The Huron Expositor, 1961-03-02, Page 4E $XPosrroR, SE.FoRTH, O�e"r MARCH 2. 1961
`O 11 U;. EDITOR
MICHIGAN LION MEMBER
BOASTS OF SEAFORTH LIONS PARK
240 West Park.
Lapeer, Michigan
Editor, The Huron Expositor:
Tim (Byron) Waldron used to
nay: "Hang on, boys; we haven't
seen anything yet! The future
holds many secrets."
For .many, Tim was a sort of
peculiar chap. He had a philoso-
phy all his own -or so a tot a peo-
ple thought But Tim was an ard-
ent, or should I say intense read-
er; and articles he read in some
of the larger New York magazines
Stirred
exploratory mind
seed
ed towhat n
believed would cstne to pass. even
in his own time. The last time 1
chatted with Tim -it was in the
very dawn of inflation -he predict-
ed `full -blowy inflation" as he
termed it: and by golly he was
right. We've had quite a seine of
it ever since. Tim insisted that
they'd bring out "flying machines"
doing 200 miles an hour. Our jets
of today beat that speed. He be-
lieved the farmer would always
be dissatisfied. because he declar-
ed farmers just are not given to
firm unflinching organization -
you just can't get them to agree
on any one dente course." he
said. I've thought that by and by
we'd be up to the neck in Social-
ism -or some sort of the kind. be-
cause as time moves on. people.
enough of them, would become un-
happy. and then on the horizon
would appear a leader who would
draw these elements to him "You
-know it's easier to go wrong than
go right," he once told me.
My, rd like to have another chat
with Tim Waldron. but, that can't
be now. It's too late.
Across the road from Waldron's
gate was another man to whose
conversation I, as a boy. liked to
listen.' It was George Layton.
George was a reader and a think-
er too. But his was more con-
servative: his was. well. a busi-
nessman's line of thought. He
didn't that ever would we go for
Socialism. or any such idealo`y as
that. George Layton stuck firm
to the belief that if' everybody
heckled in and did his share of
.toil and sweat and planning then
this old world wpald be jest fine.
He didn't go for ..'dreamers" at
all. George Layton's advice was
sought by many during the Years
he farmed on the London Road..
and Mrs. Laytontoo, was one of
the most respected and admired
women on the road.
These memories bring me to
another chap who was once
familiar figure. riding his bike on
the London Road --Ike Weaver.
Ike. like myself- never grew very
tall and never tipped the scales
at two or three hundred. but he.
too. ,had ideas in his day. and one
of the places he loved to go was
to Jim McDonald's and cleat with
WELL-KNOWN Toronto tramp -
ter and band leader -.Fills Mc-
Lintock is a frequent performer
on CBC radib''s Variety Shcw-
ease. heard Thursday evenings
on the Trans -Canada network.
An hour-long program Variety
Showcase features bands and
vocalists from many cities in
Canada playing popular music.
Jim and Martha -Martha, Jr., and
Jinn. Jr., can tell you more about
it than I can.
I read in The Expositor that
Agnes Baird has passed here lelst
birthday. What a grand age! My.
what memories this wonderful lady
must have of the years long gone
in and around Bruceheld.
Also. I read where Mrs. Gram.
formerly of iiensall, had passed
on The last time her son, Percy.
two- of Caro, not far from Lapeer
-the last time he was here he told
•Ine his mother wouldn't likely be
ingvery much longer -she was
La her ours -and he sort of feared
the time was drawing close. While
he was here. I told him I eoeldn't
understand how come Brucefield
picnics are now held at the Lions
Park in Seaforth.
Well. Percy happens to be Dis-
• trict Governor of the Lions Clubs
and he got to boasting Seaforth's
Lions Park He really gave 'em a
'boast such as I hadn't heard be-
fore I liked what he said, but my
own mind all the while was on
years ago when we held our pic-
nics at Jowett's Grove at Bayfield
and danced the light -fantastic -or
whatever it was --in that good old
pavilion three Again -man. yes!
Yours sincerely,
JPM O'NEILL
1 The- Legion Corner
By Jack Holland)
Well. Comrades and friends,
°here 'we are back again with bits
of news from here and there. First
of all our winter sports program
comihe right along. and Jack
Eisler has had some of his hockey
teams on tour around the neigh-
boring arenas. It's good experi-
ence for the kids to meet differ-
; ent teams and to play on strange
ice. It broadens the mind and.
what is more important. it deve.l-
i, ops a competitive spirit. which is
• a pretty big thir`ts in later life.
• Chuck Wood has been doing a
bang-up job with his Saturday
night bingos. and its surprising
' the number of bingo players who
come regularly from the neighbor-
• ing town:. So. keep up the good
work. Charlie; .you're doing a ter-
rific job.
* s*
, By the way, Comrades. our
reg liar monthly meeting will be
coming up on March 9, and in
conjunction with the ordinary busi-
ness the Branch is holding an
• initiation ceremony for all mem-
bers who have never been induct-
ed into the Legion: eo•, let's see
a real big turn -out as it has been
• some time since we have held an
initiation.
x *
There was a nice representation.,
fsem the Branch to pay respects
to our departed Comrade, Arthur
Little. and with his passing comes I
to mind a few :'_nes which I' pass
•
Hay Farm Recalls Long Histor
The history of Westlea Farm,
located at Wat Lots 14 and 15, Con-
cession 2, Hay Township, .was re-
lated recently by David Shirray.
The farm has been in the Shirray
name for 115 years.
prospects were not so rosy as re-
ported, he returned to his Huron
home, enduring again the weari-
some six months at seat.
In the meantime, a family by
the name of Thomson had come to
Mr. Shirray, who 0111 celebrate Canada from Buckhaven, Scot -
his 86th birthday in May, has been land, and settled on the London
hospitalised for the past four and Road, a bit north of Rogervrfle.
one-half months, recovering from Naturally, a friendship developed
a fractured hip. between the two families and
Mr. Shirray recalls: Westlea, about 1860 my father and Agnes
the Shirray homestead, has been Thomson were married.
in the possession of oar family for Before their marriage my father
115 years. In 1845 my grandmoth- had erected a new home near the
er, Agnes Shirray, with her sons, old Iog house. This house, which
Nichol and John, and daughters is still our home, has eight rooms In the early 1870's two frame
Helen (later, Mrs. John Elder), and is built of solid brick. I do barns were erected on stone foun-
and Jane, _left their home in Kap- not remember who did the mason- dations, one being 30x72 and the
pen, Scotland, and set sail for ry, but Alex McMurtrie, Sr. (Jack other 40x60. These barns are still
Canada. Today we cross the. At- McMurtrie's grandfather) did the in use.
interior wordwork. It is all of knot- The coming of the railroad, the
London, Huron and Bruce, in 1875,
provided the settlers with much
better markets and encouraged
more extensive farming.
In 1893 my father died and I
took over the management of the
farm. My mother and sisters re-
mained on the farm until I mar-
ried Miss Mary Urquhart, of To -
voyage a sad one for many. They land. ronto, in 1900. At that time they
must have been very thankful to My parents started farming ,with moved into their home on Oxford
reach the shores of Canada.Street, 1928. ,where my mother
a cow and a yoke of oxen, but died in 1928.
As they had known the Bell later on horses were added. Still During the first quarter of the
family in Kippen,, Scotland, my later they specialized in Leicester new century my wife and I, with
grandmother and her sons felt sheep and the wool was sent to our son, Albert W. Shirray, saw
they would like to settle some- Mealdns' or Muir's carding mills in many changes take place in farm -
where near them. Consequently, Exeter.
ing. The crops gradually included
Trey mandeetve it way
tto t e Huron
s ron The water supply came from a roots. such as turnips, mangles,
bought 240 acf land consist stone well, dug and lined by my and Inter sugar beets; then flax
farm to the east, and when he My wife died in 1937 and while
died my brother, Jim, took it over I continued to live at Westlea, my
and later on sold it to Alex In- son Albert and his wife, Mabelle
gram, whose grandson now owns Johns, took over the farm in 1939.
it. They have two sons, Douglas and
A little log house an this farm Bruce.
was for some time occupied by In the last two decades other
my grandmather Shirray, and also changes have taken place. One of
my grandmother Thomson. Wlld the most important was the in -
roses, which they planted, still stallation of rural hydro. lake the
grow on the fence where the lit- telephone company, hydro would
tie log house stood. Later on, my not put up a line until assured
father sold his original east hun- that so many farmers would use
dred to W. Dougail's grandfather, electric power, although they did
keeping for himself the farm provide their own poles. In 1940
!mown as Westlea. enough subscribers had signed and
the company set up the line. Very
soon electricity was installed in
our house and barn; kitchen and
bathroom were modernized, and
we began to enjoy all the conveni-
ences that hydro can provide.
lantic in less than seven days, but
it took them seven long weeks -
'weeks that were not only tiresome,
but fraught with danger as well.
