Rednersville Loyalist

Cornstock 2006

2006-08-25T21:06:00.000-04:00

For many years now, the Meens family, proprietors of the Rednersville Country Store, have welcomed hundreds of friends and family for an annual cornroast on the shores of the Bay of Quinte down Rednersville Road. Photographs taken, and a firsthand account by one of the guests, are posted here.

No word yet whether collectible memorabilia will be sold on eBay.

Biscotasing: Hudson's Bay Company Store

2006-04-13T22:40:00.000-04:00

We collect historic photographic postcards, because every picture tells a story. This is one of them.

Biscotasing, better known as Bisco, was one of those instant towns that jumped out of nowhere during construction of the CPR Railway in the early 1880s. Bisco started out as a large railway camp that grew into a CPR construction town, where nearly 500 men lived, drank and caroused and womanized. Bisco was filled with brothels and saloons and quickly developed a reputation for being rough, wild and raucous.

From 1882-1886, Bisco effectively became a divisional point. The settlement included freight sheds, a telegraph office, where as many as three telegraphers were on duty at different intervals, boarding houses, a wye, coal chutes and water tank, all contained within an area of about 470 acres. A huge siding was managed by J.B. Jones and housed shops for 19 locomotives.

In addition to the telegraphers, there were also 15 engineers and 15 firemen working twelve-hour days. Daily pay for the engineers ranged from $2.50 to $2.75 and for the firemen, $1.10 to $1.50. Railway ties were produced in a portable mill operated by Mr. Leech and Mr. Rowan. The CPR contacted jobbers for tie production whenever the need arose. Things slowed down after 1886 when the divisional point was moved to Chapleau. The village was left with a small population that included a few rail workers, lumbermen and trappers, who were serviced by a small Hudson Bay post.

After the railway moved out the sawmills moved in. Around 1894, two groups, Barnath & McNeil, and Joiffe & Beatty each set up mills. A third firm, O'Neil & Simpson, began producing squared timber primarily for the CPR. The latter company eventually changed their name to Sudlen & O'Neil, and only produced sporadically until shutting down entirely in 1898, leaving four million board feet of unsold lumber. Booth and Shannon went on to purchase the mill and quickly built it up to become the dominant mill in the area.

Bisco sprang to life following the success of the sawmill. After making extensive enlargements to the mill in 1903, Booth & Shannon were able to produce an average of 10 million board feet. Production peaked at 14.5 million board feet and four million laths in 1911. There were so many workers the company found it necessary to add new sleep camps, boarding houses, a cookhouse and company store.

Major improvements to the Bisco were visible everywhere. In addition to the company store, there was a Hudson's Bay store and a combination general store and post office, owned by J.A. Wright. A school was added in 1906 and a hospital in 1909. There was a new two-storey railway station and a Catholic church. An Anglican church was opened in 1908 with Rev. Banting officiating as the first minister. In 1907 the government set up an Ontario Forestry station that would figure more prominently in Bisco's later years. Thirty brand new homes were built. By 1911, Bisco's population had jumped to 271 from 102, ten years earlier.

Unfortunately Bisco's new found prosperity was short lived.

Continue reading this history of Biscotasing here and another at Ontario Ghost Towns, where there are more photographs of Biscotasing.

What's really interesting about this postcard is that it was signed: "Good luck, K.G. Ross." and was sent to H.J.E. Keys, Esq. 84 Avenue Road, Toronto. Mr. Kenneth G. Ross was the chief forest ranger for the district including Biscotasing and figured in the negotiations of the James Bay Treaty, Treaty No 9 with the Indians in 1906, as described in this story of the journey through Biscotasing at the time.

The next photograph from the Ontario Government Archives is of Chief Espagnol (Sahquakegick) before the Hudson's Bay Company store at Biscotasing, Ontario, taken on the 20th of July, 1906, by Duncan Campbell Scott,1862-1947. He was a civil servant in the department of Indian affairs (1879-1932). He became a clerk at the age of seventeen. He was Deputy Superintendent from 1913, until 1923, when he became Deputy Superintendent General for the Federal Government. His responsibilities included representing the Federal Government in intergovernmental negotiations with the aboriginal peoples in landholding agreements and establishing treaty settlements. As Commissioner in the first of two Commissioners’ visit in 1905-1906 (the other in 1929-1930) to Northern Ontario, Scott was instrumental in submitting Treaty No.9 to the Governor General for ratification in January, 1907. Scott was also an amateur photographer and during the Commissioners’ visit in 1905-1906, to James Bay area he photographed the native population and scenery.

Today Biscotasing is a partial ghost town. Lumbering is still carried out in the area and the most recent records indicate that Bisco supports a year-round population of 22. During the summer, the population swells to around 300 as the area springs to life with tourism and fishing. A provincial park is located nearby. One of the churches still functions and the general store and post office remain open to this very day.

Directions to the village of Biscotasing.

Storytelling in Prince Edward County

2005-11-18T13:14:00.000-05:00

Like the country storekeepers at the Rednersville Country Store in the good old days, we love to swap stories about the history of Prince Edward County, and yes, we still gossip about the neighbours if you stop by the store for a visit. Many of the folks around the County, and most of our neighbours up and down Rednersville Road, have access to the internet now. So they sometimes visit our online antiques gallery, which is now filled with antiques and memorabilia.

Local folks and visitors from around the world read this Rednersville Loyalist news rag, or blog as the younger folks call it, where we post stories of interest to those who know Prince Edward County, or might like to. On this blog, we've posted stories about the loyalist history of the County and, closer to home, a story about the night this store was struck by lightning, an excerpt from a book by local author, photographer and storyteller, Janet Kellough, The Legendary Guide to Prince Edward County.

But there's something about the spoken word that makes storytelling so interesting. So it's our pleasure to spread the word about the County's own weekly podcast, featuring Janet Kellough and Don Edwards, The Prince Edward County Podcast. To listen to a "podcast" you don't need to have one of those iPod mp3 players the kids all want for Christmas, because you can listen to the stories on your computer by just clicking on a link. It's easy, and well worth a listen.

We really enjoyed Prince Edward County Podcast #4 -- Rum-Runners Edition, which features the voice of author C.W. Hunt describing where the booze came from, and one smuggler's hair-raising encounter with the U.S. Coast Guard. Then, Janet tells the tale of Main Duck Island and how one Milford family indirectly benefited from rum-running. The storytelling is captivating, and the production of the podcasts is very professional. We'll be listening to their podcasts every week, here in the comfort of our store, surrounded by antiques and memorabillia that evoke memories to complement these stories of Prince Edward County.

We should probably get together with Don and Janet to talk about some of the stories heard and told over the years in the Rednersville Country Store.

Jim Crow Collectibles & Black Memorabilia

2005-11-02T22:14:00.000-05:00

As Rosa Parks is honored today, many Americans remember the fight for racial equality in their time, and the Jim Crow era is still part of their personal memories, or family histories. Increasingly, black memorabilia is in high demand among serious collectors.

