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Trafalgar Township Historical Society "Documenting, celebrating and preserving the agricultural heritage of North Oakville" Summer 2015 Newsletter TTHS Stories: "Adventures of the American Four Among the Pine Stumps of Canada" Submitted by Ross Wark The TTHS is indebted to Mr. David Helsel, of Cleveland Ohio, for providing us with a typed copy of a diary entitled "Adventures of the American Four Among the Pine Stumps of Canada". In 1885, four young Americans visited the Drumquin area of Trafalgar Township. A detailed account of their adventures is contained in journal entries from August 31st to September 29th. They were met at the Oakville train station and driven by horse and buggy to the farm of Aunt Ann and Uncle Joe Hall on 7th Line (Trafalgar Road near Britannia) where they enjoyed "a first class supper and a good night's sleep among the feathers". From their "home base" at the farm, Alice and James Bown (twins), older sister Jennie, and cousin James Bailey made many forays into the surrounding communities... roller skating at the rink in Oakville over several evenings, visits to the post office and cemetery in Drumquin, touring the Saunders honey hives in Auburn, a community play in Postville and a two day outing to the Exposition Grounds in Toronto (C.N.E.). Evening entertainment at the Hall home and neighbouring farms included games of euchre, hymn and song singing, loud musical instruments and lots of conversation! Food, and lots of it, is mentioned through-out diary entries. Many locals, including people from the Turner, Lawrence, Bailey, Weir and Howes families, came to meet the "American Four". In their "off" time, the young people watched the varied farm activities and hunted in the local woodlots. After a month in Canada, they returned to their homes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Click to view the TTHS OurOntario pages for photographs of Joseph and Ann (Bailey) Hall , and of the " American Four ", as well as reproductions of several diary pages describing the visit to Drumquin. 5