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 
Hello,
I am seeking some information about the number 23 Lock that was on the Welland Canal. I am a collector and I recently acquired a Builder’s Plate that was from the Montreal Locomotive Works Limited. It is Dated March 1931 and is Numbered 23. On the back it is written ( from the Welland Canal ) Does any one in your group know if the Montreal Locomotive Works was the manufacture of the Gates ?
Cheers Scott
Hello I am looking for information on a Samuel Simpson and his family that went to Canada in the 1831 area from England. he came with wife Anna and and five children as one died on way over. If you have any records or information on him and his family please let me now. As time went on the children moved to Niagara Falls NY. Thank you Lucy
The old building that was just torn down for the new Brock Building had an ancient foundation it looked like the top two floors were built many years later. I would like to know what that foundation is from and what the history was
Thank You
Doug
Hello,
I am researching the fmaily tree of ‘Bracken’.
There was a marriage in St. Catharines August 1, 1908 at Grantham Church between Arthur Edward Bracken and Frances Kate Dyon. In the articles for the wedding, the writer refers to Arthur (Teddy) as being a well-known man in the area. He also owned a coal business with his brother-in-law, Austin Longley.
When Teddy was married, it was stated the bride and groom would be residing in their home “Thorndale”, Carleton Street. Has anyone ever heard of this home?
My husband is a descendant of Teddy’s brother, William Bracken and his wife Clarissa Longley.
I am also interested in hearing anything about Clarissa “Clara”. After her husband passed, she remarried a gentleman – Kennedy was the surname. Her obituary makes reference to her well-known status in St. Catharines.
Lastly, I am looking for some information on a Bracken – either Arthur or Vern – who worked at the Niagara Street jailhouse. There was another Bracken who was involved with the Fire Dept.
I have visited their graves at Victoria Lawn Cemetery and I have a couple copies of newspaper articles, but any further information or photos that are available would be of valuable interest to us.
Thanks very much,
Andrea
Andrea
You can find the obituary of Reta Bracken, wife of Elmer Saari, under the heading “Book of memories for Reta Saari at George Dart Funeral Home ”
Reta was the sister of Arthur Vern Bracken. She also has a sister Dorothy Lavigne
Reta died in ST Catherines 2009
Vern was the owner of Bracken Coal Co. at 52 Maple Street, St Catherines
Regards
Lars Bracken at l.brack@sasktel.net
Hello Andrea,
I am a decendent of Teddy Bracken – he was my grandfather. Perhaps we can share information about the Bracken family tree.
Best regards,
Brenda Reeves (nee Bracken)
Brenda, I would very much enjoy getting together with you over coffee or lunch to talk about your ancestors. Your family fascinates me, specifically your grandfather. My partner is also a Bracken, however he descends from one of Teddy’s brothers. I don’t know how we can go about connecting through this site. My email address is andrea dot steed at gmail dot com. I have so much information, and I would love to find someone interested to share it with.
Willam Cochran’s daughter Marion was widowed c. 1864 when her husband John Skilling died leaving her pregnant and with 4 other small children. She had to board the children with relatives and go to work in a woolen mill between 1864 and c.1870 when she remarried to a Philip Mcintosh. I think the woolen mill was in Merriton where her father lived because she is listed in the Gazeteer as Marion Skilling. I found the names of 2 mills in an article by Robert R. Taylor: Beatty and Henderson’s (active in 1880s at lock 8) and Disher and Haight’s (c. 1856 at lock 9). Because of the dates I think she might have worked at the latter one. Do you know if there were other woolen mills in Merritton and if there is a photo of the Disher and Haight Mill which I presume is no longer standing?
Thank you for your assistance.
Ruth
I am researching for a book, my husband’s great great grandfather William H. Cochran who settled in Merritton (Grantham Township) after the American war of independence. He was a British (Scottish) soldier. Would he be considered a “Loyalist” and given a military land grant? He was born c. 1802 in Ireland but was Scottish and died 1880 in Merriton. He is in 1861 and 1871 census.
He was a lock keeper on the Welland Canal. His wife’s name was Margaret and he had at least 2 daughters, Marion (m. John Skilling and Philip Mcintosh) and Janet (m. Hugh Hamilton). He may have married again to a “Jane”.
I would like to know where he lived and if residence is still there (it says conc. 10 lot 11h and son William at conc. 10 Lot 12h – from 1879 Gazetteer). Was it a farm or was it in Merriton?
Is there a list of all lock keepers that would shoe his name and which lock he tended?
Thank you for any assistance you might be able to provide.
Ruth
Hi.
