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QB THE OSHAWA TIMES, Seturdey, June 24, 1967 mm H Ti PREMIER FROM OSHAWA Perhaps no: Oshawa pioneer family has made a greater con- tribution to Oshawa than the Conants, who for six generations have been residents of the area J and played major roles in the ee industrial and cultural life of the community, Not long after Benjamin Wil- son, the first white settler, built himself a home near Bluff Point, east of Oshawa Harbor, Roger Conant came from Salem, Mass., in October 1778, and settled about three miles east of the harbor. He was a direct descendant of the Roger Conant who came from Devon- shire, England, as one of the Pilgrim Fathers in 1623. Mr. Conant received the first crown grant of land Dec. 31, 1778. It consisted of Lots, 28, 29, 30 and 31, Broken Front Con- cession, Darlington Township and totalled some 1,200 acres. After returning to Massa- chusetts, he brought his family to the Oshawa area in 1792. He engaged in fur trading and amassed considerable wealth with which he bought more land. It is also recorded that he shipped salmon in barrels to the United States. The line of the Conant family in the Oshawa area comes down through Roger's youngest son, Thomas, who was a young boy when his father settled in the area. Thomas followed in his father's footsteps as a fur and general trader and became the owner of large tracts of land. His career was cut short in 1838 at the time of the rebellion when he was murdered by a despatch rider on the Kingston Road, be- | Company and the Western Bank | Savings Co. and the Western tween Oshawa and Bowman- ville. The next in line of succession was his son, Daniel, who inherited the ambition and energy of his grandfather. As a young man he acquired a fleet of ships. He was also a lumber producer and one of the leading lumber dealers of his day. With David Annis, a member of an- other United Empire Loyalist family, he built the first lumber THIS PHOTOGRAPH of mill on the Oshawa Creek, just north of Thomas Street. The mill| *®@ Hon. Gerdon D. Conant was published on the front had a capacity of 4,000 feet of page of the Evening Tele- noted that the gram Oct. 22, 1942, the day he was sworn in as Prime Minister of Ontario. It was lumber a day. Oshawa It is recalled that one of his adventures involved the taking, a i in mid-winter, of a group of 70 South. gave unstintingly of his time and patriots from Oshawa to] In that house, Jan, 11, 1885, |energy to the betterment of the Oswego, N.Y. in his ship 'In-|Gordon Daniel Conant, the fifth}community, helping to organize dustry." Members of the crew|generation of the family in Can-|the chamber of commerce were forced to make the return|ada was born. His contribution|which he served as vice-presi- journey on foot when their ship|was outstanding because he de-|dent for several years and as became stuck in the ice some|voted himself to public services|President in 1930 and 1931, He distance from Oswego. 'To|to a greater degree than any of|Was for many years a director Daniel also goes the credit of|his forefathers. 7 jot ~ vn gfthhen hy Ho gt we giving Whitby a deep-water har-| Educated at the Universit Gf [Sue RAEN eG: Be presen bor although it cost him much|Toronto and Osgoode Hall. he 1926 to 1932. He was also presi- of his land. He continued as alset up a law practice in Oshawa | dent of the Rotary Club in 1928- trader until his death in 1879. |about 1919. Soon his flair for|2? Next in line was Thomas, a/Ppublic service became apparent] Mr. Conant had a brilliant son of Daniel, who made aname|and in 1914 he was elected|career as a barrister and was for himself as a traveller and|deputy reeve of the town. The|appointed a King's Counsel in writer. His journeys included following year he became reeve|1933. He became crown attorney two trips around the world. Dur-|a@nd in 1916 and 1917 he was|for Ontario County in 1934 and ing the American Civil War in|Mmayor. held the office until 1937 when 1861, he visited President Abra-| He was a member of the old |he resigned to contest the pro- ham Lincoln in the White House | water commission from'1920 to|Vincial riding in the interests of in Washington and received a|1927. He returned to council as|the Liberal party, -- to visit the army of thejan allerman in 1928 and when| Soon after his election in tomac. He completed his days|the first Public Utilities Com- October, 1937, Mr. Conant was quietly with his books and volu-|mission was set up in 1930 hejnamed attorney - general in minous writing in the Conant|was one of the original members|Mitchell F. Hepburn's cabinet. homestead on Simcoe Street/and served for two years. He'On Mr. Hepburn's retirement in citizen "at the wheel of the HMCS Ontario" was a good helmsman and a keen sailor -- when he had time for such relaxation. 1942 he became prime minister and held the office until the fol- lowing May when he retired. He subsequently. became master of the Supreme Court of Ontario. During his years at Queen's Park, Mr. Conant was the cen- tral figure in a number of im- portant matters. He organized the first security forces which guarded hydro plants during the }war; made the first tax agree- jment with the federal govern- ment; piloted the first On- tario Labor Relations Act through the legislature and with Quebec for the joint de- velopment of electrical power on the Ottawa River. Mr. Conant retired from his position with the Supreme Court in 1952 and resumed the prac- tice of Jaw in Oshawa with his son, Roger. His death Jan. 2, 1953, brought to an end a dis- tinguished career. srr me mr Tide Turned By McMillan Seldom has one man con- tributed so much to the life of a town as did T. H. McMillam who served as general manager of the Ontario Loan and Savings in Oshawa. | Born in Pickering Township in| August 1839, as a young man| he moved to Whitby where he| established and operated a gen-| eral store for some years. He| served as a member of the Whitby Town Council and be- came one of the early wardens of Ontario County. His only education was that, received in a small country school and his only commercial | experience came through his| operation of the store in Whitby. | Despite these limitations when) he became associated with John and W. F. Cowan in 1873 he managed the Ontario Loan and) NATIONALLY KNOWN BRAND SHOES Bank with outstanding skill. He took over the manager- ship of the trust company at a critical period in the town's his- , tory. Local industries were ex- periencing a depression which had brought them to the verge! } WOMEN of insolvency. | ; @ Empress @ Naturolizer It was then that Mr. McMil-| f @ Joyce @ Murray-Selby lan, associated with W. F.| Cowan helped tide the town over | ® precarious period. Together MEN they were the leaders in laying a deep and strong foundation of @ Hartt @ MacFarlane @ Hush Puppies FOR YOU and the CHILDREN TOO @ Playboys Mr. McMillan was the first and only manager of the Ontario Loan and Savings Co. and direc- ted its long and fruitful career extending over 40 years. He be- came even more prominent in Oshawa affairs as the manager of the Western Bank, a post he held from the time of its forma- | tion to its amalgamation with the Standard Bank in 1909. Thereafter, until his death in 1917, he was a director of the Standard Bank. | the present industrial Oshawa. _ | ANNEXATION Cedar Dale, lying between, Bloor Street and Lake Ontario | with a population of 1,256, was | annexed in 1922 by the town of | Oshawa: Land involved am-/| ounted te 1,196 acres, | CHILDREN @ Savage @ Orthopedic and Clinic Shoes SPECIALISTS IN CHILDREN'S FITTINGS DAVIDSON 31. Simcoe Metth @ Packards SHOE 725-3312 @ Dress & Play Shoes DOCTOR PRESCRIPTIONS ACCURATELY FILLED (Oshawa) Ltd. of Ko STORE Since 1905 Downtown Oshawa FOUR MEDICAL OFFICERS First Board Of Health Formed Here In 1884 Oshawa's first board of health|awa did not have a MOH, but|to build an isolation hospital, was established 88 years ago|following a severe case of small-|but not until the next year by a small group of citizens|/pox in 1905, an accelerated in-|with the prevalence of commu- who requested town council to|terest in public health matters|nicable di diptheria and pass a bylaw of the Health|ignitedin the town. scarlet fever was it received. Act of 1884. The spread of the disease for-|But a building on the purch- Many of these men became|ced the health department to|ased property at Park Road members of the first board.|close up wells, cesspools and/South was not built as the board They were: L, C. Smith; J. F./earth closets within certain}was able to curb the spread Tamblyn; Robert S. McLaugh-|boundaries of the town. jof the diseases with vaccina- lin; C. A. Jones; William Read-| Sewers, compulsory vaccina-|tion and immunization. win; C. A. Mallory; G. L. Nott; |tion and prohibition of rubbish William Glenny; Mayor Dr.