Office of the City Clerk, St. Catharines Records, 1928-1974, n.d.

The site of present-day St. Catharines was settled by 3000 United Empire Loyalists at the end of the 18th century. From 1790, the settlement (then known as "The Twelve") grew as an agricultural community. St. Catharines was once referred to Shipman's Corners after Paul Shipman, owner of a tavern that was an important stagecoach transfer point. In 1815, leading businessman William Hamilton Merritt abandoned his wharf at Queenston and set up another at Shipman's Corners. He became involved in the construction and operation of several lumber and gristmills along Twelve Mile Creek. Shipman's Corners soon became the principal milling site of the eastern Niagara Peninsula. At about the same time, Merritt began to develop the salt springs that were discovered along the river which subsequently gave the village a reputation as a health resort. By this time St. Catharines was the official name of the village; the origin of the name remains obscure, but is thought to be named after Catharine Askin Robertson Hamilton, wife of the Hon. Robert Hamilton, a prominent businessman. Merritt devised a canal scheme from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario that would provide a more reliable water supply for the mills while at the same time function as a canal. He formed the Welland Canal Company, and construction took place from 1824 to 1829. The canal and the mills made St. Catharines the most important industrial centre in Niagara. By 1845, St. Catharines was incorporated as a town, with the town limits extending in 1854. Administrative and political functions were added to St. Catharines in 1862 when it became the county seat of Lincoln. In 1871, construction began on the third Welland Canal, which attracted additional population to the town. As a consequence of continual growth, the town limits were again extended. St. Catharines attained city status in 1876 with its larger population and area. Manufacturing became increasingly important in St. Catharines in the early 1900s with the abundance of hydro-electric power, and its location on important land and water routes. The large increase in population after the 1900s was mainly due to the continued industrialization and urbanization of the northern part of the city and the related expansion of business activity. The fourth Welland Canal was opened in 1932 as the third canal could no longer accommodate the larger ships. The post war years and the automobile brought great change to the urban form of St. Catharines. St. Catharines began to spread its boundaries in all directions with land being added five times during the 1950s. The Town of Merritton, Village of Port Dalhousie and Grantham Township were all incorporated as part of St. Catharines in 1961. In 1970 the Province of Ontario implemented a regional approach to deal with such issues as planning, pollution, transportation and services. As a result, Louth Township on the west side of the city was amalgamated, extending the city's boundary to Fifteen Mile Creek. With its current population of 131,989, St. Catharines has become the dominant centre of the Niagara region. Source: City of St. Catharines website http://www.stcatharines.ca/en/governin/HistoryOfTheCity.asp (January 27, 2011)

Proceedings : Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario - 1918

On spine : The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands Robert Brown, 1827

Survey map and description of Robert Brown's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a two page written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; line between Grantham and Louth townships, bed of the 12 mile creek. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map, including notes about the deed to the land.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands Robert Brown 1827, land description #2

Survey map and description of Robert Brown's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a two page written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; line between Grantham and Louth townships, bed of the 12 mile creek. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map, including notes about the deed to the land.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands Adam Gould 1827

Survey map and description of Adam Gould's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; allowance between 4th and 5th concession, line of Northrup's land. Total land mass is 6 acres and 6 perches. The deed for the land is dated May 7th, 1827. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands George Adams Esquire 1827

Survey map and description of George Adams' land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; Concession lines between the 4th and 5th concession and the 5th and 6th concession, canal. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map. The deed for the land is dated May 10th 1827.See also page 41.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands John Clendennan 1827

Survey map and description of John Clendennan's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; line between lot no.17 in 6th and 7th concession, William Chisholm's land. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map. The deed for the land was dated June 1st, 1827. Click on 'stereoview' to see Map.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands Zachariah Rykert, 1827

urvey map and description of Zachariah Rykert's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; line between Rykert and Parnell's land, lot divisions. The land totals 5.5 acres. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands Peter Vanevery, 1827

Survey map and description of Peter Vanevery's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; lines between lots, L. Carrol's and E. Bouke's land. The land totals 100 acres. Deed from Jacob Stule (?) dated July 10, 1827. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands Samuel Swayze, 1827

Survey map and description of Samuel Swayze's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; lot division. The land totals 65 acres and 12 perches. The deed from Hall Davis to the Welland Canal Company is dated December 1, 1827. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands John Brown, 1827

Survey map and description of John Brown's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; Welland river, towpath, canal, lock, side line between Broan and Carl. The land totals 6 acres, 3 roads and 33 perches. The deed for the land is dated April 2, 1827. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil on the map.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands David Thompson Esquire

Survey map and description of David Thompson's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; line between Widow McAlpine and Thompson's land. The land contains 9 acres, 3 roads, 11 perches and 2 acres partly drained.

Welland Canal Survey of Lands David Price, 1834

Survey map and description of David Price's land created by The Welland Canal Company. Included is a written description of the land along with a drawing of the land. Noteable features include; Hellem's Creek, road, bridge, Chippewa, Griffith's land, canal. The deed for the land is dated October 14, 1834. The land totals 5 acres, 3 roads and 7 perches. Surveyor notes are seen in pencil and red pen on the map.

Bell Family Bible, Miscellaneous, 1895 - 1918

A page from the Bell Family Bible entitled "Miscellaneous" recording the dates and places of birth of the children of Charles and Mary Bell. The birth dates for the eight children listed range from 1895 to 1918. There is also a single entry under the heading "Age of Children of Delbert Bell". This Bible was in the possession of the Rick Bell of St. Catharines. The Bell family is descended from former Black slaves from the United States who settled in Canada.The handwritten entries appear to be as follows: "Ages of the children of Charles and Mary Bell are Wilbert Otto Bell born November 7th 1895 Erie Pa. Edna Beatrice Bell born May 25th 1897 Erie Pa. Lewis Terrell Bell born April 8th 1899 St. Catharines Ont. Gertrude Bell born November 26th 1902 St. Catharines Ont. Charles Henry Bell born June 6th 1906 St. Catharines Ont. Richard Wilson Bell born March 19th 1911 William Willoughby Bell born May 2nd 1912 both in St. Catharines Ontario Age of Children of Delbert Bell March 12th 1918 Delbert Charlie Bell"