Bruce Bulletin · 2018. 9. 11. · BCGS “Bruce Bulletin”, Volume 29, Issue 2, May 2018 1 Bruce County Genealogical Society Box 1083, Port Elgin, ON N0H 2C0 http :// w w w .ro

BCGS “Bruce Bulletin”, Volume 29, Issue 2, May 2018

1

Bruce County

Genealogical Society

Box 1083, Port Elgin, ON

N0H 2C0

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

~onbcgs

Volume 29, Issue 2

May 2018

ISSN 1184-7387

Bruce Bulletin

Upcoming Meetings and Other Events

Date: Monday, June 11, 2018 @ 7 pmPlace: Bruce County Museum and

Cultural CentreTopic: Finding Great Grandma’s

GrandchildrenPresenter: Ruth Burkholder

Date: Monday, July 9, 2018 @ 7 pmPlace: Ripley-Huron Cemetery

1 Park St., RipleyTopic: Cemetery Walk and TalkPresenter: TBA

Date: Monday, Aug. 13, 2018 @ 7 pmPlace: Bruce County Museum and

Cultural CentreTopic: Author’s NightPresenters: TBA

More Upcoming Events

May 14 - Tales from the Mule Skinner -

presented by Jim Merriam at 7 pm at the

Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre.

August 17-19 - Paisley Steam Show. We

are still looking for volunteers to help at this

event.

September 28 - British Home Children -

presenter will be Allan Thompson at 7 pm at

the Bruce County Museum and CC.

October 15 - “Colonsay” Presenter will beGlenys Johnson at the Bruce County Museumand Cultural Centre.

November 19 - Our annual Meeting at noon atthe Bruce County Museum and CulturalCentre. Everyone welcome. Guest speaker tobe announced at a later date.

ContentsPage

Upcoming Meetings and Events/Highlights of Previous Meetings. . . . . 1

Kenneth Cameron’s AncestryDiscovered at Cherry Park. . . . . . . . . . 2

Charles and Archibald CameronPurchase property in Bruce County. 2/5

Loss of BCGS member. . . . . . . . . . 5/6

The Bruce Movie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

News Flash.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

News from the Bruce County Archives/BCGS Information. . . . . . . . 8

http://www.rootsweb.com/~onbcgs



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Kenneth Cameron’s AncestryDiscovered at Cherry Park

submitted by Gordon Richardson

My journey of discovery began sevenyears ago when curiosity took hold aboutmy mother’s family the Cameron’s ofRossburn, Manitoba. My mother had toldme stories of my grandfather, William,stringing a rope between the house andbarn not to perish in a wild Manitobasnow blizzard or the challenges hermother Bella Cameron faced in the late1880s as a young bride from Ontarioliving with her husband and three brothersin a small log house. I learned where mygreat grandparents Kenneth and AnnieCameron homesteaded in 1850 from theGrey County, Ontario —Osprey TownshipHistory. But, where did Kenneth Cameronand family come from in Scotland? A hintof their origin in Scotland was provided inthe Argyll Cemetery, Shoal Lake,Mani toba where my Camerongrandparents are buried. It has severalfamily grave stones of McLeans andLamont’s indicating Tiree, Argyllshire astheir homeland.

When the 1841 census was availableon the Isle of Tiree Geneaology website Ifound my great grandfather KennethCameron age 25, labourer on Tiree. TheScotlands People website documentedKenneth’s birth and his 1844 marriage toAgnes (Annie) Morrison in Campbeltown,Argyllshire. However, the trail went coldwhen I tried to go back beyond Archibald,the tailor of Heylipoll, Tiree—Kenneth’sfather. By chance, I met Flo Straker at theTiree Homecoming in May 2016. Sheresearched descendants of Kenneth’ssiblings on the Island of Tiree, in additionshe suggested I approach the Duke ofArgyll’s Archives at Cherry Park to learnmore.

Alison Diamond had just arrived as thenew Archivist when I contacted them. Shekindly assembled information from theDuke of Argyll’s 1776 and 1792 census.This was my Eureka moment, it filled thegap created by the lost Tiree Kirk baptismand marriage records. There was myancestor Archibald his father John, andArchibald’s grandfather Kenneth, whowould have been born before 1750. Theserecords showed that John Cameron’sfamily lived close by that of Flory Lamontwhom he later married. The 1776 censusfrom the Archives along with the 1792census added two more generations to myCameron family tree.

