ERLAND LEE (MUSEUM) HOME

James Lee, an United Empire Loyalist, arrived from Maryland with his wife Hannah family in 1792. He was granted 200 hundred acres of land along the Niagara Escarpment in Saltfleet Township. Their eldest son, John Lee, married Mary Moore in 1808 and built a small frame log house on lot number 17 of Concession 4, where they raised eleven children. In 1873, their youngest son, Abram D'Arcy Lee, added on to the original structure. The white board and batten house was constructed in the Gothic tradition. Abram Lee married Jemima Pew. Their son, Erland Lee was born in 1864. Erland grew up on the family estate which was called Edgemount. He was politically active and was the first president of the Wentworth Seed Fair, president of the Wentworth Agricultural Board, and was also a founding member of the South Wentworth Farmers' Institute. He married Janet Chisholm in 1890 and they resided on Erland's family estate. The couple had three children named, Alice, Gordon, and Frank.

In 1896, Erland was attending a conference in Guelph, Ontario and heard Adelaide Hunter Hoodless speak about the need for educating young girls. Erland agreed with many of her points and met with her later to ask her to speak at the Ladies' Night of the South Wentworth Farmers' Institute. Mrs. Hoodless agreed to speak at the meeting. Janet and Erland Lee traveled throughout the area to encourage as many ladies as possible to attend the meeting scheduled for February. On February 19, 1897 100 ladies and one man, Erland Lee attended the meeting in Squire's Hall in Stoney Creek and formed the Women's Institute of Saltfleet Township, which later became known as the Stoney Creek Women's Institute. Janet Lee became the director of the organization, while Mrs. E.D. Smith of Winona was elected president.

The constitution for the organization was drafted to allow the women to meet and discuss social, and domestic issues. The constitution for the organization was written out by Mrs. Lee on the walnut table that is still housed and displayed by the Erland Lee Museum The organization spread across the province, Canada and the world. In 1901, there were thirty-three branches of the Women's Institute in Ontario alone. By 1968, Women's Institute organizations were in thirty-four countries and had approximately six million members. They were concerned with social welfare, education, community affairs, health programs, libraries, and homemaking clubs. Eventually, the United Nations recognized these rural women's organizations for their contributions to social welfare and world peace.

The home remained in the possession of the Lee family for six generations, until Frank Lee's widow no longer wanted to maintain the house. The Stoney Creek and Saltfleet councils requested funding from the newly formed Provincial Heritage Foundation to purchase and maintain the home as a historic site. However, the Province only promised to donate a plaque to commemorate the house and officially recognize it as a national historical site. The site already had a plaque which was carved from stone and was donated by the South Wentworth Women's institute. It commemorated the house and the walnut table upon which the first charter was written. However, many people within the area and members of the Women's Institute wanted the government to recognize the house as a national cultural and historical landmark.

On October 1, 1967 Mr. William Stewart, Minister of Agriculture unveiled the plaque with over 300 Women's Institute members from across Ontario in attendance.

The World's first Women's Institute was organized at Squire's Hall, Stoney Creek, in 1897. Erland Lee, a founder of the Framers' Institute, assisted by his wife, arranged the meeting. About 100 women from the Saltfleet district attended and were persuaded by Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless, to form an organization of their own to improve their skills in the arts of homemaking and child care. Here, in the Lee home, Mr. Lee subsequently helped to draft the constitution of the new society. Mrs. E. D. Smith of Winona became the first president of the Mother Institute. The Women's Institute movement has since become a worldwide organization.

Eventually, the Women's Institute of Ontario bought the house in 1972 and converted it into a museum. They furnished and restored the house to its original mid-Victorian elegance. Some of the original furniture, such as an old pine cabinet which was built shortly after 1800 from logs hewn on the homestead are proudly displayed. The Drive House which was originally the barn was converted into a display room for quilts and needlework According to 1979 statistics, 97% of the visitors to the museum were from out of town. 1000 of these visitors were from overseas. People, who visit the museum are able to glimpse life in the mid-Victorian age. The museum houses artifacts ranging over 175 years. Some of the items in the museum's collection include kitchen utensils, furniture, china, clothing, needlework from the 1800's, toys, equipment, and most importantly the table upon which the original constitution for the Women's Institute was written down by Mrs. Lee. The museum is one of the best surviving examples of gothic revival in Ontario with its maple leaf trim on the eaves, white board and green shutters. This museum is our link to the past of the Victorian age, and to the history of the Women's Institute.

References:
Bailey, Thomas Melville. Dictionary of Hamilton Biography: 1925-1939. W.L. Griffin Printing: Hamilton, 1992.
Stoney Creek Scrap Book. vol. 1, 2, 3. Special Collections, HPL.

The Hamilton Public Library would like to thank the Erland Lee Museum for graciously contributing some of the information and pictures for use in this website.