WALKING THROUGH THE STREETS PART SIX - THE MARY, WILLIAM AND REGENT STREET AREA
[INSTALLMENTS 57 - 65]
Articles collected from January 26th, 1950 - March 30th, 1950

BARBARY LODGE - PARSON - MONCRIEFF - SULLIVAN
At the westerly corner of William and Regent Streets is a pretentious property, now dubbed "Barbary Lodge," and used as a sort of glorified restaurant. It used to be owned by a Mrs. Parsons and later by W. Moncrieff, both being Buffalo families.

The latter gentleman was quite a public-spirited fellow and donated a fine hose wagon to our Fire Brigade, which was used in the days when horsepower was used. The wagon was sold when the modern equipment was obtained. Mr. Moncrieff left us after the Canadian Canners built their present plant, as he didn't like the smoke and smell. Then came the Frank Sullivans, a very fine couple who did much good work in Town. Mr. Sullivan was in the lumber business in Buffalo and unfortunately fell foul of the U.S. Government, which august body pretty well stripped him of his money. He passed away some years ago. The property was used by the Women's Army Corps during the late war. It has since been sold and Mrs. Sullivan has moved away.

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THE MATTHEWS HOUSE
Around the corner on Mary Street is the Matthews house. Here George lives, but I well remember his father Arth, as he was called, a well-known teamster. Arth was a very hardy fellow and I have often seen him driving his team hauling ice from the river in the depth of winter with bare hands and no overcoat, when other men were well muffled up. Arth had a peculiar strain of horseflies known as Arabians. They were rather small, but wiry and tireless.

THE MURRAY PROPERTY
In the next block along Mary Street, there were not many houses, just two facing on Victoria Street. George Murray's is at the corner of William Street. I have known the Murrays for many years. George did the Cartage Business from the Dock for years, taking it up after his brother Bill gave it up to move to the country. For some years, he drove a coal delivery for W. H. J. Evans. He was a good, upright citizen. Two of his family still occupy the family home.

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THE GILLAN - RILEY - HOUGHTON HOUSE
The other house occupying the acre lot at the corner of Victoria and Mary Streets was the home of a Mrs. Gillan, a lady of the African race and her brother Ned Riley. They were brother and sister and a sister of Mrs. Fanny Ross. I have written of the Rosses and their barbershop on Queen Street. Later the Houghtons owned and occupied this house, from which they moved to the corner of Victoria and Gage Streets.

AULD - WRIGHT PROPERTY
Another who lived here was David Auld, a retired Methodist Minister. He was an old man when he came here to live and after he passed on Sam Wright bought the place and used it as a summer home.

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THE COLEMAN - LEES - TAYLOR PROPERTY
Around the corner on Gate Street, there lived at one time, John Coleman, another of my father's old friends. When I was a kid, we didn't have the fine spring mattresses on our beds that are now in use. But our bed ticks were filled with either feather or straw and annually a trip to the country was in order to procure a supply of straw for filling of our bed ticks. On one such trip, I accompanied my Dad and Johnny Coleman in Johnny's one-horse wagon to get straw. Coming home with the load I fell off the front, landing on my stomach, across the shafts behind the horse. However, I survived the shock, although I had the wind jolted out of me. Johnny later married a sister of George Murray and they bought the house on Front Street where their adopted daughter lived not so long ago. I helped my father-in-law put in the foundation for that house, the owner being a Colonel Jarvis of Toronto. It was originally a one-story cottage and the Colemans built the second story on it. William Lees and his family lived in the house on Gate Street before moving to the farm. Bert Taylor, our postmaster later lived here and moved to his present abode after receiving his present appointment.

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BARNEY McBRIEN PROPERTY
On the corner of Mary and Gate Streets, there was at one time, a small house, the home of the McBriens. Many will remember Barney of that name. Barney was a darn good painter, but otherwise he wasn't so hot. He had a reputation for starting fights and then ducking out and leaving someone else in for it. Barney had a sister Kate, who married Tommy Ellis, a Youngstown Barber. Tommy was a soldier at Fort Niagara when I first knew him. There was a nephew of Barney's, Will Henderson who lived with them and who went to Public School when I was a scholar there. He went into the American Army.

