The Huron Expositor, 1966-08-04, Page 8• $-.TkfR HURON WO5ITOR, SEARI?RT}t. ONT., AUG. 4, 1946
a History by Isabelle Campbell
ed from last week)
f
(Continued Box. Prof. Tavernor had aGlass of
LODGES, SOCIETIES AND CLUBS
•
• - Seaforth, from a very early date, had severa
lodges, societies and clubs. Judging from the increas
as time went on one would conclude that this was
town of "joiners"
On January 27, 1859, The Independent Order o
Grand Templars, Huron Temple, No. 308, was organ
ized. By 1866 or earlier they had built and were meet
ing in their Temperance Hall on the corner of Temper
ance and Side St. The Masonic Brittania Lodge No
170 got its charter in July, 1865. There was a Loyal
Orange Lodge No. 937, before 1869, and early in the
1870's, The Independent Order of Oddfellows was or-
' ganized. This lodge moved into its new lodge room in
1874, Very soon two more lodges were added, The In-
dependent Order of Forresters and The Sons of Scot-
land.
Others not so well known had groups here from
the 1880's, such as Ancient Order of United Workmen,
L 0, B. Union, Royal Arcanum, Order of Samaritans,
A. 0. U. W., and Supreme Circle of the Canadian
Home Circle, which was, a social and insurance society,
as were a few of the others. The Knights of Labor As-
sembly, by June, 1886, had a membership - of over sev-
enty, with more joining every meeting. Edelweiss
Rebekah Lodge No. 117, was organized on May 10,
1912. The first officers were : Noble Grand, Mrs.
Charles Aberhart; recording secretary, Miss Margaret
Smithers ; financial secretary, Miss Alena Kenchen,
who was later the wife of Senator William H. Gold-
ing; treasurer, -Mrs. T. G. Scott. In 1928 The Ladies
Orange Benevolent Society got its charter, with Mrs.
Charles Adams worthy. mistress. The Order of the
Eastern Star was organized in -the spring of 1946. The
first worthy matron and worthy patron were Mr. and
Mrs. Helmar Snell and the secretary was Mrs. Har-
vey Mason: _
By the 1880's there was a - Caledonian Society,
Choral. Society, and a Rifle Association. The first meet-
ing of the Mechanics Institute Literary Society -was
held in December, 1885. Prof. Charles Fitzer gave
dancing Iessons in 1880, and was followed by W. T. , r
WEDDING INVITATIONS
THE HURON ,EXPOSITOR
Phone 527-0240 • : • . Seaforth
February, 1881. There was an active25 Y.M A. in on in
At that time council granted permission for the
1 their own cost, to tap the water main and drain
e the main sewer, with the obJect of establishinga in their rooms. In March, 1898, an Astronomy S
was organized. A new enterprise, The New Yo
ciety of Self Culture in August, 1907, was intro
- into the town by Messrs. Smith and Eddy of To
7. A Horticultural Society was formed - in 1907, b
disbanded in 1939. In 1914, The Red Cross Society
• organized with Mrs. A. E. Colson, the first presi
This group is still active. The president is now
W. E. Butt. The Seaforth Junior Women's Inst
was founded February 3, 1928, with 34 members. P
dent, Mrs. H. Bristow, first vice, Mrs. George Mc
ney ; second vice, Mrs. Ross Savauge; secretary -
surer, Miss Norma Jeffery. This is now Seaforth
men's Institute. A Home and School Association
organized by the early 1930's.
Earlier than the middle 1880's, there was a
forth Poultry Association. In December, 1885, the
forth and Stratford Associatirons decided to ama
mate and have a union exhibition held in Seaforth
Stratford alternately once each year.
