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Citizens News, March 16, 1978
Land was excellent
Atlas gives period view of Hay
One of the things That
we all take an interest in
is our background or roots
and the way that other'
people look at us is often
the most telling. The
following is an excerpt
from the 'Illustrated
Historical Atlas of the
County of Huron" and
was originally published
in 1879 by H. Beldon and
Company of Toronto.
Hay is another of the lake
range of Huron County
townships. It lies im-
mediately to the south of
Stanley, its eastern boun-
dary being formed by por-
tions of Tuckersmith and
Usborne, and Stephen
bounds it on the south. It
covers an area of 54,527
acres, of which 26,015 acres
are improved. The assessed
value of real estate in the
township is $1,648, 625; the
personal property is valued
at $29,998, the total assessed
value being $1,743,533,
divided among a population
of 4,119.
The Canada Company still
own nearly 8,000 acres of
land in the township, which
is valued at a trifle over
$125,000. The quality of the
land in Hay near the lake is
really excellent, as it is also
in the eastern portion of the
township, but the low tract
which runs through Stanley
from north to south is not
only continued through Hay,
but it deepens in many
places into a positive swamp
in the latter township.
Hay was somewhat later in
becoming settled than the
surrounding townships, still,
a few settlers located along
the London Road as soon as
it was opened up. It was 1837
or 1838 before any combined
settlement was made even
along this road, and when
Wm Wilson and family
arrived, about 1839, there
were. only the Walshes and
the Bells on the Tuckersmith
side, the Cases and a few
others already settled.
The Walshes came up
immediately after the close
of the Papineau rebellion
and it was the reports which
they sent back to Wilson,
their brother-in-law, that
induced him to come up
here from. Cumberland
Township, Russell County, to
which place he came from
Westmeath, Ireland, when
only nineteen years of age.
He travelled by boat to
Hamilton, thence, by the
Huron and London Roads. At
that time there was a hotel at
Carronbrook and another
Hick's at what is now Mit-
chell, but the only thing
artificial where the town of
Seaforth now "stands was a
finger -board to show the
distances to Egmondville
and Goderich.
The first horse which he
owned was given him by his
father, and was brought up
from Cumberland, and
ridden all the way from the
township of Hay. The only
way of getting goods in those
days was to go or send to
Goderich, though there was
a small store at Clinton.
There was an odd character
called "Jack Quick" who
used to drive stage between
London and Goderich, and
by him the settlers would
send money to make small
purchases, but although he
would frequently spend the
money on a "spree" he
would repay it with money
given him by others for
similar purpose,
He was afterwards killed
by a fall from a wagon,
universally regretted.
Money was -then a very
scarce article among the
settlers, and it was with the
utmost difficulty that suf-
ficient to pay taxes could be
obtained, as the trade was all
"barter" and for many years
it was impossible to sell even
wheat for cash.
There is considerable
conflict of opinion as to who,
besides those mentioned, are
entitled to be classed among
the earliest settlers, but all
are agreed that John Orsh
and family, who settled on
Lot 28 12th Concession about
•thirty-three years ago, were
the first, of the many Ger-
mans who now reside in Hay,
to locate in the township.
The first organization of
Hay as an independent
municipality was effected in
1846, and as that was still
early in the history of the
township's settlement, we
give all the names which
occur in the minutes of the
first town meeting, held
January 5th of that year.
James Gordon was called to
the chair, and the following
named gentlemen were
elected to the several offices •
in the gift of the people, viz:
James Murray, District
Councillor,; James Gordon,
Clerk; Wm. Wilson,
Collector; Andrew Mini,
Assessor; Andrew Ingram,
Robert Paterson, and James
Murray, Pathmasters;
Robert Doig, Castor Willis,
and John Kelly, Wardens;
and Wm Elder, Pound -
McCann Const. Ltd.
Pre -Cast
Concrete
• Steps and
Porches
• Ornamental
Railings
• Lawn
Ornaments
DASHWOOD, ONT.
Your Autltbrized
Dealer
DIAL
2373381
keeper these being all the
names that appear.
Our Municipal History
gives the names of the
members of the District
Council up to 1853, but we
give the names of the chief
township officers from the
first operation of the
Municipal Act in 1850. The
entire Council of 1850 were
elected by acclamation,
being composed of James
Wilkie, Castor Willis, Robert
Bell, William Elder, and
Robert Doig. Wm. Wilson
was Returning Officer, and
at the first meeting of the
Council, held January 21st,
Wm. Elder was chosen the
MW
first Reeve of Hay. The
Reeves theraf ter were:
Robert Bell, in 1851, Robert
Doig, in 1852, Moses Johnson
from 1853 to 1857 inclusive,
Donald McDonald in 1858,
Frederick Knell during the
three following years; but he
was again returned in 1863
after a one year's in-
cumbency of James Smilie,
and in 1864 Wm. Case was
elected.
In 1865 Hay became en-
titled to a Deputy Reeve, and
James Smilie was the first
elected to that office, in
company with Robert Brown
as Reeve the same year,
each being re-elected a year
DR. BUCHANAN'S HOME IN ZURICH
Teachers, board,
resume negotiations
Huron County secondary
school teachers announced
Monday night they will need
more time to consider the
latest board offer to end
their six-month contract dis-
pute.
