HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-08-28, Page 9•
31 Dec. 1 0 7 6 5-4
Public Library, -
52. Montreal St.,.
Goderich, Ont. N7A 2G4
She abtrfch..
SIGNAL -STAR
Georgian sy
Joseph Williams, from
County Kildare, Ireland;
arrived in Goderich in 1848. He
was 20 years of age.
Edward Sharman arrived in
Goderich from Lincolnshire,
England, at the age of 22.
These lads ,worked 'hard and
prospered; William became 'a
lumber merchant and ship
owner and Sharman the town's
chief brickwork contractor in
ari active building period. When
William%, at 53, decided that he
and his family were entitled to'
•
a mansion, Sharman built it for
him on St. George's Crescent. '
This is the story 'of 'that house,
beginning With the land.
It stands today (the residence
of John, K. Sully) among what
Registry Office maps describe
as "Church lots."' But at first
there were no lot numbers;• the
w Canada Company granted the
Anglican Bishop of ',Toronto in
1844 • about an acre and a half
northof the Crescent "for the
use`ofSt. George's Church, and
also a's a burial ground at-
tached thereto". lin the centre
of this area the- `congregation
built .achurch,. relinquishing
the use of Dr. Morgan
Hamilton's stable on Nest
street.
r:In an old map the church is
shown sited east -west, with
tower and entrance at the west
end. Burials were made to the
east, and by 1871 it was
evidently decided that some'
land on the west could be,
;disposed of. Accordingly, .,the
Church .Society of the Diocese
of Huron, which still held title
to' the land, sold the "west
part" to Byron Wilson for $275
and took a mortgage back for
$200. This was discharged in the
following year.
Wilson in 1874 sold this land
to Joseph Williams, who had
the deed drawn in. his wife's
name. They must have had in
mind to build, but perhaps
thought "one rood and. eight
perches" (a quarter -acre and a
bit) too small. They could
hardly have • expected to get
more in that area, but in 1879
the little church burned, and
Williams obtained from the
Church- Society an addition to
his land- He got his deed in 1881.
MANY DIFFERENT
INTERESTS .
Williams owned a great deal
of lumber, held an interest in
several ships and a salt block at
" Port Franks, 0. ned a tug and Williams' 'religious affiliation
scow, and several parcels of ., as "E church," which being
Goderich real estate. interpreted is Church of
Evidently; hoWever, he did not England. The rector at the time
.have the ready cash needed by was the Rev. Mark Turnbull.
the, builder,;• Sharman, for
materials and labor. He
borrowed on mortgage $8,000
from A.M. • Ross, who at the
time was county treasurer,
manager of the Canadian Bank
of Commerce branch .and
member, for West Huron in'the
Ontar io-Leg is lata re:
Sharman stayed right on the
Williams -job,' did not go home
for lunch. It was brought by his
daughter Elizabeth;