Announcements

Digital Copy of The Flemings of Derby Township

Gwen Harris Announcements

The Flemings of Derby Township: A family history (2022) is now available online through the Internet Archive as a pdf document for viewing and download.
https://archive.org/details/flemings_of_derby_township_family_history

The table of contents links to each chapter, and the text is searchable by keyword. The book can be found most easily by searching by title: Flemings of Derby Township. The subject headings may also be helpful: Fleming family, family history, genealogy, Derby – Township – Grey County, Owen Sound – Ontario, Canada West, Church of the Disciples of Christ, Pioneer Life 1840-1880, Logierait, – Perthshire – Scotland, Scottish emigration to Canada, Christopher Alexander (C.A.) Fleming, Roy F. Fleming.

The Creative Commons license for usage rights is for Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International. Material may not be used for commercial purposes or remixed for distribution. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

The print book and some e-copies may also be viewed at the following:

  • Library and Archives Canada, two print copies, full cataloguing record at https://bac-lac.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1370360999?lang=en
  • Toronto Public Library, Reference Library  – one print copy
  • Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library (https://www.osngupl.ca/) – two copies for in-library use.
  • Grey Roots Museum and Archives, Owen Sound, ON  (https://greyroots.com/) – two copies and one e-copy. Search for Flemings of Derby Township, 2022 year of creation.  Contact the archive.
  • Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre, Southampton, ON (https://www.brucemuseum.ca/)  – one print copy and one e-copy. Search for Flemings of Derby Township, date =2022.. Contact the archive.
  • Archives and Collections, University of Guelph – one print copy
  • Ontario Genealogical Society  (https://ogs.on.ca/) – the Society Library is kept at the Humanities and Social Sciences Division at the Toronto Reference Library.
  • Family Search Library, Salt Lake City, Utah – one print copy and one e-copy – not yet catalogued. Added October 15, 2024 – Family Search copy is at https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/926936-redirect

Individuals may also email me through this blog. Please send us comments or questions.

The Legacy of Ancestors

Gwen Harris Announcements, Fleming Lives , , ,
Excerpt from photograph of the 1927 Fleming Family Reunion in Kilsyth, ON
Excerpt from a photograph of the 1927 Fleming Family Reunion held at Springfield Farm, Kilsyth, ON. (Fleming Family Papers)

People have asked us: “why did you write a book about the Flemings of Derby Township?” Why did Ruth, a Fleming descendant with a trunk full of family records, and I, a friend who loves history, spend years compiling a four-inch thick book of stories, photographs and charts? One person remarked that family histories are mere vanity projects, suggesting, I submit, a poverty of outlook. There is much to be learned from past generations, as TV viewers of the PBS program Finding Your Roots know very well. Knowing the stories can be inspirational and motivational.

Some people have a memory store of recollections about their forebears – at least their grandparents and sometimes great-grandparents. Sadly, most do not and may barely know the stories of their parents’ lives. Deprived of stories about their families, children must make their lives without the grounding of knowing who they are — a loss of wisdom and understanding.

Indigenous peoples seem more attuned to ancestral knowledge — learning from the stories and traditions passed from generation to generation, how earlier generations survived their journeys and their times of deprivation, how they found spiritual connection and celebrated life.  

The Seventh Generation Principle from an ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) philosophy holds that to be a good ancestor, people should look forward seven generations to make decisions that will benefit their descendants. Looking back seven generations, we can ponder the legacy brought about by the actions of our ancestors.  [https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/seventh-generation-principle ]

The answers for the Flemings are evident in the family history. In 1843, Alexander and Jean left their ancestral home in Perthshire for the wilderness of Upper Canada. After seven years of preparation, they were ready for the voyage. The first years were hard: they were in their early forties, trans-Atlantic crossings were perilous, and pioneer life was harsh. But with vision and resoluteness, they and their nine children succeeded, bequeathing customs, values and opportunities to their descendants.

We wrote the book to tell this story through four generations — as a legacy of knowledge and learning. Distribution to family members who had pre-ordered (about 150) took place in December 2022.

The book is also available at Ginger Press in Owen Sound at $85 CDN plus tax. Use the Contact Page at Ginger Press to inquire about ordering or contact me by leaving a comment to this blog post.

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The Fleming Family History Is Ready

Gwen Harris Announcements , , ,
Image of the back and front of the book cover. Front shows the board and batten Springfield House.

