The death of Mrs. J. E. Brethour, wife of Burford's noted
farmer, brings to mind that she was descended from two early
Norfolk families, the Perleys and the McCalls.
Charles Strange Perley was born in New Brunswick, the scion of
a United Empire Loyalist family, in 1796. As a babe in arms he was
carried by his mother on horseback from New Brunswick to Port
Dover. In those days the journey was extremely difficult and
hazardous, and Mrs. Perley had to put up with the vicissitudes
assailing the travellers of of that time. Charles served with the
militia and became a colonel. He married Miss Elsie McCall,
daughter of the original Donald McCall, the progenitor of the
numerous and noted McCall family of this district and they were
Mrs. Brethour's grandparents.
Charles Perley of Brant County was Mrs. Brethour's father. She
was born 77 years ago.
Colonel Ephraim Perley, who commanded a Norfolk battalion of
militia 80 or so years ago, may have been a relative of Mr.
Brethour.
[Compiler's Comment: Mary (Perley)
Brethour was actually descended from three of Norfolk's pioneers:
Charles Strange Perley's mother was Hannah Tisdale. Charles
Strange Perley was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel in 1849.
Mary's father was Charles Perley II. Colonel Ephraim Tisdale
Perley was Charles Strange Perley's elder brother. Their elder
sister, Elizabeth, is buried next to their mother in St. John's
Woodhouse cemetery.]
