The Story of Bailey’s Camp

 

“Hemlock Haven”

Bailey’s Camp as of June 2014 (Rick Bramm)

Bailey’s Camp is situated on a point on the eastern shore of Rebecca Lake close to a large swamp. Access to it is via Fieldale Road. Richard McCauley, who lived in Toronto, purchased Bailey’s Camp in the summer of 1959. He and his family, including his grandsons Rick and Gerry Bramm, instantly fell in love with the Camp and Rebecca and Bella Lakes.

When purchased, the Camp was on the rustic side. It consisted of a log cabin with a living room, an upstairs sleeping loft, a kitchen, and a rickety old porch. A little boathouse and simple wooden dock lay protected on the bay side of the point. Much to the consternation of Richard’s wife Eva, the Camp had no running water or indoor plumbing. Because it was nestled in a grove of hemlocks, and without knowing anything of consequence about the previous owners, the family named the Camp Hemlock Haven.

For many years the Camp’s history lay in a deep shadow. The family knew that Richard McCauley had purchased the Camp from Erma K. Simmons (Mrs. B. C. Simmons), who lived in Huntsville, and that there had been a Bailey family Camp get-together in September 1924. This event was recorded on an intriguing, inscribed, artist’s bracket fungus left by the previous inhabitants on a corner shelf in the living room. Was this marvellous record left there intentionally or just forgotten? We’ll never know.

In July 1989, 30 years after the Camp was purchased and many years after Richard’s death, Beryl Olive Monroe, a granddaughter of John James (J. J.) Bailey, visited the Camp and shed light on the Bailey family. Subsequently, knowledge of the Camp’s history was further enhanced by carefully scrutinizing family papers and archival materials like census records and the wonderful collection of the Huntsville Forester available through the Canadian Community Digital Archives.

Record of a Family Visit, 1924

On the smooth underside of the artist’s bracket fungus was written “Sept. 2nd-7th/24 Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Bailey, Mrs. Tom Bailey, Mrs. Raynor, Erma Bailey, Margaret Ralston.” Who were these people who stayed at the Camp for these six days, Tuesday to Sunday, in September 1924, almost a hundred years ago? Without any further research you could guess that Erma Bailey was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Bailey and the future wife of B. C. Simmons. You’d be right!

A bracket fungus, left on a shelf in the corner of the main room of the cabin, records a Bailey family visit to the Camp in September 1924. (Rick Bramm)

J. J. Bailey and his Family

John James (J. J.) Bailey was born on November 10, 1872, in Muskoka, to John Bailey and Ann Jones. The 1891 Census of Canada reveals that his eldest brother was named Thomas. John J., at the age of 20, married Anna Maria Elizabeth Gilbert, age 19, on November 16, 1892 in Bracebridge. The couple had four children:

• Ernest J. Bailey (1893 – November 2, 1908) – Ernest passed away suddenly at 15 years of age.
• Ann Elizabeth Ware, née Bailey (December 6, 1894, Bracebridge, Ontario – June 13, 1968) – Ann married William Herbert Ware on June 9, 1917, and they had three children: Jack Gilbert Ware, Beryl Olive, and Francis Ray Ware.
• Oscar James Bailey (April 17, 1899 – January 17, 1950) – Oscar married Margaret Maud Ralston (1900 – at least October 1982) on September 15, 1928. According to Oscar’s obituary, he was born in Bracebridge and died in January 1950 at Spragge, near Blind River, while working for the Muskoka Construction Company. He was survived by his wife Margaret and two sons, Robert and Graham; his parents Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Bailey; and two sisters, Mrs. Bruce Simmons (Erma) and Mrs. W. H. Ware (Ann Elizabeth).
• Erma Katherine Simmons, née Bailey (December 3, 1906 – March 1989) – Erma Katherine was born in Stratford, Ontario. In 1929 she married Bruce C. Simmons. According to her obituary in the April 5, 1989 Huntsville Forester, Erma passed away at Huntsville District Memorial Hospital at the age of 82. She was survived by her husband Bruce, her son Roger, six grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.

