have their vdteat
.ground into flour. They usually placed
a hag ' of wheat on the back .of an ns
as a grist. This was continued until
William Jewitt, an early settler in
Goderich Township, three miles from
L'aytield, brought in ' a hand mill
from England. Patient oxen were re-
lieved from trips to Lake Erie after
that and when Mr. Bis•e:oi y, a settler
an the Huron road, near Clinton,
brought in the first team of 'horses, he
collected the individual grist's.' from
his neighbors 'for miles around and
took 'them to Stratford where a new
mill had 'been .erect'e'd.
The first grist mill in 5the 'township
was opened :hy -the Canada Company
in. 1113313, in 'Egmon•d'ville, and was a
great boon to the settlers though
sometimes the water in the river was
so low it .could not run. The longer
trips to London, Stratford or Goder-
ich were then resumed.
The first school in the 'township
was erected in Kippen, on lot 8,
London road survey, about 8'840, .As
'he Harrison-Hincks School Acts of
11842-118414 had not then been 'passed,
the settlers ,could not he taxed to
build or support it, therefore it was
dependent tipcin voluntary contribtt-
tary contributions for its success.
One of the chief supporters of this
school was Robert Bell, a leading
farmer and miller, Many of his de-
scendants still reside in the neightbor-
hood.
Tuckersmith was one of the first
townships to adopt the 'township
board system of managing their
schools. In fact, '60 years ago there
were only two other townships in
Ontario, viz., Enniskillen ,in Lamb -
ton County, and Macaulay in the
Muskoka district, that managed their
educational affairs in this way. For 'a
few years tit& central 'board looked
after taxation, engaging of teachers
and other matters for each of the
school section's until jealousies and
other disagreements .crept in and the
people were glad to return to the old
system of three trustees for each sec-
tion, 'It is doubtful if any township in
the ;province is under the township
oard system at the present time.
Even in the naming of the town-
ship, there was a first name that was
slightly different -from the present
appellation. Named after Mr. Tucker
Smith, it was spelledi with a hyphen
and two capital letters as Tucker -
Smith; but intime the hyphen was
dropped and the capital "S" went
out. No reason was given, the cor-
rection probably 'being found a con-
venience in writing. 13enntiller, in
Colborne Township is somewhat sim-
ilar as it is named after Tien Miller,
the first 'sawmill man 'there.
Neil Ross' eldest son, Donald, was
the first white child horn in he
e-
c,
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eb
THE !MENNONITE COLONY
(Toronto Star)
There is a rift in Ontario's Men
nonite colony near Kitchener, 11 co:
terns sttteh things as bobbed hail' an
buggy tops, buttons and motor cat
—modernism against the ivaYs of th
fathers.
The division is spreadnig rapid)
as Mennonite farmers, holders o
much prosperous land in Waterloo
county, are gradually shelving their
orthodox doctrines to embrace mod
ernism and thus compete with "bus
iness" farmers. Farming, the net
order of Mennonites claim, must b
a business rather than a religion
Ever' increasing taxes must. be paid
crops must be moved to co-incide
with fast markets. They need cars
and tractors and electricity and tele-
phones and a good many have broken
away from old principles and adapt-
ed them to their needs.
That is where the split comes in,
Many Waterloo county Mennonites,
and espeslally the Amish, near Bad-
en, place their religion above every-
thing. These orthodox Mennonites,
direct descendants of the Pennsyl-
vania Dutch, who came to fertile•(
lands in the Kitchener district more
than a century ago, brand as "back-
sliders those farmers who turn 10
modern ways of building, harvesting
their crops, travelling and fastening
their clothes,
You hear the difference of opinion
expressed freely on many sides as
you travel through the Mennonite
district, but on all sides you get com-
plete agreement on certain tents.
That is, the old and the new Mennon-
ites, regardless of their differences
on modernism, retain their three car-
dinal doctrines concerning the bap-
tism of infants, the swearing of the
oath—and war.
Regardless of internal strife, the
Mennonite is united to the last man
against carrying arms. Foreign foes
could invade their rich lands, their
township, and with the exception of
James Lamb,, of 'tlsborne, was 'the
first in the district along the road
from London to Goderich,
Tit'is same Neil, just as he, arrived
home from Goderich with a load of
provisions on his Tbaek, heard This first
cow bellowing im the woods. Rushing
'to her aid, armed with his axe, 'he
was able to sink it into the skull of
the huge wolf that was attacking her
as she defended her calf. Later int
this cow was killed 'hy a small pack
of wolves, though Mr. Ross arrived in
time to save his oxen.
The first municipal organization
was effected January S, 118315, at a
nieetin•g of the public at Bayfield
Mills, 'John 'Colquhoun was appointed
town clerk and practically did most
of
the business until 111839 when he
was succeeded toy Constance Vail
Egmnnd. After the passage of the
Municipal Act of 1.18411, a regular
council was elected and Dr. Chalk, of
IIarpuncey, became reeve with C. L.
