Departments - Town of Yarmouth

STREET ADDRESS: 26 Chester Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: circa 1850

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

Vernacular in style, this is a one and a half storey home of wood construction. The symmetrical four bay facade has an off-center doorway. The steeply pitched gable roof has non-return eaves with plain brackets under the eaveline. There is one large, central chimney at the peak. A large shed roof dormer with three square windows is found at the rear. The small gable roof dormer at the front was added in the 1940's. The main windows have been replaced but the original narrow casings still remain. Narrow, flat labels are found on the back windows and back door. The house is clad in wooden shingles with narrow cornerboards. It sits on a concrete foundation with a dirt cellar underneath.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

Family tradition of the Eldridge's, who have owned this house since 1879, claims this house was not built on this site but was moved here from elsewhere. This claim seems very probable as the architecture of the building (i.e. the wooden pegs and hand hewn beams in the attic) would date the house near the early 1800's. This house is not shown on this site on A.F. Church's map of 1870 but appears to be on an 1878 B.E.V. Map of Yarmouth. It is therefore, assumed to have been built elsewhere in the Yarmouth area and moved onto this site between 1870 and 1878.

The earliestrecord for this property is a deed in 1879 when Alfred Eldridge purchased this house from Trustees of the Yarmouth Building and Loan Society. Alfred Eldridge was a Tinsmith by profession and was employed for a time with Lincoln and Williams Co.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

The original site of this house is unknown. It is now situated on the north side of Chester Street approximately two feet away from the house to the east. There is a yard at the rear and a shed with saltbox roof.

PRESENT OWNER: Viola I. White

ADDRESS: P.O. Box 791, Yarmouth, N.S., B5A 4K4

ORIGINAL OWNER: Unknown

OCCUPATION: Unknown

BUILDER: Unknown

ORIGINAL USE: Unknown

PRESENT USE: Residential (Single family)

HISTORY OF BUILDING
OWNER	FROM:	TO:	OCCUPATION	BOOK PG
Unknown	------------	------------	-----------------	-----------------
Trustees of Yarmouth Building & Loan Soc.	-----------	March 3, 1879	-----------------	unrecorded
Alfred Eldridge	March 3, 1879	Dec. 6, 1909	Tinsmith	BC 350
Harry B. Eldridge	Dec. 6, 1909	Jan. 11, 1911	Clerk, (later) Sergeant	DA 861
Clara E. Eldridge	Jan. 11, 1911	Jan. 10, 1974	Housekeeper	DB 838
Harry B. Eldridge	Jan. 10, 1974	May 19, 1993	Retired Mechanic	IZ 10
Eric Rose	May 19, 1993	Oct. 28, 1993	Trustee - Est. of Harry Eldridge	Estate #A-1503
Viola I. White	Oct. 28, 1993	Present	N/A	515/232

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

Alfred Eldridge and his wife Ellen had three children, Florence, Clara and Harry. Florence died in 1894 at the age of 15 years. In 1909 Alfred conveyed this house to Harry, a bachelor at the time. He later moved to the U.S. and died in Beverly, Mass. on Sept. 9, 1922 at the age of 63. Harry Eldridge had learned the trade of plumber from Mr. G. J. Morton of Yarmouth and had worked in different parts of the Maritime Provinces. He was in Charlottetown, P.E.I. when he enlisted in the army. In September of 1918 he was killed at the front.

In 1911, Harry Eldridge had sold this house to his sister Clara who leased it to her mother Ellen and continued to live here. In 1974 Clara sold the house to her brother's son, Harry B. Eldridge.

The present owner, Harry B. Eldridge, has lived in this house since 1912. An auto mechanic for many years he was later a cotton mill employee and is now retired. Mr. Eldridge had his family home registered as a municipal heritage property in 1992.

