Townships of Sable and Spanish Rivers

Townships of Sable and Spanish Rivers. . , Introduction , Many lumbermen settled on the land that had been cleared by the lumber industry. They began to grow crops of hay and grain for the horses, and meat and vegetables for the men. Settlements began to develop , i.e. River Road, Lee Valley, Temperance Valley, Birch Lake and Seldom Seen. Today this area is called “Townships of Sable and Spanish Rivers”. , Some of the local farms have been in existence for over one hundred years. They are recognized as Century Farms. They have been in the same family and lived on and operated as a farm for over one hundred years. , The early farming was known as “Mixed Farming”. The farmer grew a variety of crops and raised a number of farm animals. These provided the food for the farmer and his family. The little that was left was sold to buy the things the farm could not produce. , The earliest settlers used oxen to prepare the soil for planting and harvesting. Horses replaced the oxen and many farmers were proud of their teams and the work they could do. In time steam and gasoline engines would replace the horses. , Lumbering brought settlers to the area. These people came across the water by boat and moved inland. After choosing a location to establish settlement, many obstacles had to be overcome , i.e. clearing land and draining areas covered with water. Many of these settlers survived by working in the lumber camps in winter and farming in the summer. By 1883 Massey had 20 families in the village , the beginning of a town and supply centre. , The westward push of the Canadian Pacific Railway greatly speeded up settlement of this area. The portion of railroad from Sudbury to Algoma Mills was completed in 1883. The original inhabitants were no longer dependent on water transportation alone. It is said the town received its name from the surveyor for the railway, James Henry Massey. He visited the Massey area many times and in 1891 bought a farm and came to live here.