Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary of Mr & Mrs T Johnston
Jan 23 1938 Nancy Irwin-16 years old Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Johnston Celebrate Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary On the boundary between Hay and Stanley, townships about midway between Blake and Drysdale, is a farm where a highly respected couple Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Johnston, this winter celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. They have lived throughout their married life on this farm which has been Mr. Johnston's home since he was three years of age. Mr. Johnston will celebrate his eighty-ninth birthday on April 14th. Mrs Johnston will be eighty-two March 23rd. Miss Mary Haugh, who lived five miles south on the 14th concession of Hay and Thomas Johnston, were united in marriage on January 23rd 1878, by Rev Mr. Cameron, of Kippen. The young couple drove to Kippen for the wedding in a buggy, a fact which both remember because it was one of the first buggies in the neighbourhood. The bridesmaid was the bride's sister Barbara who about a year later became Mrs. Geo. [George?] Kellerman of Dashwood. Patrick Johnston was groomsman. In the evening of their wedding day there was a big supper and social gathering at the home of the bride. Mr. Johnston was born in Ireland, at Bellamanagh ,Antrim county He was three years old when his parents came to Canada and was too young to retain memories of the trip to a "new" home, but recalls the story of this important event in their lives as told by his parents. The ocean voyage was made in a sailing vessel and lasted for six weeks and three days. They brought provisions and cooked their own meals during the voyage. From Quebec to Toronto they came by boat. A team of horses and a wagon brought 21 persons and all their luggage from Toronto into Western Ontario. Mr. Johnston does not recall the route followed but knows the wagon eventually reached Brucefield and Varna. His parents often told of settlers coming out of their homes at many places along the journey and after chatting with the travellers usually supplied a drink of milk for all the children. Two other families, the Renie Armstrong's and the George Irwin's neighbours of the Johnston's left Ireland at the same time and they travelled together to their new home. A brother of Mr. Johnston's Mother, Andrew Kain, had come to Canada at an earlier date and was already settled a mile and a quarter east of Drysdale. He was at Varna with a big party of friends to meet the wagon bringing the newcomers from the homeland. A joyous reunion and welcome took place; recollections of stories in connection with the gay celebration still bring smiles to Mr. Johnston's face. The fifes supplied plenty of music, Renie Armstrong himself being a noted fife player. Details of the event are lacking but apparently they "made the dust fly." The Armstrong and Irwin families settled on the Gosben line, Stanley. The Johnston family settled on the Hay -Stanley boundary. Mr. Johnston was then only three years old and still lives on the farm where his parents settled. Mr Johnston is the last surviving member of the Johnston family; his sister Sally (Mrs Patrick Johnston) and his brother William, both of whom lived nearby on the boundary, passed away many years ago; two other members of the family died before the family came to this country. Mr. Johnston received his Father's name, Thomas. His earliest recollections of happenings in the neighbourhood take Mr. Johnston back to the building of a log school at Blake; he was about six years old, and remembers events in connection with the erection of the school in a vague way but clearly recalls starting to school just after its completion, because he was at first afraid to go a mile or more through the bush alone and his Mother accompanied him most of the way. The first teacher was Miss Roach who taught a short time at Blake; a brother Thomas Roach later taught the school for a number of years. Other early teachers were Wm. [William?] Armstrong and Thomas Currie. Some of the pupils of that time who went into the professions were Rev. Archie McKibbon; Dr. Samuel McKibbon who practiced at Fairgrove Michigan; John Sherritt became a teacher. The log school was a place of worship for a time. Revival meetings were also held within its walls. Rev. Mr. Duncan came once a month from Varna. Services were also held at various homes in the vicinity. Mr. Johnston remembers the many logging bees when much wood was cut and burned in order to get the land cleared. He recalls walking to Bayfield with his Mother while he was still a small boy. One of the older generation, James Sherritt, was a particularly strong man and it is related that he walked all the way to Goderich with a bag of grain on his shoulder, had the flour made and carried it home. Mr. Johnston is still very active for his years; last summer he was busy during the harvest driving the binder as expertly as ever. In recent years he carved a sleek deer's head from wood and mounted on it deer horns sent from Northern Ontario. Mrs. Johnston is like her husband, still quite active. She will be 82 years of age on March 23rd. Formerly Mary Haugh, daughter of John and Mary Haugh she was born in Rainham Twp. [Township?] near Lake Erie, and came with her parents at a very early age to the 14th concession of Hay Twp. [Township?] near Dashwood. Of a family of twelve children two brothers and two sisters are now living; Dan Haugh of Dashwood, Chris H. Haugh of Brucefield; Mrs. James(Lydia)Twitchen of London and Mrs. Slim (Barbara) Schluchter of Pigeon, Michigan. Transcribed by Elizabeth PrenticeClose