Published in The BANAR November 2015
Eldest grandson Bill Pierson’s tribute at Plant a Tree Comeback on October 24, 2015
Agnes Anderson Purdy was born March 8, 1873 in Cyrville to John Anderson and Ann Ogilvie. Little is known about her early years or the education she received while living on the Anderson family farm in Bearbrook.
We know that she taught school in Blackburn in 1896 and in Glen Ogilvie (Innes and Blair Road) in 1899. We also know she was living in Boston, Massachusetts around 1900 receiving instruction as a bookkeeper. This was a formidable event for a young woman of her time to travel alone and live in a strange city without benefit of family support.
By 1903 she had returned to the Blackburn area and married William Purdy of Blackburn on February 4, 1903. Subsequently, she settled on the Purdy dairy farm on Navan Road and began life in the Blackburn community.
During her early years of life on the farm she had six children: Ruth, Doris, George, Douglas, Morell and Stuart and kept the books for the local cheese factory and also the local Orange Hall. In 1931 she became secretary treasurer of the Blackburn school SS#21 and held that position until 1951. In 1954 she participated in the ground breaking for the new Blackburn school located at the corner of Innes and Cleroux Roads.
Agnes and her family were members of St. Mary the Virgin Anglican church, which is located on Navan Road a couple of hundred meters east of the Purdy farm gate. She was also an active member of the Anglican Church Women and served as church organist for many years. She was a member of the local Women’s Institute and was awarded a life membership for her active participation in that organization.
Her husband William died in 1939 and her son George took over running of the Purdy farm. She passed away on December 15, 1969 at the age of 96 and is buried next to her husband in the cemetery at St. Mary the Virgin Anglican church.
During her life Agnes was a woman with a spirit of independence, ability and with a strong sense of family, church and community. She served as a model for her children and grandchildren. She and the contemporaries of her time were pioneers who lived on and worked their farms without electricity, running water, air conditioning or tractors or all the other things that facilitate our life style today. It has been said that we stand on the shoulders of those that came before us so we should remember and honour them all.
The family would like to thank the Blackburn Community Association and the City of Ottawa for honouring Agnes Purdy and hope the trees planted will serve to honor all the early pioneers of Blackburn.