“WEST DURHAM BOY” WITH GRANDAD’S MEMORY TELLS OF PERSONS AND CONDITIONS IN PIONEER DAYS.
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At your request, Mr. Editor, I shall try to supplement the very interesting narrative about Tyrone written by Rev. David Rogers whose career I have watched from his own early days. At the outset I may say that the genesis of the village of Tyrone is somewhat uncertain as to the chronology but may be accepted as about the year 1830 and the selection of the site as due to the waterpower afforded by the creek at the western limit of the village. This power was first utilized to operate a small sawmill but subsequently as the power to drive a flourmill or gristmill as they were termed. This latter was built by Mr. James McFeeters who later moved to Bowmanville and became its first mayor, filling the office for a number of years.
The origin of the village was practically a demand for a centre of supply to meet the immediate domestic needs of the settlement. Bowmanville, the nearest distributing point, was then a day’s journey distant by oxcart or foot power. There were no automobiles or other means of rapid transportation then. The name of the village as stated by your versatile contributor, Rev. D. Rogers, was a touch of their auld home by the first settlers who were all natives of County Tyrone, Ireland.
The first of these pioneers of whom definite knowledge is obtainable was Mr. John Gray, who located near the present village, about the year 1810. Mr. Gray pre-empted Lot 9. Concession 6, Darlington. The east half of the lot is now known as the Brent and Annis Farm’s. The letters written by Mr. Gray to his home in Newton Stewart, Tyrone, Ireland, were of such an optimistic character that a considerable number of his relatives decided to try the “New World” and about 1820 this exodus to America as it was then known began. The first to cross “the big herring pond” was Mr. Henry Paton, a brother-in-law to Mr. Gray. Mr. Paton for some reason unknown to me first located at Hamburg, near Bath, in Frontenac County, but a few years later moved to Darlington and located on Lot 6, Concession 7, the farm now owned by Mr. James Hodgson.
The next immigrants to arrive were the McClung Brothers, John and William. The latter located on lots 9 and 10, Con. 7. The north side of Tyrone is located on the south end of these lots. The family of William McClung located on lot 6, Con. 7, south of Henry Paton’s , the farm more recently owned by Mr. Samuel Pollard, now Registrar for West Durham. Later the Weldon and other families arrived and located on Lots 10, 11 and 12, Concession 3. I think that about that time also came Mr. John Hughes. These families were all related either, near or distantly. About this period also came the Nugent family and located on lot 8, con.7. Another settler who later joined them was Mr. Archibald Bingham, who opened the first Inn or public house in the village.
The first general store was opened by the McClungs – John and Thomas, sons of John aforesaid. This business was soon after acquired by Mr. John Gray, their cousin, and son of John Gray who sold his farm and went into store keeping.
In the Gray family there was another son James, and a daughter Mary. James became a minister in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and at his death was a missionary secretary. Mary married James McFeeters. John, some 35 years ago, moved to Burlington where he died.
The family of John McClung – John, Thomas, Samuel and James all went into business. James first opened a store in Tyrone in the building recently owned by Oliver Stock, harness maker. He afterwards joined his brothers in Bowmanville. There were two daughters in this family. One of them was the late Mrs. George Shaw of Bowmanville, and the sister Miss McClung died recently in Toronto.
Of William McClung’s family, Samuel owned the farm, lot 9, conc. 7, afterwards owned by Mr. Wm. Clemens. William started a carriage factory in Bowmanville, James went into the ministry and Robert located in Manvers.
In the family of Henry Paton there were two sons, David and William. David died a young man on the farm. William moved to Toronto and was one of the first victims of the electric street cars, being killed at the corner of Broadview and King Streets. There were five sisters who married respectively, Messrs. William Rogers, Alex. H. Gibbard, James Nugent, James McClung and Andrew Dunbar.
In the Orr family there were two sons, William and Robert. The former W. H. Orr took up insurance and was for many years Toronto Manager for the Etna Life Assurance Company. Robert took a University Course and became a teacher, and was at one time engaged as head of the Tyrone School.
With the history of the Weldon family the writer is unfortunately not familiar. One son is in Toronto engaged in the paper business and I understand a descendant is still living on the farm first taken up in Darlington.
In the Hughes family there were two sons, John and Samuel. The former in early life learned the carpenter trade but afterwards became a teacher. Samuel occupied lot7, con. 7 opposite to Mr. Henry Paton’s.
While Tyrone was still a hamlet, the country was unbroken forest, and the roads only blazed trails, other settlers began to arrive and as late as 1830 the road to Bowmanville was only a trail and the means of locomotion was walking.
In that year on of the Misses Paton volunteered to give “a neighbour”, Mrs. Jacob Neads of Bowmanville, assistance in her domestic affairs for a few days, and when in later days was asked what means of getting to Bowmanville she employed very naively replied, “Why walked, what do you think? When she was asked about the roads replied, “why yes, I just followed the blazed trees”. She went nine miles on a blazed trail to help a neighbour!
The first of these younger pioneers to arrive was Alex. H., and William Gibbard. These brothers came during the troublous times of W. Lyon McKenzie in 1834. They located on lot 10, con. 6. Alex. H., on the north and William on the south half. These brothers had exchanged their previous home on the Napanee River for this lot, which a Mr. A. Carscallen had taken up.
Closely following them came David Bell, Robert Hodgson and John McLaughlin. These three located on the opposite side of the road on lot 11, concession 6 and 7. Mr. Bell and Mr. Hodgson on conc.6, and Mr. McLaughlin on conc.7. The first was a Scotsman, the second Yorkshire man. And the third an Ulster Irishman. These were the men who owned the land upon which Tyrone is built. Only the Hodgson and McLaughlin farms remain in the families of the original owners. It is an interesting coincident that these families are united in that Mr. Geo. W. McLaughlin of automobile fame in Oshawa, who is a grandson of John McLaughlin and Mrs. Geo. W. McLaughlin is a granddaughter of Robert Hodgson.
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Perhaps here a digression might be pardoned for a personal reference to this little band of worthies, the first settlers, who courageously faced the comparatively unknown. They left moderately comfortable homes and pleasant surroundings and assumed the responsibilities, hardships, dangers and privations of life in an unmapped wilderness. Most of these men were merchants or tradesmen at home, Mr. Paton being the only farmer of the party.
Of the fathers, traditions bear to us only their outstanding characteristics and these several individuality, character and courage of high order.
John Gray comes to us as a courageous, dignified, well educated gentleman of the old school, gifted with an appreciation of humour and the Irish fondness for a joke or humorous story, looked up to by his neighbours and friends as a leader of men. The McClung brothers, John and William, were quiet methodical men well read and with a decided bent toward business and not enamoured of farm life with its hardships and isolation. Wm. Orr, was the philosopher of the band, silent, studious, clear in thought, and epigrammatic in conversation.
Henry Paton was a good thinker rather eloquent in speech and argumentative to an extreme degree. Of all the band he took the keenest interest in public affairs and I believe was the sole Liberal of the party. Of the Weldons I again express regret at inability to particularize as my acquaintance with the family was limited. Of the Elder Hughes I am also ignorant.
Much of the character and fibre of these men can be gathered from their progeny and this is illuminating, revealing them to as the salt of the earth and men to be held in esteem amounting to veneration by all the succeeding generations of their descendents. The McClung’s contributed to the town of Bowmanville a firm of its most successful and widely known merchants. In its day, McClung Brothers was a firm of high standing in British Commercial Circles. The other branch of the family contributed a popular minister to the Methodist Church and his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Nellie McClung, has added lustre to the name. The Grays also contributed its quota to the ministry in the person of the late Rev. James Gray, one of the outstanding personalities of his generation. The Orrs gave us Mr. Robert a clever and successful Educationalist, and William a leader in the Insurance world as head of The Etna Life for Toronto. The Paton family on the female side produced two clergymen of more than ordinary ability and standing. The Rev. Francis Nugent, late President of the London Conference, and Rev. D. Rogers, known to all of Darlington old people and many of the younger, a successful publisher of New York, Wilbur Nugent. On the Gibbard side three successful business men in John, Thomas, and George E., the first had just been advanced to the position as Manager for the old wholesale drug firm of Elliott and Co., at the age of 30, when his death ended a promising career; Thomas, who recently died in Montreal, for many years connected with the wholesale Drug Trade of that city, and George E., of Toronto, who is accorded by his fellow members, the most prominent and outstanding position in the Retail Drug Trade of the Dominion.
The families, however, who have made for themselves the largest place in national life are the Hughes’ and the McLaughlin’s. The heads of these families, Mr. John Hughes, and Mr. John McLaughlin merit a much more lengthy reference than space will afford, and their sons have proved worthy of their ancestry. Mr. John Hughes was a man of rare and varied ability, a typical Irish gentleman endowed with all the Irish man’s wit and humour; possibly his most marked characteristic was a marvellously tenacious memory. The writer recalls hearing him one night in John Gray’s store, at the time of the 66 Fenian raid, repeat a humorous parody of over two hundred, four line stanzas, descriptive of the Fenian trouble in Ireland some years previous At its conclusion he stated that he had not repeated this poem for twenty years. Of his sons we all know Sir Sam, first in prominence, as Minister of Militia in the country’s most critical period. He achieved a success not surpassed by any incident of the great war, not even over-shadowed by immortal Verdun. In a non-military country just emerging from colonial status he raised, trained, equipped and transported to Great Britain an army of 33,000 men in the inconceivable limited period of six months and two months later that band of heroes faced and held and defeated the onslaught of the army outnumbering them 10 to 1, part of the most highly trained and perfectly equipped fighting machine that ever took the field in the world’s history. The place of Sir Sam in Canadian history is assured. Dr. James L., of Toronto, ranks among the leaders of Education of America. As Inspector of Toronto Schools he had much to do with giving lead and direction in the organization of our present Educational system. He has in addition contributed very considerably to Canadian literature and maintains an activity in public life, when, the average man of his years is contemplating, from the “inglenook” a completed career.
John McLaughlin was perhaps the strongest personality of his community, strong, unyielding, uncompromising where principle was concerned and stern almost to the dourness of a Scottish Chieftain. He savoured more largely of the Scotch Covenanter than the ”broth of the bye” from the Emerald Isle. A Presbyterian of the “black north” he tolerated no concessions to the son of darkness and yet was a citizen of highest type. The first of his sons to forge to the front was Dr. James who achieved a brilliant record in Toronto School of Medicine by winning the highest honours and the gold medal for his years. He for many years held a place on the Board of Examiners of that school. He started practice first in Enniskillen. Afterwards removed to Bowmanville. During his residence in Enniskillen he was elected to the Legislature of the province as a running mate with the Hon. Edward Blake who sat for the same riding in the Commons. Robert next came to the front as a Carriage Manufacturer in Oshawa and maintained the lead until the automobile became king when he transferred his allegiance to the new sovereign of the road and in this sphere, only the band wagon is allowed in front of the McLaughlin the acknowledged Canadian Standard. His sons, Mr. R. Samuel, and George W. bulk large in Canadian Industry and the progress, while the late Mr. J.J. of Toronto, made the name a household word with every handler and consumer of aerated water, general bottled goods and soda fountain supplies in the Dominion.
This is rather a more lengthy digression than had been my purpose but as the familiar figures come trouping back in memory the temptation overcomes me to portray in a sketchy manner the men who have been an inspiration to achievement in a more than average active and moderately successful career.
Taking up again the story of the village the record shows that the first minister to the settlement was the Rev. Mr. Fossett, and the incidents of his coming I saw related in the reminiscences of Mrs. Margaret Gibbard, published recently . Mr. Fossett was a Wesleyan Methodist and to this denomination belonged most of the settlers. Services were first held in the homes of the people but later a congregation was organized and the first church erected on land donated by Mr. McClung, located on the road east of the village just opposite the present home of Mr. Wesley R. Clemens. I believe a small burying ground still exists on the site. As the cause grew a church in the village was decided on and again Mr. McClung contributed the land on the site where the present Methodist Church stands. This second church was built in the forties, about 1844. The first Christian Church was built some few years later. This later building is, I believe still standing in the rear of the new Parsonage. Among the early Wesleyan Ministers was a Rev. Geo. Cosford about 1850, and the Local preacher was Mr. Henry Paton. The first school established in the village was about 1860, and the section was formed out of parts of old sections 10 and 13. The former locally known as Jardine’s School and the latter as Farrell’s School. Previous to this the children of the village attended these two schools, entailing a walk twice a day of from 1 ½ to 2 miles.