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FORT NIAGARA INCIDENT
I remember on one occasion, we ferried General Otter and his staff to Fort Niagara to visit the officers of the post. It was a rainy night, and they spent the evening in what we would call the "Officers' Canteen." This was a brick building behind the soldier's quarters. The approach to it was from the Parade Ground through a passageway between two buildings. There was a drizzling rain falling and the ground about the buildings was good and muddy. Will Henderson was walking post nearby and he later told me what happened when the party emerged from the place of entertainment. Lieutenant Billy Morrow was Officer of the Day. Billy was a fine, upstanding young man and some of you may remember him later as Colonel Morrow in charge of Fort Niagara. However, the night was dark and Billy announced that he would lead the way. "Keep in close touch with me, gentlemen. Follow me closely. So they set out and proceeded in good order approaching the passageway between the buildings. Alas and alack, some wretch had inadvertently, shall we say, left a Carpenter's trestle in the way and over it went Billy, followed by the rest of the party in a regular goosepile. After much scrambling in the muck and the mire, interlarded with some rather robust language, the scramble was unscrambled and away went the procession. They arrived at the boat, a most disreputable looking bunch of officers and gentlemen. We asked no questions and no explanation was given us. A heavy silence reigned. I happened to meet Bill Henderson a few days later and he told me what had happened. Billy had gone his rounds of the sentries plastered inside and out, but very dignified.

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McBRIEN - CONORTON - BALE - COLBORN PROPERTY
The McBriens and their house have gone and another house occupies the site. Here dwelt at one time, John Conorton. I think he built the house and he later traded it to Mr. Bale, then principal of our High School, for the house on King St., now owned by Mr. Gretzinger. Fred Colborn lives there now.

THE CUMPSON - SLINGERLAND PROPERTY
Next we come to a house, for a long time, the home of Jim Cumpson, father of John. Jim Cumpson drove the Stage between Niagara and St. Kitts for some years. I remember that Mike Greene, James Aikins and I attended a Liberal meeting at St. Catharines. Mike Greene was driving a two-seated surrey with side curtains. On our homeward way, we passed the Stage drawn up in front of the Post Office at Homer. A Mrs. Metke was seated on the Driver's seat while Jim was apparently inside getting the mail. We jogged along, chatting as we went.

As we were coming up the hill into Virgil, we heard a clatter behind us and Mike peered out around the curtains and exclaimed, "The Stage is in the Ditch." What had happened was that the kingbolt had broken and Jim landed on his face in the mud and believe me, it was mud. The stage went backward down the hill and rolled over. Mrs. Metke was thrown clear, but John Pennington, an inside passenger got a broken ankle from a trunk that fell on it. We picked Mrs. Metke up and brought her into Town, while Dr. Scott, who lived on the Servos Farm, took Pennington home with him. This farm used to be known as "The Model Farm," and later as Meadowbrook. Pennington had worked there for Dr. Scott. The Cumpson house is now occupied by Lloyd Slingerland.

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THE WOOTTEN PROPERTY
On the corner, is the Wootten house, built by Bill of that name. I remember the Woottens from my early days. Ned Wootton was twice married. He had a son Dick and a daughter or two by his first wife. Dick went railroading and was Brakeman on the local run to Buffalo for some years. He was later killed while working for another road. He was a member of the United Workmen and I remember that Will McClelland and I had the duty of taking the cheque to the widow at Niagara Falls N.Y. That was in 1899, Will being Master of the Lodge, while I was Recorder.

I remember the second Mrs. Wootten as Jenny Bevan. She bore three sons, Ed and Colin and Will. Ed lives in the west and is a War Veteran. Colin was for years with the Canners, while Will lived and died in Niagara. Will was a handy fellow and built his own house. A quiet, unassuming citizen, respected and respectable. What more can a man want?

