From History of the County of Brant, F. Douglas Reville, p. 75
The Muirhead family, in the persons of two brothers James and William, came from Niagara about 1828, and settled at "Brant's Ford." About 1835, as the town plot began to take shape, James bought half an acre of land at the North West corner of Queen and Wellington Streets and built the rough-cast house still standing there, in which he resided until his death in 1868.
It is said that his friends rather made fun of his locating so far out of town, and this may have been one reason why his brother William was less venturesome and chose as his place of abode the north west comer of Queen and Darling Streets. Later on William set up to be a landed proprietor on a large scale, and bought the farm and built the fine house known as "Oakwood," facing the Mount Pleasant road in West Brantford with a long river frontage. This for many years was one of the most attractive places in the county. It was subsequently acquired by John C. Palmer of the Kerby House and used as a summer annex to the hotel, special stress being laid upon the efficacy of the sulphur springs on the property.
James Muirhead married Mary Heron of Niagara, whose father Andrew Heron published the first newspaper there, (called "The Gleaner") and was a man of much enterprise and public spirit as shown by the records of old Niagara. Their family consisted of five sons and one daughter, the latter becoming the wife of Charles Edwin Smith, for a long period Deputy Sheriff. The last survivor of them was Andrew Douglas Muirhead who for many years resided at 156 Brant Avenue and died there in 1910.
William Muirhead married Miss Buckwell of the English family of that name, who early settled in Port Dover, and of whose descendants some still live there. They also had a large family of sons and daughters the survivors of whom reside in the West.
The only representative of either family now associated with Brantford is Mr. George Heron Muirhead, B.C.L., son of A.D. Muirhead, his mother having been a daughter of Rev. George Goodson, a Minister of the Methodist Church once stationed at Mount Pleasant. Mr. G. Muirhead was for many years a member of the law firm of Brewster, Muirhead & Heyd, and later located in Toronto, as Deputy Master of Titles for Ontario. While in the Queen City he always maintained a loyal connection with the old home enterprises and institutions and has lately returned here.