The school building was a two story frame on the site of the present building. The first teacher was Mr. Samuel Burden, who had been the teacher at No. 10 previously. The first lady assistant was a Miss Riggs, who lived near Enniskillen. Mr. Irwin followed Mr. Burden. Then Mr. Crawford, afterwards Mr. W.E. Tilley and following him Mr. Henry Hooper succeeded by Mr. A. Barber, which brings us down to Modern History. Miss Carrie Gibbard, Miss Sarah Tuer and Miss Mary Watson in order named succeeded Miss Riggs.
The first brick house erected in the village was adjoining John Gray’s store and for twenty years occupied by the late John T. Welch, tailor, who was for a long period the village postmaster. The building was erected by an eccentric man named Malluish. The first telegraph office was opened here and Miss Bessie Welch (now Mrs. Jos. Hawkey) was the first operator.
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History of Tyrone - Part 3
The only stone house in the village was built by Mr. John Gray adjoining his store and it still stands as solid as when erected over 60 years ago. In the passing of the village from log house to the frame house status, the first recorded carpenter to operate was a Jasper Clarke, a Yankee from “Down East”. He was first employed by Mr. John Gray to build a house on the present William Brent farm. Many of the older buildings still standing were built by Mr. Alex. H. Gibbard who was a practical carpenter, as were also his brothers Thomas and Charles, who followed he and William to Tyrone, Charles locating in the village, and Thomas a mile north on what is now the Woodley farm.
Among the men who assisted at the erection of McFeeters Mill were Mr. John Hughes and Christopher Mitchell (“Kit”), a local character envied by every boy and adolescent youth of the township of Darlington for his skill, athletic agility, ready wit and dare-devil performances at the “raising” of every building, where he invariably attended.
James Jamieson was also largely interested in the building operations of this period. Two brothers named Daniel and William White who afterwards located at Solina or Bowmanville were the first stone masons recalled by the writer, these being succeeded by Mr. John Hoidge.
May I begin this number of my sketches by saying how pleased I am to read the contribution in by Dr. James L. Hughes, supplying information of the Weldon family which as I stated I was unable to do. Be it understood by your readers that my notes are of a sketchy character, with no purpose of going fully into family history and naturally many minor details will likely go unmentioned especially when I am writing entirely from memory.
My reference to Mr. John Hughes as a carpenter was the result of a conversation between Mr. Hughes himself, Mr. John Gray and Kit Mitchell with the writer as fourth party. During this conversation an amusing incident was recalled by the party, relating to the “framing” of the McFeeters Mill, and, as Mr. John Hughes was a main actor in the incident and must have been engaged in this “Framing”, I naturally assumed that he was a carpenter.
I find also that I was in error in my impression that the fathers of Messrs. John and Samuel Hughes came to Canada with the party of Irish Referred to.
The Kitty McLeod, so pleasingly referred to by Dr. Hughes, is Miss Kate McLeod, daughter of the late D.W. McLeod, general merchant, Enniskillen, grand daughter of William Rogers, Esquire, great-granddaughter of Mr. Henry Paton, niece of the late Mr. John McLeod, M.P.P., and also of the Rev. D. Rogers, your versatile contributor. Hence her natural brilliancy is a legitimate ancestral inheritance. The Mr. McIntyre to whom Dr. Hughes refers is an old Ontario boy from down near Ottawa.
Undoubtedly there are numerous equally interesting events and incidents as those recorded, unknown to either Dr. Hughes or the writer and I join in your anticipation that your publishing of these historical sketches may bring them out as in the interesting article contributed by Dr. Hughes last week.
The first churches in the village warrant a brief reference. The Wesleyan---the earliest erected – was located in the centre of the village on the site now occupied by the brick edifice, a frame building, painted white, with sharp pointed gable windows. The inside was furnished in most severe style, the pews being pine, square-built, straight back, all fitted with doors. When artificial light was required, it was supplied by tallow candles set in candle sticks attached to the walls and backed by shining tin reflectors. The writer on many occasions saw the two ushers going down the aisle snuffing the candles to renew their lighting capacity. There were four turned posts attached to the ends of two of the middle rows of seats. These were all adorned with candles. It was a distinctly exciting event when this “light of other days” gave place to the brilliantly illuminating coal-oil lamps with their silver reflectors.
Service in this church was held in the afternoon preceded by the “Sunday School”. Consequently candle light and lamp light services were rare occasions. So much for the church.
In the people centre the main interest. Two square pews occupied the north-west and north east corners and the holders of these were Mr. Wm. Clemens on the west and Mr. Abram Younie on the east. Mr. John Gray held a pew in the centre their and these three were the aristocracy of that church, being “cushioned”; that of Mr. Younie being carpeted and contained the rare luxury of foot-stools. Immediately behind Mr. Younie’s came the pew of Mr. Henry Paton, the last to remain of the original settlers. Behind that came the Gibbard pew and next farther back the Bingham pew. Mr. John Washington’s family located a couple of pews behind John Gray’s and the rear pew of the centre tier was held by Mr. Robert Hodgson.
In this church originated one of the widely known institutions of the village, the Tyrone choir. The reputation of this little musical organization extended beyond the limits of Darlington township and at the zenith of its popularity assisted at entertainments in adjoining villages and even in Bowmanville. This choir was under the directionship of the late Mr. John Hambly, who on leaving Tyrone located in Port Hope. Mr. Hambly “led the choir” with a violin –“the converted fiddle” as it was jocularly called, on which he was a skilled performer. A second violin was played by his brother Edward, and Mr. John Hoidge, mason, played the “cello”. The vocalists as I recall them at this date were Mrs. Abraham Younie, Mrs. J. T. Welch, and Miss Lizzie Bingham (Mrs. Ed. Shannon) soprano, Miss Nellie Bingham, Miss Ida Gross, and later Miss M. J. Clemens contralto; Mr. A. Younie, Mr. J. T. Welch, Mr. Thos. Windatt, bass; Mr. Frank Northcott, and later Walter Washington, tenor.
