Dunbar, Francis Grant | Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada

DUNBAR, Francis Grant (1830-1898) was born in Inverness, Scotland in 1830 and emigrated to the United States when a young man. He worked in New York City and Cincinnati then moved to Ontario about 1855 where he settled as Orangeville. He commenced practice there in 1862 as an architect and builder (Sun [Orangeville], 24 April 1862, 3, advert.) and possessed a considerable knowledge of stylistic trends in the mid-nineteenth century, evident in his Gothic designs for three churches in the town. His best known work is a sophisticated Italianate scheme for the Town Hall & Market in Orangeville (1875). In 1876 he moved to Shelburne, Ont. and only a few references to his work there can be found. He devoted much of his later career to government service; he was village clerk of Shelburne from 1879 and a local justice of the peace. In 1893 he was appointed Clerk of the Division Court. Dunbar died in Shelburne on 20 April 1898 (obit. in Shelburne Free Press, 21 April 1898, 4; biog. in J. Rose, History of Shelburne, 1973, 337-8)

MILTON, ONT., Bruce Street Public School, 1856; demol. 1973 (R. Greenhill et al, Ontario Towns, 1974, 45, illus.)
ORANGEVILLE, ONT., Canada Presbyterian Church, 1862-63 (Sun (Orangeville) 5 Feb. 1863, 2, descrip.)
ORANGEVILLE, ONT., commercial block and adjacent residence for W.E. Thompson, Broadway, 1862-63 (Sun [Orangeville], 19 March 1863, 2, descrip.)
ORANGEVILLE, ONT., Primitive Methodist Church, Zina Street at First Street, 1867-68 (Sun (Orangeville), 27 Feb. 1868, 2, descrip.; B. Marshall, History of Westminster United Church, 1979, 164, descrip.)
ORANGEVILLE, ONT., Wesleyan Methodist Church, First Avenue, 1871-72 (Sun [Orangeville], 6 July 1871, 2, descrip.)
ROSEMONT, ONT., Methodist Church, 1872-73 (Christian Guardian [Toronto], 29 Jan. 1873, 37, descrip.)
ORANGEVILLE, ONT., Town Hall & Market, Broadway Avenue, 1875 (Sun [Orangeville], 22 July 1875, 2, descrip. & t.c.; M. MacRae & A. Adamson, Cornerstones of Order, 1983, 194-5, illus.)
ORANGEVILLE, ONT., St. Peters Roman Catholic Church, John Street near Church Street, 1875, church closed in 1969 (Sun [Orangeville], 30 Dec. 1875, 2)
SHELBURNE, ONT., Town Hall, Main Street, 1882, town bell and hose tower, 1890 (Sun [Orangeville], 27 Nov. 1890, 2; J. Rose, History of Shelburne, 1973, 338)