One of Paisley's finest older homes stands on the corner of Church and Victoria Street just west of the car lot for Bud Rier Chevrolet Ltd.

In 1869 Dr. Peter McLaren, who had been practicing medicine in Paisley for eight years, purchased this lot from Samuel Rowe and had this fine home built. Increased property value on assessment and collector's rolls indicates it was completed in 1874. It was built of yellow brick set in stretcher bond. The foundation was rubble stone set in mortar. The first storey had ten-foot ceilings and the second story had eleven. The attic provided another storey because the bellcast mansard roof had three hooded dormers at the front (south) and two each on the east and west. Each bedroom had a walk in closet which today would be big enough for a bathroom. The mansard roof had projecting eaves with decorated boxed cornice. Fitted dark green shutters adorned all the windows.

Originally this beautiful house was laid out in a T plan. The single story wing on the east was built later to house the doctor's office. The front wing has a projecting centre bay, containing the main entrance, which is flanked by a recessed bay on either side. This style emulates the pavilions common to this style in France. This jut out extends up through the mansard roof where it is concaved on three sides and enhanced by a hooded dormer. The lower level of this bay contains double-leaf, two-panel doors. The doors have a flat structural opening and are capped by a recessed fanlight. The entrance is surrounded by moulded trim of grey cast stone shaped into a semi-circle and highlighted with a keystone. On the second level, double-leaf two-panel doors open on to a balcony.

The service wing off the centre of the north side has a simple gable roof with two windows on the east and west both upstairs and down. A modern door with radiating yellow brick stretchers above is placed on the east wall between the lower windows. On the west a small porch has been added to cover the steps leading down to a basement door. The porte-cochere that wraps around the east and north walls of the rear wing was added much later.

Dr. McLaren was very active in the affairs of the village. He was its treasurer for fourteen years and served several terms on the school board. He was a mason, a member of the Paisley Literacy Society and two Scottish groups, the St. Andrew's Society and the Caledonian Society. He also belonged to the Mechanic's Institute (the group responsible for the formation of the first library.)

In 1904, at the age of 65, Dr. McLaren sold his home and practice to a younger man, Dr. John H. O'Neill. One month after purchasing the house Dr. O'Neill was married and he and his bride settled in as the second owners of the house. However two years later Dr. O'Neill decided to take a post graduate course and eventually ended up in a larger centre. His successor was Dr. Herbert E. Gage, a graduate of Queen's University, a surgeon at Kingston General Hospital and general practitioner in Eastern Ontario.

Dr. Gage and his family lived in Paisley for twenty-one years. In 1908 they had a veranda built across the front. It was set in a concrete base and the roof was held up by white pillars. In the centre a balcony stretched the length of the centre-projecting bay.

Dr. Gage also took an active interest in the village. He was on the school board for quite a number of years, and chairman of the Board of Health. He was a leader in the Methodist church and at times occupied the pulpit. He was head of the choir, active in the Sunday school and on the quarterly board. At the time of church union he was one of the most influential workers for church union. He also participated in a town orchestra for many years, which provided entertainment to the public on many occasions. Dr. Gage died on July 30, 1926 and Dr. Grove took over his practice.

In May 1927 Dr. Grove purchased the house from Mrs. Gage and he and his family became the fourth owners. Dr. Grove served as a Councillor in 1936 and 1937. He also was the first president of the Paisley Rotary Club in 1938-1939. During World War II, Dr. Grove moved to Ottawa and in 1945 his family joined him.

After housing doctors and their families for seventy-one years, that chapter of the home's life came to a close when Lewis Rowley purchased it. After his death his widow altered it to become apartments before selling it to Reiner and Ruby Neuman who opened it as an antique shop and museum for a short time.

In April 1984 the house was purchased by Lloyd and Margaret Jean Hutton. They lovingly cared for the beautiful old house for nearly twenty-five years. Now it is waiting for a new owner.

by permission of the Paisley  Advocate

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