Extreme weather conditions and storms are fascinating subjects for historical study. Wellington…
Valuing Our History
A tragic ending to the long life of an aging Erin Township farmer
Erin Township received a flood of new settlers in the early 1830s. Some of that first wave…
Residents feared arsonist set major 1848 fire in Fergus
The late 1840s were surely the liveliest years in the history of Wellington. Migrants came to this…
Great efforts were made to bring bank robber to trial
Last week’s column described a robbery at the Mount Forest’s Royal Bank branch on Dec.…
Group of Guelph youths involved in 1920s crime spree
Many people bemoan that crimes perpetrated by young people seem to be increasing. In truth,…
Looking back: Fergus hosted a big Victoria Day celebration in 1911
Today Victoria Day to most people means a Monday holiday and a display of fireworks. A century ago…
Young Toronto flax harvesters ran afoul of the law
Last week’s column described the revival of flax growing in the Arthur area in 1918, when…
Thieves went on a break-in spree in Elora in 1920
ELORA – Hallowe’en night was long established as a time for mischief and petty crime in…
Young West Garafraxa man died in gravel pit accident in 1924
Today the gravel pit industry is highly regulated, and new pits are licensed only after lengthy…
American Civil War veteran abandoned his first family
John F. Skyring was an early resident of Wellington County, and one of a handful of men from this…
Canadian National Railway suffered a wreck near Palmerston in 1936
Train wrecks have been a popular feature in this column over the years. The largest number were in…
Lewis Ernst of Mount Forest killed in aviation crash in 1929
The first decades of aviation produced a handful of aficionados with something of a daredevil…
Fergus did not emerge as largest centre in Wellington until 1920s
An interesting exercise for those interested in both local history and business history is to…
Ag rep suggested a campaign against jack rabbits in 1931
R.H. Clemens, the first agricultural representative appointed by the province for Wellington…
Lack of railway siding frustrated Fergus’ James Gow
The following is a re-print of a past column by former Advertiser columnist Stephen Thorning, who…
