Dawson House Bed & Breakfast - The Model Cottage, Charlottetown, PEI

 Dawson House Bed & Breakfast operates as a tourist business located at 122 North River Rd. in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It began as the private residence of Catherine and William B. Dawson.

Dawson House B&B - Charlottetown
photo credit TheDawsonHouse.com  

Our family shares a connection with each ancestral side of the founding couple, and having family pictures from both the Smith and Dawson families, this outline provides a few highlights regarding Dawson House and some of the families associated with it. Research notes from other sources has been added as well. 

The property was acquired by William B. Dawson in 1858 and comprised two acres of land on North River Rd. at that time. The property included the full block with six additional lots divided off over time. William Dawson was thirty years old having been born in 1828, the son of Thomas Dawson Jr. (1793-1878) and Elizabeth Clark (1802-1828).

Catherine & William B. Dawson
Collection of Ian & Daphne Scott.

Like his father Thomas Dawson Jr., William was a tanner operating the family business on Grafton Street in Charlottetown. 

Thomas Dawson Jr. (1793-1878)
Charlottetown tanner.
Collection of Ian & Daphne Scott.

Thomas Dawson Jr. lived most of his life on PEI. Born on the 22nd of September 1793 at Cootehill, County Cavan, Ireland he came with his parents to the Island in 1801. 

His father Col. Thomas Dawson (1762-1804) the grandfather of William, acquired 500 acres at Head of Hillsboro PEI to establish a family estate, Dawson's Grove, named after a family property in Ireland. Although Col. Thomas Dawson died three years later at the age of 41, the family became strongly established on PEI through their descendants.

Col. Thomas Dawson (1762-1804)
Public Archives of Nova Scotia

Elizabeth Frances (Tate) Dawson (1768-1849)
Public Archives of Nova Scotia

William B. Dawson and Catherine Smith were married on 20 Dec 1845, the Saturday before Christmas. Catherine was a daughter of Jane and Isaac Smith. Isaac was an architect and builder of Province House and Government House. Both the Smith and Dawson families were very active in the Methodist community of Charlottetown with both Isaac Smith and Col. Thomas Dawson highly regarded as lay leaders. 

Isaac Smith (1795-1871) was the architect of the 

original Model Cottage now renovated and known as

 the Dawson House. He was father and father-in-law 

of Catherine & William B. Dawson.

Collection of Ian & Daphne Scott

While land was available for the couple adjacent to her father's home on the corner of Prince and Richmond street, across from the Methodist church, the couple instead constructed their home around 1858 on North River Rd. Designed by Isaac Smith and called Model Cottage it is now known as the Dawson House. The site was located among other estate properties and farms outside of the city centre. The structure has had two major fires, one in 1891 and then in the late 1970s or early 80s. It  has been remodeled extensively so that the current Italianate house is not an Isaac Smith design, yet elements of his creative work are believed to remain within the Georgian interior layout and central hall.

The tenure of the Dawson-Smith family in their home was from about 1858 to 1867. Financial difficulties lead to their departure to Illinois and the sale of their assets by creditors on 16th November 1867.  It would be a cousin of William, a 22 year old Benjamin Heartz that would purchase the property at auction and keep it in the family. 

Benjamin Heartz was the son of Jane Howard and Richard Jacob Heartz. The families were well known to each other as Benjamin's father Richard Heartz had apprenticed in the Dawson family tannery with William's father Thomas Dawson, (his Uncle Tom) before becoming a prominent businessman on his own. Known as The Baron, Richard was a private banker and owner of significant Charlottetown properties. Five months after purchasing the home, on the 24th of April 1868 he married Henrietta E. Davison. 

The family of Jane (Howard) & Richard Jacob Heartz
Benjamin Heartz is the third from left in the back row.  
Charlottetown, PEI
Collection of Ian & Daphne Scott. 

 Benjamin and Henrietta's son, Frank Richard Heartz who served as Lt. Governor of PEI was born in the house in 1871. The only daughter of Frank described the setting of the home at that time when there were only a few buildings amid the fields between the family house with its orchards and grounds and the school which was located at the edge of Charlottetown which her father attended. Tragedy would strike with a major fire burning the upper story in 1885. Most documentation of the building gives 1891 as the date of the major fire, but as the published source by Frank's daughter Ruth Heartz MacKenzie indicates 1885, this appear to be consistent with the events that followed.

Frank Heartz

The Heartz family moved and by 1888 and it was apparently owned by C.B. Chappell, a prominent Charlottetown architect, who was advertising the "suburban residence to let" at that time. By 1890 he offered the entire property for sale by auction. This sequence of events introduces the possibility that the renovations giving the house a distinctly Italianate style to the second floor and roof lines were designed by Charles Benjamin Chappell during the time of his ownership following the fire. Research continues to see if there is further evidence that renovation made during the 1885-1888 time period following the fire were the design work of Chappell.

