The abduction of a child is a fear of many parents, even though the vast majority of such cases are…
Valuing Our History
1925 tornado cut a swath across Eramosa Township
Every summer brings the danger of tornadoes. Wellington County has suffered from some severe ones,…
1918 influenza epidemic struck all corners of the county
Last week’s column described the appearance of Spanish influenza in the…
Innes, McIntosh guided Guelph Mercury for seven decades
Those of us with a fondness for newspapers sometimes lament the passing of the old-time…
Many small-town grocers affiliated with chains in 1920s
Last week’s column described some of the developments in retailing in…
Farmers political picnic in 1897 featured notable speakers
Today there are very few people who know of the Patrons of Industry, but in the heyday of the…
Several county hotel keepers were charged in 1897 temperance sweep
The temperance movement was a constant presence in most North American communities during the 19th…
Insufficient evidence to lay arson charges in 1864 Guelph fire
Note: This is the conclusion of the story of the fire at Guelph’s People’s Mills, the…
Robbers failed in 1947 attempt on Royal Bank in Grand Valley
Bank robberies have been comparatively rare in Wellington County’s history. Accounts of…
More details on the ill-fated Peoples Railway
Perhaps the most intriguing business venture proposed for this region of Ontario in the early 20th…
The Orangeville Desperado had a notorious career
Over the years this column has offered short biographies of Wellington County people who achieved…
Coal shortage aggravated wartime conditions during First World War
Last week’s column noted that the scarcity of coal in 1917 forced the railways to cut back on…
Mount Forest doctor sued patients husband for slander in 1921
Lawsuits and threatened suits against doctors were one of the hazards of the medical profession in…
Store robberies were an epidemic in Wellington County in the 1920s
Over the past year this column has described some of the store robberies that plagued Wellington…
Fergus man carried bullet in his brain after a shooting in 1925
About a quarter after 1pm on the afternoon of Jan. 28, 1925, Fergus resident Bob Brown was walking…