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THE LAVELLE FAMILY
Ike Lavelle lives around the corner on Simcoe Street, I knew Ike's parents long before he arrived on the scene. Johnny and Jimmy Lavelle occupied the next pew to us in the old Gallery of St. Mark's Church. The two young men married about the same time and brought their wives to Church. It seems to me that people took their duties to God more seriously in those days and were not averse to giving up a little of their Sunday time to worshipping in their home Church. And do you know I don't believe it did them any harm. People in those days were not saints any more than we are, but they surely were not heard yapping for an "open Sunday", like a lot of the fatheads are today. I have a suspicion that it is the lure of the dollar that is calling a lot of them. I wonder how many of them remember how our Savior regarded the moneymakers who profaned the temple. And by the way, how often we hear it misquoted, "Money is the root of all evil." The Bible does not say anything of the kind, but that "THE LOVE OF MONEY is the root of all evil, or as the revised version has it "A root of all evil." But there, I have no license to preach. I was discussing the Lavelles, a good family. John Lavell played in the old Band for many years, as did his son Ike. I was thinking of Ike the other day. We were both in the Niagara Minstrels years ago, when Harry Christie was here. Ike was one of the "End Men" and had a song to sing, the theme of which was "I'm feelin' fine." Ike's stance was just in front of my seat and I got a great kick out of watching Ike's knees just about knocking together while he was "feelin' fine." Ike was always a fellow who loved a joke and I don't suppose he'll be gunning for me when he reads this. Ike is a veteran of the First World War. I remember his telling me about a minstrel show he attended in London while "over there." They had one act that consisted of an end man bringing in a flag and how the interlocutor questioned each man about what his flag stood for. There were many U.S. soldiers in the audience, as their Army was just then coming in to the War. At last, a black man came in bearing the Stars and Stripes. On being asked what it stood for, he scratched his head and observed, "I don't know boss but it's stood for a heck of a lot this last two yeahs", which brought down the house. Even the Yank's enjoying it. So much for Ike.

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THE STIVEN FAMILY
Over the way is a house that latterly housed the Stiven family. The Stivens formerly lived on the River Road. They were a large family, four boys and several girls, now all gone but one girl.

THE CAMPION - HART - JORDAN PROPERTY
I remember several others who lived here, among them a Mr. Campion, Tom Hart and a man named Jordan. This latter man once had a second hand store in the Stewart Block. I remember him very well, as I was Division Court Bailiff and served the papers on him that closed him up. I remember being in Court when Cecil Armstrong was suing him for wages. Cecil was the oldest son of Windy Armstrong, who occupied the "Cave of the Winds" on the corner of King and Market Street, where the Chinese Laundry is now. I remember the grin on the face of the late Charlie Rykert, once M. P. for Lincoln and a noted lawyer of the District as he listened to Jordan cross-questioning Armstrong on the witness stand. Another who lived here was Tom Hart. Tom was very well known around the District, as he dealt largely in fruit and vegetables. During the First World War, Tom built and operated a large frame building on Picton Street, where the Service Station is now. Jim McCarthy took me to task because I didn't mention that he was the carpenter who built the place, so now I mention it, having previously forgotten about Jim's part in it. You see, I do forget some things. Tom Hart served one year in Council, 19l6, and died while quite a young man. Dave Stiven built the house on this property facing on Mary Street.

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THE DeLAGRANDE PROPERTY
There was a property on the Mississaugua Street side of this block on which there used to be only one house, the home of the DeLagrande family, now all gone from here. One of the boys, George was Organblower at St. Mark's for some time and I have a group photograph of the Church interior taken in 1897 at the time when the Church was decorated for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, showing the Rector Canon Garrett and the Choir and George is in the group with the Choir.

CENTRAL SQUARE - MARKHAM PROPERTY
Just across the way from the DeLagrande house is a lot shown on the plan of the Town as "Central Square." It now has a new house on it owned by the Markhams.

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THE WINTERBOTTOM PROPERTY
Several blocks along Mary Street, is a house long known as the Winterbottom House. The family of Winterbottom was well known, they having been here before the War of 18l2. William B. Winterbottom was an eminent lawyer and he served ten years in Town Council. A son, William S., was also a useful citizen, being active in musical circles and serving two years as Councilor and part of a year as Mayor. He left Town while still Mayor and did not return. The best remembered of this family was Augusta, or Gussie, Winterbottom, as she was usually called. She taught school here for many years. She taught my mother and all of our family. Besides, she taught in St. Mark's Sunday school, sang in the Choir and was generally a most useful and painstaking person in all she undertook. She never spared herself. She was Librarian of our Public Library too for a long time. I should say that she and Janet Carnochan were two women without peer in the life and history of our Community.

