43 Forsyth Street - The Daniel Dunlay /Thomas Hanley & Milt & Karen Stephens property

This was the home of Daniel Dunlay,  and his wife,  Cecelia Crawford,  whom he married in 1880.   They built the house sometime before 1891.

Celia Murray advises that Daniel is her grandfather! He built this house which is where her mother was born and raised. “Love that house...my grandmother's birthplace. My mom grew up there after her father (Harry Deacon) died of Influenza in 1918 epidemic that killed 50,000 Canadians at the end of WW1”

Daniel Dunlay was born in Seymour Township in 1853. He moved to Marmora in 1877 and began a blacksmith business.   Dan served on Marmora’s first Village Council in 1901, was a trustee of the village school as well as treasurer of the Agricultural Society. He died in 1902. His wife and 3 children lived in the home until 1951 or ‘52.

In 1882, Dan Dunlay bought from the "Coburg. Peterborough and Marmora Railway and ing Co." the land where he built his home and lived long enough to rear a family and carry on a successful business. The oldest of the boys Bert, became one of the leading lacross players in Marmora's older teams, and played with Harry Leal, Jack Morton. Bert Brown, Louis Shannon, Fred Pinner, 'Boots’ Frank Bleecker, and others, before the Marmora Fairgrounds were available. The games then, were played on what was known as Kelly's field, the level ground lying between the Cordova road on the east, and the house where Jno. Bonter recently lived.

Dan Dunlay manufactured sleighs and wagons, and did general blacksmith work, and many of those vehicles bearing his name were on the road of this region Iong after he passed away.

In 1954 the house was sold to Dr. Thomas F. McCarthy who lived there with his wife Bonnie and his children Anne, John and Phillip. It served as his medical office from 1954 – 1961. A painting of the house is part of the mural in the waiting room of the Marmora Medical Centre. (We believe the Hanleys purchased the house from Dr. McCarthy).

Pat McCrodan: Doc McCarthy told me I had arsenic in my blood and to quit DS&R (Deloro Smelting and Reduction Co.)

In 1900 Dan also built the Dunlay block at 28 Forsyth St. which was originally occupied by J.S. Morton, Druggist on the ground floor as well as Dan’s carriage making business at the rear.  Later his sons and daughter ran a clothing and furniture store here,  and partneredwith Joe Murray in 1951.

(Click here for more details on the Dunlay block)

He was also the owner of the property on the corner of Highway 7 & Bursthall, ( now an empty lot)  where he built a two story double house as an investment,  and had his blacksmith shop.