By Robert J. Foley
[Welland Tribune, 29 February 1992]
As the crops ripened in the fields in the fall of 1820 and harvest time drew near preparations began for the coming winter. Chores essential for the survival of the family in the harsh days to come filled their days. Some of the older children inspected the mud and moss mortar that sealed up the cracks in the log wall of the house. Any weaknesses that the cold winds of winter might explore were repaired.
There were winter clothes to make as well as preserves of wild berries and garden vegetables to be put up. At this time of the year the women headed for the nearest marsh to pick the elderberries and blueberries that were abundant there. In the Welland area the Wainfleet Marsh was a popular spot for berry picking.
The butchering bee was a social occasion as well as a working day. Several neighbors gathered in turn at each other’s farms to slaughter and dress the meat for the smoke house. Beef was by far the favourite, however, more often than not it was hogs that provided the larder with most of its stock.
Before the killing of the hogs began a large kettle was set in the yard and a fire built under it. Usually one of the older boys was given the task of keeping the fire going to insure that the water was kept boiling. After being killed the carcass was scalded in the kettle to facilitate skinning. The fat was then gathered, cleaned, melted down and set in containers to cool. This became lard and would show up in the cakes and pie crusts that winter.
Smoking was the way that meat was preserved. Shoulders and sides of beef and pork were hung in the small building usually situated near the house. Sticks of birch, hickory or maple smouldered filling the place with smoke thus curing the meat. Sometimes corn cobs were used instead of wood. After being smoked the meat was covered with cotton cloth and given a coat of whitewash to discourage spoilage. The smoke house often doubled as a storage area for the cured meat.
Cuts of meat unsuitable for smoking were ground up and made into sausages. Preparing the intestines of the slaughtered pigs the women spent the day talking and stuffing the gut with pork and beef flavoured with salt and any other herbs that could be obtained either from the surrounding land or purchased in town. The head and feet were soaked and scraped, then boiled, the former to make head cheese, the latter souse. As you can see little of the animal was wasted by the early pioneers.
After completing the butchering the tallow from the slaughter was used to make candles and soap. This shortage of hard currency made the purchase of these two commodities out of the reach of most farmers. However, they often had to buy extra tallow to ensure a supply of candles to last the season.
Candle making was quite an art in itself. The large kettle in the yard that was used in the butchering was half filled with water that was kept hot with a small fire. The tallow was placed in the kettle and allowed to melt. Six cotton wicks, each ten to twelve inches long were tied to sticks two feet long. Holding two sticks in her right hand the woman of the house began dipping the wicks through the floating tallow allowing them to pick up a little with each pass until they reached the desired thickness. The sticks were then hung between two forked sticks to allow the candles to harden and the process began all over again.
It took expertise to make a smooth candle that burned evenly. There was nothing worse than trying to read or sew by the light of a sputtering, smoking candle. A good candle maker got a yield of a dozen candles to the pound and could process ten pounds of tallow at a sitting.
One of the sources of ready cash to the farmers of the peninsula was potash. This product was in ready demand and led to the deforestation of much of the province. Potash was made by cutting down trees and allowing the leaves and twigs to dry. They were then stacked and burned until the whole was reduced to ashes. Carefully raking the ashes off the top of the pile, the farmer poured them into a container called a “leach”, with lime and water. The lye produced by this mixture was drained through the bottom of the “leach” into an iron pot. The lye was then boiled until it thickened and was poured into a kettle-shaped half cooler. The final product was a very hard, brown material that was packed two to a standard oak barrel. Each barrel weighed about seven hundred pounds and would fetch the farmer $40.
The hard working people of the peninsula had little time for relaxation and fun. Much of the time they would combine leisure activities with the necessities of survival. An hour or two of fishing rested the farmer and added variety to the family diet. A morning beside a known deer trail was both relaxing and added to the larder for the winter.
After the chores were done the family gathered and played checkers while mother sat in her rocking chair and sewed. Books were scarce especially after the war, however, reading was popular and whenever the opportunity arose it was worth the expenditure of a candle. Books were often passed from one family to the other in the district. The first library in the peninsula was set up in 1824 at Brown’s Bridge located at the foot of Pelham Road in present day Welland.
