W.H. RAY, proprietor of the Peacock Hotel, Dundas Road. This old established hotel has been in existence since 1820, and is now one of the oldest houses in the Province. The present proprietor is a native of London, England, and came to Canada in 1870. He was engaged in the butchering business for some time, and in 1881 took possession of this hotel, since which time he has received steady support from the travelling public. (vol. II, p. 234)
DR. SAMUEL RICHARDSON, Eglington, was born in York County, being a son of the late John Richardson, a native of Ireland, who came to Canada in 1823 and resided in Scarboro’ Township until his death in 1874. Dr. Richardson obtained his professional education at the Victoria School of Medicine and the Toronto University, entering the former institution in 1867, where he spent two years, and graduating at the latter in 1871. He practised in Toronto five years, holding at the same time the Professorship of Materia Medica and Lecturer on Insanity at the Victoria School to the end of 1874. He practised in Scarboro’ three years, and in 1879 settled at Eglington, where he enjoys an extensive practice. (vol. II, p. 234)
JOHN ROACH, farmer, lot 27, concession 2, was born in Cornwall, England, and came to Canada when twenty-five years of age. He settled first in Oshawa, and after a residence of nine years, part of which time he kept hotel, he removed to Toronto and conducted hotels in different localities in the city. In 1874 he removed to the farm on which he at present resides, having purchased the same eight years previous. He married in 1848 Mrs. S. Lukes; they have one son and one daughter. We may add that the farm of Mr. Roach is considered one of the finest in the district, being composed of two hundred acres; he is also largely engaged in the milk business, and keeps about twenty-five cows. In politics he is a Reformer. (vol. II, p. 234)
RICHARD ROBERTS, proprietor of Covertdale Mills, was born in Ireland and came to Canada, taking up his residence at the above locality in August 1883. He leased and took possession of the mills, where he is doing a thriving business buying wheat from the farmers in the adjacent district, and selling the produce at wholesale in the city, besides doing a retail trade on his own premises. He is a man of large experience in his business, his father having conducted a mill in County Cork, Ireland. (vol. II, p. 234)
GEORGE ROSS, proprietor of the well-known and popular Eagle Hotel, Weston Village, is a native of Toronto, and for seventeen years followed the vocation of commercial traveller. He took possession of the above hotel in June, 1884, and hopes, by strict attention to the comfort and convenience of his patrons, to merit that share of custom hitherto awarded his predecessor. (vol. II, p. 235)
DAVID ROWNTREE, butcher, Weston, was born at Carlton, York Township, in 1845, being the third son of Mr. D. Rowntree, of Carlton, mentioned elsewhere. David lived with his father until twenty-one years of age, and then commenced business for himself as butcher in 1866. He has been very successful, and last year built a splendid brick store in a prominent part of Weston, where he conducts a general store in connection with his butchering business. Mr. Rowntree was married in the year 1865, his wife’s maiden name being Isabella Campbell, who is of Scotch parentage. They have a family of eight children. Our subject is a member of the Village Council since its formation. The family are adherents of the Methodist Church. (vol. II, p. 235)
DAVID ROWNTREE, lot 35, concession 3 from the Bay, was born in Cumberland County, England, and came to Canada in 1832 with his parents, with whom he remained eight years. He then rented a farm in Toronto Township for four years, subsequently purchasing and taking possession of the farm which constitutes his present home. He married in 1840 Sarah Lee, of English birth, who died in 1864, leaving nine sons and two daughters. He married again in 1866, his second wife being Sarah Rossiter, also a native of England; five sons and four daughters are the issue of this union. Mr. Rowntree owns ninety acres. (vol. II, p. 235)
JAMES ROWNTREE, lots 22, 23 and 24, concession 7, was born on the farm adjoining that which he now owns, and is the son of the late Joseph Rowntree, a native of Cumberland, England, who came to Canada about 1834, and worked for a time as journeyman miller, afterwards settling upon a farm near the Humber. His wife was Ann McGee, a native of Scotland. James married Caroline M. Crosson, daughter of William Crosson, of this township. (vol. II, p. 235)
ALFRED H. ST. GERMAIN, lots 7 and 8, on the west side of Yonge Street, Township of York. The retirement of a once prominent man from the ranks of journalism (although particularly noticed and commented on at the time) is not one of the events which leave a lasting impression on the memory, and is perhaps forgotten by the many, yet the few who still retain a recollection of the subject of this notice will not forget that Toronto is indebted to him for being the first to publish a One Cent Daily Newspaper. Mr. St. Germain was born at Kingston, in the Province of Upper Canada, in the year 1827, being the son of Hyacinth LeMere St. Germain, a lineal descendant of Rudolph St. Germain, who was a companion of Jacques Cartier in the exploration of the Canadas. Mr. St. Germain spent his early life in Kingston, and before leaving there, in 1849, was one of the proprietors of The Herald, one of the oldest papers in Canada. The California gold fever, which was raging at that time, attracted him from the editorial chair; but, after tempting fortune on the Pacific coast for a time, he returned to Canada, and taking up his residence in Toronto, commenced the publication of The Toronto Evening Journal, the first one cent daily newspaper in Canada. He also was the originator of the cheap advertising rates which now prevail in Toronto newspapers. His connection with the printing and publishing business came to a close in 1882, when he retired to his Yonge Street farm, consisting of one hundred and eighty-five acres, within three and a-half miles of Toronto’s northern city limits. (vol. II, p. 236)
HENRY SAUNDERS, lots 5, 6 and 7, concession 3, was born in 1849, on the farm where he now resides. The family are of German extraction. The grandfather of our subject, Matthew Saunders, a noted shipbuilder, was a U.E. Loyalist, and took up from Government two hundred acres of land on lot 6, concession 3, which is still in the possession of his descendants. He was killed at the battle of York by the explosion of the magazine. The father of our subject was born near Thornhill in 1801, and took possession of the family homestead in 1824, where he resided until his death in 1880, at the age of seventy-nine years; two sons and three daughters survive him. Henry Suanders married Elizabeth Gould, of Pelham Township, Welland County, who died in 1870. He married again in 1877, Elizabeth Dawdy of Galesborough, by whom he has two sons and one daughter. Mr. Saunders owns five hundred and sixty acres in this township. (vol. II, p. 236)
GEORGE SMITH & CO., woollen manufacturers, Lambton Mills. This business was originally established at Weston in 1870, under the name of Smith & Wilby, and continued in force until 1880, when a dissolution of partnership took place. Mr. Smith then entered into partnership at Lambton Mills, to which place he transferred his business which is now known under the above name. They employ over one hundred hands in the manufacture of blankets, tweeds, and general woollen goods of various grades. The machinery is run by an eighty horse-power water wheel and one hundred and fifty horse-power steam engine. Mr. Smith is a native of Yorkshire, England, and was born in the year 1832, emigrating to Canada in 1870. (vol. II, p. 236)
ROBERT SMITH, proprietor of market garden on High Park Avenue and Indian Road, was born in Cumberland, England, and came out to Canada in 1832. He was variously engaged up to 1859, when he commenced the gardening business at his present location where he owns and cultivates twelve acres of fine garden land, growing all kinds of fruits, vegetables, etc. He married in 1869 Mrs. Margaret Daly. (vol. II, p. 237)
JAMES STEWART, deceased, was born in Ireland, of Scotch parents, in 1803, and came to Canada when only a boy. He first settled in Cavan Township, Durham County, afterwards coming to West York, and locating on lot 13, concession 2, where he purchased two hundred acres of bush land. He lived there for twenty years, and by additions made to his first purchase became the owner of five hundred acres of land in one block. He subsequently bought two hundred and thirty acres near the Don, in East York, and twenty acres on Yonge Street, making a total of seven hundred and fifty acres which is still in the possession of the family. He resided on the farm near the Don until his death in 1878. He married Mary Ann Mulholland, sister of Thomas Mulholland, of this township, who died in 1872, leaving a family of four sons and four daughters. Joseph, the youngest son of the family, resided on the homestead until 1876, when he settled on one hundred acres, a part of the York estate. He married in 1876 Jennie Heyland, daughter of James Heyland, of Essex Township, Simcoe County, who was of Irish birth; they have two sons and one daughter. Henry and James, the second and third sons of the family, still reside on the old homestead farm consisting of two hundred acres. Samuel Stewart, the eldest son, resides on a portion of the York estate, and has a family of ten children living. The four daughters of the late James Stewart are all married. Mary Ann, married to James McGee, of Toronto; Sarah, married to Thomas Woodhouse, of Toronto; Louisa, widow of the late William Henry, of Toronto; Jane married to George S. Stevenson, of Peterboro’. (vol. II, p. 237)