Van E!gmoncl, John McIntosh, James
Murray hnd Francis Fowler as
councilors, -
PAGE THREE
arrosonammaaamerAraausen
A MASSEY-HARRIS "CLIPPER" COMBINE IN ACTION
very homes; no armed force is to be
offered. "God is their destiny," said
one man well acquainted with many
Mennonites, "They are supreme fat-
alists in that they believe what is to
be will be and on the war question
their attitude seems to be that it
can't happen here, but if it does --
that is their destiny."
The swearing of the oath is ig•
nored because a Mennonite's word is
his pledge. Their oath is unnecessary
because their word in any matter is
sufficient, it was explained.
The baptism of infants is frowned
upon because, as one Mennonite min-
ister explained, "infants do not know
they are alive." According to Mem
nonite teaching, children should
grow and learn and understand, "Orr
baptism," said the minister, "is given
to our young people between the age
of 15 and 20. By that time they have
learned of life andhave come to
understand true religion if they are
the right type of Mennonite."
"But war!" the minister said,
"Mennonites do not believe in war
because we claim to be civilized be-
yond that. War exterminates —
against the very teaching of the.
Bible. We are to multiply, to build,
to advance and to serve God. None
of these can be accomplished when
there is bloodshed"
But now the older Mennonites fear
that the order is changing. Stream-
lined motor cars swerve into parking
space at one large Mennonite church
in St. Jacob's on the Sabbath, while
a few miles away, at Martin's Corn-
ers, small buggies and democrat wag-
ons, some open and some with the
sombre black tops and sides, line the
space outside the squat white church
where the full Mennonite dress is
worn and the men sit on One side
and the women on the other.
Here is the best example of the
Counter
eck
00
We lire Selling Quality Books
Books are Well Made, Carbon is Clean and Copies Readily.
All styles, Carbon Leaf and Black Back. Prices as Low as You
Can Get Anywhere. Get our Quotation on Your Next Order.
eye
fort
SEAFORTH, ONTARIO,
old and the new. At Martin's Corners
the church is furnished with un-
painted benches. Woollen pegs thrust.
into board panels above the
benches in the men's section hold the
large round black hats of the male
worshippers. From an unpainted plat-
form upon which is an unpainted
stand, the minister reads the Serip-
ture from a large Bible. The congre-
gation sings hymns, but there is nb
choir or organ.
The women at Martin's Corners
wear sombre black bonnets and long
plain eotton dresses of blue or black.
On hot clays they carry plain black
umbrellas, Inside the i'lsureh the wo•
men remove their bonnets and place
them on their lap while they sing
their hymns and say their prayers
with lace prayer caps upon their
heads, These prayer caps are also
worn In the home when evening de-
votions are being carried out.
At St. Jacob's, where a young
pastor minister to a congregation of
about 350, the men and women sit
together. For the most part, how•
ever, both men and women dress in
regulation Menonite clothing, They
sing their hymn in "parts" at this
church, that is, they may have a
quartet, o1' perhaps one group will
sing part of a hymn, with another
group joining in later. There is no
choir or musical instrument of any
sent in the large church hi St.
Jacob's.
The minister at St, Jacob's, Rev.
Roy S. Koch, showed us through
his spotless church. It was lined with
shiny oak pews. Modern electrical
fixtures hung from the high ceiling,
The platform had a pulpit not unlike
those in Presbyterian or United
churches, Two new wings had been
added to the church in recent years.
These and the basement had been
made into classrooms for the large
Bible class of 100 children,
"We still retain many of the doc-
trines of the orthodox Mennonite,"
Mr. Koch explained, "but we permit
more freedom as far as modernism
fa concerned. Many members of our
congregation use Gears and modern
machinery on their farms—we feel
these are necessary because of
changing times and conditions."
At Martin's Corners, we were
shown around the large 'farm of Rev.
:ariah Martin, former minister at the
little white church in the district.
Here was discovered a springboard
wagon that had been used as a lie arse
at funerals of the old Martin family
f•tr many years. Here also • was dis-
covered a "topped" buggy. built like
ordinary ]fuggy cxoept that it hat:
a closed in section mach like an old
hansom eat,. 19tesv were used by
:i -carried Mennonites while the gayer.
,,pen buggy was reserved for the un-
attached.
"But look at that buggy," Mr, Mar-
tin said, "imagine it on the highways
today with the steady stream of fast
motor car traffic. Even the more con-
servative and orthodox of Mennonites
are admitting that they cannot hear
,raffle approaching front the rear; or
see traffic coming front side roads.
Very few of them are teed now. Even
married Mennonites generally ride in
the open buggies."
Mr. Martin is the fourth genera-
tion to occupy the Martin farm of
140 acres, about two miles north of
\Vaterloo. The farm is pretty well
now as it was then, except that gal-
vanized iron has been usedin roof.
h g on the barns.
