To The 100th Anniversary Souvenir Book

COMMEMORATION OF THE SINKING OF THE STEAMER "MAYFLOWER" IN LAKE KAMANISKEG 1 00 YEARS AGO Original Painting by Frank Ritza
NOVEMBER 12, 1912 - NOVEMBER 12,2012 OFFICIAL PROGRAM Monday, November 12,2012 BARRY'S BAY AND COMBERMERE, ON EVERYONE WELCOME A DEAD MAN SAVES THREE LIVES
This story was written by the 3 survivors:
Yes, that's exactly what happened about nine p.m. on the night of November 12,1912 in Lake I(amaniskeg on
the Madawaska River, between Barry's Bay and Combermere, when the good ship Mayflower went down.
It was one of those wild nights, pitch dark and a high wind fllled with blinding snow. After thirty years, the
horror of it all comes back vividly and it seems like a bad nightmare, but the picture is still too vivid for the
survivors even to forget it.
-
When the Mayflower went down, it carried with it all but four of it's passengers, G.C. Peverley, Joseph Harper,
J.S. Imlach and P. O'Brien clung to a coffin containing the body of H. Brown which was brought from Yorkton,
Sask. for burial in Combermere. After three hours in the water, they reached a small island in the centre of the
lake on which there was no shelter. Now, however, there were only three survivors as P. O'Brien died as he was
being helped from the water. The next morning the three survivors found another body on the shore, that of R.
Pachal, who had come from Yorkton in charge of the corpse.
Very many people who read this will remember this disaster, as in ail, nine persons were drowned, as the
Mayflower sank so fast, they did not have time to get out of the cabins and engine room. One of the ironies of
fate was A. Parcher, the pilot, attempted to swim to shore and, near his own home, he was found in shallow
water, practically with his feet on the bottom, dead, but it was through this that those on the island were
rescued. The body of George Bothwell was not recovered until the following April, so altogether many homes
in the district were left without sons or fathers.
Troubles never come singly. When they landed, they attempted to light a fire with the aid of a gasoline lighter. It
slipped from numbed fingers and was lost in the snow, and no amount of digging around with half frozen
hands could find jt until noon the next day, when they managed to get a small fire lighted, but the memory of
that bitter cold, flreless night will live in the memory of the survivors. The only fuel was some boxes and
driftwood which came ashore from the boat.
Search parties combed the neighbourhood, but on account of the snowstorm, they passed the island several
times at only a short distance, without seeing the signals which, were made and eventually when word of the
finding of Parcher's body reached Combermere, the small steamer Ruby set out again and brought the
survivors to the Hudson Hotel in Combermere after a terrifying night of horror that had burned itself deeply
into the minds of those who lived to tell the story.
The victims of this disaster were:
J.C. Hudson, Combermere, Ont., O'wner and engineer
A. Parcher, Combermere, Ont., pilot
J. Delaney, Barry's Bay, fireman
George Bothwell, Ottawa, passenger
R. Pachal, Yorkton, Sask, passenger
P. O'Brien, Combermere, passenger
Wm. Boehme, Combermere, passenger
Mrs. McWhirter, Fort Stewart, passenger
Wm. Murphy, Rockingham, passenger
COMMEMORATION PROGRAM 9:30 a.m. - Barry's Bay wharf on Island Lane
at corner of Lakeshore Rd.
• Railway baggage wagon arrives with casket
and steamer trunks from train station
• Welcome by Dave Kelley
• Singing of "0 Canada" - accompanied by
Jim McPherson
• Plaque reading by Dave Kelley, plaque
unveiling by Betty Parcher (parcher
descendant), ribbon cutting by Joyce Coulas
(Brown descendant)
• Fr. Mervin Coulas from St. Lawrence
O'Toole Catholic Church blesses the plaque
• Mayor of To\vnship of !vIadawaska Valley,
David Shulist
• Reading by Re\: Bob Hill with background
music by Jim ~IcPherson, Doug Hopkins,
Pauline Ramsbottom, Florence Musclow
• Elliott ~IacDonald talks about his great
grandfather Gordon Peverley who was one
of the three sun'iYors
• Rowers and boats lea\re the \vharf in a
flotilla formation *
• Boaters place a \vreath on \vater where
Mayflower sank *
• Rev Bob HiD says a fe\v \\lords of
remembrance at the site *
* weatherpermitting
10:30 a.m. - Barry's Bay Train Station
on Opeongo Square
• Welcome by Carmel Rumleskie
• Complimentary refreshments
• Background l11usic by musicians from
wharf with recording artist Brent Quade
and Ivan Schutt (Brown descendent)
11:30 a.m. - Train Station closes
12:00 p.m. - Combermere - George Vanier
Catholic School Auditorium
at 2782 Dafoe Rd.
