Walter Irvine Reid

1844 - 1909  (65 years)

• Name	Walter Irvine Reid
  Born	24 Aug 1844	Reidsville, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
  Gender	Male
  Business	North Dumfries Concession 10 Lot 31, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Reid Brothers
  		Waterloo County Directory 1878
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159974950
  Honoured	Reidsville, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Reidsville name for him
  		NorthDumfries-WalterIrvineReidHome-fromDavidMoore.jpg Harmony Grove was an impressive Queen Anne-style home for the Reid family. - Courtesy David Moore
  Honoured	Waterloo Fall of Fame
  	The name "Reidsville" was given to a settlement that developed by a small stream and lake in North Dumfries Township in 1831. The lot had been purchased by John Reid, a Native of Boghall, Scotland. In 1857 four of Reid's sons established a shingle mill and later this was expanded to a chopping mill and sawmill and steam power was added. In 1885 one of the sons, Walter, bought out his brothers. In 1899 the sawmill was moved to Ayr and a lumber yard was started in Galt in 1909. Reid was a keen athlete and sportsman and was the champion quoit player of Ontario in 1877. He built a bowling green on his front lawn and a curling rink on his millpond, one of the first enclosed curling rinks in Ontario. He was also a poet and musician and conducted an orchestra consisting mostly of his own family. Past and Present Inductees. (2019). Waterlooregionmuseum.ca. Retrieved 18 January 2019, from https://www.waterlooregionmuseum.ca/en/exhibits/past-and-present-inductees.aspx
  Residence	1852	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	United Presbyterian
  Residence	1869	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  Occupation	1871	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Farmer
  Residence	1871	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	C. Presb.
  Occupation	1881	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Farmer & Sawyer
  Residence	1881	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Presbyterian Canada
  Occupation	1891	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Saw Miller
  Residence	1891	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Presbyterian
  Occupation	1901	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Farmer
  Residence	2648 Alps Rd., North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  		NorthDumfries-WalterIrvineReidHome-fromDavidMoore.jpg Harmony Grove was an impressive Queen Anne-style home for the Reid family. - Courtesy David Moore
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-73822
  Died	25 Nov 1909	Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3, 7]
  	Cause: Cause: Arteriosclerosis (several years) - Apoplexy (5 hours)
  Buried	28 Nov 1909	Ayr Cemetery, Ayr, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3, 7]
  Person ID	I73822	Generations
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2025

  
  

  Father	John Reid,   b. 25 Apr 1796, Boghall, Stirlingshire, Scotland ,   d. 6 May 1879, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Catherine Mathison,   b. 14 Mar 1799, Yarrow, , Selkirk, Scotland ,   d. 6 Nov 1876, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 77 years)
  Family ID	F15128	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Agnes Anderson,   b. 2 Nov 1844, Hawick, , Roxburgh, Scotland ,   d. 12 Jan 1904, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 59 years)
  Married	31 May 1869	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  Children	1. John Quincy Reid,   b. 24 Jun 1869, Reidsville, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 14 Oct 1944, Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 75 years)   2. William Anderson Reid,   b. 12 Jul 1871, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 30 Mar 1922, Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 50 years)   3. Nellie Scott Reid,   b. 23 May 1873, Reidsville, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 18 Mar 1919, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 45 years)   4. Walter Inglis Reid,   b. CALC 11 Jan 1876, Reidsville, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 25 Jan 1935, Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 59 years)   5. Clara Hayden Reid,   b. 6 Jun 1882, Reidsville, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 7 Dec 1970, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 88 years)
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2025
  Family ID	F19210	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Walter Reid from Waterloo Region Hall of Fame
  		Walter Irvine Reid with family dreid9267 originally shared this on 02 Sep 2013 to Ancestry Public Member Tree

  
  

• Notes

  The Passing of W.I. Reid - Seldom has this community been so sorely afflicted by the hand of Death as during the week in which Matthew F. Ainslie and Walter I. Reid passed "to the bourne from whence no travelere'er returns." Both were men widely known and highly esteemed, and to both the summons came suddenly while they were about the every day affairs of life. On Thursday morning Mr. Reid came in from his home at Reidsville in his usual good health and was engaged in directing the affairs of his business here up to about 9 o'clock, at which hour he suffered a stroke of paralysis and sank to the floor in his office. His son, Mr. John Q. Reid, who was with him at the time, at once summoned medical aid, and the patient was removed to the residence of his brother, Mr. A.J. Reid, where death ensued shortly after 1 pm. The deceased was born at Reidsville in the year 1843 and resided on the homestead all his life. Like many of his peers of those early days, he was metaphorically cradled in a sap trough and educated in the log academy which stood on an adjoining farm. When he had attained the years of manhood, he and his brothers engaged in the business of sawyers, a small mill having been erected on the farm for that purpose. About ten years ago the original industry was added the manufacture of cooper's supplies, employing from ten to fifteen hands. Not only was the subject of this brief sketch a self-made man, but he achieved success in everything he undertook. As a farmer he was a good plowman, wining many prizes at the matches held in the early days. His business sagacity also stood him in good stead when he entered the wider field and launched out as a manufacturer. Much as he loved his calling on the farm or in the mill, he also found time to engage in manly sports. For years he held the quoit championship of Ontario, and was a member of the invincible Reid rink that bore off the curlers' trophies. In music he also excelled, being a splendid violinist, as well as a poet of no mean order. In the church circle he likewise had his place, filling important positions with credit to himself and advantage to his fellow men. At the time of his death he was an elder of the Stanley St. Kirk Session, a prominent member of the Masonic Order and of the Sous of Scotland. In the death of such a man the community loses one whose place is not easily filled, one whose marked geniality and sociability will be missed at every turn, and one whose home was always open to a wide circle of friends. In 1869 Mr. Reid was united in marriage with Miss Agnes Anderson, who predeceased him six years. A family of three sons and two daughters survive, viz., William A., John Q., Walter I., Nellie and Clara. Three brothers, John, Alexander and Andrew, also survive. The funeral on Sunday from Reidsville to Ayr cemetery attested the high esteem in which the deceased was held, the whole countryside and many of the neighboring towns, especially Galt, being well represented. At the outskirts of the town the cortege was met by fellow members of the Masonic order, who marched in a body and formed in a circle around the open grave as the remains of their brother were lowered to their last resting place. The services at both house and grave were conducted by rev. D.I. Ellison, assisted by Rev. John Thomson. The pall-bearers were Messrs. Chas. McGeorge, John McNab, Thos. Hall, Alex Edgar, Cameron Marshall, Alex E. Scott. Ayr News Dec 2 1909 pg 8. ________________ In Loving Memory Died, In Ayr, on Thursday, Nov. 25th, 1909, at 2 o'clock p.m., Walter J. Reid, In his 67th Year. The Funeral Will take place from his late residence, Reidsville, on Sunday, Nov. 28, '09, at 2 p.m., to Ayr Cemetery. Friends and acquaintances will please accept this intimation. Funeral Card _______________ Flash from the Past: Harmony Grove was Walter Reid's showpiece residence Walter Reid had energy and ambition. He ran a successful lumber business, competed in several sports, wrote poetry and regularly performed in public on the violin. He did all of these while living on the rural property where his parents settled after coming to Canada from Scotland in the early 1830s. An undated photo owned by collector Dave Moore of Waterloo shows 28 lawn bowlers in front of Harmony Grove, the impressive Queen Anne-style home that Reid had built for his family in 1885 at Reidsville, a hamlet four kilometres outside of Ayr along Alps Road in North Dumfries Township. The decorative wood shingles visible on the home's exterior walls were no doubt produced by Reid's firm. In addition to his private bowling green, Reid had pits for playing quoits, a game not unlike horseshoes. Travelling far from his home, he won numerous trophies because of his skill at tossing quoits, heavy rings made of metal or wood. In the winter months Reid hosted curling competitions on a frozen pond created by damming a section of Cedar Creek behind his home. With wood from his business, he built one of this area's first covered curling rinks. Inside the home, Reid presented concerts with a 10-member orchestra he formed, largely with family members. He eventually built the 250-seat Reid Hall in Ayr (later destroyed by fire) so larger musical events could be held. The Reidsville homestead was a gathering place even before Walter Reid's birth there in 1843. After purchasing 50 acres in 1831, his parents, John and Catherine, built a log cabin where members of the Reidsville Debating Society argued into the night on topics such as whether wood or iron was of greater benefit to mankind. Four of John Reid's sons launched a shingle mill on the property in 1857. It grew to include a steam-powered chopping mill and sawmill that produced lumber sold for construction projects in nearby communities and eventually as far away as Toronto. In 1885, Walter Reid, then 43, bought out his brothers. Harmony Grove would remain his home, but in 1899 he moved the business to Inglis Street in Ayr. He was 66 when he died there on Nov. 25, 1909. As the Ayr News reported: "On Thursday morning Mr. Reid came in from his home at Reidsville in his usual good health and was engaged in directing the affairs of his business here up to about 9 o'clock, at which time he suffered a stroke of paralysis and sank to the floor of his office." Medical help was summoned, but Reid died later the same day at the Ayr residence of one of his brothers. Walter Reid was honoured in 1976 with induction in the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame. Harmony Grove, still a private residence but not owned by the Reid family for many decades now, has been designated a heritage landmark by the Township of North Dumfries. The Reid family's log cabin still stands on the property. Sons of Walter Reid relaunched his business as the W.I. Reid Lumber Co. after his death and that firm continued to operate for several decades with divisions (later separate firms) in both Galt and Ayr. flashfrompast@gmail.com Fear, J. (2015). Flash from the Past: Harmony Grove was Walter Reid's showpiece residence. TheRecord.com. Retrieved 25 November 2019, from https://www.therecord.com/living-story/5529172-flash-from-the-past-harmony-grove-was-walter-reid-s-showpiece-residence/

