maughan.ca
a collection of family histories

John Arthur Maughan Jr. born 19-Jun-1835 in the Township of Markham, Ontario. Died 27-Nov-1918 in Toronto. He is buried at either Necropolis Cemetery or St. John's Norway Cemetery, Toronto. Father was John Maughan, mother was Euphemia Janet Stein. Worked for Hartford Insurance as an agent. Married Margaret Eliza Parks on 18-Jun-1863 in Palermo, Trafalgar Township, Halton County, Ontario. Palermo, now part of the Town of Oakville, still has United Church (founded in 1812, the church was built in 1867).

Margaret Eliza Parks (wife)

Margaret Eliza Parks, wife of John Maughan, died 29-Jun-1908 at 70 years of age. At the date of her death, she and husband John lived at 496 Wellington St. W., Toronto. Margaret died of Bright's disease (an historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis) which she'd had for one year. The doctor that singed her death certificate was Edmund W. Spragge. She was buried at Necropolis Cemetery in Toronto on 1-Jul-1908 in section M-76 in a plot owned by her husband John Maughan.

Mary Emma Janet Josephine (Minnie) Maughan

Mary Emma Janet Josephine (Minnie) Maughan was born 3-Apr-1864 and died 31-May-1933. Minnie was a spinster and lived with her brother John. She was living at 6 Glen Avon Rd, Toronto at the date of her death, and had lived there for 5 years. The cause of death listed as cervical cancer (10 years duration) along with bladder, pelvic cancer. Her occupation was listed as 'Lady'. The attending doctor listed was A. C. Bennett of 1326 King St. W., Toronto (same as brother John's doctor). She had undergone surgery in 1923 to address the cervical cancer. There was no autopsy. She was found by her sister-in-law Mrs. Gertrude Maughan of Westmount, Quebec. She was buried at Necropolis Cemetery on 2-Jun-1933.

Herbert John Maughan

Herbert John Maughan was born circa 1865 and died 14-Sep-1892 aged 26 years. The cause of death was a gun shot injury. The attending doctor listed was was Edmund W. Spragge. He was buried at Necropolis Cemetery on 16-Sep-1892 in section M-76 in a plot owned by his father John Maughan.

Florence Maggie Morrison Russell Maughan

Florence Maggie Morrison Russell Maughan was born circa 1867 and died 9-Feb-1916 aged 49 years. Going to school at 1881 census. Married Theodoric Charles Howard originally of Hamilton on 26-Nov-1890. Theo was shown as living in Sutton West in the Township of Georgina, County of York at the date of marriage. His occupation was listed as "merchant". Theo's age at the date of marriage was 27, Florence was 23. Ernest K. Fowler and Minnie Maughan (both of Toronto) are listed as the witnesses. They were married by License and Alex Williams officiated. Florence died at St. Joseph's Hospital in Hamilton. She was living at 92 Markland St., Hamilton at the date of her death. She died of chronic Bright's disease (an historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis) which she'd had for three years. The doctor that singed her death certificate was W. J. McNichol.

Charles Frederick Maughan

Charles Frederick Maughan was born circa 1869 and died 25-Feb-1906 aged 35 years in Newark, New Jersey. He died of pulmonary tuberculosis. The doctor that attended was P. E. Raughanbach. He was buried at Necropolis Cemetery on 16-Sep-1892 in section M-76 in a plot owned by his father John Maughan.

Based on a review of the available City of Toronto Directories from 1887 to 1907 (the years Charles would have been 18+) we find following addresses and occupational information:

• 1887 clerk at the Central Bank; boarding at 76 Wellington Place.
• 1888 - 1889 clerk at the Dominion Bank, Esther Branch; boarding at 76 Wellington Place.
• 1890 - 1891 clerk; boarding at 98 Wellington Place.

There are no further listings for Charles in the Toronto Directories. Two years after Charles' death his younger brother disappears to the United States. It does not appear that Charles married.

John M. Maughan (III)

John M. Maughan was born 31-Aug-1871 and died 6-Jul-1926 aged 54 years. He was listed as an insurance broker for an occupation on the death register. He died after 5 months of cardial fleuvial insufficiency preceded by 30 years of chronic intestinal nephritis, arterial schlorosis and angina abdominalis. The doctor that attended was A. C. Bennett of 1326 King St. W., Toronto. He was buried at Necropolis Cemetery on on 9-Jul-1926 in section M-76 in a plot owned by his father John Maughan.

Walter Maughan

Walter Maughan was born 4-Sep-1876 and died circa 1961. He was a City Passenger Agent for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Walter married Eva Lilian Gertrude Rymal on 12-May-1904 in Toronto, Ontario. When their sons John Walter Maughan and George Burwell Maughan were born they were listed as living at 76 Roxborough St. W., Toronto (the house has been torn down and completely rebuilt as of 2015).

Maughan Avenue > Maughan Crescent, Toronto

More about the naming of Maughan Avenue in Toronto, what happened to it and what we know of the present day Maughan Crescent can be found here.

Mitchell's Directory of Toronto 1864-5

This edition of Mitchell's Directory lists 3 Maughans. James Maughan is not related as far as we can tell. However John Maughan Sr. is the John Maughan here, born in 1800, and John Jr. is his son born in 1735. They are listed as residing at 13 Windsor Street in Toronto (the site is now occupied by a Toronto Hydro Substation).

The original houses we torn down somtime in the early 1900's as the area became more commercialized. Machine works, a warehouse and some retail occupied the site until Toronto Hydro constructed a substation.

There remains a portion of an old brick wall at the south end of the substation that separates it from the parking lot that fronts on Front Street West. This wall is likely part of the building that housed the factory / warehouse that fronted on Wellington Street West.

What's interesting, given the family history of land surveying, is that John Maughan Sr. and Jr. lived next door to Sandford Fleming. Sandford Fleming was a Scottish Canadian engineer and inventor who promoted worldwide standard time zones, a prime meridian, and the use of the 24-hour clock as key elements to communicating the accurate time. He designed Canada's first postage stamp, left a huge body of surveying and map making, engineered much of the Intercolonial Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway, and was a founding member of the Royal Society of Canada and founder of the Canadian Institute, a science organization in Toronto. John Maughan Jr. was a member of the Canadian Institute and our Maughans certainly descend from Scottish roots. I will continue to wonder what sort of conversations might have been had over the fence between my ancestors and their neighbour Sandford Fleming...

The 1842 atlas of Toronto done by Cane shows the Windsor Street area as vacant land. Note that Spadina Avenue is shown as Brock Street, and Wellington Street West is shown as Market Street:

The 1857 map of Toronto done by (Sanford) Fleming, Ridout and Schriber shows Windsor Street running between Front and Wellington, splitting the block between John and Peter Streets, just to the west of the then Houses of Parliament.

The 1862 map of Toronto shows how the building lots are now laid out on Windsor Street.

The 1884 Fire Map of Toronto shows the dwellings and street addresses on Windsor Street.

1869 Gazetteer

John Maughan listed as the Assistant Secretary of the Western Assurance Company - Fire, Inland and Ocean Marine Insurance located at the corner of Colborne and Church streets.

1881 Census

At the date of the 1881 census an Annie McLean was living with the Maughan family in St. George's Ward, Toronto. Her occupation is listed as servant and she was 16 years of age (born c. 1865)

1890 Annual Report of the Ontario Department of Agriculture

John Maughan won a prize for a one year-old Jersey bull named 'Fawn King'

A History of Ontario - Its Resources and Development

Excerpted from 'A History of Ontario - Its Resources and Development' by Alexander Fraser F.G.S.C., published by The Canadian History Company, 1907, pages 594-596

'John Maughan, agent for the Hartford Fire Insurance Company at Toronto, was born in the town of Markham, York County, Ontario, June 19, 1835. His parents, John and Janet (Stein) Maughan, were natives of Edinburgh, Scotland. The father was in the commissary department of the army and in 1827 came to Canada as a passenger on a sailing vessel. He was stationed in Montreal and Toronto and after his retirement from the army engaged in the banking business. He died in 1881 at the age of 81 years, having for twenty years survived his wife, who passed away in 1861.

John Maughan, educated under private instruction and in Toronto Academy, which was connected with Knox College [now part of the University of Toronto], entered upon the study of law in 1851, his preceptor being Sir Oliver Mowat of the firm of Mowat & Helliwell. On the 19th of June, 1852, abandoning his idea of becoming a member of the Bar, he entered the insurance business as a junior clerk for the Western Insurance Company. He was afterwards advanced successively to the positions of bookkeeper, cashier, and assistant secretary under Bernard Haldene. For eighteen years he was in the employ of that company, after which he was appointed manager for the Sovereign Fire Insurance Company and in March 1892 he assumed the management of the Hartford Fire Insurance Company at Toronto. He is widely known in insurance circles, for the entire period of his business career embraces connection with this line of activity.

Mr. Maughan was married June 18, 1863, to Miss Margaret E. Parks, a daughter of Charles G. Parks of Limerick, Ireland, who came to Canada at an early day and for some time was engaged in the publishing business, but on account of his health retired from that line and turned his attention to farming. Mr. and Mrs. Maughan have become the parents of seven children: Herbert John, who died at the age of twenty-six years; Charles F., who died in 1906 at the age of thirty-six years; John, honorary curator of the Ontario government museum and who is also interested in literary work; Harry, in partnership with his father; Walter, city passenger agent at Toronto for the Canadian Pacific Railway; Mary Janet Josephine; and Florence Russel Stein, wife of Theodric C. Howard.

Mr. Maughan is interested in athletic sports and has a record for duck shooting. As a hunter he is known all over Canada. In connection with David Ward, George Warren and Charles C. Small he has made many expeditions into districts where is afforded excellent opportunity for hunting, these gentlemen making many trips until both Mr. Small and Mr. Warren died. In 1885, in Manitoba, they shot at the foot of Manitoba Lake and in twenty-nine days killed twenty-eight hundred ducks beside a large number of geese. In 1886 they went to Rush Lake in the North-West Territory and in nineteen days killed twenty-six hundred ducks beside a lot of geese. With two others, in 1890, Mr. Maughan shot at Cross and Crow Lakes near Rat Portage and in fourteen days killed over twelve hundred ducks. Hunting has undoubtedly been his chief source of rest and recreation and Mr. Maughan is known throughout the Dominion as a splendid shot. He is also interested in athletic sports and in connection with J. E. Robertson organized the Toronto Rowing Club. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and is a communicant of the Episcopal Church, interested in its various activities and for some years serving as a delegate to the synod. In politics he is independent. He served for two years on the public school board and nine years as alderman, and his official record is characterized by the most unfaltering fidelity to the duties that devolve upon him, while as a private citizen he has co-operated in many movements that have had a direct bearing upon the general welfare. He has, too, a creditable military record. He joined the Fourth Battalion of the York Militia under Colonel Richard L. Denison in 1853 and was one of the regiment who met the King in 1860 when he was Prince of Wales. Mr. Maughan passed the military school and is now retired as captain and adjutant.'

Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of York

Excerpted from 'Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of York, Ontario' published by J. H. Beers & Co. 1907, page 123

'JOHN MAUGHAN. The Maughan family, of which John is a member, is of Scotch extraction, and was founded in Canada by John Maughan, Sr., who was born at Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1800. There he married Miss Euphemia Stein, also of Scotch parentage. In 1827 he came to Canada, making the trans-Atlantic trip on a sailing vessel, which was stranded in Newfoundland. Soon after settling in Toronto, Mr. Maughan became identified with the commissariat department of the army, in which capacity he continued for many years. in 1842 he compiled 'A Table of Computations' in book form, for the use of the army, whereby sterling money is converted tinto its equivalent in currency and vice versa, being the first ever published. It shows much pains-taking work, and possesses a great deal of prectical information. From the commissariat department, Mr. Maughan went into the Bank of Upper Canada, where he remained for some time, later retiring from active business. He died in Toronto in 1882; his wife died there in 1862. Of their three daughters and two sons, John Maughan is the only survivor.

John Maughan was born in Markham Village, County of York, Ont., Oct. 19, 1835. His parents removed to Toronto in 1836, and he was educated in private acadamies and the Toronto Academy, a branch of Know College. In 1851 he studied law one year with Messrs. Mowat & Helliwell, in 1852 taking a clerkship in the Western Assurance Company, and since that time has continued in his chosen line, having for many years acted as agent for the Hartford Fire Insurance Company. Aside from his business Mr. Maughan served the city as a member of the council from St. George's Ward for a period of nine years, a member of the board of education for two years, and has been connected with the militia since 1853, when he was commissioned ensign. In 1865 he was advanced to the rank of Captain and Adjutant. His military training was received at the Toronto Military School, where his examination was passed.

On June 18, 1863, Mr. Maughan married Miss Margaret E. Parks, born in Toronto, daughter of the late Charles G. Parks, of Palermo. To Mr. and Mrs. John Maughan were born the following children: Herbert J., deceased; Charles F., deceased; John, of Toronto, ornithologist to the Ontario Government; Harry, partner with his father in the insurance business; Walter, city passenger agent of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, Toronto; Florence, the wife of T. C. Howard, of Hamilton; and Miss Minnie. Mr. Maughan and his family are members of the Church of England. Fraternally he is connected with the Masonic Order.

St. George's Ward, Toronto

The city of Toronto as incorporated in 1834 and set the original boundary of St. George's Ward in Toronto is decriberd as '...all that part of the said city which lies to the southward of the northerly boundary line King Street [formerly Market Street] and to the westward of the westerly boundary line of Yonge Street.' In 1846 there were additions to two of the original wards, but St. George's Ward remained as described originally at the city's incorporation. The ward description was confirmed again in 1849.

St. George's Ward ceased to be a division of the city on 26-May-1891 when the city council adopted a numbering system to reference city wards instead of a naming convention. The arrangement of the ward boundaries was also simplified by creating north-south limits using the centerlines of existing streets - these new boundaries started at the water's edge of Lake Ontario and ran northerly to the then clity limits.

So, part of the former St. George's Ward, that portion lying to the east of the centerline of Simcoe Street to the westerly boundary of Yonge Street were now part of Ward 3. The bulk of the populated portion of the former St. George's Ward was now in Ward 4, being the portion between the centerline of Bathurst Street to the centerline of Simcoe Street. Another part of St. George's Ward, that portion between the centerline of Atlantic Avenue and the centerline of Bathurst Street became part of Ward 5 and the remainder, everything west of the centerline of Atlantic Avenue was now in Ward 6.

John Maughan was an Alderman for St. George's Ward from 1882 to 1890:

John Maughan was an Alderman for St. George's Ward in 1882 alongside Aurther R. Boswell and Peter Ryan. The Mayor was William Barclay McMurrich.

John Maughan was an Alderman for St. George's Ward in 1883 alongside David Walker and Peter Ryan. The Mayor was one of the St. George's Aldermen from 1882, Aurther Radcliffee Boswell.

John Maughan was an Alderman for St. George's Ward in 1884 alongside David Walker and George Verral. The Mayor again was one of the St. George's Aldermen from 1882, Aurther Radcliffee Boswell.

John Maughan was an Alderman for St. George's Ward in 1885 alongside David Walker and George Verral. The Mayor was Alexander Manning.

John Maughan was an Alderman for St. George's Ward in 1886 alongside David Walker and George Verral. The Mayor was William Holmes Howland.

John Maughan was an Alderman for St. George's Ward in 1887 alongside George E. Gillespie and George Verral. The Mayor was again William Holmes Howland.

John Maughan was an Alderman for St. George's Ward in 1888 alongside George E. Gillespie and George Verral. The Mayor was Edward Frederick Clarke.

John Maughan was an Alderman for St. George's Ward in 1890 alongside George E. Gillespie and George Verral. The Mayor was again Edward Frederick Clarke.

