‘He was the type of man everyone enjoyed talking to’
[Welland Tribune, 7 July 1995]
By Richard Roik
One of Welland’s eldest civic boosters was buried yesterday.
Lemuel “Lem” Hogue died this week at the age of 91, but the mark he’s left behind as model citizen is one that will not soon be forgotten.
“He has been one of the treasures of our city,” says Eleanor Clark, who first met Hogue through the local art club more than 20 years ago.
In a life full of accomplishment, Hogue may best be remembered for the model he made of the Welland Canal. He would take it with him as he toured local schools helping youngsters to understand their hometown roots.
The model now belongs to the Welland Historical Museum, as do many of the tools and equipment from his almost 40 years as a blacksmith in the city.
“It’s an invaluable collection,” says museum curator Dorette Carter.
“He was in business during much of the building of the canal.”
A snapshot of Hogue in front of his downtown shop adorns the front of the museum’s brochure, and although Carter came here too late to really get to know him, she’s amazed by the presence he had in the city.
“I’ve met quite a variety of people who speak so glowingly of him,” Carter says.
Self-taught, Hogue enjoyed sharing what he learned-although he consistently steered clear of the spotlight in doing so.
For some ten years he was among the volunteers who, without fail, taught weekly art classes to the residents at Sunset Haven Home for the Aged.
“He was the type of man everyone enjoyed talking to,” says Carol Rapelje, a long- time volunteer at the home for the aged.
“He was interested in the residents as a friend.”
H also took his love of art to the physically and mentally challenged, and started a program at Niagara College for such special-needs students.
His tireless energy marvelled many. He was a talented painter, and astronomy buff and a wildlife enthusiast-among other things.
“He had a philosophy that whenever he met someone he would try to leave them laughing,” says Ken Sykes, who knew Hogue through their 50 years of faithful service at the First Baptist Church.”
“He said life’s too short for hard feelings,” Sykes adds.
Children were among those who especially took to him-perhaps because they recognized a man forever young at heart.
He and his wife, Betty, who died in 1984, were still camping in their final years together.
Even at age 80, he was taking courses, despite probably knowing more than his instructors. He explained his joie de vivre by noting that if you’re too old to learn you’re probably too old to live.”
“I just found him to be the most fascinating and fantastic person in the world,” says Clark.
He leaves behind five children, and a legacy we can all build on.
The world could use more Lem Hogues.
- Lemuel Victor Hogue was born in Wainfleet, the son of Michael and Margaret Hogue and had six brothers.
- He worked with his father at the Hogue Blacksmith Shop on Fraser Street for a number of years before moving to the maintenance department of Whiting Industries for some 15 years retiring in 1970.
- Died 2 July 1995 in his 92nd year.
DOWN MEMORY LANE
[Welland Tribune: Date Unknown]
Welland blacksmith, Mike Hogue, learned his trade in Effingham, Ontario, and was apprenticed in 1896, to Mr. Lymburner, whose shop was situated at 15 Niagara Street in Welland, just north of the current Welland House Hotel location.
In 1907, he purchased the business from Mr.Lymburner and hired Andy Harkness. In late 1929, Mike Hogue purchased property fronting on Fraser Street, just west of his shop, and opened a new business. Lem Hogue, a son, recalls that some of the material for the new shop was salvaged from the old aqueduct on the canal. He also notes that blacksmiths were not always paid in currency. Often payment was in kind-a bag of potatoes, a ham, or a pair of piglets. The last horse shoed by the Hogues was in 1954. The original anvil is on exhibit at the Welland Historical Museum.
In 1956, the shop and property were sold to the Oddfellows organization, the members of which apparently had great difficulty in removing large amounts of soot from the facility.
(OLD SLAUGHTER HOUSE)
By David l. Blazetich, from the files of his grandfather George “Udy” Blazetich
[Date Unknown]
A long time ago, the residents of 7th Street, in Crowland, were often disturbed by the unpleasant sounds and smells emanating from the Ontario Packing Plant, affectionately referred to as “The Old Slaughter House”. One consolation, however, was that the neighborhood could purchase fresh meat at cost price on the slaughter house premises.
The Ontario Packing Plant was opened on August 19th, 1922 with Frank Ahman as its president. Among the first employees, brought in from Kitchener, were many Senior A hockey players including well-known Art Barlett of the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen.
The Old Slaughter House later became the home of Stan Reid’s used automobile dealership and, still later, Sunnyside Dairy, which is still owned and operated by Al
lan Pietz, M.L.A.
In the accompanying photographs, note in the background the swing bridge (Black Bridge) at the foot of Sixth Street, and the McCabe House, the subject of a previous article by this writer.
*Note also the present owner of Sunnyside Dairy as depicted in 1954 with his father, Deputy Reeve Paul Pietz of Humberstone Township, Warden in 1952. At that time, his son, Deputy Reeve Allan Pietz at 24, was the youngest man ever to serve on Welland County Council. They were the first father and son combination in the history of Welland County Council.
