The Update March 2014 York Pioneer & Historical Society Newsletter

www.yorkpioneers.org Newsletter Date Launch of the 2014 York Pioneer

When : Sunday, April 27, The newly opened museum authors of the arcles in this 2014; 2-4 PM in downtown year’s edion of the York provides a glimpse of the Pioneer . P.O. Box 45206 Where : Parliament history of York in the 1700s. 2482 Yonge St. Interpretave Centre—265 Your entrance fee has been Visit with your fellow Toronto, ON M4P 3E3 Front Street East, Toronto paid by the YPHS. Pioneers over a beverage & a hp://goo.gl/maps/KH9Dj treat. There will be many things to Please join us for the Launch do and see including a Please RSVP by April 20 Please Note: of the 2014 York Pioneer at chance to enjoy a brief tour to [email protected] • Don’t forget to the Parliament Interpretave by a centre interpreter and or Audrey at 416-656-0812 renew your mem- Centre for an aernoon of see an exhibit of bership before the learning and socializing. Pick polical cartoons York Pioneer launch. You want up your copy of our 2014 to make sure you journal. You’ll also get to meet the get your copy

• If your contact Annual York Pioneer and Historical Society Lunch information has changed please contact Barry When : Sunday, June 1, 2014 Julia Roberts, an Associate Further details will follow in Mapes, the Mem- Time TBA Professor of History at the May. bership Chair University of Waterloo who Where : Morton’s researches early Canadian Inside this issue: Steakhouse—4 Avenue Road, colonial society, will be Toronto, M5R2E8 speaking. Ms. Roberts is the AGM Summary 2 hps://goo.gl/maps/Jf7hJ author of In Mixed Company: 2014 Board of 2 Taverns and Public Life in Directors Price : TBA .

Call For New Auditor 2 Please join us for the YPHS There will be a cash bar and a Trivia night 3 Luncheon at Morton’s choice of mains and desserts. Steakhouse. The Eversley Funds 4 Meeting Summary are Back! Doors Open Toronto Announcements 4 The Heritage Minute was a On May 24th & May those days please let Kristine From the Archives 5 short documentary on a 25th will be Janzen know. You can contact her Canadian history topic that Acknowledgement 5 open for Doors Open Toronto at [email protected] used to be played on TV from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and thanks between episodes of shows. There are new ones being As well, Scadding Cabin will be made again. Check out part of the Haunted Walks http://gotaminute.ca/ for a program organized by new Heritage Minute. The . current one is about Sir John A. Come by and visit, or, if you Macdonald. would like to volunteer to help out at the cabin on one of Page 2 2014 YPHS Annual General Meeting On Sunday, January 26, 2014 Ken Carter then reported on a Paul Litt asked for nominations Toronto's founding history for the members of the York number of the activities of the from the floor. On hearing several years. A couple of years Pioneer & Historical Society YPHS in 2013 as well as none, he declared the ago she started work on the convened at historic John thanking board members for nominations closed. The creation of her TORONTO PARK McKenzie House in Toronto for their contributions to the YPHS. proposed slate of Directors LOT PROJECT — an online their annual AGM. was moved and elected. interactive map-based The meeting was called to exploration of the earliest days Motions then followed and Ken Carter then introduced Dr. order at 2:10pm following the of Toronto and . Wendy John Carter who is a member remarks by Dr. Carter and Ken were carried such that the is also working on a book of the York Pioneers, an author, Carter. The minutes from the Board engage a new Reviewing about Peter Russell, who Accountant mid-term as our a contributor to our annual 2013 AGM were moved and became administrator of Upper journal, has been the guest adopted, as were the financial current Reviewing Accountant Canada for three years after speaker at our Annual Dinner report prepared by Philip has retired, and that Edna John Graves Simcoe, Upper Rigby be appointed as the and is also a board member of Creighton and the Committee Canada's first Lieutenant- the Ontario Historical Society Reports. Society’s representative to the Governor, left the province in (OHS) in whose home we were Canadian National Exhibition 1796. meeting . Following this the election of Association for the year 2013 - the 2014 Board of Directors 2014 . Fred Robbins is a Member-at- Dr. Carter noted that this marks commenced. Paul Litt served Large who is very active with the second year in a row that as Chair pro tem and Margaret Three new board members the historical societies in the the YPHS is holding its annual Porter served as pro tem were elected during the Stouffville and Newmarket meeting: general meeting at the home of recorder for the duration of the area the OHS, and added that while Board elections. Paul Litt Robert Horwood is the new the OHS is 125 years old, the presented the report of the A special thank you to Devon Recording Secretary. He is a YPHS is even older! He Nominating Committee, which and Nell for all of their help in business man and his wife is a welcomed all attendees, had been distributed to the setting up, serving tea, and direct descendant of our remarking that it was a members. The Nominating cleaning up at the end of the society’s founder Richard pleasure to host the annual Committee included: Chair, AGM. Oates. general meeting, and turned David Raymont; Members, Ken the floor back to President Ken Carter; Audrey Fox; Stephanie Wendy Smith is a Member-at- Carter. Thomas; and Richard Spear. Large who has been studying