Negotiators for the board
and Ontario Secondary
School Teachers Federation
(OSSTF) returned to the
bargaining table at 4 p.m.
Monday for the first time in
a month.
The teachers left the
board office about 5:15 p.m.
with the latest board offer,
heading for their own office.
The board hoped for a rep-
ly by 9:30 p.m. and at 9:45
p.m., the phone call was
received.
"We hope to have an
answer from them later in
the week but we don't know
when," said E.C. Hill, chair-
man of the board's
negotiating team.
Teachers couldn't be
reached for comment.
Contract talks broke off
Feb. 14 with the teachers
starting a series of rotating
strikes the next day. The
board retaliated Feb. 23 by
locking the 274 teachers out
of the five high schools.
Huron County's secondary
school students enter their
17th day today of missed
class time.
The Ontario Education
Relations Commission has
power to order the two sides
into binding arbitration but
won't do so until it is con-
vinced the education system
is in jeopardy.
The dispute has hinged on
two items concerning work-
ing conditions.
"We gave them
(teachers) written
proposals on the two points
at issue," said Hill, "and
we asked for a yes or no..."
If the teachers' team
agrees to the offer, it will
take another 48 hours before
the teachers vote on it.
As Grade 13 students
become more and more con-
cerned about the effects of
the strike -lockout on hopes
for university next year,
more than 30 area students
have been attending classes
at Wesley Willis United
Church in Clinton.
Four teachers had been
helping out, but that ended
Monday when the OSSTF an-
nounced the teachers could
tutor only on an individual
basis.
Scott Doherty, a Grade 13
student and chief organizer
of the classes, said he told
the OSSTF about his plans a
couple of weeks ago and ask-
ed for a reply at that time.
"We're (students) very
disappointed in the way
they(OSSTF) handled this
situation...basically in their
business procedures, since it
did say in the letter to con-
tact me," said Doherty.
later, and in 1867 the first
year of popular election of
those officers, they were
again returned by the
people, as they were also in
1868. Thenceforward th
Reeves and Deputies were
respectively Robert Brom
and William Carrick fron
Continued next weel
Board gives raise
to employees
The Huron -Perth County
Roman Catholic Separate
School Board approved an
increase in salary of $1,603,
or six percent, for Jack
Lane, superintendent of
business, effective as of the
first of January, 1978. Travel
allowance was increased two
cents to 20 cents.
In addition, as a
replacement to O.M.E.R.S.
payment of $600. was ap-
proved toward a personal
Registered Re'tirement
Savings Plan, also payment
of $403.34 or two-thirds of
$610 toward an accident
plan.
The increases for Mr. Lane
are subject to Anti-inflation
board approval.
The board approved a
compensation paackage for
an increase of $976 to be paid
to Ed Rowland, coordinator
of building and maintenance,
subject to A.I.B. approval.
His travel allowance will be
increased from 18 cents to 20
cents. He has the option of
obtaining dental and ex-
tended health care during
the year, if desired with the
board paying 90 percent of
the cost.
The board will advertise
for a part time custodian to
be hired for 30 percent time
at Holy Name of `Mary
School, St. Marys. The duties
of the present custodian will
be reduced to 70 percent
time. The custodial duties
are to be assigned ac-
cordingly.
The board accepted the
resignations of Kenneth
Miskiewicz at St. James
Separate School, Seaforth,
and Sister Florence Kelly,
Principal of St. Patrick's
School, Dublin, effective
August.
Board Chairman Donald
Crowley, RR 2 Gadshill,
stated the 37 112 percent
increae in OHIP rates an-
nounced a few days ago, will
have a great impact on the
board's budget as the in-
crease was unexpected. It
will cost the board an extra
$15,228.
Trustee Michael Connoll
of Kippen asked if the OHI]
fees cheque was sent to th
Ministry or the Treasurer c
Ontario and he was told i
was sent to the Treasurer
Mr. Connolly replied, "Yes,
thought it went to the
treasurer and where .it goe;
after that nobody knows — i
all goes into one big pie."
Chairman Crowley said ht
had attended the public
speaking contest in Dublit
on Thursday night anc
wished to congratulate the
Ontario English Catholic
Teachers Association of
Huron and Perth for spon
soring the worthwhile
program. "I wish to say the
teachers should be com-
mended on their efforts."
Shelagh Hewitt, education
co-ordinator for the Strat-
ford Festival and John
Heney, the president, at-
' tended the board session to
make a proposal on behalf of
Robin Phillips, artistic
director of the Festival. Mrs.
Hewitt said the Festival is a
resource centre largely
untapped by the community
that lies around it.
She said, "because Robin
Phillips and the Stratford
Festival believe in the young
people of this country we
would like to , help in the
development of that
resource (the young
people) ."
Continuing she stated:
"Our product depends
largely on the talents of the
many people who work for
us. In our community are
directors, designers, actors,
musicians, technicians,
cabinet makers, writers,
dancers, singers, seam-
stresses. Within these
general groups we have
people with special talents
such as acrobatics, elec-
tronics, tailoring, mime,
singing, composing.
"We would like to offer the
skills that many members of
the Festival have to the
— Please turn to Page 16
HEAD START — Robbie and Lisa Ducharme village
break out the bicycles on a warm Sunday afternoon.
of the
were
among the first youngsters to
Staff photo