Logging in the Paxton Township East of South River, Ontario
This scarce pioneer real-photo postcard shows the log cookery building at the Temagami Company’s logging camp, c. 1902-1907, which was 24 miles east of South River, Ontario in Paxton Township. About three dozen men pose for this picture, taken by a photographer named McDermott — Was this Patrick McDermott of South River?
The sender, a young man who marked his place on the front of the postcard with an “X,” wrote to his sister, Mrs. J. H. Findlay of Braeside, ON, saying: “What do you think of this bunch? This is the cookery and all or near all the men except a few of us. Tell Annie she can have the one marked x at the bottom and you can take your pick. How is the vest coming up? Better make a summer one. Yours, W. D. S.” No trace of the logging camp remains.
Further information is sought on the intriguing photographer, Mr. McDermott.
See another scarce Temagami postcard.
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I just love these old post cards of the area. Not only do the photos show that period of time in Ontario’s past, but sometimes the message written on the back gives us even more more details of the people who were there.
Jamie Toeppner
I’m glad you’re enjoying the site. Still slowly building it out, while adding new materials as well. The postcards are heavily Nipissing District, with a smidge of Parry Sound. If you ever have any info to share about scenes you see in the postcards, please feel free to share. Thanks for stopping by!
hello,my great grandfather(s) ernest therien was a “shanty cook”,as well there was a charles garant(great gr gr’pa)that was a cook…do you have any history/photos of those 2 men anywhere in your archives? I think charles was out at chats lake area,not sure where the 2 ever went otherwise.charles was ernest’s grampa.
Hi there,
It’s nice to know that you have some history on your grandfather and great-grandfather. I don’t have any mention of them in my archives or as-yet-unpublished material, but I do always mention individuals by name when I have the opportunity to do so. Have you tried looking in the online version of the Canadian census? There’s a lot of information available there as to age, occupation, etc. Thanks for writing, and good luck in your search!