  
  

• Sources

  [S180] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1901, Dumfries (North) B-5 Page 11. [S205] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1881, Div. 1 Page 5. [S367] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Ayr - Ayr Public CC#4489 Internet Link . In memory of/ Walter I. Reid/ died Nov. 25th 1909/ In his 67th year/ Agnes Anderson/ wife of/ Walter I. Reid/ born at Hawick, Scotland/ Nov. 2nd 1844/ died Jan. 12th 1904/ Reid [S233] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1852, Div. 3 Page 13. [S355] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1871, Div. 3, Pg. 24. [S2042] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1891, Section 1 Page 34. [S367] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Ayr - Ayr Public CC#4489 Internet Link . [Front/East] In memory of/ John Quincy Reid/ June 24, 1869 - Oct. 14, 1944/ Fannie Marie Bartlett/ beloved wife of/ John Q. Reid/ Apr. 14, 1869 - June 10, 1928/ Their daughter/ Alice Bartlett Reid/ Feb. 5, 1910 - Feb. 28, 2003 [Left/South] In memory of/ John Reid/ born at Boghall/ Scotland/ April 25th 1796/ died/ May 6th 1879/ Catherine Mathison/ his wife/ born at Yarrow/ Scotland/ March 14th 1799/ died/ Nov. 6th, 1876 [Back/West] In memory of/ Walter I. Reid/ died Nov. 25th 1909/ In his 67th year/ Agnes Anderson/ wife of/ Walter I. Reid/ born at Hawick, Scotland/ Nov. 2nd 1844/ died Jan. 12th 1904/ Reid [Right/North] Nellie Scott/ dau. of/ Walter I. & Agnes Reid/ died Mar. 18, 1919/ In Her 46th year/ Clara H./ Johnson/ dau. of/ Walter I. & Agnes/ Reid/ died Dec. 7, 1970/ In Her 89th year [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register. Walter Reid, 25, res. N Dumfries, b. Canada, son of John and Catherine (Matheson), married 31 May 1869 Agnes Anderson, 24, res. N Dumfries, b. Scotland, daughter of William and Ellen (Scott)

  
  

• Event Map

  Business - Reid Brothers - - North Dumfries Concession 10 Lot 31, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - United Presbyterian - 1852 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1869 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 31 May 1869 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Farmer - 1871 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - C. Presb. - 1871 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Farmer & Sawyer - 1881 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian Canada - 1881 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Saw Miller - 1891 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian - 1891 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Farmer - 1901 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: Cause: Arteriosclerosis (several years) - Apoplexy (5 hours) - 25 Nov 1909 - AYR, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - 28 Nov 1909 - Ayr Cemetery, Ayr, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth