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WWII German archaeologist connects with Marmora

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ERKRATH, GERMANY, 2016

(The following is a letter we received recently from Sven Polkläser.  He was  born 1966, and is an  IT specialist. In 2010, he became a volunteer member of the LVR, the Office of Soil Architecture in the Rhineland, Germany.  He is the author of several publications on the results of archaeological projects.)

with Sven of German archaeologists with Sven Polklaser on the right

My name is Sven Polkläser and I work as a volunteer in Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia) in soil monument conservation.

For some years now, World War II has been part of archaeology in Germany. I do aerial archaeology with a team of volunteers.   i. e. we investigate plane crashes during World War II, search for crash places and determine the fate of the crews.

For a few weeks we have found in Erkrath, a small town south-east of Düsseldorf (south of the Ruhr area) the remains of a Halifax type MK VII.  Through entries in the Erkrath death register we were able to prove that the bomber is the NP689.

The pilot of NP689 was Stewart Millen Bonter. (Marmora- 1918-1945)

In various sources you can find different statements about the fate of Stewart Millen Bonter. This is because on the same day (March 15, 1945)    a pilot with almost the same name (I.W.Bonter) was shot down in the attack on the oil refinery at Misburg at Hanover (aircraft: Lancaster NE119).

Our previous research (which is just beginning) has revealed the following story of the attack:

The Bomber Command sent in the late afternoon hours of March 15, 1945 in total 500 aircraft on their way to Germany, around to attack Hagen and the oil refinery in Misburg  at Hanover. A total of 267 aircraft, including 134 Lancaster, 122 Halifax  and 11 Mosquitos had Hagen as their destination. To this attack unit belonged the bomber  "Moonlight Mermaid" type Halifax B Mk VII with the serial number NP689 and the Identifier QO-M of the 6 Bomber Group, RCAF 432 Squadron. "Moonlight Mermaid" took off  17:07 clock (18:07 clock MEZ) from the East Moor airfield.  Between 20:30 and 20:45 clock  the bombers threw  about 1,000 tons of bombs on Hagen.

"Moonlight Mermaid" was (hit)  in the approach shortly before the goal Hagen  by Flak in 4800m altitude.   The pilot Stewart Millen Bonter, the flight engineer Douglas Colquohoun and the Mid / Upper gunner Darwin Cameron Lawton died in the crash. The flight  Officer H. Vachon, Flight Officer A. Hinchcliffe and Wireless Operator Eiler Villy  Anderson survived the crash and became captive. The Rear Gunner Thomas  Delmer Scott had already jumped over Hagen shortly after receiving the flak hit.   Scott was captured on 17 March, but not transferred to the Wehrmacht, but admitted in the  Court prison in Hagen. On the morning of April 3, 1945, Scott,   along with 11 Hungarian "volunteers" of the Wehrmacht,   shot by the Gestapo in the woods near Hagen in a bomb crater.

From military records we could determine that for a long time the place where Stewart Millen (Bonter) was buried could not be found.   Only in November 1947 were the graves of Stewart Millen Bonter, Douglas Colquohoun and Darwin Cameron Lawton found in the  cemetery of Erkrath. On 21.11.1947 the three airmen were evacuated and transferred to the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.     http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2037035

    FROM OUR FILES

Stewart Millen was the youngest  child of John Wadsworth Bonter and Ada Beatrice Lough.  Brother of Mildred, Hazel, Herbert, Raymond (my father), Eldon and Grace. His body is buried in Reichwald Forest, Germany.

STEWART'S LAST LETTER TO FAMILY SEEMS TO BE A PRMONITION - 

"Remember, I'm going to be calling the roll as you come up and I shall have all your individual records before me."

Stewart with sister Grace

The actual crash site of the "Moonlight Mermaid" remained unknown until we could find it a few weeks ago.  I would be very interested to get more details (photos, documents, etc.) for my research work.
My question: Are there any descendants of the Bonter family in Mamora to whom you could pass my request?

You can gladly give my address data:
Sven Polkläser,  Akazienweg 2,   42579 Heligenhaus,   Germany
eMail: sventleman@gmx.de


I thank you in advance for your support.
Yours sincerely Sven Polkläser

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN COUNTRY ROADS MAGAZINE

THE VANSICKLE ROAD AND MUCH MORE by Charles Barrons 1996

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Ronald Barrons SENT US THIS PHOTO AND ADDS:     Note, there was no hydro, but they had phones, which they'd had from in the 1920's. Hydro came in 1949. I was happy to have found this photo in my Uncle Charlie's collection in that…

Ronald Barrons SENT US THIS PHOTO AND ADDS:     Note, there was no hydro, but they had phones, which they'd had from in the 1920's. Hydro came in 1949. I was happy to have found this photo in my Uncle Charlie's collection in that it shows the windmill I knew the farm had, but that I never seen.

Tom Vansickle with his parents,  Annie and John

Tom Vansickle with his parents,  Annie and John

Methuen Township was surveyed in 1833 by Henry Ewing (who,  by the way,  drowned in Lake Scugog in 1841).  At that time,  it was a very heavily forested township.  There were no roads except bush roads which some of the lumber men used in the winter to cut logs,  mostly white pine which were taken out to the rivers and lakes to be floated down to the saw mills.  Both the Gilmour and Rathbun Lumber Companies worked this area.   Tom Vansickle brought the last large river drive to Marmora from north of Tangamong Lake to Pearce's Mill in Marmora about 1920.  Dan Ellis brought a small drive about 1921.

