THE PASSING ON OF A FINE AGED GENTLEWOMAN

Miss Janet Carnochan is Dead at Age of 87

HISTORIAN OF PENINSULA

Did Much in Preservation of Lore of This Noted Ground Hereabouts

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 1 April 1926]

This city of Welland and the County will join with the entire Niagara Peninsula in sincere mourning of the passing of one of the most, if not the most, outstanding figures of the peninsula, Miss Janet Carnochan, whose death occurred Wednesday morning at her home at Niagara-on-the-Lake at the advanced age of 87 years.

Known far and wide as the historian of this district, that mourning will not be confined alone to those of the historic ground of which she wrote; it will be nation-wide, for Miss Carnochan had attained place as one of the outstanding women of all Canada, and men and women everywhere will give testimony to their love and reverence for her as such.

Prominent among her achievements was the organization of the Niagara Peninsula Historical Society, a body that has under her guidance done much valuable work in rescuing from oblivion material that will prove invaluable to future historians and educationalists. By personal appeal to the public and by personal interviews with Cabinet Ministers at Ottawa and Toronto, she raised $5000 for the erection of a historical building at Niagara-on-the-Lake, which now houses about 10,000 articles identified with the life of the Niagara Peninsula from the French occupation to the War of 1812 and down to the present day. The museum, Memorial Hall, is now a Mecca for many visitors, and on it walls hangs a splendid lifelike portrait of the founder and President, 1895-1925, painted by E. Wyly Grier, and presented to Miss Carnochan.

Nor was her interest in local historic lore confined to her own immediate field, for she was much interested in the sister Welland County Historical Society, and gave evidence of that interest by her presence in this city last summer, when the local organization had the honor of acting as host to the annual gathering of the Ontario Historical Society.

Born in Ontario

Miss Carnochan was born in Stamford, Ontario, on Nov. 14, 1839, her parents being James Carnochan and Margaret Milroy, both of Scottish birth, of Cameronian and Covenanting stock who had emigrated from their native town, Colmonell, in Ayrshire, a short time before. Soon after her birth the family removed from Stamford to Niagara-on-the-Lake where the gifted Canadian made her home until her death. At an early age Janet entered the public school, through which she passed rapidly, obtaining a teacher’s certificate at the age of 16, when she entered on her chosen profession. She taught for a time in Brantford, then for five years in Kingston. From Kingston, Miss Carnochan went to Peterboro for a year, then went back to Niagara, where she joined the teaching staff of the public school.

In the face of all kinds of public opposition and objection, in 1872 the zealous young teacher was made Principal, where, before long, she amply proved her fitness for the position, and lived down all objections. Her teaching career in Niagara extended over thirty-nine years, including the quarter of a century spent as assistant teacher in the high school.

A Prolific Writer

Most notable among the writings of the gifted woman are “The History of Niagara,” “The History of St. Mark’s Church,” and “The History of St. Andrew’s Church.” She also wrote a number of sonnets and poems that, if gathered together, would make a valuable addition to Canadian literature.

Miss Carnochan will be laid to rest in the little Presbyterian Cemetery at Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Died: 31 March 1926

[Related TALE: JANET CARNOCHAN]

[Related TALE: TRIBUTE TO MISS JANET CARNOCHAN]