307 Lakeshore Road West - Morden House

The house was built in 1895, and owned by several members of the Morden family.

William Hardy Morden was the son of George Hardy Morden.

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 $9,000. 80 acres in the northwest was sold to William McKay. 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.

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 3 houses listed under George H. Morden's name on lot 18. One of those was brick, which was occupied, and there were 2 other houses, one brick and one wooden, which were vacant. The 1910 tax assessment record lists the property now owned by William Hardy Morden as the freeholder along with two tenants, presumably living in the houses which were vacant in 1901.

An online topographic map, dated 1909, indicates 3 houses along Lakeshore Rd. in the proximity of 307 Lakeshore Rd. These would coincide with the 3 houses which are still along Lakeshore, one being 307 Lakeshore and the others being two houses to the west.

George Hardy Morden (the father) resided in a house further to the west (which has been redone, across from Appleby College), so wouldn't have lived on lot 18.

His son, William Hardy Morden, owned lot 18 from 1901 and sold the newly subdivided lot 9 of Plan 190 to his son Sylvester Campbell Morden on 6 June 1931. This is the lot of 307 Lakeshore Rd.

Whether William Hardy Morden lived in the house before granting it to his son is unknown as two of the 3 houses in question were rented out but we know that he owned the house. The two vacant houses in 1901 may have been newly constructed, awaiting renters to work the farm.

George H. Morden, William's father, also owned approximately 1000 acres in Trafalgar Township, including the town of Oakville at the time of his death in the early 1900's.
However, it was noted that the tract of land along Lakeshore Rd. was earmarked for his family.

William Harvey Morden (1863-1940), son of Commodore George Morden of Oakville, spent over 25 years in municipal politics. He donated the land on which W. H. Morden Public School now stands. William was a part of many muncipal reforms and was an early campaigner for good roads (i.e. replacing plank sidewalks with cement sidewalks).

William was a member of the White Oak Chapter of the Masonic lodge for over 50 years and was also well-known in shipping circles. He was the captain of his own vessel and retired from active sailing as a young man. William founded the Morden Fuel and Ice Co., with its headquarters on Colborne St. (now Lakeshore Rd.), which he passed on to his son, Campbell.

While he was serving on the Trafalgar Township Council, he also helped establish the Trafalgar Public Utilities, which helped supply heat and light to homes in the southern portion of Trafalgar Township. He served two terms as Warden of Halton County (1920 and 1930). He supervised the House of Refuge for Peel and Halton County, the Children's Aid Society, and other organizations.

In addition, W. H. Morden was an active member of Knox Presbyterian Church. He was the chief steward of the Grand Lodge of Canada and the past master of the Oakville Lodge, A.F. and A.M. No. 400. He purchased a farm on the western limits of Oakville.

In 1940, W. H. Morden died at his home on 307 Lakeshore Rd. West following a lingering illness. He was 78. His funeral was conducted at Knox Presbyterian Church and he was buried at St. Jude's Cemetery. He was survived by his widow and their five children (3 daughters and 2 sons).

The Morden name lives on in Morden Road and W.H. Morden Elementary School.