Canning Family Collection | Our Stories Innisfil

: Annie, Maude, and Mary Turnbull; Black and white studio portrait of Annie, Maude, and Mary Turnbull. Pictured on the left is Annie Turnbull, wife of Smith Canning of Churchill. Her sister, Maude, is in the middle of the photo, and sister Mary is on the right. Annie and her sisters grew up in the Mono area of Dufferin County, with Annie coming to Innisfil when she married Smith Canning in 1891. The date of the photo is probably about 1900-1905. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, grandson of Annie Turnbull Canning and great-nephew of Maude and Mary Turnbull.

: Arlene Canning; Undated portrait of Arlene Canning, who was born in 1896, one of the daughters of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. She married Thomas Small in 1922. They lived and farmed for many years on the 8th Line. Highway 400 was later constructed through their property. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, nephew of Arlene Canning.

: Arthur and Margaret Hastewell; Black and white photo taken outdoors on the wedding day of Margaret Canning to Arthur Hastewell on 24 July 1943. Margaret was born in 1912, the youngest child and one of the daughters of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. After taking a course to train as a teacher, she taught at Gilford School before marrying Arthur Hastewell in 1943. They lived in Toronto and had daughter Elizabeth and son Kemp. Arthur died in 1973, and Margaret died in 1986. In the photo Arthur is wearing a formal military-style coat and Margaret is wearing a white dress, white pillbox hat with veil, and holding a large bouquet of flowers. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Arthur and Margaret Hastewell.

: Canning Family 1915; Black and white photo taken outdoors of the Canning Family in 1915. Among the names written on the back of the photo is written “Uncle Chas. Ritchie” He is probably the uncle of Smith Canning and the brother of Elizabeth Ritchie Canning, wife of Robert Canning of Churchill. With other names on the back of the photo, it is thought that left to right in the back row are: Smith Canning, his wife Annie Turnbull Canning, their daughter Ida, Uncle Chas. Ritchie, Smith's twin sister Eleanor Canning, and Smith’s daughter Cora Canning. Left to right in the front row are some other children of Smith and Annie Canning: Ritchie, Margaret, Gordon, Hartis, and Doris. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Margaret Canning Hastewell.

: Children of the Boag Family; Black and white studio portrait of George, Eveline, and William David Boag. The “Historical Review of Churchill” states that Harry Boag had been keeper of the hotel at the northeast corner of Churchill at the intersection of Yonge Street and the 4th Line. In the 1901 census, Henry Boag, born 1873, is listed as a hotel keeper in Innisfil, Village of Churchill. In the 1911 census, Henry Boag appears as a Hotel Keeper in Barrie. His son William David Boag was born in 1897 and killed 1918 in World War I. From the ages of his children listed on the 1901 census, the children in the photo would likely be left to right: George, Eveline, and William David Boag, with the photo likely taken in 1902 or 1903. The two boys are seated at a wicker table wearing white long-sleeved shirts with lace collars and cuffs while the girl is standing and wearing a white dress with a bow in her hair. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Margaret Canning Hastewell. Margaret Canning was born in 1912 and grew up in Churchill, the daughter of Smith and Annie Eliza (Turnbull) Canning of Churchill.

: Doris Canning; Black and white triptych photo of Doris Canning who was born 1908, one of daughters of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. She was active in sports and is pictured wearing a western style hat and neck bandana on the left, holding a ball in the middle, and holding a tennis racket on the right. Doris married William Lorne Johnston in 1934 and for a time he had a store in the Painswick area. After Lorne died, Doris married Llewellyn Beaver in Barrie in 1965. She had taught school for a period and was a support and mentor for her great-niece Nancy (Fraser) Fyfe. Doris donated a family photo and some land records to the Innisfil Historical Society’s Document Centre and contributed to the book "Skunks and Scholars" by writing about some of the home remedies she received as a child. She donated to the Simcoe County Museum a large quilt, a pleater, dressmaker’s chalk, a handmade beaded purse, an embroidered pillow sham, and a shaving set. When Doris died in 1998, she was the last of the Canning family who had lived at Churchill. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, nephew of Doris Canning.

