THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES o THE HISTORY OF THE County of Bruce AND OF THE MINOR MUNICIPALITIES THEREIN, Province of Ontario, Canada Treasurer of the County of Bruce Secretary Bruce County Historical Society TORONTO WILLIAM BRIGGS 1906 Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Cafcada, in the year one thousand nine hundred and sit, by NORMAN ROBBRTSOS, at the Department of Agriculture. AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION. As the numbers became reduced of those who had entered the county of Bruce as its first settlers, a desire prevailed that, ere it was too late, an attempt be made to gather from their lips the story of the pioneer days; as this, with an accurate narrative of the early evolution of Bruce, must be obtained, if ever, before those who had been the active participants had passed away. In the preface to the Atlas of the County, published by H. Belden & Co., in 1880, is to be found the first effort made in this direction. This Atlas, however, was an expensive volume, and is in the possession of but few, and the historical sketch contained therein is but little known. In 1896 the County Council offered a prize of $50 for the best paper on the history of the county. In response to this, two papers were submitted, one written by John McNabb, the other by the author of this volume. Both of these papers were considered to possess such merit that the Council offered to give to each of the writers the prize offered, provided that two additional chapters be written one on the Schools of Bruce, and the other on the Militia and Volunteers of the County. These two chapters were supplied by the writer. After paying the promised reward, the County Council let matters rest, taking no steps to publish the manuscripts submitted. From the foregoing it may be seen that a knowledge of any historical facts relating to the county has been largely confined to the recollections of the oldest inhabitants, and to them only. The two historical sketches above referred to were prepared along different lines. Mr. McNabb wrote largely of the history of the several minor municipalities. The other sketch was a continuous historical narrative of the county as a whole. Perceiving that each form possessed merits the other had not, and thinking that a larger work combining these two forms would cover every historical feature 1205044 iv AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION necessary to be recorded, the writer suggested to Mr. McNabb a compilation of the two narratives. Nothing, however, was done to carry out the suggestion. After thinking it over for two or three years, the author resolved to start de novo and write a History of the County of Bruce along the line spoken of above. Putting both of the above papers aside, work in the way of gathering necessary material was commenced. It was not long before the author became aware that he had not commenced a day too soon. Death was very busy among the old pioneers, and in a short time he would have been too late. During the past eight years scores of old settlers have been personally interviewed; those who are no longer residents of the county have been corresponded with ; the records of the county offices at Walkerton and Goderich have been searched, and also those of many of the minor municipalities. Various Government Departments at Ottawa and Toronto have, on application, supplied documents full of interesting historical facts. The libraries of Parliament have also furnished a quota of information. Files of old newspapers have been closely scanned, and no stone has been left unturned to .secure material for a full and accurate history of the county and of the minor municipalities therein. The first eleven chapters of this work refer to the county at large. Then follow twenty-seven chapters, each of which deals with a separate minor municipality. This method may have resulted in some repetition, but only where for the sake of the narrative it has been unavoidable, which, under the circumstances, the reader is asked to excuse. The author has met with the greatest kindness and willingness to oblige from every one from whom information has been sought. He desires to tender his most hearty thanks to all those who have so aided him. Especially would he mention the late Thomas Adair; W. K. Brown and Henry Smith, of the Crown Lands Department; W. S. Gould, County Clerk of Bruce; W. M. Dack, Registrar, and George A. McKay, Deputy Registrar of the County; the late Fred Lamorandiere, Indian interpreter, and the several county newspapers, from the columns of which many items have been culled. His AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION v thanks are also markedly due to James Warren, C.E., who generously permitted his large map of the county to be used for the purpose of obtaining the plates from which the sixteen maps of the townships contained herein are printed. The expense of publishing a volume such as this is greater than is generally imagined. To help over this obstacle the County Council of Bruce, in a broad-minded, liberal spirit, granted one thousand dollars to the Bruce County Historical Society under whose auspices this volume is issued to assist in publishing it, on the understanding that the sum granted be refunded out of the first sales of the book. In connection with this grant a committee, consisting of A. W. Robb, William McDonald and W. J. Henry, was appointed by the County Council for consulting purposes. In writing this History the author has done so with a conscientious desire to avoid writing simply for effect. His effort has been to give a truthful historical narrative, lightened up with such local coloring as was available from the individual incidents and experiences of the pioneers. These personal experiences are fittingly narrated in a history of the county, for when the early settlers pass away there will be no one left to tell at first-hand the tales of the backwoods life of the pioneers of Bruce. While conscious of many defects in literary style, the author sends this volume forth with hopeful anticipation of a kindly reception from all those whose home is in, or whose home memories are associated with, the county of Bruce. NORMAN ROBERTSON. WALKERTON, ONT. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAOB I. The Surrender of the Indian Title 1 II. The Queen's Bush 10 III. The Pioneers, 1831-1849 17 IV. The Infant County, 1850-1856 38 V. The Settlement of the County, 1850-1856 ..... 47 VI. The County Town Contest Years, 1857-1866 81 VII. Full Development Attained, 1867-1881 104 VIII. Thriring and Progressing, 1882-1906 ...... 128 IX. Schools and Education, 1851-1906 . ^_ . . . . .159 X. The Militia and Volunteers of Bruce, 1857-1906 . . . .177 XI. The Indian Peninsula, 1854-1906 ' . 193 XII. Township of Amabel . 206 XIII. Wiarton 220 XIV. Township of Albemarle 234 XV. Township of Eastnor 243 XVI. Township of Lindsay 251 XVII. Township of St. Edmunds 256 XVIII. Township of Arran . . . . . , . . .262 XIX. Village of Tara . . . . 274 XX. Township of Brant 278 XXI. Walkerton 293 XXII. Township of Bruce . . .314 XXIII. Village of Tirerton 328 XXIV. Township of Carrick 335 XXV. Township of Culross 344 XXVI. Village of Teeswater 354 XXVII. Township of Elderslie 362 XXVIII. Town of Chesley 374 XXIX. Village of Paisley 383 XXX. Township of Greenock 401 XXXI. Township of Huron 415 XXXII. Township of Kincardine 429 XXXIII. Town of Kincardine 439 XXXIV. Township of Kinloss 469 viii CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE XXXV. Village of Lucknow 475 XXXVI. Township of Saugeen 489 XXXVII. Village of Port Elgin 496 XXXVIII. Town of Southampton ^, \$; /vy > 508 APPENDICES. AITIWDIX A. Copy of Indian Treaty surrendering Saugeen Peninsula, 13th October, 1854 . . . . . v ... ..'!-. . 525 . B. Report of Committee on proposed changes in shape of Indian Re- serves, 27th September, 1855 . . . .'..". . 527 C. Schedule. Showing Indian affairs, June 30th, 1900 <. . . 528 D. Copy of Ordr-in-Council, August 26th, 1848. He Free Grants . 529 E. Copy of Hand-bills-announcing the opening of the Free Grant lands for settlement 531 F. Copy of By-law dissolving the Municipal Union of Townships and erecting six separate municipalities . .- -v . . 532 G. Appointment of a local Crown Land Agent . . -. . . 534 H. First advertisement offering lands for sale by the Crown, dated June 27th, 1851 534 I. Advertisement of lands in Half-mile Strip, Arran, by Indian Department, July 23rd, 1852. . . . ., .. - . 535 J. Advertisement offering School Lands for sale, July 30th, 1852 . 535 K. Advertisement giving notification of " The Big Land Sale, " August 14th, 1854 . . . . .-. ... . . . . 536 L. Tabulated Statement of population as given in the decennial Census returns 1850-1901 537 M. Assessment of the different townships, 1851-1857 . . . . 538 N. List of places bearing various names within the county of Bruce. List of embryonic towns that now are not .... 538 O. Land Improvement Fund. How the Government broke faith with the settlers ., 539 P. Report of the Committee on the Destitution existing in the County of Bruce in 1859 545 Q. List of -Wardens of the County of Bruce 546 R. Result of various votes on Prohibition . . . . . . 547 S. Names of Bruce County Volunteers to whom medals have been granted . 548 T. List of various issues of County of Bruce Debentures . . . . 550 U. Report of Commissioners, re County Council Divisions . . . 551 V. Copy of the Advertisement of Indian Land Sale, Owen Sound, 1856 552 ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE COUNTY COUNCIL OP BRUCE, 1905-6, AND OFFICERS . . . Frontispiece RUINS OF THE BUILDING ON MAIN STATION ISLAND . . . . . 24 ALLAN CAMERON . . . . . . . . . . " . - . 32 WILLIAM WITHERS . " . . . . . . '".".''. 32 GEORGE JACKSON .''.' . " . . ' . . . . . "... 32 LATHAM B. HAMLIN . " . ' . ' . ' . . . . . . . . 32 DONALD SINCLAIR . . .... . . . . .64 GEORGE GOULD ......64 JOHN GILLIES . " . .'.'. . . . ' . .' '"' '. '""* ; "' V '. :I (ft ALEXANDER McNABB . . . . . . . . : . - ." . '64 COURT HOUSE AND GAOL, WALR-ERTON . . . . .".'.' . 103 PROCESSION FORMED ON DURHAM STREET, WALKERTON, NOVEMBITR, 1869, TO CELEBRATE THE PASSING OF THE RAILWAY BY-LAW . . . ' ' . . 110 ALEXANDER SHAW, K.C. . . ' * ' . ' * ' . . ... . 120 WILLIAM GCTNN . . . . . . . . . ... . 120 J. J. KINGSMILL . . . . . . . . . ' . . . 120 HENRY CARGILL . . . . . . . . . "r - . . 120 REV. WILLIAM FRASER . . . . . . . . . ' . . 252 B. B. MILLER . . .... ...'... . 252 ALEXANDER MCDONALD . ' . . . . . . . . . . 252 JoWN DOUGLASS . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 FLOWER POT ISLAND, TOWNSHIP OF ST. EDMUNDS ... . . . 260 JOHN ECKFORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 LT.-COL. A. SPROAT . . . .-.-.. . . . 288 JAMES BROCKLEBANK . . 288 JOSEPH WALKER 288 OLD VIEW OF DURHAM STREET, WALKERTON, ABOUT 1878 . . . . 308 HIGH SCHOOL, CHESLEY . 378 X ILLUSTRATIONS PAOB SIMON ORCHARD .' 384 SAMTKL T. ROWE 384 JOHN S. MCDONALD 384 CAPT. DUNCAN ROWAN 384 .'M '. -' t ' ' :'j ' PETER ROBKRTSON . . . \. -. - .,...'-.- !<'-. . . . 448 WILLIAM SUTTON 448 WILLIAM RASTALL 448 D. A. MACCRIMMON, M.D. . . . . ....... ..., - . 448 VIEW OF KINCARDINE HARBOR IN 1878 . . . 460 CAPT. JOHN SPENCE j 496 LT.-COL. A. E. BELCHER ; 496 HENRY HILKER 496 .I *. :t". .;.< THOMAS ADAIR 496 . . \ ..-.* I, .' - f .>:: i . MAPS. TOWNSHIP OF AMABEL 207 " " ALBEMARLE . >, ? .. . 235 " " EASTNOR - .. ....... v ,. .242 " ." LINDSAY . ,^.-;;- . ,'.;-.=-'; .-t-,-^,,- . f 25 " ST. EDMUNDS ,..,,,. . . . ... . .-.,. - : .-,_ , ,.^ . 257 " " ARRAN -, .,.,,;. . 263 ." " BRANT .. ; . . 279 " BRUCE . f 315 . ." " CARRICK 334 (j~. i . . . , . " CULROSS ' : '. .-. 345 " " ELDERSLIE 363 " " GBEENOCK - t ... . . 400 " " HURON 414 " KINCARDINE . ... .. -.=,.. .... . . ;.-..,. . 428 " " KINLOSS . . . . . . . . . -,, _. . 468 ..-!' " SAUOEEN --- ; 488 ;.?. x.'.s-r HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF BRUCE. CHAPTER I. THE SURRENDER OF THE INDIAN TITLE. " To the lands in this Province acquired by conquest, the British Crown has invariably waived its right until what the Crown has been pleased to recognize as the Indian title has been extinguished by a treaty of surrender." Mr. Justice Gwynne. DURING the period which has elapsed since the red man of this continent came first in contact with his pale-faced brother, he has experienced at the hands of the latter a. process whose general trend has been toward the extinction of his race and the spoliation of his territories. To-day we find that his numbers are largely reduced, and his lands, both forest and prairie, have passed from his posses- sion. At times it has been the bloody hand of war that snatched from the Indians their ancestral inheritance. At others this process of divestment was as effectively, but more peacefully, accomplished while sitting in conference at the council fire, smoking the pipe of peace with white men sent to treat with them; there, yielding to plausible and beguiling arguments, the simple-minded Indians have by treaty surrendered their territories for a comparative trifle. Four centuries ago, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, this con- tinent formed the hunting ground of large numbers of Indian tribes. To-day, owing to the causes above recited, supplemented by the ravages of disease and " firewater/' the Indians have been dispos- sessed of their lands, while their reduced numbers find ample accommodation and provision in the reservations that have been set apart for them by the governments of Canada and the United States. The British Government in its dealings with the Indians has always manifested a liberal and honorable spirit, as well as a fair regard for their treaty rights. The result of this has been that Canada has known no merciless and bloody Indian wars, and the Indians who live under the British flag, although diminished in numbers, 2 1 OJ1BVVAVS AND IKO^t'OIS have made fair progress in the path of civilization, entertaining meanwhile friendly feelings toward the whites. Our knowledge of the Indian tribes who have resided in the ter- ritory now comprised in the county of Bruce and adjacent thereto commences with the advent of the French explorers and the Jesuit missionaries in the early part of the seventeenth century. At that time a branch of the great Algonquin family of Indians inhabited the Manitoulin Islands, with scattered bands to be found in what is now known as the Saugeen peninsula; these bore the tribal name of the Ottawas. To the south and east there dwelt the Tobacco nation, or Wyandottes, whose territories extended from the Blue Hills, near Xottawasaga Bay, to the mouth of the Menesetung, or Maitland River. Yet further east dwelt the Hurons, in the district north of Lake Simcoe, a tribe whose memory is perpetuated by the broad lake which bears their name, but who as a nation were almost exterminated by their inveterate oes, the Iroquois. This nation, after their victory over the Hurons, proceeded to occupy all the lands in the peninsula between Lake Ontario and Lake Huron. How the Iroquois were in turn dispossessed by the Ojibways, 1 or Chippawas, is here given, in the form of a condensed extract, from a book written by one of that nation: 2 " The Ojibways, who, prior to the extirpation of the Hurons and Wyandottes, dwelt in the Lake Superior country,, annually sent some of their number to trade with the French at Quebec or Mont- real. A party of these were waylaid and killed by the Iroquois. Threats of reprisals were treated by the latter with scorn. After a second party had been similarly attacked and slain, a council of the nation was held, resulting in some of their chiefs being sent to confer with the Iroquois. The meeting was held at Saugeen, and resulted in the Iroquois agreeing to pay a bale of furs for each man that had been killed, and in addition granted permission to the Ojibways to pass peaceably on trading trips to Montreal. This treaty held good for three years, when bands of Iroquois waylaid simultaneously several parties of Ojibways, returning from a trading journey. This happened in the fall of the year, too late in the season to commence warlike operations; so the war decided upon 111 Ojibway " is the correct name of this tribe, but " Chippawa " is that most generally used. It is of this tribe that Longfellow writes in " Hiawatha." *"The Traditional History of the Ojibway Nation." By George Copway, or Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh, Chief of the Ojibway nation. Published in 1850. See also " History of the Ojibway Indians," by Rev. Peter Jones, for state- ments substantiating Copway's account. BATTLE OF SAUGEEN 3 was put off until the following spring. In the meantime, runners were sent to the various allies of the nation, dwelling in the region between the west end of Lake Erie and the head-waters of the Mississippi, to join them in the coming war. In the month of May following, the combined forces gathered in two parties, one at Lake St. Clair and the other at Sault Ste. Marie, seven hundred canoes being there assembled. This latter party divided into two bands. One advanced on the enemy by way of the Ottawa valley, while the other proceeded to Penetanguishene. The Lake St. Clair division at the same time came up the east coast of Lake Huron to the mouth of the Saugeen Eiver, where a fierce battle was fought with the Iroquois, who ultimately gave way and fled before the savage onslaught of the Ojibways." Further details of the conflict carried on between these two Indian nations would be foreign to our subject. Suffice it to say, that the Ojibways succeeded, after several fiercely fought battles, in driving the Iroquois south of Lake Ontario, and retained posses- sion of the territories obtained by their victories until surrendered by treaty to the Crown. The treaty by which the Indian title was surrendered to that tract of land comprising the original county of Bruce, viz., the townships of Saugeen, Arran, Bruce, Elderslie, Kincardine, Greenock, Brant, Huron, Kinloss, Culross and Carrick, was concluded by Sir Francis Bond Head, at Manitowaning, on August 9th, 1836, the consideration given to the treating tribes being " twelve hundred and fifty pounds per annum, as long as grass grows or water runs." The treaty itself is such an interesting document that it is here given in full: "MY CHILDEEN: " Seventy snow seasons have now passed away since we met in Council at the crooked place (Niagara), at which time and place your Great Father, the King, and the Indians of North America tied their hands together by the wampum of friendship. " Since that period various circumstances have occurred to separate from your Great Father many of his red children, and as an unavoidable increase of white population, as well as the progress of cultivation, have had the natural effect of impoverishing your hunting grounds it has become necessary that new arrangements should be entered into for the purpose of protecting you from the encroachments of the whites. "In all parts of the world farmers seek for uncultivated land as eagerly as you, my red children, hunt in your forest for game. If you would cultivate your land it would then be considered your own 4 MANITOWANING TREATY property, in the same way as your dogs are considered among your- selves to belong to those who have reared them; but uncultivated land is like wild animals, and your Great Father, who has hitherto protected you, has now great difficulty in securing it for you from the whites, who are hunting to cultivate it. " Under these circumstances, I have been obliged to consider what is best to be done for the red children of the forest, and I now tell you my thoughts. " It appears that these islands on which we are now assembled in Council are, as well as all those on the north shore of Lake Huron, alike claimed by the English, the Ottawas and the Chippewas. " I consider that from their facilities and from their being sur- rounded by innumerable fishing islands, they might be made a most desirable place of residence for many Indians who wish to be civil- ized, as well as to be totally separated from the whites; and I now tell you that your Great Father will withdraw his claim to these islands and allow them to be applied for that purpose. "Are you, therefore, the Ottawas and Chippewas, willing to relinquish your respective claims to these Islands and make them the property (under your Great Father's control) for all Indians whom he shall allow to reside on them: if so, affix your marks to this my proposal. "F. B. HEAD. "J. B. ASSEKINACK. " MOKOMMUNISH (totem) - 1 " TAWACKUCK. "KIMEWEN (totem). " KlTCHEMOKOMON (totem). " PESIATAWICK (totem). " P AIM AUSEG AI ( totem ) . " NAINAWMUTTEBE (totem). " MOSUNEKO (totem). "KEWUCKANCE (totem). " SHAWENAUSEWAY (totem). " ESPANIOLE (totem) . "SNAKE (totem). " PAUTUNSEWAY (totem) . " PAIMAUQUMESTCAM (totem) . " WAGEMAUQUIN (totem) . " MANITOWAXING, 9th August, 1836." J " Totem : Some natural object, usually an animal with which the mem- bers of a clan or family connect themselves. Thus, among the Algonquin Indians, the name Bear,' Wolf, Tortoise, Deer or Rabbit serves to designate each of a number of clans into which the race is divided. A man belonging to such a clan being himself actually spoken of as a Bear, a Wolf, etc., and the figure of these animals indicate the clan in the native picture writing." (Ency. Dictionary.) MANITOWANING TREATY 5 " To THE SAUKINGS : "MY CHILDREN, " You have heard the proposal I have just made to the Chippewas and Ottawas, by which it has been agreed between them and your Great Father that these Islands (Manitoulin), on which we are now assembled, should be made, in Council, the property (under your Great Father's control) of all Indians whom he shall allow to reside on them. " I now propose to you that you should surrender to your Great Father the Sauking (Saugeen) Territory 1 you at present occupy, and that you shall repair either to this Island or to that part of your territory which lies on the North of Owen Sound, upon which proper houses shall be built for you, and proper assistance to enable you to become civilized and to cultivate land, which your Great Father engages forever to protect for you from the encroachments of the whites. " Are you, therefore, the Sauking Indians, willing to accede to this arrangement ; if so, affix your marks to this my proposal. " MANITOWANING, 9th August, 1836. " Witness : " T. G. ANDERSON, S.I.A. " F. B. HEAD. "JOSEPH STINSON, Genl. Supt. of "METIEWABE (totem). Wesleyan Missions. "ALEXANDER (totem) " ADAM ELLIOTT. KAQUTA BUNEVAIREAR. " JAMES EVANS. " KOWGISAWIS (totem) . "F. L. INGALL, Lieut. 15th Regt., " METTAWANASH (totem). Commanding Detacht. " TALFOURD W. FIELD, Distrt. Agent," The Indians who after the Manitowaning treaty located perman- ently on the Bruce peninsula were largely of the Ojibway tribe, in- corporated with whom were some Pottawatamies, Tawas, and a few stragglers from other tribes. By a "Royal Deed of Declaration," dated 29th June, 1847, it is provided for these " That the said Ojibway Indians and their posterity for ever, shall possess and enjoy and at all times hereafter continue to possess and enjoy the said above tract of land (the Bruce peninsula), or the proceeds of the sale thereof for the use and bene- 1(1 The hunting grounds in those days belonging to the Saugeen and Xewash Indians, extended from Meaford to the Maitland River, and in- cluded all the watershed to the Caledon Mountains, as well as the Indian Peninsula." So says Fred. Lamorandiere, Chief Interpreter at Cape Crocker, an authority elsewhere quoted. 6 SURRENDER OF SAUGEEN PENINSULA fit of the said Ojibway Indians and their posterity." As a result of the provisions of this deed, when the lands in the peninsula ulti- mately came into the market, the sale was unde*r the control of the Indian Department, the proceeds of the sales being funded and the interest thereon paid to the Indians, instead of a fixed annuity, as it otherwise would have been, according to the generality of Indian treaties. In many ways the settlers who took up lands in the penin- sula would have preferred that the lands had been sold by the Crown Lands Department, as were the other lands in the county of Bruce. The method adopted has, however, been a source of benefit, to those wards of the government, the Indians interested. All the lands in the peninsula and adjacent islands, being those mentioned in the deed above referred to, have gradually been surrendered to the Crown, with the exception of the Indian reserves. Of these reserves there is one at the mouth of the Saugeen Eiver, one at Chief's Point on Lake Huron, one at Cape Croker on the Georgian Bay, and a reserve for hunting purposes in the township of St. Edmunds. The process of surrender has been effected under vari- ous treaties, which will be briefly referred to. The first land to be surrendered was that part of the " Half-mile Strip " now included in the townships of Arran and Derby. This was on September 2nd, 1851. It was made for the purpose of obtaining a direct road, which the government agreed to open, between the Saugeen and the Newash (Owen Sound) reservations. The negotiations for the ceding of this small strip took a long time, four years or so. Long after the surrender the Indians complained of not receiving satisfactory compensation for the lands sold, inas- much as a direct .road was not opened until 1866. The next, and by far the largest surrender made of lands, was that of the Saugeen peninsula, effected by a treaty bearing date October 12th, 1854. 1 This was negotiated by Laurence Oliphant, a man whose reputation as an author is widely and well known, who at that time was Secretary to Lord Elgin, the Governor-General, and also Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. Assisting him on this occasion were James Ross, M.P.P., of Belleville; Charles Eankin. P.L.S., of Owen Sound, and Alexander McNabb, Crown Lands Agent, of Southampton. The negotiations were conducted in the church of the Saugeen band of Indians. As an inducement to the Indians to make the surrender, Mr. Oliphant offered, " That 'See Appendix A for a copy of this treaty. TROUBLE WITH SAUGEEN INDIANS 7 the lands when surveyed should be sold by auction, and that separ- ate titles to farm lots should be granted to the Indians within their own reserves." The non-fulfilment of this last clause was a cause of complaint for many years by the Indians. This was not the only trouble and dispute over this treaty. A more serious one arose regarding the boundary between the Saugeen Keserve and the vil- lage of Southampton. The Indians claimed that " Copway's Koad " was the boundary agreed upon, while the treaty describes it as "a straight line running due north from the river Saugeen," starting at a given point. This disagreement, the result of a misunder- standing, issued as follows: The survey of the town-plot of South- ampton, north of the river, was commenced early in May, 1855, Charles Eankin, P.L.S., having the contract therefor. He sent on a party under Mr. George Gould, 1 who had no difficulty with the Indians until the survey entered on the lands lying north of the Copway Eoad, the wording of the treaty warranting the survey of these lands. The Indians, thinking otherwise, manifested opposi- tion. The stakes and posts set up to mark the survey were removed and threats were freely uttered. Mr. Gould, of course, stopped the survey, and the matter was reported to the Government. The Indians meanwhile called a council, which appointed a deputation consisting of four chiefs, to be accompanied by the Rev. C. Van Dusen, a minister of the Methodist Church, to wait upon the Gov- ernor-General, to lay their version of the dispute before him. On the arrival of the deputation at Quebec, they were informed by Lord Bury, at that time Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs, that they must first obtain a letter from their local superintendent, Capt. T. G. Anderson (who resided at Cobourg), before they could see and interview His Excellency. The deputation, not having such a letter, failed to obtain a hearing, and returned home much dis- appointed. Throughout the tribe feeling ran high at the insult for so they interpreted the reception given their chiefs in Quebec. The more hot-headed were for donning their war paint and pro- ceeding to extremes. Mr. Fredk. Lamorandiere, Indian Secretary at Cape Croker, has furnished the writer with a description of the conference by which an amicable settlement was arrived at, which is here given in his own words, as follows: "Without loss of time Lord Bury came to Owen Sound (June, 1855) with a staff of officers, and cited the Saugeen Indian chiefs to appear before him there, Afterwards, and for many years, clerk of the county of Bruce. 8 ALLENFORD CONFERENCE sending a special courier to personally deliver the message. The chiefs, however, not being in good humor, flatly refused. A second message more conciliatory in tone was dispatched, but to no effect. At last, after long parleying, it was agreed that each party come half way, to the ' Flood-wood Crossing/ as the place was then called, now Allenford, where a regular Pow-wow was held in full Indian style, commencing with a feast. After this was disposed of, Capt. T. G. Anderson, 1 the Indian Superintendent of the District, an old, wily Indian trader, who knew the Indian character and the means to please them, conducted the proceedings by dancing the pow-wow in a circle around the Council-fire. A lot of young braves followed. Immediately after this exhibition the conference began, that led to the 'pipe of peace' being smoked by everyone, by which good feel- ing and friendship were restored where a few days before discord reigned supreme." The conference dissolved upon Lord Bury pro- mising the Indians that justice should be done and their grievances redressed. 2 On this they consented that the surveyors might proceed and complete the surveys. The Colpoy's Bay Reserve of six thousand acres was surrendered tc the Crown, August 16th, 1861. This surrender affects the county of Bruce, however, only as regards that part of the town-plot of Wiarton, lying toward the south-east, the rest of the reserve being now included within the county of Grey. The Saugeen Fishing Islands, along with those lying adjacent to Cape Hurd, were surrendered October 7th and 15th, 1885. This, with the later surrender of the large islands at the entrance to Colpoy's Bay, has placed in the hands of the Crown all lands not included in the reservations, and extinguished the " Indian title " thereto. One more treaty of surrender, and that but a small one, has to be recorded. It is as follows: The interests of the public required the making into public highways of two trails or roads lying within the Saugeen Reserve. One was that which connects the village of Southampton with what is known as the Owen Sound Road. The other, going north, is called the French Bay Road. These required road allowances were surrendered September 30th, 1899. 3 Capt. Thos. G. Anderson was connected with the Indian Department, for over forty years, retiring on a pension in 1858. In the War of 1812-13 he specially distinguished himself. An interesting account of his life is to be found in " Papers and Records," Vol. VI., of the Ontario Historical Society. 2 See Appendix B. PRESENT CONDITION 9 As it may interest some of my readers to know the present con- dition of the Indians residing in the reservations within the county of Bruce, a Schedule (see Appendix C) has been compiled by the author from Government Eeports, for the year ending the 30th June, 1900. It shows a highly satisfactory state of affairs, com- plimentary to all who have worked for the uplifting and civiliza- tion of our native tribes on these reservations. CHAPTER II. THE QUEEN'S BUSH. Extract from a Report of a Committee of the Executive Council, Dated February 26th, 1842, and approved by His Excellency the Governor- General tico days later: " William H. Peterson with a petition from the inhabitants of a tract of land called the ' Queen's Bush,' in the District of Wellington, praying to have it surveyed. " The Committee recommend that the tract of land above mentioned be forthwith surveyed, and that a plan of survey be submitted for approval of your Excellency-in-Council. The charges for survey will be against the Clergy Reserve Fund." MEMORY has an odd way at times of retaining a recollection of that which is unimportant, whilst the relatively important things too often are forgotten. To some such peculiarity of memory the writer must attribute his recollection of a school Geography, in use some fifty years ago which even then must have been almost obsolete in which was a map of Upper Canada, showing its divi- sions into Districts. Besides the Districts, the map also showed a large blank tract, which was designated " Indian Territory," roughly bounded, as far as memory recalls, by the Home District on the east, the Huron District on the south, and Lake Huron on the west and north respectively. This " Territory " is that tract of land mentioned in the preceding chapter as ceded to the Crown by the treaty executed at Manitowaning. Shortly thereafter it came to be known as the " Queen's Bush," a title given, no doubt, to distinguish it from the lands belonging to the Canada Company, the German Company, and others that had obtained large blocks of land from the Crown, holding them largely for speculative purposes. Filed away among the records of the Crown Lands Department are several petitions presented in 1847-8, similar in effect to the one referred to in the above headnote, the constant demand being for the opening up of lands suitable for settlement. At that period Canada was being favored with a large wave of immigration, landing a yearly increasing number of immigrants 10 OPENING UP OF QUEEN'S BUSH 11 upon her shores. There were but 25,375 immigrants in 1845, but 1847 saw this figure increased to 89,440. The population of Upper Canada, which in 1842 was 486,055, rose to 723,332 in 1848, and to 952,004 in 1852, an increase of nearly one hundred per cent, in ten years, which in a large measure was due to immigration. The demand for lands for settlement resulting from such a rapid increase in population was responded to by the Executive, and plans were made for the opening up and settlement of the "Queen's Bush." On the 19th April, 1847, an Order-in- Council was passed, " To open up the waste lands of the Crown in the Huron District, by the survey of a double concession of lots on a line from the northerly angle of the township of Mornington, to the north-east angle of the township of Wawanosh. Also a single concession along the rear boundary line of the townships of Wawa- nosh and Ashfield, 1 and one along the shore of Lake Huron, northerly from Ashfield." This to be all in one survey. The Hon. D. B. Papineau, Commissioner of Crown Lands, fol- lowed up this order, on May 8th, 1847, by directing Alex. Wilkin- son, P.L.S., to make the foregoing survey, with the proviso, that " the extent of the survey along the lake shore is to be limited by the demand for lands." Mr. Wilkinson promptly proceeded to undertake the work allotted to him. Taking a party of twelve men and 'the needed supplies, he started for the Bush. At Goderich he endeavored to engage a man sufficiently acquainted with the locality to act as guide, so as to reach the north-east angle of Wawanosh, the point where he purposed to commence the survey. So completely was the Bush a terra incognita that he could not obtain anyone who possessed the required knowledge. In his report Mr. Wilkinson says, " I was forced to find the place myself from the best information obtainable from the settlers in Wawanosh, which was but little, as none of them had ever been back that -far." .Following the course of the river Maitland, the surveying party at length reached their destination. After running the Wawanosh road south-easterly to the townships of Mornington and Maryborough, Mr. Wilkinson retraced his steps to his original starting point; thence reopening and reblazing the line to Lake Huron, 2 at the same time planting 'This " single concession " became Con. 1 in the townships of Kinloss and Huron. 2 This line formed the rear of the townships of Ashfield and Wawanosh; these two townships having been surveyed several years prior to this. 12 WORK OF A. WILKINSON, P.L.S. the posts along the north side of the line, marking out the farm lots in what are now the first concessions of the townships of Kinloss and Huron, which farm lots, therefore, can claim the honor of being the first surveyed farm lands in the county of Bruce. ^Ir. Wilkinson was not, however, the first surveyor to work in the county. Mr. Charles Eankin preceded him, having in 1846 run the line from Owen Sound to the mouth of the Saugeen River, that con- stituted the southern boundary of the Indian Reserve:. 1 The demand for new lands in the summer of 1847 must have been considerable, for on September 21st of that year, further instructions were issued to Mr. Wilkinson, in which he was directed to "survey the eastern shore of Lake Huron northerly from the township of Ashfield to the extent of two townships. From thence to make an angular survey of the shore to the mouth of the Saugeen river, and a survey of the river for about ten miles." An examination of a map of the county of Bruce will show that the lots surveyed by Mr. Wilkinson, which extend from the south-east corner of Kinloss to the lake, thence northward along the shore line, are in form narrower and longer than are to be found elsewhere in the county in farms of equal size. The reason assigned for this is, such a shape of lot would result in the settlers dwelling closer together. They would, therefore, be able the more readily to render each other assistance in case any trouble with the Indians should occur, a contingency that fortunately has never arisen. In the winter following the completion of the above-mentioned surveys, Mr. Wilkinson furnished the Crown Lands Department with an outline map, by which he showed how the unsurveyed part of the " Queen's Bush " might be desirably blocked out into town- ships. The uniqueness of this document makes it an exceedingly interesting one. The fact of it having been drafted at that time indicates that the question of a suitable division into townships of the last of the wild lands in the western part of Upper Canada belonging to the Crown was being considered. Although the pro- jected surveys suggested by Mr. Wilkinson were but partially car- ried out, his plan no doubt formed the basis for the one ultimately Whether Mr. Rankin at the same time surveyed the " Half-Mile Strip " or not, the writer cannot say. It is indicated in a draft map of the pro- posed new townships in Bruce, made in 1848, but the land was not ceded to the Crown until 1851. WORK OF A. P. BROUGH, P.L.S. 13 adopted, which divided the tract into seventeen townships. Eleven of these comprise those townships in Bruce south of the Indian Eeserve; the other six are Turnberry, Howick, Morris and Grey, in the county of Huron, and Elma and Wallace, in the county of Perth. The exact date when the plan of the final surveys was decided upon cannot be given, but it is a safe surmise to say that it must have been some time during the spring or early summer of 1848. To attract the attention of prospective settlers to the district about to be surveyed, the Government decided to open up a coloniza- tion road from the county of Simcoe to the mouth of the Penetan- gore River on Lake Huron, and to offer as a free grant to actual settlers a fifty acre farm lot on one of the two concessions north or south of this road. This decision was formulated by an Order- in-Council passed August 26th, 1848. 1 On the day the order was passed, A. P. Brough, P.L.S., 2 received instructions to survey the western part of the road, from where the village of Durham now stands, to the lake; also to make a cursory survey of the reserve for a town plot at the mouth of the Penetangore Eiver. Mr. Brough had among those who formed his surveying party some men who ultimately became settlers in the county and assisted in its development in a prominent manner. Latham B. Hamlin, his principal assistant, years afterward became the County Engineer, 3 'See Appendix D for copy of this Order, and note the conditions therein given attached to the offer of a free grant. = Allan Park Brough, P.L.S., surveyed not only the Durham Road, but also the Elora Road, from the north-west corner of Carrick to its southerly terminus in the township of Maryborough, the town plot of Kincardine, the township of Brant, and was proceeding with the survey of the township of Bruce when he died. His name is preserved in the name of " Allan Park," bestowed on a village on the Durham line in the township of Bentinck. 3 Latham B. Hamlin, after ceasing to be County Engineer of Bruce (see Chapter VII.) was engaged in the construction of the Intercolonial Rail- way, and afterwards in that of the Canadian Pacific Railway in British Columbia. While in the west he accumulated some means, but unfortu- nately lost them. Advanced in years as he was, he went to the Klondike, hoping to be fortunate enough to retrieve his fortunes. He and a partner took up a claim on Hunker Creek, a small tributary of the Klondike, some thirty miles from Dawson. The two men were caught out in a severe snow- storm and were badly frozen before they succeeded in returning to their cabin. The Mounted Police found the partner dead, and Mr. Hamlin with his arms and legs frozen almost up to his body. They brought him to Daw- son, where he died within a few days after reaching there. This sad occur- rence happened in the month of February or March in the year 1898. 14 DURHAM ROAD SURVEY and superintended the construction of the system of county gravel roads. Another was Peter Smith, a pioneer settler of Saugeen Township. Others were John Caskanette and Joseph Chartrand, of Greenock, who survived to see the county of Bruce attain its jubilee. The report of this survey submitted by Mr. Brough is a lengthy one. Many details in it are interesting, and will be referred to in the chapters relating to the minor municipalities through which the survey ran. Having been supplied with the required astronomi- cal bearings, Mr. Brough projected his lines accordingly. Starting at Penetaugore (now Kincardine), the party pushed their way through the unbroken forest that then covered the lands comprising the townships of Kincardine and Kinloss, until they reached the large tract of swamp subsequently known as the Greenock Swamp, of which Mr. Brough says in his report : " Previous to deciding upon the route for the Durham Koad in the township of Greenock, I explored the country some eight or ten miles in extent and found it to be almost continuous swamp, the extent of which was not fully ascertained; but it may in general terms be said to embrace a belt of country some ten or twelve miles in length by four in width, and contains more than 25,000 acres. This immense swamp lies on the west side of the Au-shuskisibbi, or Muddy Elver. 1 On the east side of Otter Lake (in the township of Kinloss) a small neck of hard land protrudes itself into the swamp; of this I took advantage to carry forward the Durham Eoad into the township of Greenock, as it is the only piece of land in a range of several miles that is prac- ticable for a line of road." The taking of this route through the swamp brought the line of road so far south, that the survey pro- 'This stream bears so many names that.it will not be out of place to refer to them here. On the map of the county of Bruce, published by James Warren, P.L.S., the river is called the " Yokasippi," which is a corruption of the Indian word " Ah-ta-yahko-sibbi," which means " The Drowned Lands River." At the junction of this stream with the Saugeen, the Indians call it the " Mekenakoncesibbi," or "Small Mud Turtle River." The "Mud River " is what the early settlers called it ; but it is probably more fre- quently called the " Teeswater " to-day than by any other of its numerous names! As to the origin of the name " Mud River." the following incident is given: The late Peter Smith, of Saugeen, was flagman in Brough's sur- veying party. He used to relate that, during the progress of the survey, when he reached the river he somehow fell into it, and was thoroughly bemired in its oozy bed. As he floundered out upon firm ground Brough came up and said, '"What name shall we give this river?" Smith, looking down on his mud-covered garments, said. "You had better call it Mud River." Being apt and Descriptive of part of the stream, the name stuck for manv vears. GREENOCK TOWN-PLOT 15 ceeded on what would have been the " South Line," if the first projection had been followed out. It also resulted in bringing the line of road distant but the width of a concession from the southerly boundary of the township. In consequence the survey of free grant farm lots was limited to one concession on each side of the Durham Road throughout Greenock. The deviation necessitated by the fore- going circumstances no doubt influenced Mr. Brough to drop the survey at this point and proceed to Durham, and from there to survey the road westward, through the townships of Bentinck and Brant. These details have been given as an explanation of the jog of a mile and a quarter which occurs in the Durham line at the boundary of the townships of Brant and Greenock, where was laid out the Greenock town-plot to connect the roads running east and west with each other. This town-plot failed to respond to the early expectations, never developing into even the semblance of a centre of population. It ultimately was surveyed into farm lots. 1 The surveys made by A. Wilkinson and A. P. Brough, extended in long lines through several townships, attained the object sought, namely, that of opening up the " Queen's Bush." It was upon these surveys that the first permanent settlers in search of farm lands located, the initial settlements being on the lake shore at or near Kincardine, in the summer of 1848. Others who came into the county in the fall of the same year located on the Durham Line in the same vicinity. The spring of 1849 added to these and also wit- nessed many of the " free grants " in Brant being settled upon. The town-plot of Penetangore (Kincardine) was laid out toward the close of 1849, and with it the survey assigned to Mr. Brough was completed. Up to the last-mentioned date no township in the county of Bruce had been surveyed into farm lots ; this was a work commenced in the ensuing year. The following is the order in which the various subsequent government surveys were made. In 1850, Brant and Kincardine Townships were surveyed. In the winter following, the Elora Eoad from the Greenock town-plot southwards was laid out. *An Order-in-Council, dated April 7th, 1852, abolished the Greenock town- plot. Although not in the market the lands therein were largely squatted upon. As a matter of speculation the lands were purchased from the Crown by James Webster, of Guelph, and Dr. Hamilton, of Goderich, who succeeded in having the actual settlement clause waived, but on condition that they satisfy the claims of the squatters. They held the lands, still mostly bush, until "1862, when John S. and James Tolton purchased the greater part of the block. 16 FINAL CROWN SURVEYS A survey was made in 1851 of the townships of Arran, Elderslie, Huron, Saugeen, the west part of Bruce, and the town-plot of Southampton; in 1852, the east part of the township of Bruce and the townships of Carrick, Culross, Kinloss, and Greenock; in 1855, the townships of Amabel and Albemarle and town-plot of Alma; in 1856, the townships of Eastnor and Lindsay, the town-plot of Wiarton and the village of Paisley ; in 1857, the township of St. Edmunds ; in 1875, the six hundred acres reserve forming the southerly part of Southampton town-plot, and in 1899 and 1900 the Fishing Islands, completing the last of the Crown surveys of any moment. CHAPTER III. THE PIONEERS^ 18311849. Ix attempting to give a narration of such incidents regarding the pioneers of the county of Bruce as the author has succeeded in gathering, the reader is asked to bear in mind the fact that "they who have a right to be so entitled should properly be referred to under several widely divergent classes. Of these the first were the early fur traders, to be followed by explorers, Indian missionaries and the hardy fishermen, who were profitably engaged in their call- ing at the Fishing Islands years before a surveyor had even entered this part of the province. The work of these venturesome men was largely past when the pioneers who formed the vanguard of progress and civilization entered the " Queen's Bush," and made the first permanent settlements in the county. This latter class of pioneers were the men who cleared the forest, opened up roads, established schools, formed the various municipalities within the county and started the wheels of its many industries; men characterized by an enthusiasm, fortitude and industry that made them the peers of any that ever made a clearing and a settlement in a Canadian forest. Ruins of what evidently were forts erected by fur traders are to be seen at Cape Croker, Stokes Bay, Red Bay and Southampton. Many are the surmises about these ruined forts. Of what nation- ality were they who erected them, and when and why abandoned? To these and kindred questions no certain reply can be given. Some assert that they were Hudson Bay Company forts, but satisfactory proof that such was the case has not been met with by the writer. Canada was not ceded by the French to Great Britain until 1763. Before that date it is incredible to think that the Hudson Bay Com- pany's factors were venturesome enough to erect trading posts on French territory. If erected since that date, surely these forts would have been known and referred to in the records of the War of 1812, when vessels of both the English and American navies sailed on Lake Huron. These and other reasons, such as the finding of small relics of apparently French origin near the sites of these 17 18 PIERRE ruins, lead to the supposition that the forts were erected by French traders. Lacking positive evidence, any view, however, is only conjecture. The following facts about the early fur traders at Saugeen were given by Joseph Longe, sen., to Joseph Normandin, an old voyageur, who as a boy lived at Goderich at the time of its settlement, but who removed to Penetanguishene in 1837, and then to Killarney. Normandin's age is uncertain, except that he was born prior to 1820. He related these incidents to Fred. Lamorandiere, the Indian inter- preter at Cape Croker, to whom the author is indebted for them, and which are here given in a form but slightly changed from the recital as received: " One Pierre Piche, in the year 1818, came from Lower Canada to Mackinaw to take part in the adventures and profits of the fur trade. He engaged with one Dr. Mitchell, of the military post of Michilimackinaw, as it was then- called. (The Indian name of that island was " Mishi Mikinac," meaning a "great turtle.") Having heard of the richness of the Saugeen country in furs he went there to establish a trading post. It was on the flat, on the south side of the Saugeen Eiver, that he built for himself a house and store, and completed the establishment by taking to himself a wife from the tribe of Indians residing in that vicinity. He received his supply of goods for trading through Dr. Mitchell, and afterwards from his sons George and Andrew. The Mitchells resided first at Mackinaw, but when that was ceded to the United States, they moved to Drummond Island, and when that, too, became American territory, to Penetanguishene. Piche was a man of great strength and bravery, and on account of these qualities he succeeded in obtaining and keeping control of the best part of the fur trade in the vicinity of Saugeen. He had many competitors, however, who obtained their supplies from W. S. Gooding, of Goderich, Joseph Longe, sen., 1 who supplied these facts, being one of them. On Piche's death, about 1828, his business was taken up by Edward Sayers; he in turn was succeeded by Achille Cadotte and Eegiste Loranger; the latter had been a clerk in Mitchell's store at Pene- tanguishene. He came to the Saugeen trading post with his bride, Adelaide Lamorandiere, remaining there until the breaking out of 'Joseph Longe, sen., died about 1858 or 1859, and was said to have attained the age of nearly a century. A number of his descendants reside at Southampton. OTHEK FUR TKADEKS 19 the rebellion in 1837. The competition to purchase furs was keen, and many were the ' ruses de guerre ' used by the traders to get ahead of a competitor; consequently men good for a long, fast tramp through the woods to visit the various Indian camps were in demand. Among those so employed were A. M. McGregor (after- ward Capt. Achille Cadotte), Louis and Sam Thibeau, Thader Lamorandiere and Joseph Longe, jun." Besides the traders mentioned by Mr. Lamorandiere in the above narrative, there were others who came later into the field, and were well known by many settlers in Bruce. These men made Goderich their headquarters, from which point they visited, either/ by boat in summer or by dog-train in winter, the various Indian camps in Bruce or on the Manitoulin Island, returning with large quantities of furs, maple sugar, and other products of the forest and lake. Among the last of these traders were Hugh Johnston, of Goderich, and William Eastall, who finally settled at Kincardine. For a number of years after taking up his residence at Kincardine, Mr. Eastall each fall visited the Indians at Saugeen, returning before the ice broke up in the spring, bringing his purchases with him, packed on toboggans drawn by dogs. In trading with the Indians traders made a practice of paying them the price asked for their commodities, without any beating down; payment was always in goods, but the trader took care that the price he received for his goods was proportionate to that asked for the furs he had purchased. Of those who were merely explorers, the first to be mentioned is Capt. H. W. Bayfield, E.N., who made a hydrographic survey of Lake Huron and its shores in 1822. His chart of the same has been in use by navigators of the lake to the present day. An examination of this chart shows the changes which have taken place in the names of places as well as in the spelling, as for example, " Saugeen " we there find spelled " Saugink," and Tobermory bears the name of Collins' Harbor. In 1844 the Government sent out a party to explore the Saugeen Eiver, at the head of which was Col. Casimir S. Gzowski, at that time holding a position in the Department of Public Works. Accompanying him were Mr. James Webster, of Fergus, afterwards Eegistrar of the county of Wellington, and Mr. Thomas Young, Crown Lands Agent at Arthur. Going north, probably by way of the Garaf raxa Eoad, until they reached the Saugeen Eiver, they followed its course in a canoe, making notes as they journeyed. 20 EXPLORERS From these notes Mr. A. Wilkinson marked the course of the river in a wonderfully accurate manner, in the sketch map of the " Queen's Bush " referred to in the preceding chapter. The author has searched both at Ottawa and Toronto in various governmental departments in an endeavor to obtain a copy of Col. Gzowski's report, but unsuccessfully, much to his regret, as it must have con- tained a description of part of the county of Bruce as seen for the first time by a white man. It was in 1848 that the first geological survey was made of that part of the province in which the county of Bruce lies. The survey party engaged in this work seem only to have coasted along the lake shore front of the county, without extending their researches beyond. A letter received by the author from Dr. Bell, Director of the Geo- logical Survey of Canada, given in a footnote, 1 covers all that is necessary to record about this, or the subsequent survey made by himself of the geological features of the county. In 1834 the Eev. Thomas Hurlburt, 2 of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, was appointed to commence a mission among the Indians residing at the mouth of the Saugeen. During the six previous years Mr. Hurlburt had labored as a missionary at the Indian J " Geological Survey of Canada, "Robert Bell, M.D., D.So. (Cantab.), LL.D., F.R.S. I.S.O., " Acting Deputy Head and Director, " Ottawa, September 15th, 1904. " Dear Sir, In reply to your question I beg to say that the eastern shore of Lake Huron was not surveyed or examined by Sir W. E. Logan himself, but by the assistant provincial geologist, Mr. Alexander Murray, in 1848. His delineation of the geological boundaries in the county of Bruce was only tentative, and on my examination of that county in 1863 I established these boundaries much more accurately, and as they are now represented on our geological maps. The contours of these boundaries are of some geologic interest, as showing what must be the general geological structure under the waters of the eastern part of Lake Huron, which is important in connection with anticlinals and the occurrence of petroleum in south-western Ontario. The corrected geology of the county of Bruce is described very briefly by Sir William Logan in the ' Geology of Canada, 1863.' " Yours truly, "ROBERT BELL, " Acting Director. "In Mr. Murray's report for 1848 (published in 1849) he does not men- tion ' county of Bruce,' but speaks of Pt. Douglas, Maitland River, ' Saugeen * River, Cape Hurd, etc." 2 Rev. Mr. Hurlburt 'a ministerial activities extended from 1828 to 1872. The greater part of his work during this period was among the Indians. His death occurred April 14th, 1873. Mrs. Hurlburt was a daughter of the Rev. Ezra Adams, and was an aunt of Mrs. (Rev.) D. A. Moir, late of Walkerton. and was also related to J. H. Adams, banker, of Hanover. MISSIONS TO THE INDIANS 21 Reserve at Muncey, in the township of Caradoc, obtaining there a training that stood him in good stead in opening the mission at Saugeen. As an assistant Mr. Hurlburt had a native Indian local preacher named David Sawyer. 1 Their outfit consisted of a few necessary household and farming utensils, with such provisions as were requisite, all placed in a cart, to which were yoked an ox and a cow. With this novel team they made their way through a hun- dred miles of bush to Goderich, the rest of their journey being made in a sail boat, while the cattle were driven along the beach to Saugeen. The missionaries met with encouraging success in their work, and in 1835 reported a congregation of fifty-nine members. Mr. Hurlburt's stay at Saugeen extended over three years. While there he had a son born to him, who without doubt was the first white child born in Bruce. This mission prospered in its work, and the great majority of the band are at this day members, or adher- ents, of the Methodist Church. The following are the names of the missionaries, successors to Mr. Hurlburt, who during the first thirty years of the mission labored in this field: Eev. Gilbert Miller (1838), Wm. Herkimer (1839-40 and 1850), Thomas Williams (1840), George Copway (1843-5), J. K. Williston (1846-9, 1856- 1862), James Hutchinson (1851-2), Peter Jacobs (1853-5). The earliest attempt to develop the natural resources of the county of Bruce is to be credited to Capt. Alexander MacGregor, of Goderich, 2 who in 1831, when sailing among the group of islands now known as the Fishing Islands, discovered that the locality was teeming with fish. He soon established himself on one of the islands and commenced to gather in the harvest of its adjacent waters. Capt. MacGregor's greatest difficulty in taking advantage of this source of wealth of nature's providing, was to dispose of the immense quantities of fish that could be secured, as the number seemed unlimited. Some time about 1834, when in Detroit, Capt. Mac- Gregor entered into a satisiactory contract with an American com- 'David Sawyer, born in 1811, was the eldest son of the Head Chief of the Credit, or Mississagua band of Indians. He was converted to Christian- ity from paganism Avhen about fourteen years of age, and was appointed a local preacher in 1829. In 1849 the Indians of Saugeen and Xewash asked him to reside among them, to act as their agent in transacting business with the government, and become one of their band, which he did. His name appears as one of the chiefs who signed the treaty of October 13th, 1854, surrendering the Bruce Peninsula to the Crown. 2 Father of Capt. A. Murray MacGregor, whose name appears elsewhere in this historv. 22 CAPT. ALEX. MACGREGOR pauy, to catch and deliver in storehouses a quantity of fish of not less than three thousand barrels annually, the company at the same time agreeing to take as many more as he could secure. The price to be paid was one dollar per barrel, the company undertaking to clean, cure and pack all fish so delivered. The fish caught were principally white fish and herring, the catches of which were gen- erally made by a seine, and were so large as almost to surpass belief. The process of securing the fish was conducted in a manner some- what as follows: A man to watch for the approach of a shoal of fish would be stationed on a tree so situated that he might obtain a good outlook over the nearer part of the lake. The shoal when sighted seemed like a bright cloud moving rapidly through the water. The apnounccment of its approach filled each member of the camp of fishermen with a spirit of excitement and energetic activity. The large row-boat, the stern piled high with the seine, which for hours had been lying idly awaiting a sudden call like this, was then hurriedly manned. Under the lusty strokes of its crew it sped rapidly forward, guided by signals from the man on the outlook, the net was quickly dropped so as to encircle the shoal. The hauling of the net to shore then began. When the fish com- menced to feel the pressure from the narrowing of the net, the scene was one long to be remembered. There in a small art_a were entrapped thousands and thousands of fish, sufficient possibly to fill five hundred to a thousand barrels. 1 The water in that circum- scribed space seemed to be fairly alive as the fish in their efforts to escape rushed madly about, causing its agitated surface to glitter with the sheen of their silvery sides. All their efforts were futile; the seine was drawn closer to shore, and soon the fish were thrown out on the beach, this process being accomplished by a man stand- ing bare-legged in the midst of the net-imprisoned fish, scoop in hand, who soon transferred them from their native element to land, whfire they formed a splendent mass, flapping and gasping life away. At times the catch was so large that the landing of the fish was extended over three days, so that none be lost through inability of the curers to handle so many. At other times, when the supply of barrels, or salt was running low, the net was opened to let a portion of the catch escape. The establishing of such an extensive fishing business required 'In those early days and for some time after, before these waters had been over-fished, catches as large as these were not unfrequent. FISHING ISLANDS EXPLOITED 23 the erection of permanent buildings for the storage of supplies, for the barrels of salted fish, and for the residence of the number of men engaged in the enterprise. As Capt. MacGregor had the busi- ness running upon a most satisfactory financial basis, he erected on Main Station Island a substantial stone building, measuring 57 x 18 feet externally, whose massive walls, now in partial ruin, evidence the character of the masonry of those days. An effort has been made by some writers to associate these ruins with the presence of the French in this part of the province in the seventeenth cen- tury. The arguments urged in support of this view may apply to the remains of the forts mentioned in the first part of this chapter, but as regards the ruins on Main Station Island, the writer has the word of Capt. A. Murray MacGregor, that he, as a boy, visited the Island shortly after the buildings had been erected by his father, Capt. Alexander MacGregor. The author also has conversed with several persons who remember when the roof on the building was extant. Statements such as these, definite and clear, must assure the reader that these ruined walls are the remains of the first per- manent building erected in the county of Bruce, and that to Capt. Alexander MacGregor belongs the credit of having erected them. 1 The financial success met with by Capt. MacGregor in his con- tract with the Detroit company was so great that a feeling of envy was developed among his fellow townsmen, combined with a desire to participate in his fortunate discovery and grasp the profits thereof. This was manifested by certain representations made to the govern- ment to the effect that Americans were obtaining an undue advan- tage by the exclusive contract they had obtained in these fisheries in Canadian waters. As the result of these representations, a lease was granted to a company, conferring to it the sole right of fishing at these islands. Among the promoters of the company we find the names of W. S. Gooding, Dr. William Dunlop, Dr. Hamilton, and others, of Goderich. As a result of the granting of these exclusive privileges, Capt. MacGregor was compelled to give up the fishing industry he had developed and begin work anew elsewhere. The ir The question should be considered settled by what is said in the follow- ing extract from the report of Alex. Murray, Assistant Provincial Geologist, when referring to his survey of this part ef the province in the year 1848, he says : " With the exception of a building which was raised some years ago by a fishing company at Gaheto, or Fishing Islands, there is not a single dwelling on any part of the coast all the way (from the Saugeen River) to Cape Hurd." 24 NIAGARA FISHING COMPANY search for fishing grounds equally as good was, however, in vain. He first tried the vicinity of Tobermory, then Cape Croker. With the latter place his name will be forever associated in the local appella- tion bestowed of " MacGregor's Harbor." Finally he tried the fish- eries in the neighborhood of the Manitoulin Islands. But none of these proved as remunerative as his first discovery. This pioneer of the fishing industries of the county of Bruce lies buried near the mouth of the White Fish Kiver, a stream that flows into the Xorth Channel, Manitoulin Islands. The " Niagara Fishing Company " was the name borne by the company above referred to. For some reason it did not meet with the same success as had rewarded the labors of Capt. MacGregor, so in 1848, having found a purchaser in the persons of Capt. John Spence and Capt. Wm. Kennedy, of Southampton, the company disposed of its property and privileges for the sum of eight or nine hundred pounds. These two men jointly carried on the fisheries at the Islands for several years, until Capt. Kennedy was called away, in 1852, to engage in a polar expedition. The first permanent settlers to take up land in the county of Bruce did so in the year 1848. Less than a dozen locations were made in the whole county in that the first year of actual settlement. The} r who then became settlers well deserve the name of pioneers. Miles and miles of forest lay between them and the most ordinary comforts of civilized life; over these long and weary miles every pound of the necessary supplies of food had to be carried until, after months of hard labor and much privation, these stout-hearted men had brought their land into a condition to produce something on which they could subsist while the work of underbrushing, chopping, log- ging and clearing the land went on. To fully appreciate what these and most of our pioneers have endured, it would be necessary to call upon your imagination and picture yourself in their place. Let us try to follow one of these stalwart men as he leaves some outpost of civilized life and starts out into the bush, in search of a location on which he may settle, clear a few acres of land, erect a shanty, and thereby establish a squatter's claim to the lot of his choice. Before he starts he carefully prepares the pack he has to carry. This contains a supply of provisions, a few necessary cook- ing and eating utensils, a blanket, an axe, and possibly an auger and a chisel; some, in addition to these necessaries, took also a gun. After a weary tramp through the woods along a surveyor's "blaze," THE SOLITARY PIuNEER 25 a spot that seems somewhat near the ideal he is looking for is reached. The land, he notes, is covered with heavy hardwood tim- ber, a safe indication that the ground on which it grows is good; the soil, exposed where some ancient monarch of the forest had stood, but now fallen and uprooted, seems all that could be desired, and a spring flowing clear and cool fairly captivates him. Here his search ceases. After securing his provisions in the hollow of some tree, so they may be safe from rain or the depredations of wild animals, he proceeds to do some underbrushing, and erect a shack or shanty, which has to be made of timber of such a size that he unaided can lift it into place. Cutting the logs into suitable lengths and notching each one for the corners, he erects after much hard work his shanty. A narrow opening is made for a doorway; planks split from cedar logs are made into a door. The chinks between the logs are filled with splints and stuffed with moss or clay. The roof is covered with elm bark. His bed of hemlock boughs is placed in one of the corners. The table is made by driving four crotched sticks into the earthen floor, on which rest, supported by cross-pieces, a couple of split or hewed planks. With a block of wood for a seat, his furniture is complete. The cooking, if it is summer, is carried on out of doors, gipsy fashion ; what is done is of the simplest flour mixed with water and a little salt is made into bannocks or scones, which are baked in a frying pan. These and a cup of tea are the common articles of his fare. Dwelling in such a structure, for the word " house " is hardly applicable to it, the hardy backwoodsman proceeds with the work of making a clearing, persevering thereat until want of provisions compels him to go back to the settlement for a fresh supply. Only those who have experienced it know the intense feeling of loneliness that oppresses the solitary backwoods- man, dwelling alone in the bush no one to speak to, or ask for the most trivial assistance, the sound of a human voice is longed for, but vainly. Inanimate nature in the forest gives forth sounds in the minor key, both soft and soothing; the ringing sound of the axe as it makes the white chips fly is cheery; the rush and crash of some giant of the forest as it falls before the blows of the woodsman is exciting, 3-6 1 these voices of the backwoods fail to dispel the sense of loneliness which is one of the most trying experiences of pioneer life. Individual instances of hardships endured and of difficulties overcome by pioneers will be given in relating the settlement of vari- ous localities within the county. Therefore, without further ado 26 THE FIRST TO SETTLE IN BRUCE for the present, we will pass on to consider the disputed topic, to whom belongs the distinction of being the first pioneer settler in the county. Kincardine and Southampton are the only localities in the county to claim that the initial settlement of Bruce was made within their borders. As to which had precedence we leave the reader to judge, after a consideration of the most reliable data that the author has been able to collate. Shortly after the opening of navigation in 1848, Capt. Murray MacGregor conveyed from Goderich in his sailing vessel, and landed at the mouth of the Penetangore River, the two pioneer settlers of that locality, with their effects. These two men were William Withers, an Englishman, and his brother-in-law, Allan Cameron. 1 On a spot a little south of where the Kincardine railway station now stands, these two men erected a small log house, which for a year or two did duty as a tavern, kept by Cameron; subsequently it was used as a store by John Keyworth, and as such may be remembered by many who traded in Kincardine during the " fifties." Foresee- ing the demand that there would be for lumber as soon as settlers commenced to take up land, Mr. Withers commenced the construc- tion of a mill-dam, which he placed across the river about where it touches the east side of Huron Terrace Street, 2 in the town plot of Kincardine. Here he erected a frame saw mill, at the raising of which assistance was rendered by Indians and the few settlers who had taken up land in the vicinity. Mr. A. P. Brough, in his report of survey, refers to this mill as "a substantial, well-framed building, which was in full operation in the summer of 1849." When Mr. Withers erected his mill and dam he neglected to secure permission from the Crown to do so; this oversight resulted unfor- tunately for himself, he being forced, at a considerable loss, to remove his newly erected mill from the site where first erected to one on his farm (lot 3, con. 2, S.D.R., Kincardine), just outside the townplot, the exact date of his doing so the author being un- able to find out. 3 Mr. Withers had further difficulty in regard to 'Owing to his dark complexion his name was generally prefixed by the early settlers with the distinguishing title of " Black," or " The Black Prince." 'At what is marked in original plan of the town as ' ' Mill Block No. 1. ' ' "In the Crown Lands Department records is a copy of a letter to J. Clark, C.L., agent at Goderich, dated 14th February, 1850, to the following effect : " You will also warn the person who contemplates purchasing Mr. Withers' interest in the Mill- site, that when open for sale the unauthorized occupation of the land will confer no rights to pre-emption." CAPT. JOHN SPENCE 27 cutting timber on Crown lands. The lands in Penetangore and vicinity were not offered for sale by the Crown until August, 1851, so that any timber cut by him prior to that date was cut on Crown lands, 1 and subject to Crown dues, which the Crown Lands Agent at Goderich was told (Dec. 14th, 1848) to take steps to collect or have the timber seized. The first settlement at Southampton was made by Capt. John Spence and Capt. William Kennedy. The former of these was a native of the Orkney Islands; the latter was a well educated half- breed. Both of these men had been in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company, from which service they had retired in 1847 and taken up their residence at Kingston. Learning of the profitable- ness of the Lake Huron fisheries and of the opportunities for trad- ing in furs, in the spring of 1848 they left Kingston westward bound, for the purpose of investigating for themselves as to the truth of what they had heard; travelling via Toronto and Lake Simcoe, at Rama they purchased a canoe from the Indians, in which they journeyed down the Severn Eiver to the Georgian Bay and thereon to Owen Sound; from this point they travelled on foot by the Indian trail to the mouth of the Saugeen River, arriving there in June, 1848. Satisfied with the location and their prospects there, they returned to Owen Sound to obtain supplies; with these they loaded their canoe and in it proceeded to follow the coast line until the head of Colpoy's Bay was reached. Being old Hudson's Bay Company voyageurs, the necessary portage to Boat Lake was expedi- tiously made, the sail down Rankin and Sauble Rivers safely accom- plished, and it took but a short time to paddle over the waters of Lake Huron to the Saugeen. Close to its mouth they pitched their tent and in it resided all that summer. Before winter set in they erected a log house, which served Capt. Spence and family as a residence for many years. The stay of Capt. Kennedy in Southamp- ton extended over only some four years. In 1852, at the request of Lady Franklin, he went out in charge of a party in search of her husband, Sir John Franklin, the Arctic discoverer and navigator. In 1850 Capt. Spence brought his wife to his new home at South- Extract from letter of the Commissioner of Crown Lands to H. Clark, C.L., agent at Goderich, dated September 29th, 1848 : " I take this oppor- tunity of informing you that the road leading to Lake Huron, through the new townships in the north of the Huron District, will not be carried through this year, and it is not the intention of the Government to offer for sale at present the Crown Lands in that section of the province." 28 FIRST SETTLERS ON THE FREE GRANTS ampton, where they continued to reside until the death of Capt. Spence on October 13th, 1904. Mrs. Spence, surviving her hus- band, is to-day one of the oldest living of the early female settlers of the county of Bruce. , , Early in the fall of 1848 John C. Digman, a German by birth, settled in Kincardine Township, on lot 3, first concession north of the Durham Eoad, he being the pioneer settler on the free grant lands. The date of his settlement shows that he must have acted promptly after the issuing of the offer of the Crown. How long Mr. Digman resided on the lot he located the writer is not able to say, certainly long enough to have the Crown patent issued to him, the date of which is December 4th, 1851. Some time after that he returned to the county of Waterloo, from whence he originally came. The next settler on the Durham Road was John Beatty, a young Scotchman. He was accompanied by his sister, Miss Beatty, who is entitled to the distinction of being, in all probability, the first woman to undertake the hardships of the bush in the county of Bruce. The facts here related concerning Mr. and Miss Beatty have been supplied by Major William Daniel, who, when he settled in Kincardine Township in October, 1848 (on lot 23, con. 1, N.D.R.), found that they were his nearest neighbors. The Beattys had come on foot from Owen Sound, each carrying a pack. Their route had been by the Indian trail (known later as the " Gimby trail ") to the mouth of the Saugeen, thence by the beach to Kincardine. They pitched their tent towards the rear of lot 14, con. 1, S.D.E., on the bank of 'the creek, it being the attraction that decided them to locate there. " When the stock of provisions in our two camps were almost exhausted," the Major goes on to relate, " I shared my last loaf with them and started for my father's home in Waterloo for further supplies, expecting to find my neighbors on my return. Beatty had arranged with a man who was going to Goderich for the purchase of a supply of flour. The man to whom the commis- sion was entrusted made other use of the money, consequently no flour was forthcoming. As winter was at hand, the outlook for the Beattys was alarming. Feeling discouraged and disheartened, they decided to forsake bush life and return to Owen Sound. A young man named Dick Eaton, who was employed by Wm. Withers as ox teamster, accompanied them on their journey, which was over the same route they had so laboriously travelled not many weeks pre- viously. The weather was cold; through the streams to which they PIONEERS OF KINCARDINE 29 came they waded, carrying Miss Beatty, except at the Saugeen, over which they were ferried by Indians in a canoe. Eaton unfortunately cut his foot with an axe, and had to be left in charge of the Indians." During the summer of 1848 the small settlement at Kincardine was increased by the incoming of some dozen other settlers, who took up land either at the town plot, on the free grants, or on the lake shore to the north of the town. Among these were Donald, Alexander and John McCaskill, James and Alexander Munroe, Anthony Copp, Alex. McKay, George McLeod, Wm. Dowell and Patrick Downie. The last-mentioned opened a tavern on the site of the Eightmeyer Salt Block. During the fall of this year a steamer laden with supplies for the Bruce Mines was burnt some- where out in the lake. The wreckage from it, consisting of flour and provisions, drifted ashore, and proved a perfect godsend to those early pioneers, who that winter had to purchase from their slender means all their supplies in Goderich, added to which was the time and labor of bringing these over the intervening thirty-six miles, absolutely devoid of anything that might be called a road for most of the distance. Early in the year 1849 settlers in increased numbers took up lands in the vicinity of Kincardine, of whom quite a number sur- vive. One of these is Elijah Miller. The 6th February of that } r ear is the day when he, then but a boy, first saw Kincardine. He, with his father, mother, uncle and aunt, were driven over the ice from Goderich by Capt. Thomas Dancey. To him it seemed that nothing was to be seen but woods everywhere. The clearings that had been made were so small and scattered that the forest appeared to have lost nothing of its unbroken vastness. Mr. Miller, sen., settled on lot 12, con. 1, N.D.R. That winter he made a small clearing and thereon raised a small crop the following summer. Capt. Duncan Eowan is another " forty-niner," who when alive was ever ready to speak of pioneer days. He reached Kincardine on February 18th, 1849, accompanied by his brother John and his sister, afterwards Mrs. McLeod. 1 They put up for the night at Patrick Downie's. There they learned of Stoney Island, three miles farther north, as a place where small vessels might find a haven. This, to one possessing the instincts and training of a sailor, was 1 The mother of Angus McLeod, one of Canada's noted professional bicyclists. His mile with flying start in 1 minute 46 and a fraction of seconds still stands as a record on Canadian tracks. 30 PIONEERS OF HU110X attractive; in addition, good farming land was to be had in the adjacent Lake Range, already surveyed. Appreciating these advan- tages the party decided that on some of these farm lots they would settle. Next day they yoked their oxen and journeyed on to the spot that they had decided upon. Before long they had erected near the beach, a log house, the site of which can be identified by the ruins of the chimney. It was a familiar sight to all who passed up and down on the Beach Eoad in the " fifties." In the roll of the early pioneers of the county the names of those who settled in the township of Huron must not be forgotten, the date of their settlement being as early as many of those already referred to. The survey of the first concession and the Lake Range in that township in 1847, as mentioned in a previous chapter, had prepared the way for those desirous of taking up land. An exactness as to date of settlement is possible respecting the township of Huron not to be had so authoritively in the case of other town- ships, as it is based upon a report made by E. R. Jones, P.L.S., who after completing the survey of that part of the township untouched by A. Wilkinson, made a list of all settlers on the Lake Range, giving the date of settlement and extent of improvements made up to the date of his report, Sept. llth, 1851. From this report we learn that in October, 1848, Louis Lizars settled on lots 47 and 48, Lake Range, and was followed in the May of 1849 by Abraham Holmes, Wm. Blair, Peter Wanamaker, James Donnelly and David Walden. The fall of the same year added to the number of settleis in the persons of Joseph and Christopher R. Barker, John Emmer- ton, Thomas and Elisha Barnes. The foregoing names and dates are beyond dispute, but it is said that Louis Bellemore, a French- Canadian, was the first to locate in Huron, and the summer of 1848 is given as the time when he " squatted " on lot 19, beside Pine River, where he made some improvements and kept a tavern. In the following spring he sold his squatter's rights to David Walden and moved to lot 36, and at the time of E. R. Jones' report, he had made a clearing thereon of thirteen acres in extent. 1 Among the foregoing names that of (Capt.) Abraham Holmes deserves more than a passing mention. He owned and sailed a dug-out canoe of 'Bellemore at one time had been in the employ of the Hudson's ^Bay Com- pany, and had married the daughter of an Indian chief. The sign of the tavern which he kept had painted thereon, in rather rude artistic style, a bottle and a glass, with the motto, "A French Tavern." THE FREE GRANTS 31 unusual size, having a carrying capacity of five barrels of flour in addition to its crew of two men, who, using oars and sails, brought many a settler with their effects from Goderich to Penetangore. For several years this vessel sailed regularly on this route. Other pioneers took up land in Huron in 1849, besides those on the lake shore. The first concession received its first settlers in October of that year, who located near what is now Lochalsh, Dun- can McEae, Finlay McLennan and Alex. McRae, with their families, coming in at that time. One cannot but admire the courage of these men and women in taking up land miles back from the lake, in the midst of the bush. If severe hardships fell to the lot of those who had the advantage of water transit to reach their base of supplies, how much more severe must have been the hardships endured by these families. It is pleasing to be able to record that " Big " Dun- can McRae is still living, and has passed his jubilee on the same farm lot. The rapidity with which the county of Bruce was settled may be largely attributed to the offer made by the government of a free grant, to actual settlers, of a fifty acre farm lot 1 on either of the first two concessions north or south of the Durham Road. This was accompanied with the promise that this road would be cleared and opened up by the Government. The third concessions were at first intended to be held for sale to those who had obtained a grant. This intention was not, however, adhered to. The prospect of purchasing additional land had the effect of inducing many to locate on the second concessions, doing so under the condition that they were to open up the road between the second and third concessions unaided by the government; and until this was satisfactorily done they could not obtain the patent to their grant. The notice that the " free grants " were open for location was made in August, 1848, and renewed in June, 1849. The mode of taking up these grants and the conditions attached before a patent from the Crown thereto could be obtained, are given in Appendices D and E, but will here be related in a more detailed manner. A personal application 2 to the Crown Lands Agent at Durham, J 806 lots in all were so offered in the townships in the county of Bruce. 'The applicants were so numerous in the summer of 1849 and 1850 that they could with difficulty find accommodation in Durham, and were glad to sleep anywhere, as long as they had a roof over their heads. 32 THE LAND-SEEKER the late Mr. George Jackson, 1 was necessary. Mr. Jackson gave to each applicant a list consisting of certain lots not taken up. These lists did not contain many lots, and were drawn out as far as pos- sible with a view of preventing two men inspecting and selecting the same lands. Mr. Jackson also planned to have people of a con- genial type settle in close proximity; in this he was assisted by those whom he had acting in the sense of sub-agents, from whom the land-seekers were instructed to receive directions as to the locality of the lots on their lists. In Kincardine Township Allan Cameron and Thomas Harris so acted, and in Brant Thomas Adair and William Johnston who received his sobriquet' of "King John- ston" in consequence from the hands of Mr. Jackson, a title that clung to him for life. The applicant started off from Durham with the list in his pocket and in his pack a supply of provisions suffi- cient to last until his return to the clearings. Striking out along the Durham Line, which at the first was only a blazed path through the woods, after a good four hours' tramp he would reach the Saugeen Eiver just west of the county line, 2 at Buck's Crossing, where the village of Hanover now stands. If the water were low he could wade across the. river, otherwise he had to follow up the stream in a northerly direction for about a mile to where the mill-dam was afterwards erected. There a jam of driftwood -had formed, over which he crossed. This jam continued to be thus used until the government had constructed a bridge on the line of the Dur- ham Road, in the fall of 1850. The land-seeker now entered upon a weary march pursuing his search for a suitable lot, sleeping at nights in the open when distant from any settler's shanty, or meet- 'George Jackson, although residing at Durham, was closely connected with the early days of Bruce and Walkerton. His name was also well known to all settlers along the length of the Durham Road. The few con- densed particulars of his life here given are, therefore, quite in order. George Jackson was born at Hutton, Yorkshire, England, in December, 1809. He came to Canada in 1844. The appointment of Crown Land Agent (see Appendix E) for the Free Grants in Bruce and Grey was conferred upon him in August, 1848. He was elected member of parliament in 1854 for the county of Grey, being the first representative from that county. With the exception of two parliaments, he continued to represent that con- stituency until 1882. Mr. Jackson exercised discretion and judgment in allotting settlers their free grants in Bruce, and was much respected and admired by both friends and opponents. He died March 6th, 1885. This part of the Durham line was chopped, but not logged, during the summer of 1849. ALLAN CAMERON p . 26 WM. WITHERS The two pioneer settlers in the County of Bruce p. 26 GEORGE JACKSON p . 