HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1972-12-14, Page 23Polley, A.M. livery stable cor.
Lighthouse, and Montreal.
An 1863 gazetteer of Huron
county; which came to 'atten-
tion the other day, contains the
foregoing line in a list of
Goderich residents, There .is'
only one spot actually at • the
• corner of Lighthouse and Mon-
treal streets, and on it stands
the public Library. Almost
everyone knows that :X.M,
Polley's livery stable was on
South °street, in premises, which
for years now have housed the
Ford motor agency. However—
The Registry office record
shows that Albert Polly (thus
spelled), bought. part of Lot 118
in 1865 and the rest of it in
1870, selling both to the it.
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poration., of the .Town' of
1879.I 1905 the
Goderich in n,
town sold the site to the Public
Library Board for $1.
Earlier 9history of the
property is not of interest, ex-
cept that, Polley's initial pur-
chase was from.William G. and
Alex. Smith, who operated the
tannery on Waterloo street
where the Breckeuridge apart-
ment block now stands.
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The library lot was site of .the
only public market the town
ever had, and only cordwood
and hay were offered there. The
public weigh ` scale - was on
Lighthouse street immediately
to rearof the present library
building, and -the platform was
there until 'a few years ago. It is
recalled that a barn once
sheltered the scales and also
supplies of the Hydro com-
mission.
Albert Merriam Polley, a
native of New Hampshire, had
been in Goderich only a .short
time when he started his livery
business. Soon, evidently, he
returned briefly to New Hamp-
shire and married Flora Fuller,
of Nashua. Their .first child,
Charlotte, was born in 1865.
When the Signal -Star • four
years agoublished' an article
about the South street livery
business conducted by Polley,
his obituary was not to be
found. It is now available, and
with the added assistance of
some boyhood recollections of
Randall Marriott, Saltfor, it
is possible to get a much clearer
picture of this remarkable man,
who lived in Goderich for 59
years:^ Apart from his livery
business, he bought and sold
horses on a big scale, when that
business was ' important in
Canada,- and when he had some
noted competitors, such as
°Robert and William McLean.
It is futile to speculate upon
the reason a young man in New
Hampshire should seek his for-
tune in this part of Canada;
young men need no special
reason for wande"riwlg. In" this
instance it had nothing to do
with the War between . the
States; Polley left before it star-
ted.'He arrived in 1k60, spent a
short ,time traMgling for
These houses on the west side of North Street, close tp The
Square, were built for A.M. Polley, liveryman and horse
dealer and owner of "Polley's Farm." They comprised almost
Like to ski?
Follow the snow
to old Madawaska
This.- new ski area, 5 miles priest, a school teacher, a
outside. Barrys Bay, near the, bttilding. contractor, .:a.. tourist
easternu border of Al
Park, now has four s
senior, intermediate, and begin-
ner with trails for cross-count/ry
enthusiasts.Mount
Madawaska is a community
operated resort, originally
financed with the aid of an
ARDA grant, It is within easy
driving distance of Toronto,
Peterborough, and Kingston.
Overnight accommodation is
available at motels and lodges
• in the area.
Opened in January 1971, the
resort attracted 7,000 people in
its first year of operation. The
idea was born in 1963, when
local people began talking to
municipal authorities and the
• Madawaska Valley-''`f`ourist
Authority about building a
winter resort. In 1968, the
Mount Madawaska
Cooperative Limited was foun-
ded by the local people. This
organization is responsible for
operating the resort. The resort
• has a 2250 -foot T -bar lift and a
brand new chalet. Future., plans
include more slopes and a golf
course.
Ron Briggs, a Barrys Bay
pharmacist, and president of
the cooperative organization,
• says community involvement is
the reason for the success of the
project. The board of directors
reflects this community in-
volvement, including a parish
a lumberman, a real
estate ager, a principal and a
physician.
"Local people have suppor-
ted 'us fromthe beginning",
says Mr. Briggs. "We raised a
quarter ' of the cost of the
project -in the town and
surrounding municipalities."
Part of this was raised by
issuing shares in the
cooperative. Approximately
12,000 shares at $5 each have
been sold. The balance of the
funds were ,obtained through
grants from ARDA, under the
joint Federal -Provincial Rural
Development Agreement.
Day-to-day management of
the lodge and ski facilities is in
the hands of ski pro' Greg
Hilton, hired by the cooperative
to. keep things running
smoothly. He supervises the
work of 8 fulltime lodge staff,
as well as 8 part-time 'ski in-
structors.
