The Cobourg & District Historical Society

Albert Horsley started out as an admired cheesemaker, a good husband and father, on the back roads of Northumberland County. But his path took a dark and dramatic turn.

Under the alias Harry Orchard, Horsley became a paid assassin in the turbulent mining regions of the western United States in the early 20^th century. He ultimately confessed to killing 18 people and perhaps murdered more to become one of the most notorious and hotly debated figures of his era.

Horsley is the subject of a new book, Scary Harry, The Ontario Cheesemaker Who Blew Up the Old West, by Gordon Pitts.

Pitts is a journalist and award‑winning author who grew up in Madoc, Ontario. Before turning to journalism, Pitts taught history in Brighton then spent four decades as a writer and editor for major newspapers, including 20 years at The Globe and Mail. He has written eight books on Canadian business and its personalities, including Stampede, his study of the Canadian West that won the National Business Book Award in 2009. Since retiring from daily journalism, he has devoted himself to writing regional histories related to Hastings and Northumberland counties. Scary Harry is the ninth book in this series.

Join us on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, for an informative presentation in Cobourg’s Victoria Hall. Doors open at 7:00 pm. All are welcome. There will be coffee/tea and the usual cookies so bring a friend or two! Members free and guests are $5.00.

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