Coldwater River

Ocean - Going Vessels Were Once

COLDWATER (Special) -- A history of the Coldwater area was unearthed this week. A copy of an address by Mrs. J. McDermid, given to the members of the Junior Institute at their regular meeting at the home of Mrs. Morris Walker on Jan 11, 1940.

Mrs. McDermid was a former resident of the village, and the dates will be according to the year 1940. It was called "Early Days of Coldwater".

The first, white settlers came to Coldwater over 110 years ago when a migration of soldiers and attendants left Drummond Island, lying to the north-west of Lake Huron.

"In 1830 one Captain Anderson, Indian Agent, who for his services rendered to the Crown was given a tract of land, 680 acres extending along the river from where the village now stands, southward."

This land or estate was situated in the flatlands or swamps along the west side of what is now the Coldwater Road and form the nature of the soil when it was formerly owned by Sir John Colborne, Governor-General at that time, he called it "Clayfields," which name has remained with the property ever since. (Note 1965 owner is Stewart Alderson). On it, Captain Anderson built a log house and moved his family to it from Penetanguishene. He erected other houses for the Indians a mile apart along the river and Indian Hill. These houses were built by one Jacob Gill, millwright, who also built the first flour mill, store and school in the new hamlet. Many descendants of this Jacob Gill live in and around Coldwater.

Captain Anderson superintendent cutting through the road from Coldwater to Orillia. In 1834 he opened the first post office in Medonte. No white folks were allowed to settle here at first except those connected with the Indian agency.

After a number of years Captain Anderson sold his property to Wm. Noble Rutledge, who became the first Warden of Simcoe County years later, in 1877. Other pioneers who came about this same time from Drummond Island were William Rawson, Joseph Craddock and John Borland, Joseph Craddock was the son of a British lieutenant who had married a native woman, and settling here was given 50 acres of land as his grant from the Crown.

John Borland was a son of Captain Borland, and old Nor'- west trader who had distinguished himself in the Canadian Militia during the war of 1812-15. He took an active part in all the engagements on the Niagara frontier. It is told it was he who won on Queenston Heights (himself badly wounded) pillowed on his breast the head, and bent to catch the lost expiring sighs of his gallant commander, Sir Isaac Brock, the first military hero of Upper Canada.

Among others who came here about this time, 1837, was John Eplett, father of Mr. S. D. Eplett, who for years was our genial postmaster. And the Lovering family, who first settled in Medonte, but a little later came to Coldwater and bought and built a home on the land now owned by Andrew Lovering, a grandson who still has in his possession the first deed of land which his grandfather received from the Indians.

How many of today's residents know that this little river was once the building place of vessels for ocean navigation? But this was so. In 1855 a sailing vessel was built in Coldwater by Messrs. Hayes and called the Reindeer. She was loaded with white oak and floated down the river to the bay, sailed by Georgian Bay through the lakes, the Welland Canal, down the St. Lawrence and across the Atlantic to Liverpool, where she was unloaded of her cargo. She was sold in Britain and brought a good price.

"There was another craft of note built here about the same time, called the Sardinia, and made the same trip as the former. In 1862 Coldwater boasted two stores, tow hotels; there was no railway facilities at this time and for some years later. Also two stages were run from here to Orillia daily, Sunday excepted.

George Caswell and William Borland were the owners. The Village grew in size and prosperity continued.

Our first post office was kept by one, Mrs. Shaw, over what is known now as C. L. Brown's property; then it was moved over to what is now Main Street to a house where Mrs. Wm. Graham now resides and Mr. S. D. Eplett took charge.

After some years Mr. Eplett sold it and built a residence and post office on the west side of the town, across the mill bridge, where it remained for years. The first school was built on the west side of the road at the southern end of the village, on the Caswell property. It was a log structure and was the only educational centre for quite some time.

