Search Term Record
Metadata
Name |
John Harrison & Sons Limited |
Details |
John Harrison passed away in February, 1901 at the age of 78. He was the founder of John Harrison & Sons Limited. His name continued after his death in the business name. The front of the site was along ____ Street, which after 1909, became known as 14th Street West. John Harrison's first mill was located along the Sydenham River, but it was flooded out, so he relocated to the site along the Pottawatomie River at Owen Sound. His mill was mentioned in the book OUR DOMINION (1887). The May 14, 1892 edition of THE SATURDAY GLOBE (Toronto) showed an image of the planing mill and office of the John Harrison sawmill at Owen Sound, which was then known as "The Owen Sound Steam Saw and Planing Mills". The mill produced dressed and undressed lumer, e.g. sash, doors, frames, blinds, mouldings, lath, pickets, etc. A lot of these products were marketed in Northern Ontario. Most sawmills were a seasonal, winter-time industry, but the Harrison mill was a year-round operation. They also had large rafts of logs brought down to Owen Sound harbour, and had the TUG HARRISON for this work (there were two Tug Harrisons eventually). Former Employees of John Harrison & Sons: Fred Boomer (b. 1895-d. 1979), would have worked there after 1945. Freeman Burr (watchman circa 1932) Other employees will be listed in vintage Vernon's directories. To help advertise the business, some clothes brushes were ordered as give-away items for customers. There is an example at Grey Roots Museum. A carpenter's apron with advertising for the company identifies their phone number as 3400, and that they sold lumber and building supplies (including Masonite, Hardwoods, Plywoods and New Test Insulating Products. The company closed in 19__. The buildings (except for one) were torn down in 19___. Archival Items at the Grey County Archives: -1980.101.01 Booklet, OWEN SOUND ON THE GEORGIAN BAY, 1911, has an advertisement for the company -_____ Oversize photograph showing the buildings and lumber piled at John Harrison & Sons, early 20th-c -See the fire insurance map books to see the buildings and layout of the site |