In the south east corner,  there was some granite rock;  a little farther north,  there was an outcrop of lime stone covered with very heavy clay, which became very good farmland, when the timber was taken off.  John Vansickle first registered land in Methuen in 1833.

According to a write-up in a local paper by Frank Sopha,  who died in 1975 at the age of 90  what is now known as the Vansickle Settlement was first known as the Soph Settlement.

James Stephen Sopha and his wife were the first to settle there in a very virgin timber (Lot 6, Concession 1, Methuen Township).  They were French,  from Quebec,  which was then called Lower Canada.  They moved from Campbellford,  through Belmont.  They cleared the land and built a log cabin until they could clear more land and build a two story log house and a barn.  They had four sons and three daughters.  The nearest store was at Garrison (now known as Preniveau), about 15 miles away. The nearest medical help was at Stirling They would walk to Marmora, hire and horse and ride to Stirling The Sophas and Vansickles, perhaps the VanVolkenburghs and Coles, were in there about the same time.

Vansickle School SS10.jpg

The Vansickle school, one-room schoolhouse which was used for many years, was destroyed by fire in 1990 My wife, Freda (Ellis) Barrons and her brothers and sisters attended the Vansickle school, from 1930- 1936 Her teacher was Miss Lucy (Wing) Buchanan Although the school was small, at that time its enrollment was around 40 pupils.

Beside the school was a small cemetery (about 6 graves) Two infant children of John Henry and Sarah (Vesterfelt) Johnson were buried there They had their own cheese factory, the building, which is located south of the house along the road, is still standing (Jan 1996) although deteriorating.    When they first moved in it was likely that they used a team on oxen on a jumper,  loaded with all their worldly possessions piled on.

Some of the 3rd generation of Sophas worked in lumber woods (Jim Sopha and his brothers).  The men would sometimes be gone for several weeks at a tie.  Their wives would be left at home to raise the family and care for the livestock.  Jim Sopha,  who was working one winter in the bush, had his team of horses killed when a tree fell on them.  He was paid about $1.25 a day for man and team.  This included board and feed for the horses.  He paid $500.00 for a team to replace them.  Jim Sopha and his wife buried two young children on their property on the south-east corner of Lot 7, Concession 1,  Methuen Township.

Some of the Sophas went to Cobalt around 1900 to mine silver.  Cobalt was a new mining town.  Several men from that area went north as they had worked in the mines at Cordova and were experienced miners.     Elmer Sopha,  a nephew of Charles Sopha,  was a lawyer and became a Member of Parliament for the area (Nickle Belt).  Charlie stayed at home and married a school teacher,  Sophrona Hurley.  They raised a family, finally leaving the farm and moving to Marmora for a few years.  They are buried there.  One son,  Clarence,  took over the farm  and lived there with his wife,  Keitha,  and son,  Darrell.  Darrell was the sixth generation to live on the farm.  The land grant from the Province was for 400 acres.

The nearest post office to Vansickle was at Warriston,  now known as Cordova Mines.

There was a saw mill on the Deer River,  between Deer (Cordova)  and Mudturtle Lakes.  This is perhaps where the lumber was sawn for all the buildings in Vansickle.  The river was dammed up to provide water power for the saw mill.  The site of the dam is still called the Johnston place (1996).  The mill was owned over a period of time by a Mr. Downs,  a Mr. Johnston,  and a Mr. Airhart.  There is a bay on the east side of Mudturtle Lake called Airhart's Bay.  I recall being told by Jim Minihan that he bought hemlock lumber from the mill for $2.00 per 1000 board feet.  The saw mill was moved nearer to the stave mill owned by Mr. Cole and Mr. Laby.  Staves were used to make barrels.  The stave mill employed about 20 men.  The staves were sawed,  shaped, steamed and bent,  then drawn by horses to Cordova to be loaded on rail cars.

Arabs in Deloro

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Another Story by W.J. Cottrell (circa 1927)

I have never seen,  but have read about transients to Canada in summer time arriving in winter apparel.  The following story has the order of things reversed.  Three Arabs,  sent by a Montreal  employment agency,  to wit ---"  Abdul Mohammed and his two companions arrived at Deloro in the depth of winter attired in well laundered cotton shirts.  They were men of short stature and were put to work in the Silver Plant.

How their teeth chattered in the unaccustomed climate.  They tried to keep warm,  pulling the glowing slag pots toward the dump,  but all in vain.  Not once did they remark "Allah be praised".  They lasted a mere shift and next day were Montreal bound.  No fellow countrymen of theirs ever followed in the wake.                                                                                                                                     For more on Deloro employees,  CLICK HERE.

When silver was discovered in Cobalt,  a town in Northern Ontario,  the Deloro Mining and Reduction Company purchased property in Deloro and began to set up a silver refinery,  with arsenic as an important by product.  It seemed foolish not to base the operations at Deloro  since the cobalt ore,  from which silver is extracted, contained arsenic and the deloro mine operators were experienced in dealing with ores containing arsenic.  Professor Stafford Kilpatrick of Queen's University had developed a new process to extract silver from cobalt ore,  of which the company made use.