• Complimentary refreshments are available
12:30 p.m. - Welcome by Carmel Rumleskie
• Singing of "0 Canada" -led by MPP John
Yakabuski
• Psalm 23 reading by Rev. Darlene Cunliffe
from St. Paul's Anglican Church
• Ringing of the bell 9 times by Bill Caldwell
(McWhirter descendant) for those people
who drowned
• Singing of ''Abide With Me", accompanied
by Bev I<reiger
• GVCS choir sings "Lord I Lift Your Name
on High" & "These Hands"
• Introduction of dignitaries and invitation
for each to speak
• Mayflower skit by MVDHS drama club
2:15 - 2:30 - Intermission - Underwater video of
NIayflower taken Oct. 13, 2012
• Recording artist Eddie Francis presents his
song, "The Mayflower Tragedy"
• Book reading by Peter Unwin, author of
"Nine Bells for a Man"
• Ernie Peplinskie sings Ronnie Bellisle's
"The Story Of The Mayflower" song
• Steve Weir, author of "Sinking of the
Mayflower" talks about his book
• Re-enactment of the sinking of the
Mayflower DVD
3:25 p.m. - Combermere dock & boat ramp
at 39249 Combermere Road
• Welcome by Dave Kelley
• Launching of wreath by Don McFadyen
(O'Brien descendant)
• Plaque reading by Dave I<elley, plaque
unveiling by Nancy Hill (Hudson
descendant) & ribbon cutting by Jean
Loney (McWhirter descendant)
• Rev. Darlene Cunliffe blesses plaque
• Playing of Ian Pattison's "The NIayflower"
song on CD
• Closing comments by Carmel Rumleskie
4:15 p.m. - Combermere - Mission House
Museum & Gallery at 1050 Mill St.
• Museum open to view the Mayflower
artifacts, photos & stories
SUPPORTERS OF THIS REMEMBRANCE PROGRAM TownslUp of Nladawaska Valley
Twp Brudenell, Lyndoch & Raglan
Ann Bruder
Municipality of Hastings Highlands
Township of Carlow-Mayo
Dr. Ray Dawes
Robert B. Howe
Barry's Bay Metro
The Eganville Leader
Dave & Heather K.elley
Home Hardware Builcling Centre
Carol & Peter McNamee
Golden Years Club of Combermere
Iwona & Marv Mooney
Richard Robyn
St. Paul's Anglican Cemetery
Pinewood Motel
Inn Towne Restaurant
Pilgrim Reader Book Store
Carmel Rumleskie
J. & V Manion Inc. Williamson's Variety Stores (V&S) THANK
Barry's Bay This Week
Palmer Rapids & Area Lions Club
Yantha Backhoe & Trucking Ltd.,
Marie Yantha and family
Greg & Linda Cochrane
Rainbow Rafts
M.V Satellite Systems
K.am-K.eg Marine & Sports
Pastway Planing
McLean Electric
Ann McGuire
Acrosstown Marine & Sports
Bob & Nancy Hill
Bay Auto Service
Bayberry Lane Designs
Barry's Bay Auto (NAPA)
Combermere Craft Cabin
The Valley Gazette
Ontario Adventure Rowing Assn.
Barry's Bay Heritage Society
Bob Moroni
Roy Dubue
The Grape Vine
Ernie Coulas
Mary & Clifford Blank
Mayflower Laundry & Coffee Shop
Joey & Germaine St. Amand
Bev Bozak
Valley Market General Store
Neil Gonzalez
Extreme Marine & Sports
Greg I<elly Insurance Brokerage
Charlie D's
Anthony M. Yantha
P. Burke & Son Jewellers
Chippawa Cottage Resort
Lakeside Pavilion
Queenswood National Real Estate
Afelskie's Shoes
Nature of Design Signs
Dixie Lee Barry's Bay
Lorraine's Pharmasave
Ash Grove Inn Restaurant & Motel
Eugene's Complete Auto Glass
You TO THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED IN THIS lEVENT
Bev Iveiger
Marg Wajda
Dorothy O'Neil
Anthony Rumleskie
Terry Pitts
Nancy Hill
Rev. David Lethbridge
Phyllis Lethbridge
Doug Hopkins
Pauline Ramsbottom
Florence Musclow
Richard Vincent
Edclie Francis
Ernie Peplinskie
MVDHS Drama Club
Fr. Mervin Coulas
Anya Blake
Brent Quade
Ivan Schutt
OLSWA Students
Carol McNamee
Clifford Blank
Linda Pecarski
Lois Cybulski
Abby Buch
Maxine Smaglinski
Margaret Hayden-Pawlowski
Theresa Prince
Shirley ~Iajka
Judy Beaulieu
David Beaulieu
Cathy Pitts
Onto Adyenture Rowing Ass'n.
THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND/OR PEOPLE PROVIDED VARIOUS SERVICES Nigel Newing
Peter Unwin
Steve Weir
George Vanier Catholic School
Bev Rose, catering
Michael I<elly
Nature of Design Signs
Jane Rumleskie
Ian Pattison
Bonnechere Bound Creations
Lorraine's Pharmasave
o PP I<illaloe
Steve Mueller
TVCOGECO/Pembroke
Linda's Flowers/I<illaloe
Ocean Tech Services Games Cormier)
Gerard Olsheskie
Neil Gonzalez
Ivisten Van Hoof
Anne Marie Landon
Pia Voorand
Marie Finnerty
Tracy Glofcheskie
Bayberry Lane Designs
THIS MAYFLOWER REMEMBRANCE PROGRAM WAS ORGANIZED BY THE COMBERMERE & BARRY'S BAY HERITAGE SOCIETIES Members include:
Dave Kelley (Event Chair)
Carmel Rumleskie
Jim McPherson
Mecca Thueman
Rev. Bob Hill
Shirley Davis
I wona Mooney
Heather I<elley
David Henstock
Rev. Darlene Cunliffe
Theresa Prince
STEAMER uMAYFLOWER" lOOTH ANNIVERSARY OF SINKING COMMEMORATION - MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2012 Ori~;/Ia/ Painring l?ll
Frank Ritza
Souvenir Song Sheets Abide With Me
1. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, ab'de with me. 2. Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see: o Thou who changest not, abide with me. 3. I need Thy presence every passing hour; What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power? Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me. 4. I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where 's death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if Thou abide with me. 5. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies; heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee: In life, in death, 0 Lord, abide with me. "Story of the Mayflower" - song by Ronnie Bellisle, circa 1955
There 's a long winding river, that flows by my door, And the green hills reach down to its beautiful shores. The ages have rolled, the years come and gone, But the old Madawaska is still flowing on. She could tell of the hardships, encountered I know, As the logs and the drivers, down the river did go. Their story is told by the graves long the way, Unmarked and forgotten, by the rapids they lay. On the 12th of November, the year 19 12, The Mayflower set out, to a watery hell . With a cold night around and the snow falling fast, There as no one aboard dreamed it would be the last. It was the last trip, she' d tie up for the year, But she never returned, 'cau ed sorrow and tears. On that dark stonny night, she sank and went down, Only three lives were saved, the rest perished and drowned. Through the hil1s and valleys the river rolls on, And the roar ofthe rapids ings a s d lonely song Yes the logs and the drivers, have a long time been gone, But the old Madawaska is still flowing on. "The Madawaska Shore" - song by Ronnie Bellisle, circa 1950
There's a place that's calling me, to this beautiful valley, When I reach its shores, I never m ore will roam. In a little country town, with the woods and hills around, My home on the Madawaska Shore. Rugged hills that run beside, the mighty river deep and wide, As it flows along unto the rapids roar. On the banks afforests green, ' oer the clear blue waters lean, Woodland beautify, on th Madawaska Shore. In the days last fading light, hear the night birds in their flight, And the whippoorwill is crying ' oer and 'oer. Hear th.e lonely seagulls call, see the wild ducks in the fall, Nature's wonders on the Madawaska Shore. When the sun has gone to rest, ' oer the mountains rocky crest, picture like you've never seen before.
Made for all to see and love, by the master up above,
The beauty of the M adawaska Shore.
ARE YOU COMING TO COMBERMERE (Written by Eddie Francis)
Have you heard about the party
Did someone give you the good news
Wi]] you bundle up your babies
Slip int your dancing shoes
Will you come to meet the kinfolk
Traveling from far and near
We'll sing and play some music
If you come to Combermere.
You can swim here in the river
'Neath the bridge where children play
You can wave to happy fishermen
As they motor on their way
You can visit famous ' Hudson House'
To raise a glass of cheer
To celebrate the good life
Here in Combennere.
CHORUS: Are you coming to Combermere
Are you thinking of yesteryear
And did J hear you say
That somehow you'll find the way
All roads lead to Combennere.
If you take a stroll down Main Street
Uncle Fred will say "hello"
rf you hear some hit Itop music
You'll know its Fiddlin Joe
A little voice wi)] whisper
Sweet sounds into your ear
The folks are glad to see you
Home in Combermere.
We don't forget our tragedies
We won't forget t he dead
But we're grateful for the living
Enjoying life instead
Baseball fans and summer tans
And fun throughout the year
So won ' t you come and join us
Here in Combermere.
Copyright © 199 1 by Eddie FrancislMoonJjght Music CanadalSOCAN
THE MAYFLOWER TRAGEDY (pASSENGER #13)
1~ The story is
told
By the young and the old
A believe it or not tragedy
A ship and its' crew
And passengers too
And a dead man who saved three
Young Johnny Brown
Was coming to town
In a wooden box on the train
His body was found
(Written by Eddie Francis)
2. The train "it was late
They all had to wait
Omens they did aboWld
So fill up the cup
And then bottoms up
There was time for one more round
History records
A dozen on board
And passenger number thirteen
On the cold hunting groillld
His journey would end
To family and friends
Faraway.
Unseen.
a. The captain was a man
Of fame in the land
On water he gambled his name
But the government court
And the Pringle Report
They said he was to blame
For the terrible cost
Of the lives that were lost
And the widows and orphans who pained
His legend lives on
In the Mayflower Song
It remains.
5 . As the ship sped away
Through the narrows and bay
The wintery wind grew cold
As the boiler was stoked
And bellowed its' smoke
Was the tragedy foretold?
No one did note
That the life-saving boat
Was so carelessly left behind
For needless to say
There was no-hell-to-pay
In mind.
(Continued) Copyright ©20 10 by Eddie Francis 4. One fmal trip
For the Mayflower ship
That's how the story did go
One man in need
Became a good deed
And then a tale of woe
~or nine years she bore
The company ore
And freight, buggies and beer
From Bany' s Bay
To a berth down the way Combennere. 6. Through the treacherous night
Without any light
In the big lake they did not delay
Then a panic within
As water rushed in
And there was no time to pray
The boat then went down
Without any sound
Except the grown men's cry
And the steam whistle call
Of distress and to all Goodbye. .. 1.. But the tale doesn't end
For the dead man did lend
A hand to four desperate kin
As he floated by
To an island nearby
They clung to the box he was in
'Til they reached the shore
And three out of four
Survived to see the new dawn
Gave thanks to their God
For a savior odd
Named John.
Cf ~ How the years come and go
A century or so
We recall the Mayflower lore
ht her watery bed
Her epitaph read
She will rest in respect evennore
'Tho we try to explain
The mysteries remain
A jinx or was it just fate
Superstition prevails
In the tragic details
And debate.
8. While the lamp it did burn
The kinfolk did yearn
For a word from Heaven's gate
And later did think That was it the drink Why someone was blind to this fate Men of good name And an elderly dame We mourn again and again May their troubles cease And may all rest in peace Amen. 10. Now the story is told In the graveyards of old A believe it or not tragedy A ship and its' crew And passengers too
And a dead man who saved three
The terrible cost
Of the lives that were lost
And the widows and orphans who pained
The legend lives on
In the Mayflower Song It remains ......... . The legend lives on In the Mayflower Song Refrain .............. Copyright ©20 10 by Eddie FrancislMoonlight Music CanadaJSOCAN
Box 55, Combermere, ON, Canada KOJILO
The Dead Man' s Chest (The Mayflower) Chorus Four men riding on a dead mans chest God took one but he spared the rest. J ohn Brown dressed in h is Sunday best Fou r men riding on a dead mans chest. The dead man's name it was J ohn Brown Killed by an accident in Yorkton town. That extra Mayflower trip. Her last Sunk by the storm an early winter blast. Went down like a stone in a minute flat. Took eight to the bottom no doubt about that. It happened so fast they were doomed anyway Left the lifeboat behind in Barry's Bay. Chorus Parcher said lads please have no fear. can swim to my house just ya rds from here.
To come back with his boat was the rescue plan
Near} made it to his home but out of luck he ran..
On the wheelhouse roof, the four did climb
They knew that they didn't have a lot of time
Grabbed John Brown's casket as it drifting by.
And Harper was saved by Gordon Peverly's tie.
Chorus
To the flagpole Delaney hung on tight
As the coffin six feet away came into sight.
