SARAH SCHERMERHORN

Forest Mills Lady Reaches Fine Old Age

Marks 91^st Birthday -

Has Been Active All Her life -- Keen Memory

Kingston Whig Standard July 8 1938

FOREST MILLS - Mrs. Sarah Schermerhorn of Forest Mills on July 5, celebrated her 91^st birthday and received the hearty congratulations of a host of relatives and friends throughout the entire district on having accomplished that venerable age.

Mrs. Schermerhorn was Sarah Gordon Metcalf and was born on July 5, 1847, the daughter of Mary Gordon Metcalf and William Metcalf shortly after they came from Belfast, Ireland, to Canada and settled in North Fredericksburgh. They moved from there to Clarks Mills which is now Camden East and from there to Forest Mills where on Christmas Day in 1864 she was married to Leonard Schermerhorn of the same place. Her husband, who was of Dutch descent, always impressed it on his children that their long, difficult name, was “spelled with three R’s”.

Many Descendants

They spent all their married life in the Forest Mills and Roblin districts. Fifteen children were born to them, of whom seven girls and five boys are living. She has sixty grandchildren and ninety-five great grandchildren. She was baptized in the Anglican church at Clarks Mills, and was married by a Methodist minister, Rev. M. Thompson. All her married life she was a staunch Methodist but after the union joined the United Church.

Her living children are as follows: Mrs. Mary Tyrrell, Watertown, N.Y.; Joel Schermerhorn, Nokomis, Sask.; James Schermerhorn, Notikewan, Alberta; Mrs. James Dudgeon, Selby; Mrs. Marcus Welsh, Picton; William Schermerhorn, Notikewan, Alberta; Mrs. William Waddell, Napanee; Mrs. Theodore Waddell, Marlbank; Mrs. John Guest, Picton; John Schermerhorn, Roblin; Mrs. Ada Kimmett, Marlbank; Gordon Schermerhorn, Forest Mills. A daughter, Jane, and a son Leonard, died in California and Pearl died at home. In October, 1921, her husband passed away at Forest Mills.

Her sons, James and William were the first white pioneers of that part of Peace River district where the village of Notikewan is. Her children and grandchildren are scattered all over North America from California to Peace River. She has two living sisters, Mrs. Eliza Carscallen, Deseronto, and Mrs. Jane Sexsmith, Portage La Prairie, Man.

A Keen Memory

Mrs. Schermerhorn’s mind is very active and she can recall many incidents of pioneer days, she recalls the days when the settlers made a little extra money by the sale of potash which was made on the well wooded farms. An old lime kiln can still be seen on the farm of Mr. J. Sweet and nearby across the road from it is a field on the farm of Mrs. Charles Walroth that is still called the “Potash Field”. Mrs. Schermerhorn remembers when these places of industry were active, where huge ash logs were burned and the resulting potash bagged and sold in Napanee.

An Active Woman

Maple sugar was used almost entirely for sweetening. She tells of the big “drives” of beautiful oak logs which came down the Salmon river each spring. Cheese factories were often “manned” by young women in those early days and a young woman would hire out for domestic service for three or four dollars per month. This venerable old lady was a great help to her husband in raising their large family. She used a hand loom and wove beautiful rugs and carpets, which sold readily. She also wove flannel and fullcloth. More than 53 years ago she wove 40 yards of carpet for the first Methodist parsonage in Roblin district for many miles around.

With the exception of last Christmas she has knitted beautiful woollen socks for her boys in Peace River and at home. Mrs. Schermerhorn, till within the last year, was never idle. Candlewick bedspreads, quilts and hand-woven floor coverings were made by her in great numbers. Mrs. Ada Kimmett is with her mother, who is now confined to her room, and gives her every loving care. A birthday celebration was held for her on July 5 when all who were able to be present gathered at her home and spent the day. She is decidedly Conservative in politics and is also an ardent Protestant.

See also: Obituaries: Sarah Schermerhorn

SCOBELLFAMILY

The Last of the Family

The Original Family isNow Extinct

The Last Member Was Buried on Sunday

Nearly All of Them Were Residents of Kingston

A Disaster Over Half a Century Ago - A Timely Sketch of an Old Line

Daily British Whig July 17 1894

The funeral of the late Mrs. Amelia Gould, relict of the late Henry Smith Gould, of London, Eng., took place on Sunday afternoon from the residence of her son, Joseph S. Gould, 123 Ordinance street. She had reached the advanced age of eighty-two years and five months. She was the youngest of a family of sixteen children born to Joseph Scobell, architect and builder, of Colyton, Devon, England, and his wife, Mary Spurway. Nine of this large family reached the age of maturity, the others died in their childhood. Of those who grew up, the greater number were well-known residents of this city.

