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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2091MONKHOUSE-REESOR HOMESTEAD 385 Uxbridge-Pickering Townline Concession 9, Lot 32, N 1/2 City of Pickering Ex Century City PIN 634 March 2003 by John W. Sabean Historical Consultant Monkhouse-Reesor Homestead Concession 9, Lot 32, N 1/2 385 Uxbridge-Pickering Townline City of Pickering PIN 634 Ex Century City PROPERTY HISTORY Alem Marr of the Township of Stamford, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, received the patent for Lot 32, Concession 9 on the 31st of March 1813. By this time, however, not only had he been in possession of the land for several years, but had even completed the settlement requirements. The Index to Land Patents records the grant of Lot 32 to Marr in 1802; this is confirmed in the Pickering Township Papers, which also contains a letter from Marr, dated 1805, stating that he has completed the settlement duties.1 Six days after the patent was registered to Marr in 1813 he sold the south half of the lot (100 acres) to Philip Cramer. In another four years he sold the north half to Joseph Brown. Brown and his family lived on this property for over 50 years before selling to Joseph Monkhouse in 1872. The Monkhouse family lived here for over a quarter of a century. The Toronto Trust Corporation, executors of Elizabeth Monkhouse, Joseph’s widow, sold the property to George C. Coakwell in 1904 for $8000. Seven years later Coakwell and his wife resold the land to William Reesor for $8900. This became the home of the Reesors for over half a century, the executors of William Reesor selling the land to Judith Vellend in 1969 after his death. Later that same year Vellend sold to Century City Developments Ltd. Century City was in possession at the time of expropriation. PERSONAL HISTORY Brown Joseph Brown, Sr. was born about 1792 in the United States.2 He was in Pickering Township by 1817, when he purchased Lot 32. But he may already have been here for some years because he was established well enough by 1817 to serve as a township Pathmaster.3 His wife Elizabeth was also born in the United States, but whether they were married before of after they immigrated is unknown. Their first child, however, was not born until about 1833—Joseph Brown, Jr. The other two children were Thomas (b. c1836) and David (b. c1845). The 1851 census describes the Brown’s house as of frame construction, two storeys. In 1861 the census record of their house was of a one-and-a-half storey frame house. It is not certain whether they had built a new house, or whether the description was in error for one of those years.4 Monkhouse Joseph Monkhouse purchased Lot 32 in 1872 and moved his family from the hamlet of Altona just down the road. Monkhouse (c1826-1903) was a leading figure in Altona and the surrounding community for many years, and in the township and county in the 1880s. He came to Canada West in 1849 to operate a store in Stouffville, but soon came to join his brother Thomas in what became the hamlet of Altona.5 In Altona in 1850 he established a store which would last for nearly a century and whose reputation was widespread. In 1890 the Stouffville Free Press reviewed the now famous establishment: The place is noted because of Mr. Monkhouse’s store. The store is noted not only because of its large stock of dry goods and groceries, but especially because it carries the largest stock of delf [sic] ware in this district. The whole of the upper flat of the large building (erected about twenty-five years ago) is transformed into a veritable China Hall. The visitor’s attention is first arrested by counter after counter covered with handsome Dinner and Tea sets. This large assortment is found in a variety of colors in print and enamel, with plain gold or spangle. Under these counters are arranged scores of Toilet Sets from the comparatively plain to those of the most handsome design and superior quality. Next in order are arranged large counters of glassware, plain and in colors. On both side of the building run wide counters the full length, covered with a bewildering variety of fancy china. Much of this stock comes by direct importation from Europe. This fact is indicative of prices at ‘China Hall.’ No one in this vicinity need go to Toronto to buy fine table ware.6 It was, in fact, a type of store you might encounter in the city, but which would appear to be quite incongruous in the rural setting of Altona. Shoppers came for many miles to purchase what they could not otherwise find without having to travel even further into Toronto. It was in Monkhouse’s store also that the first Post Office was opened in Altona in 1853, with Monkhouse as the Post Master.7 In later years he shared that position with his brother Thomas. In the same year that Monkhouse built his store, Abraham Reesor erected a flourmill and a sawmill in behind the store to the east. These two establishments, along with the Altona Inn built in the same year, became the nucleus of the growing hamlet. Reesor, however, died just five years after starting the mills. Monkhouse married Christina Shunk, widow of Abraham Reesor, and took over the running of the mills leaving the conduct of the store to his brother. For about eight years Joseph Monkhouse was Altona’s miller until Christina died in 1865 and the mill reverted to her son Abraham Reesor, Jr., known as Abram.8 Since Thomas Monkhouse was now fully occupied with the store, Joseph took up farming. In 1872 he purchased Lot 32, Concession 9, and there carried on a successful farming operation. In the 1880s he also took up politics and ran for a seat on the township council. He served as a Councillor from 1881 through 1883, as the township Reeve for the next four years, and as Warden of Ontario County in 1887.9 After that year he returned to his duties in Altona. While Joseph had been busy running the mills, operating a farm, and conducting the affairs of township and county, his brother Thomas had been building the reputation of the store (still owned by Joseph) as chief clerk and Post Master. So successful had he been that the old two-storey building had been torn down and a new three-storey building erected in its place in 1865. For the grand opening the Hon. George Brown put in an appearance and gave a speech.10 Twenty years later a traveller past through Altona and wrote a comment about the store and its proprietor in the Whitby Chronicle: Mr. Thos. Monkhouse (brother of the much respected Reeve of Pickering) is the Post Master and mercantile man of the place, and keeps a fine variety of goods embracing all lines needed in a country store. He is evidently doing an excellent business here. The business was established in 1850 by his brother Joseph, who carried it on for 15 years, since which time it has been conducted by Thomas. Can any mercantile house in the township show a longer record?11 Thomas Monkhouse died in 1886. It was this event which probably prompted Joseph to give up politics, for he did not run for any office after his duties were fulfilled in 1887 as Reeve and Warden. He also apparently gave up farming and turned his attention fully to running the now flourishing ‘China Hall.’ Joseph died in 1903 and the business was taken over by his son Willis who continued to run it until 1937. Reesor William Reesor (1875-1968) grew up in Altona and would have been fully familiar with its citizens and its public buildings. He would have gotten grist ground at the mill (founded by his grandfather) and shopped at the China Hall, and gotten his mail from Joseph Monkhouse. He attended the “old” brick schoolhouse built in 1858, when James Forfar and W.J. Stark were the teachers. As a boy he helped his father on the farm, and after he left the farm and married Ethel Millard of Glasgow, Uxbridge Township, he purchased his own farm in Mongolia (in Markham Township). In 1911 Reesor purchased the Monkhouse farm where he raised Clydesdale horses and registered Shropshire sheep. He was also active in the community, especially in the Altona Missionary Church, where he was Clerk for 30 years and Treasurer of the church board. But Reesor became best known for his role in local politics. Like his predecessor in the Monkhouse homestead he became a township Councillor, Township Reeve, and Warden of the County of Ontario. In all he spent 13 years in Council, including five years as Reeve.12 BUILDING HISTORY According to the computerized assessment records of the City of Pickering, this one-and-a- half-storey brick house was built in 1880. What this information is based upon no one seems to know. In any case it is obviously in error, for the house and its large imposing accompanying barn is pictured in the Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Ontario— which was published in 1877.13 And in the picture—while obviously interpreted by the artist — the house and barn and vegetation appear to be well established. A likely date for the construction is 1872 or shortly thereafter, i.e., just after Monkhouse purchased the property. The Assessment Rolls (in the Ontario Archives) do not indicate an increased value during the late occupation by the Browns, but shortly after Monkhouse moved to the lot the assessment increased to $5000, twice the assessment under the Browns.14 In 1974 Yost Associates conducted a survey of the heritage buildings in association with the North Pickering Project. Of this house they wrote: Brick residence, late Victorian detail. Iron fence in front of importance and must be saved; house suitable for housing stock. CIHB No. 79046. Pickering, Pickering-Uxbridge Twp. Line. The panel rating was 3a, which was defined as: Structures of some merit located near the edge of the Airport site that might continue to be used for housing or other purposes even after development of the core area of the site.15 The fence noted by the survey appears to be the fence that is shown in the 1877 Beers Atlas. It is still in very good shape and should be attended to immediately to insure its protection. The Unterman-McPhail inventory of 2001 strongly recommended the preservation of this house.16 Notes: 1 Pickering Township Abstract Index to Deeds, LRO, Whitby; Pickering Township Index to Land Patents, Ontario Archives (OA): MS 693, Reel 156; Pickering Township Papers, OA: MS 658, Reel 395. 2 Most of the information about Joseph Brown is gleaned from the Census reports and Assessment Rolls. 3 Beers (1877), p. ix; Minutes of the Pickering Township Council, 1811-1876. Brown was Pathmaster again in 1822 and 1823. 4 Censuses of 1851 and 1861. 5 In the 1851 Census of Pickering Township the Monkhouse household consisted of Joseph (age 24) and Thomas (age 22), their parents John and Sarah (ages 54 and 50), and miller John Clark (age 53). Joseph and Thomas are listed as merchants. Clark is listed first, so they all probably lived in his house, a one-and-a-half-storey frame house. On Monkhouse see also the Patrons’ Directory in the Beers Atlas (1877), p. 60. 6 Stouffville Free Press 1890. See also Greenwald (1973), p. 80. 7 When the Post Office was established that is when Altona would have gotten its name, which according to local historian Joseph Nighswander, whose family goes back six ' generations in Pickering, was named after the city of Altona, near Hamburg, in Germany. See Rosenthal (1965), Nighswander (1985), and Sabean (2002), p. 6. 8 Sabean (2002), pp. 5ff; Tremaine (1860). In the 1861 Census the Monkhouse household consisted of Joseph (age 36, occupation, flour miller and farmer), Christina (age 46, occupation, miller), and their daughter Sarah Jane (age 3). They dwelt in a two-storey brick house. Their capital investment in the mill was $8000; the annual product was 340 barrels of flour with a value of $1660. 9 Farewell (1907). 10 Nighswander (1985). 11 Traveller” [Ross Johnston] (1884). 12 On Reesor see Reesor Family in Canada (2000), p. 636; Tweedsmuir Histories. 13 Beers (1877), p. 40. 14. Pickering Township Assessment Rolls. 15 Yost (1974), #3, pp. 17, 2. 16 Unterman-McPhail Associates (2001).