The Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-02-28, Page 21William Acheson, head of the dry goods business of Wm. Acheson & Son, built,this house
on Nelson streQt and gave the deed to his son, Robert John, at the time of his -marriage. For
some years recently it was the home of Dr. Jack Leitch, and now belongs to ()fiend R.
Taylor.
George Acheson
"He Prospered"
st
George Acheson, a youth of .CHURCH "PILLARS"
'any, on May 4, 1841, Lot 29 in
10,1eft his father's Huron road the 1Vfaitlatiddoncession, and
Lot
f 1849 and 'came into , John Mitchell, in The Set a. three months later added
arm in
dicli tlearn shoemaking tlement of York County, notes 90, across the road. These lots
voero
are • about six, miles from
Goderich.
The eldest son,, John, was
up for-•hlm1
se f in the boot and and Elm Street Metho only 12 at;:: the time of set-
shoe business. The time came churches. So also it Rwas with tlement. A fifth son (E ward)
when, according to the Huron '• the rising busine" sriien, of was born hire in 1841; and a
Signal, he was the most enter- Goderich, conspicuously in the sixth (James) in 1845, ut the -
prising man. -in town. case' of George Acheson: He latter evidently died in infancy,
tie"Mr. Acheson," the was a trustee and a class leader The, baptismal record of • St.
wsPp a er stated in an 1886' ,at, North Street Methodist George's Anglican „hur h gives
r:r,y�.issue, .
"is u o f 11 f enterprise He,
church `'fora half -century — a the'birthdate, April'27, 1848, of
with James Campbell; one of •. • that seven,' of these.ten men
in town. Two years later he set "pillars" of—the
y '
'three "boot and shoe makers"
were at one time or another,
�Sherbourne
� dist
d
b
C
is one of the few men erecting counsellor, helper - and an Acheson ' daughter,
teacher. Elizabeth, so that ,there were
hero' h six sons and two daughters
new buildings in Goderich this
summer, .. George Acheson has Regrettably, no p gra p
in his employ a large staff of , o., gorge c Joh�i Acheson .((1829-T906), - •
carpent
tinued„ it ' under the old name
until 1'960. Though he was 84
when he gave up business, R.J.
was known to many as "young
Jack to distinguish him from
"Johnny." •
•John 'died:May 1, 1906, "full
of years and honors, after a
well-filled life," the ` Signal
said. He was 77. The
newspa-Per reported that
"having made a competence he
retired in 'favor of his only
son,"' but the •son, John T.
evidently' did •not 1png continue
in business here; when the
father died; John J.,. came to
he fu•t'eral' from Morden,
•
g f G Acheson has been Manitoba.
bricklayers, found, in . church h h b kl t
s or
. •-c
the eldest son of
el Robert,TALENTED DAUGHTERS .
plasterers And laborers.. If . we
sewhere:•
« Ila rnarried ,Mary Sneyd (1837•.
e
had half a dozen men in town Since 1853, , it, was >nec a
-
' 125th an= 1925) and in 1855.took over the
• as .pushing and enterprising as on North Streets ,
-Mir. Acheson, the town would- niyersary, "one Acheson,. -
he a lively hive." usually two , and sometimes
When 'Mr. Acheson died in three have -been . officials at
1907,.aged 76, .he• had spent 58 North Street. - They are.
•
-Willi•an,ohn-`aird'`Gette a;' in
• years in the town..
"He prospere I," the 'Signal the 19th century.,,The ily
said in its obituary . article,' has been here four generatligns:
John and Jane Graham, their
_ and .became •the owner of a mother, Mrs. (Dr.) J.M.
large number of 'business . "Graham; her father, R.J.
