HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1967-09-28, Page 5•
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William Riley, -of Londeshoro, built the Scott barn,
also many others in this district, Previous to the rais-`
ing Riley arrived. .with hi"s'eight or nine framers in d
light 'Wagon to prepare the timbers. This was a busy
time for for the Scott women, adthe framers had to be fed
while preparations also were being made, for the rais-
ing. One hundred men were present the day the timbers
were raised.
-ROXBORO SCHOOLS
Roxboro's first school was built on the hill' near
where the Cresswell Vault is today in -Maitlandbank
Cenletez=y. ; few years ago the 'cemetery caretakers,
when opening'a grave jltst north of the vault, unearthed
stone ink bottles, etc.., where the old Behoof, had,.. been
known', as earlier than 1847 there are no official _school
located. The exact, date 'of the school opening is not
records available. Even in that year in McKillop and
Hibbert Townships combined there Were only three
° schools. These were• union schools and this school was
one of the three.
Robert Chisholm; 'who was the first or one of the
first, schoolmastershere, married Margaret Dickson in
the early. 1850's: Robert Scott, 'Sr., a neighbor, writing,
to a• son in Scotland about this event said: "Mr. Chis-
holm is a good ;teacher and he has a good school."
a History by Isabelle Canpbell
u-senow have a capacity for hatching between twenty
five and thirty thousand-chicke a" each week.
Since 1960 he has been assisted by his son William
in the management of the business, which is now asso-
ciated with Kimber Chick, Inc., Niles, California. Here
again has come to the fore the pioneering spiirit of the
Scott pioneers of the 1830's.
HARPURHEY •
Harpurhey on the Huron Road, one mile and a
quarter south of Roxboro, was founded by Dr. William
Chalk, and became another thriving hamlet before there
was a Seaforth to the east of it.
•
DR. WILLIAM CHALK
Dr. W. Chalk, a native of England, who was a grad-
uate of a London medical college and also practised as
an apothecary in the Manchester 'suburb of Harpurhey,
came to Canada by 1834, with nothought of following
his former profession. His desire was to farm, but the
settlers had other plans for him. Very soon Tie was
serving his fellow mem both as a doctor and in many
other ways:
After spending six weeks crossing the. Atlantic in
This was not the case in all McKillop schools. Even -a sailing ship, Dr. Chalk reached land and journeyed
as late as 1865, McKillop School Sulierintendent, Rev. on to Hamilton. From there he traveled by lumber wa-
Matthew 'Barr, in his report showed much concern" gon to his destination in Tuckersmith Township.
about absenteeism among the children of school age Here his first .home was a log cabin, originally oc-
from five to sixteen years. Some cases he attributed to eupied by a Roman Catholic missionary. Soon he se-
bad roads and great distance from school. But what cured from The Canada Company the 100 acre farm,
concerned him most was the lack of parental interest Lot 16, Concession 1, on which he built what is said
in the education' of their children. McKillop had free to be the first brick house in Tuckersmith ownship.
schools; yet 193 were not attending school: In Tucker- He named his farm `Harpurhey', and the settlement
smith, at this time, where a Small fee was charged the soon became known by the same name. Here he resided
parent of each School pupil there were.. :only ten who for the, remainder of his life.
were absent from school.
-
Dr. Chalk filled several first offices. No doctor
preceded him in the community. In January, 1835_ he
When thetime came that 'a new 'Rox,j g o school was appointed the first collector for Tuckersmith. He
had to be erected to replace the first log one there was was'a•commissioner in - 1836, a Justice of the Peace by
much discussion as to the location of the new site. Rate- the early 1840's and was elected Warden of Huron Dis-
payers on the concession north held out to -have it tr°ict. in' 1847, an . office which -he held for seven conse-
built on concession four. The Roxboro folk opposed this cutive•. years. He was also Tuckersmith's .first reeve,
proposal. Eventually a compromise was agreed • upon when reeves were appointed in 1850. Another of his
that. the new site be on the north part of the present promotion projects washe Buffalo, Brantford and
McCowan farm, half a mile north of Roxboro corner. Goderich Railroad.
