Bill Warnica Collection



A collection of images donated by Bill Warnica

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Breeze Bar Menu
Copy of the Breeze Bar menu from 1968 featuring popular dishes such as the Breezeburger and various other types of burger, sandwich, meals, and side dishes. The Breeze Bar was a restaurant located in Big Bay Point owned and operated by Harvey Gorgan and Milner Barker. It opened in 1954, and was sold to Larry and Betty Hardy on 20 June 1977.
Burton Arlington Warnica
Photo of Burton Arlington Warnica, known as Bert or Burton Warnica (1910-1969). Bert was born on his parents' farm on the 25th Sideroad of Innisfil to Samuel Warnica and Pearl Soules. Bert married Minnie Thomas in 1932 and had three children: Walter, Douglas, and William. Bert had not wanted to carry on farming and had a small fleet of trucks for haulage, including for everything from gravel to furniture to ice. He also had trucks and drivers working on logging near Barry's Bay. He owned an ice business where he and his men would harvest ice from Lake Simcoe at Big Bay Point and store it in his ice house, which was originally the barn for the Robinson House in the 1800s. They would later deliver it to the houses and cottages along the Lake Simcoe shore. With the advent of the electric refrigerator Bert gave up the ice business and turned to carpentry, building and renovating many house in the Big Bay Point area until his death by car accident at Painswick in 1969. This photo was taken on the family farm, lot 26, concession 13 in Innisfil and shows Bert standing in snow wearing a long coat.
Charles Sutton's Bird Haven
Photo of the entrance to Bird Haven, a business operated by Charles Keyworth Sutton near Churchill, which offered log cabins to travelers and tourists for overnight and week long stays. The photo shows the entrance, where the driveway is lined with lawn decorations, bird houses and feeders, and furniture, as well as a Cities Service sign. The location offered housekeeping and home cooked meals. Mr. Sutton obtained logs for the cabins by walking over two miles to the swampy area of the seventh line. Here he cut all the cedar logs required to build the cabins and construct the furniture including beds, wash stands and bookcases. His wife made the quilts for the beds. Many American tourists, as well as Canadian, patronized both the tourist cabin business as well as buying bird houses, lawn furniture and lawn ornaments - all hand made by Mr. Sutton. In later years more buildings were added. Charles Sutton sold the land back to George Constable on 18 September 1951 and then moved to Newmarket where he operated a chicken farming/processing operation for a short time until he sold the business, moved to Toronto, and then to Colborne, Ontario where he died in 1974. The Bird Haven business was sold and operated under the name John Peel Inn, owned by a Mr. Cropley. In 1990 the property was in possession of the Hill family. Much of the preceding information was provided by Bill Warnica in June 2018.
Conveyance of Land from John C. Warnica to George F. Warnica
Scan of the conveyance of land from John C. Warnica to his brother George F. Warnica in 1873 for the north half of lot 14 on the 12th Concession. The text reads: "County of Simcoe to wit: I George F. Warnica of the Township of Innisfil in the County of Simcoe Yeoman make oath and say 1. I know the North half of lot number fourteen in the twelfth concession of the Township of Innisfil aforesaid and have known the same and have resided within a short distance of the same for upwards of fifty years. 2. In the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty two the said land was in a wild and uncultivated state and nothing whatever had been done to the same to improve it and the same remained in a state of nature until my brother John C. Warnica moved on to the same in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty four or the following year and I say that the said John C. Warnica was the first settler on the said lot. 3. The said John C. Warnica in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty four conveyed to me by deed bearing date same time in that year part of the said land being fifty one acres thereof and in the following year he conveyed to me by another deed the balance of the said land his wife Ellen Warnica was a party to and executed both of the said deeds for the purpose of barring her dower thereby. Sworn before me at the Town of Barrie in the County of Simcoe this 25th day of October AD 1873 [two signatures]" and is also signed by George F. Warnica.