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THE BEST - RUSSELL - CURD PROPERTIES
At the corner of Mary and King Streets, is a brick house, now occupied by the Tom Russells, and which was the abode of Fred Best, well known merchant and butcher of a past age. As I have reminisced about Fred before this, I need not say more about him now. The house, since his day, has had several occupants. The frame house just beyond was for a long time owned by Fred's sister Fanny, but is now the home of Mrs. Curd.

HEWGILL - ROBINSON - HAINES PROPERTY
On the corner of Regent and Mary is a frame house, now the abode of Charlie Haines, but as I remember it, it was the home of the Hewgill family. There was a large family here, mostly females. One of these ladies was my Sunday school Teacher for a time and was a very nice person. A sister, Alice, married H. A. Garrett, one of the Mayors of long ago. I only remember one of the men, Ed., who left here when I was quite young. Another Lovelace was in the Mounted Police and was on duty along the line when the Canadian Pacific was being built across the Western Prairies. His son Ted, my son-in-law, has a small book written by his father, in which he recounts events transpiring while the road was being built. Later on, James Robinson lived here. Jimmy, as he was usually called, was a farmer on the River Road for many years. When I first remember him, he had a farm just beyond the Longhurst farm, the house and outbuildings later being torn down. The Robinsons spent many years on the farm now occupied by the Griptons. The house there was once the home of a Father Carroll, who served Niagara and Queenston and lived about midway between the two places. John Healey was called after him. The point on the river just opposite was long known as Priest Carroll's Point and was known in my time as Robinson's Point. Jimmy Robinson was a very nice, rather short Englishman, very soft spoken and gentlemanly. He had one son and one daughter. The son is living in the States and there is none of the family in the Town now. I don't know whether it is safe to say anything about Charlie Haines. However, lest he feel slighted, let me say I like him, if that will be any good. He is a veteran of the First Great War and has been active in Legion matters these many years. He is a good solid citizen and a credit to the Town.

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CANADIAN CANNERS - AB AWDE
On the other side of this block is the factory of the Canadian Canners, managed for many years by Ab Awde, who recently left us. After the glowing tribute to him published since his death, I could not hope to emulate the editor's contribution to his memory. I do agree, however, that he earned every good thing that was said about him. He surely was a worthy while citizen and one could wish there were more like him.

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JOE GREENE
Over the way, is the home of Mrs. Joe Greene, widow of one of our outstanding public men. Joe Greene was Warden of Lincoln County in 1907. He was Town Councilor in 1903 and 1904. County Commissioner in 1905 and 1906 and Reeve from 1907 to 1911 inclusive. He had also served in the Township Council. I always regarded Joe as one of our most levelheaded public men. I remember hearing about his clever retort to one of the County Councilors, who was opposing an increase in the per diem allowance received from the County for their services, from three dollars to five and which Joe was supporting. "That's all right," said Joe. "My friend doesn't think he's worth more than three dollars, while I think I am." This of course, was said with Joe's engaging smile and the motion carried.

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THE HUNTER - MATTHEWS PROPERTY
Along Mary Street is a cottage, the home of Harry Matthews but it was formerly the home of Neil Hunter, whose daughter Mary taught in our Public School and who later became Joe Green's wife. Mary was highly regarded as a teacher and as a person. She died at a comparatively early age and Joe later married the present Mrs. Greene who is also a fine person. I must say that Joe showed good judgment in choosing his wives.

THE THOMAS COTTAGE
The next cottage was once the home of Mrs. Mary Thomas, a widow lady who came here with her family. Her house was badly damaged by fire and neighbors helped rebuilt it. Her eldest son Reg was killed in the First World War and her other son Joe and her two daughters are well known here, her daughters being Mrs. Jerry Walsh and Mrs. Walt Sheppard.