32 Crown Land Agent for the " Free Grants " LATHAM B. HAMLIN NOTICE THAT " FREE GRANTS " WERE OPEN 33 ing with a warm and kindly hospitality if he were so fortunate as to reach one. At last, having made his selection, he returned to Dur- ham, to have it registered to him. From one to three month's grace were allowed before he commenced to fulfil the conditions and make the improvements required by the Crown. These stipulated con- tinuous settlement, the clearing of twelve acres in not less than four years, and the erection of a dwelling house of at least 18 x 24 feet in dimensions. These terms complied with, a patent to the land was granted by the Crown. Conditions so easy were in many cases performed long before the four years' limit of time expired, as is instanced in Kincardine Township, where to settlers on the "free grants " patents to the number of a dozen or more were issued in the year 1851. It is possible, however, that politics were at the bottom of this early issue of patents, as in those days a voter was liable to be called upon to produce his title deeds when he tendered his vote for a member of parliament; and it has been asserted, by parties who should know, that only those men who were known to vote right received their patents early. The first notice of the opening of the " free grants " was issued by Crown Land Agent George Jackson, as already stated, in August, 1848. This action on his part seems to have been premature, as we find that the Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote to him under date of October 12th, 1848, notifying him, " That neither location tickets can issue, nor sales be confirmed, until the surveys are com- pleted and the Department be in a position to make records." This was followed, June 13th, 1849, by another letter instructing him to make returns of locations on the Durham Road " in the township of Brant, the surveys of which are completed," in order that loca- tion tickets may be issued. Also, " That to comply with the statute passed at last session (12 Vic., chap. 31., sec. 4.), to suspend for the present the sale on the third Eanges of the 150 acres adjoining the free grants of 50 acres." The notice of the opening of the ; the remainder of the issue remained unused until 1863. Jolr.i Gillies was warden in that year; as he was strongly opposed to th way county town matters were going, a mandamus had to bs applied for before he would sign the remainder of the issue, which were finally disposed of in December, 1865. Mr. N. Hammond received in 1859 the appointment of registrar of the county of Bruce, the office to be at Southampton, awaiting the final decision of where the county town was to be located. The provisional County Council on hearing of this appointment petitioned the Governor-General that the registry office remain in Goderich, a request that was not acceded to. As an account of Mr. Hammond's was presented to the Counties Council for payment of rent from 9th July, 1859, it is probable, therefore, that this is the date on and from which the county of Bruce has had a separate registry office. Mariners on Lake Huron rejoiced over the completion, in 1859, of the lighthouses at Point Clark (Pine Point) and at Chantry Island. John Brown, of Thorold, had the contract of erecting these 'Provisions were not only scarce, but high-priced as well. Flour sold at $10 a barrel at many places. EATING A WARRANT 89 two substantial buildings, which in that year first sent their rays over the stormy waters of Lake Huron to guide the sailor 011 his course. In the early summer of 1859 an incident took place that created quite a talk throughout the southern part of the county, although the centre of disturbance most of the time was just over the county line in Bentinck. A mile and a quarter east of Hanover, on the Dur- ham line, lived a family by the name of Campbell, in whose veins must have run the blood of those Highlanders whose joy it was to make raids and forays on the lowlands. Certain it is that in many ways they set law at defiance and terrorized the neighborhood on both sides of the county line. With them were associated some young fellows, several brothers named Baillie, Andrew McFarlane, and Win. McMahon. In 1858 a span of horses belonging to McFarlane were found at Vesta and seized for debt, removed by the Division Court bailiff, J. Benson, and placed in the stables of a Walkerton Hotel. McFarlane and the Campbells were determined to retake the horses, even if the seizure had been under authority of the court. So they broke into the stables one night and decamped with the horses. This was followed by an order to arrest from Judge Cooper. George Simpson and Caleb Huyck were the constables to whom the warrant was given to execute. Word of the coming of the constables had reached the ears of the Campbell gang, so when the constables were crossing the bridge at Hanover they surrounded them. Every one of the gang was well supplied with fire-arms. The warrant was ordered to be produced and was immediately torn up ; but there being a full sense of humor in the Campbells, they ordered Huyck to eat up the torn fragments. A sorry meal it was to partake of, but it was a case of eat or be shot. A meal of paper is not one to be rapidly finished, and Huyck, like many a greedy boy when he has a chance at a pile of cakes, pocketed a part of 1 his fare, and these parts of the torn and dismembered warrant were afterwards pasted together and produced at the trial of Colin Campbell at Goderich. Such an open defiance of law startled the community, and the necessity for vigorous and prompt measures was felt. Judge Cooper directed that a posse of constables be collected, sufficient in number to enforce the execution of the warrant. The writer remembers seeing a waggon starting for Walkerton from Kincardine filled with constables, each one with a rifle or shot gun. The posse of constables on arriving at 90 CAMPBELL GANG BROKEN UP Campbell's 1 surrounded the building and demanded the surrender of all in the house, seven n en in all. The reply was a prompl refusal, with a warning that if they did not leave the premises they must take the consequences. Defiantly the seven armed men stood at the windows, pointing their guns at any who came too near. Mr. Jamieson, the magistrate in charge, endeavored to point out the uselessness of resisting the law, but his reasoning had no weight with the Campbells, or McMahon, who was very wild. Some excited constables set fire to the house, but the wiser and more sober-minded knew that they neither had authority to do so, or yet to be the first to open fire upon these defiers of the law; but a second time the flames were started, and this time the Campbells, to save being burnt to death, were forced to make a break for liberty. They came out of the building holding their rifles at full cock ready to fire if touched. The great bulk of the constables thought it best to be out of the way, and sought shelter behind the house, leaving a number, too few, however, to attempt the task of arresting the gang as they rushed down the side-line to the woods for shelter. Colin Campbell and another of the gang, William McMahon, while on the run were shot in the back with a charge of buck-shot. Being unable to obtain proper attention in the woods, Campbell gave himself up and was tried at Goderich at the next Assize, and sentenced to a term in the penitentiary. The family years after moved to Manitoulin Island and purchased the property of Jos. Walker, the founder of the county town, then lately deceased. A law suit was entered by Campbell against those who had taken part in the burning of his house, which was tried at Owen Sound, the defendants winning their case. Although a decade had elapsed since the government had com- menced the opening up of the main roads in Bruce, the work was far from being completed in 1859. David Gibson, in his report of the work of that year, says : " In April contracts were let to the extent of $6,000 for making the Saugeen and Goderich Eoad ' a sum- mer road/ At that time much privation and distress were reported to prevail along the line of road. To give employment to as many of the needy settlers as possible, the work was let in sections of five- eighths of a mile each. In this way a great many were enabled to make a little money and relieve themselves of the. severe pressure upon them. Most of the contracts have been completed. The whole 'June 8th, 1859. ALMOST A SHIPWRECK 91 of the road lying in the county of Bruce has now been cleared of timber to the width of 44 feet and chopped to the width of 66 feet. A considerable amount of causewaying has been laid, as well as extensive ditching on both sides of the road, and the stumps on the space between the ditches grubbed and removed." Reading between the lines of the foregoing extract, it is not difficult to imagine what this road, and many others in Bruce, as well, were like, even after ten years or more of settlement. A shipwreck, that would have been notable in the history of Canada, nearly occurred (July 3rd, 1859) on the rocky cliffs which form the coast line along the north end of the Bruce peninsula. The steamer Ploughboy, having on board an excursion party consisting of several members of the ministry and a number of members of the House of Parliament, was on a trip to Sault Ste. Marie. During a severe gale an accident happened to some of the machinery, render- ing the vessel perfectly helpless, so that she drifted at the mercy of the wind and waves. As they neared the precipitous rocks hope was almost given up. As a last resort the anchor with full length of cable was let out, but owing to the depth of water it did not catch until the steamer was within about fifty yards of the perpendicular cliff, when it held firmly. The scenes on board, as described after they had all reached a place of safety, had some comical features. The prospect of immediate death made every one feel the desirability of holding some religious service, but there was not a soul on board who had any pretensions to be able to conduct any sort of a meeting but a political one, or to possessing any of the qualifications looked for in a leader of a religious meeting. It was therefore forced on the Speaker of the House, Sir Harry Smith, to read the prayers for those in peril on the sea. While the steamer remained in this perilous position in the midst of the boiling surf, the lives of all on board depending upon the stability of the cable, Duncan McLean, first mate on the steamer (a brother-in-law of Capt. Duncan Eowan, of Kincardine) got a few of the crew to volunteer to row with him through the stormy waters to Owen Sound, which venturesome trip, for such a small boat in such a gale, was successfully accomplished, and help for the endangered vessel and its crew of passengers was promptly forwarded. The position of warden for the county was held in 1859 by John Valentine, reeve of Greenock. Owing to the extent of the distress which prevailed in that year, the issue and sale of deb3ntnres to 92 FIRST GRAMMAR SCHOOL meet it, and also the county building debenture by-law being twicj submitted to the ratepayers, Mr. Valentine's duties were more than usually onerous. His successor, Mr. John Bruce, reeve of Brant, tne warden for 1860, had much less arduous duties to occupy him during his term of office. The year 1860 was comparatively uneventful as far as the county of Bruce was concerned. A bountiful harvest blessed the year, the sale of which brought into the hands of many a poor farmer of Bruce more money than he had ever been the possessor of since he had entered the bush. The county town question still dragged its weary way along with- out coming any nearer a final decision. In 1858 the question had been referred to the Governor-General, who was then asked to select a place. That year and the following passed without a place being named. The reason for delay is revealed by the purport of a letter written on the 31st May by the Provincial Secretary, in which he asks, " That the County Council give an opinion as to the most desir- able place to name as county town, as owing to the contradictory statements of different, municipalities, laid before His Excellency the Governor-General, it was difficult to arrive at a decision." The County Council by a majority of two carried a motion to the effect that His Excellency the Governor-General should select either one of the two villages, Kincardine or Walkerton, the reason assigned being that each of these were located on the Durham Koad. On the 8th November the Governor-General 1 for the second time proclaimed Walkerton as the county town. The December session of the County Council, after most exciting discussions, selected plans for the county buildings, but took no steps as to finding a site therefor, leaving that question to be settled by its successors. The cause of higher education in the county took a marked step in 1860 when the grammar school at Kincardine, the first in the county, was established. Southampton made an effort at the sam.' time to obtain a similar school, but failed to secure the consent of the County Council to this request. The year 1861 saw a change in the county officers. W. C. Bruce, who had acted as provisional clerk from the first, resigned his office at the beginning of this year. He was succeeded by the late George 'Sir W. F. Williams was, at the above date, the administrator of the Government, and the proclamation bears his signature. GEORGE GOULD 93 Gould, 1 who filled the position until his resignation in December, 1895. During this long term of office the unvarying kindliness of heart and manner so characteristic of Mr. Gould, combined with his willingness to oblige, made him the most popular of public officers. During the summer of this year Mr. George Cromar, the provisional county treasurer, died. Mr. Cromar entered upon the duties of this office in 1858. During his absence in Scotland in the following year an issue of debentures had to be signed by the county treasurer. It was therefore necessary to appoint someone to do so in his absence. Thomas Corrigan was under these circumstances made treasurer until Mr. Cromar's return, when the latter gentleman was re-appointed. On Mr. Cromar's death Mr. Corrigan received the appointment to the office so vacated, the date being August 16th, 1861. In this year Mr. John Purvis once more filled the warden's chair, it being the second time the honor was conferred upon him. The general census taken in 1861 shows what strides the county of Bruce took in its infant days By this census we learn that dur- ing the nine years intervening between it and the preceding one, the population of the county increased from 2,837 to 27,499, almost ten fold, whilst the assessment in the same period increased from $147,196 to $3,997,187, an increase of over twenty-seven fold. This year witnessed another determined fight for the county town in the provisional County Council. No time was lost in commencing hostilities, as we find at the first meeting of the year a motion was passed to petition Parliament to avoid the proclamation naming Walkerton the county town and to divide the county into two coun- ties, the dividing line to be the town line of Brant and Elderslie, the 17th and 18th concessions of Greenock and the 7th and 8th con- 'George Gould was born at Enniskiljen, Ireland, November 5th, 1820. When nine years of age he came with his parents to Canada, and resided at Toronto for some time. His father and grandfather both were soldiers, the former holding a commission in the 86th Eegiment. Mr. Gould received his education at Nashville, Tennessee. The southern climate not agreeing with him, he returned to Canada in 1845, and pursued the profession of surveyor. He assisted in the survey of five townships in the county of Grey, and also of Arran, Amabel, and Albemarle, in Bruce. He was one of the first to take up land in Arran, the location being where Invermay now is. He filled the position of county clerk of Bruce from 1861 until shortly before his death, which occurred in February, 1896. His son, William S. Gould, succeeded to his office. He married on January 19th, 1855, Elizabeth Snowden, of Owen Sound. Their family consisted of four sons and two daughters. Mr. Gould's name is frequently men- tioned in this history, he having filled many prominent positions. In private life he was most popular and highly esteemed. 94 JOSEPH WALKEH'S MANDAMUS cessions of Bruce. The south part was to be called the county of Bruce and the north the county of Saugeen, with Kincardine and Southampton as the respective county towns. This action of the County Council was met by Joseph Walker, Walkerton's champion, obtaining a mandamus nisi asking the Council to show cause why the erection of the county buildings shoiild not be proceeded with at Walkertou. The council defended the suit and ultimately wo i the case, but experienced considerable difficulty in recovering their costs. The loss of this lawsuit did not discourage Joseph Walker; whatever effect it may have had upon his friends, he still showed fight, and commenced without delay another suit. This time he sought to obtain a mandamus directing that the county buildings debentures be sold, and also directing that the funds so obtained be used for the purpose specified in the debenture by-law. The County Council defended this suit also, and again came out victor in this contest in the courts, so that the year closed with the county town dispute being as unsettled as ever. The harvest of 1861 was much below an average one. This fact was used as the basis of a petition forwarded by the County Council to the Governor-in-Council, " To remit the accumulated interest up to the end of the year, and to extend the term for payment of pur- chase money of the public lands in the county of Bruce." The Crown Lands Department having given notice that payment must be made. About, the same time (March 6th, 1861) an order rescinding the Land Improvement Fund 1 was issued by the Governor-in-Council. The payments received from this fund by the various local munici- palities had enabled much work to be done in the way of opening up township roads. Possibly on account of the action of the govern- ment, the United Counties Council passed a by-law to expend $2,050 during this year on the roads in Bruce. This was the first grant of a comprehensive nature known to the county, though not the last by any means. The sole change among the municipalities of the county during the year 1861 was the advent of the united townships of Amabel and Albemarle as a separate municipality, the union of these two town- ships with Arran having been dissolved by by-law of the United Counties Council, passed in September previous. The first reeve of this new municipality was the Rev. Ludwick Kribs, a Congrega- tional minister who had labored faithfully and successfully among 'See Appendix O. GOING TO GRAIN MARKETS 95 the Indians as a missionary for a number of years, and finally took up land at Colpoy's Bay and settled thereon. The provisional County Council for the year 1862, over which J. T. Conaway presided as warden, followed the practice of the pre- ceding councils in tackling the county town question in a vigorous manner, but only to leave it unsolved as previous councils had done. A special committee appointed to consider the matter reported in favor of applying for a Bill at the next session of Parliament to divide the county of Bruce into two counties, to be called Bruce and Wallace, of which the county towns were to be Kincardine and South- ampton respectively. The assent of the municipal electors to this proposition was to be obtained by a vote of the same.. A Bill 1 to this effect passed two readings of the House in 1863, but for some reason unknown to the author it did not obtain a third. If the County Council of 1862 could not settle the apparently interminable county town question they at least originated a scheme of the utmost importance to the county, namely, the comprehensive system of gravel roads, which, although not approved of when voted upon by the ratepayers in the following year, was, when again sub- mitted in 1865, carried by a substantial vote. When we remember the necessity of good markets and a ready access thereto, we wonder that the proposition did not carry at once, for good roads and safe harbors were absolutely necessary for the development of the county in the days when railways were unknown in Bruce, for then farmers when marketing their grain had to team it to some lake port, from whence it would be shipped by sailing vessel, or else to some station on a line of railway, such as Guelph, Seaforth or Clinton. What this meant to a farmer in the back townships may easily be imagined. Owing to the wretched condition of the roads in the fall of the year, he had to wait until the sleighing was good before he could seek a market. Then, having loaded his sleigh over night, he would make an early start and be miles on his way before it was daylight. If the price of grain was satisfactory and the sleighing good, it would not be long before he found himself in what seemed a long drawn out procession, so numerous were the grain-laden sleighs. The streets of our lake-port villages were a busy scene in those days, when some- times 10,000 bushels of wheat would be marketed in one day. To save such long hauls, and that a market might be brought nearer to the doors of the farmers of Bruce, the County Council advertized in 'Bill No. 292, 2nd Sess., 7th Parlt., 26 Vic., 1863. 96 WOLF SCALPS the Toronto daily papers during the summer of 1862, offering to bonus any railway entering the county. The harvest of this year was secured under most unfavorable conditions ; many a farmer found his wheat sprouted in the ear as it stood in the stook. Such grain, of course, was sold at prices that were a disappointment to those who were only getting upon their feet financially, after the hard times attending their settlement upon bush farms and clearing the same. At Baie de Dore two villages had developed into business centres, known as Port Bruce and Malta, which largely supplied the town- ship of Bruce with all the merchandise required. On July 4th, 1862, in some unrecorded manner a fire started, and fanned by a high wind completely wiped out these two villages, only a few houses being left. The loss was so complete that the people seemed to have beco.i.e disheartened and moved away with anything they might have saved, instead of rebuilding. The result was that Underwood started up and obtained the trade that previously had gone to Port Bruce and Malta, and nothing now remains of these two villages beyond a name and the outlines of the stone foundations of some of the build- ings now mostly hidden by a dense growth of cedar. In February, 1862, the last bounty paid by the county treasurer for " wolf scalps " ($6.00 each) seems to have been paid, the recipients being Dr. Garner and H. Sperien, but whether the animals were killed in Huron or Bruce is not very clear. Wolves were not common after settlers came in, yet it was less than four years pre- vious to the above date that a Mrs. Sullivan obtained a grant from the United Counties Council on account of her husband having " lost his life from the effects of a desperate encounter with a wolf. We recommend," the motion of Council goes on to say, "that the sum of $60 be granted, as we consider that the destruction of the animal was a public benefit," a sentiment in which all might join. In its early days Bruce had rarely, if ever, been favored by a visit from any of the leaders in Canadian politics. So when it was announced that the Hon. Geo. Brown was to speak in the Saugeen District in the interests of Mr. John McMurrich in the bye-election for representation in the Legislative Council, 1 the enthusiasm of 'The Hon. James Patton, representing the Saugeen District in the Upper House of our Legislature, had been offered a seat in the McDonald- Sicotte Ministry, as Solicitor-General, West. He was now seeking re-elec- tion that he might assume office, but met with a defeat, Mr. McMurrich being elected by a majority of 769. The date of this election was May 1st, 1862. JOHN GILLIES 97 Mr. McMurrich's supporters was unbounded. Ten days before the day of voting Mr. Brown was at Kincardine and spoke at a meeting held in the town hall, a much smaller building than the present one, and on that day it was crowded to its full capacity. This was the only opportunity the author ever had of listening to a speech by Mr. Brown, and he would willingly record the purport of it if his memory of what was said was more vivid and retentive. In the year 1863 several incidents occurred worthy of record in a history of the county. At the general election for the Legislative Assembly, held in June, James Dickson was again returned as the representative for Huron and Bruce. It was in the same year that the village of Lucknow, having attained growth sufficient to make it desirous to assume the regulation of its own improvements, asked to be erected into a police village, which request the United Counties Council, at its December session, complied with. It also was in 1863 that a change was made in the mode of remunerating township treasurers for their services. Previously, one item to be found in the county estimates was that of the township treasurers' commis- sion, which was a percentage of 2 1-2 per cent. Since 1863 these officers have been paid a fixed sum as a salary by their own munici- pality. The by-law to issue $300,000 worth of debentures for the pur- pose of constructing gravel roads was voted upon by the ratepayers March 31st, 1863. The by-law carried, but by so narrow a majority that although the United Counties Council passed the by-law in April, it thought best to reconsider its action, and at its June session repealed the by-law; consequently no debentures were issued. The business of the provisional County Council for 1863 was pre- sided over by John Gillies. 1 Of its four sessions the author has only 'John Gillies was a native of the parish of Kilcalomnoll, Argyleshire. While still in his teens he left Scotland, in company with two brothers, to seek his fortune in Canada, landing in August, 1852. Shortly after he settled upon a farm in Elderslie, of which township he was reeve from 1857 to 1873, both years inclusive; he was also warden of the county for the years 1863, 1869, 1870, 1871 and 1872. In politics he was a Liberal. He successfully contested the North Hiding of Bruce, for the House of Commons, with Colonel A. Sproat, in 1872. In 1874 he was re-elected by acclamation. In 1878 he and Colonel Sproat once more were candidates seeking to be the representative of this constituency, Mr. Gillies again being successful, this time by a majority of 156 votes. In 1882 he was defeated by Alex. McNeill. The following year he contested the same riding for the Ontario Legislature, his opponent being James Eowand, and was elected by a majority of 120 votes. In 1888 Mr. Gillies was appointed police magistrate at Sault Ste. Marie. His death occurred December 10th, 1889. 98 PINKERTON AS COUNTY TOWN been able to obtain the minutes of those of the session held on Octo- ber 16th and 17th. One motion then passed shows what action had been taken during the early part of the year in regard to the county town. The motion referred to reads : " That whereas at the last meeting of the provisional Council of the county of Bruce held at Port Elgin, it was agreed by this Council that any place which should obtain a majority of votes was to be the county town for the county of Bruce. And whereas Pinkerton obtained such majority, therefore be it resolved that this Council take the necessary steps to have the county buildings erected at Pinkerton with the least possible delay." The motion was lost on a vote of 6 for, 14 against. At this same meeting of the Council, and after a number of motions had been proposed to settle the vexed question, a surprising proposition, con- sidering that it came from two representatives who lived in Kin- cardine, was proposed. It was moved by William Sutton and seconded by John McLay, " That whereas this Council have shown by their votes on several occasions their inability to settle the county town at Pinkerton, Southampton, Kincardine or Paisley, therefore it is desirable under the circumstances that the Council should at once go on with the erection of the county buildings at Walkerton," etc. The change of the two votes from being opponents of Walkerton to supporters of it gave the necessary majority in its favor, and there was promptly passed a by-law- appointing a committee to purchase the necessary site for the buildings, to advertise for tenders, to let contracts, and directing the treasurer to pay orders issued by the committee. One would almost expect the foregoing to be the conclusion of this long fought out question, but not so. The provisional County Council of the following year upset the whole matter at its first meeting. After electing James Brocklebank as warden for 1864, it proceeded to consider the report presented by the Building Com- mittee, which, slightly abbreviated, reads as follows : " At the last meeting of your honorable body, held 22nd December, 1863, your committee reported: That they had purchased and paid for a suit- able site from George Jackson, whereon to erect the county build- ings, for the sum of $600. That David Murray, of Guelph, had been appointed architect. That your committee had advertized for ten- ders. That the contract had been given to John Elliot, of Brant- ford, for the sum of $21,136.95. That your committee had been prevented from carrying out the instructions of the Council, owing RATEPAYERS VOTE ON COUNTY TOWN 99 to the warden's refusal to sign the contract, with other particulars. Which report your honorable body adopted. Your Council at said meeting, owing to the warden's continued refusal to sign the contract or vacate his seat, appointed John McLay chairman, and by resolution instructed him in behalf of the Council to sign the contract, which was done in open Council. That Mr. Elliot refuses to go on with the erection of the county buildings till the contract is signed by the warden." The committee appointed to consider this report com- mend Mr. Gillies, the ex-warden, for refusing to sign the contract. Both reports had eleven votes for and against. The minutes do not say so, but the warden must have given his casting vote against the Building Committee report, as it was dropped, and the Council petitioned Parliament to pass an Act repealing all Acts having refer- ence to the county town question, and empower the ratepayers to choose by vote which of two places, Kincardine or Paisley, be the county town of Bruce. The Legislature acquiesced and passed 1 "An Act to void the proclamation declaring Walkerton the county town of the county of Bruce, and to enable the municipal electors of the said county to select a county town." This Act did not limit places to be voted upon, as requested, but inserted a clause which resulted in the end sought for being as far off as ever, in that the place selected must " receive the assent of the majority of all per- sons entitled to vote at such election." The election was held on September 20th, 1864, with the following result: Paisley, 1,652; Kincardine, 1,403; Walkerton, 1,110; Southampton, 78; Invermay, 1; Kiversdale, 1. Such a futile result, none of the places named having obtained a plurality of votes, made the majority of the Council desperate and resulted in a motion being passed to petition Parliament "to abolish the provisional County Council and remodel the tract of country comprising the counties of Grey, Bruce, Huron, Perth and Wellington and its division into counties of compact form and size, in order to avoid the clashing of opposite interests which inevitably exist when counties are of irregular form and unwieldy extent." The result of the contract for the buildings not being gone on with was the payment to the contractor and architect of $500 and $300 respectively for compensation. An effort to effect some kind of a compromise by way of giving good roads and improved harbors to Kincardine and Southampton in lieu of these villages waiving their claims to the county town in favor of Paisley or '27-28 Vie. Chap. 77. 100 TWO REGISTRARS OF DEEDS Walkerton did not carry, but it may have had some weight when the gravel roads by-law was submitted in the following year. Two railway propositions were laid before the people of Bruce in 1864. One by F. Shanly, C.E., which was to construct a road running north from the main line of the Grand Trunk Hallway at Guelph and known as the " Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway." This had Southampton named as the point where it was to reach Lake Huron. The other projected railway was known as the " Strat- ford and Huron Railway/' which had Kincardine named as its lake terminus. Both roads were sanctioned by Act of Parliament this year. The names of several Bruce reeves appear in the list of each of these companies so seeking incorporation, incidentally showing how anxiously looked for was the advent of a railway, wherever it might be laid to, so long as it entered the county of Bruce. These projects were considered by the County Council which, without com- mitting itself to either, offered a bonus of $400,000, to be paid on the completion of the railway. Thomas Corrigan, who had held the position of county treasurer since August, 1861, resigned in May, 1864. Alexander Sproat was appointed his successor. Another change in county officials was that of the registrarship. The appointment of Mr. N. Hammond to this office was cancelled early in the year by the government, and Mr. John McLay, reeve of Huron Township, was appointed to it. 3ir. Hammond refused to surrender the books. Ultimately Mr. 31cLay forcibly obtained possession of the same, but the inconveni- ence to the public was great while the contention lasted, which was settled by the courts, but not until 1868. 1 A change in the member for the Saugeen division in the Legislative Council occurred this year, D. L. Macpherson obtaining the seat, which he held until his death thirty-three years later. Mr. Snyder, of Owen Sound, was the other candidate in this election. The year 1865 is a memorable one. in the history of the county of Bruce, witnessing as it did the passing of the gravel roads by-law by a vote of the ratepayers, the conclusion of the battle for the county town, and the final settlement of that troublesome question. James Brocklebank was in 1865 again elected to fill the warden's chair. The first meeting for that year of the provisional County Coun- cil was held in Kincardine. After some desultory voting about the 'In the Provincial estimates for 1871 is this item, " To reimburse John McLay for costs incurred by him in re Hammond, $1,097.46." LAST OF THE COUNTY TOWN CONTEST 101 county town, which did not further matters in any way, the fol- lowing motion carried, " That a committee of five be balloted for to draft a petition to the Legislature praying for the passage of an Act declaring Paisley the co.unty town of Bruce, in accordance with the majority of ratepayers, when given at the poll held for that pur- pose." After the above motion was carried, a committee was appointed lo select a site for the county buildings at Paisley. This committee selected a site which was to have cost $300. They also arranged with Mr. Elliott, the contractor, to erect the buildings in Paisley at an advance of $5,000 over his contract price for their erection at Walkerton. The report made by this committee, when presented at the next meeting of the County Council, was not adopted, an amend- ment being carried to the following effect, " That steps be imme- diately taken for the erection of the county buildings at Walkerton, and that the warden do sign the contract for the same." This motion was followed by another, which is here given in full, as it is the last motion that carried, although not the last motion voted upon in the Council regarding this long, vexatious and wearisome dispute that had lasted eight years, trying the patience of the ratepayers and making them almost despair of a settlement. The motion reads : " Moved by Wm. Sutton, seconded by Paul Ross, That the warden petition the Legislature in behalf of this Council for a bill to repeal all past Acts having reference to the county town of Bruce, and to pass a Bill appointing Walkerton the county town of Bruce in accord- ance with the action of this Council." The vote as taken was yeas 13, nays 10. One of the results of the above decision was the entering of a suit against the county to compel the Council to erect the county buildings at Paisley, the plaintiffs being John Valentine, John Gillies, John McMillan, J. B. Shepman, Samuel T. Rowe, Simon, and Thomas Orchard. Parliament acceded to the petition of the Council and passed an Act, assented to 15th September, 1865, 1 which declared Walkerton the county town, also legalizing the by-law appointing the Building Committee, and directing all legal proceed- ings against the Council in the matter to be stayed, and directing the Council to pay all costs of such proceedings. The costs incurred by the plaintiffs, $593.00, were duly paid December 4th, 1865, and the county town question became a thing of the past. At the June session, 1865, of the United Counties Council the Road and Bridge Committee of Bruce brought in a report recom- '29 Vic. Chap 66. 102 GRAVEL ROAD CONTRACTS mending a scheme of gravel roads, also the spending of $16,000 on improving other roads, as well as the spending of $22,000 on improv- ing the following harbors: $10,000 at Kincardine; $3,000 at Inver- huron; $3,000 at Port Elgin and $6,000 at Southampton; and that debentures for $220,000 be issued to pay for the same. A by-law to the above effect was voted upon September 21st and 22nd, 1865, and carried by a majority of 738. The by-law was then passed at a special meeting of the United Counties Council held for that purpose October 5th, 1865, at which session a committee was appointed to carry out the scheme. L. B. Hamlin was appointed engineer, and he immediately got out the necessary profile plans, and at the December meeting of the Council fifty-eight tenders were received. The work of constructing the gravel roads and building a bridge at Paisley was let in eight contracts, at a total of $167,397. Extras for about $36,500 were subsequently allowed. The total cost of the gravel road scheme was $199,704.75. The work at the harbors was let in the following year. It was thought that a separation of the two counties could be effected at the end of the year 1865, and an arrangement was made adjusting the accounts between the two counties, the principal item being the assuming by the county of Huron of $253,000 and by the county of Bruce of $55,000 of the united counties' indebtedness to the Municipal Loan Fund. The Governor-General was also petitioned to dissolve the union by proclamation. This was not complied with just then, owing to the incomplete state of the gaol and court house, and so the union lasted until the end of the following year. About Ihis time, the days of the American Civil War, this coun- try was flooded with American silver coins, owing to the depreciation of the United States currency. For a time this foreign coinage passed at par, but the bulk of it at length became so great that bank bills were to a large extent put out of circulation. Merchants made their remittances to the wholesale houses at Toronto or Montreal in silver, hundreds or thousands of dollars at a time. It was not until a discount of 20 per cent, was put upon it that the influx was stopped. The people of this county, in common with others, lost heavily thereby. Among the entries in the county treasurer's books at this time is to be found the item, " Discount on American silver." The agitation for a railway into the county continued in 1865, the route suggested being different from either of those herein men- tioned when relating the incidents of the preceding year. This time COUNTY BUILDINGS COMPLETED 103 the route proposed was to start from some point on the Northern Railroad, to pass through the village of Durham and the southern townships of Bruce and find a lake port at Kincardine. In support of this scheme the County Council petitioned the Governor-General to bonus such a line of railway. The raid made by the Fenians in 1866 called to arms the volun- teers of Bruce, who promptly responded and assembled at Goderich, where an attack was looked for. The features of this marshalling of our volunteers is dwelt upon fully in another chapter in this book, devoted to " Militia and Volunteers." During this year good progress was made in completing the con- tracts for gravelling the leading roads and on work at the harbors at Kincardine, Inverhuron and Southampton. The weather was not favorable for this work, resulting in many contracts not being completed until the following year. The assuming as county roads of " the public highways known as the Goderich and Saugeen Road, Durham, Elora, Kinloss, Culross and Northern Roads/' was one of the most marked acts in 1866 of the United Counties Council that affected the county of Bruce. James Brocklebank, for a third term, held the position as warden of the county in 1866, and presided over the last of the provisional County Councils, which, compared with its predecessors, had a tran- quil term of office. No question of moment arose and its sessions were largely taken up with considering reports of the Building Com- mittee. This committee made an earnest effort to get the county buildings advanced enough to be accepted by the Board of Prison Inspectors before the meeting of the June session of the council. This could not be accomplished, and it was not until November 1st that the committee reported the gaol and court house as complete. The cost of these buildings was greater than expected when the con- tracts were let, and it was found necessary to pass a by-law to raise $20,000 to pay for the completion of them. Being so late in the year, the dissolving of the union of the counties was postponed until the end of the year, thereby saving trouble in closing up the joint accounts of the two counties. CHAPTER VII. FULL DEVELOPMENT ATTAINED. 18671881. THE year 1867 is a noted one in the history of the county of Bruce, as it is the year which marks its entrance into the ranks of those counties within the province that had attained the dignity of being a separate municipality. The union of the counties of Huron and Bruce was dissolved by a proclamation of the Governor-General, the dissolution taking place December 31st, 1866, so that New Year's Day, 1867, witnessed a marked change in the municipal status of this county. It might not be amiss at this point to concisely recall the various forms of municipal government Bruce as a county had known. The first attempt to constitute a municipality was abortive, it being the union of all of the county of Bruce with the united townships of Wawanosh and Ashfield, as directed by the District Council of Huron in 1849, a union not contemplated or sustained by statute. This so-called union ended after a duration of two years on December olst, 1851. As a separate municipality this territory was first known as " the united townships in the county of Bruce." This endured only for two years, 1852 and 1853; then (January 1st, 1854) came the division of the county into separate local municipalities, con- sisting of one or more townships, each of which sent a representative to the United Counties Council of Huron and Bruce. This continued during the years 1854-5-6. The next change in the form of muni- cipal life commenced in 1857, when the provisional County Council was created and lived the centre of a storm which raged over the county town question until its existence terminated December 31st, 1866. The next era in the municipal life of the county com- menced when the reeves 1 of the various minor municipalities, twenty- three in number, assembled on January 22nd, 1867, and organized as the County Council of the county of Bruce. J The election which had resulted in the returning of these gentlemen as reeves was the first election at which reeves were elected by the direct vote of the ratepayers. Prior to 1867, the Council of each local munici- pality chose its reeve, as now the County Council chooses its warden. 104 FIRST COUNTY OFFICIALS 105 The fact of being a separate county required^ the appointment of certain officials, either by the government or by the County Council. The following list gives the names of all who were appointed to office in 1867, most of whom continued in office for many years after : J. J. Kingsmill, 1 County Judge; William Sutton, Sheriff; D. W. Eoss, County Attorney and Clerk of the Peace; William Gunn, 2 Clerk of the County Court; John McLay, Kegistrar; James Brockle- bank, Warden; Alex. Sproat, County Treasurer; George Gould, County Clerk; Alexander Shaw, County Solicitor; Latham B. Ham- lin, County Engineer; Wm. Oldright, M.D., Gaol Surgeon; Samuel Eoether, Gaoler; William Eichardson, Caretaker of County Build- ings; James Benson, Inspector of Weights and Measures. The separation of the counties of Huron and Bruce antedated the Confederation of the Dominion of Canada by six months. Shortly after the latter was accomplished, a general election was held. Bruce had been divided for representation purposes into two ridings. The following was the result of the election then held for the House of Commons: In North Bruce Lieut.-Col. Alex. Sproat 'John Juehereau Kingsmill, M.A., D.C.L., held the position of Judge within the county of Bruce for twenty-five years, retiring toward the end of 1891. During this long term of office he retained the respect and con- fidence both of the Bar and the general public. He was born in the city of Quebec, May 21st, 1829, and was of Irish descent, being a son of Col. Wm. Kingsmill. He studied at Upper Canada College, Toronto University, and Trinity College. He commenced the practice of law at Guelph in 1853. After retiring from the bench he became a partner in the law firm of Kingsmill, Saunders & Torrance, Toronto. Judge Kings- mill was married four times. He was a prominent member of the Church of England. His death occurred while at sea on a voyage to Genoa, Italy, February, 1900. 2 William Gunn was born, May, 1816, near Glasgow. When twenty years of age he came to Canada, residing first at Prescott, from whence, in 1838, he removed to Kingston. In both places he was in the employ of large shipping firms. In 1848 he went to Napanee and opened up a general store ; moving from there, he came to Kincardine in 1852, and for a short time had a store there. Once more he moved, this time to Inverhuron, and for fourteen years conducted a general store there, acting also as postmaster. He was Local Superintendent of Schools in West Bruce from 1853 to ft 1858 inclusive. In 1859 he was elected reeve of the township of Bruce. He acted as census commissioner in Bruce County when the census was taken in 1861, and when the county of Bruce was separated from Huron he received the appointment of deputy clerk of the Crown and of the Surrogate Court, wMch office he held until his death. In 1889 Mr. Gunn was appointed by the Dominion Govern- ment to visit Scotland and Holland to inquire into and report on the herring fishing industry. He married Susan Douglas, daughter of George Douglas, of Kingston. His death occurred 13th November, 1894. He was survived by but one son, William, who has held for many years a position in the employ of the Government at Kingston. 106 SALT WELLS was returned, and in South Bruce, Francis Hurdon; the unsuccess- ful candidates being respectively Dr. Kobert Douglass and Wm. Rastall. To the Provincial House of Assembly, Donald Sinclair was returned by acclamation for North Bruce, .while in South Bruce Hon. Edward Blake was the successful candidate, defeating James Brocklebank, the warden. The successful opening of the salt industry at Goderich this .year induced the County Council to offer a bonus of $1,000 to any one who would sink, within the county of Bruce, an artesian well to the depth of 1,000 feet in search of salt, the bonus to be divided if more than one well were sunk. This led to wells being sunk at Kincardine, Southampton and Port Elgin. In the following year salt was reached at Kincardine at a depth less than a thousand feet, but the wells sunk in the other two places failed to yield salt. The base of the Onondaga formation, in which salt is to be found, comes to the surface at the mouth of the Saugeen River, so the attempt to obtain salt at the two latter places was an ill advised one, but it has been partially recompensed by the obtaining of a flow of excellent mineral water that now enjoys a widespread patronage. The Kin- cardine company which sunk the well there received $600 as its share of the bonus, and the Southampton company $400. On the 20th October, 1867, the Commercial Bank, in which the county account was kept, failed. At this time the county treasurer held $12,000 of the bills of the bank, part of which was intended to pay $7,000 of coupons falling due on the first of the following month. As the county was consequently very awkwardly placed, the county treasurer at once started for Toronto to do all that was pos- sible to protect the credit of the county. On arriving there he found financial circles very much excited over the failure, so much so that it was at first impossible to raise any money, although he offered to put up $10,000 of Commercial Bank bills as security for a $6,000 loan. The Honorable D. L. Macpherson, Senator for the Saugeen Division, came nobly to the rescue of this part of his constituency, and offered, "rather than see the credit of the county of Bruce in the least depreciated, to advance the requisite acount." Fortunately the crisis was tided over, and that, too, without accepting the honor- able gentleman's liberal offer. The year 1868 may be given as that when railway matters com- menced to take a deep hold of public attention in Bruce. In the previous year a delegation had addressed the County Council in the interests of a line from Toronto. It was 1868, however, when mat- BATTLE OF THE GAUGES 107 ters were urgently brought before not only the Council, but the gen- eral public as well. Of the several railway schemes discussed through- out the county about this time interest settled chiefly upon the merits or demerits of two propositions, namely, that 'of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Eailroad and that of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railroad. The first mentioned was to be a narrow gauge road, and Kincardine was the lake port it aimed to reach. The other com- pany, generally referred to at that time as "the wide gauge," in contradistinction to the other, sought to pass from the south-eastern corner of the county to Southampton, and was backed by all the influence that Hamilton could bring to bear, to secure the promised bonus offered by the county. Adam Brown, Thomas White and William McGivern, of Hamilton, were its most prominent advocates and speakers in support of its claims for approval. The other com- pany strove just as hard, with Toronto at its back, and with John Gordon and George Laidlaw of Toronto to speak of its advantages at the various public meetings called to consider railway matters. In no political election ever held in Bruce has excitement run higher than it did in this railway contest. Walkerton, with the eastern and northern townships, favored the " wide gauge," as the route pro- posed was very favorable to them. On the other hand Kincardine and the townships along the southern boundary favored the " narrow gauge," its proposed route suiting them best. It was urged in favor of the " narrow gauge " that, as it was an independent road, Bruce would be under no railroad monopoly, whereas the wide gauge was to be leased, equipped and run as a branch of the Great Western Eailroad, recently amalgamated with the Grand Trunk Railway. But the " wide gauge " people pointed out that freight shipped on it would not require transhipment' on reaching Toronto, the gauge being a standard one, and cars could go from Bruce direct to any market. But many felt bitterly against the Grand Trunk Railway since its amalgamation with the Great Western Railroad because of a serious advance in freight rates. Before amalgamation the rate from Guelph to Montreal was $45 per car and 13 cents on each bushel of wheat. After the roads were amalgamated the rate was raised to $60 per car and 21 cents per bushel for wheat, rates that were justly stated to be extortionate. Many other arguments on both sides were used, but the above constituted the groundwork of nearly all of them, besides indicating how opinions might be biased. Waiting for the construction of a railway was a tedious matter. To bridge over the interval, and obtain cheaper freight communica- 10.S FIRST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT tion to Walkerton than was paid for teaming goods all the way from G'uelph, the distance being over sixty miles, some of the enterprising citizens of the former place purchased at this time a traction engine, to be used to haul freight from and to Kincardine. Unfortunately the amount of success they met with was not equal to the enterprise shown. Their lack of success arose from want of bridges substan- tial enough to carry such a heavy engine; besides- this, the grades at some of the hills were found to be too steep to enable a profitable load to be hauled up them. The completion of the gravel road contracts resulted in many claims for extras; these in many cases were excessive and were con- tested, with the result that the county had at one time to defend six suits of this description. When settlers purchased their bush-lots from the Crown at the " big " land sale in 1854, or earlier, as the case might be, one of the conditions of the sale was that payment for the same was to be made in ten annual instalments. In cases of ill health, poor crops, bush fires, or other misfortunes, the settler found himself unable to carry out this condition; the consequence was an accumulation of arrears and interest that amounted in many instances to a considerable sum. To such unfortunates there came, as the knell of doom, the announce- ment made by the Commissioner of Crown Lands on October 23rd, 1868, that it was the intention to enforce payment on all arrears not paid by March 2nd, 1869. 1 Thoroughly alarmed, the settlers hastened to take steps to protect their farms by making payment of all claims held by the Crown against their lands. Many had to mortgage their farms to do this, a step which in some cases resulted in seeing them pass out of their hands. Many years passed before the county was relieved of the burden of mortgage indebtedness assumed at this time. There rests one foul blot on the history of the year 1868, as far as Bruce is concerned. During the month of February a man named Stephen Neubecker, returning from Seaforth with the pro- ceeds of a load of grain he had sold, was assaulted and killed and his money taken. John Haag was convicted of the crime and hung on December 15th, the only man who ever suffered capital punish- ment in the history of the county. 'An extension of time for payment of lands purchased from the Crown had previously been granted, possibly in response to a petition forwarded to the Governor-in-Council by the United Counties Council of Huron and Bruce in 1862, asking that the time of payment be extended for five years, because of a partial failure of the crops that year. . RAILWAY BY-LAW VOTED UPON 109 Before passing on to the events of the next year it might be well to note that what are now two of the most flourishing towns within the county, Chesley and Wiarton, commenced to take form in 1868, this being the year in which the former was surveyed, as well as the date of the opening of a post office at Wiarton. It also was the year when Bruce was first connected with the outside world by electric telegraph. The various proposed railway schemes tantalizingly brought before the people of Bruce during a dozen years previous were in 1869 brought to a head, after a number of excited meetings, ably addressed by good speakers, had been held in towns, villages and district school-houses, until everybody was well aware of the advan- tages to be gained by the entrance of the Toronto (narrow gauge) line or of the Hamilton (wide gauge) line. The County Council, at a special meeting held in September, decided to ^ubmit a by-law to the ratepayers to aid the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Eailway by "a free grant or donation of debentures by way of a bonus, to the extent of $250,000," upon the terms that " the said company do extend and carry the line of railway through the county of Bruce from the south-east boundary thereof, at or near Clifford, to the waters of Lake Huron at Southampton; the said line to be complete and ready for traffic to Southampton within three years of the pass- ing of this by-law." The vote was taken on November 2nd. 2,911 voted in favor of the by-law and 2,626 against it, the by-law being carried by a majority of 285. 1 Kincardine Town was charged with STATEMENT SHOWING THE VOTE CAST ON BY-LAW 35 TO GRANT A BONUS OF $250,000 TO THE WELLINGTON, GREY AND BRUCE EAILWAY. TAKEN NOVEMBER 2ND, 1869. For Against Majority Majority By-law. By-law. for. against. Amabel and Albeinarle 194 13 181 Arran 383 11 372 Brant 509 107 402 Bruce 151 166 . . 15 Culross 50 372 . . 322 Carrick 492 58 434 Elderslie 401 33 368- Greenock 400 19 381 Huron 1 579 . . 578 Kincardine Village 265 . . 265 Kincardine Township 32 500 . . 468 Kinloss 7 466 . . 459 Saugeen 243 33 210 Southampton 48 4 44 2911 2626 2392 2107 2626 2107 Majority for By-law 285 285 110 REGISTRY OFFICE casting many illegal votes, the feeling there being very strongly in favor of the "narrow gauge." This charge the reeve had to acknowledge as true at the next meeting of .the County Council. As soon as the result of the voting was known, a long procession was gotten up at Walker-ton to escort the speakers and advocates of the by-law, present from a distance, on their drive back to Guelph, a photograph of which, taken just before starting, is here given. At Mildmay they were halted, to be feasted and congratulated, a pleas- ing feature again repeated at Harriston. It was many a long day before the county settled down and forgot the bitter words spoken, and all the attendant unpleasantness of this intense contest. Although the by-law carried by a majority of votes throughout the county as a whole, the municipalities of Culross, Kinloss, Huron a'nd Kincardine Township and Village recorded a heavy vote against it, and in the following year an effort was made by these localities to get the County Council to memorialize Parliament to pass an Act exempting these municipalities from being taxed for the same, but were not successful. In addition to this, some private individuals went so far as to apply to the courts to quash the by-law, but with like unsuccess. The expenditure made by the county in the construction of gravel roads, bridges and harbors far exceeded the original scheme as voted upon in 1865, consequently it was found necessary to make a further issue of debentures to pay for the same. Debentures to the extent of $20,000 were so issued in 1867; again in 1868 and 1869 debentures for a similar amount and purpose were sold, bringing the amount so raised to a 'total of $280,000 spent within four years for the purpose of improving the means of communication within the county, so that the produce of the fertile fields of Bruce might reach outside markets more expeditiously and cheaply than in the past. When the county buildings were first occupied the office of the Registrar of Deeds was within the court house. This arrangement not meeting with the approval of the inspector, in 1869 the separate building now in use was built at a cost of $5,360, but it was not until November, 1870, that it became occupied, the fittings having been long delayed. The cessation of payments by the government on account of the Land Improvement Fund for five or six years led to an agitation for the resuming of such payments, to which the government in 1869 yielded so far as to appoint a committee of the House to report on ANOTHER RAILWAY CONTEST 111 the facts (see Appendix 0). A number of prominent men from Bruce appeared before this committee and gave evidence, among whom were Donald Sinclair, M.P.P., John Gillies, M.P., John Eckford, Samuel Howe, Henry Brown, James Rae, Thomas Adair, James Somerville and Alex. McNabb, Crown Lands Agent. The report of the committee showed that the government was wrong in withholding payment, and, yielding to the justice of the claim, com- menced in 1871, and regularly since, to make payment on this account. The amount involved was so large that to neglect seeking to obtain it would have been gross culpability. How large an amount may be imagined from the figures furnished to the author by the treasurer of Greenock, which show that the aggregate amount he received to the end of 1901 was $11,947.13. Other townships would show proportionately large receipts, making a total of something like $200,000. Up to the end of 1859 this fund paid for the col- onization road work conducted by David Gibson, referred to in a preceding chapter. The fund collected from January 1st, 1860, to March 6th, 1861 (the date of the order stopping payment), was made in 1864-5 to township treasurers, and so also all payments made in and since 1871. The townships in the Indian Peninsula had during the " sixties " been quietly filling up with settlers. As a result we find, with the advent of 1870, Eastnor becoming one of the municipalities within the county, being united to Albemarle for municipal purposes. The union of the latter named township with Amabel had been dissolved the preceding summer by a by-law of the County Council. In the southerly range of townships a series of meetings were held in 1870 in the interests of the narrow gauge railway, with the intent of getting the ratepayers to consent to a sectional bonus being granted, to enable that road to be pushed on to Kincardine from Teeswater. At these meetings the leading men of Kinloss and Luck- now held out for the road to pass through the village of Lucknow. The railway authorities were just as determined that if the road were to be constructed it should take the straightest line practicable from Teeswater to Kincardine. As neither party would change its views no progress was made, and the railway to this day never got beyond Teeswater. The year 1870 is to be noted as the year when the county was first invaded by the potato bug, and also of the first use of reaping machines by any of our farmers. 112 CENSUS 1871 The expenditure of the county being very large and burdensome it was felt by many that the expense of maintaining and keeping in repair the newly-made general roads throughout the county was one that should be assumed by the municipalities in which these roads were situated, the work to be performed by statute labor. Yielding to this sentiment, the County Council in June, 1870, repealed the by-law by which these roads had been assumed by the county. As a result of this action, his duties being greatly minimized thereby, the county engineer, Mr. Latham B. Hamlin, handed in his resig- nation. Six months' experience satisfied the County Council that a mistake had been made, and in January, 1871, the roads were again assumed by the county, and Cyrus Carroll was appointed county engineer. 1 A census of the Dominion was taken in 1871, which gave the population of the county of Bruce as 48,575, an increase of 21,016 (equivalent to 76 per cent.) during the decade that had elapsed since the previous census of 1861. The assessment of the county during the same period had increased from $3,997,187 to $8,398,651, or something over 110 per cent. Both of these classes of figures give satisfactory evidence of the rapid, and at the same time sub- stantial, development of Bruce in that period. In the spring of 1871 a general election for the Provincial House of Assembly was held. In the north riding of Bruce, Donald Sin- clair was returned by acclamation. In South Bruce the contest was between Mr. Edward Blake, who had sat for this riding during the preceding term, and Alex. Sproat, the representative of North Bruce in the House of Commons, dual representation at that time being permitted. The election was carried by Mr. Blako, who had a large majority of votes. In December, 1871, the John Sandfield Macdonald Government was defeated. Mr. Blake was then called upon to form a cabinet. His undertaking to do so once more brought him before the electors of South Bruce, when he was elected by acclamation, January 5th, 1872. During 1871 the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Eailway made rapid progress, but fearing that it could not be constructed to Southamp- ton in time to claim the full amount of bonus, the President had a special meeting of the County Council held, at which he offered, if 'Mr. Carroll retained the county engineership until the end of J877, the year in which the county finally handed over the leading roads to the municipalities in which they were located. SOUTHERN EXTENSION RAILWAY 113 the Council would extend the time for twelve months for the con- struction of the last section of the road, that is, from Paisley to Southampton, the company would hand over to the county all the bonus it might receive from the government under an Act just passed. The Council held back and nothing was done. At the June session of Council the railway company withdrew its offer, an action that awakened a good deal of ill feeling against it. The company, having further favors to ask, at length agreed to give to the county one-half of what it might receive from the government 1 on account of that part of its road lying within the county. There was nothing said, however, about extending the time within which the road was to be completed. An Act of Parliament 2 passed that year gave the company permission to construct a branch to Kincardine from some point on the main line, and also sanctioned a sectional levy to pay for bonusing such an extension. The result of this legislation was another conflict between the broad gauge and the narrow gauge rail- way companies .as to which was to secure a bonus from the south- western municipalities for extending their road to Kincardine. Each company this year pressed on the work of construction, the narrow gauge from the village of Arthur, to which it had been completed, while the broad gauge advertized in November for contractors to tender for the construction of the road from Palmerston to Luck- now, following up which, with the usual ceremonies, the first sod' of the Southern Extension Eailway was turned at Listowel, Decem- ber 16th. In the contest for the bonus, once more the W. G. and B. Eailway was successful over its opponent, and we find that when, in February, 1872, a by-law was submitted to the ratepayers of the townships of Kinloss, Huron and Kincardine, granting $51,000 to the W. GL and B. Railway on condition that the road was extended to the lake at Kincardine, it was carried. By the conditions of this by-law these three townships were to raise such an amount by a sec- tional levy annually as was required to pay the debentures and coupons that were issued in the name of the county for the $51,000 so bonused. The railway company, besides this, received from the village of Kincardine an additional bonus of $8,000 and from the county $20,000. This latter amount was in reality the surrender of the share of the government bonus which the company had arranged, as mentioned above, to hand over to the county. J $23,000 of cancelled debentures comprised the refund made. *34 Vic. Chap 37. 114 WALKERTON BECOMES A TOWN Work on the main line of the W. G. and B. Railway was vigor- ously prosecuted during the season of 1871. As soon as spring opened parties of engineers were engaged in laying out the route; during the summer contractors were at work at several portions of the road, with the result that on November 30th of that year the first locomotive steamed into the county town. The Dominion Government, after much solicitation, decided this year to make an extensive harbor of refuge at Chantry Island, the contract for which was secured by Messrs. Eeed and Walker, of Kincardine. For the first four years after Bruce was set apart as a separate county the county town existed only as a part of the township of Brant. Walkerton had not up to this date even sought incorporation as a village, although it had population sufficient to claim such, but its ambitious inhabitants desired that it should rank as a town from the first. To accomplish this (the population being only 995) it was necessary to have an Act of Parliament passed. This was done, and on February 15th, 1871, Walkerton became a municipality, and without ever having been classed as a village municipality, took rank as a town. The summer of 1871 was marked by a heavy frost on the 30th June, and also as being a very dry one ; in consequence of this there were large bush fires, accompanied by the burning of many barns and farm houses in different parts of the county. The year 1872 witnessed several political elections within the county. As already mentioned, on January 5th the Hon. Edward Blake was returned by acclamation for South Bruce on seeking re-election when he became a Cabinet Minister. On the passing of the Act doing away with dual representation he resigned, and in September E. M. Wells and James Brocklebank contested the riding, the result of the election being the return of Mr. Wells by a majority of 146. At the general election for the House of Commons, held in August, Hon. Edward Blake was returned for South Bruce, his opponent being Mr. Francis Hurdon, the late member, who retired from the contest subsequent to his nomination. In North Bruce, at the same election, John Gillies defeated the late member, Col. Alex. Sproat, by a narrow majority of 22. In other chapters of this history are to be found two events belong- ing to 1872, the presenting of a stand of colors to the 32nd Bruce Battalion of volunteers, and the formation of an increased number RAILWAY COMPLETED TO SOUTHAMPTON 115 of High School districts. But the most noted feature of the year was the completion of the railway to Southampton, the date of which auspicious event was December 7th, being the time agreed upon when the bonus was given. The county at large has benefited and prospered greatly through having railway communications with out- side markets, far more so than can be calculated, and its inhabitants can look back with thankfulness to the enterprise of the people of a generation ago, who assumed so large a burden of debt for the pur- pose of bonusing this initial line of railway, which, with others since constructed, enabled the markets of the province and the world at large to be reached by our farmers and manufacturers at all seasons of the year. The bonuses to the Southern Extension Eailway having been granted this year, work was commenced on it at both ends, June 10th being given as the date when the contractors commenced at Kincardine. The northern part of the county could not but cast envious eyes on the more favored inhabitants of the county dwelling south of them in regard to railways, and naturally commenced to agitate for a branch line which was to run from Paisley to Colpoy's Bay, but were unsuccessful in their efforts. Ten years were to pass before their desire materialized, and they entered into railway com- munication with the rest of the world. Settlers had in small numbers previous to this entered the two extreme northerly townships, Lindsay and St. Edmunds, and this year these two townships were united for municipal purposes with Albemarle and Eastnor. The harvest of 1872 was an excellent one, as is shown by the shipments of wheat made from various points within the county during the fall .of that year and the early part of 1873. The figures are as follows: Kincardine 225,000 bushels. Mildmay 37,000 bushels. Port Elgin 197,000 " Southampton 24,000 " Walkerton 195,000 " Pinkerton 8,000 " Paisley 100,000 " Inverhuron 60,000 ' ' 846,000 bushels. The above was calculated to have yielded an average price to the farmer of $1.15 per bushel, representing $972,900. This large amount received from one description of its crops shows very clearly how rapidly the county was growing in wealth. In March, 1873, the Ontaiio Legislature passed an Act 1 whereby '36 Vic. Chap. 47. 116 JUDGE KINGSMILL'S REPORT a distribution of surplus and refund of indebtedness of Municipal Loan Fund Debts was directed and authorized. According to the schedule attached to the Act there was to be distributed among the local municipalities within the county of Bruce $116,379.40. The Act contained a clause permitting amounts to be changed if errors or omissions had been found in the original calculations. As regards Bruce, this clause must have been made use of to a considerable extent, as the total payments made to the townships and villages amounted to $142,059.55. The first payments were received in 1874 and the final ones in 1877. 1 For years there had been more or less grumbling, in certain sections of the county, over alleged advantages that other sections had obtained when the scheme of gravel roads was adopted,. and also from the route taken by the railway; the gravel roads and railway alike being wholly or in part constructed by the county at large. To see what there was in these murmurs of discontent, the County Council at its first meeting in 1873 passed a motion asking Judge Kingsmill to investigate the alleged grievances and report thereon. The report was made and presented at the June session and discussed, and also again at the December session, but resulted in no action being taken ; the expenditure proposed, to construct certain roads so that all might share alike, was more than the heavily taxed ratepayers would have stood, so the matter, after much debate, was allowed to drop. The necessary preliminary steps required for incorporation were taken in 1873 by the three villages of Port Elgin, Paisley and Luck- now. In regard to the latter village a difficulty arose owing to its lying partly in the county of Huron. It was not until the following summer that the part lying in Huron was annexed to Bruce, when the latter county assumed the amount of debt apportioned to the village of Lucknow of the total indebtedness of the county of Huron, the amount being $1,200. 'Total refunded in 1874, $71,281.14. Total refunded in 1875, $52,918.36. Total refunded in 1876, $13,029.14. Total refunded in 1877, $5,430.91. In all, $142,659.55, distributed as follows : Albemarle, Eastnor, Lindsay and St. Edmunds, $1,951.65; Amabel, $5,238.44; Arran, $10,975.79; Brant, $14,642.52; Bruce, $10,464.44; Carrick, $15,122.29; Culross, $11,186.76; Elderslie, $8,330.40; Greenock, $8,788.11; Huron, $11,970.47; Kincardine Township, $12,194.83; Kinloss, $9,108.38; Saugeen, $5,246.81; Kincardine Village, $5,567.02; Lucknow, $1,128.93; Paisley, $2,844.62; Port Flgin, $2,195.20; Southampton, $2,463.54; Walkerton, $3,239.35. The division was on the basis of population as shown by the censue of 1871. The amount allocated to Bruce was about $2.93 per head. RAILWAY COMPLETED TO KINCARDINE 117 Alex. Sproat, who had filled the office of county treasurer since May 19th, 1864, handed in his resignation at the December session of the County Council, which was accepted, to take effect at the end of the year. His successor, James G-. Cooper, was at the same time appointed, his duties to commence January 1st, 1874. Mr. Cooper had worked as assistant to Mr. Sproat for a number of years, and was fully conversant with the office and its duties. The inhabitants of the Indian Peninsula, who in 1872 had been scheming to get a branch line of railway from Paisley, in 1873 first learnt of the proposition of the Lake Erie and Stratford Kailway to push its line through to Colpoy's Bay, the Grand Trttnk Kailway being at the back of the project. The railway to Kincardine was completed in the fall of 1873, but owing to the W. G. and B. Eailway Company being financially straitened, owing to the government not -paying the promised bonus, it was not handed over by the contractors, but was run by them for a year. In the ministry formed by Hon. Alex. Mackenzie in November, 1873, the Hon. Edward Blake took office, and once more he had to appear before the electors of South Bruce seeking their suffrages. He was returned unopposed December 4th. Mr. Mackenzie not feel- ing confident of his majority in the House, Parliament was dissolved January 2nd, 1874, a general election being held that month. On this occasion Hon. Mr. Blake was opposed by Mr. Eobert Baird, of Kincardine. The contest was a keen one, in which Mr. Blake was returned by a majority of 321. In North Bruce John Gillies was returned by acclamation. The peaceful, law-abiding inhabitants of the county were sur- prised and shocked in the spring of the year when they learned that its borders had once more been stained by the crime of murder, which deplorable event occurred March 17th, 1873, in the vicinity of Baie du Dore. One George Price was the victim. A trivial matter orig- inated a dispute between two families that led to blows, which, later on, when whiskey had been freely partaken of, resulted in an assault being made in which Price was killed. James Johnston was con- victed of the crime and received a death sentence, which was commuted to life imprisonment. Four others implicated in the case received sentences varying from six months to three years' imprisonment. That the reader may be enabled to have some idea of what were the products of the county in the early " seventies/' and the proportion 118 RAILWAY COMPLETED TO TEESWATER of each, there is here given a statement of shipments from Walkerton station from 1st September, 1873, to 20th July, 1874 : Wheat, 160,000 bushels. Oats, G,500 bushels. Barley, 24,500 bushels. Peas, 5,200 bushels. Flour, 5,300 barrels. Oatmeal, 500 barrels. Eggs, 2,100 barrels. Dressed hogs, 25 cars. Lumber, 202 cars. Lath, 6 cars. Bark, 4 cars. Potatoes, 20 cars. Butter, 6 cars. The above, no doubt, fairly shows what Bruce at that time pro- duced for export. Compared with to-day, when stock, dairy pro- ducts and manufactures generally form a large percentage of exports, the change "is very marked. Two years after the advent of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Kailway into the county the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Eailway reached Teeswater, it being opened to that point on the 16th Novem- ber, 1874. It was hoped that the road would be extended to the lake shortly afterward, but these hopes have not been realized. In the period when operated by the parent company such an extension could not be made on financial grounds; since it passed into the hands of the Canadian Pacific Eailway, the reason for not pushing on to a lake port is said to be an understanding that existed between the two great railway companies not to encroach upon the territory of the other; this understanding has lapsed, and hopes are bright for a further extension of this railway within the county. The Southern Extension Eailway was after long delay taken over by the W. G. and B. Eailway, and from 17th December, 1874, it has been operated by that company or its successor, the Grand Trunk Eailway. The preliminary steps towards erecting the village of Teeswater into a separate municipality having been taken, the County Council in June, 1874, passed the necessary by-law whereby Teeswater became an incorporated village on the 1st January following. The time was certain to come when Bruce would cease to be looked upon as a locality to which settlers might go in search of a home, and change to one from which emigration to new settlements might be expected. The latter period was certainly reached when a meeting was held at Southampton April 16th, 1875, the object of which was set forth in the following motion, which was duly car- ried thereat: "That from the experience we have had as settlers in the county of Bruce, we believe the system of settling by the forma- tion of a colony is attended by less hardships and privations than many of us endured in the early settlement of this county ; that being anxious to plant a colony in the province of Manitoba from the EMIGRATION COMMENCES 119 county of Bruce, immediate steps be taken to further this project, and that a suitable location be made as speedily as possible." At this meeting " The Bruce Mutual Colonization Company was organ- ized, and James Stirton was appointed to select a proper location in Manitoba. The movement so started proved to be the prelude to a large emigration, which has not ceased, of the most energetic and enterprising of each generation, as it appeared, until the western prairie land seems to teem with those who are proud to say that they come from the county of Bruce. A general election for the House of Assembly was held January, 1875. R. M. Wells, the member for South Bruce in the previous House, ran again and was elected. He was opposed by D. W. Ross, who resigned his office as Clerk of the Peace so that he could qualify for nomination. It was an unfortunate move for him, as he lost both the election and his office. Mr. Thomas Dixon received the appointment 1 to the vacant office and has held it since. In North Bruce at this election Donald Sinclair was opposed by a namesake, Dr. A. C. Sinclair. The contest resulted in favor of the former. Hon. Edward Blake, who had accepted a seat without a portfolio in the Mackenzie Ministry on its formation, shortly afterward with- drew therefrom, but was again persuaded to accept office, and on May 19th, 1875, was made Minister of Justice, and so again had to appear before the electors of South Bruce. The nomination was held on June 2nd, when he was returned by acclamation. This was the sixth occasion that Mr. Blake was returned by South Bruce within five years, either to the House of Commons or to the House of Assembly. From the time the gaol was built, the county held that the gov- ernment should refund the cost of alterations made in the construc- tion of the building insisted on by the Inspector of Prisons after the original plans had been passed by him, and for the carrying out of which contracts were let. Other counties besides Bruce were press- ing similar claims, with the result that the Legislature passed an Act 2 authorizing a refund of $6,000, which was the amount of the county's claim. Some discussion arose as to what would be a proper mode to dispose of this sum. On first learning of the passing of the Act the County Council resolved to distribute the amount among the various local municipalities of the county according to assessment, but in* the interval which elapsed before the money was paid over 'March, 1875. 2 37 Vic. Chap. 31. Passed March 24th, 1874. 120 "DUNKIN" ACT it was made apparent that increased accommodation was required for county offices, so in January, 1876, a committee was appointed to see to the erection of a new building, which was to be paid for out of the refund. 1 This building, that in which the County Council now meets, was erected that year, and was lirst occupied and used as a place of meeting by the County Council at the following Decem- ber session. The dwelling of the caretaker of the county buildings was erected the same year. This building was built by Wrp. Richard- son, caretaker, on the county grounds at Walker ton at an outlay of $1,300. In 1884 an agreement was made with him by which he was to occupy the house as long as he held the oce offife of caretaker, when it was to revert to the county, he to receive in full consideration the sum of $1,000. This reversion took place on Mr. Richardson's death in May, 1888. In January, 1876, the southern part of the county had another railway route opened to its borders, namely, the London, Huron and Bruce Railway, which connected with the Southern Extension Rail- way at Wingham. This line has proved of great advantage to those within the county who are doing business in the south-western part of the province or in the western states. The town of Kincardine gave a bonus of $3,000 to this railway, although it did not directly enter the town or come within many miles of doing so. The County Council of 1876 vacillated about the county retain- ing control of the gravel roads. The January session repealed the by-law by which they were assumed, but at the June session re-assumed them. However, in 1877 the Council finally handed them over to the local municipalities in which they were situated. A petition bearing over two thousand signatures was presented to the County Council at the December session of 1876, asking that body to appoint a day on which a vote should be taken whether there should be enforced the provisions of the " Temperance Act of 1864," commonly known as the " Dunkin Act." The Council, at the session held in June following, fixed September 18th, 1877, as the required date. The vote then given showed a majority of 1,142, of a total vote of 6,352, in favor of the Act coming into force in the county, which it did May 1st, 1878. In Bruce the Act had but a short life, it being found to have inherent defects that made it unworkable, and 'The refund paid for this building, which cost approximately $4.600, and also for an extension to the gaoler's residence, built that year, costivg about $1,400. ALEX. SHAW, K.C. p. 123 WILLIAM GUNN p. 105 J. J. KIXGSMILL P. :o.j HENRY CARGILL p. 136 BUSINESS DEPRESSION 121 consequently failed 1 in the end sought, and was therefore repealed as far as this county was concerned. The ratepayers voted, by a majority of 1,347, to that effect when the question was again sub- mitted to them January 21st, 1879. The Act ceased to be in force in Bruce from 1st May following. At the opening of the Northern Exhibition, held October, 1877, the county town was honored by a visit from Lieut.-Governor D. A. Macdonald, who had consented to come and open the Exhibition. He was greeted by a large concourse, despite most unfavorable weather. Agitation for more railways was in the air during 1877, Wiarton still hoping to obtain a line from Stratford, and Walkerton to get a line from Mount Forest, to connect with the T. G. and B. Eailway. Owing to financial inability this railway company could promise nothing towards the construction of the proposed extension, but offered to run and keep in repair the line if built. The year ended with the question still under discussion whether or no the munici- palities to be benefited would advance the needed amount, some $250,000. The harvest of 1876 was a poor one, so much so that many farmers did not find their crop of wheat sufficient to supply the needs of their families. As a natural consequence, the following year was one of marked business depression. Bruce was not alone in this experience, as we find, arising from various other causes, such was almost world-wide in extent. Although the harvest of 1877 proved to be an excellent one in Bruce, it could not remove the com- mercial depression that was so far reaching. About 1877, or a year or two earlier, the author has not been ^he following extract, from the Bruce Herald, of June 7th, 1878, reflects the condition of affairs pretty generally throughout the county regarding the enforcement of the Dunkin Act : " There has, so far as we have been able to learn, been nothing done in this section of the county to enforce the Dunkin Act. If the present state of affairs is allowed to continue, we should say that the passage of that Act has been a positive injury to the community. There is now no liquor law in force in the county and the liquor dealers have every- thing their own way. This is a serious evil, and the temperance organiza- tions are mainly responsible for it. Had it for a moment been supposed that they were not prepared to have the Act put in force there would have been fewer votes cast for it than there was. The temperance organiza- tions, in agitating for the passage of the Act, have assumed a responsibility which they cannot get rid of. It was not to produce a worse state of things that outside support was given them, and if they were not prepared to carry the Act into effect, it would have been far better to have allowed matters to remain as they were. The Dunkin Act has been productive of nothing but evil so far." 122 THE GRANGE able to obtain the exact date, the organization or order known as u The Grange " was introduced into the county of Bruce, which was some two or three years after the Dominion Grange was formed. Its membership was confined to those engaged in agriculture. Many lodges were opened within the county, the total of which must have numbered nearly one hundred, judging from the only data the author has been able to obtain, which gave twenty-two subordinate lodges in what was known as the Lucknow Division. The aim of the Grange was to advance the interest of the farmer. One of the means of doing so was by an effort to bring its members, the farmers and the manufacturer, into closer relations, and to do away with all middle- men as far as possible. Another aim was to draw the farmer out of his isolation, so that by an interchange of ideas and by united action to strive to promote common interests. In carrying out these objects the Dominion Grange purchased and conducted " The People's Salt Co." at Kincardine. There was also established a so-called wholesale warehouse at Toronto which filled orders for goods as sent in by the various lodges on the requisition of its vari- ous members. This practice of sending away for articles of common home consumption, to the loss of the local storekeeper and mechanic, produced strongly antagonistic feelings against the Grange by those who suffered a loss of business as a result of the above-mentioned practice. The Grange reached its fullest measure of activity in Bruce during the early "eighties," but it fell off rapidly, and it is doubtful if there are more than three or four active lodges in the county in 1905. The reader must bear in mind that " The Grange " was not in any sense a political movement; it differed in this par- ticular from the later movement, in the " nineties," known as that of " The Patrons of Industry," referred to in the succeeding chapter. It is not the object of this history to refer to events outside of the county except as they may have affected it. The political campaign of 1878 was such an event. It was, from a Dominion standpoint, pivotal in character, for in that year the election contest was over the " National Policy " question as laid down by the leader of the Conservative party, Sir John A. Macdonald, and which was enthusi- astically sustained by the country at the polls. There is no doubt that the fall of the Liberal government arose from its unwillingness to take any action having in view the amelioration of the commercial depression referred to in the preceding paragraph, holding fixedly to the theory that anything the government might attempt in that DEFEAT OF EDWARD BLAKE 123 line would exert as much influence as " a fly on a wheel," as the Finance Minister expressed it, a phrase remembered for many a year. The election was fiercely contested in both ridings of Bruce. Hon. Edward Blake at first declined to accept the nomination, but on pressure being brought to bear, and the party leaders in the riding guaranteeing his election without a personal canvass on his part, he consented to run. The Conservative candidate was Alexander Shaw, county solicitor. 