A brick'school was built here in 1857 and the name re- As no other doctors were practising nearby, he
mained unchanged. Again in the 1870's another change was almost forced to take up hisold profession again.
was. made. After much more discussion No. 2 McKillop This he did till younger doctors came into the area.
frame school was built on its present location, one and Often at night he rode horseback through the forest to
a quarter miles north of Roxboro. This was the site treat an ailing settler, guided by a lantern -held by a
. which the ratepayers on concession four and five had man afoot.
contendecl4or. earlier. This school was opened in 1874. Early he became such a good friend of Dr. William
At one time more than one hundred pupils attended here.
• Several years/later a few of the sn a]1... children,
playing around the old school on their way home from
school, narrowly escaped being killed when 'a wall col-
lapsed. Shortly after this, the old brick school was de-
molished. '
- As the popu-lation increased school section boun-
daries changed. It was in 1889 that this •eection was
split. That year' S.S. No. '18- McKillop was established.
On May 1 the first .trustees were elected. These were
Thomas E. Hays, secretary -treasurer ; John McDowell -
and John McMillan. At a special meeting of the rate-
payers in January, 1890, the newschool site;was chos-
en, and on April..5 the sum df seventy-five dollars was.
paid to James and Isabella Scott for three-quarters of
an acre of land do Lot 31, Concession 2. William G. Duff
witnessed the transaction. In March, at a meeting in
Carroll's Hotel, Seaforth, the tender of Charles Quer-
•engesser, Brodhagen, was accepted for the erection of
a frame schoolhouse and two water closets. . The tender
price was $650,1)0. In" 1925 Noble -ClutF covered . the
school with asphalt -shingles at a cost of $207.00, and
John McMillan did the painting at forty cents per hour.
When the school was completed in 1890, the trus-
tees accepted the application of Miss Bella Dickson, but
on'account of illness, it was Miss Harriet Campbell who
taught till tile -end of the term. However, Miss Dickson's
application for $225:00 was accepted for the year 1891.
It was not till 1922, when Frank Coates was the teacher,
that the salary reached the $1,000.00, mark. -But when
the depression struck in the f90's, during Miss. Stella
Richmond's term, the salary dipped again to a lower
level. Miss Matilda Fowler was the one who taught
for the longest -period during the history of the school.
She was the teacher here for thirteen years.
The ratepayers, in 1941, voted in favor of closing
the school because of a lack of pupils, but twenty-eight
pupils trooped in for classes when it reopened in 1955.
In June, 1965, the school closed permanently. On July
28, the building and land was sold to Sam Scott at an
auction sale for the sum of $1,500.00. Foster Fowler
purchased the bell and turret for $20.00.
'At the present time only the empty school and four
homes are left to mark the location of this once thriv-
ing hamlet. Two factors led to its downfall. The -first
setback came when the southern terminal of the Grey
Turnpike, the first improved road, bypassed this ham-
let and led down through the gain Street of Seaforth.
This cut off Roxboro's produce trade from the north.
The other factor had to do with Harpurhey. This ham-
let, having a flag station and being on the direct route
to Goderich, had advantages for development which
Roxboro lacked. Therefore, as HarpurheY -waxed, Rox-
boro waned.
"Tiger" Dunlop, the Warden of the Forest, that Dun-
lop chose him as one of his three executors to carry out
the terms of his eccentric, and historic will. -
• . This enthusiastic, energetic citizen, who had done
so much to relieve the ills of his fellow men and for the
development of the hamlet of Harpurhey, the Township
of Tuckersmith and the County of Huron, passed away
on June 26, 1868, at the age of •73 years. A white
marble monument marks his last resting place in the
Harpurhey Cemetery, little more than a stone's throw
from his old home."Harpurhey".
Juniors Are Active
For many years Seaforth Fair has used the slogan
"Where Juniors Reign Supreme" and again this year 4H
activities were an outstanding feature. Here is a typical class
being judged.
Keen Competition
In Horse Classes
HORSE SHOW
Light Horses — Carriage
team: Wallace Munro, Embro;
Glen Smith. Roadster team:
Len Bok, Wingham; Wallace.
Munro. Single carriage: Wal-
lace Munro, first and second.
Single ..roadster: Len Bok first
and second. Gentlemen's road
rate: Len Bok, first and Second.
Lady driver: Wallace Munro;
Jack Innes.
Open parade class.:. W. 'ow -
ell, Seaforth; Barbara Brady,
Seaforth. Saddle horse: Bar-
bara Bryans, Seaforth; Carol
Doig, Seaforth. .Running race:
T. Shaebottom, Donna Reynolds,
Seaforth. Saddle pony race:
Neil Ryan, Walton; Mark Kal-
lichuk, Walton. Hopper Bros.
special.: Jean Devereaux, Sea -
forth; Lois Bauer, Bornholm.
Pony Classes — Pleasure
horse: Winston,' Powell, Sea -
forth; Mrs. James Hopper, Sea -
forth.' Shetland stallion: Ivan
•Berdan, St. Thomas, first and
second. Single harness pony,
11 and under: Ivan Berdan, first.
and second; Single harness -Pony
11 to 12: Jack Innes, Stratford,
first 4nd second.
Team of harness ponies, 11
and under: Ivan Berdan. Team
of harness ponies, 11 to 12:
Jack Innes. Team Hackney pon-
ies: Jack Berdan. Single Hack-
ney: Susan Doig, Seaforth;
Jack Imes:
Heavy Horeses—Clydesdale--
Brood mare, foal: Charles Hal-
liday, Chesley. Foal of "1966:
Charles Halliday, first .and sec-
ond. Three year filly or geld-
ing:'"J: L: Dunmore, RR 2, Strat-
ford.,
Perc'herons and Belgians
Three year filly or gelding: J.
L. Dunsmore; Vern . Bast. Two
year filly' or gelding: Vern
Bast. One year filly ,or gelding:
Vern Bast.
Wagon Class: Brood mare
with foal: Ralph Kent, Embro;
L. Munroe, Embro. Foal of
1966: Ralph Kent. Three year
filly or gelding: Ralph Kent:
L. Munroe. Two year filly or
gelding: L. Munroe; Ralph
Kent. One year filly or gelding:
L. Munroe..
Harness" Class — Light
draught team; Aubry Toll,
Blyth; Charles Halliday. Per-
cheron team: Orville Bestard,
HARPURHEY . GROWS
While Dr. Chalk took up land here •in the early
1830'c, it was not till 1843 that he laid out the townsite
on part of his Lot .16. From then, every year new busi-
nesses were established.till in 1862 the population had
increased to almost five hundred. This proved to be
the height of Harpurhey's• popularity.
At this time the places of biisiness'and the homes,
in the hamlet were built on part of Lots 13, 14, 15 and
16 on Concession. 1, Tuckersmith. The early owners of
these were Lot 13, .Francis. Scott; Lot 14, Joseph Brown
((N) and Henry W. C.- Meyer (S) ; Lot 15, George
Goyinlock ; Lot 16, William Chalk and Malcolm McDer-
mid. The Fowler Plan was on part of Lot 13 and 14;
Cash, and Gouinl'ock on Lot 15; Chalk, McKenzie and
Worsley on Lot 16. In later years, the. Charles Widder
and William Bawden Surveys were also on Lot 14.
POST OFFICE
Thorndale, first and second., Bel-
gis; ainLen Bteamok:_ " Wells, RR 2 Par -
C. .
Heavy draught team: Aubry
Toll, Charles Halliday. Heavy
wagon team: Ralph Kent; L:
Munroe. • Single wagon, heavy:
Ralph Kent, first and second.
Four horse tandem: Aubry Toll;
Orville .Bestard: Six horse •tan-
dem. -Oiwille Bestard; Charles
Halliday"
$100 special: Aubry Toll;. Or-
ville Bestard. Township special:
Aubry, Toll; Orville Bestard.
Wagon single, , light: Ralph
Kent; L. Munroe. Wagon team,
light::•, L. Munroe:. Ralph Kent.
SHEEP
Shropshiredowns: Fred Gur-
ney, Paris, 'nine firsts;•- Elmer
Armstrong, St. Pauls, three sec-
onds. Lincolins: William Gates,
Strathroy, eight firsts, three
seconds; Elmer Armstrong, one
first, three seconds.
Oxfords: Donald Dearing, .RR
.1 Exeter, nine firsts._
Cheviots: Vance Day, Embro,
ninefirsts, 'three seconds; Glenn
aine, RR 7.Strathroy four sec-
onds. -
Leicesters: Ernie Snell, Clin-
ton, seven firsts, two s eonds;,
Vance Day -two firsts, fine sec-
onds.
Dorset Horned: P. E." -Dearing,
Exeter, nine firsts,seyen sec-
onds:
Suffolks: S. M. Blair, Bolton,
nine firsts, seven seconds.
