Inside Wellington - Second Section of The Wellington Advertiser, Friday, March 30, 2012 PAGE THREE
Marjorie Clark: Building Puslinch community family albums by MIke Robinson
PUSLINCH From Aberfoyle to Badenoch and from Crieff to Morriston, Puslinch Township lays claim to numerous communities, each with its own unique heritage. “It’s not about me; it’s about our history,” says resident Marjorie Clark For her, it is about sharing those stories with others in her community. “Knowing where we came from is an integral part of knowing who we are,” Clark said. Though her name might be on the cover of many of the current Puslinch historical books, Clark stresses she is just one of many people who took part and only one of many people chronicling local histories in the area. One only needs to look within the front door of the Puslinch Township office for verification. A table in the front lobby is dominated by a wealth of various local histories. Some of the books Clark has been involved with include: - The Clark Family, 1979; - Our Village of Morriston, 1981; - A Genealogy of Badenoch Families, 1999; - Puslinch in the Papers, 2001; - Life in Puslinch, 18731898, published 2004; - Marriages, Puslinch Township, published 2004; - Badenoch, 1831-2007, published 2007; - The Maple Leaf Forever, The Military in Puslinch Township, published 2008; - A Celebration of Lives, Obituaries of Puslinch Township, published 2009; - Marriages, Puslinch Township, Volume 2, published 2010; and - Our Home and Native Land, Community in Puslinch Township, published 2011. Clark’s initial reticence to be the centre of attention was echoed by others who know her. Copies of many of those books are at the Wellington County Archives and the Puslinch Historical Society
Archive. Her history of Morriston is on the shelves of the Aberfoyle branch of the Wellington County Library (where the Puslinch Historical Society Archives are located). Each person has their own reasons and story as to why they became involved in local history or genealogical research. In the dedication of her latest book, Our Home and Native Land, Community in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Clark gives a glimpse into how it began for her. “I began this in answer to a letter of enquiry from a long-lost second cousin in BC,
capable than me.” She added, “After that first book on the Clark family, I never stopped to this day. “There is something about local history and genealogy; one is telling one’s own story, really. Our family, our neighbours, our township, it is all just an extension of ourselves. “Especially so, I suppose, when one’s family has lived in the township, as mine has, since 1832, when the first trees were cut. My cousins still live and farm where our greatgreat-grandfather, John Clark Sr. settled.” Less was accomplished in the first number of years of research, as Clark still worked
“My desire is to bring alive the Puslinch of their ancestors for them.” - Marjorie Clark, on encouraging others to keep local history alive.
which was sent to my uncle in 1979, who passed it to an aunt, who gave it to another aunt, who showed the letter to me.” The cousin’s letter began, “I believe we are related.” Clark said she started with a few pages in response but soon, it was a sheaf of papers “... and then, I realized I had a book.” She published a book on her paternal line and gave away 100 copies within the family. “I had always been interested in local history, as I listened to my parents and aunties talk about who was related to who and how, from the time I was wee,” she said. “On summer evenings, I would accompany my aunts and mother to Crown Cemetery to water the flowers and afterwards, to wander about, listening while they talked about our family, neighbours and friends, who had gone before us. “My father, too, would often regale us with stories from his boyhood and what Badenoch and Morriston were like then. I thought that someone ought to record all of that, but someone more
full-time. When she retired as a staff member at McMaster University in 2002, she began concentrating full-time on Puslinch history. “If my efforts with coauthors and as part of a group are counted, I think there are about ten books in publication now. I have material for a couple more on my computer presently. “The books are sold on a cost-recovery basis, as it is not our aim to make money from the endeavour. We produce our own manuscripts, deal with the printer and do our own advertising for the books, although friends and acquaintances have graciously reviewed the books for the Puslinch Pioneer. “We also do our own shipping by Canada Post. We are particularly grateful to Brenda Law and the staff of the Puslinch Township municipal office for displaying and selling the books from a desk in the lobby.” Once a computer was acquired, efforts expanded to a website in about
left: H ar I - From in World W cLean. en m ch o Baden llie M Clark and A Clark, Ernie
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Killean Tug of War Team (1902) - Front row, from left: R. Burmaster, L. McLarty, D. Ferguson, M. McLarty and A. McKellar. Back: Capt. Gilchrist, James Gorman and D. McKellar. submitted photos 2003, and to the “Friends of Puslinch History” group around 2006. To date, there are 116 members in the group, which continues to grow. She stressed her “historical endeavour is not entirely my own, as the website, which you are probably familiar with - http://www.clarksoftomfad. ca, is the production of my brother, John R. Clark. “Like myself, he also researches and assists me with the construction of my books. “Throughout the years, I have occasionally written articles for print in the Puslinch Pioneer, our volunteer-run Puslinch paper; another great medium through which to reach people.” Clark was a founding member of the Puslinch Historical Society in 1984. From 20032005, she served as president. “Hopefully, my efforts bring an awareness of our past to current residents of our township, [so] they may understand how we came to be as we are.” As well, many of Clark’s contacts are descendants of early pioneer families who settled Puslinch Township - and those descendants are spread far and wide across this continent. “My desire is to bring alive the Puslinch of their ancestors for them and for those who will investigate in the future,” she said. She points to her most recent book Our Home and Native Land, Community in Puslinch Township [2011]. “I did not intend to do this book but, while searching through my files for data for articles for the Puslinch Pioneer, I realized what a wealth of material was now in
MARJORIE CLARK my possession. I began with the idea of putting together a few articles. Then, I found that I was writing a book and it seemed to have a community theme. Really, it is my version of a Puslinch Township history.” Clark noted an earlier book - The Maple Leaf Forever, The Military in Puslinch Township, [2008] - began as she worked on the obituary collection. “I realized that there was quite of bit of information on the participation of Puslinch men in the military, from the days of Mackenzie Rebellion, the Fenian Raids, the Northwest Rebellion, the Boer War and the First World War.” As to resources available, Clark says researchers into Puslinch subjects are able to access the archives of the Puslinch Historical Society (PHS),
which is located in the Puslinch Township Library in Aberfoyle. “The PHS has been collecting information almost since its formation as a group.” The archive is open on Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Wednesday from 1 to 4:30pm (for enquiries contact Betty Ferguson at Ferguson@in.on. ca). Clark added archivist Karen Wagner of the Wellington County Archives possesses a good collection of Puslinch material. Ancestry.ca is another source of vital statistics and the census for not only Puslinch Township, but all of Ontario in the case of births, marriages, deaths; and all of Canada for census information. Beyond sources in one’s own family, these are Clark’s recommended places to visit, as well as The Clarks of Tomfad.
Overseas effort - The Badenoch World War I. Red Cross Kh Front row from left: Phyllis Han aki Club packing boxes for Elliot and Gra sold ce ni Standing: Bess Hanning. Middle: Marjorie ng, Marjorie Simpson, Chris iers overseas in tie McLean, Be ie Simpson, McLean, Jess Li ie Martin and ssie McEdward, M rs. Angus Mar zzie Hanning, Margaret M M argaret McLea tin, Maggie M n. cLean, Mary Sc cPherson, Jessie McLean, ott, and Mrs. Ja Maggie mes Simpson.