George Hall (abt. 1780 - abt. 1830)

Born about 1780 in Ireland

Descendants

Died about 1830 at about age 50 in Ireland

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Biography

George was born about 1780. George Hall ... He passed away about 1830.^[1]

Hall Family History

This document was written by Alfred Hall (1860 – 1908). Early in the document he mentions that he is writing in July of 1895. Near the end he indicates that he is writing in June of 1897. He was apparently also called Adam; he refers to himself as Adam in this history. He also drew a genealogical chart of the Hall family that bears his name (Alfred) as creator and is dated 1895. I have the original document and have transcribed it here. I’ve corrected some spelling errors but left other odd spellings as he wrote them. I’ve added some punctuation where I felt it was helpful: the original contains almost no punctuation and what is used is at times difficult to interpret. He did not use apostrophes to indicate possession; I have inserted a few here and there for clarity. The original document was written on unlined paper with a fountain pen. The paper is discolored now and the ink faded. In places the writing is illegible and I guessed at what had been written. I have indicated those places with [?] There were originally at least three copies made: I found a few loose pages tucked in, and discovered that I have three different versions of the page that begins Part III (page 17 in the original document), although one of them is almost completely faded out and illegible. Here and there I have added some comments or clarification in square brackets. (Mary Stuart Hall Hall-17508 17:27, 12 July 2015 (EDT))

[This first part is told in the voice of Robert Hall (1820 – 1901), Alfred’s father.]

Part First

Father's own Story

I was born in either Drumgaloor or Carrickdown County Leitrum Ireland in 1820. Our family moved I think first to Killseloh two or three miles north of the town of Sligo but do not remember being here. We next moved to Cullendhis about four miles from Sligo but do not recollect being at this place either. We next moved to Arnesbrach, the first I remember. We next went to Casseldayou Lake, ten or twenty rods away. We lived here for three years under Fury the landlord. It was here I got most of my schooling. We remained around here for ten years. We went when I was thirteen years old to Abbeytown. My brother George was buried there. My sister Eliza died at Arnesbrach and was buried at Kilross. I was twenty-three years old when we left Abbeytown to go to Donegal one and a half miles away. We stayed there till we came to America four years after in 1847, the second year of the famine. I did not know I was coming to America two weeks before I sailed. I with a few of our neighbors got on board a sailing vessel the Tharshish Captain McManis at Ballyweal near Donegal. The ship lay out in the bay about a mile, it being a poor shipping place no large vessel being able to come into it. I landed at Quebec and took other conveyances to Port Hope Ontario (then Upper Canada) arriving there on the thirteenth of July. A farmer named Wm Loch who was looking for help hired me the same day. We drove thirty miles to the township of Cavan Durham County, where I worked on the farm for a month when I was forced to quit on account of pain of my arm; which had been dislocated at the elbow while trying to mount an ass but was never properly reduced [?]. I then went to Tom Bells in Mt Pleasant and finished learning the trade of shoemaker for I had been learning from my father [Thomas Hall]. I worked for Bell for three years. He gave me fifty dollars in the fall which I sent home to bring out the rest of the family. They came out the next year in 1848. They were three months crossing the ocean, but they had lots of provisions with them and helped to keep the rest of the passengers alive. They came to Cobourg and I sent a team after them and they stayed a few days with Bell. My father took up house at Mt Pleasant and worked with the farmers around. My sister went to work for a Methodist local preacher named Cane. My father was killed by a tree falling on him near Mt Pleasant: he lived eight or nine days after the accident. He was buried right beside the Mt Pleasant Methodist Church. There was a large funeral. I went to live with my mother after that. My sister [Isminia Hall] married a young man named [Jackson] Reid who was not thought to be a good match for her on account of his being considered very wild. They went to live at the head of Mud Lake near Lancaster Bridge about eight miles from Peterborough. I lived there myself for two or three years on ten acres of land on which I built a log house. I was hurt in the arm and shoulder by a tree falling on me and which laid me up for several months. The house in which I was laid up was small and a stovepipe ran over the bed close to my head and kept one suffocatingly hot.

Jackson Reid and my brother [Thomas] went up to Egremont Township Grey County and took up land. They then came back and sold out and went back and settled on it. I went myself soon after. I drove with my mother from Hamilton. We stayed at Morrisons near John Simpsons one night and although my mother was seventy years old we walked seven miles into Yeovil next day. I had six hundred dollars rolled up in cash when I came up to Mount Forest. We stayed at Yeovil about a year and a half. My brother and I then went out to Tom Smiths nearly opposite Egremont Post-Office and started a shoe shop. My mother kept house for me for about two years until I got married. She continued to live with me for a year or more and then went to Reids that is my sister, she and your mother not getting along very well. [That is to say, After Robert Hall married Olivia Golden, Robert’s mother Catherine did not get along with Olivia. Robert is speaking to his son Alfred when he says “your mother”.] My mother died soon after at Yeovil and was buried in the Dutch settlement burying ground about a mile from Holstein. She took salt-rheum in her hands while at Mud Lake. I was not at Jackson Reids at the time of the funeral leaving. I met them at the cemetery. There was no ceremony at the grave. The Scotchmen who acted as pall-bearers had lots of liquor and carried her all the way about three miles. Jackson Reid sued me for keeping my mother for over one hundred dollars. The case was tried in the Orange Lodge hall at McFarlans but he lost the case.

[This is the end of page 5 in the original document. On page 5 in this version is a section that begins with “The following should be a part of page 5” so the author meant that it should be here.]

I met your mother at John Simpsons, John Walker recommending her as a fine woman. I was well acquainted with John Simpson in Ireland our farm at one time joining Ballisidare where he was raised. Your mother was a sister of John’s wife and was visiting her at the time. We were married on November 15 1856 in John Simpsons house.

I tell you we had a feast that night and an allround good time. The place formed the south-east corner of Sligo road and the base line, the house which was a log one stood near the corner. It is now the corner of Sligo Street and London Road in Mount Forest and is occupied by John Donough. [A second version of this page was tucked in among the rest of the pages. It was almost identical but has a slightly different version:] I met your mother at John Simpsons, John Walker recommending her as a fine woman. I knew Simpson in the old country: our farm being near Ballisdare where John was raised. We were married November 15 1856 in John Simpsons house. We had a feast that night and an allround good time. The house was close to the corner of what is now Sligo Road and the base line that part of the base line in Mt Forest being called the London Road. The place is now occupied by John Donough.

[The following is still being told in Robert Hall’s voice. This begins on page 7 in the original document.]

Part Second

Father's Relatives

My grandfather on my fathers side was George Hall a farmer who married a Miss Carter, whose people were officers in the British Army, but who became reduced. He lived at Carrickdown in County Leitrum Ireland. They had four children: one son and three daughters: Thomas my father [died in 1848], Nellie, Jennie, and Catherine.

Nellie married a Mr. Armstrong. I saw both of them. My father bought their cow for five pounds with which they went to Scotland to Dundee and began weaving. She had rheumatism very bad. Catherine married but was soon a widow. Jenny married a farmer named Carey. They had a son living in Collingwood Ontario between 1860-70. Mr. Carey was a constable in Sligo. They were poor.

My grandfather on my mothers side was Thomas Lougheed. I think he was a farmer. He was twice married: his first wife being a Miss Charleton by whom he had no children. His second wife was a Miss Colles. They had four children: Ishma who married a Jack Hall, Thomas who married a Miss Lindsay, Robert, and Catherine my mother. My mother was living with the family of Billy Park in Leitrum when she got married. The Lougheeds lived around Riverstown County Sligo. Grandfather Lougheed was blinded in Sligo by mortar from a masons trowel striking him in the eyes while looking up. He was poor at the time and lived with his friends after this. He died near Ballyshannon.

My father [Thomas Hall] learned his trade at Manor Hamilton. Seven guineas were paid for the privilege of learning the trade of shoemaker. My father had five children: George who died when fifteen at Abbeytown, Eliza who died of smallpox when two [?] years old, myself (Robert) and Thomas. [He has named only four of the five. The genealogical chart shows a fifth child, Isminia. She married Jackson Reid and they had 8 children. She died in Toronto, Canada, according to the chart. Jackson Reid figures prominently in parts of this history.]

Incidents

My father bought a picture of King William of Orange a song called Boyne Water and hung them up in the shop where he worked. His customers were Roman Catholics, for protestants were scarce: and so the first catholic who came in and saw the picture got mad and as soon as he got home he stirred up his friends and neighbors and they had notices posted up on every public place around to the effect that any person (catholic) that came to my father for work would be made to eat the laces out of his broques or shoes whichever they were. This state of things continued for some time I don’t know how long. After a while however as they could not get their shoes made or repaired nearer than Sligo, five miles away, they got tired of it and thought they would return, so one of them came to my father and asked him what he would give a fellow that would pull down the notices and bring him the work as ever. Father said he did not know. Well said the man if you half-sole my brogues you will get the work again; father said he would do that so he got the work as ever. That was allright but he had made up his mind that the first chance of land he could get his [illegible] would never depend upon the public again as he and the family suffered by it. It was not long after that when two men, relations of ours went to the Four Courts of Dublin to bid on chancery land and got it: A country side of land from Ballisidare [sh/b Ballisodare? Illegible] to the strand as they called it. It commenced at the town of Ballisidare where John Simpson was raised he knew the bounds. So they gave my father a farm right away. He gave up his trade altogether and farmed until he came to America.

Ishma Lougheed who married Jack Hall got up while sick to keep a cow from wandering away which brought on a relapse, causing her death.

Tom Lougheed called the “bleacher” who was six feet high married a Miss Lindsay. The Lindsays lived near Ballymote. Tom the “bleacher” was to get this woman and Mr. Lindsay was to bring them to America. For fortune Toms sisters made an awful fuss, crying etc. Grandfather Lougheed said I’ll put Jack Lindsay from bringing Tom to America; he will have my curse. Lindsay went and took his daughter but not Tom. Jack Lindsay told Tom this the day he started. So Tom went to Sligo and took two others with him and followed the Lindsays and got before them and he jumped out from a fence and asked her Are you for America or for me? She said I am for you Tom. Well said Tom, get down then, and they went back to Sligo and were married. The Lindsay party whipped on after them terribly. He (Tom) came home first and went to Captain Carter to be enlisted. The Capt did not care to enlist him at first. [But relented, evidently: Tom did enlist.] Tom came back long after and married a Kitty Henderson. This woman through negligence killed him. He died at Sligo. Toms brother Robert enlisted too and died in India. Either Tom or Robert left his family when they enlisted. My brother George who died when he was just fifteen had a wonderful memory. He repeated a great many verses of scripture one time such that the Bishop exclaimed when he finished Amazing! Amazing!

