Mapping of Military Settlement Lanark County

Perth, in Lanark County

Perth is celebrating its 200th anniversary as a town. People are exploring its history in many ways. This is an interactive map project for Lanark County, which shows the original land grants dating from around this time. Hubby adores his maps, and I hope he likes this one!

I first found out about this project from our local newspaper:

Historic mapping project plots historic roots in Lanark County 

Barry Crampton wishes his younger self had paid attention now. “My father said, ‘One day, you’ll wish you’d paid...
“(We can) use technology to tell the story of a settlement,” said Crampton, which “can be retrieved for generations to come.”

At the end of the 1812 war, and the Napoleonic War, military were discharged with half-pay.
They sent them off to Canada, where they were the responsibility of the Military for three years. The UK was needing to put these soldiers somewhere. They divvied up the land in these bizarre, rectangular parcels, which totally disregarded the lay of the land, the geology and the quality of the land.

I've written elsewhere about the incredible lack of soil in the area: Flora, fauna, geology of Lanark County The swamps are amazing, like my frog pond, where flora and fauna abound, just not at great depths. Sadly, farming cows isn't a really good option on all plots. Those with land grants were required to clear the land, and open the roads in front of their property. One didn't get title until this was done, sometimes not until 1825, for example. Some gave up and abandoned their land, others came to see it, then left, others sold the land and moved on. It must have been a monumental task.

Families drew land parcels by lottery, and if they didn't like what they pulled, they were able to pull a total of three times.

The bizarre divvying up of the lots left some on one side or another of the lakes, bogs and rivers. Murphys Point Park land was appropriated to establish the park. That must have been difficult for these families who had cleared the land, then worked it. Rather than farming, some mined mica.

Some land was set aside for clergy and crown,
you can see the extensive work done colour coding this map.

What the township has forgotten is that this land was land belonging to the Algonquins. Algonquin Land Claims Ontario.There was a presentation to council to remind them of this fact.

It was posted here:

"A Call to Recognize on Whose Land We Live" by Maureen Bostock

The following was delivered by Maureen Bostock, of Lanark County Neighbours for Truth and Reconciliation, to Perth Town Council on March 1, 2016. While Perth is celebrating its 200th anniversary, the Algonquin people have lived in this unceded territory for some 8,000 years. The establishment of the Town was in contradiction to British law and the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which stated that no land could be granted to settlers without a prior agreement between First Nations and the Crown.

It reads in part...

From At Home in Tay Valley, The Omamiwinini, a chapter written by Paula Sherman quotes Kaondinoketch an Omamiwinini leader from 1840 addressing a council meeting: “Our hunting 

old fencing –in the middle of the wetland

grounds that are vast and extensive and once abounded in the richest furs and swarmed with deer of every description are now ruined.  We tell you the truth, we now starve half the year through and our children, who were accustomed to being comfortably clothed, are now naked.  We own, brother, that we are partly the cause of these present misfortunes; we were too good and generous; we permitted strangers to come and settle on our grounds and to cultivate the land; wood merchants to destroy our valuable timber, who have done us much injury, as by burning our rich forests, they have annihilated our beaver and our peltries, and driven deer away.” 

The chapter also records the Omamiwinini people’s response to the actions of newcomers:“When they came across Philemon Wright cutting down their sugar bush in the early 19^thcentury, they were quite upset, and questioned him about his actions.  From what I can tell from the documentary evidence and oral tradition around the incident, Wright lied and told them he had papers given to him by the Colonial Office.  This was untrue as it turns out; he was a land speculator from Massachusetts and had no such papers.  

Wetland, with the leaves down,
you can see where the forest begins again.

While the Omamiwinini people found it difficult to understand how he had “acquired” these lands, they didn’t question the truth of his statement.  To do so would have been an insult and disrespectful.  They did not lie.  Instead, given that he was already there, they chose to welcome and incorporate him into already existing protocols for relationships with neighbours.” 

