OCCUPATIONS

OCCUPATIONS

Wolfe Island

An Early History

Compiled by Muriel Joslin & Madeline Fawcett

Date Unknown

[post 1970]

From The Tweedsmuir History Books

St. Lawrence Woman’s Institute

Wolfe Island (East End)

Courtesy of The Wolfe Island Public Library

With the kind consent of Constance Woodman

1. Lumbermen in 1842 were William and John GRANT, Alexander McDALE, Angus KENNEDY, John McRAE, and 4 members of the McDONNELL clans; Hugh, John Roy, John M., and Alexander.

2. John HALLIDAY was a wood merchant.

3. Blacksmith ships were operated by James BENNETT, Thomas DAVIS and Edward BURNS in 1842. In 1878 the village had 4 blacksmiths - one being Gillison DAVIS.

4. In the 1980s [sic; probably 1880s] William TAYLOR and Edward GRIFFIN shared a blacksmith shop then Isadore GRIFFIN and Craig RUSSELL took over. George O’BRIEN also had a blacksmith shop.

STORES:

1. Sam HICKLEY and Demetrius SPINNING both had a store in 1836 and 1837.

2. In 1845 Michael BAKER opened a store in Marysville. It is one of the longest established single family businesses on the Island. In 1973 it was run by Arthur and Marie BAKER but due to the ill health it was sold to Ron GRIFFIN who operated it at present time [date unknown]. It is named the “Villager.”

3. The store operated now by Clifton and Theresa FARGO began with Charles CUMMINS before 1890. It was taken over by “WEIR and RATTRAY” briefly by Russ WOODMAN then by Geo. RATTRAY, later by Chas. COFFEY and now is property of Clifton and Theresa FARGO. All kinds of merchandise is sold at this very hardy store.

4. A general store that once owned by Tom FRIEND, then Harold FRIEND, sold to H.TARRANT later to Ross BUSTARD then to Sid FAWCETT was burned.

In 1842 carpenters were John BROWN, Oliver PRITTY and John CARPENTER.

John SALWAY was a mason.

Joseph DICKS a sailmaker.

James DOYLE a shoemaker.

Daniel COOK had a sawmill at Reed’s Creek.

Mr. ALLEN a gristmill and sawmill at Mill Point.

George BARRETT a flour mill in 1878.

In 1842 Ronald B. MacDONALD operated a sawmill in the 12^th Concession. It was taken over by John CAMERON and ran until 1850.

Cheesemaking began in late1860s. Joseph BULLIS was chairman for Cold Springs Factory built in 1869.

There were 5 other factories in operation through the years. O’SHEA’S, HENDERSON’S, RATTRAY’S, one at the head of the Island and one on Simcoe Isl. The Kraft Factory opened in 1857 near Cold Springs. Some of the cheese makers were Hugh HORNA, John WILKINSON, Thomas HENDERSON, Henry HOGAN and David SOUTHALL.

The story of cheese making at the Foot of the Island was interesting to me.

The first factory was in the home of Geo. RATTRAY where James O’NEILL lives now. Then a factory was built out at the road on Concession 17 but it burned in about 1915.

George RATTRAY and his daughter Bertha formed a company of shareholders among the milk producers and a cement black factory was built not far from where the original factory burned close to the highway. Living quarters for the cheese maker were included in this building.

But when costs of operating grew higher the patrons were asked to share the costs. Some refused and began to draw their milk to the HENDERSON factory so the factory on Conc. 17 had to close early in 1940.

Some of the cheese makers there were Charlie PRICE, Clarence OGLE, Chris REEVES, Anthony CLARK, Bruce MITCHELL, Larry McAVOY and E. LAPLONTE.

The BRIGGS Bros. And the HINCKLEYs operated their own stage express companies in the 1860s between Kingston and Cape Vincent. A livery service was run by Harry CARD around 1912 in the village. It later became the HAWKINS Livery.

Lighthouses were tended by Keepers with coal oil lamps to flash out warnings. The GILLESPIE Family tended the lighthouse at Quebec Head.

Two of the first doctors on the island were Robert HALL and John McCRA [sic] before 1840. Many doctors served the people on the island from practices in Kingston and Cape Vincent. Dr. William SPANKIE operated an office in the village from 1883 to 1929. Dr. SPANKIE held offices of Reeve, Warden and Member of Parliament and all could tell tales of hair raising experiences in attending sick patients.

In 1972 the Wolfe Island Medical Clinic opened and it was tended by Dr. George MERRY then by Dr. Allen McBRIDE.

The General Wolfe Hotel in the village has served the public for many years. Some of the operators were Mike O’BRIEN, J. BRICELAND, Mike JOHNSON, the GREENWOOD brothers and the new owner - Miro ZLORVSKY who has made very extensive changes and serves now only Wolfe Islanders but great numbers of very satisfied customers from the mainland.

Post Offices on Wolfe Island had many different locations years ago.

Mary HITCHCOCK operated the first postal services out of her home in the village then the BAKERS, the PAYNES, Tome FRIENDS, then the O’BRIENS while the new office in its present position was built and opened in 1970. Various sub-offices toward the Foot of the Island were at ALLENS, QUIGLEYS, BERRY at KIELLS corner, Charlie WOODMAN’S, W.H. WOODMAN’S and possibly others.

The rural mail was welcomed with Wm. RANOUS being the first mailman, followed by Jack CLEARY, The HOUGH Family, Mr. KERSCHENFRAFER, Nelson ALUM, Winston YOTT then Mary YOTT all delivering to the Foot of the Island. J.D. COSGROVE then Harold COSGROVE attended the new office for many years then Mrs. Gisselle LAROQUE and at present Mrs. Helen COMSTOCK with her helpers are conducting the post office business.

Barbers on the Island have not been very plentiful. Vernal BUSH, Stan Virtue and Vic HALLIDAY each here for a short time. Howard McKENNA operated in his own home for favored Islanders.

The Township Hall was built in 1859 and was renovated in ____[blank]. Some of the Reeves were Thomas DAWSON, Romain MOSIER, R.J. SPOOR. Some of the island reeves who have served as Warden were D.D. CALVIN, Thomas HOGAN, Richard SPOOR, Dr. Wm. SPANKIE, J.P. O’SHEA, J.W. KEYES and T.D. O’SHEA.

The Islands: Wolfe Occupations