There is also a ski . rental
shop and a souvenir shop. Here
you can buy locally -made han-
dicrafts- such as ceramics,
leather goods, knit goods, quilts
and rock jewellery.
The development of this area
provides year round
recreational facilities and has
benefited the economy of the
region through increased em-
ployment and the injection of
tourist dollars.
the whole of his $6,536 estate when he died in 1921 after 59
years of residence in Goderich.. He came here from New
Hampshire at the -age of 28. (photo by W.E.. Elliot)e
Hamilton and Brantford firms,
then came to Goderich (in
1862, according to the Belder}
,Atlas).
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Concurrently with his livery
business, Polley - was a, mail
contractor "on an extensive
scale," the Signal -Star recor-
ded'. 'His stages carried mail
and passengers to and from
the northern towns, doing a
large business in those days
when transportation facilities
were not as numerous as now."
About 1&74, Polley operflted' a
stage between Bayfield ' and
Seaforth. It is recalled that An-
drew 'Johnston, for many years
a farm hand with William
Young, Con. VIII, Colborne,
later was the driver of P6lley's
stage line.tolfincardine; and'ine.
• 1870 bought it, conducting it
for 15 years.
Mr, Marriott 'believes that
Polley imported some horses
from the States. Certainly he
bought in this district on a
large scale for the lumber
camps and the Canadian West.
He had to have a farm, and
acquired acreage southeast of
the town, long known as
"Polley's Farm." It was sold
eventually to Jasper Brindley.
"Polley was quite a stout,
man," Mr. Marriott recalls;
"weighed perhaps 260' pounds,
but lie personally drove his bus
to and from the Grand Trunk
station, offering for 25 cents
transportation to.any part of
the town.' On that bus, the
driver'sseat was right on' top,
as in the old stage coaches.
When he drove 'around in his
buggy, his collie dog trotted
along 'under the back wheels.
"Polley brought a . Negro to
town, to drive for him, and he
was the only Negro allowed in
the town. Even so, some people
put him in a barrel and rolled
hint down, harbor hill.
"Polley was outspoken in
manner: when he said
something there was no
mistaking his meaning. When
he retired, he had a barn on
Nelson street, where he kept a
couple of standard -bred horses
for breeding .purposes."
t
CHARGEX
"Is that all for me?" says Allan McFee as Max proudly shows
him one of his famous Christmas cakes. Wouldn't Max be sur-
prised if he ate The Whole Thing! Max also cooks up a satiric
sketch each weekday on The Max Ferguson Show, heard at
2:30 p.m. on CBC Rddio. As well he mixes in a generous por-
tion of his own choice recordings and friendly banter with his
longtime cohort Allan McFee.
."
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:�r , GODERICH BRANCES
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AND MONDAY JAN. 1
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CHARGIA
Fhe South St, livery' business
was sold in 1903 to Torn" and
Will Gundry. Polley had built a
big house on North street,
where he bought lots 900 and
901. A - smaller._ house' next,
south was built later, , and
Polley moved there, renting the
ether. He died Jan. 19, 1'9.21, in
his 87th year, "after a lgng
period of failing health," the
Signal -Star said. There was no
old age pension in those days,
and Polley probably used up
most of his resources. His,
estate was valued -at $6,536.
His will disposed only of 'my
two dwellings on North street'
and the furniture. He owned a
plot ° in Maitland Cemetery,
where he had laid his wife in
1915;
At the time of his death, his
three daughters were living:
Charlotte (Lottie), teaching in
HaliburtQn but best remem-
beredas teacher of the
MacGillivray Mission Band
and a class of 11 Chinese at
Knox, Church; Grace, (Mrs.
Hector McFadyen) and Helen
(Mrs. W.V. Major) of
Toledo. The North street
properties were left to
Charlotte. and Grace.
"One of the oldest and best
known residents of Goderich,"
the Signal -Star 'said .of Polley.
"He was a great lover of horses,
and for many years owned a
stock farm and racetrack just
outside the town, where he took
great pleasure • in raising and -
training some of the best horses
in Canada. He also conducted
large operations in the ship-
ment and sale of horses, and
was a pioneer in the shipping of
Ontario horses to the States
and Western coast. For more
than 30 years he had sale
stables on South street, and for
a , long period conducted a
livery and bus business there.
To ..the last he maintained his
love of horses, and was an
authority ou matters pertaining
to the horse market."
Probably Mr. Polley soon
acquired eanadian citizenship
and took an interest in public
affairs_. The newspaper records
that he
promising
4.0
was. "annc.
u. oM
Liberal and a great
admirer .9f fthel*te iSir
'Wilfrid L�aurieir.
1
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