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THE CANADIAN - AFRICAN SECTION
TOM MILLS FAMILY
Around the corner, on Victoria Street, there use to be a house owned and occupied by Tom Mills. I might remind you here that this whole district was once peopled by people who had fled from Slavery over the border and had taken refuge under the Union Jack, a flag that has been a haven or refuge for thousands of oppressed people in all parts of the globe. Tom Mills' forbears were of the African race and Tom was far from being a blonde. He was a big, husky fellow and was a Teamster and strong as they make them. I have seen him at the wharf, pick up a barrel of coal oil by the chines and put it in his wagon unassisted and just as though it was an everyday feature of his work. If you don't know, a barrel of coal oil weighs something over 400 pounds. Try that over on your typewriter. Tom was married and had a boy and a girl, but they are all gone now and "the place thereof knoweth them no more forever."

BILL McCARTAN AND FAMILY
Here, later on dwelt Bill McCartan and his family. Bill raised a large family, some of whom are still with us. Everybody knows Tom who has sawed boards and driven nails all about the neighborhood these many moons. He served as Chief Constable for a spell, but didn't care much for the job. He had a fund of humor and a ready wit that make him a very likeable fellow. His sister is Mrs. Jim McCarthy, who is also very well known, she having held a responsible position with Canadian Canners for years. Of course, there are grandchildren of "Ole Bill" scattered over the local landscape. If Bill could come back, he would not find much to complain of in the progeny he left behind him when he departed hence.

HARRY LEE AND FAMILY
Later on, Harry Lee lived here and the old house got itself burnt up while Harry lived there. I don't like to say too much about people who are still among us, but everybody knows Harry and John, two well-known plumbers. Their father, Jimmy Lee worked for years; in fact, he died while at work for the Town. Harry is a Great War Veteran and a good citizen. He served one year in Town Council and is a very levelheaded fellow and a finished workman.

I cannot pretend to give you a complete history of the people of the African race who occupied the many small houses that dotted this neighborhood and can only give you a fleeting glimpse of these people.

THE LIVINGSTONE FAMILY
There was Betsy Livingstone, for instance, an old, old lady who had been a slave. She was said to be over 120 years of age when she died. She was a short, portly old lady and smoked a clay pipe. She had two sons, Bill and Alf. I knew Bill best, as he did the mowing in St. Mark's Cemetery for years. Bill, by the way was known usually as "Shiner." Bill had a couple of experiences over the line that he told me about. When about 15 years old, he got a job on a farm near Youngstown. Now, if you know anything about Youngstown, you will know that they have never allowed a Negro to live in the village or near it. So Bill was in the apple orchard of the farm where he was to work with a number of boys, white of course. Now, these boys had a gun and were shooting at a mark. Bill of course, boy-like, looked on enviously and they finally asked him if he would like a shot. These were the days of the old muzzle-loaders. So they loaded the gun and handed it to Bill. As he was about to shoot, he noticed that they had all ducked behind trees, whereupon Bill smelt a very large rat. He had a ball of string in his pocket and he tied an end of it to the trigger of the gun that he stood against a tree. He took shelter behind another tree, and pulled the string. Bang went the gun and flew to pieces, whereupon Bill left hurriedly for home and Canada. "Sure, dey meant to kill me," said Bill, and that was that.

In later years, when Bill was considerably older, he secured a job from a Youngstown contractor on some government buildings in course of erection at Fort Niagara. Bill was engaged in wheeling bricks and mortar to the masons and after the building was up in the air a bit, Bill and his wheelbarrow would be hoisted up in a temporary elevator. Well you might guess what happened to Bill. He and his barrow were allowed to fall to the ground and poor Bill was badly injured, sustaining broken bones and severe head injuries. Bill never fully recovered from his injuries and never received any compensation. A Niagara lady befriended Bill and did what she could for him, securing for him medical attention. She played the Good Samaritan to poor Bill without any hope or expectation of any reward, at least here below.

Bill had a brother Alf, a rather uncouth fellow. On one occasion, Alf had gone to the country for a load of cordwood with his one-horse wagon. Not having come home after dark, poor old Betsy, his mother, became alarmed at his absence, so she went to Bill's house and sent him in search of the missing Alf. After a prolonged search, Bill discovered Alf peacefully sleeping atop of his load of wood, at the rear of Jim Walsh's hotel, which hotel was the building wherein we now find the Superior Store. "Laws a me," said Bill. "Alf and wood and hawse, an all was drunk."

