A barn raising , also historically called a raising bee or rearing in the U.K., is a collective action of a community, in which a barn for one of the members is built or rebuilt collectively by members of the community. Barn raising was particularly common in 18th- and 19th-century rural North America . A barn was a necessary structure for any farmer, for example for storage of cereals and hay and keeping of animals. Yet a barn was also a large and costly structure, the assembly of which required more labor than a typical family could provide. Barn raising addressed the need by enlisting members of the community, unpaid, to assist in the building of their neighbors' barns. Because each member could ask others for help, reciprocation could eventually reasonably be presumed for each participant if the need were to arise.
41-417: Chesterville may refer to: Canada Chesterville, Ontario Chesterville, Quebec South Africa Chesterville, KwaZulu-Natal United States Chesterville, Indiana Chesterville, Maine Chesterville, Maryland Chesterville, Ohio Chesterville, Texas Chesterville, West Virginia [REDACTED] Topics referred to by
82-469: A more durable material than the wood of which barns were made, and more time-consuming to lay. Barns, once completed, belonged to an individual family, while churches belonged to the community. Barn raising as a method of providing construction labor had become rare by the close of the 19th century. By that time, most frontier communities already had barns and those that did not were constructing them using hired labor. Mennonite and Amish communities carried on
123-536: A station in the town, leading to further settlement and incorporation as a village in 1890. The town hall was built in 1867 and was subsequently used as a fire hall, jailhouse, court house, and movie theatre, and currently serves as the heritage center and village museum. Many of the original early settlers in the Chesterville district were Scottish and Irish immigrants as well as some Loyalist Germans from Williamsburg, Matilda, Stormont, and Grenville. Following
164-685: A temporary office in Thomas McMahon's blacksmith shop on Main Street south of the CPR line. They resumed printing on 6 May 1909. Because they were so quick to return to business, news articles and advertisements exist that tell the progress of the town's recovery from this disaster. In the year that followed, new buildings were erected to replace those that were lost. Sanders, Soule and Casselman rebuilt their store on its previous site (south-east corner of King and Ralph, now 19 King Street). The Fisher Block
205-560: A wider culture of neighborly mutual assistance (at harvest, for instance), sharing of tools and ox-teams, etc. Customarily the women of the families involved prepared hearty lunches for the builders and completion was celebrated with a feast and dance — often till dawn. Paid help was not a feature of these events. Barn raisings occurred in a social framework with a good deal of interdependence. Members of rural communities often shared family bonds going back generations. They traded with each other, buying and selling land, labor, seed, cattle, and
246-411: Is called topping out and historically the master carpenter may also make a speech and a toast. In earlier American rural life, communities raised barns because many hands were required. In areas that were sparsely settled or on the edge of the frontier, it was not possible to hire carpenters or other tradesmen to build a barn. The harsher winters gave more urgency to the matter of barn construction than
287-577: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Chesterville, Ontario Chesterville is a village in the township of North Dundas , within the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry . It is located north of Morrisburg , west of Cornwall and south-east of Ottawa . The village is situated along the South Nation River . The land in what would become Dundas County
328-562: The 154th (Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry) Battalion, CEF and other regiments in France and Belgium. Some of the men from Chesterville district who were killed in the war were: During World War II , men from Chesterville again served with the S.D.& G. Highlanders among other army regiments as well as the Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Canadian Navy . Some of the men from Chesterville and District who were killed in
369-736: The 2nd Queen’s Own Rifles during the North-West Rebellion . Chesterville area men also served overseas during the Second Boer War including: - Trooper Alfred E. Ault (1st CMR) - Trooper Alfred E. Bolster (2nd CMR) - Trooper Alexander W.C. Munro (4th CMR) - Trooper Lorne W. R. Mulloy (1st CMR), who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and wounded at the Battle of Witpoort . During World War One , many men from Chesterville served with
410-770: The United States Air Force and was killed on active duty in Vietnam . Men and women from Chesterville and district have since served in United Nations and NATO Peacekeeping missions around the world, and during the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) and the newest generation of Chestervillians continue the legacy of military service. On 10 November 1957, the Chesterville Legion unveiled
451-411: The 1840s, and for a short time as Hummelville . The name East Winchester also seems to have been briefly used during the 1860s and 1870s. The Canada Directory of 1857-58 notes that Chesterville [Winchester] “has a large trade with the surrounding country which is well settled. It has a tri-weekly mail and a population of about 500” . In July 1872, a telegraph office was opened in the village. Because
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#1732787356594492-479: The 19th century. Most frames today are raised using a crane and small crew. A large amount of preparation is done before the one to two days a barn raising requires. Lumber and hardware are laid in, plans are made, ground is cleared, and tradesmen are hired. Materials are purchased or traded for by the family who will own the barn once it is complete. Generally, participation is mandatory for community members. These participants are not paid. All able-bodied members of
533-633: The 4th Winchester Battalion. In 1842, the Dundas Militia was again reorganized into three battalions, the 3rd Battalion serving Winchester and Mountain Townships, and finally in 1852 into four battalions, the 4th (Winchester) Battalion serving Winchester Township and headquartered in Chesterville. With the passage of the Militia Act of 1855 , the counties of Leeds, Dundas, Stormont and Glengarry became part of Military District No. 2, and in
574-636: The Dundas Militia. In 1837, the Dundas County Militia was reorganized into two battalions with the 1st Battalion (Winchester and Williamsburg Townships) commanded by Col. John Crysler and Lt-Col. J. McDonell. The Embodied Dundas Militia fought during the Rebellions of 1837–1838 at the Battle of the Windmill . A prominent local man, Major Robert Gray, served as a captain in the 1st Dundas Militia at Prescott in 1838. He later commanded
615-768: The Fawcet Pub, and 25 at the Legion Hall. The village power grid was restored on January 10, but many individual homes were without power for further days. 114 soldiers from the Royal Canadian Dragoons were billeted at North Dundas District High School during Operation Recuperation , the largest peacetime deployment of the Canadian Army . Prime Minister Jean Chretien visited the area along with Ontario Premier Mike Harris . The military history of Dundas County and Chesterville dates back to
656-525: The area, the settlement subsequently being named Armstrong's Mills . The original mills built by Armstrong burned in a fire around 1867. Many Irish immigrants settled in Chesterville in the 1830s-50s, some fleeing the Great Potato Famine. Many of these Irish settlers were Catholics and established St. Mary’s Catholic parish in the area. The settlements of Limerick, Boyne, and Connaught were originally settled and named by these Irish pioneers. In
697-565: The business section of town. In the summer of 1909, the village purchased a steam pumper fire engine. Frank McCloskey was appointed fire chief and formed a brigade. However, the first fire hydrants were not installed in the village until 1916, when Hires Condensed Milk Co. (later Nestle) installed a water main along Queen and Main Streets. After losing their printing presses in the fire, the Chesterville Record staff worked from
738-1090: The cenotaph on the grounds of the Community Hall (1 Mill Street) to honour those lost during the World Wars. Forty years later in 1997, the cenotaph was moved to a park on Queen Street and expanded to include wings on each side with names of local soldiers who died in World War I and II and the Korean War. It was unveiled on 28 September 1997 and in November of that year, the park was renamed Veterans Memorial Park. Barn raising The tradition of "barn raising" continues, more or less unchanged, in some Amish and Old Order Mennonite communities, particularly in Ohio , Indiana , Pennsylvania , and some rural parts of Canada . The practice continues outside of these religious communities, albeit less frequently than in
779-413: The community are expected to attend. Failure to attend a barn raising without the best of reasons leads to censure within the community. Some specialists brought in from other communities for direction or joinery may be paid, however. One or more people with prior experience or with specific skills are chosen to lead the project. Older people who have participated in many barn raisings are crew chiefs. On
820-400: The daughter of UE Loyalist Colonel Richard Duncan , and namesake of Mariatown . Chesterville pioneer George Hummel purchased the west half of the property from Maria Anne’s estate in either 1817 or 1822 and went about erecting a mill, while John Pliny Crysler purchased the east half of the lot. The loft of Hummel's homestead served as the local gathering place during the early years of
861-590: The destruction of the Second World War in Europe, many Dutch families immigrated to Canada in the early 1950s-60s, settling in the Chesterville area. Many of these immigrants would go on to become successful and prominent members of the community, and Chesterville district continues to be home to a large Canadian-Dutch population. Chesterville held an annual Dutch Dance for many years at the local Legion. On 6 April 1909, part of Chesterville's business section
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#1732787356594902-653: The division court) - Lieutenant Alexander Stallmire (farmer) - Lieutenant David Rae (farmer) - Lieutenant William Hiller (grocer) - Ensign Henry W. Moad (blacksmith) - Ensign Ezra Fetterly - Ensign James O'Brien Men from Chesterville and district served during the Fenian Raids period, including Isaac Wingard and Joseph Dillabough who served with the Williamsburg Rifles. Wesley B. Lawson from Chesterville served on active duty in Toronto with
943-501: The early days of the village, the post and mail had to be collected by individuals from the mail office in Morrisburg or Cornwall , but in 1845 a post office was opened in the village under the name of Winchester and the mail was delivered by horseback from Morrisburg. Historical records suggest that although the post office and village were officially named Winchester, the community was known locally as Chesterville as early as
984-1057: The early settlement days, when Loyalist veterans of the American Revolution were granted plots of land in Upper Canada and raised a local militia . Some of the earliest settlers to Winchester Township were veterans of the Revolution, and many more were veterans of the War of 1812 . Dundas County had raised a militia as far back as 1788, and during the War of 1812 the men fought with the 1st Regiment of Dundas Militia . Many of these veterans would be granted plots of land in Dundas County, settling in Winchester Township. Early War of 1812 veterans and settlers in Chesterville District include Henry Hawn and William Casselman who served with
1025-488: The joinery and doweling of the beams. ( Post and beam construction is the traditional method of construction in barn raisings.) There is competition for these jobs, and they are sought after. Workers are differentiated by age and gender: men construct the barn, women provide water and food, the youngest children watch, and older boys are assigned to fetch parts and tools. Most barn raisings were accomplished in June and July when
1066-461: The like. They worshipped and celebrated together, because cities were too far away to visit with any frequency by horse and wagon. Churches were considered as important to communities of the 18th and 19th centuries as barns. In like fashion, they were often constructed using unpaid community labor. There were important differences. Churches were not constructed with the same degree of urgency, and were most often built of native stone in some regions —
1107-759: The militia report for 1859, the 4th (Winchester) Battalion, Dundas Militia was commanded by Lt-Col. J.P. Crysler . An 1863 militia officers list for the 4th (Winchester) Battalion includes some early Chesterville district settlers: - Major George Fitchel (merchant/tavern keeper) - Captain Robert H. Rose (merchant) - Captain Giles W. Bogart (reeve) - Captain Matthew Rae (cabinet maker) - Captain John Capel (harness maker) - Lieutenant John Halliday (general merchant) - Lieutenant John McCuaig (merchant/clerk of
1148-413: The mostly agrarian society members had time between planting season and harvest season. Timber for the framing was mostly produced in the winter by the farmer and his crew hewing logs to the correct shape with axes or felling the trees and bringing them to a sawmill. An ancient tradition is to place a bough, wreath and/or flag at the high point of the frame after the last piece is in place. This celebration
1189-570: The names of many local communities included the name Winchester (such as Winchester Township, West Winchester, East Winchester, North Winchester, and Winchester Springs), the Montreal Telegraph Company suggested that the name of the village be changed to avoid confusion. After a petition was circulated, the name was officially changed to Chesterville in 1875. In 1887, the Canadian Pacific Railway opened
1230-520: The next until it reached Ralph Street. The King Street businesses affected (in order from Water Street to Ralph) were: Nash's tailor shop, Wilford Saucier's jewellery store, Isaac Pelletier's confectionary and fruit store, Gordon Robinson's blacksmith shop, Joseph Fisher and Colborne Robinson's butcher shop and the Sanders, Soule and Casselman general store. The village could do very little to stop it, as they had only one hand pump and pails for water. This
