Walt's Dad was Canadian???

[chico]

I just discovered a neat Canadian-Disney connection that I never knew.

From Disney Magazine September 2003 - Ask Dave section (Dave Smith is director of the Walt Disney Archives.)

"Walt's great-grandfather (Elias) and grandfather (Kepple) came over from Ireland in 1835, settling in Holmesville near Goderich, Ontario!

Elias managed a grist mill.

Walt's father, named after his grandfather, was born in Bluevale, near Wingham, Ontario in 1859. He was baptized in Clinton and educated in both Bluevale and in Goderich.

The Disney family emigrated to the US in 1878."

Are any of our fellow Ontario Dis'ers from the area?
Is this well-known trivia?
Am I the only one who was in the dark?


Who knew??

 

[Susan--Ontario]

Yes Chico,

You're right!! Did you also know that there used to be a restaurant in London called the Seven Dwarfs (unfortunately it closed just a few months ago). The person who orginally opened it was friends with the family and they allowed them to use the name without paying any royalties. It was a great restaurant, it had pictures of all the dwarfs on the walls and it had big heavy furniture that you might find in a castle (much like the furniture at the restaurant in Norway).

I'm sorry to see it close.

 

[tinkerbeth]

Hey I didn't know that connection with the 7 Dwarves. One of my students this year knew the guys that owned it and said it had something to do with the dad retiring and the son taking it over and then it went downhill after that or something... anyways I was there last year and it was pretty good but a little tired inside.

Beth

 

[wtg2000]

I live in the area (London) and have heard these stories for some time. His grandparents are buried there, near Goderich. Walt visited there in the (I think) 1930s, and drew Mickey on the chalkboard at one of the public schools. Apparently he pulled into town in a big white car.

Also, tales are that he laid out Disneyland (spokes on a wheel) after seeing the layout of downtown Goderich.