By Jean Mattila and Lorrie (Ironside) Morley

The Ironside farm was first settled by Thomas Walls in 1882. The farm was bought by the Ironsides in 1906. The taxes on the farm when it was first purchased were about $27.00 compared to the last tax bill which was $147.00.

After the death of his parents, Alex took over. They had been producing milk since 1911 and continued to do so until 1958. Alex was employed outside the farm for a thirteen year period (1949-1962) with the Department of Lands and Forests. He was councillor from 1927 to 1936 and he was Reeve during the dirty thirties. Alex also served a three year term on the school board. He was a member of the Planning Board. Alex bought the first agriculture tractor in the Township. It was an old Fordson with steel wheels. Alex's wife, Mary, was a full time homemaker and mother. She also belonged to the Women's Institute.

1942 was a busy year. This was the year that the logs for lumber and timber were cut and skidded to make a new barn. It was a family project. Mary took over running the steam engine that was borrowed from Grant McKinnon, while Alex ran the saw mill. The children were kept busy hauling and piling the cut lumber. Alex designed and hewed the timbers by hand. The frame of the barn had tenon joints that had bored holes in it and then were pegged with wooden pegs to hold them together. Once the frame work was together, all the neighbours came to help put it up, using long poles and ropes to control the frame from toppling over as it was being raised.

After the frame had been positioned, it was time for a home cooked meal for everyone. Chores followed the meal then the neighbours came back for an appreciated barn dance. The music was supplied by someone with a fiddle and another guitar. Everyone stayed and danced on the new barn floor until all hours in the morning.