Outstanding Women of Wesleyville Village

Selinda (Lincoln) & Sarah Oughtred

Sarah Oughtred was born in Port Hope in 1819. Sarah is thought to have had 5 siblings, all a product of her father Thomas Oughtred’s first marriage with Sarah Trattles Oughtred. After the birth of her last child, Sarah Trattles Oughtred passed away and in 1850, Thomas remarried in 1850 to Selinda Oughtred. Selinda was born in 1795 as Selinda Lincoln in present day Kingston. She married her first husband John Heaton in 1821 and they lived on Concession 1 Lot 31. John Heaton passed away in 1846 and in 1855 Selinda received a crown grant for Lot 31 as a result of working the land with her husband prior to his death. Selinda and Thomas used the crown grant to build the Y-House, which is still standing today.

Sarah Oughtred is recorded as growing up in Wesleyville and then in the 1861 census she is presumably living in Clarke, Ontario as a servant with her 14 year old daughter. Sarah’s father passed away in 1963 and by 1871 Sarah had returned to Wesleyville with her son Thomas, born 1863. Sarah and her son were living with Sarah’s stepmother, Selinda Oughtred, in the Y-House, and there are no further accounts of Sarah’s daughter. Sarah, Selinda, and Thomas continued to work the land and contribute to the community until Selinda’s passing in 1889 and Sarah’s passing in 1919.

Edna (Hill) Barrowclough

Edna Hill was born in 1902 in Marvelville, Ontario and moved to Wesleyville to work as a teacher. She married Edgar John Barrowclough in 1925. The Barrowclough family has a history of being community oriented as John Barrowclough donated the land for the church. Edna Barrowclough has certainly continued this legacy. She was essential to the preservation of Wesleyville history and most published work involving the town is a result of her efforts. Edna was extremely involved in her community and published a daily column in the community newsletter about the happenings in the village.

June (Shields) Nichols & Florence Reeves

June Shields was born in 1917 near Peterborough. She married Carroll Nichols around 1946 and they had 4 children together. June worked as a teacher until she had her kids. She then became a private piano instructor for the local kids and was also involved with the choir.

Florence Reeves was the main organist at Wesleyville church. She also was very involved with the choir.

Alice King (Shultz) Sculthorpe

Alice King Shultz was born in Long Island in 1925. She had a summer home in Port Hope where she met her husband, Robert Sculthorpe. They married in 1949 and Alice moved to Port Britain.

She is extremely well-known throughout the community as an advocate for historical and environmental rights. She helped establish the Waterfront Trail that runs through Port Hope, lobbied for Wesleyville Village to be recognized for its historical significance, and halted the project to establish a landfill in Hope Township. She is credited with having saved numerous parts of Port Hope.

A.K has been formally recognized for her accomplishments through receiving the Order of Ontario award, Port Hope Citizen of the year, and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. Many of her projects were completed through the ACO, where A.K served as president.

Selinda receives a crown grant for working Lot 31 with her late husband. She and Thomas use it to build the Oughtred House

Selinda sells a quarter acre of her land to the Trustees of School Section 2 to build the Wesleyville schoolhouse

Edna moves to Wesleyville Village as a school teacher

Edna serves as the President of the East Durham Historical Society

Wesleyville Church becomes designated, a process both Kathryn McHolm and A.K were involved in