CHARLES DOBIE : LOCAL HISTORY KEARNS & VIRGINIATOWN, ONTARIO

Kearns & Virginiatown, Ont.
Mostly Photographs

Updated March 14, 2008.

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1988 & 2006 REUNION PHOTOGRAPHS I hope everyone enjoyed the Kearns-V'Town reunion, and I also hope you took lots of photos. The reunion photo page is going well, with almost 100 photos posted, but there is room for lots more, so please send me your best (or worst, for that matter). Also see the 1988 KLCVI reunion page, with 18 photos so far. or you can snail-mail them to me as well. My postal address is at the bottom of the main history menu page.

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Other photos of Kearns and Virginiatown are on my genealogy website.

1988 KLCVI REUNION :

•   Some former V-Town students at the KLCVI reunion in 1988. Some photos were taken at the dance in the V-Town arena. Eighteen photos so far. (Updated Nov. 14, 2007)

2006 VIRGINIATOWN REUNION :

•   2006 Reunion Photo Collection. Ninety-five photos posted so far, and counting -- mostly taken at the Kiwanis BBQ. Better check because you may be there with your face hanging out. (Updated January 27, 2008)

CHEMINIS & CHEMINIS MOUNTAIN :

• Picnic on top of Cheminis Mountain, about 1950. Five photos. Surnames are Dobie & Hawkes. But who is the other family?
• Aerial photo of Cheminis Mountain, August, 2003
• Photo of Cheminis Mountain, September, 2005
• Two views from Cheminis Mountain, September, 2005

KEARNS :

• Officials at Chesterville Gold Mines, July 1939 The occasion was the pouring of the first gold brick, July 29, 1939. Surnames are: Barkley, Cross, and Johnston.
• Chesterville Gold Mine, 1939, from a postcard.
• Chesterville Gold Mine Employees' Hall in the early days This building has been completely renovated and is now Cheminis Lodge. However, this photo shows it as I remember it as a child in the 1940's and early 1950's.
• Kit Dobie, Geordie & Bobby Hammond, Kearns, 1947/8.
• Birthday party about 1950. Earl Turcotte, Ojar (Peter) Bikaunieks, Kit Dobie, Jim Row, Wayne Moline. This is a link to my genealogy website.
• Four playmates, about 1950. Hopey McCrea, Dora Dobie, Carol and Betty Comisky. This is a link to my genealogy website.
• Birthday party, 1950. Surnames are Brown, Comisky, Dobie, Nickerson, and Robinson. Three more names needed. This is a link to my genealogy website.
• Informal social gathering, possibly 1950. Surnames are: Dobie, Gervais, Grozelle, and Judge.
• Beautiful downtown Kearns, about 1950, from a postcard.
  Same postcard but enhanced by Bill McGrath. Bill has added his recollections of the various buildings in the photo.
• Headframe of Chesterville Gold Mine, about 1950, from a postcard.
• Birthday Party, Kearns, Feb. 1950. Brian McEwen, Geordie Hammond, Kit Dobie. Can you identify the others?
• Nora & Brian Maynew, Margaret & Dora Dobie about 1952.
• Dora Dobie & Brian Mayhew about 1952.
• Birthday party, September 1952. Christine & Jean Nickerson, Ruth Berard, Lois & Marian Brown, Betty Comisky, Patsy Robinson, Dora Dobie, Brian Mayhew, Marian Gillis, Sonja Kusik. This is a link to my genealogy website.
• Claude & Jean Seger, Margaret & Dora Dobie, picnic on Larder Lake, about 1952.
• The Gallina Family about 1958 I received photos and a query from Giuseppe Gallina in Italy who is researching his grandparents (shown in the photo at right). His father was born in Kearns in 1958, and his grandfather was killed in a mining accident only six months later. Giuseppe says: "I know my grandfather only from these photos, so it’s very important for me know something about the places where he lived."
  Amazingly, two of the photos were taken on Kearns Avenue, in front of the house where I lived between 1947 and 1953.
• Kearns Public School, Grade 5 or 6, 1965. All students are identified. Surnames are: Acton, Beaton, Bellrose, Campbell, Czura, David, Gillis, Godmaire, Greaves, Jeffery, Johns, Johnston, Kozak, Laframboise, McMillan, Moses, Pascoe, Pugliese, Spadetto, Turcotte, Vaudry, Yakimczuk.
•   View looking up Kearns Ave., 1967. The blue house with the cut-off tip on the roof was our house, 1947-1953. Compare this view with the top photo in the Gallina family photos, above. (Added February 18, 2008)
•   Dobie's old house on Kearns Ave., 1967. With a boy on the porch staring at the weird photographer. (Added February 21, 2008)
•   View looking up the hill on Kearns Ave., 1967. With several children trudging up the hill with their lunch buckets. (Added February 21, 2008)
•   Ruins of a boathouse on the Kearns River, 1967. To me, this was the big tragedy of my 1967 trip to Kearns -- in only 14 years our boathouse had disappeared and the one next to it was a ruin. Don't people put their boats on the river anymore? (Added February 21, 2008)
• Hill on Kearns Avenue, looking towards Cheminis Mountain, 1981.
• Colour photo of Kearns & Cheminis Mountain, taken July, 1983
• Aerial photo of Kearns, August, 2003
• Wide view of Kearns taken September, 2005. This one and the three below taken by Peter Bikaunieks.
• Closer view showing downtown & Cheminis Mountain.
• Stunning night photo of Kearns, Thanksgiving, 2006.
• Same view as above in daylight.

