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HomeMy WebLinkAbout208Duotang bound book 23 x 29 cm. written by Mrs. T.C.Brown, reprinted from the Oshawa Times-Gazette, December 16, 1949. "Illustration: Mrs. T. C. Brown, writer of this historical sketch, has lived in the house shown above for the past 70 years. It is one of the original stores built in the village of Brougham, and the residence section to the right is over 100 years old. The library is located in this building. Times-Gazette Staff Photo. " "REMINISCENCES OF EARLY DAYS OF BROUGHAM By MRS. T. C. BROWN Brougham, Ontario Reprinted from The Oshawa Times-Gazette December 16, 1949 " "MRS. T. C. BROWN BROUGHAM, ONTARIO In her 88th year. ""Serene shall be her days and bright."" " "REMINISCENCES OF EARLY DAYS OF BROUGHAM By MRS. T. C. BROWN For some time I have contemplated putting on paper memories of early days in the village of Brougham, which at one time bid fair to become a place of importance. It was situated in the centre of one of the finest farming townships in the province, but as time went on, and railroads came into operation both to north and south, and it remained isolated, its high hopes were dimmed. Early Settlers My late husband, Thomas C. Brown, son of Robert Brown and Margaret McIntyre, and grandson of Nicholas McIntyre, who settled here in 1828, coming from the Isle of Mull, and Isabelle Smith Brown, were native born residents of the village, and learned much history by hearsay. Settlers began to arrive in the district in the last years of the 18th century. Stones in old cemeteries testify to this. Before 1850, great progress had been made. The village of Brougham had been established. Pickering township was organized in 1811, although the township hall was not built until 1850. The meetings were held previously in homes or at Andrew Thompson's tavern, a large frame building stading on the corner of the Brock Road and the Fifth Concession. It is reported that John Scott, who sold the land for the hall, was its first care-taker, with an annual salary of $12.00!, and the privilege of using the hall between sessions of the council as a photograph gallery, the first here. Mrs. Bruff later visited the village periodically with a wagon, to take protographs. First Stores In the early days of the village, the Bentley families, which came from New York, played a prominent part. William Bentley came in 1829 and James in 1835. They built the first store in 1835. They also built two houses, a large frame one which stood where the church now stands, and the large brick corner house, still the pride of the village and now the property of a grand-daughter of the original Bentley's, Mrs. C. Shepherd. In 1832 there arrived from Ireland Henry Howel, who settled at Spring Creek, then called Howel's Hollow, and established quite a business centre there, including a saw mill, distillery and other mercantile products. He was the first postmaster, and named the post office Brougham, which name was adopted by the village when the post office was established in the Bentley store. Farm Conditions and Building It is hard to realize today what farming meant in these early days. Newly cleared land was full of stumps and stones, and grain was sown by hand and cut with a cradle. No other way was possible until the stumps were removed. I remember the first stump-pulling machine in 1878, clearing the 25-acre field north-east of the village, the stu[mps] providing the fence to the east of the field. The farm village houses up to 1850 were of wood, clapboard construction, and the interior construction of many followed one pattern, indicating " "that one set of builders did the work. House and barn carpenters were Ed. Wade, R. Lambert, Hiram Nutt, and Jake Tool. George B. Smith made furniture and did the inside woodwork. Public Buildings By 1859 there were several brick buildings. There was the public school. It was a great contrast to the former 24 by 30 feet frame building, which was bought by the late G. B. Smith and converted into a home where this writer was born. In 1859 also, the Christian Church was built, the first church in the village. The congregation was organized in 1824 with seven members, which increased gradually to 62. They met in homes for fellowship, with no stated pastor, until Elder Tatton, by his energy and popularity, succeeded in having a church erected. It was a real community effort. This church, with its shining steeple and belfry, was a great achievement for that period. Many regretted the necessity of demolishing this attractive church, which seemed an integral part of the community. In the nearby cemetery rest the pioneers of that early church. The Presbyterian body built a stone church on the 7th Concession in 1848, and continued to worship there until, in the pastorate of the Rev. John Cameron, the congregation came to the village and worshipped in the Christian Church until Rev. Lewis Perrin, its pastor, inspired the members to build. The corner stone was laid by the late 'John Miller on June 24, 1890 and the church was opened for worship in 1891. The Methodist Church was built in 1889, a frame building, later covered with brick, and sold after Church Union became effective. It was bought and rebuilt into a house and is now the home of the Fallows family. In 1850 the Sons of Temperance came into being, and became a great power for good in this district. At first the members were all men, mainly heads of families, but later women and teen-agers were admitted, in