Black Enterprise magazine and the Wall Street Journal have touted Black memorabilia as worthwhile investments. Essence, a leading Black magazine, even gave a short tutorial on how to shop for these items. Blacks are now as likely as Whites to collect Black memorabilia -- including racist memorabilia -- and celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Spike Lee are avid collectors. Although some Blacks collect racist items as "investments," many Blacks, including Winfrey and Lee, collect the material to remind themselves and others of America's racist past. These collectors, regardless of their motivations, are exhausting the available supply of original Black-related items. The price of authentic Black-related memorabilia has escalated as fewer older pieces remain on the market. This escalation in prices has significant consequences: Jim Crow era artifacts are increasingly found in the elite collections of wealthy individuals or organizations, and the demand for cheaper Jim Crow styled items has spurred a flourishing reproductions market.

The Jim Crow era in the United States extended from the mid-1870s to the mid-1960s; consequently, most of the racist artifacts in the Ferris State University Jim Crow Museum were produced and distributed during that period.

Loyalist communities in Canada were safe havens for refugee slaves in the black history of the United States and Canada.

The Underground Railroad was not actually a train but rather a name given to a loosely organized system which helped fugitive slaves and free Blacks find freedom in Canada. On August 1, 1834, the British Imperial Act abolishing slavery went into effect in British controlled areas worldwide, including Canada. Since slavery continued in the United States, both Black and white abolitionists assisted Black people through providing them with financial support, directions, shelter, food or transportation. Later, the American Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 forced freedom-seeking African Americans, and often those who helped them, to leave the United States and enter Canada. The Underground Railroad ended after the American Civil War and the end of American slavery.

Our collections include excellent examples of rare Jim Crow collectibles and black memorabilia.

Red Indian Service Station

2005-05-14T23:25:00.000-04:00

The oldest photograph we have of the Rednersville Country Store is a postcard that shows the late 19th century streetscape of Rednersville Road. Though the road itself is a narrow dirt trail, there is evidence of the coming technological revolution.

Near the store in this picture is a telegraph pole (later known as a telephone pole) which carried the communications wires that are typically underground today.

Rednersville Country Store served as the local post office and would have been the first place in the farming community where folks could send or receive a telegraph message or pick up their mail. Mail came by stagecoach, so there would typically be a stable and blacksmith not far from the hotel or general store that served as the post office and communications hub for the community. Behind the telegraph pole in the postcard, we see what was probably a stable at the Rednersville way station.

By the early 20th century, horses gave way to the motor car and these way stations were gradually converted to filling stations serving gasoline and motor oil. In a later photograph can be seen the gas pumps in front of the original stable, which by then had lost its porch to accommodate the new pumps.

Those who collect petroliana might recognize the trademarks of the Red Indian Service Station, and the antique gas pumps with the glass globes that fueled the tanks of the motor cars by a gravity feed. Red Indian motor oil signs, pumps, advertising and other memorabilia are quite collectible now.

Later, the filling station became a "full service" station, offering mechanical repairs to cars and trucks and even tractors which farmers would drive down Rednersville Road to the country store and what had become Ward's Garage. The Red Indian gas pumps had been upgraded, including a Clearvision 700 double visible pump. Beside the garage was the shop owner's new home.

The "corner gas" property that has long been derelict across the street from the Rednersville Country Store is now getting a bit of a makeover, and the small clapboard house is being completely restored. Interestingly, it was during the renovation of the little house beside the abandoned gas station that we found in the attic the original negative of the earliest known photograph of these Red Indian gas pumps.

Look What We Found Online

2005-04-16T22:57:00.000-04:00

This is a collage of photographs from Flickr, which uses selected photos of letters to spell the name of our hamlet.

Still the Lowest Prices in Town

2005-04-06T16:01:00.000-04:00

We get some really interesting email. Last year, we got an email from an antique dealer in the United States who wanted to know about our inventory of stoneware and crockery. Apparently, it's quite hard to find such large quantities of quality goods. She said our prices were far lower than she would be charging in her antique shop in the States, so she wanted to know if we'd sell her everything—lock, stock and barrel. In the end, we decided it didn't make sense for us to empty the shop for one customer.

So now we're still in business, trying to sell antiques, one at a time, at unbelievably low prices. Speaking of prices, we just got another email asking about the prices of stuff you'd find in an historic general store like the Rednersville Country Store in the 1800s.

Hello! I just came across your website and I am almost inspired to make the long trek up to Prince Edward County! It looks absolutely beautiful and tranquil.

I am the Education Coordinator for a small 'living history' museum just outside of Cincinnati, OH USA. Our Heritage Village is a collection of 19th century buildings and artifacts from around the Greater Cincinnati region during our pioneer days, beginning in the late 1700s to early 1800s and on.

We are currently revamping our 'general store' from being the gift shop to becoming part of the museum as the olde country general store.

We already have the items inside the store. What I am looking for are historical prices. For my educational programs, I want to be able to compare prices of then and now. Thus, I found your store with its history and background. I was wondering if you have any records of pricing, say during the 1870s. Looking at the basic things that one would have found when they went into town to buy their goods: soaps, canned goods, articles of clothing, tools, farm tools, household items, anything of that nature.

If you could help me, it would be greatly appreciated.

We don't have an historic catalogue with prices; most general stores in those days used to just mark up the prices on small handmade signs in the store. I've seen old newspaper ads, ephemera, that are interesting not only for the low prices back in the day, but just to see some of the old implements that aren't used anymore.

Printed and manuscript advertisements have existed ever since craftsmen, storekeepers, and other business people realized that is was advantageous to promote themselves and their merchandise. In the world of eighteenth-century artisans, a furniture maker would paste a rudimentary label on one of his tables or chests to show the public the kind of work they could expect from him. Broadening the range of promotions further, a craftsman regularly placed advertisements in newspapers or city directories, noting his address, detailing his products, and frequently including illustrations. Sometimes these ads were also circulated on their own. Likewise, a general store proprietor would distribute small-scale ads to announce the arrival of new products or to proclaim special sales. By associating his name with his product or place of business in an advertisement, the craftsman and businessman hoped to enhance their reputations, and they at least implied to buyers that they would stand behind their work and goods.

But all I know is, the Rednersville Country Store still has the lowest prices in town. That's what they tell me, anyway.

The Belleville Volcano

2005-03-26T16:09:00.000-05:00

It's not uncommon to hear old tales of weird happenings around these parts. You might remember the story about the guys who were struck by lightning right upstairs here in the Rednersville Country Store. That's a true story, they say.

But this one about the Belleville Volcano is news to me, and there's no one alive today who might remember that night, if it really happened. Maybe you've heard the story before.

During the evening of Saturday, January 28, 1899, people near Belleville, in a place known as Rednersville, were having trouble getting to sleep. They were being kept awake by horrible sounds resembling, as one irate listener claimed, the whinnying of a thousand dogs, mingled with the heavy boom of cannons. At midnight the disturbance reached its peak with a terrific explosion. The ground shook slighty, terrifying many people. Then there was silence. After a while, the citizens settled down and went to sleep.