With all this activity the farmer kept one eye on the weather and the other on his crop. The harvest was the most critical time for him and his family. Their survival depended on it.
Christmas is gone so what can we folks do
The hours of sunshine each day are very few
Some days we look out and the sky is all grey
So we stay in with a new game we learn to play
Others may go to a warm southern destination
While the rest of us stay in this cold frozen nation
Puzzles of all kinds some folks do each day
As they know it helps to pass the time away
And others read books to see what they can learn
Since its for the true story they always yearn
While some write a poem or letter by the fireplace
To a friend or a relative as they can’t see their face
Others feel its best to call a friend on the phone
As some may not know they are alone in their house
And movies will be watched with the heat turned on
While they wait again for the cold weather to be gone
Older folks will knit some socks or a hat
And if tough times loom we’ll all do more of that
We’ll have snowmobiles as they go down the trail
So I pray they’ll get home safely without fail
Snowshoes aren’t used much like they were years ago
As they were the only way then to get over the snow
The lake can be cleared and folks can have a skate
While children can feed birds and a snowman make
And others can go skiing which may give them a thrill
Or ride a toboggan once again down a snowy hill
Let covid be gone or again we’ll all be found
At home with our family in another lockdown.
Winston E. Ralph
Bancroft, ON
SOME WINTERTIME AMUSEMENTS
Christmas is gone so what can we folks do
The hours of sunshine each day are very few
Some days we look out and the sky is all grey
So we stay in with a new game we learn to play
Others may go to a warm southern destination
While the rest of us stay in this cold frozen nation
Puzzles of all kinds some folks do each day
As they know it helps to pass the time away
And others read books to see what they can learn
Since its for the true story they always yearn
While some write a poem or letter by the fireplace
To a friend or a relative as they can’t see their face
Others feel its best to call a friend on the phone
As some may not know they are alone in their house
And movies will be watched with the heat turned on
While they wait again for the cold weather to be gone
Older folks will knit some socks or a hat
And if tough times loom we’ll all do more of that
We’ll have snowmobiles as they go down the trail
So I pray they’ll get home safely without fail
Snowshoes aren’t used much like they were years ago
As they were the only way then to get over the snow
The lake can be cleared and folks can have a skate
While children can feed birds and a snowman make
And others can go skiing which may give them a thrill
Or ride a toboggan once again down a snowy hill
Let covid be gone or again we’ll all be found
At home with our family in another lockdown.
Winston E. Ralph
Bancroft, ON
Part 1
By Lara Blazetich, from the files of her grandfather George “Udy” Blazetich
*Information courtesy of Marguerite Shefter Diffin
[Welland Tribune, 1991]
Shown to the right is the McCabe Hotel in the late 1850s, just before it was demolished. The original structure was built in Crowland in 1850 by James Tufts, Miss Addie McCabe’s great –grandfather.
The hotel was operated by Tufts and his wife, Charlotte (Brailey) for many years. Three generations have been born within its walls. The hotel was located at 25 Canal Bank in Crowland Township, just south of the railway tracks adjacent to the railway bridge spanning the canal.
When the hotel was built it had a six-post veranda, upper and lower, across the front on which was draped a large sign lettered “The Travellers Home.” On one end of the sign was printed a picture of a stage coach and horses, and on the other end a picture of the Tow Horses. These horses were used to pull the barges in the canal. A large ballroom on the second floor was a popular haven for residents who attended dances and other functions held in the hotel.
Tufts owned 1,000 acres of land, 500 acres of forest, and 500 acres of marshland. He employed 10 escaped slaves from the South as woodcutters, selling the wood to passing boats and trains.
One of the slaves was Jim Wilson, who was later married in the McCabe home. Many hunters stayed at the hotel during the hunting season and hunted in the nearby marshland. James Tufts came from Mallorytown near Brockville. He descended from Peter Tufts, who was born in England in 1616 and came to America and lived in Charlestown prior to 1638. He married Charlotte, daughter of Elia and Leah (Morris) Brailey, who moved to America about 1686 from York, England.
The Brailey original homestead was located at Doans Ridge in Crowland, and they operated a hotel that was situated just west of Diffins Coal Dock (now a seniors centre).
The demolished hotel was actually on the canal waterway, before the canal was widened.
The Tufts family name was, and still is prominent in the history of Crowland. James Tufts married Charlotte Brailey. And son Wallace married Maria Hanna. Wallace and Maria had eight children: Emerson, George, Beatrice, Addie, Rena, Elva, Stanley and Curtis.
J.C. Diffin, mayor of Welland in 1921, married Elva Tufts and she was the mother of Harry Diffin, who was also the mayor of Welland from 1948-50. Diffin was also selected as Man of the Half Century in 1987.
He served 31 years and six months on Welland city council.
Sarah Tufts, daughter of James, married J. McCabe, and their daughter Addie, who never married, operated the McCabe House for many years.
DOWN MEMORY LANE – CROWLANDS’S MISS ADDIE McCABE (1954)
Part II
By Lara Blazetich, from the files of her grandfather George “Udy” Blazetich
*Information courtesy of Marguerite Shefter Diffin
[Welland Tribune, 7 February 1991]
The following is an exclusive interview conducted by Norman Panzica, former Tribune staff reporter, with Crowland’s remarkable citizen, Miss Addie McCabe.
The tiny old lady sat perfectly still as Addie put the finishing touches on her regular chore of hair combing. In the next room several men sat smoking, some of them not moving or speaking.
Just off the room where they sat, a blind man enjoyed the music from a radio from his room.
In the living room, a cerebral palsy victim sat as though in silent conversation with an old gentleman across from him. Upstairs in a bedroom, a man who had been on crutches for nine years waited patiently for the time Miss McCabe would bring a full dinner tray to him.
The guests, 25 in all, and all pensioners reside in McCabe House, a building more than a century old at 25 Canal Bank Rd., just south of the subway under the New York Central Railway.
For the lodging and care, they pay what works up to $8.30 a week. Each gives Miss McCabe his or her monthly $40 pension cheque and $4 is returned.
McCabe House is a huge structure containing many remnants of an era when gentlemen drank sherry, from dew drop-shaped decanters, and canal horses were stabled between periods of pulling boats along the canal.
“Travellers Home,” as it was known, boasted specially-made walnut furniture, and its patrons rested their elbows on a solid walnut plank more than 10 feet long and four inches thick. The cupboards, which held liquors on display, are now carry-alls. The shirts and underclothing of pensioners hang from the lines in the ballroom where gala dances were held before the day of the phonograph.
Where fashionable hunters once tossed reins to a stable boy, a 1954 transient asks for and gets a night’s lodgings and a substantial meal. At least four radios, a piano, and an organ entertain the residents. In one of the sitting rooms a Bible rests open on a stand.
From this point, prayer meetings are held each Thursday evening for those interested.
In nearly all of the 22 rooms, clean cots and beds of various sizes are to be found. Everywhere cleanliness is pronounced.
Miss McCabe, who does all the cooking, employed two house-keepers. Evening snacks among the “guests” were quite common.
Miss McCabe during the early 1930s, was employed as a cook at the Station Hotel operated by the Fred Kilgour family. This was confirmed by Katie Kisur Martin, who also worked at the hotel. Miss McCabe is a truly remarkable woman and surely deserving of the warn gratitude of the community for a noble aim in life-that of doing good unto others.
A labor of love and with devotion-at the old McCabe House.
Miss McCabe’s two sisters, Jessie Niger, from New York City and Charlotte Twomey, were regular visitors at the McCabe House. A relative, Kevin Twomey, resides in Fenwick.
Miss McCabe was born in 1879 and died in 1963 at the age of 84.
[Welland Tribune November 25, 1943]
Fenwick, Nov. 25-A wedding of interest to many in this district was solemnized in Knox church, St Catharines, on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 20Th, when Violet Helen, daughter of Mr. And Mrs William T. Thompson of Decew Falls, was united in marriage to L.A.C. Carman Daw, of the R.C.A.F., son of Mr. And Mrs David Daw of Fenwick.
The bride given in marriage by her father, wore a graceful gown of white slipper satin, with full net over-skirt. Her veil was caught to her head in a heart-shape arrangement and she carried a bridal bouquet of red roses.