Cooke Family Photo
Undated photo from the late 1800s depicting some of the thirteen children of James Baron Cooke and Mary Alice Booth. The family are gathered at the front entrance of their log home, with two windows flanking either side of the front door. The home still exists today as the Pepall Family cottage, though the stucco exterior hides the logs. James Baron Cooke and his family had moved from Barrie to Innisfil in approximately 1877 and settled on a farm at Big Bay Point on lot 30, concession 14. The farm today exists as the Big Bay Point golf course as well as a strip of waterfront that had been converted into cottage waterfront lots. Photo donated to Bill Warnica by Nanci Patten, the second great-granddaughter of James Baron Cooke and his wife Mary Alice Booth.
Cosy Cabins at Kingsmount
Photo of the four original "cosy cabins" at the original Kingsmount site. William Lock and his wife Lucy (White) purchased property in 1932 and built a garage, general store, restaurant, tea room, gas station,and rental cabins on the hill between the 7th and 8th line of Innisfil, fronting on highway 11 and named it Kingsmount. These four “cosy cabins” were built behind the store to rent out to weary travelers. This photo was taken in 1937 looking south and shows picnic tables and folding chairs in front of the cabins, with a car parked between the middle two cabins. The third cabin down was blown away by Hurricane Hazel in 1954, after the property and business had been sold to Kenneth and Anne Gould in 1953.
Cotswold Lodge
Postcard of the interior of Cotswold Lodge, located on the northwest corner of the 25th Side Road and Innisfil Beach Roadd (8th Line). It was the home of the Webster family: Frederick Webster, his wife Alice (née Little) and their four children named Ida, Jack, Doris & Ted. Son Jack operated it as a lodge during the summer months and also ran a snack bar, grocery store, cabin rentals and a small marina on the side that repaired outboard motors, lawn mowers, etc. In 1967 the business was leased out to George Young from Stroud for a short time. The Cotswold held many functions, including a beauty salon run by Mrs. Susie Ellsworth (m. Lloyd Ellsworth). Additionally the Stroud Masonic Lodge held dinner meetings there, George Ross and Elma Quantz had their wedding reception there in 1950, and St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s church choir held musical evenings there. Banquets, birthdays, women teacher's association meetings and other similar events were also hosted at the Cotswold Lodge. As of 2018, a plaza containing a Circle K convenience store, Pizzaville, and Bruno's Bakery stands in the Lodge's former location.
David McCracken and Bob Warnica
Photo of William Robert "Bob" Warnica (22 December 1865 - 22 September 1939) leading his nephew, David McCracken, on a horse named Old Doc tin front of his home in Painswick. Bob was the son of George Frederic Hanning Warnica, known as Hanning Warnica (1837-1915). David is the son of Mary Loudon (sister of Bob's wife, Jean) and her husband Robert McCracken.
David McCracken on the Farm of Bob and Jean Warnica
Photo of a young David McCracken, nephew of William Robert "Bob" Warnica (22 December 1865 - 22 September 1939) and Jean Warnica (née Loudon, 28 August 1884 - 13 May 1964). Bob was the son of George Frederic Hanning Warnica, known as Hanning Warnica (1837-1915). David is the son of Jean's sister, Mary Loudon, and her husband Robert McCracken. David is pictured feeding chickens in front of a small shed and two large wood piles.
