| Ova & Mary Lane
He was christened "Ova
William Jacob". He was the eldest son of William Jacob Lane and Helen Lane (nee
Becker). He had one brother and six sisters. His grandfather was William Lane,
an early settler. When he was very young he suffered a severe illness. It left
him lame the rest of his life. When he was growing up his parents lived the Cook
farm as it was called at that time. It was on old highway No. 2 along the St.
Lawrence River about 3 or 4 miles west of Aultsville. At one time it had been an inn
for travellers going by stage coach to Montreal or Toronto (it is now in Upper Canada
Village). Ova worked the farm with his father and in 1903 he married Mary Ann Helena
Lapointe, daughter of William & Marcella Lapointe. Mary was a dressmaker, and at
that time she would stay with a family for a week or so and then move on to another
family. After they married they lived on the Cook farm with my grandparents for a
year or so, and then moved into a small house near the farm in east Williamsburg.
Here my brother Thorold was born. I am not sure how long they stayed there, and then
they moved to the 4th concession just inside the border of Stormont County. It was a
small brick house next to a large stone house where the McNairns lived and it is still
there. Here on a stormy winter's night (Dec 9th) I was born (Verna Marcella).
There were no telephones. My father drove a cutter to Aultsville for Dr. Ed Brown,
but it was too late when he arrived. My mother was attended by Mrs. Alonzo McNairn
her next door neighbour, a wonderful woman who was like a mother to her (my mother told me
this).
In late March of 1909 my parents moved out to the front [colloq.
riverfront] again, about 3 miles below Morrisburg, a community known as Riverside.
We had a large brick house. The farm was situated between the Anglican Church on the
east and the Luthern Church on the west. The road east was called the Church
Road. We had a wonderful view of the river and the boats came in very close.
We children could wave at the passengers. That was a very happy time for me.
My father was a good farmer. He kept good cattle and his horses were his
pride. There was a large apple orchard and there was a swing under the peach apple
tree. My mother was very busy, of course, like all farm women. They were
members of the Luthern Church and we children went to Sunday school there. I
remember the sawing bees when the wood was put up for winter, and the threshing bees to
thresh the grain. Neighboring farmers came to help, 12 or so. The only cost to my
father was to the men that brought the threshing machine and mother prepared the dinner
& supper for the men. My father repaid the men by doing the same thing for
them. My father and mother prospered and in 1918 they bought the Samuel Ault farm in
Aultsville. The owner at the time was a Mr. McConnell (he rented the farm to Wesley
Reddick) and so we moved again in March. The ice was still holding and there was a
good road on the river all the way to Aultsville, better for the sleighs than the
highways. The neighbours helped us move by providing sleighs and helping to drive
the cattle, and held a farewell party for us before we left. I should mention that
my sister Audrey was born at Riverside on April 25th 1913.
The farm in Aultsville (at least the house and barn) and part of
the land was in the village on Nelson St. north of the main corner. The rest of the
farm extended from the north end of Nelson St. to the railroad tracks, and on north to the
2nd concession. There was also considerable land to the west of us. A large
creek ran through the property out under the Kings highway to the front where it emptied
into the river. There were several acres at the front that also belonged to my
father. This was sold in later years to the village for a park.
Later on my father bought the coal business from Mr. Charles
Hanes and the funeral business from Mr. Chas. Ault. My brother Thorold went to
Toronto and took courses, came home and managed the undertaking business for my father.
Later on my father became a drover, and shipped cattle to
Montreal. As I look back over the years, I think my father because of his handicap
felt that he had to work harder than most people. Perhaps I have talked more of my
father, but my mother was his right hand. My mother had a very large house to look
after. She made all of our clothes until we were in our teens and although she did
not work in the fields like some women she always had a large garden and chickens to look
after. For years she helped with the milking. She was always there.
My parents still attended the Luthern Church after they moved to
Aultsville. This was no problem having purchased a car. They never took
holidays as people do today. Their lives revolved around the church, visiting their
many relatives, taking in the county fairs. When we were young they took a boat trip
to Montreal on the Rapids Queen. I am sure that was a highlight in their lives.
In later years when my father was a drover he travelled to Montreal almost every
week, but that was different. When he was about 63 yrs old he was attending a fair
where he had a horse running. He suffered a heart attack and was never very well
after that. He hired a man to run the farm, but he was still active when he died
April 19, 1946. He was 65 yrs old.
The church could not hold all the people that attended his
funeral. My mother continued to live on the home place until the Seaway was built.
She moved to Ingleside where a home was built for her. She lived quietly for
a few years and then suffered a stroke which left her without speech and unable to walk.
Although she did recover the use of her limbs to a certain degree, her speech did
not return. She lived until 1965 when she suffered another stroke and passed away on
11th of July. She was 84 years old at the time of her death.
Verna Marcella Bedingfield
(nee Lane), circa 1981 |