-(1).jpg;w=960;h=640;bgcolor=000000)
Charles Hammond (C.H.) Ross was born in Hull, England in 1829. He came to the U.S. with his father’s family in 1835 and stayed with an uncle on Staten Island, New York, until 1844 when he joined his family in Innisfil Township. He worked on the family farm for the next two years.
In 1848, when he was 19 years old, Ross moved to town and was hired as a clerk in Thomas David McConkey’s general store. He worked there for 10 years before they formed a partnership: McConkey and Ross.
McConkey’s store was located on Dunlop Street in the building next to the Barrie Hotel (now the Queen’s Hotel). It was built in 1866 for McConkey – the Bank of Commerce was in the west unit, Sanders Brothers (jewelers) in the centre and T.D.’s store in the unit next to the Queen’s Hotel. Since it was a brick building, it prevented the spread of a fire in 1880 which destroyed the buildings west of McConkey’s up to Owen Street.
In 1858, Ross and other local Reformers launched a new weekly newspaper The Spirit of the Age. C.H. was a Presbyterian and a lifelong Reformer.
On Oct. 13, 1859, Charles married Mary Cowan George, formerly of Ireland by way of Boston. Charles and Mary never had any children of their own, however they did raise three nieces: Annie Louise, Mary Emma and Georgina.
The partnership with his brother-in-law McConkey (T.D. was married to C.H.’s sister Mary) continued until McConkey retired in 1865. In 1868-9, Ross had his home, Maple Hill, built at the corner of Toronto and Wellington streets. The house originally had a verandah on three sides and although there have been other changes over the years, the beautiful home and estate grounds have mostly remained intact to this day. Ross’ sister’s place was pretty impressive as well: the McConkeys lived a few blocks to the east in Ardtrae – Barrie’s enduring and iconic mansion located at 101 Clapperton St. at Wellington Street.
After T.D. retired, Ross brought Donald Gilchrist into the mercantile business as partner in Ross and Gilchrist. When their partnership ended after five years, C.H. ran the company alone for another five years before retiring himself in 1878 after 30 years in the business.
In addition to running his general store, C.H. was elected to town council in 1872 and served four terms. Ross also served as Barrie’s fifth mayor from 1887-8, then police magistrate in 1891. Also in 1891, C.H. built the Ross Block of commercial buildings on Dunlop Street to the east of Post Office (Memorial) Square.
As things go, for many months C.H.’s health had been in decline and on Feb. 14, 1912, he passed away of heart failure at his home Maple Hill. Only two years later, in 1914, his wife Mary passed away as well.
The Ross’ niece Georgie’s brother-in-law, James Alexander MacLaren, bought Maple Hill in 1914. Alex was editor and co-publisher of the Examiner from 1895 until 1951. The MacLarens – Mac and Maddie – were very involved in several organizations around town: the Carnegie Library Board, Royal Victoria Hospital Board , Board of Education, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, the Public Utilities Commission, the Red Cross and the Horticultural Society.
Their son Maurice (Alexander Fitzmaurice MacLaren), carried on the family tradition of supporting his community. MacLaren helped to establish the Huronia Festival of the Arts, the arboretum in Sunnidale Park, the Barrie Yacht Club and sponsored construction of the lighthouse at Johnson’s Beach.
MacLaren bequeathed Maple Hill to the City of Barrie and the Barrie Gallery Project for use as an art gallery, upon his death in 1989.
Maple Hill is a designated property under the Ontario Heritage Act for its architectural and historical significance.
The MacLaren Art Centre moved to its current location in the former Barrie Public Library/Carnegie building in 2001. Since that time, Maple Hill has been home to various education and day care businesses.