1271-524: The north-east corner of King and Water Streets. It includes what is now 1, 3, and 5 King Street. In the early 1920s, Chesterville became the first town in Dundas County to get a paved road, and the village flourished with businesses. Between January 4 and 10, 1998, over 80 millimeters of freezing rain fell in the area, greatly damaging the power grid and infrastructure. Hydro poles and power lines were crumpled and broken. Shelters were established throughout North Dundas, and Chesterville hosted 100 beds, 75 at
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1312-467: The river near Hummel's property. The Merkley brothers travelled to Waddington, New York to secure supplies for a raising bee , but on the return trip their canoe upset and both men drowned. Around 1828, Thomas Armstrong and his son John established a saw mill and later a grist mill on land purchased from George Hummel that the Merkley's had intended to use, and by 1838 it had attracted many settlers to
1353-429: The same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chesterville&oldid=587499548 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
1394-464: The village, and political meetings were often held there. Much of the land Hummel initially purchased was eventually sold off to pioneering settlers, often for a low price, and the land on which the community hall currently stands was once sold by Hummel for a " single barrel of whiskey ". In 1825, two Merkley brothers travelled down the Nation River with plans to establish a mill on the banks of
1435-547: The war were: During the Korean War , Private Curtis Archie Hayes (1929–1951) of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry , who had grown up south of Chesterville, was one of the ten Canadians killed in action at the Battle of Kapyong . Major James W. Clement (1931–1970) of Virginia, was the son of a Chesterville native and a nephew of Pte. James A. Clement who was killed in 1917. Major Clement joined
1476-418: The whole, the affair is well organized. At most barn raisings, the community members have raised barns before and approach the task with experience both in the individual tasks and the necessary organization. Young people participating physically for the first time have watched many barn raisings and know what is expected of them. Only certain specialists are permitted to work on the more critical jobs, such as
1517-578: Was constructed next door, and Joe Fisher and Isaac Pelletier continued their businesses there. It burned down in 1989 and now serves as a parking lot. A new office for the Chesterville Record was built at what is now 7 King Street. Part of the building was rented out by Wilford Saucier, who carried on his jewellery business. The Record remained there until the summer of 2018, and the office was demolished in December of that year. The Hamilton Block, built by Wesley Hamilton, replaced W. J. Nash's tailor shop on
1558-524: Was destroyed by fire. Newspaper accounts state that the fire started at the north-east corner of King and Water Streets (now 1 King Street) in a wooden-framed building that contained the tailor shop of W. J. Nash on the first floor and the Masonic Hall on the second. The flames travelled in two directions: East down Water Street to the Chesterville Record office, which destroyed the printing presses; and North up King Street, jumping from one building to
1599-543: Was granted in 1784 to United Empire Loyalists , most of whom had fought with the King's Royal Regiment of New York during the American Revolution . Chesterville's first settlement was located along the South Nation River on Lots 17 and 18, in Concession 4 of Winchester Township, which was formed in 1798 from the northern portion of Williamsburg Township. The plot of land was originally granted in 1797 to Maria Anne Duncan,
1640-639: Was present in the relatively milder climate in much of Europe. Similar conditions have given rise to similar institutions, such as the Finnish one of ' talkoot '. As is clear from the account, for example, in Stevenson Whitcomb Fletcher's Pennsylvania Agriculture and Country Life 1640-1840, (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Historical Commission, p. 440 ff.), barn-raisings were typically occasions of community good-feeling, solidarity and festivity, as well as cooperative labor, and figured as part of
1681-619: Was the second major fire on that they had seen in a short period; exactly three weeks earlier on 16 March, fire broke out at the North end of King Street, burning down the Temperance Hotel and Foster's Hall and damaging the CPR train station and water tower. Following these incidents, the village quickly took steps to improve their fire protection. In May, a by-law was prepared by the village council to mandate that only "fireproof" buildings (such as brick and stone) could be constructed in