City of Niagara Falls Plans, 1846, 1877, 1884, 1886, 1889-1890, 1892-1894, 1903-1905, 1910, 1914, 1919, 1925, 1927-1928, n.d.

The collection consists of 37 plans, surveys or maps of the City of Niagara Falls beginning in 1846 until 1928. Some of the plans were created for the Falls Company, a group of land speculators that included Buchanan, Murray, Street, Allen, Robinson and others. Other plans relate to the building of the suspension bridge and the railway. Some plans and drawing may refer to estate documents in RG 167 Niagara South estate and legal documents collection. Item 22 has been scanned for preservation purposes.

Clendennan to Benson Bargain and Sale, 1846 [photocopy]

In 1846 Levy Clendennan, a school master sold part of lot 18, sixth concession (one and three-quarter acre) to James Rae Benson, a merchant. The land was situated at the corner of James and Academy (now Church St.) streets. The existing Clendennan-Benson home would later be repurposed to serve as the location for the first city hall for the city of St. Catharines, Ont. The home was demolished in the 1920s when the city outgrew this location. Today the current city hall, facing Church Street, occupies this location.

Gainsborough [Presbyterian] Church records, 1833-1836, 1841-1846, 1855-1857, 1860-1864, 1866 [photocopy]

The Gainsborough Presbyterian Church was organized prior to 1833, but no records were kept until this date. In 1809, the church was lead by Rev. Daniel Ward Eastman. In 1833 the church became part of the Niagara Presbytery of the American Presbyterian Church. The records include transfer of membership, records of marriages, lists of subscribers and session minutes. Photocopies from originals were made in 1977 by E. Phelps, University of Western Ontario, prior to their deposit with the United Church of Canada Archives, Toronto, Ont.

Benjamin Woodruff Price Papers, 1851, 1853-1860, 1862-1863, 1874, n.d.

The fonds includes sixty two items of correspondence between Benjamin Woodruff Price, aka Woodruff, Ben or Uncle, and various family members, both immediate and distant cousins. Also included is business correspondence related to Price’s activities as a watchmaker and/or jeweler. Benjamin Woodruff Price was born in Thorold Township ca. 1831, the son of Joseph Price and Mary Smith. B.W. Price married Ella or Ellen McGlashan (1851-1906) ca. 1868. Price died between 1891 and 1901, his burial location is unknown at present. A watchmaker and jeweler, Price lived most of his life in Fonthill, Ont. He also included auctioneer, undertaker and photographer as some of his other professional activities. His siblings included David Smith Price (wife Isabella Ann), John Smith Price (wife Elizabeth Jane), and sisters Susan Page (husband Edward Rice Page), Jerusha Price, Mary Price and Martha W. Stone (husband Dudley Ward Stone). John Smith Price died 18 April 1860, leaving no descendents. It is likely that G.W. Stone was a nephew to B.W. Price, the son of his sister Martha W. Stone and her husband Dudley Ward Stone. Susan Page was a sister of Benjamin Woodruff Price. She was married to Edward Rice Page and they had at least two children, Joseph and Clayton. At the time of this correspondence they lived in Suspension Bridge, NY, now part of Niagara Falls, New York. Edward Rice Page’s occupation was listed as saloon keeper. The Price family appears to have had a very large extended family. This information was gleaned from the contents of letters of Maggie Tisdale, daughter of Ephraim and Hannah (Price) Tisdale, P.A. or Ann Morgan, [may also be Phebe Ann] of Newark, NY? and Marietta House of Bayham Township. DeWitt Higgins of Suspension Bridge, NY aka Niagara Falls, NY was an auctioneer, specialized in buying jewellery, watches, clocks, from individuals and reselling his product to others like B.W. Price.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands Philip Carrol, 1830, 1846, n.d.

Survey map and description of Philip Carrol's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included are three written descriptions of the lands along the Northern Reservoir, Southern Reservoir as well as the Canal and Reservoir with a drawing of the aforementioned lands. Noteable features for the Northern Reservoir include; line between Philip Carrol's land and Widow McAlpine's land. The land contains 9 acres, 2 roads and 24 perches of wood land. The survey is dated 1830. Noteable features for the Southern Reservoir include; Road to shorthills, side line North, and Watson's land. This survey is not dated. Noteable features for the Canal and Reservoir include; West line of lot, lot.213. The land contains 9 acres and 5 perches. The surveyor's updates for this survey are dated 1846. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map.See also Pp 109-113

The Albion, or British, Colonial and Foreign Weekly Gazette Vol. 5, No. 18- May 2, 1846. Article on Major General Isaac Brock and the 41st Regiment on the second (reverse) page.

A weekly paper published from 1822 to 1856.

Genealogical notes of Elizabeth Pettit and Benjamin Bell

Genealogical notes of Elizabeth Pettit and Benjamin Bell. Lists dates of birth for Benjamin Bell and Elizabeth and includes birth dates for ten children. Also included is the date of the death of Benjamin and Elizabeth and four of their children.

Letter addressed by Benjamin Bates (bearer of the memorial) to a Member of the Legislature, ca. 1812.

Benjamin Bates was a member of the Religious Society of Friends, and served as Clerk of the Society at the time that the Memorial and Petition was written.

Letter addressed by Benjamin Bates (bearer of the memorial) to a Member of the Legislature, ca. 1812.

Benjamin Bates was a member of the Religious Society of Friends, and served as Clerk of the Society at the time that the Memorial and Petition was written.

Indenture of Land Sold by Benjamin Middough to William Woodruff

Indenture stating that Benjamin Middough of Stamford sold a tract of land in the County of Oxford, district of London to William Woodruff of Niagara. The land consisted of 200 acres on lot 34 of the 2nd Concession. This transaction was registered on August 4, 1834 - instrument no. 2413. The date of sale was January 17, 1823.

Indenture between Benjamin Middough and William Woodruff

Indenture between Benjamin Middough of the town of Pendleton in Niagara County, New York and William Woodruff of Niagara Township regarding the sale of Lot no. 36 in the 9th Concession in the Township of Nottawasaga. This is accompanied by a memorial of the Deed of Bargain which is dated June 10, 1837. Memorial no. 4060, May 20, 1837.

Indenture between Barnet Ulman, Benjamin Ulman, Peter Ulman and Philophilus Carpenter

Indenture between Barnet Ulman and Peter Ulman of Niagara Township to Asa Philophilus Carpenter of Niagara Township regarding 300 acres in Lot no. 15 in the 1st Concession and the north half of Lot no. 11 in the 2nd Concession of the Township of Southwood - instrument no. 680. This was listed in folio 287, November 9, 1852.

Letters to Reverend William Proudfoot, 1823, 1842-1843, 1846

A 2 ½ page letter addressed to The Editor of the Presbyterian Magazine, care of [illegible], London, C.W. The writer describes the Village of Chippawa and its location in Ontario. He writes that there are many people there of Scotch [Scottish] descent. He says that a congregation was formed and 39 names were on the roll. The letter is from J.P. [John Porteous] with an added note from Wm. Porteous. The letter is from St. Catharines. There is one postmark – St. Catharines, April 6, 1823 A 1 ½ page letter addressed to Rev. W. Proudfoot, Ed. Of Presbyterian Mag., London, C.W. This letter is from Walter Mitchell in St. Catharines. He sends a list of peoples’ names and the amounts that they have paid toward the Presbyterian Magazine. Mr. Mitchell is acting as an agent for the magazine. This letter has 1 postmark – St. Catharines, Sept. 13, 1842 A 2 page letter addressed to Rev. W. Proudfoot, London, C.W. This letter is from John Jennings of St. Catharines. The writer claims that he is ill but he makes plans to meet Reverend Proudfoot in Toronto in order to go to a meeting in Rochester. The writer expects that Reverend Proudfoot will preach in Rochester. The letter has 1 postmark – St. Catharines, Aug. 14, 1843. A 2 page letter addressed to The Rev. Professor Proudfoot, London, C.W. from John Porteaus of St. Catharines. The writer says that he will not preach in Detroit. He says that the people of Detroit are expecting Mr. Dalrymple [who was sent as a missionary to Canada from Scotland in 1846] and also, he doesn’t want to leave his congregation for 2 Sabbaths. The letter has 2 postmarks – St. Catharines, August 1846 [this postmark is very faint] and Hamilton, August 2, 1846.

Indenture of deed for taxes between Benjamin Walker Smith, sheriff of the County of Simcoe and Joseph A. Woodruff of the Town of Clifton

Indenture of deed for taxes between Benjamin Walker Smith, sheriff of the County of Simcoe and Joseph A. Woodruff of the Town of Clifton for 98 acres in the Township of Tiny in the County of Simcoe, Lot no. 15 in the 18th Concession, Dec. 12, 1861.

Letter to “My Dear Sir” regarding provincial politics from William Benjamin Robinson

Letter to “My Dear Sir” regarding provincial politics from William Benjamin Robinson who was the member of the Simcoe legislature for many years, Jan. 9 (4 pages, handwritten), 1845.