Remembering Nov. 11

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With Remembrance Day in mind,  Kevin Potter sent us this letter:

This a picture of our father,  Sid  Potter,   who served from 1944 to 1952.  Our parents  "landed " in Marmora from England via Toronto in 1954.  Sid worked as a millwright at the mine  from 1954 to 1974.   I and my four siblings (Steven, Malcolm, Janice and Jo-Anne) were raised in Marmora and have such  fond memories of growing up there. It was like our own Mayberry.

Our father passed away in May 2016  at the age 92.

There is one picture of him posted on the  Marmora Historical website installing an electric motor at the  Marmora arena. I remember helping him as a kid rebuild the ice plant for the arena.
Our parents often talked about how they considered Marmora their "real" home.

PIONEER WILKES TELLS HIS STORY

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JACOB WILKES - A MARMORA PIONEER

In 1945,  89 year old Jacob Wilkes took daily walks down Forsyth Street in Marmora,  looking for old friends with whom he could "chin" about the old days in the timberlands of Hastings County.

A Pearce Co lumber drive on the Crowe River. Marg Monk reported "Walking boss was Jacques (Jacob) Wilkes, father of Mrs. Garth Sabine."

Pearce Lumber Camp

St. Peter's Anglican Church, Queensborough

Mr. Wilkes was born Oct. 3, 1856,  on Lot 18, Concession 5, Marmora Township. (Up Gulf Road or Quinn Road)  His parents were Owen Wilkes of Rawdon Township and Susanne Conley of Stirling,  who,  after their marriage,  moved to Marmora Township,  the former having been hired by the late George Campion to work on his farm.

Jacob attended the Wells School.(Beaver Creek?) His first teacher was Miss Eagles,  and another was Miss Eliza Wiggins,  whose father was George Wiggins,  prominent in the municipal life of Marmora Township ,  back in the 1860's. 

First to hire Jacob was Richard Briggs on the 6th Concession of Marmora,  who,  besides farming,  operated a sawmill.  A year later he was with the Rathbun Company cutting logs,  and not long after,  he became a woodranger  for the Pearce Co. and G.B. Airhart.

"I helped to make the timber for the first cheese factory in the township - Ira Cook's," said this veteran.  "Emery Demarse hewed it on the next property where they put up the factory.  Larry Hanlon was on the land at the time."

 

     He referred to Jellie's Bridge,  which was erected by the father of the late Constable Charles St. Charies of Madoc.  In those days there used to be a store and post office at the bridge, kept by English Ray.

An old woodranging map is a prized possession given to him by John Stanley,  a noted woodranger in his day,  who died at an advanced age in Marmora some years ago (before 1945)  He used to take hunters to the foot of Thompson Lake with his team when he was young. 

"Those were the days",  he remarked,  "when people thought nothing of walking to church in Marmora and back from points of the township ten miles distant"

 Mr. Wilkes was married in St. Peter's Anglican Church,  Queensborough on June 11, 1902,  to Martha Monetta Franklin,  of the Township of Madoc,  Rev. George Code officiating.  (Witnesses were Thomas Board and Tildo Franklin.)    He was a member of St. Andrew'sUnited Church,  and joined the Masonic Lodge in Marmora in 1910.

In the course of the Great War,  despite his age,  he enlisted with the Canadian Engineers, 254th Battalion.  (Children:  Beatrice Linton of Barrie,  Bessie Sabine of Marmora and Frank of Toronto.

Original article by W.J. Cottrell -  1945

John/Dorothy Grant wrote: How interesting. So love reading the stories. Richard Briggs was my GGGrandfather. My grandmother being Adelaide Briggs daughter of Isaac. Isaac son of Richard.

FAMILIES OF BONARLAW

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SPRYS, NEALS, BARLOWS AND WILENS

Letter from David Young

My great-grandfather, Jesse Neal (1854-1915), was Marmora's blacksmith. I think there are still Neals living in the Marmora area. My great grandparents had a farm in the Bonarlaw district, where my grandfather, JohnArthur Wilen, who was working on this farm, met  my grandmother Veta Pearl Neal.  Veta was born on 20/5/1893, and John was born on 29/07/1897. Their first child, my mother Pearl Elizabeth, was born in Toronto on 28/12/1918, which puts Veta and John meeting on the Bonarlaw farm prior to 1918. 

I have attached a few photos from that time. The most historically important is likely the one of Jesse standing outside Marmora's blacksmith smithy/forge. 

Blacksmith Great Grandfather Jesse Neal in Marmora

LEGGETTS AND McMULLENS

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My story is ongoing and I am coming to Marmora in two weeks to try to find more about my Leggett and McMullen families who lived here in the early and mid 1800's. This is my GG Grandmother Mary Leggett McMullen and her husband, Alexander McMullen. Alexander was born in 1826 in Canada and I am trying to find out who his parents are. Mary was born in Marmora July 30, 1831. Her parents were Joseph Henry Leggett and Catherine Cain Leggett. I know nothing about her parents.

