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1807 â€" GRIMSBY â€"~ 1927 TWO Sixty years ago Grimsby was known as and commonly called the Forâ€" ty,: deriving its name~ from the Forty Creeck, which was> named by ~"the Indians and travellers who came . up Lake Ontario, its outâ€" let ‘being estimated as about forty miles from the Niagara â€"River. It did not ‘bhoast the same upâ€"toâ€"date faâ€" cilities ‘ that the town now enjoys. Very few people were here at that time and the streets were not very numerouws. (There was Main Street. Oak street was a blind street ending 50 yards south of what now is Elm Street, which was in those days conâ€" cession, and ran from Oak to the Forâ€" ty Creek, near the Model Dairy. Mountain Street was the same as it is + toâ€"day and Gibson Avenue was known as the Mill Road, getting the name from the grist mill which was situated near the now Gibson Avenue Bridge. There was Paton street, Elâ€" izabeth street and Adelaide street and John street, which all ended at and railroad tracks. These might be said to comprise the entire streets. A visit to the Main Street of those days found but very few merchants. Messrs. Palmer and Nelles operated a dry goods and general store where the store of D. E. Anderson now is. E. M. Myles conducted a tinsmith shop where the office of Calder and Hazlewood is situated. Next came the drug store which was operated by J. D. Fitch. Dr. Woolverton‘s surâ€" gery was next in line and was situâ€" ated where the home of James A. Livâ€" ingston now stands. E. E. Loosely‘s tailor shop was in the next building. George Mabey operated a butcher and grocery store in the next building. Then came the Pearceâ€"Marlatt Hotel, which is now the Grimsby Realty ge Cole operated a black smith and woodworking shop where the Bank of Commerce is now built. Charles Moore, who conducted a furniture and undertaking business was next. Alâ€" lison and Wilson conducted a coach building concern, where Phipps the tailor is situated. A man _ named Hurlburt was a sign painter® in a small store where now stands our post office. On Mountain Street was the Founâ€" dry of John H. Grout and Company. who manufactured mowers, â€" reapers and ploughs. The building was burnâ€" ed many years ago, and since ther the present Baptist Church has been erected on the selfâ€"same site. Messrs. George and John Van Dyke operate? Company club house. Conrad Durâ€" ham was the next merchant and operated a ‘butcher and liquor store where one might obtain, so we are told, the.very best whiskey for $1.60 per gallon. Eric Randall‘s grocery store was next and was a part of the Malakoff building. Wm. Forbes operated a hardware store next. Then came the Mansion House, which was managed in those days by Captain . Randall. Wilson‘s Grist and Sawmill was the next on Main Street situated where Hewson‘s basket factory now is. On the other side of the road was the store of H. E. Nelles, also the post office, and was located about where the spacious rotunda of the Village Inn is now situated. W. A. and Georâ€" as carriage and wagon builders near the residence of Dr. J. P..McLay. Joseph Chambers ‘operated a black smith shop on what is now Elm and Mountain. On what is now Gibsor Avenue Bridge W. H. Gurney ran : grist mill, deriving his power from the Forty Creek and by steam. W. W. Kitâ€" chen was the first man to operate 2 canning factory and winery, . whick building was situated where the resiâ€" dence of Mrs. Isaac Walker â€" now stands. Samuel Whittaker had a shoe store near the residence of M. D. Irâ€" viv on Main street West. Number two company drill hall was situated where the Carnegie Library now GRIMSBY 1867 | foot walks, which were placed side by _side. On other streets these plants l were laid lengthwise and the thickly â€"populated districts boasted three | planks. «We are of the opinion that ithese three plank side â€"walks were | erected for the convenience of those ‘ who rode on the old fashioned three !wheele‘d bicycles ~or as: they were \ known in those days, velocipedes. The ‘ two smaller wheels fitted on the outâ€" side planks, and the large front wheel was just able to navigate the centre plank. No doubt the town at that time boasted a byâ€"law, prohibiting the riding of these ancient bicycles on tne side walks. On other streets there was only one plank and during the hot summer days the nails would come out of the planks and the ends would stick up, being drawn up by the sun. We venture to say that many bare foot iboys and girls ‘too had the misfortune to stub their toes on these 1oi1g forgotten plank side \yalks. There is, â€" however, one happy: feature in On John Street Lewis King worked as ‘a cooper, where the factory of Brock Snyder now is. Then came the Great Western Railway station, and the William Konkle hotel, where is now situated the residence of Walter Disher. John Farrell who is still alive at the time of writing conductâ€" ed a shoe store on Depot Street, about where the residence of C. J. Love now is. Next came the Town Hall and Grammar School, which was a two storey structure, with the school room occupying the lower floor. Daniel Campbell was the principal and operaâ€" ted a boarding school, as many as thirty boys at a time being jn resiâ€" dence, some from Oil City Pennsylâ€" vania and other American cities. David Cline operated a bakery shop where the now spacious buildings of the Grimsby Bakery are situated. Next was the office of Alex McKay, who stands. was a carpenter and contractor. This might be said to constitute the busiâ€" ness section of Grimsby in those byâ€" gone days. Not forgetting the fact that R. Gibson operated a large quarry at the Point, where much stone was taken out by those old workers who cut stone and here was found employâ€" ment for many days, more of which vyou will read farther on in this ediâ€" tion CONDITIONS Let us for a few minultes thing upon the conditions under which the peoâ€" ple of those days got about town. Side walks were provided on some streets, but were not of the cement construction that we enjoy toâ€"day. We are told by our worthy friend, Kenneth Grout, to whom we are inâ€" debted for these little pieces of hisâ€" tory from the back pages of Grimsby, that the side walks were constructed on Main Street of twoâ€"inch pine four A view of R. L. Gibson‘s Quarry at what is now "The Point." while it was operating sixty years ago. Stone was cut here for the ‘bridge at Jordan, and many other structures. Note the double track railroad running up the face, a loaded car going down drew the empty one up. (Photo by courtesy of Ken. Grout.) | in talking over those byâ€"gone daysâ€" while they did not have the convenâ€" iences of toâ€"day, they therefore did not have to pay for them. We are told ‘by several old timers that the taxes compared with toâ€"day were practically nil in Grimsby. My! what a grand and glorious feeling it would give us to think that we would not not have to pay taxes. The town constable in those days was William Augustus Cole, who was the village blacksmith, P. B. Nelles was the magistrate and to those gentlemen fell the task of retaining law and order. They had some very good times in those olden days, when families would gather for an evening‘s fun at some hospitable home, where many old time dances and games were held, and in which many of the old time residents of toâ€"day took an active part. We listened to three old gentlemen, whose ages aggregated 252 years, teli of some Oof these old time fiddling contests, and how they walked for miles to attend the dance, oftimes beâ€" ing forced to sleep out all night. The annual fall fair was one of the feature attractionsâ€"lit being held in Smithville one year and Grimsby the next. Transportation to and from the various places was made by horse. Picture for yourself the boys of toâ€" day going calling on their sweetâ€" hearts. Could you imagine them dresâ€" sed in high top boots, with a pair of home spun pants, that the little pieces of wool came off, and a home knitted Kardigan jacket, hitching up the carâ€" riage horse to the buggy and driving off several miles to visit their sweetâ€" hearts. And the hours spent in trainâ€" ing that horse to find its way along the various roads without the driver‘s guidance. By merely wrapping the lines around the whip the old horse knew the road which left the two lovers to themselves. is the office of The Grimsby Indepenâ€" dent, which is owned and operated operated â€"by W. ‘J. Taylor of Woodstock, Ontario, having several daily and weekly pwbications under his control.. He is also publisher of Rod and Gun magazine. This edition of the paper is printed entirely in the office of the Independent, where an excellent class of job work is turned out to supply the manufacuring conâ€" cerns of the town. We leave Main Street and go up Oak street to visit the Lincoln Rubber Products Ltd., where blow out patches and inner tubes for motor cars are manufacâ€" tured. This organization also operaâ€" tes the large plant in our neighboring village of Beamsville. Back to Main Street we visit the Enterprise store on the corner of Main and Oak, which is owned by S. Madger of Dunnville, where the family can be outfitted in wearing apparel. The next store is Now that we havo visited Grimsby merchants and manufacturers of 60 years ago, let us visit Girmsby today. The first office on Main Street which we will visit is that of J. H. Gibson. whose office is situated on the south side of Main Street, where Mr. Gib-l son sells coal and coke, being the agent for the famous Lehigh Vallem coal. The next place of business ig the Universal Garage Company Ltd., which is owned by Messrs. Russ and Laing, who operate one of the largest and most upâ€"toâ€"date garages in the Niagara Peninsula, with a full staff of mechanics who conduct the repair department of their services to the moâ€" toring public. Adjoining their offices is the Auto Electric and Battery Serâ€" vice operated by G. Heathecote and the Radio Shop of K. E. Whyte. Next Visiting Grimsby Main Street in 1927 THE INDEPENDENT, GRIMSBY, ONTARIO Next comes the store of H. Mayer, harness repairer. We then pass the Malakoff building, which is being conâ€" verted into two large handsome stories, while next door is the furniâ€" ture and undertaking establishment of Thorpe Bros. C. W. F. Carpenter‘s insurance and fruit office is next, with pool room of W. F. Randall occupyâ€" ing the upper storey. Descending the stairs ~we next visit the hardware store Oof . P. Brown, where everyâ€" thing in the hardware line is carried. We pass the entrance to the Grimsby Leaving this garage we cross Main Street _and go west to the basket facâ€" tory of A.â€" Hewson and Son. From this manufacturing concern and turnâ€" ing east to Elizabeth street we go down to the factory of the Steel Furâ€" niture Company. Returning to Main Street we visit the office of Pettit and Hastings, Real Estate and Insurance Agents, which brings us into the buildâ€" ing of the Mansion Hotel, which is operated ‘by Mr. E. Johnson. Here we also find the Grimsby office of the Department of Highways. S‘Andrews Church Sunday School Picnic 60 years ago in "Chestnut Orchard" which is now Victoria Park. (Photo by courtesy of Ken. Grout.) that of Patterson, the butcher. Next the barber shop of Messrs. Johnson and Clattenburg. We next visit the store of M. and E. St. John, tobacconâ€" ists. Next is the Men‘s Store, carryâ€" ing a large supply of men‘s furnishâ€" ings, operated by J. H. Culp. Next comes the White Cross Pharmacy, which is owned by Dr. J. F. McLay. We then visit H. Bull who sells footâ€" wear and does neat shoe repairing. Passing by our post office, we come to the novelty store of E. H. Culp, where one can Oobtain imported china. Asâ€" cending the stairs we arrive at the dental office of Dr. W. A. Brownlee and ‘son. Descending the stairs to Main Street again we next visit the Grimsby Branch of the Royal Bank of Canada, with C. D. Wells as manâ€" ager. Passing along Main Street we ascend the stairs to the studio of E. Murdoch, _ photographer. Back to Main Street and directly underneath the studio is the tailor shop of Phipps Bros., who make tailor made suits. Next door we visit Vernon Tuck, the jeweler, then West the barber,. Theal Bros. Grocery comes next and then the cleaning and pressing shop of A. E. Phipps, which is also the headâ€" quarters of the Radio Shoppe, operaâ€" ted by Phipps and Crabbe. Opening the door in the next store we find ourselves in the shipping department of M. Ofield and Sons Ltd., growers af roses, Leaving this place we next visit one .6f Grimsby‘s oidest busiâ€" nesses, that of A. F. Hawke, where house furnishings, wearing apparel, :anlgf-ugg}‘i‘eé for evéry ”Vmeffii'b‘er_or 7 thg family may be purchased. â€" Leaving ‘Nlainf%g}jegpianfd going up the lane we arrive at the office of the Big _ Three, which is operated by Wallace Bromâ€" ley, %anitary and > Heating:> Engineer, H.~ Metcalfe, â€" Eleetrician and D. Cloughley Tinsmith land heating exâ€" pert. & _ & E.. o amtaay Back to Main Street again we visit the store of D. E. Anderson, Grocer, and then the Dominion Cafe, with the grocéeryâ€" store of C. J. Love, next. Boulter‘s Meat Market is the next place and then the Busy Bee Restaurâ€" ant and Ice Cream Parloutr, which is operated byâ€"Wm. Chivers & Sons. We are now immediately in front of the Grimsby Town offices and Fire Staâ€" tion. Continuing along Main Street we come to the store of C. H. Mcâ€" Ninch, tnsmith, and going east we pass Moore‘s Theatre and on up the hill to the Grimsby Garage, the home of the Chevrolet car. Still further on we arrive at the office of the Fonger Sales Company, wholesale lumber merâ€" chants. This might be said to be a short trip around the Main Street of our Town. Manufacturing‘ concerns and other business houses situated without the boundaries that we have covered