My Memories of Wellandport

By Vivian Sutton Sunday, February 5, 1984.

Arriving in the fall of 1945, to make my home in the busy, friendly village of Wellandport was certainly a great experience. Having lived all my entire 19 years in a large city; there was a great period of adjustment. The friendliness of the people was really and truly a heat warming experience for me.

Traditionally a typical city, where a mere hello was about all you exchanged with your next door neighbour was most welcome. Mrs J.D.(Reva) Fulsom was one of my first acquaintence.

Indoor plumbing was considered a luxury and the Saturday night bath in the old tin tub left much to be desired

Living accomodations were very difficult to obtain as many returning service men had married during the war and housing was a priority.

Unable to find a suitable place to rent in Welland, we obtained rooms with a lovely retired couple Nelson and Lillie Chadwick, former owners of Chadwick Feed Mill.

Most of our neighbours were all retired people. Mrs Frankie Arnold, Rev McRoberts, Henry & Etta Jupe, George & Lillian Southwick, Mrs Holmes Sr.,George & Caroline Holmes, Earl & Erford Robins, Harry Poore, Thom & Effie Freure, Mr & Mrs Addie Adam Beamer, Bill & Tunie Zawelski and Mearle & Edith Fester.

There friendly and out going manner made me feel so welcome.

The minister at that time was Rev. McRoberts, a bachelor who was a frequent guest for a dinner or a supper. He told me that I was priviledged to reside in the part of Wellandport known “As Quality Hill”. This has always remained in my memory as I  look now at the changes in that part of the village.

Wellandport had four grocery stores. Roman Suters, Red&White store owned and operated by Ada Coleman(Hiles). Howies grocery store, and Nepons general store. In the old general store, centered in the middle of the floor was a large pot bellied stove. This was certainly a popular spot. Everyone congregated from the village and surrounding farms on a Saturday night to purchase supplies, exchange chit chat, catch up on the weeks happenings. No one ever thought of going to town to shop.

We were very fortunate to have in the village a most competent doctor. Dr. Carson made numerous house calls, delivered babies at home, performed many other services.

A local post office operated by the Coleman family in part of the red & white store. A telephone office, headed by Mrs Lloyd Book(Nora) operators, Florence Cavers, Beryl Moore, Elma Cavers to mention a few. Lampmans’ operated a hardware store, implement business and upstairs a funeral home. This was owned by John Lampman and his son Glenn.

This funeral home & furniture store was first owned and operated by Amos Heaslip an uncle of Hazel Ullman in 1902. This building presently is now known as Home Hardware. Mr Heaslip had two hearses. Black & white, two teams, black & white. One pulled the hearse, the other the carriage.

Mr Heaslip sold to Mr. Hugh Brooks. Mrs Hugh Brooks to a Mr Slaght,  Mr Slaght to John Lampman.

The old Cronkite Hotel housed a two family apartment. Gordon MacDonald family and the North family.

The Masonic Hall was in operation and the Womens’ Institute held social events there.

The Wellandport United Church was the only place of worship and all our spiritual needs well looked after.

A one room school tended to the educational aspects, grades 1-8, capabiley taught by Harold Hodgkins.

Two garages were in operation. One owned and operated by N. Peter Redmond; the other Andys garage, by Andrew (Andy) Tuchowski. Mr John Johnson was our local carpenter.

A very busy blacksmith shop, owned and operated by Bill Zawelski.

Milk was delivered by two local dairy farmers, Charles Freure and Adam Moore for the exorbant price of .05 cents per quart. When pastuerization became law Welland Dairy delivered the milk

Cars were in short supply, but our needs were well looked after by the local merchants.

The daily bus service from Dunnville to Smithville was in operation by Bert Phillips.

Villagers would avail themselves occasionally. for a special outing, ride the bus to Smithville. Purchase a special rated train ticket to Hamilton for the day from the Smithville railroad station office and off for a days shopping. Think this cost  about 65 cents return. Many the trips I made with friends.

Our community has seen many changes in the 39 years.

Today we have one grocery store and gas bar, local post office, library which is an asset to our community.

One garage, one feed mill, feed supply dealer, hardware store and church.

The Masonic Hall is still an active hall as well as the Independent order of the Odd Fellows Hall.

One of our proudest accomplishments is our local community hall. Many donated long hours of hard work went into the building and maintanence of this very busy hall. The older friendly familiar faces has long since passed on.

Wellandport village is now inhabited mainly by the Dutch people who settled in the area in the very early fifties.

We who were a majority are now a minority. I have spent happy years in this lovely friendly community. A community with a heart, a community who cares.

—The above article has now been corrected with a previous error for the name “Andrew (Andy) Tuchowski”.  Thank you to Marie Tuchowski-Cockman of Hamilton On for pointing out our error.—[June 9, 2020]

SYNOPSIS OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HISTORY

COVERING 100 YEARS AT WELLANDPORT

[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 26 November 1931]

This synopsis of Presbyterian church history covering a period of one hundred years was prepared by the present minister, Rev. Donald H. Currie, for the Centennial of the Wellandport Presbyterian church, observed on Sunday, October 25^th, 1931, by special services in the church, and on Monday, Oct. 26^th, by a supper served by the Ladies’ Aid in the “Tourists Inn,” followed by a reunion and program in the church. The sketch is dedicated to the memory of the pioneers who came into the forest to hew out homes for themselves, and build schools and churches that their children might be provided for materially and spiritually.

My sources of information are from Dr. Gregg’s History of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and from the session and congregational minute books of Wellandport church. The church in Gainsboro on the Twenty Mile Creek was organized by the Rev. D.W. Eastman in 1809. From its organization this church at St. Ann was under the care of Mr. Eastman, something like twelve years, and he was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Goodell. In 1831 there were two Sabbath  schools, and Mr. Goodell divided his labors between St. Anns and another congregation six miles distant in the same town.

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History of Wellandport

(Compliled by  “S”)

Originally called The Narrows, named for the narrow strip of land separating Beaver Creek from the Welland River. The Beaver Creek was where the beaver built dams. The water was used to run mills. Today it is dry.

The Welland River also went by the name of Chippawa Creek.

The first settlers came about 1795 and settled on the narrows.. they had to clear the land before building homes.

The river was clear with lots of fish, surrounded by forests.

1816 saw the first sawmill, 1820 a grist mill, distillery and tannery  were built.

Many people came from  United States to settle on free land given to them by the government. In 1861 many came to avoid Civil war army service.

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Half of Wellandport Wiped out by Fire

[Welland Telegraph, August 26, 1910]

Warrant issued for the arrest of Arthur Powell, a lad of sixteen , who has fled—post office, stores, houses and barns destroyed—loss $30,000.

 The village of Wellandport  suffered an unusually serious fire at an early hour Thursday morning whereby  all of the northern half  of the business section of the place was wiped out. With a total loss reaching  $30,000.,only  one-third of which is covered  by insurance.

The origin of the fire is a mystery.It broke out in Goring’s  general store and was first seen about half past three. There were no lights or fires about the place and everything was in good shape when  Mr. Goring locked up at eleven o’clock the night previous.

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Wellandport

[ Welland Tribune 1898]

Wellandport, lying in the midst  of a good farming section. Yet without the impetus that railroads give a place, is steadily on the move forward. While we have had no spasmodic business boom, yet what there has been was of moment to the place.

Overholt’s Mill

The new roller process flour mill erected this spring by John Overholt, has been a solid addition to our village. It certainly brings  a large amount of trade to the village. And thoroughly appreciates the patriotic spirit of the townspeople in subscribing a cash bonus towards the erection of the mill. Its capacity is fifty barrels per day.

Wm. Stewart’s Cheese Box Factory

This is another of the industries of the village , employing several hands a large portion of the year. Mr. Stewart very kindly showed the Tribune representative around the factory and explained the process of the making of a cheese box , which is very interesting indeed to the uninitiated. The boxes are made here right from  the rough logs , which are rafted down to the mill  in the Welland river , windlassed up, put through a splitter, which cuts the elm logs up like strips of paper, about one eighth inch thick. These are in turn cut in proper  lengths , steamed , placed on a shaper , the bottoms put in, a band around, passed on to the heading department, and are ready for shipment. Birch and poplar is used for the covers and elm for the round part. As there is a large demand for these boxes.

Other lines

George Stewart carries an extensive blacksmithing and carriage making establishment in the west end of the village and enjoys a large patronage.

The general stores of M.H. Prentiss, Dilly C. Holmes, J.R. Goring and W. Misener are well kept and good representative departmental business places., where a line of everything is the greatest good to the community. Other kinds of business are pretty well represented. Geo. Beatty also has a good wagon shop. P.W. Emrick sells watches and clocks—new ones—and has an ambulance for the disabled ones. He is a good business man and has an increasing patronage.