Margaret Ann Bemis

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-30543

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-30539
• Occupation: 1851, Bridgeport (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Inn Keeper
• Occupation: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; inn keeper
• Elected Office: 1854, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; treasurer - Woolwich Township
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Dentist
• Occupation: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Agent
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Clerk
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Anglican

Benjamin — Christina McKay. Christina (daughter of McKay, daughter of Donald McKay and Margaret Petrie) was born 22 Jan 1831, , Inverness, Scotland; died 1 May 1919, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Winterbourne Presbyterian Cemetery, Winterbourne, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Christina Bemis
• Name: Tena McKay
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-30540
• Immigration: 1846
• Immigration: 1846
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Presbyterian
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Presbyterian
• Residence: 1911, Bloomingdale, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Presbyterian

Other Events:

• Military: , New England, USA; War of 1812
• Residence: episcopalian
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-69552
• Occupation: 1852, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Occupation: 1856, winterbourne, , England; Hotel Keeper - Bemis Hotel
• Occupation: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Tavern Keeper
• Residence: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; E. N. C.

Notes:

In the questionaire sent by the Presbytery of Guelph concerning the history of the church, a question was asked as to when the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was first dispensed to the congregation. I applied to Mrs. Samuel Burnett, an old member of the congregation at the time, but since gone home, and was disappointed to receive the reply that she could not remember, but after talking about some other things, she said 'Mr. Gardiner, of Fergus, married us and remained'. I eagerly caught at the statement, and said 'that is just what I want, when were you married, and after a little consideration she said in the fall of 1840.

So the congregation must have been organized at that time. She told a rather interesting story concerning the same Mr. Gardiner. They were brought up in the same neighborhood and knew each other in Scotland, and when about to emigrate her father, Mr. Wm. Gerrie, chose a certain vessel to cross the ocean, but was told it was slow boat and so changed to another. When they reached Hamilton about the summer of 1836 they went to church on Sabbath and were astonished to find the preacher was Mr. Gardiner. He had taken the so-called slow boat and got there before them. He was the first minister of St. Andrew's Church, Fergus, but only lived a few years, and is buried behind that church under a flat stone. Mrs. Burnett also gave me another interesting item. The feeling ran very high between the two parties at the disruption. Previous to this the church building had been used by all denominations - the Methodist and English church had occasional services in it. But after the disruption the Free church party were excluded from the church.

The preacher sent to preach and organize them was the Rev. Mr., afterwards Dr. Smellie, of Fergus, successor to Mr. Gardiner. When he came to the church the door was locked and an entrance refused. Mr. Bemis then kept hotel across the road from the church, and he kindly invited the congregation to occupy his lawn, and Mr. Smellie had as his pulpit the porch in front of the hotel, the people standing or sitting on the grass. His text was Ezek. 37: 1-10, the passage about the 'dry bones.' I mentioned the matter to my good friend, Rev. J.A. Mullan, and thought he would be interested in it, but received the dry reply 'Yes he was always preaching about the dry bones.' I found I had touched a tender spot and said no more.....Benjamin Bowman Bemis came from New Hampshire, born in March 1792, had a remarkably eventful life in his early years, came to Woolwich in 1814, settled on the farm opposite the Presbyterian burying ground and kept hotel there for many years, afterwards built and kept the hotel in Winterbourne. He was noted for his hospitality and kindness to travellers.

A Few Notes on the Early History of Chalmers' Church, Winterbourne" by Rev. A. M. Hamilton, M. A.

_______________________________________


Benjamin Bowman Bemis was born at Cornish, New Hampshire, on March 14th, 1792. Many stories are told of his early life which had been a remarkably eventful one. As a young man living in a New England seaport town he took part in some stirring events during the War of 1812-14. Towards the close of the war he visited a brother, Asaph. S. Bemis, who was living in Buffalo, and was there in 1814, when Buffalo, then a village, was burned. Shortly after that he was in Woolwich. After trying other places, the farm on which he settled was on the east side of the road, opposite Woodward's, and north of and adjoining Zephaniah Sexton's. Later he built a hotel in Winterbourne and in this way was well known to all the first immigrants. From one and all comes the same story that his house was always open to them. Few had any money in the days of the Pilkington settlement but, that made no difference to Mr. Bemis ; he was hospitable and kind to every one.