Mrs Robert Graham, wearing a turquoise chiffon gown with a halo of flowers was her sister’s matron of honor. Miss Betty Daw, sister of the groom, in pink chiffon and a halo of flowers was bridesmaid. Both attendants carried colonial bouquets. Leslie Sheppard of Niagara Falls acted as groomsman. The ushers were John Thompson and Lawrence Daw. Rev. H.M. Coulton officiated.
A reception was held at the home of the bride’s parents, during which airplanes in formation flew over the house in honor of the bride and groom. Following a short trip the groom will resume his training at Dunnville.
[Welland Tribune December 6, 1943]
The death of Frank Leslie Moore, Wainfleet township, occurred Saturday at the Welland County General hospital, in his 69th year.
Born in Crowland township, the late Mr. Moore had lived in Crowland and Wainfleet townships all his life, and had followed the occupation of farming.
His wife predeceased him in 1933. He is survived by two brothers, Jacob Bruce Moore and Arthur Clare Moore, both of Wainfleet, and two sisters, Mrs Arthur Young of Welland and Mrs. Florence Pearson of Crowland.
The funeral will be held from the Sutherland-Thorpe funeral home, 152 Hellems avenue, on Wednesday, December 8, at 2 p.m. Interment will be in Hillside cemetery.
Funerals – Frank L.Moore
Funeral services for the late Frank Leslie Moore of Wainfleet township, who died at the Welland County General hospital on Saturday, were held yesterday afternoon at the Sutherland-Thorpe funeral home, 152 Hellems avenue. Herbert Turner of the Hellems avenue church of God, conducted the service, and the ladies choir of the church sang several favorite hymns. Many relatives and friends attended and there were many floral tributes.
Interment was in Hillside cemetery. The pallbearers were Gordon Young, Harold Farr, Jasper Moore, Frank Walters, W. L. Pearson, Elston Moore.
[Welland Tribune October 19, 1943]
Military wedding is held on East Coast
Fenwick, Oct. 19- A military wedding of interest to many in this district took place quietly on September 30th in Sydney, N.S. when Pte. Vera Gillespie Canadian Women’s Army Corps, daughter of Mr and Mrs T.J. Gillespie, Fort William became the bride of Sergeant Gordon Ker, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs Warren Ker. The marriage took place in St Andrew’s United church, with Rev. C.M. Nicholson officiating. The bride was attended by Lance Cpl. Agnes Finlayson and the groom was supported by Cpl. Thomas Rachar. The couple and their attendants wore regulation uniform. A reception was held later for 60 guests in the sergeants’ mess. The wedding cake was cut by the bride, with a sword belonging to Major Doyle and presented by Major Marsh. The young couple left immediately following the reception on their wedding trip, visiting the bride’s home in Fort William and later the groom’s home in Fenwick. The bride and groom were the recipients of a silver service and towels from the bride’s company, C.W.A.C. and a radio and electric clock from the sergeants’ mess.
[Welland Tribune January 26, 1945]
Fonthill, Jan. 26-The death of William Wesley Lee occurred at Hamilton on Sunday, January 21, following a lingering illness. He was in his 78th year.
The late Mr.Lee was born at Lyons near Aylmer, the son of the late Noah and Eliza Lee moving to Bertie township with his parents, when very young. He married Florence Gertrude Singer and resided in Thorold township for many years, later moving to Bismark. About 15 years ago Mr. And Mrs Lee took up residence in the village on Chestnut street.
Surviving are his widow; one daughter, Mrs Dorwin Disher, at home; two grandsons, Pte. Donald Disher of the east coast and Cecil Disher; also one sister, Mrs Euretta Grobb of Edwin, Man. One brother, Edward predeceased him a number of years ago.
The funeral was held from his late residence on Wednesday afternoon. Rev. W.A. Monteith, pastor of the Fonthill United church was in charge of the service. Interment took place in the Fonthill cemetery amid a profusion of flowers.
The pall bearers were Emery Bouk, Harry Farr, Herbert Robins, Archie Overholt, Ernest Moldon and Henry Jenter.