Taking them according to age, Joseph, the first-born, followed the profession or calling of his father. He came to Kingston, some time in the twenties. He erected the block of cut stone stores for the late William Wilson, on the corner of Brock and Wellington street. He afterwards removed to Montreal, and from thence to Quebec, where he died in 1856.

The next son, William, also came to Canada in the early part of this century. He was for a time a resident of Kingston; afterwards he removed to Hamilton. In 1839 he paid a visit to his native land, and was on his way back to Canada, his brother, John, and family being with him, but they never reached Kingston; they were wrecked in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and all perished. G. and M. Creighton, "News" office, are grandsons of William Scobell.

Next comes Richard. He was the pioneer of the family, and came to Canada in 1818 and settled in Kingston. For fully half a century he was one of Kingston's prominent men. He did business as a wharfinger, etc., in the premises at the foot of Brock street, now known as Folger's wharf. He was also for many years government inspector of pork, potash, etc. His cooperage for the manufacture of casks and barrels, was in a part of the lower flat of the store house, about where the electric light company's works now are. His residence and office was in the building now known as the Union hotel. He passed away in 1862. His body was interred in Cataraqui cemetery.

John, the next son, was a clock and watch maker. He was doing business in his native town, but was persuaded by his brother William, then home on a visit, to leave it, so with a large family of children, and some of his sister Mary's, he started in 1839 with his brother William for Canada, but as before stated, they all met a watery grave.

The next son, Thomas, a baker by trade, came out to Canada. He resided in Kingston for a short time, then returned to London, Eng. and died.

Next in order was a daughter, Mary, who was married to Charles Hawkins, of Colyton. She died many years ago in London, Eng.

Next in seniority comes Betsy Nott, wife of the late Samuel Phippen. She came to Kingston with her husband in 1831. In the month of April of last year, Mrs. Phippen was called to join her husband, who had preceded her a few short years before to the shadow land. She had reached the age of eighty-four years and ten months.

Her brother Sidney, was her junior by about two years. He was, so to speak, a life-long resident of Kingston, and for so many years did business as a contractor and builder, being a prominent man in his line. He and the late Richard Tossell erected the court house - still standing - and which for so many years had the reputation of being the best court house in Ontario. He passed away in 1872. Cataraqui cemetery received his body when laid away to rest.

And now, the youngest, the last born of Joseph Scobell's children, has passed away in the person of Mrs. Gould. They have all gone where the eye of human reason cannot penetrate, except by faith. Just twenty-five years ago she and her son arrived in Kingston. She wished to meet again two daughters as well as her other relatives who had so many years before preceded her on the journey across the Atlantic. Her illness was long and painful, but loving hearts and hands ministered to her wants. At last her end came, and that end was peace. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Richard Whiting. A large number of relatives and friends attended the funeral.

JOHN O. SEXSMITH

Is a Sterling Pioneer

A Sketch of One of Lennox County's Residents

He Did His Duty Well in Making the Community He Lived in One of the Best in the County

He Took the Oath of Allegiance Three Times

Daily British Whig Nov 30 1896

John O. Sexsmith, J.P., one of the oldest residents of Richmond township, is nearing the eightieth mile-stone of an industrious and useful life. He was born in Delaware county, New York state, on the 14th April, 1817, but his parents moved to Canada in 1821, when he was but five years of age, and they settled in Richmond, then an all but unbroken wilderness, and he has resided on the same farm ever since. He has lived to see that unbroken wilderness one of the wealthiest and best cultivated sections of all Canada, and he has done well his share in making the locality what it is.

George Sexsmith, the father of John O.S. came to New York with his parents when a young man and married there, we believe. He moved to Upper Canada and became one of its hardy and respected pioneers. He died many years ago, and was buried in the old burial place on the Carscallen farm, a couple of miles down the Napanee river, where numbers of the well-known early settlers found their last resting place. His wife attained the ripe old age of ninety-three years. She died over forty years ago and was buried in the old "Vandebogart burial ground", now a part of the Napanee cemetery, where her monument now stands. They reared several children who became well-known citizens but the subject of this sketch is now the last surviving member.

Mr. Sexsmith, though a British subject by birth, as has already been intimated, long ago became one legally, and that without doubt; for he has three times taken the oath of allegiance to the British crown. When a young man he took the oath before casting his first parliamentary vote. Then again, in the troublesome times in connection with the Mackenzie rebellion of 1837, many well-known reformers, who had supported Marshall Bidwell and his friends in this couanty, found it judicious to take the oath again, though there was no tincture of disloyalty about them. Over forty years ago he was appointed a justice of the peace, on the recommmendation of David Roblin, who then represented Lennox and Addington in parliament, and for the third time he took the oath.