"That could never have been in
my grandfather's day," Mr. Martin
said, "even the windows of the house
there." he continued, pointing to one
side of the well kept farm home,
"could not be screened. Flies were
t=i be tolerated and screens were too
nandern. I have them on one side of
the house noW, but they are not on
th
e other side of the house where
the old folks lived."
One farm was discovered where a
(Cnntin:10d '.ii }' 'i' 7 5 ...
DEMONSTRATION OF
COMBINE HARVESTING
Large Attendance of Farmers See
Latest Types of Cost-Reducina
Machines in Operation
The err and simplicity of harvest-
ing grain with a Clipper" combine
was demonstrated to hundreds of
farmers and many other interested
people on the Datffertn Street Farm of
Mr. T. A Russel, President n•f the
Massey -Harris Company on 'Wednes-
day last Close to eight 'hundred came
to get first-hand information on the
w t rking of 'this machine and all were
most 'farce -ably impressed with the
way tit handled the grain in a stand of
fall wheat running well over thirty -
rine 'bushels to the acre.
To those familiar with the estab-
lished routine of harvesting 'grain
c 'ops--rcuttiue, .,cooking, pitching and
hauling and filially h'a'rvesting - the
all in one action of the ,combine with
only two amen required to do the
work a ermcd the iteigh't of perfection.
Reducing the eunrher of operations to
the Mare minimum of course naturally
'brings about a very substantial savinfg
in the costs. There is no twine 10 buy;
there is 00 expense for labor in stook-
ing; there is no ;tlaresher's bill to ,pay;
and nothing' extra .is added to the
meal., for large threshing crews.
Another feature about combine har-
vesting 'appeals to ,many is 'that the
exchange o£ work with neighbors
•which often come; at :sone innia
1pontune toms is not required.
Insofar as tlae economical side ;of
the.method is concerned it is calm-
ated that the actual ,out-of-pocket
extpett*e with tta aaanaaine method is
about equal to or less than the cost
of hinder twine with the regular way
of harvesting it means -something
worth while to a farmer to he able to
save an to 'ti 1.!Sti per acre with the
c°nibble, and there is saving asf grain
and seed tcvo that Haran: quite a lot,
part/1'111311y ahem harvesting seed hay
cr+goes
Alsr the new type ;of 5coniiiae as
deam'ustrated in the "flipper" and the
tractor retiaired to operate it .eau br
ptarc•hascd uincadays at a cost of •ovt-r
twelve hundred dollars less than it -
took ten years •trs ago to buy equipment
of .similar capacity. 'Operating cast of
the present flay machines is much
tower, too, p•artict larly when a mod-
ern tractor is used with ,one of the new
low-cost 1'uwer-twice-off ;combines.
In addition to the 'combine, the one-
way •disc seeder was in operation.
This machine is another instance of
w'alae modern agricultural inapie•-
n:cnt engineer is developing to reduce 'work and exueatse. It prepares
the snit and planta titt seed, ,lulu h:
our operation what formerly tarok
three or four, The 111211 who uses the
one-way alisc seeder to teat in ,his crop -
does away with the separate jobs of
plow togs eliscing, harrowing and seed-
itig.hat
With such equipment as is now
'et ulthle the farmer is in a hetter
position to carry on his. operations
with a wider margin for profs anti
many are funding, it the most practical
solution to Ole present 'ray problems
of farming.
'1 en the ;de'm,,nslrati'n as the,
personal guest, of \lr. '1'. .1 laissel
were over 001 trollal ,incl fifty : the
men retired 'on pension from '1'.1 one,
and Brantford edam, of the
Harris 'company :uul - were ,taos•t
enthusiastic about the success of the
combine.
All of the Haan present had
extensive service with the ,canpany,
many with records dating 'back to the
seventies and eighties. Mr. W. S.
House of Brantford for instance
joined the firm in .15ti) :and retired
on pension in 1115131 and Mr. W. T.
Brown of Toronto is 'a'nother real a1d
timer leaving 'been with the ,company
noon 1111712 Tto 111310. mite a few of
these long service men had witnessed
the development and introttssetion o:
the first self -binder and had played a
very active part themselves in the
nianufacttire of the machine that so
ably represented the skill .of Canadian
workmen in the great grain .growing
countries of the World. At this dem-
onstration they saw for the first tinge
the present day answer to the demand
for (ower cost methods of ;production,
Mingled with their 'pride in the tam
that the company is pioneering :with
the'combine was, no d'ntrht, a engin
react that they were not flack in the
cid 'foundry, forge. kill' sr wood sh,m
to lend their ill to the making of
these new machines, - -
As a result 'of their 'success in the
field Iast year urine- 3d assev-1 Inc'
"flintier" Combines .ere ,ittsh•ased
in Ontario to handle the11)12) harvest,
and a ,e'eneral wide -slimed ars(' 101 the
c;mrvhine is i s 51int ed. by 'the trend
toward this method of 'harvesting.
Send us the names of your visitors.