Some time ago, I came across Dennis Simpson's posting of scans of my great-grandfather's diary from 1905. The diary catalogued the events and milestones in the daily life of John W. Simpson, a turn-of-the-century farmer in Howard Township, Kent County, Ontario. It provided some insight to a by-gone horse-powered era. This and two other diaries have been transcribed and provide an abbreviated record of almost 11 years in the life of John W. Simpson and his family. I thank Dennis for having shared his web space so that the transcripts and other memorabilia related to the Simpson family, and some of my other ancestors, could be shared with others.

Simpson Diaries & Letters
Link to John W. Simpson Diaries, Forward and Glossary
Link to John W. Simpson Accounting Ledger scans
1884 letter (html   text) from John's brother Thomas
Misc. scans (pictures and documents) related to Simpson family.
B. Irene Simpson (John's daughter) attends business college.
Warner Collection of 1800s Simpson Letters going to England.

References
The Warner Collection of Simpson letters dating from the 1830s sparked an interest in pioneer life in Southern Ontario. The two books below were written by pioneers describing their lives around 1830.
Backwoods of Canada by Catharine Parr Traill (1836).
27 Years in Canada West by Samuel Strickland (1853).
Arial photos and maps around Morpeth and Ridgetown.
Horse era farming - A collection of pictures
Local history, Rural Ridgetown Women's Institute.
(Significantly expanded in Nov. 2004)

Scane
Story of the Scane Family, written for Centennial Picnic - 1967
Scane House - Articles and Memories of an abandoned house
Scane Cemetery - Rededication / inscriptions

Last revised: 2007-10-22
E.D. (Tedd) Brien