Cheryl Dieter

RUTH HICKS BRACKLEY WRITES OF CORDOVA

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Cordova Free Methodist Church

 Our family lived in Cordova Mines from 1943-1947 when my Dad was the Pastor of the Free Methodist Church. I started Public School there and was pleasantly surprised to find the pics of my sister Lois and I in the group pics. We lived in the parsonage beside Barrons' Store. My siblings Lois, James (Jim),and Eunice moved there and Willie, John and Esther were born in the parsonage. I have many, many fond memories of our years there, in spite of having no electricity, no refrigerator, no indoor plumbing and no tap water, We did have an ice box and a cistern and a gas engine on the washing machine!!! How parents managed to raise families in those war time years would boggle the minds of young people today! We were blessed to have a roof over our heads, a good bed to sleep in, food in our tummies and most of all great neighbours and friends.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT CORDOVA

The Parsonage                                                                    Photo by Wayne VanVolkenburg

Inspired by Glen Allan Park

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Artist and former owner of Glen allan Park,  Elizabeth Berry,  sent along the following memories:

Catching frogs

"Attached are  a couple of  my works from the 70's.  At the time and before we became environ-mentally aware, kids used to catch frogs for the summer frog race at Glen Allan Park.  Often it was the height of their stay as they spent up to a week looking for one.  Moms were never far away and sometimes took them out in a boat or canoe and when the children caught a big frog in the net and tossed him in the boat, mom would shriek and jump out.   There were, of course, strict rules.  No excessive handling or touching the frog and all were carefully watched as they had to go back into the water they came from.  Some summers there was a party afterwards with hot dogs in the rec hall.  The winners got a trophy and ribbons but all kids got some kind of  treat.  Then it was rest time before the evening hayride with Charlie Crowe.

spring animals

The second picture is the spring animals that are still there and being used.  Dan and I bought them in 1976 from Paris Playground Equipment and it drained our bank account that year.   They have provided thousands of hours of fun for kids (and a few adults), while parents lounged beside them on the beach.

 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT GLEN ALLAN PARK

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF ELIZABETH BERRY'S ART

Remembering 19 Forsyth St in 1947

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My name is Anne-Mae Archer; my family moved from Toronto to Marmora in July of 1947. I was 1 ½ years old.   The story  began during WWII.  My dad,  Charles Archer,  was stationed in Holland in 1945 where he met and married my mother Annette van den Berg. I was born in Holland on February 9th, 1946 and came to Canada on the Queen Mary in August 1946.

Charles Archer was looking for a career and a home for his growing family. They had been renting in different rooming houses in Toronto. I don’t know how Charlie found out about an auction in Marmora, but he purchased the taxi and trucking business from the estate of the late William Sanderson and started running the business June 9th 1947.  Mrs Annette Archer and their two daughters,   Anne-Mae and Mari-Lou,  joined Charlie in Marmora in July of 1947.

As the house was large,  Charles and Annette rented part of it to Mr and Mrs Lorne Gawley and their two daughters. Mrs Gawley was also a Dutch War bride. My parents thought that the house was haunted; there was a set of stairs at the back of the house going to the second floor which was closed and locked at night. It was a hook and eye type lock and  every morning when Annette checked,  the door was unlocked.

Charles and Annette met and became good friends of Tom and Bessie McCann well known residents of Marmora. They became my god parents.   I recall,  when I was a little older,  I picked up the phone and a female voice said hello and I said Bessie? The operator at the other end knew who Bessie was and put me through. My mother came into the room and found me talking to Bessie, but she had not heard the phone ring. Bessie said “you called me”. I do remember their store in Malone, part of which was a post office and under no circumstances could we go behind that counter.

My sister, Mari-Lou was baptised on November 2nd, 1947 by Rev. E.M. Cadigan at St. Andrews United Church, at the same time Mr and Mrs Lorne Gawley also had their daughter,  Shirley Marie,  baptised.   In 1948 I needed my tonsils removed; the closest hospital was in Belleville. There was a young new doctor in town, Dr. Donovan. My mother told me that Dr. Donovan removed my tonsils in his office and my mother was assisting with the anaesthetic.  

Living on the main street at 19 Forsyth St we were next door to the Texaco Gas Station. My sister and I used to sneak over there when no one was looking; the men at the gas station would give us a nickel. When I think about it now it was a very dangerous thing to do, two little girls wandering around where cars pulled in to get gas.

In August of 1949 both my sister and I  contracted polio and were sent to Toronto to the Thistletown hospital, and then later to Sick Children’s hospital. It was a hard time for Charlie and Annette being separated from their small children. Because of the distance they could only visit once in a while. I  was in the hospital for six months and Mari-Lou was in the hospital a year and three months.

Charlie had trouble making a go of the taxi business and had to sell the property and move to Madoc. The house was eventually torn down and the Plaza Theatre was erected on the site.
 

After Madoc we moved to Deseronto. Then in 1952 Charlie built a small house outside of Marmora on the rocks, west of Crowe River and on the highway. We had no running water because of the rocks. By then I was in grade one and took the bus to school everyday. I do remember that to catch the bus I needed to cross the highway.   If I saw a vehicle coming in either direction I would not cross the road. The highway wasn’t as busy then as it would be today.

Finally in May of 1953 our family moved to Orillia, where Charlie’s mother and older sister lived. At that point my mother put her foot down and said we are not moving again. We needed a family doctor and lucky for us Dr. Donovan had already moved to Orillia and became our family doctor.

In the early 1980’s my husband and I were travelling in eastern Ontario and on the spur of the moment we decided to stop at Marmora and visit Bessie. We stopped at a phone booth in town, I was going to look up Bessie’s number and call her to get directions to her house. The phone book had been ripped out of the booth. I noticed the local post office just down the street and thought I would take a chance and ask in there for directions. The postal employee was very helpful, knew who Bessie was and gave us directions to her house.

Just a note of thanks to the Marmora Historical Society, I did not know the name of the street we lived on until I found your site. All correspondence only said Mrs. C Archer, Marmora, Ontario Canada.

Click here for more on 19 Forsyth, Marmora,  and more pictures!

A SUDBURY CONNECTION

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ALLAN STACEY from Chelmsford writes:  

Sudbury Mayor William Ellis and Copper Cliff mayor Richard Dow paused in tribute .  Sudbury.Dec. 1963 (INCO Triangle)

Sudbury Mayor William Ellis and Copper Cliff mayor Richard Dow paused in tribute .  Sudbury.Dec. 1963 (INCO Triangle)

A lot of us who travel the back roads often wonder about the stories of those who lived in houses such the Ellis and the Seabreeze houses pictured in the stories  below.   I notice the name Ellis.    I went to the Provincial Institute of Mining, at Haileybury and boarded with Jim Ellis, son of William "Bill" Ellis, who at the time, 1962-63, was Mayor of the, then, city of Sudbury. Local historian, Gary Peck, interviewed Mr. Ellis as part of a Sunday radio series on local folks. Mr. Ellis told Mr. Peck that he was born in Marmora on March 19, 1914, married a Marmora girl, (Bertrand?)   moved around at various jobs and eventually ended up in Sudbury where he worked for the International Nickel Company (Inco - now Vale).  Click here for is full interview 
                                                                                      Looking forward to more "house" stories.
 

A CORDOVA MINES STORY by Anthony Seabreeze

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Believe it or not I grew up in this home and so did my Mom and her Family. This house was no mansion by any sense of the imagination but when my parents sold the house it was still livable. I have many fond memories of this house from Saturday night guitar and fiddle playing, pulling out of the driveway after freezing rain and sliding to the bottom of the hill eyes wide and white knuckling the steering wheel. Snow so deep you couldn't see the farmers fences and playing hockey at the outdoor rink in Cordova,

Scott's dam - Fire road 18, Belmont Twp

swimming at the deer river bridge and partying at Scott's Dam until the wee hours, sneaking in after hoping we didn't get caught which we always did but my parents were cool.I now have my own family, home and now making new memories but I will never forget where I'm from my roots and my home                         

  .From website :  http://jermalism.blogspot.ca/2012/02/abandonment-  issues-cordova-mines.html
Comment by "Al"  And I spent the first 10 years of my life living next door. In a house that was ventilated by cracked window frames and well-settled walls. My lifelong fear of snakes the result of a filled in ancient well on the property that was an ideal hibernaculum. Hard to believe a guy who has done so much and been all over the planet had such humble beginnings. Childhood is a funny thing. We go through it, then we spend the rest of our years motivated by one of two things. Recapturing it, or running away from it. A.I.

A Vansickle Story by Kim Ellis

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This house pictured once belonged to my Great Aunt Evelyn and Great Uncle Don Ellis. (My grandfather's brother). They lived in New York State and would come spend summers at The White House, or the Screen House(to the west and at the top of the hill - long since fallen down) or at the cottage at the lake. That cottage was struck by lightning and burned to the ground when there was no storm. 

We would walk from our cottage on the lake to go see them and enjoy a treat of cookies and lemonade while my aunt played or painted and my uncle told stories of growing up there. The Ellis' were early inhabitants of this beautiful piece of Canada. 

The White House and the black and white log cabin on Vansickle Rd. belonged to his parents. Lots of memories at The White House that is slowly being reclaimed by the earth. My cousins still own the land but as they live in the states it's become a part of our family history.

Written July 10, 2014

GERTRUDE HAY CAVERLY (1878 to 1969) TELLS HER STORY

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Written in 1965 by 87 year old Mrs .Gertrude Caverly of Marmora Township

"In 1860 our roads were rough and in spring very muddy. The long swamp, one  mile and a half long was only a corduroy road.  My mother-in-law,  when she had to cross it,  would prefer to walk and carry her baby rather than ride over such a rough road.  Our neighbours were Campions, Wells,  Airharts, McIlwains, Cooks, Dwiers,  Maloneys, Inksters and Hamiltons.

Most of the work on the farm they used oxen on a plow or a' stone boat. One time a family wanted groceries so hitched a team of oxen to a wagon and the lady rode behind and the man in front with a long whip and a line to goad the oxen.

Recollections of domestic life. Soap making,  1884. The farmer is pouring water into the ash barrel to make lye; his wife is boiling a kettle of fat. Lye and fat produce soft soap.

