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John Lorn McDougoll house Historic house on Raglan St : by Harry Hinchley The old .lnhn Lorri MrDougall house once stood beside the building that IS new St Joseph's Convent, which is visible behind the trees In the photo, in 1902, die Marita) family who had uroupied the nlrl house moved into me brick house that bad Just horn lltllll and the old house ‘ taken down It was hauled away to the Creamery Section zind rrreretted. I Wherefl John 1.0m Mianugall first look up land in Renfreu in 1837. Two years later he bought another 2% acres on the east side of Raglan Street between what is now Low Square and Mutual Street, it was on tins property that he built the house. He also acquired several other lots. mostly west of Raglan Street. A good part 01 his land, on both sides of Raglan Street was later divided into town lots and now form the MCDuugall Section that makes up a large portion of the centre of Lheiown. In 1857 he opened the McDougall Mill, the stone grist mill at the River which he had built on land that he had bought for the purpose. This mill was operated by a succession of owners as a grist mill and later a flour mill and finally as a warehouse for a woollen mill of M J O'Brien limited. Michael J Murray, representing this company generously donated the building to the Town to be used as a museum which it now is, John Lorn McDbugall was a prominent citizen in the early days. He was a member at Horton Council befnre Renfrew was incorporated and later he was a member at the village council. He was elected to Parliament in the late 1850‘s but‘ he was given another ap- pointment and never took his seat. He had a large family the most prominent of whom being his son, also John liorn McDou'gall, who was a businessman, lunibernian, member of Parliament and [or many years auditorrgeneral of Canada. Another son was Sam McDougall who at one time was one of Rentrew‘s best known merchants. John Lorn McDougall died in 1860 at the age of 60 years, [Is is buried in Tliomsonvllle Cemetery. ‘Heriloge building Formerl Date of Survey: Nuvember,197s Owner at time 01 survey: Mr and Mrs John Pelky 268 AlbertStN. Renfrew. Ontario Researched by: Marjorie Lindsay ersJ E) 318 Albert Street N. ‘ Renfrew, Unwrio l Photographed by: George Johnston 43 McLean Street, ' Renfrew, Ontario Developed by: Dave 1mente.Jr 397 Charles Street, Renfrew. Ontario location of building: 268 Albert Street North, Part Lots 3 and 4, Plan 8, Block V Date 01 Construction: Approximately 1352 Historical: 1n the early 1850's, Orange Wright. sun of Benjamin Wright who was a brother of Philemon Renfrew Hotel Wright, founder of Hull. Quebec, came to Renfrew with his wife. Lucy Wyman Wright. and sons,0range and Marshall. He built the first hotel north of the Bonnechere River called the Renfrew Hotel It provided a large. comfortable. Well equipped place to stay to lar- mers who came to the mills along the river. It was the first stopping place on the famots Settlement Road, the Oppongo Road, after leaving Farrell‘s Landing on the Ottawa River (Grandview Dodge today] at Castlefnrd, Road construction began in 1854. The many shantymen, far- mers, pioneers who patronized the hotel enjoyed the hospitable attentions of host. Orange Wright and Mrs Wright‘s careful housekeeping. Mr Wright died in 1863. but Mrs Wright and son. Orange operated the hotel until 1876. The hotel register for the period 1853-1876 has been carefully preserved by a Renfrew descendant, Mrs Wm Smart. With the coming of the Railway in 1873 and declining use of the Opeongo Road the hotel had fewer guests. even- tually closed, and later, was ‘ sold as a private dwelling. Mr Orange Wright became Collector of Customs for Renfrew. He died in 1921. At one time the property excluded the present Orange Lodge on l-lincks Street which was a warehouse for the hotel and the property on the corner ‘ of Hincks and Albert Streets. Included in this survey is a , National Archives photograph of the hotel as it appeared in 1863 from the B F Walling map 01 Renfrew and Lanark‘ Counties. W, , _,7__~ fl emsâ€"fl“ ,