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WSE JOURNAL, Oakv4Sle-Tr«#aIgar, Centennial! $mrk, JAMES HOLLIDAY CONSTRUCTION LIMITED HUSBANDMAN'S DESCENDANTS Sumners Came Here In 1800 Settled First In Esquesing The Sumner family of Oakville .aoes its direct descent from Hoger Sumner of Bicester, Oxford shire, husbandman (farmer to us) who died in 1608. His grandson William S. a lawyer, settled in | Dorchester, Mass., in 1636 and | from then on the line includes a mariner, a physician and a minis ter, uniil we meet William Sum ner, again a farmer who moved from New Hampshire to Canada in 1800 and died in Esquesing Twp. at the age of 80 in 1851. His father, the Rev. Clement Sumner | (AB of Yale University 1758) was ' born in 1731 at Hebron, Conn., and held various charges in Vermont and New Hampshire where he died in 1795. The Rev. Clement's brother Thomas Sumner was born in 1734 also at Hebron, Conn., served under General Wolfe at the taking of Quebec in 1759 and held the post of judge in thfe county of Gloucester, Mass., until 1775, when he was " drove from his home and family and was obliged to flee to the British Army for safety and protection." He served with the British during the Revolutionary war, his property being confiscated by the Government of the United States. In 1783 he settled in New Brunswick with other American Loyalists and tried without success to regain some of his property. In 1815 he moved to Elizabeth town, Leeds Co., and appears to have been in dire straits. Here we get a vivid glimpse into the past, for evidence seems to Although it has retained all of point to a family meeting at Clin ton, Ontario, in October, 1819 to its former charm, the passing at try and help the old soldier. tentions of interior decorators His eldest son and heir, William have left only a slight resemblance Augustus, aged 55, was there. Clement, his grand nephew aged stpry is however a digression from 24, at whose home the meeting the direct line of the Oakville took place must have been pres Sumners. ent and possibly his brother Wil We return to William Sumner, liam Johnson (later proprietor of farmer of Esquesing, who& son, the Oakville House) and their William Johnson Sumner (1797father William, aged 48, the 1841) had been proprietor of the farmer from Esquesing. Grove Inn, Nelson since the early We cannot imagine Lieutenant 1820's. This property he relinquish Thomas at the age of 85 taking ed in 1832 and leased from Wil much interest in the proceedings liam Chisholm the Oakville House and his mind was probably harking which he bought in 1834 and ran back to " Old forgotten far off capably until his untimely death in 1841. (The Oakville House, built in things and battles long ago." However a petition to the Lieut. the winter of 1827-28 is still doing Governor of Upper Canada was business at its old stand and has drawn up (given in detail in " Oak played the host to many important ville and the Sixteen" P. 76) and guests in its day). presented, resulting in a grant of In 1831 W. J. Sumner bought land in Chinguacousy Twp., Peel from Wm. Chisholm lots D & E, County, N.E. of Terra Cotta where block 13, at the north east corner he died a year later. It, must be of Navy .and William Streets. more than a coincidence that the There is little doubt that he built land of uncle and nephew, though the house at 27 Navy Street South in different counties was in adjoin in 1832 for himself in order to ing townships. This interesting raise his family away from, the Landmarks OF Progress PHOTOS A T LEFT show dredging operations at the lagoon north of Radial Bridge on the 16-Mile Creek. IT LOOKS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT NOW between today's Oakville Club main lounge and the picture pre sented by this spacious room away back in 1912. The club then, as hotel. It is probable that about the same time he built No. 33 William Street, which in 1839 he deeded to his son William Chisholm Sumner, tjien only nine years of age. In now, was the pleasant setting for social gatherings and sport activi ties. President then was F. A. Prime. President this year is R. J. " Kelly" New. 1855 W. C. Sumner left for Owen Sound selling the house to his brother George Johnson Lehentz Sumner better known as " Chief" Sumner, who with bis wife, 5 sons and 2 daughters lived in No. 33 until his death in 1911. In 1924 during Old Home Week, three of these sons, by then past middle age, came from the U.S.A. to re-visit their old home. They leap-frogged the old hitching post (which is still standing) and point ed out the original pantry window through which they had climbed on many occasions to sample their mother's pies and cookies. One of the brothers was overheard to re mark " Carrie was born in the par lour" . Carrie and her husband Charlie Doty, prominent citizens of Oakville for many years, have now passed to their rest, but are still well remembered. Worst Conflagration What was probably the worst fire in Oakville's history occurred on the night of Sunday, April 17, 1883. It started in the office of the Standard newspaper in the Romain Block, on the south side of Colborne Street at Navy. The blaze was discovered while still in its early stages, bjit /the fire bri gade had trouble getting the pump to work, and before long the flames were sweeping through the block. The fire destroyed the whole block from Navy to Thomas, with the exception of two stores. Loss was nearly $-1 0 0 ,0 0 0 . The present enlarging is taking place to facilitate the docking of small pleasure craft. The area is directly north of the dam originally / planned by Col. W . Chisholm in 1840. . : : (This article was prepared by Mr. Walter Moorehouse). CONGRATULATIONS O A K V IL L E on your 100t h Birthday Extending Our Best Wishes * EXCAVATING * GRADING * SEWER AND WATER LINES M anufacturers and distributors of OAKVILLE t Gas Burning Equipment and Humidifiers WAITSKUTTLE HUMIDIFIERS on its / 100th BIRTHDAY * Subdivision Development PHONE VI. 5-4207 JAM HOLLIDAY SHEPHERD ROAD B. D. WAIT CO. LIMITED OAKVILLE ONTARIO