Death Notice of Isabella Hurst
Death Notice of Mrs. Isabella Hurst (née Black), composed by William Black and printed on thin cardstock, 7-3/4" by 9-1/2". Isabella was married to William Hurst (died 13 April 1874) and together they had eight children. Both William and Isabella are interred in St. James Cemetery, Stroud. The text of the notice is as follows: "Was a native of the County of Tyrone, Ireland, where was born in the year 1805. In 1828 she emigrated to Canada. The greater part of her married life was spent in the Township of Innisfil, County of Simcoe. At the time when, in connection with her husband and family, she moved to the settlement in which she died, she was without the grace of God in her heart, and was surrounded by a community who sneered at the idea of a present salvation by the power of God. But the prophecy – “The desert shall blossom as the rose,” was fulfilled there. Under the ministrations of the Rev. Thos. Stobbs, in the year 1856, the work of God prospered – scores were converted and joined the Wesleyan Church. Among the number were almost all in the neighbourhood in which she lived, of whom many remain until this day, but some have fallen asleep, we trust in Christ; and among those who then connected themselves with the Church militant, was the subject of this notice and her husband. As before conversion, our departed friend was “dead in sin;” after that time she became and continued alive to the interests of her soul. She made no pretensions to natural and spiritual excellence, but her prayers and related Christian experience were replete with honest, humble, and earnest expressions, betokening a trust in Christ alone for salvation – a determination to serve God – a hope of heaven within, arising out of “the love of God shed abroad in the heart.” The alternately Friday night prayer-meeting was one of the means of grace in which she was greatly blessed, and which she aided to sustain both by voice and presence during its existence, a space of nine years. Her place at the prayer-meeting, morning class-meeting, and public services at Victoria, was generally filled when health permitted. Her anxiety for the salvation of her numerous family was great. Should this notice come under the observation of any of the survivers [sic], it will doubtless call to mind many of her warnings and advices, and many of the prayers offered to heaven’s God in their behalf. As a Christian neighbor, she was generous, sympathizing, kind, and self-sacrificing – ever ready to comfort the distressed by word or act. As her years increased, religious subjects became increasingly the one great theme of her meditation and conversation. Her last illness was very severe, and protracted over several weeks. During those weeks, especially did she express great concern for her aged husband, that he might “be faithful until death,” and with their children meet her in heaven. While in constant expectation of the summons to depart, she expressed unwavering trust in Christ as her present Saviour – as he who had saved her in life, and, who, by the assurance of faith, she felt certain would save her in death. And thus triumphing over the last enemy, she departed this life, June 23rd, 1869. – W.B."
Disclosure of Sale by John Stamm to George Frederick Hanning Warnica
Copy of a handwritten disclosure of sale by John Stamm to George Frederick Hanning Warnica, written in 1865 for a sale in 1825. The letter reads: "Province of Canada County of Simcoe To wit: I, George F. Warnica of the Township of Innisfil in said County of Simcoe Esquire make oath and say that John Stamm who conveyed north half of lot 13 in 12th concession of the Township of Innisfil in said County was at the time he conveyed said lot to George F. H. Warnica in the year 1825 an unmarried man and to my knowledge was never married. Sworn before [?] in Innisfil the 19th day of August in the year AD 1865" The letter is signed by W.H. Hewson and G.F. Warnica. The following information from Andrew Hunter was provided by Bill Warnica: John Stamm sold the land to George F.H. Warnica for ten pounds. In 1823 the Warnicas started their settlement duty, completing and receiving title in 1825. The Township of Innisfil was surveyed and opened for settlement in 1820. John Stamm, a neighbour farmer of theirs in Markham, and a former private in Captain Button's Cavalry Company 1st Regiment York Militia, had received for his services a grant of 100 acres in Innisfil - the north half of lot 13 on the 12th concession. On at least one occasion, Mr. Warnica Sr. and George accompanied Stamm to Innisfil to do settlement duty on the land. Once while they were going home they were caught in a severe storm on Lake Simcoe. Their drifted towards Georgina Island, and near the island it began to fill with water. George jumped overboard and with hard work managed to bring the boat safely to shore and saved the lives of his father and John Stamm. They said in later years that they had been rescued from a watery grave. Evidently Stamm was so frightened and disgusted by the difficulties and dangers of the trip to Innisfil that for a small sum he disposed of it to Warnica and never returned to it. Thus the Warnicas came into possession of a bush farm in Innisfil, to which they permanently removed from Markham in March 1825.
Earl G. Warnica
Photo of Earl Guelph Warnica (10 June 1923 - 21 March 1996) standing beside a car parked in a driveway hitched to a boat on a trailer. Earl was the son of Samuel Warnica and Pearl Soules. He married Mary Komoski and they had one child, Ernest. Earl was a World War II veteran and was one of 6 survivors of a bombing raid made by the U.S. Air Force by mistake, on his men. Earl was Bombed for over two hours by the Americans and not allowed to return fire. After the war Earl was based in Holland for a year, driving fuel trucks into Germany for the Allies. He also had a street named after him, Warnica Drive, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Earl built many houses in Innisfil and in the Kawartha Lakes area.
Earl G. Warnica Building Contractor
Photo of the advertising signage for Earl G. Warnica, Building Contractor. The sign also reads "STURD-DEE DOCK" and gives the phone number for the business as Stroud 75R13. A piece of construction equipment is parked beside the sign, and a large garage with a car parked in the driveway are visible behind the sign. Earl Guelph Warnica (10 June 1923 - 21 March 1996) was the son of Samuel Warnica and Pearl Soules, and married Mary Komoski and they had one child, Ernest. Earl was a World War II veteran and was one of 6 survivors of a bombing raid made by the U.S. Air Force by mistake, on his men. Earl was Bombed for over two hours by the Americans and not allowed to return fire. After the war Earl was based in Holland for a year, driving fuel trucks into Germany for the Allies. He also had a street named after him, Warnica Drive, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Earl built many houses in Innisfil and in the Kawartha Lakes area.
Earl G. Warnica in Uniform
Photo of Earl Guelph Warnica standing in front of his home wearing his military uniform. He was born 10 June 1923 and died 21 March 1996. He was the son of Samuel Warnica and Pearl Soules, married Mary Komoski and together they had one child, Ernest. Earl was a World War II veteran and was one of 6 survivors of a bombing raid made by the U.S. Air Force by mistake, on his men. Earl was Bombed for over two hours by the Americans and not allowed to return fire. After the war Earl was based in Holland for a year, driving fuel trucks into Germany for the Allies. He also had a street named after him, Warnica Drive, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Earl built many houses in Innisfil and in the Kawartha Lakes area.
Earl G. Warnica with Car
Photo of Earl Guelph Warnica (10 June 1923 - 21 March 1996) posing in front of a car and holding a sign that reads "Big Bay Point". Earl was the son of Samuel Warnica and Pearl Soules. He married Mary Komoski and they had one child, Ernest. Earl was a World War II veteran and was one of 6 survivors of a bombing raid made by the U.S. Air Force by mistake, on his men. Earl was Bombed for over two hours by the Americans and not allowed to return fire. After the war Earl was based in Holland for a year, driving fuel trucks into Germany for the Allies. He also had a street named after him, Warnica Drive, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Earl built many houses in Innisfil and in the Kawartha Lakes area.
Earl Guelph Warnica
Photo of Earl Guelph Warnica (1923-1996) in uniform on a motorcycle. Earl was the son of Samuel Warnica and Pearl Soules, and married Mary Komoski and they had one child, Ernest. Earl was a World War II veteran and was one of 6 survivors of a bombing raid made by the U.S. Air Force by mistake, on his men. Earl was Bombed for over two hours by the Americans and not allowed to return fire. After the war Earl was based in Holland for a year, driving fuel trucks into Germany for the Allies. He also had a street named after him, Warnica Drive, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Earl built many houses in Innisfil and in the Kawartha Lakes area.
Earl Warnica 1957
Photo of Earl Guelph Warnica (10 June 1923 - 21 March 1996) in a chair reading a newspaper with his feet on an ottoman. Earl was the son of Samuel Warnica and Pearl Soules. He married Mary Komoski and they had one child, Ernest. Earl was a World War II veteran and was one of 6 survivors of a bombing raid made by the U.S. Air Force by mistake, on his men. Earl was Bombed for over two hours by the Americans and not allowed to return fire. After the war Earl was based in Holland for a year, driving fuel trucks into Germany for the Allies. He also had a street named after him, Warnica Drive, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Earl built many houses in Innisfil and in the Kawartha Lakes area.