I cannot pretend to give you a history of all the Africans who lived about here. There were the Wars', the Banisters, the Rileys, the Wesleys, and the Warfields. I remember Ned Riley and his sister Mrs. Gillan who lived in the house now occupied by the Herbert Powells.

THE WARFIELDS AND THE WESLEYS
The Warfields and the Wesleys lived in the Kenally house on Mississaugua Street. There used to be a corner in the Methodist Church on the right, behind the stove reserved for the colored folks. Both these good men were very devout churchgoers and frequently led in prayer at the weekly prayer meetings. I remember both these men very well. Wesley was a rather short man with flowing side-whiskers, while Warfield was a tall, dignified person, with a beard adorning his Physiognomy. The dear ladies of the two families did not always agree and frequent clashes occurred, so much so that the Church members finally secured a home in the Township for one family, believing separation to be good for both groups.

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NOBLE KEITH'S TAVERN
I feel a personal interest in this house, as here my mother's father kept a hotel or tavern here in the days "of Auld Lang Syne." The house was known as "The Rising Sun." My grandfather was Noble Keith, and he founded the Orange Lodge in Niagara. This Order flourished in my younger days, and had their Lodge room in what is now "The Masonic Hall."

I was quite amused to see in the old Council Minutes, an item or two of interest. In those days, the Council consisted of fifteen members, and their Inaugural was in May. The Council then had the issuing of Tavern Licenses. At one meeting, appears a minute licensing a list of taverns among whose proprietors appeared the name of Noble Keith. But, alas, at the following meeting the name of Noble Keith was stricken from the list, the reason given being that he was not a fit and proper person to run a Public House. I might explain that the granting of these licenses was much like kissing and went by favour. However, as I was not around just then, I cannot say positively much about the matter. I remember my mother telling us about an incident that occurred when she was a small girl, living with her parents in this house. Some men were gathered there one evening, and as was usual in those days, talk of spooks and graveyards went about the room and one fellow rather bragged that he was not afraid of any ghosts, in fact, in his opinion, there were no such things. Finally, he was dared to go to Butler's Burying Ground and bring back a skull. As you may surmise, bones lay about the place, exposed to public gaze and the place was only put into decent order a few years ago. However, the dare was given and accepted. One of the men had borrowed a bedsheet from my grandmother and hied him away to the graveyard ahead of our brave bucko, who duly arrived on the scene. He groped around and found a skull. As he raised up with it in his hand, the amateur ghost stepped from behind a stone and said in a deep sepulchral tone, "That's mine." "All right", was the rejoinder and the skull was dropped. Our hero felt around and found another and again came the same speech and the same answer. A third skull was found and again came the ominous words, "That's mine." "Oh well, " came the answer, "they can't be all yours, " and our hero took to his heels and arrived at the Tavern panting and triumphant.

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THE McKIMMIE - McCARTHY PROPERTY
There are some houses about the fringes of the Town about which something might be said and about some of the people who lived in them. There is the house now owned by the McCarthy's. I best remember two men who lived them. One of them was John McKimmie. John was Scottish and was a fine specimen of that race. He was for a time Division Court Clerk and sometimes served as Assessor. His last position was Lighthouse Keeper. I knew John very well when he was about the waterfront. He had a good sense of humour and could spin quite a yarn on occasion. I remember coming up behind him at the wharf one day. I put my hands over his eyes and said, "Guess who?" He guessed who and told me this yarn. An old Scotch couple had lived together many years and Jock lay Deein'. It got on the old wife's nerves after a while and she thought it would be a charity to help him "o'er the border." So she got the clothesline, put a noose in one end of lit and looked about for a place to get a good pull at it. She raised the window, threw the rope outside, went out and pulled until she thought Jock would be finished. All this time, Jock had lain on his back with his eyes closed, apparently in a comatose condition. However, he was not so far gone as the dame thought and he had managed to get hold of the line and hold it from his throat. So when his wife came in to make sure of the success of her charitable effort, he lay there with his eyes closed as she bent over him. "Jock, Jock," she said, "do ye know me?" Slowly his eyes opened, and these words came from his lips. "I'm beginnin' ta."

