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Cumberland Village School, pre 1925, from the collection of DavidChamberlin.

The CTHS will be at the Navan Fair again this year from August 7 to 10,2014. Our theme of Cumberland schools will be augmented by theCumberland Heritage Village Museum who is lending us a collection ofschool artifacts for display in the booth. Please come out and tell usyour memories of school days in Cumberland Township.

THE CABOOSENEWSLETTER OF THE CUMBERLAND TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY (CTHS)

ISSN 1203-147X Volume XXIII Number 1 July 2014

President’s message (by Gérard Boyer)My very first message as your president is one of gratitude for the work of the following members: Jean-

François Beaulieu, Bob Serré, Dorothy-Jane Smith, Jeannie Smith, Verna Cotton and Ross Bradley. I knowthere are others, but these are the ones who allowed me to build on the fruit of their past labours. Theyare also part of the reason why this historical society must continue to thrive. I look forward to this year’sendeavors and I look forward to being at the CTHS booth at the Navan Fair this year! For those of us whohaven’t seen it yet, we’ll get to see Michael O’Meara’s name on the Navan Community Builders Wall.Finally, a big welcome to two new members on the executive: Tom McNeely as vice-president and Ivan

Tanner as director. We’re sorry to see Brian Coburn go, butappreciate the fact that he’d prefer to be a less active member,though an attentive one.

Our SocietyThe Cumberland TownshipHistorical Society (CTHS) wasfounded in 1986. We are a non-profit, volunteer and community-based organization whose goal isto preserve Cumberland Townshiphistory.Our newsletterThe Caboose is published fourtimes each year by theCumberland Township HistoricalSociety.Our Executive Gérard Boyer, President Jean-François Beaulieu, Past

President Tom McNeely, Vice-President Gilles Chartrand, Treasurer Verna Cotton, Director Ross Bradley, Director Ivan Tanner, DirectorEx-Officio Randall Ash, Caboose

production Dorothy-J. Smith, Caboose editor Karly Ali, Website.

Our address and local history roomCumberland BranchOttawa Public LibraryLocal History Room1599 Tenth Line RoadOttawa, ON K1E 3E8

Our World Wide Web addresswww.cths.ca

Next meeting of the CTHSThe next meeting of the CTHS will take place on Wednesday,September 3rd, 2014 in the 2nd floor boardroom of the OttawaRegional Police Station, Tenth Line Road and St. Joseph Blvd. GerryBoyer will talk about the search for Cameron and McMillan ancestorsin the Scottish Highlands. Plan to arrive at 6:30 pm as the meeting willbegin at 7:00 pm. Be sure to bring a friend along. Light refreshments,as always, will be served. Important: parking rules have changed.Please park on the street beside the police station (Eric Czapnik Way).

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The Caboose is made possiblein part through a grant from theCity of Ottawa.

Society calendarFor more information on these andother upcoming 2014/15 events,please contact a member of the executivecommittee or visit our website at www.cths.ca.

Sept. 3rd Gerry Boyer on Touring Scotland in searchof Camerons and McMillans

Nov. 5th Gilles Chartrand with items from the WorldWar collection in the Clarence-RocklandMuseum

January 7th TBA

March 4th TBA

May 6th TBA

CTHS meetings - Unless other stated, all meeting are at10th Line Road Police Station 2nd floor Boardroom. Doorsopen by 6:30 and start time is 7:00 pm.

At the Museum – 613-833-3059 /CumberlandMuseum@ottawa.caContact the museum for costs and times

July 27th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All Aboard! A day ofrailway history fun.

August 23rd 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wizard of Oz at theDrive-in.

August 31st10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Amaizing Maize. Thehistory of local food and farming from the1930s to today.

Feed-back timeI heard from a number of Vars people about

the photo postcard of the Methodist Church inVars. The man who sent the card was G. HilliardBrowne and not Browse. I have found a GeorgeBrown in the 1911 census, born in 1891andleading a household consisting of his parentsThomas and Esther Brown.

In April 2014, Jeannie Smith and GillesChartrand were among the many men andwomen who volunteered their time to judge atOttawa’s Regional Heritage Fair for elementaryschool children. As well, the CTHS presented amonetary prize to the best history project onrural living as chosen by the Heritage Fairjudges. Winners were Farrell Finestone, IsabelQuintal and Marisa Gopalakrishnan, Grade 8students at Glashan Public School, for theirexhibit entitled “Maple Tree Syrup / Siropd'érable”.

