by Gabrielle Blaschuck

In a small village in Hungary in the mid 1800s the widower Pal Fur married his second wife Borbala Szucsik, to help take care of his two young boys, Andra and Janos. The family soon expanded to include Miklos, Rosa and Erzsebet. Life wasn't easy in Szekey, Hungary and young Miklos, born January 24, 1894 soon became a jack-of-all-trades to help the family out. He joined the military and was stationed in Italy but came back to Tornyospalca, Hungary to marry Magdolna Szabo on November 29 1921. She was the second of six children of Joszef Szabo and Maria Csickak. Magdolna had been born in this village July 13, 1899 but with her marriage to Miklos, the two went to live with his family in their small home. Miklos' two older half brothers moved out leaving Magdolna to take care of Miklos' mother Borbala.

By Bee Makepeace

William Herbert Nelson December 14, 1875 – January 30, 1942 was the oldest son of Stephen Nelson and Annie Powell Nelson. Herb as he was always called was born December 14, 1875 in Otonabee Township, Peterborough County. Herb was later joined by Wilbert Stephen, (b. Aug. 27, 1877), Thomas Wilkinson, known as Wilkie (b. July 30, 1879), Robert Bruce, known as Bert (b. January 15, 1882), Florence Elizabeth May (b. March 24, 1884), Percy Gilbert (b. August 30, 1886), Melville John (b. September 18, 1897). All of the boys in the family were given the name of one of their father’s brothers. Florence’s second name was after her mother’s mother, Elizabeth Driver Powell.

Herb was a farmer all of his life. He married Mary Louisa Inglis on December 27, 1905 in Norham Ontario. For a short time they lived in Seymour Township on the Sullivan farm. It was here their first child was born: Earl Raymond, born December 10, 1906.

FAMILY MYTH #1
by Emma Gregg

Across The Steppes of Russia
I grew up hearing tales of life in Imperial Russia, the revolution of 1917 and the early years of Stalin’s reign of terror. As I have very little documented proof of these events I have called them family myths.

Great-grandfather Jacob Dick was born in 1855, in the village of Nikolaidorf, in the Mennonite colony of Molotchna, Russia. In 1878 at the age of 23 he married Aganeta Goertzen, of the same village. Most young couples started out married life living with the bride’s parents, usually until land became available for them to farm. According to my mother, four of their twelve children were born in Nikolaidorf. Through a type of tax system money was saved to buy land for landless couples like my great grandparents.

by Jim Sandham

Rev. George BarclayMy great-great-great grandfather, Rev. George Barclay, was a Scottish Baptist minister and teacher who immigrated to Canada in 1816 with his wife, Janet Tullis and six children. Although he purchased a farm in Pickering Twp soon after his arrival, most of the rest of his working life was spent as a travelling minister to Baptist congregations in the areas of Markham, Whitby, and Uxbridge. From 1819, since he no longer had time to farm, the farm was run full time by his wife and eldest son, George Jr.

At the time, Upper Canada was governed by the Family Compact, an unelected group of the governor’s friends and their hangers-on, mainly from Britain, who were an independent, irresponsible body exercising great and arbitrary power. Of the many of the settlers in the Pickering area who were critical of the Family Compact, Rev. George Barclay was particularly outspoken and strongly influenced his neighbour, Peter Matthews, as well as two of his elder sons.

by Nancy Gibson

Charles Weedon Westover was born December 30, 1934, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the son of Bert WestoverDel Shannon with guitar and Leone Mosher. He was named after his great great grandfather, Charles Edward Westover of Northumberland, Ontario.

He grew up in Coopersville, a small farming town near Grand Rapids. His mother taught him to play the ukulele when he was a child and by the age of fourteen he was a great guitar picker. During his late teens he played in bands in the night clubs of Grand Rapids. In 1955 he married Shirley Nash, his childhood sweetheart. He was drafted into the Army in 1956 and sent to Germany. While there, he played in a band called the “Cool Flames” and spent much of his time entertaining the troops.

When his service ended, Chuck and Shirley returned to Battle Creek, Michigan. There he found employment in a carpet store as a salesman. At night he played with a country rock band called the “Hi Lo’s”. In 1959 he teamed up with Max Crook, a keyboardist and in July of 1960 they were signed to become recording artists and composers on the Big Top label. It was suggested that Westover change his name to one with more of an impact. Del Shannon was the name he chose, Del for his favourite car Coupe de Ville and Shannon from an aspiring wrestler Mark Shannon.

by Diana Cleland

My journey searching for my great grandparents begins in:

Gilford, Northern Ireland

My great-great grandfather was George McCaugherty born 1780 in Gilford, N. Ireland and was married to Catherine McCaugherty both 1778. They owned a linen mill just outside Gilford. Their four sons were Patrick born 1811, David 1813, George Jr. 1814, and John 1821. Gilford is a village in County Down, N. Ireland. It is within the Banbridge (district) area. Griffith’s Valuation lists a Catherine McCaugherty living in Gilford, a widow in 1863.

by Fred Long

The accompanying picture was taken in June 1945. It was a victory parade in Campbellford. Every Campbellford June 1945village and town in Northumberland had its own celebration to mark the end of World War 2.

The sidewalks were filled with happy people as they watched this parade. The fanciest horses and wagons and the most important dignitaries were on hand to share the victory.

by Anne Tryon

Back in 1950 a bachelor gentleman adopted our family. Harry McGuire Jr. (1899-1976) took us Harry McGuire Sr fishing at Rice Lake. “Uncle Harry” had a habit of driving on the wrong side of the road as he drove up Pine Hill headed to Gore’s Landing. We were safe as the old 1928 Buick McLaughlin was like an armored tank. I was fascinated by the glass flower vases on the walls of the back seating area as well as the curtains. I can picture Uncle Harry’s mother, Elizabeth Fice McGuire (1870-1951) sitting in the back seat and enjoying the view inside and out. In the 1960’s we shared a cottage.

by Carol Evans

Gramma's chairThis battered child’s chair with no rockers is at least 120 years old. It spent many years in the home of my cousins until returned to its owner. Originally it belonged to our grandmother.

Blanche Gertrude WHITE “Gertie” was born in Northumberland County on July 14th 1884. When she was born her old uncle who was hard of hearing wondered why she had been called “Gritty”. She lived with her parents in Murray Township, her father taking a new wife when her mother died of consumption in 1893. My grandmother remembered her mother, Mary Nancy Johnston, being ill in bed and that she had sat quietly on the floor of her mother’s room just to be near her.

by Maebelle Cowan

I first located Alfred and Jane Fisher in Cobourg, in 1871. They had emigrated from London, England. They sailed on the vessel, the Tweed, on June 24th. 1870 and arrived in Quebec, July 12th. Jane, I've been told, was an only daughter by her mother's first marriage.