Honoring Harry Diffin’s Unrivalled Record of 31 years and 6 months on City Council
By Mark J. LaRose
[Welland Tribune, 17 February 1987]
On February 21, 1987, we will be celebrating and honoring a community leader without equal in the city of Welland.
For devotion to the community and unselfish service to his fellow man, Harry Diffin has to be the “Man of the Half Century” in the city of Welland. No citizen has worked so tirelessly for his city without concern for personal gain or aggrandisement.
Harry Diffin’s character and reputation has been flawless, yet he has the common touch. It’s appreciatively acknowledged that he gave of his life to the fullest in the service of this community.
Seemingly almost continuously, over the past 42 years he has served as mayor and alderman until his recent retirement from public office (1985) with an unparalleled actual service record of 31 years and six months on city council.
For the past 18 years he has served as chairman of the Welland Development Commission. He is a long-standing active member of the Optimist Club and the Welland Jaycees.
Throughout all this, he has been the devoted father and husband, the good friend and gracious host. He is a man who is honest and will call things as he sees them. We salute Harry Diffin as “Man of the Half Century in the city of Welland.
By T.N. Morrison
Mr. Morrison retired in 1972 as editor of The Tribune, after 43 years’ service with the newspaper.
[Welland Tribune, 17 February 1987]
Welland’s often derided “Toonerville Trolley,” and learning to swim in the Lock Pit were among a host of memories stirred for Harry Diffin when he was invited to recall “what it was like growing up in Welland”.
His recollections, as recorded in this article, could induce waves of nostalgia for senior citizens, and for others, show that at least the earlier times could be lively and entertaining even without stereo, TV and cellular telephones.
The “Toonerville,” as Harry remembers, provided the great bargain five-cents ride on the local street car service that piled between the Michigan Central Railway depot (King Street), and the Grand Trunk Station (East Main Street). It was also routed across the canal to the top of West Main Street, and, often with uncertain passage, part way along Niagara Street. It was a single track operation with a spur located in front of the Methodist Church on King Street to enable the opposite-bound cars to pass.
The Niagara, Welland and Lake Erie Railway, as it was labelled, endured various embarrassments. In winter time icy rails at times caused trolleys headed for the Grand Trunk Station to begin sliding backwards about Burgar Street. And on the Niagara Street stretch, the passengers on occasion had to get out and push as the car faltered in the effort to negotiate the hilly terrain. Then there were the sudden stops when pranksters reached out the rear window and yanked the power pole from the overhead wires.
But the old and long gone street car did meet all trains and there were plenty of them serving Welland. So much so, that as many did, one could board a Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo railway car at a desired time in the morning; lunch and shop or attend a theatre in Buffalo, and be back home by rail in time for supper. Outings to Hamilton on the T.H. and B. were also popular.
Another important transportation service for Welland was the Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto radial line. This hourly service, conveyed Harry Diffin to and from St. Catharines and Ridley College each week, and, on picnic outings to Port Dalhousie, gave Diffin and countless other youths the great thrill of riding in “open air” cars.
Recreation activity in river and canal was much more prolific, in those days. Motorized pleasure craft hummed along both waterways, and canoeing was popular in the river. Skating and hockey flourished on the frozen river in winter and each season news was awaited that Wilson Chambers had successfully stroked his way on his ancient blades from River Road to the city.
Gala regatta days brought crowds to the canal in the Merritt park area to watch exciting sea cadet cutter races and swimming exhibitions. In summer, it seemed as though the entire community congregated in Merritt Park for the weekly band concerts, featuring the Citizen’s Band, and, alternately, the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Band. Ice cream cart vendors enjoyed a roaring trade on these festive occasions, made all the more picturesque with pleasure craft buzzing along the canal at park-side. Traditionally, the concert intermission periods lasted long enough for the thirstier musicians to consume a beaker or two at a nearby watering hole.
The canal is also remembered from this period for the emergency crossing service made necessary when a freighter struck and damaged the Alexandra Bridge. When repairs necessitated holding the bridge in a turned position for several weeks, a tug was employed to ferry pedestrians across the waterway. Until they were spotted and unceremoniously ejected, it was great sport for young blades who used the system for marathon joy-rides.
In earlier days the bridge was turned to open passage for ships and before it was mechanized the turning operation was done manually by two men who walked in circles after connecting long levers to the structure’s pinion wheel. Even after the apparatus was motorized, occasional breakdowns caused resort to the manual system.
The Lock Pit, where river and canal met, not far from the present Niagara Street river bridge, was a favorite hangout for youth. It was constructed to permit river-borne craft entry in the canal and held credit as the location where Harry Diffin and others learned to swim.
Before the Reeta Hotel and theatre was built, the movie and stage hose were the Grand and the Griffith, both located on the south side of East Main Street. The Grand, just west of Hellems Avenue, handled films only and for years, had the respected Maud Dawdy in the ticket booth. Equally well-known were Rhea Harper and Raymond Strawn, pianists who supplied the musical accompaniment for the films. Unforgettable ws the storm they always managed to mount on the keyboard when cowboys and Indians engaged in fierce combat on the screen.
The Griffin Theatre, a second-storey emporium across the alley from Walter Dixon’s photography studio, offered vaudeville and pictures, and has often been recalled by long-established Wellanders for one particular program where a performer believed to be named Alburtus demonstrated magic and hypnotism. The flamboyant show had the town on its ear for two publicity stunts. In one, he had a young man pedal furiously for days on a stationary bicycle on a theatre balcony. In the other, he put a fetching damsel to sleep on a bed in the window of Sutherland’s furniture store, and there the sleeping beauty reposed for several days, not even fluttering an eyelid as the sceptics stayed up after the midnight hour to maintain a round-the-clock check in the window. In the theatre, the performer additionally mystified the patrons by merely peering into a crystal ballot to repeat and answer questions sent to him from the audience in written form.
Heady days indeed!
Then came the community’s pride-the hotel and theatre known as the Reeta, built by Welland entrepreneur Sam Lambert. The theatre, which later became the Capitol, was the largest and finest in the peninsula and catered to a variety of stage shows, including a repertory company from England, the Dumbells, Bringing Up Father, famed magicians Blackstone and Thurston, locally cast minstrel shows, revues spotlighting some prominent local citizens in ludicrous roles, biblical musical dramas, and some of the earliest productions of Welland Little Theatre.
Harry Diffin remembers the awesome night he experienced when, with his parents, he was a guest of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Lambert in one of the theatre’s luxurious boxes. These ultra-class enclosures disappeared when remodelling took place when films replaced the stage presentations.
The theatre was also remembered for “Sacred Music Concerts” on Sunday evening when visiting bands, such as the Hamilton Hindoo Koosh entertained with popular selections. Of course, Abide With Me, and other hymns were played, but the program leaned to the secular and drew capacity attendances. Silver collections gained generous response.
Everybody went to the Welland County Fair on the Denistoun Street grounds in the era we are dealing with. It was always a big week in Welland with a grand parade through town heralding the opening. The midway was an exciting cacophony with side shows, games, rides, shooting galleries and weight guessing gents competing. School plays and professional acts were presented in front of the grandstand and the race track alternately housed daredevil auto stunt men, gladiators in thundering chariots and trotting horses.
Hardly a farmer for miles around missed this outing, since the agricultural theme was strongly evident. That tantalizing aroma of sizzling onions and hamburg usually enveloped the visitor on entering the grounds, and was only a prelude to cotton candy, kewpie dolls, and other carnival acquisitions.
For a number of years the fair included excellent horse shows.
Dances were looked forward to with great anticipations. In fall, winter and spring, “Buckingham Palace” which had been created out of the space occupied by the Griffin Theatre, was the hall catering to the largest of the hops. Various organizations were sponsored and two of the most popular annual events were the Eastern Star dance, the Fireman’s Ball. Booked often for these affairs was Clarence Colton and his orchestra, from St. Catharines. A Welland family band, the Secord Orchestra, had its followers, often holding forth at the Oddfellow’s hall. Horton’s Orchestra thumped and fiddled away merrily for round and square dances at the Crowland Township hall at Cook’s Mills and in Fonthill. Dancing was also enjoyed to the music of a combo led by violinist Clark Harper and including his wife Rhea at the piano.
Came summer and the trippers of the light fantastics journeyed in droves to popular dance halls at Long Beach and Morgan’s Point. Also a lure on Lake Erie was the Crystal Beach Ballroom at Crystal Beach where at times big name bands were featured.
A driver since he was 14, some of Harry Diffin’s experience at the wheel was gained as a teenager in Florida where a licence wasn’t required. During his family’s stay there in the Twenties a ride in a friend’s Stutz Bearcat was a memorable thrill. The young Diffin also drove motorcycles, and trucks in construction work. In 1931, he purchased his first brand new car, a model A Ford for $710.
While a student at Welland High School, Diffin played for the first football team to represent the school. That was in 1928 and among his team mates were such well-known local figures as Pete Goodwillie, Ted Dandy, Frank Burwell and George Scott. Under the coaching of recent Queen’s graduate, fledgling Welland lawyer Stewart S. MacInnes, the club made an illustrious debut by winning the district championship.
Surprisingly enough for one so long involved in municipal office, there was no thought of this career choice in Harry’s mind as he looked on while the Citizen’s Band played outside his home, serenading his father, a victor in aldermanic and mayoralty contests. This was a tradition of the times with the band leading an impromptu parade to the homes of election winners, usually the night after voting day.
But later on, when Harry’s hat was in the ring, back when aldermen were elected at large, there was another tradition. That was the custom of final campaign meetings in Sacred Heart parish hall before a bumper turnout of French-speaking citizens and another session, drawing a full house of Magyar lineage at the Hungarian Hall.
The candidates placed the utmost importance in these sessions, feeling with good reason that favorable receptions augured well for their fortunes on election day.
As he built towards an exceptional service record of 378 months on city council, Harry Diffin had to enjoy a generous share of favourable receptions.
By T.N. Morrison
Mr. Morrison retired in 1972 as editor of The Tribune, after 43 years’ service with the newspaper.
