I.O.D.E. Col. Kerby Chapter Minutes, 1920-1989, n.d.

The Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire was founded by Margaret Polson Murray in 1900 following the outbreak of the second Boer War. The organization gave charitable aid to soldiers and it assisted the dependents of deceased soldiers. The federation of women was formed to promote patriotism, loyalty and service to others. The mayors of Canada’s major cities were urged to call together the prominent women of their communities to join in this endeavor. In 1979, the name I.O.D.E was officially adopted. The organization is federally chartered not-for-profit. The focus is on improving the quality of life for children, youth and the underprivileged through educational, social service and citizenship programs. The Colonel Kerby Chapter of Fort Erie, Ontario began on August 19, 1914 under the direction of Captain the Reverend A.C. Mackintosh. The chapter was named after Colonel James Kerby who was a legislator and a soldier. This chapter worked during two world wars raising large sums of money for war work, the community, health and education. In 1931, this chapter created the Douglas Memorial I.O.D.E. Hospital Fund to assist needy veterans. Other fundraisers included: their Salvage Shop, card parties and the Margaret Graham Memorial which raised funds for the Canadian Institute for the Blind. In June of 1989 the last meeting of the chapter took place.

Minutes of the Board of Directors of the Port Hope, Lindsay and Beaverton Railway Company held in Port Hope

Minutes of the Board of Directors of the Port Hope, Lindsay and Beaverton Railway Company held in Port Hope, Aug 9, 1855.

Letter to S.D. Woodruff regarding a resolution passed on May 17, 1856 by the Board of Directors of the Port Robinson and Thorold Macadamized Road Committee

Letter to S.D. Woodruff regarding a resolution passed on May 17, 1856 by the Board of Directors of the Port Robinson and Thorold Macadamized Road Committee This is signed by Duncan McFarland, president, May 27, 1856.

Letter from S.D. Woodruff to the president and directors of the Port Robinson and Thorold Macadamized Road Committee regarding extra work done

Letter from S.D. Woodruff to the president and directors of the Port Robinson and Thorold Macadamized Road Committee regarding extra work done (3 pages, handwritten), Aug. 6, 1857.

Minutes of a meeting of the members of the Long Point Company

Minutes of a meeting of the members of the Long Point Company (1 page, printed). This has the names J.I. Mackenzie, secretary and Horatio Hathaway, chairman on the bottom of the page, Oct. 28, 1880.

Meeting of the special committee on new arrangements

Meeting of the special committee on new arrangements (3 copies of 1 page, printed). This has John I. Mackenzie listed on the bottom of the page. Copies 2 and 3 are torn at the bottom. This affects the text slightly, Aug. 23, 1881.

Extract from the minutes of the board of directors of the Long Point Company

Extract from the minutes of the board of directors of the Long Point Company (3 pages, printed). This includes private instructions for Alfred March, steward at Long Point. This has the names J.I. Mackenzie, secretary-treasurer and Joseph A. Woodruff, president on the bottom of the page, Feb. 25, 1882.

Extract from the minutes of a session of the Provisional Municipal Council of the County of Welland

Extract from the minutes of a session of the Provisional Municipal Council of the County of Welland held on Nov. 3rd, 1855. It was decided that the petition of Andrew Drew and others be laid over until the engineer could make a survey of the premises and report to the council. This was signed by Dexter Deverardo, 1855

Notice from Dexter Deverardo regarding minutes of the meeting of the Municipal Council of the County of Welland

Notice from Dexter Deverardo regarding minutes of the meeting of the Municipal Council of the County of Welland that was held May 21, 1857. It was moved that the warden and clerk be requested to procure a plan of the marsh lands tract, May, 1857.

Copy of a report of a Committee of the Honorable and Executive Council dated May 6, 1859 approved by His Excellency the Governor General in Council

Copy of a report of a Committee of the Honorable and Executive Council dated May 6, 1859 approved by His Excellency the Governor General in Council. This is in regard to charges made by Joshua Manly of Port Colborne against Mr. Woodruff, the superintendent and other persons connected with the Welland Canal. The accusations have been substantiated by the committee. This is accompanied by a petition accusing Mr. Woodruff of gross corruption and jobbery [the practice of using a public office or position of trust for one's own advantage]. This was signed by a number of petitioners on July 2, 1858 (2 pages, handwritten), 1859.

Pelham Cares Inc. fonds, 1980-2015

The beginnings of Pelham Cares occurred in 1982 when the Mayor of Pelham, Eric Bergenstein, received a letter from Janet Hassall, a social worker with Niagara Regional Home Care. Hassall requested that a Social Service Committee be established in Pelham to address gaps in community services, a practice that several other communities in the Region had adopted. Such committees were commonly composed of church parishioners, so Bergenstein contacted Canon J. Nowe of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, who expressed an interest in participating in such a committee. Bergenstein arranged a meeting in June, 1982 at the United Church Hall in Fonthill, for any interested parties to learn more about the existing Social Service Committees in the Region. The meeting was not part of a Town Council project, but rather an initiative undertaken by Mayor Bergenstein in a personal capacity. Subsequent meetings chaired by Eric Bergenstein were held throughout the remainder of that year, during which the name of Pelham Cares was decided, a steering committee established, and services to be offered were determined. These initially included “visits with the lonely, the shut-ins, at home, hospital or on an outing ; run errands for those who are “stuck”; step in, in emergencies, or regularly, to free a parent or spouse who can’t otherwise get a “break”; in emergencies, provide food, clothing, furniture, medicine and other necessities”. The first official meeting of Pelham Cares occurred in January 1983. Currently, the main services offered by Pelham Cares are a food bank; transportation services to medical appointments; and sponsorship programs to allow youth with limited financial means to participate in sports, recreational and educational activities. The organization also provides emergency food, supplies or short term accommodation due to fire or other catastrophic loss, as well as providing referrals to appropriate organizations or agencies. Pelham Cares is dependent on the funding from community partners such as service clubs, citizens, local businesses, financial institutions and churches. These services are provided by volunteers and one part-time employee. A permanent location for Pelham Cares was established in 2014 with the purchase of a property on Highway 20 East in Fonthill, after a 30 years search for a permanent facility.