Earl and Pearl Warnica
Photograph of Earl Guelph Warnica (1923-1996) in a uniform with his mother, Pearl Soules (1887-1956) taken on Guest Road, Big Bay Point, Innisfil. Earl married Mary Komoski and they had one child, Ernest. Earl was a World War II veteran and was one of 6 survivors of a bombing raid made by the U.S. Air Force by mistake, on his men. Earl was Bombed for over two hours by the Americans and not allowed to return fire. After the war Earl was based in Holland for a year, driving fuel trucks into Germany for the Allies. He also had a street named after him, Warnica Drive, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Earl built many houses in Innisfil and in the Kawartha Lakes area.
Elizabeth Leonard
Studio portrait of Elizabeth Leonard, born 31 May 1867 at Craigvale and died at her home in Craigvale on 12 April 1939. She married Benjamin Johnston on 6 October 1897 at St. Paul's Church in Innisfil. Together they had three children: Laurena Margaret Johnston, John R. Johnston, and James A. Johnston.
Elizabeth Margaret Sibbald
Portrait of Elizabeth Margaret Sibbald seated in a long dark dress. Elizabeth was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 2 September 1828 to parents John Sibbald and Elspeth Hogg. John, Elspeth, and John's brother Alexander came from Scotland c. 1833 and settled at Tollendal in Innisfil Township. Their trip to Innisfil was by way of sleigh from Toronto to Holland Landing, and then by boat up Lake Simcoe to Tollendal. Their first log cabin was later known as "the Lally Place". On July 8th, 1851, Elizabeth Margaret Sibbald became the wife of William John Soules (1822-1864) of Big Bay Point and raised five children on the west half of lot 26, concession 13 Innisfil. Their home would be close to what is now (in 2017) 3939 Guest Road. Their five children were: Jennie Emily Soules (1853-1910), John William Soules (1855-1937), Andrew Herbert Soules (1857-1947), James Alfred Soules (1861-1936), and Charles Robert Soules (1863-1932). On 8 October 1864, at only 42 years of age, William J. Soules passed away on the family farm leaving Elizabeth to raise her young family by herself. Elizabeth, also known a Betsy, turned over the farm to her son John W. Soules, and lived her last year with her children. While spending the winter with her son Charles at 2 Goodwood Ave, Toronto, Betsy quietly passed away March 31st, 1924, of old age. She was interred next to her husband in Stroud's St. James Cemetery on 2 April 1924.
Emma Cooke
Undated photo of Emma Cooke as a young woman. She is wearing a high-necked dress with puffed shoulders and a bow-shaped pin at her neck. The studio information printed at the bottom reads "J. Dixon, 205 Yonge St. Toronto". Emma was the daughter of James Baron Cooke who moved with his family from Barrie to Innisfil in approximately 1877 and settled on a farm at Big Bay Point on lot 30, concession 14. The farm today exists as the Big Bay Point golf course as well as a strip of waterfront that had been converted into cottage waterfront lots. Emma later married Rueben Robinson, a relation of Issac Robinson the proprietor of Robinson House. Photo donated to Bill Warnica by Nanci Patten, the second great-granddaughter of James Baron Cooke and his wife Mary Alice Booth.
Emma Cooke with her Great Grandson
Photo of Emma Cooke holding her great-grandson Danny. She is wearing a wool sweater and glasses, and a handwritten caption reads "Thornbury - Danny and great-grandma". Emma was a daughter of James Baron Cooke who moved with his family from Barrie to Innisfil in approximately 1877 and settled on a farm at Big Bay Point on lot 30, concession 14. The farm today exists as the Big Bay Point golf course as well as a strip of waterfront that had been converted into cottage waterfront lots. Emma later married Rueben Robinson, a relation of Issac Robinson the proprietor of Robinson House. Photo donated to Bill Warnica by Nanci Patten, the second great-granddaughter of James Baron Cooke and his wife Mary Alice Booth.
Envelope from the Ontario College of Pharmacy
Scan of an envelope from the Ontario College of Pharmacy's Office of the Dean addressed to "Mrs. Robert Warnica [née Jean Loudon] Painswick, Ontario" with a postmark for "Toronto Ontario Sep 26 930 PM 1939."
Ernest Alexander Aikins
Photo of Ernest "Ernie" Alexander Aikins in uniform holding a rifle with an affixed bayonet. Ernie was born in 1915 to parents David Aikins and Annie Mostyn. He was raised on the family farm, located on the north half of lot 20, concession 11 in Innisfil. He enlisted in the Second World War and was killed in action in Germany on 22 April 1945. His sister Kathleen Agnes Aikins married Morris John Warnica.
Ernest Harold Warnica
Photo of Ernest "Ernie" Harold Warnica as a boy standing next to his father's pickup truck. Painted on the side of the truck is "Earl G. Warnica Builder - Phone 21 R 13 Big Bay Point". Ernie was born on 2 March 1947 to Earl Guelph Warnica and Mary Komoski. He worked for Ram Forest Products in Vandorf, Ontario for many years until his passing on 30 October 2007.
Ernie Warnica and David Lee
Photo of Ernest "Ernie" Harold Warnica (left) and David Lee (right) playing hockey on a rink directly in front of the Stroud Presbyterian Church. Ernie was born on 2 March 1947 to Earl Guelph Warnica and Mary Komoski and died on 30 October 2007. David was born in 1948 to Ben Lee and Joyce Barlow, and died on 31 December 2010.
Ernie Warnica with Trophy
Photo of Ernest "Ernie" Harold Warnica as a boy posing with his hockey trophy wearing a suit and standing in front of patterned drapes. Ernie was born on 2 March 1947 to Earl Guelph Warnica and Mary Komoski. He worked for Ram Forest Products in Vandorf, Ontario for many years until his passing on 30 October 2007.
Ernie and Marc Warnica
Photo of Ernest "Ernie" Harold Warnica with his son, Marc. Ernie was born on 2 March 1947 to Earl Guelph Warnica and Mary Komoski. He worked for Ram Forest Products in Vandorf, Ontario for many years until his passing on 30 October 2007.
First Home of the Westman Family in Innisfil
Photo from 1948 of the octagonal house located at the mouth of Lover's Creek on the east side. This was the first permanent home of the Westman family in Innisfil and was built by Alexander Sibbald. John "Jack" Westman purchased the house in 1945 after leaving the Air Force at the end of WWII. Jack and his wife Frances "Fran" and their three daughters Beverly, Janet, and Valerie had formerly lived in Ottawa for Jack's administrative job in the Air Force. This home was later owned by William Mitchell of Mitchell Boat Works. The photo shows Valerie Westman running towards the photographer with a woman seated in a chair on the lawn, her grandmother Ethel May Crooks, and their neighbour Tom Sheppard seated on the steps leading up to the porch.
Fran Westman
Photo of Frances "Fran" Westman (née Crooks) holding a pair of binoculars and seated on a stone wearing a patterned suit. She was the daughter of Alexander Crooks and Ethel May Ellis and a graduate of the University of Toronto. She married John "Jack" Westman and together they had three daughters: Beverly, Janet, and Valerie. After moving from Ottawa in 1945 she and Jack raised mink on their Tollendal property. Fran was also a skilled ornithologist and nature photographer, and was the founding vice-president of the Brereton Field Naturalists Club of Barrie. In 1960 she played a key role in discovering the significant number of migrating songbirds killed each year after hitting a TV tower in Barrie, which led to changes in lighting at the tower to reduce the toll. When Fran moved to Midland circa 1969 she obtained the position of Naturalist at the newly opened Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre. She passed away in Midland in February 2001.

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