Cecil Francis James

Cecil was born February 1, 1898 in Rutherglen, Ontario, to Eliza (nee Pennell) and John “Jack” James.

Cecil married Marie Tremblay and had two sons. From his will below, I can only make out the name of his 2nd son, Leonard.

He fought in World War I in the 12th Reserve, 1st Corp., 75th Battalion CEF, D Co., #3035764 and held the rank of Private. He was discharged May 12, 1919 and returned home in June of 1919 on the R.M.S. Mauretania.

UK World War I Service Medals and Awards Roll
Marriage of Cecil to Marie Tremblay

In 1950, Cecil was living in Kapuskasing, and later in New Toronto. He died February 12, 1959.

Cecil-James-2Marie-James-parcel-318

John Thomas Victor James

John was born December 29, 1887 in Rutherglen, Ontario. He served in the 59th Battalion during World War I. He was a member of Branch 23 of the Royal Canadian Legion in North Bay where he received a 50-year pin. He was also a member of the Orange Lodge and a founding member of the Elk Lake Masonic Lodge No. 507. John also spent some time in jail and he worked for the ONR as an engineer.

He married Annie Gertrude “Gerti” Smith, who was the daughter of Willard Smith and Mary Johnson on Rutherglen. Gerti was a widow, having married William Daniel Smith, and had one some “Billy”. Gerti and John had two daughters: Eleanor James and Ruth James. Gerti died in 1926.

John then married Julia McNulty and had three sons: Jack James, Dale James, Darwin James. All three of these sons spent time in jail and were known to be part of the notorious “Kelly Gang” of North Bay.

History of St. Margaret’s Anglican Church

St. Margaret’s, Rutherglen was built around 1855. In 1891, St. Margaret’s was entirely rebuilt after being blown down in a storm. The church was consecrated by Bishop Charles Hamilton on October 30, 1896. In 1951, construction of a new St. Margaret’s began and the church was consecrated by Bishop Robert Jefferson on July 6, 1952. The log frame of the old church was torn down and removed. St. Margaret’s is part of the parish of Mattawa.

Source: http://archeion-aao.fis.utoronto.ca/ , March 9, 2009

St. Margaret’s Cemetery

Plot #MarkingsPlot #Markings
1JAMES2In memory of
In loving memory ofPhyllis JAMES
Courtney W. JAMESDied Aug. 26th, 1915
1907-1961Aged 4 Yrs.
At RestDeeply Mourned
3JAMES4SMITH
In loving memory ofIn memory of
Mary Ann PENNELLElmo
Beloved wife of1907-1950
William C. JAMESGone but not forgotten
Died Oct. 3, 1937
Aged 69 Years
Beloved husband
William C.
1858-1947
5FARMER6Thy will be done
John 1859-1907In loving memory of
Charles 1896-1957Richard PENNELL
Jemima 1863-1936Died Nov. 24, 1916
B. FARMERAged 82 yrs 9 mos
Died June 15, 1899Also his wife
Aged 12 yearsRachel S. CREW
W. FARMERAged 81 yrs. 5 mos
Died March 6, 1904
Aged 10 mo’s
7In memory of8In loving memory of
Elize CREWJohn JAMES
Wife ofDied Aug. 21, 1942
James HONEAlso a son
Died Mar. 7,1897Escar John
Aged 73 yrsEliza JAMES
Blessed are the dead in the LordBorn Sept. 3, 1872
Died Mar. 6, 1955
9PENNELL10Jas. R. MCNAMARA
George PENNELLDied July 12, 1888
Born Apr. 27, 1858Aged 15 yrs & 3 mos
Died Aug 31, 1930He Giveth His Joy
His wifeElizabeth MCNAMARA
Charlotte E. EDMONDSDied June 14, 1888
BornFeb 2, 1858Aged 9 yrs 11 mos
Died Feb 17, 1909Ann C. MCNAMARA
Their daughter Rachel S.Died June 13, 1888
Born Mar 9, 1890Aged 3 years & 4 mos
Died Aug 28, 1890John MCNAMARA
Died June 28, 1883
11JAMES12Hugh SHIELDS
In loving memoryDied Oct. 10, 1910
Eric AlexanderAged 76 yrs
Died June 25, 1950At Rest
Age 48 yrs
Some day we will understand
13In memory of14HONE
Anne TREMBLEJames Wm.
Beloved wife of1883-1957
Peter DOEREFlorence A.
Died Jan 9, 18951882-1971
Aged 63 yrs
Native of County Down, Ireland

