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aR wp rons Page 14--FPORT PERRY STAR HISTORICAL and MEMORIAL EDITION ES ASSASAAAASASSASSSARSSARASAARSSSSARSSASSAAAARAARS ASAI * '] i 5 of ' . i (0. na - RR 5 be) To our friends, The Port Perry Star, who are celebrating their 50th Anniversary 1d C. Christi | Dr. Donald C. Christie 13 i VETERINARY SURGEON 13 : R. R. 4 Port Perry Ontario 4 . > 3 A A PA eT A A A AT A TA AAT LATA AT A ANAT AS IATA" We are happy to offer our congratulations to The Port Perry Star and staff upon this historical occasion. PEEL'S POULTRY FARM LIMITED PORT PERRY, ONTARIO Poses nn eae a on no MASAI AN 'STORES IN THE EMMERSON BLOCK % fab es a The above picture shows the stores in the Emmerson Block, formerly the Blong Block, on the north side of Queen Street. The one view shows the street as it appeared until recently when Mr. Emmerson arranged for the erection of the fine BEST WISHES and congratulations to the Port Perry Star after 50 vears in business in Port Perry. Ivan Gray, Delivery PORT PERRY, ONT. ROSOSSARAAAARASARAARARSASSSBARARAS AIAN ASSASSIN ASRAARS - ae 'The Texaco Servicenire Extends Heartiest Congratulations to The Port Perry Star on their Fifty Years of Successful Service to the Public. Specializing in Marfak Lubrication - Texaco Products - Firestone Tires AERARERS SNS RE NARARRARAN EAL ALA NAAR Lee. tested Ne AEA Agent for "Na-Churs" Liquid Fertilizer. 4 " Charles H. Reesor Phone Corner of Scugog i Prop. 571 and Union & 3 i DARHARSSANAAAANABR ANI IA MAA IAAI ALLA SS 0 BAIL 00 -- SS Xr -- ec ------ The spire of the old Baptist Church. It is said that when this building was located at Queen and Rosa streets, Lake Ontario could be seen from this spire, Perhaps one of the oldest buildings in Port Perry it is now in use as women's building at the Fairgrounds. awnings along the front of his block, as shown in the other view. These stores were also recently painted adding an attractive note to our main street. The Emmerson Motel -is located above these stores with parking at the rear, > Before the coming of the railway Prince Albert was the thriving community of this area. It was on the main road from the North townships to the "Front" townships, and most of the grain that was drawn by horse and oxen passed through the village. In 1867 application was made for a railway frém Port Perry to Port Whitby, Mr. Joseph Bigelow and Mr. Thomas Paxton were associated with this project. Money was finally raised and the charter secured. = Then followed the period of dissension over where the line should run, each community in the area struggling to have it pass through. It was settled that the line should pass just south of both Manchester and Prince Albert, but it turned out that the terminus (on Lake Scugog) was a bigger boost to business than any other part and Port Perry began to grow by leaps and bounds. : In 1873 this company sold out and Mr. James Holden became the managing director for a new group who purchased the railway. It became plain that profits would not be very large unless the railway was continued further north. More funds were needed : and. Port Perry gave a bonus of $40,000, which many considered 3 | as worse than wasted as once the railway went beyond Port Perry the business resulting from the railway became very much less. %¢| The railway eventually was bought up by the Grand Trunk Rail- way and later became the Canadian National Railway. As highways -and trucking improved the railway began to suffer severe losses to the automobile, truck and bus people and was finally abandoned in 1939. The Churches The Methodist Episcopal Church had the honour of being the first church to form in Port Perry. It is believed to have been organized about 1850 and Rev, Geo. Jones is said to have been the first pastor, In 1856 they built a church which was later replaced by a larger building in 1873 at the corner of Caleb and Queen St. (This has long since disappeared.) Rev. C. Taylor was the pastor at that time. About 1858 the Prince Albert Circuit Wesleyan Church at- tempted to open a church in Port Perry and again in 1858 and 1872, but it was 1873 before they were able to establish-a perma- nent church. This later became the Methodist Church, and is now the United Church of Canada. The Presbyterian Church was organized in Prince Albert with the Rev. R. Montieth minister in 1856 and in Port Perry in 1870 with the Rev. Geo, Jamieson, minister. The Roman Catholics began to hold services about 1886 in a building purchased from one of the Methodist