My northern Ontario family roots

[lew]

This is the oldest picture in my family and it just came back into my possesion yesterday after many years and I thought a few may find it interesting.

 

My grandparents emmigrated to Canada seperately about 1895, met up and married, then moved to Chapleau in northern Ontario and got jobs working as cooks in the lumber camps of the day.

 

In 1900, they built this hotel in Chapleau and as you can see on the signs, they offer board & rooms, a pool table, cigars & softdrinks, plus the barber pole beside the door so I spose they cut hair too.

 

That's my grandfather standing, wearing the white shirt and my grandmother sitting in the chair holding a baby, who became my Aunt Mable (Moms sister)

 

In the winter of 1902, the hotel caught fire while everyone slept up stairs.

 

My grandparents threw the babies out the upstairs window into the snow drifts, then jumped out after them, along with the guests and everyone survived although the hotel burned to the ground and they lost absolutely everything they owned.

 

They went back to working in the lumber camps for several more years, then packed up and moved to the little village of Killaloe in the Ottawa Valley where my mom was born on 1923.

 

My grandfather died in 1950 and Gramma in the 70's, but they were tough old folks and I'm proud to say I come from such good stock

 

Anyways, that's just a bit of my family history I though some may find interesting.

 

[Joey]

That is a very cool picture Lew.

 

Maybe that's where you got your desire to become a firefighter eh

 

I love old photo's like that. Its even got the two dogs in it.

 

Joey

[BITEME]

Very Cool Lew

 

It explains much about you and your values

THANKS!!!!!

Peter

[Roy]

WOW!!!! I love this stuff Lew! Such a wonderful piece of family history to have!

[Chrispy]

What a cool piece of Canadian History Lew!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

Chrispy!

[danbo]

Cool.

Edited May 30, 2008 by danbo

[John]

Great photo Lew. I have a bunch from that era at home. Would be nice to keep this thread going with some history from each of us.

[lew]

Thanks folks, I've never been to Chapleau but have always wanted to head up there and see where it all began......maybe this will be the year.

 

It'd be nice to know exactly where that old hotel stood but that may be impossible to ever know.

 

I'm thinking of sending this pic to the Chapleau Chamber of Commerce, perhaps they may even have something on the history of it in the archives.

[danbo]

Edited May 30, 2008 by danbo

[Roy]

Hey Lew, check this out. You might find something in there.

 

http://www.chapleau.com/history.html

[Gerry]

Nice picture.

 

If you do go to Chapleau take time to fish Five Mile Lake. It's a good walleye lake, or at least it was when I last fished it some 15 years ago. And, while you're out fishing you might just bump into someone famous like I did that time 15 years ago. I was slow trolling for walleye and in the distance I could see this bassboat and with voices coming from it, guy talking in a slow drawl. I cozied up to the boat and low and behold isn't it Mel Tillis (the country singer) standing on the bow of the boat tossing spinnerbailts in the weeds. I chatted with him for about 15 minutes but I never had the courage to tell him that there were no largemouth bass up there. On the way to Chapleau there's Horwood Lake (near Folyette) which is also a good walleye producer.

[lew]

Thanks for that link Roy, it's gonna make for some interesting reading, and who knows, I may have some relations in those old pictures.

 

This is one of the sentences in the history text, so I guess the old Lumb House is one of the hotels they're referring too.

 

++++It was a modest town, a collection of frame houses, three churches, a couple of hotels, a Mechanics Institute, and a two-room public school. ++++

 

I'm gonna send that old picture to them and perhaps they'll add it to their collection.

 

And thanks for the interesting story Gerry, I always enjoyed Mel's singing. I may just make an efffort to get up there this summer.

[jwl]

wow what a great little piece of family history there. It would be great to go back to those simpler times. That's pretty cool that you have a bit of the history that comes along with the photo, thanks for sharing

[bushart]

John asked to keep this going so I have a little bit to add----I have a large family and about every branch is into geneology--this is my mothers' side

 

They landed in Conneticut in around 1660(ish) I believe like most new world settlers from Britain (actually Scot/Irish)

 

They stayed there till that little squirmish between England and the States on who owns the property.

 

My anscestory wished to stay loyal to Britain and thus crossed into Now Canada to fight angainst the US.

 

Actually we understand my family had it's own platoon named after them--anyway after the war they were given land in the Kingston area for their service---then slowly over time migrated north into the Ottawa Valley.

 

The platoon leader apparently was retained by the then Gov't to help teach newcomers to survive-(farm/hunt/fish) in this new land---that's why I tell people my outdoors interest is pure genectics

 

This pic is my Grandfather and his brothers (not sure if smiling was allowed in photography back then)

 

 

[fishnsled]

Always cool to find out about the family roots. Thanks for sharing Lew.

[Chrispy]

I am going up there next week Lew....I am doing a fly-in from Unegam Lake....I will let you know how Dad and I do.....I just got a ton of Woodies from Outlaw (my cousin) to bring up with me.....the pike are not going to know what hit them!!!!!! LOL!!

 

 

Chrispy!

[bpsbassman]

Very interesting Lew. I love history like that. Great story behind the picture.

I think it would be a good idea to start a new thread on this topic.

I'm willing to bet that there would be some great reading.

[limeyangler]

very, very cool...thanks lew.

[pikehunter]

Always fun to look back at the old pictures. Helps to remind us of who we are. That is a good photo, nice and clear for it's age.

[addy79]

thanks for sharing Lew, very interesting history...

 

i still remember the old pics of you, your brother and your father back in the day, very cool

 

fishing must have been a cake walk back then, i can only imagine!

[Clampet]

Interesting account, Lew, in particular:"My grandparents emmigrated to Canada seperately about 1895", because that was the year my father was born. He had me when he was 60 years old!

[johnnyb]

Awesome pic and story, Lew. No two ways about it, you have to go to Chapleau. Great little town with phenomenal fishing nearby...stop dreamin' and start packing!

[Tarzan's Jane]

You must be some happy to have that back in your possession. Quite the story too...the fire...folks sure did work hard back then. I wonder why no-one ever smiled in those days when being photographed?

Thanks for sharing Lew.

[Rich Clemens]

That's great stuff Lew. Pretty tough times back then in Northern Ontario. You just have to admire hearty folks like your grandparents.

[lunkerbasshunter]

thats a very cool history!