It was George Taylor Denison, who had been only 9 years old when his father moved their family to Canada, who consolidated the wealth and influence of the Denison family and forged the connection between the Denisons and what would become Kensington Market. In 1806, George married Esther Borden Lippincott, the only daughter of the wealthy Loyalist Richard Lippincott, significantly increasing his estate and social connections in the process.[i] The couple had three sons: Richard Lippincott, George Taylor II, and Robert Brittain.[ii]
In 1815, after his service in the War of 1812, George purchased park lots 17 and 18, the location of modern day Kensington Market.[iii] That same year, he started the construction of his home Bellevue at the corner of Bellevue Square park, the modern location of the Kiever synagogue, which was roughly the center of his property.[iv] At this time, the Denisons were one of very few families living in the area. Bellevue was a “Georgian style home,” notable for being aligned with the cardinal directions, surrounded by the Denisons‘ farm, complete with an orchard.[v] The area around the house was thickly forested and George had to cut down trees in order to let sunlight in.[vi] His efforts included clearing a square in front of the house which occasionally served as parade grounds and a location for drills for the voluntary cavalry unit that he raised and maintained at his own expense.[vii] The family would eventually donate this land to become Bellevue Square Park.[viii]
George was involved in Canada’s military, in various positions throughout his life.[ix] He was a successful farmer and developer of his estate.[x] George married four times (he outlived 3 wives) “doing well in each case.”[xi] Over the course of his life, as Toronto developed, the value of his property increased significantly; late in his life he began to survey, and even sell off, portions of his property.[xii] When George Taylor Denison died in 1853, his will was reputed to be “the largest ever probated in Ontario to that date” and included 556 acres of Toronto.[xiii]
[i] Taylor 100, Gagan 18 Cochrane 11Lundell 32
[ii] Taylor, 101
[iii] Ibid, 100
[iv] Taylor 100 Cochrane 11
[v] Lundell 32, Myrvold 8.
[vi] Denison 14
[vii] Lundell 32, Cochrane 11, Taylor 11.
[viii] Taylor 100
[ix] Lundell 32
[x] Denison 16
[xi] Cochrane 11
[xii] Gagan 23, Cochrane 14, Lundell 32
[xiii] Lundell 32-33, Cochrane 11