[Welland Tribune, 17 February 1987]
Welland’s often derided “Toonerville Trolley,” and learning to swim in the Lock Pit were among a host of memories stirred for Harry Diffin when he was invited to recall “what it was like growing up in Welland”.
His recollections, as recorded in this article, could induce waves of nostalgia for senior citizens, and for others, show that at least the earlier times could be lively and entertaining even without stereo, TV and cellular telephones.
The “Toonerville,” as Harry remembers, provided the great bargain five-cents ride on the local street car service that piled between the Michigan Central Railway depot (King Street), and the Grand Trunk Station (East Main Street). It was also routed across the canal to the top of West Main Street, and, often with uncertain passage, part way along Niagara Street. It was a single track operation with a spur located in front of the Methodist Church on King Street to enable the opposite-bound cars to pass.
The Niagara, Welland and Lake Erie Railway, as it was labelled, endured various embarrassments. In winter time icy rails at times caused trolleys headed for the Grand Trunk Station to begin sliding backwards about Burgar Street. And on the Niagara Street stretch, the passengers on occasion had to get out and push as the car faltered in the effort to negotiate the hilly terrain. Then there were the sudden stops when pranksters reached out the rear window and yanked the power pole from the overhead wires.
But the old and long gone street car did meet all trains and there were plenty of them serving Welland. So much so, that as many did, one could board a Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo railway car at a desired time in the morning; lunch and shop or attend a theatre in Buffalo, and be back home by rail in time for supper. Outings to Hamilton on the T.H. and B. were also popular.
Another important transportation service for Welland was the Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto radial line. This hourly service, conveyed Harry Diffin to and from St. Catharines and Ridley College each week, and, on picnic outings to Port Dalhousie, gave Diffin and countless other youths the great thrill of riding in “open air” cars.
Recreation activity in river and canal was much more prolific, in those days. Motorized pleasure craft hummed along both waterways, and canoeing was popular in the river. Skating and hockey flourished on the frozen river in winter and each season news was awaited that Wilson Chambers had successfully stroked his way on his ancient blades from River Road to the city.
Gala regatta days brought crowds to the canal in the Merritt park area to watch exciting sea cadet cutter races and swimming exhibitions. In summer, it seemed as though the entire community congregated in Merritt Park for the weekly band concerts, featuring the Citizen’s Band, and, alternately, the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Band. Ice cream cart vendors enjoyed a roaring trade on these festive occasions, made all the more picturesque with pleasure craft buzzing along the canal at park-side. Traditionally, the concert intermission periods lasted long enough for the thirstier musicians to consume a beaker or two at a nearby watering hole.
The canal is also remembered from this period for the emergency crossing service made necessary when a freighter struck and damaged the Alexandra Bridge. When repairs necessitated holding the bridge in a turned position for several weeks, a tug was employed to ferry pedestrians across the waterway. Until they were spotted and unceremoniously ejected, it was great sport for young blades who used the system for marathon joy-rides.
In earlier days the bridge was turned to open passage for ships and before it was mechanized the turning operation was done manually by two men who walked in circles after connecting long levers to the structure’s pinion wheel. Even after the apparatus was motorized, occasional breakdowns caused resort to the manual system.
The Lock Pit, where river and canal met, not far from the present Niagara Street river bridge, was a favorite hangout for youth. It was constructed to permit river-borne craft entry in the canal and held credit as the location where Harry Diffin and others learned to swim.
Before the Reeta Hotel and theatre was built, the movie and stage hose were the Grand and the Griffith, both located on the south side of East Main Street. The Grand, just west of Hellems Avenue, handled films only and for years, had the respected Maud Dawdy in the ticket booth. Equally well-known were Rhea Harper and Raymond Strawn, pianists who supplied the musical accompaniment for the films. Unforgettable ws the storm they always managed to mount on the keyboard when cowboys and Indians engaged in fierce combat on the screen.
The Griffin Theatre, a second-storey emporium across the alley from Walter Dixon’s photography studio, offered vaudeville and pictures, and has often been recalled by long-established Wellanders for one particular program where a performer believed to be named Alburtus demonstrated magic and hypnotism. The flamboyant show had the town on its ear for two publicity stunts. In one, he had a young man pedal furiously for days on a stationary bicycle on a theatre balcony. In the other, he put a fetching damsel to sleep on a bed in the window of Sutherland’s furniture store, and there the sleeping beauty reposed for several days, not even fluttering an eyelid as the sceptics stayed up after the midnight hour to maintain a round-the-clock check in the window. In the theatre, the performer additionally mystified the patrons by merely peering into a crystal ballot to repeat and answer questions sent to him from the audience in written form.
Heady days indeed!
Then came the community’s pride-the hotel and theatre known as the Reeta, built by Welland entrepreneur Sam Lambert. The theatre, which later became the Capitol, was the largest and finest in the peninsula and catered to a variety of stage shows, including a repertory company from England, the Dumbells, Bringing Up Father, famed magicians Blackstone and Thurston, locally cast minstrel shows, revues spotlighting some prominent local citizens in ludicrous roles, biblical musical dramas, and some of the earliest productions of Welland Little Theatre.
Harry Diffin remembers the awesome night he experienced when, with his parents, he was a guest of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Lambert in one of the theatre’s luxurious boxes. These ultra-class enclosures disappeared when remodelling took place when films replaced the stage presentations.
The theatre was also remembered for “Sacred Music Concerts” on Sunday evening when visiting bands, such as the Hamilton Hindoo Koosh entertained with popular selections. Of course, Abide With Me, and other hymns were played, but the program leaned to the secular and drew capacity attendances. Silver collections gained generous response.
Everybody went to the Welland County Fair on the Denistoun Street grounds in the era we are dealing with. It was always a big week in Welland with a grand parade through town heralding the opening. The midway was an exciting cacophony with side shows, games, rides, shooting galleries and weight guessing gents competing. School plays and professional acts were presented in front of the grandstand and the race track alternately housed daredevil auto stunt men, gladiators in thundering chariots and trotting horses.
Hardly a farmer for miles around missed this outing, since the agricultural theme was strongly evident. That tantalizing aroma of sizzling onions and hamburg usually enveloped the visitor on entering the grounds, and was only a prelude to cotton candy, kewpie dolls, and other carnival acquisitions.
For a number of years the fair included excellent horse shows.
Dances were looked forward to with great anticipations. In fall, winter and spring, “Buckingham Palace” which had been created out of the space occupied by the Griffin Theatre, was the hall catering to the largest of the hops. Various organizations were sponsored and two of the most popular annual events were the Eastern Star dance, the Fireman’s Ball. Booked often for these affairs was Clarence Colton and his orchestra, from St. Catharines. A Welland family band, the Secord Orchestra, had its followers, often holding forth at the Oddfellow’s hall. Horton’s Orchestra thumped and fiddled away merrily for round and square dances at the Crowland Township hall at Cook’s Mills and in Fonthill. Dancing was also enjoyed to the music of a combo led by violinist Clark Harper and including his wife Rhea at the piano.
Came summer and the trippers of the light fantastics journeyed in droves to popular dance halls at Long Beach and Morgan’s Point. Also a lure on Lake Erie was the Crystal Beach Ballroom at Crystal Beach where at times big name bands were featured.
A driver since he was 14, some of Harry Diffin’s experience at the wheel was gained as a teenager in Florida where a licence wasn’t required. During his family’s stay there in the Twenties a ride in a friend’s Stutz Bearcat was a memorable thrill. The young Diffin also drove motorcycles, and trucks in construction work. In 1931, he purchased his first brand new car, a model A Ford for $710.
While a student at Welland High School, Diffin played for the first football team to represent the school. That was in 1928 and among his team mates were such well-known local figures as Pete Goodwillie, Ted Dandy, Frank Burwell and George Scott. Under the coaching of recent Queen’s graduate, fledgling Welland lawyer Stewart S. MacInnes, the club made an illustrious debut by winning the district championship.
Surprisingly enough for one so long involved in municipal office, there was no thought of this career choice in Harry’s mind as he looked on while the Citizen’s Band played outside his home, serenading his father, a victor in aldermanic and mayoralty contests. This was a tradition of the times with the band leading an impromptu parade to the homes of election winners, usually the night after voting day.
But later on, when Harry’s hat was in the ring, back when aldermen were elected at large, there was another tradition. That was the custom of final campaign meetings in Sacred Heart parish hall before a bumper turnout of French-speaking citizens and another session, drawing a full house of Magyar lineage at the Hungarian Hall.
The candidates placed the utmost importance in these sessions, feeling with good reason that favorable receptions augured well for their fortunes on election day.
As he built towards an exceptional service record of 378 months on city council, Harry Diffin had to enjoy a generous share of favourable receptions.
A business trip to Toronto and back could take as long as five days
By Robert J. Foley
[Welland Tribune, 7 April 1992]
Getting from one place to another in the Niagara Peninsula is fairly simple for us today. A 30-minute ride from Welland puts us just about anywhere we would wish to go. We can leave home at 9 a.m., drive to Queenston, transact our business and be home for lunch. Even business in Toronto can be wrapped up and we can be home for dinner.
Travel in the 1820s was not as easy. Road conditions were subject to the whims of Mother Nature. Two days of driving rain turned hard-packed roads into quagmires of impassible mud. A trip to York (Toronto) was a major undertaking.
The sun had not yet made its appearance when young Abraham Stoner said good-bye to his father, Christian. Abraham was going to York on family business and he was meeting a friend at Cook’s Mills who was going to Chippawa with his boat for supplies. The first leg of his journey was to catch the four o’clock stage to Queenston. The stage ran on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Fortunately, the weather was good and the Portage Road would be reasonably good for travelling.
Abraham had never been to Chippawa and after the isolation of the farm he was awed by the hustle and bustle at this southern terminus of the Portage Road. Schooners and barge-like, flat-bottomed boats were transferring goods to and from wagons that seemed to be strewn haphazardly along the docks or lined up along the road.
He searched out the stage office and purchased his ticket on the Chippawa-Newark coach. The clerk informed him that he was the fourth passenger so the coach would leave as scheduled. If four passengers did not buy tickets by four o’clock the stage was held over until seven the next morning.