some cases whole families. These young people grew up as total abstainers, and had a great influence on public thought. When the township had a plebiscite on local option, the Sons of Temperance, with time and money, persevered through tedious litigation until a favorable verdict was obtained. A signal honor was once conferred on two of its members, G. B. Smith and Sylvanus Sharrard, when they were elected to office in the National Division of North America. Hotels in the Village At one time three hotels flourished in the village. The old Central Hotel was built and operated by Powel Woodruff. The Commercial was built by Charles Matthews, and Sampson Webb built a front to his residence as a hotel. The old Central is now Mrs. Woodward's store. The Commercial houses the council chambers, and the Webb is now the residence of Albert Grey. In early days, a place of accommodation was a real necessity when produce and grain had to be trans-ported from the back townships with horses and wagons to the lake front for shipment. The accommodation was very welcome, but some tragic events in the history of the village were caused by strong drink. Agricultural Fair Another organization that flourished from 1850 to 1889 was Pickering Township Agricultural Fair. with the coming to the county of well-to-do farmers, like the Millers of this district, bringing with them stock imported from the old land, stock breeding grew rapidly in the township. Shows were held in different places, with plowing matches in connection with them. These grew in popularity until 1850 a fall fair was organized. Brougham and Greenwood were both claimants for having the annual fair, but in 1866 four acres of land were bought from James Hubbard for $350, and Brougham people helped to raise the money, so that the Pickering" "Agricultural Fair was established on a permanent basis in 1886 and continued until 1889. The first fair ground was on a lot north of the Dean Mair's residence, but it is now incorporated in the Mervin Annis farm. The new fair ground was surrounded by a fence too high for boys to climb over, and too low for them to crawl under. Pens were built for animals and a fine hall. It was a most popular fair until in 1887 and 1888 pouring rain made the annual shows impossible, and the fair was discontinued. This co-operative movement was a great benefit to agriculture, the fact of the farmers meeting and working together uniting them in a common bond of fellowship. Brougham has one genuine Scottish shepherd, who ""kent well hoo tae lift the sheep's faces adjust locks for exhibeetion.' The agricultural hall was used for a time as a skating rink, until John Cowan bought it and used the timbers in building the church. The land is now the property of M. Harlock. Public School The public school plays a great part in the history of any community, and Brougham school has a long history. The earliest records of the school are those of 1836. Several of the earliest teachers were women, but the earliest I remember were Alvan Herrick, Amos Ferrier and Hector Baxter. The latter was a young man of little experience but with a forceful character which made itself felt in the community. He was a strong advocate of temperance, and his principles made him enemies of the then three hotels, from which he suffered persecution. He made the school grounds into a show place, with artistically arranged flower beds and planted trees. He inaugurated township school picnics. These picnics remained a happy memory throughout the years, with the women and children all enthused by them. Brougham had its eight horses hitched tandem, with Charles Hubbard at the lines; No. 12 school had a square of horses. There were bands playing an in the contest, Brougham was the banner school and was named ""Maple Lodge School."" Clergymen, politicians and educationists were all proud to be guest speakers and the pupils had contests. One of the prize winners for elocution was Emma Woodruff (the late Mrs. W. Allaway, Pickering), Mr. Baxter also staged grand entertainments, at one of which his presence of mind averted a tragedy, a curtain took fire while the township hall was packed with people who jammed the doors, which opened inwards. For a time panic ensued. But Mr. Baxter crushed the fire with his hands and calmly restored order. For some years male teachers were the rule, and they were almost necessary, as in the winter months the farm boys went back to school, either to finish their education or do a bit of courting. Medical Profession The most important of all professions is that of the M.D., and in this Brougham was well served. In the early days of Mr. Tucker of Duffin's Creek served the community, but in 1862 a newly graduated doctor, William Ferrier, took up permanent residence in the village and remained there until 1832, when he went to Claremont. He was followed by Dr. Eugene Freel, a very popular young doctor, who was followed in turn by Dr. Base son, Dr. Fish and Dr. McKinnon, and since the last named doctor's death Brougham has been served by doctors from other centres. Natives of Brougham who became doctors years ago were Dr. L. Bentley and Dr. Frank Bentley, Dr. L. Woodruff, Dr. G. Lamoreau, Dr. B. Churchill and Dr. F. King. Trades Represented One of my purposes in writing this historical sketch was to show the interdependence of farm and village in earlier days, before the time of the large department stores delivering goods direct to the homes. Formerly, almost every trade was represented in the