Fonds - Marsh Store

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Marsh Store

General material designation

  • Textual record

Parallel title

Marsh Store Coldstream

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1862-1955 (Creation)
    Creator
    Marsh Store
    Place
    Coldstream

Physical description area

Physical description

342 cm of textual records

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

(1862-1955)

Administrative history

In 1862 Jacob Marsh married Louisa Woods from Coldstream, Ontario and they took over the running of the general store previously owned by the Woods family. When Mrs. Woods died the building was moved across the street near the woolen and saw mills. These mills were already owned by the Marsh family. Some records from these mills are included in this fonds.
In 1870, additional living quarters were added to the building. Around this time the Great Western Railway and Telegraph Company ran its lines through Coldstream and Komoka and the office was located in the Marsh store with one of Jacob’s daughters acting was the operator.
The Marsh Store became the centre for other area businesses and services. The included the community library which was situated in one of the back room and the local telephone company in 1908. The Lobo Mutual Fire Insurance Company started in 1886 with Jacob as the manager of the company. Other organizations included the local lecture club and even the Town Council.
The Marsh store was taken over by Jacob’s youngest son until his death in 1955. In 1977 the St Clair Region Conservation Authority purchased the property with the plan to restore the property. The Marsh Store was restored but eventually the property was sold and remains in Coldstream currently still operating as a business.

Custodial history

The Marsh Family owned the store since 1862 until 1955. In 1977, the property was purchased by the St Clair Region Conservation Authority and the records were transferred in the sale. In 1978 a committee was created y the Conservation Foundation to restore the building and preserve the store. A fund raising campaign was started. Eventually the cost meant that the project could not proceed and the building was sold. The adjacent land was maintained by the St Clair Region Conservation Authority. Records were disposed of and area residents rescued what they could.and donated them to the Middlesex Historical Society. The records were transferred to the Archives in 2014 by the President of the Historical Society.

Scope and content

The Marsh Store was a community hub for Coldstream and Lobo Township. There are eight series. These include store records, sawmill and gristmill records, and woollen mill records. Other businesses that operated out of there were: the Coldstream Telephone Company ; Lobo Mutual Fire Insurance; and the Great Western Railway and Telegraph Company. Of special interest are the magazines and books located in the Public Library collection which also operated out of the Marsh Store. Jacob Marsh was also involved with the local council which also operated from his store.

Notes area

Physical condition

Most of the material is in good to fair shape. Some of the early ledger books have been damaged and are fragile. Three have been sent for conservation and were stabilized and cleaned.

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Language of material

    Script of material

      Location of originals

      Availability of other formats

      Restrictions on access

      Some records are fragile and handling may be restricted for preservation of material.

      Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

      Some material may be subject to privacy and copyright considerations. Please check with the Archivist.

      Finding aids

      A Finding Aid is available.

      Associated materials

      Related materials

      Accruals

      No further accruals expected.

      Alternative identifier(s)

      Standard number

      Standard number

      Access points

      Name access points

      Genre access points

      Control area

      Description record identifier

      Institution identifier

      Middlesex Centre Archives

      Rules or conventions

      Status

      Final

      Level of detail

      Full

      Dates of creation, revision and deletion

      March 31, 2018

      Language of description

        Script of description

          Sources

          Accession area