Benjamin Bowman Bemis married a widow whose maiden name was Mary Pollard. There were two in this family, Aurelia, born in 1821, was married to David Chalmers; and Benjamin Bowman Bemis, jr.. born in 1823, was married in February 1850 to Christina McKay, and died December 13th, 1900 at the age of seventy-seven.

In 1834 Mr. Bemis, sr., married the widow of William Singer, from the Township of Nichol, and the children by this second marriage were: Mary Ann, married Matthew Durrant ; Angeline, married Alex. McCloy ; Catharine, now living in Winterbourne ; and Thomas, who died quite young.

Benjamin Bowman Bemis died on March 13th, 1870, at the age of 78, and his second wife, whose maiden name was Katharine Coon, died October 16th, 1869, in her sixty fourth year.

The Early History of Elora, Ontario, and Vicinity by John R. Connon

________________

The Old Brick Tavern.

Here is a venerable landmark. It was built about the year 1850 by the late Benjamin Bemis, a conspicuous character in his day here, and previous to his taking charge of the hotel kept a small liquor shop in a little shanty opposite the present site of the Presbyterian burying ground. He kept the tavern for a number of years and since his time it was kept by different parties until about six years ago when it came into possession of Mr. Michael Brohman, its present landlord and proprietor. It is the only hotel in the village, but it is well conducted, has ample accommodation to supply the needs of the community in that respect and will compare favorably with any village hotel in the county. Mr. Brohman was born in New Germany in 1842. He was engaged in farming until he came to Winterbourne and took charge of the hotel. He has been twice married, the first time being about twenty years ago and the second some twelve years ago. He is the father of 11 children, five by his first wife and six by the second. His first wife was a daughter of Martin Gates, a farmer of Waterloo township, and his second wife a daughter of Ignatius Adams, also of Waterloo township. His father was an Alsatian and died in 1876 aged 69 years, and his mother was born on the Rhine and died in 1893 aged 85 years. Mr. Brohman is a Conservative in politics, and he and his family are members of the Roman Catholic church. The people of Winterbourne are to be congratulated upon having a hotel they need not be afraid will create a discreditable reputation for the village by strangers.

Waterloo County Chronicle, 2 Jun 1898, p. 8












Is said to be born at Cornis, New Hampshire and opened a hotel in Winterbourne.

Occupation:
On April 2,1856 Dr. William Pipe card appeared in the Berlin Chronicle "Doctor Pipe,Physician,etc. Office at Bemis'Hotel,Winterbourne."

Benjamin — Katherine Coon. Katherine was born 1805, , Ontario, Canada; died 16 Oct 1869, Winterbourne, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Winterbourne Presbyterian Cemetery, Winterbourne, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Birth: Virginia
• Name: Katherine Bemis
• Name: Katherine Singer
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-69553
• Residence: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; E. N. C.

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-30010
• Occupation: 1851, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; mill wright
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Millwright
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Free Church
• Occupation: 1871, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Millwright
• Occupation: 1871, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Millwright
• Residence: 1871, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Scot. Presb.
• Residence: 1871, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Scot. Presb.

Notes:

1871 - Donald McKay is staying with William Stewart.

Donald married Margaret Petrie 2 Jan 1830, Speymouth, Moray, Scotland. Margaret (daughter of Alexander Petrie and Margaret Phemester) was born 28 Oct 1803, , Morayshire, Scotland; died 19 Feb 1865; was buried , Winterbourne Presbyterian Cemetery, Winterbourne, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Margaret McKay
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-30011
• Residence: 1851, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Free Church

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-30017

Alexander — Margaret Phemester. Margaret was born 17 Jul 1776, , Morayshire, Scotland; died 12 Jan 1855; was buried , Winterbourne Presbyterian Cemetery, Winterbourne, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Margaret Petrie
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-30016
• Residence: 1851, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada