Trafalgar Township Historical Society Digital Collections

Emily Biggar Farmhouse, 3079 Neyagawa Blvd.

Description
Media Type
Image
Item Type
Photographs
Description
This house was 150 years old when it was demolished to make way for development in 2010. It was a "saltbox" style building. The second photograph in this record was taken at the same time, in about 2009 or 2010, and is of the one remaining outbuilding on the old farm property.

As per the Town of Oakville Historic Background Brief:
This property has historical value for its strong associations with the Biggar family, who were founding members of the early Oakville [Trafalgar Township] community.

Likely constructed circa 1860, the house sits on a parcel of land that was granted to Emily Biggar, the young widow of Charles H. Biggar, by her father-in-law Charles Biggar, as a ‘lease for life’. This arrangement
was to permit Emily to have a “comfortable living for herself”.

The Biggar family was very prominent in early Trafalgar Society. Charles Biggar (1780-1860), Emily’s father-in-law, was a United Empire Loyalist who came to
Canada in 1800 and settled on Dundas Street in Trafalgar Township on a neighbouring lot. Lieutenant-Colonel Biggar was active in the local community, serving as a warden for St. Jude’s Anglican Church and as Lieutenant-Colonel in the 2nd Regiment of Gore Militia.

The house has historical value through its connection to Emily Biggar as well. While Emily is not considered a ‘notable person’ by conventional description, her occupation of the house and land throughout widowhood and her subsequent marriages is of note in local community history.
Notes
Linked is a Toronto Star newstory about the unsuccessful efforts to save this house by the Trafalgar Township Historical Society and other concerned Oakville citizens.

Also, the Heritage Report for the Town of Oakville provides more photographs, an architectural description of the house, and the history of Emily Biggar and the property.
Subject(s)
Personal Name(s)
Emily Biggar
Local identifier
TTMNK000341
Collection
Trafalgar Township Historical Society
Geographic Coverage
Copyright Statement
Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
Recommended Citation
Emily Biggar Farmhouse, 3079 Neyagawa
Contact
Trafalgar Township Historical Society
Email:michelle@tths.ca
Website:

Trafalgar Township Historical Society Sponsor: Jeff Knoll, Local & Regional Councillor for Oakville Ward 5 – Town of Oakville/Regional Municipality of Halton
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