Innisfil Historical Society
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Emily Murphy
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Born in 1868, Emily Ferguson Murphy spent some time growing up in Cookstown before moving to Western Canada. She became a prominent figure in the fight for Women's Rights. Biographical notes by: B.E.S. Rudachyk.
Women are not "persons." So ruled the Supreme Court of Canada in 1928. Last week Justice Beverley McLachlin was appointed that court's first female chief justice.
Both of these events are historically linked to the Simcoe County "Newsmaker of the Decade" for the 1920s - women's rights advocate and reformer Emily Murphy.
Emily Ferguson Murphy was born in Cookstown, Ontario on 14 March 1868. She was the third child and the first daughter of Isaac Ferguson and Emily Gowan.
Described by her biographer, Christine Mander, as a "vivacious, fun-loving girl," Murphy was educated at Cookstown and at Bishop Strachan School, Toronto.
On 24 August 1887, she married Rev. Arthur Murphy in St. John's Anglican Church, Cookstown. They had two daughters.
Murphy first came to public attention as an author, writing under the pen name "Janey Canuck." Her books include, among others: The Impressions of Janey Canuck Abroad (1901), Janey Canuck in the west (1910), Open trails (1912), and Seeds of pine (1914).
She also wrote many book reviews and articles for magazines and newspapers in Canada and abroad.
In 1903, the Murphy's moved from Ontario to Swan River, Manitoba. From 1907, they lived in Edmonton. At the time, the Canadian West was a hot-bed of reform and radical fervour.
Blessed with "a refreshing honesty" and "integrity," Murphy soon took a leading role in political and social issues in Alberta. A champion of women's rights, she worked tirelessly to win women the vote. She was also deeply interested in the welfare of children.
In 1910, she spearheaded the effort to set up the Victorian Order of Nurses in Edmonton. She called for the opening of municipal hospitals throughout Alberta. In time, she became the first woman to sit on the City of Edmonton hospital board. She also led the fight for the election of women as school trustees in the province.
She sat as the president of the Canadian Women's Press Club from 1913 to 1920. She was the first national president of the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada and was a member of the National Council of Women of Canada. All told, Murphy belonged to more than 20 volunteer and professional organizations.
As she was fond of saying: "Almost every experience is good for a woman that doesn't kill her." Emily Murphy practised what she preached.
The year 1916 saw both political and personal triumph for Murphy. Politically, women won the right to vote in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Personally, on 19 June 1916, Murphy was appointed judge of the Edmonton juvenile court. At age 48, she became the first woman magistrate in the British Empire. She served until her retirement on 21 November 1931.
As a magistrate, Murphy was humane and compassionate. There was also iron in her soul.
Emily Ferguson Murphy
Through her work on the bench, Murphy became, in the words of Susan Jackel, "an implacable enemy of narcotics, which she blamed for much organized crime and for victimizing the defenceless."
Her book, The Black Candle, published in 1922 "led to laws governing narcotics that remained unaltered until the late 1960s."
In 1925, Murphy was appointed official visitor to the jails and mental hospitals of Alberta. Like many of her time, she supported the Alberta Sterilization Act.
Tragically, between 1928 and 1972, the province's Eugenics Board labelled 2,822 children as "mentally defective" and had them sterilized. Compensation claims are just now being settled for this dark period of Alberta's past.
But for this blot on an otherwise sterling career, Murphy's goal was, as Christine Mander writes: "complete equality of opportunity for women and a better Canada for Canadians. To whatever post she was appointed...she funneled every scrap and every ounce of energy, imagination and drive."
Murphy was the force behind the famous "Persons Case." Her first day on the bench in 1916 was marred by the challenge of an Edmonton lawyer. He argued that women were not persons under British law. Accordingly, they were not eligible for appointive positions - like the bench or the Senate.
The issue was left hanging until Murphy's brother, Ontario Supreme Court Justice William Ferguson, came across a provision in the Supreme Court of Canada Act. It granted the right of petition to any five persons for a ruling on constitutional points of law.
