Commemorating a Centenary Wedding Anniversary
Wed. November 10, 1920 – Tues. November 10, 2020
The end of the Great War (WWI) marked the beginning of the 1918 Epidemic, or Spanish Flu, which lasted in Puslinch Township and surrounding environs, for nearly two long years. That pandemic made the local residents rightly cautious in planning any kind of social event.
Undaunted as young people are, Isabel Cameron Clark, a nurse of 27 years (1893 – 1982) of Puslinch Township and William (Will or Bill) Archie Moore, a farmer of 25 years (1895 – 1972) of Nassagaweya Township, planned that their mid-week wedding would take place at the bride's home, “Fernhill,” (Lot 31, Rear Concession 8, Puslinch) in early November 1920. Their parents' properties were a physical distance of about 11 kilometres (about 6.83 miles) from each other, so both families knew of each other.
Their wedding day fit neatly between November 9 and November 11, two significant dates for the Clark family: November 9th, 1887 was the wedding anniversary day of the bride’s parents, James and Margaret (nee Dalgarno) Clark and November 11th, Armistice Day, was a somber day of remembrance of the bride's late younger brother, James (Jim) Donald Clark, whose death took place on the battlefield of Chambrai, France (October 1918).
The Rev. Stuart A. Wood, BA, was the clergyman on Isabel and Bill’s wedding day, while younger sister of the bride, Christina (Tean) Elizabeth Clark and younger sister of the groom, Mary Rebecca (Mamie) Moore, were their two witnesses.
Bill and Isabel would live their working lives at the Moore farm, Lot 23, Concession 1, Nassagaweya-Puslinch Townline, in Nassagaweya Township, eventually retiring (about 1959) to Aberfoyle--together for 51 years. Bill believed that one of his most worldly accomplishments was coming home from Elsley's General Store in Moffat, able to announce to Isabel and the family that, after many difficult years in financial distress, they had finally managed to pay off the Great Depression debt that they had unhappily accumulated through the 1930's and beyond.
They are survived by their daughter-in-law, Betty (nee Farmer) Moore, by grandchildren and by great-grandchildren. Their five children, Margaret (Ross) Gilfillan, Mabel Moore, Doreen (Thomas) Davies, Clark Moore and Keith (Sadie nee McIntyre) Moore, as well as a grandson, Thomas (Tommy) William Davies, have all, in a span of some 37 years, since died.
Bill and Isabel were buried alongside Moore forbearers at the Nassagaweya Presbyterian Church Cemetery, 3097 Fifteenth Sideroad, east of the Guelph Line (at the cenotaph at Haltonville), just east of Moffat.