Remembering PeopleA township is a map made up of roads and

buildings. A place is made of memories of timesspent with people we loved. All of us havememories of important people who influencedus as children. People we knew in ourimmediate families as well as extended familiesand at school, or scouts or even on our first job.Today we have four memories of importantpeople from Cumberland Township, a farmingcouple, and three women, two who nevermarried but lived life to the fullest, and one whocared not only for her own husband andchildren but for all of those around her. Ordinarypeople who made a difference in someone’slife! We hope you agree. Please think aboutwho was important in your life and let us knowtheir story.

Auntie Vicby Elaine Findlay

Victoria Robertson Burch was born on May24, 1891, the Queen's birthday, which is why shewas named Victoria. She was the eldest of thefour surviving children born to William Burch andhis wife Catharine Margaret Robertson. Hersiblings were William Robinson, Maude Ellen,and Hugh James.

Contact usIf you have questions or suggestions regardingany aspect of the Society, you may contactany member of the executive by phone or byemail:

Gérard Boyer, Presidentgcboyer@hotmail.com

Jean-François Beaulieu, Past President(841-0424) jeanfb@sympatico.ca

Dorothy-Jane Smith, Caboose editor (225-3554),

Randall Ash, Caboose production (833-3207) randall2620@rogers.com

Karly Ali, Website, cths@cyberus.ca

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William Burch and Catherine (Robertson) Burch withtheir children. Standing - Victoria Robertson Burch,b. 24 May 1891; seated l-r: Hugh James Burch b. 12Jan 1896, William Robinson Burch b. 27 May 1893,and Maude Ellen Burch b. 5 Aug 1894. From thecollection of Ethel (Burch) Findlay.

I knew very little about Victoria's early lifeuntil I talked to her niece Ethel (Burch) Findlay,Robinson's daughter, who gave glimpses intothose years. Victoria and Robinson were born inOsgoode Township. The family then moved toCumberland Township, living near Canaanwhere Maude and Hugh were born.

In 1904 William Burch bought a farm southand east of Cumberland Village. This farm, atwhat is now 3150 Wilhaven Drive, has been inthe Burch family ever since.

Victoria received most of her education inMaxville, Glengarry County, where she livedwith her grandparents, Hugh and IsabellaRobertson, and their daughter, Victoria's AuntIsabella (who married later in life). By the time ofthe 1911 Canada Census, twenty-year-oldVictoria was back at her parents' farm.

Victoria was happily engaged to William T.Kinsella, son of Henry Kinsella and his wife MaryMcEachern, when he became ill. A year later,in June 1923 at age 41, the unthinkablehappened; William passed away in hospital,

from tuberculosis. Victoria was at that time 32years of age. The dream became a memory, tobe gently tended with the passing of the years.

A practical-minded daughter, Victoriabecame the family caretaker, first to her agingparents, then to her Aunt Isabella and UncleRory in Maxville. When the latter passed away,funds from the sale of their home enabledVictoria in the late 1940s to purchase a house inCumberland. When niece Ethel Burch enteredthe working world in 1948, she lived with "Auntie"in the village until her marriage to Allan Findlayin 1951.

In the 1950s, Victoria Burch came into my lifebecause she was a longtime friend of mygrandmother, Myrtle (Lough) Russell. To mybrother Billy and to me, she was simply "AuntieVic". Whenever we came home from schooland saw her sitting comfortably in the oldkitchen rocking chair, chatting away withGrandma, we knew that she would be stayinga couple of weeks or more. We were quite fondof her; it was almost like having anothergrandmother there.

She had very large, almost sad-looking eyes,and her white hair was always gathered up intoa bun. She wore an old-fashioned, flat-toppedblack hat, which was attached to her hairbunwith a very long, rather dangerous-lookinghatpin. She was mild-mannered and soft-spoken. In short, she was a gentle soul. She andGrandma used to have great conversations.

Auntie Vic's house on the main street inCumberland, two doors east of the Anglican

Front row 1st and 2nd on the left, William Kinsellaand Victoria Burch at Clifford Hayes and VioletWilliams wedding. From the collection of Ethel(Burch) Findlay.

