Faded Markers Series: Henry Smith Tavern
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Size: 
(regular)
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This is another cache in the Faded Markers Series. This series will mainly focus on older, near forgotten burial plots of pioneers in the Niagara Region and beyond. The goal of this series is not necessarily the length of the walk nor the difficulty of the find, but rather a simple reverence for those who came before us to shape our area.
FEW FAMILIES IN ONTARIO CAN BOAST the fact that an existing tavern built 150 years ago is still in the family. One such tavern is the Henry Smith Tavern or Mountainview Inn located where three Townships, Louth, Pelham and Thorold, come together. Henry Smith owned and operated the tavern/inn from on or about the year 1842 to February 10, 1856 when he died. This is the story of that inn.
NICHOLAS SMITH PETITIONED FOR LANDS as a fifer in Butler’s Rangers, having joined that corps in 1778. In this petition, he states that he was married to the daughter of William May who also served in Butler’s Rangers and that the family came into this place in the year 1785. Nicholas Smith married Catherine May, the daughter of William May and Lena Jansen, on August 26, 1788, and by 1797 they had five children: Frederick, 8; John, 7; James, 5; Magdalen, 4; and William, 2. They eventually had fourteen children: seven boys and seven girls.
THEY ESTABLISHED A FAMILY CEMETERY behind the buildings located on Lot 5, Concession 8 Louth where existing stones divulge that the following family members are buried: Catharine (May) Smith, consort of Nicholas Smith; James Nicholas Smith; Henry Smith and Catharine Ann Smith. All signs of any other stones have disappeared other than a part of one that appears to be identical to that of Catharine (May) Smith; family members feel it may be that of Nicholas Smith.
IT WOULD APPEAR that Henry, knowing that he would inherit Lot 4, Concession 8 from his father, commenced the erection of a building which was to become the inn during 1842 as, engraved near the front door of the building, is Henry must have commenced the operation of the Henry Smith Inn shortly after that as is evidenced by this item from the Niagara Chronicle: List of licenses issued in the Niagara District for the year 1845 by W. D. Miller, inspector of licenses to the 1st of February, 1845.
APPARENTLY THIS INN WAS KNOWN variously as the Henry Smith Tavern and Mountainview Inn. In an article in the St. Catharines Standard on September 12, 1960 by Joan Wittig, a Standard reporter, the inn was described as follows: One of the most popular wayside inns in the Niagara Peninsula, it was the setting for the largest public dances, fairs and social gatherings in the district. It contained a large ballroom, 44 feet by 22 feet with its high ceilings and kerosene chandeliers, the bar and bagatelle room, the dining room and the exhibit room for country fairs. In those days it was not unusual to see as many as 22 teams of horses tied to the front hitching post at one time. At the time of the Inn’s popularity, the roads were made of stone and a tollgate was located at the corner of Pelham Road and Fifth Street Louth. Across the way from the inn was a county racetrack where race and show horses were bred and trained. BY THE 1861 CENSUS OF LOUTH, George Haynes was on the property with Ann Smith, aged 45, and Frances, 16. By the 1871 census John Hennegan, 31, born in Ireland, hotel keeper, was on the property with wife, Mary A. (formerly the wife of George Haynes); Adam Haynes, 5; Theresa Haynes, 3; and Mary A. Hennegan, 5 1/2 years old; together with James O’Brian, 15; and Catharine O’Brian, 21.
IT WOULD APPEAR that George Haynes (Haines) continued to operate the inn as a tavern from 1856 to the date of his death, April 18, 1868, for an article which appeared in the St. Catharines Constitutional dated February 13, 1868, states: Disgraceful - Rowdy individual created a disturbance at Mr. George’s tavern in Louth last Tuesday eve, where a Ball was being held. The proceedings were conducted in a most orderly manner until the party in question commenced quarreling with Mr. D. Hainer, which caused some interruption in the festivities. AFTER GEORGE HAYNES DEATH this inn became known as Hennegan’s Hotel, located at Hennegan’s Corners, so it would appear that the widow of George Haines and her new husband, John Hennegan carried on the business until such time as Adam Murray Haines (Haynes) and Teresa Haines (Haynes) were old enough to take over the property.
IN THE ARTICLE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, published in the St. Catharines Standard on September 12, 1960, their daughter, Amy who married Nicholas Treanor, operated the inn as a tray, and gift shop. At some time after that her son, Nicholas Treanor, Jr., operated the inn as Adam’s Haynes Antiques. IN 1982, PAUL SPECK (a descendant of John Nicholas Smith, son of Nicholas Smith and Catharine May) and his family purchased and rented lands around the inn to commence the growing of grapes. Some time around 1985 or 1986, Paul purchased Lot 5, Concession 8, Louth Township, on which the inn was located and commenced the restoration of the buildings and the operation of a Family Estate Winery. Thus the Henry Smith Tavern was once again owned and operated by a Smith family member.
THIS AREA OF LOUTH AND PELHAM township was commonly referred to as Smith Settlement. From an article in the St. Catharines Standard it is learned that one of Ontario’s first toll gates was located in Louth Township, at Hennegan’s Corners, and was operated by Ellen (Lynch) Smith, the wife of Nicholas Smith.
WHILE NOT ALL INFORMATION in the article can be verified, we do know that the gate was opposite one of the first taverns in Upper Canada.
Now for the cache it is on Private property and permission has been granted by the
land owners. Please use the parking coordinates and absolutely no night caching.
The cache is near but not on the gravesite or structure.
Use Driveway at N43 06.669 W79 17.729
Parking N43 06.603 W79 17.794
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)