[The author says the following should have been included earlier; see comment on page 2.]

The following should be a part of page 5. The reason I left Mud Lake and came up to Egremont was that Jackson Reid and my brother [Thomas] came up here and took up four hundred acres of land in a block on the 13th concession for themselves and then kept encouraging me to go there and that they could buy one hundred acres that was beside theirs for one hundred dollars from the man who took it up. So I sent the money to Jackson and he bought the farm for me which I still hold. They all thought it was almost all swamp or I would not have got it. My brother offered me his two hundred for it when he found out what it was. Jackson kept telling me that I could easily keep a cow or two besides a horse and get plenty to do at my trade. But when I came up there I could get nothing to do at the shoemaking at all. I would have to come out to the front (that is on the Owen Sound gravel road three or four miles away) for measures and carry the work back to them. So I concluded that a year and a half on the farm was about long enough – for I could not chop nor clear the land. So I started out to the front after having spent about five hundred and fifty dollars for nothing but helping Jackson – for he could not buy a yoke of oxen until I came in and bought them for him. I chopped or got chopped twelve acres working the oxen between us. The six hundred dollars I had when I came up there was nearly all spent in the short time I was on the farm, having just about enough left to start me at the trade. So my brother and I started to work and we had all we could do until after I got married when your mother [he’s talking to his son Alfred, so this is Olivia (Golden) Hall] and my brother [Thomas] could not get along so we dissolved and I wrought away myself until now.

This ends all of Fathers own story by himself.

[Now Alfred is speaking in his own voice.]

After my fathers brother left him he [Thomas] I believe went back to the farm with Jackson Reid and was induced by Reid to start a saw-mill but it was a failure. He then with Reid went to the township of Osprey and took up land, Reid agreeing to take out a joint deed, but after working the farm for three years Reid returned with the deed entirely in his own name and Tom was obliged to move. He left the country never wishing to see his face again (that is Reid’s). He arrived in Sandwich Illinois on the twelfth of July 1868 or 69…after working with a farmer for a while he went to work on the railroad what is now the fox river line of the CB&Q Ry. He there formed the acquaintance of a family named Hodgson who were running a boarding house for the railroad men, and moved with them to Kansas.. taking up a claim near what is now Jamestown, Cloud County. He sold the claim however soon after not caring to carry out the government regulations. He is still living at the same place. (July 1895)

Uncle Thomas was in appearance the exact counterpart almost of my father, but he was much less energetic and ambitious. My father was always careful of his personal appearance his brother quite careless in this respect. He was an excessive user of tobacco and coffee. I obtained all of the foregoing facts while on a visit to him in the winter of 1885.

My fathers sister, Mrs Jackson Reid, with her husband and family lived on the farm in Osprey until about 1890 when they moved to Toronto, where two of their daughters were living and married. As will be seen by the genealogical table, the eldest son Thomas James became a Methodist minister, Pall Mall Church of London Ontario being his first charge. Through some dissatisfaction with the stationing committee he was without a pastorate for a year and finally went to the United States and became the minister of a congregational church in Norwich Iowa about 1884. One of the daughters married a nurseryman near Barrie Ontario. Another, a doctor Professor Robertson of Trinity College; another a builder named Catsworth of the same city. Agnes the eldest daughter taught music in Omaha Nebraska sometime in 1884. There is another daughter a Mrs. Campbell of London Ontario.

Part III

Mother's Story

[Olivia Golden’s voice:] I was born in Ballyara near Tober, County Sligo Ireland on the 7th of June. My fathers name was Adam Golden. He was a farmer but dealt in cattle also; and was very well to do. We lived in a stone house, one of the very few in that neighborhood. The outbuildings were all built of stone also. The remembrance of it is still fresh in my mind although it is now forty-five years since I left it. We lived in Ballyara until we came to America in 1847. The famine had reduced our family to hard circumstances. I was one of a family of four children; three girls and one boy. They were myself (Olivia), Maria, Eliza, and John. I came out here to America with my cousin Edward Simpson, Mrs. Merdith and a Miss Ferguson, landing at New York. We stayed for a short time at the beautiful home of Mr. Caldwell an alderman of the 6th ward. The house was on Elm St.

[Alfred Hall’s voice:] I will here let mothers sister Maria, Mrs. John Simpson, tell the part of mothers life in New York, for some reason mother seldom alluded to it.

Your mother worked as a milliner for a year until she was married to a John McKenzie. He had a situation in a machine shop or gas house. McKenzie had also been out a year before your mother. They lived for a while on Pearl St. Your mother was only married three years when her husband died. It seems that McKenzie gave a man by the name of Wyn who had worked for my father and uncle money to bring his family out to America. The family came and stayed a few days with your mother. While there one of the boys took the ship fever. He was taken to the hospital and died there. Your mothers husband took sick with the fever a week after and was taken to the hospital where he died. Your mother never saw him again to my knowledge. Your mother had a little girl named Mary Ann who died in convulsions a year after its father when three years old. We all lived together on Pearl St for about two years after McKenzies death, before moving to Northampton Mass.

I will now let mother resume the story.

[Olivia Golden’s voice:] What caused us to move to Northampton was this: my sister Marie went to Canada—Pilkington Township Wellington Co—with her cousin, Mrs. John Walker and her husband and there married John Simpson her cousin. My sister came back to New York soon after and her husband went to Northampton and worked as a gardener. Mr. Simpson sent to New York for his wife but she refused to go unless they all went, which we did, and took a house there. I did not live long with the rest of the family, for I went to work for a Rev Mr. Hubbard and stayed with them three or four years.

My father and mother moved soon after coming here to Littleforth, a small place near Chicago, where my brother John and sister Eliza had gone. Eliza had gone to the city and married a man named Gaully. The couple went to live at Littleforth. I was all packed up ready to go myself but on account of a severe cold I had Mr. Hubbard did not think it safe for me to go. I waited another year before I consented to go and see Maria, for she had been writing pitiful letters to me of how lonesome she was. Mr. Simpson had moved from Pilkington to a farm close to Mount Forest and it was there I went to see her. I found her in rather poor circumstances. The change for me from a nice house in a city to a log house on a farm was not a very agreeable one for me. I was not living here very long before I was married to your father. We went to keeping house where your father had been living at Tom Smiths.

My mother died before I left Northhampton. Father died while I was living with my sister. I do not know their ages. They became gray haired quite young.

Mother's Story; Her Immediate Relatives

[Olivia Golden’s voice:] My paternal grandfather was John Golden who married a Miss Powell. They lived in Ballyara near Tobercurry County Sligo Ireland.

They had a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters, namely, John, Adam (my father), and James, Nellie, Jane, Christina, Mary, and Biddy.

My maternal grandfather was Alexander McKenzie who married a Miss Olivia Dorn. They had six children, two sons and four daughters: John, William, Mary Ann (my mother), Eliza, Margaret, and Julia.

My grandfather Golden died before my father was married. He was a farmer, having two or three farms when he died. He also dealt in cattle. He seems to have all his life in Ballyara, a place made up of but four families. Grandfather, his brother James, Donahues and Mellarchys. It was about five minutes walk from the good sized town of Tobercurry. Mother often said that anything they were in a hurry for they just stepped down to T and got it. The four families were all well to do, having large farms. Limekiln was another settlement of poor people, about a mile from Ballyara.

Doctor John Golden [One of the eight children of John Golden and Miss Powell] practiced in Boyle, a place sixteen miles south east of Tobercurry. He died of famine fever in a place called Gertyme [?] midway between Boyle and Tobercurry. It seems he assisted a priest in carrying in a man sick with the fever and was taken down with it himself. His son practiced with him though not physician. Mother saw this son who was about her own age in New York and from him received the news of his father’s death. Mother said they were not very familiar with the Doctor’s family and does not know how he came to find her family in New York. Mother never heard from him again.

James Golden was a farmer; his wife was a Miss Connor who had a brother an Episcopalian minister near Sligo. He had four children. He emigrated to America about the same time as the rest of the family. One of his daughters married before coming to America. Ann the eldest remained being afflicted with spine disease. She went to live with her aunt Margaret, both living at the ministers house above mentioned; he having left it to them when he was dying. Mr Golden died at the home of his nephew, Adam Simpson (his sister Christina’s son) in Pilkington township near Elora, Ontario. He was working on the farm. The immediate cause of his death was an attack of inflammation (probably pneumonia). I have a dim recollection of him for he visited with my mother a few hours about 1865. My father told me who it was after he left. Father was not very well pleased at my mother for giving him some of his old clothes. He seemed to be quite old and feeble, using a cane.

Nellie Golden married a James Williams. They had three children, all girls. Jane now a Mrs Mason of Toronto Ontario. Ellen a Mrs Hugh Morrison and Eliza a Mrs John Allen, both living in Arthur township near Mt Forest. Ellen visited my mother quite often. She was when young a good looking and somewhat stylish woman, decidedly fleshy. Age has robbed her of what vivacity and beauty she had – she is now a typical farmers wife.

Jane Golden married a George Williams a brother of the one just mentioned. These Williams were my mother said all miserable farmers living near Tobercurry “a lazy but big feeling lot”. They had two sons and a daughter. They are now in Manitoba going there in ’73. Old Aunt Williams as we called her lived for a long time in a small log house on Sligo road now in Mt Forest. We children had great times with her. She smoked and was in many ways a typical Irishwoman blunt, plain spoken and witty. Though she had less “brogue” than most of her class. Her son “Sandy” and daughter worked around and in Mt Forest for a number of years. The former as farm hand and laborer the latter as a domestic. I believe they are now both married. Sandy to a daughter of a Mr Lily [Lilly on the chart] formerly of Pilkington township near Elora. “Lizzie” to George Walker, a son of the John Walker before mentioned.

Christina Golden married a George Simpson a highly respectable gentleman of the town of Ballysidare [?]. He owned a Tannery I believe—at least he was called “the tanner”. Both Father and Mother always spoke highly of him. They had seven children, three sons and four daughters..Edward, John, and Adam. Edward as before stated came to America and lived for a while in Pilkington. He returned at the request of a relative. Dr. Simpson, John, spoken of as [marrying? Illegible] my mother’s sister, died in Mt Forest about 1892. He had something wrong with one of his legs. Adam lived for a number of years at or in Pilkington township near Elora. He sold out about 1874 and went to Iowa on a farm four miles from Webster City. He was “well off”. Impending litigation with his brother Edward was the cause of his moving to the “states”. Of the daughters I know very little. “Beezy” married John Walker. One was a Mrs Case another a Mrs Rice, another married a Mr Lily, whose daughter married “Sandy” Williams.

This George Simpson was the son of a Miss Powell who married a Mr Simpson. She was sister to my mothers paternal grandmother. All George Simpsons family came to America.

Of the other two daughters, Mary and Biddy, one married an Adam Simpson the other a Mr McKenzie, but which married which I don’t know.

"[Alfred's own story]"

"[Autobiography]"

[Alfred now begins writing in his own voice:]

My mother’s grandmother Miss Powell was one of three sisters who received an income during a good part of their lives. It was while a certain person lived. Mother says she remembers hearing the bell toll for the death of this party. Mother says she was present when her grandmother died. She was buried in Okondree burying ground two or three miles from Ballyara as was her husband.

My mother’s maternal grandfather was an Alexander McKenzie who married a Miss Olivia Dorn. They had two sons and four daughters: John, who went to England after my mother came to America but was not heard from again; William a farmer was twice married and died in Ireland; Mary Ann (my grandmother); Eliza – married a Mr Meredith; Margaret married a Mr Campbell, a farmer; and Julia married her half cousin a policeman. As the name indicates the McKenzie family were of scotch descent.

Great grandfather McKenzie’s wife died when quite young, and mother unfortunately remembers but little of her family. There was a family of Dorns near Sligo but mother did not know of any connection. My mother said there were few if any such fine men as grandfather McKenzie and his two sons in that part of the country; she referred to their physical make up I believe. He kept a herd of cattle and was well off. The four daughters received £21 apiece after all expenses were paid, when he died. Mother was sixteen or seventeen when her grandfather died. He was buried just inside the gate of the Catholic cemetery at Barmody, being the only one of the family buried there. The reason he wished to be buried there was because he thought that if he was buried at Okondree his people would go to see his grave but fairs being held at Barmody, he was satisfied that they would visit the cemetery while attending the fairs. Mother said she sat on his tombstone. Mother never knew McKenzie to work. He lived at Cappoch near Ballina seven or eight miles from Ballyara. The river Moy ran close to his farm.

My mother’s brother John Golden learned the trade of brass-finisher in New York. He went to Chicago, while mother was in Mass’ts. I found his name in the directory for the years [illegible]-71: he lived at 47 Du Ruyster St [most? Illegible] of the time, moving to N Franklin St in [illegible] ’71. He worked for the Union Brass Works. He wrote to my mother about [67?] but was never answered.

My grandfather [Thomas] Hall was a short stout man a hard worker, possessed of considerable mechanical ingenuity. My father often told of how he made a cart himself, making falloes, spokes, and making or rigging a contrivance to turn the hubs. He was religious and seemed anxious that his children should have all the schooling he could afford. Grandmother [Catherine] Hall was equally industrious and pious with her husband; she would not allow her children to read the papers for fear they would imbibe evil therefrom. She was strong. If I remember right father [Robert Hall] said that she carried a bag of flour seven miles through the bush from Mt Forest to the farm in Egremont. Mrs Simpson said grandmother’s not looking after the children as mother [Olivia] thought she should was the cause of the friction between them. [After Robert Hall married Olivia Golden, Robert’s mother Catherine did not get along with Olivia. She went to live with her daughter Isminia and Isminia’s husband Jackson Reid.]

My father and mother were married in John Simpson’s house, which stood on the S.E. corner of what is now Sligo and London Sts in Mt Forest, it was just outside the limits. The house was a typical log one as were all the farmer’s houses at that time. The large fireplace chimney was built outside the house: it faced on Sligo St about forty or fifty feet from the road. Father said they had a feast that night and an all round good time. Mother gave father one hundred dollars as was the custom in Ireland I believe on the evening of their marriage.

My parents immediately began housekeeping where father had been living and working [in the house called “Tom Smith’s”]. The house was a small log one with a lean-to on the south end for a shoe-shop. It stood in a few feet from the road. Whether it still stands I don’t know for it is now twenty years or more since I saw it. In this house the first three of the family were born: George in ’57, Maria in ’58 and myself (Adam) in ’60. Father soon found it necessary or at least desirable to move into the village of Mt Forest, and purchased a piece of land and build one of the first brick houses in the place thereon, into which they moved in February 1862. The house still stands near the junction of Main and Fergus streets – on the latter. Like most of the small shops at that time, a room was reserved for a shop with a special outside door. In this house the rest of the family were born: Eliza in ’62; Robert in ’64; John in ’65; and Albert in ’70. Here father did a good business for several years; but the town building up further north on a different street, business fell away and he was obliged to move uptown in ’73 or ’74.

Business of all kinds was very dull at the time on account of the panic. Father was obliged to Mortgage the house in consequence of the hardtimes and his bad stand for business. However he did a very good business after moving for several years. He finally closed it up in 1896.

Father soon after moving into the city planted his village lot of one-quarter acre with fruit trees. Apples mostly, with plums and small fruit, which in a few years yielded him quite a return in fruit. My sister had the border next the house and street planted with flowers. Father was very proud of his garden.

In 1867 an epidemic of some kind called at the time “bowel complaint” carried off my sister Eliza. A fatal termination was not suspected by any one except perhaps the doctor (Dunbar). The little one went around considerably talking and acting (to us) as usual (she was more or less confined to her bed). She seems to have taken a relapse and died in convulsions; mother said she had to hold her. Mother was terribly worked up over it and very excitedly announced her death to the neighbors. I was at a neighbors well for water for the school when my mother ran in, almost passed me without seeing me.

The next spring in April of ’68 my brother George was drowned in the river at what is now Tanners dam. It seems that he was kept home from Sunday-school that Sabbath afternoon, there being something wrong with his clothing, and mark on the cheek left by the school teacher’s hand had something to do with it. Some of the boys playmates going by the house to the river to run on the logs in the mill pond, and he went with them from there he went a little further on[?] the stream to the Carding mill and with two others got into a boat and was carried over the dam, and was drowned, the others escaped. His body was found Tuesday afternoon following in a jam at the bend in the river* Footnote at the bottom of the page reads:*A couple of hundred yards below where the accident occurred. There was a great deal of excitement, and several men worked incessantly and hard until he was found. They opened the sluice gates at the dam above in order to drain the river bed. A Mr Thornton, a one armed man, first caught sight of the body, which was rigid and slightly discolored; with a bruise on the forehead, the arms outstretched. Though scarcely eight years old at the time I distinctly remember the long procession, headed by four men carrying the body on a board on their shoulders. My parents took it very hard. My father would pace the floor of a room upstairs crying aloud O! George! George!! My brother seems to have been a very promising boy, being the equal of any of his age at school: he was in the highest reader at the time of his death. I know father was very anxious that he should get along well and once he whipped him because he had not “done” as many “sums” as it was expected he should. He did all the chores about the house as well.

A year or two previous to the above he was sent down to the carding mill on an errand, I accompanying him. There was a foot bridge temporarily thrown across the river of couple of planks on trestles for the use of the mill hands. My brother warned me to stay but it getting dark and being afraid I started on my hands and knees to follow but fell in before I had gone more than a few feet. My brother ran into the mill and told them his brother was in the water and one of them Henry Welton a blacksmith ran out and rescued me he said my head was lying on a big stone; he carried me home. For my part I remember little about it I think I got on my feet once, and tried to get up on to the foot-bridge, and I think I saw a man wading in the river towards me. I remember also his asking me if I was cold.

I remember but little of my little sister Eliza. I recollect once chasing her into a corner to slap her for something and mother interfering. She had not commenced attending school when she died.

Both are buried in the old village cemetery beside the fence near the gate (one lot intervenes) just opposite the top of the hill leading to the river on Queen St. Two small tombstones mark their graves.

On or about Nov 5 1894 my mother was taken sick with the “Grippe” which was followed by diarrhea and a general breaking down from age, and other infirmities. It seems that Father was also taken with his old trouble erysipelas at the same time and didn’t think that mother was very ill, and was with some difficulty induced to call the doctor who saw that there was little hope of recovery and telegraphed for John, who immediately drove out for Maria after telegraphing for me. Mother did not recognize my sister and I did not arrive till Monday the day after she died – Sunday at 2 oclock. The possibility of both father and mother taking sick at the same time did not occur to any of us. It was unfortunately almost a matter of necessity that all of us should be away from home. This no doubt contributed a great deal to hasten the weakness incident to old age. It was impossible for me to get home much if any sooner than I did, as there were no trains on Sunday.

She was buried on Wednesday, 38 years to a day from her marriage Nov 14 in the new cemetery – a little to the right of the entrance. Her funeral was quite well attended though the cold and snow storm no doubt kept many away. Rev John McMillan and her pastor the Reverend Williams conducted the service. Father was in bed sick and had taken a slight relapse the day before her funeral and was unconscious during the funeral services and did not know till next day that all was over.

Mother fretted a great deal I believe after Albert left home which left them entirely alone and [poor?] the causes which induced him to go to the “States”.

Mother was about or a little above the medium height being exactly the same height as my father: five feet seven inches thin featured but fairly well proportioned otherwise. She was a very industrious woman in fact almost a slave “going from morning till night” and did not know scarcely what enjoyment was. She cared for us all practically without help and made a great deal if not all of our clothing. I remember once she commenced a pair of pants for me at noon and finished them that night before going to bed. She was an excellent housekeeper and a good cook, we liked nearly everything she cooked, and since I left home I have met with few if any thing that tasted better. We kept a cow and the butter was equal to the very best. Her life could scarcely be called a happy one for she seems to have been made almost chronically irritable by a slurring remark of Jackson Reid to the effect that if she had any money she did not get it right: it rankled in her breast till her death: she never forgot it. For some reason unknown to me father did not take her part and resent the insult which no doubt added fuel to the fire, and they separated mentally forever. They could not agree on religious matters mother more or less siding with the catholics to which father was bitterly opposed. To say in fathers hearing that a catholic was as good as a protestant would work him up terribly especially in his younger days. Mother generally vented her temper on us children. Maria especially “catching it”. I could not say positively that a day passed without getting a slap at least. For this reason we liked father better getting more sympathy and less abuse from him.

Parental Characteristics

Socially mother was not by any means a society woman. We seldom had company beyond our immediate relatives and never did much calling ourselves. This was no doubt caused by the condition of things at home. Mother was generally more inclined to find fault with than to praise her neighbors. She took a great interest in the house however and after I left home she painted all the upstairs and made a great deal of rag carpet for the different rooms. Although she scolded and depreciated us to our faces yet undoubtedly she thought as much of us as most mothers judging by the sacrifices made for us. When I or any of us left home to be gone indefinitely it nearly broke her heart, she cried like a child almost and it took a great deal to draw tears from her. She longed for our sympathy, but the love that we should have shown was slapped and scolded out of us to a great extent and we could not respond as we should. Although it almost broke her heart to have us leave home as I said before, she would not have us come home if we had to go out to work in a factory. We seldom know or appreciate our parents love for us until it is too late.