In the morning, a search was made of the area. The searchers found a large piece of ice near Anderson's Landing on the Bay of Quinte that had apparently been thrown out of the water onto the land. They also found about half an acre of pulverized ice which looked as if a great weight had fallen upon it grinding it to powder. The searchers also found something else very strange. Even though the weather the previous week had been very cold, the bay still remained open where the ice was found broken up. The water there was quite clear of ice. They found, upon testing, that its temperature was a few degrees above freezing. Occasionally, the open area of water bubbled up with a hissing sound. On its surface floated a number of dead fish.

What had caused the strange noises, the earthquake and the shattered ice? No one knows for sure. Some amateur scientists in the Belleville area visited the site and ventured that a meteorite had fallen into the bay and had completely cooled. This would account for the explosion, the open, warm water and possibly the pulverized ice. But it does not explain the strange noise that lasted for hours or the big block of ice that was thrown up on the shore.

What would make a noise for hours-as if building up pressure-then explode, causing the earth to shake and water in the middle of winter to heat up and possibly throw a large chunk of ice out on the shore and pulverize the ice around the hole? Maybe a small volcanic eruption?

There are no known active volcanoes in this area now. But maybe there were once. Mont Tremblant in Quebec is thought to have once been an active volcano. In Ontario, Lake on the Mountain in Prince Edward County was believed by Indians to have once been a "smoking mountain", that is, a volcano!

And one last point for you to consider. In July of 1902, People living near Lake on the Mountain were worried that there was going to be a volcanic eruption under the lake. Why? Because the lake water was heating up abnormally for the time of the year. Was an old volcano under Lake on the Mountain coming to life?

If you've heard this tall tale before, please leave a note in the comments below.

High Speed Internet News

2005-03-12T21:45:00.000-05:00

For a small hamlet that is found by Google Maps but is not yet named on that map, it was big news around here when Rednersville got a high speed cable internet connection.

It makes me think about the olden days, when the Rednersville Country Store used to be the central hub of communications for the surrounding community. Then, folks would stop by the store to pick up supplies and send or pick up their mail since the store served as the local post office.

And, in the days before everyone around here had a phone, neighbours could make a telephone call from the store when they came to buy supplies. One way or another, the country store has always been the first in the neighbourhood to get the latest communications technologies, and the place where local people would go to get in touch with people in the big cities.

So it is today, when we got our high speed Cogeco cable internet service. (Download speed : 4740076 bps, or 4628 kbps. A 578.6 KB/sec transfer rate. Upload speed : 629921 bps, or 615 kbps.)

We've been really busy around here these past few months, getting ready to re-open the antique shop for regular hours by mid-April, alongside a new concept we'll be opening in the retail space at the rear of the building that will need all that new bandwidth. We can't be more specific about our plans for the new concept yet, but our regular readers here will be the first to know when we announce the news of yet another reason to come by way of Rednersville.

Google Maps Rednersville

2005-02-08T14:13:00.000-05:00

Wow, isn't Google Maps really cool? Now, you can find your way to Rednersville Country Store using this map of the area. We're located in the middle of the map, right on the Bay of Quinte at the intersection of County Road 3, which the locals call Rednersville Road, and County Road 23, on the way to Ameliasburgh in Prince Edward County.

These Google Maps are just in beta development at this time, so really small towns aren't yet marked on the maps—like the name of the hamlet of Rednersville, for example. But we're working on it.

The really neat thing about these maps is that you can use your computer mouse to "grab and drag" the map around in the viewer window to show the surrounding areas and roads throughout the County. This is really helpful if you're looking for directions to get to the Rednersville Country Store from Belleville, Trenton, or even routes from the USA via the bridge to Canada from Highway 81 near Gananoque or by crossing at Ogdensburg NY.

Rednersville Country Store should be shown at the intersection of yellow brick roads on this map that shows many places where you can "find antiques" around Belleville, Ontario, Canada.

Rednersville Expats

2005-01-21T23:32:00.000-05:00

Steve Heidt in Nevis is not the first of those who have left Rednersville, and now look back at our website with fond memories. It's always good to hear from friends and neighbours who have moved to faraway places.

The Canadian Antiques Roadshow on CBC

2005-01-11T01:50:00.000-05:00

Canada is getting its own version of the popular British series Antiques Roadshow. The BBC show features ordinary people who have their family heirlooms appraised by antiques experts. Viewers tune in to watch how the participants react when they are told their treasures are immensely valuable, or just interesting collectibles. According to the CBC Program Guide:

The Canadian Antiques Roadshow has the same principles as the British and American versions, including well-known appraisers from across the country, but features artifacts and memorabilia held by Canadian people. From thrift store finds to family heirlooms, and from coast to coast, Canadian people share the stories behind their objects, reflecting our diverse and multi-textured culture. Ultimately, the story is as important as the appraisal.

The show's name is a bit of a misnomer, as it's not just about Canadian antiques, actually, as it is about antiques owned by Canadians, or with some other connection to Canada. You'll have to watch and see if anyone you know from the County gets on TV.

The Wayback Times now asks, "What is it?"

2005-01-02T09:51:00.000-05:00

When our neighbour on Rednersville Road, Jay Telfer, the editor and publisher of The Wayback Times, started reading our Rednersville Loyalist blog, one regular feature that caught his eye for antiques was something we call "What the heck is this?"

From time to time, we post a photograph of some rare antique or obscure collectible and ask our readers to hazard a guess as to what it is. Anyway, Jay thought that this would be a nice regular feature in his print publication. We thought so too, and agreed to provide The Wayback Times with photographs of interesting items for the newspaper on a regular basis.

This photograph is the first of a new series in The Wayback Times that asks the question, "What is it?" Click on the picture below for a larger photo.

And check out the latest issue of The Wayback Times where they say that the first reader to identify this unusual object, and send the answer to the publisher, gets a one year subscription to their popular bi-monthly newspaper for the antique lover, the traveler and the newcomer to antiques.

Or, if you just want to play along here for the fun of winning without the chance for a free prize, just post your guess in the comments below. To be fair, we won't be giving any hints!

G.G. Williams & Co., Ovoid Jug

2004-12-31T15:40:00.000-05:00

This ovoid jug of about 3 or 4 gallons with floral decoration is believed to be attributed to G.G. Williams of Mount Morris, New York. Here's something interesting written about Mount Morris from the book Early Potters and Potteries of New York State, by William C. Ketchum Jr., which shows why we believe this is where this jug came from.

"In 1835 Nathan Clark opened a second western pottery at Mount Morris, a town on the Genesee Valley Canal thirth-eight miles south of Rochester. An announcement in the October 29, 1935, edition of the Mount Morris Spectator advised the citizens of the new manufactory. N. Clark & Co. Mount Morris, October 26, 1835."

"The Clark Factory is mentioned in the 1842 edition of Disturnell's Gazetteer of the State of New York, and it is known that the owners sponsored a village brass band in the 1840's."

"The business at Mount Morris did not, however, have the lasting powers of the Lyons and Rochester counterparts, or perhaps it was the local management. In any case this was first of the frontier branches to be abondoned by the Clarks. On September 22, 1846, the Livingston County Whig announced that on August 29 of that year G. G. Williams, the local manager, had withdrawn from the firm of N. Clark & Co."

"The notice stated that "at Mt. Morris, G. G. Williams will carry on the business on his private account," but it is uncertain that he continued for any length of time. However, an 1858 map of Mount Morris Village shows a building marked "pottery" on Chapel Street not far from the old town cemetary. This may simply be the abandoned Clark building, but it is also possible that it was an active kiln. Since the only known Mount Morris stoneware mark is N. Clark & Co/Mount Morris, one may conjecture that if Williams did continue shop it was as a redware manufactory untilizing local clay. Since the 1850 census lists no potter in the township of Mount Morris, even this is doubtful."

"There is a local legend to the effect that termination of the potting business at Mount Morris was brought about through the reluctance of local landowners to denude their hillsides for the vast amounts of wood needed as fuel for the oven."

"Salt-glazed stoneware from this village is not common. At Mount Morris a few pieces are in the possession of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Crosten, whose home is on the plot once occupied by the old Clark plant. The pots show the typical bulbous shape and scant decoration of the pre-1850 period.

From time to time, we offer selected pieces of stoneware for sale on eBay from our gallery of antiques and collectibles. And, occasionally, from our private collection. One of our customers, who had successfully bid on two other pieces of pottery on our eBay auctions, checked out the Rednersville Country Store website recently and decided to take a day trip to visit the store. He picked up another five pieces for his collection, and went home happy that we sold him something special from our private collection at a very good price since he'd come so far to find really interesting collectibles.

Merry Christmas—Rudolf the Redner's Reindeer

2004-12-21T01:46:00.000-05:00

S. Skinner & Co. Earthenware

2004-12-14T14:41:00.000-05:00

We've got an interesting jug by S. Skinner & Co., made in Prince Edward County, then known as Canada West. This fine example of Skinner crockery, being offered for sale on our eBay auctions, is a 2 gallon jug with a cobalt blue tree.

S. Skinner & Co. was in business in nearby Picton from 1855 to 1867. Now, in the shade of the trees at the Glenwood Cemetery on Grove Street in Picton, Mr. Skinner is resting in peace.

Albury Cemetery

2004-12-12T14:20:00.000-05:00

One of the interesting spots to visit along Rednersville Road is the Albury Cemetery. The history of this old graveyard is recorded at the Albury Cemetery Research Wesbsite.

Its European origins date back to the Loyalists who settled here in the last part of the 1700s after fleeing the United States following the Revolution. Prior to the arrival of the Loyalists, it was an important hunting, fishing, and water route for the Mohawk nation.

A history of the Cemetery was written for inclusion into the 1998 Albury Church Centennial Book and has been included here as Albury Cemetery History.

Grave markers can be of great interest to historians, and to antiquarians as well. Why, just this weekend, the headstone from the grave of a stray tabby cat named Winkle went at auction by Sotheby's in London for over £200,000. I kid you not.

All Smiles

2004-12-01T22:07:00.000-05:00

It was great to receive an email today from a lady we met at the 25th International Antique Tool Auction in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Judy Eaton was with the sellers of the Sandusky Plow Plane that had been consigned to Brown's for the historic auction described here on Saturday, October 23.

We were delighted that she sent us the following email with a photograph of Clarence and Tom Feick, who were all smiles after the sale of the ebony and ivory Sandusky Presentation Plow Plane for the world-record price of $104,000.

Hi John and Jason,

My name is Judy and I was the lady you talked to with the Sandusky plane owner Tom. Your coverage on your site is wonderful. I love the live auction sound.

That was the most exciting thing I have ever been involved with. I have included a picture that you might add to your site. It is of Clarence and Tom Feick after the auction. Use as you wish. It was nice to meet you and I'm sorry that you didn't take it ("Sandy") home. It went to a Pennsylvania collector and from talking to him afterwards he will be sharing the scholarship of the piece as it is gathered.

My husband and I will keep the info on your shop and may stop by next year when we are out and about. Canada is on our list. Again, thanks for the nice coverage. I was a little disappointed as one of the tool sites was saying they thought it was fake and possibly a marriage or extensive redo. I couldn't get on to comment but I have about fifteen pictures of it before it went to Clarence and it was "restored" with soap and water and a little polish on the rusty screws—otherwise pristine. But I guess there will always be naysayers.—Judy Eaton, Mount Joy, PA

Being a cabinetmaker, it was a special treat for me to hold the one-of-a-kind ebony and ivory Sandusky Plow Plane in my carpenter hands. And, as a serious collector of fine antique woodworking tools, it was thrill for me to witness this historic auction. But half the fun of antique tool shows and auctions is the people you meet, and it certainly was a pleasure meeting these nice folks.

Miss Rednersville?

2004-11-28T13:31:00.000-05:00

We love to get email from folks who grew up in this area or who used to live in Prince Edward County and have re-discovered the Rednersville Country Store by nostalgically googling around the internet looking for Rednersville.

We've even had people email us who used to work here in the country store in bygone days—like this note from Shirley LaPalm, who married Russ Fralick:

Hi, I was browsing around on the internet and thought I'd see what came up for Rednersville, and was so surprised to see your wonderful website! I grew up in Rednersville, lived there for 15 years, I even worked in the Country Store for a summer. It was owned by Paul Boyd at that time and run by the Conways. I remember when it had a lunch counter, at one time it had a barber shop in the front window. It sure has changed over the years and it's nice to see it back to it's original condition. I loved viewing the pictures on your site, it brings back a lot of memories, it was a great place to grow up, swimming at Dempsey's dock in the summer, tobagganing at Redners dump in the winter. I live in B.C. and haven't been back in 8 years but each time I come back I always have to stop in at the Country Store. It was over 30 years ago that we lived there, we lived beside the church, the house is long gone now, but our name was LaPalm, I wonder if anyone remembers us.

Thanks for your site on Rednersville, I really enjoyed it and will visit often.—Russ and Shirley Fralick

If you're stopping by for a visit at the Rednersville Country Store online, and have a story to tell about the store or the area, please don't hesitate to send us an email, even if you just want to say, "Hi, I miss Rednersville."

Wayback Times

2004-11-25T14:43:00.000-05:00

The Wayback Times is a bi-monthly Ontario newspaper for the antique lover, the traveler and the newcomer to antiques. It offers a new, friendly forum to learn about Ontario's history and Canada's memories through antiques. Curiously enough, it's published not far from the Rednersville Country Store—right on Rednersville Road—if you can believe the coincidence.

The Wayback Times is free. (How's that for a deal?) The paper gets widespread circulation through most of the better antique shops, and at all of the major antique shows. So, ask for it from your local dealers and read the articles from past issues online.