I tried to find out the full list of burials at St. Margaret’s Church. I was told that there were way more than the head stones showed. So I wrote to the Anglican Church Diocese. Since it cost (at the time) $40/hr for them to do a search for all burials at the cemetery, I gave them a date range of when I thought the church was built to when I was told burials there had ceased and asked only for the surnames of Pennell and James. The following is what they were able to find.

“D” are Deaths/Burials; “B” is Baptisms; “M” is Marriages

B/D/MSurnameName OneName TwoParentsYearParishRegister Ref.
B   Pennell? [Edna Eliza]Richard & ? [Rachel]1905St Alban’s, Mattawa236/20
B   PennellAbigail Amanda(Adult Baptism)1916St Alban’s, Mattawa236/29
D   PennellAlex Cecil1945St Alban’s, Mattawa236/252
B   PennellAlexander CecilGeorge & CharlotteSt Alban’s, Mattawa236/8
B   PennellAlexander CecilRichard W. & Mary Ellen1916St Alban’s, Mattawa236/29
M   PennellAlice MariaAdoniram Smith1904St Alban’s, Mattawa237/18
B   PennellAlice MariaRichard & Rachel1885Parish of Petawawa149/39
B   PennellAnnie SeeleyGeo. & Charlotte Emily1886Parish of Petawawa149/50
B   PennellCarrie MargaretRichard W. & Mary Ellen1917St Alban’s, Mattawa236/30
D   PennellCecil Murray1929St Alban’s, Mattawa236/249
B   PennellCharlotte EmmaRichard W. & Mary1920St Alban’s, Mattawa236/31
B   PennellEarl RobertAustin G. & Mrs1940St Alban’s, Mattawa236/41
M   PennellEliza JaneJohn James1894St Alban’s, Mattawa236/71
B   PennellFrancis IvaObadiah & Abagail1917St Alban’s, Mattawa236/30
B   PennellGabrielle MaryAlexander E. & Dorothy G.1922St Alban’s, Mattawa236/32
D   PennellGeorge Matthew1930St Alban’s, Mattawa
B   PennellGeorge MatthewRichard W. & MargaretParish of Petawawa149/39
B   PennellGeorge MatthewGeorge & Charlotte Emily1886Parish of Petawawa149/50
B   PennellGeorge Matthew AustinRichard W. & Carrie M. E.1906St Alban’s, Mattawa236/20
B   PennellHerbert GordonGeorge & Charlotte E1899St Alban’s, Mattawa236/16
B   PennellJames VictorGeorge & Charlotte E1890St Alban’s, Mattawa236/4
M   PennellLinda CharlotteJames Clifford Russell1961St Alban’s, Mattawa610/35
B   PennellMelville JeromeObadiah & Abigail1919St Alban’s, Mattawa236/31
B   PennellAbadiahGeorge & Charlotte Emily1888Parish of Petawawa149/64
D   PennellRachel Sarah1916St Alban’s, Mattawa236/248
B   PennellRachel SarahGeorge & Charlotte1889Parish of Petawawa149/11
D   PennellRachel Sarah1889Parish of Petawawa149/313
D   PennellRichard1916St Alban’s, Mattawa236/248
M   PennellRichard WilliamMary Farmer1909St Alban’s, Mattawa236/89
B   PennellRichard WilliamGeorge & Charlotte1996Parish of Petawawa149/49
B   PennellVelma albienaGeorge A. & Mary Velma Riley1935St Alban’s, Mattawa236/38
B   PennellWilliam Henry Esca.George & Charlotte1894St Alban’s, Mattawa236/11
B   PennellWilliam HerbertRichard W. & Mary Ellen1916St Alban’s, Mattawa236/29
B/M/DSurnameName OneName TwoParentsYearParishParish Ref.
B   James? [Elizabeth Francis “Lizzie”] William & Mary1894St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/11
M   JamesAlice ElizaHughes, Gerald Allen1960St. Alban’s, Mattawa610/31
B   JamesAlma Alice John & Eliza1906St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/20
B   JamesBernice Marie Christopher R. & Mary Jane1925St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/34
B   JamesBetty Edna Ross C. & Edna Mary J. Hill1935St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/38
M   JamesBetty EdnaWhalley, Keith Elmer1955St. Alban’s, Mattawa610/14
B   JamesCecil Francis John & Eliza Jane1897St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/15