This choir held together for many years and on the departure of Mr. Hambly for Port Hope was led for a short time by a Mr. Tibbett with a clarinet. This subsequently gave place to an organ with Miss Charlotte Clemens as first organist and Walter Washington as assistant. Before this choir was organized a Mr. John Clemens, brother-in-law of Mr. Younie, acted as presentor or “pitched the tune”, as it was then termed. In his absence Mr. Younie officiated.
This Wesleyan Church was built during the later forties and its passing came in rather a spectacular manner. At an anniversary entertainment in the later sixties, the Rev. Mr. McDonough of Cartwright, was the star performer, and during the day of the entertainment he had discovered that a number of the leading members were more than well fixed with this world’s goods, so decided that the time of the “tabernacle” had passed and a permanent “abiding place for the ark” was imperative, so at the evening meeting her “trained his batteries” and “opened” on that group at ease in Zion such a broadside of round shot, shrapnel and high explosives in the form of Irish wit, bit sarcasm and bitter invective as swept away the old gable-eyed shack to be replaced by the present spire tipped edifice.
The first Bible Christian Church in the east of the village was organized some time in the early fifties and was a sequence to the influx of a large number of settlers from Devon and Cornwall, England, where before leaving the Old Land they had been members or adherents of that church of Bryanites, as they were first called from the name of the founder. The leaders of this church were Mr. Samuel Vanstone, his brother John, Mr. Robert Callacott, Mr. Wm. Brent, Mr. Joseph Couch, Mr. John Hellyar, Mr. James Branton, Mr. Wm. Elliott , Mr. Thos, Williams, Mr. James Curtis and Mr. Samuel Pollard.
Among the outstanding clergymen who preached in this church were the Rev. Cephas Barker, Rev. W. S. Pascoe, Rev. John Kenner, Rev. Edward Roberts and, last but not least, the Rev. John H. Eynon. All of these men possessed strong personalities and were characterized by fervid earnestness, forceful delivery and very aggressive in the work of their Master. Rev. Mr. Eynon was particularly interesting to the boys of the village, as local tradition credited him with having been a skillful pugilist in youth and his discourses surely strengthened the belief partaking much of the Bill Sunday style.
Now this bit of church history is interjected here as presenting many of the men whose coming and future activities created the life and made the history of the village.
I have previously referred to the Gibbard brothers, David Bell, Robert Hodgson and John McLaughlin; following closely these men came Mr. Samuel and John Vanstone, Cornishmen by birth, and Abram Younie. Mr. Vanstone acquired the mill from Mr. James McFeeters and by careful industry, skill and more than average business ability expanded his business into an export trade of creditable dimensions. Vanstone’s flour became a product of high repute in the British market and during the entire year the teams of Charles Walter and Joseph Moore delivered daily some 40 to 50 barrels of 196 pounds each, at the Bowmanville station or wharf.
Mr. Vanstone also took a leading part in the municipal life of the township, was, I think, Warden of the Counties and more than once was offered nomination for parliament.
A barrel factory was the accompaniment of the mill and this Mr. Abram Younie supplied. I think he was a Canadian, born in Toronto. At least, I know that his boyhood days were spent in Toronto when it was a town and among his schoolmates were the two Camerons, John Hilliard and Matthew Crooks and the Gooderhams. Mr. Younie was duck shooting on Ashbridge’s Bay with Mr. Matthew Crooks (Matt) Cameron when the latter received the gunshot wound that caused him the loss of a leg. Mr. Younie located in Bowmanville before moving to Tyrone and always conducted a barrel factory in that town to supply the McDougall Mill for its export trade. Later he acquired a water power east of Tyrone and erected a stave factory. From his business activities he acquired a competency, finally locating in Bowmanville and took an active interest in its public life occupying the position of mayor for sometime.
A little later came John Washington and acquired the farm of James McClung north of the village. Mr. Washington was of Cumberland, North of England Stock. His immediate ancestors had located near the present Solina, then better known as Pelchard Town, and in that neighbourhood his brothers remained becoming prominent in the life of Darlington. Mr. Washington was above the average in intelligence and a progressive farmer. Desiring a wider scope he moved to Wawanoah Township, near Goderich, and succeeded as an advanced agriculturist and financially as well.
One of these three families that of Mr. Younie had no children of their own but adopted two. The Vanstone boys were successful, the oldest son, Jabez C., acquired the Tyrone Mill and later the Bowmanville Mill and achieved business success. Arthur taught school and later became a merchant in Brantford. Byron of brilliant promise died young. Through the daughter side, Bowmanville has Dr. A. S. Tilley and Mr. Norman W. Tilley, K.C., Toronto, now one of the leading legal men of the Dominion, with an international reputation of high order.
Of the Washingtons, one son, Dr. Walter, located in Newark, N.J., and took a leading place being Medical Health Officer for the city for many years. S. Fred is Crown Attorney for the city of Hamilton and recognized in legal circles as a safe and efficient adviser and guide.
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History of Tyrone - Part 4
These sketches have now brought us to what was practically a transitionary period in the character of the village, for, up to the present, has been maintained largely the impress of the village’s originators – the north of Ireland men.
In the late forties and early fifties, a new and distinctly different national element began to arrive which give also a distinct character to the community life. These were the South of England men who came from Devon and Cornwall, men of that sturdy and courageous stock of high venture which had given to England many of its most renowned sea captains, admirals and naval heroes. While differing in nation characteristics, educational attainments and objectives in life, they were equals in sturdy independence resourcefulness, thrift, high character and religious fervour. They measured up to man’s size as worthy successors to these who had set the underpinning of the social and community structure, and their contribution maintained this structure at the high standard set by the real founders of the village.
