Showing 18 results

People and organizations
Edmison family
Family · 1690-1990, predominantly 1920's-1980's

The Edmison family included several generations of Presbyterian clergy and lawyers, interconnected with the Fitzgerald and the Vercoe families. The Rev J. H. Edmison (1857-1928) was a minister, notably at Cheltenham Presbyterian Church. J. Alex Edmison was a student at Jarvis Collegiate, Queen’s University and a camper at Camp Ahmek. He was a lawyer, an alderman in Montreal 1938-40, a university official at McGill, Queen’s; director of National Parole Board, and professor of criminology at the University of Ottawa. He served on boards of directors at various institutions including the Broadview YMCA, Taylor Statten Memorial Fund, National Parole Fund, and Trent University. He was a member of the Order of Canada. He married Alice Vercoe, a librarian and bibliophile, and they had three children. He was editor of Through the Years in Douro, and was a frequent writer for speeches and pamphlets on criminology, public speaking and fund-raising, and a major organizer of reunion events related to the Taylor Statten camps, Lakefield College and Queen’s University. He had strong research interests in local and family history.

Brown, Elmir and Terry
Family

The Brown family has been in North America for several generations and this fonds contains primary materials relating to James Brown Sr (1776- 1855), James Brown Jr (1808-1878), A. P. Brown, Elmir Brown, Terry Brown and representatives of each of these generations. As well, there were connections by marriage to Adam Townley and the Rev. C. E. Thomson. Captain William Gilkison was an ancestor of Elmir Gilkison Brown.

Albert Percy Brown (1857-1928) d 3 July 1929
Married Charlotte M. C. Thompson (1864-1953)
had hardware business in Morden, Manitoba, before coming to Peterborough, c 1908 to partner briefly with William Higgins, and then started his own business, c 1914, when his first two sons were old enough to join in what became the family business. The main family home in Peterborough was 517 Weller Street (four houses east of Walton Street).

Elmir Gilkison Brown (1893-1980) b 30 May 1893, d 28 June 1980
Married Dolly Evelyn English (1902-1992) b 42 Nov 1902, d 2 Dec 1992
worked at Brown’s Hardware, 1914-33, and then by 1935 became a letter carrier and worked for the post office until the 1950s. He was ordained to an Anglican ministry in 1957, serving in the Anglican Diocese of Ontario until he retired and returned to Peterborough. In 1929, Elmir and Dolly were living at 168 Brock Street, apt 3.In 1933, they were living at 515 Weller and running the hardware; by 1935, still living at 515 Weller, Elmir Brown was a letter carrier. After retirement, the Browns had an apartment on London Street, Peterborough.

The children of the Rev. E. G. Brown were: Terry Brown, Shirley Brown, and Rayma Brown

Hill, Henry and Eva
Family

Harry Hill aka Henry Travers Hill born Nov 7, 1906 Lakefield ON to Wellington John Hill and Rachel Ellen Crowe. He married Eva Vileta Hendren daughter of William John Hendren and Annie May McBurney.

Kennedy family
Family

John Kennedy and his family followed his son, William Nassau Kennedy, to Winnipeg in the late 1870s. Thomas Chambers is W. N. Kennedy’s father-in-law and accompanied John Kennedy’s family. See article by Elwood Jones, “Historian at Work.”

Matthews family
Family

T. Frank Matthews (1869-1941), son of George and Anne (nee Smithson), He worked for his father George Matthews, who moved to Peterborough from Lindsay, in 1888. The company was Matthews amalgamated with Parker Blackwell Company Ltd in 1911, and then became part of Allied Packers in 1919 and the Canadian operations, Canada Packers in 1927. Frank Matthews was the secretary of the new company and manager of the Peterborough plant, June 1919. Served on Peterborough Water Works board, 1902-1919. Chaired Peterborough Utilities Commission 1914-1919; Peterborough Library Board, 1913-14; Peterborough Golf Club; Peterborough Curling Club. Moved to Toronto, 1919. Was member of the Canadian Club, New York.

