Nancy Fowler's Page

Springford Family Treasures Pioneer Clock of Ancestors
from The Free Press, London, Ontario
Jan 12, 1950

Springford, Jan 11 - This is the story of the clock - a grandfather's clock - or to be more exact, a grandfather's great grandfather's clock.

The grandfather is 73 year old Martin Haley of Springford. The clock is an impressive structure standing an even seven feet high that has been ticking off the seconds for more than 200 years.

Some people might call the big awkward timepiece a "monstrosity". Structurally it is not beautiful. But to the Haleys it is "just like one of the family".

Around this grandfather's clock is written a story of courage and determination, a story of hardships and suffering, of defeat and victory.

It is, in fact, a chapter from the story of Canada and its people.

Made in England

The clock was made in Winchester, England by a man named R. Whiting. Twenty-five years ago Haley's daughter, Edith, visited Winchester while in England and discovered that about 100 years before a clockmaker named Whiting had lived in Winchester. He was believed to have been a grandson of R Whiting, the craftsman who made the Haley clock.

It was apparently brought across the Atlantic to the New England by the grandfathers of Martin Haley.

When the United States revolted against British rule and established their independence, Squire Healey carried the cumbersome clock with him when he made the long trek to Nova Scotia.

For several years Squire Healey lived in the maritime province but tried to persuade his wife to move west into the new territory of Upper Canada. She had heard terrible stories of massacres and atrocities by the Indians and was loath to endanger the lives of their small children.

Move On Dream

One night however she dreamed they had settled in "the west" and that the Indians were very friendly, especially to the children. The next morning she told her husband that she was ready to venture westward into the wilderness of Upper Canada.

In 1811 the rugged United Empire Loyalist, his family and his clock landed at Port Burwell and, carrying the clock on his back, Squire Healey led his family to their new home near what is now the village of Springford.

Somewhere between Squire Healey and the present generation, the name was changed: the "e" was dropped and Healey became Haley.

The clock with the wooden works also changed. When carried into the Oxford County wilderness on the sturdy back of Squire Healey, the big grandfather's clock was minus it's case, presumably left behind in New England due to its weight. For years it hung on a wall until Squire Healey himself built it's present case.

Long Service

There followed a century of service as the stolid old clock tick-tocked it's way through generation after generation of Haleys. It outlived three houses on the old Haley homestead and when Marvin Haley retired to the village of Springford he took the clock with him.

Then one day about 25 years ago, like the grandfather's clock in the song, Haley's timepiece stopped. Several jewelers examined it but their verdict was unanimous - the clock was just wron out.

Back to the Haley home went the venerable old timepiece. There it was given a place of honor in the living room. Although it had outlived its usefulness the Haley's couldn't part with it.

Survives Fire

The tradgedy struck. The Haley's awakened late one night to find the rear part of the house in flames. Their first thought was to save the clock. Together they carried it to safety. The house was burned to the ground along with most of their possessions. But their great-grandfather's clock was intact.

Two years later the Haley's were gradually recovering from their loss in the fire. The only timepiece they had was a pocket watch. One day while Mr. Haley was away - with the watch - Mrs. Haley wound the old clock just for curiosity.

Comes To Life

The ancient wooden cogs began rotating, the pendulum swinging and the measured tick-tock of grandfather's clock filled the room.

"I can't describe my feelings when the old clock started up again," said Mrs. Haley. "It was just like the voice of an old friend. It started just when we needed it most."

The clock is temporarily stopped now while Mr. Haley makes minor repairs to the weight system which runs the old wooden works.

Someday Martin and Edith Haley hope that the old timepiece will return to Squire Healey's homestead where Martin's grandson, Lee Haley' now lives.

To Lee, the sixth generation of the Haley family to live on Squire Healey's grant, the old timepiece is more than just a grandfather's clock.

It's a great-great-great-grandfather's clock.