The boat wasn't many days out
when it sprang a leak and bail-
ing was a constant necessity, the
work being shared by passengers
as well as crew. Then the dread
cholera broke out aboard ship and
claimed some lives, making the
less pine and is beautiful] y hand -
carved. The original roof was of
shingles, but in 1896 a Mr. Brown
put on the present slate roof. I
believe he put the. roof on the
United Church the same year.
When the home was completed,
my parents named it "Westlea",
because it was the last house on
the road, all beyond being bush
res o
- grandfather Thomson. It is 20 feet
ing of lots 14, 15, 16 and 17, on
the second concession of Hay
Nichol's land being on the south,
and John's on the north of the
sideroad. They paid the Canada
Company S2.00 an acre for their
land, and it was a cash transac-
tion.' as they wished to have their
homes facing the sideroad which
led to the main highway, the Lon-
don Road. The lots were divided
north and south into four 100 -acre
farms. •
Their first task was to clear
some land and erect a home which,
of course, was made of logs. It
had two rooms and was built on
my father's land, a bit east of
the present home. After its com-
pletion a log barn was built just
west of the house.
Shortly after their arrival' in
Huron, Jane died of cholera, hav-
ing contracted the disease on ship-
board. Sadly they buried her in
Roger_ville cemetery, which at that
time was just a bush lot,. I re-
member my father tell how they
made the grave as near to the
road as possible. Hers was the
first grave in what is now called
Hensall Union Cemetery,
.4 few years after they arrived
in Canada, word came of a great
gold boaina in Australia, and my
uncle, John Shirray, decided to try
his fortune. As each passenger
had to furnish his own food, he
got together his supply of foods
that would keep, such as hardtack.
salted meats. sugar. tea, etc.. and
made his way to the Atlantic ports.
t took their vessel six months to
reach Australia and. finding that
on :o you:
Art. our friend. -has gone away,
We shall r.,, see him no more this
' day,
But there'll come a time when
we all meet
I: that sunny :and across the
• street!
-A: the going down of the sun.
and in the morning we shall re-'
member then;."
x m a
See ycu at the meeting Thurs-
dav, March 9.
REBEK-41ac MEET
At an abbreviated meeiing of
Edeiweijs Rebekah Lodge Monday
evening. with Mrs. Margaret Mes-
senger. N.G.. in charge, further
pians were made for the Dessert
Euchre on March 22 in the IOOF
Ha... Further pians regarding the.
•'Varie:y-- Night er. May were an-
nounced.
Euchre :vas en;oyed fn;;ceang •
the meeting with 22 tables in play-.
. The following were w finis :
ad es: high. Mrs. Reta Orr: lone
hands Mry- Jean Cairn;; consoIa-
:ion. 'Mrs. Harold Hu -t,: men: •
high. Sid Gemmel:: lone hands.
George Smith: consolation. Harry..
Addicott.
A delicious lunch was served by
Miss Mae Smith and her commit-
tee.
1959 Chev. Sedan 1875.00
1957 Olds Sedan -Radio and A.T. 152.5.00
1957 Vauxhall Sedan 1075.00
1957 Chev. Pick -Up 1075.00
1955 Buick 4 -Door Hardtop-A.T.
and Radio 975.00
1955 Buick 4 -Door -Radio 875.00
1951 Chev. Sedan 75.00
1951 -Pard Sedan 175.00
PRICED TO CLEAR
-- No Reasonable Offer Refused -
at
eaforth Motors
Phone 541 -- Sec forth
deep and is still in use, although
another well has been dug near
the barn.
As the land was cleared, the
common gi•,a_ins of the time -
wheat, oats'' and barley - were
grown, as well as vegetables, for
home use.