It’s here! After many years of research by Ruth Larmour and Gwen Harris, much transcribing of original documents, countless hours building the family tree in Ancestry, much fact-checking, many interviews with descendants, many searches through land records, newspapers, directories, and other archives, much reference to written histories, the long-awaited Flemings of Derby Township: A family history has been printed.

It is available for purchase at Ginger Press in Owen Sound. Price is $85 CDN plus tax. Use the Contact Page to place an inquiry about ordering or contact me by leaving a comment to this blog post.

The project dates from the early 1900s when Roy Fleming, an artist and teacher in Ottawa,  and his cousin C.A. Fleming, a businessman and educator in Owen Sound,  had the idea to compile a family history.  As members of the generation of the firstborn in Canada, they were imbued with the family sagas of trials and triumph. From their fathers, they delved into their Scottish roots in Perthshire’s, Logeirait parish and from their uncle, William, captured the recollections of the voyage to Quebec in 1843 and pioneer life Canada West. In Vaughan Township they farmed leased land, and with their earnings, bought land in Derby Township where they settled in 1850.   Theirs is the story of determination, resolve, faith, resourcefulness, and good fortune.

This family history draws on many original letters and earlier family manuscripts supplemented and enriched by extensive research to describe the times and conditions and to gather biographical information about family members over four generations. In Canada, the period covered is roughly 1850 to 1920. The story follows the Flemings to many parts of Canada and the United States where they engaged in many different professions.

The book is richly illustrated with photographs, sketches, and maps. It is thoroughly indexed and footnoted. One might even say it is encyclopedic. This video provides a quick taste and view of what to expect.

Youtube video at https://youtu.be/bJ79v0QbTu0

Postscript: The book received this favourable review by Scott Dunn of The Owen Sound Sun Times — Ginger Press carries on the tradition of celebrating local stories (December 10, 2022)

Flemings of Derby Township – Prepublication

Gwen Harris Announcements

Good news – the family history about the Flemings of Derby Township is nearly ready for the printer.  We expect to ship the book in late October 2022 (changed from early).

The book is a comprehensive account of the family of Alexander Fleming and Jean Stewart who emigrated from Perthshire to Canada West in 1843 and settled in Derby Township, Grey County, in 1850. Their stories show the spirit and resolve of the Scottish migrants to shape lives with more opportunities for their children. This narrative describes the Flemings’ Scottish roots, the perils of emigration, pioneering life in Derby Township, Grey County, and the lives of their nine children and grandchildren around the turn of the century as they undertook new travels and challenges.

Sources include Ruth (Fleming) Larmour’s extensive collection of stories and papers, contributions by other Fleming descendants, genealogical records, land records, and many other historical sources in archives and libraries. This wealth of information led to a large book that is richly illustrated, extensively sourced, and complete with name index and subject index. The table of contents will provide a view of the coverage in this book.

This is a limited edition with a pre-publication price of $70 Canadian (plus shipping if needed) payable by cheque or etransfer. Please order by August 8 (changed from July 25, 2022), if you would like a copy at this favourable price.

Why would you buy this book?

  • Alexander Fleming and Jean Stewart are in your family tree.
  • One of your ancestors came to Canada from the Scottish Highlands in the 1800s.
  • You would like to learn more about the Fleming Family of Kilsyth and Owen Sound, Grey County.
  • You are interested in pioneer life in Ontario in the 1800s.
  • Your family lived in Vaughan Township, Derby Township, or Owen Sound in the 1800s.
  • You enjoy reading family histories with illustrations and personal accounts from the times.

Contact us through the button in the menu bar or by posting a comment.

Progress Report

Gwen Harris Announcements , ,

Proposed cover for book - The Flemings of Derby Township: A Family History
Proposed cover for book – The Flemings of Derby Township: A Family History

You may be wondering if the long silence at this blog means we have abandoned the Fleming Family History project. Quite the opposite.  We have been feverishly busy writing these past three months, editing, and designing, and can say with confidence that we are getting closer to print. The “we” means a team of six: family historian and sponsor (Ruth (Fleming) Larmour), writer (Gwen Harris), two editors, book designer, and printer. As well, some Fleming descendants have been assisting in reviewing sections. The book designer has determined the layout and design, and we have overcome major issues with the quality of images and handling of endnotes. Twenty-one of the twenty-three chapters have now been written, reviewed and edited – about 10% of Flemings of Derby Township: A Family History remains to be written.  We don’t have a definite launch date yet but are hoping for late summer, early fall. The book will be available through this website. The project plan also includes revamping this site because we will have more content to add, more to share, more to learn from readers and commenters, and more time to do it.

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