History of the Children of Peace
The Children of Peace, who built the Sharon Temple, embodied contradiction after contradiction. They were a "plain folk", as they were Quakers who held little to no musical tradition; yet, they went on to create the first civilian band in Canada and build one of the earliest organs in Ontario. They built an ornate temple to better raise money for their various charitable causes, which would include relief for victims of cholera, widows, and the poor and funds to support struggling community members. It would allow them to build the province's first shelter for the homeless. By 1851, Sharon was the most prosperous village in the province. They took a lead role in the organization of the province's first farmer's co-operative, which would be known as the Farmers' Storehouse, and they opened one of the province's earliest credit unions. As firm political reformers, they played a role in the development of democracy and responsible government in Canada through their support of the reform movement of the early to mid nineteenth century. They would go on to campaign for the elections of both "fathers of responsible government" - Robert Baldwin and Louis Hippolyte LaFontaine - in their riding in 1841, despite threats of political violence. While the group did fade from earlier prominence toward the latter half of the nineteenth century, they are still remembered today for the Sharon Temple itself, which stands as an architectural symbol of their vision for a society based on the values of peace, equality and social justice.
The Second Meeting House of the Children of Peace and their Cookhouse. The former was demolished in the early 1910s, but the latter survives on the grounds of the Sharon Museum today.
The Children of Peace's civilian band came to be known as the Sharon Silver Brass Band as the years went on. They were quite prolific performers, going on to compete in both Canada and the United States.