will be mentioned elsewhere in this issue. Grimsby Village taken from the old Quarry sixty Out on the street again we pass the res dence of James A. Livingston and arrive at the office of the Bell Teleâ€" phone Compan;’ while immediately east is the Drug Store of Wm. Stewâ€" art Co. _ We next visit one of the oldâ€" est established businesses, that of Farâ€" rell‘s Shoe Store. Ascending the adâ€" joining stairs we enter the office of G. B. McConachie, barrister, who is also the town solictor, Along the hallway we find the office of Dr. V. Farrell, dentist and the Rite Beauty Shop, opâ€" erated by Miss V. Rittenhouse. Descending the stairs to Main Street we next visit the Grimsby Bakery, where bread and bake shop delicacies can be had. Next door is the White Store that saves you money, when outâ€" fitting your farmily, operated by S. Leven, with the wall paper and paint shop of M. E. Chester coming next, and after that is the store of H. Hillier & Son, stationers, carrying school supâ€" plies, etc. Continuing along Main Street we visit. the office of Calder and Hazelwood, with R. Calder as solicitor and R. M. Hazlewood as Real Estate and Insurance Broker, while the upâ€" per flat of the last three stores is the manufactur ng. concern of the Grimsâ€" By Néekwear" .~ _. _ [we Oy .c‘ Lawn Bowling Club and come to Flett‘s barber shop and next door we find the Hotel Grimsby, with Gordon Hannah, the proprietor. Leaving this hotel we visit Irvin Olmstead the butâ€" cher, and next the store of R. Moxâ€" ley, plumbing and heating engineer, where the office of the Dominion Exâ€" press is also located, with M. Frampâ€" ton in charge, and the office of T. E. Mannell Realtor and Contractor. _ Going down Depot‘we arrive at the Grimsby Bakery, where bread and pastry is made. Crossing the road and coming towards Main Street again we next visit the office of C. H. Kirk, Inâ€" surance agent, while immediately next is situated the, office of the G. Li Eaâ€" ton Co., coal and wood merchants, who sell Scranton Coal. In looking up old minute books of the town and its early days one will find the Masonicâ€" Lodge mentioned many times during the early days. When one considers that Grimsby‘s Masonic Lodge Union No, 7 is 127 years old one cannot help realizing that a Masonic Lodge was founded long before Grimsby was known. We are indebted to the Lodge for a copy of the history compiled by the late Grand Master, W. J. Drope. This hisâ€" tory was presented to the Lodge by him on the hundredth anniversary occasion. § In the dying days of the eighteenth century, when the fruitful plains of this "Garden of Canada‘" were covered with primeval forests that had seen but little of the pioneer‘s axe, eight good men and true banded themselves together for the purpose of establishâ€" ing a lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the Township of Grimsby. Theirs was no easy task when we take into consideration how difficult were the means of communication, and how sparsely was the country populated in those early days. Some of them had to travel several miles to thei: place of meeting, and the regularity of their attendance at their monthly communicatipns was but an evidence of the enthusiam and enterprise disâ€" played by our greatâ€"grandfathers in all their undertakings. Jonathan Woolverton, the first Senâ€" ior Warden, came,Ffrom New Jersey, and settled in Gfimsby in 1798. He was a man of distinetion in the United States, and held civil and military positions there. For thirtyâ€"five years he was a resident of Grimsby, and during that time was a faithful. :and useful member of Union Lodge. He was electer Master to succed Wor. Bro. Robt. Nelles. On December 17th, 1799, the Lodge was instituted, and the following ofâ€" ficers were installed by R. Wor. Bro. Sylvester Tiffany, Grand Secretary. Robert Nelles, Worshipful Master. Jonathan Woolverton, Senior Warden Allan Nixon, Junior Warden. â€" John Footer, Secretary. Jonathan Moore Treasuirer. George Ransier and James Henry, Deacons. Stephen Coon, Tyler, These are the men who were the fathers of Masonry in Grimsby, an it is tp commemorate their untiring energy and devotion to the Craft that we are assembled here this afternoon. Any of those present who are familiar with the genealogy of some of the leading families of Grimsby, will reâ€" cognize that several of these names have been perpetuated in our midst to the present time, and that they have been indelibly stamped on the map of this gection of our country. f HISTORY OFâ€"UNION LODGEâ€" ~Concerning" the first Master of Union Lodge, Wor. Bro. Robt. Nelles, I=®aim ‘in-d‘ebt-gd.'to