	JOE NICKERSON, FOLK ARTIST	Joe Nickerson has lived all his life on the same street in Kearns. Formerly a railway worker, he is retired and took up sculpture about 10 years ago. His medium is white PVC tubing. . . . See photos of Joe's art and a short description by Peter Bikaunieks.

Joe Nickerson's house has been destoyed by an arsonist. On the evening of August 21, 2007, someone set fire to his house and he barely escaped with his life. I'll let Peter Bikaunieks tell it . . . " . . . we visited Kirkland Lake Aug. 20/07 and stopped at Joe's place in Kearns Aug. 21. . . . Stayed an hour and had a good chin wag. Interestingly, Joe loves tropical birds and lets a number of them fly free around the house. He also has a large aquarium where he keeps several large, green turtles. After leaving Joe's we climbed Mount Cheminis and drove home next day. That evening we learned Joe's house had been torched while he slept. He had, it seems, barely escaped alive. According to an on-line news item, police were, and still are, investigating the fire. Ironically, the day before, Joe had remarked how well some of his neighbours treat him. I noted that because Joe is a bit of an eccentric, as you well know. Both the house that was burned and his studio across the street, which was not burned, were extensively decorated with his PVC art objects. Though every one in Kearns seems friendly, I always sensed, and likely Joe also sensed, that some folks might be irked by his eccentricity. Our immediate difficulty was that there was no way to contact Joe. We finally called the McGarry municipal office in Virginiatown. While Joe had survived the fire all right, he had simply vanished. . . . . Finally, early in October, Joe called us. . . . We learned he was staying with friends in Quebec. He said that on the night of the fire he was awakened by a loud explosion near his head and quickly learned the house was on fire. He had just enough time to save himself and a couple of his birds. The rest and the turtles perished in the fire. He got out with the clothes on his back, a bird cage, and a suitcase of his important documents which he kept packed for an emergency. Otherwise everything was lost in the fire, which also engulfed the abandoned house next door. . . . He's thinking of returning to Kearns after the winter with the view of rebuilding his place. I asked if he had any suspicions about how the fire was started. He said many suspicions but no proof. Still, he plans to come home to Kearns where he has lived for 60 years. " (This section added October 28, 2007)

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VIRGINIATOWN and KEARNS STUDENT LIST 1936-1986.