The Union Cricket Club began in 1862 with
members. Dr. `T. T. Coleman was president and Tho
P. Bull, secretary -treasurer. In the year 1866, a C
Club was organized. The president was Dr. Cole
and the secretary -treasurer, T. P, Bull. In the 18
there was an enthusiastic Bicycle Club. For a num
of years in the 1930's there was a flourishing Ho
shoe 'Club. The members played on the vacant lot
North Main Street, owned by Merton Reid, just no
of his home and office. The Kinsmen Club was org
ized November, 1957, with Jack Webb president. T
second service club only. remained aetive till Dece
ber, 1959. Other clubs are dealt with more fully el
where.
OUTMODED BUSINESSES
Some businesses flourished for a time then pet
d out, because of changing conditions or for otil
easons.
On Goderich Street, in the 1870's, Mrs. Grieve
cleaned, turned and dyed straw and felt hats. Miss
Carrow on Market 8t., in 1878, Miss A. Stark, on
Main St., and . Miss E. Ross, above W. N. Watson's in-
surance office, made switches, braids and curls from
hair combing into the early 1900's. In . 1876, E. F.
Spencer was cleaning feather ticks and pillows at A.
McKay's old stand, north of Wilson's Egg Emporium.
William Pyper did the same work in "Little Scotland"
much later.
In the middle 1880's, Cox and Co. had a stock
brokers office on' -Main .St., and in October, 1927, a
Stock board opened in the Commercial Hotel. The
United Credit Co. opened an office in the early 1930's,
but only .continued in business a short time. Seafort
Community Credit Union Ltd., organized in the 1950's,
dissolved in the spring of 1961.
Gabriel Reeves and later his sons, George and
Fred, were in the lightning rod business from the 1880's
till the middle 1930's, when lightning rods were not
considered any more to be a necessity. Robert 11. Barr
had a dye works in the 1890's on North Main St., and
also sold hedges. Also in the 1890's William N. Walk-
er made mattresses 'and sewed carpet in one of McGin-
nis' stores. He took wood in exchange for his work.
Carpet was woven by Mrs. Donovan on Louisa St.,
and Mrs.,James Ryan on George St., till the early 1900's.
In September, 1930, Ed Bright opened a "Tiny
Tim" Golf Course on North Main -St., on the lots where
Seaforth Lumber Ltd., 'later built new houses. This
project lasted no more than two . seasons. As can be
seen from these items, time brings changes and will
continue to do so as time . rolls on.
More than a' hundred years have come and gone
since Andrew Steene settled in the swamp. This story
has told something.of what he and other pioneers with
vision, brawn, determination and 'courage have accom-
plished by converting the Signboard Swamp into a
thriving village by 1868, and a booming town by 1875.
Others since have carried pn the work of expansion
and improvement, through times of prosperity and
depression, till we, the present citizens, have today a
town of which we are justly proud, and a place that
also stirs up memories, and warms the cockles of the
heart of the old boys and girls when they hear about or
return to their old home town.
If the citizens of the future are of the calibre of
the early founders and those who followed them, we
need never fear that the shadow of the town will grow
less with the passing of the years. This might well
have been the motto of the past and also one for the
future: "Got an impossible task to do? Get busy and
do it".
1892.
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DID YOu KNOW
...that Sun >f of Gouda is Me
cithe world's )fife insomnia
companies,
ids,
LSO branch a
Amities?
As the San Li*
atibe he pour. coammoilii
JOHN J. WALSH
Phone 271-3000 - 48 Rebecca St., STRATFORD
Sun Life Assurance Company of .Canada
Short of Funds
For. Vacation?
Borrow From
CLINTON COMMUNITY
CREDIT UNION , LIMITED
482-3467
The Annual
Midsummer
CLEARANCE
SALE
Aft
continues
at
THE END
M rs inMcAs-h-
Feecj
on Anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. John 'MeAsh,
Varga, , .celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary with open
house at their home on Sun-
day, July 17, in afternoon and
evening, when 200 guests gath-
ered to Offer _ congratulations
and good wishes.
On the Friday evening • prev-
ious, they were taken by the
family to the Dominion Hotel,
Zurich, • where they enjoyed a
dinner in honor of this occa-
sion. Following this they were
presented ro°wi;th an AM/FM
radio.