Land Records

Lot 5 Concession 1 From The Bay (FTB)

A deed was registered on 6-Apr-1881 as TY12481 from Daniel McMichael to John Maughan for all of Parcel 2 comprising slightly more than 30 acres. The abstracts for this plan are found in Volume 501A. I have reviewed copies of some of the documents hoping to determine family members and vital statistics and still need to check the surrounding parcels of plan 282. Also I will review the abstracts of PLMID 1438 & PLE 515 to determine if / where the Maughan 'house' was. There are a number of deposits which may contain sketches of the lands prior to the registration of PLE 481, which seems to be the remainder of John's land sold off for subdividing.

The private lane, now known as Penny Lane, was just north of Queen Street East on the northwesterly side of Kingston Road in Leslieville. The land was owned by John Maughan, however it was the subject of a lawsuit between John Maughan (plaintiff) and Vincenzo Casci (defendant) that became a landmark decision Maughan v. Casci related to easements and rights-of-way. The case is fully described in an Ontario Reports account.

Reference in his will (GC29420 registered 14-Mar-1919) is specifically made to the 'Wellington Street property' which the executors were to 'fully consider the merits of disposing of, as there may be a future rise in value'. I believe this refers to the property at 98 Wellington Place, which by the 1940's had been renamed Wellington Street West. I do not suppose the property at 28 Wellington Street East would have been in fact owned by John, however I will endeavour to discover this as time permits. However it may be a reference to 496 Wellington St. W. where he and his wife Margaret were living at the time of her death 10 years earlier in 1908.

Janet Stein Maughan and Euphemia Russell Stein Maughan, his older sisters, are dead by this time (1888 and 1899 respectively). His older brother Robert is not mentioned either, since he had been lost at sea. John's eldest two boys, Herbert J. Maughan and Charles F. Maughan, predeceased him and no mention is made of their "issue", leaving one to think they never married.

The bulk of the estate is split into four shares, 2 going to daughter Minnie and 1 each to son John and son Walter. Harry's three boys are left sums of money (nothing for daughter-in-law Eleanor though, must have been on the outs) and no other mention is made of Harry.

Two other curiosities are found in the will: $200 is left to the 'Home for Incurables' should his estate realize the sum of $70,000 after the debts are paid and the probate is granted by the court on the condition that no portion of the estate's assets can be distributed to beneficiaries or creditors who are German, Austro-Hungarian, Turkish or Bulgarian subjects without the sanction of the Crown. It was, after all, WW1.

98 Wellington Place is part of Lot 13 in Section F of the Military Reserve Plan in the City of Toronto. Ownership records are detailed as follows:

Society Blue Books

The Society Blue Book of Toronto, Hamilton and London was a 'Social Directory' advertised as 'A reliable directory to over 2,500 of the elite families of Toronto, Hamilton and London, alphabetically arranged, with much additional information regarding families, club membership, summer residences, maiden names, receiving days and other items of social interest'.

References in the 1900 edition of the Society Blue Book of Toronto, Hamilton and London mention:

References in the 1900 edition of the Foster's Blue Book or Ladies Directory of Toronto, Hamilton and London mention:

References in the 1902 edition of the Society Blue Book of Toronto and Hamilton mention:

References in the 1903-4 edition of the Society Blue Book of Toronto, Hamilton and London mention:

References in the 1904-5 edition of the Society Blue Book of Toronto, Hamilton and London mention:

References in the 1906 edition of the Society Blue Book of Toronto, Hamilton and London mention:

References in the 1910 edition of the Society Blue Book of Toronto and Hamilton published by tge Dau Publishing Company of Toronto and New York City mention:

References in the 1911 edition of the Society Blue Book of Toronto and Hamilton published by tge Dau Publishing Company of Toronto and New York City mention:

References in the 1913 edition of the Society Blue Book of Toronto mention:

References in the 1920 edition of the Society Blue Book of Toronto mention:

References in the 1921 edition of The Torontoian Society Blue Book and Club List mention: