The Burlington Historical Society’s Gazette Preserving Burlington’s History for Today and Tomorrow Volume 7 Issue 1 January 2012 Coming Events Executive Meeting Monday Jan. 2nd - 7:00 PM History Room Burlington Central Library Annual General Meeting Monday Jan.9th -7:00 PM Centennial Room Share a good thing At our January meeting Zig Misiak will tell us about the involvement of Bring a friend to the Six Nations in the war of 1812. Zig is shown here in the dress of an the next Officer of Caldwell’s Rangers General Meeting General Meeting Program What’s Inside The War of 1812 & Page 2 President’s Report The Six Nations Speaker Page 3 New Year Page 4 Historic Oak Zig Misiak Page 5 Do You Remember Monday, January 9th, 2012 Page 6 Nomination Report Meeting at 7:00 PM Page 7 History in The Making. Burlington Central Library Page 8 Executive Council Centennial Room BHS GAZETTE President’s Report Peggy and I had a very to see how small the rooms now nice vacation in Myrtle appeared compared to the eyes of a Beach in October and seven year old. November. The only sad part of being away was that we missed two very auspicious occasions. Les Armstrong The plaguing of the great Oak tree on Allview Avenue and the unveiling of the Brant Inn Memorial plaque. By all reports both ceremonies were a great success. The editor along with brothers Frank and A piece of my personal history Beezer in front of our farm house on the Guelph Line in 1938 has recently disappeared from Burlington. The home that I was born Please note the below in, on the corner of the Guelph Line announcement for our Annual and St. Clair was demolished to make general Meeting. Hope to see you all room for a new monster home. I had there. the opportunity to view the interior **** prior to it’s destruction. It was strange Notice Annual General Meeting The annual General Meeting Of the Burlington Historical Society will take place on January 9, 2012. In the Centennial Room of the Central Library Burlington beginning at 7 pm. The purpose of the meeting is to: Elect the Executive of the Society Hear the report of the Internal Audit Review Committee And any other business that may properly be brought before the meeting. 2 BHS GAZETTE The Year Ahead 2012 2011 JANUARY FIRST WINTER YOUTH OLYMPICS FEBRUARY DIAMOND JUBILEE of QUEEN ELIZABETH MAY WORLD EXPO YEOSU SOUTH KOREA JULY SUMMER OLYMPICS LONDON NOVEMBER 100th ANNIVERSARY BURLINGTON CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL Burlington Central Public School Opened in 1912 3 BHS GAZETTE Historic Oak on Allview Avenue Plaqued Included in the crowd at the at the ceremony where Mayor Goldring and Councillors Craven and Dennison. Volunteer Archivist f you have an interest in history and/or the community and the people of Burlington and I are looking for a rewarding volunteer opportunity perhaps helping out in the Historical Societies Archives would be the opportunity you are looking for. The archives are located in the History Room of the Central Library. Space in the History Room is shared with the library. Duties vary according to the volunteers interest. They may include sorting and arranging paper records, scanning of photographs and other images, research projects, writing articles for the societies newsletter or other projects that are of interest to the volunteer. Work times are flexible and working from home on a computer is also possible. Training is supplied by other BHS Archives volunteers. Three BHS volunteers in the past have taken archival management courses through Mohawk College (on line) sponsored by BHS. The BHS Achieves is part of a regional group of volunteer supported achieves. If you are interested in this rewarding opportunity for volunteering please contact Jane Irwin at 905-637-7266. or by email at [email protected] 4 BHS GAZETTE DO YOU REMEMBER? By Jane Irwin any residents from the Six Nations The Archives also has brief remem- M Reserve along the Grand River used brances of Alex Barnes, a Mohawk who was to travel to work in what is now Burling- manager of the Maple Avenue farm of M. M. ton, as pickers on farms, or in industrial Robinson. Barnes retired to a house at 1043 businesses. Greenwood Drive in 1957. Edna Robinson and Many long-time Aldershot and Bur- the Barnes children attended S. S. # 14 School, lington residents remember these families, as did BHS member Mary (née Kirby) Robson. and some residents attended school with An image of students of the one-room school their children. in 1941 / 1942 shows Elmer, Ronnie, Edgar The Burlington Historical Society has and Georgina Barnes. (see page 6) an opportunity to work in partnership with a Another Archives photo from 1953 group of people connected with East Plains shows Alex and Georgina Barnes with new im- United Church, thanks to a connection made migrants Dick, Matt and Weiki Kamstra. The by BHS Past President Noreen McNairn. Kamstra family, who knew no English when The goals of the group are two-fold: to they immigrated, remember the Barnes family erect a memorial marker in the East Plains as kind friends. Mary Robson also recalls them United cemetery, and to create a broader as “very fine people -- friends of the Kirby awareness of the history of Six Nations family”. workers throughout Burlington. Another wonderful image in the BHS If you can supply surnames of Six Archives is of Seneca and Cayuga berry pick- Nations people in Burlington, or memories ers at the Fisher Farm on Guelph Line, circa of them, or places where they lived, please 1900. As of 1976, seven of these people were contact Jane Irwin at still living . burlingtonhistoricalsociety @yahoo.com. Please help the BHS contribute memo- If you have no email, please telephone 905 ries to this project in partnership with East 637 7266. Plains United Church! The BHS Archives has very brief ref- **** erences to two Maracle families who worked for Aldershot Cold Storage. On the Farm of Bobby Robins On the Fisher Farm 5 Volume 4 Issue 6 BHS GAZETTE DO YOU REMEMBER? This picture of the children of S.S.# 14 Nelson School taken in 1941 shows the Barnes children :Georgina 11th from left back row, Edger 9th from left middle row, Ronny1st , Elmer13th from left in front row. Report of the Nominating Committee The following Members have been nominated to the following positions for the year 2012 President Les Armstrong 1st Vice president Alan Harrington 2nd Vice President TBD Treasurer Brian Ryder Secretary Noreen McNair 6 BHS GAZETTE History In The Making The new library in Aldershot opened at 10am on December 1st. It is located at 550 Plains Rd E. Plans are under way for a Grand Opening Celebration in the New Year. Membership Memberships are for the calendar year, January 1st to December 31st each year. 2012 renewals are now being accepted. It would be a big help if you would use the form in the Gazette and mark it renewal. This is essential if you have any change in information. 7 BHS GAZETTE Burlington Historical Society Executive Council President Les Armstrong 905 637 2270 Past President Dave Morris 905 336 6503 1st Vice President Patrick Sweeny 905 634 5177 2nd Vice President Alan Harrington. 905 319 4277 Secretary Noreen McNairn 905 637 6400 Treasurer Brian Ryder 905 336 2105 Dir. Digital Imaging Jane Irwin 905 637 7266 Archivist TBA Convenors Greeting Cards Anne Wingfield HUG Representatives Les Armstrong Heritage Burlington LACAC Jane Ann Newson / James Clemens Membership Team Brian Ryder / Ken Davy Meet & Greet Team Dohn Nagy Newsletter Editor Les Armstrong Plaques Alan Harrington Program Ken Davy Promotion Team Display Judi McNairn Publications Judi McNairn Special Events Ruth Borthwick Publicity Dohn Nagy Telephone Committee Iris Davy Web site Convenor Dave Morris Membership Application Name Telephone Address City Postal Code Email Address Membership dues (Please check which one) New Member Renewal Family: $40.00 Single: $30.00 Senior: $25.00 I wish to make a donation to the society in the sum of A tax receipt will be issued for all donations totalling $25.00 above the cost of membership. Please complete and mail this application, making your cheque payable to: The Burlington Historical Society Membership Convener PO Box 93164 1450 Headon Road Burlington, Ontario. L7M 4A3 8 The Burlington Historical Society’s Gazette Preserving Burlington’s History for Today and Tomorrow Volume 7 Issue 2 February 2012 Coming Events Executive Meeting Monday Feb. 6th - 7:00 PM History Room Burlington Central Library General Meeting Monday Feb.13th -7:00 PM Centennial Room Burlington Central library Share a good thing The McQueston family Circs 1890 L to R Hilda, Thomas, Mary Baker, Margaret Edna, Mary Baldwin, Bring a friend to Ruby, Calvin the next General Meeting General Meeting What’s Inside Program Ruby & Thomas McQueston Page 2 President’s Report Speaker Page 3 Burlington’s Name Mary Anderson Page 4 War of 1812 Monday, February 13th, 2012 Page 5 Obituaries Meeting at 7:00 PM Page 6 Farm For Sale Burlington Central Library Centennial Room Page 7 West Plains Church Page 8 Executive Council BHS GAZETTE President’s Report ur January O meeting set an all time record for Membership attendance. An overflow crowd filled the room and unfortunately there were some people who Memberships are for Les Armstrong were turned away the calendar year, January because of lack of space. st st The annual meeting went well 1 to December 31 each with all persons elected to all positions year. 2012 renewals are on the executive save for the Second Vice President.