: Elizabeth Canning, Cora Canning, and Maude Turnbull; Black and white studio portrait of Elizabeth Canning, Cora Canning, and Maude Turnbull taken in 1908. The inscription on the back of this photo describes Cora as a niece of both Elizabeth Canning and of Maude Turnbull. Elizabeth Canning is on the left in the photo, and was the daughter of Robert Canning of Churchill. Cora Canning is in the middle of the photo, and was the daughter of Elizabeth’s brother Smith Canning and Annie E. Turnbull Canning, who lived in the Churchill area. Maude Turnbull was the sister of Annie E. Turnbull Canning. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, a great-nephew of Elizabeth Canning and Maude Turnbull, and nephew of Cora Canning.

: Fifth Line School Class Photo; Black and white class photo taken of students attending the Fifth Line School when it was still a wooden framed school, likely between 1900 and 1909. The school was raised and covered in red concrete in 1909. Some of the Canning siblings attended the school prior to its renovation in 1909. There are three rows of students, with the back row standing and the middle and front rows seated. Their teacher, a man dressed in a light-coloured suit is seated in the middle of the middle row, with his left hand resting atop a globe.

: Gordon Canning; Black and white studio portrait of Gordon Canning, who was born in 1905, one of the sons of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. He is pictured wearing a suit and tie, and fashionable haircut. He became an accountant and married Edna May “Peggy” Lonsdale. They lived in Toronto. Gordon died in 1972. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, nephew of Gordon Canning.

: Hartis Canning; Black and white portrait of Hartis Canning, who was born in 1902 and was one of the sons of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. He is pictured wearing a double-breasted formal coat with a decorative band around the sleeve, near the wrist. Hartis became a marine engineer and worked in boats on the Great Lakes. He sometimes stayed with his siblings Ritchie or Ruby. Hartis died in 1967. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, nephew of Hartis Canning.

: Ida Canning; Black and white studio portrait of Ida Canning, who was born in 1900, one of the daughters of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. Ida married Stanley McPherson in 1926. They lived in Paris, Ontario, and had two daughters, Jean and Ruth. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, nephew of Ida Canning.

: Ida, Margaret, and Cora Canning; Black and white photo taken outdoors of two women with a child between them. Pictured on the left is Ida Canning, with Cora Canning on the right in the photo, with their youngest sibling and sister Margaret Canning, born in 1912, standing between them and holding Cora's hand. They were daughters of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Margaret Canning Hastewell, and nephew of Ida and Cora Canning.

: Margaret Canning Teacher at Gilford School; Class photo taken of the Gilford School in 1937 where Margaret Canning was a teacher. She was born in 1912 and was the daughter of Smith Canning and Ann Eliza Turnbull. She had grown up in the Churchill area and taught for a period at Gilford School. She can be seen in the photo as the fourth person from the left in the back row. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Margaret Canning Hastewell. Pictured from left to right, back row: Walter Graveston, Grade IX; James McDonnell, Sr IV; Gerrard Gibbons, Sr IV; teacher Margaret Canning; Winnifred Neilly, Sr IV; Eileen Kneeshaw, Jr IV; Helel Porritt, Sr IV; and Jane Bailey, Jr IV. Centre row: Dorothy Bell, Marion Jackson, Joyce McDonnell, Marjorie Horsley, Jr IV; Betty Bedford, Jr. IV; Norma Bell, Sr IV; and Lillian Courtney, Sr. III [Note: only seven names were listed by Margaret for this row]. Bottom row: Alan McDonnell, Jr IV; Harry Jackson, Sr IV; Floyd McDonnell, Jr III; Allen Neilly, Jr. III; and Billie Neilly, I. Absent for the photo: Frank Todd, Marjorie Todd, and Hardy Courtney.