One article in particular caught our attention—"In the Hunt." In that article, Yvonne Butorac wrote about the architecture and antiques of our area.

Sometimes where the hunt takes you is as interesting as the hunt itself. On a recent visit to the editor's territory I was as struck by Prince Edward County's wonderful heritage buildings as I was by the antiques offered in the local shops. Somehow hunting for treasures surrounded by reminders of an area's rich history enhances the experience.

Our sentiments, exactly. Hopefully, Yvonne will stop by our heritage country store next time she's hunting for antiques and collectibles in the County. We'd love to have a visit and share stories about wayback times.

Rednersville Country Store, Online

2004-11-21T11:41:00.000-05:00

All too often, antique dealers operate their businesses much the same as retailers did when their products were brand new.

The Rednersville Country Store serves customers in the local community in a real, bricks and mortar, antique shop that is authentic. Some things never change around these parts; folks like it that way. For many of our customers, it's an important part of the fun of collecting to go antique hunting on the backroads of historic communities like Prince Edward County.

At the same time, it's now just as important to reach out and connect with new customers, in faraway places, who are using the power of the internet to locate specific collectibles in places they couldn't possibly visit, except online.

When we purchased the Rednersville Country Store, with a view toward restoring this important historic building and opening a new business offering high quality antiques and memorabilia, we were committed to operating our antique business with all the advantages of modern technology.

Launching a new website at Rednersville.com, including an extensive gallery of antiques and collectibles with detailed descriptions, photographs and prices, the Rednersville Country Store has established a new address on the worldwide web.

What I bought on eBay

2004-11-11T19:12:00.000-05:00

"I have known about ebay since 1996 and been a user/member since 1998 so as you can see.. I'm pretty addicted! But nowadays I mainly sell things instead of buying them."

So, it was pretty funny when I heard this song by Weird Al.

Okay, you think that's weird? A decade-old toasted cheese sandwich said to bear an image of the Virgin Mary has sold on the eBay auction website for $28,000. I believe in miracles!

What the heck is this?

2004-11-06T01:03:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while, we post a photograph of one of our antiques and collectibles from the Rednersville Country Store and ask the question, "What the heck is this?"

If you know the answer and want to show off your antiquarian intelligence, or just want to hazard a guess, write your thoughts in the comments below this post. You can post your opinion or guess anonymously, but it's a good idea to make up a nickname for yourself in your comment, so we can tell one anonymous commentator from another.

Check out the comments from time to time, to see what our readers think. If clues are needed, we'll be posting hints here every week until it's correctly identified.

If you know somebody who might know what the heck this is, you can easily e-mail them a link to this photo by clicking the "envelope" button below so they can get in on the fun.

The Antique of the Week - Vally Wieselthier Lamp

2004-11-01T21:51:00.000-05:00

The Antique of the Week is a good example of the eclectic mix of collectibles that find their way into the Rednersville Country Store from time to time. This item isn't so much country, as it is of the "old country"--made in Austria, a work of art that likely came to North America with European immigrants before World War II.

This lamp is a one of a kind work of art by Vally Wieselthier, a prominent artist of the Wiener Werkstaette, or Vienna Workshop.

In June 1903, the Wiener Werkstaette (WW) was founded in the form of a “productive co-operative of craftsmen” by Josef Hoffmann and Kolo Moser under the patronage of the Viennese industrialist Fritz Waerndorfer. The company’s aim was to reform the contemporary applied arts with works of exceptional quality.

The idea of an equality of applied arts and the traditionally “free” fine arts, on the one hand, and the penetration of all areas of life with arts, on the other, were the basic principles of Wiener Werkstaette. The proclaimed aim was to surround the daily life with beautiful items, and thus to create a “total work of art”. Within three decades, a group of highly qualified architects and craftsmen succeeded in realising their dream of the “total work of art” in the form of buildings and interiors. The most significant example is Palais Stoclet in Brussels, which was designed by Josef Hoffmann and entirely furnished by the Wiener Werkstaette.

The field of activity of the Wiener Werkstaette was extensive: beside furniture they produced tableware, cutlery, jewellery, enamels, ceramics, and pieces of glass, book covers, wall papers, different types of papers, but also post cards and short-lived fashions were part of their oeuvre.

The Wiener Werkstätte, an eclectic mix of artisans and designers, had a clear aim and purpose: to make all facets of human life into one unified work of art. Their products ranged from architecture to minor utensils, and comprised all fields of domestic culture.

Notable amongst these artists for her work in glass and ceramics was Vally Wieselthier (1895-1945) who began working at the Wiener Werkstaette in 1917, during her studies at the Vienna Arts and Crafts School. At first she worked on unique ceramic articles and series in the Künstlerwerkstätten, and later worked on commissions in her own studio.

The foundation of the Wiener Werkstaette’s own ceramics department in 1917 brought with it a new era of creativity above all in the person of the artist Vally Wieselthier. In contrast to the partly baroque forms of her teacher Michael Powolny, she developed a new language of form and uniquely contributed to a revival of this genre. The original ceramics of the 1920s on show are among others by the artists Vally Wieselthier, Susi Singer and Gudrun Baudisch. Their ceramics stand out due to their expressive-dynamic colouring and reflect the sculptors’ playful and experimental applications of glazes as a means of artistic expression.

Vally Wieselthier, ceramist, sculptor, and designer is consideredinternationally one of the most important representatives of ceramic sculpture during the 20's and 30's. Her pieces are in museums, and have sold at international auction houses. This unique work of functional art is being offered for sale by auction on eBay, where we extend this once-in-a-rare-while purchase opportunity to a worldwide audience of experienced collectors of art nouveau.

Sandusky Plow Plane in Ebony & Ivory

2004-10-23T21:53:00.000-04:00

Today, I got my hands on the most valuable antique tool ever sold at an auction by Brown Auction Services at the 25th International Antique Tool Auction in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Let me tell you the story.

The History
At one time, the powers that be in the upper echelons of The Sandusky Tool Company created an exhibition-class center-wheel plow plane. The plane was intended for show only and may have been part of the Sandusky display at the 1876 Centennial Exposition. The plane no doubt made a few trips to various shows and expositions but resided at the Sandusky offices until the company was disbanded.

In 1934, the father of the consignor of this tool enjoyed an experience many of us have dreamed of--he went to the factory and bought the best plow plane ever made by them at a tag sale and then came out of the building and showed his new possession to his four-year-old son. He told his son that he had just bought the contents of the whole building to get the plane. The plane has remained in the same family since.

The Plane
The plane consists of an ebony body with the improved beveled handle, ebony fence, ivory arms, bushings, bridle, fence wear plate, wedge, and decorative buttons. The metal skate, center wheel, and arm-attachment nuts, as well as the blade, are all nickel-plated. Of course, being a presentation plane, it has never been used and consequently is in original condition showing slight nickel loss on the skate and blade. When obtained from the Feick home in Florida, the plane was dirty and the nickel was tarnished. The dirt and tarnish has been professionally removed and the plane today retains its original finish and luster.