1 Both sides worked with a determination to win. When the votes were counted Mr. Blake, so often the choice of South Bruce, was found to be in a minority of 75. In North Bruce the suffrages of the electors were sought by John Gillies and Col. A. Sproat, who again, and for the last time, contested this riding, which resulted in Mr. Gillies being returned by a majority of 156. For a number of years there had been constant complaint, at the time the County Council struck the annual levy, regarding unequal assessment among the various municipalities. To enable justice being done to all, the County Council in July, 1878, appointed James Eowand, of Saugeen, and M. L. McKinnon, of Tiverton, to make a valuation of the assessable real property in the county. They com- menced their duties shortly after the date of their appointment, but were unable to complete their report so that it might be used as a basis for equalizing the assessment of 1879, but that of 1880 and the nine following years was so based. Their work was satisfactory to the County Council, and it seems to have been the means of settling a long-standing grievance. The total assessment of the county was rrdsed $922,906 by the report. In response to a petition of the County Council the House of Assembly passed an Act 2 to enable the county of Bruce to assume the railway debt of the municipalities that had bonused the Southern Extension and T. H. G. and B. Eailways. The next step should have Alexander Shaw, K.C., was born in the township of Ramsay, January 13th, 1833, and received his education in the town of Perth,, where he also studied law. He came to Bruce in 1858, and settled at Kincardine, where he married Anna, daughter of Peter Robertson, merchant, and has had a family of five sons and two daughters. When Walkerton became the county town he moved there and was appointed county solicitor in 1867, which office he has retained since. At the general election in 1878 he defeated the Hon. Edward Blake in the contest in South Bruce, but in 1882 failed to be re-elected. In 1890 he ran as an Independent for Centre Bruce, being opposed by W. M. Back, who carried this election. Mr. Shaw stands at the head of the Bar in Bruce, and by many years is the oldest practising lawyer in the county. ' 2 41 Vic. Chap. 31. 124 SAUGEEN VALLEY RAILWAY been the submitting to the ratepayers of a by-law for their consent to the county assuming this indebtedness, but on second thoughts the County Council decided to take no further action, consequently the Act became inoperative and the local municipalities obtained no relief. The eastern part of the county had the subject of railways brought before it continuously throughout 1878. Walkerton was anxious to obtain a competing line of road, and succeeded in having the Saugeen Valley Railway scheme launched, the company being incorporated in 1878 by Act of Parliament, 1 John McLay, Registrar, and Dr. A. Eby, Editor of the Telescope, both of Walkerton, were appointed president and secretary when the company was organized. 2 Stock-books were opened and a fair amount of stock subscribed. Surveys were also made to show that the route proposed presented no special engineering difficulties. Public dinners and speeches, hav- ing in view the exciting of public interest, were given and seemed to attain their object, but through some mismanagement the scheme, after being before the public for a number of years, ceased at last even to be spoken of. The other railway scheme was that of the Stratford and Lake Huron Railway, from Listowel to Wiarton. Bonus by-laws were submitted to the ratepayers of Brant, Elderslie, Arran, Albemarle and Amabel in the fall of 1878 and carried. In Carrick and Eastnor similar by-laws were defeated. The bonuses granted by Bruce municipalities to this railway are given in a foot- note. 3 December, 1878, is the date when Tiverton, the smallest of the village municipalities within the county was incorporated. The next village to seek incorporation was Chesley, which in this respect was just a year behind Tiverton, but nevertheless has forged ahead of it and every other of the newer villages in the county, Wiarton alone excepted. The year 1879 was rather uneventful as far as the county as a whole was concerned. The harvest was an excellent one. To aid in securing it self-binding reapers were used for the first time, Duncan '41 Vic. Chap. 52. 2 The first sod for the proposed road was turned at Walkerton, March 1st, 1880, by the President and Mr. J. P. Johnston. 'The following are the bonuses granted to the Stratford and Lake Huron Railway by the several municipalities named: Brant, $20,000; Elderslie, $35,000; Chesley, $10,000; Arran and Tara, $45,000; Amabel and Wiarton, $45,000; Albemarle, $10,000; Total, $165,000. DISMISSAL OF THE REGISTRAR 125 and Archibald Kippen, of Bruce, and C. Thede, of Saugeen, being credited as being the introducers of these machines into the county. A general election for the House of Assembly came off June 5th, 1879, in which B. M. Wells secured a majority over Eobert Baird in the south riding, while in the north riding, Donald Sinclair was again returned, his opponent on this occasion being J. W. S. Biggar. Tara, the youngest of the village municipalities in Bruce, became incorporated by by-law in June, 1880. Wiarton preceded Tara by a few months, securing incorporation by a special Act of Parliament. 1 The town plot being partly in the county of Grey and partly in Bruce, this special Act was asked for so as to prevent any difficulty such as Lucknow, similarly situated, had experienced. On becoming annexed to Bruce county it assumed the amount of debt apportioned to the village of Wiarton of the indebtedness of the county of Grey, the amount being $400, which was paid in one instalment. 2 For a length of time reports had been circulated that the county was not receiving from the Eegistrar of Deeds the correct refund of fees payable to it. Urged on by some individuals who entertained most bitter feelings toward Mr. McLay, the County Council at length, in December, 1879, took action. The matter came before the courts, and as a result of a suit the county, in 1880, recovered $2,496.16. The County Council in December of that year followed this up by for- warding a petition to the Lieutenant-Governor, asking for the removal from office of Mr. McLay. No response was made to this until September, 1881, when A. E. Irving, Q.C., was commissioned j[ to report upon the complaints made against the Eegistrar. The commission sat in the following November and took a large amount of evidence. The result of the investigation was that on December 19th, 1882, the government dismissed Mr. McLay. For some time the office was in charge of the Deputy-Eegistrar, Charles Astley. On March 14th, 1883, Donald Sinclair, 3 late member for North Bruce, received the appointment, and held the office till his death in 1900. '43 Vic. Chap. 46. 2 See County of Bruce By-law No. 173. "Donald Sinclair was born in the Island of Islay, Scotland, in July, 1829. He immigrated to Canada with his parents in 1851, who settled the following year in Arran. Mr. Sinclair came to Bruce in 18G3 and followed the profession of a schoolteacher here, and also later in the vicinity of Toronto. From 1858 he was permanently a resident of Bruce. In 1863 he was elected deputy reeve of Arran. In 1869 Mr. Sinclair moved to Paisley and carried on a general store. In the general election of 1867 he was elected as member of the House of Assembly, by acclamation, for 126 CENSUS RESULTS The census of the Dominion taken in 1881 showed the population of the county of Bruce (see Appendix L) at the highest recorded point, the number being 65,218, certainly a wonderful development in population during the thirty-three years which had elapsed since the first settler entered the county. To enable the reader to form an idea of the material wealth of the county of Bruce at this time, there is given in a footnote 1 the equalized assessment of the several local municipalities for the year 1881; these figures have changed but little since then, except in the case of some of the towns. Early in December, 1881, the contractors had the rails of the Stratford and Lake Huron Kailway laid to "Wiarton, but traffic to the riding of North Bruce. This seat he held until 1883, when he was appointed Eegistrar of Deeds for the county of Bruce. In April, 1871, he married Isabella, daughter of Thomas Adair, and had a family of two sons and three daughters. In politics he was a Liberal. In religious belief he was a Baptist. Mr. Sinclair possessed a character for upright- ness and integrity, ever having the courage to uphold his convictions. His death occurred November 19th, 190.0, at Toronto, where he had gone to obtain medical advice. He was buried at Southampton. 'EQUALIZED ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE FOR 1881, AS PASSED BY COUNTY COUNCIL OF BRUCE. Albemarle $156,238 Amabel 726,858 Arran 1,843,490 Brant 2,618,302 Bruce 2,137,520 Carrick 2,31b,270 Culross 1,765,720 Eastnor, L.^fe St. Ed 181,047 Elderslic .T 1,755,765 Greenoek 1,582,680 Huron 2,145,990 Kincardine 2,213,640 Kinloss 1,380,170 Saugeen 1,169,465 Total of Townships $21,993,155 Chesley $176,440 Lucknow 299,750 Paisley 310,530 Port Elgin 422,097 Southampton 159,225 Tara 105,820 Teeswater 210,100 Tiverton 117,480 Kincardine Town 851,620 Walkerton 722,205 Wiarton 70,481 Total of Towns and Villages 3,445,748 Total Assessment of the County of Bruce $25,438,903 1881 127 that point was not opened officially until 1st August of the follow- ing year. This line of railway has been one of the most profitable in the county, as over it is carried a large part of the commerce of the peninsula. In recording the completion of the above-mentioned railway, the author brings this chapter to a close, as the title of it, " Full Develop- ment Attained," at last had become an accomplished fact. This statement might be qualified by saying that what further development has taken place since has been along lines which were then in exist- ence. CHAPTER VIII. THRIVING AND PROGRESSING. 18821906. THE title given to this chapter is one by which the author would desire to indicate that the period of rapid, lusty development within the county of Bruce, which had been one of its marked character- istics, closed with the final year.s referred to in the previous chapter. The era when the increase of the county's wealth and population and of the development of its resources took place by leaps and bounds, could not be enduring and continuous; the change to a less rapid advancement must come, and the author would place the date thereof, approximately, at the close of the third decade of the county's his- tory. High water mark for a long time to come, as regards popula- tion, is" to be found in the census of 1881. The Redistribution Act passed in 1882 by the Dominion Par- liament gave Bruce three members in the House of Commons. In the election which followed the passing of this Act, North Bruce returned Alex. McNeill, his opponent being John Gillies, the late member. In East Bruce the late member also failed in being re-elected, R. M. Wells being successful in this contest against Alex. Shaw. The riding of West Bruce was contested by James Somer- ville and J. H. Scott, in which contest the former was returned. R. M. Wells had to resign his seat in the Ontario House of Assembly to qualify for nomination in the above election. This necessitated a by-election in South Bruce. The Liberals nominated H. P. O'Connor, a lawyer of Walkerton, and the Conservatives, J. C. Eckford, a leading farmer of Brant. This election resulted in Mr. O'Connor's favor. The last change in the number of minor municipalities within the county which occurred for the next twenty years took place in June, 1882, when the united townships of Lindsay and St. Edmunds were separated from Eastnor and established as a separate corpora- tion on and from January 1st, 1883. In 1883 a change took place in regard to the wardenship. During the twenty-six previous years this honorable position was frequently 128 THE "SCOTT ACT" 129 conferred year after year upon, the same person, so that only nine names occur during that period among the list of wardens. Com- mencing with 1883, the honor and the duties of the office have been passed around, and no one since then has held the office for more than a single year, as will be seen by consulting Appendix Q, which shows that altogether thirty-two individuals have attained to the wardenship, commencing with the first County Council, that of 1857. Of these, it is interesting to note, about one-third, having plumed their wings in the County Council, have sought a loftier flight, and have stood for parliamentary honors. A general election for the Ontario House of Assembly took place February 27th, 1883. In South Bruce H. P. O'Connor was returned by acclamation. The contest in North Bruce was between John Gillies and James Rowand. The former was elected by a majority of 120 votes. The burning question before the people of Bruce for the greater part of 1884 was the " Scott Act," the name by which the Canada Temperance Act of 1878 was commonly known. The campaign com- menced early in the year with the obtaining of the signatures of 3,790 ratepayers to a requisition praying that the Act be submitted to the electors to be voted upon. During the summer public meet- ings were held in many localities to discuss the features of the Act. Speakers from outside places were obtained by both parties to stump the country and present their views either for or against the tem- perance question in general and the Act in particular. Literature was freely circulated, and every means used to enlighten the electors upon the question on which they were called upon to vote on 30th October of that year. The vote cast gave a majority of 1,321 in favor of carrying out the provisions of the Act in the county of Bruce. Seven times have the electors of Bruce been called upon to express their attitude on the temperance question. What that has been may bo seen by a study of Appendix R, which shows the number of votes cast for and against prohibition on each of these occasions. The inference the author draws from a comparison of the various votings is that there is a strong sentiment within the county for sobriety, but which sentiment is not vigorous enough to see that temperance legislation is enforced. As a result of this lack of moral fibre neither the " Dunkin Act " or the " Scott Act " were enforced as they might have been. In addition to this, respect for law was lowered, per- 6 130 DRINKING CUSTOMS jury was commonly practised when those who violated the Act were prosecuted, and drinking habits were in no sense changed. The result of this evading of law, of this moral abasement, was a revul- sion of feeling as to prohibition enactments, so that both in 1879 and 1888, when the next occasion of voting occurred, large majorities were given against the continued enforcement of temperance legisla- tion in Bruce. At this point it might not be amiss to refer to the great change which has occurred in regard to the drinking customs of the people since the settlement of the county. Then whiskey was so- low in price that its cost was not considered, 1 the price being twenty-five cents to thirty cents a gallon. So universal was the use of whiskey that no social gathering would have been considered complete without it. It was passed around as a necessary and expected thing at every log- ging bee, in every harvest field, and wherever any strenuous effort was to be put forth. It was looked upon as the elixir of life, to be drunk in winter to warm one up, and in summer to preserve from being overcome by the heat. 2 Such being the habits of the people, taverns were everywhere. In confirmation of this it may be stated that during the sixties there were on the Durham Road, between Walkerton and Kincardine, no less than thirteen taverns, and other *It is related of one of the first settlers at Hanover, who had hung out a shingle to indicate that his shanty was a tavern, finding he could not spend time waiting for chance customers to call at the bar, he, when working in the bush, left a pail filled with whiskey and a tin cup for any one to help themselves, and a box to put their money in. The cost of what might be drunk being so small it was not worth while considering it, even if it were not paid for. *The following account of an hotelkeeper at Goderich, presented for payment to the United Counties Council of Huron and Bruce, January session, 1852, would be considered unique at the present day, especially when it is considered who contracted the indebtedness. It also throws a strong light on the then prevailing drinking customs : The Board of Education Dr. To J. Eattenbury. 1850 Dec. 9 To 3 Glasses of hot brandy a. d. 1 6 9 6 9 2 Bottles of brandy , 6 3 10 4 Lunches 7V> 2 6 10 2 Bottles porter Is. 6d 3 10 2 Glasses brandy, 1 hot do., 2 lunches , 2 4% 1 1 Payment of the above was refused by the Council. FEWER TAVERNS 131 leading roads would have shown a correspondingly large number. At the time of writing (1905) the thirteen taverns have dwindled down to four. It had been asserted that the reason taverns were so close together on the leading roads in the early days was because then people did not dress as warmly as now. Then a fur coat was rarely seen. Warm knitted underwear was almost unknown. A knitted sash wound around the waist and a muffler round the throat were the only additions made to the ordinary dress of a man by way of preparation for a long, cold drive, consequently the drive consisted of a number of haltings at the different taverns to get warmed. Now, wrapped in warm furs, long drives are only broken when necessary to water the horses. The manufacture of liquor was carried on then as never since. To-day the only manufacturers in this line of busi- ness within the county are three brewers of lager beer. Forty years ago whiskey distilleries were flourishing in several villages in the county; now there is not one. When the author reached Kincardine in 1856 he found a distillery and a brewery there, to which another brewery was added in the following year. In time all of these closed up, and it is years since liquor has been manufactured at Kincardine. The following figures as to the number of licenses issued tell most forcibly the rapid change regarding the use of liquor in Bruce. In 1874 there were issued within the county 180 tavern and 20 shop licenses. In 1902 the number stood at 80 and 4, respectively. 1 The finding of excitement in other ways, the different view taken of one who becomes intoxicated, and the general elevation of the standard of what a man is expected to live up to has, in addition to what churches and temperance organizations have done, produced in the county of Bruce a generation of men who are of temperate, sober habits. During the summer of 1884 the subject of a re-arrangement of the counties of Bruce, Huron, Perth, Wellington and Grey was much spoken of, the idea being the creation of a new county. This matter had been before the public for twenty years, and was now discussed with some vehemence, especially by those towns or villages which cherished any hope of being made a county seat, the ground for such proposed change being that the construction of railways had changed the lines of travel and centres of business since the days "There are three townships in Bruce (Elderslie, Lindsay and St. Edmunds) in which no liquor licenses are issued, and three townships CArran, Kincardine and Saugeen) in which only one license is issued. 132 VOLUNTEERS CALLED OUT when the counties were laid out and county towns selected. A depu- tation from Harriston, which waited on the government regarding this matter, were informed that it was under consideration. The question was also discussed in the Bruce County Council, but there and elsewhere the agitation resulted in nothing, Wiarton and Kin- cardine being probably the only localities in Bruce that considered they might derive any benefit from a re-arrangement of the county. The county of Bruce was deeply stirred, especially at those eight points where volunteer companies existed, when on May llth Lieut.- Col. Cooper received orders to muster the 32nd Battalion for active service in the North- West, to aid in suppressing the Kiel Rebellion. This matter has been mentioned in the chapter on " Militia and Volunteers," but is here referred to as one of the historical features of the county during the year 1885. It would be hard to overesti- mate the excitement felt at that time. A week was put in by each com- pany drilling, after which the various units of the battalion assembled* at Southampton. So enthusiastic were many of the volunteers to respond to the call of their country, that good positions were thrown up by many. One man belonging to the Paisley company, earning a salary of $75 a month, gave it up to accept 50 cents a day as a private in the ranks. Another, Dr. Ben. Jeffries, of Texas, gave up a lucrative medical practice there and returned to Canada that he might go with his company to the front. Many other examples occurred of self -sacrifice springing from full-hearted patriotism; the above are sufficient, however, to show the spirit felt by our volunteers. At Walkerton it was estimated that 4,500 people assembled at the station to see the boys off. This seems to have been the acme of enthusiasm, although every other point was deeply stirred. In November, 1885, gravel road debentures amounting to $191,000 matured. Mr. Cooper, the county treasurer, reported that only $175,405 of sinking funds were on hand to pay these deben- tures. He also informed the County Council that the sinking funds raised to pay these debentures had been encroached upon by excess of expenditure, in years gone by, over amount of rates levied. The County Council accepted this explanation, and proceeded to issue debentures to the extent of $20,000 to make up the deficit. These debentures were made payable in ten years and bore six per cent, interest. They were sold at a premium, netting the county $22,256.75. Farmers' Institutes have been the means of diffusing a great deal of information and of developing a higher type of farming in JUNIOR COUNTY JUDGE 133 Bruce, as well as elsewhere throughout the province. The first step towards the starting of such was in 1885, when the Provincial Com- missioner of Agriculture sent a circular to the various county coun- cils asking for a grant of $25 to supplement one of like amount made by the government, to establish a Farmers' Institute in each electoral district. The County Council of Bruce promptly acquiesced. Two years elapsed before the several Institutes in Bruce, then just organ- ized, applied for the grant. In October of 1885 the appointment was made of a permanent junior county judge, the position being conferred upon William Barrett, at that time a practising barrister at Walkerton. He had for several years prior to this acted as junior judge, as occasion required, but without a fixed appointment or salary. On the retire- ment of Judge Kingsmill, towards the latter part of 1891, Mr. Barrett was appointed senior judge, the position of junior judge being conferred upon A. B. Klein in 1893. Owing to a partial failure of the crops in the northern part of the county in 1884, a certain amount of distress and destitution was felt by many of the poorer settlers in that sparsely settled portion of the county. On this being known, joint commissioners were appointed by the government and the warden in the following year, as is mentioned in the chapter on the "Indian Peninsula," to take such steps as might be deemed necessary for the relief of the needy settlers. The supporters of the Canada Temperance Act within the county during 1886 and 1887 made repeated efforts to have the County Coun- cil pass a resolution affirming that it was expedient to have a salaried police magistrate appointed, to have the provisions of the Act enforced. When such action was taken by the County Council, under Statute (48 Vic., chap. 17), the Lieutenant-Governor might at once make such appointment. Each application of the supporters of the Act was unsuccessful, there being in the County Council a majority adverse to the Act, and also others who thought that if the Act was not enforced and convictions obtained it was not for lack of effective judicial machinery, but for want of evidence, which, owing to the peculiar vagaries of public opinion, was difficult to obtain. The temperance people had good grounds for endeavoring to have a police magistrate appointed, difficulty being experienced in getting a justice of the peace willing to receive an information against any alleged violators of the provisions of the Act. This, in a measure, 134 DEFAULT OF J. G. COOPER arose because magistrates who had performed their duty were 1 on several occasions made to suffer therefor. The necessity of the initiative being taken by the County Council, as above, was overcome when in 1887 the Legislature passed an Act 2 empowering the Lieut- Governor to appoint police magistrates with salary at his discretion. Under the provisions of this last-mentioned Act, Richard Vanstone, a barrister, residing at Kincardine, was gazetted, June 4th, 1887, as police magistrate for the county of Bruce, at an annual sakry of $1,000 and expenses, to hold office as long as the Temperance Act remained in force. For almost two years Mr. Vanstone impartially tried all cases of infringement of the Act, and they were numerous. In 1886 another railway to enter Bruce obtained a charter 3 under the title of the " Georgian Bay and Lake Huron Railway." The eastern terminus was to be at Meaford, while its western one was to be either Port Elgin or Southampton. Unfortunately the charter lapsed before anything was done in the way of construction. The excitement marking a general election for the House of Assembly closed the year 1886, the voting being on December 28th, with the result that J. W. S. Biggar was elected in North Bruce, W. M. Back in Centre Bruce, and H. P. O'Connor in South Bruce. This was the first time Bruce sent three representatives to the Legis- lature, the additional one being granted by the Franchise Act of 1885. The county at large was startled, when, about the last days of February, 1887, it became known that James G. Cooper, the county treasurer, was a defaulter and had fled the country. A special audit was made by W. F. Munro, accountant, of Toronto, extending over the period from the 1st January, 1870, to the time Mr. Cooper left. To fully take up this matter would fill many pages of this history. To those who wish to become acquainted with the facts the author would refer them to the report of Mr. Munro and also to that of A. B. Klein, which are given in full in the printed copies of the 'No unprejudiced person, at the time, had any doubt as to the origin of the fire that consumed the barn of Wm. Daniel, J.P., or of the two fires Joseph Barker, J.P., experienced, one of his office, and another of his stables; or of the shots fired at his daughters one night when nearing their home. 50 Vic. Chap. 11. *The floating of this railway scheme was, in all probability, a political scheme to catch votes, in view of the election to be held later on in that year. FARMERS' INSTITUTES 135 minutes of the County Council of the April and June session, 1887, and to by-laws No. 232 and 233 discharging from all claims the sureties of J. G. Cooper and Alexander Sproat. The books of the office show that the loss sustained by the county was $25,701.69. To this might be added the cost of the investigations and the loss of interest. At the special meeting of the County Council held in April, Norman Eobertson was appointed county treasurer, which office he has held up to the present time. Among the incidents of 1887 worth recording, and alluded to in a preceding paragraph, was the organizing of a Farmers' Institute in each of the three electoral divisions of the county. 1 These Insti- tutes have fully carried out the purposes aimed at, the promoting of scientific farming and the disseminating of information in regard to agriculture. Their worth has been recognized by the County Council making annually a grant to each Institute. The large mem- bership they have is a very encouraging feature, showing a desire on the part of the farmers of Bruce to possess a knowledge of the latest and best methods of farming. The possibility of having the Canadian Pacific Eailway continued through to Lake Huron engaged the attention of the various munici- palities in the southern part of the county during 1887. One route proposed was to continue the railway from Teeswater to Kincardine; another was to be along the route proposed by the Saugeen Valley Railway, from Mount Forest to Inverhuron, via Walkerton, Cargill and Glammis. Towards this latter scheme the member for East Bruce, Mr. Cargill, succeeded in having put in the estimates for this year a grant of $3,200 per mile for the twenty-four miles from Mount Forest to Walkerton. For the other scheme Kincardine town waa willing to grant a bonus of $30,000. Capitalists, however, could not be interested sufficiently in either proposition, consequently both fell through. The Dominion Parliament was dissolved January 15th, 1887, followed by an election, which took place February 22nd following. In North Bruce, Alexander McNeill was again returned, his opponent being Dr. Bonnar, of Chesley. In West Bruce Hon. Edward Blake was elected, J. H. Scott having contested the riding against him. *In 1896 a fourth Farmers' Institute was organized, for that part of the county north of Hepworth, to be known as the "North Bruce Farmers' Institute." What remained of the North Biding had an Insti- tute known as that of " West Bruce." 136 HENRY CARG1LL As Mr. Blake was also returned for West Durham he resigned his seat for West Bruce, and James Howand, of Saugeen, was elected by acclamation. In East Bruce the two candidates were Henry Cargill 1 and K. M. Wells. In this contest the former was success- ful, but as he was the nominal postmaster at Cargill, he had to resign. In the by-election that followed he was again returned, this time defeating E. E. Truax. Early in March, 1888, a vote of the ratepayers throughout the county was taken in response to a petition that the " Scott Act " be repealed. The vote (see Appendix E) was decisively against the Act remaining in force in Bruce. The valuation of the county, as fixed in 1878-9 for equalized assessment purposes, continued for ten years as the basis on which to calculate the levy of county rates. This period having nearly elapsed, a fresh valuation was decided upon. The men selected by the County Council to do this work were James Brocklebank, of Brant, and H. T. Potts, of Arran; both being practical farmers, they were well qualified to judge correctly the value of farm lands, and at the same time were men. of wide municipal experience. The work of valuating was commenced in 1888, and at the June session of 1889 the report was presented to the County Council and adopted. The township of Kinloss, however, thought it had not been equitably assessed, and entered an appeal, which was sustained by Judge Kingsmill, who ordered a reduction of the Kinloss assessment to the extent of $82,366. The last of the outstanding debentures of the large issue of $250,000, given as a bonus to the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Eail- way, matured December 6th, 1889, and were promptly paid as pre- sented. The effect on the finances of the county on being relieved 'Henry Cargill was born, August 13th, 1838, in the township of Nassagaweya. His father and mother were natives of the county of Antrim, Ireland. He was fortunate in having had the advantage of a course at Queen 's College, Kingston. While still a young man he entered into the lumber business in his native county of Halton. In 1879 he came to reside in Bruce. Having succeeded in purchasing a large portion of the Greenock swamp, he was enabled to develop its almost untouched resources, and built up a large lumber industry, and ultimately became the wealthiest man in the county. The village that bears his name owes its existence to him. He was reeve of Greenock for three years, and represented East Bruce in the House of Commons almost continuously from 1887 until his sudden death, which occurred at Ottawa, October 1st, 1903. He was married in 1864 to Miss Margaret Davidson, of Halton, and had a family of four children. A staunch Conservative in politics, yet possessing the esteem of his political opponents. He was a man of the most kindly disposition, and a member of the Presbyterian Church. THE GAOLERSH1P 137 of such a large debt was very marked, the county rate being reduced to about one-half of what it had been. In 1890 the County Council surprised itself and the constituency at large by accomplishing its legislative duties for the whole year in two sessions, an achievement never attempted before or since j no complaint, either, was ever made that any one suffered from delay in legislation, or from a dearth of it. A general election was held June 5th, 1890, for the Ontario House of Assembly. The result of this election was that in North Bruce, John George (Con.) was elected, his opponent being David Porter (Lib.). 1 In Centre Bruce, W. M. Dack (Lib.) was returned, this riding being contested by Alex. Shaw (Equal Eights). In South Bruce the two candidates were H. P. O'Connor (Lib.) and Dr. John S. Tennant (Con.), the former of whom was successful. The year 1891 was not in any way eventful to the county of Bruce in its entirety, the general elections for the Dominion House, held March 5th, being the only event to record. In the riding of North Bruce, Alex. McNeill defeated Dr. Bonnar. This election was petitioned against unsuccessfully. In West Bruce, James Kowand was re-elected, his opponent being Hugh Morrison, of Lucknow. East Bruce returned E. E. Truax, who had a majority of 114 over the old member, Henry Cargill, but was unseated at the election trial which followed a protest. At the by-election that followed, the positions were reversed, Mr. Cargill carrying the constituency. On November 29th, 1891, an old servant of the county, Samuel Eoether, died, the vacancy caused by his death resulting in a scramble for the position. It seems that the gaolership has anomalous features : the sheriff appoints the official, the government confirms the appointment, while the County Council fixes the salary and pays the greater part of it. The first appointment made by Sheriff Sutton was Geo. A. Henry, of Port Elgin, of which appointment the gov- ernment did not approve; neither did it of H. B. McKay, of Walker- ton, the sheriff's second appointment, political interests and influences being the cause of the delay in filling the post. The man the poli- ticians at first wished to have made gaoler the sheriff refused to con- sider. The upshot of the controversy, which became intense, was evidently a determination to change the sheriff. In the summer of 1892 JSmilius Irving, Q.C., was directed by the government to hold 'In a by-election held March 9th, 1891, the situation was reversed, and Mr. Porter obtained the seat and represented the riding until his death. 138 SHERIFF SUTTON DISMISSED an investigation in the matter of some charges made against Mr. Sutton in his official capacity. On the receipt of the report of this investigation, in which some of the charges were sustained, Mr. Sutton was asked to resign. This he would not do, so he was dismissed, and on November 5th, 1892, Frederick S. O'Connor (a brother of the member for South Bruce) was gazetted as sheriff of the county, and a week later the office of gaoler was given to Donald McKechnie, on the recommendation of the new sheriff. Nothing but the highest commendation can be uttered of these two appointees, who proved capable and well qualified for their respective posts. The question of having established a House of Eefuge for the county (a matter which will be referred to more fully later on) was much talked about in 1892, and at the municipal elections held in January, 1893, a vote of the ratepayers was taken, which proved to be adverse to the proposition. The rural municipalities, with one exception, opposed it, while the urban municipalities, with two exceptions, were in favor of having such an institution. The County Council of 1893 proved to be one of the most liberal the county had known in the matter of making grants for roads and bridges. The grants made that year totalled well over $20,000, resulting in several large iron bridges being constructed over the Saugeen and other streams. Grasshoppers were so numerous in the summer of 1893 as to be a scourge in some parts of the county, especially towards the south- western part of it, gardens and meadows especially suffering there- from. It is stated that these pests developed a taste for binder-twine, and sheaves in the harvest fields had, by the row, their binding devoured, and had to be rebound by hand. David Porter, M.P.P. for North Bruce, died August 7th, 1893. An election to fill the vacancy so caused resulted in the return of D. McNaughton, the reeve of the township of Bruce. The political atmosphere of the county, from several causes, was much stirred during 1893. The Premier, Sir John S. D. Thompson, and some of his colleagues, visited the county and addressed large meetings. As a set-off to this the leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Wilfrid Laurier, and some of his lieutenants, followed the same course, and enlightened the electors of Bruce on political measures from their point of view. Most of the meetings were held during the month of September. Another element in the political atmosphere was a new party known as the Patrons of Industry, a party or society THE PATRONS 13:9 which to some extent has by many been associated with the Grange movement. This is an error, the ends sought by these two societies being entirely different. In the preceding chapter an outline of the objects of the Grange Society is to be found, which shows that what the Grange strove after was the advancement of the material interests of the farmers. The Ontario Association of the Patrons of Industry was organized at London, September 22nd, 1891, with aims avowedly political. 1 There were thirteen planks in the platform of the society, as then laid down, most of which were largely along the lines of securing improved legislation, of rigid economy in the public service, and of purity in the administration of government. It was not long after the above date before the order had lodges established in Bruce, which increased in number to eighty-five, or thereabout. The first representative of the order sent to Parliament from Bruce was D. McNaughton, elected as member for North Bruce in the by-election for that riding in 1893, as mentioned above. At the general elec- tion for the Ontario House of Assembly in 1894, a Patron candidate was nominated in each of the three ridings in Bruce : D. McNaughton in North Bruce (elected), John S. McDonald in Centre Bruce (elected), and William Valens in South Bruce (defeated), R. E. Truax being the successful candidate in this riding. At the next general election for the Dominion House of Commons, held in 1896, Patron candidates were nominated, but, as herein stated in the events of that year, only one, John Tolmie, was elected. As a political party the Patrons of Industry have lost much of their influence, but the effect they have had, in Bruce at least, has been to lead electors to break away from mere party lines and think and vote in an inde- pendent manner, instead of being but a cog in a political machine. The municipal elections for 1894 were held on New Year's Day. Concurrent with them there was cast a vote in all municipalities throughout the province on " The Prohibition Plebiscite Act," which in Bruce brought out the largest vote the temperance question there polled, the particulars of which are to be found in Appendix R. The year 1894 marked the first failure of a private bank within the county, the firm being that of H. A. Allen, of Port Elgin. In 'Some organizers added, as an inducement to establish a lodge, a clause authorizing an arrangement being made with some merchant to sell goods at an advance of 10 per cent, on cost price to members of the Order, but this was outside of the Constitution of the Order. At Paisley, Dobbington, Chesley, Walkerton, and possibly elsewhere also, such an arrangement was made with* a storekeeper, which, proving unprofitable to the latter, did not last long. 140 DEBENTURE INDEBTEDNESS PAID the following year J. C. Graham, a private banker of Tiverton, also failed. Other failures of this description, which may as well be grouped together, were those of F. X. Messner, of Formosa, in 1897, and that of the Carrick Banking Co., of Mildmay, in 1898. Those who suffered most by these various failures were farmers who, to obtain a higher rate of interest, had deposited with them their sav- ings. Of late years the number of private banks within the county has materially decreased, they having been absorbed by chartered banks on the latter establishing an agency in the towns and villages where they were in business. Those who make a note of the condition of the weather had in 1895 many unusual items to record. During the first week of Feb- ruary, at Walkerton, the thermometer dropped so low that the mer- cury froze and during four days remained below zero. The last week of April and the first in May were marked by summer-like weather. As a result the trees were in full leaf by May 7th. This unseasonable heat was followed on May 12th by a hard frost, so severe that not only were the fruit trees injured, but also many forest trees, beeches especially, were in many cases either killed or perma- nently injured, the result of all the freshly opened leaves being frozen and falling off. The spring and summer of 1895 were unusually dry. The grain crops did not suffer for want of rain to such an extent as did the hay crop, which was such a complete failure that, to meet the needs of stock owners, large quantities of hay had to be imported into the county. This baled hay found a ready sale at $18.00 a ton, and in some cases even more was paid. Chopped straw mixed with grain was largely used to feed stock, but even straw was so scarce that $11.00 a ton was paid for it. The exigencies of the season made farmers try various methods of feeding stock, and in doing so they learned the lesson that stock could be carried over until spring, and even do fairly well, on other fodder than what had in the past been principally relied on, namely, hay and roots. So the drought was not without some measure of benefit, although the lesson was a hard one, and felt by all classes of the community. With the payment, in 1895, of the $20,000 worth of debentures issued ten years previously, the county became free of debt. In Supplement T there is given a complete list of the various issues of debentures of the county of Bruce. The total, $709,000, is a large sum. Still none can say but that the ends sought, while in- curring large obligations, were for the good of the community at large. ELECTRIC RAILWAY AGITATION 141 Mr. George Gould, who had performed the duties of county clerk since 1861, felt compelled by failing health to tender his resignation in December, 1895. With much regret the County Council accepted Mr. Gould's resignation, and appointed his son, Wm. S. Gould, to fill the vacancy, which post he has held unto the present time. The House of Commons having been dissolved in the spring of 1896, a general election was held June 23rd. The Patrons of Industry had candidates in the North, East and West ridings of Bruce, they being, respectively, H. T. Potts, James Tolton, and John Tolmie. The latter alone was returned, the other two ridings returning A. MeNeill and Henry Cargill, who had sat for these constituencies in the preceding parliament. The southern part of the county had, in the winter and spring of 1896, presented to them for the first time the proposition of an electric railway. Mr. E. A. C. Pew, a railway promoter, came into the county and held public meetings at Walkerton, Kincardine and other points. The scheme he proposed was on a large scale and obligingly comprehensive, the various terminal points being Port Perry at the east, Goderich at the west, Meaford at the north, while radial lines were to connect all points in the interven- ing country that would subscribe to a fund for getting surveys made and a Bill passed through the House of Commons. Mr. Pew found little difficulty in having his proposition taken up by the business portion of the community, a provisional Board of Direc- tors appointed, and funds raised sufficient to enable initial steps being taken. In April, 1896, the House of Commons passed a Bill, 1 but not without a good deal of opposition, incorporating this the "Huron and Ontario Eailway Coy." The charter, so obtained, has been extended and offered to any capitalists who would con- struct the road, but so far without success. Such a line of electric road will surely be constructed some day, and will be found a great convenience to the public. Lieut.-Col. A. E. Belcher, reeve of Southampton in 1896, had for some time been impressed with the necessity of taking steps towards collecting historical data about the settlement of the county, before all the pioneers had passed away. After several attempts, he brought the County Council to his way of thinking, and at the January session a motion was passed, offering a prize '59 Vic. Chap. 20. 142 CHANGE IN COUNTY COUNCIL of $50 for the best historical sketch of the county, to be submitted at 'the next session. In response, two papers were handed in, one written by J. M. McNabb, of Southampton, and the other by the writer; both papers were considered so deserving of a prize that each received the full amount offered. The increase in the number of reeves and deputy reeves and consequently in the size of County Councils throughout the prov- ince, arising from the increase of population, gave cause for much discussion as to the advisability of reducing the number of county councillors. As early as 1884 the Provincial Secretary sent to the various municipal councils within the province, a list of ques- tions, requesting answers which would express their opinion on this matter. The question was a difficult one to settle, and no action seems to have resulted until ten years later, when the Legislative Assembly then asked for " a return showing the population of each county and district, and the municipalities therein." This was followed in 1896 by an Act 1 " to reduce the number of county councillors." By this act a county was to be divided for County Council purposes into divisions; each division to be entitled to two representatives, the number of these divisions was to be based upon the population of the county. Commissioners appointed by the Lieut.-Governor-in-Council decided the limits of the divisions, and in doing so endeavored to have them as nearly equal as possible in regard to population. The commissioners so appointed met at Walkerton June 29th, 1896. After hearing and considering the evidence offered, they divided the county of Bruce into nine div- isions, thereby reducing the size of the County Council, which under the old system had forty-four members, but under the new would have only eighteen. The report made by the commissioners is given in full in Appendix U. The views held by the forty-four reeves and deputy reeves who, under the new order of things, would no longer be ex-officio members of the County Council of Bruce, may be best recorded in the words of the warden (the late J. H. Elliot, of Chesley), in his final official report to the Council at its last session, held in December, 1896. "I cannot help feeling that this sitting of the County Council is memorable from the fact that it marks the end of a long-established system and the introduction of an experimental one. We have hitherto assembled as chosen representatives of twenty-six municipalities of the county of Bruce, '59 Vic. Chap. 52. THE WARDEN'S OPINION ABOUT THE CHANGE 143 and our ranks have swelled in the course of time to the high water mark of forty-four members, but the hand of revolution has been laid upon our system and has shattered its foundation and substi- tuted for it an elective system by districts, created and delimited by judicial commissioners. Our county is now divided into nine districts, and two representatives will be elected by the people next January for each of these districts instead of an assembly of forty- four. The next County Council will number only eighteen. In- stead of men who are here because they are associated with local council boards, there will be men who will be elected by the direct vote of the people. These changes may or may not be an improve- ment. The new system is an experiment which should receive a fair trial before we condemn or commend it, but this much at least is certain, that we will not hereafter know as much about each other as heretofore. One of the pleasant features of our meetings has been the friendly intercourse which we have had with members irom every part of the county, and the larger the representation the wider that intercourse of thought and opinion has been, the wider has been the circle of our county acquaintance. That here- after this is to be narrowed down brings to our mind the pleasant memories of the past, and regret that the future has not in store for our successors such opportunities as we have hitherto enjoyed. 1 am pleased to be able to say for this little parliament of the county of Bruce what cannot be said of the great Dominion Parlia- ment of this Canada of ours. We leave a clean slate, no debt be- hind us for our successors to grapple with, though we have taken this county of ours from the forest to what it is to-day, and we leave many monuments behind us of the work we have done, those fine steel bridges all over the county and the many other improve- ments we have made. And how did we do all this work ? By direct taxation, which in my opinion is the proper source from which all public money should come. The County Council is dead; long live the County Council !" The councillors could not separate for the last time without having a bit of fun over being put out of office, so when all the sessional \vork was over the following bogus motion was brought forward : "Moved by James Shouldice, seconded by .Henry McKay, 'That as the death of the County Council is at hand, and as we desire that everything be done decently and in order, we would therefore re- commend that the following be named as chief mourners., viz., 144 THE COUNCIL'S VIEW OF THE CHANGE Messrs. Lieut-Col. Belcher, Robert Johnston, and Henry McKay, and that the following be engraved on the tablet to be erected " ' Sacred to the memory of the County Council of the County of Bruce/ " ' Peaceful may thy slumbers be, From cares and labor thou art free ; By action of the Government Into oblivion thou art sent. " * Thou stalwart, gallant forty-four, Your services are required no more ; Eighteen men shall be elected To do the work you were expected. " ' But should the change not work, as is suspected, Old boys, you may be re-elected To fill your places as before, Thou gallant, stalwart forty -four.' ' After a laugh at the above, the members joined hands, feelingly sang " Auld Lang Syne," and then parting, the little parliament of Bruce County became a thing of history. The County Council of 1897, reduced in numbers so as to seem but a petty body of legislators compared to its predecessors, al- though retaining all the authority they had possessed, tackled the House of Refuge question in earnest, and passed a motion directing that the wishes of the ratepayers be obtained by a plebiscite vote, to be taken at the time of the next municipal elections, 1 in January, 1898. The initial move towards securing a House of Refuge for aged and enfeebled indigents within the county, dates back to the De- cember session of 1881 of the County Council, when Edward Leslie (of Kincardine) and Wm. Bradley (of Greenock) moved : " That the County Clerk obtain information as to the cost and main- tenance of the lately established Poor House of the county of Well- ington; at the same time the two reeves of Carrick (Wm. Dickison and James Johnston) moved that reports be obtained from the various local municipalities in Bruce as to the amount spent by them annually in support of indigents. Following these motions a committee was appointed to consider the matter, which at the 'In 1893 The majority against establishing a House of Eefuge was 2,378. Total votes polled, 8,880. In 1898 The majority in favor of establishing a House of Kefuge was 2,477. Total votes polled, 7,996. HOUSE OF REFUGE VOTE 145 next session reported in favor of the establishment of a House of Refuge. There was not, however, enough enthusiasm felt to urge en the question ; so it lay in abeyance until 1888, when the matter was again brought to the front, Dr. De Witt H. Martyn (of Kin- cardine) and Dr. W. S. Scott (of Southampton) being the movers therein, at the January session of that year of the County Council. The committee then appointed chose Lieut.-Col. J. H. Scott as its chairman. From that time on until he laid the corner-stone of the House of Refuge ten years later Col. Scott labored assiduously and untiringly in the interests of this most humane and charitable object. The voluminous tabulated reports made by him in 1888, 1892, and 1897, to the County Council, and the sheets of infor- mation prepared by him for the ratepayers on the two occasions when a vote was taken on this question, namely, in 1893^ and 1898, deserve more than a passing word of commendation. This fact was recognized when there was conferred upon him the honor of laying the foundation stone of the building, June 24th, 1898. The inquiry as to the cost of maintaining indigents by the local municipalities showed that in 1881 nineteen municipalities (all that then reported) had spent $2,508.43 in granting such relief. In 1887 all townships and villages furnished reports, the total of expenditure was $3,946.34, while in 1890 it had risen to $4,393.66. These amounts are much in excess of the net expenditure of the House of Refuge at present, .showing that even from the low level of economy the ratepayers did wisely when, in 1898, they voted to establish this charitable institution, while those who voted from humane motives have seen in the comfort and content of the old folks residing at the House of Refuge their fullest anticipations realized. The inquiries made of the local municipalities revealed one uncommendable practice, namely, that of foisting, if possible, the poor on neighboring municipalities. This practice was candidly confessed by the village clerk of one of the smallest of our Villages ia his reply to the questions propounded. His report reads as follows : "In 1885 this municipality had one indigent, which cost only $2, because we shipped him off. In 1886 one indigent cost $10; we shipped him, too. In 1887 we had also one indigent, who was brought here, and was too far gone for shipping purposes. He died on our hands, and cost $124." The vote of the ratepayers, given 3rd January, 1898, on the House of Refuge question, was so pronounced in favor of having 146 HOUSE OF REFUGE TO BE AT WALKERTON one established that the County Council, without loss of time, took the preliminary step of advertising for a suitable site for the build- ing, and met again in March to decide on the offers made. These numbered over fifty and from all parts of the county. A process of weeding out had to be undertaken. The decision finally arrived at was that only farms in close proximity to the towns of Kincardine, Port Elgin and Walkerton would be considered. 1 The County Coun- cil then decided that it, as a committee of the whole, should visit and examine the various sites offered. Port Elgin was first visited and what it had to offer considered. The next day the councillors drove to Kincardine and inspected the sites there offered. At a meeting held in that town the County Council decided to continue its journey to Stratford and see the House of Refuge lately built there by the county of Perth, it having been reported to be the one which for size, arrangement and cost would most probably be suit- able for Bruce. The visit to Stratford was not ill judged; many members of the Council were largely in the dark regarding the requirements of the building and of the regulations of an up-to-date House of Refuge. There they had an object lesson, and one that pleased them so well that on its return to Walkerton the Council instructed the architect 2 of the building they had so admired to make plans and specifications for a building along similar lines, but to embody whatever improvements experience showed could be made, and large enough to accommodate 125 inmates. It was no easy matter to settle where the building was to be erected. Each of the four towns set a high value upon having the institution in its vicinity, so that it was not until the forty-sixth ballot was cast by the County Council that Walkerton obtained the much coveted honor. The lands there secured for a site are very suitable, having an area of sixty- two and a half acres, between forty and fifty acres of which are profitably cultivated. The amount paid for the land was $3,821. Having decided where to build, and also having settled on the plan, tenders were advertised for and considered at a meeting of the County Council held in May. The tender of Messrs. Cawsey and Young (of Stratford) for all the work was accepted, the price being $16,440. The building was completed in December, and received ' its first 'This was afterwards amended and the neighborhood of Paisley was also included. The late Harry J. Powell, of Stratford. COST OF HOUSE OF REFUGE 147 inmates in the first week of January, 1900. In a footnote 1 are given the particulars of the actual cost of this fine building and equipment. The following were the officers appointed to look after the House of Eefuge and its inmates: Keeper, Joseph M. White; Matron, Mrs. Joseph M. White; Inspector, Wm. S. Gould. After a year's experience it was decided that the inspector's duties could be undertaken by the keeper, which arrangement is still in force. The average annual net cost of the House of Refuge for the five years, 1900-04, has been $3,036.25. Now that the agitation as to the advisability of having a comfortable home for infirm or aged indi- gents is settled, and also the controversy where it should be located lias calmed down, there exists a feeling throughout the community that all through a wise course has been followed, and nothing but commendation is extended towards the men who carried the issues to a successful termination. The same spirit which led to the establishment of a House of Refuge for the indigents of the county led also to the establishment of the Children's Aid Society of the County of Bruce. This was organized at a meeting held at Walkerton November 21st, 1898, and was incorporated by order of Council passed in the following month. The object of this society is to improve the condition of all neglected and dependent children within the county. This is done by provid- ing homes for the homeless, by securing better treatment for those neglected by their parents, and in assisting really needy families in caring for their little ones. Over fifty cases have been dealt with by the society, Avhich has been very fortunate in securing comfortable homes for its wards. Funds for this work are obtained from mem- n CosT OF HOUSE OF EEFUGE. Total preliminary expenses, cost of taking vote, etc $1,727 89 Total cost of land and buildings and sewer $23,843 84 Total cost of furnishing and equipment 2,613 32 Total cost of granolithic walk 141 04 $26,598 20 Less Provincial Grant 4,000 00 22,598 20 $24,326 09 Less premium on sale of Debentures 1,160 00 Total net outlay $23,166 09 u . The payments as above were made from the sale of debentures, the issue being for $20,000. The balance was paid out of the current revenue of the county. 148 PLAGUE OF CATERPILLARS bership fees and voluntary contributions. The late Miss Janet Chisholm, of Brant, left a legacy to the society amounting to $50.00, and the late W. J. Moore, a farmer living near Walkerton, bequeathed to it half his estate, which will amount to seven or eight thousand dollars. This last bequest has not as yet, at the time of writing this history, come into the possession of ihe society, as it is subject to an annuity payable to Mr. Moore's widow for life. A. Shaw, K.C., has been the president of the society since its inception, and has given a great deal of time and attention, without any remuneration whatever, to the various cases which have been considered and pro- vided for. The office of secretary has been filled by E. J. Kowland and Joseph Morgan. On March 1st, 1898, a general election for the Legislative Assembly was held, at which the candidates for the several ridings in the county were: In North Bruce, C. M. Bowman (Lib.), who was elected by a majority of 265 over D. M. Jermyn (Con.) ; in Centre Bruce, A. Malcolm (Lib.) obtained a majority of 234 over John S. McDonald (Patron), the late member, while in South Bruce, R. E. Truax was re-elected by acclamation. In September of the last-mentioned year the electors were again asked to cast their ballots ; this time it was to vote on the Provincial Prohibition Plebiscite. The particulars of this vote are to be found in Appendix R. This section of Ontario suffered during three successive summers from an invasion of forest tent-caterpillars. The last of these years \vas 1899. These pests, on account of their numbers, proved very destructive, maples, basswoods, as well as other trees and shrubs being stripped of every vestige of foliage; this process repeated three years in succession 'resulted in the death of many trees. In towns and villages the citizens struggled to save their shade trees from the caterpillars. In this effort they were successful, as the large mat- like clusters in which the caterpillars frequently assembled, enabled a wholesale destruction to be accomplished in short order. The num- ber of these pests was almost incredible. In confirmation and illus- tration of the statement it is on record in the Walkerton newspapers that a train due there from the north was, near Cargill, brought to a standstill by the caterpillars ; the crushed bodies, countless in number, over which the driving wheels of the engine had passed, formed a greasy paste that prevented them gripping the rails, and so the train slowed down until at last it stopped. A PIONEER GATHERING 149 A desire, often expressed and deeply felt, that there should be a gathering of the pioneers and old settlers of the county at last became an accomplished fact on 28th July, 1899, at Port Elgin, when in response to an invitation of a committee of its citizens, the pioneers of Bruce and their descendants gathered from all parts of the county, and so had an opportunity of talking over the old days when they entered the bush to make for themselves homes where the tall trees stood. The concourse on that occasion numbered between two and three thousand. About an hour before noon a pro- cession was formed, headed by the brass band of the village. After the band an old familiar ox-team and outfit, driven by E. H. Murray, of Amabel, led the way. On the sleigh, so drawn, were sheaves of grain, the thrashing of which, by flails, was gone on with as the procession wended its way to Lake View Park, where, after a sub- stantial meal, a number of old-timers were called upon to address the assembly and recount their recollections of the days of the early settlements in Bruce. But possibly the most enjoyed feature of the assemblage was the meeting of old-time acquaintances, separated for years, who there met and enjoyed a good old chat of the days when their heads were not grey, but when life was young, and of the hardships they encountered in the bush, now things to be laughed at. The gathering was a success, so much so that it has become one of annual occurrence, much appreciated and largely attended. The citizens of Port Elgin who do so much to maintain the enthusiasm of these annual gatherings deserve a great deal of commendation from those who cherish a warm feeling for the days of the early settlement of Bruce and wish to see its memories preserved. It is highly probable that the same -current of sentiment which prompted the meeting of the pioneers of the county, mentioned in the last paragraph, was also the cause which led to the " Bruce Old Boys' Eeunion " that so successfully materialized July 23rd to August 4th, 1900. The inception of this much-enjoyed gathering is credited to some of the sons of the county residing at Toronto. Prominent among them in the originating and working out of this happy idea were the following: James H. Spence, W. A. Skeans, John E. Shaw, Geo. H. Kilmer, Walter O'Hara, besides others whose names the author is unable to furnish. The carrying to a successful conclusion of this reunion involved an immense amount of work, the largest part of which fell upon the shoulders of Arthur Collins, of Walker- ton, the Secretary of the Executive Committee. First a list of absent 150 "OLD BOYS'" REUNION Bruce boys, with their place of residence, had to be compiled. Then the railway companies had to be enlightened as to the advantage it would be to them to offer reduced rates. This secured, circulars inviting all the absentees to the reunion had to be mailed, the num- ber of which exceeded eighteen hundred. The fundamental idea of the originators was to have a gathering of the widely scattered Bruce boys from north, south, east and west. In the past, whenever any of these had returned to revisit the scenes of their youth, they found that they only met of their old comrades those who had remained at home, while those who had wandered away like themselves, being only occasionally at their old home were not seen. " If only all the old boys could be back at home together, how much more pleasant it would be," was the thought that urged the promoters on to make the efforts which resulted so successfully. The first steps were taken in February, and by the end of May the invitation circulars were issued announcing special rates on all the railways east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio rivers. These circulars were sent by the secretary to all known addresses of Bruce boys living between !N~ew York and Vancouver. It must be acknowledged that the county town and its sons living at Toronto took the lead in this enterprise. When the 23rd of July came, the Toronto contingent left that city on a special train engaged to take them to Walkerton. They brought with them the full band of the 48th Highlanders, which headed the procession that marched from the railway station to the town hall r where the mayor extended a greeting to all. The welcome the old boys met with from their native town and county must have reached the fullest expectations of any of them. Those whose homes were in other parts of the county received just as cordial a greeting as did those whose destination was Walkerton. All expressed enthusi- astically their feelings at the success of the reunion. About seven hundred took advantage of this opportunity to view old scenes and to renew old friendships. Since then there have been, almost annu- ally, excursions from Toronto of the Old Boys of Bruce. These seem to be growing larger from year to year, e.g., in 1904 the train that left Toronto consisted of thirteen coaches, filled with " Old Boys " anxious to visit once more their native county. The "Association of Bruce Old Boys " at Toronto has done much to keep alive a feeling of pride and loyalty for the native county of its members, and also a fraternal feeling among those of its offspring who have " swarmed " off from its borders. PROPOSED RAILWAY IN PENINSULA 151 The Indian Peninsula had high hopes, in 1900 and 1901, of a rail- way being constructed through its entire length from Tobermory to Wiarton, when the Ontario House of Assembly incorporated 1 " The Manitoulin and North Shore Kailway." This line was to connect Meaford with Tobermory, from whence it was intended that a ferry should convey freight and passenger cars to the Manitoulin Island; from thence, by means of a bridge at Little Current, the line would be continued to Sault Ste. Marie. The promise of government aid to help in the construction of the road was granted; this, with the appearance of surveyors to locate the route of the railway, gave the assurance that the road would certainly be pushed to completion. But since the departure of the surveyors but little has been heard regarding this railway. It has been said that the proposed road was nothing more than a political bait, with which it was expected to catch votes at the next provincial election in the various constituencies through which it was to pass. Over ten years having elapsed since the county was valuated for the purpose of an equalized assessment, the County Council in June, 1000, appointed valuators to make a fresh valuation. On this occa- sion four men were appointed: two, L. T. Bland and H. T. Potts, were to value the property situated in the several townships, and two, Edward Kilmer and J. B. Campbell, to value the property in the several towns and incorporated villages in the county. Their reports were received at the June session of the following year. These showed many changes, which made a reduction of $139,040 from the equal- ized assessment of real property of the preceding year. The total assessment of the county of real property, as returned by the valuators, was $25,378,972. A general election for the Dominion House of Commons was held November 7th, 1900, resulting in the return, in West Bruce, of John Tolmie (Lib.), his opponent being John George (Con.). In East Bruce, Henry Cargill (Con.) succeeded in being re-elected, John Coumans (Lib.) being the defeated candidate. In North Bruce, Alex. McNeill was elected by the narrow majority of one. As might be expected an election trial followed, which resulted in the unseating of Mr. McNeill. At the by-election that followed (March 20th, 1901) James Halliday (Con.) was elected. The Liberal can- didate in both of these contests was J. E. Campbell, of Hepworth. The gathering of the pioneers in 1899 and the reunion of the 'See 63 Vic. Chap. 115 and 1 Edw. VII. Chap. 23. 152 BRUCE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Bruce Old Boys in 1900 were fittingly followed in 1901 by the found- ing of the Bruce County Historical Society. The initiative in this action came from the County Council, which, at the January session, 1901, appointed a committee to consider the matter. This committee reported in June, strongly recommending that steps should be taken to organize such a society for the preservation of items relating to the history of the county. This report was adopted by the Council, which at the same time gave a grant of ten dollars to meet any pre- liminary expenses. Following up the resolution of the Council, a meeting was called at Walkerton at the time of the fall Assizes, as at that time a number of persons from all parts of the county would be at the county town. At this meeting Lieut.-Col. A. E. Belcher was elected president and Norman Eobertson, secretary. A constitu- tion was adopted, and application was directed to be made for affilia- tion with the Ontario Historical Society, which affiliation was obtained. The interest in the society has not been as active as might have been expected, but good work has been done in ' collecting materials bearing on the history of the county, such as files of news- papers extending from the sixties down, also early maps and plans of the villages as they were first laid out. A most successful banquet was given by the citizens of Walkerton to the society in January, 1902, at which a number of old settlers were present, and gave inter- esting accounts of the early days. Attempts have on several occasions been made to establish pioneer societies with similar objects to the above. The earliest of these societies was organized at Walkerton, October 7th, 1881, when some twenty or thirty of the early settlers gathered and resolved themselves into " The Bruce Pioneer Society/' Most of those then present have joined the great majority, among them being Adam Clement and Hugh Todd, of Brant, C. R. Barker, of Kincardine, and Wm. Gunn, of Walkerton. The author has not been able to find any account of further meetings of this society. A society bearing the same name was organized at Port Elgin in 1900 which has shown enviable vitality. To it may be given much praise for the annual pioneers' gathering and picnic at Port Elgin. The census taken April 1st, 1901, was a disappointment, as it showed that during the preceding decade the population had declined to the extent of 5,583. Emigration is the explanation to be given. The old folks remain at home, while thousands of the young men and women have gone to the North- West or to the cities. Then again, farms are now much larger than formerly, and owing to the use of GOOD ROADS GRANT 153 labor-saving machinery the large farm requires no more help than the small one did. In earlier days there were hundreds of fifty-acre farms and very few over one hundred acres. To-day farms of two or three hundred acres or more are common, while the smaller fifty- acre farms are almost unknown. The changed conditions of farming largely account for this and also the decrease in population. Farmers have grown rich and have added farm to farm, and those who have sold out have sought other localities where, with a moderate amount of capital, they too may become rich. The sudden death of F. S. O'Connor, the sheriff of the county, on August 16th, 1901, caused a vacancy in the sheriffalty. After a short delay the government appointed C. V. Parke, ' of Wiarton, to the office, which position he has continued to fill. Two separate lines of railway to run through Bruce were incor- porated in 1902. One, The Huron and Bruce Kailway Co., 1 was to connect Wiarton and Goderich, the line to touch at the various lake shore ports between Goderich and Southampton. The other com- pany bore the name of The Huron, Bruce and Grey Electric Railway Co., 2 which name was changed in the following year to The Ontario West Shore Electric Railway Co. It is intended to be part of a scheme of electric railways radiating from Goderich. One arm of this road is planned to extend to Wiarton and another, via Lucknow, to Walkerton. Up to the time of writing, however, nothing has been accomplished in the way of construction of either of these proposed railways. The offer made by the Ontario Government of a grant, under cer- tain conditions, to aid in the improvement of pnblic highways 3 (out of a fund of one million dollars set apart for that purpose) was much discussed in 1902 throughout the county, especially so in the Indian Peninsula, where the lack of even moderately good roads is so fully realized. A visit of the Provincial Commissioner of High- ways to Wiarton and the vicinity materially increased the interest regarding this matter felt in that part of the county. Mr. R. E. Moore, of Lion's Head, and B. B. Miller, of Wiarton, were promin- ent in striving to get the public interest aroused regarding this sub- ject, addressing meetings held to consider the proposal made by the government. A study of the conditions attached showed that to obtain the county's share of the grant, amounting to $45,000, an '2 Edw. VII. Chap. 77. 2 2 Edw. VII. Chap. 78 and 3 Edw. VII. Chap 98. "1 Edw. VII. Chap. 32. 154 REFERENDUM VOTE expenditure of $90,000 would be required, and as about one-third 01 the grant would have to be expended in the peninsula which was a ratio of expenditure disproportionate to the amount of county rates paid by the peninsula municipalities the County Council declined to act in the matter, and the question is still in abeyance. As the offer made by the Government remains open until the 1st January, 1909, it is possible some action may yet be taken. A general election for the Ontario House of Assembly was held May 29th, 1902, which resulted in the re-election of C. M. Bowman and R. E. Truax for the ridings of North and South Bruce respec- tively, the defeated candidates being D. M. Jermyn, of Wiarton, and Dr. R. E. Clapp, of Mildmay. In Centre Bruce the election was keenly contested by Major Hugh Clark (Con.) and Dr. M. Stewart (Lib.), the former being returned. The majority was only five. A protest followed, which brought about another election (held February 26th, 1903), when Major Clark was returned by an increased majority. " The Liquor Act, 1902," 1 passed by the House of Assembly, sub- ject to being sustained by a majority of the electors of the province, was intended to prohibit the sale of liquor within the province except by licensed druggists under certain restrictions. This Act was sub- mitted to the electors to be voted upon on December 4th, 1902. This balloting was known as the " Referendum Vote." The vote cast in Bruce gave the largest majority the temperance party ever obtained in the county, for particulars of which the reader will please consult Appendix R. " The Representation Act " passed by the Dominion Parliament in 1903 reduced the number of representatives from Bruce in the House of Commons from three to two, the ridings to be known as North and South Bruce. As this Act did not come into force until the then existing Parliament dissolved, the by-election, held Feb- ruary 16th, 1904, following the sudden death of Henry Cargill, was for the old riding of East Bruce. In this election the two candidates were J. J. Donnelly (Con.) and A. W. Robb (Lib.), the former carrying the election. Situated on the Durham Road, partly in Bruce and partly in Grey, the village of Hanover had developed since it was known as " Buck's Bridge " until it had a population sufficient to entitle it to become incorporated. But the necessary steps were delayed. People asked why. If any answer were given, the delay was assigned to '2 Edw. VII. Chap. 33. HANOVER 155 politicians who feared that the new municipality would unite with Bruce, on account of the proximity of its county town, which was only six miles distant, and its vote at parliamentary elections in South Grey would thus be lost. Be that as it may, the matter at length came before the County Council in December, 1898, when a petition was presented praying to have the preliminary steps for incorporation proceeded with. In January, 1899, a by-law was passed by the County Council granting incorporation, and that that part lying in the township of Brant be annexed to the county of Grey. The County Council of Grey, however, failed to take action to complete the annexation. This gave the inhabitants on the Brant side of the village time to consider the matter, with the result that they concluded they preferred to remain in Brant, so they obtained a repeal of the by-law. The Bentinck part of the village obtained incorporation, and then in 1903 obtained an Act 1 attaching their neighbors in Brant nolens volens to their village. This is the only occasion wherein the county of Bruce has lost any of its territory to its neighbors. A pleasing incident to relate are the particulars relating to the establishment of the Bruce County General Hospital, the opening of which institution supplied the last link required to place Bruce on a par, as far as regards providing for the suffering or needy, with any county in the province. This institution owes its establishment to a bequest of the late William John Moore, of the township of Brant, who died March 13th, 1899, and bequeathed one-half of his estate (which amounted to about $15,500, subject to an annuity payable to his widow), "To aid in the erection and endowment of a hospital, at the town of Walkerton, for the sick and injured of the county of Bruce, provided sufficient funds were otherwise raised to purchase and erect a suitable building and furniture for the said hospital." Thomas Dixon and Wm. M. Shaw were the executors of the estate. To obtain the bequest and apply it for the purpose intended, " The County of Bruce General Hospital Trust at Walker- ton " was incorporated June 8th, 1900. An effort was made in the same year to get the County Council to assume the liability of paying to Mrs. Moore that proportion of her annuity corresponding to the amount of the hospital bequest, which sum would thus be set free and be available for the prosecution of the work. The Council of that year declined to take any action, but a new Council, that of 1902, considered the matter more liberally and agreed to the proposi- '3 Edw. VII. Chap. 56. 150 BKUCE COUNTY GENERAL HOSPITAL lion. The necessary legislation to confirm this action was obtained v/ithout delay. Subscriptions also were secured in sufficient amount to warrant the letting of a contract for the building, which was com- menced during the summer of 1902. Among the larger contribu- tions received by the Board of Trustees were the following : From the town of Walkerton, $2,000 ; county of Bruce, $1,500 ; Henry Cargill, $1,000 ; David Morrison, $500, and also a great number of others from $100 down. The hospital was erected and equipped practically free of debt, which is said to be the first time in the history of the piovince such a thing has been accomplished. Much credit for this is due to the assistance rendered the Board of Trustees by the Women's Hospital Aid Association throughout the county. It was a happy idea when the trustees requested the ladies of Walkerton to see what could be done by them to assist in raising funds to meet the needs of the hospital. The preliminary meeting was held January 10th, 1903, when it was decided to organize a Women's Hospital Aid Society for the county, with branches in each village and as many townships as possible. That this movement might be one of the women of the county for the support of a county benevolent institu- tion, and that no ground for supposing the hospital was to be a local affair, the meeting to organize the Women's County Hospital Aid Society was called to meet at Paisley in February, 1903. Mrs. Norman Eobertson, of Walkerton, filled the chair at this meeting, at which were delegates present from Tara, Chesley, Southampton, Port Elgin, Paisley, Walkerton, and elsewhere. Mrs. Henry Cargill was elected president, Mrs. Thomas Dixon, secretary-treasurer, and also all the other officers. A constitution, which had been previously prepared, was considered and adopted. The society thus organized has performed work that has been most gratifying to the hospital trustees. The following extract from their treasurer's report of June 1st, 1904, is short and concise, but it tells of much earnest effort and work. He says : " During the last eight months the ladies have contributed $2,139.73 to the hospital funds." Truly an amount the ladies may well be proud of. The first patient was received at the hospital September 27th, 1903. The total cost of charter, site, buildings and equipment was $16,645.52. The first lady superin- tendent, Miss Barbara Campbell, it is gratifying to state, is a native of the county. During her regime of a year and a half the institu- tion was well started on its career of usefulness. The winter of 1903-4 was one of almost unprecedented severity. Sleighing commenced November 18th and continued until April SOUTH AMP ION A TOWN 157 18th following. The storms were severe, blocking both roads and the railways for days at a time. The snowfall was so deep that work in the woods was stopped in consequence. The difficulty of getting firewood raised its price exorbitantly. This severe winter was fol- lowed by a cool summer, frost being experienced each month of the year. The general elections for the Dominion House of Commons was held November 3rd, 1904. This was the first election under the new " Representation Act," by which Bruce was only to return two mem- bers. Much uncertainty as to the result was felt on account of the changes in the ridings. In North Bruce L. T. Bland (Conservative) and J. E. Campbell (Liberal) were nominated; the former headed the poll by 107 majority In South Bruce the Liberal party nominee, P. H. McKenzie, carried the election by a majority of 150 over the late member, J. J. Donnelly. In the fall of 1904 a party of surveyors were engaged in survey- ing the route for a branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway from Flesherton to Teeswater or Lucknow, via Walkerton. The following year they went over the ground again. This gave occasion to high hopes being entertained of a railway entering the county from the east. Jn 1906 these hopes materialized by the commencement of construc- tion operations. The company promise that the line will be open for traffic to Walkerton (the temporary terminus) by the summer of 1907. Southampton, on the 1st January, 1905, attained the status of a town, the fourth in the county. The first mayor elected was Lieut.- Col. A. E. Belcher, a gentleman who has always had the interests of the town at heart, and has been associated with it for half a century. The general election for the House of Assembly, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ross Government, took place January 25th, 3905. At this election the following gentlemen asked for the suffrages of the electors of this county: In North Bruce, C. M. Bowman and John George; in Centre Bruce, Hugh Clark and Andrew Malcolm, and in South Bruce, Dr. R. E. Clapp and R. E. Truax. The first named of each of the above candidates was the one who was elected. The bridge over the Saugeen River near Burgoyne, known as McCalder's Bridge, during the spring of 1905 was pronounced unfit for traffic. At its June session the County Council concluded that true economy required the erection of a steel bridge at this point. This it was found involved an outlay of $9,000 or $10,000. To meet this it was resolved to issue debentures for that amount. That the 158 CHESLEY BECOMES A TOWN by-law might have its required reading at the end of three months, the County Council held a special session in October at Chesley. This was the first time this village has been thus honored by the County Council. The meeting there was decided upon out of com- pliment to the warden, William McDonald, Chesley being his place of residence. As the author closes his work on this History in the latter part of October, 1906, the narrative of events for the year is necessarily incomplete. The ranks of the politicians have lately been depleted by the death of the member for the House of Commons for North Bruce, L. T. Bland, who, after a long illness, died August 19th. In the by-election John Tolmie represented the Liberal party and Abram McLellan the Conservative, the former being the successful candidate. Chesley, the most vigorous of the village municipalities in the county, found during the course of the summer that its population warranted the making of an application for its being proclaimed a town. The application was granted, and on October 1st the muni- cipality was raised to the status of a town, the youngest of five in the county. All will rejoice at the growth of the urban municipalities of Bruce; the only regret is that our rural municipalities do not at the same time maintain the number of their population. With this chapter the history of the county of Bruce as a whole, during the fifty-eight years following the entrance of the first settler, is concluded. In other chapters will be taken up the history of the various local municipalities, in which an effort will be made to supply local coloring more appropriate there than in the wider outlook of the whole county. The years covered in the first eight chapters of this work have witnessed many changes. The solitude of an unbroken forest has given place to the earnest life of a prosperous community possessing every environment conducive to happiness, and surrounded with every evidence of advanced civilization. But the strong, earnest men who came into the county at first and helped to make it what it is, are finding their ranks thinning out, and those remaining are grey-haired and bent; but they have sent out a race worthy of their sires. Besides those who remain in their native county, Bruce can claim children who were nourished on her fertile soil, but now are scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Wherever these have roamed we find that they retain a loving loyalty for Bruce, with its glorious woods, its fertile fields and its grand broad lake. And well they may, for truly it was a noble heritage that the early pioneers hewed out of the bush. All honor to their memory. CHAPTER IX. SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION. 18511906. SETTLERS had resided within the county of Bruce some three years before the largest community therein felt the necessity of establishing a school. When this time came it was after the School Act, 13 and 14 Vic., chap. 9, introducing much that proved to be an advance on previous methods, had come into force, which it did on July 24th, 1850. The initial step taken in the cause of education within the county of Bruce was the appointment of a local superin- tendent by the Council of the united counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce. School District No. 3 in the united counties comprised the six northerly townships in the county of Huron and all of the county of Bruce. Mr. John Nairn was the gentleman who received the appointment of superintendent for this district, the date of which was December 30th, 1850. At that time there was not a single school in the whole of the county of Bruce, but during the year 1851 a commencement was made by the establishing of one at Kincardine, located in the vicinity of the present railway station, the first teacher being Mrs. Jane Nairn. The following are the particulars concern- ing it as given in the " Statistical School Report of 1851," of the Department of Education, and are the only reliable ones available: Pupils on roll, 66; boys, 31; girls, 35. Number of teachers, 1; certificate, second class; salary paid teacher, 1 $145.80 (without board) per annum; length of time schood was kept open during the year, six months. The school-house was a rented frame building, contain- ing one room. Amount of legislative grant, $72.90; amount of other receipts, $12.00; total receipts, $84.90. From such a small beginning has arisen the extended and efficient system of public schools within the county. At this period of school history in Canada West a certain amount of latitude was permitted in regard to what textbooks might be used in teaching, as uniformity was not provided for; those most commonly in use were the Irish National Readers and Arithmetic, *The amounts are here given in dollars and cents, for the convenience of the reader, instead of in Halifax currency, as they appear in the report. 