Clarendon and Miller Community Archives
HAMLETS
Fernleigh Businesses
Fernleigh Store
FERNLEIGH GENERAL STORE OWNERS
1901-1903 J. Manson and Margaret Davy
1903-1945 Ervin and Evianna Martin
1945-1957 Robert and Christena Martin
1957-1970 Keith and Marjery Lyons
1970-1977 Arnold and Shirley Miller
1977-1980 Carl and June Thompson
Although Dempster Lyon established a store for a short time in conjunction with his cheese factory in 1902 at the Factory Lake site, it was not considered a general store. In his book, he indicated that he sold dairy products such as cheese and milk, and a few grocery items. (Find more information in Chapter 11: Starting Business at Fernleigh from Dempster Lyon).
J. Manson Davy constructed the building that became known as Fernleigh General Store; the structure has remained in the same location throughout the years. Although Mrs. Margaret Davy is recorded as the postmaster from August 1, 1902 until August 31, 1918, it was not determined to be located in the store.
Evianna Davy (daughter of Manson and Margaret) married Ervin Martin on May 1, 1895. A ledger, dating as early as 1903, reported the General Store was operated by Ervin and Evianna (Eva) Martin. Martins took over the post office on April 15, 1920. Ervin was listed as the postmaster until his death on Oct.5, 1945; then his wife, Eva, was postmaster until Jan. 1946. The Cloyne-Fernleigh Mail Service contract went to Robert Martin to commence Jan.1, 1946 for delivery six times per week at $670 per annum. Future store owners also operated the post office within the store.
The store was stocked with everyday items needed by homesteaders from tiny things like needles to hundred- pound bags of staples, farm supplies, building materials and blacksmithing equipment. Tobacco cost ten cents a plug and they carried two brands- Big Ben and Club. Agricultural items such as berries, apples, vegetable, milk, eggs, cream, butter, chickens and even livestock were sold. Eva had socks, boots, rubbers, towels and another clothing company brought in overalls. Customers were allowed to keep a tab. The ledger shows monthly entries commencing in 1903. The McCaskey Account Register table and bill books have been preserved.
Between the store and the school was a big shed with open doors to stable the horses on mail delivery nights. Folks would go into the store to visit. There were benches around the entire store, spittoons in the corners (that men could hit from across the room) and a wood stove in the middle. Three nights a week, the town's people would come and wait for their mail to be delivered and get the local news.
After Ervin and Eva, their son, Bob and his wife Christena (Derue) operated the store until 1957; the next owners were Keith and Marj Lyons (1957); Arnold and Shirley Miller (1970-77); Carl and June Thompson (1977-81) when the store closed and became a private residence.
More information about Fernleigh General Store is available from the CMCA book Memories of General Stores of North Frontenac (2016).
Lodges and Camps
Several lodges were located in the Fernleigh area: Twin Oak (still active), Fernleigh Lodge (still active), and Hideaway Camp and Evergreen Lodge (closed). Further west of Fernleigh were Pine Ridge Cottages, Twin Pines Resort and Salmond’s Resort. Each of these are closed. Salmond’s Resort was purchased and renamed Lancaster’s Resort and continues to be active. More information about lodges is available in the CMCA book Lodges: Past & Present in North Frontenac (2017). Two boys’ camps operated in the area as well: Camp Kilmarock and Camp Kasawamak. CMCA published a book entitled Camp Kaswamak (2018) which describes in detail Tobin’s Boys’ Camp (1935-1964).
Camp Kasawakamak
For a comprehensive description CMCA has produced an 74- page book entitled Camp Kasawamak (2018). The information for this book came from the dedicated effort of Elaine Crawford of Buffalo New York working with the CMCA
Co-ordinator, Brenda Martin over a two- year period. Elaine’s husband, Jim was a camper for many years, then a counsellor
at the Camp and the Director the year it closed. Former campers and staff who worked there, provided photos, stories and even the Camp Newsletters which made it possible to produce an excellent documentation of Camp Kasawamak.
We would like to acknowledge the contributions made by the following individuals: Jennifer Annunziatt, Phyll and Roger Barth, Judith Bisantz, Elaine Crawford, Howard Hutton, Robert Rich Junior, Barb Kenney (Fraser), Kate Kremer, Paul Lyons, Vernon Lyons, the late Kay Stoesser and sons, Bruce and Dick Stoesser, Lois Weber (White), and Lee Anna White.
Camp Kasawamak was located beside Fernleigh Lodge on the north shore of Lake Kashwakamak. It operated 1935-1964 under the Directorship of Joe Tobin and his family of Buffalo, New York. He wanted a “health camp”, with strong religious overtones and to teach life lessons. The Camp was built by local workers in the winter of 1934 and opened in the spring of 1935.
Most staff and boys were from Buffalo area; they travelled to Kaladar by train on the Canadian Pacific Railway system bringing with them a trunk holding possessions they would use from June to mid-August. Camp cost $300 for the season. Campers travelled from the train station in trucks and their trunks were in another truck. The CPR was a reliable source of transportation during this period. The camp boys would receive packages from their parents and could send letters home as well. If a package was put on the train at 6 a.m. in Buffalo, it would reach Kaladar by 6 p.m. that night and vice versa.
Many of the boys came from families where their parents were professional lawyers, doctors and business owners. In the 1950s parents were concerned about polio, so they often sent their children out of town for the summer months. Parents saw it as an opportunity for their son(s) to have enrichment, athletics, and incentives to work hard, become responsible and experience nature while under the supervision of well-trained counsellors. The religious aspects of the Camp were also appealing. Strong friendships were made not only from the camp but with those at Fernleigh Lodge who came year after year; some continued into adulthood.
The Camp had a strong religious tone and good conduct integrated into the curriculum. The Camp K culture was described as: to enjoy nature and leave it as good or better than you found it.
The Camp Staff were a combination of Buffalo teachers as counsellors and instructors, Tobin’s sister-Mamie as head of the kitchen and substitute “Mother” to the campers, with local people to assist with meals and laundry, and Jack Fraser and his wife, Evangeline as assistants for curriculum activities like woodworking and cooking.
The daily schedule was 7:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. with Sunday devoted to church activities and writing letters home. There were special days at Camp for celebrations and for visits from parents who brought treats for all. The Camp program created an environment of learning, hard work, competition, fun and companionship. The activities were designed to have the boys learn new things and to improve skills.
Considerable time was spent on water activities. Swimming was given a high priority as no camper would leave Camp K without learning how to swim.
The last season of the Camp was in 1964. It was purchased by Dr. Bergstrome, who had a medical practice in Napanee and served the Fernleigh community on weekends. When the Camp closed, Bergstrome rented the cabins for a few years. The property was sold and is now private residences.
Twin Oak Lodge
The founding owner of Twin Oak Lodge was born in Bavaria in 1900 and immigrated to Canada in 1913 with his parents and ten siblings. Having been sponsored by Mathias Myers, the family landed at Ellis Island and travelled for three days from Clarendon Station, carrying all their worldly goods. They settled on a farmstead on land that later became known as Weiss’ Point on Kashwakamak Lake.
Tony Weiss gained lodge experience by working at Salmond’s Resort. He made plans to have his own lodge; with help from family and friends, Tony built the main lodge and a few cabins.
In 1935 Twin Oak Lodge was established along the north-east shore of Kashwakamak Lake. His older sister, Theresa (Weber) was the first cook at the lodge preparing hearty and delicious meals that became well-known in the area. The Lodge offered its guests the “American Plan” which included all meals. With excellent meals, great fishing, comfortable cabins and weekend dances, Twin Oak thrived.
The lodge was passed to Tony’s daughter, Mary and her husband, Arnold McNeil; another daughter, Rose (Tooley) worked there all her life. The lodge is still active as Mary and Arnold’s daughter, Carla and son, Donald continue the family business.