John McAssh, son of the late
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. McAsh,
Varna, and Myrtle Keys, daugh-
ter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Will
liam L. Keys, of the Babylon
Line, Stanley Township, and
later of Seaforth, were married
at the home of the bride's par-
ents, Seaforth, on July 18;1916,
with the late Dr. J. M. Keys,
brother of the bride and the
late Rev. James Foote, cousin
of the groom, officiating.
On the return from their
wedding trip, they took up resi,
dence in Varna where Mr. Mc -
Ash was postmaster as well as
general merchant.'
Both are members of Varna
United •Church. where Mr. Mc -
Ash has been an elder for a
good many years as was his
father and grandfather before
him, His son William serves at
present. Mrs. McAsh has been
organist at different times and
is a life.. member of the UCW.
Guests were welcomed by
the family with Peggy McAsh.
in charge of, the guest book.
The first to arrive was Mr. Me -
Ash's only sister, with her 'soii
and his wife, from Pontiac,
Mich. Others were from Florida,
Port Huron, Flint. Shelbourne,
Orillia, Kitchener and London.
The tea table was 'covered
with a gold- trimmed, fringed
white cloth and centred with
roses and' baby's breath, flank-
ed with white and gold tapers.
A three -tiered wedding cake
added to the decor.
Pouring tea in the afternoon
were Mrs. Mary Sinclair, Mrs.
'blue -coal'
Champion Stove and
Furnace Oil
WILLIS DUNDAS
Office 527-0150 -'Res, 527-1053
•
Mabel Neil, Mrs. Mildred Orr
and Mrs. Ariel MacKenzie; in
the evening Mrs,' Will J. Clan,.
Mrs. Richard Robinson, Mrs.
Nora Keys and Mrs. Dorothy
Talbot, Group one of the UCW
of Varna, served.
The celebrants were the re-
cipients of many' beautiful
gifts, flowers, cards, phone
messages, including one from
Weston, and a congratulatory
scroll from Hon. John Roberts
and Hon, C. S. MacNaughton,
M.P.P. for Huron.
They have two sons, William,
who took over the store in
1946 and the Post Office a few
years later and Floyd .of Ham-
ilton, Music Supervisor of _Dun-
das Public Schools, also on the
Faculty of the Royal Hamilton
College of Music. They have
four grandchildren.
Mr. and Mrs. McAsh extended
thanks for all the gifts, flowers,
cards, the UCW and to all those
who helped in so,nany ways
to make the day' such a happy
occasion.
1965' CLASSIC SEDAN
1961 CHEV ? BISCAY'NE--6 Cylinder
1960 CLASSIC
1960 MERCEDES, (gas)
1959 FORD
•
Here Are New 1966 Models
Still Available
1966 AMBASSADOR
1966 AMERICAN 220
MILLER MOTORS
Phone 527-1410 ' . Seaforth
Looking for an investment that offers
Security Pius Extra Interest?
ET 514% SIMPIF. 1NTERESJ
WITO TOHONTOIIOMINION
BYEAR $iLVINO$ OEHflFICA!Eg
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anytime if you need the money.
Go -Ahead people bank on
TORONTO -DOMINION
The -Bank where people make the difference.
W. D. STEPIIENSON, Manager
Seaforth, •Ont.
'12591
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s
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1
r
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...;.::•.:•
one ordinary penny
won't buy an egg -or a slice of bacon.
butes■w
one hydro penny
will cook ten bacon -and -egg breakfasts
for two in an electric'fry pan.
YOUR HYDRO PENNY IS THE BIGGEST
PENNY'S WORTH IN ONTARIO TODAY
seAroirm
OLIO IrriLITIES
•
•
OFF Fott THE AFTERNOON ON ?HEWN btt)14 FERRY 1908.
cARLIMG CINCI WAS26 YEAROLD.
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