Event Date : Saturday, January 27, 1973 Event Type : Death
Description : Funeral services were held on January 30 at the Lewis Funeral Home in Bradford for Elgar P. J. Houghton who died suddenly at his home on the farm of Allan Houghton in Newton Robinson. He was in his 84th year. He was born in West Gwillimbury Township, the fifth son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Houghton of Newton Robinson, and was the last surviving member of that family of ten children. In 1911 he married Myrtle Agar of Stayner. They farmed for a number of years, then sold out and went into the fuel business, first in Elmvale, later in Bradford. He was a member of the United Church. Mr. Houghton was greatly interested in sports and presented a trophy each year to the most sportsmanlike player of the South Simcoe Baseball League. He was a charter member and first president of the Senior Citizens' Club of Bradford. He is survived by his wife, one daughter, Muriel (Mrs. K. O. Melbourne) of Toronto, two sons, Gordon of Vancouver, B.C., and Lloyd of Burlington, Ont. Also ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren survive. Rev. H. Dahlin of Bond Head United Church officiated at the funeral service. Interment will be at Newton Robinson Cemetery.
"Bond Head's Pioneer Parade last saturday, July 1, was another example and proof of the fact that enthusiasm and willing workers can produce what money expenditure cannot. The Bond Head workers for the parade, and other events, did not have big financial resources but they did have a wealth of initiative, enthusiasm willingness to work, and a determination to do credit to Bond Head, and they most certainly accomplished the latter. That parade, and other events of the day, made July 1, 1967, red letter day for Bond Head." ...
"At 2 p.m., on Saturday, October 7, a weekend which will long be remembered, began for the residents of Newton Robinson and the Newton Robinson community, when friends of former years came to celebrate the village's Pioneer Family Days. The activities for the celebration were introduced with a parade, which assembled a Poole's garage, and was led by two pipers, Paul and Marilyn Moir of Cookstown, up the hill and into Lloyd Coburn's orchard, which was prepared in readiness for celebrating the occasion." ...
"The Auld Kirk, a historical church located at the Scotch Settlement will be the scene of an old time church service Sunday, June 22 at 3:00 p.m. The service is being jointly arranged by the Barrie Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church and the Simcoe Presbytery of the United Church. The Auld Kirk is on the 6th line of West Gwillimbury Township south of Highway 88 at the Scotch Settlement. The outdoor service will be led by Rev. Henry Dahlin, minister of Bond Head United Church and Chairman of the Simcoe Presbytery. Also participating in the service will be Rev. Ken Purdon, minister of Burton Ave. United Church in Barrie and Rev. Ed MacDonald, minister of the Presbyterian Church in Orillia and moderator of Barrie Presbytery. The guest preacher will be Rev. W. Stanford Reid, Professor of History at the University of Guelph. The Auld Kirk's beginnings go back to 1823 when a log church was built by the settlers of the Scotch Settlement. In 1827, a frame church was built and the original log building was moved and used as a school until 1840. The present Auld Kirk building was erected in 1869 at a cost of $1,000. Due to a dwindling population the church was closed in 1885 and for some years fell into disrepair. In 1912, it required a new roof. In 1953, the restoration of the cemetery was started and in 1958 restoration work began on the church."
Resume of Henry W. Dahlin, a minister of the Bradford United Church in the 1980s. Includes information on his family, his education, his association with clubs and organizations in the area, and his experience working with other churches.
