335 Lakeshore Road W - The William Morden and Christina McKay Morden House

William Morden was the founder of the Morden Fuel and Ice Co.

W. William Hardy Morden was born in 1862, the son of George Hardy Morden and Johanna Doherty. George was a Lake Captain who founded the Morden Line of Steamers. The 200 ton schooner named "Dolly Morden" after his daughter, was sailed by his sons William, George & Edward. In addition to farming the land that his father had purchased, William went into the coal business, Founding the Morden Fuel & Ice Co. He also served as Warden of Halton County (twice) and Reeve of Trafalgar Township for 15 years. He married Christina McKay in 1883 and they had 5 children.

The 200 acre Lot 18, Concession 3, South of Dundas Street, was acquired by Andrew Lebarre in the early 1800s. In 1897 most of it was sold to Captain George Morden for $9000. 80 acres in the northwest was sold to William McKay, William's father-in-law. In 1903 and 1905 respectively, he sold 2.5 acres to the Toronto & Niagara Power Company and 4 acres to the Hamilton Radial Electric Company. According to George Hardy's granddaughter Mrs. L. Watson, "Grandpa could have had lake property but thought the opposite side was best for farming."

In 1902 George H. Morden (the father) sold his remaining portion of just over 100 acres of lot 18 to his son William Hardy Morden for "love plus $1.00". In the 1901 census of Trafalgar Township, there are one wooden and two brick houses on the lot. One of the brick houses is occupied by William Hardy Morden and the other two houses are vacant, likely just built and awaiting tenants. The 1921 census indicates a John Dorland renting a brick house and William Morden occupying the other one. They are just down the street from each other and both houses appear similar, although have changed over the years. While it is unsure which house William Morden lived in, he did own both of them. Note the decorative bricks set into the front façade of the house.

William Hardy Morden passed away on 7 August 1940 and his obituary appeared in several newspapers, among them the Georgetown Herald which is shown here.