This list of about 3,800 names was transcribed from the McGarry Township 40th Anniversary booklet. The students listed are from Virginiatown Public School starting in 1936, Kearns Public School (see school photo) starting in 1950 (although this is an error, as Kearns classes started in February, 1955), and Ecole St-Louis starting in 1956. Names are listed alphabetically with all three schools combined. Click on a letter below to find a surname. (Updated November 14, 2007)

A B C D E F G H  I  J K L M N O P Q R S T V W Y Z

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KERR-ADDISON GOLD MINES :

• Doug Hart clearing snow with bulldozer, Kerr-Addison, 1949.
• Ed Owens sent me a nice collection of photos:
  • Kerr-Addison Gold Mines, about 1949.
    Ed says he thinks they were taken when the mill was being expanded to 4000 tons per day.
  • Virginatown buildings. Surname: Simmons.
  • Virginatown people. Surnames are: Cesnek, Desrosier, Laporte, Lasseline, Mulligan, Peloquin, Pigeau, Rivet.
•   Kerr-Addison from Kearns beach, about 1949. (Added July 12, 2007)
• Kerr-Addison, original employees present at pouring of 5,000,000th ounce. October 9, 1958. Surnames are: Andersen, Baker, Barstead, Bousquet, Cavin, Chartrand, Curtis, Dorfman, Gardiner, Gravelle, Hart, Hilder, Latimer, Little, Malane, McWaters, Morrison, Row, Sagin, Slater, Sudol, Wickham, Yule.
• Kerr-Addison from Kearns beach, winter of 1981.
• Kerr-Addison Gold Mines, July, 1983.
• Another view of Kerr-Addison Gold Mines from Barber Lake, July, 1983.

VIRGINIATOWN :

