23 Market Street North
Situated in Block 8, and originally on all of Lots 7 and 8, this property can be traced right back to the Crown. In 1848, Elizabeth Hatt, widow of William Hatt willed her personal and real property to her brother, Thomas Martin. At that time, part of Melville Street was known as Mountain Street, and part of Park Street was called Colborne Street.
William Hatt, a son of Richard Hatt, inherited his share of the property purchased by his father form the Mordens, who in the early 1790s had been the recipients through Crown grants, of what is now a large portion of the Town of Dundas.
William and Elizabeth Hatt had no children, and it was William’s wish that should Mrs. Hatt survive him, his real and personal property be left to his wife’s brother and good friend.
Of Block 8, the only piece sold by William Hatt was Lot 13. On December 30, 1842, for the tocken price of £25, he sold this to the Town’s School Trustees, and shortly thereafter, on it was erected the first public school for Dundas. Lot 13 is on Park Street and faces Church Street.
In 1850, Thomas Martin sold the complete balance of Block 8 to William Miller, a Dundas lawyer. Miller sold a great deal of his property in Block 8 to John Wilson in 1854. The Wilson family then sold Lots 7 and 8 to Duncan McFarlane in 1856, with the frontage being on Market Street.
In 1856, the house on the property was described by the Town Assessor as a brick cottage. Over the years it was renovated and today little resembles the footprint found on the 1851 map.
In 1890 Andrew and Laura Cain became the owners of the house. In addition to other business activities, Andrew Cain had an interest in the Cain and Lanz Grocery Store which at that time stood on the north west corner of King and Sydenham Streets.
By 1920, 23 Market Street North was home to Mr. and Mrs. F.M. Robinson. Mr. Robinson was the manager of the Bank of Hamilton branch in Dundas. In 1958 it was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. John M. Southall.
From “Picturesque Dundas Update 1981” by Olive Newcombe
