HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-00016"PICKERING TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PATHMASTER
• WINTER EDITION • VOLUME 1 NUMBER 2 •
WHAT'S INSIDE
Longtime Pickering resident, Doris Huestis Speirs, exhibited with the Group of Seven and
collected their art. In her late years she was constantly sought out by art curators to lend works
from her collection for exhibitions, and by art historians to elaborate the history of the art world
of the 1920s and 1930s.
Samuel Jones and Peter Matthews were contemporaries who lived and farmed in Pickering
during the first half of the 19th century. They were destined, however, to leave quite different
legacies.
Two treasured buildings from Pickering's distant past, the Altona Mennonite Meeting House
and the Greenwood Blacksmith Shop served their communities well for many years and are
preserved now to tell us stories of our grand heritage.
Among the programmes of the Pickering Museum Village are the annual Spirit Walk and the
newly introduced Rebellion of 1837 Tour. These programmes provide an easy way to absorb
some local history.
Names in the News: Doris Huestis Speirs
Another Artistic Note
by John W. Sabean
The name Doris Huestis Speirs, or her name by a previous marriage, Doris Huestis Mills,
occurs frequently in art histories of the 1920s and 1930s, especially those pertaining to the
Group of Seven! She was herself a painter, a close friend of several members of the Group,
and an invited contributor to their exhibitions from 1926 to 1931. She was not a prominent
artist, but was both inspired by the Group and in turn one of their strongest supporters.
Her role in the art world of the period is difficult to assess, but is significant nevertheless.
Doris Mills, as she was in those days, the wife of W. Gordon Mills, an executive with the
T. Eaton Company, and sometime art critic and elected member of the Art Gallery of Toronto
[now the Art Gallery of Ontario], was an amateur painter, one of a small
coterie of largely untrained, free-lance painters encouraged in their efforts by the Group.
Charles C. Hill, Curator of Canadian Art at the National Gallery of Canada,
has documented the role of these amateurs in his recent book, The Group of Seven:
Art for a Nation, which was not only a detailed history of the Group, but the catalogue which
accompanied the 75th anniversary exhibition of the founding of the Group.2
This story continues from my article on Fred and Bess Housser in the previous
issue of Pathmaster. There I related Mills' part in the creation of the practice of renting art and
her learning to paint with but little help from other painters! Full of confidence in her own
achievement she then went to two of her closest friends (Bess Housser and Marjorie Meredith)
and one of her sisters (Marion Miller) and initiated them into the art world as well. All four of the
women attained a certain degree of success. In turn, it should be noted, some of these women
had influence on other young artists!
In the 1920s Doris Mills (and her husband) began to purchase works of art.
To stay within their budget they confined themselves to smaller works of art for the most part,
but they were among the earliest individuals to collect works of the Group of Seven .5
At the same time they purchased the works of a number of young artists, and in this way
helped them to get started.6
A couple of writers have noted that Mills was among the earliest Canadian painters to
experiment in an abstract mode.7
Mills was an enthusiastic promoter of the Group of Seven wherever she went.
As it turned out she visited the art galleries in New York City several times during the 1920s,
and there met a number of prominent figures of the American art scene, including artists
Rockwell Kent, Georgia O'Keeffe, and John Marin, gallery owners/directors Alfred Stieglitz
and Gerald Kelley, and critics Walter Pach and C. Lewis Hind, among others. With these
people she discussed the artwork in the New York galleries and spoke in glowing terms of
what the Group of Seven were attempting in Canada. After Housser's history of the Group
was published in 1926 she sent copies of the book to many of these acquaintances.
For some, her spirited discussion of the Group was their first knowledge of the Group's
existence, for others no doubt it gave them reason to pay closer attention.
Mills corresponded with all of these American art figures. Kent even sent her a copy of his
book Voyaging Southward from the Strait of Magellan (N.Y.: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1924)
in which he wrote an inscription to her inside the cover. Dated 24 October 1924, Kent wrote:
""Praying that New York and Toronto, the painter and one of the little few he works for, and I
and you, may not be, after all, so very far apart, I put our names here close together.
Rockwell Kent to Doris Mills."" From Stieglitz's gallery Mills bought one of O'Keeffe's
paintings. This painting in later years she willed to the AGO where it went after her death in
1989, and was evaluated at over a quarter of a million dollars.
All of this was, however, before Mills, as Mrs. Speirs moved to Pickering in 1948.
By this time she was no longer painting, her interests having turned to ecology and ornithology,
but she had still an important role to play in the art world. For one thing, she continued to
encourage young artists. Most prominent among these was a young Robert Bateman8.
She was also constantly being asked to loan out works from her collection for exhibitions,
and indeed, most exhibitions of Group of Seven works contain one or more works on loan
from
Illustration : Doris Mills sketching in Muskoka, August 1933.