Anyway, this beauty went up for auction this morning at the Sheraton Inn, Harrisburg, where it was expected to go for something in the range of $40,000 to $60,000 US Dollars, according to the auctioneers. There was much anticipation amongst tool collectors around the world, but nowhere was the buzz greater than on the auction floor when "the plane" in Lot 308 came up for bids. I was excited as a kid in a candy store!

You should have been there. The bidding started higher than it was expected to finish, and it went up and up and up from there. If you want to know how much the Sandusky Presentation Plow Plane eventually sold for, you might just give a listen to the auction bidding. No doubt, this set some kind of world record for an antique tool sale price. Oh yeah, I wasn't the high bidder.

Antique Tools Roadshow

2004-10-22T02:35:00.000-04:00

To find the best antique tools for our collections and for sale in the Rednersville Country Store, we travel across the country and internationally to antique tools shows and auctions.

Above is a display of some of the antique tools we're going to be looking at this week. Hopefully, we'll find the rare antique woodworking tools we're looking for this time. You never know.

Over the next few weeks, we'll show some of the antique tools we've picked up over the years, and share some stories about our interesting little road trips around the world in search of the finest antique tools.

The Antique of the Week

2004-10-14T13:35:00.000-04:00

Forty years after the invention of the Easy-Bake Oven, a boy has mastered the classic toy that has been marketed to little girls for as long as most of us can remember. John McCune, a 9 year-old master baker from Valley Center, Kansas was named the Easy-Bake 2004 "Chef of the Year" this week, after baking his tempting "Easy-Bake Carrot Cake," concluding the search for America's best child chef. But long before Kenner's Easy-Bake Oven was first introduced at the 1964 Toy Fair, there were miniature electric ovens.

Coincidentally, the Antique of the Week at the Rednersville Country Store is an Empire electric toy stove by The Metal Ware Corp., patented 1924, pictured above, from the Antique Toys Collection of our Gallery of Antiques & Collectibles. This miniature electric stove, in perfect working condition, is one of the most talked-about antique toys in our store. Most toy collectors are very familiar with the Easy-Bake Oven, a classic toy for almost half a century, but a similar toy almost 80 years old is, indeed, a rare antique that is very collectible.

The Sunday Drive

2004-10-10T21:55:00.000-04:00

It's become a bit of a tradition, around Prince Edward County, to go for a Sunday Drive along the roads less travelled. The cultural landscape has evolved--from horses and buggies from farms and villages, to prancing horses from the big cities. But some things never change; those are the real attractions of the County.

Prince Edward County, famous as a part of United Empire Loyalist settlement, is an island community encompassing less than 700 square kilometres, which boasts of over 800 kms of shoreline with varying geological features. The relative isolation of the island has nurtured a special rural culture, with overlays back through time as this culture evolved according to the natural setting and proximity to various markets. Within the County are to be found a remarkable mixture of heritage features (natural, architectural, archeological, historical), each meeting defined criteria for heritage significance.

Yet, to suggest that the County simply holds a collection of heritage assets is to sell it short. What makes the County unique, are the "webs of life" that link these assets to each other through time. These include the pastoral vistas, the historic allure of streetscapes with designated heritage buildings, the quiet harbours nestled into the geological features, and the natural shoreline as seen from the south which is the haven sought by migrating birds every spring. These examples identify only a few of the key links that bring the heritage of the County to life and make it the fascinating landscape that it is, rather than just an outdoor museum containing a variety of different artifacts. It is this combination of special places and events and their interwoven connections with the life of the County that sets Prince Edward apart as a potential National Cultural Landscape.

The notion of a "Sunday drive" perhaps explains this best. It is not so much the idea of rushing from one "artifact" site to another that makes a drive interesting, but the overall impression of seeing the mixture of places and what links them. Prince Edward County is not an outdoor museum with a scattering of artifacts, but a place that presents its heritage assets in a setting that brings them to life through an evolving economy and culture having long term respect and human involvement within a vibrant ecosystem.

Whether your ride is a horse or four hundred horses, there's no better place for a Sunday Drive than Prince Edward County. And there's no better place in the County to rest your horses than the Rednersville Country Store.

Rednersville on Tour

2004-10-07T16:34:00.000-04:00

There's a nice little article in the Travel section of the Sun Media newspapers that talks about some of the interesting and unusual spots to see while touring the Backroads of Prince Edward County. Among those mentioned, is "Birdhouse City" south of Picton.

In the 1980s a local citizen with a passion for wood carving created a few birdhouses including one modelled after the former Massasauga Hotel. Others in the community were inspired to contribute their own efforts. Now there are over 90 birdhouses, many of which are reproductions of historic buildings in the county!

Maybe we should get that cabinetmaker down the road near Albury to make a birdhouse modeled on the Rednersville Country Store that could be added to the collection of landmark buildings on display at Birdhouse City.

There are other highlights on this particular tour, including what's said to be the "oldest road in Ontario" County Road 64 near Carrying Place. (You'd think County Road 1 would be older, but we don't do the numbering around these parts.) Our own choice little spot in the region, on County Road 3, is kindly mentioned on the tour guide's map.

This tour takes us through Rednersville, which has the oldest general store in Ontario; Picton, the main port through which Loyalists entered the county; the ghost towns of Eatonville and Centre; and Glenora, which was once home to John A. Macdonald.

At one time, Prince Edward County, east of Toronto, was considered a backwater. But in recent years a lot of people have begun moving here...

Some come to retire or retreat in what's become known as simply The County; others come here to start a new business. In the weeks ahead, we'll talk more about some of the great little businesses right here in the County.

Heritage Building Designation

2004-09-27T15:00:00.000-04:00

The hamlet of Rednersville is named after the Redner family, who settled in Prince Edward County in 1798. In its heart is one of the oldest country store buildings in Ontario, which for more than a century was continuously operated by members of the Redner family, United Empire Loyalists. In 1986 this store was designated a heritage building by the County.

Rednersville Loyalist History

2004-09-25T13:02:00.000-04:00

The Loyalist Gazette, published twice yearly by the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada, contains articles and pictures of the American Revolutionary War period in the history of Prince Edward County.

There's an article in the Gazette from a few years back about Roger Redner, a local re-enactor of the loyalist history of Prince Edward County. In that article, Peter Johnson writes,

You won't find Roger Redner wearing a military uniform, nor the most elaborate forms of buckskin, but get him near blacksmith's equipment and his eyes will light up. Roger lives near Ameliasburgh ON, on one of the old family farms, and with the Redner surname it is a given that he has a Loyalist ancestor.

When James Redner bought the country store building in 1851 the local newspaper was the Picton Gazette, established in 1830, which survives today as the oldest community newspaper in Canada. But most of the news of the day concerning the early residents of Prince Edward County was shared by word of mouth. Over the years, the Rednersville Country Store became the hub of the neighbourhood, where locals would stop by and share the news while they picked up their mail and bought a few supplies.

Today, the country store is where Canadian and American tourists, and antique collectors from around the Qunite Region, stop by to find antiques and collectibles--and it's a great place to share stories of the Loyalist history of Prince Edward County, surrounded by artifacts of the period.

And Rednersville now has a community publication online, the Rednersville Loyalist. Okay, this is just a little weblog on the internet, but it's read around the world. So, if you've got a story to tell the neighbours or the whole world concerning our little community, just send an e-mail containing your news or gossip to news@rednersville.com and we'll help you get the word out.

What the heck is this?

2004-09-23T13:14:00.000-04:00

Auction Notice: This antique can now be purchased on eBay. Click here to see how the auction is going.

About once a month, on the Rednersville Loyalist, we'll post a photograph of one of our antiques and collectibles from the Rednersville Country Store and ask the question we hear most often from our customers, "What the heck is this?"

Click on the photographs, once then again, for larger images.

If you know the answer, and want to show off your antiquarian intelligence, or just want to hazard a guess, write your thoughts in the comments below this post.

Check out the comments from time to time, to see what our readers think. If clues are needed, we'll be posting hints here every week until it's correctly identified.

Okay, here's the big hint!

If you know somebody who might know what the heck this is, you can easily e-mail them a link to this photo by clicking the "envelope" button below so they can get in on the fun.

County Scenes

2004-09-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

An interesting customer walked into the store yesterday.
Peggy deWitt, a local commercial photographer, has a studio called Paper Images in nearby Picton. She was participating in the 2004 Amazing Loyalist Country Adventure Weekend, and must have noticed the roadside sign outside our store.

Anyway, Peggy was looking closely at our display of original paintings by Gary McMurray, an Ottawa artist who grew up in Belleville. She had seen many of the places in these paintings, being a professional photographer in the area for years. "Actually, I've photographed many of these places, myself," she said, opening a book she was holding. "Have you seen my book, County Scenes?"

I thought we might have found the perfect buyer for a painting, someone with a good eye and artistic appreciation; she thought I might like her book. She was right. County Scenes is a beautiful collection of photographs of Prince Edward County. I think I'll buy the book to keep here in the Rednersville Country Store.

Susan Moshynski, By the Bay Design

2004-09-18T03:51:00.000-04:00

Everybody loves the painting of Rednersville Country Store, by Susan Moshynski, which we feature here. This painting is very special to us, not just because we recently restored the Rednersville Country Store and reopened for business selling antiques and collectibles and local artists' works. This painting is especially meaningful to us because it was painted by a talented local artist, who's our neighbour down the road on the Bay of Quinte. It's our favourite of all these wonderful digital postcards about Prince Edward County.

Susan has a BA in Fine Arts from York University and has been a Graphic Designer and Illustrator since 1976. Her editorial cartoons are a regular feature in The County News here in Prince Edward County and the Georgina Advocate in Keswick, Ontario. Susan's celebrity caricatures have been published in Macleans Magazine and Tribute Magazine. She also has had editorial illustrations and caricatures published in the Globe and Mail.

Susan Moshynski is the owner of By the Bay Design and Illustration Studio, located on the shores of the beautiful Bay of Quinte. In addition to her fine art, and political cartoons, her commecial graphic art is evident around Prince Edward County. Did you know that Susan Moshynski did the commercial graphics for Campbell's Orchards on Rednersville Road? If you've got a local business and you're looking for an experienced graphic artist to provide Logo Design, Ad Layout, Brochures, Flyers, Business Cards & Letterhead, and Product Illustrations, you'll be doing yourself and a neighbour a favour if you email Susan.

Please do us a favour, too, and send a digital postcard from Prince Edward County to your friends to tell them about the Rednersville Country Store, which they can visit online at Rednersville.com on the internet.

Struck by Lightning

2004-09-17T19:52:00.000-04:00

In her book, The Legendary Guide to Prince Edward County, Janet Kellough writes about an exciting night in Rednersville almost eighty years ago.

The Rednersville Local 899 Orange Lodge used to meet on the second floor of what is now the Rednersville Country Store. On July 9, 1926 initiation ceremonies for entrance into the Lodge were being held in the hall when lightning struck the building and followed along the pipes which fed the gas lights. John Wellington Bowers and his son William were sitting on opposite sides of the hall, but both were struck and killed. All but two of the other members were knocked unconscious. These two rushed down the stairs and out of the parking lot where they attempted to start their cars to go and get help. The lightning had apparently played havoc with the vehicles -- none of them would start with the exception of the Bowers car, which was the only one left unaffected!

And the good news for the Rednersville Country Store is that lightning doesn't strike twice. This book is available at the Archives & Collections Society in Picton, along with other titles referring to Prince Edward County and the Quinte Region. More great legends and real stories from her book are recounted by Janet Kellough here.

Janet Kellough will be "telling spellbinding tales of local lore" and Loyalist history right here in Prince Edward County this weekend.

History and heritage has always been a mainstay of the Loyalist Adventure. But the 2004 Amazing Loyalist Country Adventure Weekend frames an historical showcase of the Loyalists who pioneered the land in 1784 that would become Upper Canada. Re-enactments on Saturday and Sunday will dramatize the first years of Loyalist settlement; how they lived, traveled, fought and struggled. Muskets and cannons, Red Coats, Natives and settler camps will once again come to life to illustrate how the first pioneer families lived. And to bring the past to the present you’ll be able to visit 9th generation family farms and meet UEL descendents. Experience history as County storytellers share the many true stories of Prince Edward County.

It's going to be a busy weekend in Rednersville and all around Prince Edward County. I'm sure the history buffs will want to stop by the Rednersville Country Store to see where the United Empire Loyalists used to shop at James Redner's general store.

Tribute - Gabriel Krekk

2004-09-11T23:44:00.000-04:00

Painted from a photo of the Rednersville Store, Rednersville, Ontario, taken by the artist, Gabriel Krekk.

A highly symbolic Can-Americana style painting in tribute to those who lost their loved ones on September 11th, 2001. I pray as Canadians, that we never let their memories fade and that we remain vigilant and brave.

Who are the Redners of Rednersville?

2004-09-10T16:19:00.000-04:00

The Settlement of Prince Edward County
Here's an excerpt of the book by Nick and Helma Mika, describing the pioneers of Prince Edward County.

The Redner family, whose name was originally spelled Ridenour, fled to Holland to escape persecution in their war-torn Palatinate-on-the-Rhine home which is now part of Germany. From Holland the Redners travelled to London, England, and by 1710 some of the family settled in America.

Yohann Redner was the Palatine father of Henry Redner, the man who became the founder of the family in Prince Edward County. Henry was also born in the Palatinate region of Germany, but he, his wife, Maria Jane Pollis, and their five children made their home in New Jersey until the American Revolution. Henry Redner supported Britain, so when the Americans seized his property, he and his family joined the other United Empire Loyalists who left America in 1783, and moved to Canada. Henry, Maria and their children, Henry, John, Maria, Sophia and Peter, spent their first Canadian winter in Sorel, Quebec, before arriving in Adolphustown on June 16, 1784.

