Fonds consists of research materials and notes, modern correspondence, photocopies of historical documentation, and genealogical resources for the Need family as well as other people living in both England and Newcastle District. The historical documentation includes wills, gravesite information, lot and concession records, military records, correspondence. As well as the Need family, there is also biographical information on other families, including the Dunsfords, Langtons, Campbells, and Sawers.

These research materials were accumulated by Dawn Bell Logan and used to write books, articles, and biographical entries about Thomas Need, including Thomas Need : settler in the backwoods of Upper Canada (self published, 2022), and the Dictionary of Canadian Biography entry for Thomas Need (V. 12). Photographs are of some sites in Lincolnshire, U.K, Peterborough, Canada, the Trent Severn Waterway, Thomas Need’s descendants, and gravestones of Need family members.

Fonds is organized into four series: Thomas Need journals and correspondence; Research materials and manuscripts; Dawn Logan correspondence; and Files on Dawn Logan’s publications.

Thomas Need Biography

Thomas Need (1808-1895) emigrated from Nottingham, England to Upper Canada in May 1832 and settled in Verulam Township in Victoria County in 1833 around Sturgeon Lake. He had graduated from University College, London, in 1830 and rejected the idea of becoming a member of the clergy. This contributed to his decision to leave England.

While in Upper Canada, Need was a member of the government commission that oversaw the construction of what became the first lock of the Trent-Severn Waterway, founded the Village of Bobcaygeon in 1834, and served as a magistrate for the Court of Requests from 1835 to 1837.

Need anonymously published his book Six years in the bush or extracts from the journal of a settler in Upper Canada (London, 1838) on his experiences in Upper Canada. The book was based on his journal entries he made in his personal journal which he called the “Woodhouse Journal.” Need returned to Nottingham, England permanently in 1847 and died in 1895. His authorship was confirmed with the publication of John Langton’s letters in 1926 and he was subsequently recognized as a contributor to early Canadian literature.

Source: Biography – NEED, THOMAS – Volume XII (1891-1900) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography. http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/need_thomas_12E.html. Accessed 11 Jan. 2024.

This collection consists of records collected by G. Wilson Craw such as school histories, Peterborough County; Barnardo's Canadian Homes Almanac 1901; a list of Peterborough Utilities Commissioners 1902-1965; biographies of Peterborough residents; deeds and mortgages; North Monaghan voters list 1883-4; 76 photographs of industries, schools and churches and sporting groups, as well as a history of Springfield, North Monaghan.

Collection consists of legal documents related to Thomas A.S. Hay, Anna Maria (Stewart) Hay, Thomas Hay, M.D., A. Charles Dunlop, Eleanor Susanna (Stewart) Dunlop, and Mary Dunlop. The collection includes wills, and property and estate documents.

This collection consists of two legal documents which belonged to Mrs. Friedman's sister. One is an indenture between James Holden and Thomas Westaby of Lincolnshire, dated February 20, 1686. The other is a land grant to Henry Smith, of 200 acres in Garafraxa township, Halton County, dated December 2, 1824 and December 27, 1825.

This collection consists of a number of articles written by Norman McBain about families in Cavan and about topics of interest in the Cavan area, i.e. inns, taxes, schools, etc. It also includes the following: an article by E.S. Clarry on an 1821 petition to the King regarding voting rights; a bylaw re taverns; the history of Fairmount Church and Methodist givings; an 1896 ballot for Cavan officers; a clipping re George Berry; a list of Overseers of Highways, fence viewers, etc.; an audited financial statement of Cavan for 1875; a newspaper report of Cavan Council business; an invoice re sidewalks; notes on Cavan town hall; and several pages of original hand-written notes re persons holding various offices in Cavan. Also included are copies of clippings re Cavan Blazers, school graduation results, etc.

Collection consists of nine Boyd family photograph albums, 14 glass plate negatives, and several strip negatives. The images depict the lives and activities of the Boyd family of Bobcaygeon, Ontario, and include lumbering scenes, Trent Canal steamboats, buffalo/Hereford animals, and travel excursions. Also included are three "Gypsy" photographs (Peterborough, 1909), and photographs of winter sporting activities. Several photographs depict family members; many are unidentified. Also included in this collection are copies of the wills of WT.C. Boyd and Mossom Boyd.

This accession consists of copy photographs, several of which are of originals in the Reid family photograph album and date from the 1840's to 1900's. One is of the Robert Henry "Harry" Devinish Reid family accompanied by an identification sheet with vital statistics for each member. Included also is a set of ten copy photographs of three generations of the Reid family. This set is accompanied by a family chart providing statistics for those listed.