Issue 2 - Kent Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society

ISSN 0831-5930
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Volume 31, Number 2
2008
1(n-16-08
2008 KENT BRANCH EXECUTIVE
CHAIRPERSON
VICE CHAIRPERSON
PAST CHAIRPERSON
TREASURER
MEMBERSHIP
PROGRAMS
PUBLICATIONS
LIBRARY& CORRESPONDENCE
PUBLICITY
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE
TELEPHONE COMMITTEE
COMPUTER
EDITOR
DONNA COFELL
MARGARET EBERLE
JOAN ABELE GRIFFIN
VALERIE BUTTERFIELD
BEA FOSTER
KATHERINE PROUT
MARY LOU LITTLE
DIANE FRENCH
IDA de BUSSCHERE
SHIRLEY STURDEVANT
DONNA REINHARDUS
LES MANCELL
F.P. VINK
519-676-8223
519-678-3289
734-451-0084
519-352-7859
519-351-4874
519-436-6195
519-676-8201
519-354-4314
519-627-2728
519-351-5751
519-354-2254
519-689-7253
519-674-3612
MAILING ADDRESS: KENT COUNTY BRANCH, ONTARIO GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
P.O. BOX 964, CHATHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA N7M 5L3
Message from the Chair: — When I went to my first OGS conference a number of years ago, I
met a lady from Uxbridge where my husband's Vance relatives had settled in the 1830's. Shortly after
I arrived home I received a copy of a newspaper article telling of the establishment of a new
subdivision on the old Vance property. According to folklore Andrew Vance was buried somewhere
on his farm and is now somewhere in or under the current subdivision — exact location long lost.
As Les Mancell and Hans van der Doe pursue any references to burials or burial grounds it becomes
clear that there must be many of the first Kent County residents buried in locations now unknown and
long forgotten. A reference that says "near the big oak tree on the south side of the orchard" isn't much
help when the orchard and oak tree are long gone.
Sometimes researchers have difficulty understanding why we cannot locate a death or burial record
here in Kent County. For example: There were settlers here on the 'back ridge' of Harwich by 1833 but
Newcombe Cemetery wasn't established until 1858. Some burials took place in Craford Cemetery in
Raleigh Township in the early 1850's but one wonders how many other people from the Harwich 'back
ridge' area ended up buried elsewhere — now in a forgotten or unmarked location. I'm sure this is also
true in areas of Kent County which were settled much earlier. (The records for Newcombe Cemetery
show only plot owners, not burials — the only record of burials is the transcription from Kent Branch
OGS.)
Such is the stuff of genealogy — always interesting and challenging! Best wishes for a great summer
and many broken brick walls.
D onna Cofell
Regular monthly meetings are usually held the second Friday of the month (except July, August &
December) at 7.00 p.m. at the W.LS.H. CENTRE - (The Woodstock Institute Sertoma Help Centre),
King St East at Prince St, Chatham, Ontario, Canada. Visitors welcome. Our research room is
located on the second floor of the Main Public Library located downtown Chatham at the corner of
Queen & Cross Streets. Staffed by volunteers Mon-Sat (except on public holidays) 1:00-5:00 pm.
Kn-17-08
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
COMPUTER CORNER
KENT COUNTY OBITUARIES
NEW MATERIAL AT THE LIBRARY
NEW LDS LIBRARY SCHEDUEL
FROM THE REGION I DIRECTOR
MORE KENT COUNTY IRISH
JUDGE HAROLD J. CALLWOOD OF TILBURY
THE WINDFALL TORNADO OF 1851
THE O'NEILL CEMETERY MYSTERY
FROM THE TOWNSHIP PAPERS FOR TILBURY EAST, 1848
PROMOTIONS COMMITTEE
THE KENT CEMETERIES PROJECT
QUERIES
Main St., tor.,1<iii
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25
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Ont.
Cover Photo — taken by the studio of "Butler & Little, Successors to E. Stanton, Cobourg, C.W."
(Canada West) now for once I was not able to locate this studio in the Ontario Photographer's
Guide... Given that Ontario migration seems to flow south, I'm guessing, but this may possibly be
Chatham's famous Butler who opened his studio here in 1874. I did see referenced in the 'Guide' that
R.S. Little was a photographer in Cobourg between 1865 and 1869. My best guess is that this is taken
just before 1865 and comes from the scraps of an album salvaged at the Tilbury Antique Mall recently.
Kn-18-08
COMPUTER CORNER by Tom Mountain
Canadian Government Records A new search tool searches databases hosted by Canadian federal,
provincial or territorial archives centres and libraries, as well as those of several commercial partners.
"That's My Family," is free of charge. It was launched and is maintained by Bibliotheque et Archives
nationales du Quebec (BAnQ) with support from Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and the Council
of Provincial and Territorial Archivists (CPTA) of Canada. http://www.voicimafamille.info .