[Welland Tribune October 2, 1943]
DEATHS YOUNG- At his late residence, 42 Division street, Welland, on Friday, October 1, 1943, Arthur Young, beloved husband of Nellie Moore Young, in his 76th year. Resting at the Sutherland-Thorpe funeral home, 152 Hellems avenue, for service on Monday, October 4th at 2.30 p.m. Interment in Doan’s Ridge cemetery.
Funerals
The funeral of the late Arthur Young, who passed away in his 76th year on Friday at his home, 42 Division street after a year’s illness was held on Monday afternoon from the Sutherland-Thorpe funeral home, 152 Hellems avenue to Doan’s Ridge cemetery. The funeral was largely attended, and there were many floral tributes denoting the deep affection in which deceased had been held by many friends. Rev. A. Boelke of the Church of God, Buffalo, officiated both at the funeral home and the graveside. Mrs. T. Belle, Mrs. A. Boelke sang two of deceased’s favorite hymns, accompanied on the organ by W. Massey.
The pall bearers were Keith Miller, Lawrence Young, J. Wiley, L. Pearson, J. Griffith, and H. Strawn.
[Welland Tribune October 15, 1943]
A pretty fall wedding of interest here was that of Betty Mildred Mae Joslin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs Edward Joslin of Smithville, and Pte. William Wray Lymburner, Queen’s York Rangers, son of Mr and Mrs Frank Lymburner of Caistor Centre, at the home of the bride’s parents, with Rev. George H. Young officiating.
The bride, given in marriage by her father, was charming in a white gardenia silk jersey street-length dress with long full puff sleeves, draped at the side. a sweetheart headdress and shoulder-length veil. She carried a colonial bouquet of pastel-toned roses and gladioli. Her only ornament was an Alexandrite stone pendant, a gift of the groom.
Miss Jean Joslin and Miss Marjorie Joslin, sisters of the bride, acted as her attendants, with the former choosing a gold silk jersey street-length dress with matching accessories and wearing a corsage of gold mums, and the latter a brown silk street-length dress matching accessories and a corsage of bronze mums. Miss Shirley Joslin, flower girl, was lovely in a pink silk jersey dress, with matching net jacket and hat. She carried a colonial bouquet of pink and white sweet peas and snapdragons.
Miss Vivian McBay of Welland, pianist, rendered “I Love You Truly” during the signing of the register.
The bridegroom’s attendants were Audrey Lymburner and Lorne Lymburner, both brothers of the groom.
The reception was held at the home of the bride’s parents, at 4.30 p.m. with the bride’s mother receiving in a two-piece British navy suit trimmed with white. The groom’s mother wore a navy blue dress trimmed with white. Both wore corsages of yellow mums.
A tree-tiered wedding cake, surrounded by small pastel colored flowers, centred the bride’s table. The rooms were beautifully decorated with white and pink gladioli, streamers and wedding bells.
The bride chose as her going away costume for the honeymoon to London and points west, an aqua silk jersey dress, matching hat and black and white accessories. Her corsage was of white mums and pink gladioli.
The bride is residing in Welland and the groom returned to his base.
Out- of-town guests were from Grimsby, Dunnville, Beamsville and Welland.
[Welland Tribune October 25, 1943]
The funeral of the late Mrs. Gabriel Davis, whose death occurred at Welland County General hospital on Wednesday in her 58th year, was held Saturday afternoon from the late residence, 136 West street, Port Colborne, to First Presbyterian church, where service was conducted by Rev. R.T. Rutherdale. Interment was in Overholt cemetery. Miss Grace Smith presided at the organ during the service at the church.
The service was largely attended by relatives ad friends and many beautiful floral tributes were added testimony to the esteem in which deceased was held in the community.
The pallbearers were John Shickluna, John Hill, William Cole Clinton Conway, Harold Jacobs and George Knisley.
Among the floral tributes were those of the electrical department, Maple Leaf Milling Co., Ltd.;Epsilon chapter, Delta Kappa Phi sorority; the Fibe Star club; the general office staff, International Nickel Co.,; the Maple Leaf Milling Co. Ltd. And the Port Colborne Volunteer Fire Department.
Friends attended from Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls, N.Y., Thorold, Tonawanda, N.Y. and Fort Erie.
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