Tag Archives: dowdall

Patrick C Dowdall Druggist and Other Things

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Patrick C Dowdall Druggist and Other Things

Historical Notes:
Druggist P.C. Dowdall opened his Almonte store in 1880, and was was still serving those with constipation in 1935.
Druggist Manassah Patterson (also known as John) 
Manassah was a druggist and owned Patterson’s Drug Store on Mill Street in Almonte. He initially came to Almonte and took a position with Mr. Shaw, a druggist, and shortly afterwards he bought the business and conducted it for a time in the building now occupied by Mr. Therien. Read-Constipation Guaranteed to be Cured in Almonte

1888 Almonte Gazette

Last week those two large poplar trees which have stood the breeze and sheltered the building occupied by Mr. Patrick C. Dowdall’s Medical Hall and Mr. R. J . Dowdall’s residence for “ years and years,” as Miss Ophelia in Uncle Tom’s Cabin would say, were removed from public view, as well as the smaller maple ones in front of Mr. Geo. Wilson’s new store.

They were, indeed, pop(u)lar trees, and although it seemed to those who claimed the right of ownership to them that their usefulness had become a thing of the past, they were nevertheless removed with a degree of sadness to more than the owners, which carried many back in thought to the good old school days when children used to rhyme in merry glee that beautiful piece entitled “ Woodman, spare that tree.”

But the woodman did not spare the trees. He, instead, applied his axe vigorously to their trunks, and a few hours sufficed to remove from the gaze of an admiring public half-a-dozen or more ornaments, which, in days past, were the pride of their owners. The change, however, is considered an improvement, more particularly as the street is one of the principal and most public ones in town

March 23 1888 Almonte Gazette

Alos read-Constipation Guaranteed to be Cured in

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
08 May 1936, Fri  •  Page 22
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
07 May 1936, Thu  •  Page 3

Almonte lost its oldest businessmen, Wednesday night, in the passing of Mr. Patrick Connor Dowdall, at the age of 80 years. “P. C.” as he was known, was one of the town’s finest citizens in every sense of the word. Through the long years that he conducted his drug business, here, he built up a reputation for fair dealing and good citizenship that is seldom equalled. 

Born in Perth in 1856, a son of the late Edward Dowdall and his wife, Mary O’Connor, “P. C.” came to Almonte with his parents as a young child. His grandfather, Patrick Dowdall, was one of the original settlers of Lanark County, having come out from Westmeath, Ireland, in 1818 with his wife, Judith Keating settled on land granted by the Go; ernment near the military post, Perth-on-the-Tav. 

The late Mr. Dowdall received his primary education in the schools of Almonte, after which he was apprenticed to a druggist in Pembroke. Upon graduating from the College of Pharmacy at Toronto he debated for a time whether he should take a position in Pembroke or start a business of his own in Almonte, then a thriving woollen town. He finally decided on the latter course and in March of 1880, he opened the store until the time of hfs death.

For the last six months Mr. Dowdall had been confined to his home through ill health and his daughter, Miss Dorothy, a graduate pharmacist who had assisted him for some years past, carried on in his absence. Mr. Dowdall’s death was not unexpected but nonetheless caused widespread regret in this town and district where he was so well and favorably known.

While never inclined to push himself forward Mr. Dowdall showed his good citizenship by shouldering a full measure of responsibility in connection with public service. He was for some years a member of the Board of Education; a town councillor, and, as deputy-reeve in the days when Almonte by virtue of its population was entitled to a deputy, he gave his best on the local body and on the county council at Perth. 

He also served for a time on the Public Utility Commission of the town, and  had for their objective the advancement of civic interests. In 1891 Mr. Dowdall married Miss Anne E. Boyle of Toronto, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Boyle. Two sons and two daughters were born to this union, namely, Dr. Geoffrey Francis Dowdall, a graduate of McGill University, whose early death in 1929 was a great source of grief to- the father; Edward, a barrister in Kitchener, Ont.; Miss Eileen Dowdall, B.A. of the Imperial Bank staff, Toronto, and Miss Dorothy a t home, who was associated with her father in the business. 

Of Mr. Dowdall’s immediate family only two members survive, a brother Frank at Port Dalhousle and a sister Mrs. Albert Dwyer (Teresa) of Almonte. Another sister, Mrs. William McGarry, mother of the late Bob. Thomas McGarry of Renfrew and four brothers, Richard, James, Edward ‘and John predeceased “P. C ” The funeral will be held on Saturday morning a t eight o’clock from the family home on Perth street, to St; Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, thence to St. Mary’s cemetery. Almonte Gazette 1933

Patrick C Dowdallin the 1921 Census of Canada

Name:Patrick C Dowdall
Gender:Male
Racial or Tribal Origin:Canadian
Nationality:Canada
Marital Status:Married
Age:65
Birth Year:abt 1856
Birth Place:Ontario
Residence Date:1 Jun 1921
House Number:44
Residence Street or Township:Perth St
Residence City, Town or Village:Town of Almonte
Residence District:Lanark
Residence Province or Territory:Ontario
Residence Country:Canada
Relation to Head of House:Head
Spouse’s Name:Anna A Dowdall
Father Birth Place:Ontario
Mother Birth Place:Ontario
Can Speak English?:Yes
Can Speak French?:No
Religion:Roman Catholic
Can Read?:Yes
Can Write?:Yes
Months at School:X8-40
Occupation:Druggist
Employment Type:1 E
Nature of Work:Dirsesnary B
Municipality:Almonte
Enumeration District:97
Sub-District:Almonte (Town)
Sub-District Number:45
Home Owned or Rented:Owned
Monthly Rental:BB
Class of House:Single House
Materials of Construction:Brick
Number of Rooms:7
Enumerator:J. Paul
District Description:Ward 3, Polling Division No. 2 – Comprising the remainder or balance of the said Third Ward
Neighbours:View others on page
Line Number:48
Family Number:45
Household MembersAgeRelationshipPatrick C Dowdall65HeadAnna A Dowdall50WifeDorothy Dowdall16Daughter

Bridge Street Near Front Bridge Old Boys Reunion 1920 W. J Dowdall- almonte.com

Related reading

Constipation Guaranteed to be Cured in

W. J. Hughes — The Rexall Drugstore on the Corner

Remedies and Drugstores 1918

The Savoy Medicinal Truffle at Pattie’s Drugstore

If Quackery Poison Gets You!! Blue Poison Ointment

Who was the “Drugstore Woman” in Asselstine’s Rexall?

I Will Take Some Opium to Go Please —The “Drug Dispensary” at the Chatterton House Hotel

What the Heck was Electric Soap? Chatterton House Hotel Registrar

Do You Know Where Mary Cook Once Worked?

Before and After in Carleton Place — Mac Williams and The Good Food Co

Dowdall’s Esso and Hank’s Tire- Jo-Anne Dowdall-Brown and Larry Clark

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Dowdall’s Esso and Hank’s Tire- Jo-Anne Dowdall-Brown and Larry Clark
Larry Clark photo
Larry Clark photo
Larry Clark photo
Larry Clark photo
Larry Clark photo

I’m wondering if you have ever seen or come across some old photos of Hanks tire/dowdalls?Excellent question.. Who has memories and better yet???

Jo-Anne Dowdall-BrownIt was on Hwy 7 beside Twin Oaks. it was a Supertest. My parents Bill and Deanne owned it from 1965 to 2000. In the later years it was Dowdall’s Tire and Service.

Jo-Anne Dowdall-BrownPhil Hallahan never.. we opened in 1965…. the building at the time was owned by Supertest

Sandra SandersonJo-Anne Dowdall-Brown…wonderful memories at Dowdall’s. Remember the restaurant – even when I go into Hank’s now, I can see the two of us sitting at “our table” in the far corner having our tomato soup and buttered bread feeling so grown up.

Jo-Anne Dowdall-BrownSandra Sanderson and getting a coke out of the water cooler!!

Bev HynesDad and I would leave work at Parkman and Taylor and have lunch at Dowdalls. Hot roast beef with gravy on fries! The best! That when Joanne’s grandma and Mom were cooking.

Jo-Anne Dowdall-BrownBev Hynes my Grandma came to cook for 3 months and was there for 15years

Bev HynesJo-Anne Dowdall-Brown She was an amazing cook!

Jordan Monfilsi has always been curious about that place from days passed. It holds a place in my heart. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it. Spent 1/3 of my life there. Or more even,

Jo-Anne Dowdall-BrownJordan Monfils that is wonderful!! We had many employees go through there but many stayed a very long time. Like Justin McNeely’s Dad!!

Phil Hallahanwasn’t that Tim’s garage back in the day?

Dawn JonesI remember the little snack bar at the garage. My brother Jack worked for the Dowdall’s Tire and Service for years in Carleton Place and then Arnprior. ♥

Donna McfarlaneDiane made the best club sandwiches and they were only a dollar to start then one twenty five

Ray PaquetteI can’t remember the Supertest or snack bar but Dowdall Tire was my repair shop for many years when I lived in Carleton Place. I spent the odd hour sitting in the waiting room of what would have been the snack bar talking with Deanne who I had known since childhood.

Marlene SpringerWe went every Sunday after church

Jo-Anne Dowdall-Brown
March 3  · 

25th anniversary. My Mom and Dad Deanne and Bill Dowdall. 25th anniversary of Dowdall’s Tire

Jo-Anne Dowdall-Brown posted this on her timeline

Jo-Anne Dowdall-Brown posted this on her timeline and I caught it some how.. LOL”Packing and found the milkshake maker from Dowdall’s Restaurant! Many memories. Mom hated making them when she had a big order!

NOW on Highway 7

Now Hank’s Tire on Highway 7
From Justin McNeely— Hanks/Dowdalls Tire

Devin DaviesI loved working with my dad there and all the guys

Greg WrightOur family and farm used these guys a time or two !

