Richard MacLeod came by his passion for local history naturally, with roots in the area stretching back to 1801, and generations of amateur historians in the family. It was while Richard MacLeod was helping his uncle research local history that his grandmother told him he was a real “history hound.” The moniker stuck. The Newmarket man,…
Tag: Genealogy
Local Family Cemeteries Continued
This weekend on Newmarket Today I have again chosen to continue my examination of the importance of ‘family cemeteries’ in the Newmarket area. This weekend the featured cemeteries may be a bit smaller and perhaps less well known but they are indeed excellent examples of the historical family cemeteries that I have been trying to…
Family Cemeteries Rich With Local History
This is the second in a three-part series on family cemeteries in the Newmarket area, in which we’ll investigate some of our local family cemeteries with an eye to their location, uniqueness, and history. Here is a list of the family cemeteries in York Region I shall examine in this column. You can get a full listing…
Significance Of The Family Cemetery
My topic for this weekend’s article on Newmarket Today will focus on one of my favorite topics, our local cemeteries. I have written a few articles in the past on the subject, focusing primarily on the history of the various public cemeteries in our area but I thought that this weekend we would have a…
Newmarket Historian Dedicated Years To Sharing Town’s Past
This column highlights the life and contributions of an individual who I believe is ‘the mother of Newmarket history,’ Ethel Willson Trewhella. If you have followed my columns, presentations, or videos over the past 40 years, you know her work is the foundation on which I and other local historians have built our narratives. She,…
Newmarket: Ice Cutter, Soda Jerk, Candy Girl, Milkman Among Long Gone Jobs
Whether you are a history hound or simply researching your family tree, you have probably come across occupations that are now extinct or most certainly rare. Ever wonder what those jobs entailed or where they went? Let’s have a look at what some of our ancestors did for a living. Some occupations on our list disappeared thanks…
‘Discovery’ Of Remains On Former Newmarket Cemetery Site Unearthed Storm Of Controversy
Let’s return to a story I touched on recently, the Methodist cemetery known as God’s Acre on Garbitt Hill, now Prospect Street, at the former site of Alexander Muir school and now Chartwell Alexander Muir Retirement Residence. I must admit the story invokes a bit of bewilderment within me as it involves, if you can remember, the…
Early Black Settlers Arrived in Newmarket Via Underground Railroad
As I often mention, my historic curiosity knows no bounds and my interests are eclectic, to say the least. This article focuses on what I have learned so far about the Black history of our area. I am sharing a few stories in the hope they will spark others to send me their stories of…
Interviewing Family, Friends Helps Capture Local History Before It’s Lost
Capturing our local history to ensure that it is never lost, and readily available to generations to come, is a topic close to my heart. I have been interviewing people and conducting oral history interviews for years, back to my university days. Now that I am getting a little older, it is my passion to…
Interviewing Family, Friends Helps Capture Local History Before It’s Lost
Capturing our local history to ensure that it is never lost, and readily available to generations to come, is a topic close to my heart. I have been interviewing people and conducting oral history interviews for years, back to my university days. Now that I am getting a little older, it is my passion to…