Charles and Archibald CameronPurchase Property in Bruce County

submitted by Gordon Richardson

Land Transfer records indicate thatCharles and Archibald Cameron moved toBruce Township, Bruce County some timebefore the 1881census. Charles is listedas a labourer and Archibald as acarpenter. It appears other members ofthe family and Annie Cameron managedthe farm in Osprey Township, GreyCounty.

Bruce Township, Bruce County, Cameron property

17 lots to the right of Lovat PO


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The Bruce County Archives hold landtransfer and tax information. They have acontract dated March 19, 1875 betweenArchibald Cameron and a DonaldMcDonald for the purchase of a 10 acreparcel of land on the north west corner ofConcession 8, Lot 17, Bruce Township,Bruce County. Tax records indicate 3 ofthe 10 acres were cleared in 1876 and avalue of $ 270. The record for 1881indicates 7 acres were cleared and theland was valued at $300. This propertywas shared by Archibald and William asboth names appear on the tax recordsand the county list of voters for 1881 and1882. The closest post office was atGresham, less than 2 miles from thislocation. An Allan and Murdock Bellowned a lot next to the one purchased byArchie and Wm Cameron.

The Bell brothers, Murdock and Allanwere sons of Donald MacMillan Bell, andaccording to their family history Donaldhad immigrated to Brock Township in theearly 1840s. Allan and Murdock were halfbrothers as Murdock’s mother MaryMcKinnon died when the family lived inBrock Township in the 1840s. LaterDonald McMillan Bell married a FloraMcKinnon about the time the familymoved to Bruce Township. Allan Bell wasone of the children from that marriage.

Donald MacMillan Bell was born atMannal, Island of Tiree about 1811 andwith his brothers Archibald and Johnemigrated to Canada in the 1840s. Uponarrival in Canada the three brothersstopped using the family name MacMillanand adopted the family name Bell. Bell isa sept of the MacMillan family. Likely thisdecision was due to the large number ofMacMillans and the desire to minimizeconfession.

In the community of Bruce Township,Bruce County there was a MalcolmCameron family, which may be related toKenneth Cameron’s family many decades

earlier in Tiree, Scotland. At this time thereno proof of a direct blood relationship. Thedaughter of Malcolm Cameron, a RebeccaCameron married an Allan Bell who was abrother to Isabella Bell who married Wm.Cameron.

Annie Cameron appears to have beenwith her sons in Bruce Township when shedied in 1879. Annie is buried in LovatCemetery which is only a couple milesdown the road from the property Archibaldand William occupied. Kenneth’s wife,Annie is buried at Lovat Cemetery in BruceTownship, Bruce County.

Her stone reads Annie Cameron relict(old English for widow) of KennethCameron. Ann Morrison Cameron’sOntario Death Certificate dates her deathas 16 Feb.1879 Bruce Township, BruceCounty. Annie Cameron’s stone at LovatCemetery is quite badly damaged and isnot easy to read.

Annie Cameron relict of Kenneth Cameron, died

Feb 16, 1879.


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The family in the 1881 census forBruce Township, Bruce County North:

Name Age Calculate

year of Birth

CharlesCameron

29 1852

ArchibaldCameron

27 1854

JohnCameron

24 1857

WilliamCameron

21 1860

DonaldCameron

19 1860

CatherineCameron

34 1847

William Cameron’s Trade HarnessMaker/Saddler

William Cameron noted his trade as aharness maker on both his marriageapplication at Port Elgin in 1889 and hisapplication for a patent Manitoba in 1903.It would be difficult to make a living fromhis 10 acre plot of land, at Concession 8,lot 17 in Bruce County. He may havelearned his trade as a harness maker inthe nearby towns of Paisley and PortElgin. The 1876 Bruce County Directorycites Adam McGill as the harness makerin Paisley and a Joseph Delayer in PortElgin. Probably William Cameron learnedhis trade from one of these gentlemen. Asone of the younger men in the family hedid inherit his father’s farm and needed atrade. The author’s mother, JessieCameron, claimed her father Williamspent at least one or more winters inHolland, Manitoba working for a harnessmaker to earn additional monies.

William Cameron and Isabella Bell

The move from Grey to Bruce Countybrought Archie and William into a newcommunity. It was here that William methis wife to be Isabella Bell at a communitychurch or social function. The 1881census located Isabella’s family inKincardine Township, Concession 11, Lot18. The distance between their farmswould be less than10 miles, both were bein their early 20’s at this time. The censusindicates the family as Donald Bell, age70, his wife Flora, 54 years old, Murdockson age 31, a son Allan age 15 andIsabella, 20 years old.

Bruce Township land records show thatMurdock and Allan Bell, brothers ofIsabella Bell purchased lot 18 onConcession 8 in 1886. This is next toArchie and William’s property at lot 17.The family connections grow.