JACOB STOREY, lot 25, concession 4, is the son of the late David Storey, who left Pennsylvania for Canada at an early day. He served in the War of 1812, and at the proclamation of peace settled in Vaughan Township, and after a time removed to West York, where he purchased one hundred acres of land, and locating on the lot above mentioned, resided there until his death in 1872 at the age of seventy-eight. He left a widow and four sons all of whom are living. Jacob Storey, the subject of this sketch, was married in 1843 to Sarah Snider, daughter of the late Samuel Snider, of York Township; they have three sons and four daughters, and have sustained a loss of two daughters by death. During the Mackenzie Rebellion the father and son threw in their lot with the Reformers, and the father, being captured by the regulars, was kept a prisoner for some time by the Government. The family are of German descent. (vol. II, p. 237)
JAMES STURZAKER, deceased, was a native of Lancashire, England, where he was born in 1809. He had served his time to harness-making, and on his arrival in Toronto in 1842, he settled on York Street, in which locality he continued to conduct his business until 1874. He then removed to Weston where he remained carrying on the same trade until the time of his death on September 20, 1884. In 1843 he married Sarah Mayhew, a native of Hamilton, Ontario, by whom he has four children living, viz.: Sarah, born August 9, 1849, married to Joseph Dean in 1870; Lillie, born August 27, 1853; Sophia, born September 28, 1859, married to Thomas Connor, October 15, 1878; Margaret, born October 11, 1857, married to William Bain, February 7, 1883. (vol. II, p. 238)
JOHN SUMMER was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1842. He emigrated to Canada in 1878, and taking up his residence in Toronto, remained there two years. He then went to Dundas and from there to Cornwall, subsequently locating in Weston where he yet remains. He married in Dundas Martha Conningsby. (vol. II, p. 238)
JAMES SYME, proprietor of vegetable and market-garden, Roncesvalles Avenue, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and came to Canada in 1849, being first employed by Mr. Gordon as gardener for about eight years. In 1859 he visited the Southern States, and on the breaking out of the Civil War, joined the Confederate army. At the Battle of Fort Donaldson he was taken prisoner, and was seven months confined at Camp Douglas, Chicago. He was again wounded and captured at Resacka, Georgia, and suffered another eight months’ confinement, and towards the close of the war was paroled on account of sickness. In 1865 he returned to Toronto, subsequently commencing in the gardening business in conjunction with his brother, in which vocation he since continued. In 1877 the brother retiring from the business, James has since conducted this improving and extensive business alone. (vol. II, p. 238)
GEORGE SYME, proprietor of market-garden, lot 37, concession 3 from the Bay, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and came with his people to Canada in 1862. His father was James Syme, also a market-gardener, who followed that occupation on his settlement here. George first commenced business on Prospect Street, Toronto, afterwards spending some time in Brockville, and on his return to Toronto, bought and settled in his present location, which consists of twenty-five acres of fine gardening land, where he cultivates both plants, vegetables and fruits. He married in Toronto, Elizabeth McDonald, of County Armagh, Ireland, daughter of Daniel McDonald, who now resides in this township; they have a family of three sons and three daughters. (vol. II, p. 239)
GEORGE TOWNLEY, proprietor of the steam brick and tile yard, Carlton West, established his business in 1868. From a small beginning, which only gave occupation to six or seven men, he has by industry and enterprise succeeded in building up a trade that will compare favourably with any in the district. He now employs about twenty men, and turns out about two million bricks annually. He also does a large business in sewer-pipes, his output being two million yearly. In the spring of 1884 he added a steam engine to his works. Mr. Townley is a native of Yorkshire, England, and came to Canada in 1850. He had learned his business before his arrival. (vol. II, p. 239)
FREDERICK WAKEFIELD, Carlton, a native of England, came to Canada with his parents. His father, the late William Wakefield, was a native of Oxfordshire, England, who emigrated to Canada in 1873, and commenced the brick manufacturing business in Carlton, which is now carried on by his widow, Mary Wakefield, the executrix of the estate, Frederick being manager. They employ thirteen hands, and turn out about one million bricks annually, also a large quantity of sewer-piping. (vol. II, p. 239)