The coach rolled out of Chippawa on time and even though the stage seemed to find every pot hole, rattling Abraham’s teeth, he felt growing sense of excitement. They passed rumbling wagons and carried goods around the Falls of Niagara for shipment on to York, Kingston and Montreal. An occasional caliche, a two-wheeled gig that seated two people, would flash by at incredible speeds, or so it seemed to Abraham.
The stage arrived after dark and he found himself a room at the inn and attempted to get some sleep.
The next morning, the sight that greeted his eyes left him speechless. If Abraham was in awe of Chppawa he was flabbergasted by Queenston. He counted 60 wagons lined up at the docks to unload merchandise onto the ships moored there.
Having found the “Annie Jane”, the vessel that was to take him to York, and ascertaining her sailing time, he headed off to get some breakfast. The crossing would take eight or nine hours depending on the wind and he wasn’t sure if he could eat aboard. Friends teased him about sea sickness and he hoped that it was only teasing.
The crossing was fairly smooth and Abraham found that as long as he stayed on deck his stomach remained relatively calm.
After docking he went off to find accommodations for a least two nights and prepared to go to the government buildings the next day to settle his family’s business.
Abraham Stoner finished his business and spent one more night in York’s boarding schooner for the return trip. By the time he reached home he has been gone for five days. There is a good chance that he walked most of the way from Chippawa to Humberstone unless he was lucky enough to hitch a ride with a farmer on the Chippawa Creek Road.
Freight moved through the peninsula to and from the Northwest. Many fur traders moved along the Portage Road between Queenston and Chippawa patronizing the taverns that dotted the landscape. The trip from Queentson was slow and tedious. Although two oxen could easily pull a ton of cargo from the top of the escarpment to Chippawa, it took four or five to pull the load up from the Queenston docks to level ground. The wagons used on the road were supplied by local farmers who supplemented their income by hauling freight.
Growth along the Portage Road in Stamford Township became inevitable. The intersection of Lundy’s lane and Portage Road saw a fledgling community emerge right after the war that eventually became Drummondville. Stamford Village was laid out near the Stamford Green and St. John’s Church.
Freight destined for points in the interior was moved most often by water. The Chippawa was a busy waterway that was navigable up past *Browns Bridge. Lyon’s Creek was also of major importance. The creeks along the Niagara such as *Street’s, Frenchmen’s and Black all had small ribbons of settlement along their banks and were used extensively to move the goods of the farmers to their homesteads.
William Hamilton Merritt was beginning to flex his muscles again about this time and the Welland Canal was to change the transportation system in the peninsula and in Canada forever.
*Brown’s Bridge was s small settlement built around the bridge that once crossed the Chippawa at the foot of Pelham Road in Welland.
*Street’s creek is now known as Usshers creek. Its name was changed to honor Edgeworth Ussher, a militia officer, murdered during the rebellion of 1837-38.
[Welland Tribune February 5, 1947]
Labor Minister Among Representative Throng at E.J. Anderson Rites
Residents of all walks of life and representing all corners of the county attended funeral services yesterday afternoon for E.J. Anderson, filling to capacity St Andrew’s Presbyterian church to pay a last tribute of respect. Ex-mayor of Welland, former Liberal member of the Ontario legislature for Welland riding, a prominent member of St Andrew’s church and co-owner and manager of the Welland Iron and Brass Co., Mr Anderson passed away suddenly last Friday night from a heart attack.
Among many prominent citizens attending the services were the Hon. Humphrey Mitchell, minister of labor, and his secretary, George Greene; T.H. Lewis, M.L.A. for the Welland riding and Carl Hanniwell, M.L.A. for Niagara Falls; Mark Vaughan, former member for Welland riding and G.H. Pettit, former M.P. for Welland; Mayor H.W. Walker and members of the city council, who attended in a body, Mayor W.L. Houck and aldermen of the city of Niagara Falls; County Warden George F. Broadley and members of the county council; Judge H.E. Fuller, Judge L.B. C. Livingstone, and Magistrate J.B. Hopkins; Crown Attorney T.F. Forestell, K.C. and other members of the county Bar; Major Ross Damude, whose father, A.B, Damude was for many years Liberal M.P. for Welland county; and representatives of the board of the Welland County General hospital and the Children’s Aid Society of which deceased had been a member; representatives of various Welland civic bodies and many government officials.
Representatives of St Andrew’s church of which the late Mr. Anderson had been a prominent member included the following members of session: W. S. McIntyre, James McNiece, H. H. Hilder, G.C. Leng, James McIlvride and L.D. McCaw.
Also present were members of the board of managers who attended in a body, and the members of the Ladies’ Guild of which Mrs. Anderson was a prominent member who were also present in a body, St Andrew’s choir, with Mrs Harold Robinson at the organ, participated in the services.
Chief mourners included, besides Mrs. Anderson, deceased’s daughter, Margaret, and her husband, Dr. W.W. Baldwin of Brooklin, Ont.
The services were conducted jointly by Rev. A.D. Sutherland, minister of the church, and Rev. R.A. Cranston of Toronto, who had been a minister for 15 years while deceased was associated with the church.
