Aubrey and Helen Gould finalized their farm purchase in Innisfil (north half of Lot 23, Concession 7) from John and Elizabeth King in 1963 for $18,000.
The land patent was issued to Christopher Sylvester on Oct. 1, 1835. Among the previous owners were Elias Ferrier, Charles Martin, Isaac M. Spring and Norman Paget.
The 46-acre property faced onto the 8th Line. Four acres on the west side had been severed and sold to Lola Bryce.
This acreage had been turned into a summer camp for kids before the Goulds moved in. Then, after a few years, Ark Eden Nursing Home was opened. We rented about three acres between our house and the nursing home and cropped it for years.
Aubrey and Helen Gould were parents of nine children when they moved to Innisfil from a two-acre property in Oak Ridges in 1963. Their oldest, Florence, was already married and living in Oak Ridges. Dianne, Harold, Jim, Tom, Dave, Karen, Donna and George all settled into their new home.
I well remember the farmhouse. Nearly every room was painted a battleship grey colour. Harold and I would accompany Dad when he came that first year to work the fields and, during that time, we painted all the inside of the house. One huge bedroom upstairs was large enough to hold all of us kids. — Dianne Gould McColeman
Along with the family came Belgian Draught horses, often named Dolly and Prince, and two Shetland ponies.
The farm across the 8th Line from us was bought that same year by Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Bartkus from Chris Steenholdt. They had only been there a short time when Mr. Bartkus went up a ladder to remove a bird’s nest located near the transformer and was electrocuted. Aubrey rented the land and barn from Mrs. Bartkus for around 20 years.
The 50 acres to the east of the Gould farm was owned by Arthur Smith and his wife. Originally, the two farms had been one larger acreage. The 50 acres west of the farm and nursing home (mainly vacant land) were owned by Harry Webb, of Painswick (in present-day Barrie). He was a blind man who was well known for tuning pianos.
The Goulds raised beef cattle and hogs on their farm. Other fields on neighbouring properties were rented, and crops of hay, oats, barley, wheat and corn were grown for their expanding operation.
Soon after we moved to Innisfil, Dad bought a tractor and plow from Reg Reed, who kindly spent a lot of time teaching me about both pieces of machinery. Of course, that meant I had even more chores to do.
Around then, having completed Grade 10, my parents and I decided that me staying home to farm full time was a good idea. My brothers, Jim, Tom and George, as they got older, had their share of chores on the farm and in the bush.
The four strong Belgian Draught horses were key to our farm’s success, but even more to the logging operation, which at times included up to six workers. Aubrey and Harold purchased and logged trees from north of Toronto to north of Coldwater.
In 1968, the two Gould men bought a timber jack, a valuable logging tool that eliminated the need for the horses in the bush. For many years before that, they provided sleigh and hay rides for winter events and family reunions through the surrounding fields.
Aubrey was always trucking something, be it potatoes, Christmas trees or logs, and this continued for more than 50 years for Dad and 25 for me.
Custom combining became another source of farm income and, for at least 20 years, we handled steady customers in Innisfil and West Gwillimbury: Vern Ayres, Mel Ayerst, Don Beatty, Don Ferrier, Andy Graham, Clarence Reid, Jack Duncan, Parker Peacock, Jim Cole, Lou Cronan, Mary Neilly.
Circa 1986, while Dad and I were off moose hunting, a house fire broke out, later found to have been caused by a faulty kitchen plug. We came home to find a boarded-up house. Determined as ever, we had the house rebuilt in the following months.
Our farm was sold to developers in 1988. By then, we had purchased 350 acres with two sets of farm buildings, just eight kilometres east of Lindsay, and we moved in 1989.
Helen (Hill) Gould was born on Jan. 6, 1926, and died in Lindsay on Feb. 29, 2024. Aubrey David George Gould was born on Nov. 22, 1924, and died on July 12, 2017. Their family legacy lives on with 21 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren to date.
Rick and I lived on Lea Road for 37 years. We could look across the fields and see the farm from our home. — Dianne Gould McColeman
The Gould property is now the site of Sobeys in Alcona and bears no signs of the farm that was its predecessor. However, it has the distinction of being the last viable farming operation in Alcona.
The Innisfil Historical Society is always on a quest to share the past, so if your farm or business story has never been shared, please contact us at [email protected].
Plus, please join us from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 7 at Knock Heritage Site’s second annual book sale and open house — the perfect time to check out old photos and newspaper clippings and possible Christmas book gifts. Ah, the joy of relaxing and reading about Innisfil happenings and people.
