Highland Creek Loyal Orange Lodge #2934

Toronto, Canada

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Our History (Part 1)



The first Orange Lodge in the village of Highland Creek was granted its charter by the Grand Master of British America, Ogle Gowan, in 1834. Its number was 164, sandwiched between 163 - Port Credit, Ontario and 165 - Hornby, Ontario. Undoubtedly there were Orangemen in the village before this time as the early number of the lodge shows that there were a sufficient number of members to form a lodge just four short years after the creation of the Grand Orange Lodge of British America. The warrant was re-issued to James Hewitt in 1850.

At least two members of Highland Creek Orange Lodge fought on the loyalist side during the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837. Andrew Derrough and Henry Purvis were both present at the 'Battle of Montgomery's Tavern', serving with the Scarborough Militia under command of Colonel Maclean. Derrough moved to the Uxbride area in the 1840's and continued his Orange connection there for many years. During the rebellion there was a guard placed on the Kingston Road to prevent any of the rebel forces from reaching Toronto and a password was needed to pass beyond this point into the city. In 1856 Henry Purvis stated that the password was the Orange Annual Password for the year 1837.

In the Grand Lodge report of 1857 it was reported that ten members from Highland Creek were members of the Grand Committee of the Grand Orange Lodge of British America: Joseph Lesslie who was the lodge master, James Creen, Benjamin Curneil, John Ellis, Noble Green, Thomas Madill, Henry Purvis, John Paton, William Renny, and Joshua Trip. That year saw the lodge report a membership total of thirty-two. In the early 1860's the lodge had its own Orange Hall built on the west side of the hill and unfortunately it was to be this hall that was to cause the downfall of the lodge.

In having the hall built, Henry Purvis, who served as Master of the lodge in 1861, signed as surety for the sum of $3,000.00 to have the building completed. The lodge defaulted on its payments and creditors forced Purvis to sell his farm to pay the bill. He was still over $1,000.00 in arrears and moved to Innisfil Township near Barrie and purchased a new farm. His creditors again obtained a lien on his farm and Purvis was in danger of losing his home for a second time. This was a subject at the Grand Lodge of Ontario West in 1868 and the Grand Lodge of Canada in 1869.

In 1869 the Grand Lodge of Canada stepped in and paid off the debt to Purvis' creditors enabling him to keep his farm but the lodge had already lost the hall. This affair must have created hard feelings among the membership for from 1870 on Highland Creek made only sporadic reports to Grand Lodge and by 1885 the warrant of L.O.L. 164 was held by Matheson in the District of Algoma in Northern Ontario. There was therefore no Orange Lodge in Highland Creek between the mid 1870's and 1924.

Enniskillen L.O.L. 387

Highland Creek Orange Lodge held its first meeting in January, 1924. The members who are listed as charter members were at the first meeting. The following list is the membership of the lodge at the end of 1925.


Hollis Beckett - Barrister - Initiated - March, 1925
Arthur Bennett - Farmer - Iniated - June, 1924
Wm. Booth - Carpenter - Initiated - June, 1924
Andrew G. Brooks - Farmer - Charter member
George A. Brooks - Chauffeur - Initiated - June, 1924
Jno. Brooks Sr. - Farmer - Charter member
John F. Brooks Jr. - Farmer - Initiated - August, 1924
William Brooks - Asst. Manager - Joined by transfer certificate January, 1925
Harvey Callander - Farmer - Initiated - May, 1924
Robert Callander - Farmer - Initiated - September, 1924
Frank Camps - Charter member
George Camps - Charter member
W. H. Carson - Steam Engineer - Charter member
Milton Cole - Mechanic - Initiated - October, 1925
W. D. Cowan - Merchant - Initiated - June, 1924
George Cowling - Joined by transfer certificate February, 1925
John C. Cox - Joined by transfer certificate March, 1924
R. G. Crowe - Farmer - Charter member
Wm. Crowe - Farmer - Charter member
Nelson Fisher - Farmer - Initiated - July, 1924
R. D. Gibson - Teamster - Joined by transfer certificate April, 1924
Alex Ellis - Plasterer - Joined by transfer certificate April, 1924
David Hall - Initiated - June, 1925
Chester Hall - Farmer - Initiated - June, 1924
Oscar Hall - Farmer - Initiated - June, 1924
E. J. Hewlett - Farmer - Initiated - May, 1924
Arthur Humphrey - Gentleman - Initiated - December, 1924
Wm. Judd - Farmer - Initiated - May, 1924
Jno. H. Kiff - Joined by transfer certificate July, 1925
E. J. Lambert - Farmer - Initiated - April, 1924
James Lennox Jr. - Farmer - Initiated - May, 1924
J. D. McMichael - Farmer - Joined by transfer certificate April, 1924
W. R. Mee - Butcher - Joined by transfer certificate September, 1925
Clifford Morrish - Farmer - Initiated - August, 1924
George Nuttal - Farmer - Initiated - November, 1924
John F. Pearse - Farmer - Initiated - April, 1924
Clarence Pooler - Charter member
Webster Powell - Truck Driver - Initiated - May, 1924
Melville Reid - Carpenter - Initiated - July, 1925
Wellington Reid - Farmer - Charter member
Robert Stephenson - Gentleman - Initiated - March, 1925
Roy A. Thomas - Trimmer - Initiated - August, 1924
Cessford Thomson - Farmer - Initiated - September, 1924
James M. T. Weir - Farmer - Initiated - March, 1924
William Westney - Electrician - Initiated - December, 1924
Arthur Willis - Carpenter - Initiated, March, 1925
William Winch - Farmer - Initiated - November, 1924
John Wright - Farmer - Initiated - May, 1924


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