The 20th Century (1900-...)

Bowesville: A Place to Remember (cont.)

Chronology (cont. from 1800-1899)  /\

The chronology is taken from the book: Bowesville: A Place to Remember, by Grace Johnston, Gloucester Historical Society, Publication No. 3, 1988, ISBN 0-9691106-3-4.
1905
  • William Davidson Sr. was the first of the connection to come to Bowesville. His farm on Lot 13 Concession 2, bought in 1909, became the homestead.
  • Third school opened in the fall of the year.
  • James Gamble sold his property to the McEvoys.
  • Post office was transferred to McEvoys.
  • Roman Catholic chapel was dismantled soon after this date.
1909
  • Ottawa Hunt Club's old English style clubhouse replaced Upton's house.
    • 1910 Bowes family moved to Ottawa and then there were no Bowes in Bowesville.
    1912 Bowesville Women's Institute was formed. About this time "The Home of Tally-ho Water" was ready for business.
    1913-17 R. CALEB HARDY SERVED AS REEVE OF GLOUCESTER.
    1914 Harvey McMenomy of Johnston's Corners after buying Gore Lot 9, brought his bride, also of Johnston's Corners, to Bowesville in 1917.
    1914-18 World War 1.
    1919
    • On July 19th a plane landed in a field on the southwest corner of the Hunt Club and Bowesville Roads - the first of thousands in the unforeseeable future.
    • Redmonds bought McEvoy's store. Norman Redmond became postmaster.
    1920
    • The Clarks came to the Bowesville Road on Lot 8 Concession 2. Charles, son of Victor, served in the RCAF during World War H.
    • Robert Duncan of Johnston's Corners, lived on Lot 19, north of the railway tracks.
    • Abraham Marcovitch came from Rumania to Canada and, after several other locations, stopped at a setting called by some "the most beautiful spot in the world".
    • George Sabourin bought parts of Lots 9 & 10 in Concession 2, and developed a beautiful orchard.
    • Bowesville ball team played teams from Billings Bridge and Metcalfe.
    1922 James Musson, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, purchased Tade McCarthy's Lot 11 Concession 2.
    1923 Louis Potvin bought Redmond's store and continued the post office.
    1924 Bogtown school closed.
    1925 Zion Methodist Church changed its name to Bowesville United Church.
    1927 Lindbergh landed on a sandy field. One of the escorting planes crashed.
    1928
    • Potvin's store and the post office closed.
    • Rural mail delivery started.
    • The Coombs came to the Lennox farm. Bowesville had been the place of the mother's childhood.
    1929 Freeman's house burned.
    1930 Blinding snowstorm stopped the train for hours.
    1931 Victor Clark's second home in Bowesville, on today's High Road, was destroyed by fire.
    1932 Former Walter Smyth home went up in flames.
    1937 James and Nell Steacy started a turkey and goat ranch on part of Gore Lot 14.
    1939
    • James "Jim" Quinn Jr. bought the farm where Victor Clark's house had been and built a new one.
    • Fred Pyper purchased the original Cunningham farm.
    • World War 11 broke out.
    1939-45 British Commonwealth Air Training Plan School brought boarders to Bowesville homes and much activity in the sky.
    1940 Robbins arrived in the spring on George Sabourin's property.
    1942
    • Fire wiped out Louis Lecuyer Jr.'s home.
    • Ernest Carss bought the former Finley/Hardy farm.
    1945 World War 11 over - PEACE declared.
    1946-47 J.-B. POTVIN WAS REEVE OF GLOUCESTER.

    From here on new people arrived. Their stay turned out to be a short one.
    1948 Confectionery store was opened by J. Laframboise.
    1949 "Bowesville Fliers" hockey teams created a lot of excitement.
    1950 Expropriation notices were received by most residents, followed shortly by others.
    1951
    • Last days in the school were over in April.
    • Last service in the church was held in April.
    • DEMOLITION.

    There were other families in Bowesville. Other happenings took place. It would be interesting for the readers who lived there, to add to the list.

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