an early history of Grimsby for the following:â€" _ "¢"*~~ * "Col. Robt. Nelles, with his father and two brothers, were the pioneers of Grimsby, having settled here in 1783. He was a man of strong will and great endurance, was a valiant warrior, and was often employed in carrying despatches of a confidential nature, and under difficult cireumâ€" stances. On one occasion, Feb. 14th, 1780, he and four Indians were so driven and sourrounded by a superior force of Continentals, that they could only escape by swimming the Oswego river, near its mouth. Nelles and one Indian only, made good their escape, though the bullets whizzed about their heads. Their clothes were soon frozen on them, and they had no means Oof drying them except the heat of their bodies, until they reachâ€" ed Fort Niagara. 5 .Nelles became a member of Parliament in 1800, and lived in his comfortable residence in Grimsby to a good old age, having filled many places of position and trust." . To Allan Nixon, the First Junior MASONIC years ago. (Photo by courtesy of Ken. Grout.) Wednesday, August 10, 1927 "If any member come disguised with liquor, he shall be admonished by the presiding oficer for the first offence; for the second of a similar nature, he shall be fined one Spanish Dollar, and if a third offence of like nature should occur, that member shall be excluded and reported to Grand Lodge." § On June 24th, 1802, an oration was delivered by Bro. Phelps, C'hai)lain of the Lodge, and the sum of $4.00 was paid h‘m for his services. After the oration, the brethren marched in good order to the house of Bro. Woolverâ€" ton, where they partook of an excelâ€" lent dinner with some refreshment, and the cost was but £3 98. In fact for a number of years these excellent dinners with the necessary refreshâ€" ment, were partaken of on St. John the Baptist‘s and St. John the Evanâ€" gelist‘s days. THE LODGE ENTERS THE FIELD oF BUSINESS During the first twentyâ€"eight years of the existence of the Lodge, the meetings were held in nine different places. I have had as much difficulâ€" ty in locating these as is experienced in locating the battle field of Stoney Creek; but of one thing I am quite certain, namely that only ~one of these buildings is now standing, and that of the stately stone residence near St. Andrew‘s Church, built in 1798, by Col. Robt. Nelles, and now owned and occupied by his grandâ€"dauâ€" On February 6th, 1800, the first inâ€" itiations took ‘place, the candidates being John Pettit, David Wilcox, Henâ€" ry Hixson, and William Harrington.. The members of the Lodge held -&'ule respect for the temperance procliviâ€" ties of their fellowâ€"members, for on July 3rd, 1800, a motion was passed, providing "that Bro. Pettit pay only one shilling each night, instead of two shillings, as he took no refreshment." Great difficulty was experienced in these â€" early . days in collecting the dues. Money. was scarce, and very frequently. mention is made in the minutes, where members paid their dues by notes and due bills. These three ‘brethren, along with many others of the Craft, sleep in the pretty little cemetery of St. Andrew‘s Church, at the foot of the mountain yonder. Warden, belongs the distinction of having made the first tools and imâ€" plements of the Lodge., OF sUNDRY RESTRICTIVE PRO.â€" VYISIONS A constitution was drawn up and approved of ‘by the Lodgo on Decemâ€" ber 27th, 1799. Amongst other clauses, the following may prove of interest: "‘The Lodge shall meet at John Foote‘s tavern at the Forty Mile Creek or elsewhere in the Township of North Grimsby, on every Thursday, on or preceding the full moon." "If any brother in the Lodge curse or swear, lay or offer to lay wagers, or use any reproachful language in derogation of God‘s name or corrupâ€" tion of good manners, he shall be fined at the discretion of the Master and the majority." "Every brother shall appear in clean decent apparel, with proper clothing, and shall observe a due deâ€" corum while the lodge is engaged in what is serious and solemn." "If any member be absent one hour after the time appointed, he shall be fined 1}6d, lawful money of this provâ€" ince, and if absent the whole night, one Spanish dollar, except in case of sickness, or if he live more than three miles from the place of meeting, or some good and sufficient reason. The fines thus paid are to be devoted to a fund for the relief of indigent brethâ€" ren." "Any member, (past officers exceptâ€" ed) refusing to serve in any Ooffices of the Lodge shall be fined as follows: For the Master, 7|6d; Wardens and Secretary, 2]6d; for Deacons, 1|." HISTORY (Continued on page 5)