FORSYTH, Nathan (1851-1948) of Stouffville, Ontario was a successful carpenter, builder and architect who appears to have prepared his own designs and drawings for a variety of residential and ecclesiastical buildings from c. 1880 to 1910. Born in Uxbridge Towship on 21 September 1851, he moved to Stouffville after 1870 and learned the building trades. In 1896 he completed a Gothic design for the Methodist Church in the village of Greenbank, Ont. This landmark was described in early 1897 in the Christian Guardian [Toronto], 6 Jan. 1897, 9, and this weekly journal stated that Nathan Forsyth was ."...the same architect" who had previously designed the Methodist Church in nearby Stouffville and completed in 1892. He continued to work in the Stouffville area until after 1925, and later died in that town on 11 March 1946 (obituary and port. Stouffville Tribune, 14 March 1946, 1; biog. and port. Stouffville Tribune, 21 Sept. 1944, 1). The Whitchurch-Stouffville Historical Society has documented many of the works by Forsyth in their Walking Tour publication printed in 2003, and listed below in this entry.
(works in Stouffville)
DALEY'S HALL, Main Street, a community hall with skating arena, for R.J. Daley, 1885 (inf. Fred Robbins, Stouffville)
CHURCH STREET, No. 96, at Warriner Avenue, residence for Nathan Forsyth, architect, c. 1890 (Stouffville Tribune, 11 May 1950, 5, list of works in historical article)
CHURCH STREET, No. 60, residence for Letitia Barkey, also called the David Stouffer House, c. 1891 (Stouffville Tribune, 11 May 1950, 5, list of works in historical article)
METHODIST CHURCH, Church Street North at Duchess Street, 1892 (Stoufville History 1877-1977, 71)
CHURCH STREET, residence for William J. Stark, c. 1893 (Stouffville Tribune, 11 May 1950, 5, list of works in historical article)
CHURCH STREET, No. 105, residence for Blanche Bartholomew, c. 1893
CHURCH STREET, No. 72, residence for Samuel Burkholder, 1893 (Stouffville Tribune, 11 May 1950, 5, list of works in historical article)
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Main Street, 1894 (inf. Fred Robbins, Stouffville)
O'BRIEN AVENUE, No. 65, residence for Rubin Stevens, 1894 (Stouffville Historical Society, Walking Tour No. 2 - Village Center South)
RUPERT AVENUE, No. 65, residence for Lewis Bartholomew, 1894 (Stouffville Historical Society, Walking Tour No. 8 - Junction North)
PUBLIC AUDITORIUM, No. 19 Civic Avenue, market building with Concert Hall on the 2nd Floor, 1895; still standing in 2022 (inf. Fred Robbins, Stouffville)
FIRE HALL & HOSE TOWER, Civic Square, 1899; with hose tower later re-clad in brick 1931; Fire Hall later demolished in 1967, but tower left standing and converted to a clock tower (Sun-Tribune [Stouffville], 16 Dec. 2006, 3, illus. & descrip.)
MAIN STREET, at Albert Street, residence for Joseph Todd, c. 1901 (inf. Fred Robbins, Stouffville)
CHURCH STREET, No. 102, Methodist parsonage, c. 1902, originally built as a residence, and sold by Nathan Forsyth to the Methodist Church for use as a Manse (inf. Fred Robbins, Stouffville)
CHURCH STREET, No. 184, residence for John Bartholomew, c. 1902 (Stouffville Historical Society, Walking Tour No. 1)
MAPLE LEAF INDOOR SKATING RINK, Park Street, 1906
MAIN STREET, No. 6448, residence for Milt Leavens, c. 1915 (inf. Fred Robbins, Stouffville)
CHURCH STREET, residence for Abram Yake, 1928 (Stouffville Tribune, 24 May 1928, 5)
CHURCH STREET, No. 171, residence for Nathan Forsyth, architect, 1931 (Stouffville Tribune, 30 April 1931, 1)
(works outside Stouffville)
BLOOMINGTON, ONT., Christian Church, 1892 (Stouffville Tribune, 13 April 1950, 1, reference in a historical article on the local United Church, but erroneously called "...the Methodist Church, Bloomington")
GREENBANK, ONT., Methodist Church, 1896-97 (Christian Guardian [Toronto], 6 Jan. 1897, 9, descrip.)
RINGWOOD, ONT., residence for Mr. Bruels, at 12049 Highway No. 48; house moved to new site in Heritage Estates, Markham, David Gohn Circle, north of 16th Avenue, c. 2006 (inf. Fred Robbins, Stouffville)
LOCUST HILL, ONT., residence for Herbert Jarvis and H.B. Reesor, on Highway 7, 1909 (Stouffville Tribune, 17 Dec. 1926, 5; inf. Fred Robbins, Stouffville)