Jesse Ketchum
Jesse Ketchum | |
---|---|
Member of the 10th Parliament of Upper Canada for York | |
In office 8 January 1829 – 6 March 1830 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Spencertown, New York | 31 March 1782
Died | 7 September 1867 Buffalo, New York | (aged 85)
Relations | Seneca Ketchum (brother) |
Parent(s) | Mollie Robbins Ketchum Jesse Ketchum Sr |
Jesse Ketchum (March 31, 1782 – September 7, 1867) was a tanner and political figure in Upper Canada.
Early life
He was born in town Spencertown, New York in 1782 to parents Mollie Robbins Ketchum and Jesse Ketchum Sr.[1] After his mother died, he was taken into a foster home; his foster father was a tanner. He ran away from home in 1799 and joined his brother Seneca (1780-1850), who was farming north of York (York Mills, now part of Toronto) in Upper Canada.
Career
At the beginning of the
Shortly after the rebellion, he relocated his tannery to
Jesse Ketchum's home was a recognized landmark in early York, largely because of its size. It was a large frame building, painted white, and stood at the north west corner of Yonge and Adelaide. Henry Scadding described the home as a "dwelling in the American style with a square turret bearing a rail rising out of the ridge of the roof." The date of construction is unknown, but estimated to be around 1813 or 1814. John Ross Robertson claims Jesse Ketchum was one of the first people to bring sidewalks to York after he placed tanned bark outside of his home. The house was ultimately destroyed around 1838 or 1839 to cut up the land for building lots.[2]
Ketchum Manufacturing, a company now located in Brockville, Ontario, which manufactures agricultural supplies, was founded by Jesse Ketchum's descendants in Ottawa, Ontario.
Jesse Ketchum Public School, Toronto
Jesse Ketchum School was founded in the Town of York in 1832 in the Yorkville area, two years prior to the founding of the City of Toronto in 1834. The current Jesse Ketchum Junior and Senior Public School building at 161 Davenport Rd dates to 1914.[4] A nearby park, Jesse Ketchum Park, is also named for him as both it and the school were made possible by donations by Ketchum. Famous former students include the Conacher family of sporting fame, Canadian sculptor Emanuel Hahn, actors Keanu Reeves (The Matrix) and Zack Ward (A Christmas Story), Academy Award winning director Domee Shi, noted citizen scientist R. Vishnu Bose.
Temperance Hall
Ketchum donated land to be used to build a Temperance Hall at 21 Temperance Street in 1846-1848.[5]} Used as temporary home to Toronto Normal School 1847 to 1852. Sold 1969 and used by Stone Church until 1986.
References
- ^ Hathaway, E. J. Jesse Ketchum And His Times, Chapter 1.
- ^ a b c Peppiatt, Liam. "Chapter 16: The Children's Friend". Robertson's Landmarks of Toronto Revisited.
- ^ "Biography – KETCHUM, SENECA – Volume VII (1836-1850) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography".
- ^ "Toronto District School Board > Find your... > Schools". www.tdsb.on.ca.
- ^ "Toronto Normal School – Temperance Hall".