The County Marriage Register datedOctober 16, 1889 signed by Rev. W.MNeill validates the Marriage of WilliamCameron, Harness Maker son of Kennethand Annie Cameron to Isabella Belldaughter of Donald and Flora Bell born inKincardine Township, Bruce County. Themarriage is witnessed by Allan Bell andMary MacKinnon. Allan was Isabella’sbrother (1865-1881), while MaryMacKinnon likely is connected to Isabellamother Flora (MacKinnon) before shebecame the second wife of DonaldMacMillan Bell.

Donna Johnston, great granddaughterof William Cameron via Florence Cameronher grandmother (wife of WilliamJohnston) provided the photos belowwhich are believed to be William andIsabella’s wedding photos.


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Loss of BCGS Member

John Arthur Conley Reynolds of PortElgin died on December 19, 2017 at the age ofeighty three. He is survived by his wife Karen(nee Cottrill) and his daughters Eleanor (RegBarrett), Elizabeth (Alvin Mooney), Nancy andKatherine (Chris Tew) and their families. Hehad nine grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren. He was brother in law to GreggZiegler an Alfred Filsinger. John led a full andwonderful life that included teaching at G. C.Huston School in Southampton from 1974 to1991. He was a proud Mason and Probusmember, a past president of the Bruce CountyGenealogical Society, and a life time memberof the Bruce County Historical Society.

John was one of the first members ofthe Bruce County Genealogical Society andwas our second President in the 1990s. In 2004John received an Ontario Volunteer ServiceAward recognizing fifteen years of service tothe BCGS. John started tracing his roots in1977 and he and Karen went to England,Scotland and Ireland seven times in pursuit oftheir family history. There, they were able tomeet many family members whom they visited

Isabella Bell (1859-1922)

William Cameron (1859-1939)

John Arthur Conley Reynolds


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on subsequent trips. Inspired by the help thathe had received from many researchers andrealizing he and other members had developedresearch skills which could be useful to others,John and the other members of the BCGSdecided to help others search for their roots inBruce County. In the 1990s, John workedwith jack McGillivray to record the historiesof early residents of Saugeen Township. Jackdid the interviews and John did thevideotaping. Those tapes are stored at theBruce County Archives and can be viewed bythose interested.

John was instrumental in the transcriptionof information found on many thousands oftombstones in Bruce County cemeteries,making the information available forresearchers in the Research Room of theBruce County Archives in Southampton,Ontario. Even in recent years, John was anactive member of our society assisting withthe photography of tombstones during thesummer months. He will be missed.

The BCGS wishes to thanks the followingpeople who have generously made a donationto us in memory of John Reynolds:

David and Monika Spaetzel

John and June Van Bastelaar

David and Maria Bertrand

Ashley and Rosemary Kemila

Ronald and Beverly Oakley

Ross McLean Lawyers

Dr. Philip Ziegler

Traci Weigand

Joseph Palmer

Lolly Fullerton

Ann-Marie Collins

Helen Wuerth

The Bruce is a 3-part documentaryseries exploring the history of Bruce Countyand the Saugeen/Bruce Peninsula in Ontario,Canada. The series was created as part of thenon-profit Ontario Visual Heritage Project, inpartnership with the Bruce County HistoricalSociety, and in collaboration with the SaugeenOjibway Nation.

The series will be launched in thespring of 2018 at free screening events in BruceCounty. It will be broadcast on TVO, anddistributed for free to schools and libraries in

the region. Visit the website for full detailsa n d a p r e v i e w o f t h e m o v i e .http://thebrucemovie.ca/

News Flash

Four of our members were nominated byDoug Lennox to receive Ontario VolunteerService Awards last Sunday, April 22 at theBayshore Community Centre in Owen Sound.Congratulations to all. They were:

Glenys Johnson - 5 years

Sylvia Hasbury - 10 years

Louise Stewart - 15 years

Mary MacKay - 25 years

http://thebrucemovie.ca/


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News from the Bruce County Archives

Ann-Marie Collins, Archivist

Sue Schlorff, Archival Assistant

Deb Sturdevant, Archival Assistant

Exploring the Lives of our Ancestors

Many genealogists enjoy adding context anddepth to family histories by exploring the timeperiod and communities in which theirancestors resided, as well as businesses andorganizations they were involved with. In theBruce County Archives, we have seenresearchers revel in imagining what life waslike for their ancestors, based on informationdiscovered in a variety of resources.

1. Newspapers: Browsing localnewspapers is a great way to discoverthe events and issues discussed in acommunity during various timeperiods.