groups. Rev. Father Allain was incumbent. w to time and place to place for some years previous it was not until about 1870 the Church of the Ascension was erected. The building located at the corner-of John St. and North St., was partially wrecked by a storm during the building process. It was conse- crated as a church in 1886. The Baptist congregation purchased a building which had originally housed the North Ontario Mechanics Institute in 1863. They added a church steeple, vestry and baptistry. Rev. Joseph King was the pastor. Although they had only twelve members in 1886 they had their church debt-free. This building was eventual- ly sold after standing idle for many years. For a time it served as gym and domegtic science room for the high school, but now has been moved to the Fairgrounds where it houses the women's work, flowers and vegetable display at Fair time. A new building is now erected on the same site (Queen and Rosa) and houses. a thriving congregation, Although the Church of England had held services from time | Within the past decade the Pentecostal congregation have built a church on Lilla St. South, not far from Queen street. Kaya Ha --VNRRORURIIPORREIRT (| IASI 1s ti & A A BRIEF 1907 . 1957 HISTORY OF THE EARLY DAYS REACH : Reuben Crandell blazed his way to Reach Twp. in 1821, There were no roads or settlements, all was heav- ily wooded. Reuben Crandell settled on a piece of land near Manchester of today on a farm now owned by the Christie. family. He was one of the U.E. Loyalists. The first white child of this area was born in 1821, Lucy Ann Crandell. For twelve years Crandell cleared the land and planted seed. After ten years Crandell sold his farm and moved closer to Lake Scugog clearing a new homestead at a point now know as Borelia (between Prince Albert and Port® Perry in those early days now the west end of Port Perry). William Wade settled on land where Manchester. now stands around 1828 and a year later Abner Heard and Reuben Dayton settled on the location of Prince Albert which was known for some time as Dayton's corners. 1828 to '36 Settlement around Ep- som and Utica started. The place just west of Manchester being known as the Scotch settlement. 1833-'34 saw settlers in the Greenbank area and 1836 the Coates settlement near the present site of Shirley. : -1846 saw the building of the plank road from Scugog to Manchester and points south." The first school for white children was opened at Dayton's Corners about 1829. The first preach- ing began by the Baptists 1827. 1832 a Prebyterian minister was visiting the area. 1848 the Methodists built the first church, located on the 11th concession. 1848 Breadalbane Pres- byterian Church was built. PORT PERRY 1833, Elias Williams settled on land which later became the site of Scugog Village now Port Perry. Mr. Perry surveyed the area and laid out the lots for the first hamlet, he was also instrumental in bringing the first store. Operated by Chester Draper on the corner of Queen and Water Streets. The Post Office began 'in Port Perry 1862. In 1856 the Pres- byterian Church was built at Prince Albert and a few years later one was erected in Port Perry. The Methodist Episcopal also built about this time. The Anglicans built in 1867 and the present United Church was built by the Methodists in 1885. The Catholics purchased the former wooden church of the Methodists which was later destroyed by fire. The Baptist Church started up on the corner of Rosa an Queen, ; 1872: The Village became incorpo- rated. Area 500 acres, population 2,000. 1883-84 Disastrous fires destroyed almost the entire business section of the village. But it was rebuilt with better buildings and more attractive planning. g 1886: Central Ontario Fair Board was formed and the present Fair Grounds purchased. A half mile track was made at a cost of $3,000 and con- sidered one of the best in Ontario out- side Toronto. All the buildings of the Fair were destroyed by fire except the Grand- stand, which still stands. The fair suf- fered set-backs a few years and was reorganized in 1893 as the Port Perry, Reach & Scugog Agricultural Society. This society which is still going have held many successful fairs during the intervening years. The first school is said to have stood about where the water tank now about 1868 but it was not until 1873 when the combined High and 'Public School was erected that the education of the young was handled in a really competent manner, This school burned down in 1926 and has since been replaced by modern, well