HEATH/MORRISON/FORD:  Henry Ford (1822-1901) was known as a great hunter, and many times in the autumn he would walk from his house near Muirkirk, Ontario through the forests with his two dogs to his son-in-law’s place in the adjacent Aldborough Township.  After spending the night with Charles S. … Continue reading Henry the Hunter

HEATH/MORRISON/FORD:  In 1927, the Ford family of Aldborough Township, Elgin County, held a family reunion on the original homestead.  Among the many attendees was Norman W. Ford, the old gentleman pictured above, who had his photograph taken while holding a baby cousin who grew up to … Continue reading From the Cradle to the Grave

HEATH:  This picture was taken during a fishing party at Port Rowan, Ontario, on Lake Erie, in August of 1946.  Erie Heath, and her sister, Greta, went to Port Rowan for the weekend.  Their brother, Orburn Heath, is the man standing at the far right with … Continue reading Gone Fishin’

HEATH:  Roland Heath was killed at Passchendaele, Belgium on 6 November 1917.  A note on the back of the telegram announcing his death simply records that it was delivered 22 November 1917 to Roland’s father, John Heath (1848-1925).  The Second Battle of Passchendaele, also known … Continue reading A Telegram from Hell

HEATH:  Sometimes “digging for the past” takes on a literal meaning, as in the case of the Thomas and Juliana (Beeston) Heath’s tombstone in the Shropshire town of Market Drayton.  Originally, it was thought they had no tombstone as there was none to be found … Continue reading Digging for the Past

HEATH:  Elaborately embroidered greetings card, such as the one picture above, were fairly common purchases for Canadian soldiers on leave from the trenches.  This card was sent from Roland Heath to his sister. Some Where in France, May 3rd 1917 Hello Erie, I am still … Continue reading A Souvenir From France

HEATH:  The following letter was written by Ashley Hampton to Greta Heath, who was a school teacher at Severn Bridge, Ontario. Greta was a sister to Roland Heath, who is mentioned in an earlier blog. Ashley was Gladys (Hampton) Heath’s brother. As this letter reveals, … Continue reading Looking for Love

HEATH/FRAY:  When Sarah Jane (Fray) Dawson of Wardsville, Ontario died in 1917, her niece called in an undertaker from nearby Newbury.  The funeral he arranged, no doubt a modest affair, cost $95.  Presumably, Sarah Jane’s funeral was conducted from her house and included a casket.  Erie Heath retained … Continue reading The Price of Death

HEATH/MORRISON:  The snapshot above shows the original stretch of the Number Two Highway west of Wardsville in the 1920s.  Overlaid above it is a sketch looking in the opposite direction.  Commissioned by the Ontario Department of Highways, the famous Canadian artist C.W. Jefferys did a series … Continue reading A Scenic Drive Long Gone

HEATH/FRAY/DEPUE:  When the lady picture above died in 1901, the editor of the local newspaper provided his readers with some interesting details about her life.  “There died here [Wardsville, Ontario] on Saturday, at 12 p.m., Nov. 30th, Mrs. Hannah Fray.  Deceased who had for the … Continue reading A Link to the Loyalists