Edward Lawson Era 1855-1860

- In 1855, Edward Lawson purchased the mill and mill properties, including the general store from James Cupper Bolton
- That same year, he replaced the store with a 2-storey building at the SE corner of Mill Street complete with 80 feet of windows fronting along Queen Street
- The north side of the store housed groceries, the middle was stocked with hardware and the south side contained dry goods. Upstairs, there was dressmaking, millinery and tailoring.1
- The store was open from 6:30am until late evening except Sunday .2
- Edward Lawson also built a steam bakery next to the saw mill along Mill Street.3 . Its specialty was biscuits.
- Whether it was the settling of a lawsuit over the height of the mill pond, the constant demands of the business or the dramatic success of his ventures, Edward Lawson sold everything in 1860 to John Gardhouse, a young Englishman.4