-•,-->.,&:.,_ •
Kent County Obituaries. On-line obituaries from funeral homes are a great source of information.
They sometimes contain more detailed life experiences as well as pictures. You also have the added
feature of 'copy and paste'.
Alexander Funeral Home — Chatham http://www.alexanderfuneralhome.ca
Bowman Funeral Home — Chatham http://www.bowmanfh.ca
Hinnega-Peseski Funeral Home — Chatham http://www.peseski.com
McKinley Funeral Homes Ltd. — Chatham, Blenheim, Ridgetown
http://www.mckinlayfuneralhome.com
Blenheim Community Funeral Home http://www.blenheimcommunityfuneralhome.com
Secord & Smith Funeral Home — Merlin http://www.secordsmithfh.ca
Thomas L. DeBurger Funeral Home — Dresden http://www.deburgerfuneralhome.com
Badder Funeral Home Thamesville, Dresden, Bothwell http://www.batterfuneralhome.com
Haycock-Cavanagh Funeral Home - Wallaceburg http://www.cavanaghfuneralhome.ca
Chatham Daily News http://ospreyobituaries.com/sitepages
Wallaceburg Courier Press http://www.wallaceburgcourierpress.com
"Note - The Kent Branch OGS has indexed copies of all the obituaries from the
Chatham Daily News from 1978-2007. They are in binders and not digitalized."
Kn -1 9- 08
Materials added to the library since the last newsletter:
2007 Obituaries for the Chatham Daily News
—Dresden Cemetery Reconstruction (map and some new information)
1916 Voters' List for Raleigh Township
— Gray-Dort Enthusiasts Newsletter 2003-2007
— The Stevensons of Tilbury East, A Family History by Kenneth Stevenson c2007
- Upper Canada Justices of the Peace & Assoc. 1788 —1841 by Frederick H. Armstrong, OGS c2007
- Pioneers of the Eastern Townships (pre 1863) by Mrs. C.M. Day, new index by Ryan Taylor
—History of the Counties of Argenteuil, Quebec and Prescott, Ontario by Cyrus Thomas (1896)
Quebec Land Grants indexed by Surname by Q.F.H.S. CDRom
— The Mapping of Early Canada - a set of 12 maps
Diane French
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LDS LIBRARY — There have been quite a few changes in the times, days and other things over the
past several months, which. I am sure, have confused everyone, (the faithful volunteer librarians
included)...but I have just clarified these latest changes with Patricia O'Brien, of the LDS. There was
some confusion between the poster that has been put out and the latest email about the Tuesday times.
Anyway, as near as I can tell, effective May 07, 2008:
1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesday afternoons 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. and every Tuesday evening 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Every Thursday afternoon, 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.
(there will no longer be any Wednesday hours)
Location:
LDS Church, 23 Detroit Drive, Chatham, ON
LDS Library Ph: 519-352-6226
You should call the Library phone number on the days (or evening) that they are open, if you are
unsure.
Barbara Luckham
Kn-20-08
OGS Director's Notes, Region 1, April 2008
Shirley L Sturdevant
DirectorOla,ogs.on.ca
I am so thankful to see warmer temperatures and sunshine and less ice and snow. I am sure that every
time I mentioned the words "visit Lambton or Essex" the weather forecast immediately changed to ice
or snow. So...yes, the bad weather on your meeting nights was probably my fault. Although it was
good to attend meetings in my home branch — Kent — I was happy this past month to finally get to
Lambton and Essex. The meetings across the Region are always interesting. Congratulations and
many thanks to all those volunteers in our Branches — chairs, vice-chairs, executive and committee
members -- who book great speakers; develop informative newsletters; keep us on track with agendas,
minutes, financial reports and public relations; respond to research requests; carry on the work of
transcriptions, publications and sales in both print and electronic form; and any other job I have not
even thought of. Your ingenuity and progressive spirit, along with your hours of volunteer work are
greatly appreciated not only by Branch and Provincial Members but researchers at large. Bravo!
I look forward to seeing all of you at our OGS Conference in London on May 30-June 1 at Fanshawe
College.
4c-,
4531—sie.
Region 1 Elections
Nominations are open for the following positions:
Director, Region 1
Secretary, Region 1
Elections will occur at the Region 1 Annual Meeting
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2008
Place: Windsor (see Region 1 advertisements for details)
Positions to be effective following the Provincial AGM at the OGS
Conference in 2009
For a nomination form or for more information, contact:
Shirley L. Sturdevant - OGS Director, Region 1
39 Blossom Place
Chatham, ON N7L 5G4
Canada
519-351-5751
[email protected]
LAURA HILLS.
