The Romance of The Wilson Settlement
~ by Carol Pettey
daughter of Bill and Rita Pettey
About a hundred and fifty years ago, the Wilson brothers from Wicklow, Ireland moved into Percy Township and settled on 600 acres of crown land. Since that date this section of the township has been known as the Wilson Settlement. James Wilson settled where Bob Pettey's former home was. Henry settled where Dick Cook lives now. This Henry was Mrs. Weir's father. The present Calnan farm was homesteaded by J.M. Wilson. Marshall Wilson, Mrs. Wier's uncle, lived in a house, now gone, but which stood once beside where Elmo Ingram's present house is. Later, Marshall lived where Maynes do today. Folk by the name of Sommer came to the present Maynes' home, after Marshall Wilson died. The last Wilson, William, lived in the small house across from where Bob Pettey lives now.
By 1875, practically all the land was taken up by immigrants coming mostly from the British Isles. The Greenlys, Blezards, and Honeys were English; the Duffs, Burnses, Quinlivans, and Varcoes were Irish and the Hedgers, Frasers, Isaacs, and MacDonalds, Scotch. The Greenlys took up the land presently occupied by Greenlys and Sherwins and Thains. The Blezards came to the land now farmed by Bill Pettey. The present Weir property was homesteaded by Honeys. The Duff property is still in the original name, though unoccupied. Burns pioneers cleared the farm where John Gorman lives to-day. Quinlivans' farm is worked by Bernard Gorman. At one time, there were two houses on the Quinlivan farm. But one remains, Mr. and Mrs. Lamey were the original pioneers on this place. The Hedger property has no tenant living there now, and the old Isaac place is now the home of Paul Gorman, where atone time, there was another house as well, on the hill behind the present one. MacDonalds were original owners of the farm now owned by Jack MacDonald, although they are no relation.
Merrills, too, came to the Wilson Settlement. The Merrills were of French Huguenot extraction, their first American ancestors having landed on this continent in 1633. The present home of Alex. MacKenzie, and Cecil Dainard were the old Merrill homestead, and next door to them settled the Frasers where Jerim Mahoney lives today.
About the year 1835 a very unpretentious log school house was erected which served also as a place of worship when a Methodist circuit rider visited the settlement. This school was later replaced by a frame structure which was destroyed by fire after supper, during a winter evening, about 1896. Miss Sutherland, the daughter of the minister in Warkworth, was teaching here when the school burned. The present school was built by the late George Skinkle. Sunday School was held here, started by Mr. Honey.
Just as we have festive days during the year, so in those days special events were eagerly anticipated. One of the special days was when the school picture was taken. For days before the great event, mothers were busy with needle and thread, mending and patching suits and dresses. When the day arrived the boys discarded blouses for coats and bow ties, and the girls were "rigged" in their Sunday best. The photographer, at one time a Mr. Little of Warkworth, set up his camera on a tripod, covered his head with a black cloth, and, at the count of three, squeezed the rubber bulb. But the highlight came when the teacher dismissed school for the remainder of the day.
The big event of the year then, as now, was the Christmas concert. For the occasion, the interior of the school looked quite respectable with its gay decorations and tree adorned with tinselled bells, and glowing tapers. But the main attraction was under the tree where neatly wrapped parcels were piled high. John Blezzard, the grand old man of the settlement usually acted as chairman, and Tom Greenly as Santa Claus.
The passing years have witnessed many changes in the Wilson Settlement. The old pioneers have gone to their reward. Their humble log cabins have been replaced by spacious homes with modern conveniences. Horses have been replaced by tractors, and wooden implements by steel ones. Progress is apparent everywhere, and education must keep pace. Much as we admire and revere our forefathers, we would not turn back the clock. Nor, if they were living would they wish us to do so, for they looked ahead, not back. As the doors in the Wilson Settlement School close to usher in a new trend in education, it is easy to imagine we hear the dauntless spirits which sustained these homesteaders as they carved the Wilson Settlement from the wilderness so long ago, saying, "Do not fear a new way of life" , for if we had, there would be no Wilson Settlement.
Transcribed by John Charlton (mid - 1990's)
Last Updated March 21, 2007