Kinship ties and family connections, and old-country friendships played major roles in emigration…
Valuing Our History
A glimpse into the family of railway baron J.J. Hill of Rockwood
Back about five years this column outlined the early life of James J. Hill, the American railway…
Fergus Fur Farms was a successful venture for two Fergus men
This column has on several occasions dealt with aspects of the Beatty Brothers firm in Fergus. That…
East Luther man jailed for theft of horses in 1931
On the morning of Christmas Eve in 1930 James Robb, a farmer who lived near Cumnock, went out to…
Fergus mill made oat flour for Cheerios, other brands
The following is a re-print of a past column by former Advertiser columnist Stephen Thorning, who…
Relocated railway station doomed Hustonville
From time to time, this column has offered short histories of some of the hamlets of…
Beaten candidate tried to unseat Arthur’s 1908 reeve
In the early decades of Wellington County, disputes over election results were so common as to…
Notorious woman criminal died at House of Industry
Gangs of criminals in rural and isolated areas were a feature of life in old Upper Canada in…
Woman shot Palmerston hotel clerk in 1933
One cool Monday morning of June 12, 1933, a woman with a pillow case filled with some personal…
Major drought of 1864 resulted in many major fires
Weather historians state that dry, hot summers have become more common in recent years, but the…
Hillsburgh men passed counterfeit money in 1864
Only the very oldest readers of this column will remember the time when the Canadian chartered…
Fascinating display of industrial history at Harriston library
It has long been my opinion that the pioneer period has received far too much emphasis in the…
Martin’s sawmill in Mount Forest destroyed in 1881 fire
No 19th century industries were more prone to fire than sawmills. Sparks from wood-fired boilers…
A lively couple of days at Beatty Brothers in 1897
Many oldtimers think of Fergus as a one-industry town, totally dominated by the Beatty Brothers…
A major blaze threatened downtown Fergus in 1953
On the evening of June 3, 1953, the members of the Fergus chapter of the Orange Lodge ended…