I was wondering what the history was behind the factory outlet flea market on 46 turner crescent, st catharines. My parents use to go on dates there. It couldn’t have always been a flea market, so if it was a factory before what did it produce and why did it close?
I was also wondering about the Garden City Paper Mill? I live near the 2nd Welland Canal off of Oakdale (use to be Thorald road before amalgamation) and found a very old foundation next to the canal, along with a very old fire hydrant. Through internet searching I think it use to be the garden city paper mill but was unsure. Was hoping someone knew some information or had some pictures.
Thank you.
Mandy
yes the paper mill covered that area and ithink ur on the right track and the foundation could also be from the building that lined oakdale ave for over 75 years
I am hoping that you may have something in your archieves or if not can pass me in the correct direction .
I need your help in finding information on (and or) relatives that lived in St Catherines and possibly Edmonton and Winnipeg.
I am looking for the descendants of a great aunt of mine Caroline (known as Cassie) and her husband Tom Smith. Cassie married Tom Smith on 1.10.1921 at St Catharines Anglican Church, St Catharine, Ontario, Canada. He is recorded as a Butcher and born England.
We think that they had a son Donald (who may have been in the navy in WW2 and he was married to ‘Madge’ and they had three children Don and possibly Gary and Gail).
I am sure that Cassie and her older sister Lily went together to Canada between the death of their father in July 1910 and Lily’s marriage in Dec 1911 in Canada.
Lily knew her future husband Charlie Dodd who was from Gateshead, and that marriage would be the reason why Lily followed him to Canada. Lily probably took Cassie because she could look after her as a married woman. (My Great Grandfather John Robinson died three months after his marriage to his third wife Marion (this poor young women (23) inherited on his death on top of the new baby she had just borne 6 young children from his previous marriage – he had 11 in total. including my Grandfather Thomas Robinson. These sad circumstances and utter poverty in north east England (Durham/ Gasteshead/ Newcastle/and in particular the mining villages or Merton and Easington where the family lived for a while etc)may have been a reason why Cassie decided to go with or join her sister to Canada c1910/20
Both Cassie and Tom are buried at Victoria Lawns in St Catherines (but we belive they lived in Edmonton for a while)
I have a birth year of Tom Smith of 1889 but apparently his record at the cemetary says he is 92 at the time of his death in 1974 which if accurate would mean a birth year of 1882. A decendant of Lilly’s (Peter Whittaker who is still alive at 97) said he remembers Tom and he said that the men ie Tom Smith and Charlie Dodd met whilst building the Welland Canal a huge project to connect lake Ontario to the USA for shipping and that were both English. That is how Cassie came to meet Tom and ultimately marry him. My Aunts Lil before she died also showed me a newspaper clipping that she had been sent by one of the aunts in Canada of a relative that had been awared the VC his name was I belive (but I can’t be sure) Earnest Alvic Smith, who was Canadian. If anyone has any idea how I can add or discount this ‘Alvia/Alvic’ fully it would be helpfull – it could. Unfortunately when my Aunt Lil died her grandchildren threw all the family papers and address books away.
My cousin in Australia has been searching for the lost part of the family since 1961 so any help would be wonderful.
Regards XX Tina Robinson
Essex, England
Hello Tina, have you made any more progress with your research? I am now in the UK, where we have broadband!, although as we have just moved and I am recovering from a broken leg I have not done any research so far.Charles Dodd was a blacksmith, I suppose we forget just how much horses would have been needed in his day.My mother’s cousin Lincoln Dodd, now aged 88, say that Carrie Robinson met his mother Margaret, and they became friends, Carrie was a witness at their marriage. Margaret had been sent with her brothers and sisters to work in Canada after their father died, their mother was unable to support them. Margaret was over 100 years old when she died.
I am the owner of 105-111 Ontario Street. It is the brick Heritage building at the foot of lake street across from Montebello Park and beside St. Thomas Anglican Church. The building has a heritage plaque saying “William Greenwood – Carriagemaker”. It seems to be known by some as the Carriage House. I would like to find out more about the history of the building. If anyone can tell me where I can find out more information that would be very much appreciated.Thanks!
I am researching information on the Rev. Pelham Stanhope Aldrich and the Rev. Hiram Wilson. I believe that Aldrich was an abolitionist as well as Wilson. I know that Wilson founded the British and American Manual Labor Institute for colored children. This organization aided fugitive slaves arriving from the U.S.
I believe that Aldrich left Canada in March of 1841.
The time period of interest: 1836-1842.
1. Did they know each other (Aldrich and Wilson)?
2. If they knew each other, in what capacity?
3. Did either have any contact or association with the American Seaman’s Friend Society?
Information on either of the two individuals or leads to continue my research will be greatly appreciated.
I thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
J H Barnard