John W. Davis Block

John W. Davis Block. . , John W. Davis opened a furniture manufacturing shop at this location in 1846. He also made coffins, and acted as the local undertaker. , The present structure was built following the fire of 1884. , Mr. Davis sold his furniture business to local undertakers Town and Spears, but retained the building. His family sold the building to William H. Letcher in 1901. Mr. Letcher passed the business and property on to his son Merlin in 1914. , The Letcher family sold the business to Archie McDermott in 1928 and in 1934 the McDermott Funeral and Furniture store was renovated to provide separate sections for each service. A new chapel was added to the south end of the building in 1951. , Art Panabaker began working for Mr. McDermott in 1946, purchasing half ownership in the business eight years later. Grant McDermott, Archie's son, joined Panabaker as a partner in 1960. , This was the same year the front exterior of the building was extended to the street, adding a large picture windows for the furniture show rooms abutting the sidewalk. , Art Panabaker and Grant McDermott retired in 1981, selling the building and business to Harold Wagg of Uxbridge. Mr. Wagg closed the furniture division but opened an art gallery in its place. , Myles O'Riordan purchased the business from Harold Wagg in August 1990. In the fall of 1997, Mr. O'Riordan expanded the Wagg Funeral Home by constructing a large addition, modernizing and enlarging the chapels. , The Wagg Funeral Home is one of the oldest businesses in Port Perry, having operated as an ongoing funeral home since 1846.