We were the only ones had a potash kettle and they often got it to butcher their hogs., My father-in-law and a neighbour once wanted to make potash  (the water-soluble part of the ash formed by burning plant material; used for making soap, glass and fertilizer) 

They cut several trees, piled and burned them, put the ashes in a salt barrel and poured on water;   saved this and boiled it down until the kettle was red and then they had potash,   which was sent away for some cash to a soap company.

Money was scarce, so each one tried some way to have cash. Women would go to the forest for wild berries and dry them. Some men would trap for furs, hunt for deer or fish for food. My father moved north of Cordova,  now from near Campbellford,  to a forest of 200 acres. He built and cut a clearing for a home and today, it is a very nice tract of land. The neighbours there were Russels, Wiggins, Cars, Allens, Breakenridge, Minihans. Maloneys, Wannamakers, Crippens,  Caverleys and McConnels.

Once our P.O. was Wariston but now it is Cordova and most of this land around here was crown land and at that time it had to be occupied for a few years before a crown deed was got out.The only farms remaining in this settlement over 100 years  still are  occupied by the older people, ancestors,  and carrying the same name,  such as the old Caverly home, a few more miles down the way.

When we first moved there I got very lonely and ran away over two miles before they caught me. I hated it so bad. This Cordova was a gold mine and it made lots of work and many came for miles to work there.

I managed the P.O. myself and,  as these miners sent money to their homes,  we had no  trouble with it.  Our mail came from Blairton to Wariston  then on north toVansickle P.O. There was a small store  near Cook's corner and a there was a cheese factorynear. there too.

North of Pleasant Corners Community,  back on what we call the common, were two families settled by the name of Couch and McInroy. They made their living by burning potash and selling it for making soap: It was sent to a soap factory. Finally Mr. Couch took very sick and sent out to Pleasant Corners community for a couple of men to go in and make his will. Mr. James Hensy and Mr. Mills Caverly went and all he had to will was a pig and a dog and he wanted his wife to have them,   so they made his will and everyone was satisfied.

Caverly Century farm,  replacing log cabin                                                                photo by wayne vanvolkenburg

For a time we had no well, so Mr. Wiggins drew and brought some water to mother in her wooden churn.  Mother baked his bread for years and each time he gave her one loaf of bread for her work, as his wife was very ill.

My news are almost ended as I am nearly 87 years. I think I wrote plenty.  Good night ...."

Mrs. Gertrude Hay Caverly.

FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CORDOVA MINES,  CLICK HERE

We had to walk over two miles to school called Cook's school. I passed for my last there when I was 13 years old, then went to Stirling High School - took two years work in one year. But been a farm woman the  rest of the time. When I was 10 years old on coming from school,  I had to cross a creek and the water was deep,  so I tried to walk a log on the side of the bridge but off went the bark and I too. So Patsy Maloney, a big boy, caught me by the hair and by so doing saved my life and carried me to a Mrs. Cars' home.

We used to send our milk to that Cook's cheese factory. The men had pig pens there and each farmer put one pig there and the cheese maker fed the pigs grain and lots of whey. I remember the first. binder two neighbors bot. It was Mr. Wiggins and Mr. Breakenridge's,   but others had reapers, or else cut the grain by hand and tied it up the same way.

 

house of manager of Cooks Cheese Factory                                                   Photo by Wayne  Vanvolkenburg

Wayne VanVolkenburg added that Cook's corner is where Clemenger road meets the Cordova road.  The second building on the right on Clemenger road was the old Cheese factory. There was a school close to where the cheese factory was located.  The area surrounding that location was referred to as the "Pleasant Corners Community".

Several of the Caverly family are buried at the Zion Cemetery.  Gertrude, her husband Edwin, and his parents, Edwin Mills and Elsie Williams, are buried there. Several other family members are buried there as well. If you check Don Shannon's photos of Zion you will find Gertrude's name on Caverly 4.

 

WILLIAM MINCHIN TELLS HIS 1849 STORY

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in the wake of the irish potato famine

THIS STORY  is an account written by William H. Minchin (1839-1914) of his life and struggle to become a school teacher,  revealing how very difficult it was for immigrants to start a new life for themselves in Canada in the 1800's.

But really the story begins with his mother, JANE GLADNEY MINCHIN , (1807-1900),  a brave and hardworking woman, who  faced the eight week  journey across the ocean with her husband, Daniel Minchin and five children,  only to be left a widow, upon her arrival in Marmora,  destitute and depending on relatives.

Sitting are Jane Gladney Minchin and her second husband,  Richard Laycock.  Standing are her two sons from her first marriage to Daniel Minchin - John on the left and William Henry on the right.

 

By the time William Minchin's family had arrived in Marmora,   Jane's father,  William Gladney (1780-1851) was well established as a merchant here,  had married his second wife, Elizabeth Hampton,  and produced a second Gladney family, who were the ancestors of the well known Gladneys that built 65 Forsyth Street, Marmora.

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ACCOUNT OF WILLIAM HENRY MINCHIN

Your story: Marmora Pioneers

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The story of the Fidlar family in Marmora begins in Scotland,  when Magnus (Magness) Fidlar,  a boat builder born on Aug. 26, 1759,  in Stromness, Orkney Scotland,  married Janet Irvine (born 1766).   It was their son, John, a sailor,  who settled in Marmora,   in what is now known as Fidlar's Glen, on the Beaver Creek.

