Loading...
Huron Expositor, 2006-05-17, Page 8Page 8 May 17, 2006 • The Huron Expositor News Van Egmond artifacts found in B.C. basement When Ross Hawthorne decided to final- ly open an old trunk sitting inside his father's base- ment in Victoria, B.C., he never thought what was inside would lead him to Egmondville,, Ont. Inside the trunk, amidst several wedding photop and other items, he discov- ered three old large pastels of two individuals. "All of a sud- den we had these beautiful artifacts," says Hawthorne. With the help of an genealo- gist, Hawthorne and his wife researched the pastels until they discovered that what they had in their pos- session were portraits of Edward Van `Egmond} the third son of Anthony Van Egmond and two of Elisabeth Runciman, Edward's wife. Anthony Van Egmond was a veteran of the Napoleonic war, who later settled in Upper Canada and played an inte- gral part in the development of the Huron Tract. While researching they also discovered the Van Egmond Foundation and that the house Church service You are invited to attend these area churches St. Thomas Anglican Church A Congregation of the Parish of The Holy Spirit Jarvis St. Seaforth 527-1522 Rector: The Rev'd Sue Malpus. M. Div Sunday, May 21 Join us for Coffee at 9:00 am Worship at 9:30 am Sat. May 20 - Parish Council 11 am Tues. May 23 - Rector's Coffee Hours 9-11am Everyone Welcome Bethel Bible Church An Associated Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Sunday Worshlp 11:00 a.m. Youth Activities Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Pastor Mark Kennedy EVERYONE WELCOME St. James Roman Catholic Church Welcomes you 14 Victoria Street, Seaorth 527-0142 Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm Sun. 11:00 am Fr. Chris Gillespie Egmondville United Church Sunday May 21 Worship 11 am Sunday School 10 am May 24 - Pork Chop BBQ at Seaforth and District Community Centres... tickets available from members.... EVERYONE WELCOME Steve Hildebrand Lav Pastoral Minister in Training NORTHSIDE UNITED CHURCH 54 Goderich St. W. Rev. John Gould May 21', 2006 Worship 11:00 a.m. Sermon: The Debt That's Never Paid Nursery During Worship Adult & Teen Bible Discussion 9:30 a.m. First Presbyterian Church Goderich St. W., Seaforth Rev. Henry Huberts Sunday, May 21st Worship 11:15 a.m. Sunday School & Nursery Provided ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH 81 Mill St. Dublin ST. VINCENT de PAUL 29 Nelson St. Mitchell Father Alan Dufralmont Office 345-2972 Mass Times St. Patrlcks St. Vincent de Paul Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sat. 5:00 p.m. Sun. 9:00 a.m. Wheelchair Accessible - Everyone Welcome Jeff Heuchert photo. Ross Hawthorne, of Victoria, B.C., presents three old pastels of his Van Egmond ancestors to the Van Egmond Foundation in Egmondville on Friday. Edward's broth- er Constant built, still stands and is now a museum. This is what brought the Hawthornes to Egmondville last week where they donated the pas- tels to the Van Egmond Foundation. "We're bring- ing them back to where I feel they rightfully belong," said Hawthorne at the donation cer- emony. "All my life I didn't know this trunk and these painting existed in our basement (in Victoria). I p -r o b a b l y climbed on it as a kid," he says. Although. Hawthorne and his father John, who could not attend the dona- SEAFORTH MANOR RETIREMENT RESIDENCE Seaforth Manor, Optometrist, Dr. Sanderson and CNIB Low Vision Specialist, Louise Beauchamp INVITE YOU TO ATTEND A PRESENTATION OF MACULAR DEGENERATION May 25, 2006 10:00 a� . 1.2:00 pm Seaforth Manor 100 James Street Seaforth, Ontario Please R.S.V.P to Tammy Wright at 319.527.0030 EXt. #2 tion ceremony, do not know exactly how the pastels came into the family's possession, they do know their connection to the Van Egmonds. Hawthorne's great-grand- mother, Mary Ann, was one of 11 children of Edward Van Egmond. She married William Hawthorne, of Seaforth, who together had child named John. According to Ross, years later after a family dispute, John packed up and drove across the country to Victoria in the 1920s. "It's funny to think he trav- elled across Canada in a big old vehicle and then he stuffed away this trunk for 65 years," he says." "Why he brought the trunk we don't know. It's a real mystery," he adds. Years later, John was plan- ning to throw out the trunk and its contents, but one of his daughters, Elizabeth Isabella, thought the con- tents might be important and saved the trunk, which then ended up at her brother's house. It sat there until around one year ago, when Ross decided to go though some of his father's things, in hopes of learning more about the fami- ly's genealogy. . "My father said I should do with them what I want, but he said the best place for them would be- in a museum," he says. By Jeff Heuchert