• Photos of George Edward Moody and children. He was an engineer at Kerr-Addison 1938-44. Four family photos.
• Emile Denny across from the Barber Larder Mine site, about 1941.
• Mary Rose Denny across from the Barber Larder Mine site, about 1941.
•   Grades One & Two, McGarry Public School, about 1941-43. Almost everyone is identified. (Added January 24, 2008)
• Anna Carlson, Ruth Cox, Margaret Dobie, about 1944.
• Coville Street, Virginiatown, about 1945.
• Billy Lalonde and Kit Dobie, Virginiatown, about 1944-5.
• Mrs. Lalonde, Coville St., about 1944.
• Mrs. Seaborn's Grade One Class, about 1945. 21 students, all names needed. The only surname so far is Denny.
•   Miss McMorin's Grade Two Class, about 1945. 38 students, several names still needed. Student surnames so far are: Bake, Barnard, Bassett, Buckovetsky, Collison, Denny, Duguay, Evans, Francoeur, Frazer, Gavin, Gervais, Gray, Gunsinger, Hanlin, Lameroux, Laporte, Moses, Nelson, Peicheff, Poulin, Radakovich, Rodeleau, Sampson, Spack. (Names updated January 31, 2008)
• Linda & Robbie Smith, Kit Dobie on Larder Lake, c. 1946.
• Mrs. Nelson's Grade Two Class, about 1946. 26 students, most names needed. Surnames so far are: Brown, Collison, Denny, Laporte, Little, Pollock, Poulin, Slater, Walker, Withers.
• McGary Public School teachers, about 1946.
• Christmas Play in the Anglican Church, about 1947. 15 children, most names needed. The only surname so far is Peicheff.
• McGarry Township Fire Department, 1947-1949. Surnames are: Armstrong, Bannister, Barnard, Bassett, Brewer, Brown, Busquet, Caverly, Cottrell, Curtis, Emerson, Fulkerson, Hart, Hrushowy, Hubbard, Locke, Mann, Mayhew, McEwen, McWaters, Montgomery, Paterson, Perron, Ross, Sampson, Stewart, Woodrow, Yandeau.
• McGary Public School students, about 1946-1949. Can you identify any of them? The only surnames so far are Fulkerson, McGrath.
• Trinity United Church Choir, Virginiatown, 1949. One is unidentified. Surnames are: Brown, Cook, Draper, Eagle, Felesko, Fulkerson, Larocque, McGrath, McLennan, McLeod, Moore, Ross, Sauer, Slater, Turner, Webb.
• "The Advance", fourth issue, February, 1950. Seventeen pages.
• Black Hawks Lions Bantam Hockey League, Virginiatown, 1950-51. Three, including the coach, are unidentified. Surnames are: Bjarnason, Brown, Collison, Dasovich, Fulkerson, Hargraves, Lamoureux, Monette, Poulin, Swirza(?), Wilke.
• Boy's baseball team, Virginiatown, about 1950-51. All but one are identified. Can you identify the remaining player and/or date the photo? Surnames, including the coaches, are: Ayotte, Brown, Carmichael, Draper, Eagle, Hart, Jeffery, MacAuley, Murphy, Peicheff, Poulin, Russell, Turcott.
• Kindergarten class in Virginiatown, about 1951. Three photos.
  Jean Robinson and another woman had a kindergarten class, possibly only for one year, in the basement of the Anglican Church in Virginiatown.
• Searching for Heinrich Schewe or Schwebe, c. 1951 - 1955
  Heinrich was born in 1928 in Konitz, Germany. He immigrated to Canada in 1951 and worked at Kerr-Addisson. He was married in Toronto in 1955 and his address was listed as Virginiatown. A grandchild in Germany is trying to find him.
• Dodgers -- Lions Softball Champs, Virginiatown, 1951. Surnames, including the coaches, are: Basich, Brown, Byberg, Draper, Fulkerson, Hargraves, Hart, Kenrick, Lacroix, Little, Pearson, Peterson, Wilke.
• Lions Club Ball Tournament in North Virginiatown Arena, 1951. Surnames, including the coaches, are: Arthur, Basich, Benoit, Brown, Byberg, Draper, Eagle, Fulkerson, Hargraves, Hart, Kenrick, Lecroix, Little, Pearson, Peicheff, Peterson, Poulin, Radakovich, Rodgers, Shelp, Walker.
• Trinity United Church Choir, Virginiatown, 1951. Two still unidentified. Surnames, including minister and choir director, are: Bjarnason, Brown, Byberg, Cameron, Collison, Del Bosco, Draper, Eagle, Fulkerson, Hill, MacAuley, Pollock, Russell, Sauer, Soutar, Webb, Withers.
• Bruins -- Boys' Hockey, Virginiatown, 1951-1952. Two still unidentified. Surnames are: Arthur, Brown, Caverley, Jewell, Lamoureux, Little, MacAuley, Peterson, Poulin, Withers.
• Lions Midget Hockey Team, Virginiatown, 1951-1952. One still unidentified. Surnames, including coaches, are: Bassett, Brewer, Croteau, Darragh, Del Bosco, Farrell, Felesko, Gunsinger, Judge, MacLennan, Murphy, Radakovich, Turner, Vincent, Walker.
• Lions Midget Hockey Team, Virginiatown, 1952-1953. Surnames, including coaches and manager, are: Beggs, Brewer, Cook, Farrell, Felesko, Gardiner, Gunsinger, Judge, Lacroix, Lamoureux, MacLennan, Poulin, Radakovich, Turner, Walker.
• McGarry Home & School Association Charter Certificate, 1952. Shown also is a list of the charter members. Surnames are: Dobie, Draper, Glendinning, Hilder, Hill, Jewell, Lowe, Oliver, Olson.
• Dora Dobie, Patsy Robinson, V'Town beach? 1952.
