Results for ‘General Events’
[DATE UNKNOWN]
At the recent meeting of Welland Historical Society, the origin of the name of Hagar Street was given by Wes Laing. He received information on the Hagar family from *Alice Hagar, a descendent of the family and a retired librarian of the University of Wisconsin.
Jonathan Hagar II and Azubah (Hopkins) Hagar, his wife, settled near Beaverdams between 1792 and 1800. Jonathan died from wounds in the war of 1812-14. They had 13 children, one of whom was Jonathon Hagar III, born 1809 and died 1879. He married Jemina Carpenter and they are listed in the history of Central United Church, Welland as early pioneer members when it was a Methodist church. They had six children, the eldest son Franklin Metcalf Hagar, was an early Welland businessman who owned a lumber business and is believed to have run an ice and coal business as well. His first wife, Clara Evelyn Fell, was the mother of his three children, she died at the age of thirty. He then married Anna Brooks. Franklin died in 1905 (14 September) and Miss Hagar believes Hagar Street was named after him as many Welland streets bear the name of early businessmen.
She is a descendant of Ward Hagar IV, Franklin’s brother, who farmed family lands at the north end of “the Island” near Quaker Road. The families that farmed on the Island were removed to the mainland to make way for the Welland Canal.
George Chipman introduced the guest speaker Dennis Teakle a graduate in advertising of the Ontario College of Art in Toronto. He was freelance illustrator before accepting a teaching position in Prescott where he taught art for four years. During this period he and his wife became interested in auctions and in due time he left his teaching profession for his increasing interest in antiques and opened a business on Lake-of-Bays, Muskoka. That was 16 years ago. Now a very accomplished antique dealer, he and his wife own and operate a shop in the centre of Fonthill dealing in country furniture and accessories. He brought with him many interesting and unusual items, stoneware, a glass fly catcher, three canes (one of amber glass by the Port Colborne Glass Factory, one with a snake coiled around it from the Welland County and a Prince Edward Island cane with an ivory eternal knot for a handle), a Redware Dog Bank made in Paris, hand forged iron trivet and meat cork from Ridgeway made from about 1830, Tiger Maple and Rosewood picture frames from the 1840 era and 1804 children’s books.
The audience participation in identifying some of the exhibits was enjoyed by all. Dr. al Purdon thanked Mr. Teakle for his splendid presentation.
President Shirley Jones chaired the business meeting. Cecil Dyson gave a report of the Regional Historical Society meeting. Mac Swackhammer, Curator of the Museum, announced that “Christmas with Culture” will be held Sunday, December 7th from 1-5 p.m. at the Museum, and members were reminded of the Christmas Dinner to be held Tuesday, December 9th at Wesley United Church.
*Alice Hagar was the daughter of Joseph Ward and Flossie Hagar (6 June 1917-10 April 2002).She graduated from Welland High School and was employed by the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.
[Welland Tribune, 13 July 1900]
The corner stone for a large addition to the Prospect house at Niagara Falls, N.Y., was laid last Saturday. Some interesting mementoes were deposited under the stone for the delight of relic hunters a century hence. There were copies of all the daily newspapers of Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Rochester, Lockport, North Tonawanda, Toronto, Hamilton, besides a copy of In The Mist, the only daily tourist and travel paper in the world.
After the papers came the timetables of all the trunk –line railroads leading into the Falls, as well as of the trolley lines. Then followed a bound copy of the common council proceedings for the past year and the plumbing contract of the F.W. Oliver Company. The last and good luck offering to go into the stone was a Queen Victoria Jubilee sovereign gold piece.
Fenwick News
[Welland Tribune, 7 September 1900]
On Saturday, Sept. 1st, Richard Dawdy of Fenwick reached the 78th anniversary of his birthday. Unannounced his relatives and friends to the number of one hundred gathered at his home to do him honor and wish him many happy returns of the day. In the happy company were residents of the counties of Welland and Lincoln and the cities of Hamilton, Toronto, Erie, Pa., and Chicago. Tables were spread and bountifully laden with the contents of many baskets. All sat down, and in joyous mood ate and drank together until the company was called to order by Rev. George E. Honey, Mr. Dowdy’s pastor, who, in a few appropriate words, presented the guest of this day with an old gentleman’s staff, the gift of his sons, Joseph and Harley; also a purse of money, the gift of his brothers and friends. This kindness so touched him that when he arose to thank the friends he was hardly able to speak. After dinner there was a general good time in conversation, songs, recitations and instrumental music. The first item of the programme, conversation, gained the active participation of the whole company. The other parts were rendered very acceptably by Wesley Dawdy, Harmon and Chauncey Dawdy’s families and Mr. Tritton.
