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[Welland Tribune, 22 May 1950]
DUNHAM-At Port Colborne, Ontario on Saturday, May 20, 1950, Arthur, beloved husband of the late Katie Gordon Dunham in his 73rd year. Resting at the Dell and Merton Funeral Home, 50 Clarence street, Port Colborne. Services in the chapel on Tuesday, May 23, 2 p.m. Interment at Oakwood cemetery.
By Eva Elliot Tolan
[There are many such articles by this historian in the Niagara Falls Library, digital collection, but this one that I found in my mother’s file is not there, circa 1950s’. Margaret Gonder, wife of first Welland citizen David Price, is my ancestral grandmother.]
Last week we had the privilege of visiting one of the very few old homes still remaining in the Niagara district. This was the old Gonder house on the Upper Niagara River, now the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. McTaggart.
Michael Gonder, the original owner and builder of this fine old house, was a Loyalist from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He had tried to remain neutral during the War of the Revolution, but was so persecuted by the rebels, even to the extent of having his buildings burned, that he finally decided to migrate to Canada.
Michael’s wife, Eva Snyder, sometimes referred to as “Rebecca,” refused to leave her Pennsylvania home, so she and her husband divided their four children between them, she keeping the two fair ones and he bringing the two dark-complexioned ones to Canada with him-these were Margaret and Jacob.
The Gonders stayed for a while at Niagara, (Niagara-on-the-Lake) waiting to buy a suitable piece of land. John Rowe, a resident of Stamford Township and former soldier in Butler’s Rangers, had received as part of his land grant, Lot 6 on the broken front of the Upper Niagara River, opposite Grand Island. This Michael Gonder purchased. He was classed as a “later” or “treasuery “Loyalist, because he purchased his land, instead of receiving it as a reward for military services, as did the original United Empire Loyalists. The later Loyalists, however, were also required to take the oath of allegiance to the British Crown before being given their deeds to their land.
On his land on the Upper Niagara River, Michael Gonder built what in those days was a very imposing dwelling in contrast to the usual log homes of the first settlers. It was built of stone, but some subsequent owner had the stones covered with stucco, this altering its appearance. The interior, too, has been altered by successive owners one of the most regrettable changes being the removal of the old fireplaces. However, in the attic and cellar may still be seen the huge hand-hewn oak timbers, marked in many places with the mark of the axe. The windows and doorways are wide and deep, indicating the thickness of the original stone walls.
At the back of the house on the second floor was the long, narrow loom room, home of that period when so much hand-weaving was done.
There were eight bedrooms in the old house, which, in early days was a favorite stopping place for immigrants and other travellers going west. The Gonder house was always open for these _.
During the latter part of the war of 1812-14 the Gonder house was used by General Drummond as his military headquarters. At one time, in later years, it was also used as a temporary barracks for soldiers stationed on the frontier.
While the Gonders were still staying at Niagara, Margaret, the daughter, had met and fallen in love with a man forty years her senior. This was David Price, an interpreter in the Indian Department. Naturally the father frowned on this affair but the couple had decided to elope at the first opportunity. Accordingly, after they were settled in their new home on the Upper Niagara River, Margaret’s father and brother went over to Grand Island to attend to some cattle they had pastured over there. A man came riding along the River Road with a white handkerchief tied around his arm. Br pre-arrangement Margaret wore a white sunbonnet as she worked outdoors in the garden, to indicate she was alone. So the couple rode away to Niagara to be married by Rev. Robert Addison of St. Mark’s Church. This was in 1800.
But as time went on all was forgiven. David price had acquired a farm on the Welland River on the site of the present city of Welland. Michael, leaving his Niagara River property to his son, Jacob Gonder, in his later years went to live with his daughter, Margaret and her husband, David Price. When death finally claimed this old pioneer he was buried in the family burying ground on the Price farm, on the banks of the Welland River.
One of the Gonder girls of a later generation married a Sherk, so in time, the Gonder farm on the Upper Niagara became known as the Sherk place, and is still known by that name today among older residents.
Three-quarters of a mile back from the river, on the Gonder farm is the old Gonder family burying ground, where many of the Gonder family were buried. One of the old-gravestones marks the last resting place of Jacob Gonder. Jacob, as a young lad, came with his father Michael to live on the Niagara River. He was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1776, and died here in 1846. Here also is the last resting place of Jacob’s son, Michael Dunn Gonder, and his wife, Mary Ann Wait. The latter was a niece of the notorious Benjamin Wait, a resident of the Short Hills area, who, for a number of others, was sentenced to die for their share in the Rebellion of 1837-38. His sentence was finally commuted and he with a number of other, was banished to the penal colony in Van Dieman’s Land, for which he escaped some years later, returning to his home and family in Canada.