Lucky for us,  a sampler, survives,  embroidered by John's daughter,  Janet,  when she was only eleven years old in 1851. The sampler is now inthe possession of a descendant, Bill Inkster of Kincardine, Ontario .This photo was sent to us by Jennifer Kolthammer of Lake Jackson,  Texas.

READ MORE ON THE FIDLAR PIONEERS. 

JUST CLICK HERE

"IT'S A SHAME" SAID HELEN GAFFNEY JONES MANTLE (1907-2005)

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"It's a shame," said Helen Mantle,  one of the eight Gaffney sisters of Deloro.   "It's a shame that such a small community had two different schools. I don't believe it bothered me as much when I was young, as It didn't seem important, but now,  looking back, I do believe it was a shame."

The Gaffney girls:   ,Lorraine, Anne, Eugena, Chloe, Helen, Kay, Margie, Madge

"When you have such a small village as Deloro, and you have just two streets to walk up and down, it's a real shame that we children had to go separate ways.

"There were two schools, one that was Public and one Separate. I don't understand why they had to have two schools, when we all would have fit just fine into one classroom. It's a real shame that at such a young age and because there were only a few of us,  that there was fear of the Catholic children losing any faith in their church. As you know, in Marmora, the community had at one point in time shared the church, although it was of Catholic Denomination. 

Deloro Separate school

There were only four or five other Catholic families. I just don't think it was necessary to separate us.  We would all meet and greet each other and then walk up the street together. The sad part was we would have to say good-bye and go our separate ways when it came time to turn to go to "our school." Doing that,  dividing the children like that, put a label on us. We weren't just children, but the "Catholic Children"

Gaffney girls - Chloe, Madeline, Catherine,  Lorraine, Anne, Helen, Margaret, Eugena

It was a shame, really, a terrible shame that we were treated so differently."


I remember. I hated it! The kids from the Public School used to be so happy when they returned home from school. But us........ Well you know, because we were part of the Separate School Board,  there was very little money and so the Public School had much better toys than we did."

To visit the Gaffney Gallery,  click here.

D'ya spose we're all related?

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Bill O'Keefe sent us this photo of a drawing of Zaddock Daniel LaFontaine,   owner and publisher of the Marmora Herald at the turn of the 20th century.   Although he is just one man,  the photo brings together so many local family names.  He writes:

"This is a Photo of Zadock "Zed" Lafontaine Born near Rice lake in 1873 and died in Tweed Ont in 1920. He was the editor of the Marmora paper for some time and then bought the paper in Tweed which he ran until his death in 1920. His daughter was Gracia Rebecca LaFontaine, who married, Daniel Neil O'Keefe,  whose grandfather was John O'Neill from Marmora.  John O'Neill's wife was Annie Shannon, her daughter Ellen was Daniel Neil O'Keefe's mother."  Gracia's mother was Mary "Minnie" Foley from Marmora and Mary's Mother and father were Thomas Foley and Maria Shannon, both of Marmora. 

Whew!    Now we all know that Shannons are related to Maloneys and Hughes,  not to mention Crawfords,  Butlers,  O'Neils,  O'Keefe's,  Lynch,  Haughton, Quinlan, Stephens and Walsh.  Then related to them are Minihanes, Rohans, and O'Connors! 

                                                                                              Why that's half the village right there!

You can peruse our catalogue of family names,  which is steadily growing thanks to the Gerald Belanger genealogical collection,  and contributions of our readers.

JUST CLICK HERE

Well,  back to Mr. Lafontaine.  You can read more about the Marmora Herald.  Just click here.

A STORY OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS

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"ON THE 3RD DAY, I SHALL DESTROY THE TOWER AT BETHLEHEM"

In the land of the Cainites, there was a tribe at the place called Marmora,  who were known throughout the land as the Marmorites. Daily the Marmorites laboured in a place called Bethlehem,  where they became makers of steel. Alas, Bethlehem was under the rule of the rich Usites,  who lived in a wealthy land to the south of the Cainites.

In Bethlehem, the Marmorites worked both day and night to reap their bountiful harvest. They stored their harvest in three great towers which were in Bethlehem. It came to pass in Bethlehem that one night while the Marmorites slept, the Gods smote down one of the three great towers. The tower crashed to the earth, vomiting its rich harvest. In the beginning, the Marmorites,  being wrapped up in their toils,  did not see the fallen tower. But then, as it happened, one among their midst,  who was a taskmaster known as Thomas, cried out,

"Holy jumping Jesus Christ, the south bin hath fallen over!"

A great cry of woe arose from the midst of Bethlehem (mingled with a few hearty cheers and the Carling's Red Cap Salute).  The Marmorites,  not knowing what they did to incur such wrath from the Gods,  ran to their chiefs, crying:

"What is to become of us? Are we destined to again feel the wrath of the Gods? We knoweth not what we doneth!"

The chiefs spake, "Go forth and empty the remaining towers lest they too be struck to the ground."