B   JamesChristopher Richard William & Mary Ann1886Parish of Petawawa149/41
M   JamesClifford RussellPennell, Linda Charlotte1961St. Alban’s, Mattawa610/35
B   JamesEric John & Eliza Jane1901St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/18
B   JamesFlorence Flossie MayWilliam & Mary Ann1897St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/15
B   JamesFrancis Elmer George & Martha1929St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/36
B   JamesGeorge Matthew William J. & Mary1902St. Aban’s, Mattawa236/18
M   JamesGeorgina MayNitsehkie, Cecil Alfred1952St. Alban’s, Mattawa610/9
B   JamesGrenvill CampbellChristopher & Mary1921St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/32
M   JamesGrenvill CampbellSullivan, Irene Sarah1952St. Alban’s, Mattawa610/8
B   JamesHilda Beverley Russell S. & Mrs1938St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/40
M   JamesHilda BeverleySullivan Kenneth William1957St. Alban’s, Mattawa610/20
B   JamesIrene Dagmar Christopher & Mary1921St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/32
D   JamesJames Norman1944St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/252
B   JamesJames Richard William & Mary1890St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/2
M   JamesJohnPennell, Eliza Jane1894St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/71
B   JamesJohn Thomas Victor William & Mary Ann1888Parish of Petawawa149/64
M   JamesJoycelyn YvonneConning, Murray Carman1951St. Alban’s, Mattawa610/6
B   JamesLanny Ross Ross C. & Edna J.M.1940St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/41
B   JamesMarshall GeorgeChristopher R. & Mary Jane1924St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/34
M   JamesMaryDuffy, Isaac1886Parish of Petawawa149/208
D   JamesPhyllis1915St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/248
B   JamesPhyllis Eliza William & Mary Ann1911St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/27
B   JamesRachel Sarah William & Mary Ann1891St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/7
B   JamesReta Janet Russell S. & Yvonne Bellaire1936St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/39
B   JamesReta Janet Russell & Yvonne Bellaire1941St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/43
B   JamesRobert Manley Christopher & Mary1921St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/32
B   JamesRoss Christopher Christopher & Mary Jane1912St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/24
B   JamesRussell Sylvester William & Mary1904St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/19
B   JamesStanley William ChristopherR. & Mary Jane1916St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/29
M   JamesStanley WilliamMarshall, Hazel Emma1946St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/155
B   JamesViolet Louise William & Mary1909St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/22
M   JamesWarren AlexanderPrescott, Valerie Edith1962St. Alban’s, Mattawa610/36
B   JamesWilliam Henry William J. & Mary1900St. Alban’s, Mattawa236/17
1900 – St. Margaret’s
1909 – English Church, Rutherglen
1926 – Anglican Church Minister
Very centre person is Georgena Buchanan (nee Smith)

Phillip John Gallson

Phillip Gallson was the son of John Gallson and Florence Peters. He was born in Zolpho Springs, Florida in 1927. Phill spent most of his life in the US Army and served in Korea and Viet Nam.

Sharlene Buszka wrote an amazing memorial to her mother, Aunt Marian, which contains a lot of information about Uncle Phill. Click the button below to see that memorial.

