Second Welland Canal - Book 1, Survey Map 15 - Hydraulic Race and Aqueduct in Grantham

Survey map of the Second Welland Canal created by the Welland Canal Company showing the Canal along the eastern edge of the Town of St. Catharines. Identified structures associated with the Canal include Lock 7, Lock House Lot, and the towing path. The surveyors' measurements and notes can be seen in red and black ink and pencil. Local area landmarks are also identified and include bridges, streets, and roads (ex. Queenston Road, St. Catharines Macdamized Road and Suspension Bridge), a hydraulic race, and the Hydraulic Aqueduct. Properties and property owners of note are: Concession 7 Lots 12, 13, and 14, M. Bryant, Mrs. Soper, J. Capner, O. Phelps, P. Marren, Mrs. Parnell, J. Carty, Mrs. Ward, and J. Goodenew.

Second Welland Canal - Book 2, Survey Map 1 - Locks 5, 6 and 7 in Grantham

Survey map of the Second Welland Canal created by the Welland Canal Company showing the Grantham Township just southeast of the Town of St. Catharines. Identified structures associated with the Canal include Locks 5, 6, and 7, two Lock House Lots, Small Lock House, waste weir, and the towing path. The surveyors' measurements and notes can be seen in red and black ink and pencil. Local area landmarks are also identified and include roads (ex. Road to Thorold), Dicks Creek, R. Collier's Saw Mill, a gate yard, paper mill, grist mill, store house, and a barn. Properties and property owners of note are: Concession 7 Lots 13, 14, and 15, R. Collier, Orson Phelps, and a Mill Lot leased to Richard Collier.

Second Welland Canal - Book 2, Survey Map 2 - Locks 9 and 10 in Grantham

Survey map of the Second Welland Canal created by the Welland Canal Company showing the Grantham Township between the Town of St. Catharines and Merritton. Identified structures associated with the Canal include Locks 9 and 10, waste weirs, the towing path, a 2nd towing path, and the Canal waterway itself. The surveyors' measurements and notes can be seen in red and black ink and pencil. Local area landmarks are also identified and include roads (ex. Road to Centreville), hydraulic race, and the Centreville Mill. Properties and property owners of note are: Concession 8 Lots 12 and 12, Lewis Traver, Richard Ash, John Bradley, Owen Clifford, Orson Phelps, C. Bradley, the W. C. Loan Company, and T. Towers Mill Lot.

Second Welland Canal - Book 2, Survey Map 3 - Locks 8, 9 and 10 in Grantham

Survey map of the Second Welland Canal created by the Welland Canal Company showing the Grantham Township between the Town of St. Catharines and Merritton. Identified structures associated with the Canal include Locks 8, 9, and 10, waste weirs, the towing path, and several floating bridges. The surveyors' measurements and notes can be seen in red and black ink and pencil. Several stones and tree stumps likely used in the measurements are identified on the map. Local area landmarks are also identified and include streets and roads(ex. Macadamized Road to Thorold), J. Hamilton's Hotel, a school house, McCoy's Farm House, Bradley's House, O. Phelps Saw Mill, Disher and Hait's Woolen Mill, Centreville Mills, a bridge, several barns, and a number of structures (possibly houses, cabins, or shops) belonging to: P. McCoy, E. McLachlan, T. Wilson, W. Wilson, M. Bradley, S. Bradley, P. Boyle, J. Bradley, E. Grant, and W. Church. Lock 12 and 15 of the original canal are also identified. Properties and property owners of note are: Concession 8 Lots 12, 13 and 14, O. J. Phelps, P. McCoy, A. Bradley, C. Bradley, T. Reed, O. Clifford, J. Bradley, W. C. Loan Company, Duffin, and T. Towers Mill Lot.

British Methodist Episcopal Church Tithing Ticket, 1875

This is a quarterly tithing ticket from the British Methodist Episcopal Church, signed by R. Miller, Minister, and dated November 28, 1875. It was in the possession of the Rick Bell Family of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Bell family include former Black slaves from the United States who settled in Canada.

British Methodist Episcopal Church Tithing Ticket, 1874

A quarterly tithing ticket from the British Methodist Episcopal Church, signed by Walter Hawkins, Minister, issued on August 16, 1874. This ticket was in the possession of the Richard Bell Family of St. Catharines.Minister Walter Hawkins was Superintendent of the Conference for the British Methodist Episcopal Church (Brant Co.) This excerpt from the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online describes his role in reestablishing the BMEC in Canada following a period of reunion with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, an initiative spearheaded by Richard Randolph Disney, a free-born black American Methodist preacher. "By the end of the 1870s the BMEC had 56 congregations with about 3,100 members, the bulk of the latter being in the Danish West Indies and British Guiana. Because mission work outside Canada had overtaxed the church's financial resources, in 1880 Disney began negotiations towards reunion with the AMEC. The reunion was effected that year, and it was overwhelmingly ratified at a BMEC convention held at Hamilton in June 1881. A referendum showed that although a majority in Ontario was opposed, 86 per cent of the membership was in favour. Disney was accepted as an AMEC bishop and was assigned to its Tenth Episcopal District, a region embracing his former territory as well as some of the AMEC churches in Canada which had not joined the BMEC. Reunification appeared to have been a triumph for Disney, but trouble soon occurred. A majority of the Ontario churches and preachers, led by the Reverend Walter Hawkins of Chatham, sought to re-establish the BMEC, fearing the loss of their distinctive identity and perhaps feeling that the Caribbean groups had exercised too much influence on the reunification question. In 1886 this group held an ecclesiastical council at Chatham, at which it was claimed that Disney had defected to the AMEC. At a subsequent general conference that year the BMEC was reconstituted. The conference deposed Disney, agreeing to "erase his name and ignore his authority, and cancel his official relationship as bishop." The conference minutes also refer to a court case instigated by Disney which reached the High Court of Chancery in Britain, but records of this case have not been located. The reconstituted BMEC elected Hawkins as its general superintendent, avoiding the title of bishop for several years." Source: Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Government of Canada.

British Methodist Episcopal Church Tithing Ticket, 1879

A first quarterly tithing ticket from the British Methodist Episcopal Church, signed by W. Grayson, Minister, and dated August 1, 1879. This ticket was in the possession of the Rick Bell Family of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Bell family include former Black slaves from the United States who settled in Canada.

British Methodist Episcopal Church Tithing Ticket, 1884

A third quarterly tithing ticket from the British Methodist Episcopal Church, signed by the Minister, and dated February 17, 1884. This ticket was in the possession of the Rick Bell family of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Bell family include former Black slaves from the United States who settled in Canada.

British Methodist Episcopal Church Tithing Ticket, 1889

A second quarterly tithing ticket from the British Methodist Episcopal Church, signed by Rev. P. Brooks, Minister, issued on November 24, 1889. This ticket was in the possession of the Richard Bell family of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Bell family ancestry includes former Black American slaves who settled in Canada.

William Still's Boarding House advertisement [n.d.]

Original advertisement for William Still's Boarding House, No. 832 South Street, below 9th, south side Philad'a [sic]. Not dated. The advertisement includes handwritten marginalia, possibly by William Still, on the left-hand side referring to St. Catharines. There is a small embossed stamp on the upper left-hand corner of the advertisement. This item was in the possession of the Rick Bell Family of St. Catharines.Handwritten marginalia (original spelling and punctuation): "Do remember me very kindly to all my enquiring friends _ I but seldom hear of late from St. Catherines" The street number printed in the original advertisement (374) has been crossed out in black ink and a handwritten "832" has been inserted. William Still was an African-American abolitionist from Philadelphia and clerk of the Anti-Slavery Society who by his own account assisted 649 slaves receive freedom. He kept records on fugitive slaves so their relatives could find them later. In 1872, he published his records in a book entitled, The Underground Railroad. Source: William Still Underground Railroad Foundation: http://www.undergroundrr.com/foundation/about.htm

W.W. Tyrrill receipt, June 1888

A receipt from W.W. Tyrrill, of St. Catharines, Ontario dated June 2, 1888, for a ladies Swiss watch priced at $11.00. The receipt is a rental agreement which specifies the terms of a fee payment schedule. Information on the receipt indicates Mr. Tyrrill sold watches, jewelry, silver plated goods, albums and Bibles. He is also listed as an agent for pianos, organs and Singer sewing machines. This receipt was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines. Relatives of the Sloman Bell families include former Black slaves from the United States who settled in southern Ontario.There are various spellings of the Tyrrill name within the Bell family archive. Other forms of the name include Tyrell, Tyrrell, and Terrell.

Bell Family Bible, Family Record, 1853-1897

The Family Record page from the Bell Family Bible providing information on the births of Bell ancestors. Relatives of the Bell family include former American slaves who later settled in Canada. This Bible was in the possession of the Rick Bell Family of St. Catharines, Ontario.

Bell Family Bible, Marriages, Tyrell - Gains, 1849

The Marriages page from the Bell Family Bible listing the marriage of Lewis Tyrell to Jane Gains on Aug. 31, 1849 at Culpepper Court House, Virginia. This Bible was in the possession of the Richard Bell Family of St. Catharines, Ontario. Ancestors of the Bell family include former American slaves who settled in Canada.

Bell Family Bible, Deaths, Tyrrell, 1886-1908

The Deaths page from the Bell Family Bible listing the deaths of Jane Tyrrell in 1886, William C. Tyrrell in 1898, and Lewis Tyrrell in 1908. This Bible was in the possession of the Rick Bell family of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Bell family were former Black slaves from the United States who settled in Canada.The handwritten entry appears to read as follows: "Jane Tyrrell, died March 1st 1886 age 64 yrs. William C. Tyrrell died January 15th 1898 by accident in Albany N.Y. age 33 yrs 3 months Lewis Tyrrell died September 25th 1908 at his late residence Vine and Welland Ave. St. Catharines age 81 yrs 5 months." There are various spellings of the Tyrrell name within the Bell family archive. Other forms of the name include Tyrell, Tyrrill, and Terrell.

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"