The Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-07-10, Page 54u,
, 1
They-'ir
een" , On about each
. • r 4 I
eiT7 „ ' ' fam i 1 f4u i way of life in
their.,: 0*, int 1,esearelking. available local. -,-.
resources. • What a valuable - heirloom this
picture will become to Illeir*desdOnde.nts in
years to come!
JOHN DONLEY (1.7994879) contracted
for OE/L31 from the Canada Company in.
Scjitember 1835 and received the deed in
1851. Although the word mortgage is not us-
ed, he probably made regular payment to
the Company - and if he had defaulted .or,
decided not to continue on that Lot) they
could have sold his land to somebody else.
In those days, of course, the land would be
primarily bush and in order to grow any
crop, our pioneer would have to clear these
trees. A time-consuming, labour-intensive
job, but probably the first he would tackle -
acre by acre over many years.
Initially the lumber was usually. burned -
in order to dispOse of it - while the ashes left
from this burning could be processed and
sold as potash. Some farmers used these
ashes on their land as their first fertilizers
but we must remember the necesSirkticeihr
Barb Betties has compiled a framed record documenting the heritage
of their Goderich Township farm
some cash with which to make the con-
tracted lanttpayments. In early days potash
was the only existing source of a strong
alkali - basic for soap, glass, paint, baking
powder, etc.and so was in demand: It was
However we,also find such varied produce
as grass seed, pork, butter, lard, flour,
wheat, lumber, oats, bacon and hams, bark,
isinglass, fish and peas listed as exports
from the Port of Goderich in this 1850
often a farmer's first cash crop. Report.
In 1850 figures which listed exports from Unfortunately we have few existing
gaderich,t as, e product which records of our early Pletieers and their.lives.
.216eidedi.4 4btaidit fibliLVANitearliesbiliderieliTottnsluprionfilsiike
The Council
and Residents
of the
Town of Goderich
4 A
*de
i•vrop acreageA
es and age, •
elle* were recorded.
out bow many people there
were in a family and the general eget (le, .
two males under five)- but no specific& It is
not until the 11161, 1871 and 1881 'census •
(available • on mieriifilna 7' at our local .•
librariee). that we find alisthigtel the names.
misIbleigas of all haasehOldinembersi
• a result we have very little information
regarding _John DOrdey , and his faintly. We
know he likely •worked at alearingstlia land
and building a home - probably a one storey
legibuilding. In 1842 he had only four of his 80
acres cleared.
JOIN COLWELL: It was in 1851 tbat John
Colwell bought the land. John had married
Mary Ann Browning in Nova Scotia and they
raised six sons and six daughters. In those -
days all of the cropping 'would be done by
hand - since no mechanization was yet,
available. Oxen and horses would provide \
the only alternative to man -power. Perhaps
their large families were considered a reaL
blessing (even a necessity) by those
pioneers?
The 1850 census rectorded acres in wheat,
barley, rye, oats, Indian corn. Buck wheat
• potatoes, peas, mangels, turnips, and hay
along with the holdings of apples, maple
Tonto page 4A •
est Wishes •
to our friends
in Goderich Township
HAVE A GREAT SES UICENTENNIALI
FROM THE RA
Left to right: Steve (bock), Adam, Sally, Michael
Ltt
RathweIl .
M.EgritebGRAFT
1,10.
STEVE RATHWELL, PROPRIETOR
*Custom Ornamental Railings
•Spiral Stairs
*Custom Machining
R.R. 5 GMB 123
CLINTON
482-3523