Alexander Escar Pennell

Alexander Pennell, b. 1892, son of George Matthew Pennell (Gramma Smith’s brother) and Charlotte Edmunds.  This Alex served 4 years in WW1 as a gunner.  He was severely wounded twice and sent to England where he met his future wife, Dorothy Rhodes, a nurse.  Alex worked as a Game Warden in Gravenhurst.  He had one child, Gabriel Pennell.  Alexander’s brother was Herb Pennell, who also served in WW1.

Alexander Pennell’s brother, Richard William Pennell married Carrie Sullivan (Melvin’s sister). He was a Fireman. Their children were Walter Pennell and Austin Pennell. Then Richard married Mary Ellen Farmer (Aunt Hazel’s sister).  One of their children was Alex Cecil Pennell who would be the Alex Pennell who is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. 

History of Rutherglen

Squatters in Bonfield in the register of “Free Grants” under “The Free Grants + Homestead Act” Dated November 22, 1882

Richard Pennell (SR) (lot-26)(Conc 8&9) took claim 200 acres with 16 cleared, length of occupation 2 years, value at $400

Richard Pennell (JR) (lot-25)(Con-9) took claim 100 acres with 8 acres cleared, length occupation 2 years, valued at $200

The Railroad came through Rutherglen in fall 1879, Bonfield – January 1, 1879. First train to arrive in North Bay August 1882… I believe it would be safe to say the Pennells worked their way to Rutherglen by rail and took up land by these grants. James & Andrew Rose held the 1st squatters of these parcels were long gone ahead searching for more land for rail construction by 1881-82, North Bay, Ontario.

From the collection of Mike Brophy passed onto Elmer Rose – December 5, 2020.

Here is a Lot and Concession map from MY memory. Amazing since I was 11 when we moved from Rutherglen. I think Wayne helped me fill in some blanks, but that Hwy. 17 here looks weird. 🙂

A. W. Smith moved the road because it ran between his two 100 acre lots so he had two fences to fix where he could have one or none. This fencing was no simple chore once you got into the bush at the back of the lots.

Main reason – the old road ran up the granite mountain that is beneath Carl Sullivan’s hill beside the red brick school house. It was almost impossible for the horses to get any traction on this polished granite so they would slip and get hurt, along with their passengers and/or cargo. Also hard to dig post holes in granite.

