The Founding of Thedford
Text from the plaque
In 1858, during the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway through this region, Nelson Southworth purchased land here on the line, donated a site for a station and laid out a village plot named Thedford. The hamlet which developed, however, took the name of the depot, Widder Station, which opened to serve the nearby village of Widder. During the 1860's Widder Station grew steadily as a shipping point for square timber, lumber, grain and cattle, and by 1869 the community consisted of 350 inhabitants. The addition of several industries, including a steam saw and grist-mill and a planing mill, fostered the village's growth and it was incorporated as the Village of Thedford by a County by-law of 1877.
Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.
Find the place
The County of Lambton
The Municipality of Lambton Shores
In Thedford, in a small park at the intersection of
King and Main streets (Road 79)
N 43 09.806 W 81 51.410
Recorded September 2004. Check current access before visiting.
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Visitors' notes
January 7, 2013
Hello from England. I came across this page researching my Great Great Grandfather, who we believe was born in Widder in 1877. This has become a very exciting journey, especially as his elder sisters were born along the Grand Trunk Railway in St. Marys. If one looks closely in the satellite images on Google Maps, it is possible to see the route of the rail tracks. I note that Widder Road crosses the tracks further to the north east. I would love to know exactly where was the location of the station at Widder. The brick building the other side of the gas station looks like it could have been a warehouse on the railroad. Best regards, R. Coy
August 1, 2011
Hello from Chatham Ontario; I have been researching some old journals of a student Minister from the Canadian, later, Woodstock Literary Institute. His name was Eben Muir Rice, he came from Marseille, Illinois, and had set out from his Uncle Franklin Rice's of Tug Hill Martinsburg, New York, April 1861. He was Ordained. ministered in Bothwell, three years,and later went to seek a position at a church in Arkona. He took a train from Bothwell to Paris then to Watford, then to Arkona. He was met by Deacon Eastman, from the Baptist church. He remarks of returning to WIDDER on the way back, and stayed over night on the way with a Mr. Brushe. I had to look up Widder as, frequently in these old diaries, Widder means exactly that, the Widder Brown. I was intriqued by the articles. Thank you. There really is a place called Widder. Another man Rev. Cunningham was given the job. PS. I was hoping to get a photo of the old Widder Train Station.I see it is a golf club. B. Campbell