Evergreen Lodge
Special thanks to Dave and Betty McKittrick, Roger and Sharon Lyons, Leonard and Janet Bryan and Pat Gummer for the pictures, postcards, memorabilia and information about Evergreen Lodge.
Irving Smith built Evergreen Lodge in the late 1930s. It was 52 acres in size with one mile of shoreline. He operated the lodge for about five years; then the lodge sat empty for approximately five years; then Grant and Gert McKittrick bought it and sold it to Bruce and Eileen Rowland in 1967. The Rowlands ran it for five years. Fred and Jack Haight owned it after Rollins, then a Riley family. In 1989 Leonard and Janet Bryan bought the property and it was severed into lots and sold. Some parts of the lodge are still there.
The lodge offered hunting and fishing, boats for fishing and guides. There were five log cabins with accommodation for two people in a small cabin and four in a double cabin. It was operated using the American plan at a cost of $35/week to stay, $1/day for boat and $1/day per horsepower for motor, $1/night for fishing guide and $5/day for guide. Dave McKittrick said one day he took two Canadians onto Fawn Lake. He motored them around all day and cleaned their fish and got paid 27 cents!
Most of the clients were Americans and came from Ohio and Pennsylvania. There was a tuck shop, a grill, and bait available.
They had corn roasts, fish fries, shore dinners and some dances for entertainment. They had a nickelodeon on the porch off the dining room.
Dave, his brother Lee and his parents Gert and Grant were the principal workers with Geraldine Lyons, Bev Murdoch and Iva McKittrick doing the kitchen and housecleaning duties. Dave used to go over to Fernleigh Lodge and get bait from Jim Martin as well as white gas when they needed it.
After hunting season each November, the lodge closed; the family moved up the road to the white house which is across from the entrance to Fernleigh Lodge (residence of Joe Tubby).
Roger and Sharon Lyons restored the live main part of the lodge building and made it their home.
Camp Kilmarock (Fernleigh)
Information provided by Scot Glass, Syracuse, NY
Camp Kilmarock was 244 acres located along Turtle Lake (Swamp Lake) west side of the North Road in Fernleigh during the 1930s-1949. It was a summer camp with religious expectations for American boys (ages 7 -15) owned and directed by William Claflin Warner.
The buildings included: a Homestead for meals and meetings, lodge room, dining room, kitchen, infirmary, camp office, recreation hall, library, and creative arts centre, a trading post. Outdoor facilities included: swimming, archery, boating, horseback riding, and overnight camping trips. The focus was upon socialization, growth and achievement as demonstrated on proficiency tests. Individual recognition and incentives were built into the program of Athletics, Aquatics, Creative Arts and Camp Lore.
The cost was $8 for medical insurance, plus $240 full season (8 weeks) or $35 weekly with a special rate if there were two or more boys in the family. Transportation was provided from Washington July 5th and return August 1st; second trip August 2nd and return August 30th.
Fernleigh Lodge
(Information and photos provided by Kevin and Melissa Phillips, Jack and Lois Weber)
In the 1920s John Charles Ahr came to his cottage at Fernleigh on Kashwakamak (Long) Lake from Buffalo, New York. He and his friends enjoyed fishing and hunting. He decided to purchase the farmland of Ervin Smith which was next to his cottage and put up a hunting and fishing lodge.
John and his wife Gert employed several local residents and were able to erect the main lodge, the kitchen, mechanics and staff quarters and cabins # 1-8 in the winter of 1932-33; the Manor during the next winter; an enlarged kitchen on the main lodge and the building of the Chemong cabins during the winter of 1936-1937; three regular frame cottages in the 1950s. Wages for the staff were $1.75 per day and the guests paid $15.00 per week for their stay.
Chicken and pigs were raised for years at the lodge to provide fresh poultry and meat for the dining room. The kitchen enjoyed the culinary skill of Gert and became well known for its excellent meals. Oil lamps became a thing of the past in 1945 when a Delco generator was obtained from the military and the lodge became the first to have electricity. Hydro- electric power came into the region in 1948.