W. L. Smith – December 8, 2020, email

Memories

  • Thunderstorms and Lightning
    (from Wayne’s Storyworth memories) These events happened a lot on our farm in the 60’s. Mom was terrified of them. She would get us all out of bed and down to the living room. Often the power was out so we all sat in the dark till it has over. In the dark you could look out the window and watch the lightning racing across the sky. You would often see Beatrice, Melvin and Randy Sullivan driving around in the middle of the night. Beatrice was so afraid she wouldn’t even stay in the house. The belief was that… Read more: Thunderstorms and Lightning
  • Making Butter
    (Wayne’s Storyworth) Before the government decided that only their supporters could sell milk , farmers had a way of making a few dollars by selling milk, cream and butter.(More on this in a future story about Chester). We had many chores on the farm in the 60’s . I was six years old in 1960 and was expected to contribute to the vast enterprise of dads farm when I was able to walk and carry something. Often what I had gladly done to be more like dad quickly turned into something that I wished I had never learned how… Read more: Making Butter
  • Higher Education (Wayne’s Storyworth)
    Answering the question, “What motivated you to go to graduate school?” Well it is the 60’s . It’s Christmas. I wake up and wait for dad to light the fire in the wood stoves. There was one in the kitchen and one in the living room . An annex and a box stove. After the down stairs warmed up a bit we were allowed down stairs to see what Santa had brought. Dad had to wait for Santa to come down the chimney before he lit the stoves or Santa wouldn’t come. There it was – an electric train… Read more: Higher Education (Wayne’s Storyworth)
  • Flying Emmett (Wayne’s Storyworth)
    Answering the question “Have you ver feared for your life?” Dads tractor had no brakes among other broken stuff . Learning to drive this way was truly dangerous. Its funny how it became normal to expect things to suddenly go from boring to near death in a few seconds on the farm.  We were haying in the back field which required going over a hill to get to and from the field.  The normal setup was Dad on the tractor pulling the baler with Emmett on the wagon behind the baler stacking the bales. The second tractor sat idle.… Read more: Flying Emmett (Wayne’s Storyworth)
  • Favourite Childhood Memories
    Lets see. Getting my Electric Train. Getting my Mold Master. Using Wendy’s Easy Bake Oven. Getting my Red Tractor when I was two(That I still have) Christmas in General Phillip coming for a visit in the summer (we built the tree house together) The sound of rain on the roof (I could sleep in, didn’t have to work) Hiding in my tree house (having a smoke). Building the tree house. Learning to drive the tractor ( I was about 5 ) Going swimming at Joe and Jake’s Going swimming at Edna and Cliff’s Going swimming at Champlain park and… Read more: Favourite Childhood Memories
  • My Childhood Bedroom
    My bedroom from when I can remember till we moved away from Rutherglen when I was 13 in 1967. It was on the second floor north-east corner of the old farm house. Part of the ceiling was slanted to match the roof of the house. It had one window facing east. Had bunk beds with wagon wheels on them on the North side. Had a tall dresser on the south-west corner. Book shelf on north-east corner. Closet with a door north-west corner.  I can remember catching fire flies and letting them go in my room at night. I could… Read more: My Childhood Bedroom
  • My Hospital Adventures
    Oh yes . I was there several times. I can remember four.  It was a 20 mile drive from Rutherglen to the Civic Hospital in North Bay Ontario. Once for stitches on my right knee. Caused by a peace of glass on the ground and wearing short pants .  Once to get a sliver ( it was very large ) removed from beside my right eye. Caused by following Buster under a spruce tree without paying attention. Once to get a burn on my back bandaged up. Caused by reaching across the kitchen table and bumping moms arm that… Read more: My Hospital Adventures
  • Music in My Life
    In the beginning I tried to take piano lessons from Aunt Edna. This didn’t work out. I couldn’t sit still long enough. Music was all around me however when I was little.  Uncle Emmett was an excellent fiddle player . He competed in fiddle contests in Mattawa and won a few. He also played at square dances . Its a shame he didn’t make use of this skill when he retired. I think he tried giving some lessons .I guess living in Rutherglen wasn’t a great place for a music teacher. Elmo’s wife Marie was a fiddle player too.… Read more: Music in My Life
  • Childhood Moves
    Yes we moved in 1968. I Was 13 and living in Rutherglen ,Ontario GPS co-ordinates 46.256409, -79.080538. Dad and his brother Emmett ran 400 acres as partners . Dad also drove school bus to make ends meet. Dad slipped a disk in his back throwing hay ,around the summer of 1966. The building they where putting the hay into was an old brick school house. It was never intended to store hay in . The windows where too small and too high off the ground. They should have knocked a bigger hole in the school house. It was difficult… Read more: Childhood Moves
  • Christmases
    The best Christmas we had was when I rented the chalet on Sylvan Lake in Alberta. But I already told that story. Most Christmas’s we managed to get together some where. Red Deer , Bentwood Bay, Saskatoon . It depends a lot on the weather . Last year 2023 was great there was no snow believe it or not. We drove to Red Deer no problem. I can remember when we lived in Blind River we would load the kids into the car and head for Timmins then load them up again and head from Timmins to North Bay.… Read more: Christmases
  • Pets I Had
    I grew up on a farm so my world was full of animals. Not many were considered pets however ,even my dog Buster had a job to do . We had 1 dog, 13 cats , 20 cows , 1 bull, 2 horses , 50 chickens , 1 rooster, 20 sheep and  1 pig. Busters was the same age as me and was sort of my brother. He was a white and orange border coley(Heinz 57) .His job was to bark like crazy if any wild animals came around . He saved my life once by attacking the bull… Read more: Pets I Had
  • Favourite Scouting Memory