"
"Cedars in the Rouge Hills Valley. Oil painting by Doris Huestis Mills, 1924. Collection:
Dr. J. Murray Speirs.
her. As well, many galleries (AGO, McMichael, National Gallery of Canada, Robert Mclaughlin,
Tom Thomson Memorial, among them) benefitted from donations from her collection.
In addition, her collected papers, including many letters from Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson,
J.E.H. MacDonald, and others, have been a rich source of information about the art world of
the 1920s and 1930s.
In the early 1970s, Mrs. Speirs had four retrospective exhibitions of her artwork.
The Jerrold Morris Gallery in Toronto and the Toronto Heliconian Club held exhibitions in 1970.
The Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa held both a retrospective of her work and an
exhibition of works by others from her large collection. Finally, 50x years after her first
exhibition, held jointly with her sister Marion and Bess Housser, at the Women's Art
Association of Toronto, a retrospective was held for her by that same institution, and in the
same location.
For 70 years — 40 of them as a resident of Pickering, at Cobble Hill on Altona Road —
Doris Mills/Speirs was a collector, promoter, producer, and donor of Canadian art.
She knew many of the prime movers, and corresponded with some of them right to the time of
their death. If she herself never attained greatness in the world of painting, and this never
seemed to be her goal, she had a keen eye for beauty and an understanding of the painter's
method of expression. By encouraging artists, purchasing their work, and freely sharing her
collection with the public, she played a very significant role in Canadian art in this century.9
NOTES
1 See for example Peter Larisey, light for a Cold Land: Lawren Harris's Work and Life-An
Interpretation (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1993); Robert McMichael, One Man's Obsession
(Scarborough: Prentice-Hall Canada, 1986); and others as cited in this article.
2 (Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada and McClelland and Stewart, 1995).
At an earlier time Fred Housser wrote about ""The Amateur Movement in Canadian Painting""
in Yearbook of the Arts in Canada, ed. Bertram Brooker
(Toronto: Macmillan of Canada, 1929), pp. 83-90.
3 See Joan Murray, Origins of Abstraction in Canada: Modernist Pioneers
(Oshawa: Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 1994), p. 9.
4 For example, Bertram Brooker ""received material and advice from Bess Housser...
"" Colin S. Macdonald, A Dictionary of Canadian Artists (Ottawa, 1967), I,87.
5 Hill, The Group of Seven, pp. 224,226-227.
6 Carl Schaefer credited her with being one of his earliest supporters: George Johnston.
Carl: Portrait of a Painter, Carl Schaefer (Moonbeam, Ontario: Penumbra Press, 1986),
p. 56.
7 Murray, Origins of Abstraction in Canada, p. 6: and Maria Tippett, By a Lady: Celebrating
Three Centuries of Art by Canadian Women (Toronto: Penguin Books, 1992), p. 112.
8 In a letter to this writer, dated 9 March 1995, Bateman wrote:
""As a 17 year old boy I was certainly very much encouraged by her appreciation for my art.
In subsequent years my style changed from the early realist nature painting to a more bold and
expressive Group of Seven approach. When I chatted with Doris about her experiences
with the likes of A.Y. Jackson and Emily Cart, I was even more impressed.""
9 Most of the material for this article comes from the papers of Doris Speirs,
copies of which are in my possession, the originals are in the Speirs Collection at the
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library in Toronto.
Samuel Jones and the Mount Zion Church
by Henry M. Gawman
Samuel Jones was born in 1777 into a family which had farmed near Frome,
in Somersetshire, England, for more than 400 years. He became, like his father,
a yeoman farmer, and was estate agent for the Marquis of Bath.
A yeoman is one who farms his own, or leased land. As Samuel Jones grew to
maturity great events were shaping the world: the American War of Independence was
concluded, the French Revolution was quickly followed by the Napoleonic Wars,
the battle of Waterloo was fought in 1815. It was an age of great writers such as
Robert Burns and Jane Austen, and of great inventions such as improvements to the
steam engine by James Watt. Samuel went about his rural affairs during the reign of three
kings: George III, George IV, and William IV. In 1830, now a father of a large family,
Samuel emigrated to Canada.
After spending two years in York (Toronto), the family moved to the hamlet of Salem in
Pickering Township. His wife, the former Susan Scammel, was with him, and probably five of
his children. Conditions were primitive, but within two years they occupied the house which,
until recently, stood on the west side of Salem Road south of the Mount Zion church.
The distinctive structure was taken down a section at a time by the new landowner.
Samuel Jones was a Methodist. Methodism is a Christian religious sect that formed around
John Wesley in the early eighteenth century. Wesley was an ordained priest of the Church of
England, who became an evangelist. His religious philosophy became known as Methodism,
and his followers as Methodists. The Methodist, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches
joined, in 1925, to become the United Church of Canada.
Mount Zion church stands on the 8th concession near Salem Road. The present brick
structure was built in 1893 to take the place of a frame church which had become inadequate
for the growing population. The population of Pickering in 1809 was 108 people; 3752 in 1841,
and by 1850 there were 6308 souls. The first church was moved in 1873 across the road to
the present, larger site, and renamed—Mount Zion Methodist Church. It had originally been
called the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Samuel Jones supplied the land as part of a trade-off.
