Thurston Album of Dunsford History
The Lost Community of Millersmith
Pages
IntroductionThurston FamilyThurston's General StoreThurstonia ParkGreenhurst Dance PavilionHistory of Dunsford and areaDunsford SchoolsDunsford ChurchesDunsford BlacksmithsDunsford Train StationThe Lost Community of Scotch LineThe Lost Community of Millersmith
page 53 - Churches Details
Myrna Thurston's album also included a couple of pieces of Emily Township's history, specifically in the area of the north-west corner of the township where several members of the Thurston family settled.
At the intersection of Sturgeon Road and Kings Wharf Road once stood the small community known as Millersmith (Miller-Smith). At one time this area included its own church, a schoolhouse, a blacksmith, a weaver, a cobbler, and a lumber mill. All that remains today is the Salem-Emily Cemetery.
More information about the origins of Millersmith can be found in Lilies and Shamrocks: A history of the Township of Emily in the County of Victoria.
At the intersection of Sturgeon Road and Kings Wharf Road once stood the small community known as Millersmith (Miller-Smith). At one time this area included its own church, a schoolhouse, a blacksmith, a weaver, a cobbler, and a lumber mill. All that remains today is the Salem-Emily Cemetery.
More information about the origins of Millersmith can be found in Lilies and Shamrocks: A history of the Township of Emily in the County of Victoria.
page 53 - Churches Details
Salem Emily United Church
Written on the back of the photo of Salem Emily United Church: "Salem Emily United Church, Built 1899, Taken down 19, Mr. James Courtney built it (Mortie's father)"
The Salem Emily United Church was built in 1899 of white brick, as a Methodist Church. It was on the circuit with Dunsford, sharing a minister. Services were held until 1969, but with the declining rural population, the congregation decided to merge with Dunsford United Church and close the Salem church. According to Lilies and Shamrocks: a history of the Township of Emily in the County of Victoria by Howard Pammett, 1974, "a cairn was erected to mark the site of the church and the lot was given to the Salem Emily Cemetery Company in 1972."
Written on the back of the photo of Salem Emily United Church: "Salem Emily United Church, Built 1899, Taken down 19, Mr. James Courtney built it (Mortie's father)"
The Salem Emily United Church was built in 1899 of white brick, as a Methodist Church. It was on the circuit with Dunsford, sharing a minister. Services were held until 1969, but with the declining rural population, the congregation decided to merge with Dunsford United Church and close the Salem church. According to Lilies and Shamrocks: a history of the Township of Emily in the County of Victoria by Howard Pammett, 1974, "a cairn was erected to mark the site of the church and the lot was given to the Salem Emily Cemetery Company in 1972."
Addendum page 10 - Interior S.S. No. 3 Emily 1900 Details
Emily S.S. No. 3 - Millersmith
"The first school reported in this section was held in the home of a man named either Doyle or Dwyer, located on Lot 8, Concession 14. The first proper schoolhouse was a log building on the southwest corner of Lot 7, Concession 14, and a second log school was later built across the road in Lot 6. The school was taught by an itinerant teacher who taught one week here, and then consecutive weeks at Scotch Line and Dunsford, both in Verulam Township. Still another log schoolhouse was built on the northwest corner of Lot 7, Concession 13. Then, 1877, a red brick schoolhouse was constructed just south of the last log school. The old log school, which was converted into a woodshed for the brick school in 1883, was the final log school to operate in Emily.
The new schoolhouse in S.S. No. 3 was originally known as M'Mullin's School, and in June 1884 School Inspector J.H.Knight reported that it was a "good brick school house, fairly furnished"." By 1897, the schoolhouse fell into a state of disrepair, needing such attention as painting both inside and out, holes in the floors, walls "going to decay for want of repairs" and "the only chair was scarcely safe to sit upon." The repairs were made, including a new floor and ceiling in 1900.
The school closed in 1967.
Pictured at right is the schoolroom in 1900 decorated for Christmas.
--information from Educating Victoria County: a local history of public education by Ralph Robinson, 1987.
"The first school reported in this section was held in the home of a man named either Doyle or Dwyer, located on Lot 8, Concession 14. The first proper schoolhouse was a log building on the southwest corner of Lot 7, Concession 14, and a second log school was later built across the road in Lot 6. The school was taught by an itinerant teacher who taught one week here, and then consecutive weeks at Scotch Line and Dunsford, both in Verulam Township. Still another log schoolhouse was built on the northwest corner of Lot 7, Concession 13. Then, 1877, a red brick schoolhouse was constructed just south of the last log school. The old log school, which was converted into a woodshed for the brick school in 1883, was the final log school to operate in Emily.
The new schoolhouse in S.S. No. 3 was originally known as M'Mullin's School, and in June 1884 School Inspector J.H.Knight reported that it was a "good brick school house, fairly furnished"." By 1897, the schoolhouse fell into a state of disrepair, needing such attention as painting both inside and out, holes in the floors, walls "going to decay for want of repairs" and "the only chair was scarcely safe to sit upon." The repairs were made, including a new floor and ceiling in 1900.
The school closed in 1967.
Pictured at right is the schoolroom in 1900 decorated for Christmas.
--information from Educating Victoria County: a local history of public education by Ralph Robinson, 1987.
