Beautiful Temperanceville, Now Known as Fonthill, Interestingly Described by F. Emmett Kinsman

[Welland Tribune, 27 April 1936]

Below is noted a striking address by Florence Emmett Kinsman upon the  historical background of Fonthill given before Fonthill W.I. on April 8^th.

“Everytime through the year that I have looked at our program and seen that item “Historical Research” followed by my name, it has sent shivers up and down my spine, however. I hope you will find it as interesting to listen to as I have the preparation of it.

“Historical Research” is far too learned and awe-inspiring a name to be applied to my paper this afternoon, so I have decided it should rather be called “Reminiscences of one who was born and reared in Fonthill, and hopes, God willing, to spend several more years here.”

“As we travel up and down through our pretty village today, over our long stretches of cement sidewalk on our fine asphalt pavements, under the beautiful maples bordering all our streets, and see our splendid school our substantial modern bank building our four churches of fine architecture, our library with its shelves of good books for children and grown-ups, and its well-lighted reading tables stocked with the best magazines of the day, our beautiful well-kept cemetery our excellent water system providing us with spring water, the best in the world, a good business section, hydro lighting in our homes and streets, a steady supply winter and summer, of natural gas, do we ever stop to think that these things have not always been here, and that they did not just happen here, without much thought and labor on the part of some person or persons? Or do we just take them for granted without thinking about them at all? I am afraid on the whole we do the latter. As we enjoy all these beauties and conveniences let us remember we owe a debt of deepest gratitude to those who spent hours—yes days –of it and energy to bring these into being for our comfort. They loved the village and gave freely of themselves to make it a better place in which to live and die, so let us not forget them and may we profit by example and do our best to follow their leading.

Though there is some record of settlement as far back as 1829. first name “Osborne’s Corners” given about 1842; next it was “Temperanceville” and finally “Fonthill”  after Fonthill Abbey in England.

Tribute to Mr. d’Everardo

Can we imagine our village without beautiful trees? Dexter d’Everardo was the man who provided and planted under his direction. who is remembered by a few of the older citizens, was a very eccentric man , but he must have been a lover of nature and of mankind. Many of these trees have died and been cut down and we should see they are replaced where necessary Mr d’Everardo came to the village about 1850 and in 1851 was appointed county registrar. At the time of the separation of the counties in 1856 he was made clerk of the surrogate court. At that time there were two brick buildings, the registry office, where the bank now stands, the other a portion of which still remains as Mr. Minor’s garage. I do not know  what it was used for but both were county buildings. It is said that Mr. Dee, as he was called. Favored Fonthill as the county seat, but when he found Port Robinson might get the prize he used his influence for Welland. When the offices were removed to Welland in 1872 Mr. Dee still lived in Fonthll for several years. When we were little girls my sisters and I spent many happy hours playing around the beautiful old home on top of the hill with his adopted daughter Susie Forgie, and many times have we witnessed preparations for his departure to Welland for the day, and it was quite a performance. He always wore an overcoat and three in winter into which he had to be helped, and always had a huge old umbrella tucked away in the old buck-board in which he journeyed back and forth daily, and it was not a 15 or 20 minute trip in those days, for at some seasons of the year the mud was almost hub deep.Welland mud was I think, noted all over the countryside. He was not at all particular about the details of dress. I well remember a story my grandmother used to tell me….His coat, was so shabby his wife cut off one of the coat tails thinking of course, he would discard it at once, but instead he continued to wear it until he got ready to cast it off.

In spite of his peculiarities we read that as a registrar he was the model of the province; but the thing for  which  we remember him most of all is that he planted the trees on our village streets.

Away back in the early days of 1856 Fonthill boasted  of a grammar school located in the old Concert Hall building, but as Pelham withdrew its grants this had to be abandoned in 1876.

Fonthill’s School

Our present school is I believe the third building to stand on that site. The first one my mother attended; the second where her family were taught was a brick building consisting of one large room presided over by the male principal; there was one small classroom where the lower classes went to recite their lessons to a lady assistant. This plan was not without its advantages for I well remember when a younger pupil I used often to sit listening to the history, geography, and literature lessons of the fifth class and wonder if I would ever reach such heights of knowledge. Also recall. The annual visits of the trustees, when of course we must be on our best behavior and listen to the speeches they were always called upon to make, One man always closed with these lines; Lives of great men all remind us that our lives may be sublime. And departing leaving behind us footprints in the sands of time. As this school grew too old and too small there was a great discussion regarding the building of a new one. Several meetings were held one in the Pelham town hall to consider plans for a consolidated school to be placed in the centre of the township, the children to be carried back and forth in school buses; however that plan fell through after an exciting days voting it was decided to build on the same spot. Debentures were issued and the result was in 1910 our present building of which we may well be proud with its four large airy rooms and its basement room …and its fine staff of five teachers instructing about two hundred and ten pupils.

