Address:
457 Smith Lane - The home of Hiram Smith and Hannah Philipse Chisholm
Summary:
457 Smith Lane traces back Lot 21, Third Concession South of Dundas Street. Hiram Smith, continuing his father's legacy, erected the iconic Ontario Gothic house in the mid-19th century, until its eventual transformation.
Property Details:
457 Smith Lane sits pretty much in the centre of what was the 200-acre Lot 21, Third Concession South of Dundas Street (SDS). The third concession ran from the Lower Middle Road, now the QEW, south to what is now Rebecca Street. The lot fronted onto Rebecca which is why the original house faced south. There would have been a drive south to Rebecca or east to Fourth Line which formed the eastern boundary. The earliest Registry item for Lot 21 indicates that it was granted to King's College (now part of the University of Toronto) in 1828. In 1840, they sold it to Hiram Smith. The Smith involvement in the area, however, goes further back.
Joel Smith, Hiram's father, was born 24 April 1779. When he married Margaret Campbell (1786-1840), he was a millwright in Thorold Township. She was the daughter of Robert Campbell, Sergeant Major of Butler's Rangers of American Revolutionary War fame. As she was the daughter of a United Empire Loyalist, she was entitled to a land grant and received Lot 22, Concession 3, SDS in 1804. Joel became the partner of Oakville founder William Chisholm in the operation of their shop at Burlington Beach and later in one of the first buildings to be put in downtown Oakville on William Street. In 1833 Lot 22 passed to their son, Robert, who built a mill on the Little Sixteen Mile Creek which passes through the property and Lot 21 to the east before passing under Fourth Line, turning south and emptying into Lake Ontario. The Creek is now known as McCraney Creek after William McCraney who owned Lot 20 on the east side of Fourth Line.
In 1838, Joel Smith bought Lot 23 from King's College and built another sawmill. It stopped running after his death 3 October 1845. He's buried at St Jude's in Oakville. Robert's mill, however, flourished and by 1851 was cutting 100,000 feet of lumber annually and employed eight men. The 1877 Atlas shows the extent of the family's properties which by then included parts of Lot 23, in the Second and First Concessions to the north.
Hiram Smith was born 3 January 1804 and in 1832 married Hannah Philipse Chisholm, daughter of Colonel John Chisholm and Sarah Davis. John Chisholm was the elder brother of Oakville founder, William Chisholm. Hiram was carrying on the business founded by his father, Joel, on Burlington Beach. By 1833 he was in partnership with his brother-in-law Andrew McKenzie Chisholm in the village of Wellington Square (now part of Burlington). In 1836 he was appointed Postmaster and 1838 he bought Lot 11, Concession 4, Nelson Township. In the early 1960s, the house he built there was still occupied by his descendants.
When the Upper Canada Rebellion started in 1837, Captain Hiram Smith was ordered by his Commanding Officer and uncle of his wife, Colonel William Chisholm, to raise men to help put down the rebellion. He was given command of the Oakville and Wellington Square companies of the Gore Militia which were dispatched on Christmas Day 1837 to Lundy's Lane. A letter to Hannah on the 28th, talks about cannon fire exchanged with the rebels who were encamped on Navy Island. He also wrote to her about the cutting out of the American steamer Caroline which was being used to ferry supplies from the American side to the island. She was sent over the falls in flames. The burning of the Caroline put an end to William Lyon McKenzie's Provisional Government but caused an international incident.
After he returned home, Hiram bought Lot 21 and about 1860, built what is now 457 Smith Lane. The original house was a very typical Ontario Gothic house. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of them around the province. They are typically one and a half storeys with a gable over the front door.They were built of logs, board and batten, stone, stucco and brick, frequently with quoins of a different colour. This one is made of local brick and has had several additions over the years. The single storey addition to what is now the front of the house was added about 1890. Hiram and his family farmed the property and had several orchards as shown in the 1877 Halton Atlas.
Hiram and Hannah had eight children: William Smith (1833-34); John Chisholm Smith (1834-1886); Margaret C Smith (1836-1880); Helen Sarah Smith (1838-1899); Catherine (1840-1899); Colin F C (1842-1909); Isabell M (1844-1870) and Miles H.H (1846-1879). Colin took over the house and farm. Bits and pieces were sold over the years, the first being a strip to the railway in the 1880s. After Hiram's death on 16 July 1876, the property was split up amongst some of his heirs. It was apparently a working form until the last remaining portion was sold to a developer in 1959 by Colin's son, Reginald. The remains of the orchards which dotted new houses in the development have disappeared over time. Hiram, Hannah and some of their family are buried at St Luke's in Burlington. Others of the family are buried at St Jude's in Oakville.
Joel Smith, Hiram's father, was born 24 April 1779. When he married Margaret Campbell (1786-1840), he was a millwright in Thorold Township. She was the daughter of Robert Campbell, Sergeant Major of Butler's Rangers of American Revolutionary War fame. As she was the daughter of a United Empire Loyalist, she was entitled to a land grant and received Lot 22, Concession 3, SDS in 1804. Joel became the partner of Oakville founder William Chisholm in the operation of their shop at Burlington Beach and later in one of the first buildings to be put in downtown Oakville on William Street. In 1833 Lot 22 passed to their son, Robert, who built a mill on the Little Sixteen Mile Creek which passes through the property and Lot 21 to the east before passing under Fourth Line, turning south and emptying into Lake Ontario. The Creek is now known as McCraney Creek after William McCraney who owned Lot 20 on the east side of Fourth Line.
In 1838, Joel Smith bought Lot 23 from King's College and built another sawmill. It stopped running after his death 3 October 1845. He's buried at St Jude's in Oakville. Robert's mill, however, flourished and by 1851 was cutting 100,000 feet of lumber annually and employed eight men. The 1877 Atlas shows the extent of the family's properties which by then included parts of Lot 23, in the Second and First Concessions to the north.
Hiram Smith was born 3 January 1804 and in 1832 married Hannah Philipse Chisholm, daughter of Colonel John Chisholm and Sarah Davis. John Chisholm was the elder brother of Oakville founder, William Chisholm. Hiram was carrying on the business founded by his father, Joel, on Burlington Beach. By 1833 he was in partnership with his brother-in-law Andrew McKenzie Chisholm in the village of Wellington Square (now part of Burlington). In 1836 he was appointed Postmaster and 1838 he bought Lot 11, Concession 4, Nelson Township. In the early 1960s, the house he built there was still occupied by his descendants.
When the Upper Canada Rebellion started in 1837, Captain Hiram Smith was ordered by his Commanding Officer and uncle of his wife, Colonel William Chisholm, to raise men to help put down the rebellion. He was given command of the Oakville and Wellington Square companies of the Gore Militia which were dispatched on Christmas Day 1837 to Lundy's Lane. A letter to Hannah on the 28th, talks about cannon fire exchanged with the rebels who were encamped on Navy Island. He also wrote to her about the cutting out of the American steamer Caroline which was being used to ferry supplies from the American side to the island. She was sent over the falls in flames. The burning of the Caroline put an end to William Lyon McKenzie's Provisional Government but caused an international incident.
After he returned home, Hiram bought Lot 21 and about 1860, built what is now 457 Smith Lane. The original house was a very typical Ontario Gothic house. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of them around the province. They are typically one and a half storeys with a gable over the front door.They were built of logs, board and batten, stone, stucco and brick, frequently with quoins of a different colour. This one is made of local brick and has had several additions over the years. The single storey addition to what is now the front of the house was added about 1890. Hiram and his family farmed the property and had several orchards as shown in the 1877 Halton Atlas.
Hiram and Hannah had eight children: William Smith (1833-34); John Chisholm Smith (1834-1886); Margaret C Smith (1836-1880); Helen Sarah Smith (1838-1899); Catherine (1840-1899); Colin F C (1842-1909); Isabell M (1844-1870) and Miles H.H (1846-1879). Colin took over the house and farm. Bits and pieces were sold over the years, the first being a strip to the railway in the 1880s. After Hiram's death on 16 July 1876, the property was split up amongst some of his heirs. It was apparently a working form until the last remaining portion was sold to a developer in 1959 by Colin's son, Reginald. The remains of the orchards which dotted new houses in the development have disappeared over time. Hiram, Hannah and some of their family are buried at St Luke's in Burlington. Others of the family are buried at St Jude's in Oakville.
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Smith 457 B
Smith 457 B