SOURCES: Interview with Mr. Harry Eldridge; Death Dates from Eldridge family bible in possession of Harry Eldridge; Registry of Deeds/Probate (Yarmouth); A. F. Church Map (1870); 1878 B.E.V. Map of Yarmouth; The Yarmouth Telegram (Sept. 1918)

STREET ADDRESS: 39 Cliff Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: circa 1872

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

2 storey Second Empire style with 2 storey back ell which has an addition. The steep concavely sloped mansard roof has 3 partially inset, segmental arched dormers in the fornt and 2 on each side, 2 non-symmetrically placed inset chimneys, and inside an open porch with a large, decoratively bracketed hood. Windows have double hung sashes with 2/2 glazing and decorative molded crowns. The windows on the west side of the back ell are paired with larger lower sashes and 3/1 glazing. The house is of wood construction and clad with slate shingles.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

Probably built between 1870 and 1872 for James Wentworth Bingay, a barrister and partner in the firm of T.V.B. Bingay & Sons. The Bingays were a very prominent and influential family in Yarmouth and included bankers, brokers, barristers and ship owners. Around the same time as this house was being built, Yarmouth was also enjoying some of the latest improvements to the town, in the form of its first Free Public Library and gas street lighting.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

South side of Cliff Street, opposite a brick apartment block. Extensions at back are later additions.

PRESENT OWNER: Donald P. / Leona Comeau

ADDRESS: 39 Cliff Street, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia B5A 3H6

ORIGINAL OWNER: James Wentworth Bingay

OCCUPATION: Barrister

BUILDER: Unknown

ORIGINAL USE: Single family dwelling

PRESENT USE: Single family dwelling

HISTORY OF BUILDING
OWNER	FROM:	TO:	OCCUPATION	BOOK PG
James Wentworth Bingay	Apr. 24, 1869	Feb. 3, 1910	Barrister	AS 61
Elizabeth M. Creighton, et al	Feb. 3, 1910	Feb. 26, 1910	Heirs-at-law of J. Went Bingay	N/A
Maria R. Bingay	Feb. 26, 1910	Sep. 21, 1910	Widow	CX 607
John S. Murphy	Sep. 21, 1910	Mar. 07, 1922	Hotel keeper	CY 102
Charles K. Fuller	Mar. 07, 1922	May 01, 1924	Physician	DQ 189
Lewis M. Morton	May 01, 1924	Dec. 04, 1936	Physician	DS 615
Hallie J. Morton	Dec. 04, 1936	Jun. 21, 1954	Wife of Dr. Morton	EJ 763
Lewis M. Morton	Jun. 21, 1954	Jun. 01, 1955	Physician / Widower	FI 109
George / Irene Allen	Jun. 01, 1955	May 08, 1979	Grocer	FL 49
Donald / Leona Comeau	May 08, 1979	Present	International trade consultant	GP 184

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

This property seems to be well remembered as the home of Dr. Lewis Morton, who had come to Yarmouth from Tusket in early 1924, and went into practice with Dr. Charles Fuller and Dr. W. C. O'Brien in offices on Main Street. In 1955 Dr. Morton sold the home to George and Irene Allen, who were well known for the grocery store Mr. Allen had for many years at 102 Main Street.

SOURCES: Registry of Deeds / Probate (Yarmouth); 1878, 1879 B.E.V. maps of Yarmouth; N.S. Directories, 1871, 1907-08; Map of Yarmouth County, by A.F. Church, (1870); Yarmouth Directories, 1890, 1895, 1949; Yarmouth Genealogies, C. Doane.

STREET ADDRESS: 22 Forest Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE:Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY:Yarmouth

COUNTY:Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: 1903

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

2 storey Shingle style with Queen Anne Revival influences. The medium pitched roof has a flat center section, four interlocked gambrels which are cantilevered out over the first storey, a front facing, hip roofed dormer with wide eaves overhang supported by molded brackets, and an off-center double chimney. The steeply pitched second storey walls have pedimented gabled dormers on east and west sides. Facade is asymmetrical with a two storey, five sided bay window topped by the hip roofed dormer; the off-center entrance is in the 1 storey wraparound fieldstone veranda which has a corner turret and roof supported by paired Tuscan columns. Windows have double hung sashes with 1/1 glazing in first storey and diamond pattern glazing in top sashes of second and attic storey windows; a half round window with patterned glazing adorns the front facing gambrel. Constructed of wood with molded window casings, deep crowns over gambrel end windows, molded trim on gambrel verges and clapboard cladding.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

Built for the first manager of the Bank of Montreal, Thomas Van Buskirk Bingay, on land he owned. He had been an accountant, and then head cashier for the Exchange Bank of Yarmouth, which was sold to the Bank of Montreal in 1903. Ten days after moving into his fine, new home, Mr. Bingay sold it to his employer. The Bank of Montreal retained ownership of the property as a residence for its managers until 1975 when it was sold to the wife of the then current manager, Bruce Wentzell. Its connections to the Bank were severed when the Wentzells sold the property in 1984.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

North side of Forest Street, second house east of Main Street.No obvious changes have been made to the house, well maintained property. Unique to area.

PRESENT OWNER:Joan Thibault

ADDRESS:22 Forest Street, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, B5A 3K9

ORIGINAL OWNER:Thomas Van Buskirk Bingay

OCCUPATION: Bank Manager

BUILDER: Unknown

ORIGINAL USE: Single family dwelling

PRESENT USE: Single family dwelling

HISTORY OF BUILDING
OWNER	FROM:	TO:	OCCUPATION	BOOK PG
Thomas Van Buskirk Bingay	Dec. 3, 1901	Jan. 25, 1904	Bank Manager	CK 635
Bank of Montreal	Jan. 25, 1904	Nov. 26, 1975	Bank	CT 852
Glenda A. Wentzel	Nov. 26, 1975	Feb. 2, 1978	Married woman	KA 435
Bruce/Glenda Wentzell	Feb. 2, 1978	June 29, 1984	Bank Manager	LG 427
Kenneth/Dorothy Black	June 29, 1984	June 9, 1992	Engineer	OK 514
Joan Thibault	June 9, 1992	Present	Retired	499 647

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

Yarmouth Light, Thursday, June 25, 1903: "A charge of dynamite set off Friday afternoon by workmen in Mr. T.V. B. Bingay's new cellar on Forest street landed a stone through the roof of Mr. John S. Baker's house on Willow street." (Note - this was a distance of about three blocks!) Yarmouth Telegram, Friday, January 15, 1904: "Mr. T.V. B. Bingay is moving into his handsome new house on Forest street today."

SOURCES:Registry of Deeds; McAlpine's N.S. Directory, 1907-08; Town Assessment Roll, 1915; Yarmouth Directory, 1949; Yarmouth Souvenir books, 1911, 1918; Yarmouth Light, June 25, 1903; Yarmouth Telegram, January 15, 1904.

STREET ADDRESS: 18 Forest Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE:Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY:Yarmouth

COUNTY:Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: circa 1888

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

1 1/2 storey Greek Revival style with a lower 1 1/2 storey off-center ell with a l storey, shed roofed addition at back. Medium pitched gable roof has return eaves, and a discretely placed central chimney; ell has an off-center chimney and gabled wall dormers breaking the eaves on east and west sides. The 2 bay asymmetrical facade has a full width, 1 storey spindle-work veranda with roof supported by slender columns and a roof-1ine balustrade. The off-center enclosed entry porch has paired doors, full height side-lights and full height windows on sides. There is a cutaway bay window to right of entry and a 3 sided, gabled bay window with pediment above entry. Most windows have double hung sashes with 2/2 glazing and moulded crowns, there is a 2 storey, interrupted cutaway bay window on west side. Wood construction with clapboard cladding and comer pilasters.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

Probably built in 1888 by Augustus Sullivan for Nelson O. Pearson. Mr. Pearson was a real estate developer who had several houses built "on speculation" in the late 1880's. This is one of the two houses he had built on Forest Street, and was first occupied by Alfred and Agnes Shaw. Mr. Shaw was one of the owners of Godfrey Brothers grocery store.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

North side of Forest Street, directly behind N.S. Liquor Commission. Veranda, enclosed entry porch, bay windows on facade and shed roofed back addition are later modifications. Property is well maintained and has very attractive landscaping and gardens.