Glad of Counsel
Speaking of the association, Mr. Cranston stated he had always been glad to accept advice and counsel from Mr. Anderson, and that it had always been in the highest interest of the church to which he belonged.
Of his many other activities Mr. Cranston said: “You beheld his interest in the affairs of this community. He was faithful, generous, and unselfish in his public activities, giving the best he had to build a community of fine and true citizens that would be a credit to this country. He gave himself unstintingly to every task, being faithful and energetic to the degree. He gave himself in such a manner that this community is the better for the fact that he lived in it and served it.”
In connection with the work of the church, Mr. Cranston said he knew that when he entrusted some detail to Mr. Anderson that it would be executed with alacrity, sincerity and efficiency.
Of his business career, Mr. Cranston said:”You know his integrity his honesty of purpose, his sincerity of heart, his devotion to the task at hand.”
“For those reasons,” he continued, “the whole community comes now to mourn the loss of one who has contributed so much to the well-being and best interests of this community.”
The services were held from the Sutherland-Thorpe Funeral Home, 152 Hellems avenue, where there was a brief prayer service to St Andrew’s church and thence to Woodlawn cemetery for interment.
Pall bearers were C. McKay, W. Walker, G. Cole, W. Male, B. Sweetman and H. Gidney.
Honorary bearers were Hon. Humphrey Mitchell, M.P. Hugh Henderson, County Clerk, A.J. Babion, George C. Scott, Douglas McCaw, Harry Price of Grimsby, G.W. McIntyre, George Collins, J.H. Gardner and R. Boak Burns.
Members of the Welland city police under Chief Thomas Gee aided in directing traffic for the long funeral cortege.
Many Floral Tributes
The esteem and affection held by deceased was shown by a mass of floral tributes. Included were flowers from the following organizations:
Sarnia Steamship Co., Canada Cement Co., Humphrey Mitchell, minister of labor; Woods Mfg. Co., Frank J. Murphy Ltd., Welland Board of Education, Atlas Steels Ltd/. Executive of the Welland and Crowland Branch; Canadian Red Cross; Valance Brown &Co., Ltd. Hamilton; John Deere Plow Co., Electro-Metallurgical Co., Welland Water Commission. Welland Club, Presbyterian Guild, Humberstone Twp. Liberal Association, City of Welland, West Riding of Provincial Liberal Association, Welland. Valencourt Boiler Works.
Board of managers, St Andrew’s Presbyterian church; Welland City Liberal Association, Niagara Falls Riding Liberal Association, The Valley Camp Coal Co., of Canada, Welland Senior Baseball Club, United Steel Corporation, Women’s Liberal Association. The Session of St Andrew’s Presbyterian church.
Warden and Welland County Council empoyes of Welland Iron and Brass Co., Wainfleet Liberal Association, International Iron & Metal Co., Welland Machine & Tool Co., Electric Transport, Hamilton; Canada Metal Co., Toronto; A.A. Schmon, president Ontario Paper Co., International Nickel Co., Canadian Foundry Supplies and Equipment Dept; Thorold Township Liberal Association, Welland County Liberal Association.
[Welland Tribune February 1, 1947]
Widely known citizen had long record of public service
Edward J. Anderson, manufacturer, churchman, former mayor and former member of the Ontario legislature, died suddenly at his home, 96 Bald street, last night. He had appeared to be in the best of health, and his death at about 8 p.m. last evening from a heart attack came as a shock not only to many friends and acquaintances throughout the the county, but to his family and intimate friends. He was in his 71st year.
Prominent in municipal and political life, E.J. Anderson was known as a man of fair judgment, straight forward in his dealings, with an indefatiguable capacity for work. He had the typical reserve of a Scots man, but an innate friendliness won for him from people with whom he came in contact a mingled feeling of affection and respect. As a member of the Legislature, and during the last few years when he represented Hon. Humphrey Mitchell, minister of labor, in this constituency, he carried out cheerfully the many duties entailed in these offices, and retained his popularity through the years.
Born in Forfar, Scotland, Mr. Anderson received his education in the public, high and technical schools in Knockbain, Rosshire, Scotland.
He emigrated to Canada in 1900, and after two years in Hamilton, made Welland his home town.
Coming here with the qualifications of a mechanical engineer, he started his life as an employe in Welland plants. By 1914 he went into business for himself as the owner and manager of the Thorold Iron Works at Thorold. During this time he continued to reside in Welland and in 1918 he established the Welland Iron and Brass Company, of which he was the manager and co-owner with G.W. McIntyre.
Mr Anderson entered on his political career via the municipal field. He was on the city council as an alderman in 1923 and 1924 and served as mayor for a four-year term from 1925 to 1928. During his term of office Welland embarked on the construction of its present modern waterworks plant, and Mr. Anderson served for two years as a member of the board of water commissioners after leaving the council.
Tenure in Legislature
He was elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1934, and was M.L.A. for the Welland riding from then until 1943 when the Liberals were swept out of office.