2014 YPHS Board of Directors Call For New Auditor

OFFICERS: COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Representave on the Board Following the rerement of of the Sharon Temple Philip Creighton as the Past President: Audrey Fox Editorial: Audrey Fox Museum Society: Reviewing Accountant for President: Ken Carter Membership: Barry Mapes the YPHS we are now Andrew Marshall seeking a new auditor. If you Vice President: David Programme: Micki Allen Representave to the are an accountant and wish Raymont Publicity (newsleer): Canadian Naonal Exhibion to fulfill this role or know of Treasurer: Cindy Ewins Mahew Singleton Associaon: someone who would please contact the York Pioneer & Recording Secretary: Robert Scadding Cabin: Krisne Edna Rigby Horwood Janzen Historical Society at Representave to the [email protected] Corresponding Secretary: Members at Large: Toronto Historical Patricia Robertson Fred Robbins Associaon: Archivist: John Marshall Kayoko Smith Barry Mapes

Wendy Smith Brief Notes Trivia night Page 3

Welcome to New The YPHS sent a team to Sir our "York Pioneers" team of just round of appetizers to books) Members! John A. Macdonald’s 199th four came in second overall, were donated by Heritage Birthday Trivia Night – and we not far behind [just seven Toronto, the Duke of York • Stephanie Lever ably defended our place in points] the winning "J-A Team." Pub, Canada’s History, Penguin history. Books, Historica Canada, the • Annette McLaren Although we all contributed, our and Toronto Dozens of history buffs team gave thanks for David • Before. Tony Wagner gathered at the Duke of York Raymont’s encyclopedic Pub on Prince Arthur to test knowledge of our prime We look forward to the YPHS • Dianne Christie their knowledge of Canadian ministers! We all agreed the fielding more than one team A warm welcome and we prime ministers (including Sir music round was not geared to next year on Sir John’s 200th look forward to meeting John, of course), music, our age group. birthday. Keep reading your you. quotations, Toronto history, and Canadian history and much more. The lively evening was MC’ed keep January 11, 2015 free for by Jeremy Diamond of The Vimy celebrating. Thirteen teams of up to six Foundation and organized by a members entered the contest; group of avid history we are proud to announce that enthusiasts. Prizes (from a Congratulations to new Life Members

• Vancy Kaspar

• Alex Grenzebach

• Elaine Robertson (a YPHS Past President!)

The YPHS gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of The YPHS trivia team [David and Jane Raymont, Leo and Audrey Fox), placed second out Ontario through the of 13 contenders; history buff Arleen McCallum, far right, offered her congratulations. Ministry of Tourism, Photo Courtesy of Audrey fox Culture and Sport March 2014 Page 4

restoration of the fence surrounding the Honorary President and Past President The Eversley Funds burial ground. and several other Past Presidents of the YPHS (Jeanine Avigdor, Brooke On Sunday February 23rd, 2014 members James McFall and his wife spoke on behalf Jarvis, Janet Watt, and Paul Willoughby) of the York Pioneer & Historical Society met of the Sharon Temple. at the Tollkeeper’s Cottage at the corner of and James Pearson, President of the Bathurst and Dupont to discuss the use of President Ken Carter discussed the required Sharon Temple Museum Society. maintenance for Scadding Cabin as outlined the funds from the sale of the Eversley No decisions have yet been made on in the Condition Assessment performed by Church in 2012. the use of the Eversley Funds and the E.R.A Architects. That the work listed is in YPHS Board has struck a committee to Presentations were made on behalf of the report is for the near future and that go over the ideas which were presented several groups and several members also other comments from the report indicated at the meeting, as well as several that spoke. Many ideas rose from this meeting. ongoing recommendations. He also had been proposed in the past. Among those who spoke were John McIntyre indicated that "Scadding Cabin is the York and Freda Kemp who spoke on behalf of the Pioneers' "Jewel in the Crown" and that all Input into this is always welcome, and if Sharon Temple Museum Society. They were other considerations should be secondary. you wish to make a suggestion please feel free to contact the board via email requesting funds to aid in several Pat Robertson presented several ideas on at [email protected] preservation and restoration projects. Tara behalf of David Raymont, who was unable to Downing spoke on behalf of the Sharon attend the meeting. Burying Ground. She outlined a proposal to use some of the funds to aid in the Also in attendance at the meeting was one