equip- ped buildings. In 1870 Fort Perry is listed as hav- ing these industries, a foundry and agricultural works, a grist mill, steam cabinet _factory, planing mill, sash and door factory, woollen mill, stave and | heading factory, three gang saw, car- riage works as well as the usual busi- nesses including millwrights, black- smiths, shoemakers, harnessmakers, masons, weavers, carpenters, lawyers, merchants, ete. SCUGOG The Island Township was at first divided between Reach and Cart- wright. It became incorporated as a separate municipality in 1856. Lake Scugog was formed as a lake instead of a swamp about 1832 when the Purdys erected a dam on the Scugog river to provide power for their mills. This resulted in rebellion which was quickly subdued and the lake has remained. The island was surveyed in 1816 but the first settlers did not come un- til 1834. In 1834 the Indians of Bal- sam Lake made their home here. Early settlers crossed the lake by barge. A floating bridge was laid and was made into a permanent struc- ture in 1880. About 1860 the first school for white children was built. The Head Church was built about 1893 (Methodist Episcopal). SEAGRAVE Settlement started about 1849. There were a few cabins on this site and the hamlet was called Nonquon, which is also the name of the stream that en- ters Lake Scugog near this settlement. _A post office was established here and called Sonya, but for some reason it later moved to Sonya.- After a time another Post Office was located here and named Seagrave, which name has "stuck". In the 1869's the following indus- tries and business had been establish- ed, a saw mill, two grocery stores and a cobblers shop. - Two blacksmiths operated, grain cradles and scythes were made as well as brushes for homes and stablés. A weaver was oc- cupied in making fullecloth and flan- nel, and there was a cooper shop and wagon maker. Later there was an implement shop, a harnéss shop, a shoemaker and a tailor. The school was built in 1860. The first Methodist Church was built about 1875. A little later a Bible Christian Church was erected. The present United Church was built in 1907, In the days of the stage coach there were three or four hotels in this area. One on the Townline between Reach and Brock, three in the village of Seagrave and one at Honey's Corners. PRINCE ALBERT First settled by A. Hurd and Reuben Dayton, 1823, and was known as Day- ton's Corners. The first school started in 1829, the first store opened in 1833, the Post stands. Another school was opened Office 1836, and the first church built in 1856 (Presbyterian) followed by the Bible Christian Church in 1862 and the Wesleyan Methodists in 1866. Prince Albert hall was constructed in 1863. In 1870 there were listed the follow- ing business men,--11 shoemakers, b harnessmakers, 6 wagonmakers, 2 blacksmiths, a publisher, hotelkeeper, tinsmith, well digger, veterinary, coroner, carpenter, druggist, dentist, baker and two merchants. UTICA Settlement started here about 1836. The Presbyterian Church at Utica was built about 1848, In 1870 the population was listed as 186 and the settlement had a sawmill, wagonmaker, blacksmith, mason, tailor, butchershop, merchant and shoemaker. MANCHESTER First settlement by Abel Ewers in 1847. First store in 1848, David Mitchell. First postmaster 1854, Wm. Powson. 1866 Primitive Methodist Church built. Township hall erected 1854. School built in 1860. In 1870 there were 4 stores, two hotels, and the usual number of tradesmen. The population 200. ¥ EPSOM John Ensign was the first settler in this location. He came between 1828 and 1836. BORELIA The first settler Reuben Crandell 1821. First store 1845, Samuel David- son, proprietor. Post office establish- ed about 1863, J. W. Morris, post- mater. The Churches 1870 were Ro- man Catholic, Apostolic and Episcopal Methodist. The United Common and Grammar School of Borelia and Port youth of both places received educa- tien. There were several stores, two hotels and the usual number of mech- anics. Population (1870) 200. GREENBANK The first record we could find was that in 1870 Greenbank had a popu- lation of 80 persons. : HONOURABLE MICHAEL STARR The Honourable Michael Starr, Minister .of Labour in Federal Government, represents Ontario Riding, 1957. - Perry was the institution where. the - Interior of Port Perry Post Office® The interior of the Port Perry Post Office. Mrs. Hull and son Bruce Hull, Mr. Geo. Hull, postmaster with assistants, A history of the Post Office is printed on page twelve,