Locally Made Furniture

Dugout Chair 

This unusual chair was carved from a single piece of basswood by Archibald McLeish. It still has the shape of a log. Likely the log was hollow, and the seat and drawer were added later. ‘Red Archie’ (1849-1931) lived in West Williams Township in Middlesex County. He and his wife, Mary McCubbin, farmed 425 acres along the Ausable River. Woodworking must have been important to McLeish. His grave in Nairn Cemetery is shaped like a log. This chair was donated by Red Archie’s grandson who lived near Forest.

Cradle 

This cradle was made by John McElroy (1819-1900) for his children in the 1850s or 1860s. It was carved from a single log and the rockers were added later. You can see the original red paint beneath the white. McElroy was born in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He was a shipbuilder, trained in all aspects of carpentry, including carving and inlaying. At 6 feet, 2 inches tall, and 275 pounds, McElroy’s strength added to his skill. He immigrated to Canada in 1842 and settled in Warwick Township in 1845. He and his wife, Mary Berry, raised 10 children. McElroy laid wood floors in many of the area’s log cabins. He built homes and public structures in Warwick such as the Warwick Township Hall and Knox Presbyterian Church.

Carved Rocking Chairs

These two rocking chairs have a similar style. They are both made of black walnut and heavily carved with folk art motifs like leaves, flowers, and crucifixes. The first chair was found between Port Lambton and Dresden. The second chair belonged to William Brown Clark (1825-1900) of Sarnia. Family history indicates that Clark bought the chair for $10 around the time of his marriage to Jane Harvey Young in 1851. He owned a ship that often called at Dresden, and he would have been familiar with an educational facility called the British American Institute (B.A.I.). A craftsman named Sam Arnold who trained with the B.A.I. in the 1850s may have been the individual who carved these rocking chairs. The B.A.I. has an interesting history. Josiah Henson, an escaped slave, established the Dawn Settlement near Dresden for fugitive slaves in 1841. A year later, the B.A.I. opened to provide education and practical training in the trades. By 1847, the school had over 80 students and supported a vibrant community of Black settlers.

Mackenzie Sideboard

This imposing sideboard has an illustrious history. It is one of two made by Hope Fleming Mackenzie (1820-1866). Mackenzie immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1847. He was a carpenter and cabinetmaker and settled in Sarnia intending to build ships. He was elected to Sarnia Council in the late 1850s and became the city’s second mayor on September 4, 1857. He was elected to the House of Commons in 1859. Mackenzie declined to represent Lambton in 1861 and his brother Alexander took up the political reins. Alexander Mackenzie went on to become the second Prime Minister of Canada. This sideboard is made of oak, pine, and basswood, stained to look like walnut. The finish and hardware are original. Decorative carvings of a woodcock (centre panel) and gryphons (side brackets) make it a standout piece.  

Bicknell Sideboard

Talented craftsman Thomas Bicknell (1852-1947) made this intricate sideboard in Petrolia. You can spot thistle, rose, spiral, and leaf carvings. The turnings are different on each level. Bicknell was born near Coventry, England and immigrated to Canada with his family when he was nine. Bicknell first visited Petrolia as a member of the Watford Orchestra in 1877. In 1881, he returned to help build a new home for John Henry Fairbank (Sunnyside). Bicknell worked for the Fairbank family for over 50 years. He was fortunate to arrive at a time when Petrolia’s oil barons and well-to-do citizens were using their new-found wealth to construct elegant homes and imposing public buildings.

Open Dish Dresser

A dish dresser was used in the kitchen or near the hearth. Traditionally, it consisted of open shelving over drawers and cupboards. A blind dish dresser has solid doors in front of the shelves. A glazed dish dresser has glass doors. The open shelves of this piece would have been used to store dishes. Pots, pans, and utility items were stowed in the cupboards and drawers below. The back of one of the drawers is signed “Henry Bird, Mandaumin Ont.,” along with a date that is hard to distinguish but may read “Aug. 18, 1894.” Henry Bird’s father, John Bird (1829-1922), was a carpenter and farmer who lived in Mandaumin. John Bird and his wife, Mary Dougal Young, raised eight children including Henry Robert Bird (1876-1921). Possibly Henry took after his father, learned the carpentry trade, and made, or contributed to, this practical piece when he was a teenager.