205 Trafalgar Road - The Robert Farley House

This house has had a number of prominent medical owners

John Wood purchased the property on which this house stands from William Chisholm in 1839. He was a mason and tavern keeper in Fergus. On his death it was purchased by John Urquhart, a druggist. He sold it in 1857 to Robert Farley for £50. While Mr. Farley's name is on the plaque, we do not have a photograph of him. He was also a druggist, and it is possible that he was an employee of John Urquhart. This house has had many famous owners whose photos and other items we do have in our collection.

The house was sold again in 1864 for £300 as an investment but the owner, George Rutherford of Hamilton, lost money on Oakville real estate and sold it in 1867 for £125. It was purchased by Dr Charles Lusk and wife Jerusha Potter - the name Jerusha is Hebrew and means married, a possession. The Biblical Jerusha was the wife of King Uzziah who was the king of Judah in the 8th century BC. Jerusha Potter was the daughter of John Potter who lived a block north up the street. The Lusks were Methodists and he was instrumental in building St John's United Church. Three years after his death, Dr. Charles P. Lusk, his son, laid the cornerstone for the church hall that was named after his father.

Jerusha sold the house to Dr William Wilkinson who was Medical Officer of Health and coroner for Trafalgar Township for over 50 years and was instrumental in the establishment of the county health unit. He was recognized as Citizen of the Year in 1961.

The house is built in the Gothic Pointed style with a tin medallion in the gable. The main floor windows are not original. A red ochre paint with false mortar lines covers the original brick. There was fretwork or bargeboard at the eaves. The verandah led patients to a waiting room.

Much of this history is based on "Old Oakville" by David and Suzanne Peacock, copies of which can be purchased at the HIstorical Society.