And it was done as the commanded. Then from the land south of the Cainites, the high priests of the Usites came and spake,

"Prepare thyselves,  ye men of the Marmorites,  to build thyselves yet a new tower. It is
to be eighty cubits high and to encompass one hundred and fifty cubits and it shall be
stronger than any tower yet built." Amen

Author: Bruce Bennett -  university summer student

Joking all aside,  thanks to Gerald Belanger,  we now have on line the full history of the Bethlehem Steel Marmoraton Mine.  Be sure not to miss 

THIS JUST IN FROM IRELAND!

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Annie Elizabeth Quinlan nee Rohan.1923 in Mulcahy's Garden.   Annie was the eldest girl from a family of twelve children, her father was Edward Rohan (Roughan) and her Mum was Mary Minihane (Monahane). 

We can add:  Mary is listed in the Sacred Heart burial records:

Mary Margaret Quinlin, born, February 25, 1928...died _____. 2014....In the church records it is spelled Quinlan,,....reads that she is the daughter of Thomas Quinlan and Anna Rohan and that Mary was adopted ..Mary married Thomas Dennis O'Connor..

When recently researching my ancestors who settled and died in Marmora, I came upon your site.   I was amazed to see a copy a photograph of Allie Monahan (Minihane) submitted by Jeanette Seabourne.  Allie is a Great Great Gran Aunt of mine.  I am living in Ireland very near to where Allie would have been born.

Mary Quinlan O'Connor (beside the tree) Photo from Deirdre Daly,    IrelandShe adds,  this photo was taken across from the cordova store.

Allie is one of six children who was taken to Canada by her Mother Mary (Alice?) Minihane or Monahan after Allie's father died.  Mary Minihane went over to her brother Mathew Moloney who was living in Canada at this time.

Another Great Gran Aunt of mine, Mrs Thomas Quinlan nee Rohan died in Marmora in 1953, she had one daughter Mary who later married an O'Connor.  Please find an old photograph of Annie Elizabeth Quinlan nee Rohan attached.

I would appreciate any advice or support you can provide and likewise if interested in the story from my end I would love to share.

Deirdre Daly-  Ireland 

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION TO ADD TO THIS,  PLEASE CONTACT US AT info@marmorahistory.ca   or just click here

Corneilius Quinlan wrote: Deirdre Daly - Belleville, Ontario, Canada ( March, / 2021 - Your Great Gran Aunt is in my family tree. She married Thomas Quinlan on 28, April, 1924 in Detroit, Michigan U. S. A.
Anna was born September, 8, 1880 in Castleconnell, County, Limerick, Ireland. Anna died 11, October, 1953, but I don't know who Anna's parents are? Anna and Thomas daughter Mary Margaret Quinlan married Dennis O'Connor and they went on to have a family of 7.

Mary was born February, 1928, bapt: 28, February, at Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Anna was confirmed 9, June, 1940 at Sacred Heart, Marmora. Mary passed away on December 13, 2014 at age 87 years (R. I. P. ). Dennis passed on September 5, 2000 and is also buried at Sacred Heart Church, Marmora, Ontario.I have been to their farm many times north of Marmora. They are a really good family, and my wife and I would sit in the pew behind them at Mass. Would love a copy of picture of Anna Rohan for my family tree. My contact information is : corneiliusquinlan@gmail.com .

Cornelius Quinlan adds: This is my G. G. Grandparents tombstone in Madoc, Ontario. Their names are Thomas Quinlan and Margaret Quinlan( Mahoney) and were both " Natives of County, Limerick, Ireland. Thomas Quinlan was the first settler in Tudor Township, north of Madoc, Ontario in the year 1844. These are the parents of Corneilius ( Conn ) Quinlan. Corneilius (Conn ) Quinlan is the father of my Grandfather Corneilius ( Neil ) Quinlan. My G. Grandparents and my Grandparents are buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Marmora, Ontario.

Corneilius ( Neil) Quinlan × Mary McCallum ( Woulfe ). This was taken on the farm on Highway #7 on right hand side going EAST. (PHOTO FROM CORNELIUS QUINLAN)

Wilma Brady/Bush July 31, 2016 Mary (Quinlan) O'Connor was a delightful lady. I first met her when she visited my grandparents when I was a child & she was a young girl, adopted by the Quinlans. I thought she was so pretty & had such a delightful Irish accent which she never lost. Mary remained a very sweet lady through the years - had a nice family - her daughter Wanda attended school with my youngest - Julia. Happy memories!"

Cornelius Quinlan: Anna Quinlan nee ( Rohan ) is my great aunt. She married my
Grandfather Cornelius ( Neil ) Quinlan's brother Thomas Quinlan. Thomas was the son of Cornelius ( Con ) Quinlan and Catherine McDonald. My dad used to talk very fondly of his Aunt Annie and Uncle Tom Quinlan.

From the left is Thomas Quinlan × Anna Roughan from Castleconnell, Limerick, Ireland. With the mustache is Corneilius Quinlan and his wife Catherine McDonnell, their daughters Margaret and Mary Ellen and in the middle is Owen Quinlan. On the far right is Corneilius (Neil) Quinlan, my Grandfather x Mary McCullum (Woulfe) her mother was Ester Woulfe and John J McCullum.

Photo from cornelius quinlan