STREET ADDRESS: 64 William Street
CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth
MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth
COUNTY: Yarmouth
YEAR BUILT: 1897-98
ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:
2 storey Colonial Revival style with a shallow cross gabled back ell. Steeply pitched gable roof has a large discretely placed chimney on back slope, return eaves, boxed in recessed Gothic arches under gables, and a prominent, centered 2 tiered wall dormer breaking the bracketed eaves in front. The symmetrical 3 bay facade has a wide raised platform veranda with columns supporting an equally wide, curved second storey balcony; the center door and sidelights; large, fixed sash windows have stained glass transoms. Most windows have double hung sashes with 1/1 glazing; front dormer has a Palladian window; 2nd storey windows at front and back are tight to eaves; attic storey windows at sides and back have balconies. Wood construction, first storey is clad with clapboard, 2ndstorey with shingles; a belt course of moulding separates storeys; veranda and balconies have spindlework balustrades.
HISTORICAL COMMENT:
Built in 1897-98 for John Murray Lawson, proprietor, publisher and editor of the Yarmouth Herald newspaper which had been founded by his father, Alexander Lawson, in 1833. The property remained in the Lawson family until 1945. It was owned at a later time by Vernon S. Sweeny and his wife. Mr. Sweeny was owner of Sweeny's Funeral Home, which had been owned by his father before him.
CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:
South west corner of Forest and William Streets. Side windows of 2nd storey balcony entrance on facade have been changed; an enclosed entry porch has been added at main front entrance in the veranda.
PRESENT OWNER: Jordan B./Shirley M. Kempton
ADDRESS: 64 William Street, Yarmouth, N.S., B5A 1Y4
ORIGINAL OWNER: J. Murray Lawson
OCCUPATION: Newspaper editor and Publisher
BUILDER: Unknown
ORIGINAL USE: Single family dwelling
PRESENT USE: Single family dwelling
| HISTORY OF BUILDING | ||||
| OWNER | FROM: | TO: | OCCUPATION | BOOK PG |
| J. Murray Lawson | Sept. 17, 1897 | May 27, 1925 | Newspaper editor & publisher | CD 137 |
| Frances A. Lawson, et al | May 27, 1925 | Mar. 14, 1932 | Widow/heirs of J.M. Lawson | DU 334 |
| Jessie M. Lawson Laura H. Lawson | Mar. 14, 1932 | July 10, 1945 | Heirs of J. Murray & Frances Lawson | DU 334 |
| Lydia K. Creighton | July 10, 1945 | Sept 12, 1951 | Widow of Arthur S. Creighton | ET 617 |
| Mabel R. Sweeny | Sept. 12, 1951 | Feb. 26, 1960 | Wife of V Sweeny, Funeral Director | FH 241 |
| Jordan B./Shirley M.Kempton | Feb. 26, 1960 | Present | Insurance Adjustor (Ret.) |
FZ 577 |
COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:
In July, 1945 the daughters of the late Murray and Frances Lawson sold this property to Lydia (Killam) Creighton, the widow of Arthur S. Creighton who had died the preceding August. Mr. Creighton had been a bank manager and then an investment broker. After his retirement in 1936 he became actively involved in the ownership and directorship of several local businesses, including Yarmouth Royal Stores, Yarmouth Theatre & Amusement Co., Trask Brothers Florists and Yarmouth Cold Storage Co. The Creightons had two daughters, one of whom, Elizabeth ("Babs"), married Loran Ellis Baker. Mr. Baker was very popular and active in local politics and in 1945 was elected to the House of Commons, eventually being appointed as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of National Defense. Choosing not to run for re-election in 1949, he joined the Department of Fisheries in 1950, and retired in 1965 as Maritime Regional Director. Both the Creighton and Baker families were well respected and influential in Yarmouth's business and social affairs.
SOURCES: Registry of Deeds; Assessment Rolls, 1901, 1914, 1915, 1917-20; McAlpine's N.S. Directory - 1907-08; Yarmouth, N.S., 1918; Yarmouth Reminiscences, J.M. Lawson (1902); Sweeny's Funeral Ledgers, #11, p.227; #14, p.172