Tannis left for home and I continued to the genealogical centre to attack the papers of Ernest Coates again. Just before lunch, Marney Gilroy, who turned out to be a distant cousin popped in with an astonishing document compiled by Lawson C. Smith. After hearing the maple syrup story, she made a few phone calls and soon I had plans to visit Neil R. and Linda Ripley's sugar camp in Fenwick! Neil and Linda were wonderfully welcoming, fed me homemade bread with to-die-for maple spread, gave me a tour of their camp, even turning on the water wheel, and I came away with more maple syrup, bars, and spread than will fit in my luggage. Best of all, Neil was able to tell me exactly where my 2nd great grandfather Andrew Ripley's sugar camp had been located, just up the hill from his place. Since the Old Fenwick Mine is directly across the road, Andrew's sugar camp was located on his land grant. When I return home, I will update the Ripley Sugar Woods pages with the new information. I guess that little talk I had with Andrew in the cemetery yesterday really paid off.
If I were to write up today's events as a short story, it would seem contrived. For breakfast, Tannis and I were served delicious pancakes with maple syrup. When I jokingly asked if it was Ripley maple syrup the host produced the jug of syrup which had indeed come from the Ripley sugar camp. Last year, Gail and I had visited every store and gift shop in Cumberland County in vain searching for the elusive Ripley syrup.
Tannis left for home and I continued to the genealogical centre to attack the papers of Ernest Coates again. Just before lunch, Marney Gilroy, who turned out to be a distant cousin popped in with an astonishing document compiled by Lawson C. Smith. After hearing the maple syrup story, she made a few phone calls and soon I had plans to visit Neil R. and Linda Ripley's sugar camp in Fenwick! Neil and Linda were wonderfully welcoming, fed me homemade bread with to-die-for maple spread, gave me a tour of their camp, even turning on the water wheel, and I came away with more maple syrup, bars, and spread than will fit in my luggage. Best of all, Neil was able to tell me exactly where my 2nd great grandfather Andrew Ripley's sugar camp had been located, just up the hill from his place. Since the Old Fenwick Mine is directly across the road, Andrew's sugar camp was located on his land grant. When I return home, I will update the Ripley Sugar Woods pages with the new information. I guess that little talk I had with Andrew in the cemetery yesterday really paid off.
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AuthorHi there! My name is Mallory Burton and I started researching the Ripley family in 2011. I'd describe myself as a careful amateur who's more interested in story than names and dates. I hope you enjoy my website and blog. I also have a public Mallory/Ripley tree on Ancestry with over 4,000 names. To contact me, please comment on any one of my blog posts. Archives
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