[The Evening Tribune - 18 September 1950]
Percy S. Peacock, 158 West Main street, Welland, died this morning. He was in his 77th year. A native of Port Hope he came to Welland about 50 years ago. A prominent general contractor, he built the Fonthill Public School, Welland Post office, Welland County General Hospital, Imperial Bank and many other large local buildings.
Member of Orient Lodge, I.O.O.P. and Cope Stone Lodge, A.P. and A.M. he also held a life membership in the Scottish Rite, Niagara Falls.
Surviving besides his widow are five children, Wallace, Huntsville; Mildred, Salt Lake City; Stanley, Detroit; Laura, California and Acton, Iowa. Sixteen grandchildren also survive.
The late Mr. Peacock is resting at his late residence for funeral services on Thursday afternoon at 2.30 o’clock. Interment will be in Fonthill cemetery.
[The Welland Evening Tribune, 30 November 1950]
The fabulous career of Albert LeRoy Ellsworth, who left his native town of Welland 54 years ago with a burning determination to “make good” ended Tuesday night, when the leading Canadian industrialist and oil magnate passed away at his home in Forest Hill Village after a long illness. He was 74.
He was the founder in 1906 of the British American Oil Co. Ltd., and fought throughout his life to keep it an independent and Canadian owned concern. At his death he was chairman of the board of the company, although failing health had kept him from active participation in its affairs for some time.
Father Was Contractor
Mr. Ellsworth was the son of George Alfred and Elizabeth Foster Ellsworth. The family home was at Hellems and Division street on the site now occupied by the apartment and commercial block. George Alfred Ellsworth was a prominent builder and contractor and among the homes he constructed was the Somerville residence on Merritt street and the old Douglas place at Hellems and Grove. He also owned most of the property where the MacLean Motor Sales business now stands.
The youth who was destined to become one of the country’s leading industrialists attended Welland public and high schools and concentrated on a business course that fitted him for a statistician’s post with the Standard Oil Company at Buffalo. At one time, it seemed as though he was headed for the legal profession, but the oil business held more appeal.
Although most of his connections with Welland lapsed as he climbed the ladder of commercial success, he took as his bride, Bessie Burgar, daughter of George Burgar, who was Welland’s postmaster around the turn of the century. Another former Welland postmaster, the late W.H. Moore knew young Ellsworth quite well and used to remark that while his chums couldn’t see the purpose behind the intense application, Ellsworth would explain his habit of working at night as well as during the day with the philosophy: “I don’t know what others have in mind, but I’m determined to make something of myself.”
Got Financier’s Backing
At the age of 30, he formed British American Oil, after a chance meeting with Silas A. Parsons, well-known Canadian financier, resulted in the necessary financial backing for the venture.
At first, the new company acted only as a jobber for marketing kerosene, lubricating oils and greases and had little control over the quality of the products. But Mr. Ellsworth had a broader vision for the future, and in 1907 land was purchased on Toronto’s waterfront on which, subsequently the first small B-A refinery was constructed.
From that point, the appeal of the company was based on the high quality of its product. As the motor car industry grew and Canadian industry and agriculture developed in mechanization, so, too, the oil concern grew and prospered under Mr. Ellsworth’s guidance.
So successful was he in carrying through his determination to keep the concern Canadian that he could boast proudly right up to his death that 95 percent of his stockholders lived in Canada and controlled 73 percent of the company’s stock.
Interests Expand
As the firm developed Mr. Ellsworth’s industrial interests broadened. He became associated with other companies, among them the Toronto Pipe Line Co., Texas; Fess Oil Burners of Canada, Clear Vision Pump Co., Service Station Equipment Co., and United Utilities and Service Corps. He was also a director of the Bank of Nova Scotia, Chartered Trust Co., Noranda Mines and Industrial Metal Industries Ltd. He was founder and a director of the Toronto Iron Works.
An ardent sportsman, he was a director of the Maple Leaf Gardens and a member of the Ontario Jockey and Toronto Skating Clubs. He belonged to the Lambton, Granite, York, National, Empire and Canadian Clubs, and was a charter member and past master of Harcourt Lodge, AF and AM. He contributed generously to a number of philanthropies.
Mr. Ellsworth was predeceased in 1947 by his wife. He leaves three daughters, Mrs. S.D. Reburn, Mrs. W. Holton and Mrs. Donald Rowan, Jr., and one son, George Eric. Funeral service will be held on Friday at 3 p.m. in Timothy Eaton Memorial church. Interment will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
Died: 29 November 1950
Married: 31 August 1907
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto
2 July 1876-29 November 1950
Father: George Ellsworth
Mother: Elizabeth Foster