The constitutional door was ajar. Emily Murphy barged right in. She invited four stalwart women's rights campaigners to meet with her near the end of August 1927.
Henrietta Edwards, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung, and Irene Parlby all accepted the invitation. Together the petitioners became known as "The Alberta Five."
Newton Wesley Rowell, K.C., a future chief justice of Ontario, argued their case before the Supreme Court of Canada in March 1928. On 24 April, the court rendered its unanimous decision. Women were not persons entitled to hold public office as senators. The women had lost.
Undaunted, they appealed to the highest court in the British Empire. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council heard their appeal on 22 July 1929 and reserved judgement.
Then, on 18 October 1929, the law lords overturned the Supreme Court ruling. In delivering the decision, Lord Chancellor Sankey called the "exclusion of women from all public offices...a relic of days more barbarous than ours..."
Canadian women were indeed persons under the British North America Act. "The Alberta Five" won the day on behalf of Canadian women for all time.
The way was now clear for Emily Murphy to be called to the Senate. The call never came.
Instead, it went to an easterner with impeccable liberal credentials. On 20 February 1930, Mrs. Cairine Reay Wilson became the first woman appointed to the Senate of Canada.
Undoubtedly disappointed and hurt, Murphy accepted the decision with apparent grace.
Emily Ferguson Murphy, "Janey Canuck," author, journalist, civic leader, magistrate, and political and social reformer died on 27 October 1933 from complications arising from diabetes at Edmonton, Alberta.
Emily Murphy has been described as a rebel and as a reformer. Like all labels, each has its merits and its shortcomings. One label that most can agree upon, however, is that Emily Murphy was a fighter.
As she was so fond of saying: "Whenever I don't know whether to fight or not - I always fight!" Indeed, "The world loves a peaceful man, but gives way to a strenuous kicker."
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Emily and Mabel Farrier
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Portrait of Emily and Mabel Farrier, the daughters of Thomas Farrier and his wife, Elizabeth Houston of Belle Ewart., IHS2455
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Employees Of Innisfil Township.1945.
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Employees of Innisfil Twp. 1945
Standing- Bob Stewart, ---,GEo. Squibb, John Cowan, W. Stewart, A. Todd, Blythe McConkey, Dalt Banting, Cliff Lockhart, R. Eldridge, Lee Banting, Mac. Constable, S. King,----
Seated-Orville Todd, Tom Cook, G.C. Allan, ---, Gil Reive.
Page 70 Stroud Tweedsmuir Hist. Vol II
Further information is available at the Knock Heritage Site, IHS3382-75
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Employees Of The Spataro Cheese Factory
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Group photo of the women who worked for the Spataro Cheese Factory in Cookstown in 1980. They are standing outdoors in the parking lot and are wearing coats with the factory just visible in the background. Pictured from left to right are: Anne Monkman, Hazel Trotter, Florence Ley, Grace Kirby, Olive Parker, Keatha Rielly, Reta Cave, Cissy Sharp, Jeanne French, Muriel Smith, Marie Lemmon, and Hariette Rooney.
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End Of The Parade
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The end of the parade. Cars behind were held up as the parade was allowed to proceed without interuption. [sic]
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Entertainment By The Women'S Institute - 1965
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Photograph of a group of people enjoying some entertainment provided by the Cookstown Women's Institute in 1965. Pictured from left to right in the back row are: Mrs. Lily Fisher, Mrs. Walter Wright, Mrs. Sam Nevils, Miss Mabel Moir, Mrs. Clarence Cooper, and Mrs. Reuben Glass. Front row: Mrs. Chas. Hounsome, Mrs. Clara Warner, Mrs. Wm. Carr, Mrs. Art Shaw, Mrs. Powers Sr., Mrs. Ross Elliott, Mr. Ross Elliott Sr., and Mr. Charles Hounsome. The back row is standing while the front row is seated in chairs. The gentlemen are dressed in suits and the ladies are wearing dresses as well as coats or cardigans, and several are wearing hats. The photo was taken indoors.
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Ephraim Holland Belfry
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Portrait of Ephraim Holland Belfry (1 August 1847-29 August 1905) of Innisfil, 5th Line. He married Elizabeth Ann Wray on 3 May 1880 in Toronto. They were homesteaders and left Bell Ewart for Melita, Manitoba. They built their own sod house. They had a son and a daughter: Holland Warren Belfry (1 December 1886-unknown), and Cora Belfry (25 February 1889-unknown)., IHS564
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Erection Of A Windmill
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Erection of a windmill on home farm of David Allen, Lot 7, Concession 7. Small Boy at left is Hartly Allen with father David Allen. Man with moustache is Mr. Amos from Toronto, of the Toronto Wind Engine and Pump Co. Ed Dickie is driving the team of horses. He worked for May Allen' Dad. In 1902 this barn was moved from a former, unknown, location and moved to Lot 7, Concession 5., IHS1143
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Essa Union #5
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Teacher - Miss Joyce Solomon
Back Row:
_____,_____,_____,_____,_____,Nancy Corrigan, Frances Hindle.
Middle Row:
_____,_____,_____,_____,_____,Beverley Monkman,_____.
Front Row:
____,_____,Couse,_____,_____,_____. Picture donated by Harry Couse about 1984.
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Esther Goodfellow
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Esther McCullough Goodfellow, wife of John Goodfellow and daughter of William and Jane (Leary) McCullough, grandmother of John Duncan
Costumes and clothing, IHS4016
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Ethel And Connie Wisker
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Photo of Ethel and Connie Wisker riding in a horse and buggy on a dirt road. Both women are dressed in long coats and sunhats., IHS3643
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Ethel Hughes
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Ethel Hughes (Harvey Hughes sister) and second cousin to Douglas Hughes, IHS1436
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Ethel and Olive Gregg
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Portrait of Ethel and Olive Gregg as children. They were the daughters of Joseph Gregg, a stonemason in Belle Ewart., IHS264
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Eureka Villa Hotel
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Photo of Eureka Villa Hotel in Belle Ewart, which was owned by Mrs. Harry Cook. Mrs. Cook kept summer boarders, a few of whom are pictured., IHS569
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Ev. Coleman
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Ev. Coleman receiving certificate from Monica Crawford when she retired 1984.
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Eva Allan
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Portrait of Eva Maude Allan as a child. Eva would later marry William Reid on 13 August 1938. Her sister was Kay Allan., IHS782
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Eva Allan
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Eva Allan (later Mrs. William Reid) with her father Walter Allan when she was three years old.
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Eva Mcmahon
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Eva McMahon. Note Church in background and large muff.
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Evaleen Hughes
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Evaleen Hughes (Mr. Douglas Hughes Aunt) Married name Mrs. McKee, IHS1453
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Evelyn Guest
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Portrait of Evelyn Guest (1869-1935), son of James and Susan Guest., IHS1908
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Evelyn Watt
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Photo of Evelyn Watt as a child, wearing "spats" and a muff. She would later marry Mac Stewart., IHS1641
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Evening Spent Around Stove
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Evening spent arount stove at camp site.
Members left to right:
(1)Wm Nevills (2)W.K. McLean (3) (4)Alf Mooney (5)Russell Allison (6)Harry Fisher (7)Dewy Hopper (8)Henry Couse (9)Jim Wreggitt (10)Billy Draper
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Ex-Reeves
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Innisfil Township elected reeves. T. Cook, W.J. Gibbons, G. Allan, Robert Sutherland, C. Lockhart, C. Sproule. From page 142 of the Stroud Tweedsmuir History, Vol. II., IHS3382-149
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Excursion Boat On Lake Simcoe
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Postcard of "Geneva," an excursion boat operating on Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. Both the upper and lower decks are filled with passengers, and the vessel itself has one stack and is flying a flag that says "Geneva.", IHS476
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