SWINE
Landrace: R. E. MclVlillan,
Seaforth, four firsts, three sec-
onds; Hugh Hart, RR 1 Gads -
hill, five firsts, four seconds;
Gerald Townsend, RR 3 Sea -
forth, 'two firsts, two seconds.
Lacombe: W. A. Turnbull, RR
2. Brussels, 10 firsts, six sec''
onds; G. Townsend, four sec-
onds.
Yorkshire: W. A. Turnbull, 10
firsts, 10 seconds.
It was in the early 1830's McKillop Post Office was
established,, with Adolph Meyer as postmaster. In Au-
• gust, 1891, Samuel -Dickson, Seaforth 'postmaser, re-
ceived at the Seaforth office, a letter with the following
address: Mr. Jos. Wilson, farmer, Huron Track, Mc-
Killop's Post Office, Upper Canada, North America.
The newspaper item stated the .writer must have for-
gotten that it was forty years since Upper Canada was
done away with, and fifty years since McKillop P•ost
Office was abolished -alt its first location on the Huron
Road at Fowler's hill, with the late Adolph Meyer as
postmaster.
When this office was moved to Harpurhey, .Meyer
still continued as postmaster for a few years. By 1853,
the office was in McDermid's store just south of the
VanEgmond Cairn, and Malcolm McDermid was then
the postmaster, but the name was not changed to Har-
purhey till January 1, 1855. McDermid •was Harptir-
hey's postmaster till 1867. It was on October 1 of that
year the office was closed permanently. Angus McDer-
mid, Malcolm's brother, was a helper in his brother's
store and was also Deputy Postmaster.
In 1864 the amount of commission and allowance
for stationery received by McDermid was $208.29.
Neither Egmondville nor Seaforth offices received that
amount, but this might have been accounted for by the
Harpurhey office selling znro'ney orders, which the other
two offices did not Sell at that time.
In the spring of 1891, the McDermid store, one of
the oldest landmarks, was removed and a house was
built on the same site. At least part of the store was
moved to what was later the planing mill property of
Noble Cluff. on Goderich° Street East, in Seaforth. One
link with the McDermid store remains. After Malcolm's
death -in 1888, his dog's pelt was tanned -and made into.
a mat that is still in use in the home of his great nephew
and niece, Wiliam' McDowelL and Mrs. Helen 1VIcMillan.
(Continued nett week)
SCOTT CHICKEN HATCHERY
' The only link today with Roxboro's thriving busi-
ness of the 1850's is that part of the 412 acres owned
by, the Scott Poultry Farms Ltd. was, land on which
part et Roxboro hamlet was built. The founder of this
- company is a descendant of the Scott who founded Rox-
burgh. Starting from a small beginning, his has grown
to be one of the larger poultry establishments in the
.Province of Ontario. It was in the year 1920 that James
M. Scott, now known as Chicken Jimmy, took over the
r
farm flock of 40 Barred Rock hens. The next year, ,
his poultry plant was comprised of 50 pullets, housed
in the basement of the 'barn, a 60 -egg incubator, a see
and hand brooder house purchased for $500 and a small
coal.,hu1{nitlg brooder—stove. Today his plant occupies
four sets of farm buildings, .equipped with the most
modern' poultry equipment available. The incubators in
WFi»»flG
ASIC IOlt
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DOG`FOOD
5 1-1b.' prints
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2 large 400's 570
4 15 -oz. tins 550..
One 5-1b. bag' Redpath Granulated Sugar
FREE with- the purchase of 4 Westing-
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TOMATO CATSUP •• • • 5 11 -oz. btls.$1
Allen's Vitamized
APPLE JUICE • • : 3 Ige. 48 -oz. tins $1
Garden Patch Choice Tender
PEAS 6 14 -oz. tins $
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CREAM STYLE CORN •
Aylmer Canadian
BEANS with PORK • • • •
Stokeley's Cut Golden Wax Beans,
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MIX -OR MATCH
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PUMPKIN
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ASSORTED- JAMS
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PINEAPPLE
• 7 14 -oz tins $
7 14 -oz. tins $1
Cut Green Beans, Fancy
5 14 -oz. tins $1
6 15 -oz. tins $1
5 9 -oz, jars $1
j,; 20 -oz: tins $1
PRODUCE
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CRANBERRIES • • • , .. • .1 -Ib. bag 350
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PROGRESS In .Agriculture
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Published by the nuron43tuce 1r ogressive Cottervatile ASEleaatipil, •