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Cavan Township is located in the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham which were established in 1798 by a Proclamation given by John Graves Simcoe. It is bounded on the north by the Township of Emily in Victoria County, on the west by Manvers Township, on the south by Hope Township and on the east by South Monaghan and part of Peterborough Township. It is named after a county in Northern Ireland by early settlers to the area. John Deyell from County Monaghan, Ireland was one of the first settlers to Cavan Township in 1816.

C.E. Smith Boots appears in the Farmers and Business Directory for the Counties of Durham, Northumberland, Ontario, Peterboro, and Victoria, 1890. It is listed under Ontario County in a town with a population of 275 called Zephyr. Clinton E. Smith Boots and Shoes later appears in Vernon's City of Peterborough (Ontario) Directory for 1926, and was located at 384 George Street, Peterborough. The company does not appear in the 1936 Directory, but rather lists Agnew's Shoes located at that address.

Anthony Cekota was senior officer of the Bata Footwear division of Bata Industries Limited in Batawa, Ontario. He visited Trent University in 1989. Trent University's Thomas J. Bata Library is named after Thomas Bata, who provided substantial financial support to the University.

Central School was the first stone common school built in the Town of Peterborough. It was built on Murray Street in 1860 and, due to the increasing number of children enrolling, another school was built immediately west of Central School in 1871. South Central School was established in 1871 on the corner of Rubidge and Sherbrooke Streets. (Taken from: "The Illustrated Historical Atlas of Peterborough County 1825-1875." Canada: The Peterborough Historical Atlas Foundation Inc., 1975.) The land it was built on was purchased for $600.00 in 1873. Later known to Trent University students as Rubidge Hall which was the first building to house the University.

The Charles E. Goad map making company was established in Montreal, Quebec, in 1875. In its business of creating fire insurance plans, the Charles E. Goad map making company was the most comprehensive company in its coverage of Canada. By 1885, the company was firmly established in Canada and by 1910, Goad and his surveyors had created fire insurance plans for more than 1300 Canadian communities. When Charles E. Goad died that same year, the company was taken over by his three sons, who continued to run the business under the name Chas. E. Goad Company. In 1911 an agreement was reached between the Chas. E. Goad Company and the Canadian Fire Underwriters' Association, by which the Goad Company was to create and revise plans for the Association exclusively. The Canadian Fire Underwriters' Association was founded in 1883 for the purpose of standardizing fire insurance rules. This agreement ended in 1917, and in 1918, the Canadian Fire Underwriters' Association established its own plan making department. It was named the Underwriters' Survey Bureau Limited. At the same time, the Bureau acquired the exclusive rights from the Chas. E. Goad Company to revise and reprint the Goad plans. The Goad Company, which continued to exist until 1930, stopped producing fire insurance plans. In March 1931, the Underwriters' Survey Bureau purchased all of the assets of the Chas. E. Goad Company, including copyright. The Underwriters' Survey Bureau continued to produce fire insurance plans for the cities and towns in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes. The Canadian Fire Underwriters' Association remained responsible for the production of plans in the western provinces and the B.C. Underwriters' Association was responsible for plans in British Columbia. In 1960, these regional operations were amalgamated with the production of plans under the centralized Plan Division of the Canadian Underwriters' Association. In 1975, the Association changed its name to the Insurer's Advisory Organization, and at the same time, decided to cease fire insurance plan production and sell all plan inventory. This was the end of 100 years of continuous fire insurance plan production in Canada. (Taken from: Hayward, Robert J. Fire Insurance Plans in the National Map Collection. Ottawa: Public Archives of Canada, 1977.)

William J. Chirpaw ran a hotel and a lumber business at Victoria Road, Bexley Township in Victoria County. Chirpaw was Reeve of Bexley at one time.

Thomas Choate, son of Jacob Choate and Fanny Marshall Burnham, was born April 3, 1809 near Cobourg, Upper Canada. His parents had emigrated to Glanbord from Enfield, New Hampshire in 1798, along with members of the Burnham family who were cousins of the Choates. In approximately 1801, they moved to Hamilton Township, north of Cobourg, where Thomas was born, and by 1812, the family had moved to Port Hope, Upper Canada. Thomas learned the trade of millright at Warsaw, New York, and also studied music at Batavia, New York. In 1830, Thomas married Mary Wright, daughter of Richard Wright and Ann Stuart of Skiberne, County Cork, Ireland. Thomas and Mary had five children: Thomas George, Anna Eliza, Mary Jane, Richard Marshall, and Jacob Stuart. In 1834-35, Thomas was sent to Dummer Township by his uncle, the Honourable Zaccheus Burnham, to complete the construction of a saw and grist mill, which had already been started for Burnham by Thomas Hartwell. By 1836, the mill was in operation and Thomas moved his family to what was then known as Dummer Mills and built a general store. In 1842, Thomas successfully acquired the contract for a post office, and since a post office, required a village name, Thomas chose the name Warsaw. In 1839, Thomas' first wife died and he married her sister, Eliza Wright. They had two children, Harriet Burnham and Mary, before Eliza died in 1845. In 1846, Thomas married Hanah Grover, daughter of Jonah Grover and Lucia Baldwin, of Norwood, Upper Canada. Thomas and Hannah had three children: Celestia Charlotte, James Grover, and Arthur Francis. Thomas' eldest son, Thomas George, when he was old enough, took over running the mills for Zaccheus Burnham. Thomas George later established his own chair manufacturing shop on Quarry Lake. Thomas senior's main interest remained in the running of his store and post office, and with his duties as a Justice of the Peace. Thomas also established and conducted a singing school and choir which was under his tutelage for 60 years. Both he and his son, Thomas George became involved in the local temperence society and in local politics. Thomas retired from running the store in 1889, at the age of 80, and his youngest son, Arthur Francis, took over the business as manager and post master. In 1897, Arthur established a second store, Choate Supply Store, at McCraken's Landing, Stony Lake. Thomas died in 1900, at the age of 90. The Warsaw store was sold in 1927, and Arthur Francis died in 1931. The Choate Supply Store remained in business, and was managed by Arthur's wife Vida. When she died, the store was then managed by their daughter Bessie. The Choate Supply Store was sold out of the family in 1949. Arthur and Vida Elora Smith, also had a son, Richard (Dick), who was born in Warsaw in 1880. Dick was to become a journalist, artist and musician. Dick began his career with the Peterborough Examiner in 1905 and in his early days, worked for the Montreal Herald, the Buffalo Courier and some newspapers in Calgary and Vancouver. In 1908, Dick married Mary (May) Dawson Donnell, daughter of Elizabeth Ambrose and James Rea Donnell. Dick also worked in the United States for some time, and at one point in his career was a member of the Congressional Press Gallery in Washington, D.C. He later became the editor of the Toronto Daily News, editor of the Toronto Sunday World, and an editorial writer for the Toronto Globe. It is unknown when he died.

Thomas Harold Kenyon Choate was born in Warsaw, Ontario, 28 July 1915. Referred to by the name "Ken" or "Kenyon," Choate was the eldest son of Harold G.E. Choate and Beatrice Coulter (Selkirk) Choate and a direct descendent of Thomas Choate of Warsaw, Ontario. He married Ruth Mary (Powell) Choate, born in Trafalgar Township, Halton County, Ontario, 19 July 1920; she died in Peterborough, Ontario, 10 May 2006. Because his father and his brother also bore the name Harold, Choate signed his name "Thomas K. Choate" or "T.K. Choate" in an effort to avoid confusion. The name "Kenyon" was his maternal grandmother's surname. Choate died in Peterborough, Ontario, 8 October 2008.

In 1869, Reverend C.W. Patterson was appointed to Bobcaygeon, Ontario. Previous to 1869, a sum of money had been collected and deposited in the Peterborough branch of the Bank of Toronto as a building fund for the construction of an Anglican Church in Bobcaygeon. It was decided in the same year that enough money had been collected and that a new church and parsonage should be built. Architect John E. Belcher was contracted to design and build the church and parsonage in 1870. On January 5, 1871, Christ Church was formally opened by the Lord Bishop of Toronto.

George Y. Clement was a lawyer in Wallaceburg, Ontario in 1965. His grandfather, George H. Young, was involved in the two Riel rebellions and the western Fenian invasions. Young, at the age of 18, was a clerk in the Hudson Bay store in Fort Garry in 1869-1870. His father was the local minister.

Reverend Clementi came to Lakefield, Canada West and from there moved to Peterborough.

Dr. J.W. Clemishaw was a medical doctor who practised in Port Hope, Ontario, in the late 1800's.

Venerable J.C. Clough was the Archdeacon of Peterborough, Ontario.

George Cobb ( - 2003) was a local historian, who in 1966 was commissioned by Trent University to begin an experimental program in oral history. The tapes in this fonds are the results of his efforts.

The Cobourg Foundry was established in Cobourg, Canada West in the 1850's and was operated by Andrew Jeffrey. The foundry manufactured steam engines, boilers, agricultural equipment, axes and other useful implements. (Taken from: Spilsbury, John R. "Cobourg: Early Days and Modern Times." Cobourg: Cobourg Book Committee, 1981.)

The Cobourg Harbour originally was a wharf. The large steamers bringing in emigrants had to stand off shore and freight and passengers were transported by smaller boats to shore. In 1830 the Cobourg Harbour Company was formed and a proper Harbour was built. The harbour was one of the finest on the Lake Ontario shoreline. Due to the good harbour Cobourg experienced large amounts of traffic in freight and newcomers to Canada and due to this increased in size. By the 1850's Cobourg was the 5th largest centre in Canada West and it had the most important central Lake Ontario port. Cobourg had a ferry that operated between it and Rochester in New York. It was a point for shipping lumber and agricultural products all over the lake. (Taken from: "Cobourg Early Days and Modern Times." Cobourg: Cobourg Book Committee, 1981.)

Cobourg is located in Hamilton Township, in the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham, on the north shore of Lake Ontario. The area was first settled in 1798 by Elias Nicholson who built his home within the limits of what was to become the town plot. Originally called Amherst, Cobourg has also been known by the names of Hamilton and Hardscrabble. In 1819, the developing town was given the name Cobourg. The post office was established by 1831 and the first postmaster was prominent businessman and merchant James G. Bethune. Cobourg was incorporated as a village in 1837 and incorporated as a town in 1850. (taken from "Illustrated Historical Atlas of Northumberland and Durham Counties, Ontario." Belleville: Mika Silk Screening Ltd., 1972.; and Guillet, E.C. "Cobourg 17798-1948." Oshawa: Goodfellow Printing Comapny Limited, 1948.)

Cobourg is located in Hamilton Township, in the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham, on the north shore of Lake Ontario. The area was first settled in 1798 by Elias Nicholson who built his home within the limits of what was to become the town plot. Originally called Amherst, Cobourg has also been known by the names of Hamilton and Hardscrabble. In 1819, the developing town was given the name Cobourg. It was incorporated as a village in 1837 and incorporated as a town in 1850. (taken from "Illustrated Historical Atlas of Northumberland and Durham Counties, Ontario." Belleville: Mika Silk Screening Ltd., 1972.)

The Cobourg-Peterborough Railway Company was incorporated on November 11, 1852. Its purpose was to build a steam railway between the two cities, a distance of twenty-five miles interrupted by the waters of Rice Lake. This necessitated the building of a trestle nearly three miles long to carry the railway between the north and south banks of the lake. The citizens of Cobourg subscribed 125,000 pounds of the project. The construction contract was placed with Samuel Zimmerman and the first sod was turned on February 9, 1853. The first fifteen miles of the line were opened for traffic on May 19, 1854, and on November 15 of the same year, the Rice Lake Bridge was completed. The railway finally reached Peterborough on December 29, 1854. Unfortunately, during the winter, ice jams shook the flimsy Rice Lake bridge and by 1861 had destroyed it. Money difficulties, caused by expensive maintenance of the line and the rivalry of the Peterborough-Port Hope Railway which opened in August 1858 and took most of the Peterborough traffic, led the Company to the mineral industry in Marmora for financial assistance. In 1865, it was authorized to merge with the Marmora Iron Works on the August 15, 1866, and this alliance led to the incorporation of the Cobourg, Peterborough, Marmora Railway and Mining company. This arrangement was successful for only a short period of time. By 1883 the Company was once again losing money, In May 1886, the bondholders took action and the railway and its rolling stock were sold to Mr. T.P. Pearce. In June 1887, the Cobourg, Blairton, and Marmora Railway and Mining Company was incorporated and took over the residual assets of the previous company. Before the Railway could be put into operation the Grand Trunk Railway assumed control and the Company finally disappeared in the general almagamation of the Grand Trunk short lines on April 1, 1893. The Grand Trunk Railway was in turn acquired by the Canadian National Railway in 1923.

Alfred O.C. Cole was born in 1925 and was the youngest son of Dr. C.E. Cooper Cole and Sarah Renwick Tuckett. He had three brothers and one sister, and was married to Jean Murray Cole. They had six children. Cole was an avid researcher and historian. He played a major role in the life and history of Trent University, as Registrar from 1966 to 1987, and as a member of the Department of History. He was a RCAF pilot during World War II, a political reporter for Toronto's Daily Star and Globe and Mail, and he served as an executive assistant in the Ontario Ministry of Public Works at Queen's Park in Toronto. He wrote articles, and books such as A Victorian Snapshot and Trent: The Making of a University, 1957-1987, both published in 1992. He and his wife, Jean, shared the editorship of a number of books including The Illustrated Historical Atlas of Peterborough which was published in 1975 and Kawartha Heritage, published in 1981. Together Jean and Alfred had six children of which one has followed into their literary footsteps. Alfred O.C. Cole died on October 20th, 1996.

C.E. Cooper Cole was marrried to Sarah Kenwick Tucket. They had four sons and one daughter. His one son is Alfred O.C. Cole, who has played a major role in the history of Trent University.

Jean Murray Cole (1927- ), former journalist, is a historian and writer with special interest in the history of Peterborough County and in the 19th century fur trade. She was an active member of the Friends of the Bata Library and Jean a long-standing member of the Peterborough Historical Society and served as its president. Cole has published many books including "Exile in Wilderness," a biography of the Hudson's Bay Company Chief Factor Archibald McDonald, and histories of several townships in Peterborough County such as "The Loon Calls: A History of the Township of Chandos". She and her husband, Alfred, shared the editorship of a number of books including "The Illustrated Historical Atlas of Peterborough" which was published in 1975 and "Kawartha Heritage" in 1981.

Alfred O.C. Cole, husband of Jean Murray Cole, joined Trent University as Registrar and secretary of Senate in 1966. He was also a member of the history department and held the position of University Historian. He co-edited the Peterborough Historical Atlas, and in 1992, published "The Making of a University, 1957-1987". Alf Cole died in 1996.

Collect in the Kawarthas was written by Doris Unitt wife of Peter Unitt. The family operated an antique store for a number of years in Lakefield, Ontario and Dominic (Nick) Unitt drew maps of Ontario dealers in the area for collectors to visit. Mrs. Unitt wrote the first book of "Collect" in 1965 as a guide for visitors and friends in the area to indulge in their hobbies of collecting. She did not compile the book to "provide a price guide, nor write learnedly of antiques, curios or collectors items but to tell of people met, places visited and things found." (Intro. Collect in the Kawarthas.)

The Collins and Gammon families are descendents of Thomas Alexander Stewart and Frances Stewart, Irish immigrants who arrived in the Peterborough area in 1822.