Showing 14 results

Clearing the land to build the Peterman Dairy Farm. Pigs are in the foreground.

Files including letters, newspaper clippings, and essays on select families of Bradford West Gwillimbury

The Peterman Dairy Farm on Simcoe Street.

This dairy farm ran for years by George and Sarah (Leopard) Peterman. George Walker Peterman was born on March 19th, 1870 to George and Charlotte of Tecumseth, and he decided to come to Bradford to clear land on Simcoe Road to build his dairy farm. With his wife Sarah Jane Leopard (born January 31st, 1869) of North York, and ten children, the Peterman Dairy farm came into being at 319 Simcoe Road. All the boys worked on the farm until they moved out to start families of their own. Out of the four girls, Vera Peterman (later Williams) was the first to drive the horse-drawn dairy wagon through town. She did it for seven of the 35 years the family farm ran. As the dairy farm died out, most of the Peterman family stayed in the Bradford area (Monty and Norma left for Detroit). George Peterman died on September 17th, 1950, and Sarah died soon after on April 15th, 1955, both in their 80s. Most of their children are buried with them in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Bradford.

Photograph of the cows on the Peterman Dairy Farm.

Peterman family owned a dairy farm at what is now known as 319 Simcoe Rd.
Sitting (l to r): George W. Peterman (son of George and Charlotte of Tecumseth) holding Tiny the dog, George W.'s wife Sarah J. Leopard (daughter of David and Maholey of North York).
Standing (l to r): Doris, Ila, Vera, and Norma.

Photograph of George Walter Peterman and Sarah Jane Peterman (nee Leopard) in Riverside Park, Guelph. They ran the Peterman Dairy Farm in Bradford.