They aU cried out, tried to rescue h im.
lIe went down with the ship because he couldn' t swim.
They made it to the island in the freezing cold
But the beD for 'Brien had alr eady tolled.
Tried to light a fire as the wind did blow
But lost the lighter in t he deep deep snow.
Chorus
Morning came, the lighter was found
The three made a fire on the frigid ground.
After seven that night their dreams came true
When the good ship Ruby ·teamed into view.
God rest the nine who never came hom
Claimed that night by the icy foam.
It cost nine lives to p ut Brown to rest
But the last three were saved by the dead mans chest.
Chorus
John Anderson S.O.C.A.N. 29/09/1202
The Combermere Song
To Com ber mere I've been where tbey have no gasoline Since C.O.Video they couldn't stay. To fiU her up today we d rive t o Barry's Bay I wish they never had to move away. In the year two oh eleven my little bit of heaven
Up in Combermere had a crisis not too small.
Seems that Madeline and Charlie shut down the C.O. Video
And you couldn 't find no gasoline at all.
T he nearest place they say is aU the way to Barry' s Bay
I t 's nearly twenty miles through fog and snow.
If it's diesel that you want you have to take a jaunt
There is no choice tbat 's where you have to go.
Chorus
T he summer came around and nothing could be found
But vehicles abandoned by the road.
They had all run out of gas and tbe A.T.V.s alas
Had no fuel to haul the hunting load.
The wintertime was worse to hear the snowmobilers cu rse
The store was closed and all the pumps were gone.
On their GPS it said there was fuel up ahead
And they conldn't fi gure out where they went w rong
Chorus
So Harper wa informed as the d rama did unfold
And everything got worse each passing day.
There must be something done to get the car's t o run
Got to try and find t bem gasoline someway.
The pa rliament was called and they worked all through the night.
And politicians gave a migbty cheer.
If Obama doesn't want the oil we can take the Keystone pipeline.
And redirect it all to Combermere.
Cborus
Now Com bermere is famous because it's got the pipeline
The population's growing day by day.
Village market is a Wal-Mart, tbe motels now a Hilton
And the L aundromat became a Mickey Dee
There's a Timmy s a nd a Dairy Queen
Down where tbe restaur ant has been
More shopping malls than you have ever seen
So be careful what you wish for
Cos I think I liked it better
When Combermere it had 00 gasoline.
To Com bermere I've beeo w here they have no gasoline
Since C.O.Video they couldn't stay
To fill her up today we d rive Ba rry's Bay
I wish they never had to move away.
John Anderson
Ap ril 10 2012
THE MAYFLOWER
It was a stormy night back in nineteen twelve with a wind and driving snow
The Mayflower rocked as she 1 ft Barry' s Bay dock for Combermere some miles below.
All was well as she whistled and headed forth, through the narrows of Barry's Bay.
She was sailing straight, although she was late, holding finn as the wind held sway,
Captain Hudson, the owner, had been called upon to make this special run.
With no thought of dread, they went to pick up the dead - the body of a Mr. Brown.
They were late getting away from the bustling bay, but happy as they homeward wheeled
Though darkness fell, there was no sound or knell, as they steamed past the shores
concealed.
Aaron Parch er was pilot at the post of command, a helmsman dear to each mate,
The passengers told tales midst the howl of the gales, little knowing they were near to
their fate.
It was opposite Gull Island that the trouble began - someone shouted "There's water
inside!"
When they got up on deck there was water to their necks "God help us! God help us!"
they cried.
Pilot Parcher struck out bravely to swim to shore, he told them that help h would seek
"Hold tight boys, stay afloat, I'll come back with Dad ' s boat" the last words he was ever
to speak.
Frantic cries were lost in the howl of the stom1, their eyes gathered tears of distress
As they tossed to and fro in the deep boundless foe, what thoughts cam to their minds ­
who couId guess?
It was not 'til next day in the late afternoon, that the few survivors were found
On each face there was cast all the horror that had passed as they told that the rest were
all drowned
hey had floated to GuU r 'land on the casket as said in Ripley, one dead man saved
three!
No truer words were said - they were saved by the dead - a miracle was it destined to be?
Many years have gone by since the sinking of the Mayflower to her watery grave
A tragedy gone past, memories that will last, for the loved ones who tried to be brave
To this day she remains in the Kamaniskeg, a sorrowful sight-seeing wreck
There's a feeling of woe as you look down below and gaze at her water-soaked deck.
Jean Richter 1923 - 1992 Purdy, Ontario