2. Local and Family Histories: Manyhistory books contain interestingexplanations of life during varioustime periods. For example, “BruceTownship Tales and Trails” contains achapter on pioneer life, and bookssuch as “Pioneers in the Queen’sBush” and “The Queen’s Bush”provide descriptive narratives aboutlife as an early settler. You may alsoenjoy skimming through narrativehistories related to other families. Forexample, “Looking Out on the 20th

Century” by Gordon Aiken contains atour of Allenford in the 1920s talkingabout “the people who lived there andthe places they lived in.” “My FirstTwenty-One Years, 1908-1929:Growing up in the Armow Area ofBruce County, Ontario” by Martin v.Scott reveals the interactions of the

author with the people and places of hiscommunity.

3. Women’s Institute CommunityHistories: Apart from narrative write-ups about specific farms and/orfamilies, these often containinformation about churches, schoolsorganizations and businesses, allforming part of the fabric of thecommunity in which your ancestorsresided. If your ancestors were part ofthe Women’s Institute, the minutesbooks will reflect the issues discussedand the contributions of those womento their communities.

4. Church History Booklets: Manychurch booklets highlight the role thatchurches played in the communitiesand lives of our ancestors. Forexample, “St. Andrew’s UnitedChurch, Ripley, Ontario, 1886-1986"contains information about previousMethodist churches church life,organizations and events over the years.

5. Business ledgers: Business ledgers canbe of interest not only to descendants ofbusiness owners, but to descendants oftheir customers as well. They give us asnapshot of purchasing trends andprices during various time periods. Forexample, William Symon’s Wiartonledger reveals that Samuel Phillipspurchased $2.80 worth of sugar,currants, raisins, soap, butter, lard,sardines, syrup, and tobacco onDecember 22, 1879.

6. Photographs: A picture is worth athousand words! You can search forphotographs of the communities inwhich your ancestors resided atcollections.brucemuseum.ca. Toexplore images of the main streets of acommunity, try search terms such asthe place name and the term


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Bruce County Genealogical Society-2018

E-mail: [email protected]


Executive

President: Glenys Johnson

Vice President:

Secretary: David MacRae

Assistant: Sylvia Hasbury

Treasurer: Anne Goeden

Membership Secretary: Anne Goeden

Past President: Doug Lennox

Committees

Mail Secretary: Helen W uerth

Cemetery Co-ordinator: Lolly Fullerton

Library Co-ordinator: Cecile Lockrey

Research Co-ordinator: Sylvia Hasbury

Newsletter Editor: Shirley Moulton

Newsletter Assistant: Mary MacKay

Webmaster: Louise Stewart

E-mail Correspondent: Anne Goeden

Publication sales: Helen W uerth

Publication Co-ordinator: Bill Stewart

Publicity: David MacRae

Clipping Collection: Volunteers

Cards: Judy MacKinnon

Newsletter

The newsletter is published quarterly: February,

May, August, November. Articles of interest

may be submitted for inclusion and should give

credit to the original source.

Newsletter Editor: Shirley Moulton

763 Brentwood Dr.

Port Elgin, ON

N0H 2C4

(519) 832-3206

E-mail: [email protected]

“downtown”, such as Wiarton andDowntown.

Municipal Records at the Bruce CountyMuseum & Cultural Centre

To assist you in finding our onlinedescriptions of municipal holdings, we areplacing links for each municipality on theM u s e u m ’ s w e b s i t e :http://www.brucemuseum.ca/collections-research/archives-and-research/search-our-archives/

To date, descriptions are available for Arran-Elderslie, Brockton, Huron-Kinloss,Kincardine, and Northern Bruce Peninsula.

Archive Hours

The Research Room is now open Monday toSaturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please checkour website for holiday hours and call ahead ifyou are planning to view items stored in thearchival storage area. The Bruce CountyArchives is part of the Bruce County Museum& Cultural Centre, 33 Victoria Street,Southampton, Ontario, 519-797-2080, ext.129.

A reminder to our members who receivetheir newsletters via email that 2018membership fees are past due. If youhaven't yet paid, kindly send $20 to theBCGS Membership Secretary, Box 1083,Port Elgin, Ontario, N0H 2C0. We are aregistered charity and we appreciate anydonation that you may be able to add toyour membership fees. A tax receipt willbe issued for all donations.

Bruce Bulletin · 2018. 9. 11. · BCGS “Bruce Bulletin”, Volume 29, Issue 2, May 2018 1 Bruce County Genealogical Society Box 1083, Port Elgin, ON N0H 2C0 http :// w w w .ro

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