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HOWSE - McCARTHY PROPERTY
Another who lived here for many years was David Howse. David was quite a character in his own quiet way. He was a single taxer and had had a considerable amount of experience in the old land in public speaking on behalf of the Single Tax Association. He served two years in Town Council. The present Councilor Howse, who is serving his tenth year in Council, is his son. Of course, everybody knows Jim McCarthy who now lives there. A veteran of the First World War and well-known as a Carpenter and Builder. I met Jim one day on the street and he took me to task because I had not mentioned that he was the builder of the Tom Hart building which occupied the site of the filling station on Picton Street. As I only compile these lines from memory, I couldn't hope to escape criticism from someone whom I overlook. I should be only too glad to be helped to remember places and things about the Town.

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COLONEL BUTLER
Near the Town Boundary on the southeast side of Mississaugua Street, is an old house, once the home of Colonel Butler of Revolutionary fame. I suppose most of us old timers have heard a lot about the Butlers. There is a marble tablet erected in memory of Colonel Butler on the wall of St. Mark's Church. This was erected when I was a Sunday school kid. I have many times had a quiet smile at the acid looks of some of our American visitors when they saw the tablet and read its inscription, which is quite laudatory of the doughty Colonel. To them, he was first cousin to His Satanic Majesty. However, he was a loyal subject of the King and wrought mightily in his service. His regiment of Butler's Rangers was quartered in the Barracks that still bear his name. These Barracks were moved from their former location between the Town and what became Fort George, to their present site, in order to get them further from the guns of Fort Niagara. We must remember that the southeasterly boundary of the Town was then King Street, consequently these buildings were not in the Town and were not burned with the rest of the buildings of the neighborhood.

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THE BISSELL FAMILY
In my day, Nels Bissell lived here and raised his family. The Bissell family is deserving of more than a passing glance, for it was a large one. Nels and several of his brothers served for years in the old Second Dragoons. I think I see that old Regiment riding down to our part of the Town to water their horses at the Elliott Spring. It was quite an adventure for us Dock kids to see them at such close quarters. Nels has descendants living in Town, quite a number of them, in fact. There is Mrs. Mel Gordon, Mrs. Curt Gordon, Mrs. Elwin Campbell and their families, all reputable people. There is also Mrs. Elizabeth Moore, a granddaughter and Mrs. Gould, the latter a granddaughter of Mrs. Robbie Reid, who lives in Fonthill. After the death of Nels, the property was sold and has been broken up into small parcels.

One of Nel's brothers, Frank, has one son living in the southerly part of the Town, usually known as Art. Here he lives quietly in the house built by his father. Frank Bissell and his elder son John laid a good many pieces of cement walk in the Town. John died during the flu epidemic that swept the Town in 1918 and 1919. John Lee and Harry are sons of another Bissell who married Jimmy Lee. Everybody knows the Lee boys, both good plumbers. Another Bissell woman married Charlie Ball and Jim and Charlie McMillan are grandchildren of this couple, as are Mrs. Celia Simpkin and W. J. Ball, also Mrs. Walter M. Reid. This fine couple were my godparents and a nice pair of people they were.

Another branch of the Bissell family was John and Ted. John has members of his family in our midst, among them George R. or Buck as he is better known. Then there are Mrs. Chas. McGuire and Mrs. Will Fellows and their respective families. Charlie McGuire and Bill Fellows both worked for the Michigan Central Railway for years. I remember Bill Fellows, first as living with his brother Joe, in the house where the Simpkins live. Joe was then section boss on the Railway. It was Joe and Bill who broke in the door of Mrs. Daley's house to rescue here when she was burned. My sister (later Mrs. Ascher) was passing and saw smoke issuing from around the doors and windows of the house and she ran to the Fellows house and called them. The poor old woman was just about blind, and evidently set herself on fire while lighting her fire for breakfast. She only lived a few minutes after they brought her out. George Bissell too worked on the section for the railway for a long time and was section boss for a time.

I knew Ted Bissell very well, as he was engaged in fishing for years while I was about the water. Ted was a smallish man, with a keen sense of humor and was liked by all those who came into contact with him. He has a son in the person of George A. or Teddy, as he is best known. Eddie Smith is a grandson and should be known by every mothers' son in the place, as he has been delivery man for the McClellands long enough to own the Town.