Married Martha Stratton, daughter of James Stratton, June 7, 1892. They had three sons and one daughter: Harold Stratton Matthews (d. 1916); Gordon Smithson; Jessie Stratton; James Herbert; George Matthews

Bradburn family
Family · 1850-1990

The Bradburn family was headed through successive generations by Thomas Bradburn; Thomas Evans Bradburn; William H. Bradburn; Herbert I. Bradburn; and William Bradburn. As well, the land papers contain properties related to Rupert Bradburn who was very interested in opera houses and theatres. The Bradburn Opera Hall, built about 1875, was the pride of Peterborough for 30 years, when the Grand Opera House was built. Rupert Bradburn and his family owned both for some years, and also theatres in Port Hope and Cobourg (Victoria Hall).

Thomas Bradburn (1819- 30 August 1900) was raised on the farm of his parents [Thomas Bradburn (1791-1875) and Sarah (d.1878)] and as a young man clerked for the Hon. John Simpson, Bowmanville. He came to Peterborough in 1842 to work with Oughtry Morrow. After Morrow’s death in 1848, Bradburn and Bell continued the business. The business was reformed as Bradburn and Mason, and later as Fair and Van Every until 1885. Thomas Bradburn married Jane Morrow of Peterboro in Toronto, February 1852, the Rev Mr Wilkinson presiding. Jan Morrow died 14 July 1861 and is buried in Dublin. Thomas Bradburn married Linda Helm (   -18 September 1926) of Peterboro, 2 July 1867, the Rev I. N. Johnston presiding. Thomas Bradburn died 30 August 1900, survived by three sons (Thomas E., William H., and Rupert) and two daughters. Gertrude died 30 July 1874.

T. Evans Bradburn (18 May 1853-16 November 1933 ) managed the Bradburn estate. He was a member of the City Council, Board of Education, the Reeve of North Monaghan, and the MPP for Peterborough West, 1905-1912. He married Kate Ormond 2 February 1875, in the Charlotte Street Methodist Church.

W. H. Bradburn (4 November 1855- 3 August 1869)

The third generation included:
William Herbert Bradburn (9 February 1870 -15 January 1942) W. H. Bradburn was an agent for real estate and investment. He was alderman, 1907, 1908, 1911, and mayor, 1912, 1913. He married 2 December 1897, Elizabeth (Bessey) Cumming (d 13 May 1939)

On 14 November 1894, Marion H. M. Bradburn married Fred D. Hewson ( – died 30 March 1903)

Charles Rupert Helm (known as Rupert) Bradburn, was active as a theatre owner and promoter and died at Los Angeles, 9 September 1939. Another Rupert Helm Bradburn died 28 April 1964, and is buried in Little Lake Cemetery.

Frank L. Bradburn (died 29 July 1951).

The fourth generation included:
Herbert Ian Bradburn (1904-1988) married Florence Beatrice Preston of Ottawa at Ottawa, 16 September 1933, the Rev Mr Hepburn, Anglican, presiding.

The fifth generation included William Bradburn (1941- ) and his wife Teresa.

William Helm (1822-1901) came from Cobourg to Peterborough about 1866 and operated a machine shop and foundry on Simcoe Street near Jackson Creek (now the site of the city bus depot) until 1876. After a few years in Gananoque, he returned to Peterborough. Helm was widely known, serving on town council, the Fire Brigade, the Board of Education, with the Mechanics’ Institute and the Masonic Order.

William Cummings (1819-1890), wagon maker, came to Canada from Balnain, Scotland, in 1843. He was appointed the first Town Constable, 1850, and then became the town collector.

In the 1861 census, William Cummings was listed as 40, his wife Elizabeth as 28, his mother living with them was 74. The children were William Thomas 12, Sarah Ann 10, Mary Jane 9, and Isabella 7.

Peter Robinson Settlers
Family · 1825-present

Irish emmigration with nearly 2000 people from County Cork in 1825, under the direction of the British government and led by Peter Robinson settled in the Peterborough area.