Over seventy years ago the Methodist Church stated a mission in Coldwater. At first they held services in the log school. It was served by men sent over from Orillia. After a couple of years they erected a frame church on the grounds where the skating rink stands. Rev. J. W. Clipsham was one of our earliest ministers stationed here. He had the honour and unique privilege to preach on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his ministry and again he came in 1929 to preach Thanksgiving services in the United Church. About the time that the Methodists started a church, and Anglicans came; their first church was a frame structure and stood on the bank of the river on the spot where Mr. Milton Eplett's store stands. Their first rector was Rev. Charles.

The lands around were heavily wooded with pine cedar in 1873, the first shingle mill was built and operated by Joseph Brown, who came form Georgetown. The mill was erected at Balsam Valley and later owned by Mr. Blaney, south of the village.

After a year and a half, Mr. Brown sold and bought 50 acres north of the village and built another mill, which he operated for several years. Mr. H. I. Lovering built one also and those two mills were run for more than 25 years, providing employment for a number of men.

Not having a railroad on which to ship their stock, these mill-owners had to ship their output by water, loading the shingles and lumber on scows. These were taken by tugs down the river through the channel to the bay near Fesserton, where it was reloaded on sailing vessels that then conveyed its cargo through the Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, to Goderich, Windsor or some lake port, where the stock had been sold.

We had in the 1880's a fair sized steamer which carried passengers to and fro between Coldwater, Midland and Penetanguishene, called "Maid of Midland," with John Borland as its captain. In 1875 or 76, the old Midland railway was built from Port Hope through to Midland, which proved a big boom to the village and country around. The late Mr. S. D. Eplett had the honour of being the first station agent. He held this position for a period of twenty years, when he resigned to devote his full time to the post office.

In 1875 the village built a new school which was the first brick building here, on the land owned by Dr. Par. This served the public until 1890, when the present school was built. In the early 80's two lively interests were operating in the carriage works and blacksmith business owned by William Robinson who came here from Newfoundland, where he was born in 1838, and started his shop in Coldwater in 1858. Also one Hugh McCullough.

In 1882 W. J. Leatherdale purchased the McCullough's interests, but before he obtained possession it was totally destroyed by fire. However, in a short time two more modern and up-to-date buildings were erected and later as the business increased through additional lumbering and agricultural interest in the community these buildings were enlarged and part of them are still standing.

Our first drug store was opened here over 50 years ago by one Henry Carter, in the front room of the house now occupied by Lorenzo Mills. Mr. Carter carried on the business for some time and was succeeded by on William Williamson for a year or two in a little store owned by John Gray Sr., on the present site of the Bank of Toronto. He in turn left and Mr. C. G. Millard, a young Orillian, came in and has carried on the business ever since. He has now one of the most up-to-date drug and stationery stores north of Toronto.

About this time James V. Lazonby, father of our esteemed citizen of the same name, started our first pager, the "Investigator". It was a splendid paper full of news and comments for the villager and countryside. After a few years he was succeeded by Wm. King of Orillia, who ran it for a time. He was succeeded by John Gray Jr. and he sold out to a Mr. French, who resold to Mr. Howard Chester, who changed the name to "Planet", and published it for many years, until his death. (*my note: while checking out Coldwater, we get there about once a year, I met a grandson of Mr. Howard Chester at the Library. Unfortunately I didn't have this history at the time to pass on to them)

The boat works of Wm. Bush has brought attention to Coldwater. The Bush name is known in many part of the United States as well as Canada. Coldwater has had four notable athletes, George R. Gray, who gained the fame of being champion shot-putter of the world; John Gray Jr., amateur oarsmen of Ontario; Henry Gill champion all-round athlete of the world, and afterwards holding the position of lecturer of athletics in Illinois University; and James Lazonby, one-time sprinter. All these have won many cups and medals as a reward for their achievements.

Coldwater became a police village in 1897, and since that time has put in all the modern improvements, good cement streets all over town, waterworks that cannot be surpassed anywhere for purity and natural power pressure, electric lights, good pavements…..(article ends).

Note: Names in bold are related to me, Loree.