A fine maple bush provided
many gallons of maple syrup which
sold for between $1 and $2 a gal-
lon. It was boiled over wood fires
in open
nplarge y-
of the hiehlightsofthe aPIe sy-
rup season was the "sugaring off"
to which the neighboring young
people were invited. After. bring-
ing the syrup to the , correct boil-
ing point, it was poured on snow
packed in pans and a delicious;
sticky time was enjoyed by all.
Bears and wolves were quite
common, but were gradually elim-
inated by hunting or ,trapping in
which my father and uncle joined_
My parents' family consisted of
six boys and three girls: William,
Ben, Christine, Jdhn, Nichol, Dav-
id, Jim, Helen and Agnes, all born
in the present home. Only three of
us. Helen Cooke, Agnes and I are
still living.
When my Uncle John died in
1874, he left his land -200 acres --
to his brother, Nichol, and his sis-
ter, Ellen. My father took the
east farm which included the a
creek, while my Aunt Ellen had
the farm to the west, consisting f
of 104 acres. Later she married i
John Elder, and they built their
first home on the farm which is a
now owned by Kenneth Elder. ,t
My brother, Ben, worked the p
and onions, grown on contract,
and still later,• beans and barley
Cattle, instead of sheep, formed
the livestock, and horses were the
main source of power on the farms
as by this time most of the farm
machines, such as plows,- rakes
cultivators, etc.. were provided
with seats. The bush land had been
reduced to provide more land for
cultivation until few farms had
more than 15 acres of. bush. Our
farm has between 10 and 15 acres,
which is chiefly hardwood.
I remember a few outstanding
events of these years. In the win-
ter of 194 we had a terrific snow-
storm which completely blocked
ibe railroads for several days,
thus depriving us of all mail or
means of transportation. In 1915
a tornado, or twister, tore it way
across these parts, doing some
minor damage. That same year,
in November, there was a' great
storm on the lakes. It was known
as the Lake Disaster, as 85 bodies
were washed ashore between God-
erich and Grand Bend.
Another outstandipg event of
those years, but a happy one, was
the coming of the rural telephone.
In 1912 a Tuckersmith Company -
undertook to install rural tele-
phones under certain conditions.
They would set up a line on a
road provided a certain number of
pplicants signed for it. Each ap-
plicant had to draw his own poles
rom Brucefield and dig the holes
n readiness for the telephone
men to set them up. We Were
inong the first farms to install
he telephone. and we felt that it
roved worth all the trouble.
You Can WIN ALL This in
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1961 CASE Canadian "SHOWCASE"
MONDAY, MARCH 6th - 8:30 p.m.
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY CENTRE
Here's what you can see and win at this fabulous CASE Canadian 'Showcase'
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• worth of CASE ; Draw for the .Ladies !
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Farm Equipment
on Display
Admission Free! All are. Welcome! Come and join your neighbours !
Work horses have given way to
power machines which first came
into this district in the 1920's. As
cars came a few years earlier,
even the driving horse, common to
farms for many years, has disap-
peared.
Roads have improved, many of
them being paved or surfaced.
While the C.N.R., the old London,
Huron and Bruce, still carries
much freight through the Huron
Tract, the passenger trains have
been discarded as most travelling
is by bus or car.
Today our farm produces wheat,
ats, white beans and picking corn.
Our livestock consists of cattle and
hogs.
Taxes have also changed. I
have forgotten the amounts for
most of the years, but in 1902 we
paid $28, and in 1958 had mount-
ed to approximately $325.
This is the story of our farm
and of some of the changes I have
seen take place in this century.
Our home, although now 100 years
old, is in excellent condition, and
lawns, flowers and shrubbery give
it an attractive setting. As I have
two grandsons, I hope that West -
lea will continue to be the Shirray
homestead.
Last year Red Cross laboratories
conducted 146,073 tests for the Rh
factor. This is a free service for
expectant mothers.
FU ER,ALS
MRS. LEWIS EBERHART
Mrs. Lewis Eberbart, of Burling-
ton and formerly of Seaforth, pass-
ed away in Hamilton General Hos-
pital on Wednesday, Feb. 22, about
5:45 p.m., after two weeks of ill-
ness. She was in her 81st year.
The former Bertha Louise Char-
lotte Ann Cook, she was born at
Brucefield and was married there
60 years ago to Lewis Eberhart,
who predeceased her in January,
1960. Surviving are one daughter,
Edgar Barrett,
Mrs gof Burlington;
two grandchildren and two broth-
ers, Joseph V. Cook, of Guelph,
and Harry Cook, of Vittoria, Ont.
The deceased received her edu-
cation in Varna. She came to Sea -
forth about 50 years ago, and was
a member of First Presbyterian
Church, Seaforth.
The body rested at" the G. A.
Whitney funeral home, Seaforth,
until Saturday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m.
Rev. J. C. Britton conducted the
funeral services. Temporary in-
terment was in the Ritz Memorial
Mausoleum in Mitchell, and burial
will be made later in Maitland -
bank cemetery. Pallbearers were
Eldin Kerr, David Shannon, Frank
Roberton, Don Wood, Keith Sharp
and Don McDonald.
= =
BIG SALE 'TIL
Saturday, March 4
Shop where you can be sure of receiving Everyday Law Prices on the
Finest Quality Foods - Groceries; Meats, Fruits and Vegetables,
Frozen Foods, Etc. Shop at RED and WHITE FOODLAND and com-
pare ... you'll find complete shopping satisfaction ... economy wise
.and, service wise.
Evaporated Red & White
MILK - Tall Tins
7 for $1.00
SAVE 65c -- Walker's
SALTINES
1 Ib. Pkgs.
5 for $1.00
CHICKEN NOODLE, TOMATO, VEGETABLE
Save 22c! Your Choice
LIPTON SOUPS 9 Pkgs. $1.00 '
HEINZ - FULL ASSORTMENT
Save 7c - Your Choice
BABY FOODS
10 for $1.00
PURE% WHITE OR COLORED
Save 16c - Regular Size Rolls
TOILET TISSUE
8for $1.00.
SAVE 5c - York Fancy
CREAM STYLE
CORN
20 -oz. Tins
5 for 81.00
SAVE 17c - Catelli's
MACARONI or
SPAGHETTI
10 -oz. Pkgs.
6 for $1.00
SAVE 8c
Libby's Fancy Quality
TOMATO JUICE
20 -oz. Tins
8 for $1.00
SAVE 14c - 8 -oz. Jar
RED & WHITE
INSTANT COFFEE
$1.00
SAVE 16c,
Brisling Club Des Mluionafres
SARDINES
-1 for 81.00
SAVE 29c - 3.1b. 4 -oz. Tin
BURNS' CANNED WHOLE
CHICKEN
81.00
Save 5c on this Purchase - 20 -oz, Tins
YORK
Red & White Homogenized
BEANS WITH PORK 6 for $1.00 PEANUT BUTTER
SOLO BRAND SAVE 6c! 1 -LB. PKGS. •
MARGARINE
9 -oz. Tumbler'- Save 16c
4 for 81.00
4 for $1.00 j Save 53c Pkg. - 45c Off Pack.
.,t--LMER or WAGSTAFFES - With Added Pectin
JAMS and JELLIES 5 for $1.00i
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DR. BALLA.RD'S CHAMPION - 15 -oz.
DOG FOOD
KING SIZE
FA B
$1.00
Tins - Save 33c Weston or Sunbeam
in BERRY DANISH
10 for $1.00l .R�PASTRY
Save 16c Package of 8 35c
8$
for $1.00" Bird's Eye Frozen
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Whole Kernel CORN
12 -oz. Pkgs. - Save 13c
5 for 81.00
MONARCH POUCH PAK - 10 Varieties
CAKE MIXES
91a -oz. Pkgs.
PINEAPPLE . GRAPEFRUIT Save 17c
DEL MONTE DRINK
48-o2
. Tins
3for$1.00
JUST ARRIVED FOR THIS SALE!
GRAPEFRUIT
Sweet
and Juicy Red & White
Size 48's
10 for 49c
SAVE CASH at
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TOMATOES -Z8 -oz. Tins
Gold Reef Crushed Save 15c!
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C'lverhonse Diced Save 8c!
BEETS or CARROTS -20 -oz. This
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5 for $1.O0
5 for 81.00
8 for $1.00
14 for $1.00
3 for 81.00
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HEADCHEESE
By the Piece
39c Pound
Home -Rendered LARD
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ROAST OF VEAL
73c Pound
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2 to 3 lb. average
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79c Pound
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Lean and Meaty
35c Pound
Choice
LEG OF LAMB
69c Pound
RED & FOODLAND
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