Linda Seccaspina
March 27, 2020  · Shared with PublicPublic


A shout out to Hank’s Tire on highway 7. Poor guy didn’t know what hit him when I asked to take pictures. They are busy helping community out from what I saw in a faster than speed of light manner..

Sandra RattrayHanak’s tire is our garage to go to. Very fair prices and nice people.

Emma CrosleyGreat service and great guys👏🙂

The Appleton Mail Man Who Always Got Things Straightened Away

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The Appleton Mail Man Who Always Got Things Straightened Away

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Photo-The Ottawa Journal Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Sat, Dec 22, 1956

There used to be a time when only a horse and buggy brought mail to Appleton via Carleton Place.  In the 1950s James Edward Dowdall and his sweet grey mare Daisy (3rd horse) had been doing the 4 mile trip for at least 2 decades and only missed 3 days when one of his sons had to cover for him. Then there was the time a mare before Daisy got rattled at some pasteboard boxes on the side of the road and the cutter was upset and Dairy went trotting off in no obvious direction, but as Dowdall said in typical Lanark fashion: “We got it straightened away”.

Appleton postmaster  Mr. Gamble and Harry Menzies from the Carleton Place unit had never known him to be late or lose any of the precious mail. The days of hauling the mail on a cutter in the winter was limited after they began to plow the roads and it usually took 20 minutes to a half an hour for a one way trip. Storms, blizzards you name it, Dowdall never got cold as he was manned to the hilt with warm clothing,  a buffalo robe, and felt boots up to the knee and then rubber boots as a topper.

 

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Photo by Linda Seccaspina-Post Office in Appleton Ontario 1871 displayed in the North Lanark Regional Museum, Appleton Ontario.

Each day he would leave Appleton for Carleton Place to pick up the mail. After he dropped off the mail at the post office he would wander over to the post office lobby to swap stories with anyone who would listen. That was his favourite part of the day Dowdall said as they talked his kind of language in that waiting  room. At Six o’clock he would head back to Appleton where some were waiting for him to collect their mail.

One would think maybe a truck would have been better for him, but like a lot of us aging folks his eyes were not the best, and night driving would not have been too safe for him. He actually got into the postal business as his doctor told him to find a “light job” as he had health issues and had retired from being a farmer. So along with some plowing and gardening jobs he made out just fine. Life was simple for Mr. Dowdall only having to change his buggy twice in his duration delivering the mail, but in Carleton Place it was another story.  Postmaster Harry Menzie’s offices were jammed everywhere storing mail. The staff worked Sundays and late into the evening and no one really complained as you did what you had to do.

 

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Photos–Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

The Carleton Place Post Office used to handle mail for Innisville, Appleton and also sent out three rural route deliveries a day. Not only that, but they handled larger packages and with only two wickets open the lobby was always jammed. Of course Menzies  wanted another wicket but there wasn’t an ounce of space to spare in that building with boxes lined up everywhere against the walls.

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March 1968

In December of 1956 the Carleton Place post office sold over 130,000 stamps that month and  James Edward Dowdall would have so much mail he would have to tie bags on the back with just a little ‘sittin’ room for himself– but all was good. Unlike some his fellow mail delivery  men he wasn’t buying gasoline or paying for repairs–Daisy wouldn’t hear of it. That old gal was never going to stop when she was tired- she was only going to stop when the mail was done. No hour of life was ever wasted between James and his horse Daisy and Appleton and Carleton Place were grateful.

 

historicalnotes

The community was first known as Teskeyville after early settlers Joseph Teskey and his brother Robert who built a saw and grist mill. For a time the place was called Appletree Falls because of a riverside orchard. When the post office opened in 1857, Appleton was chosen as its name

In 1869 the population was 250 and the Appleton Post office was a money order office-The Province of Ontario Gazetteer and Directory 1869

 

Anita Dowdall-I married grandpa Dowdall’s grandson in 1961, his dad was Kenneth Irwin Dowdall, the eldest of James Edward Dowdall sons, he had 6 boys,my husband is the eldest of 4 kids, 3 boys & 1 girl. His name is (Borden) my oldest son Bruce has his name Edward for his middle name. Thanks for sharing a great story about grandpa Dowdall.

 

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 and now in The Townships Sun

 

Related reading

Inspector Coolican and His Rural Mail Delivery

You’ve Got Mail — The First Post Offices of Lanark County

The Hidden Postcard Gallery in Carleton Place

Who Worked for the Post Office the Longest in Lanark County?

How Much Did the Old Post Office Perth Sell For?

Take a Letter Maria– Carleton Place Post Office

As Time Goes By — The Old Post Office Clock

My Baby, Just-a Wrote Me a Letter– The Carleton Place Post Office

Memories of Carleton Place — The Roxy and Marilyn Monroe

Crime and Punishment? –Tales from the Almonte Post Office