Clinton News-Record, 1985-07-10, Page 76Page 16 _.>\
•
•
Alison Lobb edits second history book
"The history of our villages isrthe history
of our country in small piece." -Victor
Hugo
And the stories of the people who live in
these areas is an essential part of this
history malting. History is the record of
what people did in the past. In keeping with
this thought, Goderich Township is produc-
ing a second history book that outlines the
lives of hundreds of families in the township,
both past and present.
Alison Lobb is the editor of this ambitious
undertaldng. The book that she is preparing
will feature submissions by more than 300
families, with photographs of yesterday and
today.
The stories themselves are fascinating.
They cover well over 150 years and recount
the experiences of the first pioneers to the
most recent families to settle in the
township. The stories tell of both family
triumphs and tragedies.
There's the story of Walter Hick, for ex-
ample. He arrived in Canada from Corn-
wall, England, like many others in the 1830s.
The young immigrant married Caroline
Scanes, a daughter of William and Anne
Hore Scanes.
Anne Hore (1793-1874) came from a small
Devonshire village. 1de (pronounced Eery
married William Scanes and they
emigrated in 1846 with their six daughters.
On disembarking at Quebec, Mr. Scanes,
wearing his worldly wealth in his money
belt, missed his footing on the gangplank,
fell and was drowned. His body Was never
recovered. His widow went to Kingston
where she opened a bakery. Heb daughters
married and scattered,, but Anne made her
final home in Goderich - with her daughter,
Caroline Hick. •
Other stories recount the history of the
establishment of some of the township's
inostiamiliar landmarks, like "Pebble Cot-
tage" on Highway 8, near Holmesville.
R was built by Robert Cook, a Scotland
native who came to Canada with his wife
Mary and their six children around 1835,
Robert bought 105 acres of land (CHR/L7)
near Holinesville in 1845 for 39 pounds, 7
shillings and 6 pence from the Canada Co.,
but he lived there prior to this date. He
erected a home there known as the "Pebble
Cottage" probably around 1856 and this uni-
que farmhouse is still in use today. His
grandson spoke of helping to gather the peb-
bles for the exterior of the house. A
newspaper report said it was built of 15,000
and two bedrooms upstairs with a 22 foot
high cathedral ceiling.
The Brennan children, Wesley (1974) and
Crystal -Ann (076) Awed a time capsule in
the block foundation of the cal)in. The cap-
sule included a Rubik's Cube, E.T. cards,
currency, a family history and a crucifix.
Stories tell of the history of some of the
township's most well known families - like
the Ginns, whose history can be traced back
seven 'generations. The Ginn Connection
with Goderich Township all started with
Thomas Ginn, who came to, Goderich
Township from County Cork, Irellind in 1830.
He purchased CMt/L11,12 from the Canada
Company in 1834. He met Elizabeth Sturdy
here and they had ,the distinction of being
"The history of our villages is the history of our country in small pieces"
- Victor Hugo
egg-shaped Well -matched stones carried
from the shores of Lake Huron and
transported home by team and wagon.
In the same vein, one of the township's
more recent settlers, Steve and Cindy
(Leeking) Brennan recount the monumen-
tal task involving the construction of their
1,500 square foot cabin, built in 1982, at
Bluewater Beach.
Steve designed the home and the pine logs
came from Mennonites in Tillsonburg. The
Brennans skinned the bark from the logs
with antique knives and Steve chiseled the
corners by hand. It took two, years to build
the 28 foot by 36 foot home. It features a loft
„ ..
Tk
,HOTEL BEDFORD
4m...Goderich ph: 524-7337
k-.51
92 The Square...
, .,..-. „—„—
; w I Nil li-
• ..:.„,.1.2.,,i3:.,-il,
in 0 1 04_ i i pg F*1
• . .. 4„,,,,....,4 h ,til I ii 10. :i. qi i 1.
r/tail.7-47----4 ...= ,- r • 466
1
,•'-r.,. 1
...4 1 k iii• 4 ii, wi
Li g 1 , 1 Li
0 , I i.....isi,
in.W.-'„ - ..71...-. 4 • i1111411,.-ag"- _ i
A ,, A L---:-:._:-..5 ' .1 1-- 1 .1 IV
- - -- - — ^- -,-7, *-- -- •7-..:::'="z7--.-:.....-1....1/4.-ib.---....offii...,c.,...........---Ara-4:: - ---- - - - '
"There will always
be celebrations and
jubilations and
seasons for
• • 9 9
1./37 • FL AVIA
This is your season Goderich Township...
truly a time for celebrations and jubilations.
Bedford A
• Motel
centrally located on Highvtiay 21, GOderich
ph: 524-7348
the first white couple married in Goderich
Township.
Early settlement in the township
recollects life in "the wilderness." For
William and Charlotte Elizabeth Jowett,
Canada less than met their expectations.
The couple sold their tea business and set
sail for Canada in 1833. They found life in the
colonies to be lonely and difficult. They set-
tled near Bayfield. Their area had no school,
so the following letter was written:
Goderich Township
22nd January, 1847
To the Sirs of the Council of the County of
Huron -
We, the undersigned, being ata distance of 4
to 6 miles from the nearest school to the ex-
tremity of the township bordering on
Stanley, do crave your Indulgence to take
the case into your consideration and hope
you will form another division in our
neighborhood. There are 34 children to at-
tend school, but wholly excluded owing to
the great distance.
The early settlers blazed trails through
virgin forests, cleared the land,, built crude
housing and worked to turn the wilderness
into home.
John Baker (1842-193(1) was four years old
when his family crossed the Atlantic Ocean
from Ireland to Canada. His parents Robert
and Mary Anne bought a tract of densely
wooded land at CMt/L72 and proceeded to
clear it. A story in the Clinton News -Record
noted, "Two youngsters with a basket of
fresh produce from the farm of Robert
Baker, an Irish gentleman and early
pioneer in Goderich Township, trudged 12
miles with only a blazed trail to follow. It
was evening when the lads returned along
the same blazed trail, covering 24 miles in
all and carrying each a brand new hoe over
the shoulder to assist their father in farm-
ing." The young lads were John Baker and
one of his brothers.
Stories tell of orphan Home Boys from
,England, like Henry Corey who came from
Birmingham, England in 1855 to the William
Wise family in Goderich Township.
• Family history in the township recounts
the great immigration in the late 1940's and
early 1950's from Holland. Names like Haak
and Greidanus are now Well known in the
township.
Their stories recall the war years, of the
Turn to page 19 •
Best Wishes to our
many friends in
Goderich Township
POUR HY-TEST READY MIX
* Guaranteed High7StrengtF! Concrete
•We use only approved, graded and washed aggregates
* Radio Equipped Trucks to serve you' better
• •Modern,MTC Approved Ready-Mix,lant
•Experienced, Professional, Courteous Drivers
VEST
'READY MIX LTD.
Bayfield Road CLINTON 482-3431