Godfrey is a small community located about 40 minutes' drive time north of Kingston, Ontario, Canada on Hwy. 38. It is named for Chester H. Godfrey, one of the original settlers, who donated land on which the village was built. While there is currently no specific village, it can be described as the area of Highway 38 that extends between the villages of Verona and Parham, as well as that portion of Westport Road extending to the hamlet of Burridge. It also includes the former settlement of Cole Lake. (which possessed a separate rail station, known as Hinchinbrooke Station, and postal outlet up to the early part of the 20th century). Godfrey was originally in the Township of Hinchinbrooke which has since become amalgamated into the township of Central Frontenac, which also encompasses the townships of Kennebec, Olden and Oso.
History
The place currently known as Godfrey was founded as "Deniston" on 10 October 1854, based on the placement of a post office by the same name. Locals referred to the place as "Iron Ore Junction", due to the large ore deposits and other mineral deposits in the area. The presence of iron ore was known since 1869 when it was reported in the provincial gazetteer that "Iron and plumbago are in the neighbourhood." The place was renamed to Godfrey on 1 April 1878 named in honor of Chester H. Godfrey, the man who had donated land which the village is built and due to his position as Justice of the Peace of Deniston. References to a place name of "Bedford Station" can also be found, as the rail station on the Kingston and Pembroke line in Godfrey, was known as "Bedford Station".
Chester Godfrey inherited the land on the 3rd Concession in Hinchinbrooke Township that became the town, Godfrey, bearing his namesake. He inherited this land from his father, Warren Godfrey when his father moved on to Olden Township. Warren Godfrey applied for land patent for the land in December 1843 to the Governor General of British North America, Sir Charles Theophilus Metcalfe. The land patent was granted on 21 March 1844. Warren Godfrey Land Patent Warren Godfrey was also the construction supervisor of 41 miles of the Frontenac Road in Hinchenbrooke Township, northward through Olden and Clarendon Townships to the intersection of the Mississippi Road.
First settlers to the area were John McKnight, James Hickey, Michael Judge, James Hill, Terry Nefcey and James Kennedy. First babies born to the new settlers were James Hickey and Ned Judge in 1837; born the same day only minutes apart.
Godfrey became home to two general stores , McGowan's and R.B. Howes and Son General Store which was also an Esso dealer. R.B. Howes and Son was founded in 1885 by Richard Bennett Howes who also took the post master position for Godfrey. Richard Howes was joined in business by his son, Joe Howes, in 1924 and the General Store became known as R.B. Howes and Son. When Richard died, Joe assumed ownership of the store and took the position of postmaster. He was postmaster until retirement in 1960 when the position was transferred to Richard Leslie Judge. Joe Howes however, continued to run the store and eventually transferred the business to his son, Richard (Dick) Howes. The store closed in 1981; the end of the era of the General Store.
Kingston and Pembroke Railway (K&P) The Kingston and Pembroke Railway established the Bedford Station in Godfrey, opening in 1875. As many as eight trains would come into the station daily.
Mining
As mentioned above, ore deposits were known to the residents of Godfrey for some time before the K&P railway opened up the area to larger scale mining. K&P ran a branch line to a mine known as the Glendower mine, four miles from the Bedford station.