Father was a little below medium height in fact would pass as a small man but what was lacking in this way was more than made up in energy he was a very hard worker and often boasted of besting many a larger man in various kinds of labor. He was practically disabled when quite young by a fall from an ass in trying to make a stone wall or something of this nature: dislocating his elbow, which was never set properly in fact it was out but hindered him very little in his work. He was a good workman seldom failing to give satisfaction to his customers in fit and durability. He very seldom quit work before nine or ten at night if he had any orders on hand; seeming to take great interest and pleasure in his work.

Father had considerable mechanical ingenuity outside of his trade. He made me a hand sled, rough, but it served the purpose, and another time he having great need of a lantern he went to work and made one out of home material and little more tools than his knife and awls.

Father was in his way quite a religious man being a church member as long as I can remember in fact I think he joined church before coming up to Mt Forest and was a member of the first Methodist organization in the village. He seldom missed going twice on Sunday although class and prayer meeting were not often attended. He always made a practice of reading a chapter in the bible after breakfast to us which was the extent of family service he ever indulged in, never taking part in any public services except as a silent member. Father was strictly honest in his dealings with everyone. I never knew him to lie outright to anyone – he did not use tobacco or any kind of intoxicating liquor.

Father was a very conservative man; progress in any other than a financial way was unknown to him. He did not for a number of years take even the local weekly newspaper and never except during the Franco-Prussian war took a daily. In fact the bible and hymn book were all he thought necessary to have in the way of books, although he kept us going regularly to school. He had a fair “schooling” judged by the standard in Ireland, could write a fair hand, keep his books, and do all the “figuring” necessary in his business.

Father was an excellent singer and a beautiful whistler, although he seemed to know nothing but hymn tunes. It was always a delight to me to listen to him whistling. I was mistaken in saying he never took part in church services in any way, for he always sang when he could. He contributed as much as any in proportion to his means to the support of the church. His social instinct was not overly developed; seldom courting company and visiting few being rather inclined to criticize and belittle his neighbors. In his business affairs he was rather easy going and lost a great deal by bad debts, although he always “drove a hard bargain” when he could in buying from others. Fathers temper was mild, he seldom got very angry with us and never thrashed the children except when they to some extent at least deserved it. He obeyed the injunction “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”

My father was quite particular about his personal appearance: for a number of years he wore a high silk hat and always until very lately broadcloth suits. He always wishes to appear “decent” in appearance and was so. He was a member of the Orange Fraternity and in his younger days always marched with them in parade, wearing a sash as regalia. I believe he first marched with them in Ireland, once at least when a riot was expected. He was a “strong” Orangeman; a hater of catholics and Catholicism as all irish protestants no doubt had reason to be. He dropped out of their ranks because he disliked the class of people who in latter years joined the local lodge.

I never heard my father utter an oath. Once we boys were monkeying in the garden, one of us threw a stone, striking father on the side of the head. Oh tatheration! [?] was his only exclamation. He was not so particular otherwise.

The Children

My sister Maria after leaving school studied for and obtained a teachers certificate and taught in a number of country schools in Ontario. She subsequently attended the local High School and also the Collingwood collegiate Institute and secured a higher grade a 2nd class B certificate, a course at the Toronto Normal School being necessary. She taught school until she married a farmer named Johnson near Dundalk Ont. A severe attack of Ague while at Wallaceburg (near) left a permanently impaired nervous system under which she finally broke down. She was very ambitious – high toned – conscientious and persevering, socially very backward, very religious latterly, and intolerant of anything improper in others. Physically inclined to be fleshy, light haired, and very nearsighted. Favorable environments would undoubtedly have raised her above the “common herd”. A phrenologist advised her to study for a physician and had not her ailments and troubles at home interfered she would have pushed toward that profession, possibly her extreme conservatism might have made her shrink from what was then considered an exclusively masculine profession. She was certainly away above the average of her sex and for years, and do still to a great extent use her as a criterion to judge the rest of her sex. She loaned father a great deal of money to help pay off the mortgage on the house. Like most intellectually superior people she was annoyed very often at her various boarding places and as a teacher by human insects: in two or three places making life extremely disagreeable for her. Another and very severe attack of nervous prostration after an exciting series of revival meetings robbed her of all ambition to do anything for herself for a long time she did little else than sleep.

My brother Robert after leaving school which he did when he was not more than 14 years old, learned the shoemaking with my father but being very wild he was continually leaving home, to work for others in the town and elsewhere. Father instituted a lawsuit to recover the value of his services from Dr Dunbar and won the case. He left home for good when he was not 17 and soon after married a Miss Nichol of Ailsa Craig Ont. He started a shoe shop at Brownsville but soon after went to Windsor Ont where he deserted his young wife and two weeks old child. He was last heard from in San Francisco, Cal in 1887-8. His wife married a dentist named Haupt and moved to Pittsburg, Penn where they still live. His wife was a bright prepossessing woman and why he should wish to leave her is probably unknown to any but himself. He can be described mentally as a sport, a great Lacrosse player.

John my next youngest brother after leaving the common school attended the local High school and secured a teachers certificate under which he taught school in various towns around, having temporary charge of the local school during the principals absence. He matriculated at the Toronto university in 86 or 87 and in 92 attended Knox College to study for the Presbyterian Ministry. He was sent to British Columbia to do mission work for one season and in Northern Ontario another and graduated in 96. He secured a church in Bond Head Ontario in October of the same year. John was ambitious, daring, persevering, and mischievous, a great mimic a natural comedian. He would make mother laugh in spite of herself and when in the humor would keep us all roaring. In appearance he resembled myself not quite so heavily built. During a visit home in 91 I was generally taken for him. My spectacles not even sufficient to make a difference. He had a fall when quite young, striking on the back of his head causing insensibility for a few minutes, and [?] at least thought that it affected his brain, his actions being peculiar it appeared to me for a long while after. He was very unfortunate when a child for twice he fell on the hot stove and burned his face and neck leaving permanent scars on his left cheek and neck. At another time the handsled which I had him on ran into a sleigh at the horses heels, and his tongue was slit for nearly an inch and again in a mad prank he sat on the hot stove in trying to see how near he could come to it without touching being partially undressed, a patch on his thigh several inches square was blistered, laying him up for two weeks or more.

Albert the youngest of the family was a fine looking child resembling in feature and character his brother Robert (in that he was a lover of athletics and sport generally and inclined to be wild). After attending the High School for a short time and also studying with John he finally got a position as salesman in a furnishing store in Paris Ont and in a local shop. He came to Grand Rapids Mich in 89, where he learned the business of printing pressman in a job office.

He boarded with me until we disagreed. He left the city in 92 and did not hear from him again till after mother died in 94. We did hear he was Louisville Ky for a short time just after leaving here. He is now in Chicago 34th [?] and State Sts (June, 97). He excelled in Lacrosse and was a great skater winning a local medal for speed. He was inclined to indulge in the use of liquor.

Myself

As before stated I was born in the log house at “Tom Smiths” on May 25 1860. I seemed not to have been as strong as the others. I caught a severe cold when but a year old and did not walk till I was eighteen months old. My first recollection is of playing on the bed with the others and down with chicken pox measles or something of that kind. I was sent to school as soon as age permitted attending a country school outside the village which was not then incorporated. The building which I have drawn from memory was as will be seen a log one and stood in from the gravel road south of the river just over the hill, in what is now Mr Eugene Murphys property on the road leading to Martins Mills. The benches and desks were long high affairs, roughly built and arranged around the walls with a row up the center if I remember right. Mr Brianz a stern sand haired man was the teacher. That school was moved into the village soon after, the same year I think for I do not recollect going to school during the winter. From there we went across the market square to what is now Neil McMillans house where Miss McMullen now Mrs T Boure [?] of Mt Forest then a Miss Gowanlock. Miss Hattie Whelfly, and Mrs Jelly (recently deceased) taught us in succession in a space of three years. I next passed to the Central school where my elder brother and sister were attending and studied under a Mr Wm Gardner a lame man; a Mr Boyle; Elliot, another cripple, Robinson, Mr Tavish, a man whose name I forget, and a Mr Hammel, the last now a physician somewhere in the United States. David Spence was a temporary teacher before Mr Boyle, under whom the boys had great fun- a poor disciplinarian. He now lives in Toronto. This central school building was but recently torn down, it stood in the rear of the present structure. I think we moved into the new building in the summer of 1870. The old building was a one story brick one, very plain with a belfry over the front door. I left school in the spring of 1875 and after working in the garden I went to work for a firm of furniture dealers Cheesman & Bigg to learn the trade of cabinet making and stayed with them for nearly four years or until the spring of 1879 acquiring a slight knowledge of every branch of the business, finishing, upholstering, undertaking [?] and turning besides the principal one of cabinet making. My boss and I did not agree very well and we parted with no love lost. I worked in Harriston for a short time – then for two years off and on I worked for Wm Gibson, of the same Town (Mount Forest) leaving for Detroit April 25 1881. I got a job with the Pullman Palace car co soon after working there for nearly a year until sometime in February 1882. I then worked at several places until December 1882, Longtry Laffrey – on Michigan Ave. DeMann Bros Armstrong on east Larned [?] St – Diamond Fanning Mill Co & Henry George on Bates St. Spurred on by my folks I thought I would try to learn something nicer where I could wear good clothes all the time, so I embraced an opportunity to learn telegraph operating and went to Janesville Mo and entered a school for that purpose, Valentine Bros. I staid there until June 8 of the same year 1883, being sent to work for the W Union Telegraph Co in Chicago; I worked for the Co until the spring of the following year when I got a chance to learn railroad operating at Naperville on the CB&Q Ry not getting a job I returned to Chicago in May and worked for the WU again for or until August when I was offered a the place of assistant to the agent looking after freight - baggage etc. After being there a while I got a situation as etra [?] operator and worked at Tampieo [Tampico?] and as night-operator at Naperville. From there I went west to Kansas, visiting my Uncle in the winter of 85, stayed there – Jamestown Cloud Co until July and left for Grand Rapids Mich arriving here July 8. I soon got work and with the exception of year spent in Chillicothe Ohio have been here ever since. Working for the Kent Furn Co, the Oriel; Wm Berkey; Sligh Furn Co; G.R. School Furn Co; Arbenz [Arbery?] Furn Co, Chillicothe; Royal Furn Co and again the Oriel. I solicited Industrial Insurance for the Prudential Co for two or three months in 93. I boarded at various places principally at 44 Kent St at 110 Ottawa in an old building on a hill where the Mich Trust Co now stands at 171 3rd Ave; spring st; wealthy Ave, 132 S Division; The Clinton, 37 N Ionia; 89 N Front & 210 Ottawa, from there here 345 4th St.

Sources

1. ↑ A source for this information is needed.