    With out a doubt it was CJ97. Thanks to the support from companies like Esso , Flint , etc. in Whitecourt we raised $30,000 selling sand bags to the oil patch. We rented a grey hound bus and sold the empty seats to other scout troops (Kitscotty , Marthorp ) . We took 30 kids from Whitecourt. The Jamboree went off without a hitch thanks to the premium planning by scouters and Thunder Bay city officials, and countless helping citizens. Over 13,000 scouts, parents, volunteers, and leaders made this event into one that is still remembered fondly today, and… Read more: Favourite Scouting Memory
  • My Children
    Start with Amy .. watching her  and her friends jumping around in the wreck room dancing to “Girls Just Want to have Fun”. Joey .. Having the doctor wrap his whole head in a bandage after he burned his face with gun powder in Powell River. Thank god he had his glasses on. He went trick or treating with the bandage on that night. He didn’t really need the bandage. It was a joke between me and the doctor.  Darren .. tracking him down at CJ93 in Kananaskis Alberta. It took me a while to find him. He was… Read more: My Children
  • Admiration for My Dad
    Dad was a farmer who quit farming when he was 50 because he hurt his back. To go from farming to being an hourly paid employee took a lot of courage. With some help from his friends he pulled it off.  One of dads sayings was “If you can’t say anything good about somebody don’t say anything at all” . Dad was a past master of the Mattawa Masonic Lodge 268. Much of what dad did was because he was a Mason. I know they helped many people that were in trouble. Dad was a supporter of the United… Read more: Admiration for My Dad
  • Most Beautiful Places
    Helmcken Falls, in Wells Grey Provincial Park in BC.  Desolation Sound Marine Park , Lund , BC. I’ve been to Europe , Australia , Arizona  all over Canada but the two above are pretty unbelievable. To see Wells Grey properly you need a canoe and tent . You can see the falls with a car but not the volcanoes and true wilderness of the park .  Candle Lake Sask .. Northern Lights Candle Lake Sask .. 50 teenage Canada Geese with 5 mothers all in one flock on the beach. The mothers were watching me very carefully but they… Read more: Most Beautiful Places
  • What was Mom like (from Wayne)
    What was my mom like? My mom was awesome. She always had my back . Even made my sisters angry because she spoiled me so much.  She was a city girl who had to become a farmers wife and she did most things better than the farm girls like. Knitting , CREWEL EMBROIDERY, CROCHET, QUILTING , SMOCKING , she made shirts and pants too. I learned knitting , embroidery and sewing from her. She was into many crafts too like copper tooling, paint by numbers. Mom was a leader / member of the 4H , UCW(United Church Women) and… Read more: What was Mom like (from Wayne)
  • Simple Pleasures
    A drink of iced water. When doing hard work like loading and unloading wagons full of hay-bales on a hot summers day there’s nothing better. Camping . watching the fire burn and tending it. Going for a bike ride through the camp ground. Meeting different people at the camp ground. They all seem to have interesting stories about why they are at the camp ground. Like: just got divorced. Looking for a job in Alberta (They were from New Brunswick). Installing wind turbines in the summer and living in Florida in the winter. Watching the wild life .  The… Read more: Simple Pleasures
  • Wayne’s Favourite Childhood Store
    My favorite store was “The Joke Shop” on main street in North Bay , Ontario. Why? You could buy itching powder and little fire crackers to put in cigarettes. The itching powder was sprinkled down my sisters back . The little fire crackers were pushed into the end of a cigarette . When somebody bummed a smoke you would give him the one with a fire cracker in it. When you lit the smoke for him it would blow up. The smoke ended up looking like a peeled banana.  The store had many neat things in it. (Originally written… Read more: Wayne’s Favourite Childhood Store
  • Random Memories of Wayne and Wendy
    There’s a few things to point out in this picture. Dad had a push-lawnmower that he obviously hadn’t used in awhile. The tub was our “swimming pool”. My memories of it were very exciting. As you can see by my face I was totally happy. The “playhouse” is behind us. I’m told, it used to be the chicken coop and it was in a different location. But Dad moved it here for us to use as a playhouse. It also was very exciting. And then there’s Buster!! Our fantastic, great dog. Half collie, half husky. The best dog ever.… Read more: Random Memories of Wayne and Wendy
  • The Clothes Line Stand
    This picture is one that I had developed from a box of negatives that I found in the old Pennell home in Rutherglen.  This clothesline stand is a big memory for me and was still there beside the porch door when we moved from house in 1968.  Although I can’t make out her face well, I’m assuming this is my grandmother, Alice Pennell. This stand was Buster’s (our family dog) summer home.  Off to the left, you can see someone on a ladder, likely picking apples from the small crab apple tree that was beside the house.  It was… Read more: The Clothes Line Stand
  • Our Farm
    We moved from the farm in 1968.  Its hard to believe I was close to being 12 years old – I seemed so much younger. This is my “childhood” memory of the layout of the farm.  Aunt Liza’s (Eliza Pennell) house is no longer there and our house burnt to the ground some years after we moved.  The “Pioneer Baby Graves” (“Indian Baby Graves”) were not graves – that’s just what Dad said they were.  They were just different shaped mounds.   Wayne built a fabulous tree house in the Forest (bottom right).  The “Lamb Pasture Hill” (bottom centre) was… Read more: Our Farm
  • Living in Rutherglen
    Introductory Memory from Wayne of the fields in front of the house: I can close my eyes and visualize just about any part of the farm. Its all still there. Getting a little foggy but still in pretty good shape. So let’s take a look at the front fields… On the left I see hay which also called timothy. It blows in the wind like waves on the ocean. In the middle on the field there was a rock with a sharp edge on the top of it. Dad had Fielding McLaren dig it out one year. There is… Read more: Living in Rutherglen

James Hone

James Hone and Eliza Crew
Eliza Hone nee Crew

Throughout my childhood, I had no idea I was related to the Hones, much the same as I was totally naive to the fact I was related to Alice McLaren and her family. Yet I knew I was related to Alice’s sisters out west because I didn’t clue in that they were all siblings. Stupid. Alice and Kenny McLaren were always at all the family functions and I always wondered why.

HOWEVER, the Hones were never at family functions. I guess once relatives get too many times removed, they stop being invited or an imaginary line is drawn. I seem to remember Jim Hone telling me at some community function that we were cousins. In my mind, it was so distant that it was a gossamer relationship.

James Hone’s wife, Eliza Crew, was Rachel Crew’s (my great-grandmother) sister. The Hones and the Pennells came together to Canada on the S. S. Niger in 1871. They opened a brickmaking business in Carlton Place, but it didn’t work out. So they applied for land grants in Nipissing District and moved to the Rutherglen area to farm and built log homes. They were from London, England and could not have had any idea how to farm, as I suppose was the case with most British pioneers.

Hone Log Home in Rutherglen

1. Bill Hatton 2.James Hone, young 3. Sarah Hone Wallace, 4.Maria Hone Carpenter, 5. Susan Hone Hatton, 6. Dick Carpenter and the 7. other – not sure. 8. Effie, Euphemia Hatton Scott (Frank Scott’s Mother)

Gathered at Pinelake to build the newer Hatton/Hone farmstead. The old log house where George Hone was born is in the background. George, son of James and Florence Gooderham Hone.
They built the new cedar farmhouse that we all visited and which is still standing at Pinelake.

Word document text sent with the photo

Effie is the original source of the deFawcett story and the Rutland story. http://nide.ca/2023/03/08/crew-history-tales-truths/(opens in a new tab)

I just watched a series on TV call 1883 – it was one of the most depressing depictions of pioneers trying to settle in American that I’ve ever seen. The Europeans who had such dreams and hopes for freedom and land ownership, so few actually made it to their destinations. They just didn’t have a clue what they were doing. I would hope that my pioneer ancestors didn’t have to deal with cold hearted bandits who would shoot you dead for your supplies and horses. At least I like to think Canada was a better place – naive?

One of my good friends in primary school in Rutherglen was Susie Hone. She was a petite little thing and super sweet. How I wish I’d realized she was my cousin! I remember my parents talking about George Hone, but really it was never “H”one, it was always George ‘Own – the H was always silent to my ears – funny to think that with an thick English accent, the H would be dropped and the phonetics was handed down for future generations outside of England.

Its only when I began the huge task of laying out the Hone family and their descendants that it is evident that the Hones are interwoven within the fabric of Rutherglen more so than the Crews or the Pennells. Their children’s, children’s, children’s, children still live in Rutherglen.

