Our Story
This Gorgeous Historic Fieldstone Home was built by William Crewson
on the Main Street West in Downtown Huntsville in 1891 with a very fascinating past.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HISTORY OF THIS BEAUTIFUL FIELDSTONE HOME
The house has been owned by many over the century. The people who owned Grandview Resort owned the house for a few years and renovated the house in 1980s and made 3 rental apartments with private entrances.
A 2 bedroom apt. on the top level, A large one bedroom apt. in the middle level and a studio apt. on the lower level
In 2005 I bought this gorgeous home for me and my 4 year old daughter at 45 years old from Derek McGrath a Canadian actor and writer who performed in many movies and a recurring role on Kim's Convenience as Frank the handyman & Cheers as Andy Schroeder, Dr Derek Hebert in Doc, Crewman Chell in Star Trek Voyager and many more.
It was just a rental income property for him and his brother living in Huntsville didn't want to look after it anymore.
Rebecca and I moved into the middle level one bedroom. After working and being a landlord for a few years. When my tenants moved out and the G8 Summit was coming to Huntsville in 2010 in 2009 I created This Luxury INN and fully opened in 2010 before the G8. Offering a 2 bedroom apartment and studio apartment with full kitchens.
Which at that time was very different from any Hotel, Motel or Bed and Breakfast available for accommodations.
In 2012 Rebecca and I moved up to the small 2 bedroom apartment on the top level so we could have our own room.
I then renovated the large middle level and created 3 private room suites with en-suite baths with a fully equipped kitchen for the suites to share so people could rent one suite for 4 or both up to 8 and the Petite for up to 10 people.
The Sunset Suite and The Luxury Rose Jacuzzi Suite and the small Petite Suite great for the kids with 2pc bath.
The Luxury Willow Studio Apartment with fully equipped kitchen for up to 4 people. For a Total of 14 people at once. Which I did on many occasions of families and friends traveling together.
On Saturday March 19 2016 When the long time running Vegas-style stage show at Deerhurst Resort was closing after 35 years and as the venue where Shania Twain performed before her rise to stardom.
On that day a couple came by the INN in the early afternoon and asked if they could see the middle level of the house. They said that they had gotten married and lived here in middle level one bedroom apartment back then in the 1980s. They said I had done a lot of nice work to the house since they had lived here back then when they had been in the Sing Show for a many years. She was a dancer in the show with Shania and he was involved with lighting recording and behind the scenes of the stage and they had been good friends with Shania back then. They remembered fondly Eilleen (Shaina) sitting on their bed playing the guitar, writing and singing songs and he would record her singing sitting in front of one of the 2 big windows watching the sunset in the Sunset suite now called the Paris Suite.
I actually severed her and her family in 1998 when 9 of them came in for lunch when I was waitressing at the
Fiery Grill in Dorest. I was really surprised that she was a not a tall woman that I had always thought she was.
History of past from the Beginning
It is situated on part of the original land grant in Huntsville to James Hanes under the Ontario Free Grant
and Homestead Act of 1868. After Mr. Hanes subdivided his Main St West lots and Lot 14 on the south side.
The land was sold in 1885 and sold to Murdock Matheson and two years later sold to Albert Allen.
William Morgan Crewson was born in 1825 in Erin Ontario he was a educated man a minister of the disciples of christ of protestantism christian unity of the new testament and was urged to spread the message in Muskoka and moved to Baysville 1885. He bought the land and had this unusual fieldstone home built into the hilly terrain of Huntsville's Main Street in 1891.
In 1899 he gave the house to his son Norman Crewson to look after him and died later that year. Norman sold the house in 1907 and moved to Dorest with his wife to run a boarding house called The White House.
John Gibb owned it for one year and sold it to Morris Soskin who only lived in the stone home for a short time.
The Crooks family were the next owners of the house. They were farmers from Brunel township. William Crooks was born in England and came to Canada on a boatload of orphans from England when he was six years old. He and his wife Elizabeth settled and lived in the township of Brunel in the census 1881 with their children Francis who was 24 then, James, Matilda Ann, and David Ancel. They were members of the Disciples of Christ as well.
In 1911 Francis Crooks bought the stone home and married his wife Jane Lewis from Brunel township they had nine children- Martha (howard), Louisa, Alma, Emma, Ancel, Arthur, Norman, Ethel (Rickards) who was related to my ex-husband's great Grandmother Rickards and Jessie White.
In the 1926 Homecoming Booklet there is a picture of five generations of the Crooks family
Francis with his father, daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter.
Francis was described as "One of Huntsville's most respected citizens, humble in his daily life and conduct, honest in his dealings with his fellow men and content to live simple life.
Before his death in 1941 he transferred the ownership of the house to three of his children as joint tenants.
Ancel, Arthur and Martha. The brothers never married and Martha was a young widow. They were related to Rickards
It seems that various members of the Crooks family lived in the house for over 57 years. Norman and his wife Edith Hunt lived in the house when they were first married. Norman served with the 122nd Battalion during World War 1. Norman and Edith had a large family - 5 daughters and 4 sons, many remained in Huntsville.
Mary Olson daughter of Norman remembers a big enamel sink with a hand pump in the kitchen and stairs leading to the third floor bedrooms and stairs going to the lower level of the house with deep window sills, fluffy rag rugs on the floor and a player piano, and Normans lovely gardens of Muskmelons.
I remember just after buying the house I invited my ex-husband and his mom Doris & Aunt Norma they were sisters and their Mother was originally a Rickards from Brunel. His Dad Carl and uncle Clarence Thompson from South Portage they told me that Norma was born in the house and they remembered the stairs to the different levels from the middle level of the house with a big enamel sink & hand pump and a big pot belly stove for cooking in the kitchen that was by the front entrance that kept the whole house and everyone warm during the cold winters.
It is now back in the family with my daughter Rebecca being directly related to the Ancestors of the gorgeous Home.
on the Main Street West in Downtown Huntsville in 1891 with a very fascinating past.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HISTORY OF THIS BEAUTIFUL FIELDSTONE HOME
The house has been owned by many over the century. The people who owned Grandview Resort owned the house for a few years and renovated the house in 1980s and made 3 rental apartments with private entrances.
A 2 bedroom apt. on the top level, A large one bedroom apt. in the middle level and a studio apt. on the lower level
In 2005 I bought this gorgeous home for me and my 4 year old daughter at 45 years old from Derek McGrath a Canadian actor and writer who performed in many movies and a recurring role on Kim's Convenience as Frank the handyman & Cheers as Andy Schroeder, Dr Derek Hebert in Doc, Crewman Chell in Star Trek Voyager and many more.
It was just a rental income property for him and his brother living in Huntsville didn't want to look after it anymore.
Rebecca and I moved into the middle level one bedroom. After working and being a landlord for a few years. When my tenants moved out and the G8 Summit was coming to Huntsville in 2010 in 2009 I created This Luxury INN and fully opened in 2010 before the G8. Offering a 2 bedroom apartment and studio apartment with full kitchens.
Which at that time was very different from any Hotel, Motel or Bed and Breakfast available for accommodations.
In 2012 Rebecca and I moved up to the small 2 bedroom apartment on the top level so we could have our own room.
I then renovated the large middle level and created 3 private room suites with en-suite baths with a fully equipped kitchen for the suites to share so people could rent one suite for 4 or both up to 8 and the Petite for up to 10 people.
The Sunset Suite and The Luxury Rose Jacuzzi Suite and the small Petite Suite great for the kids with 2pc bath.
The Luxury Willow Studio Apartment with fully equipped kitchen for up to 4 people. For a Total of 14 people at once. Which I did on many occasions of families and friends traveling together.
On Saturday March 19 2016 When the long time running Vegas-style stage show at Deerhurst Resort was closing after 35 years and as the venue where Shania Twain performed before her rise to stardom.
