22 Reynolds Street - Home of Henrry Ernest Moore and Harriet Roach Moore

The house was built in 1905. Harriet died at 27 and after her death, Henry married Laura O’Neill

This piece of property is connected with 312 King St. (Block 30, Lot C), and was purchased by Father Jeremiah Ryan on 1 October 1874. The King St. Property was used by the Sisters of St. Joseph as a convent, and taught children music, drawing & sewing. Two years later, on 25 May 1876, Father Ryan, who was transferred to a parish in Galt, sold the properties to Margaret Brennan, a spinster. On 10 April 1885 the properties were sold to The Diocese of Hamilton, and 12 years later, on 2 February 1897, were sold again to Laura Moore, wife of
Henry (Harry) Moore. At this time, while there was a house situated at 312 King St. (Block 30, Lot C), 22 Reynolds St. (Lot F), remained vacant.

Although Moore sold 312 King St. in 1902, the vacant lot at 22 Reynolds St. was kept, and a house was built on it in 1905, which is reflected in the Tax Assessment Roll of that year. At the time, the Moores lived on Colborne St. (Now Lakeshore Rd.), where Harry ran his hardware store. The newly built house was rented to J. T. Lillie, a teacher, until 1908 at which time the Moore family moved into it.

Henry Ernest Moore was the son of Cyrus Moore & Esther Paré. He was born in Oakville and on 4 July married Harriet Roach who gave birth to their son Ernest Cyrus “Darby” Moore in 1884. Tragically, Harriet died of typhoid fever the following year at the age of 27. Their son Darby would go on to become a successful artist and was friends with the Group of Seven, according to his great granddaughter (janetmooreart.ca).

On 12 Feb. 1890, Harry Moore married Laura O’Neill in Chicago, Illinois, where Laura resided at the time. They returned to Oakville and together had four children, John, Lauretta, Arthur & Marion. Harry died on 25 April 1929 and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery. His wife Laura likely suffered hardship through the depression. She took out a mortgage on the property on 6 December 1930, and likely could not afford to live in the house as she had moved into the House of Providence in Dundas by 1935, where she died the following year of pneumonia.

On 31 May 1937, the property was foreclosed upon and two years later, on 30 Sept. 1939 it
was sold to Jessie Lefroy, wife of Henry Lefroy who held onto the property until selling to Roberta Pemberton in 1949. The property remained in the Pemberton family until 15 June 1977 at which time it was sold to Jamie Macrae.