  My grandmother told of the times when she was helped by local natives, who lived around their settlement. She and her brothers would get lost and they'd be brought back home. Local politicians are frightfully ignorant, it's time they were educated.

Book Review: Harriet Quimby; Flying Fair Lady

Harriet Quimby

By Leslie Kerr

We hear so little about many of the women of history. Women

July 1st, 1912

who broke ground for us in a time of much sexism, and many barriers to achievement. She remained single in a time when women were to be barefoot and pregnant.

It's a well-written book, and the photos from the archives are fascinating. Kerr has done a great job in her research. I really enjoyed this book, while sadly reflecting on the sexism of the times.

Whilst waiting for hubby to have some eye surgery done (to remove a small tumour), I read this book. It's not a long book, 112 pages, but it is filled with amazing photographs. You can view some on the web page. It was a riveting read.

Quimby moved to New York City in 1903 to work as a theatre critic for Leslie's Illustrated Weekly, eventually writing more than 250 articles over 9 years, establishing herself as a journalist. She was an quite an adventurer, covering important issues such as women's rights, minority and other social justice issues.

She was also a script writer for silent films, in the early stages of the times. She was a model/spokesperson for Vin Fiz, after becoming the first female aviator in the USA. She was fearless. These early planes, hers a new Blériot XI monoplane, was made of light, simple materials. She and her passenger were ejected from the plane, since there were no seatbelts. Her flight instructor, and the plane designer, Louis Blériot, helped recover her body after the incident.

The Wright Brothers didn't want to teach women to fly, but she managed to find a teacher. She had to take aviation lessons at 4:30 in the morning to avoid controversy. She even had to fight to earn her pilot's licence, as the Aero Club didn't think women should fly and didn't want to test her. She was the second woman in the world to earn her licence. She designed her own flight suit, since women were still frowned upon if they wore pants. It's hard to believe how far we've had to come in this day and age.

She has her own Wiki page:

On April 16, 1912, Quimby took off from Dover, England, en route to Calais, France and made the flight in 59 minutes, landing about 25 miles (40 km) from Calais on a beach inÉquihen-Plage, Pas-de-Calais. She became the first woman to pilot an aircraft across the English Channel.^[6] Her accomplishment received little media attention, however, as the sinking of the RMS Titanic the day before consumed the interest of the public and filled newspapers.^[7]

Harriet Quimby: Flying Fair Lady

One of the first women to fly, the fashionable Harriet Quimby (1875–1912) came of age in the fading years of a gilded era, determined to have more than the life of a farmer’s wife. Beautiful, intelligent, and forever seeking the next adventure when her life ended tragically at age 37, this extraordinary pioneer had accomplished what most—women or men—only dream about. 

“I think I shall do something someday,” she once remarked. This recognition of her legacy is long overdue.

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  Newspaper report from the Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, July 2, 1912
 
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  Harriet Quimby with the Moisant monoplane in which she learned to fly
 
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  Harriet Quimby in herBlériot XI monoplane
 
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  The monument of Harriet Quimby
 
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  The wreck of Quimby's plane after her fatal accident
 
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  Harriet Quimby Childhood Home-Arcadia, MI

Book Review: The Life and Times of Lilian J. Rice; Master Architect

What a beautiful book!

Lilian J. Rice (1889 – 1938)

By biographer Diane Y. Welch

 What an amazing woman.
Too many women's lives are ignored. HIStory is full of biographies about men. Herstory is an important one to tell. This woman achieved much, while raising a family of four daughters. If you like the 1930s, architecture, old photographs, strong women, famous people, or biographies, you will like this one.

I had never heard of Lilian Rice, being Canadian. Some of the homes she built are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, several garnered her honor awards from the American Institute of Architects. There are amazing photos, architectural plans, and copies of paintings in the book. My favourite photo, however, is a 1927 one of Lilian Rice about to climb up into a Mack dump truck to operate it 'in order to work and keep the project on schedule!' It is also on the front cover! 