Following in the next several months more buildings and bridges to the point were added. Indoor facilities replaced outhouses during 1968-1972; and in 1975 a tennis court.
In 1964 John Ahr died after running the lodge for 31 years. His wife Gert continued to run the lodge until she died in 1974. John Ahr Greene, grandson of John and Gert, and his wife Holly ran the lodge until the mid-1970s then it was purchased by John Petrusi who ran it for two seasons. It then went back to John Greene who ran it until he was killed in a plane crash; then Holly ran it alone.
Art and Lois Parker along with their son Kevin had been coming up to Fernleigh Lodge for many seasons from Ohio and decided to purchase the property in 1981. Art passed away in 1996 so Kevin and his mother continued to run it until her passing in 2004. Kevin and his wife Melissa operate it presently.
Some Interesting Facts
In the early days, most people came to the lodge by plane; John Ahr owned a float plane which is to this day in a museum in London, England. The clients back then were mainly Americans from Buffalo, New York. There were nine males and nine females on staff. The men wore suit and ties as well as the guests and women guests were not allowed at the lodge until the 1950s.
Fernleigh Lodge was the first lodge to have a motorboat. That boat would pull all the other manually powered boats up the lake. It was the first lodge to have hydro with the Delco generator which was given to them from the military.
It has been said that Al Capone once visited the Lodge- is this fact or fiction?
Fernleigh Lodge operated camps on both Brule and Fortune Lakes and had boats on a group of lakes around the region so that their guests could go to other lakes to fish.
Pine Ridge Cottages (Big Mississagagon Lake)
(Information provided by Babe Tibble & the book “Memories” by Eleanor Flieler)
Roxanne (Roxie) and Arthur Bauder built five cottages on Big Mississagagon in the mid 1950s. The guests were mostly from New York State. The cottages were rustic with outhouses and no running water. Guests could rent rowboats, but some brought their own. There was no convenience store or bait shop; renters got their supplies on their way before they headed down Road 506.
On October 5, 1976, Roxie donated 86 acres of the property on Mississagagon Lake to the people of Ontario for the purposes of recreation, conservation, and education. This was in memory of Eliza and Richard Bauder and their son Arthur (Roxie’s husband). The property had been in their family since 1889.
In 1982, Bill and Babe Tibble bought the cottages from Roxie. All five had to be renovated and upgraded. First, they added running water, then stoves, fridges, microwaves, coffee pots, and other equipment as it was needed. Maintenance through the years took considerable time and money.
In addition to guests from New York State, people came from Texas, Tennessee, and in later years, Ontario. Fishing was good so the guests were happy. They could catch Walleye, Pike, Perch or Bass.
Bill and Babe rented the cabins for 20 years. About 2012, their daughter, Linda, took them over. Now, they are rented only to friends and relatives of the family.
Twin Pines Resort (Mississagagon Lake)
(Information and photos provided by Eugene Brown and Barbara (Brown) Dion)
About 1936, Russell and Agnes (Salmond) Brown built a log house not far from the shore of Mississagagon Lake. A few years later, they purchased a larger house nearby, formerly owned by Fred Ahr and it was on this property about 1947 that they began building rental cottages.
They also purchased three cabins which bordered their property from Agnes’ father, George Salmond. Most cottages were house-keeping, but a few were on the American Plan, whereby meals were included. The lodge grew to 22 cottages and a large camping area.
About 1976, Russell and Agnes sold the Lodge and camp to Jim and Catharine Liskey who had it several years and then sold to Jack and Gladys Rennie. The next owners were two couples in a partnership for owning the lodge: Dave and Nancy Smith and Ron and Marilyn Jones. Next were Dave and Pat Storms. The Storms removed the old cottages and campground and began building new log homes. These are currently operated as fractional living properties under the name Frontenac Shores.