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Church, was an interesting place. Billy and Iused to visit once in a while with our mother.There was a hand pump in her kitchen, and aspongy area on the floor. Auntie warned us notto walk on that, lest we fall through into thecistern. We had a cistern at home, so we knewwe didn't want to end up there! What I likedbest was the pump organ in the parlour, whichshe used to let us try to play. It definitely tookteamwork, one of us on the bellows and theother on the keys, to coax any reasonablesound out of it.

Victoria Robertson Burch circa 1922, wearing herengagement ring. From the collection of Ethel (Burch)Findlay.

Auntie Vic did lovely crochet work, includinghairpin lace, just like Grandma's. They bothmade it look so easy. Every Christmas fromabout the age of ten, I received a couple ofpotholders and/or doilies for my Hope Chest.Some of these are tucked away in my cedarchest as memories of another world. Onesummer Auntie made me a Copen-bluebroadcloth dress with cowl collar and sash; Iproudly wore it on the first day of high school,and many times thereafter.

At about this time, Auntie Vic moved in withEthel and Allan, and was with them for fourteenyears. She liked making quilts in addition tocrochet work. Ethel has a couple of these askeepsakes. Auntie loved Ethel's selection ofneedlework magazines - fresh ideas to ponder.

Although her health was declining, AuntieVic was a treasured guest at our wedding in1974. It was shortly afterwards that the timecame for more care. She agreed to the Homein Sarsfield with the same unruffled acceptancewith which she had met most of life's turns. Inconversation with family she usually referred tothe staff as "the maids". She passed away in thefall of 1979.

Auntie Vic was an ordinary person, just like alot of us. She was not put on earth to "set thepond on fire", so to speak, but she made adifference in MY life, and she will always bespecial to me.

My Extraordinary Relatives, Johnand Millie Smith

by Margaret Goldik (Smith)

Let Proust have his madeleines: the scent ofmanure and timothy hay instantly transport meto some of the happiest times of my life.

These were the special summers when mysister Deanna and I were sent for a farmvacation with our Uncle John and Aunt Millie(Presley) Smith. It probably eased thecongestion back at home in Ottawa, where wewere a gang of seven kids.

John and Millie Smith on their wedding day withbest man Edward Smith (left) and bridesmaid LuvaPresley (right). From the Smith family collection.

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John Smith, or as he was officially known onhis birth certificate – Alton Alfred Smith, farmedon Concession 1 East Commons at the CanaanRoad. He was the son of Robert Smyth andNellie Sell and brother to my father, EdwardSmith, along with Norman, Walter and ElsieSmith (Hewens). Millie Presley was the daughterof James Presley and Ida Wylie from ClarenceCreek. Her sister Luva was married to John’sbrother, Norman.

These two wonderful people, John and Millie,put up with the city slicker nieces, even whenwe committed gaffes, like using the chamberpots under the beds instead of braving the darkand the spiders to use the outhouse in the night.Mum scolded us for this when we got home,since it made extra work for Aunt Millie.

The lessons I learned from them have stayedwith me in the fifty plus years since. I would bedimly aware of Uncle John getting up in thedark to milk the cows. The haying, which for uswas a lark, was hard work for those forking thehay up into the full wagon. I gained animmense respect for the farmers who provide uswith our daily bread.

I sometimes helped to herd the cows back tothe barn for milking in the evening, and I stillremember my wonder that these huge boney-hipped bovines actually moved when mycousins and I shouted “Cobos!”

We loved Dick and Pearl, the huge drafthorses. My first (and last) experience ofhorseback riding was perched on the back ofPearl – rather like straddling a sofa. But thehorses, like the cows, had to be tended, andUncle John and our cousins, Wayne, Terry, andEric, always took care of the animals beforethey came in to wash up and eat. That was animportant lesson learned.

I learned another valuable lesson from thequiet Sabbaths. Uncle John first put us all intothe pickup truck and drove us to the UnitedChurch in Cumberland Village for the Sundayservice. The animals still had to be taken careof, naturally, and food had to be prepared, butI saw Uncle John sit on the couch in the kitchenand read the farm journals. That he took timefrom the busyness of his daily work to restimpressed me then, and it impresses me still. I’msure there was always something that he couldhave been doing.

Aunt Millie spent all her time cooking, or so itseemed. Breakfasts, lunches and suppers weregigantic meals, with cakes (tomato cake wasone of our favourites), pies, potatoes,vegetables, pickles, all cooked or baked on thebehemoth of a wood stove. And then therewas the more or less continuous washing up.Deanna was much better at helping with thekitchen chores than I was. And it was toDeanna that Aunt Millie gave the recipe fortomato cake.

When Mum and Dad came to pick us up,Aunt Millie made a nice light meal. It includedcelery sticks stuffed with processed cheese,which struck me as sophisticated – and so it wasat the time. Looking back I marvel that shecould find time to go the extra mile forcompany when she already had a full time jobas a farm wife. My dad once said that farmwork was hardest on the wives, and I believe it.

John and Millie Smith (centre) at their 40thanniversary party with their former attendants, bestman Edward Smith (right) and bridesmaid Luva(Presley) Smith (left). From the Smith familycollection.

So what did I learn from Uncle John and AuntMillie? That even as a guest, one earned one’skeep. That farmers and their wives worked –perhaps still do – far harder than anyoneshould. That farm life in the ’50s was only a fewsteps removed from farm life at the turn of thecentury – with the difficulties, but also with adeep connection to nature and the seasons.

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I remember one particular time on our waybetween Ottawa and Montreal, my husbandand I stopped in to visit with Uncle John. By thistime Aunt Millie had lost her battle with cancer.The old inconvenient farmhouse had beenreplaced by a modern bungalow – fortunatelyin time for Aunt Millie to have enjoyed it. Mychildren were small, and Uncle John invitedthem out to play with the kittens in the yard.Thirty years later, they remember that visit. So avery belated “Thank you,” Uncle John and AuntMillie, for your generous hospitality.

Auntie Kaeby Marlene Boyer with Kae Kirk’s daughter,

Fran Burnside

Frances Kathleen Dagg Kirk, is one of myDad, Mervyn Dagg’s, older sisters.

She was born January 16th, 1920, at thefamily farm on what is now Trim Road. Herparents, Samuel Dagg and Lena Wall, werepioneer farmers and provided postal deliveryvia horse and buggy in Navan. They had ninechildren, John Thomas (1905-1971), FrancisGeorge (1906-1965), Ellen Jane (1908-1975),Herbert (1911-1925), Elizabeth Mildred (1915-1994), Edwin Colbert (1918-1964), FrancesKathleen (1920-2007), Samuel Mervyn (1922-1988), and Elvyna Mae (1920-1980). Most of thechildren went by their second names, whichsometimes caused confusion. They all madesure the children of my generation were calledby their first name.

Auntie Kae was born in Navan and did herschooling in Navan. Her ancestors werepioneers of St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Navan.Although she left Navan for ‘The City’, she wasalways a country girl at heart. Her feelings offamily, faith, and community always broughther back to Navan.

She worked for the Federal Government inOttawa and in 1943 she joined the CanadianArmy. She was based at National DefenceHeadquarters in Ottawa and was dischargedas a Sergeant in 1946.

In 1950, she married Harold Melvin Kirk in St.Mary’s Anglican Church. The reception washeld at the family farm. One of the stories toldto me was that the teetotalers celebrated in

the house and those who preferred a drinkheaded to the shed.

Kathleen Dagg and Harold Kirk on their weddingday, from the collections of Marlene Boyer and FranBurnside.

Auntie Kae and Uncle Artie had fourchildren, Frances Mary, Samuel Edward, WilliamHarold, and John Melvin. They lived in Ottawa. Ifondly remember their visits to our farm on TrimRoad, and later to our home in the village ofNavan and to our present home. They visitedoften and always brought lunches and suppersconsisting of hamburgers, macaroni and potatosalads along with yummy treats, doughnuts withicing sugar (from Morrison Lamothe Bakery),chips, and on special occasions rolled peanutbutter and banana sandwiches. After my Mom,Lois (McFadden) Dagg passed away, AuntieKae kindly brought my Dad homemade meatand turkey pies. Her meat and turkey pies andfruitcakes were delicious.

Auntie Kae loved her visits to Navan and wasalways so enthusiastic to hear how everyonewas and what they were up to. She alwayswanted to hear about the McFaddens, myMom’s family who lived nearby. She alsoenjoyed checking up on the flowers in ourgarden. The annual Memorial Service at St.Mary’s was a time for her to reconnect withformer classmates and to remind us of ourdeparted ancestors. Every year she would knitmany items for the Church Bazaar. When I wasyoung she always knit mitts for me each

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Christmas and did the same for my three sons.Puppet mitts were her specialty. OneNovember she was honoured by St. Mary’s forher many years of donating various handicraftsby being asked to open the annual Bazaar.Navan never left her heart.

Kathleen and Harold Kirk, from the collections ofMarlene Boyer and Fran Burnside.

In 1967 she and her sister, Elva, began aCentennial project of tracing their family tree.

She worked on this project until her death someforty years later.

As a kid, I also remember visiting Auntie Kaeand her family on Hawthorne Avenue inOttawa. It was such a treat to visit the big cityand to sit outside on a summer night on theirbeautiful veranda after having been to thecorner store for candy and ice cream. Whenmy parents were both hospitalized in their lateryears, Auntie Kae would take the bus to thehospital on a daily basis and provided palliativesupport. She would pack up her knitting and sitfor hours on end. She also sewed and knit babyclothing for newborns in Mexico and donatedmany of her craft items to the AnglicanChurches she attended. Each November shewas a volunteer with the Royal CanadianLegion’s Poppy Fund.

Widowed in later years, Auntie Kae lived inan apartment in Sandy Hill. I continued toadmire her love of life and her constantdedication to look at the glass half full. Sheregularly hopped on the city bus with her walkerand travelled to the Rideau Centre, BywardMarket, and Carlingwood Shopping Centre witha shopping list that included wool for mitts andother craft items.

Despite many medical concerns in her lateryears, she lived life to the fullest and was aconstant support to her family and friends.Auntie Kae passed away on May 27, 2007 atthe Peter D. Clark Centre. She is buried in St.Mary’s Cemetery, Navan.

“Cousin Mary”by Dorothy-J. Smith

Mary Cameron was born on June 12, 1899 inthe village of Cumberland, the third daughterof Peter Stuart Cameron and GeorgianaElizabeth Franklin. Her parents had already losttheir first daughter, Ellen, as an infant in 1892.Her mother died when she was five years old in1905. Her older sister, Esther, would die at theage of 13 when Mary was ten; old enough toknow what she had lost and to grieve.

Her father had remarried in 1908 and afterthe death of his second daughter he movedwest to Saskatchewan. He and his new wifetook Mary’s brother with them as well as their

Kathleen Kirk, from the collections of MarleneBoyer and Fran Burnside.

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own new baby girl but Mary ended up livingwith her Franklin grandmother.

This seems like a sad start to life and yet mymemories of Mary Cameron are of a vitalwoman with a fierce intelligence and a hugelaugh. Mary was my mother’s first cousin, herfather having been older brother to HarveyCameron, Millie (Cameron) Smith’s father.Grandfather, as the last of the Cameron familyremaining in Cumberland, took care of hisniece. We have letters in which Harvey writes toMary while she was away from Cumberlandkeeping her informed on her GrandmotherFranklin’s well-being. My mother rememberedthat Mary always came back to their house forholidays and it was like having an older sistercoming home. My Aunt Dorothy (Cameron)Chamberlin’s photo albums show Mary as partof family gatherings while a photo of aChristmas dinner in the 1950s brings togetherthe Chamberlin and Smith families with Mary asan important part of the family circle.

Mary Cameron in March 1933, taken when she wasteaching in London, Ontario. From the collection ofDavid Chamberlin.

Mary never married. She became a teacherof English and Latin in London, Ontario and laterin Toronto. She toured the world as well. I stillhave a small camel-skin wallet she brought

home as a present from Egypt and a bluebracelet from Copenhagen. It was excitingwhen she returned from these trips. Her stories ofthe places she had seen made the world seemfull of possibilities. And yet she always cameback in the summer to the cottage she ownedin Cumberland Village, facing the Ottawa Riverjust off Cameron Street.

Mary was full of life. Each summer she wouldbring “the three little ones” down to stay at hercottage – that is, myself, my sister Bette, and mybrother Edward, we being the youngest batchof seven children. Mary was well into her fiftiesby this time but she took us out in the rowboatand off on excursions and to movies. We lovedvisiting her cottage and especially bunking onthe front verandah where you could listen tothe ferry docking at the wharf while fallingasleep.

Her killer Yorkie was another matter. Sheadopted Pippa as a rescue dog and seemedto take great delight in Pippa’s bad behaviour.Yet that too was part of Mary. She was not acliché spinster schoolmistress insisting on goodorder and properness. Rather she enjoyed tothe full whatever life had to give her.

Even as a child, however, I knew that whatwas most impressive about Mary was how smartshe was. We have a letter sent to her father inNovember 1904 by one of his brothers, JamesCameron. In it Uncle Jim comments on what aclever child little Mary was. She was very smartindeed and would have gone far academicallyhad she had the opportunities open to womentoday – or even for that matter, to women ofher own time who had families willing to give adaughter a university education. She certainlyhad high expectations for all of us in the nextgeneration. I always felt challenged by her, thatI should use my brain and amount tosomething. Perhaps we all did for when Icelebrated with my family the achievement ofa Masters degree in History, there was aconstant refrain of how proud Mary would havebeen.

At the same time, I learned from Mary thathaving a strong academic intelligence doesnot mean being an intellectual snob. She lovedteaching as well as using her brain simplybecause it was part of life for her, along withtalking to people and enjoying her dogs. Iremember Mary always reading but as likely to

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pick up a light paperback as anything else.Sitting and chatting with friends was asimportant, however, as being immersed inreading.

Mary Cameron c.1974 (left) and cousin Millie(Cameron) Smith (right). From the Smith familycollection.

When Mary finally retired from teaching, shecame back to Cumberland for good. There

were some months when she shared mymother’s home and months when my mothershared Mary’s cottage as home. They weresomething of an odd couple for my mother wasa strict Baptist and Mary was not. But they werecousins, family, and family mattered hugely toboth of them. That is another thing I learnedfrom Mary – that one does not have to marry tohave family. But you do have to care abouthaving family and staying close.

Mary died on May 23, 1978. In her last daysfamily again was what mattered for it wascousins, David and Marolyn Chamberlin, whocared for her and gave her last home. She isburied in Dale Cemetery with her mother andher sisters who predeceased her so long before.

Recognition of Michael O’Mearaas a Builder of Navan

The Navan Community Association has aspecial wall on Colonial Street which they builtto honour the builders of Navan. The following isthe nomination of Michael O’Meara

researched and written byRoss Bradley and VernaCotton on behalf of theCumberland TownshipHistorical Society andendorsed by MargaretMacNeill, Laurie Watson,and Liam Burke (of Navan,Ireland). We are proudthat a panel ofindependent judgesaccepted the nominationand that MichaelO’Meara’s name has beenadded to the Builders Wall.The other nominationsaccepted and honouredat a special ceremony onJune 7, 2014 were theSmith family of Navan,Wesley Savage and SheilaMinogue-Calver. - ed.

The Navan Community Builders Wall, Colonial Road, with the Michael O’Mearaplaque (inset). Photo, Dorothy-J. Smith.

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Nomination of Michael O’Meara

We, Donald Ross Bradley and Verna MabelCotton both long time residents of Navan andboth present day Directors of the CumberlandTownship Historical Society are pleased andhonoured to represent that Society innominating Michael O’Meara to be recognizedon the Navan Community Builders Wall in June2014.

Michael O’Meara was born in the Parish ofNavan, County Meath, Ireland in the year 1799.He married Julia Theresa Madden in about1820. They immigrated to Canada in 1835 andshortly after moved to the East Part of Lot 11Concession 7, Cumberland Township (near thehome where Don and Joan Rathwell lived on

present day Colonial Road and just east ofFrank Kenny Road).

Michael O’Meara named the first post officein Navan in 1861. It is reported that he named it“Navan” after the well known Irish town ofNavan in the County of Meath, Ireland. Thestreets of Fairgreen Avenue and Trim Road inpresent day Navan were named in the 1980safter the streets of Michael O’Meara's homeParish in Navan, Ireland. Navan, Ontario ofcourse celebrated its 150th anniversary in styleduring the year 2011.

By Michael O’Meara’s naming of Navanback in the 1860s, he made a distinct impacton every citizen who has ever lived in thiscommunity and called it home. In addition the

Verna Cotton and Ross Bradley, June 7, 2014, reading out the submission nominating MichaelO’Meara as a Builder of Navan. Photo - Tom Devecseri, Navan (reproduced by permission of TomDevecseri).

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same will be true for whomever will come to livein this community in the future and call it home.

Michael O’Meara was a member of theCumberland Township Municipal Council in1851-52. It is our belief he would have had amajor impact at that time on all those who hadchosen to live in Navan and its extendedcommunity. Michael O’Meara died in 1898 andis buried in St. Hugh's Cemetery in Sarsfield.

In more recent times and to this very day, theKenny family has lived in Navan. They are directdescendants of Michael O’Meara. His daughterCatherine was born in 1825, immigrated toCanada in 1838 and married Michael HenryKenny on November 16, 1851. They purchasedthe farm originally owned by Michael O’Meara.One of their children, Henry Augusta Kenny, wasborn April 5, 1866 in Navan. He marriedMargaret Elizabeth (Maggie) Shea daughter ofMr. and Mrs. John Shea of Bearbrook,September 24, 1902. Henry Augusta Kenny wasa member of the Cumberland TownshipCouncil 1915-1918. Their six children were allborn in Navan. Many of them went on to havea significant impact on the Navan communityjust as their great grandfather Michael O’Mearahad done. For example, Julia Annetta Kenny,their second child born Oct. 2, 1905 was ateacher in Navan. She spent much of her lifedeeply involved in community activities inNavan. She was a Charter Member of theNavan Women's Institute, December 19, 1931,and its first secretary. She lived in Navan until1982 and then moved to Ottawa. She threwherself wholeheartedly into serving theShepherds of Good Hope in Ottawa, anorganization established to feed and clothe thepoor, shelter the homeless, and visit the sick andincarcerated. She was awarded a medal in1985 from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship andCulture, for 50 years of community volunteerservice. On April 29, 1987 she was presentedwith the Order of Canada by Governor GeneralJeanne Sauvé at Rideau Hall. This is the highestaward bestowed on a civilian in Canada.

Annetta Kenny married Alton PercivalMcDonald on September 20, 1928. Alton diedNovember 21, 1969. Annetta died October 10,

1996. They were both buried at St. Hugh'sCemetery in Sarsfield. They had one son, FrankMcDonald, born June 26, 1940.

J. Francis Henry Kenny and Gertrude LoretteCarmel Kenny were born August 27, 1912. Theywere siblings of Julia Annetta Kenny. FrankKenny was a long time respected farmer inNavan in spite of having lost an arm in a farmaccident early in his life. He was an electedtrustee of St. Hugh's Church in Sarsfield as wellas being an elected Councillor in theCumberland Township Municipal Council, 1975-1982. Frank Kenny carried on the municipaltraditions of his great grandfather MichaelO’Meara and his dad Henry Augusta Kenny.

Frank married Rita McMahon, October 23,1948. They had six children. Their first son, Henry,was born May 12, 1952 and lives in Navan. Theirson Stephen, born May 23, 1954, lives on theoriginal farm today with his family. Theiryoungest child, Greg lives with his wife Cindyand daughter Robin in their home in Sarsfield.

Frank Kenny was recognized by the City ofOttawa Council in 2001 by the naming of theFrank Kenny Road. This is a major thoroughfarewhich runs directly past the Kenny farm fromHighway 417 (Exit 88) at the southern boundaryof Ottawa's Cumberland Ward to its northernboundary at Old Montreal Rd. and close toHighway 174 at the Ottawa River.

We have absolutely no hesitationwhatsoever in nominating Michael O’Meara,the Irish immigrant from Navan, County Meath,Ireland who arrived in Navan, Ontario in 1835and who named the Navan community bynaming the Navan Post Office in 1861. His manydirect descendants, the Kenny family, havecontinued to make major contributions not onlyto Navan but to Ottawa, Ontario and toCanada. There is every reason to believe thatthe O’Meara-Kenny legacy will continue toflourish in our community for generations tocome. It will indeed be an honour to seeMichael O’Meara's name recognized on theNavan Community Builders Wall.

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See us at the Navan Fair!August 7 to 10, the CTHS will have a booth in the Navan Curling Club. Our theme this year is

Schools of Cumberland. There will be school artifacts on display as well as photos of schoolclasses from the past. We hope you will take a moment to stop and say hello. Then stay tolook over the photos and fill in the names of children you recognize. We are planning a bookon Cumberland Schools so leaving your name and contact information or scribbling downyour memories on a form in the booth will be a wonderful contribution. And of course GerryBoyer will be there ready and able to help with genealogical enquiries.

The Kenny descendants of Michael O’Meara and Julia Madden holding the plaque adding Michael O’Meara’s nameto the Navan Community Builders Wall. Photo - Tom Devecseri, Navan (reproduced by permission of TomDevecseri).