Acheson; his. father, , William
Acheson." Mrs. Graham is now
Mrs. (Dr.) W.A. Crawford, of
Wingham:
Whichof ' the Acheson.' no buildings{ but the creek
-
brothers`"-- qualified ° 'as which attracted Robert.
disciplinarian is- not indicated, Acheson's favorable notice in
but the North Street board in 1841 still flows through Lots 99
- and 29 on its' way to the
1890 -appointed "Mr. Acheson"Maitland.
to see that perfect • order was
kept at, an approaching tea'')With capital from his farm'
meeting: sale, John Acheson established,
George made substantial a 'dry goods business in
bequests to North—Street and Goderich and built a large
.the Methodist 'Church: $3,000, house at the southwest corner
to the trustees of North Street;' of Cambria; •Road and Nelson
$2,000 to the General Mission 'Street, where his family grew
Fund; $2,000 to. the Women's ° up., In. his time, a white picket
Missionary Society; $1,000 to fence bordered two sides of the
the Superannuation Fund and, lot, and a couple of big wooden,
$1,000 to the Educational packing cases from the store
Fund. There ;was a bequest of became playhouses for the
2 00'0 to the Ontario W.C.T.0 younger girls.
premises and residence, ... ' A
healthy body, tireless" energy,
strong and courageous will,.
Christian -home training and
clear intellect broughtl iM step,
by step to the honorable and
commanding position he held'
in the .business world."
George Acheson was one of a
group of young •rrien'who turned
industriods' hands to humble
tusks in Goderich, prospered
and became eminent' -in its_
busineai world. He was a cob-
bler.; his brother William "
worked as a saddler. Alexander
Ross learned the carpentry
trade on the way up to bank
°m°anager, member of the
Legislature and Provincial
Treasurer. Horace Horton was
employed as a saddler, his
brother Henry as a blacksmith.
Horace became an M.P. and $ ,
head of the Huron & Bruce and $1,000 to the Goderich John was 47 when he came to
Loan Company. Henry built 'it Hospital. town and founded a business
big grocery' business on The • This narrative is not in any which according to the Signal,
• Square. James aha 'George respect a history of the Acheson "became ,one of the foremost in
,Bissett were carpenters. Jacob family; that task ought to be the -county." The, stock, for
Seegmiller, who built the undertaken by someone with' , some. -time included shoes, but
British Exchange Hotel, was great patience, 'a little money in 1882 the proprietor antoun-'
fii'st, a -"tanner and and a comfortable life expec- ced a 'clearing sale, "as 1 .am
shoemaker." tancy. 'However, the results of - determined to go out of° this
In theearly years of Toronto, current research, as they relate branch of my business. Brother
its 'is` recorded, "ambition" • to • various members of the William; listed in the 1860s as
brought from .provincial places pipneer^familyoiay•be set forth a ,, "manufacturer of saddles•,
harness, collars,' etc.". on
Huron' road farm from his
father, but in 1876 he sold,it to
Samuel Walter. In the Belden Rev. W.S. Jameson; Emma,
Atlas of 1839, a township map -
,-,shows Mr. Walter on this lot,; It
belongs now to Gerry Ginn,
Two of John's daughters had
married ministers, Susan,-.
eldest of ,the family, married
who played, The organ i .fie
Anglican church here, married
Rev. F.N. Hollinrake: Elizabeth .•
deputy -reeve of Goderich town= trained as a nurse at Erin, Pa,
ship and member -of a sioneer
Laura was a violist; she studied
family . which settled • in the at the Conservatory in Toronto,
township evenearlier than the then taught. A Goderich Signal
Achesons„ Mr. Ginn's house item of March; 1902, reported
and farm buildings are ,on Lot her return from a winter tour
28. On. Lot 29, where Robert throughout North America
' Acheson settled, there are now with the Weston Ladies' Syria -
" those who sought a widerfieldbriefly. ,
and a . better chance in com- „ Hamilton Street, is said to have
merce, industry and finance:. '. FERMANAGH FAMILY established his- dry goods
This group of 10 comprised one • business on the Square about
farm boy, one school teacher` George Was barn . at En- • 1890. If so, John's store must
one carpenter, one miller, two niskilleti, in County Fer- *have been in the, block first,
office''.. clerks, two country managh, Northern Ireland, Older ,citizenswill remember
•p.n,.,.
storekeepers and two telegr•Aph... from which area many families the Acheson stores near the
operators, to wit, George A. migrated to Huron, and in, par- Hamilton street corner,
Cox, Timothy baton, Joseph W., ticular Goderich township. He ` William died in 1911, and his
Flavelle, H.B. I-1.pwland, came 4with his parents, four son, Robert, John- (1866-1956),
Donald Mann, . William brother§ and. perhaps one carried on -the business until it
Mackenzie,. E,4,nund Osler,.' sister. The father, Robert, was purchased in 1950 by
Hent Massey and ''E"R -Wood." bought from the Canada Com- George Schaefer, who con
47
•
phony . Orchestra. Ethel was a
pianist and had a piano class
She -Married " R.N. Merritt; of.
Waterloo. Irene was married to
Dr. Charles Lane, of Detroit,
dentist. ---and that would be
Charley "Lane,. 'son of County:
Treasurer William Lane.
'
Mrs ,Elizabeth Dingman,
Toronto, a daughter of Susan
Acheson Jameson, writes' that
"there ,are still some young
descendants whovisit the
„beautiful town of Goderich,
Maitland Cemetery and the r,
Museum „-
Elderly citizens who recollect
any of the Achesons think of
them only -.'as merchants,
whereas two of the brothers
remained, on their • farms.
Robert, Jr., bought Lot 31, Con.
14, in the Holmesville area,.
-from William May in 1857. He
died on the homestead in 1910,
and his widow, Atin Stur:av,
• vrstled the farm to the only son,
George W. It remained in the
family until 1951, There were
four daughters: Mary E.
Calbeck, Susan L. Acheson,
Emma T: Nesbett and Sarah A.
Howell. r
Edward'acheson (1841-1918)
farmed on Lot
•• Concession, from
acquired it from his father, un-
90, .Maitland
1869, when he
John Acheson built this :house at Cambria road and Nelson when he left the Huron road
farm at age 47 to, establish a•,dry goods business in Goderich. Two daughters were noted
sicians• two married clergymen.
Afrom the Nairn estate. in Y900. corner of Victoria and.
til 1901. He married .Mary .
Lindsay, .rnd ' retire.d to Numbered 119., it belongs now sold tt0
Hamilton Streets. He
Goderich in 1907. Ch
SADDLER MANY' YEARS
•
to Gordon B. ap
Is Stanley' Youngblut's. • The big '-feed warehouse, later
former., Acheson house stands • operated by Alex Cooper.
i
man. No. 95 Samuel Slaone as� site. for his .
on two. lots, a half -acre. This It'was' this property, Lot 880,
which i0 1858 qualified George
Acheson as a voter, in the elec
,Wiil.iarn Acheson, head Of .the .property belonged for` some
dry goods -firm of Wm. Acheson years to Erich- Mueller, now of tion .of E�(ecutive Cduttcillors.
& Son, ,was born -in Ireland in Vancouver, He, sold to •Dick- The f- EXe u.tiv C.au • c ilors
,18311,.. and died,,„in Giideri h Worgati9 11tix. A hese i -.owned references orally. -= there
July 5, 1911. According to an • about eight properties ir
° „preferences
elsewhere in town.. no ballots --d the p
Canada article, he came to The William Acheson family shows that A
Canada about the age of six,
learned the trade of saddler consisted of one son and two Thomas Merce
that business daughters: Robert John, Eva' . candidate,
-f
A
le
d g a in
an engage
until about 1890, when William r5. (M Philip Horton) and Min- cess u .
and a flow g Philip Horton entered the ser- rehouse bare a contents
Ser-
•
f
a at announcing the death (June .,
efore' 1891) of Sir John A. Mac -
of 'North here,.and later was manager
vel on the boards
Port_Hope and Mimic°
Street church." � toye•
•
Some 15 years-- before foun-
ding. the dry goods business, w were residents ,o"
Mr. Acheson bought from -the •Mr. Acheson rfa
Canada Company Lot 742 on' • grandchilu
there b�
•the north • side of Trafalgar'
Street and built the large brick 'R J Acheson married Janie„ dealer in boots 'and shoes" on
house now .,numbered 111. It 1ia.rniltcintreet.e adverZisefi
.remained in the Caesar, daughter of Dr. George • •
. Greigs donald. More ,recently, a
eaforth, and gasoline stftion was operated
med two Greig - on this corner.