When the time came to separate all said, “We have had an enjoyable day!”
[Welland Tribune, 31 August 1900]
An interesting bicycle race took place on East Main street last Friday afternoon between High Constable Dowd and C.J. Page of the Electric Light Co. Mr. Dowd being a guardian of the law, it might be said just here that the rate of speed attained did not violate the statute against furious speeding. Page spurted and had a good lead at the half, but getting winded and finding Dowd fast overhauling him on the straight stretch, slid off his wheel and shoved the vehicle in the direct line of Dowd’s route. The chief saw the dodge when several rods fell off, but whilst he rides well in a straight line, he has not learned to turn yet-at least not in less than a five acre lot-and so the inevitable crash occurred, the contestants and their wheel s performing some ground and lofty tumbling. Friends interfered and prevented the chief from getting vengeance, and put an end to a pretty scrap. Undertaker Cronmiller saw the contestants start off, and having an eye to business put a couple of coffins in a rig and started to follow, but fortunately the affair ended without any fatalities, and, like John Gilpin, When next they ride a race, may we be there to see.
Wainfleet News
[Welland Tribune, 25 February 1910]
When Mrs. Wesley Ellsworth struck a match to light a fire in the back kitchen store on Saturday something happened. It was an explosion, and the building shook as the stove blew to pieces and bricks tumbled down off the chimney. It seems the stove had not been used this winter and the gas was leaking, unbeknown to Mrs. Ellsworth, so that when she struck the match the fireworks commenced. No person was hurt. The Ellsworths live on the Forks Road about a mile from Marshville.
N.F.S. People Visit Fonthill Nurseries
[Welland Tribune, 6 July 1900]
On Feb. 29th June, the directors of the Niagara Falls South Horticultural Society held a very pleasant excursion and picnic to the Morris, Stone & Wellington nurseries of seven or eight hundred acres, well-stocked.
The morning looked very threatening, with darkening clouds to the west, when some of the fair sex wished us to return home, yet the majority put confidence in their weather prophet, who said before starting that the day would be fair and cool, yet we found out before long on our way that this same prophet had his water-proof, well rolled up from view, with him. With the exception of the strong wind, which blew the dust into our faces going up, there was nothing to mar the trip. Mr. Depew, Mrs. James Wilson, and Mrs. Dr. Lions, with their spanking pacers, led the way. Next came the large covered four-seated wagon, in which was seated Mrs. Abel Land, Mrs. Canon Bull, Mrs. George Piper, Mr. McGuire, and Mrs. Abel Land, with his field glass, composed of two vials, tied with red, white and blue ribbons, and a small Union Jack; the vials were filled with bilious pills, in case of any emergency, and Dr. Lions carried the other medicines, such a balm of Gilead, mint sauce, peppermint drops &c. The next rig carried Dr. Lions, our genial president; Mr. Robertson, secretary; Mr. Geo. Piper, florist of the village, and Mr. R. Cameron, four jolly good fellows, and their old fashioned steeds were hopping from one side of the road and under every cherry tree they met after they passed the Black Horse. The next rig came up and passed us by while our worthy president was in the top of a large cherry tree, looking for water. It was thought he was looking for Lake Ontario, This rig contained Mr. and Mrs. John Gallinger and Miss Spence.
Two hours of pleasant driving brought us to the beautiful and extensive Fonthill nurseries.
The proprietor, Mr. Morris, who welcomed us, made every provision for our pleasure and comfort-providing tables, seats and hot water, while the ladies set the tablecloths and flowers. We unstrapped our well packed hampers of things good for the inner man. It was not long before we set to work with our spades and it was astonishing how fast the vast heap of hard boiled eggs disappeared, the other good things on the tables I will only attempt to name as I did not know the half of them, nor how to eat them. I am not sure if we had all this in rotation or not-first we had young duck and green peas, frogs legs, cold tongue and beans, sandwiches of beef, salmon and ham, apple pie and Goudy cheese, roast chicken, strawberry short cake (and my, it was good) tarts and biscuits of every sort, coconut cakes, lemon pies and sponge cakes of every size and quality, bananas, lemons and cherries, tea and coffee. I have not mentioned the pickles and catsups.