village. One of" "the most important to farmers was that of the blacksmith. Among the earliest were two brothers, S andy and Jake Smith, from Aberdeen, at the old smithy one and a half miles west of the village. They went to the United States and their brother-in-law, Robbie Greig, came in 1832 and took over. In the village Tom Middaugh has the old stone shop just south of the Brown carriage shop, where Robert Brown also made coffins; In 1870, William Mosgrove bought the Brown shop, and worked there for 50 years until his death in 1924, when the business ceased. A number of Brougham boys learned the trade in Mr. Mosgrove's shop. Another trade of importance was that of harness-making. Among the earliest to engage in it were S. Grosse, George Crowhurst, Van Buren Woodruff, W. Woodruff, M. Morris, in the eighties, Adam McDowell, who employed three men, followed by Messrs Hargrave Coakwell and Jewel until the trade ceased. A tannery was operated on the creek, behind what is now the M. Harlock residence. This tannery was operated by Andrew Patterson and Son and fell a prey to fire in 1878. The house on the lot was burned years later and rebuilt by Mr. Harlock. Industries In Village Several Industries used to flourish in the village. A sizable creek used to flow through the flats, and on it, in 1859, a saw mill was built. This was burned down in 1867, and rebuilt the same year, with the addition of a tub factory, the proprietor being George B. Stock. My earliest recollection of it was as a basket factory, under the joint management of A. Fennell and W. Wilkinson, employing twelve women and five men. The late William Barnes bought the business in 1874, and transferred it to Green River. The medicine factory was also operating at that time, under the management of N. Woodruff and W. Bentley, employing five or six girls and the manager, but it was soon after sold to a Toronto firm, Milburn, Bentley and Pearson. The factory building was sold to the farmers' organization known as ""The Grange"" and was used for meetings and as a farmers' cooperative store, until the early eighties, when, with two houses and an implement shop and livery stable on the south side of Main Street, it was destroyed by fire. The Presbyterian, now United Church, was built on the corner. Another disastrous fire in the eighties was that at the extensive carriage making shops of Sampson Webb and Sons, which extended from Easton's corner to the then Methodist Church lot. These shops were never rebuilt. The shoemaker trade was represented through the years by Joseph Reeves, Richard Underhill, James Murdock and W. J. Bodell, whose shop was the rendezvous of old retired citizens, who met there and discussed and settled to their own satisfaction all problems, political, economic and moral. Possibly the untidy shop was a contrast to too much order at home. W. J. Bodell, who lived his life of over eighty years almost entirely in the village, had two wives and a large family which had grown up and scattered. Left alone, he seemed part of the village and he passed away over twenty years ago. In the seventies, Thomas Hamilton was the baker, employing three men. William Smith was a stone mason, James Thornton, butcher, and James Howitt a weaver of wollen goods in those days when wool was spun at home for home use. Mrs. Brown was a rag carpet-weaver from 1886 to 1914. Tailors were Miller and Pat Doyle. Dressmakers were Mrs. Helen Marr and her daughter, Mrs. E. Thornton, Elsie Smith, Almira Wilson and Bell Brown. Jorham Littlepohn was the well digger. Village men and farm boys without trades became farm helpers, but earnings were only $15 to $20 a month for men and $4 to $5 a month for domestic servants, with no stated" "hours of work. These conditions sent many would-be good citizens to seek homes in the west, where many became well-to-do and occupied important positions in their adopted communities. Stores of the Village The first store, built by the Bentleys in 1835 had as storekeepers the Bentleys, James Smith, James Logie, John Burk and Moses Linton. Mr. Linton was the owner when it was burned in 1878, destroying his store and dwelling, the dressmaking and millinery business of Elsie Smith, Peter Hoyle's tailor shop, the residence of E. Wade, the house and harness shop of M. Morris and the Sons of Temperance Hall, in 1880, a double store brick building was erected on the site and a brick Temperance Hall replaced the old one. The first storekeeper in the new store was J. Douglas, and it was occupied in turn by Messrs Morton, Willis, Gleason, Alger, Phillip, Annis, Gannon and Knox. This store was burned down in 1923 and rebuilt the following year by E. Annis. The stores of these early days were well stocked with everything necessary to supply the needs of a self-sustaining community, the storekeepers often having to exchange goods paid for in cash for unsaleable butter and ancient eggs, and smile while they did it. The only store building of the originals is the store and residence of Mrs. Brown, where the public library has been located since 1922. Brougham has now once again entered on a period of expansion. Much building is going on. The Citizens' League and the Women's Institute look after the social life of the community. The United Church is binding the people together in worship. Past history is not so important since World War No. 2, but the staunch and noble characters of the old generations have descended to the youth of today, to fit them to grapple with present day problems." j�ri,: