History of West Montrose

West Montrose was established along the Grand River, in an area encompassing Lots Seventy, Seventy-one, and Seventy-four of the Germany Company survey in Woolwich Township.^[1] These lots were purchased from the German Company sometime after 1807: Lot Seventy by Daniel Erb, Lot Seventy-one by David Eby, and Lot Seventy-four by Christian Stauffer.^[2] Because settlement in Woolwich Township occurred late, it is not surprising that West Montrose was not settled for a number of decades. In general, it is believed that significant settlement in West Montrose did not begin until about the 1850s. If any amount of settlement did take place before this time, little or nothing is known of its occurrence.

Settlement in West Montrose was preceded by a series of land purchases and exchanges. It appears that Daniel Erb sold a 143 acre portion of Lot Seventy to Alexander Smith in 1835.^[3] This portion of land was located in the immediate area of West Montrose and the Grand River. Smith subsequently sold this land to Isaac Swope, a merchant from Pennsylvania, in 1858.^[4] When Swope settled in the area, he built a log cabin in which he resided until 1867 when he sold the house and land to Jacob Snider. This house, known as the Swope House, was an historic house in West Montrose. In 1845, John Wissler bought Lot Seventy-four from Christian Stauffer.^[5] Wissler subsequently sold the lot to William Veitch in 1848. A section of Veitch’s land was later used for the building of the West Montrose school.^[6] Jacob Benner also acquired land in the West Montrose area. He eventually acquired ownership of Lot Seventy-one and sections of Lot Seventy-two.^[7] In 1843, Benner’s name appears on an early road petition of the West Montrose area, suggesting that he owned at least some land in the area at this time.^[8] In 1855, Benner sold a 101 acre section of Lot Seventy-two to John Woodward.^[9]

One of the earliest known settlers of West Montrose was Andrew L. Anderson. Anderson, a native of Scotland, arrived in the area sometime after 1845.^[10] He is believed to have named West Montrose after his hometown Montrose, Scotland. Originally, Anderson named the town Montrose.^[11] However, because a Montrose existed near Niagara Falls, West was added to the name for distinction. Although the exact date the community was named is not clearly known, the name Montrose of Woolwich Township appears at least as early as 1861.^[12] Apparently, West Montrose was in common use by about 1865.^[13]

Jacob Benner, another early settler of West Montrose, was a blacksmith from Waterloo Township. He left Waterloo Township in 1855 ^[14]  and it is likely that he settled in West Montrose at this time. He owned the majority of land in the area, particularly Lot Seventy-one and sections of Seventy-two. In 1858, Benner established a woollen factory on Spring Creek which remained in operation in West Montrose until 1873.^[15]  This factory was the community’s first known industrial venture. By 1861, Benner also ran a steamed-powered sawmill.^[16] The community’s last known sawmill was discontinued in 1873.^[17] Because industrial enterprises were known to have encouraged settlement in communities of Waterloo County, there is no doubt that Benner’s industrial enterprises encouraged settlement in the West Montrose area. Moreover, Benner was essentially the largest operator of any industrial enterprise the community would ever see.  

As with other eastern areas of Woolwich Township, including Winterbourne, West Montrose was settled by mainly Scottish and English settlers.^[18] By 1869, West Montrose had blossomed into a small settlement of about 100 inhabitants.^[19] Not only had it become a post village for the surrounding areas of Woolwich Township, but also a small centre of trade for local farmers. West Montrose received its first post office in 1866, managed by its first post master J.B. Kilbourne.^[20] Including Benner’s woollen mill, the community consisted of a lumber yard, a gunsmith, a carpenter, a hotel and keeper, a stock dealer, a post office, a general merchant, several coopers, and a minister.^[21] Although Benner’s woollen factory and the community’s last sawmill had closed for good by 1873, a smelting works remained in operation.^[22]Although West Montrose retained some small scale industry and reached a population of about 200 by 1890, as early as 1906, its population had dwindled to about 50 residents.^[23] At this time, its businesses essentially included no more than a blacksmith, a chopping mill, a mason, a cooper, and a general store. Bypassed by the railway and main lines of transportation, for the most part, West Montrose remained a small centre.

Like other communities of Woolwich Township, West Montrose did not take part in the early railway boom of the 1850s and 1860s that other communities of Waterloo County had. In fact, West Montrose did not even receive railway connection until 1907. This line was part of the Canadian Pacific track that passed east and west about half mile north of the village. A station was built in this area which became known as West Montrose Station. This station was used locally, mainly as a shipping centre for the farm produce of farmers in the area.^[24]

The first school of West Montrose began sometime before 1865.^[25] It was a one room stone school located about one mile west of the community along Elmira Road. In 1865, a new stone school was built. Children of both the community and surrounding areas attended the school which averaged an attendance of about 100 students annually.^[26] However, because the school was located on the village flats, it was subjected to the annual spring flooding of the Grand River which posed obvious problems.^[27] Consequently, in 1874, another stone school was built just east of the community in an area known as Zuber Corners. It was founded on land purchased from William Veitch for this purpose. It was a two room school which, depending upon attendance, used one or both rooms for lessons.^[28] The school remained open until 1967.

The earliest church congregation in West Montrose was the United Brethren. Apparently, the first services were held as early as 1857 in the blacksmith shop of Jacob Benner.^[29] It is believed that a number of denominations within the community were comprised within the congregation including Methodists, Baptists, and Mennonites. In 1862, the first United Brethren church was built and opened.^[30]  It later became part of the United Church of Canada in 1925. As with many small rural churches, the West Montrose congregation shared a circuit preacher among the communities of Woolwich Township and Waterloo County including Bloomingdale, Hawksville, and Breslau.^[31]

The covered bridge of West Montrose was built in 1881. It is known locally as the “Kissing Bridge” (because it is also good “cover” for kissing couples). It was constructed at the request of Woolwich Township Council after an inspection of several bridges in Woolwich Township, including the one in West Montrose, was undertaken by John Bear.^[32] He concluded that the present bridge of West Montrose would have to be replaced.  The earlier bridge across the Grand River at West Montrose may have been present as early as 1843.  (When a petition was presented to local authorities by the land owning people of the area in 1844, mention was made of a road, by crossing the Grand River in the West Montrose area, which made its way to Elora of Pilkington’s Township.^[33] Therefore, it might be assumed that a bridge may have existed at this time.)  Although in recent years the West Montrose covered bridge has been restored, it has lasted for well over a century. Although it is still used locally, in 1959, a new concrete bridge was built a short distance up the Grand River in the construction of Highway 86 to Elmira.

West Montrose Covered Bridge, 1924. DHC 2002.928.005 "The Old Roads"