The cost of the new brick church was, ""two thousand four hundred and ninety-six dollars.""
The hitching shed, which still stands on the east side, is as old as the original frame church.
The Jones family had a long involvement with the church. Four of the trustees at the time of the
building of the new church were, John Jones, Joseph Jones, John Elijah Jones,
and Uriah Jones. Two of the stewards in the brick church were Elijah Jones and
John C. Jones. Among the organists over the years were Miss Priscilla Jones,
(later Mrs. M.J. Nutting), Miss Jennie Wilson (later Mrs. Alonzo Jones),
Mrs. Florence Jones, and Mrs. Cecil Jones. The household of John Albert Jones was
responsible for the preparation of Holy Communion for more than 45 years.
In the cemetery on Salem Road below Highway #7, there are sixteen markers bearing the
Jones name (1994). Samuel and his wife Susan lie side by side; he died in 1849 and she in
1857.
Mount Zion United (Methodist) Church
The Samuel Jones house on Salem Road, N 1/2 Lot 7, Con. 7.
With thanks to the archives of the United Church of Canada, to Mrs. Ruby Jones wife of the
former George Ralph Jones, and to the Encyclopaedia Britannica for information on
Methodism.
14"
"PTHS
Making Our Own History
Allan McGillivray displays a horn used by pioneers in a time when getting lost in the woods
was a very real danger.
""An evening to remember"" could be a title given to our first meeting of the fall, in
September. On behalf of the membership, a presentation was made by PTHS President Tom
Mohr to the author of The Pickering Story, Dr. William A. McKay, in honour of his contribution
to Pickering's history. McKay was made an Honourary President of the society. Melba McKay,
Dr. McKay's wife, was
also recognized for her contribution as the compiler of the Tweedsmuir History of Pickering.
Following the presentation, Allan McGillivray Curator of the Uxbridge-Scott Museum,
gave a lecture on the history of Pickering's and Uxbridge's Quaker roots. McGillivray
brought artifacts from the museum for exhibition and demonstration purposes.
The discussion surrounded the heritage of the Quaker community in the area, the origins,
and the changes which it underwent. McGillivray enlightened the audience with the knowledge
that the major roads used today, such as Brock Road, were originally major transportation
routes for the Quakers travelling to Uxbridge and Stouffville. He examinied the connections
extending from the Uxbridge Quaker community to others established north of York (Toronto)
to determine the migration patterns of the members of these groups. McGillivray suggests in
his conclusion that the Quaker history is an integral part of Pickering's and Uxbridge's heritage,
and that a further understanding of the community would allow for a better understanding of the
development of these two townships since their arrival.
""A Shared History: Ajax and Pickering"" was the topic former Ajax mayor Bill Parish spoke
on at our October meeting. Most people know that Ajax is a young town, dating from a
Defence Industries Limited (DIL) project during the Second World War.
The roots of the town of Pickering are much older and more diverse. In fact,
Bill concluded the histories of the two towns have very little in common.
On the one hand, Ajax began as an industrial, urban centre. Pickering,
on the other hand, originally consisted of numerous small hamlets,
but until fairly recently was mainly rural and agricultural.
The location of Pickering's town offices demonstrates the evolution of the town—
from Brougham, to the corner of Brock Road and Highway #2, and eventually to
""Pickering Parkway"" across from the Pickering town Centre.
As both Ajax and Pickering have grown into suburban towns, they have become more alike.
Bill notes a trend toward a lack of pride in local community. He is no fan of big government,
and believes Ajax and Pickering should remain separate towns.
In our November meeting, we took the opportunity to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
founding of the Women's Institutes by having as our speaker Dorothy Britton,
President of the Claremont Women's Institute. Mrs. Britton was joined by her colleague,
Alma Wilson; together they told us the story of the organization's beginning,
the achievements of the Women's Institutes over the years, and the history of the local groups.
Claremont's Women's Institute dates back to 1909. The speakers also brought with them a
display of a number of items including the Tweedsmuir History of Claremont, a number of
scrapbooks, photographs, and other memorabilia.
Presidential Award
PTHS President Tom Mohr was recently called before Council to receive a citation for his
heritage-related activities in the Town of Pickering. The award, part of the Heritage
Community Recognition Program of the Ontario Heritage Foundation, is presented
annually to individuals on the basis of nomination by municipal councils. The citation,
which is accompanied by a lapel pin in the familiar design of Ontario's historical plaques,
reads in part; ""In recognition of your Heritage conservation achievement, the Ontario Heritage
Foundation congratulates you for your work to preserve, protect and promote our province's
rich heritage.""
