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William Wright, a comparatively wealthy Irishman, arrived in 1825, and patented Lot 10, Concession 1, owned until then by the Smith Estate, in 1826. His bride did not like Canada and apparently did not unpack her elaborate trousseau. He built the large and beautiful stone house now owned and renovated by the Arnold family, of "Pickering; Farms", during the early l850's. His friend, Reazin, also an Irish Quaker, lived right beside him in the smaller brick house, situated just east of the house now known as "Arnhill". This property was owned by the Fothergill family for many years before the Arnolds purchased it. This property is still cultivated, with a lovely flower garden, hay and grain fields adjacent to Ajax. The large barn, which housed many thousands of sheep until the year it was burned down - 1957. Pictured at left: Arn Hills - Res. - H. Arnold CORNELL Gervas Cornell arrived in Whitby Township early in the l820's, but he did not come to Pickering until about 1835. He purchased Lot 9, Concession 2, from King's College in the early 1840's. During the 1870's, they built the large red brick farm house still occupied by Donald Cowan. The Cornells intermarried with the other Quaker families of Pickering, and their son, Walter, who died at the age of 26, was the first Principal of Pickering Public School. Mrs. N. Bie, of the Women's Institute, and her daughter, Mrs. Cliff Barkey, are the descendants of the Cornells. Mrs. Bie lent us the photos of Gervas Cornell. His son, Edward, built the new house, and in 1868, Gervas moved to the Village to the house which is now the property of Harold Richardson. Pictured to the right Gervas Cornell, born New York State 1805-1877 Pictured at the bottom of the page Hannah Cornell, Wife of Gervas, 1806-1890