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The former Township of Beverly

Picture

The Great Bent Tree of Beverly Swamp, Hamilton.pdf
File Size: 263 kb
File Type: pdf
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Robert Kirkland Kernighan, The Khan
(1855-1926)

Born at Rushdale Farm, Rockton, Ontario, he apprenticed as a journalist on the Hamilton Spectator staff. In about 1876 the paper printed his first poetry. Kernighan lived in Western Canada for a while working for the Winnipeg Sun. Short thereafter returned to Hamilton to farm. He worked exclusively for many years for the Toronto Telegram writing a column titled, "The Khan's Corner." The nickname "Khan" was given to him by a young French-Canadian woman who could not pronounce his name.

It was the opinion of Sir John A. Macdonald that if Canada ever went to war the soldiers would march to battle singing Kernighan's poem "The Men of the Northern Zone".
Read "Men of the Northern Zone"
In an article reviewing personalities from Hamilton history, Kernighan was praised as a "...poet and humourist with a rare gift of sympathetic portrayal of rural Canadian life."

The Khan appeared in Toronto at old Albert Hall on October 20th, 1885 to a packed house. Toronto's Daily Amusement Record reported: "Albert Hall was jammed to the door, and many had to stand. This, more than anything else, is a substantial compliment to Mr. Kernighan, as the people of Toronto are not in the habit of throwing away fifty-cent pieces 'just for fun'." Kernighan's lecture was attended by notable local personalities who were described in the Amusement Record as the "Fourth Estate". The reviewer concluded: "The lecture was a masterpiece of native eloquence, humour and pathos, and the only fault found was that it was too short."

"The Khan's Canticles", a hardcover book containing his poetry, was published by the Hamilton Spectator Printing Company in 1896. "The Khan's Book of Verse" was published in 1925.

  • Home
  • Flamborough's Local History
    • Indigenous Flamborough Map
    • Flamborough Arms and Flag
    • Souharissen Natural Area, Waterdown
    • The Queen's Tree at Memorial Park >
      • Commemorative Tree Videos
    • The Queen's Bench at Memorial Park
    • History of Waterdown District High School
    • Flamborough 1812 Veterans
    • Waterdown
    • East Flamborough
    • West Flamborough
    • Beverly
    • Town of Flamborough
    • North Wentworth Arena Mural and Banners
    • The Khan's "Men of the Northern Zone"
    • Waterdown South Indigenous Sites
    • Flamborough Book
  • CHY4U
    • Important Handouts & Resources
  • CHC2D
    • Important Handouts and Videos >
      • Weimar Art
    • Covictory Garden Project
    • WWI Photo Album
  • Treaty Studies
    • My Waterdown
    • Five Oaks (2018)
    • Establishing a New Society/Colonization Activity
  • CHI4U1
    • #idlenomore
    • Important CHI4U1 Handouts
    • Different Perspectives of the Same Island
    • War of 1812
  • WDHS Boy's Rugby Club
  • Civics
  • Genocide Course
    • Genocide Journals
    • Important Handouts & Videos
    • 2012 Picture
  • Canadian Symbols
  • WDHS Online War Memorial
  • Random Things
  • Eastern Europe (2025)
  • Ireland, UK & France (2015)
  • Visit to Massey College (2014)
  • Russia Trip (2013)
  • War of 1812 Tour (2011)
  • Europe Trip (2011)
  • Washington (2010)
  • Classroom Tour
  • Active History
    • Pictures from 2009-10
    • Pictures from 2010-11
    • Pictures from 2011-12
    • Pictures from 2012-13
    • Dan Eldon Journal Assignment
    • Gross National Happiness Survey
    • Queen's Tree at Memorial Park
    • Volunteer Letter for GNH BBQ
    • Videos Used in Active History
  • A Bad Penny Always Comes Back
  • Lakehead