The house at 223 Water Street was built in 1907 by Donald A. McLachlan.

Donald Alexander McLachlan was born in Lobo Township (on Lot 7, Concession 5), Middlesex County, in 1875, the third son of Donald McLachlan and Margaret Fraser. His parents, while Canadian-born, were of Scottish ancestry.

In 1901 Donald was still living on the farm with his family but had found his calling as a teacher. Soon after he moved to Stratford where he appears to have found a teaching position. In October 1904 he married Christina Elizabeth McVicar, born in 1877, the daughter of John McVicar and Janet McArthur. Like the McLachlans the McVicars were of Scottish origin and also farmed in Lobo Township (on Lot 5, Concession 8), and it is quite likely that Donald and Christina met in that community. They were married there but made their home in Stratford. The young couple first lived on Caledonia Street and then moved to 216 Albert Street.

By then, if not from the start of his time in Stratford, Donald was employed at the Central Business College, a private school founded by W.J. Elliott in 1887. Donald took over as principal of the college from the elder Mr. Elliott, who became its president. The college, located in the Gordon Block at Ontario, Erie and Downie Streets, offered day and evening classes and advertised a “large catalogue” of courses.

A year after the birth of their first child, Jean, in 1906, the McLachlans built a fine house of their own and moved to 223 Water Street. Three other children followed. Their only son, Donald, born in 1910, died as an infant in 1912. A second daughter, Marion, was born in 1915. A third daughter, Lois, born in 1918, also died as an infant the following year.

According to Donald’s obituary, he and Christina were active members of Knox Presbyterian Church. Donald took a keen interest is sport, particularly hockey, and was a member of the Stratford Curling Club and Stratford Country Club. He served as a member of the Board of Park Management and the Board of Education. He was also elected to city council and served one term as alderman in 1914.

In 1930, at the age of 52, Christina died of apoplexy (stroke) at the family home. By that time Donald was working at the federal Income Tax Department (Department of National Revenue) in London. It was likely the loss of his wife that led him to sell 223 Water Street, and by 1931 he was living in London.

Sometime later he married his second wife Mary McEwen (nee Mack).

In late June 1953, John returned to Stratford during Old Home Week and attended a reunion of former mayors and councillors. A week or so later, on July 6, while on holiday in Muskoka, Donald died suddenly of a heart attack at Wilberforce at age 78. He is buried with his first wife Christina and their infant children in Avondale Cemetery.