Drawn for the most part from the humbler walks of life, they readily adjusted themselves to their new surroundings and turned to advantage the opportunities presented in an undeveloped country, rich in natural resources and generous in yielding of its wealth to willing workers of frugal habits. The coming of these sturdy men and women from the land of apple dumplings and potato pasties was an expansion rather than a change or displacement. They became attached and the “other end of the village” developed a distinctly English atmosphere with its varied phases and idioms of speech, modes of life and action, habits of thought and persistent, tireless industry and thrift, a friendly rivalry as well as cooperation developed between these two distinct elements which manifested itself in the adoption of a new name for he “East End” for many years the name “Mount Hope” was a familiar designation for the Eastern half of the village with “Trick’s Corners” at the intersection of the roads. This latter name for the corners was due to the location of the first wagon and blacksmith shop of the village on the corner, owned by Mr. Charles Trick.
As before noted the coming of these English settlers began about 1850 and one of the first was Mr. James Branton who landed in that year. He had been a farm hand in the old country and readily followed the same life in Canada. I believe he first found employment with Mr. A. H. Gibbard. He was soon acquired in the village and sent for the family left “at Home” in England. Mr. Wm. Elliott was also another early arrival, following Mr. Branton closely. He, Too, was a farm workman who quickly found employment and made a home for his family. A descendant of Mr. Branton is now winning notice in the musical life of New York. Others followed rapidly, among them a number of tradesmen who established themselves in their various callings and prospered in meeting the requirements of the growing community. Mr. John Hellyar and Mr. John Hambly were for many years the only shoemakers of the village – one from Cornwall and the other from Devonshire. Both were located at the east end. Mr. Hambly as stated eventually moved to Port Hope, and Mr. Hellyar to Bowmanville, and both prospered in the new venture.
Mr. John Hoidge was the stone mason and plasterer upon whom the community relied and almost up to the time of his removal to Toronto enjoyed a monopoly of the trade. His home was also in the East End. The family of Mr. Hoidge has made a place in the business and professional life of Toronto. Mr. John Hoidge, jr., established himself as an expert inside ornamental marble and cement decorator; Dr. G. T. Hoidge, Bloor St., enjoys a lucrative practice as a foremost physician of the city, and Mr. W. H. Hoidge is prominent in real estate circles.
As previously mentioned Mr. Chas. Trick operated the first black smith and wagon shop, of which I have knowledge, in the village, located at the East End of the blacksmith shop on the north east corner and the wagon shop immediately adjoining it on the east. The wagon shop was later acquired by Mr. Thomas Williams who moved it some little distance west and on the south side of the street, the blacksmith shop remained on the corner and was later owned by Mr. Geo. Emmerson. The second blacksmith shop established was by Mr. Wm. Armstrong. This was in the west and just east of the Post Office on the opposite side of the street. Mr. Armstrong was a Scotchman, from Glasgow, I believe. Mr. Donald Fraser afterwards acquired this business and the property a second wagon shop was also started by Mr. Matthew Cole, a Cornishman, at the extreme west end adjoining the mill and later Mr. Henry Woods started and third a connection with Armstrong’s blacksmith shop, Mr. Woods was also Cornish. The carpenters of the village were Mr. Wm. Darlington in the east end and Mr. Thos. (Tuck) Gardiner in the west. Mr. Darlington later opened a grocery adjoining the school house but Mr. Gardiner continued at his trade during his life.
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History of Tyrone - Part 5
As general merchants I have mentioned Mr. John Gray and Mr. James McClung the first. The store in the west end started by Mr. Gray is, I think, still in operation. On the removal of Mr. McClung to Whitby, a Mr. Samuel Trewin from Enniskillen, opened in the store and operated it for a few years. He later moved to Oshawa and achieved success during the palmy days of the Joseph Hall Works.
On the south-east corner opposite his blacksmith shop, Mr. Chas. Trick erected a building and for a short time conducted a store, but this was not a success and for many years it was vacant. Sometime in the later sixties, Glover & Prust opened a general store and merchant tailoring business in this building. This was afterwards acquired by Mr. James Elliott who came from Hampton. During the time of Mr. Elliott it had as an assistant a young man who is to-day one of the most successful and popular business men of the United Counties – Mr. Samuel Clarke, M.P.P., of Cobourg, at present the cleverest and wittiest speaker in the Ontario Legislature, and withal an upright and conscientious politician. Among other assistants in these businesses were a Mr. John Eakins, grandson of Mrs. H. Paton who became successful in Harriston, but now retired and living in Leamington. Mr. Edward Fielding, head of the firm of the E. Fielding & Son, naval stores, and a prominent social and temperance worker and Mr. John S. Bond, a successful Gerrard street grocer, Toronto. The late Mr. Thos. Bingham whose wide acquaintance and popularity was surpassed by no other citizen of Darlington or Bowmanville. Just here I experience pleasure in referring to the family of this gentleman. His sons and daughters ranked among the most active in the social and church life of the village, the daughters gifted with musical ability and voices above the ordinary devoted these gifts to the church and community betterment. Mr. James was a lifelong and ardent temperance worker a granddaughter Miss. Ida daughter of Gilbert, was about the most popular young lady of her period.
The village at one time boasted two hotels or taverns, as we called them – the western one by Mr. Archibald Bingham, before mentioned, and that of the East by Mr. John Maynard, brother of Mr. Joseph Maynard host of the popular Farmers’ Hotel in Bowmanville. This hotel was located on the north-west corner opposite Trick’s blacksmith shop. These hostelries drew their main support from the teaming traffic on the Manvers Road, down which flowed a never-ending stream of lumber and produce of the country north before it was tapped by railroads and its forests depleted.
This is a brief glimpse of the village activities at the zenith of its prosperity. It would be an incomplete story if a reference to the main contributing factor of this prosperity were omitted from the narrative. There would have been no ‘Story of Tyrone’ had this factor been absent. I have in mind the sturdy progressive agricultural citizens who surrounded and were incorporated in the village life and activities. The old “originals” had passed almost entirely, before this period, and the second group had become firmly established. I have mentioned Mr. John McLaughlin, Mr. Robert Hodgson, Mr. David Bell, Mr. A. H. Gibbard, and Mr. John Washington. Of their associates, Mr. Wm. Clemens stands easily first as a successful progressive farmer, fully abreast of the leaders of his period. Aggressive in action, positive of opinion, sound of judgment and shrewd in business, his dominating personality naturally created some antagonism and aroused mild jealousy. He was nevertheless, a good citizen, loyal friend and generous in support of all movements for community betterment and ever responsive to the call of public service. Mr. Wm. Brent, calm, methodical, thoughtful, never specially aggressive, but ever dependable, an intelligent farmer, believing in the application of brains to agriculture and the improvement of stock in all lines of domestic animals. Mr. Samuel Pollard, a God-fearing man who never compromised on a principle. Father Collacott facing the sunset with serene confidence of the glorious morning beyond, living over again life’s activities in the successes of his two prosperous sons, Robert and James. Mr. Joseph Couch, temperamental, highly emotional and ardent, primitive to ruggedness, he was an appreciable factor in the village church life. Mr. Thomas Windatt, well read, studious, reserved, some-what misplaced in a world calling for two-fisted action, he supplied a much needed balance where worldly aggressiveness was not the less noticeable characteristic. Mr. Windatt and Mr. John Washington were two of the licensed local preachers of the Wesleyan Church, who officiated at the different appointments throughout the Darlington circuit.
These are the men, who largely made the Tyrone that I knew and to which I frequently revert in memory and dreams. I have been content with just a brief reference to the men who founded and developed the village and, as before remarked, gave character to its community life. The narrative might be very considerably extended by utilizing the wealth of interesting material available in the district contiguous to but not forming an integral part of the village of Tyrone. Equally outstanding in personality with the men of the village where the men of the outlying district.
I recall such men as Messrs. Samuel Dunn, William Roy, Henry Hoar, Roger and John Cole, Rhomas Jardin, Edward White, William Hoskin, Richard Barrett, John Vanstone, James Curtis, James Kelley, William Brown, Thomas Scott, James Woodley and others. The sons and daughters and grandchildren of some of the men are now the residents of the district. To some one or more of these I leave the compilation of the more modern history of Tyrone, as a second edition to this contribution on ancient history, Similarly with the group of men I have endeavoured to portray, their descendants are the men and women of to-day and much detail could be filled in where I have merely sketched an outline.
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History of Tyrone - Part 6
There is one phase of the village life upon which, so far, I have not touched and it is with hesitancy that I introduce it, feeling a total inability to measure up to its requirements. I have in mind the women of the community. As a backward glance reveals all that it meant to be a women of the first settlers in an unchartered wilderness and primeval forest, I undercover to the heroic. It impresses me that a wealth of vocabulary not in my possession and more facile pen than I wield could find ample scope in the subject for an epic on Devotion. Most of the Newton Stewart contingency exchanged homes of comfort and comparative plenty for the log cabin, scant larder and blazed trail, and upon the women the burden entailed, bore not lightly.
Of these heroines my acquaintance was limited to two – Mrs. Henry Paton and Mrs. John McClung. By the conversation of these two and that of their daughters, it is established that their standard maintained throughout the entire group. Eliminating the “halo of the past”, these two ladies radiate through the years as saints worthy of adoration. Serene, courageous, gentle, with sublime faith “they knew in whom they trusted”, and so thoroughly incorporated the principles of their faith in their daughters that unto the fourth generation, their elevated standard has been sustained and their high character preserved unsullied; their daughters who have passed on, their grand-daughters and great-granddaughters of to-day have proved worthy of their ancestry.
The same appreciation and unstinted measure of praise can be accorded the women of the successors to the pioneers. The prospective with them is foreshortened but the range is sufficient to permit an estimate of true values; and as the mother’s character and influence is the deepest and most enduring impress on the family, the altitude of standard maintained by these mothers is established by unassailable evidence in the character and achievements of the sons and daughters whom they equipped and sent out to play the part of men and women in nation building.
Of those worthy, dependable women of this second period the names which came to us most readily are; Mrs. Samuel Vanstone, Mrs. Abram Younie, Mrs. John McLaughlin, Mrs. William Clemens, Mrs. Matthew Cole, Mrs. John Gray, Mrs. Robert Collacott, Mrs. John Hellyar, Mrs. J. T. Welch, Mrs. Joseph Counch, Mrs. Geo. Emmerson, Mrs. John Washington, Mrs. A. H. Gibbard, and Mrs. John Hoidge. Others there were equally meriting mention, but the foregoing come without effort of memory as the leaders.
The full force of the influence of a character of integrity, sobriety, unswerving “honesty and that righteousness that exalteth a nation” on both the individual and community has been, and is being, demonstrated by the history and record of these people. A careful analysis of this record available shows that among these men and their descendants unto the third and fourth generation there were and are no drunkards and no criminals. Clean, upstanding, religious men and women, ranking with the best product of the land and standing with the foremost in every walk and activity of life. What a legacy to bequeath; what a inheritance to share, and what an inspiration to purity in life, nobility of character, cherishing of high ideals and a determined, unyielding urge after those higher things which alone afford the permanent satisfactions and which like the “new Jerusalem” shall not pass away. As a final item I want to refer to an institution of the village which I have overlooked – The Division of the Sons of Temperance. This organization was a live body including in its membership the leading residents who were active in its operations – Messrs. Younie, Windatt, Hellyar and James Bingham being the most regular in attendance and enthusiastic in the cause. Apart from the churches, the Division was practically the centre of the social life and the influence exerted was potent in the intellectual development of the young people of the village and surrounding district; and many of the young men who developed aptness for public life readily credit the Division with the first impulse,
The annual celebration at Christmas was an established function of wide popularity and attracted capacity crowds. The entertainment provided possessed much merit and one of the most frequent contributors was the present Dr. James L. Hughes who always received an enthusiastic reception. Mr. Thomas Yellowlees of Variety Hall fame, Bowmanville, now of Toronto, was also a much welcomed contributor in the musical line. Mr. Charlie Kelly of Bowmanville, was another favourite in song and banjo accompaniment.