James and Eliza Hone are buried in St. Margaret’s Anglican Church cemetery in Rutherglen. When they immigrated to Canada, leaving their oldest, Elizabeth, behind, but bringing with them: Sarah, Susan, Job and Maria, then they had 4 more children in Canada: George, Elizabeth, Annie and James. My notes (from Myrtle Connolly) say that James “had a brickyard at Greenwich before moving to Estney Street, London”. Their oldest, Elizabeth married William Charles Higgs Owen on April 23, 1871, about 2 weeks before the S. S. Niger set sail. Myrtle’s notes say that Elizabeth moved into the Hone home (77 Estney Street?) when they left for Canada.

James and Eliza Hone’s children were:

  • Elizabeth b. 1849 m. William Owen
  • Sarah b. 1854 m. Edwin Nolan
    • James Hone (not a Nolan) (father: Best)
  • Susan b. 1856 m. William Hatton
    • Eliza “Effie” b. 1896 m. Henry Scott (lived on Hwy. 17 next to Aunt Sadie “Sarah”)
    • Sarah “Sadie” m. Frank Wallace 1905 Andover, Maine
      • Robert Wesley b. 1920 m. Stella Sawchuck
      • James b. 1922 m. Edith Hone (cousins)
        • Stanley b, 1947 m. Sharon McClellan
      • Lois m. Wayne Graham
      • Dawn b. 1957
    • Frank b. 1935
  • Job b. 1860
  • Maria b. 1862 m. Richard Carpentor
  • George
  • Annie d. infancy
  • James d. infancy

Sarah Hone had an illegitimate son in 1883 – James William Hone. Sarah then married Edwin Nolan, but Edwin Nolan refused to raise young James, so Eliza and James Sr. continued to keep him.1 Kaye Edmonds found out from Iva Hone that the biological father of James Hones was Best who could have been from the Perth area.

1 Kaye Edmonds, Email, January 13, 2001 “I know that they tell me in England that he was referred to as ‘a boy they where raising’. You know how it was in those days.”

George’s dad had no father, his mother was Sarah who married Noland after. He was raised by is grandfather James Hone and his grandmother Eliza Crew.

September 1994 Letter from Irene Hone

James married Florence Gooderham and they had the following children:

  • George b. 1913 m. Irene Tyler
    • James Harvey m. Dorothy Oglestone
    • Ruth m. Wesley Sullivan
  • Reuben b. 1914 m. Iva Livingston
    • Joyce m. George Cook
    • Judy
    • Linda m. Wayne Green (son of Andy Green)
    • Danny w. Patsy Backer
    • Susan (Susie) m. Randy Furlani
  • Edith b. 1920 m. James Scott (her cousin)
    • Stan m. Sharon McLellan
    • Lois m. Wayne Graham
    • Dawn never married
    • Valerie (Edith’s obit says Valerie was her daughter)
  • Florence b. 1916 m. Gordon Donaldson
    • Ann
    • Lynn
  • Irene b. 1922 m. Kenneth Prescott
    • Richard m. Anna Foley
    • Valerie m. Warren James (son of Christy James, so distance cousins)
    • Ken
    • Kaye m. William Edmonds**

** Kaye is a brilliant amateur photographer and an avid genealogist. She’s done and shared a lot of research into the Hones, Prescotts and Edmonds. You can find Kaye on Facebook (20+) Kaye Edmonds | Facebook

Below are some memories of Jim and Dorothy’s wedding. As of this year (2023), they will have been married 60 years. Beautiful couple – beautiful people.

Below are memories of George and Irene Hone’s 60th Anniversary. Irene provided a lot of genealogy data to me.

Below is an article about Danny Hone from 2003. Danny is the son of Reuben Hone, nephew of George Hone above, and great-great-grandson of James and Eliza Hone.

Iva Hone (nee Livingston) – wife of Reuben Hone, great-grandson to James Hone and Eliza Crew

Thanks Mom for all the years of always saving the newspaper clippings at first for yourself and then for me.

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