: Margaret Canning at Lefroy School; Photo of Margaret Canning in a class photograph at the Lefroy School, taken on 26 September 1922. Margaret was born in 1912 and was the daughter of Smith Canning and Ann Eliza Turnbull. She, as well as many of her brothers and sisters, attended the Fifth Line School. In this photo, Margaret was a student at Lefroy School. She can be seen as the sixth person from the left in the second row. The other students in the photo have not been identified. This photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Margaret Canning Hastewell.

: Margaret Canning in a Group of Professional Women; Photo of Margaret Canning, located in the far right of the second row, among other professional women. Margaret was born in 1912 and was the daughter of Smith Canning and Ann Eliza Turnbull. She had grown up in the Churchill area and taught for a period at Gilford School. It is thought that this group of women were enrolled in a course for teachers or a Normal School. The others in the photo have not been identified. This photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Margaret Canning Hastewell.

: Margaret Hastewell 1943; Black and white studio portrait of Margaret Hastewell (neé Canning) taken on 6 October 1943. Margaret was born in 1912, the youngest child and one of daughters of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. After taking a course to train as a teacher, she taught at Gilford School before marrying Arthur Hastewell in July 1943. They lived in Toronto and had daughter Elizabeth and son Kemp. Margaret died in 1986. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, Margaret’s son.

: Members of the Gilford Young Peoples Union; Black and white group photo taken outdoors of a group of youths wearing sweatshirts labeled "Gilford Y.P.U." taken in June 1942. The Y.P.U. was the Young Peoples Union, an educational and social group for young adults in the United Church. Pictured on the far right is Margaret Canning, who was teaching at the Gilford School at this time. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Margaret Canning Hastewell.

: Mrs. Smith Canning and her son Alexander; Photo of Eliza Canning (née Bowman) holding her son, Alexander Canning. Smith Canning and wife Eliza Bowman lived in Belle Ewart. Their son Alexander, born 1860, settled on the First Concession and later moved to Lefroy. His daughter was Marjorie E. Canning, the representative in Innisfil of the Bell Telephone Company. This photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, a great great-nephew of Smith Canning of Belle Ewart.

: Postcard to Bell Canning, Dressmaker; Scan of the back of a postcard sent to Isabella "Bell" Canning, a dressmaker in Churchill. The card was mailed in April 1923, but the handwriting is difficult to read. A friend or customer of Bell Canning seems to be telling her if a pink garment she ordered has been made, she would be pleased to have it Thursday. The scan was donated by Kemp Hastewell, great nephew of Isabella Canning.

: Ritchie Canning; Black and white studio portrait of Ritchie Canning, who was born in 1899 and was one of the sons of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. He is pictured wearing dark suit and patterned tie with a handkerchief in the left breast pocket. He worked on the Smith Canning farm through 1931, and later farmed in Bradford and Utopia. By the late 1960s he had returned in Churchill. After his aunt Eleanor Canning died in 1937, Ritchie became owner of the Canning Apartments. Before Ritchie died in 1977, he had built and lived in a small house on the 4th Line behind the store and Canning Apartment building. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, nephew of Ritchie Canning.

: Ritchie Family Portrait; Black and white studio portrait of the Ritchie Family. Charles Woods Ritchie (sometimes spelled Ritchey) lived in the Bethesda area of Innisfil and was probably the brother of Elizabeth/Eliza Ritchie, who married Robert Canning in 1852. Charles Ritchie and his family were living in the Bethesda area of Innisfil in the 1861 and 1871 censuses. They had a number of other children born in Innisfil during the 1870s. At some time before the 1881 census they moved to Palmerston in Wellington County. Based on the censuses, the date of the photo is probably about 1864. The mother in the photo, pictured on the far right, would be Elizabeth Thompson. Based on his 1922 death registration, the parents of Charles were John Ritchie and Jane Woods. Based on the children’s names in the 1871 census, the children in the photo would be, oldest to youngest, Thomas W., Charles T., and James A. Ritchie. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, a great great-nephew of Charles Ritchie.