I recall an amusing incident occurring at one of these entertainments. Mr. Hughes was in the midst of one of his most effective readings and at the most dramatic moment the stove pipe, which stretched from the rear to the front of the hall, suddenly parted immediately over the presiding officer’s chair and a section of some half dozen or more lengths hung by the supporting wire toward the centre of this section slowly swung to perpendicular, it emptied its generous accumulation of soot upon the audience and dignitaries below. After the ruction caused subsided the humour of the situation impressed itself and I recall that Kelly nearly expired in a paroxysm of laughter as he swayed from side to side seated on the edge of the platform
Now, I am through my self-imposed task, thank you. My feeling is that of pathetic pleasure such as experienced at the conclusion of a prolonged visit to the place of boyhood scenes, joys and sorrows, looking into the faces and grasping the hands of friends long lost but found again. Now “Curtain”; lights out. Exit!
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VILLAGE of TYRONE
It’s People, Churches, and Sunday School By Rev. David Rogers of St. Thomas.
I cannot give the dates when many of the early settlers came to this locality – possibly as far back as 1828-1830. Among them were McClung, Gray, and Patton – from Newton-Stewart, County Tyrone, Ireland, hence the name given to the village. As far back as I can remember, it was composed of one street, stretching from one side road to another – a distance of one half mile, and humorously spoken of, by one, as being “like a coachman’s whip – all length.”
For a good many years previous to 1868 two frame churches stood near each other, the Wesleyan Methodist and the Bible Christian. Membership and attendance were large in both and in 1868 each of these denominations decided to “arise and build”. The Wesleyan Church was completed and opened December 30, 1868, and the B.C. Church the week of the year 1869. After the Union of 1883-4 the latter named church was transformed into the present building which has ever since been occupied as the Circuit parsonage.
The writer did not attend the day school of this village but can recall the names of some of the teachers; Samuel Burden, Wm. E. Tilley and George Smith. As a member of the Wesleyan Sunday School I remember Wm. Clemens and John Gray in the capacity of Superintendents, and for many years Abram Younie was the efficient Secretary. Thos. Windatt, Geo. Emerson and James Bingham were teachers.
Among the boys and girls of the school were Eleanor, Henry, Charles and Joseph Washington; Geo., Carrie, and Thomas Gibbard; Wesley R., Mary J. Sarah Clemens; Peter and John Windatt; Bessie and Harry Welsh; Samuel Bingham, James Hodgson, Thomas Pollard, and Thomas Scott.
Prominent members and adherents of the B. C. Church were: Samuel Vanstone, Joseph Peart, Wm. Brent, Thomas Williams, Matthew Cole, Henry Wood, R. Branton and G. Brown.
John Gray conducted the West-end store, as far back as I can remember, and “Jimmy, the shop-boy” who became, in 1863, the Rev. James H. McClung, was one of his clerks. In 1867 Glover and Prust opened up business in the east-end store, and which was taken over, in 1869, by James Elliot, of the Hampton firm.
The other prominent places of business were carried on by Matthew Cole, Henry Wood, Wm. Armstrong, Donald Frazer, Thos. Williams, Geo. Emmerson, John Hellyar, J. Welsh, W. Darlington, Abram Younie, Samuel Vanstone and W.H. Hicks.
The Sons of Temperance was surely a going concern at that time, with a large and active membership. Their Annual Tea on Christmas night was always a memorable occasion in the community. A splendid supper was served in the lower room of the School-house and the upper room was used for the after program, which was inadequate to hold, with comfort, the crowd usually present.
Good speakers were secured – one year Rev. Wm. McDonagh, of Cartwright, and James Hannon from Toronto, addressed the gathering, and the good Thomas Yellowlees sang some of his popular Scotch songs. James Bingham, though son of the village hotel-keeper, was, from boyhood, an ardent temperance advocate, and never wearied in his attachment to the cause.
Two young men of the neighbourhood impressed me: Richard and Peter Davey. They were twins, and in their earlier years, resembled each other, very much. The latter graduated in medicine and for some 30 or more years, practiced about 40 miles west of St. Thomas, where he finished his course some ten years ago.
I regarded “Johnnie” Gibbard a model young fellow. After teaching near Newburgh for a year or two, he became associated with the large drug firm, of Elliot & Co., of Toronto, in whose employ he remained until the sudden and inexpressibly sad termination of his life, which occurred in August 1874.
The Doctor of the village was Wm. H. Law, “Physician and Surgeon,” a son, if I mistake not, of Rev. John Law, who, at that time, was superannuated, and resided in Whitby where he died in 1868. About that time the Dr. left Tyrone, but returned and resumed his practice there about 1873. Mrs. Law was of the family of McKay, south-east of the village – Neil and Hugh were brothers of Mrs. Law.
A little boy, Geo. Rawlinson by name, fell into a well and was somewhat seriously crippled. The family left Tyrone some 50 years ago, and I knew not their whereabouts.
In July, 1912 I was conducting a service in Parry Sound, and observed a deformed man passing the plate and on enquiring learned it was the victim of the accident of long ago. He carried on a merchant-tailoring business in that town, but is now deceased.
The names of some of the ministers who served the B.C. cause were Rev. Wm. Jolliffe, W.R. Roach, W. S. Pascoe, John Kenner, R.T. Courtice, Rob. Baker, and those of the Wesleyan Methodist Church were (in the following order) Wm. McFadden, James Graham, Edwin Clement, James Hannon, Geo. Cochrane, S. J. Hunter, R. Whiting, Geo. Leech, Alfred McCann, A. C. Chambers, R. W. Williams, Thos. A. Ferguson, T. H. Patchell, J. F. Metcalfe, I. N. Robinson. Of these James Hannon boarded at John Gray’s 1864-65, Geo. Leech at Abram Younie’s 1867-68, also R. W. Williams 1870 and T.H. Patchell 1871. Some of your older readers will recall these as residents of the village in those years.