Considering the above, we now have a very good idea as to the identities of those mentioned on the 1924 artist’s bracket fungus.

Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Bailey were John James Bailey and his wife, Anna Maria Elizabeth Gilbert.
Mrs. Tom Bailey was likely the wife of John’s older brother, Thomas Edward Bailey.
Mrs. Raynor was likely a friend of either Mr. and Mrs. Bailey or Mrs. Tom Bailey.
Erma Bailey was Erma Katherine Bailey, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Bailey, future wife of Bruce Simmons, and future owner of the Camp.
Margaret (Maud) Ralston married Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Bailey’s son, Oscar James Bailey, on September 15, 1928.

Bailey’s Camp

On May 25, 1918, J. J. Bailey purchased the land that the Camp rests on from Hugh Fleming, who farmed primarily around nearby Peninsula Lake. This was just a small part of Hugh’s land holdings that he acquired in 1907 through the Free Grant and Homesteads Act. According to the family’s conversation with Beryl Olive Monroe in 1989, J. J. built the original log cabin before 1920. In October 1948, a few years before he passed away, J. J. sold the Camp to his daughter Erma Katherine Simmons.

J. J. Bailey died at his home on Lorne Street in Huntsville on July 17, 1950. The following obituary, which provides a wonderful account of his illustrious life, appeared in the Huntsville Forester on July 20, 1950.

John J. Bailey prominent Huntsville citizen for over forty years died at his home on Lorne Street on Monday, in his 83rd year. Mr. Bailey had been ill for several years, but his death was hastened with a heart attack.

Born at Bracebridge, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Bailey, he was associated for some years with the Anglo Canadian Leather Co., at their Bracebridge plant, and in his early married life transferred to the Company's plant here. Later he entered mercantile business, first in groceries etc., and later operated a furniture and undertaking business. Following the death of the late P. C. Marsh, he purchased the latter‘s tobacco and sundry shop, which he operated until ill health compelled him to retire.

He was a prominent and active member of St. Andrews Church, and in an earlier day served Huntsville as councillor and member of the school board. He was keenly interested in Huntsville, and besides his civic activities, he took an active interest in the promotion of athletic sports.

One of Mr. Bailey’s earlier interests was his work among boys. At St. Andrew's Church he taught a class of teen-age boys and established the first boys’ Camp in this community. It was located on Bildson’s Island in Lake Vernon. Mr. Bailey took the leadership, and through both his interest and influence, made a deep impression on the lads in the group.

The funeral took place from Addison’s Funeral Home on Wednesday afternoon, with interment in Memorial Cemetery. Rev. John Robson, minister of St. Andrews Church officiated.

Besides his wife, the former Miss Elizabeth Gilbert of Bracebrldge, Mr. Bailey is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Bert Ware and Mrs. Bruce Simmons, both of Huntsville. His only son Oscar died suddenly last year.

One of the First Bites…

For about a century people near and far have flocked to Rebecca and Bella, and many other Canadian Shield lakes, for hunting and fishing, seclusion, recreation, love of nature, and to sooth their frantic urban souls. So like taking bites of a big cookie, cottagers have nibbled away and subdivided the lakeshore portions of the original Fleming property. Perhaps J. J. Bailey took one of the first bites, and as such was one of the first cottagers on Rebecca Lake.

Sources:

Census of Canada, 1891, 1901, 1911, 1921.

District of Muskoka, Division of Bracebridge, Birth, Death, and Marriage Records.

Huntsville Forester, various references including: “Ralston-Bailey,” September 20, 1928, p. 1; “Mr. and Mrs. John James Bailey Celebrate Their 57th Anniversary,” November 17, 1949; “Sudden Death of Oscar Bailey,” January 26, 1950, p. 1; “John J. Bailey Passes,” July 20, 1950.