The family lived in Adolphustown until 1798, at which time they moved to Prince Edward County to settle on land which is now called Rednersville. As a United Empire Loyalist, Henry Redner was granted three hundred acres of Crown Land on which he built a log cabin. Most of their personal belongings had been confiscated by the American revolutionists so, as was the predicament of many other Loyalists, the Redners had to construct their furniture with the available crude materials. The oldest son, Henry Jr., eventually acquired his own farm and sawmill, located at what is now called Allisonville. He and his wife, a Miss Ostrander, became the parents of five children: James, Henry, Phoebe, Mary and Sarah.

John, the second son of Henry and Maria Jane Redner, married Elizabeth Demille. They had seven children. John was given part of his father's land, before the death of the pioneer, but he exchanged farms with his brother Henry Jr.

The youngest son, Peter, who married Catharine Brickman, was also given land by his father. Catherine and Peter Redner had eight children: Mary, William, Rynard, Sophia, Naomi, Lewis, Henry P., and Sarah Jane. Peter Redner was a farmer and a preacher in the Wesleyan Methodist Church. He and his wife assisted with the building, in 1849, of the first Church of Ameliasburgh.

Mary Redner married William Herman, another descendant of palatines. They became the parents of three children.

Sophia was the second daughter of Henry and Maria Jane Redner. She married John Cole, and they had eight children.

The founders of the Redners of Prince Edward County belonged to the Anglican Church. Henry and Maria Jane were buried in the Old Pioneer Burying Ground, located two miles west of Rednersville. Other descendants of the Redners rest in Albury Cemetery, Belleville Cemetery, and the Old Pioneer Burying Ground in Hillier.

The third generation of Prince Edward County Redners included James, the oldest of the five children born to Henry Redner the second. James lived in Rednersville for many years and worked as a merchant and grain buyer. His brother, the third Henry of the County's Redners, became a successful farmer and the father of six children.

The children of John Redner and Elizabeth Demille include another John, who married Olive Doolittle of Prince Edward County. John Redner Jr., was a skilled carpenter who built many of the earliest barns in Hillier and , in 1858, the first ferry to run regularly from Rossmore, across the Bay of Quinte to Belleville.

Another third generation Redner was Mary, the daughter of Peter and Catharine Redner. Mary, who was also called Polly, married Henry Ainsworth, the son of other county pioneers. Mary's brother William married Rachel Outendike, and they had two children. Another brother, Rynard, married Nancy VanAlstine, also a descendant of United Empire Loyalists.

Sophia Redner, the second daughter of Peter and Catharine Redner, married the founder of another prominent family of Prince Edward County, William Burr.

Another daughter from the family of Peter and Catharine Redner was Naomi. Naomi Redner married Isaac Way of Prince Edward County, and they became the parents of Sophronia and Reuben.

Lewis Redner, a preacher, married Jane Clute. They raised four children. Lewis's brother Henry P. Redner, was a schoolteacher who left Prince Edward County and later became a merchandiser. The youngest child of Peter and Catharine Redner was Sarah Jane. She married William Stafford, the one-time owner of the tannery near Ameliasburgh.

The Redner family helped to populate Prince Edward County with their numbers, and through their enterprise they helped to develop the farmland and business of the area.

Many of the Redner family still live in the neighbourhood, including the 96 year old family patriarch, Bernard Redner, who once owned and worked in the Rednersville Country Store. His daughter Lynda and son Gord also live in the area, and we look forward to them dropping by the store for a visit. Hopefully they'll tell some memorable stories about Rednersville that we can share with our readers here at the Rednersville Loyalist.

Rednersville #1 on Prince Edward County Map

2004-09-04T19:04:00.000-04:00

Click this link for a nice interactive map of Prince Edward County.

Rednersville is at the intersection of County Road 3, which the locals call Rednersville Road, and County Road 23, which is the way to Ameliasburgh.

There are four entry points to Prince Edward County.

Highway 33 West is accessed from Highway 401 by Wooler Road at Exit 522, just west of Trenton. Highway 62 is accessible from 401 at Exit 543, Belleville. These are the two most frequently used routes to the Rednersville Country Store from Highway 401, the Macdonald-Cartier Freeway.

Another entry to Prince Edward County is Highway 49 at Exit 566 at Marysville. Travellers from Kingston can access Prince Edward County by way of Glenora Ferry on Highway 33 East.

The closest access from the United States of America is via the Thousand Islands Bridge to Canada from US Highway 81 near Watertown, in New York State.

Places to Visit near Rednersville, Ontario, Canada

2004-09-03T13:30:00.000-04:00

Rednersville Country Store
The historic General Store with 1845 architecture on Rednersville Road, on the south shore of the Bay of Quinte in Prince Edward County, offering Canadiana, fine antiques, rare collectibles, primitives, furniture, tools, toys, pottery, stoneware, housewares, postcards, advertising, and ephemera.

More Antique Shops in Prince Edward County
Bluejay Lane Antiques Shop offers antiques, collectibles, decorative and tole painted items, linens, mirrors, and lamps. Butler Creek Antiques, in nearby Picton, has refinished furniture from Quebec and Ontario, including harvest tables, chairs, sideboards, chests, dressers, blanket boxes and spinning wheels. Loyalist Antiques has exceptional pre-confederation Canadian antiques.

Sandbanks Provincial Park
Near Picton, Sandbanks boasts three sandy beaches, Outlet Beach, Sandbanks Beach and Dunes Beach, among the largest and most beautiful beaches in Ontario, with golden sand and sparkling water. Windsurfing, sailing, canoeing and boating compete with sunbathing and swimming as favourite park activities.

United Empire Loyalist Heritage Centre & Park
An amazing slice of Canadian history on Adolphus Reach of the Bay of Quinte, where they re-enact annually the story of the Loyalist settlers.

Sweet Water Cabin Gifts
The Hubbs family have produced maple syrup from their farm near Rednersville over four generations since about 1850. The log cabin at their Rednersville site (circa 1830) was originally a homestead cabin built in MacDonald's Corners, Lanark County. Sample pure maple syrup from the sugarbush.

Campbell's Orchards
You can "pick your own" fruit or vegetables of the season locally, on Rednersville Road. And you can shop in Campbell's quaint country market, which sells the best apple cider pressed right at the orchard. It doesn't get any fresher than that!

Old Stone Road in the Country
Old Stone Road is a waterfront residential development project on the Bay of Quinte by Rollins Housing. Rednersville Road, the location of this prime real estate development, is the most sought after water frontage in the Quinte region. The homes along the Rednersville Road range up to $2,500,000.

Editor's Note: If you know of a good place to visit along Rednersville Road, or around the Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward County, just mention it in the comments below and we'll see if we can write something and link to it here.