Teddy Bissell was in the employ of the local Hydro for some years, but is now retired on account of his health. I was remembering an incident about Teddy of rather ancient vintage. We were sawing ice for the McClellands on the slip. This was before the days of electric refrigeration, when it was necessary to provide frozen water for the preservation of the family food supply. In the corner next, the brick hotel, we were busy, Teddy and I, side by side, when Teddy, with a grin, said to me "Watch me let Sam Todd in." That portion of the ice surface had a great many cracks in is so Teddy proceeded with his prank, but alas, while he was sawing away gleefully, his own underpinning gave way, and down he went till only the tassel on his stocking cap showed. He was duly rescued, whereupon he gave himself a shake, exclaiming "Safe as a Church," and departing on the trot for his home, whence he returned later on, apparently none the worse for his impromptu bath.

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THE SMITH FAMILY
Before traveling any further, I should like to reminisce a bit about the Smiths. None of us Dock Dwellers were numbered among the great or the wealthy and anything said about us might be like Gray's "short and simple annals of the poor."

Charlie Smith was a Mason and was our next door neighbour in my boyhood days. Young Charlie and I played together as kids, kicked each other's shins, etc. I remember that my folks bought me a pair of top boots, with a scarlet kneecap and bright copper toecaps. I was very proud of those boots, but I got into trouble over them, as I kicked Charlie's shins with them, for which I received parental discipline in a generous portion. Young Charlie, or Mickey as he was usually called, became a Barber and passed away some years ago. His son Eddy and his grandchildren are with us. Eddy's sister married a Powley and went to Youngstown to live.

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THE WRIGHT - HUNTER FAMILY
Across the way and just over the Town Boundary, is a house that was once the home of A. W. Wright, who was a very able public speaker and could talk on either side of any subject about which he was engaged to speak. His daughter Anna married Walter Hunter and passed away some years ago, leaving a son and a daughter Alec and Betty by name.

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THE HOAG FAMILY
Not far away is the house of the Hoags. I remember Charles Hoag very well. For a number of years, he did the Cemetery work for St. Mark's. He was a sturdy, rugged type of man, of Scottish descent and had four sons and a daughter. His oldest son George was a classmate of mine at Public and High School. George was quite studious at school and when I last knew him, he was a Sergeant on the Toronto Police Force. Two of the boys went west and Bob stayed at home and worked the place, passing away not so long ago.

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THE RICHES - HOLAHAN - AIKINS PROPERTIES
Bob married Harriet Riches, who survives him. Harriet is one of a family, well known locally. Tom, her brother, was for years in the business of contracting for cement work and excavating of various kinds. Several of his family are with us still. Tom Riches' wife was a daughter of James Holahan, who raised quite a large family. He was a veteran of the Fenian Raids and was one of my father's old cronies. He was a fine man, respected and respectable. He lived for years in a house on the Lake Road, just beyond the Town limits and once known as "The Royal Oak." Here at one time, my grandfather Noble Keith kept a Tavern. The last occupant of the house was Arthur Aikins. The house burned down and Arthur disappeared and has never been found although his father made many efforts to get some trace of him. Mr. Aikins always maintained that he had met with foul play, but no proof of that could be found so it remains an unsolved mystery. The only Holahans remaining in Town are Arthur and his family, who lived in the house built by his father Tom Holahan. We had always been friendly with the Holahan family and Jim's son Tom was a well-known figure about our Town. He and John Bissell were in the Contracting business together for years. Their first job together was the curbing on Queen Street from King St. to Simcoe St., which job was done, along with the paving of the street during the winter of 1914-1915. I should mention here, that there is another of the Holahan clan living in Town in the person of Joseph, who lives at the Prince of Wales Hotel. I feel that I have pretty well covered the Town in these reminiscences and should therefore wind them up. I have been assured by many people that they have enjoyed them and I thought we might reminisce a bit more about people and families who have lived and done things in our Town. I should like to remind my readers that reminiscences are not of necessity history, but simply things a person remembers either as personal or as having been brought to one's attention by other persons or by events which recall things to ones' memory.

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