Mr. Sexsmith has been all his life time a farmer and a good type of the intelligent yoemanry of which our old county is so justly proud. By his own industry and good business habits he provided amply for this family and a competence for his old age. He had only the advantage of a country school education, but by his own reading and study he has become one of the best genereally read and informed men among the farmers of this country. For years he was superintendent of schools for his own township and performed those duties well.

Mr. Sexsmith has been from his boyhood an active and prominent member of the Methodist church. For fifty years or more he has been a well known local preacher in that church. In the early days in this county when ministers and churches were few, he did much valuable and gratuitous service in that capacity. Then the Napanee circuit extended from Casey's point on the bay to beyond Switzer's church, and north and west to the rear of the county and some miles into Hastings. In all that section, including Napanee, Newburgh, Deseronto, Selby, Roblin, Forest Mills and Kingsford, there was but one church - at Switzer's.

His health still remains good; though not so physically strong as years ago; his mind is still as active and his memory as good.

He was married over half a century ago to Miss Eliza Robinson, also a resident of Richmond, who is still a help-meet indeed to him and is also still active in body and mind. They have had four children, all of whom are still living. These are Mrs. J. S. Hullet, of Napanee, Mrs. Ira Hudgins, of Selby, George A., of Sheffield, near Erinsville, and David R., who resides on the homestead with his father.

MRS. ERASTUS B. SILLS (nee Mary B. Hawley)

Recalls Life in Early Days

of Napanee Active Despite Nearing of 86^th Birthday

Kingston Whig Standard Mar 18 1937

Napanee, March 18 – The Whig Standard had the pleasure on Wednesday of having an interview with one of the oldest residents of this community in the person of Mrs. Erastus R. Sills, who if spared will on July 12 observe her 86^th birthday. Although Mrs. Sills has passed the four score and five years, she is as smart as the majority of people from 20 to 30 years younger and one would not take her to be over 60 years of age. Her hearing is good and she informed the Whig Standard that during the past winter she has attended to her household duties every day while at home.

Mrs. Sills is the possessor of a keen memory and interesting details of the early history of Napanee were told your correspondent. She has in her possession a copy of the Napanee Standard of 1881, a copy of the Napanee Express edited by the late John Pollard of 1891 date, a Christmas copy of the Napanee Express of 1889 which was then edited by the late John Drewery and a copy of the Napanee Beaver of 1886. She has been a life-long reader of the Kingston paper as has her two sons W.B. Sills and Garfield Sills.

Asked if she would like to see the old days return, Mrs. Sills replied; “I think I would, although I like the modern times with the radio, the telephone, the electric lights and the cars.” Mrs. Sills remarked that the modern days concentrate mostly on style which was practically unknown in the early days.

This remarkable lady was born near Reidville in the year 1851 and is the eldest of a family of eight, four of whom have passed away. During the past two weeks, Mrs. Sills has suffered bereavement on two occasions, her sister, Mrs. thomas French passing away at Bancroft and a brother, Mahlan Hawley, passing away at Marlbank a few days ago. The remaining member of the family are Sanford Hawley, Jeptha Hawley, John Wesley Hawley and the subject of this sketch.

Married in 1872

On September 10, 1872, the marriage was solemnized of Erastus R. Sills and Mary B. Hawley and after their wedding trip they returned to the farm of the groom where they resided for a long period of years. The farm on which they resided was the farm where Mr. Sills was born, which is in the Township of Richmond, north of Napanee. Retiring from the active duties of the farm, Mr. and Mrs. Sills came to Npaanee and purchased a lovely home on Thomas Street. Mr. Sills passed away in Napanee on November 26^th, 1929.

The entire life of Mrs. Sills has been interwoven with Grace United Church and weather permitting, she is a regular attendant at the morning services as well as at the session of the Sunday School. Mrs. Sills worshipped in the old frame church, which preceded the present brick church which was dedicated in the year 1873. The minister at the time the frame church was torn down was Rev. George Stone, who was the first minster of the newly named Western Methodist which name was changed to Grace United Church several years ago.

Husband Was Steward

Mrs. Sills’ husband was steward in the old frame church, having been elected in the place of the then William Gibbard who moved to Belleville. Mr. Sills was steward for one year in the old frame church and while it was being torn down to make way for the new church, the services were held in the town hall. A portion of the home owned by Miss Katherine Sharp is made up of material from the old parsonage. Mr. Sills remained a member of the official board when the new church was erected and continued as an official until his death. Many years ago, Mr. Sills and his two sons, also members of the board, assisted in a communion service.

