Bushfield
History

©Jeri Danyleyko
Bushfield was a small postal hamlet and stopping centre in Huron County that thrived from the mid to late 19th century. It got its start with the arrival of John Kelly along with his wife and brood of eight from Tipperary Ireland in 1852.
Kelly was a staunch Roman Catholic. Immediately upon his arrival, he set aside an acre of land for a small log church and cemetery, named St. Michael’s. At first services took place in Kelly’s home. It only took a few short months for them to hastily erect a small church building. From spring to fall, Father Wassereau, a travelling, saddlebag priest, made his way to the tiny settlement once a month to conduct mass.
The priest was more than welcomed considering St. Michael’s was the only Catholic Church in Morris Township. Catholics from the neighbouring communities of Blyth and Walton quickly became regular attendees. Sarah Bradley, a young woman of 22, was the first recorded burial. According to the monument, it took place in 1852 however her tombstone reads 1854.
By the early 1860s other residents had moved into the area. As a result, the settlement grew to include a hotel, operated by Thomas Holland, and a general store, owned by Charles Hamilton.
In 1866, James Holland opened the first post office in his home. All things considered, it looks like the home business may have been a bit much for him. In 1868 it closed briefly. In 1869, James Lynn reopened it. Presumably he was also running it from his home. Then in 1874, It was moved to Charles Hamilton’s store in 1874. However that didn’t last long. In 1875, a pair of intruders woke Hamilton’s wife up in the middle of the night. Hamilton was away at the time. Frightened, she took off to a neighbour’s home. After she returned she found all the tobacco and cash from the store was missing. As a result, it appears Hamilton got spooked. Later that year he sold the business to James Newcombe and moved his family to Blyth where he took up a new career in insurance.
The first Roman Catholic Church burned down in 1870. A replacement was built in 1872. Over time, the Roman Catholic congregation outgrew the tiny log church. In 1878, they moved to a much larger church in nearby Blyth, which was always the intent from the earliest days. Following the closure of the church, traffic to Bushfield began to trickle away.
By the mid-1880s it was becoming increasingly clear that Bushfield would never be a booming community. The permanent population hovered at around 20. With no industries, and no businesses outside of the hotel and store to sustain it, postal revenue began to show a steady decline. Postal authorities eventually decided it was no longer cost-effective to continue the funding. It closed in 1891.
The Kelly family continued to leave their mark on the area. One of John’s sons, Patrick, served as reeve of Morris Township for several years. He then moved on to Blyth, where he served once again in a similar capacity.
By 1910 there was nothing left of Bushfield. Everyone had left. The buildings were all gone. However the spirit of John Kelly remained a strong presence in the area. The church that began with his arrival remained in operation until 2004 until merging with another congregation. They demolished the little wooden church in Blyth shortly after closure. The attractive cemetery, built on land he donated over a century and a half ago, has left a lasting legacy.