Mohr, in addition to his involvement with the re-establishment of the Pickering Township
Historical Society, has also worked in such diverse activities as the preparation of the
heritage audit of the draft Official Plan with Planning Pickering Together, the Waterfront 2001
project, the P.E.S.C.A. Collection of historical photographs, and membership in the Pickering
Museum Advisory Committee.
As a thirty-year resident of the town, Mohr believes that Pickering's heritage is an integral
aspect of its identity. He says that he is honoured by the recognition, and hopes that it is a
signal that cultural heritage is gaining in importance on national, provincial, regional,
and local levels.
The Rev. Dr. William A. McKay receives plaque from PTHS President Tom Mohr, while
Mrs. Melba McKay looks on.
LAST ISSUE'S
What's it?
by Dave Marlowe
ANSWER :
This nose clamp is a type of tethering device used to lead livestock rather than using a
harness or halter.
The jaws of the clamp open and the ball-shaped ends are placed into the nostrils of the
animal. This particular clamp is factory-manufactured and has a loop for attaching a rope or
leather lead. Barrie Thomas has one blacksmith-forged example which has a pin rather
than a loop. The pin, at right angles to the clamp, could be driven into part of the stall to hold an
animal steady.
THIS ISSUE'S
What's it?
This wooden item is approximately 27 cm. long, 4.5 cm. wide, and 1.5 cm. thick.
It is hand-carved and the openings along its length resemble leaves.
It would be found in either a kitchen or a shanty in the woods.
Dave Marlowe is Educational Officer of the Pickering Museum Village.
15"
"Pickering Museum Village's Rebellion of 1837 Tour
by Katrina Pyke
This fall, the Pickering Museum Village is piloting a new education tour for grades seven and
eight, which will focus on the Rebellion of 1837. A brief tour highlighting a loyalist home,
a reformer home, and the role of religion in the rebellion will give students insight into why the
settlers chose sides for and against the government, and will serve to demonstrate how
intertwined religion and politics were in the nineteenth century. Two field activities employing
the use of artifacts will offer students hands-on experience in early surveying techniques and
the hardships of settling the land.
The activities throughout the day will assist students to understand the differences among the
classes in Upper Canada, particularly how the settlers were treated differently based on
religious and political affiliation and personal wealth. The activities in combination with the
tour will provide young people with background into the hardships faced by the early settlers,
and will set the stage for a role-playing exercise at the end of the day in which members of the
loyalist and reformer groups will debate their opinions on government. Pickering Township
was a hotbed of reformer discontent, and the Pickering Museum Village is the ideal venue for
educating students about the Rebellion.
The Bentley House
Commentary on the Bentley House, Brougham, from Ralph Greenhill, and others, Ontario
Towns (Ottawa: Oberon, [1974]), pl. 58.
Few communities are dominated by a house, rather than a church or public building. But,
in Brougham, this house, which stands where the Brock Road meets Highway 7,
is the village landmark. It was built in 1853-55 by William Bentley,
who had his patent medicine factory across the road. The house is large and remarkably
detailed, with an extraordinary amalgam of varied features rising through the centre:
the classicized entrance with free-standing columns, supplemented by a later porch with
moulded square posts, the gothicized Palladian window with an elliptical head lifting the
roof into a little gable, the patterned brick band under the eave and extending into the gable,
the Italianate arcaded belvedere on the roof. Yet in spite of these assorted features,
the result is a profoundly satisfying synthesis — 'a straightforward square house' in the
Ontario tradition.
Attention Contributors!
This is a reminder to all contributors to Pathmaster that in order for your article to be
published in this newsletter, you must provide proper documentation with citations to the
publications committee. This information must be provided on your submissions. Proper
documentation includes the following: authorship, book or journal title, article title, publishing
company, copyright year, inclusive page numbers of articles used, and any other information
pertaining to the publication (e.g., volume number, editors).
All submissions to the publications committee are considered for Pathmaster.
Articles should be based upon primary sources, with secondary sources used only to
support the author's argument or viewpoint. Primary sources are items which were printed or
written during the time period discussed, photographs, government documents, etc.
Secondary sources are easily obtainable and contain good information, however,
these should only be used as research guides.
When submitting your article for publication, please review the information provided here,
as it will assist the editorial committee when editing the articles, as well as provide new
insight and enlightenment on new found documents or pictures.
Our Spirited Past
by Katrina Pyke
Once a year, the Pickering Museum Village offers you an unusual opportunity to step back in
time and watch history unfold before your very eyes. Visitors are taken on a candle-lit walk
through the village at night, and as your guide leads you back in time, figures of the past
present themselves to you. Imagine this experience if you will.
It has been a few moments since your guide has led you down toward the village.
Only a few candles light the path, and the guide is carrying a dim lantern. She pauses to
introduce herself. She is Hannah Matthews, wife of Pickering rebel Peter Matthews.
She tells you but a few details about herself, assuring you that her place in history will
become known to you in the course of your journey. Hannah calms you by assuring you that the
journey will not be difficult, at least not as difficult as it had been for her family when they first
settled in Pickering Township. Your guide leads you on, and although there is very little light,
your eyes have adjusted to the dark and you can see quite clearly. And your ears have picked
up sounds you had not before noticed. You have become sensitive to the night.
Hannah halts on the path and beckons your group to gather 'round her. She speaks in greater
detail of the hardships of travelling in the early days of Upper Canada. As she pauses, a small
group of figures emerges from the darkness. Hannah steps aside to reveal a family struggling
with a travois laden with their worldly goods. They stop before you.
The children are tired and beg for a moment's rest. Their request granted,
they lay down their heavy loads and fall exhausted to the ground. The father looks around
and is surprised to find that he and his family are not alone. He greets you with a camaraderie
you don't expect from a stranger. He has mistaken you for fellow travellers, and hungry for
conversation with new people, both he and his wife engage you in conversation,
and offer entertaining stories of their woes. Too soon, they regret that they must press on to
their land, and the family passes into the woods and are quickly enveloped by the darkness.
Hannah speaks and beckons you to follow her, for there are many more people to meet before
the night is done. Your guided journey lasts an hour and a half, and you make nine stops
throughout the village.
For the second year, the Pickering Museum Village presented its Spirit Walk evening
programme in September. The programme's success is growing rapidly, due to the guides
and the characters who portray the lives of the people who made Pickering's history.
Characters arc portrayed by volunteers for the Pickering Museum Village and actors from
Larry O'Leary's drama school. We look forward to seeing you next year on our journey into the
past.
Katrina Pyke is a member of the Pickering Museum Village Education Staff
16"
"Waterfront 2001 Project Finishes First Phase
by Tom Mohr
On 14 October 1997, the Town of Pickering was presented with a unique conceptualization
which may herald, among other measures, a new celebration of our local cultural heritage.
That evening, Pickering Council received the interim report of the Mayor's Task Force on the
Pickering Waterfront, also known as Waterfront 2001. This innovative project was assigned to
the public, under the Chair of Mr. David Steele, as a way of getting a public consensus in
envisioning a vibrant and sustainable waterfront community plan.
The document is the result of five months of intensive research, planning, and consultation by
upwards of a hundred residents, guided by Mr. Steele and a steering committee.
While it may draw attention to the sorry environmental state of the local watercourses,
it also presents strong remedial measures and ways in which to involve the public in their
rehabilitation.
From the outset, though, Mr. Steele recognized the importance of Pickering's local history
in the process of creating a singular lakefront community. He therefore asked the Pickering
Township Historical Society to join the History, Heritage and the Arts Committee.
This diverse group was chaired by Ms Andrea Graham, who is also Chair of the Pine Ridge
Arts Council. The PTHS was represented by Tom Mohr, President and Jerry Paris,
Chair of the Advocacy Committee.
While it may seem difficult to envision a seamless blend of academia and the arts,
the group found much common ground under the umbrella of cultural affairs.
The historical society promoted the idea of a self-guided heritage walking tour which
would be incorporated into a Pickering Waterfront Trail. The artistic community, in turn,
suggested interpretive signage which could be commissioned by local artists and
craftspeople. Further, the cultural roots of the town lent themselves to all manner of artistic
representation.
After numerous meetings, aided by tours of neighbouring marine communities, the History,
Heritage and the Arts Committee submitted a four part report. The first information piece is
the Capsule History of Pickering Township, written by John Sabean and reproduced in the
first issue of Pathmaster. It will appear in the final version of the report.
The second piece is a cultural profile loosely spanning some ten thousand years,
which attempts to illustrate the various historical influences upon this town in terms of their
affects upon the modern community.
A critical overview of the present state of cultural affairs in the Town of Pickering and their
importance as part of our common identity, forms the third piece.
The final piece is an imaginative account of one family's day on the trail, an account which
incorporates the collective vision of the historians, artists, and others on the committee.
The Waterfront 2001 presentation was enthusiastically received by Council, but it still stands
as an interim report. The document is being distributed to the public for discussion,
as well as to the Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority,
the Waterfront Trust, and other commenting agencies. It will then be refined and presented to
the new Council early in 1998.
Creating a vision is not the end of the process. Rather, it is just the beginning. Next comes the
difficult task of implementation and that will take both a common will and significant funding.
The building of a culturally and naturally sensitive waterfront trail requires the shared
investment of all of Pickering's townspeople. This dream can be fulfilled only if residents can
understand its benefits to the community at large.
Today, Pickering is easily associated with many of the evils of contemporary industrial society.
An innovative Pickering Waterfront Trail can help to rewrite the town's identity, create civic
pride from within, and promote a positive image to a world which gets increasingly smaller
every day. This process is now underway, and recognition of our history is an integral part of it.
When Council asks for guidance in implementing the Waterfront 2001 plan, consider it as a
gift we will be giving to our children. We cannot let the turning of the Millennium pass without
leaving a fitting legacy.
AN ANNIVERSARY
The Rebellion of 1837:
by Gayle P.C. Quintilian
This December marks the 160th anniversary of the Rebellion of 1837. Pickering Township
played a large role in this event both in support of what was known as the ""Family Compact""
and in opposition to it. One Pickering farmer payed the supreme penalty and was hanged for
his efforts, leaving behind a wife, Hannah, and fifteen children.
Three weeks before Christmas in 1837, Peter Matthews, a middle-aged farmer and former
soldier in the War of 1812, left his farm in Brougham and marched to Toronto in support of
William Lyon Mackenzie's call to action against the provincial government. Mackenzie
ordered Matthews to lead a troop of 60 men, mostly farmers from the north and east of
Toronto, to the bridge over the Don River which commanded the eastern approach to the city.
An attempt was made to burn the bridge (Matthews later denied responsibility),
but was unsuccessful. When Matthews' forces heard that the main body of rebels,
marching south along Yonge Street from Montgomery's Tavern, had been routed,
they quickly disbanded.
Matthews was captured a few days later at the home of a friend. He was eventually
condemned for treason against the government and was hanged alongside fellow conspirator,
Samuel Lount of Holland Landing, despite many petitions for their pardon. As was the custom
of the time, a large crowd of on-lookers gathered to watch as the two were executed.
Matthews was in his 49th year.
Captain Peter Matthews (1789-1838) was born near Belleville, one of fifteen children born to
Captain Thomas Elmes Matthews, a United Empire Loyalist, and an early settler in Pickering
Township (he was one of the first Pathmasters of the township), and Mary Ruttan Matthews.
At the time of the rebellion, Peter Matthews was a farmer in Brougham (Walton's Directory
places him on Lot 18, Concession 6 (the northeast corner of Brougham). After his death,
his property was confiscated leaving his widow and children with nothing. Hannah took her
remaining family to the United States where they settled in Michigan.
Matthews' brothers, David and Joseph, although they were also involved in the rebellion,
were dealt with more kindly by fate. Joseph was captured shortly after Peter,
but was pardoned a month after his brother's execution. David was able to elude
government pursuit. Both brothers fled to the United States to await a more propitious time.
After the general amnesty was proclaimed they returned to the township to reclaim their former
property.
Only five years ago, in 1992, a fifth generation descendant of Peter Matthews, Richard
Matthews, Jr. of Michigan revealed that Queen Victoria, in a secret arrangement with the
family, posthumously pardoned Peter in order to clear the title of the Matthews property in
Brougham.
The Bay News published this information in an issue dated 27 May 1992. Over the next
month they published a four - part ""Story of Peter Matthews"" by Richard Matthews that r
evealed some new information about his ancestor. These articles and others may be
examined in the History Room of the Pickering Central Library.
17"
"The Greenwood Blacksmith Shop
by Barbara Vranic
The Greenwood blacksmith shop, now in the Pickering Museum Village.
The Greenwood blacksmith shop was built in 1856 and was originally located in Greenwood
Village, at the north end of Greenwood Road beside the general store, which now sells
antiques. This shop was active up to 1959, when Walter Wilson, the last blacksmith to
occupy the shop, retired at the age of 86. It was then used as a stable for saddle horses
before Miss Edna Green, whose family once owned and operated the Greenwood Mills,
donated the building in 1967 to Pickering Museum Village. It was moved to the museum at
its former location in Brougham, and then later to the new Museum Village location back in
Greenwood.
The blacksmith shop is of post and beam construction with board and batten siding.
The cupola over the forge section was designed for the release of heat and smoke.
The stairway is not original and was added to give access to the upper floor which was
previously accessible only through the exterior upper double doors.
In the nineteenth century, trades were specialized and clearly defined. Workmen who built
wagons and carriages were known as wainwrights, those who made the wheels were known
as wheelwrights, and the ones who made the metal parts to the wagon were known as
blacksmiths. Only large carriage shops could afford to hire such specialized tradesmen,
but in a small rural shop like this, the worker had to be skilled in a variety of trades. In 1906,
Walter Wilson started as blacksmith. He also became an expert shoer of horses (farrier),
a first-class forger and welder, and a skilled woodworker.
In the blacksmith business, as well as in many other trades, the practice of apprenticeship
ensured the continuation of the skills of the trade, as well as affordable labour for the smithy.
In the early years, a boy was usually apprenticed from about the age of fourteen;
he was contracted to the blacksmith to learn the trade, which also ensured his
future. The apprenticeship lasted between three and five years. It involved more than a
simple economic exchange of work for instruction, room, and board. It also entailed the
""master"" taking on the role of father to the boy. The apprentice usually lived in the smithy's
house, received food and clothing from him, and was trained and disciplined by him in
personal as well as professional qualities. The masters of all the trades in the province also
pledged to have their charges instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic, either in the shop
or through formal education.
Walter Wilson was not apprenticed until the age of twenty-two; he apprenticed as blacksmith
between 1892 and 1894. In the first year of his apprenticeship his pay was room and board
and a suit of clothes. The next year he still lived with his master and was paid $40.
The third year he still got his room and board, but although he was frequently in sole charge
of the shop, his pay was only $75 for the year.
Many of the tools and other artifacts in the Greenwood blacksmith shop are original to the
building. This includes the benches, tool tables, the anvil, the swedge block, the coal bin, the
old leather double-chambered bellows, the mechanical rotary blower, and numerous other
items.
Volunteer Al Snelling at the forge of the Greenwood blacksmith shop.
* * *
Barbara Vranic is a member of the Pickering Museum Village Staff
The First Airplane Sighting in Pickering
From Pickering News (20 July 1917), [p. 8]
About half-past seven on Monday morning, the residents of Pickering were treated to a
novel sight, one which was never seen in this vicinity before. Their attention was first directed
to the objects of interest by the continuous hum of the machinery, and the noise of the gasoline
engines, which resembled gasoline motor boats.
At first the sound was supposed to come from approaching autos, but in a few moments
scores of eyes were directed heavenward to three aeroplanes. When first seen they were
coming from the west along the lake shore and then when south west of the village they turned
northwards and passing over the village westwards again presumably on their return trip to the
aviation school at Long Branch, west of Toronto.
They were at a considerable height, but were plainly visible. We believe the time is not far
distant when the passing of an aeroplane over our heads will excite but little interest. It was
only a few years ago when an auto was as much an object of curiosity as an aeroplane is now,
but now autos are so common that we seldom look at them when passing.
The great war has revolutionized the manufacture of air craft, and has led to such great activity
among inventors that they have now reached a point of perfection that makes them a
comparatively safe vehicle in which to travel. It is predicted that when the war is over they will
come into general use for the conveyance of passengers and mail matter. That may be the
case in respect to mail matter, but we doubt that a very large percentage of our population
will trust their lives to any machine that flies through the air.
Submitted by Judith Goulin
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"The Altona Mennonite Meeting House
by Joseph M. Nighswander
There it stands, solid and simple, yet attractive, at the intersection of the Uxbridge/ Pickering
Townline and Sideline #30, in Pickering Township. Since 1852 the Altona Mennonite Meeting
House has graced the rural hamlet of Altona. It is surrounded by the only cemetery in the
community, and by the graves of the pioneers who settled in the area in the early 1800s.
A number of Mennonite families were among emigrants from Pennsylvania and,
in a few cases, from other areas. The Mennonites gathered for worship in the homes of
members until 1825. When the congregation grew larger they began using a log schoolhouse
on the southeast corner of the intersection.
According to an old minute book, a trustee meeting was first held in the ""new"" church on 19
January, 1853, thus establishing that the church was built in 1852. William Feaster was the
builder, and Daniel Kreider was the first minister.
This red brick building, with its two doors facing the road, its eight small windows with 7 x 9
inch [17.5 x 23 cm] panes, its pine floors and pews, its simple interior with the main meeting
room and two small anterooms, reflects the simple lifestyle and theology of the people who
built it so long ago.
The floors and pews have never been painted or varnished and are as they were in 1852.
The plastered walls and ceilings are stark white as they have been through all the years.
Two rows of cast-iron clothes hooks are attached to two by fours suspended from the ceiling,
but only on one side. This reflects the fact that women sat on one side of
the central aisle, and men on the other. Since there is no cloakroom for the men, the hat hooks
were essential. A simple long pulpit is the focus for persons sitting in the pews.
The church building has never been enlarged or renovated.
The present trustees have tried to use only authentic materials for necessary repairs and
maintenance. The church building is currently in an excellent condition structurally.
The cemetery is well maintained.
Continuous worship services, although not every Sunday, were held in the church until 1974.
Commemorative services have been held biennially since 5 October 1980.
The most recent service was 28 September 1997 Recently two weddings were held in this
historic building for daughters of a local family.
For tours of this lovely old building, contact trustees Joe Nighswander or Kathy Nighswander:
640-1536 or 294-8589.
Altona Mennonite Meeting House
BOOK REVIEW
What's In A Name?
by Judith Goulin
What do the following words have in common: Pigeon Lake, Osprey, Pickle Crow, Blezard,
Coote's Paradise, Hen-and-Chickens Harbour, Magpie Mine, Merlin, River Canard, and
Heron's Bridge?
If you thought they were all names of birds, not only are you wrong, but what do birds have to
do with history anyway? However, if you didn't answer correctly, that's understandable.
I would not have known the correct answer either, that they are all names of places in Ontario,
until I read Alan Rayburn's new book, Place Names of Ontario. While there have been other
similar books published in the past, this one is perhaps the best.
Of the 57 000 official place names in Ontario, the author selected 2285 for this great book.
For easy reference, the names are conveniently presented in alphabetical order.
The index is unusual; it is designed to identify current official place names embedded in the
entries for other places. It also lists earlier names for populated places such as German Mills
within the entry for Markham, and for physical features, such as Lac de Taranto for Lake
Simcoe. Rayburn provides interesting details on the location of each place or feature,
who named it, and after what or whom, when it was named, and other relevant information.
Did you know that the story of the origin of the name Toronto, meaning place of meeting,
which was put forth by Henry Scadding is incorrect? This myth has been perpetuated in other
publications which are considered to be reputable. According to Rayburn the real story of
Toronto's nomenclature comes from the Mohawk name for their fish weirs, called tkaronto.
In an introduction the author explains how he divided the 57000 Ontario place names into
25 categories. Besides the obvious ones like British places and people, there are interesting
ones such as names from natural resources, like Cobalt; names taken from pets,
as in the township names of Tiny, Tay, and Flos, the
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"names of dogs of a governor general's wife; colourful names like Green Valley; and names
inspired by man made objects, like, Iron Bridge.
The author goes on to explain administrative technology, terms whose significance I never
knew, like police village. The Village of Pickering was a police village. I now know what that
means. Rayburn explains that in the early years of nineteenth century Ontario local
communities were permitted to create police villages within townships for the purpose of
establishing fire and safety regulations in built up areas.
I was surprised to learn that back then the meaning of the word police had a very different
connotation than it does today. It did not imply that the village had a police force, as a matter
of fact no police village has ever had its own police force! The meaning of the term changed
around the turn of the century, so when Pickering became a police village in 1901,
it signified that a community with a population of 150 in an area of not less than 500
acres [202.4 ha] could petition the county council to acquire this status,
which gave it the right to elect trustees, improve its streets, erect streetlights,
pave sidewalks, and provide other necessary amenities.
Not only definitions have changed, but the names of some places have changed also.
Ontarions who cottage on the Severn are probably relieved that they don't have to call it by its
aboriginal name, Wanatgitchang River. Similarly, the residents of St. Vincent Township must
be pleased that its former name has been dropped. How would you like to live in Zero
Township?
Even though Place Names of Ontario is by definition a reference text, Alan Rayburn has
made it readable enough to want to take to bed with you. I highly recommend this book for
information and enjoyment. It is available at the Pickering Public Library.
Allan Rayburn. Place Names of Ontario. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1977 404 pp.
Bibliography. Index. $21.95 Pb.
Judith Goulin
is a history buff who is not averse to going to bed with history books.
PICKERING TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Editor: Michael Cummins
Editorial Assistants:
John Cormier
Lys Laurence
Pat McCauley
Tom Mohr
Gayle Quintilian
John Sabean
Design: John Cormier
Hands On Art & Design
Pathmasters the newsletter of the Pickering Township Historical Society and is issued
quarterly: September, December, March, and June. Address correspondence to PTHS,
c/o 842 Naroch Blvd., Pickering, Ontario, L1W 1S9.
Board of Directors:
Honourary President: Dr. William McKay
President: TomMohr 839-1221
Vice President: John Sabean 831-3811
Recording & Corresponding Secretary: Lauri Towata-Roy 649-2296
Membership Secretary: Anne Bridge 649-5473
Treasurer: Tony Poirier 839-6885
Advocacy & Preservation Chair: Jerry Paris 839-5474
Publications Chair: Michael Cummins 839-1557
Our First Honourary President
The inscription presented to Dr. McKay at our first fall meeting reads:
“In recognition of Dr. William Angus McKay for his efforts in conserving
and promoting our local history. In grateful appreciation,
the Pickering Township Historical Society is pleased to confer upon Dr. McKay the title of
Honourary President. His book The Pickering Story, continues to illuminate our past,
thereby guiding us as we shape our future. Dated this September 9th, 1997, Tom Mohr,
President.""
Coming events:
General Meetings of the Pickering Township Historical Society
Day: Second Tuesday of the month, September through June Time: 7:30 p.m. Place:
Pickering Recreation Complex
WINTER SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, 13 January 1998
Guest speaker: Paul Burkholder
Mr. Burkholder, a local historian from Markham, will share with us his knowledge of
""The Mennonite Settlement of Pickering.""
Tuesday, 10 February 1998
Guest speaker: John Sabean
Our Vice President will provide some history and show some slides of some
""Pickering Artists of the Past""
Tuesday, 10 March 1998
Guest speaker: Tom Mohr
Our President has been studying ""The History of Frenchman's Bay""
for some years and will share some of his findings
Tuesday, 14 April 1998
Guest speaker: Orris Andersen
Chris Andersen, regional archaeologist with the Ministry of Citizenship,
Culture and Recreation, will talk about the period of ""Native Occupation of Pickering
Township""
NOTE
In the last issue of Pathmaster there appeared an article: ""Names in the News: Fred and
Bess Housser'.' The two photographs which accompanied the article should have included
the following captions. On the left: ""Bess Housser in front of her Pickering Village home in
June 1916."" On the right: ""The former Housser home as it appears in 1997 after some
alterations.”
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