In the early days, it was the duty of Mr. Sills to collect money and vegetables for the minister, whose salary was considerably lower than that paid today. Mrs. Sills has worked in every department of the church, including the Missionary Society, the Ladies Aid Society and the Sunday School and is very proud of the fact that she has a life membership in the Woman’s Missionary Society. She and Mrs. Irvine VanAlstyne are the two oldest members of Grace United Church.

Mrs. Sills remarked that the membership in the various societies in the early days was not as large as today, also that the givings were smaller, although the members did their best. She also stated that she was one of the canvassers for the supper which was held at the time of the dedication in the year 1873. Her choice of ministers in the early days was the late Rev. Dr. J.P. Wilson who was twice minister of the church. The late Rev. D.O. Crossley was also one of her favorite ministers.

Conditions Change

Mrs. Sills said that farming conditions in the early days were much different than today inasmuch as there was not the machinery as there is today. Regarding the prices of farm produce, etc., in the early days she said that on many occasions she sold eggs for 8c a dozen and also sold a good plump fowl for 25c and sometimes 2 for 25c.

Other than mild attacks of the grippe or flu, Mrs. Sills has never had a serious illness and her health at the present time is exceptional.

She has a family of four living, W.B. Sills of Napanee, Aylsworth Sills of Toronto, Garfield Sills of Richmond Township, who resides on the old homestead and Mrs. W.A. Balance of Strathcona. Two daughters, Mrs. John Funnell and Mrs. Bert Davis of Oshawa have passed away.

MRS. MARY SMITH (nee Leeman)

A Century Passed

A Lady Who Heartily Enjoyed Her One Hundred and First Birthday

Weekly British Whig Oct 23, 1884

Old age is honorable, as the old proverb proclaims, and Mrs. Smith of Ernesttown is having a full share of the honors she can safely lay claim to. Though the committee of the recent Olde Folkes’ Concerte, in its bulesque announcements declared that ladies five score years and over should be admitted free, it would have been surprised had some one walked up briskly and claimed the privilege. Yet the lady we speakof could have done it and not have made herself ill over the exertion. She has very few contemporaries in the race for longevily and it was, therefore, fitting that her birthday, Monday last, should be the occasion of a large family reunion and much congratulation. One of the WHIG staff became by invitation a caller upon the centenarian at the residence of her son-in-law, W.H. Benjamin, near Odessa. He found that a levee of the proportions of a Governor General’s was in progress and the venerable recipient of the attention was both happy in the thought that so many remembered her and grateful for being spared to enjoy her old age so heartily. Fully forty of the family dined with her and it will be a memorable day in their harmonious circle.

THE LADY’S HISTORY

Mary Smith is widow of the late D.C. Smith, who died sixteen years ago at a ripe old age. She came from Schoharie county, New York, with her father, Andrew Leeman, about 1812 and settled near Wilton. Being United Empire Loyalists they found the republic a very warm country at that time of international trouble and Canada was to them a land of refuge. They settled at Collinsby for a while in the early days of their sojourn in the province. Her father and mother were long-lived, living to be ninety and eighty years respectively, and her sister, Mrs. Dewitt, died last year near Wilton at the great age of 96 years. Mrs. Smith had nine children, of whom some seven survive and there is a following of 40 grandchildren. Three of her daughters married three brothers named Hartman and have survived them. They, with Joseph Smith and widow Booth, and our hostess of Monday (Mrs. Benjamin), brother and sisters, live in that section. Mrs. Horning, of Dresden, Ont., is the only daughter away from the neighborhood of the family’s first settlement. The youngest child, Mrs. Benjamin, is 52 years old. Thus, for longevity, the family is remarkable. Andrew Leeman came over in company with Elisha Lewis, Matthew Dice and J. Dewitt and their families and they early became connected by marriage and have lived as a happy circle since. D.C. Smith, husband of the centenarian, was engineer of the main road between Kingston and Napanee and of many of the side roads. Later in life he was Superintendent of Lighthouses, a post he relinquished to his late son, Darius Smith, so well known and regarded by Kingstonians.

Mrs. Smith is able to move rapidly about the house and to eat heartily three or four meals a day, her digestion being remarkable, a result of hardy pioneer life in her young days. Her hearing is not good, but her daugthers are able to converse with her; while her eyesight enables her yet to do a little sewing. She still “Keeps house” in her own room and makes up the bed daily. She does not furnish a startling evidence of the ill effects of tobacco, as she has been for years a votary of its pleasures.

EARLY SCENES AND INCIDENTS

Mrs. Smith related to her visitors on Monday many incidents attending her arrival in Canada. The refugees came over in sleighs with horses and were nearly drowned in crossing the ice at Kingston. A foot path traced out by blazed trees was the only route from Kingston to what is now Odessa. The only house on this latter spot was Booth’s mill, to which the settlers carried their grain on horseback, not knowing enough (as she laughingly said) to divide the grain into two bags to balance it on the horse’s back; they balanced it with a stone on one side. The next house to be erected in Mill Creek, the first name for Odessa, or within a mile of it, was Paul Somers’ tavern, and a few years later every other house on the road to Kingston became a tavern, or “canteen” as then styled. It used to be said that if a man took care to stop at every canteen on the road he might go to Kingston bareheaded and barehanded without suffering. Mrs. Smith still bitterly denounces the drunkenness of the old times. Booth’s mill was owned by a grandfather of Phillip Booth, of Odessa. It was a regular custom to go to church on horseback, and many a time Mr. and Mrs. Smith took their young family along, sitting them in front and behind on the animals.

IN A PORTSMOUTH ROMANCE

An uncle of Mrs. Smith figured, early in the days of American independence. He came to Kingston on a visit to friends and in the bay that now makes Portsmouth Harbor, saw with the Indians two white girls named Rogers. One of them made known her desire to escape. They had been captured in New York state by the savages, their four grandparents being murdered as too old to take along. Families grouped in those days because of the danger to life in detached settlements and their parents were both working in the bush and knew nothing of the massacre and capture until they saw the flames of their house and hurried home. The visitor secured the girl’s release by an offering of presents and afterwards married her and lived very happily. Her sister could not be persuaded at first to leave the Indians but finally joined her sister in her home in N.Y. state.

FRED SPENCER

Lennox County Blacksmith, , 92, Still Spry

Called “Uncle Fred”

Kingston Whig Standard Aug 30 1958

HAY BAY – Frederick Wilmot Spencer, son of John Spencer and Cynthia Jane Hicks, celebrated his 92^nd birthday on Wednesday, August 27. He was the youngest of a family of eight, six boys and two girls. His deceased brothers are George, Lorne, John, Sydney and Henry, and deceased sisters, Cynthia and Irene.

Mr. Spencer resides with Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Ruttan and family, on Deseronto road. Mr. Spencer is in excellent health and has all his faculties, can read perfectly without glasses and can recall incidents of his early childhood. He makes a practice of going to Napanee on an average of two or three times a week where he enjoys visiting with all his old and young friends, from the Hay Bay and surrounding districts. Mr. Spencer is called “Uncle Fred” by many of the Hay Bay residents and many of them speak of his kindness and patience with them when children.

Mr. Spencer was a blacksmith by trade, having learned the trade from his father, the late John Spencer. He enjoyed having the neighboring children visit him at his shop and many of them can recall amusing incidents that happened in “Uncle Fred’s” little shop.

He was married to Charlotte McWain and has been predeceased by his wife and two step-children, Arthur and Dora (Mrs. William Spencer.)

Mr. Spencer also farmed on the north shore of Hay Bay. He sold his farm to the late John Sexsmith, then drove a taxi in Deseronto for three years and since then has been boarding for several years.

Mrs. Richard Chalk, sr., and Mrs. Arlie Davey are nieces. He has several great-nieces and nephews, all of whom take a great interest in their aged uncle. He spent his birthday with his nieces and relatives, at the home of Mrs. Arlie Davey, South Napanee.

Mr. Spencer attended the Hay Bay Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir. He can still sing the beautiful hymns that he rendered so many years ago. Mr. Spencer has a wonderful memory and can remember practically all the songs that were popular in his boyhood days. He takes a keen interest in music and likes radio and television programs. He amuses the children where he resides by showing them the step-dances that he used to do and there are few of the present day who could excel him in this. It is nothing short of a marvel for a man of his years to be so active and alert.

He is a good coversationalist, for while he can vividly remember all the events of the past, he keeps himself attuned to the modern trend as well. When reminiscing he can recall when the steam boats used to call on the south side of Hay Bay near the old UEL church and load the grain, transported then by horse and lumber wagon. There were also two docks on the north side of Hay Bay for the shipping of grain. It is amusing to hear him tell about his experiences in trying to use his mother’s spinning wheel at which he never seemed to have exactly succeeded.

To quote Mrs. Arthur Ruttan, with whom he resides, “If one could be given the chance to live his number of years and live it in such a manner – materially, as well as spiritually – the declining years of life would be well worthwhile.” For Frederick Spencer, many will wish many more years of health and happiness.