Sidney James Sanford filled out a petition for naturalization in the United States in May of 1916. He declared he was a resident of California, but had arrived in the United States in 1910 by way of New Orleans aboard a ship from Nicaragua.
Sanford gave his birthplace as Barrie, Canada.
In 1920, Sidney Sanford was still waiting for his petition to be approved. Meanwhile, he worked as a civil engineer and resided with his wife, Eva, in a boarding house on Walnut Street in Philadelphia.
Sanford was finally granted American citizenship in 1924.
By 1930, Sidney and Eva were residents of Philadelphia’s newly built and ultra-prestigious Alden Park Manor Apartments.
From small-town roots to far-flung travel and sumptuous living, how did this Barrie lad end up where he did?
Sidney J. Sanford was born in 1860 to Sidney Morehouse Sanford and his wife, Sarah. The elder Sanford was one of the first merchants to set up shop in the emerging community of Barrie.
His store was located at the corner of Dunlop Street East and Owen Street, where the National Bank is today.
In 1876, the shopkeeper was created assistant treasurer for Simcoe County council under treasurer H.R.A. Boys.
He became treasurer upon Boys’ 1884 death, a position he only held for one year as Sanford himself passed away in August 1885.
The council greatly lamented the passing of the solid and dependable man as was expressed in the Northern Advance on Nov. 19 of that year.
“Ordered that this council at its first session after the sad event do leave on record an expression of our deep regret of the demise of the late Sidney M. Sanford, Esq., treasurer of this county, who for many years was a faithful and efficient official, and whose gentlemanly and unassuming manner merited the highest respect of this council.”
Within a week of this tribute, the council had found their new official in the person of Mr. Sanford’s namesake son, 25-year-old Sidney James.
The appointment was greeted with great excitement and it was reported that one hundred of the new treasurer’s friends gathered at the Barrie Hotel for an oyster banquet, songs, many toasts, and rousing speeches promoting the bright future of the candidate for the position.
Young Sanford was feeling rather upwardly mobile during this time. Four years earlier, he had wed Ida Isabel Burton, the eldest daughter of George Burton, who was one of a trio of lumber baron brothers whose name is still very well known in Allandale.
Sidney Sanford was employed as a clerk at the Bank of Commerce in Barrie, a position that seemed to set him up well for his term as county treasurer.
In his mind, a treasurer should have a home befitting of a treasurer and so Sanford moved his family into Statenborough, the stately home at 55 Peel St., that had been built by his father’s treasury predecessor, H.R.A. Boys.
Never mind that Boys had long been involved with successful land and business deals before he could build such a house.
Sanford paid $4,000 for the property in 1886.
By 1890, Sanford felt that Statenborough could use some improvements. A large addition, complete with a ballroom, was constructed.
The next few years were golden years for Sidney J. Sanford. The newspapers were filled with tales of his acting success in the Thespian Club, political associations, Masonic activities, visits to the cottage at Big Bay Point, charitable donations and, of course, his remarkable community gesture: the building of the Grand Opera House on Collier Street.
Then suddenly, one summer day in 1897, Sidney James Sanford simply vanished.
Each week, the Barrie Historical Archive provides BarrieToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past. This unique column features photos and stories from years gone by and is sure to appeal to the historian in each of us.