Now our churches of which I believe the Baptist was the first to be organized. In 1844 the first Baptist services were held wherever opportunity afforded and in 1846 the first church was built known as the T…Baptist church among the shorthills. We have celebrated our 50^th and 60^th and 75^th anniversaries in suitable manner. The present building replaced the old in 1909, the cornerstone being ‘well and truly laid’ by Hon. Richard Harcourt of Welland.

“The  United Church was erected in 1850 by Universalists, and purchased by the Methodists in 1856. The church was remodeled and a basement was put under it in 1912.

“Holy Trinity  church Anglican was built in 1862 and replaced by the present fine one in 1915”

“The Church of God really began in Fonthill as one man’s family but has long since outgrown that and the present building was erected in 190..

Now our part is to see that our churches are filled with worshippers.

“The Public Library has I believe had an elevating influence on our village..

“The love of books the golden key that opens the enchanted door to rich and poor alike. Originally  the library was housed in a building called the Concert Hall located on the north side of the Canboro Road just below where the 20 highway joins it. Fortunately the books were removed just before the big fire of 1888 to the upper story of Dr. Emmett’s office building.

February 1890 the Fonthill Library Association and Mechanics Institute as it was called then was reorganized as the Fonthill Mechanics Institute and was at that time moved to the upper story of the brick building now occupied by Burton Howe… which room was rented for the sum of $3.00 a month. In 1896 the name was again changed to Fonthill Public Library and the board became ambitious for a building of its own, after a campaign for funds in 1897 the present building was erected. Although it was not much to look at from the outside it is the contents which are all important.

……..”The inspectors report for 1935 states”The Board and the Librarian should be commended for the attractive appearance of the premises and the useful work being accomplished”. So is that not something of which to be proud? Parents encourage your children to go to the Library and see that the books they select and read are the very best for that is one of the great steps in the building of character.

“For many years the banking business of Fonthill was done in Welland, which was very inconvenient so in 1905 the Imperial Bank was asked to open a branch here, but as they did not see the necessity for this the Union Bank opened a branch on a Monday morning in October by Wednesday of the same week Imperial was on the spot to do business. After having two banks for about two days the Union withdrew and before many months the Imperial had purchased the old registry office which was torn down and replaced by the present building which is a credit and convenience to our village.

“Until about this time Fonthillians had to drive about five miles to Welland, Allanburg or Port Robinson for train service, or a little later to Fenwick, but in 1907 a trolley line was built from St Catharines to Fonthill which was a wonderful convenience. About a year later the line was extended to Welland. I well remember rising early on the morning of May 4^th 1908 to get my family off on the first car to Welland. The cars did not cross the creek then but were met by omnibus and passenger driven to tow. The trolley line with its hourly service both ways has been a great convenience which we should still appreciate though with autos and buses we do not need it as we once did.

Became Village in 1922

“I believe our first stretch of cement sidewalk was built in 1903. Electricity was brought to the village in 1909 and as in 1916 at the very low price of 25 cents per M. but the company soon went into liquidation. However we have enjoyed this convenience ever since that date.

Fonthill was incorporated as a Police Village in 1915 and on of the first trustees told me with a note of triumph in his voice that the taxes received that year exceeded the expenditures and they closed the year with a balance of $414.53. That indeed was good work. We became an incorporated village as we now are in 1922.

As the village grew the need of a more adequate supply of water was realized and the advantages of running water in the homes, fire protection and health were brought before the people the cost of course being the great problem. There was some  opposition but August of that year was very dry and tales spread abroad of women doing their family wash and passing over the water for the neighbors to use so when the vote was taken that month after a busy day and much planning to get all voters in the bylaw was passed and before 1923 closed we were enjoying the water that is now such a blessing to our village

“The business section is a combination of old and new, the general store on the southeast corner being the only one operated under the same name since 1850 by three generations first Danson Kinsman then his son Fred and now his grandson Ernest. For many years the post office was in this store until 1925 it was removed to its present home The telephone central was also in this store when telephones were few and far between.

“In the earlier days there was entertainment of a different nature from today. We had a literary society when such old familiar subjects “Resolved that the pen is mightier than the sword and ‘That war had caused more misery than Intemperance’,etc. were debated to the edification of debaters and audience. Musical conventions were held when a vocal teacher of renown would be called in and music lovers gathered from the village and outlying districts for a three-days session of singing which would close with a good concert by the class

“Singing schools encouraged vocal talent among the young. Parlour concerts were held in the homes. I remember two being held in my parents’ home, one under the auspices of the Methodists and one the Baptists. I do not know whether the line was less tighly drawn between the denominations,though church union was then unknown, but I do know I  went to Baptists Sunday school.in the morning and Methodist in the afternoon and my mother sang in the Methodist choir for years and then in the Baptist

W.I. Has $1000.

“We had  what was known as the Concert Hall in one of the old buildings burned in the big fire of 1888. Later on as you know we held our concerts in Dalton’s Hall, but now our village is handicapped by the lack of a suitable hall for recreation and entertainments. A project was launched by the village some years ago for a Community Hall  however the Women’s institute was the first to undertake raising money for this worthy purpose and at present we have in the bank almost $1000.

“Holidays such as May 24^th and July 1^st used to be celebrated with parades, games and thrilling processions one of which I  remember when a team of oxen got frightened and turned things topsy turvey for a while. These celebrations aroused a good community spirit. I believe the last one was held July 1^st 1927 at the baseball field east of the village, the occasion being the diamond jubilee of Confederation.

“Speaking of parades reminds me of the big celebration staged here at the close of the Great War, when everyone turned out to rejoice that peace had at last been declared. It was stated that Fonthill had the best parade in Niagara district it ended at night in a big meeting when subscriptions to the Victory Loan reached $40,000. That was a day to be remembered. In connection  with war days one cannot forget the work of the Women’s Institute when they spent all their spare time knitting for the boys and sent innumerable letters of cheer also boxes filled with comfort and delicacies which were much appreciated

“At one time in the long ago there were three hotels or taverns as they were then called but many years ago some of Pelham’s influential men were fore-sighted enough to lead out in temperance work and the Dunkin Act was passed which  has been great protection to our village.

“The W.C.T.U.  organized in 1881 and continuing to the present day and the Royal Templars of Temperance were influences for good and provided a means for temperance education so sadly needed today if we would save our boys and girls from the greatest of all evils, strong drink.

“A secret  petition to bring about a hotel on the north side of Canboro Road was at one time started but some of our faithful citizens worked night and day to defeat it with a counter petition. That was the beginning of several local option campaigns which have so far kept us free from licensed hotel or beverage room, which we hope we will never see in our village.

Tribute to Late Dr. Emmett

“ I have purposely avoided mentioning names as there are so many I would like to speak of that time will not permit, but I really cannot separate the cemetery and the waterworks from the name of Dr. Harry Emmett, as it is largely due to his untiring energy and enthusiasm along with his executive ability that we have them as they are today.

“Our  cemetery was changed  from a carelessly kept spot, and especially the old part a tangled mass of overly grown grass and weeds to the place of beauty and order that it is today and run on a good financial basis, I would like  to read a line or two from an appeal sent out to lot owners which shows his appreciation of those who have gone before. ‘Every member of the council is actuated by one motive only—a community pride and a desire to pay a small tribute of respect to those to whom we owe so much for our own present day comforts.’

“For years our drinking water came almost altogether from two town wells one on each side of the Canboro Road near the centre of the village, the squeak of whose iron pumps might be heard  almost any hour of the day or night and also from the ‘spring in the grove from there were no rooms suitable in the churches. Strawberry festivals were held annually and drew large crowds especially those held on the grounds of the Fonthill Nurseries.

“I cannot close without reference to the youngest organization the horticultural society which has already been the means of beautifying Fonthill and I am sure it will be of benefit in encouraging a love of beauty. We are told to look for at least one beautiful thing each day and what more beautiful than flowers so let us encourage them in every possible way.

“ I sincerely hope I  have not wearied you but that I  have stimulated the desire to be more loyal to our motto”For Home and Country”……