Moses Waldron opened the first store in Bishop’s Mills. He was instrumental in bringing telegraph services to the hamlet. Upon his death in 1860 his widow married George Ferguson and continued to run the business with his nephew Jack. The extensive mercantile business stocked nails, glass, tools, dry goods, boots, shoes, hats and gloves as well as staples such as coffee, tea, sugar, salt and tabacco. Local produce such as cheese, butter, and eggs would be shipped by wagon to Oxford Station and then by rail on to Bedell and then Montreal. The building was used as a store until 2002. It has most recently served as the home of the Bishops Mills Natural History Centre.
Bishops Mills
Bishops Mills is situated in the southwest corner of the former Township of Oxford on Rideau, in Lots 2 and 3, Concession 9. It was settled in 1840 by Chauncey (1797-1876) and Ira (1803-1883) Bishop, who built a sawmill, shingle mill and a grist mill, that gave the hamlet its name, on the part of the South Branch of the Rideau River known as Middle Creek. The Bishops opened a post office there in c. 1853 and operated it for over 25 years. The first store opened there in the early 19th century. In the mid 1860’s it was owned by Moses Waldron. Other early businesses in the hamlet included a cheese factory, general store, blacksmith shops, doctors office as well as churches and a school. The village plan was officially registered in 1885 at Prescott by dominion and provincial land surveyor Francis Jones.