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.
Time of response depends on the complexity of the question and the member’s time to conduct the research.
Any answers will be sent directly to the person asking the question. If time and space allows, some answers will be posted to the website. Be sure that we consider all questions and respond to those that we are able to accommodate.
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The Historical Society of St. Catharines 
Hi,
I have just arrived at my new home at 71 Courtleigh in Port Dalousie. Apparently the home was built in 1870 and was part of the Cole Farm. I wonder if anyone can help me to further my interests and enquires.
Thank you
Patti Hinan
Hello there,
I am currently doing research for a book of poetry that I am writing about my great-great-grandparents who lived in Louth Township, between 1824 and c. 1855.
I am looking for resource material about life in the area around that time – books, museums to visit, other texts, people to talk with, that sort of thing. Any suggestions are welcome!
Thanks very much,
Lauren Carter
laurencarter7@gmail.com
Hello,
I am doing some community development work within three neighbourhoods within St. Catharines. One of my areas of interest when looking at development is looking back to the roots of the community to see the foundation that the community is standing on and what can be done to help restore it to its once prosperous state.
Why I am contacting you is to inquire if someone would be willing to sit down with me to give me a brief historic background on the three communities that I am working in so I can better understand who lived there, what it was known for and how to go to the place that it is today.
The three communities are, Western Hill,(between St. Paul St. West, Louth St., and Pelham Rd.) Queenston Street neighbourhood (between Westchester and Geneva Street, Welland and Gale Ave.) and the Haig Neighbourhood (between Geneva and Ontario Street and the QEW and Welland Ave.). If there is anyone who is able to help, that would be much appreciated.
Thank you so much.
Suzanne
I am trying to trace my grandfather, David (Grant) Mitchell, who was born in Scotland in 1883 and arrived in Canada in 1902. He seemed to settle in Toronto and sometimes went to Buffalo, N.Y.
According to a few pages of a diary that I have, he sometimes “missed the boat” and had to spend the night in Toronto. He must have travelled back and forth on the ferries across Lake Ontario. There is also a mention of him being in the hospital in St. Catharines on 17 December, 1915. He might have even been burried in or around St. Catharines. I cannot find any trace of him at all after 1913.
Would there be any passenger lists for ships (or ferries) that travelled between Toronto and Port Dalhousie for the years 1913 to 1916? A list of cemeteries in the area might also be of help.
Any information at all that you could supply me with would be greatly appreciated.
Gail Leeks
I researching the family and businesses of Thomas Towers who immigrated to St. Catharines from England some time in the 1830’s. Thomas died in 1857 in St, Catharines. He was owner of the Novelty Works aka Novelty Iron Works. According to what i have read he purchased a foundry in Allenburgh and eventually moved operations to a newly built factory in St. Catharines by 1854. Among other things he works made steam ship engines. He also purchased a grist mill located at the old lock #2 eventually called the Towers Grist Mill. I am wondering about the locations of the businesses, or any records relating to the businesses such as how long they operated and what happened to them after Thomas died. Thomas Towers is my great great great grandfather. I do understand he built the home at 209 King St which still stands and is part of the Old Town walking tour. Any info you can dig up or would be able to point me in the direction of would be of great help to me piecing together the story of my family roots here in Canada. I think I have tapped absolutely eventhing that can be found on line. I am especially keen to see if any photos may exist in the town archives.
When i have the “story” completed I would be happy to present what i have put together for the society as part of the historical record of the area of St. Catharines.
Thank you very much for any help you can provide
Dave Towers
Hi Dave,
Thomas Towers was my great-great-grandfather and I have much of the same information you have outlined. I may be able to fill in a few of the gaps if you would like to email me.
Thomas Henry Towers (~1810-1857) is also my third great grandfather. I have not been able to trace him back to england, nor find a death record, nor any birth records for his children. Nor have I found any pictures. Has anyone found any additional information on him or his wife Louisa Franklin. From the St Georges Parish records, I gather her father and brother were both named Robert.
Any help much appreciated. Jeff Towers
My husband and I have Recently purchased a home at 307 Queenston St. in St. Catharines and are looking for information on the history of the property. If you would have any information or information on where we could start to look of information on the property. Thank-you Kim and Steve
I made an error in my above posting. And mentioned the Oklahoma octagon by mistake. The St Catherines one is as follows:
St. Catharines. Octagon house. St. Catharines is about 15 miles northwest of Niagara Falls. Built about 1852, perhaps earlier. One story, topped with a belvedere. Stone construction. It is shown on Marcus Smith’s map of St. Catharines, published in 1852. St. Catharines was formerly in Lincoln County, now part of the Regional Muncipality of Niagra. The home was long owned by Charles B. Thompson, a stock broker and dealer in sewing machines.
HI
I was wondering if you could shed any light on octagon houses that stands/stood in St Catherine (or forward this to a local historian).
I am working with Robert Kline on the (non profit) Octagon Inventory online with pictures and info to collect and preserve the history of 19th century octagon architecture. His website is at:
http://www.octagon.bobanna.com/main_page.html
We especially are looking for a historic/current image of the house plus any data on it like time built, by whom, etc.
We have them listed as:
5 SE 28th St, Oklahoma City, OK:
1301 NW 15th St, Oklahoma City, OK: (Not sure if it was once a full octagon.)
I am not sure of your policy regarding aiding non profit, historical websites but thought I would ask since several dozen Historical societies and libraries have donated information and vintage photos to our educational, non profit website. Any info you can provide would help us in our efforts to compile the most comprehensive source of information about Octagon Houses ever.
Any info would be appreciated and we would, of course, credit you as the source. We hope to catalog every 19th century octagon house built in the US/Canada.
Thank you.
Ellen L. Puerzer
member of:
Bay View Historical Society
Soldiers Home Foundation
North Point Lighthouse Friends docent.
I am an artist with background in architecture and a student of Willowbank restoration art. I have been living in St. Catharines for the last 8 years and now due to my program and my care and interest for the city I would like to learn more about St. Catharines’ history and main buildings in the downtown area. I would appreciate the guidelines and documentation that support my research. I am looking for books, old files and photographs to make a beautiful art work about st. Catharines.
Thanks for you support,
I am wondering if there is a history, or documents, about Merritton Central Public School in its early years. I have a photograph of the teaching staff, posed in front of the school, in 1918. I know the full name of one teacher, and the first name (probably) of another.