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Examiner 14 June 1888 p, 3

Examiner 11 August 1890 p.4

Examiner 11 August 1890 p. 3

Subsequent owners, the Smallwood family, would keep the property in their family for two generations when Charles R. Smallwood (1855-1928) and his wife Ada Louisa Scott Hutchings (1862-1946) acquired the home. Smallwood was a lawyer in Charlottetown who practiced alone and in partnership with  A.B. Warburton (7th premier of PEI). Their only surviving son Vivian Cuthbert Smallwood (1894-1943) was listed as a law student in 1916, and operated V.C. Smallwood Radio Laboratories from the home during 1932-1935 and listed as a radiotrician; he was considered a pioneer in the radio industry on Prince Edward Island. Premier Joey Smallwood the 1st premier of Newfoundland was Vivian's 2nd cousin. 

Alan H. Holman (1915-2010) became the owner from about 1956 to 1962 or so. His son Harry indicated, "I understand we swapped the the house Father built on Goodwill Ave with Harry Morris. Pinky Morris may be able to give you more details." Swapping houses was not uncommon for members of the Holman family, and in 1910 Alan's father had exchanged his grand Summerside residence on Beaver Street for a prized pair of breeding silver black foxes during the great boom in fox ranching. 

Roger and Jeannie (Tweedy) Perry became owners of the home in the 1970s, modernizing it to suit a growing family. Roger Perry was a co-owner of Island Construction Limited for many years and manager of PEI Road Builders Association for 15 years, as well as serving on Charlottetown City Council. An electrical short ignited a major house fire during their tenure which investigators narrowed to a pinched fridge cord. Escaping the fire onto a lower roof, they were rescued by the fire department, and moved to another home while rebuilding was undertaken. The restored property was then sold to Joseph and Rose Ellen Ghiz.

Joe Ghiz (1945-1996) served as the 27th premier of Prince Edward Island from 1986 to 1993. He was a justice of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island from 1995 until his death in 1996. Their son Robert Ghiz, grew up in the house and became the 31st premier of Prince Edward Island. His sister Joanne Ghiz a communications specialist working in government married Dalton James McGinty Jr. a Charlottetown lawyer and namesake son of the 24th premier of Ontario. The wedding of two political families received CBC news coverage.

Included below is the City of Charlottetown Heritage Dept. material on the property mentioned above. That research draws on the work of many individuals including the files of Catherine Hennessey.  

In 1858, William B. Dawson, the tanner had purchased the west part of Lot 14 and had built himself a beautiful residence called the Model Cottage on North River Rd. It was put up for sale in 1867 and purchased by his cousin Benjamin Heartz. Fires and many changes of ownership have not lessened the contribution this property makes to this block.

http://www.city.charlottetown.pe.ca/searchaproperty.php?propid=3113#research

- with additions by Ian Scott, August 17, 2013

The heritage value of 122 North River Road lies in its association with various prominent Charlottetown residents; its attractive Italianate influenced architecture; and its role in supporting the streetscape. The house was built for City Tannery owner, William B. Dawson. His tannery operated from Grafton Street in the City of Charlottetown. The large operation supplied many of the boot and shoe factories, as well as the saddlers in Charlottetown. 

In 1867, Dawson left suddenly for Illinois, owing a great deal of money to various creditors. According to the 16 November 1867 edition of the Daily Patriot newspaper, the estate of W.B. Dawson, including the "Model Cottage", was to be sold at auction in front of the Colonial Building (Province House). The property was described as including 2 acres of grounds, a stable, a coach house, a milk house, a coalhouse and a large garden all surrounded by a "substantial fence". Unfortunately, the home was struck by fire in 1891, however it was rebuilt. 

It has been remodeled a number of times. The home is Italianate influenced in its style. The Italianate style was a common choice in Charlottetown for public buildings however, 122 North River Road is a fine example of the style in a residential form. The Italianate style comes from the English Picturesque tradition and was a response to the widely used formal classical styles. Italianate homes are similar to the villas of the Italian countryside with their asymmetrical massing, square towers with a low pitched roof and round headed windows with wooden mouldings. 

The home has changed hands a number of times throughout its history. The prominent Heartz family owned it for a number of years. They were the owners of several businesses in Charlottetown and active politically. According to local directories, the Smallwood family lived at 122 North River Road for a time. Charles R. Smallwood was a lawyer in Charlottetown who practised alone and in partnership with A.B. Warburton. V.C. Smallwood of V.C. Smallwood Laboratories was a later resident. In the latter years of the Twentieth Century, 122 North River Road was home to Prince Edward Island Premier, Joseph A. Ghiz and his family. 

As a handsome and well preserved house, it is an asset to the North River Road streetscape. [1]

http://www.city.charlottetown.pe.ca/searchaproperty.php?propid=3197

copied - by Ian Scott, August 17, 2013

A portion of the content in Canada's Historic Places entry on the Dawson House was taken from the above (City of Charlottetown) entry. The full entry is copied below to ensure that the material is available in multiple locations in the future.

DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE

122 North River Road is a wood framed, Italianate style, former home that is located on a large treed lot. The fine home or "Model Cottage" as it was once known, was built in approximately 1858. It served as a single residence for many years but now serves as the Dawson House Bed and Breakfast. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.

HERITAGE VALUE

The heritage value of 122 North River Road lies in its association with various prominent Charlottetown residents; its attractive Italianate influenced architecture; and its role in supporting the streetscape.

The home was built for City Tannery owner, William B. Dawson. His tannery operated from Grafton Street in the City of Charlottetown. His large operation supplied many of the boot and shoe factories, as well as the saddlers in Charlottetown. In 1867, Dawson left suddenly for Illinois, owing a great deal of money to various creditors. According to the 16 November 1867 edition of the Daily Patriot newspaper, the estate of W.B. Dawson including the "Model Cottage" was to be sold at auction in front of the Colonial Building (Province House). The property was described as including 2 acres of grounds, a stable, a coach house, a milk house, a coalhouse and a large garden all surrounded by a "substantial fence".

Unfortunately, the home was struck by fire in 1891, however it was rebuilt. A beautiful home, it has been remodeled a number of times.

The home is Italianate influenced in its style. The Italianate style was a common choice in Charlottetown for public buildings however, 122 North River Road is a fine example of the style in a residential form. The Italianate style comes from the English Picturesque tradition and was a response to the widely used formal classical styles. Italianate homes are similar to the villas of the Italian countryside with their asymmetrical massing, square towers with a low pitched roof and round headed windows with wooden mouldings.

The home has changed hands a number of times throughout its history. The prominent Heartz family owned it for a number of years. They were the owners of several businesses in Charlottetown and active politically. According to local directories, the Smallwood family lived at 122 North River Road for a time. Charles R. Smallwood was a lawyer in Charlottetown who practised alone and in partnership with A.B. Warburton. V.C. Smallwood of V.C. Smallwood Laboratories was a later resident. In the latter years of the Twentieth Century, 122 North River Road was home to popular Prince Edward Island Premier, Joseph A. Ghiz and his family.

The home currently operates as the Dawson House Bed and Breakfast. As a handsome and well preserved house, it is an asset to the North River Road streetscape.

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2    #0002d

CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS

The following Italianate influenced character-defining elements illustrate the heritage value of 122 North River Road:

- The asymmetrical massing of the building

- The various sizes and placement of the windows, including the grouped windows, the arched windows and the dormer windows

- The style and placement of the doors

- The gable roofs of the home with their wide eave overhang and heavy paired bracketing

- The style and placement of the large chimneys

- The wooden mouldings and decorative trim of the home all painted in a contrasting colour

- The porch of the west side with its balustrade and columns as well as the balconies of the second and third floor with their ornate treillage

- The large, off centre tower with gable roof and belvedere

Other character-defining elements of 122 North River Road include:

- The location of the building on North River Road

- The large treed lot with curved driveway

https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/image-image.aspx?id=5190#i1

- copied on 4, January 2024 by Ian Scott

Boot Shoe and Leather Manufacturers:

W. B. Dawson, City Tannery, Grafton Street. listing in the 1863 Lake Map

http://www.islandregister.com/lakem/1863lakem.html

Research notes by Ian Scott

William B. Dawson (b. 1828) should not be confused with his Charlottetown contemporary in the business community, William E. Dawson who served as mayor of Charlottetown. William Eddison Dawson (1829-1902) was born in Leeds, England. Coming with his parents from Yorkshire, his career included both business and politics. Both individuals used their middle initial to avoid confusion.

Some online genealogical references have listed William B. Dawson (b. 1828) as being named William Clark Dawson, with his mother's maiden name for his middle name. I have not determined the origin of that claim, but most PEI sources I have examines consistently list him as William B. Dawson.

References:

Descendants of John Jacob HEARTZ and Dorothea RHENE - The Island Register

Canada's Historic Places 

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada - Isaac Smith entry

Dictionary of Canadian Biography -- Richard Jacob Heartz

Robertson Library UPEI, One of Them - Vivian C Smallwood