•   McGarry Public School, Grade 5 or 6, operetta, 1952? I can't remember if this was grade five or six. Thirty-seven students, many in western costume, most are now identified, but there are still names missing. Surnames so far: Arthur, Basich, Cyr, del Bosco, Cadieux, Croshaw, Dobie, Draper, Eagle, Fenton, French, Hilder, Innis, Little, MacAuley, Moline, Nickerson, Nugent, Oehring, Patterson, Pederson or Peterson, Pollock, Radakovich, Row, Russell, Sampson, Sauer, Stewart, Szabuna. (Updated January 11, 2008)
• McGarry Public School in Virginiatown, most of sixth grade, 1952.
  I snapped this photo of my class because we were moving away and I knew I would never see these kids again. I've forgotten most of their names. Surnames so far are: Fellesco, Hilder, Little, MacAuley, Moline, Nugent, Oering, Row, Sampson.
• Town Hall, probably 1953. With fire truck, ambulance and OPP cruiser parked in front.
• McGarry Legion Band, about 1954. 23 people, ALL NAMES NEEDED.
• Swimming group, mostly unidentified, about 1954. Surnames so far are: Ayotte, Brown, Dasovich, Guerin, Lafrance, Laporte, McCrea, Musial, Nugent, Slater.
• Lions Midget Hockey Team, Virginiatown, 1954-55. Mr. Murray MacAuley was the coach. Still one player is unidentified. Surnames are: Brown, Budden, Dasovich, Hart, McLennan, Murphy, Rogers, Sauer, Shelp, Slater, Yandeau.
• Virginiatown Arena, March 15, 1956.
•   Three friends ice fishing or sitting around a fire. Phil Oehring, Boyd Wilkie, George Oehring. This photo was taken about 1956 or 1957. (Added January 24, 2008)
• "The Mob". Playmates in North V'Town, 1958. Surnames are: Briand, Gusmanis, Jasutis, Valters, Valtins, Vieglais.
•   Christmas caroling by the United Church "Hi-C" youth group. December, 1959. Two color photos, all but one person is identified. Surnames are: Darragh, Fredeen, Hrushoway, Kuhme, Kukulis, Male, Moline, Oliver, Olson, Rathwell, Schaetzler, Tyrrell. (Updated June 8, 2007)
• Army Militia at Bear Lake winter exercises, 1961-62. Two great photos, lots of names needed. Surnames so far are: Chilinski, David, Graham, Lopata, Zucs.
• Lions Bantam Hockey, 1962. Seven players and Bob White, their coach. Surnames so far: Ayotte, Curtis, Gusmanis, Pederson. More names needed.
•   Virginiatown Public School, grade three class photo, 1964. Miss McMorin is the teacher. Surnames are: Aspinal, Audziss, Baker, Caverly, Hyatt, Kirby, Lowe, MacAulay, MacIntyre, McCellanhan, Owens, Pacey, Patterson, Paulina, Pender, Prest, Skorey, Stevens, Williams, Wilson, Zendroy. (Updated October 30, 2007)
• Virginiatown Public School, grade five class photo, 1966. Mrs. Michaels is the teacher. Surnames are: Acton, Allen, Baker, Caverly, Gibson, Hopkins, Hyatt, Jugulis, Kellington, Kirby, Kirky, Kneirman, Kobassa, Lowe, MacAulay, MacIntyre, McClennahan, Owens, Pascoe, Patterson, Prest, Quinton, Reynolds, Sear, Smith, Stevens, Theriault, Thomas, Vosdingh, Weiss, Wilson, Yule.
•   Three photos of McGarry Public School. Taken in September, 1967 or 1968. A link is also provided to a panorama of the three photos which is about three screens wide. Also a link to a closeup of the students playing outside. Can you recognize any of them? (Added March 14, 2008)
• Virginiatown Kindergarten, class photo, 1971-72. Mrs. Manseau is the teacher. Most students are identified but a few names are needed. Surnames are: Baker, Callahan, Cookish, Derion, Francoeur, French, Hachey, Kirby, Sampson, Spack, Vaudry.
•   1988 KLCVI REUNION -- moved to a new section at the top of the page.


AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS, AUGUST 30, 2003

In July 2006 a website user emailed me a set of aerial photos of Kearns, Virginiatown and Cheminis Mountain. The headers on the email made it plain that they had been forwarded several times. I enlisted the help of several people to identify the photographer, but the original sender could no longer be contacted. I hate using photos without permission, but I can't see how it can hurt to show these as no people are shown. I welcome info from users about who took these photos, and why. See also the Cheminis and Kearns sections above.


Kerr-Addison site	North V-Town	V-Town	Old School site	North V-Town
Click on a thumbnail above to see a larger photo.

Please see the Larder Lake website for more historic photos.

Other photos of Kearns and Virginiatown are on my genealogy website.

Also see the Welcome to Virginiatown website.

Do you have photos of the Kearns & Virginiatown area? I would like to put them on this website.

Website format is © Copyright 1999-2008 by Charles Dobie.
All photographs are © Copyright by their contributors.

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Click here to see a collection of my photos on the Flickr website.


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