|burning were introduced at the |HOSPITAL Francis Rae and town clerk,|turn of the century. The Oshawa Hospital Wom- C. W. Smith who acted as sec- Agitation mounted for a mu-|en's Auxiliary raised $1,000 in ce Constable: Witan av | ete ee ee caen tla frst pable conscription vee] we ef Constable William Hal- : i Ann F ] oes eet RO HE lsat as tie core, pe . cating ay Pe 1S aml Y turning down the opportunity to spector and he immediately in-|TOnnE was also considered. ee purchase 100 acres of land which he first pumping station and/hospital on Alma Street. Osh- spected cellars and began a|? E | Pi 'now forms part of the General campaig n to clean up town gut-|Water supply was started in|awa General Hospital was for- ar y 1oneers 7" add plant. / 1904 when mains were built , ; F ws pene A sd took" Months: from the lake to the town|™ally opened Aug. 13, 1910 Among those who brought| David Annis gained promin- itiat i dor town vemdduts' whi through Cedar Dale which was|Providing 16 beds and the lat- their families to the area dur-jence through his association itiated for i est hospital equipment. fing the first years of settle-| with Daniel Conant in the build- _jthen a_ separate village. It pale { ; et ag winapi Sort cost $135,000. A veterinarian and meat in-| ent was Charles Annis, .who/ing of the first sawmill on the DR. C. C. STEWART DR. T. W. G. McKAY Appointed in 1957 served for 40 years OU Me when 18 years of age he bought two small calves only after negotiated the first agreement Back in 1849 we Sold gas by the pound! Pounds sterling, that is. Consumers' Gas was servi ng the needs of Canadians sixteen years before Confederation--when pounds, shillings and pence was the legal tender here. In those days, the price of gas was around $9.31 for a month's cooking bill. Today, a month's bill for the same amount of cooking with natural gas is $2.95 maximum. That's something to think about in these days of rising costs. This economy, plus the cleanliness and efficiency of Natural Gas are prime reasons why our services are gaining increasing acceptance for home, commercial and industrial use. Y Z : * tie Ge Aang Fo the Consumers' Gas Company of Coronis, oe oon Pe Me PT ae Cth Rows LISA thee For, Re ante int 00 ie we Deco pet cent 2 Waa ges oo Te a! ee <---- M i Rules xu . an i ireres from the et of Jororperation ond ules of the;Cousamers' Gas Company of Toronto, AN cemawars orth tien ¢ Chlorination of the water sup-|Spector were appointed in 1924 i Yon-|Oshawa Creek, near Thomas gig has had only four|Ply and a nursing service Paes and the board took over school khong oer gh altar fete Street. The lumber was float- medical officers of health, ainee provided in 1919. The Canadianjnursing and dental services inlwa-sachusettes after the Amer-|ed down the creek to the lake its inception in 1884. Dr. Fran-|Red Cross supplied an office|the board of education system}... Revolutionary War. jand~- loaded into schooners, cis Rae was the first officer|Cletk and equipment for the|two years later, Well Baby Cli- nee ge owned by Conant and Annis, f , ri h |nurse's office at Prince andjnics were opening all over the! Annis first settled in Toronto for shipment to ports along the of health and he held the poste hmong Streets city. |but decided to move to the south shore of the lake Hund coal ie tet van Kay The waterworks pumping sta-| [Venawe Abea nem: she moult William another early mem- wie warved tor @ yseia afax tion 'on the shore of Lake On- HELPED INDUSTRY ee ig Saag fa td i the Niky: one eal nor oh ter Dr. ak F. rggiine # was Heciis. Arae te ato when | William McGill arrived in|Creek. With his two sons, Levi and despatches from York to 1 Seeaen tha isn |e of dintheria, including| Oshawa in 1821 and later be-|and David, he cleared 31 acres Skea's Corners on horseback. awed I Dr. C.*C. Stewart is the city's|Six deaths, were reported in the|came Reform Convention candi-|°%f land during the summer of} During the late 1920's and ssent health officer. He was|Oshawa area. date and @ tember of Hs on.|1808 and planted fall wheat. The/39's Allin F. Annis was assoc- dent w Son ge wget 88) "Dr. D. S. H. Haig, Dr. T. E. first grain from the land wasliated with Gordon D. Conant genta at : Kaiser and Rev. Talbot petit.|'#70 Assembly in 1867 where he|marketed at Bowmanville by|in the practice of law here and seorch SMALLPOX ioned the people of the town |ided the establishment of indus-|the son, Levi. later served as crown attorney Between 1896 and 1905, Osh-lfor financial support in 1905,|try in Oshawa. Another story of Levi is that|of the county prior to his death, vastly our col Today, " Scie Centre | | fhe beet mand be peel gente ote me mdb wee ne | Lectone mete ommerers ofl Non Het, net afl brie. sunt tr rutmrahhed withia tre mination other the teow sentrested fim EXP067 | 1 Prats tecemony Gen termina sts tan fs toca afar Los Xe hipg tn suena en of (ON MACKAY PIER, NEAR WE i mf . pyc age ge = STERN ENTRANCE | is hes Sate eet nen Ot? amie, Lee Gemtertabie lounge, drometc daploy, women's activin deity eee perch - Gonsumers' (as 29 CELINA ST. OSHAWA 723-3468