There was nothing to mar the pleasure of the day, but the breaking of the teapot, which was serious to the ladies, and the stealing by some petty thief of the most important hamper. A rest and a smoke followed, when Miss Williams made her appearance on the croquet lawn, and the play was gone into by some of the party with a vim not often equaled. The rest of us disappeared through the nurseries among the trees and scrubs, of which there is a large assortment of fruit, ornamental trees and shrubs, herbaceous and greenhouse plants. Conspicuous among the ornamental stock we noticed the following:-Lilacs in sixty varieties, double and single bloom, chianathus virginicus, or white fringe, also rhus purpura, or purple fringe, tree boxwood, tree paeonies, and any quantity of the herbaceous paeonies, a beautiful and hardy variety of euonius radicans variegata. Here also is a grand assortment of junipers, such as the following: Juniperus elegantissima, juniperus virginica variegate, juniperus virginica plumosa aurea, juniperus smithi, juniperus sinensis pendula, juniperus virginicus schotti, juniperus, or saven, juniperus japonica aurea. We noticed also the following beautiful varieties of thuyas: Thuya occidentalis marreana aurea, thuya lobbi variegata aurea, thuya vervaeneana, thuya sempre aprea, thuya occidentalis spiralis. The above named trees are certainly choice for any lawn and an object of beauty for any person to look at on their own property. The gloxinias, in the green houses, are alone worth going the distance to see; they are simply superb.
Mr. Morris led us to the rose nursery, and I must say that I never saw so many roses before in one place-the number of acres were mentioned, but I have forgotten how many. When we reached the grounds, each person was presented with a twelve-quart basket and told to help themselves and keep up the baskets. It is needless to say that all had done so and had rose buds to their heart’ content. This ended the rose game, a red-letter day to the directors of this society, and we started on our homeward journey, to stop on the way only one, to water the animals and finish the strawberry shortcake ourselves.
To those who never were at Fonthill, I would say I am sure they would find there a source of profit and pleasure combined. Yours truly. A. Director
[Welland Telegraph June 26, 1903]
Buffalo,N.Y., June 23- Coming fromDuluth, laden with flour and freight, last night the Chemung crashed into the tug O.W. Cheney at a point about seven miles up the lake, The tug sank immediately, carrying with her, Capt. John Wheland, Steward Andrew Shafer, and Fireman Edward Dugan. Engineer Byres and Fireman McManus, who were on watch, sprang to the life raft and on that they floated until picked up. The accident happened about 3 o’clock this morning. The Chemung was steaming at full speed towards Buffalo. Off Point Abino she was hailed by the tug O.W. Cheney. For some unexplained reason the latter ran directly across the bows of the big freight steamer and in an instant had been crushed by the impact. The night was dark and rainy.
[The Evening Tribune, 1984]
The highlight of the February meeting of the Welland Historical Society was Merritt and Hazel Sauer’s display of their bell collection.
The Sauer’s interest in bells began in the early 1950s when Merritt Sauer’s father gave him a set of sleigh bells.
Hazel Sauer gave a presentation with the theme “The Wonderful World of Bells.” She showed bells made of brass, crystal and china, and ranging in size from a large Atlas Steel Crane bell to a one-and-a-half Dutch bell made of china. The Sauers were thanked by Jane Davies.
Machine Carrying 18 Pssengers Skids on Icy Pavement and Swings Around
WOMAN INJURED
Mrs. A. McLean Jumps Out of Door and is Jammed Against Pole
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 9 December 1931]
St. Cathrines, Dec. 9-A motor coach bound from Thorold to St. Catharines,with 18 passengers skidded on the icy pavement on the small hill near lock nine of the old Welland canal, swung about and came to a stop just as it was about to topple into the water.
The only person injured was Mrs. McLean of Thorold, who became frightened when the coach began to swing. She jumped out of the door and was caught by the swinging vehicle which jammed her against a pole, crushing her hip and causing possible internal injuries.
A portion of the bus projected over the edge of the canal bank when the vehicle was eventually brought to a stop. The roadway at this point is along the water’s edge.
BUILDING OWNED BY MRS. GEORGE ARNOLD RECEIVING EXTENSIVE ALTERATIONS
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 5 December 1931]
Wellandport, Dec. 1-The residence which has stood in the village of over a century, owned by Mrs.George Arnold, is receiving extensive improvements. The building has been raised and a modern basement is being excavated, while a new addition is being added to the rear end. When the work is completed, the building which has been standing vacant for a considerable time, will be occupied Mrs. Arnold
Subscribe..
