Lanark County Genealogy Society

NEW Project

Posted May 27, 2008

I am currently putting together a book about the James brothers (George & Lawrence) of Perth, Ontario and would appreciate hearing from anyone with information regarding them or their ancestors who lived on the 2nd line of Drummond and who came originally from Wexford County.

John McKenty
613-267-7319
E-Mail john.mckenty@sympatico.ca

Leinster to Lanark

Posted January 30, 2008

LCGS member Carol Bennett McCuaig is still researching material for a new book, Leinster to Lanark, which commemorates people who came here from the Irish counties of Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow. She would like to hear from anyone whose ancestors fit this profile, especially if they have stories of the 1798 Insurrection.

Carol can be contacted at:

127 McCuaig Road, R. R. 2, Renfrew, ON, K7V 3Z5.

E-mail juniper2@nrtco.net

Her web address is http://www.nrtco.net/~juniper2/

Cecil L. Newman, Photographer

Posted February 8, 2003

Looking for information about CECIL L. NEWMAN,
photographer at Perth during the 1940s and 1950s. He
made many black-and-white photo postcards of the area
including Perth, Lanark, Rideau Ferry, Bob's Lake,
Sharbot Lake, Christie Lake and probably other places
as well. Where did he come from? When and where did he
go after leaving Perth?

Interested in biographical information and his postcards.

Jack Brown (Member #115)
430 Old River Road RR#3
Mallorytown Ontario K0E 1R0

E-Mail: cjbrownca@yahoo.ca

Floods in Lanark County

Posted January 20, 2002

I am writing a history of the descendants of John and Isabella
(Murphy) Flood, who arrived in Lanark County in 1819 from Ireland. So
far I have tracked over 200 descendants of this couple. The family
first settled in Bathurst and later in South Sherbrooke, eventually
their descendants spread throughout Canada and the U.S. Please
contact Peter Flood for additional information.

Peter Flood
peadarmac@yahoo.com

Wards & Hudsons in Lanark County

Posted February 25, 2001 Email updated July 31, 2003

I am compiling information about all Wards and Hudsons in Lanark County in the 1800s. Known Wards include Edward, Thomas, James, and Edward's son Patrick and his family. Known Hudsons include Edward and wife Frances ("Fanny"), and their children. See my Ward and Hudson pages for more information. Please email Jim Ward with any information.

DONALD MUNRO AND MARGARET MURRAY FAMILY of LANARK COUNTY, ONTARIO

Posted February 15, 2001

I am currently composing a detailed family history on the descendants of Donald MUNRO (son of Alexander T. and Katherine Munro; married 1786 in Kilmur-Easter, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland) who was born in 1799 in Kilmur-Easter, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. In 1821, Donald married Margaret MURRAY at the Parish of Creich, Sutherland Scotland His family immigrated to Middleville, Lanark County, Ontario, in 1830 . They had seven children (John; Janet; Hugh; Daniel; Donald; Margaret and Elizabeth) . After the death of his wife Margaret (abt 1840) Donald later remarried. Donald and his second wife Ann Stead were married in Lanark Ontario in 1844. Donald and Ann had three children (Mary, William and Sara Ann). Donald's buried in Plot 55, Greenwood Cemetery, Middleville. The Middleville Museum displays the barn loom that Donald used to make cloth throughout his entrepreneur years. I am interested in contacting descendants to complete the various lines. I also wish to obtain copies of old pictures of family members to include in the project. This extensively researched and comprehensive family history is targeted for publication in early 2002. Please contact Jayne Munro at jmunro@magma.ca.

SETTLERS FROM COMRIE, PERTHSHIRE, SCOTLAND

I am currently writing a fairly comprehensive social history of the Village of Comrie and would be interested in letters from the period 1818 - 1856 which refer to events or people from Comrie who settled in the Carleton Place / Morphy's Falls - Perth - Smith Falls - Arnprior area, and in particular those who were aboard the vessels "Curlew, Sophie and the Jane". Please contact: Peter R. McNaughton, rossion.peter@sympatico.ca.

LANARK COUNTY CEMETERY INFO NEEDED

John Sayer, who is in charge of Cemetery Publications for the Ottawa OGS, would like information on the Scott Cemetery located on Concession 10, Lot 16 in North Burgess Twp.; St. Andrew’s Anglican Cemetery on Concession 1, Lot 5 (near Bolingbroke) and Judson Cemetery on Concession 8, Lot 22 in North Elmsley Twp. If anyone has information on these cemeteries, please submit it to the Ottawa Branch OGS.

PERTH CITIZEN'S BAND

The Perth Citizens Band has been in more or less continuous existence since 1852. It is now one of the oldest, and perhaps the very oldest, town band in Canada, a carryover from the nineteenth century when musical groups were an important part of the pionering community they entertained and served. For the most part comprised of amateur musicians, they were generally led by a professional who was not only trained in music, but was capable of giving instruction to others. This bandmaster would be the only bandsman paid for his service; the others received time off, free travel and other perks for providing entertainment on public occasions.

Over the years, the Band in Perth had different names: the Perth Brass Band, the St Patricks Band, The Fountain Engine Band, and the 42nd Battalion Band, for example. Sometimes, several bands co-existed in the same locale: the Harmonic Band and the Citizens Band, of the 1890s.

The success of any band was generally dependent upon being able to secure the services of a good leader, and paying him enough to keep him. Perth in its time attracted many exceptional bandmasters, beginning with the great Liberati, who started his spectacular North American career in Perth and Ottawa, and T. F. Jacobs, who came and went over the lifetime of several bands. A noted Canadian composer of band music spent a year leading the Perth band, and some stayed long enough to start orchestras and philharmonic societies. Most disppeared without a trace, to better paying jobs south, and west with new migration.

Perth survives, an anachronism in the the age of TV. It is now a Lanark County band, with its members drawn from a variety of neighbouring communities, such as Lanark and Smith's Falls.

The Perth Citizens Band is engaged in compiling its 150 year history, and welcomes all contributions and leads, on old members, bandmasters, repertoire and venues. Please contact the historian Daphne Overhill at over@superaje.com.

DONALD CARMICHAEL & HIS DESCENDANTS FROM COMRIE, PERTHSHIRE, SCOTLAND

I am currently compiling, revising and reformatting the book "Donald Carmichael and his Descendants" originally published in Scotland in 1924. This book will contain a fairly comprehensive genealogy of the many Carmichael descendants that settled in Beckwith Township, Lanark County; McNab Township, Renfrew County; Perth County; London Township, Middlesex County. These Carmichael descendants were from the Village of Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland and the surrounding villages and came to Canada in the 1818 - 1856 period. Book was completed January 2002. Please contact Terry for further information: Terris 'Terry' C. Howard, email: tch6535@aol.com and see the Carmichael - Comrie web site for descriptions, details and other surnames like CARMICHAEL, CRAM, DRUMMOND, McFARLANE: http://members.aol.com/tch6535/carmichael/carmichael.htm

I am currently writing a book on the descendants of James DUNCAN who was born in 1807 in Dunbarton, Scotland. He immigrated to Dalhousie Township, Lanark County, Ontario, in the 1830s and married Jane PURDON. They had thirteen children. I am interested in contacting descendants to complete the various lines. I also wish to obtain copies of old pictures of family members and old buildings in the area to include in the project. This is a comprehensive family history with extensive research, scheduled for completion in early 2001. Please contact Janet Gosior: gosior@canada.com.