PRESENT OWNER: Linda E. Rose/Janet L. Miller

ADDRESS:18 Forest Street, Yarmouth, N.S., B5A 3K9

ORIGINAL OWNER: Nelson O. Pearson

OCCUPATION: Real Estate Owner

BUILDER: Augustus Sullivan

ORIGINAL USE: Single family dwelling

PRESENT USE: Single family dwelling

HISTORY OF BUILDING
OWNER	FROM:	TO:	OCCUPATION	BOOK PG
Nelson O. Pearson	April 15, 1886	Jan. 18, 1889	Real estate owner	BN 264
Anges M. Shaw	Jan. 18, 1889	Jan. 31, 1893	Wife of Alfred M. Shaw - merchant	BQ 766
Sarah Helena Hilton	Jan. 31, 1893	Feb. 17, 1930	Widow/dressmaker	BW 353
William C. MacKinnon	Feb. 17, 1930	Feb. 28, 1930	Executor of Estate of Sarah H. Hilton	Estate 2625
Ralph T./Jeanette M. Harris	Feb. 28, 1930	Aug. 25, 1939	Gentleman	EA 222
Gertrude C. / Eva M. Cook	Aug. 25, 1939	July 12. 1949	Single women / yarn store owners	EL 660
Eva M. Cook	July 12, 1949	April 27, 1955	Heir of Gertrude C. Cook	Estate 1227
Reginald G. & Dorothy Eldridge	April 27, 1955	June 25, 1964	Bank Manager	FN 597
Dorothy Eldridge	June 25, 1964	Dec. 16, 1968	Widow of Reginald	Estate 1850
I.M.O. Foods Ltd.	Dec. 16, 1968	Apr. 27, 1976	Fish Processors	GZ 592
Delf & Ingrid Kroll	Apr. 27, 1976	Oct. 1, 1980	Fish broker	KF 169
Raymond P. & E. Anne LeBlanc	Oct. 1, 1980	Sept. 14, 1983	N/A	MP 427
Fred K. Rose	Sept. 14, 1983	Aug. 22, 1997	Farmer	OA 319
Linda E. Rose Janet L. Miller	Aug. 22, 1997	Present	Heirs of Fred Keith Rose	487/190

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

In 1893, this property was bought by Sarah H. Hilton, a widow. She had married Waitstill Hilton in 1874, but was widowed very suddenly on Jan. 22, 1879, when he dropped dead of a heart attack in front of his store on Main Street, at age 29. On January 1, 1900, about seven years after buying this house, Sarah Hilton married Capt. Brad Hilton, a second cousin of Waitstill's, whose first wife had passed away in 1894. They lived here for the rest of their lives - he died in 1928, age 83, and she died in 1930, age 80.

Fred K. Rose, late father of the present owners, had been born and raised in a nearby community and had run a dairy farm during WW II. Fred was the first breeder of Holstein cattle in this county and was a founding member of the calf club, a forerunner of today's local 4-H club. In the late 1940's he and his family moved to Ontario and over a number of years also lived in Florida and Vancouver, B.C. After returning to Yarmouth and buying this property, he started raising roses and was involved with the founding of the Yarmouth Garden Club. Mr. Rose died in August, 1997, but the beautiful rose gardens on this property remain as a testimony and a tribute to his gardening expertise and his love of roses.

SOURCES: Registry of Deeds/Probate; Hilton and Goudey genealogies by C. Doane; Yarmouth Reminiscences, pp. 444, 489, 502, 567; Yarmouth Light, May 31, 1951; Sweeny Funeral Records, Bk. 13; pp. 49, 194; Yarmouth Times - Jan. 1, 1890.

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