Members of Historical Society of St. Catharines may be available to assist with historical research requests within reason. In depth genealogical queries are better answered by a local genealogical group. If you have a question, please submit it to this page. Please ensure that your questions are very clearly stated, that you provide us with any supporting information possible and that you leave us with some contact information.
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The Historical Society of St. Catharines 
McLaren & Co
My wife is descended from Robert McLaren who owned the McLaren & Co dept store with his brother Alex. The store used to be on St.Pauls Street. Robert’s last known address at his death in 1917 was Bleak House, 78 Yates St. I have contacted the St.Catharine’s library who are kindly supplying some material they have on the McLarens, but I would be pleased if anyone could provide additional information ot point me in further research directions,
Regards, Simon Green
my family is also desendents of robert mclarens family.. my father, his mother, grandparnets and great grandparents lived on lake st. st catharines…. robert mclaren lived there also, as did alexander and john mclaren in186-64…
i am also a decendant… my family lived on Lake st.. in St,.Catharines…… he was my great-greatgrandfathers, brother.. i think.. i am looking up the family tree. now…… i do know they all lived at 74 Lake st.. and that was my dad,s family home…… he was born there, in 1923…… as was his mother, grandfather, and greatgrandfather…..
Hello Paula, I have only just picked up your replies – the Historical Society website just sent me about 20 e-mails(!). I would be interested to exchange more info with you. My home e-mail: schgreen@btinternet.com
r u related to Charlie Green – he had married Veronica (Ronnie) Bell. Auntie “Ronnie” was my mother’s sister. Uncle Chuck and Auntie Ronnie eventually moved to Beardmore. She spent some time while they were living there – living with the Indians. He had become a lumberjack and so was away in the bush for long periods of time over the summers and she would join him there from time to time.
Have a great day
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2014 18:33:25 +0000 To: i_lindsay@hotmail.com
I am trying to find the location of a Church in Welland where my great granduncle was buried on 2nd August 1875. A newspaper article in ‘The Welland Tribune’ (5th August 1875) stated that his body had been ‘interred in the Episcopalian burying ground in this town’. He was a young Irish Protestant – a sailor who fell off a schooner while passing through the Welland Canal and drowned. The schooner’s Captain left money with a local doctor to find and bury him. The newspaper reports that the doctor buried him as cheaply as possible despite the money given, so I’m guessing he was buried in the paupers’ part of the graveyard.
Can anyone tell me which Church this is and if it still exists today?
I would be most grateful to find out,
Thank you
Louise Halloran
Can anyone tell me
Hi Louise my name is Kevin . I’m from Welland and i like to read up on the local history .I read up ones about some Churches here in that time period , located on Church Street . The Churches are no longer there but the Cemetery is . My guess is that might be where where your granduncle was buried . Maybe there is something there with his name on it . If its any help to you i could have a look for you or you just wanna come here yourself . I hope this has been some help to you and the best of luck to you.
Kevin
The Cemetery on Church and Aqueduct on Welland, may be a Catholic cemetery, In the middle of the church, I think was the RC church Church of the Japanese Martyrs.
“This Church of the Japanese Martyrs Cemetery is a small cemetery in use from the 1863 to 1921, and is located on Church Street, bounded on the East by Aqueduct Street, on the North by Elizabeth Street, and on the West by family dwellings.The Church of the Japanese Martyrs Cemetery is of cultural heritage value as it is all that remains of the first Catholic Church in Welland: the Church of the Japanese Martyrs, from 1864 until 1913”
…..the cemetery you may be looking for…. Methodist Episcopal / Denistoun Street Cemetery Welland County, ON
Township: Crowland Township (Concession 5, Lot 26)
Locality: Welland County
Municipality: Welland
Not sure where exactly it was and not sure where the bodies were moved to
I’m actually looking into more info on this cgurch and cemetery out of interest. Ill post more as I know more.
I am seaking information on Rev. Alfred Byron Demill, his wife Lucellia (nee Hurd) and any facts surrounding Demill’s Women’s College which they ran in the late 1800’s. I am aware that Lucellia is buried in the St. Catherine’s Cemetery and that the Women’s College was relocated to St. Catherine’s from Oshawa after it was destroyed by fire.
Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
I am in search of any information about St. Catharines architect, Sidney R. Badgley (1850-1917). Are there any research articles or other publications available about his early years in St Catharines and also is there a list of local buildings he designed? Are there any descendants in the St Catharines area who might have biographical information? I am compiling a list for possible publication of Badgley churches and would like to include biographical information. Thank you.
I am interested in the architect Badgely in connection with Queen Street United (Methodist) Church of 1886 in Kingston, Ontario, and would appreciate any information you can share. Thank you, Jennifer McKendry
HI Could you give me the email address of Jane Holton or contact her for me.? I would be happy to talk to her about our ancestor family the Cornelius Holton’s . I was from the Dellona sauk co WI area where they lived and was buried. My grandmother was Mary Holton daughter of Cornelius and Mary Holton. thank you Delores Fargen
I am seeking information about the men and the incident in the attached New York Times article from 1874. It describes the plight of 18 immigrants who were promised work on the Welland Canal, but who were in fact conned out of their money and “dispatched” from New York to St. Catharine’s without work being arranged for them. They suffered abuse at the hands of the existing labor force and were rescued by Reverend Mulligan and the shipbuilder, Mr. Louis Shickluna. Any information about the incident would be appreciated, I am looking for any information about these men, especially answers to the following questions:
How did they arrive from New York (e.g., train? On foot?)
What happened to them after the night they spent in the churchyard?
Did they ever have the opportunity to work on the canal?
I appreciate any guidance you can give to help me with my research. Thank you.
Article link: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=2&res=940CE1DB123AE03BBC4051DFB066838F669FDE
I’m trying to do some personal family research on my great-grandfather Percy A. Overholt, born January 15, 1889 in St. Catharines to Daniel R. Overholt and Maria Johnson Overholt.
My specific interest regards two family artifacts that have been passed down to me. One is a photograph of a hockey team of which my father was a member. They wear uniforms with the sponsor “NS&T” which I am told stands for the Niagara, St. Catharines, and Toronto Railroad, apparently their sponsor. The other item is a puck that I’m told is from a championship game in which my great-grandfather played a key role, possibly scoring the winning goal. Roughly engraved in the puck is the date Mar. 5th, 1908. There’s a second engraving which appears to say “3:N” On the opposite side, more neatly engraved, is the 2-1, which I have to believe is the score of the game, and the Initials again, “N.S.T.” Finally, there’s another set of initials which appears to be either “BY” or “RY”.
I’m further interested in an article I found online at http://www.athleticslacrosse.com/charity_17.htm which lists Percy Overholt as competing in a lacrosse match between the St. Catharines Athletics and the Chicago Calumets.
I was hoping for any information you have regarding the NS&T hockey team. What league did they play in? Was is recreational or semi-pro? What years were they active? Furthermore, I was wondering if there are any newspaper accounts of the game on March 5, 1908. I’d love to hear what part my great-grandfather played in the game. If if would be useful to you, I would be happy to send you a scanned image of the photograph that is now in my possession. I would also like to know if any photographs are available of the St. Catharines Athletics team that traveled to Chicago in 1917.
Finally, it’s probably not relevant, but just in case, and because I like the story, I’ve been told that my great-grandfather’s nickname in the league was “Dirty” Overholt. I’d be pleased to see any news articles that reference him as such.
Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.
Sam Heck, Portland, ME, USA
Hello Sam,
My name is Michael Connors. I came across your query today while at work. My grandfather was John Cunningham who played goalie for the NS&T hockey team in St. Catherines. I too have a photo of this team, which I believe was taken around 1908-09. My cousin has a watch engraved with the year of their championship win.
If you would like to share information, I’d like to hear from you. Would like to compare photo with the one you have to see if there is a connection.
I too have been trying to find out as much information I can on this team. Incidently, my grandfather also played goalie for a lacrosse team. I believe he was the Cunningham mentioned in the web link in this query. Mike
Sam, Came across your query about your great grandfather, Percy Overholt, who played for the NS&T hockey team. My grandfather, John Cunningham also played goalie for this hockey team. I also have a photo of him taken with his team. Would like to share this photo with you and compare it with the team photo you have to seen if they match. I’ll have to contact some of my older cousins to see if they can answer some of the questions you had about this hockey team and the Lacrosse team they played on.
My Mother mentioned to me years ago that her father played semi-pro, but not sure if she meant when he played hockey or on the Athletics lacrosse team.
Look forwarded to hearing from you,
Mike, Buffalo, NY
Sam there is a museum along the Welland Canal is St Catharines and they have many sports memorbilla and lacrosse was one of them from the early 1900’s might be a great place to check out
I am working with my colleagues at the Osler Library of the History of Medicine at McGill University to build up their collection of published histories of Canadian hospitals and Schools of Nursing. I see that you published a short item a few years ago. Is there a chance we can receive a copy?
Ormston, Alex W. The St. Catharines General Hospital and two of its founders : Hospital established 125 years ago / by Alex W. Ormston — St. Catharines, [Ont.] : Historical Society of St. Catharines, 1990. — [4] leaves. — AMICUS No. 32546569
The complete Bibliography is at http://internatlibs.mcgill.ca/hospitals/hospital-histories.htm
there are several other St Catharines items we are looking for, and I may have missed some. Any help would be appreciated. david.crawford@mcgill.ca
I am researching the Holton family from Ireland. Cornelius Holton of County Leitrim, Ireland emigrated with his wife Mary Conaughtery Connerton to St. Catharines, Quebec in Mary was born in County Sligo, Ireland. Whle they were in Canada 2 sons were born according to US Census records. Thomas was born about 1845 and Patrick 3 Dec 1849. I am looking for church records for these ancestors. I am wondering if this town of St Catharines is the correct one since it is located in Ontario. Was it originally part of Quebec? The family left St. Catharines and settled in Dellona, Sauk, Wisconsin. All are buried in the All Saints Cemetery in Dellona. I would be very grateful for any information you may have for me. Thank you.
Hi Jane. I am finishing up some research re Sligo emigrants to Dellona, WI. Can you contact me urgently please ? Thanks Gavin
HI Gavin: Jane Holton emailed me you were writing a book on the Irish Ancestry and visiting the Dellona cemetery and doing research on Sligo emigrants. She said she had contacted you My grandmother was Mary Holton daughter of Cornieluis Holton and Mary Connerton. I was wondering where I can buy your book or material if you are selling it. I am going to WI in the fall and plan on spending a day at Baraboo at the historical society and Reedsburg Library. thank you Delores Fargen
Hi Jane and Delores: my great-grandmother was Ellen Holton O’Connell. She would have been Mary Holton’s sister. Her parents were Cornieluis Holton and Mary Connerton. Do either of you know of a Mrs. Leon Harvey who I believe was Mary’s daughter? Several years ago she wrote my mother, Bonnie O’Connell, a short letter titled “History of Grandfather &Grandmother Holton. In the letter she listed the year that Cornieluis and Mary died. As well as a list of the childrens names. Another cousin of mine is writing a short creative non-fiction about Ellen. Any information would be welcomed.
Did you get my email address fargen@sbcglobal.net Delores Harvey Fargen
Hello Linda,
I am researching the Burrows families of Sligo Ireland and have a lot of data. I would be interested in corresponding with you.
Regards
David Burrows
Australia