: Ruby Canning; Black and white photo taken outdoors of Ruby Canning, who was born in 1895 and was one of the daughters of Smith Canning and Annie Eliza Turnbull Canning of Churchill. She is pictured wearing a long sleeved dark coloured dress next to an open window of a brick building. She became a court stenographer in Barrie and lived on Mulcaster Street across from the Courthouse. At times some of her siblings stayed with her. Ruby died in 1976. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, nephew of Ruby Canning.

: Scott Neilly; Black and white photo taken outdoors of Albert Scott Neilly wearing a Canadian Air Force uniform. Born on 26 December 1915 Scott was the son of Louis and Florence Neilly of Gilford, and a friend of Margaret Canning of Churchill. He enlisted on 27 May 1940, the same day as his elder brother Louis, and both men opted to join the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Scott became a flying sergeant and served as a flight instructor in Chatham, New Brunswick. He was killed in a training accident at age 26 on 28 May 1942 and buried in Coulson's Hill cemetery. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Margaret Canning Hastewell.

: Sisters Eleanor, Bell, and Margaret Canning; Photo of three Canning sisters: Eleanor, Isabella "Bell", and Margaret. Eleanor was born in 1858 and Bell/Isabella was born in 1868, and both were unmarried and worked as dressmakers in Churchill. Their sister Margaret, born in 1865, had married H. C. Morrison and lived in Owen Sound. The sisters were daughters of Robert G. Canning and Elizabeth Ritchie and grew up on South Half of Lot 13, Concession 5. The sisters may have been together and all dressed alike in black at the time of this photo when their sister Elizabeth, born in 1863, died in 1931. This photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, great nephew of the three sisters.

: Smith Canning of Belle Ewart; Black and white studio portrait of Smith Canning. The back of this photo has the inscription “Smith Canning of Belle Ewart”. He was the brother of Robert Canning who came from Markham and lived at Churchill. Their basic history, as well as others of the early Canning family, is described in the 1950/51 Innisfil Historical Review, pages 31-32. Smith came from Markham and married Elizabeth Bowman, of another Innisfil family. Their granddaughter was Marjorie Canning, who became the representative in Innisfil of the Bell Telephone Company. The photo was likely taken around 1860. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, a great great-nephew of Smith Canning of Belle Ewart.

: Smith and Sandy Canning of Churchill; Studio photo of Smith Canning, born in 1858, and Alexander “Sandy” Canning, born in 1860. They were sons of Robert G. Canning and Elizabeth Ritchie and grew up on the South Half of Lot 13, Concession 5. Smith Canning married Ann Eliza Turnbull. They had a farm and family on the NH of Lot 11 and Part of 12 , Concession 4. Alexander “Sandy” Canning married Sarah Mary Hindle, and they moved to Alberta. This photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, grandson of Smith Canning and great-nephew of Sandy Canning.

: The Canning Dressmakers of Churchill and Their Family

: The Canning Family 1928; Black and white photo taken outdoors of several members of the Canning family in 1928. Pictured from left to right are: Ritchie, Ruby, Margaret, Cora, Doris, Annie (their mother), Gordon, and Ida holding her daughter, Jean McPherson. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, son of Margaret Canning Hastewell.

: Thomas and Arlene Small c. 1922; Black and white studio portrait of Thomas and Arlene Small about the time of their marriage in 1922. The couple are standing side-by-side with Thomas dressed in a suit and tie, and Arlene wearing a dark coat and skirt, animal fur stole, and hat with a feather accent. The couple lived and farmed for many years on the 8th Line of Innisfil. Highway 400 was later constructed through their property. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, nephew of Arlene Canning Small.

: Tom and Arlene Small; Black and white photo taken outdoors of Tom and Arlene Small. They lived and farmed for many years on the 8th Line of Innisfil. Highway 400 was later constructed through their property. Tom died in 1949. Arlene died, in Toronto, in 1991. Their gravestone is in the Thornton Union Cemetery. Tom is wearing a long-sleeve collared shirt and overalls, and Arlene is wearing a floral patterned dress. The photo was donated by Kemp Hastewell, nephew of Arlene Canning Small.