It's an amazing area: Rancho Santa Fe, a master-planned community catering to the rich and famous. If you like to examine the homes from the time, the photos will interest you. She worked with Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Bing Crosby, as well as movers and shakers of the times, to build or renovate their amazing houses. 

[PDF] Lilian Rice Designed Buildings in Rancho Santa Fe MPS

What I found interesting is the the foreword is written by Audrey Geisel, wife of the late Theodore J. Geisel (AKA Dr. Seuss). Another review I wrote this week is a book by Dr. Seuss, You're Only Old Once. 

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@Barrie Summy

Book Review: The Life and Times of Mary Vaux Walcott

I thought this an appropriate book for International Women's Day! It's also my son's 31st birthday, I sent him a gift card for books!

Life and Times

My regular readers know I dabble in sketching. I was sent a book about a real artist.

Known as the “Audubon of Botany,” Philadelphia, Quaker Mary Morris Vaux Walcott (1860–1940) was a gifted artist whose stunning watercolors comprise a catalog of North American wildflowers.

"In the summer of 1887, when she was 27, Mary orris Vaux, along with her father and two brothers, trekked 10,000 miles –by rail, carriage, stagecoach, ferry, horseback, and on foot–through the American West and Canada. Although it wasn't their first trip west, it was their introduction to the Canadian Rockies, and it changed their lives."

Can you imagine?

Mary Morris Vaux Walcott was a woman who refused to let the times limit her. Victorian social conventions were so constricting for many. Walcott married the secretary of the Smithsonian, and this gave her much leave to study as she wished. If you haven't read a woman's autobiography of the times, you might not understand how far we have come. She traveled the continent, and was involved in history, religion, politics, women's studies, science and art. Walcott knew the women of the times who looked for adventure and went into the American West. Her friends were gifted artists, writers and historians. The book contains letters to and from famous folks of the times, like the First Lady (Lou Henry Hoover), and Mary Walcott, Commissioner for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The art interspersed in the book is lovely, as are the photos from Walcott's life.

The author is a graduate of Wheaton College, with an MA in historical studies. For twenty years she has taught history, including classes for its college program at Sing Sing Prison.

These are Toronto archival images of the times, the early 1900s, just happened in my news feed, and they make one think. We've come a long, long way! Simpson's and Eaton's.

Book Review: The Gunner: WW I; The Great One

THE ALFORD SAGA;  THE GUNNER 

By Paul Almond.      Eric Alford’s life on the peaceful Gaspé Coast is shattered by his decision to follow his elder brother John into the cataclysm of death and destruction that is the First World War. By his thundering Howitzer, Gunner Alford faces off against the enemy through harrowing battles that defined the European Theatre: Ypres, Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Hill 70, and The Somme. Suffering wounds and mental exhaustion, Eric is evacuated to a Rouen field hospital where he is surrounded by the hellish consequences of combat: blindness, amputations, and gas-inflicted horrors. And here, suffering with PTSD (shell-shock), Eric wonders whether he will ever see home again.

1. The Deserter 978-1-55278-901-8 Paperback $19.95
2. The Survivor 978-1-55278-967-4 Paperback $19.95
3. The Pioneer 978-1-77087-123-6 Paperback $19.95
4. The Pilgrim 978-1-77087-163-2 Paperback $19.95
5. The Chaplain 978-0-99197-460-3 Paperback $19.95



WW II

6. The Gunner 978-0-88995-512-7 Paperback $19.95

     For those who are interested in finding out what WWI was like, this book is a good one. Written by a Canadian film maker, who lives in the US, some of it is written like a Hollywood script, a bit over the top, if you'll excuse the pun, but he culled autobiographies and diaries to reflect the true horror of this war. We can learn much about how to treat those who served in US data is shocking:

My late father was in the Air Force
in WW II

wartime. In fact, shell shock, now we know it is a huge problem: PTSD. This is a relatively new concept. We really must do more for our veterans, who can end up with mental health issues, some and homeless.

Although national tracking of veteran suicide rates is unreliable at best, the VA estimates that 22 veterans commit suicide each day. This means approximately 8,030 veterans kill themselves every year, more than 5,540 of whom are 50 or older.

     It is well-crafted, and was a good read for me. I dropped History in gr. 10, with a 52% average! (I took Music, Physical Education, English and three Maths: Calculus, Functions & Relations, Algebra!) There is a map, a glossary, as well, which helped me navigate my way through this portion of the war effort. Most soldiers thought the war might be over before they managed to serve. This, certainly, was not the case.
     This book is the sixth in a series loosely based on the author's forefather. Students study WW I in grade 10. This series would be an excellent one for kids, as I have always learned well from well-researched historical fiction. Coincidentally, TVO is featuring a mini-series on this topic, references are below.

Canadian and World Studies, 2013, Grades 9 and 10 PDF Format (2013 - 1.9 MB)  

The Grade 10 history courses provide students with an overview of Canadian history from the eve of World War I to the present.

I have a WW I helmet someone repurposed. They were very heavy.

Turtle

From my mom's photos
(WW II)

Dad and his sister: 1942

Apocalypse: World War One - TVO

Apocalypse is a monumental five-part miniseries culled from more than 500 hours of archival material. This is WWI as you have never experienced it before: artfully colorized in a painstakingly researched process that brings the footage to life with unprecedented impact.

The Great War

War in Colour

Colourization

Colour's Impact

Historical Objects

Recreating Sound

Hearing Battle

Amateur Footage

Human Moments

Music

DVD Review: CIVIL WAR: THE UNTOLD STORY

AcornOnline.com

What a fabulous DVD. I'm not totally up on American history, although I've certainly taught a lot about Canadian history. If I ever have questions about war I ask my better half. Hubby is an absolute pro. He's read every book ever written on one war or another, methinks.

Hubby told me that he learned new things from this DVD. I certainly learned a lot. I'm always ready to learn something new, if the teaching tools are good.

Mississippi River (more info Wiki)

I haven't much background in US political geography either, but the maps, and indications of troop movement uses dramatic battle recreations, compelling archival imagery, 3-D maps, and thoughtful interviews with top Civil War scholars. It's a five-part series which show why the West played such a vital part in the outcome of the war. This is a wonderful docudrama, featuring the narration of Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey).

 The battles at Shiloh and Vicksburg are complex in the ebb and flow of troops, wins and losses, and troop movement. It demonstrates the importance of the Mississippi River for transportation of supplies, troops and goods and services along an enormous 3700km (2300 mile) route.

At Shiloh there were 24,000 dead, wounded or missing troops, on both sides. Once the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, it was supposed to release the 3 million slaves in bondage.

Great graphics showing the two generals

There is much in the DVD about the 800,000 slaves who were in the four border states of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware. They speak of the 200,000 African-American enlisted in the army, with amazing black and white photos. Also, the families who had to hide in caves while 23,000 Confederate and 32,000 Union troops battled it out in Vicksburg. It follows real people, like Joshua Calloway (see the book below), a teacher, husband and father, who didn't own slaves, who went to fight for the Confederate Army and lost his life there. He wrote copious letters home, all this before such letters were thought to be censored. Also, they tell us that 25% of the Union troops were immigrants.

General Grant hangs on our wall!
We fetched it from Seattle.

We buy a lot of DVDs from AcornOnline.com. Some of our faves include many mysteries:  Midsomer Murders, Foyle's War, Vera, Cadfael, Inspector Morse, Inspector Lewis.

There will be more information at Civil War: The Untold Story, including a teacher's guide.

The DVD 2-Disc set includes five episodes, plus rare archival footage from the 50-year anniversary of the Siege of Vicksburg (14 min.), and 12-page viewer’s guide (276 min., plus bonus, $49.99, AcornOnline.com).

There are lots of resources I have never even heard of. We do have a wonderful print of a photo of General Grant.

Mary Ann Loughborough’s book, 

My Cave Life in Vicksburg,
was published in 1864. 

The Civil War Letters of Joshua K. Callaway