MICHAEL WARD, Davenport, is a native of County Cavan, Ireland, and came to Toronto in 1842. He was first engaged carrying the mail before the railway went through. He then carried on business for himself about eight years, subsequently engaging in the milk business, which he continued for five or six years. In 1873 he commenced farming on the Davenport Road, and in the spring of 1884 moved to his present location. He married in 1862 Elizabeth Murphy, a native of County Tyrone, Ireland; they have three sons and one daughter living. (vol. II, p. 239)
JESSE G. WARDLAW, lot 11, concession 4, was born on the farm where he now resides, and is the son of Alexander G. Wardlaw, deceased, a native of Scotland, who came to Canada about 1836 with his parents and settled with them on the farm above mentioned, where he remained until his death in 1872. Mr. Wardlaw’s grandmother died 3rd November, 1874, at the advanced age of one hundred and two years. (vol. II, p. 239)
FRANCIS WATSON, lot 15, concession 2, is a native of County Monaghan, Ireland, and came out in 1834. He settled at once upon the farm on which he now resides. He was first married to Elizabeth Conland, who died in 1849; two daughters survive her. His second marriage was with Jane Duncan, of this township. His eldest daughter is the wife of George Carruthers of this township. (vol. II, p. 240)
JOSEPH WATSON, Deputy-Reeve, West York Township, is the son of Christopher and Margaret Watson. His father was born in Cumberland, England, and came to Canada in 1819, settling on lot 22, concession 6, four miles north of Weston, where he resided six years; he then removed to the Village of Weston, where he lived until his death in 1828. The surviving children consist of three sons and two daughters: John, who lives on lot 21, concession 6, West York; Joseph, the subject of this sketch, and Thomas, now of Port Hope. John and Joseph commenced farming for themselves when they became of age, and subsequently purchased fifty acres near the homestead. Joseph married in 1850 Caroline M., daughter of Jacob McKay, a native of the United States, but of Scotch parentage; they have two sons and four daughters – the eldest son, William A., is living on lot 1, concession 3, in this township; the second son, John T., lives in the Qu’Appelle district, N.W. Territory; of the daughters, one is married and settled in Peel County; one is in Toronto, and one is on lot 19, concession 5, West York. Mr. Watson has held the office of Deputy-Reeve since 1871, with the exception of two years, and has held other offices of more or less importance. He settled on a farm which he still owns and occupies in 1852, and since that time has purchased the east half of lot 1 and part of lot 2, concession 3, West York, consisting of one hundred and thirty-three acres, also one hundred acres in Toronto Township, being west half of lot 10, concession 6. (vol. II, p. 240)
HENRY WELSH, lot 16, concession 6, was born on the homestead where he now resides. He is the son of Henry Walsh, sen’r, a native of County Monaghan, Ireland, who emigrated to Canada in 1830, and received from his father (who had previously settled and bought land) eighty acres, on which he resided until his death in 1867. His wife was Ann Bell, who died in 1876; three sons and three daughters survive them. Henry Welsh received the homestead at his father’s death by will; one of his sisters resides with him. (vol. II, p. 240)
JAMES WRIGHT, floral and market-gardener, was born in Yorkshire, England, and emigrated to Canada in 1848. He engaged for a short time in farming, and subsequently adopted the business in which he is now engaged. In 1849 he located on Avenue Road, Yorkville, where he remained until 1875, when he purchased eleven acres on Roncesvalles Avenue, on which he built a residence, hothouses, etc. In 1878 he was burned out; but has since rebuilt, and now has one of the finest gardens in the neighbourhood of the city. Mr. Wright has had a fine opportunity of becoming conversant with all the details of his business, having in early life been employed in the gardens of the Duke of Marlborough at Medley Hall, England. He married Miss Jane Stibbart, daughter of the late Thomas Stibbart, an early pioneer. (vol. II, p. 241)
A.W. YOUNG, proprietor of greenhouses and market garden, Roncesvalles Avenue, is a native of Tyrone, Ireland, and came to America in 1848. He spent about ten years in the States previous to settling in Toronto in 1858; on his advent he was engaged in a wholesale boot and shoe house eleven years. He then removed to the neighbourhood of Yorkville, on a lot he had purchased in 1866, where he conducted a dairy business for seven years. The tragic occurrence in High Park in July, 1882, in which a boy was killed by a police officer under distressing circumstances, will not easily be forgotten by this family, seeing that the unfortunate youth was a son of the subject of this notice. In the winter of 1882 Mr. Young bought nine acres of land at the above location, where he erected a handsome residence and greenhouses, the latter being 65 x 18 feet. Mr. Young married in 1853 Eliza Kilfarick, a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, by whom he has one son and four daughters living. (vol. II, p. 241)