Kn-21-08
MORE KENT CO. IRISH
by Joan Abele Griffin
JOHN CAUSGROVE was born in County Roscommon, about 1817. I do not know if John married
his wife, Ann Fahey in Ireland or in Canada. Their first child, John was born in Toronto about 1845. In
1856 John brought his family to Howard Twp. They moved quite a bit before getting to Kent as their
second child, James was born 1847 in Brantford, Mary Ann was born 1848 in St. Marys, Perth Co.,
Michael was born June 1850 also in Perth County; Patrick was born 1854 in St. Thomas, Elgin County;
the last three children, born in Kent County: Catherine in 1858, Matthew in December of 1860 and
Martin in 1863. Of the 8 children only one moved away from Kent. The oldest, John, married in Kent
in 1868 to Ellen McDonnell and they moved to Chicago where John died in 1916. James married
Phoebe Roe; Mary Ann married Martin Lydon; Michael married Catherine Leitch; Patrick married
first, Mary Rowland and then Mary Kennedy; Catherine married Matthew Thomas; Matthew married
Ann Roady and Martin married Ellen Donovan in 1886 in Chatham. This family is Roman Catholic.
PATRICK COLEMAN was born in 1814 in County Carlow. He and his wife, Catherine Waters left
Ireland about 1838. We know that they had settled in Zone Twp., Kent County, Ontario by 1861 with 7
children, James born 1838; Ann born 1844; Michael born 1846; Catherine born 1847 and died Zone in
1874; Bridget born 1845; Margaret born 1848 and Thomas, born 1850. Patrick Coleman died of a heart
attack on the 25 August 1890 in Zone Twp.
JOHN COOPER and his wife, Sarah Jane Forsyth where both born in County Down where a couple
of their children were also born: daughter, Ellen and son, Henry, who was born 1839. In the early
1840's the family left for Canada, first going to Amherst Island then to Tilbury East Twp. Their other
children were Mary, who married Peter Murphy and settled in Spokane, Washington State; William;
John born Amherst Island in 1846, died in Chatham 1910; James F. who settled near Fletcher and
Sarah Jane who married first a Mr. Dunlop and then Peter Elliot and William. They attended the
Presbyterian Church and are buried in the Wallaceburg Cemetery.
HENRY COOPER was the son of John Cooper Sr. and Sarah Jane Forsyth. He was born February 14,
1839 in County Down and was in Kent County, Ontario by 1859. He married Ellen Smith daughter of
James Smith and Ann Robertson in 1866 in Kent. Henry died 14 Nov 1906 in Tilbury and is buried in
Stewart Cemetery with his wife, Ellen, who died 17 Sept 1921. They had at least ten children: John
Henry, born 1865 married Ada Fish; Ann married William Staily and settled in Crocker, Iowa; Samuel
Alex born 1867 and died 1915 in Tilbury. He had married Janet Stevenson; Sarah born 1873 married
Robert Bell; Thomas Hilliard born 1875 married Christina Ball. He died in Chatham Feb. 1917; Henry
married Ann Graham; Bert Peter born 1883, married Mary Grant and he died 1924 in Tilbury East;
James Smith born 1869; William James, born March 1876 and Mary born in 1880.
MATTHEW COVENY was born 1823 in County Cork. He married in July 1850 in St. Thomas to
Sarah Jane O'Rourke. Several of their 9 children were born in St. Thomas; Michael who was born 6
May 1851 and was killed May 1, 1868 along Little Bear Creek when his gun accidently discharged;
John born 1853, married in Chatham in 1884 to Agnes O'Neil. John died 1938; Richard who was a
grocer in Kent was born Jan 1855 in St. Thomas, married 1892 in Dover to Agnes Ouellette. Richard
died 1944; Mary Ann was unmarried 1856-1881; Sarah became an Ursaline nun, Mother Mary St. Paul,
1858-1947; Matthew J. born 1860 settled in Spring Valley, Illinois where he was a doctor; Edward
1862-1892; Ellen 1865-1906 married John Kinna and Daniel born May 1867, married Elizabeth Leahy
in 1894 and died Nov. 1940. The father Matthew drowned crossing Little Bear Creek in Dover, 25 July
1889 and his wife Sarah died 10 Jan. 1891. They are buried in old St. Anthony's Cemetery, Chatham.
1(11-22-08
HAMPTON COWAN was born in County Armagh in 1816. His mother was Jane Hewitt who died
November 1856. Hampton was in Tilbury Twp. Kent County, Ontario about 1846. He married in the
Presbyterian Church in Chatham in 1849 to Elizabeth Curry. Hampton died 25 March 1886 in Tilbury
East and his wife, Elizabeth died 7 July 1898 in Tilbury. They had twelve children: Margaret born
1850; Mary Ann born 31 July, married Thomas Norry, April 1886 and died 7 May 1923; Jane married
Alvin Malott and died in London, 9 December, 1927. She is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in London;
Arthur George married Mary Hornick; Susan married John Hornick in 1878. She died November 4,
1908; John Smith born December of 1859, married 1890, in Leamington, Essex County, Ontario to
Susan Hillier; Walter born 1860, died July 1902; Sarah born July 18, 1862 married David Alexander;
the next two children were twins; Hampton, born 19 March 1864 and Elizabeth. Hampton
married April 1906 to Alice Cox and died in Leamington in 1929; Isaac was born 1867 and died
August 3, 1934. He married Louise Cowley and the last was William Smith, born 28, October 1868.
PATRICK DELAHUNTY was born 1810 in Fethard, County Tipperary about 78 miles from Dublin.
He was married the first time, about 1830, to Mary Hurley who was from County Cork. Their children
were Edmund born 1841 and died in Chatham, Ontario, 26 Nov 1853; Thomas born 1842 and died 16
January 1854; John born 1831 in Cobourg, Ontario, married 1861, Mary Mahoney in Chatham. John
died 30 August 1876; William Ambrose born 1839 in Cobourg Ontario married in Chatham in 1860
Ellen Collins; Mary born 1833 married Cornelius O'Brien in 1855 in Chatham and Ann who married a
Reilly. Mary Hurley Delahunty died 29 March, 1874. On October 26, 1874 Patrick married Ellen
Klaher, daughter of Michael & Mary. There was one child from this second marriage: Thomas, born
1876, who died, 13 June, 1879. Patrick Delahunty Sr. was a street surveyor. The family was Catholic.
If anyone sees any errors or can add to the info here, it would be very much appreciated Joan Griffin
email: [email protected]
CHATHAM, ONT., _ffitne, 5, 19.2.
CANADA
M County of :Kent,
Rev. 7.H.G.Colles,
Cit
N9 7928 E
THE PLANET CO., LTD.
Your Order No.
Requisition No.
S. STEPHENSON
PRINTERS, BINDERS AND BLANK BOOK MAKERS, THEATRICAL
PRINTERS AND WOOD ENGRAVERS
Statements Rendered Monthly
IIt
00 0 0 000 00 000aN 1
1.1 ∎ HH Lc\0Ir\IINU'W \LC■ r—I .-0
To 500 Reports of Promotion and. Review Exams ,
for East Kent
200 Entrance Fxamina,tion forms
200 Spelling II to III
1000 Arithmetic
"
1000 Literature
" t5.0:1000Geog.IIto II
1000 Composition ".
1000 Literature III to IT
1000 Arithmetic
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200 Spelling
200 Timetes
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Sales Tax
Saks Tax License No '292
63 95
Kn-23-08
Judge Harold J. Callwood of Tilbury - about the time of writing the last newsletter, I had
been exchanging messages with an artist friend in Richmond California. To make a long story short,
one day he asked me if I knew "where this little place down there, near you, called till–burr–ee" was?,
as his grandmother spoke of it... (Yes that was his spelling) "You mean Tilbury" I replied, "of course;
it's a small town here in the south corner of Kent County". After a few more amused questions from me
I was told, that my friend's Great Grandfather was Judge Harold James Callwood of that place. Did I
know of him? Okay, easy enough to locate, or so I thought. Checked the county history book,
Romantic Kent, but there is only one sentence that mentions his name in the Tilbury chapter. It says he
was the first appointed magistrate after the town was incorporated. I remembered that there is a history
book for the town of Tilbury but I did not have a copy of this book in my bookcase (and realized that I
never did get one). Next day, I made the pilgrimage to the Kent Branch OGS library upstairs in the
Public Library in Chatham and soon found a copy on the shelves and quickly located a biography of the
Judge thanks to a bit of help from Wilson Kerr and Les Mancell. Reading the biography it mentions his
famous granddaughter June Callwood, the Toronto writer and humanitarian. I wasn't really sure just
who she was until I keyed her name into 'Google' back at my desk at home... My next impression was
one of being somewhat ashamed that I should have missed the association with this woman right off
the top. She is no small footnote in modern Canadian biographies, and as I write this, it is the first
anniversary of her death. Searching through the Globe and Mail coverage of her death was an interview
were she gives a cameo moment of her grandfather in that time of a Tilbury long past and forgotten.
Harold James Callwood, the judge, she fondly recalled, was a portly Presbyterian, who showered her
with affection at his home where she spent summers after her family had moved to Belle River, etc.
"On hot afternoons, he moved his judicial court to his breezy veranda, and I would sit on his knee,
dozing on his tummy — the informality of that cannot be imagined nowadays." When she was four
years old he rewrote his will to put in money for her — a girl — to go into law. He died when she was
12; and her law school provision was the only formal bequest in the will, but the family came to her
and she agreed to give it up.
Judge Callwood's biography, as extracted from the Tilbury Times of February 18, 1937, and used in the
town history book, states that he was born in Manchester, England in 1865 and came to Canada as a
young man and ended up in Fletcher, Ontario when it was a "booming" village. He started working in
the stave mill piling wood slabs.... The manager of the mill soon found he was well educated and put
him in the office doing the books. He would board at the home of Mr. & Mrs. William Mancell Sr. (Les
informed me that since this was before the building of the brick house it would have been more of a
"small cottage" type affair filled with a lot of children. Augustus Bridle's 1924 novel "Hansen" is set at
this time (1887) in Fletcher – called Jericho in the novel, and gives an interesting day to day glimpse
into the life of this village with all its local characters coming and going). In May of 1888, Harold
Callwood married Margaret Jane Meggison and they would move to Coatsworth where Harold started a
small Insurance Company, but that place being too small they moved to Tilbury. He would be
appointed police magistrate there in 1897 and by the dates given I assume he was also appointed
Justice of the Peace at this same time. With transportation conditions being poor and no direct route to
Chatham he was appointed Judge. His office was located on Queen Street and the family residence was
on Canal St., but at the time of writing I do not know if this house still stands? Judge Callwood would
be remembered for his jovial disposition and having the respect of both the plaintiff and defendant in
court cases. Around the 1910/12 period he and Henry Beuglet, the undertaker, would purchase
property that was to become Maple Leaf Cemetery there. In later years and due to ill health he retired
to Goderich, Ontario with his daughter, were he died on a Sunday afternoon in February of 1937. He
was returned to the mourning town of Tilbury for burial. At that time he left behind his wife Margaret
Jane, three married daughters and 3 sons.
Kn-24-08
The photo shows Judge Callwood in his later years and comes from the collection of his daughter
Margaret who married Ernest Burns who resided in Detroit and are the grand parents of my friend Tim
who asked the original question "have you ever heard of — which I can say now that I have! With
some searching around, the car appears to be a Studebaker Coupe Roadster, made for the model years
of 1923 & 1924, was a two seater, 6 cylinder and came in Studebaker blue F.P. Vink — Editor
For the full biography of Judge Harold James Callwood see also the history book "Celebration of a
Century, 1887 — 1987, Tilbury, Ontario, published in 1987.
June Rose Callwood was born in Chatham Ontario on June 2, 1924, the elder of two daughters of
Harold Callwood Jr. and Gladys Lavoie). She spent her first two years in Tilbury with her
grandparents. She died April 14, 2007 in Toronto Ontario.
Augustus (John) Bridle. Critic, writer, editor, born East Stour, Dorsetshire, England, 4 Mar 1868, d
Toronto 21 Dec 1952. Of illegitimate birth and orphaned in infancy, he became a ward of the Rev T.B.
Stephenson, founder of the National Children's Home in London. Bridle was sent to Hamilton, Ont, in
1878. Details of his early childhood are not clear, but it is believed that he lived and worked with a
shoemaker, a Mr. Stewart in Merlin, Ont, in 1880, and moved in 1882 to the farm of Richard Smith in
Dealtown, Ont. He received his teaching certificate in 1887 and began teaching in 1889 in Blenheim,
Ont. He taught later in Edmonton and in Stratford, Ont. In 1903 he took up newspaper work, writing
for the Stratford Herald, the Toronto News, and the Edmonton Bulletin. He was the moving force
behind the formation (1908) of the Arts & Letters Club of Toronto.
Kn-25-08
THE WINDFALL TORNADO OF JULY 1851
In looking for interesting newsletter items for this issue pertaining to the south corner of Kent County 1
came across this article in some papers that the late Carl Watson of Ridgetown had let me borrow
years ago from his father's O.K. Watson's collection. Omar Kern Watson was an early Kent Historical
Society member and contributor. This account appeared in Volume 1 of 'Western Ontario History
Notes' in March of 1952, submitted by Neil F. Morrison, Ph.D., who in turn had extracted it from the
Wheatley Journal of July 19th, 1951 F.P. Vink, Editor
"William Simpson described the great storm many years ago for the Wheatley Journal: The storm cut a
swath through the forest three-quarters of a mile wide and nine miles in length. I remember well seeing
the great, black, funnel-shaped cloud coming with great big limbs and trees whirling around in it. Oh,
what a roar! Then for about a quarter of an hour it was as dark as night, then as the light returned the
terrible devastation was revealed." Another eye-witness, David Imeson, in a letter written long
afterwards, stated positively that the date of the great windstorm was July 18th, 1851 and not July 26th
as given in the Simpson account. A search of Detroit, London and Chatham newspapers has failed to
settle this point; but what matters a difference of eight days after a hundred years?
Elliott Kimball, Leamington nonagenarian, recalls that his mother, Mrs. Nelson Kimball, heard the
storm from her home on the fourth concession of Mersea. Mrs. Christina Cates, 98 year old resident of
Wheatley, relates how her folks heard the wind roaring in the trees before it came and how people lay
down and held fast to the grass. Another story is of a man and his wife shocking wheat along the ridge
road when the wind struck. The man had his wife lie down and he covered her with shocks of wheat to
prevent her from being blown into the lake.
At the time of the storm John Stobbs, of Romney, was out hunting his milking cows. All he could do
was lie down by a big tree to prevent other pieces of timber blowing on top of him. George and Horace
Hyatt, sons of Jacob Hyatt, an original Romney settler, had an equally terrifying experience. The boys
were on their way through the woods to the post office when the storm struck. The wind blew them
under the trees, where they found protection. When they met after it was over, they were so blackened
that they did not know each other.
A little girl of a century ago, who later became Mrs. Joseph Mills told of how when they came out of
school in the afternoon, they could see the trees going over on end. Near the Mills' farm, the then new
David Imeson log house was unroofed by the great wind.
An unexpected result of the storm was that the blown down area became top some extent a wild life
sanctuary. William Beattie, of Wheatley, remembers that some seventy years ago deer were safe there
because of the broken down timber. Strangest noises coming from the devastated sections were due,
not to ghosts, but to dried limbs breaking under the weight of wild pigeons.
Today at Windfall all is quiet. On the Essex County side of the road, on land donated by David Imeson,
already mentioned, stands the Windfall United Church of Canada, bearing the date 1883. Across from
it on Kent side of the county line is the Orange Hall. Windfall is no longer a post office and the hamlet
of some fifty or sixty years ago is gone. The scene there today is entirely rural and agricultural."
Kn-26-08
The O'Neill Cemetery Mystery
by Paul Sereda
Di [email protected]
In a quest to find out more about James and Bridget O'Connor and family of Howard Township in
Kent County (1842 — c.1895), I uncovered links to their son Michael (1854-1932), and his wife Sarah
(Kelly), and two sons and one daughter. On searching various documents including his obituary, his
death notice, his funeral notice and death certificate, I determined that Michael was buried in
Thamesville, Ontario in the family plot at O'Neill's Roman Catholic Cemetery. So a trip to Chatham
was in order, (between snowstorms), to find out more and perhaps locate the burial site.
Of course, not knowing exactly where to start, I went to the OGS-Kent library room upstairs at the
Chatham Public Library and asked for the transcriptions of the O'Neill cemetery. After searching
through various reference documents, nothing was found. Then the phone lines heated up rather
quickly. Nearly everyone I asked called at least two more people to find the information (my apologies
to those who ended up getting more than one call). I also got several cautions that the newspapers were
not always diligent in their reporting ... surprise, surprise! - and that the notices I had may not be
accurate. So now, three weeks later, some of you are still getting calls. Not to fear the mystery may yet
be solved...
It appears that in the early 1900's, Warren O'Neill and Humbert Graves (grandfather of Kent Branch
member, Lloyd Mitton, who held the key to this mystery) jointly operated Mount Pleasant Cemetery on
Victoria Rd, north of Thamesville. Before 1919 they had a disagreement. Mr. Graves offered to buy out
Mr. O'Neill's share or as an alternative; Mr. O'Neill could buy him out for the same sum. Mr. O'Neill
chose the latter. He apparently looked after the cemetery in the 1920's and 1930's and according to one
source possibly longer. So, after putting the pieces together with Leslie Mancel's help, it is now
considered (and that may change) that Michael O'Connor probably was buried in the St. Paul's
Cemetery (being Roman Catholic) adjacent to the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. This would be based in part,
on a transcription which simply says "(flower planter) O'CONNOR" in St. Paul's Roman Catholic
Cemetery. It seems there is no other inscription of the O'Connor name here. Perhaps burial records (if
they exist and can be found) might indicate those of that surname are buried in this cemetery, and their
locations. Burial records for Mt Pleasant and Mayhew cemeteries may also be incomplete or in very
poor condition... and so validation may take a while.
It is also interesting that no one I asked had ever heard of the cemetery being referred to as the
'O'Neill's Cemetery'. This reference therefore could be the result of Mr. O'Neill being a family friend
or the funeral home (Campbell's Funeral Home, Chatham) and/or the press referring to the owner or
caretaker of the property.
Well, this means another trip to Chatham and Thamesville to validate our hypotheses. Many thanks to
all who helped us with the mystery including Leslie Mancel, Lloyd Mitton, John C. Badder, Frank
Vink and others.
Editor's notes: Paul is a former Kent County resident who now lives in Ottawa, his family research
includes the McBrayne's of Dresden and Howard Twp.
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Kn-27-08
Gleaned from the Tilbury East Township Papers. Ontario Archives MS 658, Reel 473
If your ancestor was a Colonel Talbot Settler, a great number of those grants are filed in the Township
Papers for Tilbury East
by Donna Cofell
Lot 16, Tilbury East Township, North Middle Road
To The Hon'ble Provincial Secretary, Montreal.
Chatham, Western District 28 July 1847
Sir, I respectfully beg to enclose a memorial and discharge in favour of George Cameron, late a
Sergeant in the 92' d Reg't of Foot -- as this man is far advanced in Life and feeble in health he is most
anxious to get his worldly matters arranged as speedily as possible. May I therefore respectfully
entreat that you will have the goodness to submit his memorial and discharge to the favourable
condition of His Excellency The Governor General.
Trusting that the nature of this case will please my excuse for trespassing upon your valuable time.
I have the honour to be Sir Your very Obedient Servant.
A. B. Baxter, late of the 43 d Reg't of Infantry.
(Further correspondence on behalf of James and George Cameron, jun. requesting certificate to be
issued. Notation "certificate issued 14 Jan 1864")
Lot 20. North Middle Road contains grant and correspondence relating to the claim of Mary Moss as
the daughter of a UEL.
"Mary Moss of the township of Osnabruck...daughter of Samuel Moss a U. E. Loyalist."
Dated 12 Jan 1848
A
Kent County Tombstone Challenge: - At the March Kent Branch OGS meeting, I challenged
the members present to a little competition:
For Kent County:
1)
2)
3)
The most unusual or poignant epitaph
The most unusual or weird tombstone
The most famous person's tombstone.
This is aimed at tombstones in Kent County, but if you have one with a strong relationship to Kent
County, please also submit it for our collection.
Please send, either the digital, or a printed photo to me and of course, the cemetery the tombstone is
located in as well as any other relevant/interesting information.
We hope to post all the photos for our December meeting and vote on a winner.
Donna Cofell cofella,ciaccess.com R. R. # 7, Blenheim, Ont. NOP 1 A0
•-7(./
Kn-28-08
Promotions Committee
Committee
Over the last year, the Kent OGS Promotions
Committee has been actively seeking ways to
make more residents of Chatham-Kent and
visitors to the area aware of our General
Meetings, Family History Library and volunteer
services. Last spring and summer, posters,
flyers and business cards were placed around
the municipality in addition to the usual media
announcements. This spring, the Committee
contacted churches, service clubs and youth
organizations offering a variety of presentations
— from informal displays and chats to more
formal slideshow presentations — to introduce
their members to genealogy and family history.
By the end of May, presentations or displays
will have been seen by 12 area groups and more
are booked for the fall As well, an Introductor
Genealogy Workshop was offered to teens on
the morning of their April 25th P.A. Day and
Kent OGS is providing a workshop for children
ages 10 and over through the Chatham-Kent
Public Library's children's programs on May
17th in the main branch in Chatham. School
boards have been given information also so that
schools can request assistance with any
curriculum topics regarding family history,
heritage and immigration. Watch for our ad in
the next Daytripper, too.
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KENT CEMETERIES PROJECT — As many readers know, Kent Branch was the first of the
Branches of the OGS to complete transcriptions of all known available grave markers or tombstones in
their area, and have since published those Transcriptions. Together with Hans van der Doe of Heritage
Chatham-Kent, we have undertaken another related project. We are attempting to identify the burial
places of more of our Kent pioneers and early residents. We do realize that some were buried too near
the rivers or the lake, and so now have joined the Chatham-Kent pioneer relocation program'.
However; we are asking the assistance of any readers who are aware of burials (with or without
existing tombstones) within the geographic territory of Kent County, other than those in the already
identified cemeteries [ http://ogskent.on.ca/Cemeteries.htm], providing name, "Lot & Concession" and
a more precise description (if possible) of the location. Also, it could be helpful to future researchers if
you know of burials (in known cemeteries) without transcribed tombstones; please, would you provide
details (name, location, family connection, etc.).
Leslie Mancell do Kent Branch OGS
Kn-29-08
Notes From the Editor: This issue has rather a 'Tilbury' content to it — so often I forget to overview
the different corners of the county — it's not intentional, but none the less it happens... Let me know if
you figure this newsletter stuff is all getting too biased — or — better yet - send me something to print
up! - When we had our monthly meeting Friday night May 9th, the usual rush and crush occurred of so
many topics getting covered quickly and so much interest in Joan Griffin's presentation that an
interesting footnote in recent local history was overlooked. Having taken place right in the same
meeting room the previous week.
May 8th was the 150th anniversary of the meeting held in Chatham, pretty much on site with our
meeting, of the Abolitionist John Brown, laying the groundwork for the incidents that would lead to
Harper's Ferry. A 2 day seminar was held to commemorate this event by the Chatham-Kent Black
Historical Society. Several Kent Branch members attended, myself included, on the Saturday, when
several people spoke, including Dr. Edna Medford and Dr. David Reynolds, author of a new book on
John Brown. (There is a website for Harper's Ferry at: harpersferrywv.net ) Gwen Robinson, who's
tireless effort, keeps a lot of this within my attention, has prepared a booklet that list the family
connections of those who attended the original 1858 Convention. I picked up a copy for my research
files and was interested to see that the Harper's Ferry Courthouse looks a lot like the original Chatham
Town Hall building that stood looking over the original Market Square before the Mall madness of the
1980's altered Chatham's downtown core
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Above: — At first glance I was thinking this is the late Chatham Public Library building of the Andrew
Carnegie donation of 1902, but is not — it is an architectural variation of the design — but where?
Editor
1(n-30-08
LIERIES
C)
CANTWELL/HUCKLE: Seeking information on the family of William Cantwell (1857- c.1885)
born in England, died in Kent County, Ontario, who married Sarah Ann Huckle (1857 — 1910) born in
England, died in Raleigh Township, Kent County, Ontario, she was the daughter of Thomas Huckle
and Betsy Tims. The children of William Cantwell and Sarah Ann Huckle are: Mary Ann, born in
1877/8, who married Edward Lunnon, c.1900; William, born in 1878; Caroline, born in 1881, died
1902; Georgina, born in 1884; Rosebell, born in 1888; Annie, born in 1892; Lance, born in 1894; Pearl,
born in 1897 and Orvel, born in 1899. Seeking any information on the above. Please contact: Helen
Huckle Elford, 5 Comforts Cove, Innisfil Ont., L9S 1 S3 or email: helenelford(nextcom.ca
COFFEE (COFFEY): Phineas Coffey, born in 1848, in Ontario, married Elizabeth Jane Huckle in
1881 in Blenheim, Ontario. Elizabeth was born in 1864, in England, the daughter of Thomas Huckle
and Betsy Tims. She died in Kent County, Ontario in 1928. The children born to Phineas Coffey and
Elizabeth Jane Huckle are: Rose, born c.1882, Mary Jane, born 1884, Mabel, born 1885 and who
married Jesse Casner, c.1902 and Jane, born in 1886. Seeking any information on the above, please
contact Helen Huckle Elford, 5 Comforts Cove, Innisfil Ont., L9S 1 S3 or email per above....
MARSH, CAROLINE: Seeking information on the family of Alvin William Sager and wife Caroline
Marsh, who married 1879. The family was in Dresden in 1881, and then moved to Montana in 1889.
Children born to them in Ontario were: Lena Edna, Robert Bruce, Alice, Roy, Earl Alvin, Ferness, and
William. In Montana were born: Wilfred, Mildred, Helen, Leslie, and Marguerite. Would like to know
parentage of Caroline (Carrie), born in Ontario, and their marriage place. Please contact:
Mrs. Linda Corupe, 210 Allan Drive, Bolton, Ontario, L7E 1Y7, or email: [email protected]
MALCOMSON, WILLIAM G.: Architect; born 1853, Detroit or Toronto, son of Joseph and Rachel
Malcomson. He designed the Ridgetown Opera House in 1878 as well as 3 of the major churches there:
Mount Zion, Presbyterian, Erie St. Methodist (currently in danger of demolition), and St. Michaels
Roman Catholic before 1880. On June 13, 1882 he married Jennie E. McKinlay of Ridgetown,
daughter of John Peter McKinlay and Mary Elizabeth Ritter He was a resident of Detroit at this time
and his birth place is listed as Toronto in the marriage. Their children are: Mary Kathryn, who married
Mallory Napoleon Stickney; Arthur J. (1887 — 1919), Joseph E, Ruth and Caryl/Carol? He was
associated with William E. Higginbotham of Detroit and their firm between 1894 and 1923 designed
3/4's of the city's school buildings as well as numerous churches, and Henry Ford's first big house of
1908. William G. Malcomson died in 1937 and is buried in Grand Lawn Cemetery, Detroit Michigan,
as is his wife in 1938, and son Arthur J. Where the Malcomson's originally from Ontario? Seeking
information about William's time in Ridgetown as he would have designed the town's major buildings
in his mid to late 20's — no small accomplishment indeed! Seeking any information on the above.
Please contact the Editor: F.P. Vink, per Kent Branch OGS email: [email protected]
TRAXLER/MERRITT: Seeking any information on the Traxler Burying Ground, also known as the
Merritt Cemetery, located on Lot 18, Concession 1 of Chatham Township, in Kent County. No known
tombstones survive but probable interments include: Michael Traxler (1855), Hannnah Traxler (1864),
Barbara Blackburn (1869), John William Traxler (1878), Eliza Traxler (1901), John Franklin Louis
Traxler (1906), Oscar Traxler (1917), Rebecca Merritt (1865), James H. Merritt (1874) and Leonard H.
Merritt (1884). Seeking other Traxler/Merritt Cemetery burials. Please contact: Muriel Smyth, R.R. #
4, Chatham. Ontario. N7M 5J4