It will be remembered that the Rogers Homestead was situated at equal distance from Hampton, Enniskillen and Tyrone, and until the hour of service was changed at Tyrone (with the opening of the new church) I was able to attend the Sunday service at Hampton at 10:00 a.m., the Sunday School and preaching service at Tyrone at 1:30 and 2:30 respectively, and at Enniskillen at 6:30. In this regard I was highly favoured and am grateful now that I availed myself of the opportunities afforded. The attendance upon the services was usually large and I think generally appreciated.
“Haste again ye days of grace
When assembled in one place,
Signs and wonders marked the hour,
All were filled and spoke with power”.
St. Thomas, 1921.
Editor’s Note:
We feel as though we owe an apology to Rev. David Rogers for even suggesting that some one else assume the task of writing up early days in Tyrone. We had no idea that he was such a very bad boy in his early days that he had to attend three Sabbath Schools to keep him in the straight and narrow way. But it does sometimes happen that the goody-goody- boys go to the devil in after years while the “devil’s own imps” go into the ministry. We recall that the only incorrigible boy we ever threw out of school in our ten years of teaching became a successful and popular minister in the Methodist Church. Any horseman will tell you that the colt that is the hardest to conquer and break to harness or saddle makes the finest horse.
Bros. Rogers had told a good story of the 70’s and 80’s but there is plenty of history of the succeeding quarter century for an equally lengthy and interesting sketch from the pen of Mrs. Geo. A. Watts, Hamilton.
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History of Tyrone
Dr. James L. Hughes, Toronto, Makes Additions.
I have read with deep interest the articles of Rev. David Rogers, and the first installment of an article written by another gentleman whose name was not signed in the article in this week’s paper. I venture to add a little to the latter article, referring mainly to settlers named in the article.
The article is correct in stating that the Grays, Mr. Henry Paton, the McClungs, the Weldons, and the Hugheses, came from Tyrone County, Ireland, and that they were all related to each other. They were also related to the Orr family named in the same article.
In the statement regarding the Hughes family, the writer speaks only of my father, and my Uncle Samuel. Another brother who became Rev. James Hughes came with John and Samuel. James taught the school at Rutledge’s Corner, (Salem) and so did my father afterwards for a few years, while he was yet a farmer.
The statement that my father was a carpenter is an error. He worked as a labouring man for about two years, and then rented the farm immediately west of Tyrone Station, and lived on it for nine years, till he moved to Solina and taught the school in that village for five years, he then bought a farm on the town line north-east of Tyrone, as I had determined to be a farmer.
The writer of the article names only two sons of Henry Orr, William and Robert. There was another brother, John, who lived for a good many years in Bowmanville. William H. Orr is still living after a long and useful career, in Toronto, as a newspaperman, a manager of a Life Insurance Company, and a life long temperance leader. Henry Orr had two very intelligent daughters; Mrs. Jane Dunn, a business woman in Bowmanville, and a younger daughter who became the first wife of Mr. David Morrison, the perennial band master of Bowmanville, a good citizen as well as a good musical leader.
Thomas Weldon, the head of the Weldon family, referred to by the writer of this week’s article (March 10), came from the same district in Ireland with the rest of the group named, as did the McFeeters brothers – Archibald and Andrew- the father of Andrew who now lives in Bowmanville; Francis McLean, whose wife was a sister of the McFeeters brothers, and whose sons, Thomas, David and James, were well-known young men fifty years ago, James lived for many years in Bowmanville; and John Rutledge, senior, father of Edward, and John who remained in Darlington, and James who was a lawyer in Whitby, where he was one of the leading citizens for nearly fifty years. In addition to the relatives of my father named above, John Rutledge, senior, was his cousin.
Thomas Weldon had a large family – William, James, Andrew, Isaac and Skelton I knew personally. They were a remarkably bright family. The writer of the article is slightly in error saying that “one of the sons is manager of a large paper business in Toronto”. The Toronto Manager is a son of James Weldon one of Thomas Weldon’s older sons, who lived in Cartwright for many years, and who is still alive – nearly a hundred years old – in St. Thomas, Ontario. He is physically and mentally active and alert still.
Andrew lived a long time in London, and then came to Toronto. He died some years ago. William lived in St. Thomas for many years. He died not long ago. Isaac and Skelton went to the United States. They were a credit to old Ireland wherever they lived as where the whole Weldon family.
As an example of the way inter-relationships were formed through these Irish families, I will relate an experience of my own in Winnipeg. Having to stop over a few hours in Winnipeg, I notified a relative there that I would spend the afternoon of a certain day in her home. She told me on my arrival that two people were coming to see me that afternoon, Mr. McIntyre, the Superintendent of the Winnipeg Schools, a man for whom I have long had a sincere admiration; and a young lady named Miss Kitty McLeod. I said, “I’ve not heard of her”’ and my niece informed me that Miss McLeod was the teacher of her children, and that she came from Darlington, and wished to find out if I knew any of her relatives.
When Dr. McIntyre called, I asked if Miss McLeod was a good teacher and he said, “The best primary teacher in the West”. I promptly replied “Naturally, because she came from Durham County”. When Miss McLeod arrived, I found she was a distant cousin of my own through three families – the McClung, the Gray and the Rogers families. Since then she has been “Cousin Kitty”, and she honors me by calling me “Cousin Jim”. Her mother was Miss Rogers, daughter of Mr. Rogers a former merchant in Enniskillen who was, I think, a brother of Rev. Mr. Rogers who wrote the interesting articles on Hampton, Enniskillen and Tyrone. Their father, who was one of the most intelligent men in Darlington sixty years ago, married a daughter of Henry Paton.
Among the Irish families not named who came from the County Tyrone from the same district as those named by your correspondent, were two Weldon Families, connections of the Thomas Weldon referred to by your interesting and versatile correspondent and Thos. McCullough, who was the father of Charles R. McCullough of Hamilton, a successful business man and an able and worthy citizen, known throughout Canada as the founder of the first Canadian Club.
The two Weldons were Charles who was a farmer first in Darlington, and afterwards in Cartwright, and Andrew who was a painter in Enniskillen. They were distant cousins of my father.
Signed: James L. Hughes.
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