Announcements Membership Renewal

Heather Robertson It’s time to re-new your support for the Fees: It is with deepest regret that we inform you of YPHS! Life: $200 the passing of Heather Robertson on the day Annual membership fees for the YPHS are Annual (single): $20 of her 72nd birthday, March 19, 2014. Ms. now due. Our membership year runs 1 Robertson was a noted author, a YPHS January to 31 December. Annual (family): $25 member, and the wife of YPHS Board Member Andrew Marshall. Don’t miss the 2014 issue of The York Corporate: $25 Pioneer – join now! Our condolences to Andrew, and Ms. Tax Receipts are issued for all dues Robertson’s family. Please Renew online: go to our website to and donations. renew with fast, easy & secure PayPal.

http://www.yorkpioneers.org

Paul Willoughby

On February 21, 2014 Paul Willoughby received a 2013 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award was presented at Queen’s Park by the Honorable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Thomas H.B. Symons, Chairman, .

Paul Willoughby is a past-president of the York Pioneer and Historical Society. He was president from 1988 – 1990; and 1996 – 98.

Thomas H.B. Symons, Chairman, Ontario Heritage Trust (le); Paul Willoughby; the Honorable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (right) Photo by Cathy Willoughby March 2014 Page 5 Acknowledgement and From the Archives thanks to Philip Creighton and former Board Members -John Marshall Mr. Philip Creighton is retiring as Members who attended the AGM Reviewing Accountant for the YPHS. in January viewed a small exhibit Philip has been with the York Alwyn Robertson served as a member-at- featuring YPHS Annual Dinners Pioneers for over 40 years and saw large for the final six months of 2011and as over the years. One of the showier us through the birth of the Sharon Membership Chair in 2012 and 2013. Alwyn items on display was a large silk- Temple Museum Society. His work spent many hours preparing a YPHS board tasselled menu from the York was thorough; he slapped us on the manual that outlines our job descriptions. Pioneer, which some older wrist when we deserved it and was She also organized a strategic planning members may remember as the always able to bless us with his session in February 2012, a very useful charm. restaurant located in Union exercise for the board. Station in the 1950s and 60s. Margaret Porter has been the Dana Webster joined the board in April 2011 There was no connection to our Recording Secretary for four years as Publicity Chair. She produced the Update Society, although we did hold our and has worked with two Presidents. newsletter until April 2013 and worked on Annual Dinner there several times. She is very keen and thorough and the YPHS website. We wish her the best in No doubt it must have seemed the the Board wishes her all the best. her new career. perfect venue. The restaurant had a pioneer theme, and it featured a Town of York log cabin, but not the one that first comes to mind. Its log cabin was a reconstruction of the home of Baron Frederick de Hoen, an early German settler. The menu says the Baron’s land was north-west of Yonge and St. Clair, where he built his two-room cabin in 1802. The structure apparently survived on Lawton Boulevard until 1958, when it was dismantled and rebuilt in the restaurant, using the original materials. Cursory research has turned up a few references to the Baron, but no mention of his cabin, or, for Front cover of the York Pioneer Back cover of the York Pioneer that matter, the York Pioneer Restaurant menu Restaurant menu Restaurant. It would be interesting to know what became of the cabin Baked Bread – Cottage Butter; Good of 1960, there was no glass of following the restaurant’s demise. Dandelion Leaf and Water Cress wine. Salad, Homestead Dressing; Rabbit The menu in our archives is dated The restaurant’s regular menu also and Bacon in Casserole – Pioneer May 25, 1960. The insert for the had a Canadiana/pioneer theme, Style; Jacket Baked Ontario Potato; YPHS dinner lists the following including Restigouche Salmon Buttered Yellow Turnip; Sunday Steak, Winnipeg Gold Eye, a Pioneer menu: Sweet Ontario Cider; Celery Apple Pudding with Hot Maple Syrup; Special, and a Log Cabin Club Hearts – Spring Onions; Home Buttermilk. Of course, in Toronto the Sandwich.