On that day a couple came by the INN in the early afternoon and asked if they could see the middle level of the house. They said that they had gotten married and lived here in middle level one bedroom apartment back then in the 1980s. They said I had done a lot of nice work to the house since they had lived here back then when they had been in the Sing Show for a many years. She was a dancer in the show with Shania and he was involved with lighting recording and behind the scenes of the stage and they had been good friends with Shania back then. They remembered fondly Eilleen (Shaina) sitting on their bed playing the guitar, writing and singing songs and he would record her singing sitting in front of one of the 2 big windows watching the sunset in the Sunset suite now called the Paris Suite.
I actually severed her and her family in 1998 when 9 of them came in for lunch when I was waitressing at the
Fiery Grill in Dorest. I was really surprised that she was a not a tall woman that I had always thought she was.
History of past from the Beginning
It is situated on part of the original land grant in Huntsville to James Hanes under the Ontario Free Grant
and Homestead Act of 1868. After Mr. Hanes subdivided his Main St West lots and Lot 14 on the south side.
The land was sold in 1885 and sold to Murdock Matheson and two years later sold to Albert Allen.
William Morgan Crewson was born in 1825 in Erin Ontario he was a educated man a minister of the disciples of christ of protestantism christian unity of the new testament and was urged to spread the message in Muskoka and moved to Baysville 1885. He bought the land and had this unusual fieldstone home built into the hilly terrain of Huntsville's Main Street in 1891.
In 1899 he gave the house to his son Norman Crewson to look after him and died later that year. Norman sold the house in 1907 and moved to Dorest with his wife to run a boarding house called The White House.
John Gibb owned it for one year and sold it to Morris Soskin who only lived in the stone home for a short time.
The Crooks family were the next owners of the house. They were farmers from Brunel township. William Crooks was born in England and came to Canada on a boatload of orphans from England when he was six years old. He and his wife Elizabeth settled and lived in the township of Brunel in the census 1881 with their children Francis who was 24 then, James, Matilda Ann, and David Ancel. They were members of the Disciples of Christ as well.
In 1911 Francis Crooks bought the stone home and married his wife Jane Lewis from Brunel township they had nine children- Martha (howard), Louisa, Alma, Emma, Ancel, Arthur, Norman, Ethel (Rickards) who was related to my ex-husband's great Grandmother Rickards and Jessie White.
In the 1926 Homecoming Booklet there is a picture of five generations of the Crooks family
Francis with his father, daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter.
Francis was described as "One of Huntsville's most respected citizens, humble in his daily life and conduct, honest in his dealings with his fellow men and content to live simple life.
Before his death in 1941 he transferred the ownership of the house to three of his children as joint tenants.
Ancel, Arthur and Martha. The brothers never married and Martha was a young widow. They were related to Rickards
It seems that various members of the Crooks family lived in the house for over 57 years. Norman and his wife Edith Hunt lived in the house when they were first married. Norman served with the 122nd Battalion during World War 1. Norman and Edith had a large family - 5 daughters and 4 sons, many remained in Huntsville.
Mary Olson daughter of Norman remembers a big enamel sink with a hand pump in the kitchen and stairs leading to the third floor bedrooms and stairs going to the lower level of the house with deep window sills, fluffy rag rugs on the floor and a player piano, and Normans lovely gardens of Muskmelons.
I remember just after buying the house I invited my ex-husband and his mom Doris & Aunt Norma they were sisters and their Mother was originally a Rickards from Brunel. His Dad Carl and uncle Clarence Thompson from South Portage they told me that Norma was born in the house and they remembered the stairs to the different levels from the middle level of the house with a big enamel sink & hand pump and a big pot belly stove for cooking in the kitchen that was by the front entrance that kept the whole house and everyone warm during the cold winters.
It is now back in the family with my daughter Rebecca being directly related to the Ancestors of the gorgeous Home.