meadow covered with dew. She was picking up her skirts gracefully and father remarked that he was going to make her his wife. That girl turned out to be my mother.”4
There is no doubt this meeting with the future Mrs. Marks and the conversation carried on between Thomas and the government agent, as reported by Ernie, have about them an air of the dramatic, but considering the very nature of Ernie’s chosen profession this is hardly surprising. Yet one cannot discount the possibility that these incidents took place as chronicled.
In those less complicated, but socially structured days of the last century, the sweet and often bittersweet ritual of courting was a family, and more often than not, a public event. In all probability Thomas and Margaret renewed their first fleeting acquaintance at one of the many construction bees that were common at that time in Lanark County. Or perhaps they met and exchanged a few cordial words on the steps or lawn in front of the local church, prior to being formally introduced at an organized picnic or social. Notwithstanding, on November 19, 1853, Thomas Marks and Margaret Farrell became man and wife.
Margaret’s parents, Thomas and Eleanor Farrell, came to Perth probably about the same time as Robert Marks Sr., with a contingent of British Army Regulars who had been given tracts of land in the district after completing active service in India. This body of veterans consisted mainly of Scots, Irish, and English “warrior-farmers.” According to army tradition of the day the higher the rank, the closer one’s land was to the fledgling settlement of Perth. It would appear, however, the Farrells were stationed at the lower end of the chain of command for their land allotment was located some twelve miles west of Perth, near the present village of Maberly.
Tom Farrell originally hailed from Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland. Both he and his older brother John had seen more than their share of service on the battlefields of India and, although Thomas had decided on starting anew in Canada, John remained in Ireland where he had been deeded the family property. So Thomas, along with several of his brothers made their way to “distant shores,” taking with them a considerable amount of money, indicating that, in the “old country,” they must have been a family of substance.
Margaret Farrell, born in County Mayo, Ireland, a naturally gifted singer with a flair for fun, had eight brothers and sisters. With the exception of one brother, John Jr., who went to the diamond mines of South Africa, where he made and subsequently lost a fortune, all her family remained in Eastern Ontario, although some moved on to Western Canada in later years. Margaret also had the distinction of being first cousin to Lord Mount Stephen, a pioneer businessman and first president of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Thomas Marks like many rural inhabitants of his generation, received very little formal education. “My father could not write and mother had to teach him to sign his name,” recalled Ernie, “but he was a splendid reader and he read the paper to us without a mistake.”5
Thomas Marks, born 1833, and Margaret Farrell, parents of the seven Marks brothers, farmed at Christie Lake. Thomas Sr. was revered as a master storyteller and regarded as the strongest man in this part of Lanark County. His wife, Margaret was referred to as a “gifted” Irish lady. Their popularity may have influenced their sons in their choice of theatrical careers. Perth Museum Collection
The elder Marks also had ambitions unrelated to the agricultural profession. It appears he was a man of moderation in all things. “My father’s ambition,” noted Ernie, “was to be a commander of men or a general in the army. At the various bees he was a leader and organizer. Since he never drank very much he was usually in charge of the responsible jobs like putting on the corners of the barns. He also acted as peace-maker at the fights that arose.”6
Thomas Marks was held in high esteem by the residents of South Sherbrooke township, so much so, that when he ran for public office in the late 1860s, seeking a term as councillor, he polled the largest majority of votes ever recorded in the municipality. It would be nearly twenty years before he voluntarily relinquished the position. Throughout his life Thomas Marks remained conservative in his political convictions and was guided by his belief in the doctrines expounded by the Church of England.
Existing photographs, posters and playbills of the Marks Brothers depict them as handsome and robust individuals, who, with the exception of Tom and Ernie all sported luxurious handlebar mustaches. R.W. in describing Alex’s visage and demeanour paid him the ultimate compliment, “Alex was the living image of Lionel Barrymore.”7
History and personal recollections record that the brothers inherited their good looks, size, and complexion from their father; who stood well over six feet in height. He is also credited with bestowing upon them more than a liberal amount of his natural histrionic abilities.
Thomas Marks, by all accounts, was an excellent raconteur, and his fame as a storyteller was known throughout the township. On any given Sunday it was the rule, rather than the exception, to have at least a dozen neighbours appear on the doorstep waiting to hear him read aloud the latest edition of the Weekly Star or Family Herald. During the spring and summer months this attentive audience would sit on the verandah, while Thomas, nestled in a rocking chair, would recount the latest poultry-fattening methods or regale them with the latest fiction and current events. In the winter or inclement weather, the proceedings would move indoors where the congregation would sit at the kitchen table or cluster around the wood stove waiting anxiously to hear the next sentence. “I remember, when I was a youngster,” Tom Marks recalled in later years, “seeing as many as thirty horses tied in front of the house on Sunday. People would come from far and near to listen to my father. Most of them stayed all day and, though it never entered my head at the time, I’ve often wondered since, how we managed to feed them all.”8
Thomas Marks’ rare and unique sense of humour and reading ability resulted in numerous and enthusiastic neighbours camping on his threshold, all ready and willing to take advantage of his fine Irish hospitality. Had he not been as good a farmer as he was a storyteller, it is conceivable that his visitors would have eaten him out of house and home.
An article in the Perth Courier, August 2, 1951, refers to Margaret Farrell as “…this great Irish lady [who] brought into their Lanark County home, the soul of Ireland, its music and its laughter, its tenderness and its dreams. The family grew up under that inspiration. They did not have to seek elsewhere for entertainment.” Rather, the Marks’ home, presided over by Thomas and Margaret, became famous for hospitality and memories of song and family affection. When R.W. was considering his future following the auspicious meeting with King Kennedy in 1876, he undoubtedly knew there was a wealth of unexplained talent under one roof — his family
Even as grown men, the brothers accorded their father more than ample respect, especially when he was called upon to act as an adjudicator in settling family disputes or arguments; for his word was still law at Christie Lake. As noted earlier Thomas rarely drank alcoholic spirits, but such was not the case with the remaining male family members. Their excessive drinking habits were common knowledge and, in certain instances, well-publized events. Such was probably the case one summer’s afternoon when the normally sophisticated and sedate game of croquet suddenly erupted in mayhem. As the game progressed, we are told, tempers flared and voices were raised well above the level allowed within hearing distance of the elder Marks. Raucous behaviour was not, and would not, be tolerated in his presence. But unbeknown to the “combatants,” Thomas Sr. was watching the proceedings from the doorway of a nearby woodshed. When it became apparent that matters were deteriorating, he quietly stepped into the fray and, without a single word being uttered, peace was immediately restored.
Thomas Sr. could never afford the luxury of a formal education and he was determined that his offspring should not suffer a similar fate. Thus he insisted they attend the