His interest in politics continued and he was president of the Welland County Liberal Association. In that capacity, he represented Hon. Mr. Mitchell, who as a member of the federal cabinet, was unable to spend as much time here as the ordinary member might. He was very active on that account and made many trips to Ottawa to discuss local problems with Mr. Mitchell.
As a member of the Legislature, Mr. Anderson was particularly interested in labor matters, and was a member of the labor committee.
Church Activity
A prominent member of St Andrew’s Presbyterian church, Mr. Anderson had been a church elder and member of the Session since 1918. He also served on the board of managers, was treasurer for 20 years, and for many years was representative elder to the Presbytery, A generous supporter of the church. Mr Anderson’s latest contributions were chimes for the organ, and an amplifying system for the tower.
Even before entering actively into municipal life, Mr. Anderson had been interested in community affairs. He was for many years a member of the board of the Welland County General hospital, and had also been a member of the Welland City Old Age Pensions and Mothers’ Allowances Board for 11 years, two as chairman, the Children’s Aid Society, and the Welland Board of Trade. He was also a member of the Welland Club, and of the Canadian Manufacturers’ Association being on the legislative committee of that body.
In 1907 Mr. Anderson married Alberta McAllister of Welland. Mrs Anderson and a daughter Mrs. W. Baldwin of Brooklin, Ont.,survive; also two grandchildren.
The remains are resting at the Sutherland-Tthorpe Funeral Home, 152 Hellems avenue, whence funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday to St Andrew’s Presbyterian church. Rev. A.D. Sutherland, minister, and Rev. R.A. Cranston, former minister of the church, will officiate. Interment will be in Woodlawn cemetery.
Mr. Mitchell’s Tribute
By telephone, from Ottawa today, Hon. Humphrey Mitchell, Minister of labor, sent the following tribute to the late E.J. Anderson.
“News of the sudden passing of my friend E.J. Anderson has come as a great shock to me personally, as I know it has to his hundreds of friends in the county of Welland and his former associates in the Ontario Legislative Assembly.
“It is difficult to put into words how I feel about his death. To me, he had been a staunch and true friend ever since I met him. He was the type of citizen, who has contributed to the greatness of this country. Coming from his native Scotland to Canada as a young man seeking his fortune, and possessing those native talents and attributes through which those of Scottish birth have given so much to the life of Canada, he worked hard and conscientiously first as an employe and then as an employer. He made a success of his life and won the admiration and respect of all who knew him.
“He was a wise and kind employer, and in my opinion, an outstanding man in his well-loved community of Welland. As one who knew him intimately, I can say his thoughts were always on the welfare of his city and the county of which he was so proud.
“The late Mr. Anderson was, of course well known outside his county. As a member for Welland at Toronto for nine years, he played his part in the solution of the different problems which faced the Province of Ontario during that period. I know he was highly esteemed as the member for Welland, and he was equally esteemed in official circles at Ottawa.”
“From the first time I visited the county to become the Federal Liberal candidate and subsequently the member in the House of Commons, the late Mr. Anderson was my friend and advisor. He stood by me at all times and to him I owe more than I can say. I shall always cherish his memory.
“As a member of the Dominion Cabinet, it was not my privilege to visit the county as often as I wished. Therefore I came to lean on the late Mr. Anderson. He was ever ready to help in regard to matters which were of concern to the county. He gave of his time and energies in the solution of many problems and often visited me in Ottawa to discuss them.
“I shall miss him very much as I know he will be missed in the county of Welland and particularly in his home city.
“To Mrs Anderson, her daughter, and those close to the family circle, I extend my heartfelt sympathy.”
T.H. Lewis, M.L.A, declared that Welland had lost a good citizen in the passing of E.J. Anderson. Over a long period of years, Mr Anderson carried out public service duties with integrity and exercised sound business sense.”In his quiet way,” the member for Welland added, “Ed Anderson was active on behalf of the people and always sought to give decent representation.”
Mayor H.W. Walker said that Mr. Anderson’s passing would be deeply regretted by all members of city council. “He was gentlemanly and courteous, an outstanding mayor and never ceased to be interested in civic affairs and the welfare of the community,” the mayor declared.
[Welland Tribune February 1, 1947]
A veteran of four years service in the First Great War, who was awarded the Mons Star, John Clarke McLean, 45 Dover road, dropped dead shortly before noon today at the Colbeck clinic. He was in his 59th year.
Apparently seized with a heart attack while standing on Division street, Mr. McLean made his way to the nearby clinic, where he sought first aid.
A native of Windsor, Ont., deceased later moved to Chatham, where he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Medical Corps and was overseas from !914-1918. He has been a resident of Welland for the past 25 years and was a member of Holy Trinity Anglican church. His last place of employment was at the Gelling Engineering firm.
Surviving besides his widow, Helen, are five sons, Douglas, Port Colborne; Ross, Port Robinson; and William, James and Donald, at home. Four brothers also survive, Donald of Toronto; Frank and William, Windsor; and Reginald, of Merritton.
The body is resting at the H.L. Cudney Funeral Chapel, 241 West Main street. Funeral arrangements were being completed this afternoon.
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