A Canadian Family

White River and Winnie The Pooh

White River – The Coldest Spot in Canada

Text from back of postcard

“CANADA’S COLD SPOT”

Severe winter temperatures have given White River the reputation of being Canada’s Coldest Spot. This electronically operated thermometer, probably the largest in the world, stands 25 feet high and gives constant accurate readings. Located at Bagdon’s Esso Service Station on Highway 17 at White River, it is a must for every sightseer.  Color by Russell Romanick, For William.

***

Winnie The Pooh

What many of you may not know is that White River is actually the real “Winnie The Pooh’s” birthplace.

White River had been founded by the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 1800s, and at the beginning of World War I it was an important stopover for trains carrying soldiers and horses.  In 1914 one of these trains stopped in White River and let the horses off for watering and exercise. The man in coverall charge of these horses – Lieutenant Harry Colebourn – saw a bear for sale and bought it. Colebourn brought the bear with him to Valcartier (Quebec) and then on to his posting on the Salisbury Plains en England. After Colebourn (now a Captain) was stationed to France, he placed her temporarily at the London Zoo. Colebourn survived the war and returned to Canada, but decided to leave Winnie at the London Zoo. This was where author A.A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin eventually discovered him and re-christened him Winnie-the-Pooh  - which became the inspiration for these beloved tales.

And finally – a little genealogy!

Surnames extracted from the 1901 census for White River (Algoma, Ontario district)

Ass(e)lin  -  Barker  -  Begley  -  Blais  -  Bruno  -  Cameron  -  Casault  -  Chisholm  -  Clark  -  Collins  -  Commiso  -

Cottom  -  Coughlin  -  Crysler  -  Cunningham  -  Depew  -  Doditts  -  Domley  -  Edwards  -  Fritz

Furgeson  -  Gesvard  -  Gitche-Ogmai  -  Green  -  Gunn  -  Hansen  -  Heartson  -  Hodgins Read more »

July 26, 2010 Posted by Evelyn Yvonne Theriault | . | 1 Comment

Lagace/Mignier Marriages – A Canadian Family Tree (5) | Lagace/Mignier, Lactance to Zepherin

This is the 5th in a series of posts in which I share marriages extracted from my database (A Canadian Family) where the groom was a Lagace/Mignier who descended from the Quebec pioneer couple Andre Mignier dit Lagace (Soldier of the Regiment Carignan) and his wife, the  “fille du roi” – Jacquette Michel.

First visit?

Please see Lagace/Mignier Marriages – A Canadian Family Tree (1) for important notes and an index.

A Canadian Family Tree (5) | Lagace/Mignier, Lactance  to Zepherin

Lagace / Mignier, Lactance/Dadance  |  Fredette, Dina

Married: 10 May 1869 St-Hyacinthe Les Maskoutains Monteregie QC CAN

Lagace / Mignier, Lambert  |  Mercereneau, Monique

Married: 27 Nov 1786 Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere Kamouraska Bas-St-Laurent QC CAN

Lagace / Mignier, Laurent  |  Bois, Methaide

Married: 13 Feb 1893 Madawaska Aroostook ME USA

Lagace / Mignier, Laurent  |  Caron, Clementine

Married: 23 Oct 1894 Caribou Aroostook ME USA

Lagace / Mignier, Laurent  |  Lagace / Mignier, Leonie

Married: 13 Feb 1893 Madawaska Aroostook ME USA

Lagace / Mignier, Laurent  |  Hogue, Marie Louise Read more »

July 25, 2010 Posted by Evelyn Yvonne Theriault | . | Leave a Comment