Fire at Pakenham Woollen Factory with Town Directory

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Fire at Pakenham 1871 —Complete Destruction of Woollen Factory. On Wednesday, about 3 o’clock Royce Bros Woollen Factory and carding mill was discovered to be on fire. The building and contents were entirely destroyed. It was at one time imminent that the out buildings belonging to the firm, and also the large woollen factory within a few feet of the burning building owned by Hilliard, Dickson & Lorimer would be burnt. It was several times caught, but by great exertions on the part-of the villagers the fire was prevented from spreading by the only available means:—Buckets and wet blankets.

The fire originated in the picking room. A young woman who was working on the floor above when the fire took place, had to jump from the window to the river, and was considerably injured. We have not heard how much insurance is on the property. The loss to the Messrs. Royce will be a severe one.

historicalnotes

Low Water in Pakenham 1871– The mills at Pakenham are also idle, for a few days, from the scarcity of water in the Mississippi River. The water in the Mississippi is so low just now that most of our mills have been compelled to shut down.  If this was to continue for any length o f time it would have a serious effect on the business of the place ; but in all probability the scarcity of water will be but for a short time. If our millowners would only turn their attention to improving the water powers of Almonte, instead of disputing about their respective rights, we think that means could be devised whereby there would be sufficient water all the year round. Rosamond’s, Elliott, *Routh & Sheard’s, Forgie’s and Wylie’s mills, *Flett’s foundry and others, have all felt the effect, more or less, of low water. 1871

-*Andrew Elliot and his firm, Elliot, Routh and Sheard, purchased. Hill No. 2 from Bennett and William Rosamond Go. in 1870

-*Sawmills, machine shops and iron foundries followed, including among the latter the foundry operated for a few years by John Flett (1836-1900) Almonte

Read-

The Drought of 1871 and the Mills on the Mississippi River

Fuller’s directory for Pakenham 1866 and 1867

PAKENHAM.
PAKENHAM. 


A village situated on the River Mississippi, in the Township of 
of Pakenham, North Riding of the County of Lanark. It is the 
centre of a fine agricultural district of country, and possesses 
extensive water privileges. Pakeuham is distant from Perth, the 
County Town, 36 miles; from Ottawa, the same distance; and 
from Brockville, 72 miles. Its population is between 5 and 600 

Ayres, John, farmer 

Bolton, George, tinsmith, Graham st 

Brown, Robert, J. P., general merchant, Graham st 

Burleigh, Robert, farmer 

Burns, Robert, M. D., coroner 

Burns, William, Rev., Wesleyan Methodist 

Burrowes, Thomas, farmer 

Burrowes, William, farmer 

Canton, Joseph TI., saddler and harness maker, Graham st 

Carswell, Allan, Sr., farmer 

Carswell, Allan, Jr., farmer 

Clark, Robert, boot and shoe maker, Graham st 

Cockell, George, farmer 

Collins, J. Rev., Roman Catholic 

COMMERCIAL UNION FIRE AND LIFE ASSURANCE 
COMPANY, Richard H. Davie, Agent, Graham st 
COWAN, JAMES, tin, copper, and sheet iron worker, Graham 
st. AH descriptions of work done in the above., on the 
shortest notice, and at the most reasonable rates. 

Dack, George, blacksmith, Graham st 

PACK, WILLIAM, boot and shoe maker, Graham st. Boots 
and shoes of all descriptions made to order in the best, 
cheapest, and most expeditious manner. 

DAYIE, RICHARD H,, tailor and clothier, clerk 5th divis- 
ion Court, Lanark and Renfrew, and agent Provincial 
and Commercial Union Insurance Companies, Graham st 
— See Advertisement 
Dickson, Andrew, J. P. 

Dickson, Robert, farmer 

DICKSON, WILLIAM. [Hilliard & Dickson.] 

Dickson, William, proprietor Dickson’s Hotel, Graham st 
Dononher, Bernard, cabinet maker 
Drysdale, Alexander, blacksmith, Graham st 
Dunlop, Charles, farmer 
RICHARD H. DAVIE, 

TAILOR AND CLOTHIER, 

Clerk, 5th Division Court, Lanark and Renfrew, 

And Agent for the Provincial Fire Insurance Company of 
Toronto, and the Commercial Union Fire and Life As- 
surance Company of London, England, 

CAPITAL, £3,500,000 STERLING- 

DUNNET, JAMES W., general dealer in staple and fancy dry 
goods, groceries, provisions, hardware, books, stationery, 
&c., Graham st 

Edwards, Robert, cabinet maker, Graham st 
Elliott, John, boot and shoe maker 
Ellis, James, J. P., farmer 
Emery, C. Rev. Church of England 

Fowler, Alexander, postmaster, chemist and druggist, Graham st 
Fowler, Mary, Miss, private school, Graham st 
Francis, Jonathan, lumber merchant, and farmer 

Gibson, C. B., M. D., chemist and druggist, Graham st 
Gillon, Mrs., milliner and dressmaker, Graham st 
GORDON, ALEXANDER, general dealer in dry goods, grocer- 
ies, provisions, hardware, drugs, medicines, boots and shoes, 
Graham st 

Graham, Robert, waggon maker, Graham st 
GREEN, WILLIAM D., manufacturer of all descriptions of 
leather, which he oflers for sale at the lowest current rates 
Hartney, James, general store, Graham st 
Harvey, Matthew, boot and shoe maker, Graham st 
HILLIARD & DICKSON, [ Daniel Hilliard and William 
Dickson] lumber merchants, saw, grist and flour mill own- 

er g 

HILLIARD, DANIEL, (Hilliard & Dickson.) 

Inglis, William, weaver 
Kavanagh, Edward, farmer 

Kirkland, Edwin, M. D., issuer of marriage licenses 
Lindsey, John, farmer 

Maltman, John, proprietor commercial hotel, Graham st 
Mann, Alexander Rev., Kirk of Scotland 
Mayne, Robert II., baker, Graham st
McArthur, Arthur, lumber merchant and farmer McCrea, Rufus S., cabinet maker McDonough, William Rev., Wesleyan Methodist McEwen, Robert, saddler and harness maker, Graham st McGuire, Michael, farmer McManagle, J , proprietor Pakenham house, Graham st Me Vicar, John, farmer Me Vicar, William, farmer Needham, Samuel, farmer O’Doherty, Charles, station agent B. & 0. Railway O’Neil, John, waggon maker, Graham st Pakenham Union Grammar and Common School, James Smith, M. A., head master, W. A. Pettapiece, assistant teacher. Parker. George, cooper and pork inspector Pettapiece, W. A., school teacher Post Office, Graham st., Alexander Fowler, postmaster PROVINCIAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF TO- RONTO. Richard H. Davie, agent, Graham st Reed, Margaret Mrs., milliner and dressmaker, Graham st Riddle, George, farmer Riddle, John, carpenter, Graham st Riddle, William, farmer Royce, I. B,, township councilor, and carding mill proprietor Sadler, Thomas, farmer Sadler, William, farmer Scott, Young, J. P., reeve of the township of Pakenham Shaw, James, farmer Smith, Daniel, general dealer, Graham st Smith, James, M. A., headmaster Pakenham union grammar and common school SMITH, JOHN, carriage, waggon, sleigh and cutter manufactur- er, Graham st. All descriptions of the above built to or- der in first-class style, on the shortest notice at the lowest rates. Repairs executed in the best manner. Steen, John, farmer Stobo, Robert, general store, Graham st Templeman, William, tailor, Graham st Woods, James, farmer Woods, William, farmer

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in Hometown News

About lindaseccaspina

Before she laid her fingers to a keyboard, Linda was a fashion designer, and then owned the eclectic store Flash Cadilac and Savannah Devilles in Ottawa on Rideau Street from 1976-1996. She also did clothing for various media and worked on “You Can’t do that on Television”. After writing for years about things that she cared about or pissed her off on American media she finally found her calling. She is a weekly columnist for the Sherbrooke Record and documents history every single day and has over 6500 blogs about Lanark County and Ottawa and an enormous weekly readership. Linda has published six books and is in her 4th year as a town councillor for Carleton Place. She believes in community and promoting business owners because she believes she can, so she does.

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