re in his will, but . A Huron gazetteer of the '
s
not been time to up- early 1,..860s lists George
•
family. Acheson•. as "manufacturer and
date''this
Acheson fami. ,� ' ' dentist, who built his store as "The Red, White
until the death of Mrs. Ac on E• .Caesar,
' the, ., "pebble house" at
21, acid Blue"'He was in business •
in 19'24, a Chatter of half- on • West Street at The Square._
century. Mr, Ac son
• Nelson Street East„ now awned
and occupied by James W. Brit- in 1873, when fire destroyed 13
' bought other, lot. on Trafalgar p business places in the area.•The
Street: No. 74 on which B.C. Hell, county engineer.
(Harry McCreath Montcalm _vol.unteer firemen .arrived with
which.' Mr, Acheson : bought
Munnings, carpentry_cankrac
tor, bu it a house, and 744 Street, was at that wed- their hand pump, to find -that
sale clerk for Tom Gundry, - t
George Acheson's reildence,,,for the latter years of his fife, was 53 North Streit) which he
built about 1903-
ding—siert of.lie. was auction the neatest water .• tank was •
dr who covered with fro ,en nowsand it
conducted the South St. livery, took ,aro hour to uncover i .
and Gundry' requested him, to Later, the town council bought
,drive• a cab on this occasion,' a steam pumper, and installed-
which he did.1 more •tanks. ,
' Mr. Acheson immediately an
. When Jack..' married, -iii-•.-•'nounc'ed his intention .to
father built the big house at 27 rebuild- in brick, the lower floor
Nelson East, occupied not long -• for' stores, the upper floor' for
'r• agii by Dr.. Jack Leitch, and • offices circ a public hall.
gave the deed to the son in In October; 18,82, he adver;
1907.. The land originally tised . that "having recently'
belonged to the Church of retu'rned-,from the city markets,
Scotland. The Leitches called, ' determined to create a panic in
the place _,Achlei, It is owned ,ell directions,",nth r : would be
now by Orland' R. Taylor. :-•, a 'great clearing sale of dry
The 11.J. Achesons had three,goods, readymade clothing and
'children: William.G.C., now of 'buffalo robes; a large lot put -
Toronto; Madeline Victoria
(Mrs. W.A. Crawford),
Wingham, and Mary (Mrs,.
Henry, Toronto;). Mrs, R.J.
Acheson has livecl-•at 16 Elgin
Ave. W., since 1958•
Mention has now been made
of five Acheson brothers: John,
chased 'on a' recent visit to' the
West." - ,
In 1886 his stock included
"dress good's, shirtings and
tweeds," and he offered the
highest . prices for butter- and
eggs. The Signa"l reported that,
he was building it "public hall"
•a
George," Robert, . William and 4 in the block at the Square and
Edward. There were two
Sisters: Mrs. Ford and- M"rs.
Wm. Crooks, both- of Goderich
Township.
Returning to George, the
principal subject of this
`b')darrative, it is recorded that
soon after coming to Goderich
he married in 1952 Sarah
Pollock, and afterher early
death'Ella•S. Cosford, daughter
of the• ,Rev. Thomas
minister of North Street
Methodist,Chur''ch in 1858.60, a
period "in which 'the: building
. ,was remodelled.
One of George's early ven-
tures was the.purchase in 1854
of half tlfe'lot at the southwest
West Street, and that "his new
dwelling houae will be com-
pleted early in the season."
The public hall served for some
years as an "opera house."
'i'Ea.rly• partners' in Mr.
Acheson's dry goods business,
at , various times, were R,W•
Smith (with S.A. McGaw as
L. Johnson and W.D.
n 1887 notice places the
eson and Cox business. "on
the west side of Courtkonse
quare•"
Main part of the Goderich
Nursing Home on Nelson Street
was a George Acheson
• (continues on page 28)
•