159 100 THE FIRST SCHOOLS Leniiie's Grammar, Morse's Geography, and a spelling-book published in Canada. The following year witnessed an increase within the county of educational privileges and also in the number of pupils.' The Superintendent of Schools reports for the year 1852 three school- houses, all log buildings. Two of these were built during the year. 1 These three schools were located, respectively, at Kincardine, South- ampton and Walkerton. In January, 1852, a redistribution was made by the United Counties Council of the districts to be supervised by the local super- intendents of education, and all of the counties of Huron and Bruce were then formed into one district. Mr. William Eath received the appointment of superintendent thereof. He was a painstaking officer, but he found the work so heavy, on account of the extent of territory in his district, that he resigned the position at the end of the year. It was in this year that the first levy of a municipal equivalent to the legislative grant to public schools was made in the county of Bruce. The* amount so raised was $214.67. On Mr. Rath's resignation Mr. William Gunn was appointed local superintendent of education for the whole of the county of Bruce, and performed the duties of his office over this large area during 1853 and the following year. In 1855 the county was divided for educational purposes into three districts, and two other gentle- men were appointed along with Mr. Gunn as local superintendents of education, at a salary of $5.00 per school. The details of this division of the county are as follows: The Western District comprised the townships of Huron, Kin- cardine, Bruce and Kinloss. The local superintendent was Mr. Wm. Gunn. The Northern District comprised the townships of Saugeen, SCHOOL STATISTICS. 1852 1853 1854 Population of school age 321 367 438 Attendance of pupils 183 199 321 Number of Schools, log buildings 3 3 4 Number of Schools, frame buildings 6 1 Mr. Gunn, in his report for 1853, says: " Only three schoolhouses in the county at first sight seems disproportionate to the population, now over 10,000. It must be remembered, however, that the county may be said to.be entirely destitute of roads, for, with the exception of the Durham and Elora roads, of sectional roads we have not a mile." LOCAL SUPERINTENDENTS 161 Arran and Elderslie. The local superintendent was Kev. James Hutchison, who was a missionary of the Methodist Church to the Indians on the Saugeen Keserve. The Eastern District comprised the townships of Brant, Carrick, Culross and Greenock. The local superintendent was Mr. John Eckford. Mr. Gunn retained his office until the end of 1858, excepting during the early part of 1857, when Mr. Matthew McKendrick held the office. Eev. Mr. Hutchison held office only during the year 1855. He was succeeded by the Eev. James H. McNaughton, who held the office during the years 1856, 1857 and 1858. Mr. John Eckford held office for sixteen and a half years, that is, until the office of local superintendent of education was abolished by statute in 1871, and the office of inspector of public schools insti- tuted instead. Mr. Eckford was a most efficient officer, and the reports of the School Committee of each succeeding County Council refer in most complimentary terms to his work as superintendent of schools. The cost of erecting school buildings was one that many settlers felt was almost beyond their powers, but the desire to have their children educated constrained them to take action, so we find that they contributed willingly of their time and also of their means, as far as they were able, in the erection and completion of school- houses ; while in most instances the sites for rural schools were freely and generously given by some settler. It would not be satisfactory to pass over the early days of educa- tional matters in the county with little more than a bare recital of statistics. It is, therefore, with pleasure that the writer is able here to insert an unfinished fragment of a paper written by the late Mr. Wm. Gunn on this subject. It is to be regretted that it ends so abruptly. It is as follows: " EDUCATIONAL MATTERS IN THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY OF BRUCE. "The first local Superintendent of Schools in Bruce was the late Mr. Wm. Rath, of the County of Huron, local Superintendent of that County. 1 Finding it impossible to attend to the duties of 'Mr. Gunn is in error here in thinking that Mr. Eath was the first Superintendent of Schools. He was the second. Author. 7 WM. GUNN'S PAPER ON SCHOOLS the office extending over such a wide range of country, he resigned the Superintendency for Bruce in December, 1852, and in January, 1853, without his knowledge or consent, Mr. Gunn, now of Walker- ton, was appointed local Superintendent for the County of Bruce. There were at that time only three schools in the whole County, one at Kincardine, one at Southampton, and one in Walkerton. These had to be visited twice a year, and the only mode of locomotion was on foot, the road often for long distances being indicated simply by the surveyor's blaze, very few miles of roads having been opened in the County. The traveller in those days, in addition to a few necessary articles of toilet, found it very convenient to carry a moderate supply of crackers and cheese in his wallet slung over his shoulders, of which he could partake at noon by the side of some clear creek or spring. The settlers, however, were hospitable in the highest degree, and readily shared their humble meal with the travel- ler when he happened to come along at meal-time. The quality of the potatoes was always good, the salt excellent, and there was always bread and tea to be had, but fresh meat was a rarity for several years. " In 1853 and 1854 considerable progress was made. Settlers were coming in freely and the population of the County rapidly increasing, the erection of school-houses was not neglected. The people, as a rule, did wonderfully considering their circumstances, and large were the demands made upon their muscles and purses in moving into this then wilderness country and making a beginning in clearing the forest and erecting places to dwell in. " The school sections in the whole County were laid out about 1853 by the local Superintendents, the Municipal Clerk, Mr. C. K. Barker, and the Councils of the Townships, as these came into existence, 1 and so well was this done that very few changes were found necessary afterwards. " For several years the whole County had only one Reeve or representative in the United Counties Council of Huron and Bruce. This was the Reeve of Kincardine Township, but as the population and settlement increased, Reeves multiplied, and our voice became stronger at the Council Board. To the credit of the Reeves of the County of Huron it must be said that they were always most fair and considerate in all municipal action toward the pioneer settlers of Bruce. "In 1854, as schools began to multiply outside of the triangle formed by Kincardine, "Walkerton and Southampton (and as the absence of roads in many places enhanced the difficulty and fatigue 'Excepting Kincardine, there were no township councils until 1854. Author. GAELIC BOARD OF TRUSTEES 163 of travelling on foot), Mr. Gunn got the County Council to divide the County into three districts, East, North and West. The late Mr. Eckford, of Dunkeld, was appointed local Superintendent of the Eastern District, composed of Brant, Carrick, Culross and Greenock; Eev. J. H. McNaughton of the Northern District, com- posed of Arran, Elderslie and Saugeen, Mr. Gunn retaining in the Western District Bruce, Huron, Kincardine and Kinloss. These gentlemen's duties commenced in 1855. "In 1856 considerable progress had been made in the erection of school-houses ready for opening in 1857. The Legislative grant had increased to $1,325.00, being an increase over 1855 of $1,053.00. The apportionment of Townships is not given in the Chief Super- intendent's Eeport. The Eate Bill in the County amounted to $603.50. The total expenditure for schools, $8,872.40. The total number of children attending school in 1856 was 1819, being an increase over 1855 of 985. The number of teachers in 1856 was 19, of whom 12 were males and 7 were females. The highest salary was $500 (paid by Kincardine) and the lowest $200. Of the 18 school-houses open in 1856, 5 were of stone, 2 of brick and 1J were of logs. Of those schools, 8 were opened and closed with prayer, in 10 of them the Bible and New Testament were used. Ten or twelve new school-houses were finished in 185^, ready for use in 1857. " From this time on the progress made in all matters educational was very great and very satisfactory, culminating in the ample school accommodation and the thorough equipment for educational pur- poses of the present day, with a numerous staff of thoroughly trained teachers of the highest attainments. The old dark, dismal log school-house has everywhere given place to comfortable, commodious buildings, well lighted, well ventilated and well furnished. " Perhaps no new settlement in Canada was ever more highly favored than the County of Bruce in the class of men composing the pioneers of the County. The early School Trustees and muni- cipal Councillors of the County were men of generous minds and liberal ideas, many of them being men of excellent educational standing. 1 They laid the foundations broad and deep, as circum- stances would permit, of the educational system which now reflects so much credit on the County of Bruce, the youngest county in Ontario. remark of Mr. Gunn's no doubt was correct in the great majority of cases, but some Boards of Trustees did not come up to this standard, for in his report for 1856 he says : " He had sometimes to transact busi- ness with a School Board in Gaelic, as none of the Board were able to speak English. ' ' Author. 164 FEMALE TEACHERS IN DEMAND "In his report to the Chief Superintendent for 1852 Mr. Rath says : ' Speaking generally of the County of Bruce, I must do so in the highest praise of the efforts of the people in favor of the estab- lishment of schools. Their exertions in this respect will bear favor- able comparison with older counties, and this, too, in the very infancy of their settlement, and while many of them have had pri- vations and hardships of no ordinary character to endure and diffi- culties of no ordinary character to encounter/ " At a later date, in 1856, Mr. Eckford in his report says : ' Much has been done; in nearly every section progress has been made. When I consider, however, that the settlers have in general exhausted their funds in the purchase and improvement of lands, and in sup- porting their families before they obtained an adequate return from the soil, and also that the municipal and school taxes are heavy, that the home market is nearly closed, with no outlet for surplus produce, I feel that it would be injudicious to urge them to further exertion. In the face of all this, however, the increase would have been doubled but for the want of suitable teachers/ "Rev. J. H. McNaughton reports six schools in Arran, all opened for the first time in 1'856, and Elderslie one school. " In his report for 1856 Mr. Gunn says : ' The want of a better supply of efficient teachers is very greatly felt throughout this county. We find it impossible to meet the demand and to a great extent the standard of qualifications, although meeting the present requirements of the law, which is lamentably low Steady young men who intend following the profession of teaching, having matrimony in contemplation, or married men with small families, would find in these new settlements very favorable inducements to remove hither. I would particularly mention the facilities which exist for 'acquiring a little property, and the satisfaction of possessing a permanent home at a trifling outlay, without in any way interfering with their professional vocations. Such persons may with safety be recom- mended at least to visit this County. " ' In the early years of the settlement of the County, in conse- quence of the tender age of the majority of the children of the pioneers, female teachers were in great demand, their services being generally preferred, and their success in teaching most satisfactory; but it was very generally found that just as soon as an efficient female teacher with her three or four years' experience was becoming of great usefulness in her profession, some keen-eyed young pioneer, on matrimony intent, came along, and without consulting the school authorities, carried her off to adorn his shanty in the bush, leaving LOCAL SUPERINTENDENTS 165 her place to be filled by some young and inexperienced member of the sex.' " It is much to be regretted that Mr. Gunn's paper ends at this point. If he wrote more, the subsequent pages of his manuscript have been lost a loss from an historical point of view not easily to be computed, as no one was better qualified than he to write on this subject. It will be in place here to give a list of the local superintendents of education and inspectors of public schools in the county of Bruce down to the present day. In the foregoing, the names of the local superintendents to the end of 1858 have been given for all the districts, and it has also been stated that Mr. Eckford remained in charge of the Eastern District until June, 1871. To this district there were added the townships of Elderslie and Saugeen for the years 1864 and 1871 inclusive, excepting that for the year 1868 only, Saugeen was united with Arran in a separate district, as is related later on. The Western District was under the charge of the Rev. Walter Inglis as local superintendent for the years 1859, 1860 and 1861. and of the Eev. Wm. Fraser, who held the office for the years 1862 to 1867, inclusive. For part of 1868 the Eev. A. McKay was local superintendent, and on his resigning during the year, Dr. De Witt H. Martyn was appointed, and filled the office until the end of 1869, being succeeded in 1870 by the Eev. John Ferguson. In January, 1871, the township of Bruce was set apart as a separate district, over which the Eev. J. Anderson acted as local superintendent, while Dr. D. A. McCrimmon filled the same office over the remaining part of the Western District. On the establishment of a grammar school at Kincardine, in the year 1860, Mr. Alexander Shaw was appointed local superintendent for the village. How long after 1860 he retained the office is not very clear from any available records. The Northern District was under the local superintendency of the Eev. K. McLennan in 1859 and 1860, of F. H. L. Staunton in 1861, and of Dr. W. S. Scott in 1862. In 1863 this district was split up, and for that year only a separate school district was formed of the townships of Saugeen and Elderslie, the Eev. Mr. Waters being local superintendent, but for the next eight years these two town- ships were united to Mr. Eckford's district. For the year 1863 the townships of Arran, Amabel and Albemarle were formed into a 166 INSPECTORS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS school district, the local superintendent being Dr. E. Hawksworth, who held the office for both 1863 and 1864. In 1865 Mr. William Bull was appointed local superintendent for the townships of Amabel and Albemarle, which position he held until the abolishing of the office in June, 1871. During the last six months of Mr. Bull's duties, Eastnor was included in his district. In 1865 the township of Arran was set apart as a separate district, and Dr. E. Hawksworth placed over it as local superintendent. He died during the year and was succeeded by Dr. W. S. Francis, who held the office until the end of 1867. In 1868, Arran and Saugeen were formed into a separate district, over which the Rev. A. Tolmie presided as local superin- tendent. Arran in 1869 again became a separate district, and Dr. W. S. Francis was once more the local superintendent. He was succeeded in 1870 by the Rev. R. S. Cooper, who remained in office until June, 1871. On the 15th of February, 1871, the Legislature passed an Act 1 which abolished the office of local superintendent of education and provided instead inspectors of public schools. The County Council, at the following June session, divided the county into two districts, Eastern and Western, and appointed Richard V. Langdon as inspec- tor over the Eastern District and Benjamin Freer over the Western District, at salaries of $5.00 per school and $2.00 additional for expenses. The number of schools in the county at this time was slightly over 130- in all. Mr. Langdon held office for two years and a half, when (December llth, 1873) Mr. W. S. Clendening was appointed. He was succeeded by Mr. John McCool, April 1st, 1906. Mr. Freer held office until the January session of the County Council in 1877. He was succeeded by Mr. Alexander . Campbell, who held office until April, 1902, when Mr. W. I. Chisholm was appointed as inspector of public schools for West Bruce. At the June session, 1861, of the United Counties Council it was decided that a Board of Public Instruction for examination of teachers, etc., be established in Bruce. This decision was carried out, and the Rev. R. C. Moffatt was the first appointed secretary. The first detailed school statistics of common schools in the county of Bruce that the author has met with are those for the year 1855. They are here given, and to indicate the process of develop- ment, those for 1863 are given in part also: '34 Vic. Chap. 33. INCREASE IN SCHOOLS 167 FOR THE YEAR 1855. FOR THE YEAR 1863. School Buildings Frame. Log. Total. School Population. Atten- dance. School Buildings. Total No. Atten- dance. Tp. of Albemarle . . . , . 1 Amabel . . 1 14 Arran .... 50 11 350 Brant .... 1 3 4 520 161 11 430 Bruce .... 50 12 357 Carrick . . Culross . . | .. 519 (14 1 8 511 213 Elderslie . . 50 10 196 Greenock. . 2 2 298 119 8 241 Huron .... 1 1 234 56 8 235 Kincardine 1 3 4 540 271 9 466 Kinloss . . 1 1 236 29 9 319 Saugeen . . 1 2 3 290 198 6 256 Totals 15 2,787 834 108 3,588 Number of school buildings erected during the year 1855 8 ' ' free school " " " 7 partly free schools " " " " 5 ' ' schools at 25c. rate bill per month 2 Teachers 1 first-class, 7 second-class, 4 third-class, 3 unqualified. The following extracts from the reports of the local superin- tendents of education will serve to give an idea of educational matters subsequent to the date referred to in Mr. Gunn's paper and prior to the appointment of inspectors. In 1857 Superintendent McNaugh- ton reports that "The township of Elderslie has done admirably in the way of school building during the past year. Although -the newest of the three townships under my charge, it is now the first with regard to school-houses. This may be attributed in a great measure to the wisdom of the Township Council in offering a certain sum of money to each section on condition that the school-house would be erected within the year. The result is that there is not now a single section without a school-house." Rev. Mr. Fraser, local superintendent of the Western District, writes, May, 1867 : " In a number of our schools pleasing progress is being made in book-keeping, mensuration, algebra and geometry, so that the advanced state of the schools will soon force all the third- class teachers to retire." Mr. J. Eckf ord says, in June, 1867 : " It affords me much pleasure to be able to state that the schools under my supervision are, with few exceptions, in a prosperous condition. This is to a great extent 168 SCHOOL ACT, 1871 to be attributed to the teachers, who, both in scholarship and in the art of instruction, are generally very superior to their predecessors of some years ago. The school attendance over my entire district is becoming very large, partly from the increase of population, and also because the children are coming out better and attending more regularly. One section has a senior and a junior school, and in another the master has the services of an assistant." Eev. J. Ferguson reports, December, 1870, as follows : " Consid- ering the newness and remoteness of a good many school sections, the ill-judged selection of trustees in many cases, the employment of poorly qualified, because cheap, teachers, and the inability of some sections to build and equip good schools and otherwise to hold out inducements to both teachers and scholars, there are yet many encouraging features connected with schools in this new county. Some of the school-houses are first-class and a considerable number of the teachers are an honor to their profession." " The Common and Grammar School Act of 1871 " marked the beginning of important changes in both of those classes of schools. All common schools became free public schools, and every child from seven to thirteen years of age, inclusive, was declared to have the legal right of attending some public school. The assessment and col- lection of public school rates was by these acts transferred from the trustees to the municipalities. County inspectors with larger powers and duties were substituted for local superintendents. In place of " County Boards of Public Instruction/' " County Boards of Exam- iners " were established for the examination and licensing of teachers, and county grammar schools became high schools. It might appear as if these changes were of name only; this would be an incorrect view, for with the changed name the scope, regulations and duties of each were also changed and enlarged. In 1877, by further legisla- tion, the Education Department was empowered to arrange with trustees for "constituting one or more of the public schools to be the county model school for the preliminary training of public school teachers." The above legislative changes in educational matters remain practically in force to the present day. The standing of education^in our public schools under the present system of inspectorate may be best referred to by extracts from some of the annual reports of the inspectors, as follows: E. V. Langdon, inspector of public schools for East Bruce, in January, 1872, reports that under the School Act, two examinations REPORTS OF INSPECTORS 169 of candidates for teachers' certificates had been held and out of ninety-six applicants, only thirty-two obtained certificates. " It is thought/' he goes on to say, "by some that the failure of so many candidates is owing to the introduction of new subjects, but this is not the case, as the majority of failures were in the subjects of spell- ing, reading, writing, arithmetic and English grammar." W. S. Clendening, inspector of public schools for East Bruce, in June, 1877, reports the total expenditure in his district in 1874 to have been $46,400, and in 1876, $56,400. That the number of school-houses in 1874 were 73, and in 1876 there were 82. Of this latter number, 19 were brick, 11 were stone, 42 were frame, and 10 were log buildings. Also that in 1874 there were 7,624 pupils on the school registers, and in 1876 there were 8,432. This latter number of pupils were taught by 90 teachers ; of these 18 held second- class certificates, 68 third-class certificates, and 4 held permits. A. Campbell, inspector of public schools for West Bruce, in December, 1877, reports 88 schools in his district (not including the town of Kincardine), and says: " Progress has been made during the year, although the schools taken as a whole are far from being as efficient as I should like to see them," and further on says, " Reading and spelling, which may be considered among the most important subjects of the programme of studies, were taught in a wretched manner in a large majority of the schools; indeed, I may say that they were almost entirely neglected. For instance, I may mention the fact that out of forty-eight candidates for admission to the Kin- cardine high school who came up from different parts of the county at the July examinations, only five passed, and nearly all the rejected candidates failed in spelling." In 1885 Inspector W. S. Clendening says, after speaking of the number who had passed the entrance examination, and the high standing of some of the schools in his Inspectorate : " This record is strong evidence that the schools of East Bruce are quite abreast of the times and doing a work of which they need not feel ashamed." In the same year Inspector A. Campbell, in West Bruce, expresses his satisfaction at the progress that was made during the year. The opportunity to obtain a good elementary education has from the first been the privilege of pupils attending the public schools of Bruce. This statement applies more especially to the last quarter of a century, as a result of the higher standard of teaching then demanded. The educational possibilities of the early days were much 170 HUMOR IN THE SCHOOL-ROOM enlarged when advanced classes were established in many schools in response to a much-felt need, existing in districts lacking high school privileges. The Legislature gave an impetus to this movement when, in 1891, a grant (to be supplemented by the County Council) was made to such public schools as conduct a "leaving examination." A change in the regulations regarding such was made in 1896, by authorizing the establishment of " continuation classes," the Legis- lative grant and the county equivalent thereto being $100, $50, $25, or $15, according to grade. The number of such classes in the various grades in the county in 1905 was 3, 1, 4 and 6, respectively. That good work is done in these continuation classes is evidenced by the fact that a Chesley schoolboy 1 captured a scholarship at the 1903 departmental examinations, standing fourth among the pupils of the whole province then examined. This is the first time in the history of departmental examinations that a scholarship has fallen to any public school scholar. All honor to the boy from Bruce. This chapter has woven into it much of mere facts which, although interesting, may to some form somewhat dry reading, so laying aside for the time being school law, inspectors, schools and classes, we shall, for the purpose of brightening up the chapter, let some of the scholars who have studied in our schools step to the front and speak for themselves. That this might be vividly done, a teacher who possesses a deep appreciation of humor, and who has taught many years in the county, was asked by the author to furnish some reminiscenses of the school-room, who, consenting, has supplied the following, for which the reader will no doubt be as grateful as the author. " HUMOR IN THE SCHOOL-ROOM. " The following may be given as a few of the amusing answers actually given by school boys and girls of Bruce, some of them culled from examination papers, others given orally: " ' From what animal do we get beef ?' asked the teacher of a primary class. f The butcher/ was the ready answer of one of the little ones. "'Into how many parts is the day divided?' 'Three, breakfast, dinner and supper/ " A teacher giving a lesson on the proper use of the words ' bring ' 'R. C. Halliday, son of Robert Halliday. The value of the scholarship was $50 in cash and free tuition in Toronto University for four years, amounting to $195 in all. REPLIES MADE BY SCHOLARS 171 and ' fetch/ asked this question : * If the cows were in a field and I wanted the dog to go after them, what would I be likely to say to the dog ?' ( Sic 'em !' said the boy. " Here are some of the answers given to the question : ' How do you know that the earth is round ?' ' The earth is round, because if it wasn't you'd fall off when you came to the end.' Another still more original was, ' The earth rolls round the sun ; a square thing can't roll, therefore the earth must be round.' "Another answer as to the shape of the earth: 'The earth is round like an orange, flat at both ends. When it was first made it was round like a ball, but it has been spinning so fast for such a long time that it has wore flat at the two ends.' " ' What is the capital of a country ?' ' Where the jail is.' ' What is a republic ?' ' A place where they all elect themselves.' " Here are some rather astonishing historical facts : " ' John did not want to sign the Charta, but the barns said he had to, all the same.' " ' Mary Queen of Scots married the Dolphin of France before she was beheaded.' " ' Charles I. met his doom without a flinch.' " ' Who appoints the Governor of Canada ?' ' The Pope,' said one. ' Mr. Cargill,' said another. " ' It was very difficult for William Lyon MacKenzie to escape to the United States, because 1,000 Ibs. was put on his head.' " ' The British searched American ships for deserters. The Americans looked so like themselves that they could not tell which to arrest.' " ' What is a mummy ?' asked the teacher. ' A cured man,' replied a boy. ' Cured of. what?' queried the teacher. 'Not that kind of cured, cured so he'd keep,' was the answer. Another answer : ' A stuffed man.' " ' The foe was sullenly firing.' ' Why sullenly ?' ' Because they'd just been licked,' said a boy, who doubtless could easily imagine their feelings. " The question, ' Give in your own words this quotation from " The Brook," " I linger by my shingly bars," elicited the following from one of the girls, ' I stay about the old frame hotel.' " ' What is the difference between " discover " and " invent " ?' 'Discover is to find something that was there all the time. Invent is to find something that never was there before.' 172 MODEL SCHOOLS " ' What is the masculine gender of witch ?' ' Bachelor.' ' What is the feminine gender of bachelor ?' ' Widow.' ' The masculine of duchess ?' ' Dutchman.' ' The feminine of monk ?' ' Monkey.' ' For what do these letters stand: " B.A."?' < Before Adam,' ' Begin Again,' ' Bachelor of Adversity.' < " D.D." stands for " Dry Dock." ' "In a school in Kinloss was a little boy who would persist in saying 'have went.' The teacher kept him in one night and said, ' Now, while I am out of the room you may write " have gone " fifty times.' When the teacher came back he looked at the boy's paper, and there was, ' Have gone fifty times.' On the other side was written, ' I have went home.' ' ; In 1877 two model schools were esbtalished, one at Walkerton and the other at Kincardine. In his report of that year, Mr. Camp- bell speaks hopefully of them, and says that there were, in that the opening year, thirteen pupils in attendance at Walkerton and four- teen pupils at Kincardine. Speaking again in 1885, he says: "A great deal of the improvements that have taken place in our schools during the last few years can be traced to the efficiency of our model schools and to the beneficial effects of attendance at teachers' asso- ciations." The county can point with pride to these two model schools. The training imparted therein to the future teachers throughout the county has been of the very best, and reflects credit upon the various principals who have been at the head of them since their establishment. There is no doubt that to them is largely due the success which has of late years marked the imparting of instruc- tion in our public schools. 1 The initial step in the way of higher education for the youth of the county of Bruce was the establishment in 1860 of a county grammar school, which was located at Kincardine. This was after several years of agitation, the first petition to the County Council to establish such a school being made in June, 1857. The first Board of Trustees had as its members Eev. K. McLennan, of Paisley; William Gunn, of Inverhuron; and Eev. Walter Inglis, Rev. Isaac Middleton, Alex. Shaw and Matthew McKendrick, of Kincardine. Its first meeting was on 18th March, 1860. The duties of this Board differed somewhat from High School Boards of the present day. An 'Prior to 1877 the Board of Examiners issued third-class certificates, and the Inspector permits to teach, for which it was not required to possess professional training. COUNTY SCHOLARSHIPS 173 inspection of the minutes show that committees were appointed to select books, to examine the pupils and grade the classes, and to investigate cases of misconduct. The pupils' fee was fixed at $2.00 quarterly. The first principal, Mr. Albert Andrews, filled the posi- tion in a most satisfactory manner for six or seven years. In 1890, S. W. Perry, B.A., was appointed principal of this school, and has retained the position since, filling the duties of the position most successfully. For twelve years Kincardine rejoiced in possessing the only grammar school in the county. Considering this circumstance, the County Council felt justified in the years 1870 and 1871 in grant- ing $150 and $100 respectively, as scholarship prizes, an attraction for bright, earnest scholars not now offered at any school in the county. That an idea may be had as to the manner in which these amounts were allocated, the names of the successful competitors for these scholarships at the December, 1871, examination are here given: John Collwell, value $15; Archena McDougall, $10.00; Kobert Boal, $8.00; Alexander Baird, $7.00; Sarah Harvey, $5.00. The names of those who carried off the prizes in the June or other exam- inations the writer has not been able to obtain. The Act passed by the Provincial Legislature in February, 1871, " to improve the common and grammar schools," gave the County Council extended powers as to the formation of high school districts. Various local municipalities within the county being desirous of taking advantage of privileges now attainable, petitioned the County Council at the January session, 1872, requesting to be established as high school districts. The Council complied with these petitions and passed at that session " A by-law to establish five high school dis- tricts in the county of Bruce/' The places therein named were Kincardine, Walkerton, Paisley, Port Elgin and Southampton. These municipalities were thereby authorized to establish a high school, but it was a privilege that three of the five named munici- palities did not avail themselves of, owing, no doubt, to the increase of taxation involved. Kincardine already possessed a high school; of the other four places the ratepayers of Walkerton alone were willing to bear an increase of taxation for the advantages and privi- lege of possessing a high school in their town. The following com- prised the first Board of Walkerton High School Trustees: Messrs. J. J. Kingsmill, John McLay, Alexander Sproat, J. G. Cooper, Paul Ross and Alexander Shaw. The first teacher to preside over this school was Arnoldus Miller, B.A. This school, by special permission 174 HIGH SCHOOLS granted by the Superintendent of Education, was allowed to open without any assistant teacher. It was not long, however, before assistants were secured, one after another, as necessity arose, until the staff of the Walkerton High School became sufficient to entitle it to rank as a collegiate institute, a position that it will, in the near future, no doubt, attain to. Joseph Morgan, M.A., has been principal of this school since 1881. The high schools at Kincardine and Walkerton remained for many years the only ones in the county, other municipalities being apparently apathetic in the matter of higher education. The first evidence of a move in that direction was when Paisley sent a depu- tation, in 1886, to wait on the County Council, with the request that that village and neighborhood be set apart as a high school district; 1 but the deputation failed to convince the Council that it was advis- able to make any increase in the number of high schools in the county. The following year a similar deputation from Port Elgin was more successful, and despite a strong opposition, a by-law was passed June 10th, 1887, establishing Port Elgin as a high school district. This school was opened in the fall term of 1889 with 75 names on the roll, Mr. J. T. Lfllie, B.A., being the head master. The attendance rose to 153 in 1891, which figure has not been exceeded since. Mr. Lillie continued to the end of 1904 in the head mastership. The high percentage of the successful pupils of this school who wrote at the departmental examinations speaks well as to his qualifications for the post he held for so many years. Mr. J. C. Clark is the present head master of this school. The agitation for additional high schools in districts not already provided once more came before the County Council in June, 1891, Paisley and Wiarton being the municipalities applying. Again Paisley failed to obtain the consent of the Council, Wiarton carry- ing off the coveted privilege, and by by-law passed June 6th, 1891, was established as a high school district, and in the beginning of the following year the school was opened under the head mastership of T. H. Farrell, who was succeeded by Henry De La Mater.. For some time thie school accommodation was not all that the Department of Education required, but any deficiencies in this respect are now at an end, as the new school building, opened in 1896, is fully abreast J The good people of Paisley then, and again in 1891, as well as the County Council, seem to have forgotten the by-law mentioned in a fore- going paragraph. That made Paisley the centre of a high school district, which by-law is unrepealed. PUBLIC LIBRARIES 175 of all requirements. The next place to obtain a high school was Chesley. This high school was opened in 1904, E. D. McMurchy being the head master, he being succeeded by Henry Bonis. The cause of education within the county of Bruce has had an excellent auxiliary in the free and public libraries scattered through- out its municipalities, in the number of which Bruce is the leading county in Ontario, having twenty-five in all. 1 Besides these, there are thirteen rural school libraries, all situated in the West Bruce inspectorate. The localities where the public libraries are situated, with the number of volumes on their shelves, are to be found in a footnote 2 ; the figures given are from the report of the Minister of Education for the year 1903. It is impossible to estimate the educa- tional and intellectual uplift derived by the public having access to 55,000 books of select, pure, good literature. That the opportunities offered have been made use of the large number of members of the several libraries testify. Another pleasing feature about the public libraries in Bruce is that a number of them are situated in purely rural or semi-rural localities. The first library established in the county, as far as the writer is aware, was one at Inverhuron in 1856, which commenced with a total of 39 volumes. From such a modest beginning has developed the present numerous and well-equipped library system of the county. The writer was honored by being made the first librarian of the public library established at Kincardine (this was in the spring of 1861), he being expected to perform the duties without any recompense beyond the fact of knowing that he was helping on a good work. The number of volumes placed in his charge were under two hundred. This library has grown to be the largest in the county, and numbers now over 4,500 volumes. Hugh Black, who was its painstaking librarian for many years, has lately passed away. 'On December 31st, 1903. 2 List of Public and Free Libraries in the county, December 31st, 1903. Those that are free are marked with an asterisk. Bervie (Vols. 1,654); Cargill (Vols. 1,932); Chepstowe (Vols. 333); Chesley* (Vols. 1,923); Elmwood (Vols. 657); Glammis (Vols. 446); Hep- worth (Vols. 1,011); Holyrood* (Vols. 2,151); Kincardine (Vols. 4.552); Lion's Head (Vols. 1,102); Lucknow* (Vols. 3,224); Mildmay (Vols. 2,073); Paisley* (Vols. 4,232); Pinkerton (Vols. 1,605); Port Elgin (Vols. 3,127); Eipley (Vols. 1,727); Eiversdale (Vols. 923); Southampton (Vols. 4503); Teeswater (Vols. 3,863); Tara* (Vols. 2,009); Tiverton (Vols. 1,910); Underwood (Vols. 2,588); Walkerton (Vols. 3,259); Westford* (Vols. 1,423); Wiarton* (Vols. 3,596). The total number of volumes is 55,823. 176 PROGRESS DURING FIFTY YEARS In bringing this chapter to a close it might be well to summarize and show what half a century has wrought for the cause of educa- tion in the county of Bruce. The first school in the county was opened in the summer of 1851 with sixty-six pupils; fifty years later this solitary centre of learning had developed and multiplied, as is set forth in the figures given in the report of the Minister of Education for the year 1901, which are summarized as follows: 246 Public Schools, with 12,614 pupils. Receipts $133,707 62 4 High Schools, having .... 480 " " .... 15,845 34 2 Model Schools, training.. 38 " " 79000 8 Separate Schools, with ... 735 " " 8,00156 260 schools. 13,867 pupils. Receipts. . , .$158,344 52 The county of Bruce has no cause to think the money it has spent so freely in the cause of education has been wasted. Her young people have been fitted to enter the battle of life possessing the advantages arising from a sound education. From her schools have graduated many who now fill most prominent positions throughout our wide Dominion, bringing honor to those who have in an enlight- ened manner encouraged and maintained a high standard of education in their mother county. CHAPTEK X. THE MILITIA AND VOLUNTEERS OF BRUCE. 18571906. CANADIANS have a well-earned reputation for loyalty; its sin- cerity, as well as their courage, they have exhibited time and again by taking up arms in defence of their country and their homes. This admirable spirit has not been confined to a few localities, but is wide- spread. That it has existed in the county of Bruce in a marked degree is something to be proud of. On the several occasions during the last forty years when our land has been threatened with war, invasion or rebellion, its young men have hastened to fill up the ranks of the various volunteer companies which existed, or formed new ones, cheerfully leaving their homes when ordered away to the posts assigned them by the military authorities. Although it has not been the fortune of our volunteers to have endured " the baptism of fire," they have manifested those characteristics which would have enabled them to have given a good account of themselves if called upon to do so. They have realized that in time of peace we should be prepared for war, and since 1861, when for the first time in the history of this county the possibility of war was felt, one generation after another of our young men have voluntarily sought to acquire that knowledge of military drill and discipline which would enable them to effectively aid in the defence of their native land. The passing of the "Militia Act of 1855" put the militia of Canada upon aA improved basis. This Act divided the militia into two classes, sedentary and active. To the former only of these classes did this Act apply in the county of Bruce, as no companies of active militia were formed while it remained in force. The Act referred to says: "The sedentary militia shall (with some few exceptions) consist of all the male inhabitants of the age of eighteen and under 177 178 SEDENTARY MILITIA sixty." These were divided into two classes, the service men, of all over eighteen years of age but under forty, and the reserve, who were of forty years and upwards. In time of peace no actual service or drill was required, " but they shall be carefully enrolled," and " the service men shall also assemble for muster annually, on the Queen's birthday." The writer's first recollection of the Bruce militia was the witnessing of one of these musters on the market square, Kincardine, about the year 1857 or 1858. Shortly after the passing of the Act above referred to, the county of Bruce was divided, for militia purposes, into three battalion divisions. This division lasted but a short time, a further division being made, which is detailed in the following extract from a general order dated 26th February, 1857 : " His Excellency the Governor- General is pleased to direct that certain changes shall be made in the limits of the three battalions of the militia of the county of Bruce; and that three additional battalions shall be formed, to be styled respectively the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Battalions of the militia of the county of Bruce." The 1st Battalion was under the command of Lieut.-Col. Pryse Clark, whose commission bears date of February 26th, 1857. He had been an officer in the British army, and was present at the battle of Waterloo. The next to obtain command of this battalion was Lieut.-Col. George Jardine. His commission was dated May 6th, 1858. The following were the first to receive commissions as captains of companies in this battalion: A. Eoy, W. Smith, K. Eeid, com- missioned 10th August, 1857; F. H. Lynch, N. Hammond, 1 J. T. Lieut.-Col. Belcher has possession of an historical document which is of special interest to the old-timers of Southampton. This article bears the heading, " Roll of No. 1 Company of the 1st Battalion of Bruce Militia, for the year 1859. Limits of Company : All that portion of the town plot of Southampton to the west of the centre of Victoria Street and the part of the village lying north of the Saugeen Eiver. The names enrolled are as follows : N. Hammond, captain; John Eastwood, lieutenant; Eobert Hall, ensign ; John Belcher, James Hibbert, Joseph Gilbert, ser- geants; Richard Mclnnis, Neil McLeod, Thomas Tallon, Alex. Sproat, John McNabb, Donald Campbell, William Wallace, James Hogg, George Hamilton, Alex. Angus, Peter Angus, James McCabe, Donald McPherson, Robert Fury, James Calder, T. E. Davis, James Kelly, Alex. Melntosh, James Melntosh, William Much, Samuel Baker, Edward Ferguson, Andrew Laurie, Thomas Smith, Edward Kennedy, William Chisholm, Alfred Ditton, James Peacock, James Jack, James George, Thomas Webster, Thomas Sharp, Thomas Montgomery, John Murray, Alex. Munro, Peter McGregor, James Fleming, J. D. Cathy, James Mason, Duncan Ross, Thomas Adair, James Orr, Alex. Robertson, John Spence, Earth Higgins. John Lee, Wm. Rounding, W. S. Scott, M.D., Joseph Gilbert, Neil Campbell, Barber Fury Chandler." Of this list of veterans it is known that twelve were alive in 1900, the remainder having gone to their reward. MILITIA ACT, 1868 179 Conway, T. Godfrey, D. McKiiinon, G. Buchart, commissioned 20th October, 1858; P. Smith and T. Lee, commissioned 16th December, 1858. The 2nd Battalion was under the command of Lieut.-Col. John William Linton. His early military experience had been gained in Spain in the so-called Spanish Legion, fighting to uphold the claims of Queen Isabella against Don Carlos. The 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions were commanded respec- tively by Lieut.-Col. Francis M. Berford, of Tara; Lieut.-Col. John Valentine, of Paisley; Lieut.-Col. Eobert Boss, an old navy officer, who had been a midshipman in Nelson's day, a resident of Kincardine, and Lieut.-Col. Joseph Walker, of Walkerton. The first decade in the history of the county was one undisturbed by any thought of the possibility of war or invasion, and our militia existed simply in the lists of enrolled service men and in the com- missions held by those above mentioned, with others whose names and rank have been largely forgotten. That the list of officers was kept filled is evident to the writer by the examination of a couple of old commissions he has met with, one, dated 18th May, 1860, signed by Sir Fenwick Williams, appointing George Gould ensign in the 3rd Battalion, the other, dated 5th December, 1862, signed by Lord Monck, appointing him lieutenant in the same battalion. When the excitement over the Trent affair arose, the officers and non-commissioned officers of the militia in some places took advantage of the presence of the drill instructors in our midst, sent by the Imperial Government to drill our volunteers, and formed themselves into classes or companies for drill instruction. The writer, at that time a sergeant in the 5th Battalion, remembers such a class existing in Kincardine and being drilled by Sergt. McGee, of the 63rd Eegiment. In 1868 the Militia Act was again amended. This was followed by a general order which directed, "That the boundaries of regi- mental divisions be identical with the electoral divisions into which the Province of Ontario is divided." This general order was dated 19th January, 1869. The above had the result of placing the reserve militia into the regimental divisions of the north riding of Bruce and the south riding of Bruce. In the first of these the following commissions were granted on 19th February, 1869 : Lieut.-Col. Andrew Lindsay, Major John Gillies and Major James Eowand. On 22nd March, 1869, the commissions to the captains of companies 180 FIRST COMPANY OF VOLUNTEERS were issued. They were to Co. 1, Eobt. Scott; Co. 2, M. McKinnon; Co. 3, J. H. Coulthard; Co. 4, John Mclntyre; Co. 5, James Stark; Co. 6, Andrew Freeborn; Co. 7, James Allen. The officer now in command is Lieut.-Col. A. E. Belcher, who was gazetted as such September 10th, 1896. In the regimental division of South Bruce the following commissions were granted on 12th February, 1869: Lieut.-Col. Joseph Walker, Majors C. E. Barker and Alex. St. L. Mackintosh. In August, 1875, Major Barker was gazetted as lieut.- colonel, and until his death, in 1899, held that position. The com- missions to the captains of companies were issued 9th April, 1869. They were to Co. 1, Malcolm McLean; Co. 2, Geo. Harvey; Co. 3, Paul Eoss ; Co. 4, John Phalen ; Co. 5, James Johnston ; Co. 6, Thos. Bradley; Co. 7, Eobert Johnston. Having brought the history of the reserve militia down to the present time, we shall close what we have to say of it with this wish, that at no time in the future may the necessity arise for it to assume more arduous duties than have arisen in the past. The outbreak of civil war in the United States in the year 1861 was followed by complications between that nation and Great Britain, which was generally known as the " Mason and Slidell difficulty," or " Trent affair." For a while it seemed as if the two nations were to be embroiled in war. The possibility of this was enough to kindle the fire of warlike enthusiasm in the breasts of the young men of Canada. From end to end of the country companies of volunteers were formed. The credit of taking the initiative in this matter within the county of Bruce belongs to the village of Southampton. A company was raised there under Captain Alex. Sproat 1 which was authorized by general order "dated December 13th, 1861. 2 Kincard- ine followed a year later and raised a company under Captain Alex. 1P The two subaltern officers of the company were Lieut. J. W. Bidden and Ensign Alex. Sinclair. : The reason why the village of Southampton had a company of volunteers a year before any other place within the county arose in this wise : The annual muster of the militia on the Queen's Birthday was felt by many in the 1st Battalion Bruce Militia to be a useless proceeding and they refused to turn out. Lieut.-Col. Jardine had such as refused brought before a magistrate, who promptly fined them. To show that no base motives had moved them in refusing to appear at the annual muster, they and others forwarded a petition to the Minister of Militia, requesting that an independent company of Volunteers be organized at Southampton, and offering that if the Government would furnish arms they would provide their own uniforms. This the Government held in abeyance, but on the appearance of trouble at the time of the Trent affair the order authorizing the formation of the company was issued. Sergeant Allerdyce of the KINCARDINE COMPANY 181 Shaw. This company was authorized December 19th, 1862. Paisley followed close after and raised a company under Captain W. C. Bruce, authorized January 2nd, 1863. Lucknow next fell into line and raised a company under Captain McDonald. Our rural popula- tion was not less enthusiastic, and we find that Kincardine Town- ship raised, a company under Captain William Daniel, which was authorized February 6th, 1863. The writer, who was a corporal in the Kincardine company at the time of its formation, has preserved some memoranda, jotted down at the time, which shows that the roll was signed December 5th, 1862. The officers were elected at a meeting held December 13th, These were Captain Alex. Shaw, Lieutenant J. Brownlee and Ensign Paul D. Mclnnes. The first drill was on December 18th, held in the town hall; afterward the old furniture factory on Broadway was used to drill in. The first drill instructor was Sergeant McLean of the 17th regulars, who finished his term of ten drills on January 2nd, 1863. He was succeeded by Sergeant McGee, of the 63rd regulars, who remained drilling the company for four months, commencing March 12th, 1863. The first drill with rifles was on February 24th. The company was inspected by Brigade-Major Baretto on March 16th. The company paraded in full uniform for the first time on July 23rd, 1863. As there were a number of drill instructors provided by the Imperial Government, and a determination was manifested to get the various companies brought up to a thorough state of efficiency at as early a date as possible, there is no doubt that the other companies in the county at that date would have a somewhat similar record to that here given of the Kincardine company. The date of the formation of the other companies of volunteers in the county may as well be given here, although formed at later dates than the above-mentioned companies. These later ones were, PS a rule, organized under the excitement of anticipated Fenian raids. The company at Walkerton, under Captain John Chambers, was authorized July 13th, 1866. The company at Tara, under Cap- tain G. W. Drinkwater, was formed and authorized at the same time as the Walkerton company. The company at Mildmay, under Captain John P. Kay, was authorized May 10th, 1872. Teeswater at the same time raised a company, under Captain Archibald Gillies, which regular army, a man who had seen much active service, was sent to perform the duties of drill instructor. The company stood high in point of efficiency and carried off the fourth prize therefor in a competition of all inde- pendent companies within this military district. 182 DRILL SHEDS was authorized June 7th, 1872. In June, 1895, the headquarters of the Mildruay company was transferred to Wiarton, and a company was formed in that flourishing town, with Robert Lee Graham as its captain. As the drill of our citizen soldiers, as a rule, had to be performed in the evenings, after the ordinary daily avocations of the members of the corps were over, it was necessary to secure for each company some large, well-lit hall. The difficulty of finding suitable accommo- dation was felt from the first, and applications for aid were made to the several local municipalities and to the County Council. In 1862 the village council of Southampton granted $120 for this purpose, and the County Council granted a like sum, followed by a further grant of $200 in 1867. Under similar conditions Paisley received $120 in 1864 and $200 in 1867 from the County Council. The drill shed at Paisley was erected in an unfortunately chosen situation, for it became undermined by the river and had to be deserted, what remained of it being sold in 1875 for $65. In 1868 Tara received $250 towards its drill shed from the County Council. Four, years later Teeswater also received a grant of a similar amount from the County Council towards erecting a drill shed for its company of volunteers formed that year. It was not until 1885 that the Kin- cardine company obtained any money from the County Council to aid in providing accommodation for drilling. In that year the build- ing formerly used as a place of worship by St. Andrews' congregation was for sale. The government gave a grant of $300; the County Council then made a grant of $125, and the purchase of the build- ing was effected. The government subsequently granted $55 towards making alterations. Since that time the Kincardine volunteers have had ample accommodation. At the time of the separation of the counties of Huron and Bruce, there was a balance of $1,438.22 paid over to Bruce, this amount being Bruce's share of an unexpended grant to volunteers voted by the United Counties Council in 1866. It was from this fund that the aid to the various drill sheds was granted. It had been decided in 1867 that $800 of this money should go towards a drill shed for the 32nd Battalion at Walkerton. In 1869 it was decided to increase this amount to $1,200. Subsequently an additional $120.80 for extras was paid, making a total payment by the county of $1,320.80 towards this building. The township of Brant also contributed to the extent of $300 towards its erection. The construction of the FENIAN RAID, 1866 183 building was gone on with during the summer of 1869, George Harvey being the contractor and James Benson, architect. Owing to the granting of large sums by the government for repairs, the building was maintained in a good state of preservation until sold in December, 1899, to Henry Clark, who pulled it down five months afterward to re-erect it in another part of the town as a skating rink. The companies of volunteers which were first formed in the county had two or three years to perfect themselves in drill before they were called upon to leave their homes for active service, the only change from the monotony of the weekly drill they experienced being target practice and Queen's birthday parades, which always wound up with the firing of a feu de joie. If the rolls of these old- time companies were examined, it would reveal the fact that in the ranks were many men who were prominent in the community, in fact, its leading citizens. There has been a falling off in this respect of late years, but only because that in " the piping times of peace " drilling seems to be too much like " playing soldier," but if necessity should again arise, the ranks of our volunteers would at once receive as recruits a large contingent of men who at present say that they have no time for such things. Saturday, the 2nd of June, 1866, was a day of intense excitement throughout our land, for on the day previous a large body of Fenians had invaded Canada, landing at Fort Erie. As this news was tele- graphed over the country, quickly followed by orders to the officers in command of the various corps to muster the men under their command and wait for marching orders, the seriousness of the occa- sion was brought home to all ; but the fact of the existence of a large number of well-drilled volunteers to take part with the regulars in repelling the invasion of our land was a source of solid comfort to many. There was a great uncertainty regarding the movements of thesa armed invaders and of those who purposed to follow their example as occasion offered. Eumors of the massing of men to invade Canada at many different points were being circulated, and our troops were forwarded to the most exposed places on our borders. Goderich was confidently designated as a point where a detachment of Fenians then in Chicago intended to effect a landing in order to obtain control of the railway terminus. Acting on the probability of this being done, the various volunteer companies in Huron and Bruce were speedily assembled there to repulse any attack. The companies there 184 VOLUNTEERS AT GODERICH assembled were the Goderich artillery and rifle companies, and with them the companies from Seaforth, Southampton, Paisley, Kin- cardine Village and Kincardine Township. These remained in Goderich for about four weeks, until the alarm had subsided, when they returned to their homes, excepting the Goderich and Southamp- ton rifle companies, which were sent on to Sarnia, or rather Point Edward, where they remained until some time in August, when any danger of further disturbance was past. A bare relation of the above facts conveys no idea of the excite- ment existing in those days. The author is fortunate, therefore, in being able to here give some reminiscences of Lieut.-Col. A. E. Belcher, at that time drill instructor to the Southampton company, and who was present with his company at Goderich and Point Edward. He says : " Our company was called out and ordered to embark at daylight next morning on the little steamer Bruce. There were very few of us who slept any that night. Mothers, wives and friends were on the dock to say good-bye, and I can assure you the women were not the only ones who had wet eyes that morning, for we all expected to face the enemy and the fateful possibilities were felt by all. At Goderich we were billeted at the hotels, our stay there being marked by some stirring incidents. We had regular drill, fatigue, guard and picket duty. Quite expecting to have vessel loads of Fenians from Chicago attempt to land at, or near, the harbor, we made preparations accordingly. We had a chain stretched across its entrance, and earthworks for our cannon crowned the top of the hill near Sheriff McDonald's old residence. One day an alarm was sounded, owing to the sighting in the offing of a vessel- carrying the long pennant of a man-of-war, and having the appearance of a gunboat. The whole force assembled to prepare for what might develop. We felt assured that we had serious business on hand. Some field works were hurriedly thrown up, the cannon were brought into position, the men placed under whatever cover was available, and all made ready to give a hot reception to the Fenians. As the vessel drew nearer to the harbor she hoisted the Stars and Stripes, and proved to be a United States gunboat, with General Sherman and other officers of the United States Army on board, out on a cruise. Of course we were glad the scare terminated as it did, but it afforded talk for the boys for days. In case of a sudden alarm it had been arranged that the town bells were to be rung as well as to have the bugles sounded. One morning we were so awakened, and THE ENEMY EXPECTED 185 orders followed sharply to turn out and fall in on the private parade ground, as the Fenians were landing at Bayfield, some ten or twelve miles away. How well I remember the excitement and confusion, men tumbling out of bed and putting on garments belonging to others, belts put on wrong side up or wrong side out, the bugles sounding the assembly, and sergeants hurrying up the laggards. At last the company was got into shape and we started for the market square on the double, a pace several could not keep up and had to fall out. On our arriving there we found other companies ahead of us and more news of an alarming character from the point named. We formed up, and fifty rounds of ball cartridge were served out to each man. Assisting in this I had an opportunity of noticing how serious were the faces of some of the men. There was a man there named Gregg, who, having a son in our company, had followed us to Goderich, and was on hand at that early hour to cheer and encourage us. He went and bought a cheese and a large box of biscuits, which he distributed among our men. In the rear of our company a body of citizens had lined up, having armed themselves with guns, rifles, or any implement of war they could lay their hands on, so as to take part in the expected scrimmage. The Goderich com- pany headed the march down the Bayfield road to the tune of * What jolly dogs are we.' We had not gone far when we were halted and found that the alarm had been a false one. Our stay at Point Edward was uneventful, our duty being the guarding of the Grand Trunk Railway station at that important point. From there," the gallant colonel said, in concluding, " we returned home full of glory, honor and pleasant memories." While the volunteers were at Goderich the United Counties Coun- cil there held its June session. This was a fortunate thing for the volunteers, as it forcibly brought home to the members of the Council that it was only at a pecuniary loss and with great self-sacrifice, that these brave fellows had left their various employments and places of business to take up arms when called upon to do so in defence of their country. Realizing this, the Council voted that $10,000 be included in the levy of that year to supplement the government allowance paid the men. This was distributed on the basis of fifty cents a day to the family of each married man and twenty-five cents per day to each single man. The amounts so paid to the different companies from Bruce were as follows : Southampton, $940.25 ; Paisley, $389!50; Kincardine Village, $288.75; Kincardine Town- J86 32ND BATTALION FORMED ship, $334.25. In addition to this substantial expression of its feel- ings, the ' County Council passed the following resolution : " That the thanks of this County Council are hereby tendered to the volun- teers now in Goderich for so promptly responding to the call for the defence of our country against unprincipled and unprovoked aggression, showing themselves ready to maintain the honor of the British name. We would couple with this our thanks to all the volunteers throughout the province, especially to those who, under such trying circumstances for new troops, fought so nobly at Ridge- way, sympathizing with them in the loss they there sustained." 1 From the date of their organization until after their return from Goderich the four volunteer companies in the county which had been authorized existed as independent companies, but on the 14th of September, 1866, these, with the two companies formed that sum- mer at Walkerton and Tara, were by general order formed into the " 32nd Bruce Battalion of Infantry," under the command of Lieut.- Col. Alexander Sproat. 2 The battalion, as such, assembled for the first time in July, 1868, at Southampton and put in twelve. days' drill. They were not under canvas on this occasion; a large tem- porary building had, however, been put up to accommodate the men. This first assembly was marked by an unfortunate event which occurred during a sham fight, in which three companies were under the command of Col. Sproat and the three others under the com- J See Appendix S for list of names of those to whom medals have been given. 2 Lieut.-Col. Alex. Sproat was, on his father's side, of Scotch descent, while his mother was a daughter of a U. E. Loyalist. He was born in the township of Esquesing in 1835. He graduated from Queen's College at the age of nineteen, and entered the engineering staff of the Grand Trunk Railway, then being constructed. After the road was completed he com- menced business as a provincial land surveyor, first at Elor.a. and afterward (1856) at Southampton. He filled the position of manager of the Com- mercial Bank, first at Southampton and then at Walkerton. On the failure of that institution he became manager of the Merchants Bank in the latter place. He was county treasurer from May, 1864, to December, 1873. Mr. Sproat had the honor to sit for the riding of North Bruce in the First Parliament of the Dominion of Canada. As the law then stood a member of the House of Commons might also sit in the Ontario House of Assembly, so in 1871 Mr. Sproat ran for the Ontario Legislature in South Bruce, but met with a defeat, his opponent being the Hon. Edward Blake. He was connected with the Volunteers of Bruce from 1861, and was Colonel of the 32nd Battalion for some years. In 1S80 he received the appointment of Registrar at Prince Albert, in the North-West Terri- tories. Being in the midst of the half-breed rising of 1885, he took an active part in suppressing the same. In religion he was a Presbyterian. He married a daughter of Alex. McNabb, Crown Land Agent, who survived him. His death occurred August 20th, 1890. COLORS PRESENTED TO THE 32ND 187 mand of Major W. C. Bruce. The command to charge was given by one of the officers. As their opponents did not receive the order to retire in proper time, but kept on firing with blank cartridge, two of the men who were advancing at the charge were shot, receiving powder marks in their faces which they would carry through life. These men were under the care of the regimental surgeon all that summer. The ladies of this county have always taken a keen interest in our volunteers. Shortly after the battalion was organized they took steps to present it with a handsome set of colors. About $600 was collected for this purpose, with which the two handsome flags, which are such a credit to the battalion, were purchased in London, Eng- land. The presentation of the colors was a red letter day in the history of the 32nd Battalion. The ceremony took place at Kincardine, and the presentation was made by Mrs. Sproat in the name of the ladies of the county of Bruce. The following is the address which was read on that occasion: " To the Officers and Soldiers of the 32nd Regiment, "I feel much gratified by the circumstances which have led to this interesting and imposing ceremony now about to be performed, and it is with much pleasure but great diffidence on my part that I am here to-day on the part of the ladies of the County of Bruce. " Soldiers of the 32nd, it has not been your lot to participate in other than such peaceful campaigns as the one you are now about to enter upon, but though you have never confronted the enemy, you have shown in times past that you were prepared, not only to acquire a knowledge of the military art, but to meet when required the enemies of your country. The spirit and enthusiasm which on those times actuated the soldiers sent forth from Bruce, I know, still are yours. But remember, soldiers, that it is not by valor alone a regi- ment is distinguished. The allegiance sworn by you all to your sovereign Lady the Queen, the pride which you have in the glorious Empire of which we now form no inconsiderable and important a portion, and the love which you bear to the land of your birth or adoption will, I am sure, be ever present in your minds as in your hearts, leading you to maintain the strictest discipline, and ever to be prepared when called upon to guard the honor and dignity of the Crown and to support the Laws and Constitution of our country, to be true to the colors of your Sovereign, and by your sobriety and good order, obedience and soldierly behavior to uphold, under all 188 RED RIVER EXPEDITION circumstances, the character of the Eegiment. In these respects I am confident you will never be found wanting. " Officers and soldiers of the 32nd, I am now about to place in your hands these colors which are presented to you by the ladies of Bruce. In committing them to your charge, I may well rest assured that should unfortunately occasion arise for the display of your valor in the field, the men of Bruce will maintain their own and their country's honor, and will then be able to place on their colors the records of gallant services well .and faithfully performed. " With the colors I now present you, permit me also to offer the best wishes of the ladies of Bruce for your long-continued happiness and prosperity, and may our God protect you and yours in all times hence. "Dated this 19th June, 1872. " E. W. SPROAT, " On behalf of the Ladies of the County of Bruce." The "Kiel Rebellion" and the Eed Eiver expedition of 1870 could not but have an effect upon the volunteers of Bruce. On the decision being arrived at to send a body of troops under the com- mand of Col. Wolseley, a certain number of volunteers were asked for. In the case of the 32nd Battalion the number was three from each company. How readily this was responded to is shown by the fact that ten of the Walkerton company answered to Captain Hunter's call for volunteers. The three of these selected were A. McVicar, Joseph Guinn and Samuel Dandy. A similar spirit was elsewhere manifested, but names cannot be given. All the representatives of the 32nd Battalion assembled at Paisley, from whence they were sent to London to be placed in the battalion of volunteers who formed part of the expedition. The various corps assembled at Collingwood in May, and early in June were taken by steamer to Thunder Bay. The exigencies of the expedition demanded the formation of a " transportation company," which was placed under the command of Thomas Adair, a 32nd Battalion man. He had under him eighty teamsters. 1 The object of this history does not require the following of the expedition any further. It was a bloodless one, and the only 'Among these were the following men of Bruce : From the township of Carrick Jas. Clendening, Wm. McVicar, Duncan Kerr, Philip Miller, Alfred Hardy: from the township of Arran D. Love; from Culross James Gilmour, J. Gilroy; from Walkerton F. Bumham; from Southamp- ton Hutchison Jackson, Donald Eobertson, George Smith, J. H. Slocombe; from the township of Amabel Robert McFarlane; from Kincardine John Kerr. THE 32ND IN CAMP 189 fame was that of good conduct and of trying hardships endured, of which the men from Bruce obtained a good record. For a number of years after this but little that is worthy of record occurred to mark the history of our volunteers. The following changes have occurred in the headquarters of different companies in the 32nd Bruce Battalion: In 1872, No. 3 Company had its headquarters changed from Kincardine Township to Lucknow; in 1881, No. 1 Company had its headquarters changed from Southampton to Port Elgin; in 1883, No. 7 Company had its headquarters changed from Belmore to Mildmay, and again in 1895 to Wiarton. The battalion went into camp for annual drill in different years at Southampton, Goderich, Windsor, Walkerton and London. On nearly every one of these occasions the County Council supplemented the government allowance of pay by a grant, 1 an act which has done much to keep the ranks of the various companies filled with intelli- gent young men, so that the battalion with its fine band (also encouraged and aided by County Council grants) and its handsome stand of colors has, when in camp, carried off the palm as the best of the rural battalions in the brigade, and has been a credit to the county of Bruce. The following very complimentary notice of the Bruce battalion appears in the report on the state of the militia by Major-General Luard, for 1881 : " This fine battalion marched into camp, eight companies strong, with every commissioned officer and man present. As stores had been issued to supply deficiencies, and as each man had been provided with a linen haversack, they presented a creditable appearance. About 80 per cent, were recruits, but owing to the systematic manner in which the instruction was carried out, progress was noticeable from the commencement. The headquarters staff were encamped in such a position as to enable them to see, much of this corps, and I can testify to the strict and honest manner in which the several duties and drills were performed. The only rural battalion with full officers and men in place. In battalion and ir The liberality of the County Council in bestowing grants to help the Volunteer movement has been very commendable. Besides repeatedly sup- plementing the pay of the men during attendance at annual drill, the County Council also gave, in 1895, $500 for the purchase of helmets for the battalion, improving its appearance greatly. In 1901 $300 was given to purchase a battalion mess tent, and in 1903 a valuable silver cup was presented, to be competed for annually by the several companies at the rifle ranges. 190 NORTH-WEST REBELLION brigade drill the men moved very steadily; at the field day they acquitted themselves with great credit, not only by marching and general military bearing, but also in the steady and correct manner in which they advanced to attack. Lieut.-Colonel Cooper is zealous and efficient, and ably supported by Major Biggar and his other officers. The corps is a credit to the county of Bruce. The muni- cipal authorities, like those of Oxford, have been very liberal towards their volunteers, this year supplementing the government pay by twenty-five cents per day to each, or a total of three dollars per man; with such substantial assistance the officers were enabled to bring out full companies. Discipline and interior economy good; officers well uniformed. Armories and condition of arms, etc.: No. 1 Co., fair and much improved; 2, not clean; 3, very good; 4, 6, 7 and 8, fair; 5, indifferent/' In a note the commander adds, "I noticed Lieut.-Col. Cooper's efficiency." In March, 1885, the rebellion in the North-West broke out. 1 The city battalions were the first called upon to furnish a contingent to suppress it, but as weeks went on it seemed that a larger force was required, and to the credit of the 32nd Bruce Battalion it 2 was ordered (May llth, 1885) to the scene of conflict. Lieut.-Col. J. Q-. Cooper was at that time in command. To No. 6 Company of Tara, under Captain John Douglass, belongs, on this occasion, the honor of being the first to report themselves ready, awaiting orders. The battalion, consisting of 32 officers and 336 non-commissioned officers and men, divided into eight companies, assembled at South- ampton on May 18th, and remained there expecting to be forwarded thence by boat to Port Arthur. But the need for a larger force at the front had passed and so, after a stay of a fortnight in South- ampton, the companies were ordered to return to their homes. Uneventful as this incident was in some respects, it showed, how- ever, once more that the volunteers in the county of Bruce were possessed of the right spirit and could be depended upon to respond to their country's call to duty. The following resolution was *In the first action, that at Duck Lake, which took place in this unfor- tunate rebellion, the first man slain was an erstwhile Bruce Volunteer, John Morton, at one time major in the 32nd Battalion. He was shot while leading a party of Prince Albert Volunteers. Another 32nd Battalion man, Alex. McNabb, was severely wounded in the same action. Morton's body lay for two days on the field where he fell, when his old friend, Lieut.- Col. Sproat (32nd Batt.), found the body and took it to his own home to be prepared for burial. *The 32nd was the second rural battalion ordered to the front. In Chapter VIII. are to be found some other incidents illustrating publifc feeling over this affair. A BRUCE HERO IN SOUTH AFRICA 191 passed by the County Council at its June session, 1885, shortly after the above incident : " This Council desire to place on record an acknowledgment of the sacrifices* made by the volunteers of the county of Bruce in responding so readily to the recent call on them for service in the North- West, many of the men being compelled to throw up their situations, having since their return been unable to find employment, and all anticipating that their services would be required for some length of time, were put to much expense." In common with the rest of the Empire, at the commencement of the war in South Africa, a desire was felt among the young men of Bruce to aid in the hour of the Empire's need. About a score of our brave young fellows consequently were found in the ranks of various corps in South Africa, and gave a good account of them- selves. Some of these were wounded, but only one laid down his life ; Gordon Cummings was the name of this young hero, a title he nobly earned during the action in which he was slain. The people of Bruce have done well in erecting a monument at Port Elgin, his native place, to commemorate his name and deeds. Lord Aylmer, the Adjutant-General of Canada, presided at the unveiling of the monument, which took place August 28th, 1903. 1 In looking over a list of those who have held commissions or have been privates among our volunteers, we find the names of those who have been most prominent in the county, as members of parliament, judges, reeves, county officials, leading professional men, merchants, farmers and manufacturers; no class but what has contributed a representative. Some of these can claim having seen long service. The one who possibly earned the claim to be the longest associated with our volunteers was the late De W. H. Martyn, M.D., surgeon of the battalion, who was a private in the Kincardine company when it was formed in 1862, and remained connected with the battalion until 1898. Captain John Douglass also had a long connection with the battalion, extending over 29 years ; he retired in June, 1895. The " Long Service Medal " has been bestowed upon a number who have been connected with the 32nd Battalion; the names of those so honored are to be found in Appendix S. In closing this chapter of interest to the county, it will be fitting 'The inscription on the monument is as follows : "In memory of Trooper Gordon Cummings, of Kitchener's Horse, killed at the battle of Nooitgedacht, South Africa, December 13th, 1900, while gallantly attempt- ing to procure ammunition for his column. Son of Patrick and Barbara Cummings. Born in Saugeen, Dec., 1875." 192 COMMANDING OFFICERS OF THE 32ND to do so by mentioning the names of those who have had command of the battalion. They are as follows : Lieut-Col. Alex. Sproat. 1 Commission dated 30th June, 1871. Lieut.-Col. Jas. G. Cooper. Commission dated llth February, 1881. Lieut.-Col. John W. S. Biggar. Commission dated 7th April, 1887. Lieut.-Col. B. B. Boyd. Commission dated llth July, 1890. Lieut.-Col. James H. Scott. 2 Commission dated 24th December, 1891. Lieut.-Col. Adam Weir. Commission dated 24th December, 1899. Lieut.-Col. Hugh Clark. Commission dated 15th March, 1906. The present regimental staff consists of Lieut.-Col. Hugh Clark, Major W. J. Douglass; paymaster, Major J. Henderson; quarter- master, G. W. Spence; surgeon, H. H. Sinclair; chaplain, Kev. S. F. Eobinson. The above named, and also the captains of com- panies with the subaltern officers of the regiment, possess the full confidence of their men; while officers and men are alike in their desire to live up to the motto of the regiment, " Amor Patriae." ] Capt. A. Sproat, No. 1 Company, received the appointment of Acting Lieutenant-Colonel, September 14th, 1866, and held that position until commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel as above. 2 Lieut.-Col. Scott was born at Simcoe, Ont., August 6th, 1858. He was educated at Simcoe High School, and called to the Bar in May, 1880. He resided from March, 1881, until the fall of 1902, at Kincardine, when he removed to Walkerton, to practise his profession in partnership with Alex. Shaw, K.C., the County Solicitor. He entered the active militia on June llth, 1883, as Lieutenant in the 32nd Bruce Battalion; became Adjutant 15th May, 1885 (the regiment then being concentrated for active service in the North-West) ; was promoted Major, 13th January, 1888, and attained the command of the corps 24th December, 1891, being at that time the youngest commanding officer in the Canadian force. On the expira- tion of time limit he retired, 24th December, 1899. He holds a first-class E. S. I. Certificate. Politically he is a Conservative. He was one of the vice-presidents of the Young Men's Liberal-Conservative Convention of Ontario, held at Toronto, 1887, and was for a number of years president of the Liberal-Conservative Association of Centre Bruce In 1882 and 1887 he unsuccessfully contested West Bruce for the House of Commons. He was reeve of Kincardine for six years, and from 1888 to 1902, inclusive, was almost continuously a member of the Bruce County Council ; ever efficient as a worker, his merits were recognized and he was made warden of the county in 1894. He is actively and prominently identified with many local organizations and fraternal societies. In the Orange and Eoyal Black Institutions he has been an active worker; is a Past County Master West Bruce, Junior Deputy Grand Master Provincial Grand Orange Lodge Ontario West, and recently was elected Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Black Chapter of British America. Col. Scott is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was married, 1883, to Lizzie M., daughter of late Aid. Wm. Stanley, of Toronto. They have a family of two sons and a daughter. CHAPTER XI. THE INDIAN PENINSULA. 18541906. THE facts to be related in this chapter may, to some readers, be of a somewhat uninteresting character, but they could not be omitted in a history of the county of Bruce. The particulars here given refer to the throwing open for settlement of the Saugeen Peninsula, the Indian Land Sale, and the subsequent connection and dealings of the Indian Department with those settlers who undertook to settle on and open up the most unpromising part of the county. Only transactions affecting the peninsula as a whole, or at least of more than one municipality therein, will be here mentioned. In the preceding paragraph the peninsula is referred to as the most unpromising part of the county, in support of which state- ment the author asks the reader to read the quotations from the reports of the county valuators, as given at the beginning of the chapters following, on each township. Good farming land in the peninsula is the exception, not the rule. Land that at one time had a fair amount of timber on it has been burned over by forest fires, and there now remains nothing but bare rock square miles in extent in some places on which a scanty growth of stunted trees is to be seen. What good soil there is, seems to be either in hollows filled by the wash from higher ground, or else land that at one time was a swamp, which having been drained has become excellent land yielding large crops, the township of Eastnor giving the best ex- ample of this. Notwithstanding the scarcity of large areas of good arable land, many of the settlers who have remained in the penin- sula are to-day very well-to-do, while the stock that cattle buyers bring in large quantities to Wiarton for shipment speaks well of the possibilities of the peninsula as a stock-raising section. The main resource of the peninsula in the past has been its timber; how long that will last is a mooted question. By the treaty made with the Indians at Manitowaning in 1836, as related in Chapter I., the lands in the peninsula were to remain in their possession in perpetuity. On this point (speaking of the 8 193 194 PENINSULAR SURVEYS Indians) a clause in the treaty reads as follows : " Proper assist- ance (shall be) given to enable you to become civilized, and to cul- tivate land, which your Great Father engages forever to protect for you from the encroachments of the Whites." As the years rolled by the demand for lands for settlement became imperative, so not- withstanding the above-mentioned agreement, the Indian chiefs were approached, and after some parleying, consented to the mak- ing of another treaty (see Appendix A), which was concluded October 13th, 1854, by which the Indians surrendered to the Crown, in trust, all the lands in the peninsula with the exception of special reservations mentioned, upon the following terms. " That the interest of the principal sum arising out of the sale of our lands be regularly paid, to ourselves and our children in perpetuity, so long as there are Indians left to represent our tribe, without diminution, at half-yearly periods." At the time of this surrender Lord Bury was Superintendent- General of Indian Affairs. He seems to have taken measures with- out much delay to have the lands as above surrendered opened for sale and settlement. To this effect he issued instructions April 26th, 1855, to Charles Eankin, P.L.S., of Owen Sound, to survey the townships of Amabel and Keppel, and that part of the present town plot of Southampton lying north of the Saugeen river. These surveys Mr. Kankin promised to have completed, and the plans pre- pared by the 1st October following. To accomplish this he had three separate parties of surveyors at work. In the meantime the Crown advertised a sale of these lands by auction, to be held at Owen Sound on October 17th, 1855. Mr. Kankin, for some reason not known to the author, expected to have been appointed the agent to conduct this sale. 1 The government had another appointee in view, and on September 12th of that year Wm. E. Bartlett, of Toronto, was notified that the position was his. This was far from satisfactory to Mr. Eankin, and as a result of his displeasure, when Mr. Bartlett reached Owen Sound he found that there were no plans forthcoming of the lands advertised for sale; as a consequence, the sale had to be postponed indefinitely. The heated correspondence that followed between the Department and Mr. Eankin, and the stormy interview he had with Lord Bury, are to be found recorded in a government blue book. The upshot of it all was, the- plans were 'As the remuneration was 5 per cent, upon all moneys derived from the sale of the lands, the post was one well worth having. LAND SALE AT OWEN SOUND 195 promised to be supplied by April 30th, 1856, but Mr. Kankin did not get the appointment he desired. After a delay of nearly a year, the sale of Indian lands was at length held at Owen Sound, the date being Tuesday, 2nd September, 1856. The auctioneer was J. G. Gale, of that town. The particulars of the sale are so fully and explicitly given in Mr. Bartlett's official report that it is here given in full : " TORONTO, NOVEMBER 20TH, 1856. " Sir, His Excellency the Governor-General having been pleased to entrust to me the conduct and management of the first auction sale of a portion of the Indian Territory in the Saugeen Peninsula, I have the honor to submit with my return all the Books and Maps connected therewith, and a Tabular Statement in detail, showing the result of the sale. 1 " The two southern townships, Keppel and Amabel, containing about 144,000, were the ones sold. Every lot was put up by the auctioneer, and of the whole number of acres offered, 35,364 were not bid for. They therefore remain over for the next sale. " The Town Plot of Southampton on the north side of the Saugeen Kiver at its entrance to Lake Huron, comprising 38 park lots from 1 to 19 acres, and 279 town lots of about half an acre each, was included in the sale of these two townships, and every lot sold. " The Town Plots of Oliphant and Wiarton, each containing 1,000 acres, laid out in town and park lots, are both situated in the Township of Amabel. These were not included in my instructions and were not brought forward. They also remain for future disposal. " 10s. 3d. an acre was the average upset price for farm lots and 18s. 6d. an acre the average rate at which they sold. r STATEMENT SHOWING THE RESULT OF THE FIRST AUCTION SALE OF THE SAUGEEN INDIAN LANDS. Number of acres of farm land in the tract 144,000 Acres sold, 109,000 ; acres unsold, 35,000=144,000 Farm Lots. Park Lots. Town Lots. Totals. Total value at upset price 55,823 4,305 1,950 62,078 Total sale price 100,341 10,609 8,382 1 19,332 Average upset price per acre 10/3 .... .... .... Average price per acre for which they sold 18/6 Average advance upon the upset price 80% 150% 325% 92% Total amount sold 1 19,332 Upset value of unsold land 16,398 135,730 196 LAND SALE AT OWEN SOUND " The farm lots sold at an average advance of 80 per cent. " The park lots at an average advance of 150 per cent., and " The town lots at an average advance of 325 per cent, on the upset prices. " Some few remaining farm and park lots were also sold on what is' termed the Half-mile Indian strip, a portion of which was for- merly surrendered to the government by the Indians and sold for their benefit. " It is to be supposed there will be some defaulters who will not make good their payments, but their number is comparatively small considering the large amount of land sold and instalments paid upon it. "" Assuming that the unsold farm lands sell at a future sale for no more than the upset price, which is a low amount to set them down at, seeing the average advance is 80 per cent, on their upset price, the whole produce of the two townships of Keppel and Amabel (exclusive of the Town Plots of Oliphant and Wiarton) will give for the benefit of the Indians the large sum of 135,730. " The Au Sable Mill Site, comprising 1,100 acres of land offered at 2,000, sold for 2,390. "The Mill Site near Owen Sound containing 45 acres, put up at 500, sold for 760. " The amount of the first Instalment of one-third of the pur- chase money, which has been paid into the Bank by the buyers at this sale, is 34,061 Is. 7d. Cy. " The Caughnawaga Tract, situated very advantageously on the Owen Sound Bay, the surrender of which was only obtained from the Indians during the progress of the late sale, though small, is reported to be good land. Instructions had been forwarded to me, by direction of His Excellency the Governor-General, to offer the same at the first sale; but having got through all the land and closed the auction two days before these Instructions reached me, and the people Having nearly all dispersed and returned to their homes, many of whom had been waiting for this land, I felt that I could not in justice to the Department, and without causing much dissatisfaction, carry out that order. This tract, will, therefore, remain to be offered at another sale. " The large tracts of some of the best land in the Peninsula still held as reservation by these Tribes of Indians, and lying as they do upon the borders of the surrendered portions, are considered a great bar to the rapid settlement of those portions already sold. These lands are unoccupied and uncultivated and will probably remain in that state until they are given over to the management of the Depart- ment. PRICES REALIZED 197' " If, therefore, a surrender of these reservations could be obtained, it would tend very much to the benefit of the tribes, and be the means not only of settling the County, but of adding materially to their income. ! " Due notice having been given in the principal papers of the Province, the sale was commenced at Owen Sound, and continued for five days in succession. The audience was large and highly respectable, being composed chiefly of the yeomen of the country, and numbered throughout the days of sale upwards of 1,000 persons. " The greater 'part of the farm lands were purchased by farmers, many of whom had been waiting more than a year for this oppor- tunity of buying farms for themselves and their sons, and from the opening to the close of the sale the competition was keen and spirited. The greatest good order and good feeling prevailed amongst the buyers throughout the progress of the sale, and all expressed them- selves well satisfied with the arrangements of the Department. " I have the honor to be, sir, " Your obedient servant, " W. K. BARTLETT, " Agent for the Sale."- In Appendix V is given a copy of the advertisement announcing the Indian land sale. The conditions of the sale were: One-third of purchase money to be paid at time of purchase, while no condi- tions were attached regarding settlement or clearing of the land 1 or erecting of a house, such as were required by the Crown Lands Department of those who purchased in other parts of the county farm lots direct from the Crown. Conditions such as these, or rather the lack of conditions, attracted speculators, and their presence explains the high prices obtained, which, so the author has been informed by one in attendance at the sale, in the case of some farm lots ran up to $30 per acre, while for park lots at Southampton as high as $2,200 was bid. Later on the speculators realized how wild their bids had been and forfeited the one-third purchase money they had paid and threw up their purchases. A protest from other parts of the county was made regarding the absence of any requirements in the matter of settlement duty, at this sale of Indian lands. Attention having been drawn to the *On the lots fronting on the Centre Diagonal and the Saugeen and Sydenham roads, there was an exception as to conditions. In these cases the purchaser had, " within one year after the date of purchase, to cut and remove all the timber from the centre of the road to a depth of ninety feet." 198 INDIAN LAND OFFICE OPENED omission, it was not long before a change was made in this respect, assimilating the practice of the Indian Department in this county somewhat to that of the Crown Lands Department. The later con- ditions are given in a footnote. 1 The author regrets that he is not able to give the date when the revised conditions first came into force. The fact that at first the Indian Land Office was not located any- where in this district, but at Toronto, was a great inconvenience to settlers; owing to the slow mail service of those days long delays were inevitable in the transaction of business. This unsatisfactory state of affairs lasted until 1878, when the agency at Wiarton was opened. The first person appointed to act as agent there was B. B. Miller, who held the office until 1884, when he was succeeded by Wm. Simpson. In 1901, on the retirement of Mr. Simpson, the position was given to W. J. Ferguson, who still is in charge of the office. Another drawback to a satisfactory relation between the public and the officials was that the Indian Department existed and carried on its business irresponsible to the Government, the Indians and their affairs being a department that had as its head the English War Office, the Governor-General's secretary being ex-officio Superin- tendent-General of Indian Affairs. This was changed, however, in 1868, when an Act was passed 2 establishing the Department of Secretary of State, and appointing the holder of that portfolio as the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. This and subsequent changes have supplied the then much-felt need of a department responsible to Parliament, and that would be willing to listen to petitions asking for some remedy to the unsatisfactory position of affairs which had given rise to so much discontent among the settlers. That the reader may have some idea of the grounds for the dis- content referred to in the last paragraph, the following particulars 'The amended conditions of purchase, which were in force from an early date, were as follows : One-fifth of the money to be paid at the date of sale, the balance to be paid in four equal consecutive yearly instalments bearing interest at 6 per cent. Settlement was required, actual occupation and improvements to commence within six months from the date of sale, and to be continuous for a period of three years previous to the issue of the patent, within which time there should be cleared and fenced at least five acres upon each parcel of land containing one hundred acres. A dwelling house not less than 24 x 18 feet was to be erected. Nonfulfilment of any of these conditions might cause cancellation and forfeiture of purchase money. Until the patent was issued, it was neces- sary to obtain from the Land Agent a license to sell wood or timber, but such license did not permit the selling of pine. 31 Vic. Chap. 42. SETTLERS' GRIEVANCES 199 are given. The first has reference to undue partiality given to some who bought at the first sale for purely speculative purposes, and is an extract from a speech made by the member for North Bruce in Parliament (session of 1869). Mr. Sproat said: Extravagantly high prices were given, but speculators who- then had bought three lots at ruinous prices, had been allowed to apply the payment of the one-third of purchase money, made at time of sale upon the three lots, to one of them, for which he got a patent, and then abandoned the other two lots, while actual settlers who had bought only one lot got no equivalent privilege. He believed the one-third of purchase money, required at time of sale, would in most cases represent more than the value of the lot, and he hoped some plan would be adopted to relieve settlers of two-thirds of the price. There were many other grounds of complaint, some of which were set forth in a series of motions passed at a meeting held March 19th, 1872, at which the reeves and prominent men of the district were present. The various motions passed were to the effect: (1) That this meeting petition the Governor-in-Council to appoint a local agent in some central place to transact all business in connection with Indian lands that is at present transacted at Toronto; (2) To make a grant of money for the improvement of the roads in the several municipalities, as an equivalent for taxes lost on lands resumed by the Indian Department; (3) To appoint a commissioner to re-value the unsold lands in the Peninsula with a view of promoting actual settlement of the same; (4) To cause to be re-valued such lands as have been sold at an exorbitant price, or lands of inferior quality on which the whole purchase money has not yet been paid; (5) To appoint a commis- sioner to confer with the Indian owners of these lands with a view of securing the purchase of the whole Indian Peninsula from them by the government; (6) That all unsold lands in the Peninsula be brought into the market, to be sold to actual settlers only. At the same time a deputation was appointed to visit Ottawa and confer with the government. As a result of the foregoing, the Indian Department announced, shortly after the visit of the deputation, that it would consider cases of special hardships. Liberal concessions were also made, but the author has not been able to learn their exact nature, except that Wm. Bull, clerk, of the township of Amabel, was appointed to make a valuation of the lands and report to the government. The Hon. David Laird, Minister of the Interior, came in the 200 RE-VALUATION OF LANDS summer of 1875 to investigate personally the grievances complained of. He drove through parts of the Peninsula, inspecting the lands and the circumstances of the settlers, with the result that a re-valua- tion of the lands was subsequently made, this work being done, so the author has been told, by a Mr. McKay, who resided at or near Ottawa. Mr. Laird, on his return to the capital, announced : " That he had been authorized to grant such measures of relief at once that shall be just to both the settlers and the Indians interested. That each settler's case would be dealt with on its own merits, and that all interest would be remitted up to the end of that year (1875)." The timber dues were at the same time slightly reduced. In a foot- note 1 is given the scale of timber dues in force at the time of Mr. Laird's visit, which must have been a burden to the settlers. The re- valuation of lands just mentioned was not to be the final one. A sense that full justice had nol been rendered by the Indian Lands Department was felt by many a settler, who finding existence on a farm lot which contained more rock than tillable land a hard Dne, readily brooded over any rightful grievance he might have, so complaints and protests were forthcoming. At length sufficient pressure was brought to bear to force the government to take action, which took the form of the appointment of two commissioners, John *SCALE OF TIMBER DUES IN FORCE IN THE SAUGEEN PENINSULA, HTH FEBRUARY, 1873. Oak, squared timber, 1,000 cubic feet $30 00 Oak, saw-logs, per 1,000 feet, inch measure 5 00 Red pine, tamarac, elm, beech, ash, maple or hickory, per 1,000 feet, cubic measure . 16 66 Bed pine, tamarac, elm, beech, ash, maple or hickory saw-logs, per 1,000 feet, inch measure 3 00 White pine, cedar and spruce, per 1,000 cubic feet 15 00 White pine, cedar and spruce saw-logs, per 1,000 feet, inch measure 1 60 Pine Staves, per 1,000, standard 15 00 West India Staves, per 1,000, standard 5 00 Eailway ties, tamarac, cedar or pine, per 1,000 3 00 Telegraph poles, per 100 8 00 Cedar pickets, per 100 3 00 Tamarac knees, lineal measurement, per 1,00 feet 16 66 Shingle bolts, per cord 60 Shingle bolts, in advantageous localities 70 Cordwood. Hard, per cord 30 Hard, per cord, in advantageous localities 40 Soft, per cord 20 Soft, per cord, in advantageous localities 25 Hemlock, per 1,000 cubic feet 7 50 Hemlock, 1,000 feet, inch measure 80 Hemlock bark, per cord 50 TIMBER LICENSES CANCELLED 201 Irwin and George Elliott, to make another re-valuation of the lands in the Peninsula. This they did in 1897 and 1898. The result of their report was that the Department made large reductions in favor of the settlers, although in some instances an advance was made in the price at which certain lots were held. A form of unfair treatment much complained of while it lasted, was the granting to large lumber companies the privilege of cutting timber on lands owned by settlers. The British and Canadian Tim- ber and Lumber Co., of which H. H. Cook, M.P., was manager, was one of such, privileged by license to denude the land to the settlers' loss. In the case of this company, especially, it was decided to energetically protest, so a deputation consisting of Charles Webster, David Dinsmore, Dr. S. Wigle and William Baker proceeded to Ottawa to lay this grievance of the settlers before the government. This was about 1880, Parliament being in session. John Gillies, the representative from North Bruce, unfortunately for the interests of the deputation, sat on the Opposition benches. That their interests might not suffer thereby he asked Alex. Shaw, the member for South Bruce, a supporter of the government, to introduce the deputation. The strength of the opposition to the relief sought, lay in the fact that the license holders were largely government supporters. Mr. VanKoughnet, the head of the Indian Department, stated that it was and always had been the policy and practice of the government to renew these licenses. Mr. Shaw, being in full sympathy with the request of the settlers, finding no headway in their interests was being made, got Sir D. L. Macpherson, the Minister of the Interior, to go with him and argue the question before the Premier, Sir John A.. Macdonald. This was successfully done, and the order was finally given to cancel the licenses complained about. The next grievance under which the Peninsula suffered and for which redress was sought was one not of the individual settler, but of the township municipalities, the complaint being the loss of taxes arising from the cancelling (by the Indian Department) of land sales because of the non-fulfilment of settlement duties. The effect of these cancellations was that the land was resumed by the Crown, and as Crown lands are not liable to be taxed, any arrears of taxes charged against the lands referred to became void and were lost to the municipality. In 1887 the County Council petitioned against the wholesale cancellations lately made. The petition set forth the large sums lost in consequence by the municipalities, which for the 202 ROADS IN THE PENINSULA years 1884-5-G, in the case of Albemarle amounted to over $700, in that of Eastnor to about $850, and in that of the united townships of Lindsay and St. Edmund to over $3,000. The Superintendent- General of Indian Affairs declined to change the practice, the reason assigned being that the Indians interested in the sale of lands in the Peninsula objected to any portion of the sum received from land sales being given to municipalities. The Indians were not the only ones to derive pecuniary benefit from the cancelling of land sales; there were some holders of unpatented lots, men whose sense of rectitude and honor was defective, who perceived how the practice of cancellation might be turned to their profit. The process was simple: Means were used to get the Department to cancel their purchase ; this freed the land from all claims for taxes ; an immediate re-purchase was then made, with the result of a loss of one, two or three years' taxes to the municipality in which their lots lay. From the day the first settler in the Peninsula sought a place on which to locate, down to the present, the question of roads has been one of much prominence. This has been because of the many rocky or swampy tracts existing in that part of the county through which roads had to be made. These territorial features have also resulted in the settlers, in many localities, being much scattered. As an offset to these disadvantageous features may be mentioned the ready access to the Peninsula by water, navigation being available to bring settlers and their effects to within a moderate distance of any point at which they chose to settle. There are two main routes for north and south traffic through Albemarle, Eastnor and Lindsay, one on the Georgian Bay side of the Peninsula, the other on the Lake Huron side; the latter of these was the first to be opened. That part of this road passing through Albemarle seems to have been opened gradually during the sixties, 1 and by the autumn of 1870 this road had not only been opened through Eastnor, but had been pushed forward two miles into Lindsay. The work ia these two townships was paid for by grants received for the purpose. The author is unable to state the number of grants made by the government towards the opening of roads in the Peninsula with the exception of the two here given; in 1892 the Provincial Legislature made a grant of $1,800 for this pur- pose, which in 1895 was followed by a grant of $1,000 received from the Dominion Government. The most liberal contributor towards "The by-law authorizing the deviations north of Mar was passed, March 14th, 1866. DISTRESS IN 1885 203 improving the roads throughout the Peninsula has been the County Council, which has been most generous in the matter of road grants to this portion of the county, the total amount of which would run up into many thousands of dollars. A poor harvest and bush fires in 1884 impoverished many a settler in the four northern townships. To relieve the then existing distress, a commission was appointed in the following spring. As the report of this commission, as made to the County Council, covers all the facts, it is here given in full as follows: " The Commissioners appointed by the Ontario Government and the \Yarden on behalf of the County Council, to relieve the distress existing in the northern townships, beg to report as fol- lows: That upon being notified of their appointment, and the amounts granted for said purpose, namely, $700 by the Ontario Government, and $300 by the County Council, in addition to the sum of $350i that was granted to the townships of Eastnor, Lind- say and St. Edmund at the January session of this Council, to be expended upon roads in those municipalities, we proceeded to Lion's Head, in the township of Eastnor, in company with John Gillies, M.P.P., and the Warden, Mr. Potts, and attended a meeting of the settlers called by Mr. Alex. Chisholm, the reeve of that town- ship, which was largely attended by settlers from nearly the whole of the northern peninsula, and after hearing their statements and reviewing a list of names of applicants for assistance that had been prepared by a committee formed there previously for that purpose, and also consulting with several parties well acquainted with the matter in hand, a list was prepared giving the names and the amount of grain to be distributed to each individual, a copy of which is attached. This the Commissioners found to be a rather difficult task to perform, and occupied their time fully from 2 o'clock in the after- noon until 2 o'clock the next morning, and it was found upon total- ling the list and estimating the cost, that the amount would exceed the sum granted, and therefore a proportionate reduction had to be made upon the whole list to bring it within the sum at the disposal of the Commission. Up to the present time, as near as possible, giving in round figures, 500 bushels potatoes, 200 bushels barley, 400 bushels oats, 200 bushels peas, 7 tons of flour, and 1,600 pounds of oatmeal have been purchased, copies of the invoices of which are also attached to this report. These, together with freight, bags, and a few incidental expenses, amount to about $1,100, leaving a balance of $250 still in the hands of the Commissioners. But additional applications for assistance have been received. It was learned while the Commission sat at Lion's Head that such would be the case, as some settlements had not received notice of the meeting called at Lion's Head. This was unavoidable on account of the shortness of the time, as the season was already far advanced, and grain had to 204 TELEGRAPH ESTABLISHED be purchased at a distance and brought in, all of which consumed valuable time. The idea of allowing the Commission a small margin for claims likely to come in afterwards was a wise one, as a number of cases of extreme poverty have since been reported and relief granted. The grain supplied has been all distributed. The Com- mission appointed Mr: Chisholm to attend to the distribution at Lion's Head, where it was all distributed, with the exception of a very small amount granted to residents in the township of Albemarle, which was distributed at Wiarton as being more convenient for the residents of Albemarle. The parties receiving the supplies have all been required to give an undertaking that they will perform road- work at the rate of 1.00 per day for the amount they have received, with the exception of about ten families who received aid gratuitously, being in indigent circumstances. "JOHN MdVER, " Commissioner for Ont. Government. "A. M. TYSON, " Commissioner for Co. of Bruce." The mail service throughout the four northern townships has been none too frequent at any time, so that an early effort to get into touch with the outside world by electric telegraph is not to be won- dered at. The prospect of business, however, was not sufficient to warrant the telegraph company to construct a line beyond Colpoy's Bay, where it had an office, although it might be so to operate it. To assist along this much-to-be-desired project the County Council, on the motion of Robert Watt and J. H. Whicher, in January, 1884, voted $150 towards the cost of carrying the electric telegraph to Lion's Head. This grant was supplemented from other sources, with the result that in 1887 th*e telegraph company opened an office for business at Lion's Head. Points to the north of " The Head " also wanted to be favored in like manner. In the welfare of his constituents of this locality, Alex. McNeill, the member for North Bruce, got the Toronto Board of Trade to petition the Dominion Government for a grant to carry the telegraph line through to Tober- mory, urging the advantage it would be to the shipping interests. What aid was granted the author is not prepared to say, but the line was opened to Tobermory in October, 1887. This office ati first and for many .years was only open during the season of navigation. The advent of the telephone into the peninsula is due to the enterprise of a single individual, Robert Gillies. With some outside assistance he in 1900 or 1901 constructed a line through from Wiarton north as far as Lion's Head, via Mar and Spry. Since then he has pushed it for- TELEPHONE AS WELL 205 ward until now Tobermory can be telephoned to. Much credit is due to Mr. Gillies for what he has done to bring to the Peninsula one of the conveniences of modern life, and it is pleasing to know that he has found the venture a remunerative one. As mentioned in Chapter VII., the advent of a railway through- out the entire length of the peninsula was confidently expected in 1000-1. These hopes are, for the time being at least, doomed to be disappointed. In closing this chapter the author would be pleased to write in words prophetic of a glowing future for the Indian Peninsula, but its physical features are such that he cannot conscientiously do so. The men of the north, however, are sturdy and energetic as any that settled in other parts of the county of Bruce. Knowing this, it is difficult to prognosticate what they may accomplish in the develop- ment of the Indian Peninsula. CHAPTER XII. TOWNSHIP OF AMABEL* EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OP COUNTY VALUATORS, 1879. ' Amabel. There is a considerable amount of ordinary land on the south side of this township, the north side is mostly rock, interspersed with lakes and swamps; the east end is wet, sandy land; the west end sandy hills. It has a considerable amount of village property. Its average price is $11.58. ' ' EXTRACT FROM THE EEPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. " This is the most southern township of what is now known as the Bruce Indian Peninsula. While there are a number of very good farms in this township, the large majority are the reverse. There is a great deal of rock from the 10th concession north, and thousands of acres are almost valueless, indeed, as you will observe by our figures, that a large number of lots are set down as of no use whatever at present, and no prospective value. The northwestern part is sand and considerable of it hilly; it is almost unproductive and has a deserted appearance. A great many of the small habitations being unoccupied, people have existed on these lots so long as the timber lasted, after which they got up and left them. We see no bright future for this section. " There are a few hundred acres .about two miles south-west of Wiarton as good as any we have come across in the county. The soil of the southern half of the township is fairly good, but a great deal of it is hilly, and roads are hard to make on this account. Amabel is well watered, the Sauble River enters at the south-east and merges with the waters of Lake Huron at the north-west. There are a number of other small streams that give an abundant supply for stock, etc. " The rate per acre for this township is $13.26; of this sum the village property amounts to $1.21 per acre." FOLLOWING the chapter on the Indian Peninsula it seems appro- priate, in taking up the history of each municipality in the county separately, to commence with those situated in the Peninsula ; which arrangement the author will proceed to carry out, commencing with the most southerly of them, the township of Amabel. "' Amabel " " Named after Lady Amabel, sister of Lord Bury and wife of Sir Edmund W. Head Lord Bury seems to have imposed his family names on the peninsula " " Nothing but Names." 206 FIRST SETTLER 209 As stated in the preceding chapter, this township was surveyed in 1855, and the lands therein offered for sale, September 2nd, 1856, by auction at Owen Sound. Unfortunately for the development of the township, large tracts of land were purchased at this sale by speculators, with the result that it was a long time before the effects were overcome of the mistaken policy which had permitted lands to be sold without conditions of actual settlement being attached. David Forsyth is credited with being the first settler in the town- ship, he having squatted on some land near Elsinore before the Land Sale. The next settler was James Allen, 1 who settled on lots 9 and 10, concession A, in April, 1857. The village of Allenford which developed there preserves the name of its founder. The settlement of the township along the south and south-eastern parts was made as rapidly as could be expected when remembering that large blocks of land were held by speculators. The first to take up land in the vicinity of Colpoy's Bay was William Bull, 2 who settled in the spring of 1857 north of Wiarton, on the boundary line betwixt Amabel and Albemarle. In the fall of the same year he had as a neighbor Alexander Greig, who settled on lot 14, concession 25. As he was one of the first to settle in that part of the township, and as his experience was also that of many who settled in that vicinity, the following narrative, based on a sketch written by himself some years prior to his death, is here given : Alexander Greig was born in Scot- Allen came from the north of Ireland in 1832, when a boy six years of age, with his parents, who settled in Peterboro ' County. In 1850 he moved to the county of Grey and was reeve of the township of Holland for a year or so. As stated above, he settled in Amabel in April, 1857. He took an active part in municipal affairs, filling the office of reeve of the united townships of Amabel and Albemarle for the years 1867, 1868, 1869, and after the separation of the townships was reeve of Amabel from 1870 to 1879, inclusive, and also for the years 1884, 1886, and 1887. The fact that for sixteen years he filled the highest position in the township tells its own tale as to the merits and popularity of Mr. Allen. He died April 4th, 1895, aged 69. 2 Mr. Bull was a native of Essex, England, where he was born Septem- ber 17th, 1823. He came to this country in early life and was married at Ottawa, in 1844, to Ann Barward. Moving to the county of Perth, he first tried his hand at farming, giving it up to teach school at Mitchell, and later at Owen Sound. In the spring of 1857 he settled near Colpoy's Bay, on the twenty-fifth concession of Amabel, the pioneer settler of that part of the township. Mr. Bull was the first clerk and treasurer of Amabel, filling the first-named office for nineteen years, from 1861 to 1879, and the office of treasurer from 1861 to 1867. The Government engaged Mr. Bull to make the first revaluation of lands in the peninsula. In 1882 Mr. Bull received the appointment of Indian Agent at Cape Croker, which office he held until the time of his death, which occurred May 17th, 1884. 210 EXPERIENCES OF ALEX. GREIG land in 1832 and came out to Canada with his bride in 1857. He was present at the Land Sale held at Owen Sound in September, 1857, and purchased the lands he subsequently occupied, both in Amabel and Albemarle. Going back to Collingwood, where his household effects were, and securing necessary supplies, he and his wife sailed from there by schooner for Colpoy's Bay. Great was his surprise and disappointment to find, on his arrival, that Wiarton existed only in name. Finding a deserted surveyor's shanty, the women of his party were placed therein for shelter. The only settler in the locality was William Bull, but as he was absent when Mr. Greig and party arrived, the place seemed " a lone, vast wilderness." Following the surveyor's blaze they were enabled to locate their lots. That fall they assisted Mr. Bull in taking up his crop of potatoes, which service Mr. Bull reciprocated by assisting them to cut a road through the bush to their lots. Owing to his inexperience as a woods- man, it took four or five weeks to construct their first shanty. Some time in the month of October, Ludwick Spragge and his father came in a boat from Owen Sound to Mr. Bull's to fetch his bride to Owen Sound to be married. Mr. Greig took passage with them, with the purpose of securing a stock of supplies for the winter. The return party consisted of Messrs. Greig, Bull, Andrew Horn and William Patton. An overloaded boat and heavy weather resulted in their being shipwrecked on the Keppel side of Colpoy's Bay, and in losing nearly everything they had purchased. Not to be daunted, and also forced by the necessities of the case, Messrs. Bull and Greig built a boat and started in November on a second trip to Owen Sound. They again met with very severe weather, which severely tested their frail craft and their seamanship, and placed them in danger of a second shipwreck. However, they returned to the bay in safety, and by Christmas were comfortably settled for the winter. A big hemlock stood back of the shanty they had erected; a severe storm which visited them about this time threatened to fling to earth this monarch of the forest, and the household were filled with dread lest it should fall on and crush their dwelling. As soon as the weather calmed we started, said Mr. Greig, to "beaver" the hemlock. It was the first big tree any of us had attempted to cut down, and so we worked all around it just as a beaver would do, until it was about to fall. We were beginning to congratulate ourselves as to the result of our labors, feeling sure it would clear the shanty ; but as fate would have it, as it fell it struck a stout sapling, which diverted its EARLY SETTLERS 211 fall so that it struck the roof of our shanty, breaking it in but doing no damage to the walls. After this accident the house could never be made comfortable, and we had to build another one. That winter we made a contract with Hugh and William McKenzie to chop five acres. The result was a good object lesson in the work of a backwoodsman. They took us along and showed us how to fell a tree, how to trim off and pile the brush so as to make it fit for burning, besides other things every skilled woodsman should know. The trees then felled were, says Mr. Greig, the first large trees I ever saw cut down with an axe. By the following midsummer eleven acres were ready for logging, and in the fall of 1858 Mr. Greig thrashed with a flail twenty-five bushels of wheat and ground the same in a coffee mill. The first assessor, T. Roberts, made his rounds in May, 1859. Mr. Greig's assessment was $200 real, and personal property nil. In 1861 he took thirty bushels of wheat to Owen Sound by boat, but to his great disappointment there was no market for it there. He could not sell it for either cash or trade, and had to leave it. at a mill to be ground into flour. The County Council did some- thing that year in opening up the county line, and shortly after a market for grain was established at Owen Sound. About this time a flour mill was erected by Ludwick Kribs at Colpoy's Bay. Unfor- tunately it lacked a smut machine; as a consequence the flour there ground was mixed with particles of smut, and the bread made from it looked as if it were varnished with black lead. No ill results, however, followed the eating of it. It was in the early sixties before Mr. Greig received cash for any produce grown on his farm, an experience common to all in the early settlement days. After the many hardships endured and overcome Mr. Greig passed away, some forty-five years after he had settled on his bush farm. The following are the names of those who are credited with having entered the township in the first year of its settlement : James Allen, Thomas Knox and John Griffin, in the vicinity of Allenford; David Forsyth, near Elsinore; James Howe, William Burwash, William Carson, Isaiah Wilmont, John Murray, Andrew and Angus Mclntosh and James Eushton, near Chesley Lake; William Simpson and Henry Lewis, at Parkhead ; and as neighbors of Alexander Greig, on the north boundary, William Bull, F. Thompson, Andrew Home, William Patton and James Henderson. The early settlers who came in shortly afterwards were: William White, John and Ed. Loucks, Andrew Kidd, R. Rutherford, Joseph M. Gunn, R. Webster, Thomas 212 THE GIMSY TRAIL Ireland, John Aikens, Eobert Fraser, Thomas Cascaden, Edward E. Bolton, Thomas Innis, James Montgomery, S. Nelson, S. Burrows, George Wain, 1 Donald McLeod, James Mason, K. Evans, P. Arnott, William Evans, H. Kirkland, E. Blakely, D. Berry, W. Driffel, P. Anderson, Peter Brown, Robert Davis, William Sharp 2 and Thomas Askin. The settlement of Amabel Township has been by no means rapid, as the following census returns show: In 1861 the population was 182, in 1871 it was 1,805, in 1881 the number was 3,046; this rose in 1891 to 3,890, but in 1901 a decrease is shown, the population being only 3,587. The paucity of the population throughout the Indian Peninsula for some years after being open for settlement is evidenced by the fact that at the general election of 1867 the only polling booth north of Arran on the Peninsula was at Parkhead. For a long time Amabel fared badly in the matter of roads, in fact, it was not until the scheme for a system of gravel roads for the whole county was carried out that the township possessed a good road. In 1865 the road variously known as the North Gravel Road, or the Owen Sound post road, was chopped and cleared. In the same year Denney's bridge was erected. These two improvements gave ready access to Southampton. In the following year this road was gravelled. It seems strange that this important highway should have been delayed so long in being opened. The " B " line, one concession to the north, being cleared earlier, the traffic passed over it westward, by way of the " Gimby Trail/' to Southampton. A word about the " Gimby Trail/' 3 which was the sole .route for east and west travel between Owen Sound and Southampton prior to 1852, and for the settlers along the front of Amabel for many a day. This trail, which at the best had only some underbrushing done to distinguish it from the rest of the forest, struck out from the Saugeen Indian village almost due east, and entered Amabel at the " B " line, then bending towards the south-east and cutting across farm lots, it reached a point a little west of where Elsinore now is, thence along the front 'George Wain was drowned while crossing the Saugeen River on the ice. He was collector of taxes; his roll went with him into the river, and also the team and its load. Weeks after his body and the roll were found. This sad event occurred April, 1864. *First postmaster at Allenford. 'To make this old Indian trail passable for sleighs, a contract was let in 1855 to a man of the adjoining township of Derby, named Gimby, whose name was bestowed upon the trail. It is said that a wheeled vehicle never passed over it, only sleighs in winter and ' ' jumpers "in summer. AMABEL A MUNICIPALITY 213 of the " Half-mile Strip " to about lot 35, when the trail passed into Arran. Keeping well to the south of the bend of the Sauble and crossing the river at lots 29 and 28, at a point known as " Drift- wood Crossing," the trail again reached the front of the lots on the " Half-mile Strip," and then followed the general course of the present gravel road until the county line was reached. Through the township of Derby the trail followed rather a zig-zag course until near Owen Sound. The township of Amabel, for municipal purposes, was attached to the township of Arran in December, 1856. This union lasted for four years. In 1861 the townships of Amabel and Albemarle were separated from Arran and formed into a separate municipal corpora- tion. 1 This union was dissolved, after existing for nine years, and as a separate municipal corporation Amabel has existed since 1870. The separation of Amabel and Albemarle from Arran resulted in a long and expensive lawsuit over the proper amount of indebtedness to be assumed by the young municipality just entering into corporate existence. This matter is more fully referred to 2 in the chapter on " Arran." The first Council of the united townships of Amabel and Albemarle was elected January, 1861, and consisted of Ludwick Kribs, James Allen, William Simpson, William Burwash and Edward E. Bolton. Mr. Kribs was chosen reeve, William Bull was appointed clerk and treasurer, E. H. Murray, assessor. The assessment roll for that year contained only 63 names, with an assessment of only $21,600. The development of Amabel is shown by contrasting these figures with the assessment of 1903, which is $676,805. In the same connection the following items from this last-mentioned roll are interesting: Acres of cleared land, 25,397; swamps and waste land, 28,918 acres; woodlands, 6,764 acres. The following are the names of those who have been reeves of Amabel from the first. As reeves of the united townships of Amabel and Albemarle: Ludwick Kribs for 1861, 1862, 1864, 1865 and 1866; James Howe, 1863; James Allen, 1867, 1868, 1869. As reeves of the township of Amabel: James Allen, 1870 to 1879, inclusive, and 1884, 1886 and 1887; David Porter, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1885 ; Joseph M. White, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891; Thomas Askin, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895; William Beatty, 1896; J. E. Campbell, 1897, 1898; Joseph K. Chambers, J The by-law effecting this being passed by the County Council, Sep- tember 26th, 1860. 'Also see 15 U. C. Chancery Eeport, p. 701, and 17 U. C. Chancery Eeport, p. 163. 214 B. H. MURRAY 1899, 1900; Cecil Swale, 1901, 1902; John ilobinson, 1903, 1904, 1906, and John Armstrong in 1905. It would be like the play of " Hamlet/' with Hamlet left out, if in writing the history of the municipal affairs of the township of Amabel the name of K. H. Murray, the present township clerk, was left out. As recorded above, he was the first assessor of the township, a position he held for twenty-one years. He was collector one year, and also received the appointment of township treasurer, but resigned on being offered the clerkship in 1885. This position he now holds. Mr. Murray was born in Sutherlandshire, Scotland, September 21st, 1840. He came with his parents to Canada in 1857, settling in Amabel that year. Mr. Murray's long association with the municipal affairs of the township has made him an invaluable officer. Allenford has been his place of residence for a number of years. There he conducts an agency and conveyancing business. Active and enthusiastic in all work he undertakes, and maintaining the goodwill of the community, it is the wish of all that he may be enabled to fulfil his many duties for years to come. The township of Amabel has not always been as fortunate in the trustworthiness and efficiency of its officers as in the case of the one just recorded. It is regrettable to have to record that the township has lost heavily by trusted officials. In 1890 the collector of taxes, who had filled this post for some years previous, was a defaulter to the extent of about $2,000. His estate yielded something, but as the costs of a lawsuit to collect the same were heavy, the net loss to the township was not far from the above- mentioned amount. In February, 1902, a fire of unaccountable origin consumed the house of the then township treasurer, and with it, so he claimed, about $2,500 of township funds. The township undertook to recover from the guarantee company, which had given a bond securing the municipality. A compromise was made between the corporation and the company by the latter paying $500 in full of all claims. The township lost in this instance, it is supposed, about the same as in the case of the collector of taxes. While writing upon the municipal affairs of Amabel, the liberal action of the township in granting a bonus to the Stratford and Huron Railway Company must not be overlooked. A bonus of $40,000 was granted in November, 1878, but nine months later, when it was seen that more assistance was needed to complete the con- struction of the railway to Wiarton, an additional grant of $3,000 was made, the total being $43,000. Of this large sum Wiarton ALLENFORD 215 assumed $4,000 on its incorporation as a separate municipality. The Township Council failed unpardonably, in the first years after the debenture by-law came into operation, to provide a sinking fund to pay the debentures at maturity. It was 1885 before the nucleus of a sinking fund was made. The consequence of this neglect was that when the debentures fell due in 1898, there was only $21,200 on hand to meet them. Eecourse was made to Parliament, which passed an Act 1 .authorizing the issue of $21,800 worth of debentures to supply the deficiency in the sinking fund. The railway has proved of great benefit to the township, supplying it with five stations from which produce might be shipped. Large as was the bonus given, the town- ship has been fully recouped therefor. The first school in the peninsula was on concession B, Amabel, north of Elsinore, which was opened in 1863. In the succeeding year a second school was opened, this at Chesley Lake, and in the fall of 1865 a third, this latter at Allenford. In the original survey of the township of Amabel two town plots were laid out, both near the northerly end of the township. Of these, Oliphant is near the westerly terminus of the " Diagonal " road (which road extends from near Owen Sound to Lake Huron in the vicinity of the Fishing Islands). The other town plot, Wiarton, is situated on the county line at the point where it touches Colpoy'e Bay. This town has been successfully developed, and demands a chapter of this history to itself, so that here it will be no more than mentioned. " Oliphant " was named after Laurence Oliphant, who in 1854 was Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. As related in Chapter I., he in that year negotiated with the Indians the sur- render of the Saugeen Peninsula. This town plot has been a disappointment, never developing even into a village. Being close to the Fishing Islands, hopes were entertained as to its becoming a business centre; when these failed to materialize, after some thirty years of waiting, its numerous town lots were re-surveyed and made into park lots for farm purposes. The locality attracts summer visitors from Wiarton and other places, who have erected summer cottages in which they may enjoy the healthful breezes that blow over Lake Huron and the restful environment of the place. The post- office of Oliphant was established in 1874. "Allenford" (named after James Allen, as previously stated), 2 '61 Vic. Chap. 37. 2 This point was known by the Indians as ' ' Drift Wood Crossing. ' ' 216 HEPWORTH was surveyed in 1867, and its post-office was established in 1868 1 It is situated about half-way between Southampton and Owen Sound .on the North Gravel Road, and has a railway station. This little burg has not made much progress of late years, and it is difficult to assign a reason therefor. Its present population is about 250. The Methodist congregation at Allenford erected their first church build- ing in 1873, the Presbyterian theirs in 1875. Regarding the origin of the name " Hepworth," bestowed on the largest village in the township, Mr. John M. McNabb, of Southamp- ton, in a letter to one of the local papers, states that : " The original owner of the land on which Hepworth stands belonged to a William Plews, who proposed laying out a town plot on his property. Being #t a loss for a name, he asked the Rev. Mr. Green (a Methodist clergyman) to suggest one. Mr. Green at once said, ' Why not name your town "Epworth" after the birthplace of John Wesley?' Mr. Plews, being an Englishman, pronounced the name as if the initial letter was an ' H.' Unaware of the error, the name stuck, hence 'Hepworth.'* This thriving village contains a population of six or eight hundred, lying partly in the county of Grey and partly in the county of Bruce. It commenced to take form about the middle of the sixties. In 1866 2 a post-office was established there, which received its supply of mail matter from Owen Sound. The nucleus around which the village started was the hotel, a large log building, erected by William Spencer. William Plews was also a hotel-keeper in the early days. His business was bought out by William Driffel, who surveyed and offered for sale a number of lots that form part of the town plot. Thomas Briggs was the first one to establish a store at Hepworth, Mr. Driffel following his example shortly after- wards. The establishment of the post-office contributed to the centring of business there and the place very soon began to rapidly develop, being the distributing point of a section of good farming country which surrounds it. The railway materially added to the prosperity of the village, enabling a ready shipment to be made from the several saw-mills established there. The town really received its chief impetus from the presumption that it was to be the centre of an oil district. In 1890 a man who had had considerable experience in the oil fields of Canada and Pennsylvania happened to visit Hep- 'This, however, was not the first post-office in Amabel, which was the one established in 1865 at Elsinore, of which D. McLeod was the first postmaster. 2 Two years previous to Wiarton obtaining postal service. SEEKING OIL 217 worth, and expressed his firm opinion, after examining the surface indications, that there was an underlying oil-bearing strata of rock. William Driffel and William Beacock undertook to sink a well, but lacked in capital and proper appliances. The next step taken was to form a company. The first attempt, however, was unsuccessful. In 1897 Mr. E. P. Eoe, principal of the public school, renewed the! agitation to organize a company to bore for oil. Mr. Roe, having at one time resided at Petrolea, was satisfied from past experience that there were indications that a supply of oil existed underneath where the town lay. His enthusiasm was contagious, and a com- pany was established with a capital of $2,000. This company drilled a well to the depth of 1,326 feet, when some of the tools were lost in the well; the company's funds at the same time were exhausted, and the well was therefore abandoned, although the indications of oil near at hand were plentiful. The next person to take up the matter was Mr. John Caldwell; he and Mr. Eoe organized a new company with a capital of $4,500. The result was that on August 22nd, 1900, the drill opened a vein which has yielded gas in large quantities. This natural gas has been used to a large extent, both for heating and lighting purposes, but it has not been piped to other points for consumption. The Standard Oil Company of America took a great interest in the prospects of oil in this field, and it is said has secured leases to the extent of about 20,000 acres of land adjacent to Hepworth. It also sunk wells in this vicinity at dif- ferent points, but the resuit has been the same everywhere; there is gas to be found, but no oil. So far there has been little return for the large expenditure and outlay of labor and capital made in the search for oil. Other names that might be mentioned in con- nection with Hepworth besides those already mentioned are: J. E. Murphy, C. H. Witthun, Robert Halls, J. E. Campbell, Dr. Frank Campbell, James Vance and Edward Brigham. Hepworth was erected into a police village by county by-law, passed December 14th, 1899. The following incident, which had some laughable features regarding it, involved a portion of the township of Amabel, and is but little known. A firm calling itself "The Lake Publishing Company," of Toronto, issued a circular worded as follows : " On or about the 1st July, 1892. the Lake Publishing Company will issue the initial number of The Lake, a magazine which will prove to be without a peer in Canada. Without loss of time we propose 218 SAUBLE FALLS making the following unparalleled offer: To the first 3,000 sub- scribers who send us $3.00 we will mail one copy of the magazine for one year, and give them a warranty deed of a lot, 25 by 120 feet, in Huron Park. . . Huron Park adjoins the town-plot of Oli- phant, overlooking Lake Huron. This is one of the most delightful locations along the shores of this charming lake, directly opposite the well-known Fishing Islands of Lake Huron, with bass and other fishing unexcelled on the great lakes. Eemember, there are no blanks, the magazine alone is worth the money, but this is our method to save time in introducing it to the public. A first-class publication and a lot with a clear title for $3.00" How long the magazine was published the author is unable to say. . The company had about twenty-nine acres of lot 48 in concession " D," divided into blocks of the size mentioned. Some of the owners of these seemed to have had exaggerated ideas of their value, as the author is aware of some of them being mortgaged to the extent of $3,500. To any one acquainted with the value of land in that vicinity the whole affair seems farcical. The mills, run by power derived from the Sauble Falls, have been operated by different parties? since the first settlement of the township, but never with very satisfactory results. The McLean Brothers, Hector, Lachlin and Hugh, possibly operated the mills for the longest period of any of the proprietors. One interesting fact in connection with their possession of this property was their purchase of the little steamer, Water Witch, mentioned in the chapter on "Paisley." This steamer, some 40 feet long and 8 feet wide, was transported by the McLean Brothers, on two sleighs, in January, 1883, from the Saugeen River to Boat Lake. They used it for a number of years in towing logs on Boat Lake, Pike River, and Lake Sky. This vessel, for many years the sole representative of steam navigation for commercial purposes on the inland waters of Bruce, now lies, or did until lately, a dismantled and rotting hulk, near the exit of Boat Lake. Each new settlement has had its tragedy. Too often they are unknown and unrecorded. Mr. B. B. Miller, of Wiarton, has sup- plied the author with the particulars of one in which an Amabel settler figured. It was in the fall of 1868 that George Fathergill bought a farm in Amabel, near Boat Lake. He came from the vicinity of Whitby, and was, for a backwoods settler, very well off. After a short stay on his farm he went to Owen Sound, presumably NAMES 219 to draw some money from the bank and purchase fall wheat for seed. Eeturning in a sail-boat to Wiarton, the crew and passengers of which consisted of Fathergill, George Brown the postmaster at Owen Sound, one John Robinson, of Owen Sound, lately arrived from New Orleans, and a man named Kennedy, the boat was seen to enter Colpoy's Bay in the evening. Next day the boat was found on White Cloud Island right side up, and in it Kennedy, lying dead. A dog was found on the island which had been in the boat; also a gun. None of the other three persons were ever heard of again. A suspicion of foul play to get FathergilPs money was felt, but nothing has ever developed to clear up the mystery. In a local history the origin of the names borne by certain places is of interest; to those already given in this chapter the fol- lowing are added : Lake " Gould," named after George Gould, who conducted the survey of this part of the township. He afterwards held the office of county clerk for many years. Lake " Chesley " and Lake " Spry " each bear the name of a member of the survey- ing party under Mr. Gould. " Elsinore " is a name given by Mr. Sweetman, the post-office inspector, suggested by the historic spot in Denmark of this name being visited by some members of the Royal Family at the time the post-office was opened. Visitors to Main Station Island have wondered and questioned as to who it was that erected the massive stone buildings, the ruins of which are to be seen there. This question has been thoroughly discussed in Chapter III., on " The Pioneers." Other municipali- ties in the county may find many things to boast of, but Amabel, in the possession of these ruins, has the proof that the exploiting of her natural resources attracted the first of the pioneers of Bruce. CHAPTER XIII. WIARTON. 1 EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. " We found the greatest increase here of any town or village in the county. A hum of industry, with their many large saw-mills, furniture, table and many other factories, being pushed to their utmost limit. Their beautiful harbor, the best on Lake Huron or Georgian Bay, affords admirable shipping facilities, and stimulated by the large tract of timber lands on the north, causes a hum of industry along the waterfront and is a general benefit to the town." THE beauty of the site on which Wiarton is built places it in a unique position among the towns in the county of Bruce, none other of which can compare with it in picturesqueness. The view from the hill at the south of Wiarton charms every visitor. At one's feet lies the busy town, with its numerous factories and mills; further on, at the docks, are to be seen crafts of all descriptions. Beyond, the view extends for miles down Colpoy's Bay, with White Cloud and Hay Islands in the distance. The cultivated fields on the Keppel side of the bay seem to set off the bold limestone cliffs, commencing almost at the spectator's left hand and extending as far as the eye can reach along the west shore. Beauty of scenery is, however, only one of the natural advantages possessed by Wiarton. Its position at the south end of the peninsula resulted in its being for years the sole market town for all that stretch of country, and, dating from the entrance of the railway, the shipping point as well for all the peninsula could produce from its forests and fields. Large and predominating are now the interests of Wiarton on Col- poy's Bay, but at first no evidence was given that such was to be the case. Oxenden claims to have been the first place on the bay to receive settlers. Shortly afterwards another group of settlers took up land at or near where the post-office is which now bears the name of " Colpoy's Bay." These settlements date back to 1856, whereas "' Wiarton " received its name, presumably, from the birthplace of Sir Edmund Walker Head. Governor-General at the time of its survey, who was born (see Ency. Brit.) at Wiarton Place, near Maidstone, Kent. 220 THE FIRST SETTLERS 221 Wiarton town lots 1 were not offered for sale until 1868. In evidence of the total absence of settlement at Wiarton as late as 1866, the author gives an experience of Mr. B. B. Miller 2 as related by him. In company with William McLaughlan, at that time tax collector in Amabel, Mr. Miller started on foot from " Colpoy's," going southward. When in the town-plot of Wiarton they missed the trail, owing to its being covered with fallen leaves, and were compelled to spend the night in the bush. The claim of James Lennox 3 to be first settler at Wiarton is un- disputed. The date of his arrival was November 16th, 1866. His first work was to build a log shanty, this being the first building erected for permanent habitation at Wiarton. The absence of anything in the way of a wharf or facilities for shipping in the early days, resulted in the nucleus of the town being *The original price of these lots was $6, subsequently raised to $10, and again to $40. 2 B. B. Miller is a man who has been identified with Wiarton from its inception until the present day. During these forty years of residence Mr. Miller has ever held a leading position. He was Wiarton 's first post- master, the first Division Court clerk, the first Indian lands agent, the first police magistrate, the first mayor, and also was reeve when the municipality was a village. Kircudbrightshire, Scotland, is Mr. Miller's birthplace. There he was born, January. 25th, 1836. When he was ten years of age his family emigrated to Canada and settled at first in Toronto Township, and later in Bentinck. After finishing his course at school, Mr. Miller served as a clerk in a store at Durham. Being desirous of seeing more of the world, he visited and spent a short time in the States. Eeturning to Canada, he qualified himself as a schoolteacher, and subsequently taught for four years in Arran and Elderslie. His next venture was that of storekeeping at Paisley. This business he sold out in July, 1866, and opened a store at Oxenden. In 1867 he moved to Wiarton, and has been closely associated in every movement for the welfare and development of the town since then. 3 " On Friday, November 16th, 1902, the grim reaper claimed Wiarton 's oldest resident, in the person of Mr. James Lennox, at the age of 87 years. Mr. Lennox was born in Ireland in 1815, and came to America in 1822 with his parents, who settled in New Jersey. The political troubles of the day soon induced the subject of this sketch to again seek the protec- tion of the British flag, and he emigrated to Canada, settling at Guelph for a time, then removing to Mount Forest, and finally, on November 16th, 1866, to Wiarton just thirty-six years previous to the day of his death. Wiarton was practically a wilderness when -Mr. Lennox arrived; all was bush or scrub, and he built the first house in the place, and founded what is to-day the most thriving town in the whole county. He was a staunch Conservative all his life, and espoused the Loyalist cause in the troubles of '37 and '38. He was a quiet, highly-respected and law-loving citizen, and his demise is generally regretted. He leaves an aged widow and two sons in Wiarton, in comfortable circumstances." Extract from the Wiarton Canadian. 222 POST OFFICE ESTABLISHED established on top of the hill, the business centre being at the corner where Gould Street is crossed by Division Street. There, in 1868, B. B. Miller built an hotel and opened the post-office, just established. There also John Hodgins and, some months later, David Dinsmore started storekeeping. After the wharves were constructed and mills had been erected below the hill, the places of business moved to Berford Street, and by 1879 Gould Street became what it is now, largely a residential street. The first start Wiarton received was derived from a grant of $300, made by the Indian Department towards the building of a wharf. In 1868 a steamer owned at Collingwood, named the Hero, called once or twice a week. This service was improved upon in 1869, when the steamer Champion, Captain Monk, owned by John Hodgins, above mentioned, made daily trips to Owen Sound, thus connecting the little settlement with the world at large. It was not long after the dock was built that a storehouse followed close at hand, the owner being E. C. Jones: this gave the neighboring farmers an opportunity to market their grain without travelling a long distance. Among the business men of Wiarton in the sixties, besides those already mentioned, should be named K. Greenlees, merchant, and J: Paterson, druggist; also Thomas Gilpin and Dr. A. Williams, who erected the first saw-mill. In a Directory of Ontario, that claimed to be revised to January, 1870, is to be found a description of Wiarton, somewhat as follows : " Population about 200, grain and lumber form the principal trade here. It has a mail four times a week " (brought from Owen Sound via Presqu' Isle, Big Bay and Oxenden). Other names of residents to be found in this Directory besides those previously mentioned in this chapter are, Miss Martha Gilpin, school-teacher, Rev. J. C. Collins and Rev. Geo. Smith, ministers, both of the Bible Christian denom- ination. There were two hotels, kept by Joseph Crandon and Mrs. Currie. A Directory of a later date, published in April, 1876, has the following items regarding Wiarton : " Population about 400. A steamboat makes daily trips to Owen Sound. A tri-weekly stage runs to Owen Sound carrying the mails, but after May 1st there is to be a daily stage. There is an office of the telegraph company and a grist mill lately been opened and run by W. H. Heberden." From the same authority we learn that there were two steam saw-mills, INCORPORATED AS A VILLAGE 223 owned by John Ashcroft and A. Jones, respectively, also a planing mill run by F. Lickman and a tannery by D. G. Millar. There were four churches, of which the oldest was that of the Church of England, erected in 1871. This building was seated for 160, and cost about $600. Kev. T. S. Campbell was the minister in charge. The Bible Christians had a larger church, a frame building that cost about $1,400. The Congregationalists had a church erected in 1875, cost- ing $900. The fourth church was a frame building erected by the Methodists in 1876, seated for 200, and costing $600. The prospect of a railway reaching Wiarton caused the popula- tion to increase rapidly. An increase of population called for an increase of school accommodation. With commendable enterprise, a commodious stone school-house was built in 1877 at a cost of $2,200. In the same year church buildings were erected by the Presbyterians and the Disciples; the latter edifice was of brick, the other was frame. These two buildings gave a total of six churches in a village which two years later, in 1879, only claimed to have a population of 72. Denominationalism was certainly a feature in Wiarton at that time. Before passing to another topic, it might be as well to state that in 1891 the two congregations, Presbyterians and Congrega- tionalists, united and so formed a large body. Up to 1883 the Wiarton Presbyterians were included in the home mission work of the Presbyterian Church, but when the Eev. E. B. Millard was inducted as minister, June 25th of that year, the charge was erected to the status of a self-sustained congregation. Wiarton became an incorporated village by special Act of Parlia- ment, 1 assented to 5th March, 1880. The reason a special Act of incorporation was necessary arose from the fact that there was not in the original town plot of Wiarton a population sufficient in number to comply with the requirements of the Municipal Act, 2 but the number could be made up by taking in that part of the village lying in the county of Grey. So the Act omitted from the area of the village Eanges 3, 4, 5 and 6 of park lots to the west of the town in the original survey, while it added thereto all now in the town plot east of the county line (Berford street), most of which was in the original survey of the township of Keppel. The population at the '43 Vic. Ghap. 46. 2 A population of over 750, within 500 acres, was what the " Municipal Act," E. S. O., 1877, gave as the requirements for the incorporation of a village. 224- THE FIRST COUNCIL time of incorporation was given as 752. 1 James Grier was appointed by the Act of incorporation to be the returning officer to hold the first nomination and election of a reeve and four councillors. The Agricultural Hall was where the nomination was held, and there, too, the village council held its first meeting on March 22nd, 1880. The members of the first Council were : David Dinsmore, reeve; Hiram Brown, James McKim, D. G. Miller and J. W. Jermyn, councillors; Thomas D. Galloway, clerk; Neil McMillan, treasurer. In the follow- ing December the wardens of Bruce and Grey met with the village reeve, and it was decided that the county of Bruce should assume the proportion of indebtedness that the Keppel part of Wiarton owed the county of Grey. The amount was fixed at $400. The County Council of Bruce in the following January confirmed this by by-law (No. 173), and the money was promptly paid over to the county of Grey. On becoming a separate municipality the financial claims of the two townships, in which the village had developed, for debts incurred had to be provided for. In settling with the town- ship of Keppel, Wiarton assumed one-eleventh of the $30,000 bonus to the railway, and $1,410 of the $2,000 subsequent bonus, and $399 of Keppel's county rates; total about $4,500. The basis of settle- ment with the township of Amabel was one-tenth of the railway bonus of $40,000 and two-thirds of the similar bonus of $3,000, making a total of $6,000. In addition to the amounts so assumed from Keppel and Amabel, Wiarton had an indebtedness of over $2,000 "' To secure the special Act to incorporate the village, it was necessary that $125 should be deposited with the Government, $100 of which the Legislature held and $25 of which went to draw up the bill of incorpora- tion. The settlers never at any time had too much money, so in order to raise the amount twenty-five persons went on a joint note for $5 each Messrs. Adam Doupe, J. W. Jermyn, J. J. Jermyn, James McNeill, Henry Trout, Neil Langford, John Ashcroft, G. Bingham, and others whose names have not been learned. Messrs. Doupe and Jermyn were instructed to negotiate the loan, which necessitated their travelling on foot to Owen Sound as no conveyance was available. They secured the money. Shortly after this some farmers in the vicinity of the contemplated village opposed the proposed incorporation and a public meeting was called, the hat was passed around and $12 collected to support the opposition move- ment, which failed to have any effect. Messrs. Bingham, Ashcroft and J. W. Jermyn were appointed a deputation to proceed to Toronto to lobby the bill through. They went via Own Sound, on the old narrow-gauge railway. The trip took one whole day. The bill was given in charge of Donald Sinclair, the then member of this riding for the local Legislature. " When Wiarton threw off its swaddling clothes there was not a cent in the treasury. The minutes of the first council meeting were written on paper and with pen and ink purchased by Messrs. Millar and Jermyn, each giving five cents! .That's the way the village of Wiarton was started off." Extract from Wiarton Canadian Souvenir. RAILWAY REACHES WIARTON 225 for the new school-house, so that Wiarton on entering into existence as a separate municipality, did so with a debt of $13,000, a large financial burden for an infant municipality. But the inhabitants of Wiarton have never been backward in assuming such burdens if there was a prospect of the betterment of the town thereby. This optimistic spirit has induced what many of Wiarton's people think the assuming of a burden of debt too large, considering the size of the place. Certainly it resulted in the town having to ask the Legis- lative Assembly in 1894 to pass an Act to consolidate the debt of the town and extend the payment over thirty years. This relief, so asked for, was obtained. 1 The preamble of the Act passed states the debenture debt to be, at that date, $43,199, with no sinking fund, and also a floating debt of $5,149. The lesson of the past was not taken to heart by the sanguine-spirited people of Wiarton, and long ere the next decade had passed the debenture debt of Wiarton had passed into six figures. 2 The chief cause of this increase of indebted- ness was the financial assistance given by the town to the beet sugar refinery, of which more will be said later on. The prospect of the railway reaching the village was one long kept dangling before the eyes of its inhabitants. The Stratford and Lake Huron Railway (originally chartered in 1855) lacked capital from the very first; then, after the construction of the railway began, for some reason the government withheld the bonus which was expected and calculated upon to help to build the road. Some townships, Carrick for instance, refused to grant a bonus. So the company had to ask those municipalities that had manifested a willingness to grant financial assistance for an additional bonus. It was not until the Grand Trunk Railway leased the road, May, 1880, that it seemed assured that the railway would be completed. To comply with the time limit, and so obtain the promised bonuses, the track layers pushed on their work and reached Wiarton November 29th, 1881. Without loss of time a locomotive and some flat cars entered the village, crossing Frank street about 6 p.m. of that day, having on board J. C. Boyd, of Simcoe, Superintendent of Construction. The conductor was William Cook and the engineer Joshua Wilson. After success to the enterprise had been drunk in lager beer, the train departed south, and work on the line ceased for the season. At this time, and for a number of months, Chesley was the northern ter- '57 Vic. Chap. 86. *0n December 31st, 1905, the debenture indebtedness was $147,735.16. 9 226 FOREST FIRES minus of the line, the road not being opened for traffic to Wiarton until August 1st, 1882. This line of railway has proved one of the most profitable branches in the Grand Trunk Kailway System. It has also done much to make Wiarton what it is, the commercial entrepot for the peninsula. That the newly opened railway might obtain its share of the lake traffic enlarged wharfage accommodation was needed. Pressure was brought to bear on the Dominion Government, with the result that a grant of $35,000 was made. This the village supplemented with $7,500 from the sale of debentures. Work on the new wharf was commenced in 1882, and completed in August of the following year. The new wharf had a frontage of 1,040 feet, a breadth of 18 to 25 feet, and extended into the water so as to give 18 to 25 feet depth of water along the front. It is said that the total cost was upward of $60,000. By how much the government supplemented its original grant the author cannot say. The increase of wharfage accommodation resulted in an increase of shipping, followed by Wiarton being erected into an Out-post of Customs, under the survey of the Collector at Stratford. This was done September 26th, 1882. With such a large number of frame buildings it is surprising that Wiarton has not suffered severely from fires. Possibly the nar- rowest escape it had was on August 31st, 1881. The preceding summer had been very dry. The smoke of destructive bush fires was to be seen in every direction. Urged on by a strong wind the fires approached the village. The air was filled with smoke so dense as to be almost suffocating. Nearer and nearer the flames came, until the villagers in self-preservation had to turn out and fight them. In this they were partially successful, but one house, that of E. C. Jones, was burned down. Fortunately the wind blew in such a direction that the saw and grist mills were not seriously imperilled, but much of the beautiful growth of timber below and on top of the cliff was burnt, a loss that will take many years to repair, as over considerable areas nearly all the soil was also burned away, and for lack of it the trees and verdure can never be the same. As a measure conducive to the public health, as well as for fire protection, it was decided in 1887 to construct a system of water- works for the town. The system was installed shortly afterwards, and has been largely extended as the town enlarged and the need for pure water and adequate fire protection became more generally recognized. The plan decided upon provided for water being pumped THE PRESS 227 direct from the bay into the mains, the engine automatically main- taining the requisite pressure. In 1904 further improvements were made in the system by the construction of a reservoir and by placing the pumps further down the bay, so as to be certain of obtaining pure water. The cost had been heavy, but the citizens have acted wisely in inaugurating a system which gives them abundance of that necessity of life, good water. Wiarton's first newspaper was The Echo, published by George Bingham and Colin F. Campbell. Its initial number bears date of 4th July, 1879. The ownership of The Echo has changed hands several times during the vicissitudes and struggles, a local newspaper encounters in its limited field. In 1885 S. W. Cross became the sole proprietor and successfully conducted the paper for ten years. At present The Echo is edited and published by A. Logan. The Encore was the name of the next journal published at Wiarton. It had an existence of about three years, but failing to attain the success of The Echo, it ceased publication in October, 1892. About the same time as The Encore was issued a paper called The News was pub- lished by H. T. Butler; this journal also failed to obtain patronage sufficient to warrant the publication of it being continued. The Wtarton Canadian dates back to 1893. Its founder was A. Megraw, who for a number of years previous had met with good success as the publisher of the Paisley Advocate. The north riding of Bruce being largely Conservative in politics, and as the new paper advocated in an able manner Conservative principles, it met with success, and continues to nourish, W. J. Whitlock being the publisher at present. For many years the sole banking business of Wiarton was con- ducted by Gr. W. Ames & Co., private bankers, first established in June, 1880. The need of a chartered bank being much felt, applica- tion was made to several of the large banking institutions of the country to establish a branch at Wiarton, but with no success until 1892, when the Union Bank opened a branch with E. W. Burinot as manager. Ten years later the Canadian Bank of Commerce also decided to open a branch and at the same time to advertise itself by erecting a handsome building. A central position on Berford Street was obtained, and a building erected that is an ornament to the town. Owing to the continued growth of population an enlarged accom- modation for the pupils attending the school was necessary, and the School Board in 1885 asked the village Council to raise $2,000 for 228 HIGH SCHOOL this purpose. This the Council of that year refused to do. The clash of these representative bodies created quite a little excitement at the time. The Council of the following year was more amenable to the educational interests of the town than its predecessor, and raised the necessary amount. The public school building of Wiarton to-day, one of eight rooms, is certainly a very handsome structure, and a credit to the town. In 1891 Wiarton was set apart by the County Council as a high school district; this was after a very close contest with Paisley. The old public school building, an excellent stone structure and much enlarged, is now occupied as the high school. The following gentlemen composed the first Board of High School Trustees: D. G. Millar, R. M. Fisher, M.D., Rev. T. S. Camp- bell, J. Paterson, J. Walmsley and A. M. Tyson. The first head master of the high school was T. H. Farrell, succeeded October 1st, 1892, by Henry De La Mater. In 1893 the inhabitants of Wiarton found they were numerous enough to take unto themselves the privileges and honor of a town. The preliminary proceedings were taken that year, 1 with the result that since the 1st January, 1894, Wiarton has been numbered among the towns of the province. In a footnote 2 are to be found the names of the heads of the municipality, whether as reeve or as mayor, from its first incorporation as a municipality to 1906. At the time of the opening of the railway an issue of The Echo gives a paragraph of Wiarton's wants. Among them are the follow- ing: a village hall, a town bell, and mails to be carried by the rail- way. These have all been supplied. In December, 1888, the muni- cipality bought the back part of lot 13, west of Berford and south of Division Streets, on which they erected a building to contain the fire-fighting apparatus, a tower for a bell, and a hall in which the village Council could meet. This building did service for the above purposes for a number of years. In 1899 the front part of the same lot, on which stood a building known as " The Robinson Hall," was 1P The Lieutenant-Governor's proclamation of incorporation bears date 14th December, 1893. It came into effect on 1st January, 1894. 'Reeves David Dinsmore, 1880, '81, '82; Hiram Brown, 1883; A. M. Tyson, 1884, '85; C. V. Parke, 1886, '87; Hiram Wigle, 1888, '89; B. B. Millar, 1890; D. M. Jermyn, 1891, '92; James Hunter, 1893, '94, '95; James Symon, 1896. Mayors B .B. Millar, 1894; D. M. Jermyn, 1895, '96; James Hunter, 1897 and 1905; Charles Eeckin, 1898; S. A. Perry, 1899; James Symon, 1900; G. Kastner, 1901) William Bernie, 1902; G. S. Sinclair, 1903, '04; S. J. Cameron, 1906. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES 229 thrown on the market. The opportunity offered was seized, and for a very moderate sum the town bought the building, which is one exceedingly well suited for a town hall. An addition was built in which there is a handsome council chamber on the second storey, while underneath is a lock-up and fire hall. The present town bell was put into position in August, 1900. It cost something like $412, weighs 832 pounds, and hangs in a tower 75 feet high, adjoining the hall. Among the important industries of Wiarton is that of the manu- facture of furniture, several large factories being in constant opera- tion. We have to look back to 1879 to find the pioneer firm of this industry, Messrs. Falk, Morlock & Wegenert, who in that year started Wiarton's first furniture factory. Another industry was started the same year, namely the " Wiarton Woollen Mill/' William Turner being the owner of the same. In 1880 or 1881 the Vulcan Foundry, owned by George S. Sinclair, added another to the successful industries of the town. The Dominion Fish Co. has its central packing plant located at Wiarton. Here are frozen and packed all the fish taken at some ten stations operated by the company, scattered around the Georgian Bay and the Manitoulin Island. As the stations have from two to three tugs each, engaged in setting and lifting nets, it can easily be credited that about 120,000 pounds of fish per week are received at Wiarton. A visit to this large establishment is most interesting. " The Wiarton Beet Sugar Manufacturing Company, Limited " l was incorporated 21st October, 1896, with a capital of $150,000, increased to $500,000 by letters patent on 10th October, 1901. After the obtaining of a charter it took several years to thoroughly con- vince the public of the feasibility of the undertaking, to show that beets grown in the vicinity gave an exceptionally high percentage ef sugar; that owing to the facilities for shipping by water the area from which beets could be shipped, with profit to the grower, was of great extent. These advantages decided many to take stock in the company. Of these a large number were farmers, who were asked to pay only 5 per cent, of amount of stock subscribed for in cash, the balance to be paid in beets. The Colonial Construction Company of Detroit undertook to erect and equip the factory. Ground for building operations was broken in October, 1901, and in the follow- 'The original charter was in the name of " The Owen Sound Sugar Manufacturing Company. ' ' 230 BEET SUGAR FACTORY ing spring the walls were being built. On June 5th, 1902, the corner- stone was laid by James Mills, President of the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph. The principal buildings erected are of stone, the main building being four stories in height, two hundred and forty feet long, and one hundred and twenty feet wide, sixty-six of this being four stories in height, and fifty-four being of one and two stories. To the north of the main building is the sugar storage warehouse, also of stone, one storey high, two hundred feet long by seventy-five feet wide. On the south side of the main building are located the beet store-houses, having a capacity of six thousand tons. Besides these huge structures, there is a cooper-house, an office, and other necessary buildings. There is also a wharf and a railway switch, so that everything was provided for the economical handling and receiving of supplies, and for the shipping of the finished pro- duct. The factory was also fitted throughout with the best machinery known to the trade. A large acreage of beets was secured in 1902, and great were the hopes for the success of the enterprise. Unfor- tunately, the contract with the Colonial Construction Co. called upon them to run the factory for the first season. What was the result? Because of the improper installing of the machinery, and because of the manager not understanding the business, less than half of the quantity of sugar was obtained from the beets that might have been secured if he had been competent. It is said that fully $50,000 worth of juice and beets was carried by the sewers into the bay. At the end of the first season the board of directors faced a loss of over $63,000. What was to be done? The town, which had given at the outset of the undertaking a bonus of $25,000, was now asked to grant a loan of $25,000, which it did. To supply needed capital, private individuals entered into bonds for $110,000 in addition. A new superintendent was secured, and the season of 1903 was entered upon with the hope that at last success was in sight, but alas ! the enter- prise seemed to have some fatality attached to it, and the season ended as unfortunately as the previous one. The bondmen were called upon to make good the bonds entered upon. January 12th, 1904, was the date fixed by the Union Bank to pay up. To the credit of these gentlemen, it is to be recorded that not one of them failed to respond, although the amounts were large, $4,000, $9,000, $10,000 and $12,000 being paid by different individuals, the smallest amount being $750. It is questionable if any town of its size in the province has ever received such a financial blow. The loss amounted to about " THE SPIRIT ROCK " 231 $200,000, made up as follows : The town bonus $25,000, the town loan, $25,000, the bondsmen $110,000, and the balance in stock subscribed. The courts decided in 1905 that the farmers who had taken stock, 95 per cent, of which was to be paid in beets, must make up in cash what had not already been covered by cash and beets. This seems hard, as it was not their fault that they could not, owing to the closing of the factory, pay up according to the original agreement. Unlike most localities in the county of Bruce, Wiarton has con- nected with it an Indian legend entitled " The Spirit Rock." An excellent recital of the old legend is to be found in the Wiarton Canadian Souvenir, which the author takes the liberty of transposing to these pages. It is as follows : " Situated between Wiarton and Whicher's Point, the Spirit Rock can be seen quite distinctly from the bay. On the face of the cliff, standing out in bold relief, the crevices and stains have depicted a woman's face, above which there is a blasted pine. There is a tradition in connection with the rock. A squaw, the daughter of a chief of one of the tribes whose hunting ground was in the imme- diate vicinity of Colpoy's Bay, of whom now only a few relics remain, was carried off by an Eastern tribe, who bore her miles away and condemned to a life of drudgery this daughter of a hated foe. The Eastern chieftain passed one day while she was singing a sad, plain- tive song. The song, the youthfulness and attractiveness of the maiden, wakened in the chieftain's breast feelings of admiration and love. He released her from her bondage, and with simple rites the chief and maid were wed. The warriors of the tribe were angered at this union and plotted so effectively that dire disaster met the bride and her consort. Her warrior chief was stricken from her side, but she escaped and wandered back to her tribe, arriving weary and foot- sore, but only to be refused admittance into the band, as she by becoming the willing bride of their deadly foe had brought dishonor on herself. ' ' For hours she stood upon that rocky height, Till night's dark curtain had shut out the light And hid the cruel rocks from sight. Then, with a cry like a lost soul in woe, She sprang to her death and her grave below, While moaning winds murmured a funeral strain, And sighing waves echoed a sad refrain." 232 MARINE DISASTERS Colpoy's Bay has had its share of marine casualties. Probably the one best remembered and spoken of is that of the loss of the Jane Miller, which occurred November 25th, 1881. The propeller Jane Miller (built in 1879, classed A 2 1-2 of 150 tons burden) was a Wiarton boat, owned by Captain A. Port. She left Big Bay for Wiarton at 8.30 p.m. on the above date, a heavy gale blowing at the time. Her cargo was a large one, and was stowed principally on the main deck, making her top-heavy. Her lights were seen when she was in the vicinity of Cameron's dock, but that was the last known of her. All on board perished, twenty-eight souls in all. Hardly any traces of her have been picked up and the spot where she found- ered is unknown. Another well-remembered fatality on the bay occurred 27th July, 1892. It was associated with a tornado that struck the town and bay on the evening of that day. The town suffered severely, every smoke stack but two being blown down. William Young's saw-mill was unroofed, the skating rink and some stables were demolished, and the large public bath and boat house, owned by Kalph Eby, with its con- tents, were destroyed. The loss of property would be as nothing if no lives had been lost. Just before the storm broke a sail-boat was seen a short distance down the bay. In the boat were George Stevens, of Chesley, his wife and two sisters, Mrs. L. Currie and daughter, of Wiarton, John Savage, of Chesley, a man named J. Lembke and an Indian. Seeing the storm coming the sail was lowered and the boat headed to the wind, but the instant the tornado struck it everyone on board found themselves in the water. The six whose names are first given in the above list were carried away and drowned ; the other three clung on to the bow-sprit until gallantly rescued by John and Henry Dance and a young man named Wyburn, who put out in a small, leaky skiff. Braving the storm and the heavy sea, they reached the shipwrecked men in time to rescue them. The boat was too small to take any on board, but by holding on to the gunwale they were towed to shore, reaching it in a much exhausted condition. It is said that the gentlemen who surveyed the town plot of Wiarton named many of the streets after themselves and their wives. Certainly the names of Frank Berford and George Gould, who were in the surveying party, are to be found in four of the streets of the town. Brown Street bears the name of a man who worked in the surveying party, and who subsequently settled a short distance south of the town on the county line. Gleason Street preserves the name PROSPERITY AND SETBACKS 233 of one of the first settlers on Colpoy's Bay. Beyond these six names the author cannot venture a suggestion. Wiarton has made more rapid progress than any other village or town in the county of Bruce. True, it has had its setbacks, such as occurred when the Grand Trunk Eailway opened the Owen Sound branch and made that point its principal northern terminus, and again when the sugar refinery failed. Still, it is the busiest town in the county, and the townspeople are hopeful and confident of con- tinued and prolonged prosperity. We trust that these fond hopes may be fully realized. CHAPTER XIV. . i TOWNSHIP OF ALBEMARLE. 1 EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1879. " The east side of this township is rock, with only a few stony farms scattered through it; the west side is sand and swamp. It has very little village property. The average price per acre is about $4." EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. " In Albemarle there is a small section of fair land at Mar, but rock and stone seems to crop up everywhere, and roads are bad. Large sections of these townships are less valuable now than twelve years ago, and the outlook is not bright. The rate per acre is $3.25." AN examination of the map of Albemarle shows that two differ- ent lines of survey met at lot 10 2 on each of the concession lines. The southerly part of the township was surveyed for Charles Rankin by George Gould, in the latter part of the fall of 1855, after he had finished his share of the survey of the township of Amabel. The northern part of Albemarle was surveyed by the party of surveyors who surveyed the township of Eastnor. The only town plot laid out in the township was that of Adair, on Hope Bay, which contained 2,025 acres. A town, however, failed to develop there, so in response to a petition the County Council, in 1879, urged the Indian Land Department to have the town plot sold as farm lands. This was acceded to, but not until the town and park lots had first been offered for sale at auction at Owen Sound in October, 1880. In 1887 only 191 acres of the whole town plot had been cleared, and in that year it was re-surveyed into farm lots. The peninsula to the east of Albemarle geographically belongs to the township, but it has been set apart as an Indian reserve. It contains 15,586 acres, and is known as the Cape Croker Reserve. Particulars respecting it are to be found in Appendix C. "' Albemarle " is the title of Lord Bury's family, the Earls of Albe- marle. The Lord Bury referred to so frequently in this History became the seventh Earl of Albemarle. J Mr. Andrew Weir, ex-reeve, says that his farm shows that lines of survey met at lot 15, but the maps do not indicate this. 234 ' FIRST SETTLERS 237 In December, 1857, the first settlers in the township took up their lands. They were John Wood and Samuel Atkinson, who settled on lots 31 and 30, concession S r E.B.R. In the month of May following they were joined by five families, who were brought over from Owen Sound by the steamer Canadian. These were Eev. Ludwick Kribs, 1 Henry Kribs, Caleb Spragge, Joseph Stringer and Ludwick Spragge. Of these the last-mentioned is the sole survivor. Late in the fall of 1857 Henry Kribs and Joseph Stringer went to Owen Sound in a sail-boat to obtain supplies for their families and others of the infant settlement. On their return trip they were caught in a storm too severe for their small craft to successfully encounter, and the unfortunate men found a grave in the cold waters of the Georgian Bay. In the summer of 1858 Leonard Gleason commenced to build a saw-mill at Colpoy's Bay. He had only to move across from Oxenden, where he had previously resided, having been sent there a year or two previous by the Indian Department to show the Indians how to erect and run a saw-mill. The establishing of this first-mentioned saw-mill, followed shortly after by the erection of a saw and grist mill by Ludwick Kribs, had the effect of centring the trading of the settlement at the little village that now bears the name of Col- poy's Bay. A post-office was opened there in 1863, L. Kribs being the postmaster. At one time it was expected " Colpoy's " would become the town Wiarton now is. Seeing it had ten years of a start, these expectations seemed warranted, but such hopes have not been realized. The village has made no progress for many years, and being so near to the larger town at the northern terminus of the railway, there is little chance of further development. The inflow of settlers into Albemarle has never been large when compared to that experienced by the more fertile townships to the south. As stated in a foregoing paragraph, Albemarle received its first settlers in 1857. Four years later, when the census of 1861 was taken, the population was only 54 souls all told. This number in 1871 had increased to 678. Since then the census returns exhibit a slow but constant increase, showing in 1901 a population of 1962, or almost three times that of 1871. The several localities which received the earliest settlers were ; first, in the vicinity of " Col- poy's/' next between the Amabel boundary and the centre of the *In 1852, and for some subsequent years, Mr. Kribs acted as a mission- ary to the Indians at Colpoy's Bay, working under the auspices of the Congregational Church. 238 MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS township in the vicinity of Mar, and, at a later date, near Purple Valley. The earliest road opened was that on the town line between Amabel and Albemarle, thence north through Mar to Eastnor; the full extent of this was done by the end of the sixties. 1 The road to Cape Croker reserve was also one early opened. The opening of other roads has been done gradually as required. Albemarle was united for municipal purposes to the united townships of Arran and Amabel by a by-law of the United Counties Council, passed 29th December, 1857. This union lasted for three years, when Amabel and Albemarle were separated from Arran by a by-law passed September 26th, 1860. On June 18th, 1869, this latter union was dissolved and Albemarle and Eastnor were united into one municipality. To the corporation of these two townships an addition was made June 21st, 1872, by uniting to it the townships of Lindsay and St. Edmunds. On June 8th, 1877, the three northerly townships were erected into a separate municipality, and for the first time Albemarle was free from a partnership in municipal affairs. The first reeve of the united townships of Amabel and Albemarle was Ludwick Kribs. To attend the meetings of the United Counties Council at Goderich he had to make the following roundabout jour- ney : He first of all sailed to Collingwood and there took the Northern Railway to Toronto, thence by Grand Trunk and Buffalo and Lake Huron Railways to Goderich. He was allowed on the pay sheet for a mileage of between 200 and 300 miles. The necessity of travelling such a roundabout route speaks conclusively as to the impassable state of the roads throughout the county of Bruce in the early sixties. On January 1st, 1870, Albemarle having been separated from Amabel, became the senior township of the northern townships on the Peninsula which formed the new municipality then created. The first reeve was Thomas H. Lee, 2 while the two offices of clerk and treasurer were filled by John Shackleton. When the time came (at the end of 1877) for the breaking of 'This road was largely opened out by the Government; Hiram Parker, of Southampton (subsequently the first settler at Golden Valley), was the contractor; William Bull was the inspector of the work. *The following are the names of those who have filled the office of reeve of Albemarle Thos. H. Lee, 1870, '71, '72, '73; Ludwick Spragge, 1874, '75, '76 and '77; John Shackleton, 1878, '79; John H. Whicher, 1880, '81, '83, '84; Dr. H. Wigle, 1882; John Mclver, 1885, '86, part of 1888, '89 and 1895; Thomas Rydall, 1887 and part of 1888; Eph. Cross, 1890; T. S. Cotton, 1891, '92; Andrew Weir, 1893, '94, '96, '97 and 1900; Thomas Crane, 1898, '99; William Chisholm, 1901, '02; John Pruder, 1903, '04; E. Andrews, 1905; John Ashcroft, 1906. LOCAL NAMES 239 the municipal tie which united Eastnor, Lindsay and St. Edmunds with Albemarle, trouble arose over the finances and four years of litigation and arbitration followed, the costs of which ran up into the thousands. 1 The settlement was finally reached in July, 1881, at a joint meeting of the Councils of the two municipalities, held at the "Half-way House" (W. ColwelFs), when on motion of F. W. Stuart and E. Davidson, the united townships of Eastnor, Lind- say and St. Edmunds agreed to pay the township of Albemarle $300, in two payments (January 1st, 1883, and January 1st, 1884), with interest, in final settlement of claim. Each party to pay their costs of suit. This offer the Albemarle Council accepted and so closed this long and vexatious litigation, which might have been settled by the same method years before, and saved the large sums paid in law costs. The report of the county valuators in 1879 enabled the people in the north to see that they had been too highly assessed by the County Council in the past; on this being pointed out, a committee was appointed, which reported that for five years the assessment of the northern townships had been too high, and recommended that 50 per cent of the indebtedness of each municipality on account of rates be remitted. (The amount of indebtedness of Albemarle on the 1st January previous was $2,781.67, showing arrears for about four years.) The remission of $1,292.72 of county rates proved a great relief to the finances of the municipality. There are not many names in Albemarle of which the origin can be given. Mr. John M. MdSTabb, of Southampton, says that Cape Croker bears the name of John Wilson Croker, who was Sec- retary to the Admiralty; and Colpoy's Bay of Sir John Colpoy, an admiral in the British Navy, both names being bestowed by Capt. Bayfield during his survey of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Prior to this the bay was called Sturgeon Bay, and is so named in a map now in the Department of Archives at Ottawa, prepared in 1792 for Lieut-Governor Simcoe. The prospects for the future of Albemarle can hardly be said to be as bright as those cherished by the more southerly townships; the extent of rocky land precludes the thought of it. The past has witnessed the lumberman gather in rich returns from her forests, and the cleared farms, where the land has been arable, have well J The details of the suit are to be found in 45 and 46 IT. C. Queen's Bench Keports. 240 A FINE FARM-HOUSE repaid the labor expended thereon. This is attested by the numerous comfortable farm-houses to be seen throughout the township. One of these, it might be said in passing, is possibly the finest up-to-date farm-house in the whole county, namely, that of Mr. John Mclver, and there a hospitality is extended by the owner and his good lady that accords with their big and handsome house. Mr. Mclver's success has come from engaging largely in stock raising, and it is most probable that the future prosperity of Albemarle will be in carrying out this branch of farming. Q *- JJ" CHAPTER XV. TOWNSHIP OF EASTNOR. 1 EXTRACT FROM THE KEPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. ' ' There is a great deal of good land in Eastnor, which shows decided improvement since the last valuation, and in the near future will compare favorably with any portion of the county, but a railroad is much needed, especially in regard to the shipment of stock and postal facilities. We think we are within the mark in saying that fully one-third of Eastnor will be first-class land when the present drainage contracts are com- pleted, and the balance of what is known as the Eastnor swamp is cleared up. The balance of the township, however, is very inferior, rock every- where and timber gone, which leaves the lots (we cannot say land) valueless. This statement applies largely to the four northern townships. Fire and lumbermen have devastated these townships and have left behind a barren waste. ' ' EASTNOR possesses physical features peculiar .to itself among the municipalities of the county. In it are to be seen as fine farms, buildings included, as are to be found in the highly favored southern townships of Bruce. At the same time in it are to be found large areas of rock, as bare of soil as can be seen in any part of the Peninsula. Its bays, deeply indenting the coast line, result in the narrowest part of the county, excepting near the point of the Peninsula, being found within its boundaries (the township is less than five miles wide at the 35 side road), while in another part its extending peninsulas give to it a breadth excelled by only one other township. Although far north, yet it is less liable to summer frosts than town- ships further south; this is because of the large bodies of water on each side of it. Its large swamps, thought at one time to be a detri- ment to the township, are now in a large measure drained, and the finest land is that which was only lately a swamp. The first purchases of land in Eastnor were made in 1862, but settlers do not seem to have taken up their lands until 1869 or 1870. The first assessment roll of the township, that for 1871, is so interest- "' This township was named in honor of John Somers Cocks, Earl of Somers, Viscount Eastnor of Eastnor Castle, county of Hereford, who was closely related to the wife of Sir Edward W. Head, the Governor-General in 1855, who chose the name of ' Eastnor ' for the township in compliment to his wife 's relations. ' ' ' ' Nothing but Names. ' ' 243 244 FIRST SETTLERS ing that extracts from it are here given. The roll contains eighteen names, 1 three of which seem to have been non-residents. Six of these ratepayers seem to have been alone on their clearings, while nine had families. The total number of inhabitants, as given in the roll, is fifty-one. Three ratepayers are entered as having clearings of five acres each. One, that of ten acres; the rest had no clearings. Each one hundred acres was assessed at the same amount, namely $100; as there were twenty-three lots taken up, the assessment roll shows a total of $2,300. This assessment was much increased in the roll of 1872, the amount there being $10,395, showing a marked advance. The development of the township is noticeable in the next record we shall quote, that of the county valuators, who in 1879 valued the real estate in Eastnor at $133,448. They who may be named as the first settlers in Eastnor, when selecting their lands for settlement, seem to have favored the vicinity of Lion's Head; the wave of settlement moved thence south as far as the 20 side-line and adjacent lands, and thence westward to where Spry is now. Francis Waugh, near Hope Bay, and Joseph Eveleigh and Patrick Judge, at Barrow Bay, being exceptions. Owing to the difficulty of access into the township by land, the roads being in a deplorable condition for many years, most of the traffic in the early days to points outside the township was by water. The following are the names of some of the steamboats that in the seventies or eighties visited Lion's Head and Barrow Bay. The Okonra, Captain Dunn, was one of the earliest vessels to be engaged on the route between Owen Sound, Wiarton and the Peninsula. She was succeeded about 1879 by the Wiarton Belle, and the latter boat by the Comet, and that by the Annie Watt and the ill-fated Jane Miller. For the accommodation of these and other vessels it was necessary that a wharf should be constructed at Lion's Head. Kealiz- ing this the township, in the summer of 1883, offered to pay what sum was necessary to place material on the ground sufficient to con- struct a dock 200 feet long, on condition that the government have the work performed. The government in that year sent a dredge to clear a channel, some 13 feet deep and 80 feet long, through a 'As it may interest some to know who these eighteen were, their names are here given, viz., Joseph Andrew, John Gale, Allen Erwin, David Harris, Thomas and Francis Hart, Francis and Michael Hagin, Thomas Harkness, Robert McCarter, George Moore, Jacob Schermahorn, Samuel Slack, L. Sherlock, Richard Tackaberry, Wm. Tunan, Joseph Waugh and Francis Waugh. As to which of the amove mentioned was Eastnor 's first settler it is not known. George Moore and Richard Tackaberry each claimed it. FIRST COUNCIL 245 bar that extended across the entrance to the harbor. This improve- ment to navigation was supplemented by the construction of the pier. On 18th June, 1869, the township of Eastnor was by by-law of the County Council united for municipal purposes to the township of Albemarle. To this union of municipalities there was a further addition made June 21st, 1872, when the County Council added thereto the townships of Lindsay and St. Edmunds. This large municipality of united townships began to dissolve when on June 3th, 1877, the three northern townships were by by-law separated from Albemarle, to become a separate municipality on the 1st January following, with Eastnor as the senior township. 1 These three townships remained united as one municipality until Lindsay and St. Edmunds, having developed and attained to the required qualifications within their own bounds, were set apart as a separate municipality, and since that date, January 1st, 1883, Eastnor has known nothing of a municipal partnership. The first township council consisted of Francis Waters, William Freeman, Jos. Waugh and James Elder, with David Scott, jun., as reeve, 2 C. W. W. Dalton 3 as township clerk, and Eichard Tackaberry as township treasurer. The earliest attempt to establish a manufacturing industry in the township was in 1874, when a saw-mill, built and run by Patrick Judge, was put in operation at Barrow Bay. Some three years later the same man had a grist-mill of one run of stones; this mill was more used for " chopping " than for flour. In 1879 a bonus of $1,600 was given by the townships to Eobert Watt 4 to erect a grist and saw-mill at Lion's Head. This mill was completed and running in the month of July in the following year, and for years the hum of its machinery might be heard until in an unfortunate fire it was burned down in 1889. This mill has been replaced by an excellent 1 The first municipal election was held at the schoolhouse for S. S. No. 1, C. W. W. Dalton being returning officer. 2 The following are the names of those who have been reeves, of Eastnor from 1878 onwards: David Scott, 1878, '79, 1880; William Hale, 1881; Eobert Watt, 1882, '84; Thomas Boyle, 1883; Alex. Chisholm, 1885, '86, 1892, '93 and '94; F. W. Stewart, 1887; E. E. Moore, 1888, '89, 1890, '91; John H. Cook, 1895, '96, '98, '99, 1900, '01 and '05; Eobert Bain, 1897; Thomas J. Bridge, 1902, '03 and '04; W. B. Moshier, 1906. 3 C. W. W. Dalton filled the office of township clerk until March, 1905, when he removed from Eastnor to the Niagara District. 4 Eobert Watt subsequently became reeve of Eastnor, and later, while residing at Wiarton, he was elected a county councillor, and in 1903 warden of the county of Bruce. In 1905 he retired from business, that of a saw-miller and lumberman, left Wiarton, and moved to Toronto. 246 LION'S HEAD roller-process mill built by a joint stock company. In 1883 Messrs. Judge and Inksetter built a steam saw-mill at Barrow Bay, and there, in 1892, the Barrow Bay Lumber Company built a large, roller- process grist-mill. A number of saw-mills have at various times been put in operation throughout the township, some of which have had to close down because of the growing scarcity of logs. Before the village of Lion's Head had taken form, what was known as Tackaberry's Corners (lot 20 and 21, concessions 4 and 5, E.B.K.) was looked upon as the "hub" of the township. Lion's Head in 1875 consisted only of the post-office (opened in August of that year, with F. W. Stewart as postmaster) and one store, the only store in the township. An old settler furnished the author with a list of prices he had there paid for necessaries of life. As these backwoods prices contrast markedly with those of the present day, they are here given as received: Axes, $2.50 each; coal-oil, 50c. a gallon; salt, 5c. Ib. ; tobacco, $1.25 Ib. ; tea, lowest price, 75c. per Ib. ; pork, 19c. Ib. ; scythe stones, 37 l-2c. each. The village of Lion's Head takes its name from the resemblance to a lion's head to be discerned on a rocky cliff lying about a mile east of the harbor. At one time the resemblance was quite marked, but the action of the elements is causing the likeness to fade away. As noted in a previous paragraph, in 1875 the village consisted only of a store and post-office. A visitor in the fall of 1879 states that there was then in course of erection a number of dwelling-houses, two hotels, a store, a grist-mill and a planing-mill, while there was in operation a saw-mill, a pump factory, two stores and a blacksmith shop, the stores being run by F. W. Stewart and George P. Webster, while the population was estimated to be about 100. Another visitor in 1882 estimates the population as 200, with two hotels, one a brick building, and five stores. The spiritual needs of the residents at Lion's Head and vicinity seemed to have been first attended to by a Eev. Mr. Leggett, a Methodist minister. The Presbyterians seemed to have be.en a little later in entering upon this field, but met with strong support, and erected the first church edifice in the township. The first minister of this denomination to labor in this field was the Rev. W. M. Rogers; this was in 1879. He was followed by a Mr. McKibbon, a student from one of the Presbyterian colleges, in the summer of 1880, the services being held in the summer months in the old Webster mill, and when the weather became unsuitable for services there they were held in the house of Mr. Robert Watt, where also was held the first tea-meeting in the settlement. A Mr. Marr, DEBENTUKES 247 another student, filled this field in the summer of 1881, and in the following year the Eev. Mr. McLennan was inducted as pastor of the congregation, which already had erected a church building 22x40 feet. This building was dedicated May 22nd, 1881. This congregation was advanced to the status of a self-sustaining congre- gation when the Eev. T. A. Nelson was inducted as its pastor January 10th, 1905. The Church of England had a representative stationed at Lion's Head in the person of the Eev. Mr. Hutchison in the fall of 1882. He was successful in stirring up his flock to proceed to the erection of a church edifice, the foundation stone of which was laid May 3rd, 1883. The building is 50 x 26 feet, built of frame on a stone foundation, and exhibits good taste in its architecture. Not far from this church edifice is to be seen the Eastnor township hall, a very neat structure, erected in 1897, and admirably fitted for public gatherings. It is claimed to be the best township hall in the county. When the County Council in 1879 made a refund to the four northern townships of part of their arrears of county rates, on account of previous over-assessment during the five years preceding, the united townships of Eastnor, Lindsay and St. Edmunds received a rebate of $438.76, which was a very welcome relief to an impover- ished municipality. Eastnor, although not a wealthy township, has from the first exhibited a broad-mindedness in the matter of public improvements that is commendable. The first step in this direction was the giving of a bonus of $1,600 towards the erecting of a grist-mill at Lion's Head. This was followed by an issue of debentures amounting to $6,000 to improve the roads. The three extensive drainage schemes within the township have also cost a large sum. In all, Eastnor has issued debentures to the amount of $34,000, all for public improvements, as shown in a footnote. 1 When the townships of Lindsay and St. J LisT OF DEBENTURES ISSUED BY THE TOWNSHIP OF EASTNOR. In the year 1879 To bonus a Grist Mill $1,600 1880 For improving public roads 6,000 1884-85 Judge Creek Drainage Scheme 7,200 1896 Fern Creek Drainage Scheme 2,300 1901 Judge Creek Drainage Scheme, 2nd issue.... 10,000 1906 Judge Creek Drainage Scheme, 3rd issue .... 2,800 1906 Fern Creek Drainage Scheme, 2nd issue 1,200 1906 Swan Lake Drainage Scheme 1,400 1906 For Granolithic Sidewalks at Lion 's Head 1,500 $34,000 In addition to the above the various school sections have issued deben- tures to erect schoolhouses. 248 DRAINAGE Edmunds separated from Eastnor they were, with the latter town- ship, liable for the two lirst issues of debentures above-mentioned, amounting to $7,600. The arrangement arrived at at the time of separation was somewhat as follows, namely: Eastnor, as the senior township, was to assume this indebtedness, and Lindsay and St. Edmunds agreed to pay three-eighths of the required annual rate to Eastnor during the seventeen years the debentures had to run. Of the several drainage schemes of the township, that known as the Judge Creek Scheme drains the land back of Barrow Bay, the Fern Creek Scheme the lands lying west of Lion's Head, and the Swan Lake Scheme lands lying north-west of Lion's Head. The lands to be benefited are expected to become in time the garden of the township. The engineering difficulties met with in the Judge Creek drain consisted in the enlarging of the bed of the creek by blasting the rock, an undertaking of some magnitude. This was done by a contractor from Toronto. The almost dead level of the land in the Fern Creek district presented an engineering difficulty of another sort, it being difficult to obtain the necessary fall for a rapid flow of water. Besides Lion's Head there are but three villages in Eastnor, Barrow Bay, Spry and Stokes Bay, the last-mentioned being the most flourishing of the three. John Shute has had part of lots 38 and 39, concession 3, W.B.E., surveyed and subdivided into the lots which comprise the village of Stokes Bay. Sanguine expectations are held as to the ultimate development of the village, as it has the trade of a good part of Lindsay and St. Edmunds, and also a good wharf, so that shipments can readily be made from there. The lighthouse on Lyal Island, at the entrance to Stokes Bay, has been a guide to mariners since 1885. CHAPTEK XVI. r TOWNSHIP OF LINDSAY* EXTRACT FROM THE EEPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1879. " Lindsay and St. Edmunds. It would be difficult to place any value on these townships, as we have not seen any land fit for cultivation, and not more than a dozen settlers, and one saw-mill in the whole of the two townships. The greater part of the land that was purchased in these .townships was bought for the timber, and when that was taken off the land was abandoned. We set it down at $1.50 per acre." EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. ' ' Owing to the limited time at our disposal, we are unable to give complete reports of the townships of Lindsay and St. Edmunds. These townships possess very little good land. St. Edmunds is largely a waste. The inhabitants of Dyer's 'Bay and Tobermory sections are at a great disadvantage, being so far removed from a line of railroad, and the roads leading to those places are in an almost impassable condition. Land is sp sparsely settled that it is utterly out of the power of the people of these townships to maintain the roads. Their lines have not fallen to them in pleasant places, certainly not their concession lines. ' ' THE first sale of lands in the township of Lindsay was made in the year 1870. Previous, however, to any sales of land the pioneer settler of Lindsay, Abraham West, had come into the township and located. The land he selected was lot 5, concession 2, W.B.E., and on that lot the first clearing in the township was made. The first neighbor Mr. West had was William Clark, who settled on land but four lots south. The little settlement progressed but slowly in num- -bers; the census of 1871 gives the number of the inhabitants of the whole township as twenty. By 1879, however, the population had so grown as to warrant the establishing of a school section and the building of a school-house. The first Board of Trustees consisted of John Kelly, George Ceasor and Alexander McDonald. The school- house, built of logs, was at "McDonald's" (lot 4, con. 1, W.B.R.), and the first teacher who therein imparted instruction was a Miss Hurst, who was succeeded by Miss Christie Stringer. J The name this township bears is said to have been given in honor of Earl Lindsay. 251 252 WANT OF ROADS The roads in Lindsay could not at any time, by any stretch of the imagination, be called good; in fact, it has only been in very late years that it has been possible to drive safely a buggy on either of the two main roads which lead through the township. The west side main road of the Peninsula was opened through to Lindsay in the year 1870, and that from Lion's Head to Dyer's Bay in 1880. The following anecdote, related of one of the pioneers, will illustrate the hardships they endured from lack of roads passable by a team : One of the settlers went to Owen Sound and bought six bushels of potatoes, which he had taken to Lion's Head by boat, and then had to carry them on his back the rest of the way home, a distance of some nine miles. Another undertook to carry home a barrel of flour. He was not an especially strong man, so had the flour placed in two bags. One of these he would carry for a bit, and "while resting," as he called it, would go back for the other bag and carry that up to or beyond the first. This was repeated again and again until a number of miles were covered and home reached at last. A number of Lindsay's early settlers were young men of Highland origin who came from the township of Huron. Prominent among hem was Alexander McDonald, referred to more fully in a footnote. 1 It was some ten years or more after the first settlers had located in Lindsay before they had the luxury of a post-office in their own township. Previous to 1881 they were dependent upon the post-office at Mar, Lion's Head or Spry for their supply of mail matter. In the year just mentioned a post-office was established, known as " Stokes Bay," 2 but at first located on lot 5, concession 2, W.B.K., Lindsay. In the same year " Dyer's Bay " 3 post-office was established. This proved a great convenience to those settled in the eastern part of the township. The municipal history of Lindsay is as follows: On the 1st Alexander McDonald settled in Lindsay in 1877. He was for many years reeve of the township and also county commissioner, which position he filled at the time of his death, which occurred in June, 1903. Mr. McDonald was an active Christian man and at the schoolhouse above mentioned he started a Sunday-school, of which he was superintendent until his death; he also, in the absence of a settled minister, conducted regularly a weekly prayer-meeting; through his efforts a church building was also erected. When Mr. McDonald first became reeve the township was largely in debt; under his judicious, cautious and economical guidance this debt was much reduced. J Wm. Lyons was first postmaster; he was succeeded by John Gibson, an them. The fire is said to have been of incendiary origin. However it arose, the fire killed Inverhuron, and to-day, as one gazes at its- mounds of white, shifting sand, it is hard to believe a flourishing village ever existed there. On a map of the township of Bruce, some three or four miles north of Inverhuron, there will be seen the two town-plots of Port Bruce and Malta. Those adjoin one another, and together surround the expanse of water that bears the name of " Baie de Dore." 1 This bay impresses a stranger who views it for the first time, as possessing in a marked degree the shelter required in a harbor of refuge; as such, however, the bay can be used to only a limited extent, owing to the presence of extensive rocky shoals extend- ing under the -waters of the bay. The two town-plots mentioned above were surveyed at the same time. In the year 1855 George Butchart had the survey made of Port Bruce, and Capt. A. Murray McGregor that of Malta. The first settler at Port Bruce was Duncan Bannerman; he was also the first merchant. In the same line of business there were Cowan & Brownlee, and Walter MacFarlane & Co., John Lindsay ran a sawmill, and Wm. Turner and D. McCannell kept hotels, and Geo. Bridges did a conveyancing business. The total number of inhabitants was about 150. At Malta, 'Murray McGregor's two brothers, John and Gregor, put up the first sawmill ; this, however, was burnt in the fall of 1858. The post-office, estab- lished in 1856, was in charge of W. Chisholm. George and John 'This spelling is said to be a corruption of what is claimed to be the original French name Baie du Card; or, Bay of Darts applicable, owing; to the large fields of reeds at the south end of the bay. 324 UNDERWOOD Foard were shipbuilders. In all there were about 125 inhabitants in Malta. These two adjoining villages seemed to be thriving and likely to develop into an important commercial centre, when, on July 4th, 1862, a conflagration wiped the two villages out of existence. Only one house was left. The inhabitants lost everything; not having the means to rebuild, there was no recovery from the blow, and the villages were not. The names are almost forgotten, and the locality where Port Bruce and Malta stood is now known as Baie de Dore. Underwood became a post-office in 1863. J. H. Coulthard was the first to hold the position of postmaster. He also had a pearl-ash factory and kept a store; from these the village appears to have developed. An hotel, of course, was early there, the " Green Bush," kept by Charles McLean. The addition of a sawmill in 1870, a grist mill in 1875, and also a cheese factory in the same year, and the building of two churches, with the location of the township hall there, helped to make Underwood the municipal, business and social centre of a large portion of the township. 1 But the greatest impetus that Underwood received was from the wiping out of the competition exerted by Port Bruce and Malta. The bulk of the trade which had gone to these villages previous to their destruction by fire naturally drifted to Underwood, as well as some of the population of the two defunct villages. Glammis 2 is situated at the junction of three townships, and while noticing it among the villages of the township of Bruce, the author is aware that it would have been as appropriate to include it in the chapter on Greenock or Kincardine townships. It was in 1852 when the first settlers at Glammis 3 took up their farm lots. Their names were Allan Eoss and Duncan Campbell. At that time there was no J Of the two churches above referred to, the first erected was a frame building built about 1869 by the united efforts of the Presbyterians and Baptists, who jointly worshipped there. The latter denomination ultimately sold its share in the building to the Presbyterians, who now own the edifice. The second church mentioned was built by the Methodists in 1876. It is a brick building and cost in the vicinity of $1,800. 2 " Glammis " is the spelling adopted by our Post Office authorities. The inhabitants of the village prefer spelling it " Glamis, " which agrees with the present spelling of ' ' Glamis Castle, ' ' Forf arshire, Scotland. But there the word is pronounced as if spelled ' ' Glams. ' ' There seems to be no reason to doubt that the village is named after Glamis Castle, made famous in Shakespeare 's ' ' Macbeth. ' ' "The author desires to acknowledge his indebtedness for many of the facts here given to an historical sketch of Glammis village, prepared by F. H. Leslie, and published in 1900. GLAMMIS 325 thought of a village developing there; but in time a Presbyterian congregation was formed in the locality, and there, in 1858, they erected a fine hewed log building as a church in which to worship. Then, in 1860, a post-office was opened, and the place had a name. James Crawford, the first merchant, became also the first postmaster. E. W. Harrison, in 1867, was the next to open a store, and he acted as postmaster for many years. The first sawmill is said to have been built by one John Fraser. This passed into the hands of M. J. Mclntyre. It was ultimately purchased by Thos. Pickard, and the business, with a new mill, is now run by T. Pickard & Son. The Presbyterian church remained unplastered for about five years after being erected, and was used until 1896, when it was replaced by the present handsome edifice. The Baptists built a modest building for a church in 1866, which was used until 1884, when a new church was built across the street. The Methodists in 1889 built the church they now occupy. This little village gives evidence of developing, and promises to continue the business centre for the immediate dis-> trict surrounding it. If the annals of the early school days in Bruce could be written by the pen of a " Ealph Connor," they would prove to be an interest- ing chapter in the experiences of a new settlement in the bush. The author is pleased to acknowledge the kindness of the Rev. N. D. McKinnon in supplying some recollections of his early school days spent in a Bruce school. As he remembers it, the school buildings at first were generally of logs. The furniture was the simplest pos- sible, consisting of a long desk along each side of the room, with corresponding benches for the pupils to sit on. The walls adorned with but few maps. The blackboard, about 3x4 feet, on which, with a piece of carpenter's chalk, problems in mathematics were worked out. Instruction was to a large extent conveyed by a " tan- ning process." There was a teacher in S. S. No. 14 in the year 1864, well remembered because of his severity, who on one occasion punished a girl so unreasonably that her enraged father came td the school with the intent of dealing out summary justice t<3 the teacher, had not the latter circumnavigated the area around the stove so nimbly that he could not be caught. As a last resort the father called his children out of the school, and other parents who had come to witness the teacher being thrashed, did likewise. For the remain- ing three months to the end of the year the regular attendance of 326 SCHOOLS OF BRUCE scholars was one lonely boy, varied by the occasional appearance of three others toward the end of the term. But there were other teachers of a different type. One school in the township (S.S. No. 13) attained more than a local reputation for the interest manifested in higher education. A teacher in the person of Peter McTavish was secured for this school, a man of scholarly attainments, filled with an intense desire to^ impart instruction. That this enthusiasm was recognized is shown by the fact that grown-up men and women, from not only Bruce but Saugeen, came to satisfy their thirst at this foun- tain of knowledge. As a result of such a teacher, the honor-roll of men and women from this school who have, in their several ways, made a name for themselves in the battle of life will favorably com- pare with that of any other school in the county. Of these the fol- lowing entered the ministry : the Eev. D. Finlay, Eev. J. M. McLeod, Rev. Donald McGillivray (missionary to China), Eev. John McGilli- vray, Eev. Malcolm McGillivray, Eev. N. D. McKinnon, Eev. Albert Jones, Eev. Jacob Howe, and Dr. Margaret McKellar (medical mis- sionary in India). Of teachers, those who have entered the pro- fession from this school are the following : A. H. Smith, James McKinnon, Charles Cameron, D. McKinnon, Mrs. P. McTavish, Mrs. J. Anderson, and others. The churches in which the people of the township worshipped are mostly mentioned elsewhere in this chapter, or in that on Tiverton. Of those not to be so found are two churches of the United Brethren in Christ, on the fifth concession. Originally there was but one con- gregation, but when the denomination at large divided on some point, this congregation followed suit, the seceders building for themselves a brick church not far from the site of the parent one. The Presbyterian church on the Saugeen boundary, known as that of the Queen's Hill, or North Bruce congregation, was built in 1866. Its first minister was the Eev. Wm. Matheson ; following him was the Eev. John Scott, D.D., inducted April 28th, 1875. The minister at present in charge is the Eev. Hector McQuarrie. At first the congregation at North Bruce was united to one on the eighth con- cession at Gresham, known as the Centre Bruce congregation. This union was dissolved, North Bruce becoming united with St. An- drew's, Saugeen, and Centre Bruce with the Underwood congregation. Of public works on which the municipality has spent money, the .township of Bruce has but little to show, the drainage of the hem- DRAINAGE 327 lock swamp on the fourth concession being about all. Debentures for $800 were issued to pay for this work, which was carried out in the late seventies. The first settlers in Bruce township were largely natives of Scot- land, or of Scotch parentage; their descendants of to-day evidence by their general prosperity and by the honorable position they occupy in the community at large that they are worthy descendants of the sturdy, God-fearing Scotch settlers who, dreading not the hardships of pioneer life in the bush, have been instrumental in making the township of Bruce what it is to-day, one of the most prosperous in the county. CHAPTEK XXIII. VILLAGE OF TIVERTON.^ IT was in the fall of 1850 that the primeval forest that covered the present site of Tiverton was entered by its -first settler, Timothy Allan. The survey of the north part of Kincardine Township had just been completed, but that part of the township of Bruce in which Tiverton lies had not been commenced. For several years the work of clearing the bush went steadily on before the idea of a village at that spot was thought of. It was the fortune of the author, in the spring of 1857, to tramp along the "Boundary Line" from Inver- huron east to the fifteenth side-road, but he cannot recall of then seeing any evidence of the village that subsequently was developed. It was, however, in the same year that Norman Mclnnis there opened a store, and it is probably the year which Tiverton may claim as that when it commenced to take form; but it was 1860 before it became known by the name it now bears, that is, when " Tiverton " was given as the name of the post-office then opened. The one store was the most suitable place for the office, so naturally the postmastership was given to Norman Mclnnis, of whom it may be said in passing, he, as much as anyone else, deserves the honor of being called the founder of the village. He it was who opened the first store and also the first manufacturing industry of the place, which was a pot and pearl-ash factory, which he commenced to operate in September, 1860. The next industry added to this was a wool-carding mill run by A. McBain, which mill at a later date passed into the hands of James McLeod. About the end of the sixties a grist mill was added to the industries of the village, John McLeod being the miller. John ir The name of a town in Devonshire, England. It is said that Norman Mclnnis and the other petitioners, when applying for a post-office, sug- gested the name " St. Andrews." This the Department would not agree to, there being another post-office of that name. Of several names offered " Tiverton " was chosen, it being the name of the borough for which Lord Palmerston, the English Prime Minister, sat in Parliament, and this no doubt had something to do with the choice made. 328 CHURCHES 329 Dewar, also, about the same time, opened a store, the second in Tiv- erton. From this time, and for the next ten or twelve years Tiverton became somewhat of a market. The grain there purchased used to be delivered at one of the warehouses at Inverhuron; this business ceased with the burning of these warehouses in 1882, as they never,, were rebuilt. It was during these years the village attained to its highest notch as a business centre, and new industries were started, among which were a sawmill, a planing-mill and machine shop, but the largest and most prominent of them was John McDonald's tan- nery, which employed about twenty-five hands and had an output of about $20,000 worth of leather per annum. In 1874 The Watchman, Tiverton's newspaper, was founded by Alfred Eobinson, who, after publishing it for a few years, sold out to John Pollard, who conducted the paper until 1890 ; since that date three or four different publishers have supplied, through the columns of The Watchman, the village with its local and general news. The congregation now known as that of Knox Church, Tiverton, when first organized was called the congregation of South Bruce, and worshipped in a log building at Sinclair's Corners. In 1860 a new frame church was built at Tiverton, and the first settled pastor, the Rev. Alex. McKay, was that same year inducted into his first charge. The Eev. John Anderson 1 in 1870 commenced a long pastorate of a quarter of a century. He was followed in the pastorate, for the years 1895-97, by the Eev. J. Stevens, and he by the present incumbent, the Eev. K. McLennan, D.D. In 1868 Glammis was united with the Tiverton congregation; the union, however, was but temporary. On July 2nd, 1900, the corner-stone was laid of the handsome and com- modious brick edifice in which this congregation now worships. A good deal was made of the opportunity thus offered and rightly so to refer back to the early days of the congregation, and many out- siders were in attendance. The dedicatory services were held Jan- nary 6th, 1901, the Eev. Principal Grant, of Queen's University, officiating. The Baptist congregation was organized in 1855, under the zeal- ous efforts of the Eev. Wm. Fraser, who used to walk from his farm at Lome to Tiverton every Sunday, where he conducted services in *On October 14th, 1904, the Eev. Mr. Anderson commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination. A number of members of the Presbytery of Bruce were present to unite with his old congregation in offering congratulations. 330 INCORPORATION English and Gaelic. The year 1857 was that in which the first church was built ; the present one was built in 1865. 1 One week and a day after the corner-stone of Knox Church was laid, the Methodists of Tiverton engaged in a similar ceremony. This congregation, feeling that the day of frame buildings for church edifices was past, have erected a commodious brick church. Being somewhat out of the main current of the world's* activities, Tiverton in the early days had at times to depend upon local effort to conduct its religious meetings. In illustration of this, the writer recalls an incident related to him at the time, which was somewhere about 1862. The annual meeting of the Bible Society was announced for a certain evening, at which an address was to be given by a trav- elling agent of the Society. The evening came, and with it a fair number in attendance, but no agent of the Society. The roads were heavy, so allowance was made for that. To hold the audience together until the expected speaker arrived, the chairman announced, "We will sing the 119th Psalm. (This, the reader will remember, contains 176 verses.) The tune, some familiar one such as " Bal- erma/' was raised, and bravely the audience started to sing, and sing they did through thirty-two verses, when the flow of psalmody was stopped by the arrival of the Bible Society agent. The County Council of Bruce passed a by-law, December 5th, 1878, incorporating the village of Tiverton. According to the " Mu- nicipal Act," it was necessary that three months elapse before the by-law could become operative ; this was overlooked, and the election of a reeve and councillors took place on the last Monday of Decem- ber. To correct this oversight it was necessary to have the House of Assembly pass an act, which it did (42 Vic. chap. 43), to confirm the 'This little church has made a record that many a city church might be proud of in the number of ministers it has sent out to preach the Gospel. Among those who have thus gone forth might be mentioned : Rev. A. A. Cameron, of First Church, Ottawa ; Rev. J. P. McEwen (late Superintendent of Home Missions) ; Rev. P. A. McEwen, B.A., York Mills ; Rev. James McEwen, B.Th., Wiarton. ; Rev. J. R. Coutts, Field Secretary of Brandon College ; Rev. Wm. Holbin, White Lake ; Rev. P. C. Cameron, B.A., Paris ; Rev. Duncan Menzies (deceased) ; Rev. C. J. Cameron, B.A., Field Secretary of McMaster University ; Rev. Carey M. Cameron (deceased); Rev. Archibald Reekie, Bolivia Mission ; Rev. Lach. McLean, Michigan ; Ebenezer Cameron, B.A., student pastor at Reaboro ; Rev. W. P. Reekie, B.A., Sparta ; Rev. E. J. McEwen, Uxbridge ; Rev. T. T. Shields, Adelaide Street, London ; Henry Lowick, student at Chicago ; Rev. P. A. MeDiarmid, B.A., Rochester ; Rev. Edgar Shields, Kincardine ; Rev. P. H. McEwen, Vancouver ; Rev. D. P. McLaurin ; Rev. Alex. Kippen (deceased); and Rev. D. S. McEwen about twenty-five in all. FIRE OF 1897 331 by-law and also the election of reeve and councillors. Their names were as follows: Reeve John C. McEwen; councillors John Mc- Aulay, Joseph Robertson, John McLeod and G. B. Lamont. The first village officials were : Duncan Cameron, clerk ; Norman Mclnnis, treasurer; Donald Robertson, assessor; and George Dayton, col- lector. The names of the various reeves of Tiverton and their years of office are as follows: John C. McEwen, 1879, 1880, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888; John McDonald, 1881; J. J. Fee, 1882, 1883, 1884; John Pollard, 1889/1890; John McKellar, 1891, 1892, 1893; M. L. McKinnon, 1894, 1896, 1897; R. Ballantyne, 1895; Dr. W. J. Chambers, 1898, 1900, 1901; D. A. McLaren, 1899; N. McClure, 1902, 1903 ; J. H. McKay, 1904, 1905 ; A. McKinnon, 1906. In the fall of 1897 Tiverton suffered from an extensive fire, which caused serious loss of property in the business portion of the village, most of the principal shops being among the buildings then destroyed. In view of this severe loss, the County Council refunded to the village the amount of the county rates for that year. The buildings destroyed have been replaced by handsome structures, and it is ques- tionable if any village of its size in the county can show such up-to- date shops as Tiverton. The public school building is one of good size built of brick, and cost about $3,500. The frame building previously used for school purposes has been turned into a town hall. In this building the author, in June, 1882, made the only political speech he ever attempted. The circumstance is here mentioned only to illustrate the political leanings of the electorate of Tiverton at that time. The meeting referred to was in the interests of J. H. Scott, the Conserva- tive candidate for West Bruce. There was at that time only one Con- servative elector residing in Tiverton, and he refused to act as chair- man of the meeting to be held; so a Liberal, John McDonald, the tanner, was asked and kindly consented to act as chairman at this meeting held in the interests of the Conservative party. Mr. McDon- ald did this, no doubt, much against his inclinations, but it was a gracious act. The meeting did but little to change the politics of Tiverton at that time, but other causes have been at work, and the political parties are not now so one-sided. The one Conservative vote of 1882, had been multiplied in 1904 by more than thirty fold. The subdivision of farm lots into village lots by a registered plan occurred in the following order and at the dates given. The first was made in October, 1868, and was of the west half of lot 1, conces- 332 SURVEYS sion 12, Kincardine. This was followed, in September, 1870, by one of lot 60, concession " C," Kincardine, and in May, 1873, by one of lot 1, concession 1, Bruce, and in October, 1874, by one of lot " J," concession 1, Bruce. These, with other subdivisions of farm lots, were combined in 1879 into what is known as the " Corporation Plan," comprising the five hundred acres contained in the village proper. It is a pleasure to note that the business founded by Norman Mclnnis in 1857, and which was the germ from which Tiverton developed, is still flourishing, although the respected founder has passed to his rest. Another store in the village is that of John McKellar, a man who has helped to make Tiverton a business place. His name is associated with cheese manufactories, as well as with the mercantile interests of the place. Another of the business firms of Tiverton is that of Ballantyne & Ord, both members of the firm being long identified with the making of the village. At the time of its incorporation Tiverton claimed to have a pop- ulation of 834. This must have been an error, for two years later, by the census of 1881, the population was only 545. Tiverton is the smallest municipality in the county, but this designation will be changed when that day comes when the projected electric railway reaches and makes a town of Tiverton. Subsequent to the writing of the foregoing, Tiverton has suffered again by fire. On July 19th, 1906, the grist mill owned by McCracken Bros, was burned. As there is a doubt about this indus- try being rebuilt in as complete a form as before the fire, the injury to the village can be appreciated. CHAPTER XXIV. TOWNSHIP OF CARRICK.i EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1879. " This we found to be the best adapted township for stock and dairy farming of any in the county, on account of its numerous springs, and its soil, which is mostly loam mixed with limestone, which is better for grazing and root growing than stiff clay. There is a strip of very rough, gravelly land running through it, termed ' ' The Forty Hills, ' ' which is very inferior land, but the balance of the township is mostly ordinary land. It has the best outbuildings of any township in the county, and has a large amount of village property. Its average price per acre is $35.25." EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. ' ' There is a great deal of very good land in this township, and there is considerable quantity of the roughest land to be found in the county. The latter applies to the south-western portion of the township, nevertheless the settlers seem to be very industrious and prosperous, even in the worst sections. Land is selling readily and at good prices. The township is well watered with spring creeks, and stiff clay is not to be found. The facilities for making roads are good, gravel is abundant, and as a result good roads prevail. Buildings and fences are good and farms well kept and clean. Carrick has good railroad facilities, and is also close to the county town. The Elora Road, running diagonally through the township, causes a number of gores in each concession. The rate per acre is $39.13, of which the village property is $4.30 per acre. ' ' THE township of Carrick was settled with greater rapidity than possibly any other township in the county. There were several rea- sons for this. The lands, being Crown lands, were to be had at a lower price ($1.50) than School lands. Then a rumor got abroad regarding the quality of the soil, to the effect that this township contained the choicest farm lands that were opened for sale in this district, a fact sufficient in itself to explain why settlers entered with a rush. In 1850-51 A. P. Brough laid out the Elora Road from the north-west corner of Carrick down to the township of Maryborough, staking out the lots in Carrick on concessions " C " and " D " on each ^he title of Earl of Carrick was one borne by Robert the Bruce, and now by the eldest son of the Sovereign of Great Britain. 335 336 FIRST SETTLERS side of the road; the rest of the township was surveyed in 1852 by J. D. Daniel. Prior to survey several squatters had entered and taken up lands in the northerly part of the township. Among these were John Hogg, 1 Andrew Hutton, Louis Fournier and John Toran- jeau. These men squatted on their lots in the summer of 1851. Shortly after the survey was finished the rush to locate farm lots commenced. Although the lands were not in the market, and were not offered for sale until the " Big Land Sale," held in September, 1854 2 long before that date every lot in the township was squatted upon. Early in 1853 the inflow of settlers into Cariick commenced. Prominent among those who took up land in the township in this year were Win. Dickison, Edward Hickling, Wm. Thomson, who set- tled in the north-eastern part of the township; Angus, Eobert and John McPhail, Samuel Clendening and his sons, Thomas, William and Charles; Eobert A. Morden, Abraham Johnston, Charles, Thomas and Frederick Jasper, Alexander and Donald McKay, Eob- ert Wills and Arthur Deacon, who settled nearer the centre of the township. The first settlers to take up land in the vicinity of Mild- may were Eobert Young, James Grey, Thomas Liscoe, Andrew J As the first settler in Carrick, John Hogg deserves a short biographical sketch. John Hogg was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1844 he came with his parents, to Canada, being at that time fourteen years of age. The family settled in the county of Renfrew. In 1850 John Hogg came to Bruce. After working in the vicinity of Walkerton he, in the following year, squatted on land which, when the survey was made, proved to be lots 18, on concessions 13 and 14, of that township, for which lots he subsequently obtained a patent. On entering the bush, of money he had little, and his outfit consisted of little beyond an axe and a few necessary cooking and eating utensils. His bed was but a pile of hemlock brush spread out on the usual single-posted bedstead. (This backwoods bedstead was always found in the corner of the shanty, the walls of which supported three corners so that only one post was needed.) The staple article of his diet at first was potatoes. After he had grown wheat he had to take it to Durham to be ground. He relates that on one occasion, after a long and tedious journey with a yoke of oxen, he reached Durham without any money, so he could not go to the hotel for a meal. By and by a bag of his grist was filled up and he proceeded to relieve the pangs of hunger. The process of baking was as follows : The top of the bag was thrown down, exposing the flour, some water was poured into it and the two were mixed into a batter; this was kneaded roughly into dough in the form of a scone and placed upon the top of the stove used for heating the mill, and baked, first on one side, then on the other. It required the digestion of a backwoodsman to .digest such an article of diet. Mr. Hogg took an interest in the municipal matters of the township and was deputy reeve in the years 1864 and 1865. He was prominently connected with the Walkerton -Presbyterian Church. He was married in 1857 to Miss Bell, who survived him. His end came on February 1st, 1902." 'See Appendix K. GERMAN SETTLERS 337 Dunbar and his son James, Joseph Young, Samuel Carr, Adam Johnston, James Clark, James Butchart, John Reddon and his bro* ther-in-law, John Campbell, Alex. McLaren and Thomas B. Taylor. These were followed by John, Peter and Thomas Shennan, who set" tied at Balaclava. The south-western part of the township shortly afterwards received its pioneer settlers, among whom were Anthony Wynn, Thomas McMichael, Henry McDermott, George, John and Thomas Inglis, James and Adam Darling. It may be safely stated that all of the foregoing entered the county by way of the Durham Road, as the Elora Road was not chopped out until the summer of 1854, the work being done by Joseph Bacon, as mentioned in Chap- ter V. Carrick is distinct among the townships of the county in having a large percentage of its inhabitants claiming either German birth or descent; in fact, in many portions of the township the German element forms the majority of the population. The first body of those of this nationality to settle in the county were those commonly called " Pennsylvania Dutch," Mennonites in religion, . who settled in the township of Saugeen. Carrick received the next contingent, who settled in 1853-54 in the vicinity of Formosa ; these were largely natives of the southerly part of Germany or from Alsace. Prominent among them were Michael Fischer, Joseph and Michael Seitz, Andrew Zettle, Philip Hauck, Anthony Schumacher, J.P. (commonly known as "Baier Tony"), Michael Mosack and Charles Uhrich. This class of settlers had resided long enough in "New Germany," Waterloo County, to acquire a knowledge of Canadian ways of farming, and as a class were well-to-do settlers. Others who about the same time settled in the eastern part of the township were Matthias Bickel, P. Binkle, Henry Evers, Peter and Jacob Eckel, John Bieman, John and Matthias Stroder and Henry Dahmer. In the centre of the township, in the vicinity of Deemerton, there settled Andrew, 1 Anthony and Thomas Diemert, Peter and Joseph Emel, John and Jacob Wiegand. The earliest German settlers in the vicinity of Mildmay were George, Frederick and Joseph Weiler, Charles Weis- hahn, Ernest, Frederick and Henry Zinn, August and Frederick Kleist. It is to the credit of Carrick that its inhabitants of varied races, different languages and diverse faiths have lived from the first with an entire absence of feeling as to race or creed, markedly 1 Andrew built the first tannery and Anthony the first sawmill at this, point. 338 TOWNSHIP COUNCIL attested all these years by the composite character of the Township Council and its officers. The first assessment made in Carrick was in 1853. At this time Carrick formed part of the municipality of the United Townships in the county of Bruce. Carrick's total assessment for that year was 373, and the amount of the municipal levy 2 9s. 9d. The rapid development in wealth of the township from this year may be seen by an examination of Appendix M. In 1854 the union of all the townships in the county as one municipality was dissolved, and Brant and Carrick as united townships became a municipality. 1 Joseph Walker, of Brant, was the reeve of this municipality for the years 1854-55. In 1856 this last-mentioned union was dissolved, and Car- rick commenced its separate municipal existence. The first meeting of the Township Council was held at Balaclava, at John Shennan's tavern, on January 21st, 1856. The council consisted of Michael Fischer, Seth Rogers, Wm. Me Vicar, Peter Me Vicar and A. Diemert, James Gorsline acting as clerk at this meeting, which elected Peter Me Vicar as reeve. At the second meeting Edmund Savage was appointed to the joint office of clerk and treasurer, which position he held until June, 1872. In a footnote 2 are to be found the names of those who have held the position of reeve of Carrick from the year 1856 to 1906. The township of Carrick has certain natural advantages which have saved it from incurring large financial obligations necessitating the issuing of debentures. Being in a great measure free of swamps *An effort was made in 1854 to have Carrick erected into a separate municipality, as the following extract from the County Council Minutes of Eeport of Special Committee on the separation of union of the townships in Bruce, shows: ' ' Petition of Thomas Liscoe and others praying that the township of Carrick be erected into a distinct municipality. We cannot recommend that the prayer of this petition be complied with, inasmuch as the gross assessment of the township, upon which county taxes are applotted, is only 330, and calculating the county taxes for this year at 2d. in the pound, the whole sum payable by this township would amount to only 2 15s. We respectfully submit that it is quite unnecessary that a reeve should be sent here, at a cost of 12 or 14 to the county, for the purpose of guarding the interests of this township. ' ' 2 List of reeves in the township of Carrick : Peter McVicar, 1856, '57; Michael Fischer, 1858, '59, '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, '65, '66, '67, '73, '74, '75, '76, 1880; Ignatius Kormann, 1868, '69, '70, '71, '72; J. Murphy, M.D., 1877, '78; M. Campbell, 1879; Wm. Dickison, 1881, '82, '83, '84, '85, '86, '87; John Henderson, 1888, '89, '90, '91; George Lobsinger, 1892; Aaron Mover, 1893; C. Liesemer, 1894, '95; James Darling, 1896; James John- ston, 1897; B. E. Clapp, M.D., 1898, '99; L. Lintz, 1900; Moses Filsinger, 1901, '02, '03, '04; Conrad Schmidt, 1905, '06. BALACLAVA 339 it has no scheme of drainage to provide for, and, unlike the township of Brant, to the north, it has no large streams to bridge, with the involved necessity of expensive structures for that purpose. The debentures issued by the township have been on account of the village of Mildmay, for the erection of a school building and to purchase a fire-engine, for which sectional assessments are made. The issue of debentures for the school building was $3,200, and for the fire-engine $4,000. The settlement commenced by the three Shennan brothers at Balaclava seems to have been the first to have taken upon itself the form of a village. John Shennan's tavern there was the first in the township, and the first store in the township was there opened by his brother. For a number of years Balaclava was a thriving little village and was the hub of the township, the municipal nominations and most of the Council meetings being held there. A Presbyterian congregation in connection with the Church of Scotland was there formed about 1861, which along with the congregation at Mount Forest formed a charge over which was settled the Eev. John Hay, a very gifted minister. A post-office established there in 1856 bore the name of " Glenlyon," of which John Shennan was postmaster, his successor in office being William Hay. This office, after remain- ing open for about sixteen years, was closed in 1872. Balaclava at one time had a population of about 150 ; this would be about high- water mark in its best days. The reason for the deca}' of Balaclava was that in the contest for the position of the railway station Mild- may had the good fortune to secure it, as referred to in the follow- ing paragraph. Mildmay commenced to take form as a village about 1867, when Samuel Merner had a survey made of part of lot 26, concession " C." For the first half-dozen years the place was called Mernersville, although the post-office, which was established in 1868, was known as Mildmay. The first postmaster was Donald McLean, who also was the first merchant of the place. The three water, privileges on Otter Creek, in or about Mildmay, have all been used to advantage. The first industry to which water-power was applied was a sawmill erected by Samuel Carr, near the present railway station. A grist- mill is said to have been established by a man named Stewart late in the fifties; of this the author cannot affirm, but in 1867 there was a good grist-mill run by William Murray. The nucleus around -which villages form in a new district is generally a blacksmith shop 340 MILDMAY and an hotel. The first of each of these in Mildmay was started respectively by John Lenhardt and Charles Schiel. Before the rail- way had reached the county of Bruce there were established at Mild- may a woollen factory by Edmund Berry, and a pottery by I. Bit- schey, besides grist and sawmills. Having these industries located, and also having good water-power for further industries, the village of Mildmay presented greater inducements to the railway company for the fixing of their station at that point than could Balaclava, and therefore obtained the coveted prize. Since the opening of the rail- . way Mildmay has made very rapid progress, so much so that it is doubtful if there is another unincorporated village in the province of its size and activity ; certainly it can rightly claim to possess a larger amount of trade than several of the incorporated villages within the county. It has its local newspaper, The Mildmay Gazette, estab- lished about 189.3, a system of electric lighting and banking facili- ties, the Merchants Bank having established an agency there in 1900. Xo village in the county is more loyally supported by the surrounding country than is Mildmay, which fact seems to assure its continued prosperity. Next to Mildmay the most important village in the township of Carrick is Formosa. Its situation is unique, being in a valley through which runs Stoney Creek, supplying water-power to the mills. In this valley there are places where low, rocky cliffs picturesquely intrude themselves upon the line of the highway, 'to avoid which the street has to forsake the usual straight line until the rocks are past. A settlement was formed at this point in 1854, but the village did not take form until some years later. John B. Kroetsch started a sawmill here in the fifties, which was the first industry of the place ; some ten years later he added to this a grist-mill. The first store was kept by A. Schick, and the first hotel by John Kartes. The post-office was established there in 1862, the first postmaster being F. X. Messner. It is not too much to say that Messrs. Anthony and F. X. Messner were the leading spirits of Formosa for about thirty years as storekeepers and private bankers. In a footnote 1 is given ir The death of Mr. Francis X. Messner, which occurred March 10th, 1906, removes a prominent pioneer and philanthropist. In 1862 he, with his brother Anthony, settled in the locality of Formosa, then a dense forest, and started several business enterprises, encouraging settlers and helping them to establish the homes they are now enjoying. An earnest promoter of Catholic education, he built two convents, one in Formosa and another in Walkerton. His philanthrophy was not confined to Bruce; he was ever ready to assist charities throughout Canada. He was most FORWARD 341 a biographical sketch of F. X. Messner which will enable the reader to see why he will be remembered in connection with Formosa as long as the present generation of the village are alive. The inhabitants of Formosa are almost entirely of German or Alsatian birth or descent, and are members of the Eoman Catholic Church. The church they have erected is by long odds the finest ecclesiastical building in the county. It is built of stone. Its dimen- tions are 160 by 60 feet, and its lofty spire, glistening in the sun- light, may be seen for miles around. During the erection of the building services were held in the old frame church erected some twenty years previously, the peculiar feature being that the new building was built around and about the old one, until at last but glimpses of it only could be had through the windows of the building which was being erected. This fine church was opened December 9th, 1883. The first church services at Formosa were held in the old log school-house, that stood on the site of the present school building. The first priest to be stationed at Formosa was the Eev. Father Stier. The Eev. Father Gehl is the priest at present in charge of the parish. After the church the next prominent building in the village is the convent, under the charge of the Sisters de Notre Dame. This build- ing, the gift of A. and F. X. Messner, was 'opened by Bishop Farrel, October 20th, 1872. A boarding-school conducted by the sisters has been well patronized. Some few years ago it was asserted that there were indications of the existence of coal oil at Formosa. An artesian well was sunk over a thousand feet deep, and at one time it was thought that they were on the point of striking oil, but only to be disappointed. Another well not far off was sunk with like result. A fine flow of water comes from these wells, which is all the unfortunate share- holders have to show for their expenditure. A German settlement without a brewery would be incomplete. This need was supplied to Formosa about 1869, when Andrew Eau built his brewery, which, under different owners, is still in operation. In a purely German settlement lager beer is partaken of as one of the ordinary and neces- sary things of life. How much this is so has been evidenced at For- successful in business until an unfortunate enterprise caused him great losses and saddened the last few years of his life, owing to the fact that some of his friends were involved with him. Mr. Messner was a prominent Liberal, and on one occasion received the unanimous nomination in East Bruce for the House of Commons, an honor which he declined. He is survived by his widow. The Globe, Toronto. 342 CARL8RUHE inosa in days now past, where every Sunday morning, after hearing mass, the hotels were filled by the church-goers having a quiet mug of beer before starting on their drive back to the farm; and, strange as it may seem, the license inspectors did not think it advisable to enforce the law there in regard to prohibited hours. Another of the villages of Carrick is Carlsruhe, which derives its name from the capital of the Grand Duchy of Baden, in Germany. Its location is elevated and healthy, and its inhabitants are said to be noted for their sociability. (Deutscher Anstand und Gemuetlich- keit.) A post-office was opened there in 1864, Ignatius Korman being the first postmaster and also the first merchant. His successor was Ernst Seeber. 1 The Roman Catholic church in the village is one of the foremost in the diocese. It is modelled after the cathedral at Roermonde, in Holland, and is of the Romanesque style of architec- ture. It was built in 1873, at a cost of over $15,000. Its numerous stained-glass windows are artistic and worthy of inspection. The first resident priest was the Rev. Franz Rassaerts, M.I.H.S., a man of scholastic attainments and large-heartedness. His death occurred in October, 1886. The present incumbent, the Rev. J. E. Wey, P.L., possesses the affection and respect of his parishioners. There are in the village both a public and a Roman Catholic separate school. Carlsruhe, although not a populous village, has many of the luxuries of larger places, such as electric lights, two daily mails, and is con- nected with the outer world by both telegraph and telephone. Otter Creek, although not a large stream, has been made the most of as a source of power. After driving the mills at Mildmay, it is next used to furnish power to the Saugeen Valley Roller Mill, now owned by Jacob Steinmiller & Son. This mill was originally built in the seventies by Win. H. Clendening and \\ r m. Brown. He failed to make a success of it, and the mill passed into the hands of the Merchants Bank, who sold it in 1886 to Mr. Steinmiller. 2 Under his management the mill has obtained a wide-spread reputation for the high grade of flour produced. It was awarded a bronze medal at the World's Fair at Chicago in 1893. It also carried off the Grand Prix 'Mr. Seeber filled the office of postmaster from 1869 until 1906, except- ing four years which he spent teaching school at Xeustadt. During this interim Albert Goetz held the office. 2 Jacob Steinmiller came to this county from Germany, in 1867. His experience as a miller extends over half a century. He claims to have, in 1875, set up the first roller machinery in the province, the machinery being imported from Vienna by Messrs. Snider, of St. Jacobs. PRIVATE BANK FAILURES 343 at the Paris Exposition of 1900, and a diploma at the International Exposition at Glasgow in 1901. This mill has a capacity of 125 to 150 barrels a day. A large proportion of the flour Mr. Steinmiller grinds is exported. Further down the stream, near where it empties into the Saugeen River, George Harrington in 1862 erected a grist- mill. This was run for about twenty-five years by different proprie- tors, when it unfortunately was burnt down, and has not been rebuilt. One of the first congregations of any denomination to be organ- ized in Carrick was that of the German Evangelical Association on the eleventh concession, which event occurred in 1855. The Rev. D. Dippel was one of the pioneer ministers of this denomination in Car- rick; through his efforts, and those of other workers, not only this church was established, but also one of the same denomination on the seventh concession, and another in Mildmay. The Lutheran church on the eleventh concession was early organized. It is claimed that this was the first Lutheran congregation formed in the county. The first minister was the Rev. Mr. Wunderlich. The farmers of Carrick were heavy losers by the failure of F. X. Messner in 1897, and of the Carrick Banking Company in the follow- ing year, many having deposited their savings with these two firms. These losses have been more than made up during the subsequent years of prosperity, for the farmers of Carrick are thrifty and suc- cessful agriculturists. With such characteristics as these we may always expect to see Carrick among the premier townships of the county of Bruce. CHAPTER XXV. TOWNSHIP OF CULROSS* EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. " We found the greater portion of this township first-class soil and well improved, good buildings, good fences, and in a good state of cultiva- tion. Land is selling at good prices, and is well adapted for all kinds of farming, being well watered and having first-class roads. There is, however, a very rough strip of about two miles and a half along the western boundary, which reduces the average rate per acre very consider- ably, while being very hilly it grows fair crops. Having Teeswater in the centre, with C. P. R. connections, and having Wingham and Mildmay with the G. T. E., within easy reach of southern and eastern borders, the people of Culross enjoy a choice of markets, an advantage no other municipality in the county has got. The north-west part of the township has been considerably improved since the last valuation, in clearing and draining low lands. Some large drains were being constructed when your valuators were there last fall. The rate per acre for this township is $32.90, of which the village property amounts to 79 cents per acre." THE township of Culross, like its neighbors to the north, east and west, namely, the townships of Greenock, Carrick and Kinloss, was classed among those known as Crown lands. The survey of this township took place in 1852, and was made by G. McPhilips. Of all the townships comprised in the original county of Bruce, Culross was the latest in being settled. This may be accounted for by the fact that no leading road entered it. The lands in Culross were opened for sale at the time of the " big land sale," 2 September, 1854. Settlers entered the township in this its first year of settlement, and were fairly numerous, considering they were only squatters. At this time it was part of the united townships of Greenock and Culross, and the amount of assessment for the year 1854 was 2,923. Among the early settlers were the following : Andrew Zettle, Alexander and Archibald Mclntyre, Matthew Hadwin, Thomas Maloney, Charles Irwin, P. B. Brown, James Reid, Charles and James Turner, Michael Brennan, "' Culross " is the name of a royal burgh and district in Perthshire, Scotland, and also is said to be the name of an estate of the Earl of Elgin, the Governor-General at the time the survey of this township was made. 'See Appendix K. 344 EARLY SETTLERS 347 Dougal Campbell, H. Davis, Henry Haldenby, Anthony Shoemaker, Wm. Eoame, Alexander Forsyth, Ira Fulford, John McKague and others whose names the author has not been able to obtain. As an illustration of what the early settlers in Culross passed through, the experience of James Reid is here given. Mr. Reid, being stirred up by a request of the author for an account of his entrance and residence in Culross, wrote a letter in March, 1902, which was published in the Teeswater News. Somewhat abridged, it is here given : " I landed in Culross about the 13th of September, 1854. There were very few shanties in the township, then an unbroken forest, and I was guided by the surveyor's blaze. The lots were all numbered with a sharp iron on a short post put in the ground. I took up the two lots that I am now on, on the 7th concession. Culross was mostly settled with Scotch, Irish and English, the north-east corner with Germans. The " Big Land Sale " was held on the 27th Sept., 1854. A lot of us left here on Monday morning, the 25th, and got to Southampton on Tuesday afternoon. We found it a little place with about two or three hundred of a population, three hotels, and not much accommodation for such a mass of people ; but the weather was all that could be desired. A. McNabb was the Crown Lands Agent. The office was a log building about 16 x 18 feet, with a small window in the back, which was open to permit the buyers to hand in their letters, with 7 10s. enclosed, along with the number of their lots, concession and township. 7 10s. was the first instal- ment. Owing to the crowd it was almost impossible to get to the office window, so Mr. McNabb got two men to carry in these letters from the people. The two men were John Shennan, from Balaclava, Carrick, and Mr. M. McLean, the postmaster at Walkerton. The crowding still continued so great that Mr. McNabb saw a better plan might be adopted, which was as follows : Two constables, whom he had to keep order, told the people to all move back from the office, then two hours would be given to each township at a time, until all the county was attended to. The work went on well and was finished on Saturday afternoon. It took all the week for the sale of the lots, except some inferior lands in the townships which were sold in after years. When the sale was over the people went to their several townships to put up shanties to prepare for the win- ter, many of these being put up in October following. The next thing was to get something to live on all winter, and to get roads opened through the forest. In those days flour and pork were very high in price, owing to the Russian War. Flour was $10 per barrel and pork $10 and $11 per hundred Ibs. Many of us in Culross 348 JAMES REID carried the first flour we used on our backs 16 or 17 miles, but when the snow came we got a man and oxen to bring what we needed. Then, for work through the winter, you would hear axes going and trees falling, everyone anxious to get the forest cut down and to hew out a home. The timber in those days was of no value. In the fall of 1855 we in Culross had no mail service nearer than Mr. Ritchie's, who kept the post office on the Durham line near Ennis- killen, so a few of us met where Teeswater village is now and for- warded an application to the Postmaster-General for mail service, which we soon got, the post-office being named Teeswater after the river. Matthew Had win was the first postmaster. In the summer of '55 and '56 some of the settlers had a little crop and a few cattle. Lumber was much needed to put up buildings for what little crop there was and for the cattle. The need was supplied by the late Peter B. Brown, who had taken up lots 14 and 15 on the 6th con- cession, which forms a part of Teeswater village now. P. B. Brown was an enterprising man. The river crossed the front of his two lots, which gave him a fall of about 8 feet of water, so in the sum- mer of 1855 he built a dam and in the fall he put up a sawmill. In the fall of 1856 he put up a grist mill, which was running in the winter of '56 and '57. The settlers were busy with chopping and logging bees, clearing up their farms and putting up log houses, log barns and also some frame buildings. We were a happy people in those days, and all went on well for years. Culross was, and is, famed as a grain-producing township. I have known a yield of fifty bushels of fall wheat per acre and weighing sixty-four Ibs. per bushel, and of thirty bushels of spring wheat per acre of sixty-two Ibs. per bushel. Being far from market it became quite a task in a stormy winter to get the grain marketed. Clinton, thirty-four miles dis- tant, was the nearest railway station, and it took two days for one trip. Clinton was our market for years. The farmers became very anxious for a nearer market as the quantity of produce increased, so we were well pleased when in the winter of 1869 and '70 Messrs. Laidlaw, Baxter and Dickey came up from Toronto to Teeswater to agitate in a movement for the construction of a narrow gauge railway. Among other things these men made us farmers believe was that we would realize five or six dollars a cord for two foot wood in Toronto. The Company got a bonus of $43,000 from Culross, although only three miles and three-quarters of the road lies within the township, and I think the road was in operation in the year '74, and it ran four or five years. The narrow gauge was not bad in summer, but in a stormy winter it was no good. The little horse was as nothing in a snow drift. One winter it was put in the engine house about the end of January and stayed there until spring. As OTHER PIONEERS 349 the narrow gauge could not do the work required, the Company tried to get another bonus to make the road one of standard broad gauge, but failed, and the road passed into the hands of the Canada Pacific Eailway Company. Culross and Teeswater have had very good rail- way accommodation ever since." As complemental to the foregoing, another interesting narrative of one of the pioneers of Culross, relating his experiences on entering the bush, is here inserted. It has been furnished by Archibald Mclntyre, of that township : " We, the Mclntyre family, consisting of mother, we three brothers and three sisters, left Hinchinbrook, Lower Canada, in the spring of 1854, when the last of the Government Lands in the County of Bruce were to be opened up for sale. We took our teams and waggon and some luggage with us, came up the St. Lawrence, and landing in Hamilton off the steamer Arabian, thankful for having passed in safety through a severe storm on the way up. An older sister "and her husband, who had come to Upper Canada some years previously, were settled in Oneida Township, twenty-five miles out of Hamilton. My oldest brother and myself left the family and stuff with them and started for the bush. We tramped all the way, via Goderich, Kincardine, Greenock, and into Culross until we struck the Teeswater Eiver. As we liked the timber and soil there we went no further. From an uncle in Greenock we obtained axes, flour and tea, and set about underbrushing on the lots on either side of the 15 side-line, in order to establish a claim to those lots. We did not see the face of a soul after crossing the stream, to us then nameless, but afterwards called Teeswater. We worked a week and under- brushed quite a piece of land. We baked our scones on coals spread over with ashes. I was cook, Alec was fisherman and fared we\\, but as I never liked fish I had naught but tea with my scones. We slept peacefully on brush, disturbed by neither man nor beast, until the bright June mornings summoned our armed, winged enemies iu begin their stinging attacks. It was beautiful weather, no rain all the time we were at work on our supposed claim. Sufficient under- brushing done, we trudged back to Oneida and worked among the farmers until near the end of September; then we made a final s!~art with our team and folk for a home in Culross. We came by way of the Garafraxa road to Durham and thence to my uncle's on the Durham line. From Durham to Walkerton we were in constant fear that our horses' limbs would be broken, the crossway road was so bad. However, we got to Greenock in safety, and there we left our belongings until we should prepare a habitation on our lots for their 350 ARCHIBALD McINTYRE occupancy. We were amazed at the rush of people looking for land at this time. Every lot appeared to be taken. When we got to what we thought were our lots, we found P. B. Brown and a Mr. Ford had shanties put up on them. We could have held on to the lots, having done the first work on them, but gave way in favor of Mr. Brown as he purposed putting up a grist mill, this being such a necessity in the settlement. We took up our stakes and went south to the second and third concessions and there took up the lots 21 and 22 on^each concession. We built a good big shanty, and thither we brought our folks. As the horses would be of no use in the bush we sold them in Greenock and bought oxen. Coming in we had to make our own road, cutting underbrush and small trees, and wind- ing around large ones, avoiding marshes and getting around about hills. Our ox team with waggon was the first that forded the Tees- water Eiver at that point, and the only team in the neighborhood until springtime. Provisions were hard to get the first winter. Many a back load was carried miles through the wilderness of woods in those days. To buy boots for myself and Alec I walked to Goderich, a distance of 30 miles, as we could get them no nearer. There were wolves, but we did not see them. Only once did we hear a howling pack of wolves in the settlement. That was one night the second winter we were in. Their yells were hideous, and many a shanty door was barricaded until their sound died away in the distance. The Highlanders were prominent in the first settlement of Culross. McKinnon, McKay, McKenzie, McDonald and many other representatives of the different clans were strongly in evidence ; but many of them not being so famous with the axe in the forest as their ancestors were with the broadsword on the battlefield, they gave up and sold their claims to newcomers from the older counties. P. B. Brown's mill was erected as promised, grinding slowly, to be sure, but sufficient to supply local need. Mr. Hadwin began in a small way to bring some commodities to the village for sale, making it our trade centre. Among those who came to our neighborhood and purchased from the first settlers their claims were the Ballaghs, Colvins, McAllisters, McGregors, Caslick, Straths, Marshalls and Allisons ; mostly all these bought small farms. It was thus that settlers came in throughout the township, making an excellent com- munity, who observed the Sabbath and also held meetings for wor- ship in private houses until churches and schools were built, the history of which institutions I must leave to an abler pen than mine. Notwithstanding the dangers of the felling of trees, great and small, there were not many accidents and very few fatalities in the town- ship. Marriages were numerous and every household seemed happy, thus laying a good foundation for the advancement and prosperity which Culross now enjoys." MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS 351 When the union of the townships comprising the county of Bruce 1 was passed the townships of Greenock and Culross were united, for municipal purposes, to form one municipality. This union lasted for two years, George Cromar being: reeve during both years. On January 1st, 1856, the union was dissolved, and the township of Culross from that date onward has existed as a separate municipality. The first Council of the township consisted of Peter B. Brown as reeve, Wm. McKenzie, Thomas Maloney, John Gilroy and Alexander Ross as councillors. In a footnote 2 are given the names of those who have filled the office of reeve from 1856 to 1906. Robert "Watson was elected clerk and treasurer. In a footnote 3 is a list of the names of his successors in these offices down to the present time. The Township Council of Culross has always contained men of ability, and has ever been economical in the trend of its legislation. A marked exception to this characteristic was the submitting, in 1871, to the ratepayers for their vote a by-law granting a bonus of $43,000 4 to the Toronto, Grey and Bruce (narrow gauge) Railway. This action was taken from a recognition of the great need of a local market for farm produce, and which could only be secured by the entrance of a railway into the township. This by-law carried. An effort was made on several occa- sions to have this large indebtedness assumed, in whole or in part, by the county, but on every occasion the County Council voted the proposition down. The township was relieved of part of this liability by the village of Teeswater when it was separated from the township on January 1st, 1875. ] See Appendix F. 'Names of the reeves of Culross : Peter B. Brown, 1856, '57, part of '58, '59; Wm. McKague, part 1858; Thomas Maloney, 1860; Alex. Mclntyre, 1861, '62, '63, '64, '66, '67; F. H. Schoals, 1865, '68, '69, part of '70;" A. Gibson, part 1870; George McKibbon, 1871, '72, '73, '74; William Scott, 1875 to 1889; Jos. Moir, 1890, '91, '92; Joseph Welwood, 1893, '94, '95, '96; Henry McKay, 1897, '98, '99, 1900, '01, '02; E. O. Kuntz, 1903, '04; Jas. Donaldson, 1905, '06. "Robert Watson was elected clerk and treasurer, which offices he filled for three years, when John Logan received the appointment to both offices. In 1862 Thomas Fairbairn was made clerk, which office he filled until 1873, when it passed into the hands of John Marshall, who held it for the next thirteen years. Since then the position has been held by R. E. Little, A. Gibson, George Wilson, and the present township clerk, Charles Button, who has held the office since 1891. The township treasurership was held by John Logan till 1872, then by Wm. Colvin till 1886, then by Samuel Kirkland until his death, in 1893. He was succeeded by Peter Clark, who also held the office until his death, in 1905. John Clark, his son, is now the holder of the office. 4 $5,000 of this amount was a sectional bonus raised by that part of the township afterwards incorporated as the village of Teeswater. 352 MOSCOW The only attempt made to develop a village within the township of Culross that succeeded was in the case of Teeswater. Other villages, such as Belmore and Formosa, are on the boundary of the township, and are not wholly in Culross. Moscow (or Cheviot P.O.) is different, being nearer the heart of the township. Here Paul Eoss 1 tried to lay the foundations of a village, having a survey made in the same year, 1856, as Teeswater was surveyed. He early had a sawmill in opera- tion, and in 1868 he had also a grist mill. A tannery, established by AVm. Clark, was one of the industries of the little burg. Mr. Boss made some money on gravel road contracts, and, wishing to live nearer the county town, he in 1869 disposed of his Moscow property to Andrew McLean, who succeeded to the title, " Emperor of Moscow," one that had been humorously bestowed on Mr. Ross. A farewell supper to Mr. Eoss, on his leaving Moscow, was given on January 7th, 1870. The Moscow mills were destroyed by fire January 12th, 1880, and with that catastrophe the prospects of a town developing there faded away. The water power at this point is still available, and may some day be utilized to generate electric power. The large area of lands in the township of Greenock, and to a less extent in Culross, that approach more or less the conditions of swamp lands, which condition would be changed if the Teeswater Eiver were only deepened for a part of its course, has attracted attention for many years. The first survey made to determine the best course to pursue was made in 1868, and is referred to in Chapter XXX. Nothing, how- ever, seems to have been done until about 1902, when the matter again came up. Andrew McLean addressed the County Council, and tried, unsuccessfully, to get that body to take action. The member for South Bruce, E. E. Truax, Esq., about the same time obtained the promise of a grant towards the work from the Provincial Government. The municipal councils of the two townships interested decided to take action in so far as to find out the probable cost, and also benefit of deepening the river, so in the winter of 1902-03, when the river was frozen over, James Warren, C.E., under the direction of the township councils, made the necessary surveys, and drew a profile of the bed of the river from Chepstowe to the eighth concession of Culross. That part of his report referring to the township of Culross is as follows: "I have made an examination of the Teeswater Eiver from the boundary of Greenock to the 8th concession of Culross, with the view Afterwards a mayor of Walkerton. DEEPENING TEESWATER RIVER 353 of having the river deepened, and beg to report as follows, viz. : " I find that the river runs very dead in a good part of the way, but from the 8th to the 10th concession the fall is enough to give a good current, there are no very great obstacles in the way of deepen- ing the channel, as most of the bottom is mud, or muck, that can be easily removed. " I would recommend that the channel be deepened 30 inches at the 8th concession bridge, and continued on as shewn on the profile, as prepared. I would have the channel 20 feet wide so as to include the river in low water, and that would also help to keep the channel clear better than if it was wider. The distance from the south boundary of Greenock to the 8th concession of Culross is 9 1-4 miles. " I would estimate the probable cost of the work at $4,390. The total acreage of the lots affected in whole or in part is 6,714 acres, of which I would place the value at $101,650, and the total benefit of the lands affected -at $5,455, and the average cost of the work, counting the whole acreage of the lots affected in whole or in part, would be 65 1-2 cents per acre nearly. " Taking the scheme as a whole in both the township of Greenock and Culross the work is quite feasible, and would be of great value to the township, as it would thus enable lands to be cultivated that cannot now be cleared up, owing to the river not giving sufficient drainage for surface water. When these lands are once cleared up, they will make excellent grass lands, and would also be good for roots. When the land would become somewhat consolidated the land would yield good crops of grain/' The above report, although it showed that a most desirable improvement that would add wealth to the municipality was perfectly feasible, was not acted upon, and the Teeswater River flows on now as sluggishly as of yore. Excepting in the rougher lands towards its westerly boundary, there is no township in the county that exhibits greater evidences of the prosperity of its farmers than does Culross. Some of its farmers have obtained a provincial reputation in their several specialties, such as Henry and Peter Arkell for their breed of sheep. The author would have made this chapter on Culross longer if he could, but after many futile efforts to obtain further facts and data about the settlement and history of the township from those in the township who could supply the local coloring so necessary, he gave it up, and closes the chapter. 13 CHAPTEK XXVI. VILLAGE OF TEESWATER. 1 THE present flourishing village of Teeswater commenced to take form in 1856, when the owners of farm lots Nos. 16 and 16, on each of the concessions 6 and 7, in the township of Culross, had a survey made of portions of their farm lots dividing them into village lots. The names of the owners of these farm lots so subdivided were Messrs. P. B. Brown, Alex. Gibson, Ira Fulford and Matthew Hadwin. In the preceding chapter it will be noted that two of these lots were first taken up in 1854 by Alexander and Archibald Mclntyre, but who sur- rendered their squatter's claim, owing to the promise Mr. Brown gave of erecting a grist mill at that point. The first mill dam was erected by Mr. Brown in the summer of 1855, and in the fall of that year he had a sawmill started. In the course of a couple of years a grist mill also was built and running. The presence of these mills at this early date, with ample water-power, together with the establishing of a post- office, 2 give assurance that a village would develop at this point. In addition to the advantages just mentioned, the site of the village being almost in the centre of the township, made it the " hub " of the municipality, as well as an excellent distributing point. Like other villages in the backwoods with only a local trade, its growth for years was very slow. In 1861 all it contained, besides private dwell- ings, were two stores, two taverns and a grist and sawmill, with a weekly mail service. By 1866 the following industries had been added to the village : A foundry, founded by David Fairbairn, Jr., a tannery and a pearl ash factory. The prospect of a railway coming to Teeswater gave an impetus to the growth of the village. In the strenuous contest throughout the county, in 1869, as to which railway was to receive the promised county bonus, Teeswater and the township of Culross at large fought 'The name of the village is derived from the name given to the river flowing through it. But who named the stream, or when named, or why so called, the author has not been able authentically to find out, but it is said to have been given by one of the surveyors of the township who was born near the river Tees, in England. 2 The post-office was established September 1st, 1856, Mat hew Hadwin being the first postmaster. 354 RAILWAY BONUS 355 hard for the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway, and, as may be imagined, the inhabitants were by no means satisfied when the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Eailway Company obtained the majority of the votes cast throughout the county. Determined to have a rail- way, the question of granting the bonus to the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Company from the township and village was suggested and carried. The township as a whole, including at that time the village of Teeswater, gave a bonus of $38,000. In addition to this, that part of the township which afterwards became incorporated into the village of Teeswater gave a sectional bonus of $5,000, making a total of $43,000 received by the railway company. There is no doubt that the railway has proved the making of the village of Teeswater, a fact which has justified the granting of such a large bonus. The initial step in the construction of the railway, which has had Teeswater as its western terminus for so many years, was the turning of the first sod at Weston, in October, 1869, by H.R.H. Prince Arthur. The payment of the bonus to this railway promised by the Government seemed to have been delayed somewhat y which prolonged the time of construction, so that it was November 16th, 1874, before the first passenger train reached Teeswater. This train brought up a large number of those who were interested in the road, who were warmly greeted on their arrival, and to whom a ban- quet was given that evening. The number of arrivals was so much in excess of the accommodation which could be furnished by the hotels in the village of Teeswater at that date, that although many of the citizens hospitably threw open their homes to the visitors, yet many of them slept that night on benches in the town hall. Teeswater as a separate municipal corporation commenced its existence on the 1st January, 1875, the by-law authorizing this hav- ing been passed by the County Council on June 5th, 1874. The first Council consisted of the following members: Alexander Gibson, reeve ; J. Fraser, T. Stephens, J. Ballagh and M. Hadwin, councillors. Wellington McVety was appointed village clerk, and Thomas Mc- Kague, village treasurer. In a footnote 1 are to be found the names of those who have filled the office of reeve from 1875 to 1906. The basis l The names of the reeves of the village of Teeswater : A. Gibson, 1875, '76; Jas. Fraser, 1877, '79; T. Shannon, 1878; T. Stephens, 1880, '81, '83, '90, '91; T. Fairbairn, 1882, '86, '87, '88; W. B. Thompson, 1884, '85, '94, '95, '96; L. A. Brink, 1889, 1900, '01; John Campbell, 1892, '93 j Dugald Stewart, 1897; W. G. Orr, 1898; D. Donaldson, 1899; S. E. Brill, 1902; Peter Purves, 1903; D. Ferguson, 1904, '05; W. J. Hardy, 1906. 35 G .SCHOOLS of settlement between the township of Culross and the newly incor- porated village of Teeswater, arrived at at the time of the separa- tion, regarding the apportionment of assets and liabilities, was based upon the assessment roll of 1874 in the proportion of 31/34s. for the township, and 3/34s. for the village. This resulted in the village receiving at that time from ^he township $120 of funds for the cur- rent year in the hands of the township treasurer, and $281 of sink- ing funds raised on account of the sectional bonus to the railway. On the other hand, the village undertook to pay, by way of sinking fund and interest on its share of the $38,000 railway bonus deben- tures annually, the sum of $103 for sinking fund, and $135 for interest, until the maturity of the debentures. The village also gave a debenture to the township for $1,300 for the township's share in the real estate known as Edmunds Square. Since the time of separation the village has undertaken extensive local improvements, which called for issues of debentures as follows: For water works, $9,000; for public park, $1,500; for granolithic sidewalks, $7,847; for additions and repairs to water works, $1,550, and Arscott loan, $2,000. The town hall dates back to the days when it was the township hall of Culross, it having been erected before the village and town- ship separated. The present fine school building is the third the vil- lage has possessed. The first was erected about 1858, and was also the first building of its kind in the township of Culross ; its site was on lot 34, north of Elora Street, but the building has long ceased to be. It has been described as a square log building with a cottage roof. A description of the interior said : The teacher's desk occupied the north end of the school-room. Facing this were two rows of long desks with an aisle between; there were also aisles between the desks and the east and west walls. In these aisles were low benches, on which the smaller scholars sat. Peter Clark was the first teacher, a position he held for. two and a half years. He was succeeded by a Mr. Gordon, who came from Whitby. The second school building was a fine stone structure that afforded accommodation for three departments. The cost of this building was about $2,000. The present school building was erected in 1878 at a cost of about $6,000. It is built of white brick and is of two stories in height, with a mansard roof, and has provision for four departments. Another municipal asset, and one that shows wise prudence and forethought, is the system of water works installed for fire protection. It was in 1889 that this public utility was constructed, costing the CHURCHES 357 town about $9,000. After being in use for sixteen years it was neces- sary (in 1905) to spend some $1,550 for repairs and improvements. The cost to the town has been more than made up indirectly by the reduced rates of fire insurance premiums, as well as in prevention of fire loss. The public park, purchased by the town in 1896 at a cost of $1,500 is another possession that the village may contemplate with satisfaction. More and more the necessity of public grounds of this description is being felt, and future generations will be pleased to have this space for purposes of relaxation and amusement. The first minister that is said to have held a public religious ser- vice at Teeswater was the Rev. A. Bradshaw, of the Episcopal Meth- odist Church, who was stationed, in 1855, at Kincardine. In 1856 the Rev. William Maidens was settled at Teeswater. He was the first minister of that denomination in the village. His early successors were the following, in the order named: Rev. J. Davey, Rev. J. M. Collins, and in 1860 Rev. J. H. Hilts, a man whom the author remembers with respect and appreciation. Mr. Hilts was a good example of a type of backwoods preacher of half a century ago. His Christian zeal, sound grasp of evangelical truth and forceful expres- sion of the same, excused all defects arising from the lack of a college training. The Wesleyan Methodists also entered this field at an early date. Their first settled minister was the Rev. Thomas Hadwin. He was stationed at Teeswater in 1856-1857, and was succeeded by the Rev. Ed. Sallows, and he by the Rev. William Sutton. The present Meth- odist Church at Teeswater was erected in 1879 at a cost of about $5,500. As early as 1856 the Free Church Presbytery of London sent the Rev. John Scott to minister to the spiritual needs of the Presby- terians in the vicinity of Teeswater, following this up by sending other ministers. As a result a congregation was organized, which proceeded to erect a place of worship. All this was before the end of the "fifties/* The Rev. Adam McKay was the first minister. His pastorate lasted from 1862 to 1870. In the last-mentioned year the congregation divided, part continued to worship in the old church, which then became known as Zion Church, with the Rev. Peter Currie as its minister. The seceding part of the original congrega- tion worshipped for about a year and a half in the town hall, and then erected a church building that bore the name of Westminster Church. 358 PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION The Kev. D. Wardrope was the pastor of this congregation from 1871 to 1886, and the Rev. James Malcolm from 1888 to 1905. During the ministry of the last-mentioned clergyman the two congregations became united. They now worship in the old church building, which at present bears the name of Knox Church. The Eev. D. Tait is at present the minister over the united congregation. The author is pleased to be able to insert here an account, which appeared in the Teeswater News, written by James Reid, that vividly tells of the early life of the Presbyterian congregation, and of other incidents of pioneer days, as follows : " Your correspondent came to Culross in September, 1854. In the summer of 1855 some twelve of us met at the corners of Samuel Wood's lots on the 8th concession, now owned by Mr. David McDonald, to consider about purchasing a plot of ground in which to bury our dead, and on which to erect a church in which to worship God. Those south of the river overruled those north of the river, and it was agreed to purchase two acres on the 4th concession from Mr. Thomas Nicholson, for the sum of $40. This is the site of the present Teeswater cemetery. At the same meeting some one inquired if there was no one present who knew of any minister whom they knew who could be written to and asked to give us a sermon or two, as we were getting hungry, not having heard a sermon for nine or ten months. Alex. Graham, who lived on the 10th concession, where the Henderson family now lives, said he would write to Rev. John B. Mowat, of Niagara, who came in September of the same year, 1855, and preached in Mr. Gibson's shanty, that being the only place at the time where a meeting could be held. This was the first sermon preached in Teeswater by a Presbyterian minister After this Rev. John Ross, of Brucefield, preached a few times. These two men advised us not to put up the church on the 4th con- cession, but to put it where the village was likely to be. In the spring of 1856 James Reid put up his first house, expecting his mother and brother from the province of Quebec, but as they did not come he lived on in his old shanty, and his house was used as a church during the summers of 1856 and 1857. The Presbytery of London, of which Rev. John Scott was moderator, sent up a preacher now and then during these years to keep us alive until better times came. Among those who visited us then were William Clark, who was an elder and catechist; Rev. Donald McLean, who was for a time stationed at Mount Forest, and Rev. John McMillan, of Fingal, who was after- wards also many years in Mount Forest. In October, 1857, the Pres- PRESBYTERIANS 359 bytery sent up Rev. Alex. Young and Mr. Sutherland, two powerful preachers of the Gospel, and these two dispensed the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for the first time in Culross. Mr. Young preached in English in the house, and Mr. Sutherland in Gaelic in the barn. This solemn feast was observed in the good old way four days preaching on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the last being a day for the giving of thanks. On Thursday it was found necessary to have elders appointed for the Sabbath services, so the ministers asked Mr. Gibson whom he would recommend. After some consideration he named John McDonald and Hugh McDonald, both from the 8th concession, and Hector McKay, the catechist, who lived on the 4th concession, where Thomas Ross now lives. The last-named preached in Gaelic to the people living in the region known as the Alps. In those days there was a much clearer line between the church and the world than there is at present. Many of us now ask, Where is the church for which our forefathers died. The Sabbath at present has become a day of business, pleasure and toil rather than a day of worship. During the times of these communion services in the early days James Reid, then a bachelor living in his shanty, made the minister's dinner for them. Mrs. Gibson's shanty was the manse, and she hung up a carpet across the room to make a bedroom for the ministers. The shanty was covered with elm bark. One night a severe rainstorm came up and Mr. Gibson had to put an umbrella over the ministers to keep them dry. Compare that manse with the present one. Little do the ministers of the present day know about the difficulties of the pioneer church. Mr. and Mrs. Gibson were very kind to all the ministers in those early days, and their house was made the preacher's home. They probably did more for the church in those early days than any other persons in Culross. The ground on which Knox Church stands was a gift from him, and yet his name appears in no place in the church records. In the winter of 1857- 1858 the Presbytery sent up Rev. John McKay to us. An uncle of his, the Rev. A. McKay, of Lucknow, was also with us for three months, and boarded with Mr. Reid. Before he left in the following spring the contract of the first Presbyterian Church in Teeswater was let to a man named Westover, who lived on the 12th concession of Culross. The church was not completed until 1862. In that same summer the congregation extended a call to Rev. Adam McKay, and he was ordained and inducted into the charge. He was the first regularly settled Presbyterian minister in Teeswater or Culross. Pre- 360 GILLIES AND MARTIN vious to this time, in the fall of 1856, Rev. John Scott, of London, preached in Mr. P. B. Brown's grist-mill, before the machinery was put in, and on the following Monday he baptized sixteen children." The Church of England congregation worship in a brick edifice erected in 1876, the cost of which was about $2,300. The Baptists had their church built in 1876. The Roman Catholic Church was dedicated by the Bishop of Hamilton, September 15th, 1878. In the following July a bell, which had been imported from Baltimore, was hung in the steeple, and has rung out its calls to worship since. Rev. Father Corcoran has been in charge of this congregation for over a quarter of a century. For many years one of the leading, if not the leading industry, of the village was the foundry and agricultural implement works of Messrs. Gillies & Martin. The business was established in 1869 by James Fraser. Shortly after commencing business Archibald Gillies was admitted into partnership. In April, 1878, Mr. Fraser retired, and his place in the firm was taken by James Martin. The original firm had met a serious loss by fire, which occurred November 4th, 1877. The loss was estimated at the time to be about $20,000, but the .buildings destroyed were soon rebuilt and in an enlarged form. In May, 1892, the firm extended its capacity by opening up a branch at Listowel, where they erected some fine buildings. The agricultural implements manufactured by this firm have a wide market throughout the Dominion. The first medical men to settle at Teeewater are said to have been Dr. John F. Halstead and Dr. James Murphy. The stay of neither was of any length. Dr. John Gillies, one of the leading men of the village for over a third of a century, came to Teeswater in August, 1867. Having acquired a large practice he accumulated money and established a private bank, which was for years the sole financial institution of the village. This business he disposed of to the Sovereign Bank not long before his death. Dr. Gillies was the village treasurer for many years. His death occurred August 15th, 1905. Another honorable citizen of Teeswater now passed away was W. R. Thomson. He commenced business there about the end of the seventies as a cooper. Possessing a keen business instinct and abun- dance of energy, he developed a large lumber manufacturing business, exporting largely to England of his products. The name of S. R. Brill is one largely known in the dairy world, THE PRESS 361 the creamery he established at Teeawater being one of the first, if not the first, in the county. L. A. Brink, the present postmaster, has been prominently con- nected with Teeswater for the last thirty years, filling the office of reeve and county commissioner, and has been called upon to fill other responsible positions by his fellow-citizens. As a produce merchant he has done much to make Teeswater a good grain market. The Teeswater News, the local paper of the village and township, was first issued in 1874, G. T. Hagyard being the publisher and editor. Since that date it has passed through the hands of Thomas Fairbairn, A. G-. Stewart, A. Colwell, Alex. Butchart, and at present is under the editorship of A. D. McKenzie. In the fall of 1901 an effort was made by those owning lands within the village, used solely for farming purposes (which amounted to 187 acres), to have the same detached from the village and attached to the township. R. E. Little and Charles Thomson supported the petition brought before the County Council. This body passed the required by-law, which, however, the arbitrators pointed out, was void, as the lands to be detached reduced the area of the village below that specified by statute. Like many villages in this section of the province, Teeswater has felt the repressive effect of a railway monopoly, and hopes for a future when it may enjoy the privilege of competitive railways, and thereby bring an era of prosperity and progress to the village. CHAPTER XXVII. i TOWNSHIP OF ELDERSLIEs EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1879. " This township has a large amount of heavy clay land, with portions low and wet, also a considerable amount of swamp. A portion of the town- ship is broken up by the Saugeen Eiver. The largest amount of good land commences at the south-east corner and runs north-west until it strikes the township of Saugeen. It is very well watered and has a large amount of mill property. Its average price is $28.33." EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. ' ' Elderslie is a fair average township, with very little, if any, waste land. It is well watered; good buildings and orchards are the rule. There are three railway stations in the township, namely, Paisley, Chesley and Dobbinton. The large swamp in the centre of the township is being cleared up and it will not be long until it all becomes good grazing land. There are a few stiff clay sections that take down the average somewhat, and we might say is the only serious drawback to the township. The Saugeen Biver breaks a portion of the township towards the south-west, as also does the Teeswater River. The rate per acre for this township is $32.70; of this amount the village property is equal to 54 cents per acre. ' ' Elderslie received its first settlers on April 18th, 1851, when Simon Orchard and his family, after floating down the Saugeen River on a raft from "Walkerton, landed where the village of Paisley now stands. Three weeks later Samuel T. Rowe, with his family, fol- lowed his old friend in the venturesome voyage down the Saugeen and settled alongside of him. As the circumstances connected with the settlement of these two pioneers of the township are given pretty freely in Chapters V. and XXIX., the fact of their settlement at this early date is here only mentioned. The lands in the south-western part of the township were the first to receive their quota of settlers. This was owing to the facility of access afforded by the Saugeen River, which permitted them to float down its waters on rafts, thereby conveying them, their families and effects from the vicinity of either Hanover or Walkerton. 'Named after Scotland's patriot, Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie. SETTLEMENT AT LOCKERBY 365 The survey of this township was performed by G-. McPhilips dur- ing the summer of 1851. Elderslie was classed among the school lands of the province, and was opened for sale on July 30th, 1852. 1 The first person who is entered in the books of the Crown Land Office as a purchaser of lands in Elderslie was John Eraser, for lot 34, concession A, the date being December 6th, 1852. The first to follow Messrs. Orchard and Eowe in taking up lands in the township were David Lyons and Thomas Hembroff, who settled on the north branch of the Saugeen Kiver at that point afterwards to be known as Lockerby. In a footnote 2 is given an account of their settlement, condensed from a narrative published in the Paisley Advocate in 1896. The house which Thomas Hembroff put up on lot 2, concession 7, is said to be still standing and to be in good con- dition, being the oldest house extant in the township of Elderslie. By the end of 1851 four log shanties had been built in Elderslie, but only the families of Orchard and Eowe spent the winter there. The next addition to the group of pioneer families settled in Elderslie was possibly made by the arrival of Henry Brown. The story of his settlement and also of the early days of Elderslie, appeared in the " Souvenir Number of the Chesley Enterprise" published at Christ- *See Appendix J. "David Lyons and Thomas Hembroff learned of the excellent prospects for settlers in Elderslie through a brother of the last named, who had been engaged with the survey party under Mr. McPhilips. These two men lost no time after the survey was completed in selecting a point at which to settle. They were at that time residing at Chatsworth, in the neigh- boring county. One morning in October, 1851, saw them leaving home loaded with necessaries for a stay in the bush. Travelling south they at length reached the north branch of the Saugeen River ; following it, partly on foot and partly by canoe, they arrived at the county line. Owing to the amount of driftwood met with in the river there they had to pursue the rest of their journey altogether on foot, following the course of the river. Being satisfied with the location where the sixth concession crosses the north branch of the Saugeen River, they, after doing enough work to secure for themselves a squatter's claim, returned home, to return in the following month with necessary supplies. The families and effects of these men were brought into the bush in May of the following year. The first stage was by team from Chatsworth to Hanover. There a raft, 12 x 30 feet, was con- structed, and on it the families and their belongings were placed. It took two days to complete the voyage. A shanty, about sixteen feet square, was put up that summer, in which both families lived. About a year and a half later Mr. Lyons again placed his family on a raft and floated down to Southampton, where he engaged in saw-milling. Unfortunately he was burned out, when he then returned to Elderslie. The first shanty these men erected was utilized as a schoolhouse, the first in the township, the teacher being Mrs. Thomas Pearce, a sister of the present township clerk, J. C. Mclntyre. 36t> HENRY BROWN mas, 1902. By permission of the editor, an extract from Henry Brown's narrative is here given: "In the early fall of 1852 the writer (Henry Brown) and a young man named Robert Cochrane walked from Durham to visit their old neighbors, Howe and Orchard, and see the much praised new country. With Simon Orchard as pioneer guide we located lots 1, 2 and 3 on the 2nd and 3rd concessions, went home and returned in November to take possession. Having got our outfit to Walkerton (at that time containing two stores and a post-office), we made the usual raft and started down stream. That was 50 years ago, but the memory of that voyage still lives fresh in my mind. The river was very low; neither of us had ever been on a raft in our lives before or knew how to handle one. We got stuck on bars and fast on stones, and there was nothing for it but to jump into the water and pry the raft clear. Night found us about the 4th concession of Brant, soaked in ice cold water to the armpits. Our matches had got wet in our pockets, but luckily our powder was dry, so with the gun and some batting from a corner of a quilt we soon started a fire and dried ourselves, made a bed of brush and each of us rolled in a blanket. We went to sleep and awakened in the morning with six inches of snow on top of us. Next day we had better luck, and struck Deer Rapids (so called by the surveyors from the number of deer seen standing in the water to protect them- selves from the flies). By good chance we found the blaze and got to Howe's at dark, two tired and hungry men. Next day, with the help of Rowe and Orchard, we raised our shanty, 12 by 14, floored it with split basswood, and roofed it with scoops. This, to the best of my knowledge, was the fifth shanty in Elderslie. Shortly after Cochrane went home and I stayed till midwinter and did my first chopping. Wolves were plentiful. One night when getting in my wood a pack came hunting up the river. They killed a deer a few yards from the shanty and kept howling around all night. In the morning I went and looked at the place. Some bloody snow, a few tufts of hair, and scraps of bone was all that was left of the deer. On the whole it was a pleasant two months; with a few good books the solitude had no terrors for me. " In 1853 the Clements and others from Holland came and settled on the 10th and llth concessions, and Mr. Green, Wm. McBride and the McCartneys from Esquesing settled on concessions ' A ' and ' B,' south of Paisley. The same year the Gillies family had located a large block on the 6th and 7th concessions, soon followed by the Taylors, Blues and other old neighbors from Argyleshire. On the 8th and 9th concessions the McDougalds, McNeils, Galbraiths, Munns, EARLY SETTLERS 367 Curries and a whole colony of natives of the island of Colonsay settled clear down to the Elora road. Thus we see that the Scottish element figured largely in the early settlement of Elderslie. I have before me the collector's roll for the year 1854 (issued from Arran, to which we were attached), which unfortunately is the only one of the early records to be found. On it are 65 names and of these 26 have the prefix "Mac," 11 being McNeils, and many others spoke the Gaelic. The collector was an Arran man. There was no assess- ment, the names evidently being copied from the agent's book. No assessor could have found his way through Elderslie in the spring of that year. There was nothing but the surveyor's blaze to guide you, and if you lost that you were, too, as many a one found to his sorrow. The roll was made out in Halifax currency and the tax was 10 shillings and 6 pence (equal to $2.10) for every 200 acres, and $1.05 for every one hundred acres, every lot being the same value. This roll was returned to the treasurer of Arran on 23rd of June, 1856, with " not paid " marked against one-half of the names. " In 1853 Mr. Eowe built a commodious tavern of hewed logs on the site where the Central Hotel now stands, which gave ample accommodation to the rapidly increasing travel, and Mr. Valentine had got his sawmill running, which enabled the settlers to erect better buildings. In 1854 the great rush began. Early in the season the McB^eaths arrived and located the lands on the east side of the river, which they still occupy. At the same time Mr. D. Porter arrived from Peterboro'. He took up eight lots, and on his return home started the great rush of Peterboro' men, the McDonalds, McGregors, Balfours, McLaggans, Lillicos, Fortunes and others, who settled on the 1st, 2d and 3rd concessions. Mr. Porter's old friend, Andrew Dobbin, followed and took up 1,000 acres around where Dobbinton now stands. The same year Thomas Orchard built the first store (now occupied by E. Scott, seedsman) and opened out a general stock of hardware, dry goods, groceries, etc. That fall the great land sale at Southampton took place, and in the rush every lot was taken up. So great was the number of those who passed through Paisley to attend the land sale that in two days Mrs. Eowe cooked and served the carcass of an ox, while Mr. Eowe attended to the liquid portion of the business. Two large sugar kettles, one with beef and the other with potatoes, were kept boiling all the time. It was a great strain on the resources of the Paisley of that day, but as Eowe had a good stock of cattle and a field of potatoes it was simply a question of killing and digging. By what device the liquid stock held out has always been a mooted question." Prominent among those who settled in Elderslie in 1853, but 368 NEIL MUNN omitted in the list given by Henry Brown in the foregoing extract, were Donald Mclntyre, for four years reeve of the township, and Alexander Elves, a member at one time of the Township Council, now a resident of Paisley, and Hugh McDougald (lately removed to Owen Sound), who took up land in Elderslie in 1853. At that time he was but eighteen years of age. Sufficient work to establish his claim to the lot was all he did at first. His actual settlement dates from 1856. At the age of sixteen he worked for his uncle, Donald Currie, in Saugeen. He relates that while there he on one occasion went to Southampton for a supply of flour, which he purchased of James Calder. Shouldering his load, he followed the blazed path through what is now the village of Port Elgin. Halting at '" Lochboie " McLean's tavern to rest he met Peter Smith, who noticed that the load was too much for the lad, so good-heartedly he shouldered it himself, in addition to his. own similar load. Of the crop of wheat Mr. McDougald grew in 1858 he sold enough at 50 cents a bushel to pay that year's taxes, holding the rest until 1859 (" starvation year "), when he obtained $2 a bushel for it. Mr. McDougald for seven years held the position of deputy reeve of Elderslie. Another prominent man was John McDonald, who, as councillor and reeve, sat in the Township Council for nineteen years. It was in April, 1855 that he took up his lot, No. 34, concession 7. His son William, publisher of the Chesley Enterprise, has followed his father in obtaining municipal honors, and was warden of the county in 1905. This list of early settlers we close with an example of fortitude in enduring the hard- ships of clearing a farm in the backwoods. oSTeil Munn, in 1855, moved with his wife and family from Esquesing to Elderslie. Upon arriving at Paisley their trials began. There was no bridge over the Saugeen, and they had to cross the river at Rae's, to take the round- about way to their land on the 6th concession. One of the horses of the team they had engaged to bring them and their effects up from Erin village broke its leg at the " Hog's Back," while near the end of their journey, yet their progress was very much delayed by the acci- dent, and the final stage rendered very laborious. Mrs. Munn was obliged to carry her young son all the way in her arms. From the time of reaching their new home until 1860 Mr. and Mrs. Munn steadily and patiently applied themselves to the duties of clearing their farm and rearing the little family growing up around them, but in that year a heavy stroke of affliction fell upon the household when Mr. Munn was paralyzed by a tree falling upon his back while ELORA ROAD DEVIATION 369 working in, the bush. He survived the accident for fourteen years, but was a bedfast cripple until he died in 1874. Mrs. Munn bravely and successfully shouldered the responsibility of carrying on the farni and supporting the family after the accident, battling with Christian fortitude against great odds until relieved by the assistance of her growing sons. At the time the pioneer settlers of Elderslie entered that township there was no road nearer it than the Durham road, running east and west through the southerly part of Brant. In the summer of 1851 (as noted in Chapter V.) the Crown Lands officers asked for tenders to cut a road, which they called the Durham and Southampton Road, through to the boundary of Elderslie. Very little more work to improve the roads was done until 1854, when the Bureau of Agricul- ture, which had assumed the duty of seeing after the construction of colonization roads, proposed a scheme, alluded to in Chapter V., which would give Elderslie the Elora Road and one along its southerly boundary. The Elora Road, as originally planned, entered the county at its south-east corner, and passed diagonally through Carrick to the corner where the four townships of Carrick, Culross, Brant and Greenock join, thence northerly along the boundary between the townships of Brant and Greenock, Elderslie and Saugeen. The sur- veyors who laid out Brant and Elderslie must have reported to the department the difficulties of constructing a road, on the boundary of the townships near the point where the Teeswater and the Saugeen unite. These views being accepted by the department, J. H. Price, Commissioner of Crown Lands, wrote to George McPhilips while he was engaged in making the survey of Elderslie, under date of July 14th, 1851, as follows : " Previous to surveying the river, mark out a line for a road from the rear of Brant to the Saugeen River in Elder- slie, in the general direction marked in red on the accompanying sketch, selecting the best site for bridges over the Mud River and River Saugeen, and making the necessary sinuosities to avoid hills and swamps. The line is not to be the boundary of the lots, but you will deduct the area of a road, one chain in width, from the contents of the lots it passes over." Almost simultaneously with this letter George Jackson, Crown Land Agent at Durham, advertised for tenders to cut a road through Brant a mile and a quarter east of the intended Elora Road, but in line with the road laid out by Mr. McPhilips as above. When the Bureau of Agriculture took up the construction of colonization roads, and possibly unaware of the stir- 370 MUNICIPAL LIFE veyor's report, it announced the Elora Road as per original plan. It is but a fair inference to suppose that when David Gibson surveyed it he saw the reasonableness of accepting the road already cut out, which has since been known as the Elora Road. The early municipal life of Elderslie is a blank until the year 1854. Prior to that year it was nominally a part of the municipality of the united townships in the county of Bruce, as referred to at length in Chapter IV. In 1854 Elderslie was united to Arran for municipal purposes. 1 It was in this year the first assessment of the township was made, which, as equalized by the County Council, amounted to 7,037. On September 20th, 1855, the United Counties Council passed a by-law dissolving the union of Elderslie to Arran, to come into effect on January 1st, 1856. Thomas Orchard was the returning officer at the first municipal election. The polling booth was at Rowe's tavern, Paisley. The names of those elected as council- lors were: George Williscroft, Charles Ginty, John Gillies, Robert Falconer and S. T. Rowe. These at their first meeting, as the law was then, elected S. T. Rowe as reeve. George C. Urquhart was appointed township clerk; Thomas Orchard, township treasurer; Donald Mclntyre and John Henderson, auditors, and Hugh McDougald, and Samuel Scott, assessors. The total financial expenditure made by this Council for the year 1856 was only 107 14s. 1 l-2d. In a footnote 2 are to be found the names of the various reeves of Elderslie. An examination of Appendix M will enable the reader to see the relative standing and development of Elderslie with neighboring townships in their early days. The Municipal Council of Elderslie has during half a century guided the affairs of the township with a wise hand. Among other matters, the drainage of the swamp in the centre of the township was recognized to be a necessity, so as early as 1877 debentures were issued for about $2,000 to prosecute this work. This was supple- mented in 1883-84 by two other issues of debentures, one for $4,474 and the other for $2,100. When the Stratford and Lake Huron Rail- way asked for a bonus, the Council submitted to the ratepayers a by-law authorizing the issue of debentures for $45,000 to aid the pro- 'See Appendix F. *Name8 of the various reeves of Elderslie: S. T. Rowe, 1856; John Gillies, 1857 to 1873; Archibald Ewart, 1874, '75, '76; Henry Brown, 1877, '78, '85, '86, '87; George Thompson, 1879, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84; Donald Mclntyre, 1888, '89, '90, '91; James Shouldice, 1892, '93, '94, '95, '96; John McDonald, 1897, '98; D. N. Mclntyre, 1899, 1900; James Clements, 1901, '02; David McBeath, 1903, '04; George McKay, 1905, '06. SCHOOLS 371 ject, 1 which was carried by a majority of 77. In 1875 the township gave a municipal centre to the township by the erection of a township hall on lot 15, concession 6, at a cost of nearly $2,000. The Township Council has been aided in its efficiency by its officials, who deserve to have their names remembered, for they have done their part faithfully in attending to the business of the township. Their names are given in a footnote. 2 Elderslie plumes itself on having paid off all deben- ture indebtedness, and also in that no licenses for the sale of liquor are issued within the township. The first school in the township was opened in 1855 at Lockerby, and was taught by Miss Mclntyre (afterwards Mrs. Thomas Pearce). 3 In 1856 Miss Falconer (afterwards Mrs. Thomas Fleming) taught a small school on lot 11, concession 5. The following; year the Township Council took action in regard to schools that can best be described by an extract from the report of Local Superintendent McNaughton, for the year 1857, as follows: "The township of Elderslie has done admirably in the way of school buildings during the past year. Although the newest of three townships under my charge, it is now the first with regard to school-houses. This may be attributed in a great measure to the wisdom of the Township Council offering certain sums of money to each section, on condition that a schoolhouse be erected within the year. The result is there is not a single section without a schoolhouse." The staff of teachers in the different school sections in 1858 consisted of Miss Eliza Stewart, Paisley; Mr. Murray, Chesley; Archibald Ewart, S. S. No. 6; Donald Gillies, S. S. No. 5; J. C. Mclntyre, S. S. No. 4; Miss Jane Porter, S. S. No. 2; Malcolm Munn, S. S. No. 10 ; James Saunders, S. S. No. 7. Although to-day there is not within the township of Elderslie an unincorporated village of any pretensions, it has nourished and wit- nessed the swarming off of two of the busiest villages of the county, ^lOjOOO of this was a sectional grant, levied on that part of the township afterwards incorporated as the village of Chesley. *List of township treasurers and clerks from 1856: Township treasurers Thos. Orchard, 1856- '59; Dr. S. D. Crawford, 1860, '61; M. McMillan, 1862- '65; Geo. C. Urquhart, 1866- '72; Wm. W. Hogg, 1873-1901; S. M. Ewart, 1902-1906. Township clerks George C. Urquhart, 1856- '61; F. Featherstonhaugh, 1867; P. H. Sinclair, 1868; Daniel Sinclair, 1869- '71; Ed. Saunders, 1872; S. Shannon, 1873- '76; D. McKechnie, 1877- '92; J. C. Mclntyre, 1893-1906. 'Thomas Pearce was one of Mr. McPhilips' chainmen in the survey of the township. When married, in 1856, to Miss Mclntyre, the young couple walked all the way to Southampton so that the ceremony might be performed by a Presbyterian clergyman. 372 GEORGE JARDINE Chesley and Paisley. The development of these two villages sealed the hopes and fate of two other places that were sanguine of becoming in time the trade centres of their respective localities, namely, Lock- erby and Scone. The settlement at Lockerby by Thomas Hembroff is mentioned in the first part of the chapter. The water-power at this point was early made use of, and a grist mill was in operation there about 1856, within a short time of that at Paisley. A little earlier than this a rumor spread that the Elora Koad, about to be opened up, was to be brought up the side line at lot 5 as far as the 6th conces- sion, then to turn west to the township boundary, 1 passing through Lockerby. At the time the grist mill was built George Jardine had portions of adjoining farm lots surveyed into village lots. Plans of this survey were scattered far and wide, and every effort made to boom this town on paper into tangible being, even going as far as the holding of a sale of lots at Hamilton. All Mr. Jardine's efforts were fruitless, the Elora Eoad was cut so as to pass through Paisley, and Lockerby never developed. In 1866 Jardine and Hembroff were engaged in a lawsuit as to the ownership of the mill and adjacent property. Jardine, thinking that if he were in possession of the mill his claim would be more firmly established, one day in the fall of 1866 went to it when no one was about, pried open one end of a board and sought to enter through the opening. In some way he failed to keep the boards apart, and they coming together, he was caught like a mouse in a trap, and, unable either to extricate himself or to make himself heard, was held until death relieved him from his sufferings. The water-power at Lockerby is now made use of by Donald Mclntyre to supply electric current for lighting purposes to Paisley. Scone began to take form and put on the appearance of a village before Chesley ultimately its successful rival was thought of. The founder of the village, Thomas Bearman, came to Elderslie in 1854. Being possessed of means, he purchased about seventeen hundred acres of land in Elder'slie and Sullivan, started a sawmill about 1856, a grist mill some years later, and also a potash factory, and opened a store. In 1858 a post-office, bearing the name of Scone, was opened. Thomas Adair (who owned the most north-easterly lot in Brant), was the first postmaster, but he soon left the locality, and the post-office was moved to the house of Thomas Bearman, his successor. The little ir rhere may have been something in the rumor, as the engineer in charge of opening the Elora Road purchased lots 16 and 17, concession B, and lot 16, concession " A " (where the road would make the turn). Presumably he bought on speculation. POPULATION DECREASING 373 village flourished until, overtopped by the growth of Chesley, all hopes for its development vanished. One of the most noted men Elderslie has had was John Gillies, who for seventeen years was reeve of " the township. His portrait, with a biographical sketch, are to be found in Chapter VI. Owing to the large emigration to the North-West provinces, Elderslie has suffered marked loss in population. In 1881 the census returns showed Elderslie to have 3,273 inhabitants. The assessor's return for 1906 gives a population of 2,018, less than 62 per cent, of what it was a quarter of a century previous. This but illustrates what has been going on all through the county. The youth of its popula- tion is moving to the West to establish homes for themselves there. CHAPTER XXVIII. TOWN OF CHESLEY.i THE greater part of the lands situated in the vicinity of what is now Chesley were taken up in 1854, but not settled upon until the following year. In the early spring of 1855 the brothers, John, Alexander and Peter McLaggan settled on lots 30 and 31 in the third concession, and the same summer John and Archibald McDonald on lots 29, 30 and 31 on the second concession of Elderslie. On these farm lots the major part of the town of Chesley now stands. Very little progress had been made in the way of clearing the land when, in 1858, A. S. Elliot 2 purchased lots 30 and 31 on the second concession from Archibald McDonald, and he with his sons began to make preparation to develop the water power of the river flowing by and to erect mills. In 1859 they had a sawmill started, and in 1860 a small grist mill was in operation. In 1865 a few building lots of a quarter acre each, situated on each side of the side road, were sold on the easy terms of twenty dollars apiece, con- ditional upon immediate occupation, which condition secured the commencement of the village. In 1866 the population of Chesley consisted of the following named and their families : A. S. Elliot, miller; J. H. Elliot, storekeeper; John Cameron and William Boss, J The uame Chesley was given to the post-office without any regard to the wishes of the people of the locality being shown by the Post Office authorities. Solomon Chesley an erstwhile official in the Indian Office, is he whose name is preserved in the name of the village. 2 Adam Scott Elliot, the founder of Chesley, was a native of Howick, Scotland. He was but nine years of age when his parents emigrated to Canada in 1816, along with their family, and settled in the county of Lanark. In early manhood he engaged in farming and milling. As early as 1843 he visited the county of Grey with the thought of settling there, but did not carry out the idea until 1856, when he purchased property in Sullivan township and biiilt there a saw and grist mill. In 1858 he purchased the land which forms part of the present site of the village of Chesley. In 1868 he sold out his Chesley business to his son, John H., and moved to Williamsford, in the county of Grey. In later years he returned to Chesley, where he passed away, July 3rd, 1899, in his ninety- second year. He was married to Janet Halliday, and had a family of ten children. Active and enterprising, he was a successful business man. In religion a staunch Presbyterian of the old school; kindly of heart, he did much good. Chesley has every reason to be proud of the man who was its founder. 374 J. H. ELLIOT 375 storekeepers; John Dobbie, blacksmith; John Shea, shoemaker, and Martin Schruder. A census taken the following year gives the popu- lation as but sixty persons. The little village made but slow growth at first. A plan of the survey of village lots made in the summer of 1868 shows only ten houses on the west side of Main Street, three on the east side, and seven other houses scattered about, making twenty in all, besides the saw and grist mill. Such was the extent of develop- ment attained by Chesley ten years after its beginning. It was in. 1868 that John H. Elliot 1 purchased his father's property at Chesley M". H. Elliot was born at Smith's Falls, Lanark County, in 1836. He moved, with his parents, to near Chatsworth, where they established what was known as Sullivan Mills, and in 1858 came with his father to Elderslie and laid the foundation of Chesley. They started a sawmill and grist- mill, and Mr. J. H. Elliot soon became famed far and near as a first-class miller. He also started the first store in Chesley. When Mr. Elliot surveyed his lands into village lots he did not reserve every other one for himself, as a selfishly-inclined man would have done, but sold them at $20 each, and gave buyers as long as they chose to pay for them. The 30th side-road was at that time in an almost impassable condition, and to the improvement of this road Mr. Elliot devoted his attention, and to him more than to any other man is due the credit of transforming the forest road, through frog pond and boggy ground, into a highway which to-day is one of the leading roads of the county. At this time all goods had to be teamed from Paisley to Chesley, and as this gave the business men of the former town a decided advantage over Chesley merchants, the com- mercial life of this place was threatened. Mr. Elliot saw the crisis, and when the opportunity arose he threw his whole energy into the railway project and was a leader in the struggle to have the Lake Erie and Georgian Bay division of the G. T. E. constructed from Stratford to Wiarton. J. H. Elliot assisted a great many men in their business ventures, and there was scarcely a business man in the village, especially in the early days, who was not indebted to him for assistance rendered. Mr. Elliot not only encouraged others to erect buildings, but he built many himself. Two grist-mills, one of which is the present large mill, two sawmills, and scores of houses were built at his expense and under his personal supervision. He was one of the company that built the town hall, took shares in and strongly advocated the erection of the chair factory, and was a leading spirit among those who encouraged the locating of the furniture factory there. It would be impossible to give in detail the industries that he assisted in Chesley, suffice it to say that whatever was for the advancement of Chesley Mr. J. H. Elliot could always be counted on to give it his active support. His private interests were a secondary consideration where the welfare of the village was concerned. It is not surprising that one who had been such a public benefactor should hold a warm place in the hearts of the people. Before this village was incorporated he had been elected deputy reeve of Elderslie, and when Chesley was incorporated as a village, in 1879, he was elected by acclamation as the first reeve, at the elections in January of the following year. He occupied this position for eleven years, and before retiring was honored by his fellow county councillors by being chosen warden of Bruce County. Mr. Elliot carried on for eighteen years a private bank here, known as J. H. Elliot & Co. Nor was it only in material prosperity J. H. Elliot was anxious to see this village progress; everything that tended to the moral and religious life of the community had his active sympathy and support. Mr. Elliot's end came May llth, 1901. He was 376 CHESLEY IN 1870 and proceeded to have a survey made of village lots. It was in the same year that a post-office was opened in the village with Mark McManus as postmaster. Up to this time all mail matter was obtained at Scone, and Sconeville was the name Chesley was known by. A resident of Chesley writing about the village in the winter of 1870-1, said: "We have got one of the best oatmeal and flour mills in the county, owned by Mr. Elliot,, a cabinet factory, a shingle factory, three first-class general stores, two blacksmith shops, two waggon shops, two first-class hotels, kept by Messrs. McGaw and Adams, two cooper shops, one shoe shop, a tannery, a limekiln, and last but not least a skilful and obliging physician in the person of Dr. George Cooke. 1 Nor are the intellectual wants of the people neglected, not by way of preaching, however, for sermons in Chesley are like angeFs visits, few and far between, but by way of lectures under the auspices of the Chesley Literary Association." In October, 1875, another resident, in describing the village, after reporting the above-mentioned industries, increased somewhat in number, adds to the list a pottery-, a brickyard, a sash and door factory, and a woollen mill operated by T. M. Chase. He mentions two churches the Canada Presbyterian, with the Eev. John Bethune as pastor; the other a Baptist church, then without a pastor. " We have about five hundred inhabitants, but have no school-house," he adds, in closing. survived by his widow and five daughters. The funeral was large and representative, both town and country people being anxious to show the last mark of respect to one broad in sympathy and strong in faith, whose aim was to promote the glory of God and the good of man. The village council, on the occasion of Mr. Elliot 's decease, passed the following resolution : " Resolved, that this council feels impelled to express its profound regret at the death of Mr. John Halliday Elliot, who, in company with his father, laid down the foundation of this village, and to whose fostering care, perhaps more than to any other man, is due the credit of its present prosperity. We know that in its early struggle for existence he was the principal, if not the only, promoter of its business enterprises, and at every stage of its growth he was its most constant friend. He was at all times most anxious to render assistance to all proper schemes for promoting its welfare, and he has left us a noble example in the many sacrifices he made to improve the material condition as well as the mental and moral welfare of the residents of this village. In him the business men have lost a wise and prudent adviser and the poor a generous friend. ' ' Chesley Enterprise. 'Dr. Geo. Cooke, a native of Oookstown, Simcoe County, settled in Chesley in 1866, and was for many years one of its prominent citizens. During the years 1887 and 1888 he was reeve of the village. Dr. Cooke continued the practice of medicine at Chesley for a third of a century, when, owing to failing health, he removed to Toronto. His end came in December, 1903. INCORPORATED 377 The village from the time mentioned in the last paragraph made rapid progress. The prospect of a railway being run through to the Georgian Bay gave a feeling of security to all efforts made to develop the place. It was on September 3rd, 1881, that the first locomotive reached Chesley. In a week from that date the first shipment of freight by rail was made. For some months after this Chesley was the most northerly station on the line, making it indeed a busy little place. The prosperity and development mentioned in the previous para- graph led to the taking of steps necessary for the incorporation of the village. On a census being taken the population of the village was found to be nine hundred and five. On this being represented, along with a petition, to the County Council, it passed, December 12th, 1879, the necessary by-law of incorporation, and appointed D. M. Halliday as the returning officer for the election of a reeve and councillors, which was to be held at Kilbourn Hall. Just here a hitch occurred which had not been foreseen. The Municipal Act required that such election should take place on'the first Monday in January occurring after the by-law had been three months in exist- ence. This would throw the first municipal election over until 1881. To avoid this the aid of the Legislature was sought^ which passed an Act 1 validating an election made on the last Monday of December, 1879. The following were the councillors then elected : J. H. Elliot, reeve; Jas. Halliday, George Stanley, Dr. N. B. Gillies and Alex. Eamage, councillors. In a footnote 2 are given the names of those who have filled the reeveship from 1880 to 1906. The first village clerk was John McBain. D. M. Halliday was appointed treasurer of the village, 3 an office he held until his death in 1904. His suc- cessor, William McDonald, still holds office. The first assessor was Geo. Husband, who was expected to perform the duties of that office for a yearly salary of ten dollars. Chesley has been broad-minded and liberal in its willingness to assume financial obligations when the interests of the village at large were concerned. The first public indebtedness was assumed *43 Vic. Chap. 39. 2 Names of the reeves of Chesley: J. H. Elliot, 1880, '81, '82, '89 to 1896; H. A. Bonnar, M.D., 1883; George Stanley, 1884, '85, '86; George Cooke, M.D., 1887, '88; J. M. Stewart, M.D., 1897, '98, '99, 1900, '01; W. A. Crow, D.D.S., 1902, '03, '04; Conrad Krug, 1905, '06. 3 The salary fixed for both the clerk and treasurer was but $25 per annum. 378 DEBENTURES in 1876, when the first school-house was built. To accomplish this $1,650 was raised by the sale of debentures. In 1878, when the first bonus was asked for by the Stratford and Georgian Bay Bailway, Chesley, as part of the township of Elderslie, voted that $35,000 be given as a bonus. 1 In 1879, when the railway came begging for a second grant, Chesley in response assumed a sectional indebtedness of $10,000. The next debt contracted was in 1888 ; this was for the purchase of a steam fire-engine at a cost of $5,200. The decision to erect the present school-house in 1897-8 called for the issue of $15,000 worth of debentures. In 1900, and in each year since, debentures have been issued to pay for local improvements, such as granolithic sidewalks and sewers. The aggregate of debentures so issued up to time of writing, six years in all, form a total of $31,441. Large as is the debenture indebtedness of the municipality, the villagers would not recall this expenditure, as it has been wisely and prudently invested for the good of the public. As mentioned in a previous paragraph, up to 1875 (and for a year later, in fact) Chesley was without a school within its own limits. The following facts regarding the cause of education in Chesley are, by permission of the editor, extracted from The Chesley Enterprise, souvenir number: " The children of the earlier settlers studied and recited their lessons in an old log school-house 2 situated on Donald McGregor's farm on the second concession of Elderslie, and at least two Chesley matrons have personal recollections of the early school life. When the school became too small the classes were held in the old Presby- terian church on the second concession, the frame of which was afterwards moved to Chesley, and formed the skeleton of the old Methodist church. " But Chesley's first, really, truly own school was built in 1876. This is the old school-bouse 3 across the river, which still remains although now used for other than educational purposes. The original building consisted of but two rooms, and it was much later, when these quarters became too small, that the addition on the north side was built. This was until 1897 the hall of learning, and around it 'The total of the annual levies Chesley raised to pay its share of this bonus aggregated nearly $6,000. 3 A Mr. Murray, in 1858, seems to have been the first teacher of this school. 'This old building cost $1,650. At least, that was the amount of the debenture issued to pay for it. (Courtesy of Chesley Enterprise) p. 379 THE SCHOOL 379 cluster the school-day associations of most of the present generation. Walter Bell, who taught in the pioneer school on " the Second," labored here also and ruled, not by the rod, but by moral suasion. W. M. Atton forced ideas into the young minds by the frequent application of the tawse. A. W. Eobb, of the Walkerton Telescope, urged the children gently but surely along the thorny path of learning. Mr. Cullen succeeded him, but proved inefficient. D. F. Kitchie built up a reputation for the school that caused it to figure frequently at the top of the list in Bruce County. It was Mr. Eitchie who was principal when the school removed to its present commodious quar- ters, where there are nine class rooms, a teachers' room, a trustees' room and a large assembly hall. After teaching for two years in the new building Mr. Eitchie resigned his position to remove to Owen Sound, and E. D. McMurchy, who had been for four months teacher of the private high school, was appointed principal in his place, and the high school was merged in. the continuation classes, which became a noted feature in the work of the school. 1 At first only two high school teachers were employed, but a third was subsequently added." In 1903 an effort was made to have Chesley made a high school district, which was acceded to by the County Council, and the required by-law was passed in January, 1904. The Chesley school building 2 ranks as the most complete and up-to-date of any in the county. Within its walls are accommodated both the public and high schools. The present principal is James T. Luton, M.A., who is doing excellent work. Chesley of to-day has indeed right to be proud of its school. The church life now centred in Chesley commenced to take form in the locality of which it is now the centre in the summer of 1859, when the Eev. Alex. Stewart, a Baptist minister stationed at Durham, preached in the house of Archibald McGregor. In September of that year a congregation was organized which formed part of a charge that comprised Durham and Hanover as well. Over this widely extended charge the Eev. Mr. Stewart ministered. Lacking a church building the congregation at Chesley held services in the school- *R. C. Halliday, of the Chesley Public School, had the honor of being the first public school student to ever gain a scholarship in the Depart- mental Examinations, which he did in July, 1903. He stood fourth in the province. 2 Erected in 1897, at a cost of about $15,000. 380 THE CHURCHES house and in public halls until 1875, when a modest church edifice was erected, which is still in use. Following close in point of time to the Baptists, the Presbyterians commenced to form the nucleus of a congregation afterwards to bear the name of the Geneva Presbyterian Church. The little body of worshippers met for worship in the log school-house which stood on lot 26, concession 3, of Elderslie. Every other Sunday from 1860 for a number of years the Eev. Geo. Bremner, the then lately ordained minister at Paisley, conducted the services. At times the village part of the congregation held services in Elliot's Hall. In 1872 a church was built in Chesley, and on October 20th, 1874, the Rev. John Bethune was inducted as minister of the congregation. He was succeeded in 1879 by the Rev. John Ferguson, who after a most successful pastorate passed to his reward in 1890. It was while Rev. Mr. Ferguson was the minister of Geneva Church that the present commodious church building was erected, 1 the opening of which took place January llth, 1885, the Rev. Dr. Grant, Principal of Queen's University, officiating. The Rev. David Perrie was the next minister of the congregation. He resigned in 1894, and was followed in. the pastorate by the Rev. E. A. MacKenzie (now filling a pro- fessor's chair in the Presbyterian College, Montreal), and he in 1900 by the Rev. J. J. Paterson. In 1904 the Rev. R. Atkinson, the present minister, was inducted. The Associate Presbyterian congregation was organized in 1873. At first it existed in connection with the United Presbyterian Church of the United States. The congregation consisted of two charges, one. at Chesley, the other at Williamsford in Grey County. The Rev. Thos. Hannay, D.D., who resided at Williamsford, attended, as far as his health permitted, to the spiritual needs of the flock. In 1876 the Rev. Wm. Findley was inducted to the pastorate, which lasted for three years, during which the church and manse were built. Then came a long vacancy. In 1889 the congregation was transferred to the Associate Presbyterian Church of North America. The present pastor, the Rev. S. H. McNeel, was inducted to this charge in July, 1890. The Methodists were late in the day in organizing a congrega- tion at Chesley, the date being about 1875. The Rev. W. B. Danard was the first minister. Services were held at first in Halliday's Hall. 'The old church was sold for $1,000 to the Church of England congre- gation. THE PRESS 381 In 1876 the old frame church built by the Presbyterians on the second concession of Elderslie was purchased, taken down and re-erected in the village with the addition of a veneer of .brick. This building being too small to accommodate the growing congregation, the present large and handsome edifice was built, the corner-stone of which was laid August 29th, 1898. The cost of this building was about $8,000. The Church of England has not a large congregation at Chesley. At first it held services in Kilbourn's Hall. Then in 1884 it pur- chased from the Presbyterians their original church edifice. After worshipping there for twelve years, in 1896 steps were taken to build, and on August 4th of that year the corner-stone of the new church was laid. This congregation for a long time formed a joint charge with that at Hanover. , The settling of a number of German families at Chesley necessi- tated the forming of a congregation in connection with the German Evangelical Church, which in 1887 built the neat looking edifice in which they worship. The press, as represented by The Chesley Enterprise, made its bow to the public in the early part of 1877, R. H. Spedding being the original publisher. Since he ceased to be the proprietor of the paper it has passed through the hands of the following: J. B. Stephens, Wm. Kay, A. W. Kobb, Adolph & McDonald, and is now edited and published by Wm. McDonald. When Adolph & McDonald dissolved partnership (1893) the latter continued to publish The Enterprise, and the former, John Adolph, started The Free Press, which existed for about five years. In 1902 The Enterprise did itself credit by publishing a souvenir number, in which the story of Chesley, past and present, were ably told and delineated. The author was courteously permitted by Mr. McDonald to make use of anything therein which might add to the interest and value of this history, which offer has been gratefully accepted. The growth of Chesley has arisen in a large measure from its manufacturing industries. The first of these were the mills built in the fifties by A. S. Elliot. The grist mill as it now stands was built by J. H. Elliot and Alex. Eamage in 1875. At that date it was the most complete mill of its kind in this district. Even to-day there are only two or three in the whole county to be compared with it. The Krug Bros.' furniture factory is a large industry that adds greatly to the output of Chesley's manufactures. Commencing in 382 THE " BIG " FIRE a modest way during the eighties, the business has now a market extending over the Dominion. In 1884 Stevens Bros, started a plan- ing mill that has continued to increase year by year. D. Stevens is the present proprietor. The first banking institution to open business in Chesley was a private bank known as that of Hay Bros., J. McBain, manager, After being in business for a few years they were bought out in 1879 by J. H. Elliot & Co., this latter firm being composed of J. H. Elliot, D. M. Halliday and J. McBain. Continuing to do a profitable busi- ness for twenty years, the firm sold out to the Merchants Bank of Canada in 1899 ; The first chartered bank to commence business in Chesley was the Bank of Hamilton, which opened a branch there in November, 1889. June 9th, 1888, is a date that will be remembered in the history of Chesley as that of the great fire. At the time it certainly looked like a crushing blow, but it has proved rather of the nature of a blessing, in that the burned-over tract has been rebuilt with a hand- somer class of buildings than were there before. The stranger enter- ing Chesley from the south and looking down the main street from the top of the hill is struck by the handsome appearance of the busi- ness part of the town. It is unfortunate that the back and side streets do not convey as favorable an impression. Streets only forty and fifty feet in width aio not in conformity with modern ideas. These narrow streets are the result of private surveys of village lots, which were not conceived on a broad and generous plan. The private residences of Chesley are a marked feature of the town, impressing the visitor with a sense of the number of well-to-do people in this community. For many years the good people of Chesley were ambitious to have their municipality numbered among the towns of the province. A census taken in the summer of 1906 revealed the fact that the -required number of inhabitants dwelt within the bounds of the cor- poration. The preliminary proceedings were then completed, and the Lieut.-Governor issued a proclamation erecting the village into a town and dividing it into three wards. The proclamation came into effect on October 1st, 1906. CHAPTEE XXIX. VILLAGE OF PAISLEY. 1 IN taking up the chapter on the history of Paisley the author does so with the consciousness that the chronicles of the village have been ably and well written by Ainsley Megraw. His work appeared in a special edition of the Paisley Advocate, February 20th, 1890. The press has written up various places in the county at different times, but no village or town has been so fortunate as Paisley in having its history written so fully, systematically and accurately. The writing of Paisley's history was a labor of love to Mr. Megraw. Paisley is his native town, and there he had resided up to the time he compiled his narrative. He had, as it were, breathed in the history of the village, and was enabled to impart to his narrative the local coloring which it is vain for a stranger to try to imitate. Mr. Megraw had also taken great pains to be accurate in his facts. Kealizing all this fully, the author wrote to Mr. Megraw, and also to Mr. D. McKenzie, the present publisher of the Advocate, requesting permission to use the material published, as above mentioned. From both gentlemen a ready and courteous compliance was given. Where in this chapter portions are taken en Hoc from Mr. Megraw's narrative, credit will be given to the Advocate. In other cases where his account is mixed in with facts the author has obtained this may not be possible. In Chapter V. reference is made to the settlement made at Paisley by its pioneer settlers, Simon Orchard and Samuel T. Eowe. Although in a measure repeating what was there said, the author feels that the story of the settlement prepared by Mr. Eowe, and which was published in the Port Elgin Times, should here appear, at least in part. Messrs. Orchard and Eowe were among the pioneer settlers who took up land in 1842 on the Garafraxa Eoad, in the townships of Egremont and Nbrmanby. After the opening up of the free grants- along the Durham Eoad, they learned of the superior quality of the soil in Brant, and Eowe decided to settle there and start a tavern at ir The village bears the name of a town in Renfrewshire, Scotland. But why the name came to be bestowed the author has not been able to ascertain. 383 384 PAISLEY'S PIONEERS the locality afterwards known as Gaffaney's Corners, but before he reached the place the laud had been taken up by another. Orchard sold his farm in Egremont, while Howe rented his on a ten-year lease. During the winter of 1850-51 they teamed their effects to Walkerton, ready for the opening of spring. About the middle of April, 1851, Mr. Orchard brought his family to Walkerton. Learning of desirable lands located down the river, he decided to try his fortune in that direction. With the help of a hired man, he made a raft of cedar logs. On this he placed his family and household effects and started, unappalled by the dangers and difficulties that lay before them, on a voyage down the Saugeen. Mr. Orchard had some information about the land and the appearance of the locality at the mouth of Mud River, as it was then called. He said he had had a dream about it, and if it were like what he saw in the dream he would stay there, and he wanted to be there first. It turned out, so he found when he arrived, to be just like what he dreamed about. Mr. Howe was delayed owing to the sickness and death of his son, and was unable to start with Mr. Orchard. He was also further detained for a few days at Walkerton, to be " corner man " at the putting up of a two- story log house, owned by his cousin, Wm. Jasper. While there, on the first day of May, a foot of snow fell, but by night the logs were swept and the building raised. Mr. Howe engaged William Walker, W. Jasper, George Keeley and Alex. Mclntyre to build two large rafts and take him down the river. They started on the 9th day of May, and landed safely at the site of what was afterwards to be known as the village of Paisley early that afternoon. The two pioneers were well pleased with the look of the land. Mr. Orchard was satisfied with his choice on the north side of the river, and so was Mr. Eowe with his on the south side. Mr. Rowe's hired men returned next day. leaving the two families with one hired man alone in the forest, miles from the nearest settler. Mr. Orchard had already erected a good shanty of poles. In three days after the arrival of Mr. Rowe and family the three men and two women, with the help of oxen, put up a large shanty for the newly arrived family. Mr. Orchard then cut logs for a new house. At this time the party of surveyors under Mr. (afterward Senator) A. Vidal, engaged in the survey of the township of Saugeen, happened to come along, and helped to raise it. This building will be remem- bered as the store that Mr. Samuel Steel occupied for some time. The winter of 1851-52 was a notably severe one. Mr. Orchard had four cows and Mr. Rowe fourteen head of cattle to winter that season, with SIMON ORCHARD SAMUEL T. HOWE p. 383 p. 383 JOHN S. MCDONALD p. 421 CAPT. DUNCAN ROWAN p. 436 FIRST DEATH 35 nothing to feed them on but tree tops. The two settlers each hired a man to chop all winter. Mr. Bowe hired his man on the 12th of October. The first snow fell that night. For months it had an aver- age depth of five feet, and was to be seen in the swamps in the follow- ing June; but the cattle got through well. When the ice began to break up on the river Mr. Orchard's four cows came down to the river for a drink, as usual. Standing on the rotten ice, it broke beneath them, and the cows were never seen again. In the summer of 1852 Mr. Bowe, with the assistance of hired help, cut the logs and built what was known for years as Howe's tavern. Its site was opposite the present Town Hall, and it stood projecting on the street at an angle thereto. Its measurements were thirty by twenty-four, with a lean-to for a kitchen, and another lean-to for a dining-room. The families of the two settlers were separated by the Teeswater Kiver. To overcome this inconvenience one of the first things they undertook was to erect a foot-bridge over the stream. Unfortunately, the next spring freshet washed it away, and for a while they depended upon a dog, which was trained to swim across and carry small things from one shanty to the other. In August, 1851, John Valentine sent two men to take possession of the mill site which he had applied for at the Crown Lands Office. One of the men, David Boss 1 by name, took ill and died during the following month. Owing to scarcity of lumber in the settlement, some of the boards that formed the floor in the house of Mr. Eowe had to be used for the coffin, while a carpenter, James Benson, had to be brought down the river from Walkerton to make it. Two brothers of the deceased,' who resided at Fergus, were able to be present at the funeral, which was the first in the township of Elderslie. In the chapter on Elderslie is to be found the names of those who early took up land at or in the vicinity of Paisley. One who early became identified with the settlement was John Megraw. In 1851 he took up a farm lot in the township of Saugeen, but had the misfortune in the following spring to have his shanty burned down. John Valen- tine, who was passing down the river to Southampton, happened to meet Mr. Megraw, and persuaded him to leave the farm and work at the building of his dam and sawmill at Paisley. In the fall of that year Mr. Megraw took up the farm lot on which the railway station at *David Ross was an uncle of the Rev. J. S. Ross, D.D., of the Canadian Methodist Church, late of Walkerton, and a brother of Wm. Ross, town clerk of Fergus. 14 386 SURVEYS Paisley now stands, and in the month of October, 1851, installed his family in a little shanty he had there constructed. The Valentine sawmill was running in 1852, supplying settlers near at hand, and also for some distance down the river with lumber required for build- ing purposes. It was the practice of the last mentioned to raft and float down the river the lumber they purchased. Messrs. Howe and Orchard, realizing the possibilities for the development of a town on the lands they had squatted upon, were desirous to secure a patent therefor from the Crown, and early paid into the hands of the Crown Lands Agent 1 the required amount. But the Department also seemed to have realized it would be desirable to have a town plot surveyed at the junction of the Saugeen and .Teeswater Eivers; or quite probably there were those who were pulling the wires of political influence to obtain the lands and hold the same for speculative purposes. Whatever was the reason, the Crown patent remained year after year unissued, notwithstanding repeated visits of Mr. Rowe to the Crown Land Department at Quebec and Toronto. At last the Department decided to have a town plot there laid out, and in 1856 Francis Kerr, P.L.S., made the necessary survey. 2 The rights of Messrs. Rowe and Orchard were respected, and patent after patent in their names, issued on September 17th, 1856, for village and park lots are to be found entered in the books of the Registry Office. A plan of this survey was lithographed and published, a copy of this, in the hands of the author, portrays the extent of development attained by the village in 1856-57. The plan shows but thirty-six buildings in all, scattered along Queen Street, and thence down Alma Street to Valentine's mill. In the plan are shown three sawmills, one grist mill, the school-house and Rowe's tavern, besides unnamed buildings. There is no bridge over the Saugeen, or Willow Creek, while the bridge over the Teeswater seems as if it extended from the high bank on the south side, nearly to Church Street. After leaving the river bank it most probably was a sort of causeway till higher ground was reached. The name of Paisley was given to the village when the post-office was opened, February 1st, 1856. The first postmaster was Thomas J Lands in Elderslie were opened for sale, July 30th, 1852. See Appendix J. The survey was made at the time of the Crimean War. This explains why there is commemorated in the nomenclature of the streets the battles, and the names of English and French generals in command in the Crimea. The survey included lands in both the townships of Elderslie and Greenock, with an acreage of 1,500 acres, consisting of 318% acres of streets, 137^ mill sites and rivers, and 1,044 acres in town and park lots. When incor- porated the area of the village was reduced about one half. INDUSTRIES 387 Orchard. He also was the first merchant. At the time he opened out his stock of goods it was in a room in Howe's tavern, but in 1854 he built the first store erected in the village, occupied subsequently for years by Robert Scott as a flour and feed store. As time wore on, " Tradesmen and others began to make their appearance in Paisley, and bit by bit the cluster of little shanties in the small patch of clear- ing began to widen out, and the whole to take on the appearance of a town. Speaking of tradesmen, Mr. Thomas Irving was in those days an essential part of the community, and when difficulties of a mechanical nature arose, invariably his aid was sought. His little workhouse on the bank overlooking Stark's mill was a veritable curiosity shop. It was a foundry and a watchmaker's shop; everything from a broken-down printing press to an old gun or a sick watch, was benefited by his treatment. Long will the mem- ory of his quaint sayings remain, with the younger people espe- cially " (Paisley Advocate). The hum of industry early pervaded the village. The grist mill built by John Valentine in 1855 was in opera- tion in 1856. The mill privilege, now known as the Fisher Mill property, was purchased from S. T. Eowe in 1859, and developed by Mr. David D. Hanna and milling actively carried on. Industries of various descriptions also commenced to develop, such as sash and door factories, owned by -Joseph Christie and the Sinclair Brothers. A tannery was started by James Bone, a blacksmith shop by Joseph Donald, a foundry by James Bradley, who sold out in 1870 to Laid- law & Robinson; a brickyard, by Wm. Anstead. Various other trades and professions also began to be represented, so that by the time ten years or so had passed Paisley presented all the appearance of a thriving little village. It was in 1859 that the author paid his first visit to Paisley, to be present at the opening of St. Andrew's Church. Willie Bain, a youth of his own age, showed him over the place. The impressions which he can now recall refer principally to the soiree at the church; the stores of Thomas Orchard and Richard Dick, which seemed small ; Valentine's mill ; the scattered appearance of the buildings, and Sergison's hotel, where he put up. The fire in the wide brick fireplace in the bar-room, piled high with four-foot logs, gave out a most welcome warmth after a long sleigh ride from Kin- cardine. One looks in vain for such a cheery wood fire in the now almost deforested county of Bruce. The narrative of the schools must be given in Mr. Megraw^s own words : " At a public meeting held on the 5th of September, 1856, 388 THE LOG SCHOOL HOUSE steps were taken for the organization of a school under the provisions of the Upper Canada Consolidated School Act. At this meeting Thomas Orchard, William McBride and John A. Murdoch were elected trustees, and after a little sparring as to the school site, they decided that the building which they purposed erecting should be built on the centre of lot 11, concession A, and that it be of flatted logs twenty by twenty-four feet inside. Tenders were called for the job, and it was let to John McDonald for $120. Miss Stewart was offered the position of teacher at 50 per annum, on condition that she provide herself with a legal certificate, which offer she accepted. The first levy made to cover school purposes was that of 84. Miss Stewart's teaching in the public school began in January, 1857, and she taught two years. She was succeeded by Duff McDonald, who only taught a week or so in the beginning of 1859, and then came Daniel Duff (afterwards the Eev. Mr. Duff, of Malcolm), who taught for one year and nine months, viz., 1859 and part of 1860. Fleming May put in the balance of that year and the next. " With the beginning of 1862 came Mr. James Saunders, who was engaged to teach the school for that year for 87. In the beginning of 1863 part of School Section No. 8, Greenock, was added to the Paisley section, and Mr. Saunders' salary was increased to $380, owing to the extra labor put upon him in teaching and keeping in order the big boys from the gore of Greenock. The interior of that old school is now quite distinct in our memory. It sat about twenty feet or so to the east of the " Old Brick," which is still standing near the station yard. The door was in the east end, facing the road. The teacher's desk was in the opposite en.l. To the left of this desk three long pine desks with benches in rear, ran the full length of the school, with the excep- tion of about two feet at each end to enable the boys to get behind. To the right, in the south-west corner, was a map case, with all the maps in creation attached to rollers encased in a handsome stained and varnished case, which was attached to the wall by large wooden pins fixed in auger holes in about the sixth or seventh log above the floor. From this frame were a lot of strings with little wooden knots on the end, and by a skilful and mysterious manipulation of these Mr. Saunders could bring out any map he wanted Ireland, Scotland or the Fiji Islands and we little folks thought he was a regular wizard. About twelve or fourteen desks about eight or nine feet long, arranged one behind the other, filled up the balance of the space on the right. On the last of these all the big fellows with whiskers sat. "THE OLD BRICK" SCHOOL ob9 This left a space down the centre about eight feet wide from end to end, and in the centre of this the classes stood. Towards the end of its term the old school began to get demoralized. A big hole in the floor corresponded with another in the foundation, and by a subter- ranean passage the boys occasionally made surreptitious expeditions to the outer world. One time the boys took a craze for firing off gun- powder, and any little tube, whether wood, iron or brass, that could, be got was used for shooting. One charge was fixed in a chink of the school, the muzzle pointing inward, when a boy was detailed off to ask out, and when outside fire off the shot. The gunner on that occasion, if we remember right, is now Eev. J. Hay, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Renfrew. This old log school is now (1890) a stable on Mr. Elijah Welsford's farm. " In June, 1866, tho contract was let for building a new brick school. In July, 1867, a very rainy Monday, it was opened. Soon an assistant teacher, Miss Lucy McLellan, was put in the school, and she was succeeded in 1868 by Miss Mclntosh, who taught for five years. Mr. Saunders was principal until July, 1869, when he was succeeded by Mr. T. J. Bell. Mr. Saunders was kind-hearted and frank with his pupils, and the writer will never forget him. True, he had a little whip with a handle about eleven inches long, and a leather lace for a lash about eighteen inches long, with a knot on the end, but it was wielded with mercy, for " ' He was kind, and if severe in aught, .-. The love he bore to learning was in fault. ' " With Mr. Bell's advent, we remember, began the work of logging and cleaning up the ground lying between the school and where the present railway station is, for a cricket field. Mr. Bell himself was. a finished cricketer. The boys took kindly to the game, and under his coaching, with practice morning, noon .and night, two years served to develop a team of youngsters that could do Walkerton men up in an innings. About the time that Mr. Bell took the school the Education Department had issued a limit table, and for the first time a fair attempt was made to observe it, but when we consider that the old style in vogue before that was to teach reading and spelling as the main things, and advance from form to form as the pupils became proficient in these, independent of how much or how little they knew of other studies, we can easily see how unpopular a movement for grading would be to one who was in the Fifth Book and could not do 390 SOME OLD SETTLERS short division, perhaps not know the multiplication table up to twelve times. There was, however, a general turning back and a considerable amount of howling, but as more stress was put on arithmetic and other studies that, according to the limit table, they were most behind in, the matter began to adjust itself. " The temptation is strong to devote a few paragraphs to the boys of the ' Old Brick ' who wielded the cricket bat in summer time and did battle with the shinnies when winter came. There were the McBride boys, the Shaws, Malcolm and Dan; the Scotts, the Vances, the McDonalds, the Mahers, the Stodders, Jack Keid, Jim Fitzpatrick, Jack Urquhart, George Nicol, Will McCalder, Bob McGavin, and who not? There was Jack McCool, 1 too, a raw boy from the Emerald Isle, who had a hard road to hoe when he first came to the school, but, full of pluck from top to bottom, he fought (not metaphorically, but literally) his way into the heart of his quondam persecutors. Mr. Bell taught until the end of 1872. During his time the attendance had increased to such an extent that the trustees had to grapple with the question of more school accommodation. Accordingly, early in January, 1872, the trustees decided to call a meeting of the ratepayers to take into consideration the selection of a site for a new school, and as a result of that meeting the present site was selected, the old site to be sold for what the trustees could make it bring. Mr. B. Mills was appointed to draw out the plan, and in June the contract was let to Sinclair & Blackburn for $4,600. With a new school the Board seemed to think that everything else should be new as well, and proceeded to obtain a new staff. Thus Mr. Bell, who had conducted the school with signal success for three years and a half, was allowed, like Moses, to have a glimpse of the promised land (the new school- house), but was not allowed to enter therein. There was engaged for the new school J. C. Elliot, principal ; Anson Gr. Anderson and Miss Maggie Adair, assistants. The principal was very lame, and he had an old horse called Paddy, which drew him around. In fact, the impression was general that they were two old plugs together, so next year the Board dispensed with the service of one, and were deprived of the services of the other. Next year an improvement was made by securing Mr. Hugh McKellar as principal, and the first assistant that year is now the Kev. Dr. McTavish, of Toronto. Mr. McKellar was a very successful teacher, and a very superior man. He taught during 1874, 1875 and 1876, after which Mr. Donald Mclntyre came and put ^he present Inspector of Public Schools in East Bruce. OPENING OF RAILWAY 391 in a year. Mr. McKee taught in 1878 and 1879 ; Mr. Ming taught in 1880. During the winter of 1881 he was taken ill. After a month or so of sick leave absence he returned and resumed work, but died shortly afterwards from bleeding of the lungs. His place was taken by Mr. John McBride, who finished out the year 1881. Mr. E. Munro taught during 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885 and 1886, and Mr. John Keith from 1885 to 1892. There have also been many very excellent teachers among the assistants, both male and female. " During the summer of 1888 it was found necessary to build an addition to the schoolhouse, by which all the rooms in the old building were made considerably larger and more convenient, and two new rooms were added." Paisley Advocate. Following Mr. Keith, the principals have been Gr. F. Morrison, John Taylor, W. I. Chisholm, J. E. Hodgson, E. W. Dickenson, and, in 1905-06, R. T. Fuller. The last-mentioned has six assistants ; five of the teaching staff attend to the regular public school work, and the two others to the continuation classes. The opening of the post-office in 1856 was concurrent with the establishing of the mail route between Elora and Southampton. The service was tri-weekly, and the first mail carrier was one John Lyons. Just how long the tri-weekly service lasted the author cannot say, but some time in the sixties it became a daily one. This improved com- munication was followed in 1869 by the entrance of the Montreal Telegraph Company, which established an office in that year in the village. The route followed by travel and commerce for twenty years after its settlement, between Paisley and the wide world beyond, was during the season of navigation principally by way of Southampton, thence by steamboat to Goderich. After navigation closed there was nothing for it but to drive a distance of about eighty miles to Guelph to reach the railway there. Enduring such disadvantages for so long a time, it is easy to imagine with what pleasure the villagers viewed the con- struction of the railway, and how heartily they cheered when the first locomotive came in on June 7th, 1872. The road was opened for freight and passengers on August 28th following. "With railway communication established, the village grew as never before. Instead of witnessing the passing along its main street of strings of sleighs conveying grain to be marketed at Southampton, Paisley now could offer as good a market, with the added advantage of a shorter haul ; and, as farmers purchase their supplies as a rule 392 INCORPORATUN where they sell their produce, every tradesman and merchant pros- pered in consequence. As can readily be supposed, the population increased, and this led to steps being taken to have the village incor- porated. A census showed that there was 1,038 inhabitants in the village, being in excess of the required number. On a petition for incorporation being presented to the County Council, a by-law was passed, June 7th, 1873, incorporating the village and directing that the municipal election be held at Graham's Hotel, and that Edward Saunders be the returning officer. At the election held January 5th, 1874, the following were the successful candidates : James Saunders, reeve; 1 Duncan Fisher, Alex. Colborne, Win. M. Smith and Bobert Porteous, councillors. The Council appointed Edward Saunders to the joint offices of clerk and treasurer. The village was divided into two polling subdivisions in 1876. The first election under this arrangement took place at the following municipal election. It was in the fall of 1876 that the present Town Hall was built. The Village Council held its first meeting therein on March 20th, 1877. December 15th, 1887, witnessed the installing in the village of an excellent system of waterworks for fire protection, the cost of which was $6,500. This has had the effect of reducing the premiums on fire insurance to a marked extent. Prior to this the town was without any means to fight a serious fire, and met with some heavy losses in consequence, such as J. A. Murdoch's woollen mill in 1871 and Stark^s mill in 1884. In a footnote 2 are given a list of debentures issued by the village since the time of its incorporation. !The following are the names of those who have been elected reeves of the village down to 1906 : James Saunders, 1874, '75, '76, '77, '78, '79. '80, '82; I. E. Fenton, 1881; D. J. Bain, 1883, '84, '85, '89, '90; E. Porteous, 1886, '87, '88; S. McArton, M.D., 1891, '92, '93, '94, '95; Archibald Fisher, 1896, 1901; W. H. McFarlane, 1897; S. J. Eobb, 1898, 1899, 1900; Wm. Rusk, 1902; W. W. Hogg, 1903; James H. Steele, 190 L '05; I. Shoemaker, 1906. The following are those who have filled the municipal offices of village clerk and treasurer : As clerk E. Saunders, D. James Bain, S. Shannon, J. Claxton, Neil MacKechnie and J. C. Gibson. As treasurer E. Saunders, Dr. P. McLaren, and George Chambers. 2 List of debentures issued by the village of Paisley : $2,050, for schools, April 14th, 1885 ; $5,500, for waterworks, December 15th, 1887 ; $1,800, for schools, June. 13th, 1888 ; $1,000, for waterworks, December 15th, 1888 ; $14,000, loan to Carpet Factory, July 8th, 1901; and the following for granolithic sidewalks: $2,400 in 1903, $1,940 and $1,882 in 1904, and $1,060 in 1905. The cost of the public school building erected in 1872 was paid for by a debenture amounting to $5,000, issued by the township of Elderslie, but provided for by the Paisley School Section, and is properly to be included among the debenture issue of Paisley. THE "AULD KIRK" The first minister to hold a public religious service in Paisley was the Eev. James Hutchinson; this was in 1853. The place where the service was held was Eowe's tavern. The first church erected in Paisley was St. Andrew's, built by the Presbyterian congregation in connection with the Church of Scotland. The church was opened in the winter of 1859. The Presbyterians in the settlement had services held by representatives of both the " Auld Kirk " and the " Free " before a congregation of either church was organized. The date when St Andrew's congregation was organized the author cannot give, but in 1856 the Eev. Kenneth McLennan was inducted as its minister, the first settled minister in the village. Here we would let Mr. Megraw speak : " Eev. Mr. McLennan was a man of robust constitution, and with a readiness to adapt himself to circumstances, and make the most of his surroundings. Mr. McLennan was well suited to the arduous task which he set himself to perform. In Valentine's mill services were held while the little white church was being erected on the hill, and while he preached the gospel on Sundays, he was ready through the week to lend a hand in the building. This church and its location gave the name to our present Church Street, and in the olden days no more harmonious flock could well be found than that which wended its way every Sunday up to this little church door. With it some of the writer's earliest memories are associated. Among Mr. McLennan's flock there were none who were stauncher friends than the gore of Greenock contingent, consisting of James Mair, the Brockie family, the Lambs, the Davies, Ledgerwoods, and Messrs. Leask and Megraw. George Brockie led the Psalms and took an active part in the work of the congregation. There was also a considerable part of the congregation from Gillies' Hill. At a soiree held in the old log schoolhouse Mr. McLennan, in the course of a humorous speech, had the misfortune to give expression to some remarks that gave mortal offence to the Highland part of the congregation. The words used paid a high compliment to their love of music, but reflected rather seriously upon both their valor and their industry, and as a result some thirty of them left the congregation, and most of these drifted into the Baptist denomination, then in considerable strength in West Arran. Mr. McLennan left early in the sixties, and the congregation got along with supplies for a few years until Mr. McLean, a divinity student from Kingston, preached for a summer, and was given a call when he completed his studies. This was about 1866. During his pastorate the congregation made good progress, and a good feeling 394 KNOX CHURCH existed. He left in 1871, and was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Gordon in 1873. Then the question of union forced itself on the attention, and a section of the congregation held out against. The unionists had to take themselves off to Knox Church, and the remnant being unable to support a minister, an interval of about eight years ensued, broken only by occasional spells of service, and during a great part of this time certain properties were in litigation. In 1884 Rev. Mr. Duncan resuscitated the congregation, collected funds for the building of a handsome new church on the bank of the Saugeen, at the corner of Water and Albert streets, and accepted a call as its pastor. Loss of health compelled him to give up the charge in 1888, and he was suc- ceeded by Rev. John Gillies, who remained as pastor until 1891. Efforts made to maintain the entity of the congregation failed, and gradually the members united to Knox Church. " The first stage of the history of Knox Church in Paisley was that of St. Andrew's as well, viz., visits from Mr. McNaughton, of South- ampton, and others. Mr. McNaughton preached in Mr. Rowe's tavern in 1855. His pulpit was a little washstand, and his hearers sat around on whiskey barrels, beer kegs and whatever else they could find handy. Mr. McMorran led the psalmody, and as the strains of ' Old Hundred,' ' Martyrdom,' and other old, familiar tunes floated out upon the air and died away among the tall, waving trees, there were some of the listeners whose thoughts, no doubt, were carried away to former days among heathery hills. Mr. McMullen, a student from Knox Church, and Mr. McDonald, of Seaforth, were the next who preached to them, and these services were held in the old log schoolhouse. Mr. Blount preached in the summer of 1858; he was afterwards drowned on his way to the Old Country. The date of organization cannot be fastened on, but it occurred in the old log schoolhouse, most likely in 1858, possibly in '57. Dr. Scott, of London, dispensed the sacrament. Mr. Bremner came in 1859, was ordained in 1860, and the first entry in the sessions books is by his hand in February of that year, the minute showing previous organiza- tion. The elders, at their first meeting of session with a placed minister as moderator, were John Ewing, Malcolm Campbell and John Rusk, and to these at the next meeting in May, 1860, were added James Rankin, William McBride and Donald Mclntyre, Sr. The first church which the congregation erected was of frame, that was moved away to make room for the present structure, which was built in 1875. The old frame is now standing on the corner of Queen OTHER CHURCHES 395 and Alma Streets, as a dwelling, and as it has sometimes sheltered two or three families at once, it has been somewhat irreverently called ' The Ark/ " Mr. Bremner remained from 1860 to 1870 ; Mr. Straith, from May, 1871, to October, 1882; Mr. Greig, from December, 1883, to October, 1886, and the present pastor, Rev. J. Johnston, has been in charge since February 1888, and has the honor of being the senior minister of the place, the occupants of the pulpits of all the other churches in town having come since that date." Paisley Advocate. The Methodist Church furnished the first minister to preach at Paisley, but it was not the first to be supplied with a regular pastor. It was in 1857 that the Rev. James A. Iveson came to the village as the first minister of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. He remained there during that and the following year as well. During 1859, 1860 and 1861 the congregation was united with that at Southampton, and ministerial services were supplied from there. The Rev. George Jacques was settled at Paisley in 1862, and since then there has been a continuous succession of pastors in thet usual itinerary of the church. At first, church services were held in the old log school-house. In 1875 (following the union of the various Methodist bodies) Paisley ceased to be a mission, and became a self-sustaining circuit. The New Connexion Methodists established a mission at Paisley, 1861, the Rev. Thomas Fox being the minister in charge. He was suc- ceeded by the Rev. Joseph Rawson the following year, and he again by the Rev. S. F. Depew; the mission was closed in 1870. The first Church of England service held in the village was in 1855, the Rev. J. P. Hodge officiating. In 1859 a congregation was organized, when Bishop Cronyn preached, the St. Andrew's congre- gation having given the use of their church for this service. A pretty brick church was built in 1864, known as the Church of the Ascension, largely through the efforts of the Rev. R. S. Cooper, the cost of which was about $1,500. The Baptists at first held services in Sergison's Hall, which was conducted by the Rev. Neil Sinclair. In 1862 a church was built on the Elora Road; the locality being found unsuitable, in 1869 a brick church was erected in the village, and some twenty years later a manse. The fact that four streams meet at or in the vicinity of Paisley made the question of bridges one of importance from the date when the two lone families of settlers experienced the inconveniences arising 3jt> THE " WATERWITCH " from being separated by the waters, of the Teeswater River. The first bridge over this stream was built by Simon Orchard, in 1851. Rae's bridge: over the Saugeen River was in course of .construction at tfye time the settlers were going to Southampton to attend the " big land sale " in 1854. The Goldie Street bridge was built, Simon Orchard being the contractor, in 159. All of these bridges have been replaced by fine: steel structures built-in the following mentioned years. The present two-span steel bridge over the Teeswater was opened for traffic in- the first ^week of January, 1895;JRae's bridge in 1893, and the; Groldie Street bridge in 1891;- Before the first bridge ovej the Saugeen was .built scows .were used to iransport the traffic. These were also used in times of: freshet. 1 Freshets of almost annual occur- rence have at times wrought considerable,, damage to property in Paisley^ -It is said that after the freshet of 1870 nearly every house north of the Teeswater had its foundation raised, so that inconveni- ence from this source might be, avoided at next high flood. The Saugeen, has no| : been looked upon as a navigable stream, but it remained for a citizen of Paisley to prove the contrary. In the summer of 1879 D. Hanna built -a flat-bottomed steamer, which he named the Waterwitch. , ,,Its dimensions were: Length, 40 feet, with a beam of 8 feet, i The engine used was one of only six horse- power. Nevertheless it was powerful enough to give the craft a good headway against the pretty strong current. During Fall Exhibition, week of that year Mr. Hanna did a rushing excursion business, as everybody wanted a cruise on the little steamer. In 1880 and again in- the -following year the Waterwitch steamed up the river to Walkerton, taking thirteen hours to go up the river, but returning in four hours. In 1883 Messrs. McLean Brothers, of the Sauble Falls Mills, purchased the vessel, and conveyed it on sleighs to Boat Lake. Its further history is given in Chapter XII. Wonder has sometimes been expressed that Paisley, with the Saugeen River flowing through it ready to be harnessed and give out its potential powers, has not developed manufacturing industries, to a greater extent than has been. The Teeswater has two dams across it at Paisley. Why one across the Saugeen has not been constructed is not .. for the author to say. Paisley made a mistake in the only loan it has made toward the 'An account of Win. Sergison was presented to the County Council, June, 1862, for ferrying travellers and passengers across the river flats at Paisley during the spring freshets of that year, for a period of six days and nights. THE "ADVOCATE" oU7 encouraging and establishing of manufactures 4n the village. ; In 1902 a loan of $14,000 was made to George -A. Burrows to help him to build a carpet factory. The factory was built and run for a while, but closed down long before the first instalment toward the -repayment of the loan was due. <.. : The press has been represented in the village since February 17th, 1865, the date of the first issu6 of the : Pdisley Advocate. The-fcst publisher was Eichard Goldie. He retained possession of the' paper for four years, selling out to : James M. Bishop. In August, 1872, - cedure, Greenock being the last township south of the peninsula to be surveyed. After the boundaries of the other townships placed along the borders of the county were settled, there remained a large section in the centre of the county. This formed the township of Greenock, the survey of which was made in 1852 by R. "Walsh, P.L.S. 2 J The name is that of a seaport town on the Clyde in Scotland. 2 Mr. Walsh commenced his survey at the blind line at the back of the first concession, N.D.E., and proceeded north. On reaching the apex at the north of the township he thought his contract completed, and was preparing to leave when, remembering the strip of land forming a gore in the south-west of 'the township, now the twenty-fifth concession, he took his staff there and made the survey of it ; this was late in the fall, after the snow was on the ground. 401 402 FIRST SETTLERS In Chapter II. are to be found particulars of the survey of the Dur- ham Road through this township, and also the reason why in Greenock only, the free grant lots are confined to one concession on each side of the Durham Road. Greenock, excepting the " free grants," was included among the Crown lands which were opened for sale at the time of the " big land sale/' September 27th, 1854. 1 The price at which these lands were offered by the Crown was ?s. 6d. per acre. The first settlers to take up land in the township were Joseph Chartrand and John Caskanette, French-Canadians, who had been on the staff of A. P. Brough, P.L.S., when he surveyed the Durham Road. Anticipating the development of a town at the point where the Teeswater River is crossed by the Durham Road, they took up the lots on which the village of Rivers- dale now stands, and brought in their families in the spring of 1850. Along with them came other families fiom the same part of Lower Canada in which they had resided. The offer of free grant farm lots in Greenock was held back at first by the Crown Lands Department. 2 Whether this was on account of uncertainty as to future action in regard to extending the free grants in Greenock, as elsewhere, to four concessions in width, or whether the difficulty and expense of cutting a road through the swamp seemed too formidable at the time, the author cannot say ; either surmise is quite supposable. On the with- drawal of this restriction in April, 1851, the desirable lots along the Durham line were quickly taken up. The names of those who took up these lots are given in Chapter V. Before the lands in Greenock were open for sale numerous squatters had settled in the township. Especially was this the case along concession A, and in the " Gore " of the township. Among these early settlers were Lewis Lamb, James Mair, James Ledgerwood, John Megraw, David, John, George and William Brockie, John Sherman, John and Dennis Phelan and Edward Boulton. 3 The mill site secured by John Valentine in 1851 puts his name, in the forefront of any list of settlers in the northern 'See Appendix K. 2 Extract from letter sent to George Jackson, Crown Lands Agent, Durham, by the Department of Crown Lands, August 15th, 1850 : Ee Town- ship of Greenock " As the survey is not fully completed and as there is no intentions of opening the road through the township at present, it is desirable that no locations should be made thereon this season." 'Edward Boulton seems to have belonged to a class of backwoodsmen, by no means uncommon, whose restless enterprise kept them always in the front of the wave of settlement. He was one of the first settlers in Walkerton, also of Greenock, and again in Amabel. He was residing at or near Meaford when his death occurred some few years ago. GBEENOCK POST-OFFICE 403 part of Greenock. The last-named settlers came into the township either via Owen Sound or Durham. There were others who came in via the Bruce and Kincardine boundary line, among whom were Allan Eoss and Duncan Campbell in 1852, and later the Camerons and others. Among the leading families who early settled) in Greenock were the McKees and the Pinkertons (the name of the latter is per- petuated by the pretty little village of that name). Among those who located lands in Greenock at this time, in addition to others elsewhere mentioned, were the following: William Clark, Kichard Garland, George Leask, John M. Wells, George and James Cromar, James Donnelly and Alex. Symon. To chop down the trees, log, burn and clear up a farm in Greenock meant much and long-continued hard work, many privations and hardships, and demanded, as everywhere in the backwoods, indomitable pluck and an amount of perseverance that might be classed as heroic. The later settlers of Greenock possessed advantages over the pioneers of 1849 and 1850, for some attempt had been made before they settled to open leading highways, such as the Elora and Durham Koads; 1 so that they had some show of access to saw and grist mills already built and in operation, as well as to stores, and post- offices at Walkerton and other villages. The first post-office opened in the township still bears the name of Greenock, for here, as else- where in the county at that time, on the first post-office established in a township the name of it was bestowed. This office was opened October 9th, 1852. J. B. Eitchie 2 was the first postmaster. The next office opened was at Eiversdale, in 1853 or 1854, George Cromar being the postmaster. At first the municipal existence of Greenock was merged in that of the "United Townships in the County of Bruce." The first year an assessment was made was 1851, the total of which amounted to 1,902. 3 This seemed to have fixed the assessment for the following year, which was for the same amount. In 1853 the assessment stood at 3,571, and the first taxes were paid in that year, amounting to the very modest sum of 33 17s. 2 l-2d. When the ^En Chapter V. are to be found particulars, giving names of contractors, etc., who opened these roads. 2 See Chapter V. for an account, from the pen of Mr. J. B. Ritchie, of this office and the mail service thereto. 3 In Appendix M is to be found a statement of amount of assess- ment as equalized, for the first seven years of the township's existence, showing the progress of development in these years. 40+ ... JOHN VALENTINE union of all of the townships of the county was dissolved, 1 Greenock and Culross were united for municipal purposes. The first municipal election was held in January, 1854, at George Cromar^s house. J. B. Ritchie was the returning officer. He had to go to Lome to receive from the old reeve of the united townships, the Rev. Wm. Fraser, the election papers and be sworn in. The first reeve was George Cromar, who at a later date was the first warden of the county of Bruce. After filling the office of reeve for four years, he resigned it to accept the office of county treasurer. His successor in the reeveship'-' was John Valentine, who held the position for six years. In a footnote 3 are given the names of all the reeves of Greenock from the first up to 1906. The offices of clerk and treasurer of the united townships of Greenock and Culross were held respectively by Archibald Fraser and John McGregor. When Greenock became a separate municipality the two offices of clerk and treasurer were held by James Cromar. As township clerk he acted until the end of 1868. William Clark suc- ceeded him, and remained in office until 1881. The subsequent holders of the clerkship have been John Millar, J. W. McNab and J. J. Donnelly. The township has had as its treasurers, James Cromar (1856 to 1858), Hugh Montgomery (1859-60), William Clark 4 (1861 to 1905), and M. M. Schurter, the present treasurer. J See Appendix F. *John Valentine was a native of Montrose, Scotland, whero he was born in 1817. He came to Walkerton in 1851 and opened a store in partnership with George Jardine. Securing a mill privilege on the Teeswater River, at Paisley, he built a saw-mill there in 1852 and a grist-mill in 1855 or '56. His family resided at Southampton at first, but from 1855 they lived at Paisley. Mr. Valentine's property was largely in Greenock, and he filled the office of reeve of the township for six years. Mr. Valentine held a prominent place in the County Council, which in 1859 elected him warden of the county. His public life bore a clean record, while as a man he was highly esteemed. His death occurred August 12th, 1872. Beeves of the township of Greenock: George Cromar, 1854, '55, '56, '57; John Valentine, 1858, '59, '60, '61, '62, '65; Robert Pinkerton, 1863, '64, '66, '67, '69, '70, '71; James Mair, 1868, '72, '73; J. Millar, 1874; William Bradley, 1875, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, part of 1891 part of 1892; W. W. Reed, 1884; Henry Cargill, 1885, '86, '87; John Coumans, 1888, '89, '90, part of '91; Lewis Lamb, part of 1892; A. Symons, 1893, '94, '95; John McKee, 1896, '99, 1900, '01; J. J. Donnelly, 1897, '98; James Daniels, 1902; John Meagher, 1903, '04; F. Fullerton, 1905; M. McNab, part of 1906; S. Hawthorne, part of 1906. 'William Clark, on March 20th, 1905, relinquished his official connection with the township of Greenock, after serving it for twelve years as town- ship clerk, and forty-four years as township treasurer. During this long term of service no complaint was ever made as to the manner in which he performed his duties, which was efficiency itself. Mr. Clark is a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he was born in TOLL-GATE 405 The first public work of importance undertaken by the Township Council was in connection with the rebuilding of the bridge at Eivefs- dale. The contract for this work was let to William Me Vicar, for which he received $2,413, the work being done during the summer of 1863. To pay for this, debentures for $3,250 were issued. These, although bearing 6 per cent, interest, were sold at a discount of 15 per cent. .As- a help to pay the interest on these debentures, and also ,to raise a sinking fund, the Council established a toll-gate*, at the bridge, at which a man of .the name of Mahon was installed as keeper. A good deal of opposition arose as a result of a toll being charged for crossing the bridge, and to test the. authority for doing so Paul Eoss laid a charge, before 3. B. Eitchie, J.P., against Mahon for obstruct- ing the Queen's highway, with the result that he was committed to jail at Goderich. The matter was settled at last by the County Council, in December, 1864, assuming the payment of the debentures issued by the Township Council, on condition that the toll-gate be removed. The big swamp in the centre of Greenock was looked upon for a long time after settlement began as a drawback to the development of the township, and from an agricultural point of view justly so, but from an industrial standpoint Greenock swamp has been a mine of wealth. The Teeswater Eiver, flowing the full length of the township from south to north (the damming up of which by a natural forma- tion of the ground resulted in the big swamp being formed, as related farther on) , has furnished power required to manufacture into lumber the pine that grew so abundantly in the swamp. The first mill on the Teeswater was that built by John Valentine in 1852 at Paisley. In a year or so after this John Shennan had a mill built at Pinkerton, which he sold to David Pinkerton. Then, at Chepstow John Phelan had a mill, and again at Eiversdale there was a steam saw and grist mill, run by George Cromar, in 1857. The foundation was laid of the village of Cargill, the busiest manu- 1834. After serving for some time in the audit office of the North British Eailway, he emigrated to Canada with his parents in 1852. He attended the " Big " land sale in September, 1854, at Southampton, and purchased lots 3 and 4, concession 10, township of Greenock. He married, on February 28th, 1856, Miss Sarah Griffin, of U. E. Loyalist stock, from Nova Scotia. As soon as the season permitted, they entered upon back- woods life, on their uncleared farm, where they resided for nearly half a century. Lately they moved into the village of Cargill, and in their new residence there they had the pleasure of celebrating their golden wedding. 1 This was the only toll-gate ever established in the county of Bruce as far as the author is aware of. 406 OHEENOCK SWAMP SOLD facturing centre in Greenock, in the late fifties. The land on and in the vicinity of the village was taken up by live brothers of the name of McNeil William, James, Donald, Charles and Malcolm, who pur- chased some ten farm lots. When coming into the county they first resided at Biversdale. From there, in the spring of 1856, they rafted down the river to the locality where their farms were a quantity of tim- ber they had prepared for the frame of a mill, and shortly after com- menced the construction of a dam. At this stage they were persuaded to sell their mill privilege and whatever they had done towards the building of a mill, to George Elphick, who previously had been work- ing as a miller at Pinkerton for his father-in-law, David Pinkerton. The dam was soon completed, and the grist mill set in operation. But it was not till a later date that a village commenced to gather about the mill. In October, 1871, the Commissioner of Crown Lands sold at the Court House at Walkerton the lands contained in the Greenock and Culross swamps, 8,417 acres in all. The attendance at the sale was large; but the purchasing was confined to the following: Charles Mickle, Sr., Henry Cargill, J. F. Wilson, T. W. McMurray, G. B. Ferguson, William Edgar and 0. Phelps. The average price obtained for these lands was $4.66 per acre. Charles Mickle, Sr., secured limits of some 1,700 acres in extent at the sale, and in addition pur- chased 2,400 acres more from private parties, and also purchased the mill, privilege from George Elphick. Erecting a sawmill at this point, he commenced the manufacture of lumber for shipment, the railway having been completed and a station, named " Mickles >n (now Car- gill), located at a convenient distance from the mill. At the sale of the timber limits above mentioned Henry Cargill was a large buyer. In addition to purchases then made, he secured, at a liberal advance from some other purchasers, enough of these lands to bring his total acreage up to one-half of that sold. Six of the original purchasers, Mr. Cargill being one of them, held the property jointly for about a year, when the others sold out their respective holdings to Mr. Cargill. After this, in January, 1879, Charles Mickle, Sr., sold his mill property and some 4,100 acres of timbered lands to Mr. Cargill. This last purchase gave Mr. Cargill practically all the lands in the Greenock swamp. The beginning of Mr. Cargill's identification with the manufacturing industries of Greenock was when he leased, in "The village which then commenced to grow was called ' ' Yokassippi, ' ' a corruption of the Indian name of the river. A CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY 407 1872, from Messrs. Toohey and Coumans their mill at Chepstow; but with the purchase of the Mickle mill property the development by him of the wealth that lay in the swamp commenced. Canals parallel with concession and side-roads were dug, by which to float the timber from where it had been cut to the mill. These canals have also drained the swamp, turning miles of it into good dry farm land, and making possible the opening of roads through it. To the water- power sawmill Mr. Cargill added a large steam sawmill, a steam planing mill and grist mill. The thriving village of Cargill preserves the name of its founder, and its prosperity tells the tale of the broad- minded business efforts of Henry Cargill, 1 and continued by W. D. Cargill, his son. A " captain of industry " is a title that was fittingly bestowed on the founder of this extensive business. The rapid increase of the population of Cargill village, owing to the establishment of fresh industries and the enlargement of old ones, led the various religious denominations having congregations there to take steps toward the building of churches. This determination seems to have been reached at one and the same time by the Church of England, the Methodists and the Presbyterians, and during the summer of 1902 three handsome brick church edifices were erected for these three bodies. 2 No unincorporated village of the same population in the *In a footnote in Chapter VIII. a short biographical sketch of Mr. Cargill is to be found. The following extract from a local paper shows a side of his character worthy of being remembered. " H. C., " writing in the Kincardine Review, has the following : "On the day of Henry Cargill 's funeral I was talking to a prominent Liberal about him. ' No one ever heard me say an ill word against Henry Cargill,' he said, ' and I would have no peace in my family if I did. And I'll tell you why. Many years ago a little girl was walking into Walkerton with a market-basket. Mr. Cargill drove up and offered her a ride. Nearing the corner of the road leading into Walkerton he inquired how far it was into town. She said it was two miles and a half. He drove her to the store, turned around and drove back. He had gone five mile* out of his way to give a ride to a little girl with a market-basket. She's my wife now and wouldn't let me say a word against Henry Cargill if I felt inclined, which I never did. ' " Last spring I met him in Ottawa, and he asked me to go with him to Booth's sawmills. Accompanied by W. H. Bennett, M.P., and T. I. Thompson, M.P., we went to the great mills, where a thousand men and the most approved machinery turn every part of a log worth saving to some account. Mr. Cargill was engrossed with the work going on. He talked with the laborers, inquired about every feature that was new to him, and when he .came away, in his quiet, deliberate way, said : " Boys, if I only owned this mill and I would rather own it than the Canadian Pacific Railway instead of having a seat over in that house across the river, I'd have an armchair here, where I could sit down and smell the lumber." He said it so sententiously that no one could doubt he meant it." *These churches, although spoken of as being in Cargill, are really in the township of Brant, and not in Greenock. PINKERTON AND RIVEHSDALE county equals Cargill in . appearance. What with granolithic side- walks, electric street lighting and handsome residences, the villagers have reason to be proud of their place of residence. The village of Pinkerton may claim priority over any other in the township as to the year when it began to take form as a business centre. It is prettily situated, and if the decision to make it the county town, referred to in Chapter VI., had been adhered to, there is no doubt but that a beautiful, busy town would have developed there. The land forming the site of the village was squatted on about 1853 by John Shennan. 1 As early as possible he took steps toward the erection of a saw and grist mill. - Before completing the same he sold out his rights and improvements to David Pinkerton, who had the sawmill in operation about 1854, and the grist mills some three or four years later, following which, in the course of a few years, a carding and fulling mill was added to the industries of the place. Thomas Pinkerton was for a number of years the leading man of the village, its several mills -having passed into his hands. The Pres- byterian congregation at Pinkerton is united to that in West Brant, forming one charge ; the church at Pinkerton is a frame building, and was erected in 1874. The Church of England also have a congre- gation there, which erected in 1878 a church edifice, a roughcast building, that has accommodation for about 250 worshippers. Eiversdale was surveyed into village lots in 1855, at the instance of Joseph C. Chartrand, George Cromar and James Bennie; but it may date its commencement from the time a post-office was estab- lished there in 1854. George Cromar was the foremost man in the little village at that time, and continued as such until his death, which occurred in the summer of 1861. In 1857 he built a steam saw and grist mill; then the usual supply of blacksmith shops and hotels appeared one after another. A Division Court also had its office there. In 1860 James Millar and Anthony Mason rented the mills from Mr. Cromar, and after his death purchased them from the executors of the estate. These mills have had an unfortunate experi- ence from fire, having been burned down some five or six times. The Presbyterian congregation at Riversdale was formed about 1857, the Rev. Walter Inglis being the first minister. The present church huilding of this congregation was dedicated in October, 1880. There is also at Eiversdale a Roman Catholic church, but for many years there has been no resident priest there. 'Walkerton's first postmaster,- and after leaving Greenock, the .founder of Balaclava, in Carrick. AN IRISH PATRIOT The village of Chepstow came into being because of the water- power developed there, locally known as " Phelan's dam/' and where a saw-mill was built by John Phelan. There is a story about how the village received its name, which is here given for what it is worth,, without vouching for its truth or accuracy. " Mr. . Phelan and the early settlers in the neighborhood, who were nearly all Irish (although now more than half are of German descent) , petitioned the Post-office Department for a post-office, which was to bear the name of ' Emmet t/ in memory of the Irish patriot, who was hanged for rebellion in 1803. ' And what do you think/ said Mr. Phelan, ' some blackguard in the Department who knew Irish history, changed the name to Chepstow, which was the residence of Earl Strongbow, the first English invader of Ireland !' >: Mr. Phelan never forgave the Government for this outrage. In 1857 a frame church was built by the Roman Catholic congregation, which bore the name of St. John's. In 1903-04 a very fine church edifice was erected to take the place of the old one, and was dedicated by Bishop Dowling, of Hamilton, October 2nd, 1904. The proximity of the flourishing village of Cargill precludes much further development at Chepstow. From the day when the surveying party engaged in laying out the Durham Road tried to find a place where a road could be made across the Greenock swamp, covered' as it was with a rank, tangled growth of vegetation, and that offered no better footing than spongy knolls of grass and moss standing in pools of water, down to a comparatively late date, the Greenock swamp has seemed a section of the county- lying beyond the powers of the settlers to reclaim and transform into- agricultural lands, and it was left to be exploited by the lumberman, who found therein timber of all descriptions that has been most profitable to cut and market. The initial movement towards finding out what was necessary to be done if the swamp was to be drained began in 1868. As the result of a memorial from the County Council in August of that year the Commissioner of Public Works directed Robert Gilmour, C.E., of Paisley to examine the swamp and see what were its possibilities, and see what had to be done to develop them. Mr. Gilmour reported to the following effect : " At lot 14, concession 5 of the township of Greenock, the Teeswater is crossed by an escarp- ment of limestone rock, which comes up within three feet of the summer level of the river. To break through this barrier (which appears to be the natural dam which has mainly contributed to the formation of the swamp), an extensive excavation for some distance would be required." Mr. Gilmour proposed a plan of digging -flfl John Evans, 1905, '06. 436 CAPTAIN DUNCAN ROWAN called Port Head, was opened in 1857. For a time the prospects of the little burg were bright, but in the fall of 1857 an unusually severe storm carried away the wharf and storehouse with its contents. This catastrophe proved a death-blow to Port Head. The mill was closed down in 1858, Mr. McLeod moved his store, building and stock, to Kincardine, and rapidly the village faded away. Captain Rowan lost heavily by this venture. 1 As the settlers along the Durham line saw Cowan Keyes carrying Her Majesty's mail, slung over his shoulder, on his wearisome tramps to and fro between Penetangore and Durham, they quickly arrived at the conclusion that with very little extra cost to the Province there might be opened, for their convenience, a post-office somewhere between Kincardine and Greenock. This the Department acquiesced in, and in 1853 a post-office named Bervie 2 was opened on lot 53, concession 1, S.D.E., of which Nicol Mclntyre was appointed post- master, an office he held until his death nearly fifty jears later. The post-office, of course, gave a name to the locality, and it seemed but natural that a village should there spring up. Both the 50th and 60th side-road corners put forth efforts to have the village. At the last-mentioned corner John McKinney had a tavern, and near-by, through his efforts, a Presbyterian church 3 was erected. At the other J Captain Duncan Eowan was a native of Argyleshire, Scotland, where he was born in October, 1822. He inherited an instinct for sailing from his father, who claimed to have piloted the first steamboat that steamed on the Clyde. Captain Eowan, along with his brother, John, settled at Stoney Island in February, 1849, as is narrated in Chapter III. In the following year he forsook farming to take command of a small schooner, the " Mary Ann," which he sailed during the seasons of 1850, '51. Fol- lowing that, he commanded the schooner " Emily," 1852- '55; the steamer " Ploughboy " in 1856, '57; the " Islander," 1858, '59; the " Kaloolah " in 1860; the " Valley City " in 1861, '62; then the " Bruce," the " Silver Spray, ' ' and the ' ' Horton. ' ' - He closed his career as a sailor in 1871 and retired to his farm. Ultimately he moved to Kincardine, where he died, July 20th, 1903. In 1852 he married Miss McLean. She sailed with him on the lake for years. Her manner, so quiet, retiring and ladylike, would not lead a stranger to suspect that she possessed a knowledge of seaman- ship and of skill as a wheelsman which was exceptional and unexpected in a woman and which in emergencies proved of great service. On the occasion of the collision of the ' ' Silver Spray ' ' with another steamer in the St. Glair Eiver, Captain Eowan was instrumental in rescuing thirty- nine persons, who but for his efforts would have been drowned. Between Captain Eowan and the author there existed a warm, appreciative friendship, extending over nearly half a century, the memory of which the latter will ever cherish. The hearty Highland welcome and honest handshake he extended to his friends was characteristic of the man a man known to all travellers who came to the county of Bruce before the day of railroads. 2 Named after a sea-coast town in Kincardineshire, Scotland. "The Eev. Walter Inglis held services there. The building was of frame, about 30 x 50 feet, placed broadside to the road, from which two doorways gavo entrance. A few marble gravestones in what was the graveyard are all that now marks the spot. EGYPT 437 corner a store and a sawmill were to be found, and gradually at this point the village of Bervie developed, the school-house, the Church of England, the Methodist church and the Orange Hall being the earliest public buildings erected. At one time Bervie had two sawmills, a planing mill and a grist mill, but it is not as well off to-day in the matter of industries. It has three handsome churches and is the centre of trade for a large section of the farming community. One of its merchants, William Henderson, has been in business there for over thirty years. Its physician, Dr. Thomas Bradley, had been a resident of Bervie since 1861. The little village of Armow, in the centre of the township, had as its founder William Reekie, who in 1854 there built a saw and grist mill. In September, 1857, a post-office was opened bearing the name of Eeekie, with Joseph Shier as postmaster. In 1868 he resigned the position, and the office was closed. In the following year the post-office was reopened under the name of Armow, with Caleb Bennet as postmaster. About the same time the first store at this point was opened by Alex. Gardner. As the town hall is at Armow it is quite proper to call it the hub of the township. A portion of the township bears the nickname " Egypt." Mrs. John Reekie gives the origin of the name as follows : " That part of the tenth concession that lies east of the 20th side-line was named 1 Egypt' through a Mr. Bell, who was perhaps the first pathmaster appointed in that section of the township. He was such a hard taskmaster that he was called ' Pharaoh/ and the section over which he presided was named ' Egypt/ He was ever after known as ' the King of Egypt.' That part of the 'Tenth' between the 20th and the 15th side-roads was known as the ' Wilderness and Red Sea,' as it was rough and swampy. West of the 15th side-road it was called ' Canaan/ " " Pope " George Daniel gives a different account of the origin of " Egypt," as follows : " In 1859, Starvation Year, I was in the Township Council. Corn had been purchased to meet the needs of the settlers for food ; the Council met to distribute the corn, which we arranged should be divided, an equal portion going to each polling subdivision. The southern part of the township was well settled, the northern part was not. The result was that the man living in the north received seven bushels to the southern man's three. As a result corn was none too plentiful in the south, but there was plenty in the north 'there was corn in Egypt.' That is how the name originated." Some old settlers say that the name was common as 438 SCHOOLS AND SCHOLARS early as 1853; if so, Mrs. Reekie's account seems to be the probable one. The first public school in the county was opened in 1851 at Kin- cardine, while it was still a part of the township. For some years the increase in the number of schools was slow, there being in 1855 but four schools in the township; three of these were built of logs, and one only, that in the village, was of frame. The school popula- tion in that year was but 540. With a large increase of population in the following years came the demand for more schools. In 1863 there were nine schools, and in 1870 the number had increased to fourteen, the same number as is within the township to-day. As may be said generally of the public schools in the county, the schools in Kincardine have done good work, e.g., school section No. 5, on the seventh concession, claims to have had, in about thirty years, eighteen of its pupils enter the teaching profession; pressing on, two of these entered the ministry, and two others the practice of medicine ; which certainly is a good record for a country school. Among the many prominent sons of the township who received their primary education in its public schools, the two following might be mentioned : The Rt. Rev. Isaac 0. Stringer, Bishop of Selkirk, and Lieut.-Col. Hugh Clark, M.P.P. Of the first-mentioned it may be said that the con- secrated, self-sacrificing life and work of this faithful missionary and his wife 1 among the Esquimaux in the regions within the Arctic Circle is something that has brought honor to the cause so dear to his heart, as well as to his native county, and which his church has wisely recognized in conferring upon him a diocese which affords oppor- tunities for the further exercise of that selfsame spirit of Christian service which he has shown in the past. The author regrets that he is compelled to omit, as too numerous to be mentioned, the other sons of the township who have come to the front in life's struggle among surroundings far away from the scenes of their boyhood. How many there are, may be imagined by a comparison of the several census returns as given in Appendix L. There the fact is revealed that of all the townships in the county, Kincardine alone had a smaller popula- tion in 1901 than it had in 1861, and 1,651 less than in 1881. " Where has the population gone ?" is but a natural question. Ask the Western States and our own Western Provinces. There, in numerous promi- nent positions, as well as on ranches, farms and mines, are to be found the " Old Boys " of Kincardine Township, with a warm, warm place in their hearts for the place of their birth. 1 Also a native of the county of Bruce. CHAPTER XXXIII, TOWN OF KINCARDINE* IN proceeding to the narrative of Kincardine's history, it is with, the great advantage of a description of the place as it appeared fresh from nature's hand, which gives the reader an opportunity of compar- ing the town as it is at the present time with its pristine aspect, and, if pensively inclined, to contemplate what has been wrought during a half century to make or mar. The description of Kincardine above referred to is A. P. Brough's report to the Commissioner of Crown Lands of the survey of the town plot, which was made in 1849, and which, with some slight omissions, is here given at length : " The town of Penetangore embraces a tract of land 110 chains in length, with an average width of 93 chains, and contains about 1,023 acres divided into building and park lots. It is situated on Lake Huron at the western terminus of the Durham Eoad, on a river of the same name, which here empties itself into Lake Huron. The name Penetangore is a corruption of the Indian name Na-Benem-tan-gaugh, signifying ' the river with the sand on one side/ 2 ir Fhe reader will please consult a footnote at the opening of Chapter XXXII. as to the origin of the name ' ' Kincardine. ' ' Kincardine at first was known as Penetangore, which name was bestowed at the time of its survey into a town plot, being derived from the river of that name that there finds its way into the lake. The settlement which was early formed there came to be known by the name of the township, and Kincardine being a word that fitted more easily an English tongue than did the long Indian word of Penetangore, it gradually grew into common use and was chosen to designate the post-office when it was established in 1851. Both names were in current use until the settlement was incor- porated as a village in 1858. An interchangeable use of the two names was common and will also be found in this History. Penetangore was retained as the name of the . port by the Customs Department until, by Order-in-Council, 8th October, 1875, " Kincardine, late Penetangore," was constituted a Port of Entry and a Warehousing Port. 2 In the Geological Report of work done in this part of the province in 1848, the Penetangore Eiver is referred to as the " Big Pine River, " and further says : " The epithet ' Big,' however, is probably intended to qualify the wood rather than the water ; the surface is thickly grown over with pine of large size. ' ' The mouth of the river at that time was situated about 100 yards south of where the railway station is now. On one side was the clay bluff and on the other a sand dune, hence the Indian name. 439 440 KINCARDINE PRIMEVAL The lake at Penetangore is bordered by a sandy beach about three chains in width and which is skirted by a bank from. 4 to 10 feet in height, on the top of which a narrow strip of table land three to four chains in width occurs, and along which Saugeen and Goderich Streets run; there then occurs a higher bank of from 60 to 80 feet elevation over the lake, and which appears to have formed the original and permanent boundary to the waters of Lake Huron. Having ascended this bank, the country presents a level surface, constituting a table land of a dry, sandy loam soil and admirably adapted for building on. It is almost entirely free from swamp, and the whole included space may be considered as entirely available for the purposes for which it was intended; both from its elevated situation, the dryness of its soil and the purity of the water, it may be regarded as an exceedingly healthy situation for a town and free from ague and other diseases that new towns in this climate are often subject to. " The river Penetangore is exceedingly serpentine in its course and runs through a broad valley composed of rich flats, dry for the most part, and which lie at a depth of 50 to 60 feet below the natural surface of the adjoining table land. There are numerous springs of pure water issuing from the high banks over the valley, and the whole tract is intersected at several points by small streams. The river is composed of two main branches which unite at Victoria Street ; they are of nearly similar capacities, about 70 feet in width with an average depth above the point of junction of 3 feet. During very dry summer weather the water in these channels becomes very low, but at all other seasons -of the year they contain an abundant supply 'of water. From the present sawmill at ' Huron Terrace ' down to the reserve for basin there is an average depth of 8 feet and a width of 64 feet; from there to the mouth it is shallow and may be con- sidered useless for any purposes of navigation. The mouth itself is very narrow and generally contains only one foot of water, and when strong westerly winds blow, the shifting of the sands causes it to fill up and the water seeks some other outlet into the lake. To meet this defect I have proposed to make a new cut at the large bend in the river at the end of Saugeen Street, where there is 8 to 10 feet of water. The river at this point approaches within 4 1-2 chains of the lake, the expense of the cut would be trifling, and by carrying out two paralled piers into the lake to about 18 feet of water, I conceive that all impediments from the shifting of the sands would be avoided and a safe, easy access to the town accomplished. " On the inside I have made a reserve for a small basin of 5 1-2 acres in extent, should the importance of the place justify the outlay for the construction of it. The ground is composed of low flats, and THE NATIVE WOODS 441 is situated at the foot of Eussell Street on Huron Terrace, and as the river in its natural state is very narrow, such a basin is abso- lutely necessary to accommodate any considerable amount of trade; and as the country in the rear of Penetangore is a noble tract for agricultural purposes, it may be expected that at no distant day Penetangore will become an important shipping port for agricul- tural produce. " The timber within the town reserve consists of beech, maple, elm and hemlock chiefly, and a few oak are met with on the north side of the town, but there is no pine of any consequence with the exception of a narrow belt of small red pine on the margin of the beach, that must prove of much advantage to the first settlers, but is of no importance as an article of trade. " There are three mill-sites laid off within the town reserve, the lowest on the river being the present sawmill lately erected by Mr. Withers. It is a substantial, well-framed building, and was in full operation during the last summer and fall; and Mr. Withers in- formed me that it was his intention to build a grist mill during the current season, so as to have it in operation by the summer of 1851. Mr. Withers proposes to have 7 1-2 feet of head water to supply his mills, and by allowing him to raise his dam so as to obtain that head there will be no impediment caused by back water to the efficient working of the other mills, situated the one on lot No. 4 on Park Street, and the other on park lot No. 2 on Wellington Avenue; the former mill site had an elevation of 13 1-4 feet above the bed of the flume at the sawmill owned by Mr. Withers, and the mill site on lot No. 2 Wellington Avenue, has an elevation of 11 1-2 feet above the same point. " I have reserved park lot No. 9 on the east side of Park Street, five acres in extent, as a public burial ground for the use of the town. I had no directions in my instructions to do so, but the matter was so pleasing to the settlers and is in itself of so much importance, that I should hope the Department will give the sanction to it. " I have made no reserve for churches or school-houses, as I consider that any of the building lots would suffice for that pur- pose, and parties wishing to erect churches, by applying to the Department will have no difficulty, I conceive, in procuring suitable sites, either gratis or at a moderate purchase " The river Penetangore is so winding in its course that most of the streets have to cross it, and in selecting the positions of the several streets I was guided by the principle of making them cross the river at the most favorable points for erecting bridges, hence the width of the blocks extending from street to street are not of uniform dimensions, by reason of which the size of the building lots on some 442 THE PIONEERS of the streets are half an acre, while in others, as Victoria and Princess Streets, they are only quarter acres, but half-acre building lots are the prevailing size, and in the case of broken lots some are much larger. " There are two market-places laid off at opposite extremities of the town, containing three and a half acres each; they are located upon dry, level ground, and are surrounded with handsome build- ing lots of half-acre size. The Durham market is supposed to accom- modate all the settlers of the township who occupy the north side of the Durham Eoad, while Elgin market is intended for the south concession, Kincardine Avenue, on which it is situated, being a con- tinuation of the south concession line. I may observe in general of the park lots, that they vary in size from 5 to 21 acres, are composed of a good sandy loam soil, and are well adapted for cultivation, and would be suited to growing of fruit and vegetables. On the north side of Durham Street I laid off a range of one and two-acre building lots, my reason for doing so being to embrace the whole of lake lot No. 11, through the centre of which Durham Street runs. By this means there are none of the lake lots interfered with; those occupied by the town are entire lots and no portions of the adjoining lots are encroached on. " For further information I would beg to refer to you the field notes and plan, where all details are fully set forth. " All of which is respectfully submitted. " I have the honor to be, sir, " Your very obedient servant, " ALLEN PARK BROUGH, P.L.S. " TORONTO, MAY, 1850." In Chapter III. is to be found the narrative of the settlement made at Kincardine in 1848. It is there recorded because this was the pioneer settlement of the county. The reader is asked to overlook any repetition of facts there mentioned, it being unavoidable in order to present a connected recital of events in the history of the town. The undisputed distinction of being the first settlers at Kincardine belongs to Allan Cameron and William Withers. Shortly after the opening of navigation in the spring of 1848 1 these two men and their effects were landed at the mouth of the Penetangore Eiver from the schooner owned and sailed by Captain A. Murray MacGregor. Close to the spot where they landed they built a log house, in which Mr. Cameron kept hotel, and at a later date John Keyworth kept store. 'The exact date is said to have been March 5th, 1848. FIRST SAWMILL 443 Some few settlers whose names are mentioned in Chapter III. joined them that summer. For the first year or so the settlement was con- fined to the flats in the neighborhood of the harbor and beach. It was there that the first two stores were opened. Withers' sawmill was where Mr. Macpherson's orchard is. Patrick Downie's hotel occupied the site where stands the brick building of the Rightmeyer Salt Works, and Francis Walker's hotel stood where the storehouse of the same works is at present. The reader will bear in mind that the appearance of the town has changed most markedly in the vicinity of the harbor. The present basin has been excavated from a flat tract of land, originally well wooded. The course of the river has also been changed. Instead of flowing straight out into the lake, as at present, it took a sharp bend to the south at a point near the inward end of the south pier, and pursuing a southerly course parallel to the beach for about three hundred yards, and entered the lake opposite the present railway engine house, the river along this distance being separated from the lake by a sand dune some twenty feet high, which sustained a stunted growth of evergreens. This sand dune, which barred a shorter outlet from the river, was cut through at the instance of Francis Walker. The exact year when this was done the author has been unable to fix. In 1856, the year he arrived at Kincardine, he had no difficulty in stepping across the small stream which flowed through the cutting which had been made. This he could not do when he reached the original mouth of the river, the flow of water there being too deep. That fall and winter contractors were at work driving piles for the two piers; between these the spring freshet of 1857 poured its waters, enlarging the channel, which since then has been the outlet of the river into the lake. To engage in lumbering seems to have been Mr. Withers' 1 object in coming into the bush, so he proceeded to erect a dam and sawmill, which was in operation the following year. The spot where it was built is fully referred to in the chapter on " The Pioneers," and further particulars are given elsewhere in this chapter. In 1849 two stores were opened at Kincardine. The names of these two enterprising merchants were John Eiach (pronounced Eay 1 Wm. Withers was a native of Portsmouth, England, and had resided in the county of Oxford prior to coming to Bruce. During the later years of his residence at Kincardine he filled the position of Inland Eevenue Officer. In 1881 he moved to the State of Oregon, residing at Astoria, where he died in 1883, aged 81. 444 WILLIAM RASTALL by the settlers) and William Rastall. Which took precedence as to the time of commencing business is hardly worth discussing, though each has partisans to sustain their claim to this honor. John Riach had in earlier life been a commercial traveller for a Glasgow firm on the Continent. Coming to Canada, he tried his hand at farming, some- where near Goderich. Not succeeding thereat, he purchased a small stock of goods and came to Penetangore, with the intention of developing a trade there, and " grow up with the place." Building a small board shanty, near where the railway station is now, he there kept store for some time. His wife was the; eldest daughter of Thomas Harris, a prominent man in the early settlement of Kincardine Town- ship, who built for the accommodation of his son-in-law's business the frame building on the west side of the market square, still standing, and known for years as the British American Hotel. 1 William Rastall, prior to his settlement at Kincardine, had carried on a trade with the Indians at Saugeen, as related in Chapter III. During the first twenty years of the history of Bruce no one filled a more prominent position, or was more generally esteemed, than William Rastall, and it is with pleasure that particulars of his life, obtained largely from his son Herbert and his brother Richard, are given in the accompany- ing footnote. 2 'After Eiach went out of business this stand was occupied by James Legear ; on his leaving it (about 1854, '55) the building for forty years was used as an hotel, the first tenant being Thomas Kennard, who was succeeded by George Smith. 2 William Eastall was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, December 16th, 1827. When he was but six years of age his father, Dr. Samuel Eastall, emigrated to Canada and settled at Goderich. At the age of fourteen he went to Saugeen, under an engagement with Hugh Johnston, at that time engaged in trading with the Indians. Later on, when he was only about seventeen years of age, William Eastall engaged in the same business on his own account at Saugeen ; subsequently, in 1849 he commenced a general mercantile business at Penetangore, his first shop being a " lean- to " at the side of Allan Cameron's tavern. Later on he removed to a log house he had built on the south side of the Market Square, where the planing mill now stands. This gave place to a block of frame buildings which he was occupying when he sold out his stock and mercantile interests to Joseph Cooke in 1856. After that, for a number of years, he conducted a conveyancing and insurance business. In 1880 he removed to Orangeville, where, in company with his son-in-law, J. H. Brownell, he published the Orangeville Advertiser, which they conducted for several years, when Mr. Eastall removed to Detroit, where he died, October 18th, 1890. Mr. Eastall married, in 1850, Miss Mary I. Cameron, eldest daughter of Allan Cameron. She survives her husband and resides with her son Herbert in Detroit. Mr. Eastall was the first reeve of the " United Townships within the County of Bruce. ' ' In 1854 he was reeve of the united townships of Kincardine, Bruce and Kinloss. When, in 1858, Kin- cardine village became a municipality, he was the first reeve of it, but resigned during the year. He was reeve of the village for the years DAVID MACKENURICK 445 The inflow of settlers into Bruce in the early fifties was steady and continuous. Very many of these looked to Kincardine as the base from which supplies were to be obtained. The natural result of supply and demand seeking to adjust themselves resulted in storekeepers being more plentiful at Kincardine in those days than they are to-day, over half a century later. The first to follow Messrs. Riach and Kastall in storekeeping was David MacKendriek, who in 1851 opened a small store situated near where the river entered the lake at that time. Shortly afterward he built a large log house on the west side of Queen Street, north of the Market Square. This was followed by the erection of a frame building, which is still standing, in which he conducted his business until he finally sold out and retired from business. David MacKendrick was appointed postmaster at the time the office at Kincardine was opened in 1851. Public life he sought not, and it must, in a measure, have been somewhat against his will that he filled the position of reeve for the township of Kincardine in the years 1856-57. Old settlers have a kindly remembrance of David McKen- drick. They knew that he scorned anything that had the least appear- ance of being dishonorable, and so forgave an unfortunate excitability of temper which gave rise to incidents that used to be recounted with a kindly smile at the time, to record which might create, in the mind of those who knew him not, a wrong impression of a character which was sound at the core. Penetangore, as originally surveyed, had as its northerly limit the range of lots lying on the north side of Durham Street. All of that part of the town now known as Williamsburg has been added by a subdivision of lots 12 to 15 of the Lake Eange in the township of Kin- cardine. The name Williamsburg was given by William Sutton, who had these farm lots surveyed into town lots. 1 Francis Walker (familiarly spoken of as "Paddy Walker") is a name not to be overlooked in any relation of Kincardine's early days. He drove from Goderich on the ice, in the spring of 1850, 1859, '60, '61, '66, '67, '68 and '69. In politics he was a Eeformer, and in 1867, at the first general election held after Confederation, he ran for the Dominion House of Commons, but was defeated by his opponent, Francis Hurdon. survey was made by John Denison, P.L.S., in June, 1855, and June, 1856. The Crown patent for lots 12 and 13, Lake Eange, was issued to William Sutton ; for lot 14 to his nephew, Eichard Sutton, and for lot 15 to John Monilaus. One George Moffat squatted on the lots afterwards held by William Sutton, and in 1849 he offered to sell his claim for $8 to Eobert Eowan, who declined the offer. William Sutton probably purchased from George Moffat his squatter's claim. 440 BUTTON'S MILL passing the insignificant settlement at Kincardine town plot with- out noticing it, and had proceeded as far as Stoney Island, when hearing the sound of Capt. Kowan's axe, as he worked at under- brushing, he looked him up, and was directed back to the settlement that he had failed to notice in passing. There Mr. Walker resided continuously until the day of his death a quarter of a century later. The need of a grist mill was a want keenly felt by the settlers who raised the first harvests of grain in the county of Bruce. William Button 1 decided to supply this need, and proceeded to construct a dam across the north branch of the Penetangore, 2 and to erect a mill at what still is known as " Sutton's Hollow." The mill was of logs and of modest dimensions. The required pair of mill stones were in due time landed on the beach, but before they were removed a storm sprang up. The loose sand on which the stones lay was quickly washed from beneath them by the heavy surf, or else transformed thereby into the nature of quicksand, and the stones were " drowned," to use the expressive phrase of an old settler, as he described their disappearance. This serious disaster was productive of delay, but did not diminish the efforts of Mr. Sutton, who purchased another pair of stones, and in 1852 had the first grist mill in the county in operation. Settlers who before had taken their grists to Durham or Port Albert were now able to dispense with such long journeys. Being, however, the only mill in the county, many a pioneer found he had a long and weary distance to cover before he could get his grist to " Sutton's Mill." It is related of such that while waiting for their grists to be finished they would light a hot fire on one of the large boulders near by, and when this was sufficiently heated, on it they would bake a cake, made from their newly ground flour and water crudely mixed. Unleavened and J Wm. Sutton was born in Yorkshire, 29th February, 1828, and at an early age he learnt the business of a saddler. He came to Kincardine in 1850. His enterprising, energetic character gave him a prominent position in the settlement, a prominence retained during the forty-three years of his residence in the county. He was reeve of Kincardine from 1862 to 1865, and took a notable part in the settlement of the county town ques- tion. On the separation of Huron and Bruce he received the appointment of sheriff of the latter county, which office he held until 1892. In 1873 he became interested in lumbering in British Columbia and made money, but lost heavily through agents in Australia, to whom he had shipped the produce of his mills. In 1893 he formed a new company, called ' ' The Sutton Lumber and Trading Co.," of Euculet, B.C., which he was conducting at the time of his death, which occurred March 10th, 1896, at Victoria, B.C. In 1852 he married Sarah, daughter of John Keyworth. His widow (who died in 1905) and six children survived him. 2 This dam was utilized to support the superstructure of a bridge, largely used by those who came into town by way of the Durham Road. MALCOLM MACPHERSON 447 unseasoned such a cake certainly was, but to a hungry backwoodsman, tasting the initial harvest of his bush farm, it was delicious. Mr. Sutton, after running this mill for several years, built, in 1854, a much larger frame x>ne, and in a few years later one of still greater capacity, which he continued to operate as long as he was in the mill- ing business. The dam built by William Withers, on what is shown in the map of the town as Mill Block No. 1, was washed away by a freshet. As he never had obtained any title from the Crown to the property, he took the frame of his mill to pieces and set it up again on his farm on the south line, where he had water-power. John Keyworth came out from England in 1851, and on August 22nd of that year applied to the Crown for this Mill Block. He also at the same time contracted for the erection of a good-sized frame mill building. On his return from England the next year, where he had gone to fetch his family, he found that the contractor had so botched his job of framing that the building could not be put together or erected. Feeling disap- pointed, Mr. Keyworth gave up the idea of milling, and confined himself to keeping store, continuing thereat until his death, in March, 1861. In the winter of 1853-54 Mialcolm MacPherson 1 came to Kin- cardine, and made arrangements to build both a grist and a sawmill and the necessary dam to obtain water-power. Mr. MacPherson was for many years the proprietor of this mill, which is still operated, but it has passed through several hands since Mr. MacPherson dis- posed of it. It is now run by steam power, the water in the river for years past being insufficient to supply constant power throughout the year. Malcolm MacPherson was born in Perthshire, Scotland, June 1st, 1806, and caine to Canada in 1815, when his parents immigrated to this country. The family settled where Perth is now, and Mr. MacPherson 's father felled the first tree cut on its site. Mr. MacPherson learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, and in his early days built many of the houses in Perth. He also, for eight years, was surveyor for the united counties of Lanark and Eenfrew. In February, 1854, he moved his family to Kin- cardine. He brought his family in a covered sleigh in which there was placed a small stove. At Arthur the stable in which all his effects were placed for the night was burned and he lost everything but the clothes in which he and the members of the family stood in. Arriving at Kincardine he, by strenuous efforts, succeeded in overcoming his loss. In the running of the mill he was assisted by his son John. Mr. MacPherson was married in 1832 to Elizabeth MacPherson, of Ernesttown, a daughter of a U. E. Loyalist. They had a family of eleven children. For about sixty years Mr. MacPherson was an elder of the Presbyterian Church. He was mainly instrumental in the forming of a congregation in Kincardine in connection with the Church of Scotland. In politics he Was a prominent Reformer. His death occurred November 23rd, 1893. 448 LOGGING THE STREETS William Macklem (for many years a resident of Kincardine) settled there in the winter of 1849-50, and about 1853-54 built an oatmeal mill on the north branch of the river, north of Russell Street. This, with the mills operated by William Sutton and Malcolm Mac- pherson, fully supplied the needs of the farmers. The work of cutting the standing timber on the streets in the town, as well as logging and burning it, was no small undertaking to the handful of settlers. For some time progress was slow. James Henry, who arrived at Kincardine August 18th, 1851, related how he assisted to fell some large trees then standing on Queen Street opposite his property at the head of Harbor Street. Mr. Henry was the first path- master appointed for the village. Many a log heap had to be disposed of before there was a roadway in the centre of the leading streets, and it was as late as the summer of 1856 before the Market Square was logged and burnt. The author remembers how, in the same } r ear, in the Williamsburg part of Queen Street, and also on Broadway, the presence of stumps made the wagon track a devious one. Harbor Street was not in the original survey of the town, but the necessity for a con- venient approach to the harbor being early felt, the want was supplied by the opening of this street, the gift of James Henry, Martin Craig, William Rastall and Francis Walker. 1 The hill on Harbor Street situated east of Huron Terrace was full of springs. Before a passable road at this point could be secured it was necessary to cover these over with a quantity of brush, on which was placed logs to make a causeway. The appearance of the little village in 1856, as remembered by the author as he looked upon Kincardine for the first time, was somewhat a? follows : From Princess Street to the lake was all cleared, but there was standing timber in several parts of the town where now there are numbers of dwellings; e.g., there was then a good sugar bush along South Street towards the High School, and a fine clump of giant hemlocks stood where the Water Tower now stands. The buildings were very much scattered, and stumps of trees were everywhere. Queen Street north of Williamsburg had not at that time been opened out. There existed only a footpath through the trees and clearings leading to Stoney Island. The wagon road along the beach was that used for travel not only to Stoney Island, but by those going further north. Archibald Campbell had a storehouse on the beach at the foot 'Harbor Street was assumed by the village, May 8th, 1861, and $500 spent in planking the roadway over the loose sand at the western end. PETER ROBERTSON WILLIAM SUTTON p. 450 p. 446 WILLIAM RASTALL p. 144 D. A. MACCRIMMON, M.D. p. '484 THE BUSINESS CENTRE UNCERTAIN 44-9 Of Lambton Street. When the Ploughboy arrived on her regular trips, a large scow owned by Mr. Campbell was rowed out to her, that is, if the weather was fine. In the scow freight and passengers were placed and brought ashore. If there was any " sea " on the lake, the Ploughboy passed on to Stoney Island, and at the wharf there landed Kincardine passengers and freight. The bridges over the river in the year mentioned were such as the primitive engineering skill of the settlers could erect. That on Huron Terrace Street had an open log abutment on each side of the river. On these were laid heavy stringers across the stream. On Queen Street the superstructure of the bridge was supported by Macpherson's dam, and the same method was in use at Sutton's dam. Eussell Street was the thoroughfare at first for the traffic from the Durham line. After Sutton's dam was erected, with the bridge as a superstructure thereon, Broadway was the most travelled. The uncertainty for several years where the centre of business was to be, resulted in the shops and taverns being spread over the town plot. There were two or three shops on the south side, one at the old mouth of the river, one on Huron Terrace Street, and another on Queen Street. On the north side shops were to be seen on Huron Terrace Street, Lambton, Durham and Queen Streets, on the Market Square, and in Sutton's Hollow. Of taverns there was Nelson Ross' on Broadway. The Union Hotel, kept by Tom Splann, and afterwards by John Barnes, stood on the site of the present Methodist Church. On the other side of the Market Square Thomas Kennard kept the British American. On the Beach, John Eowan and Francis Walker kept hotels, and on the south side William Anderson. At that ihnt, the town bell was such a one as is now in use on farms in the county. This bell was hung in front of Barnes' Hotel. The standard time was obtained by a mark on a stump placed there for the purpose by a surveyor. As this was " sun time," it of course varied, about twenty minutes too fast or too slow, during the course of the year. During the first quarter of a century of its existence Kincardine was the chief centre of trade for a large section of territory, extending back as far as the Elora Road, and even further east if the sleighing was good. As a natural result merchants of all descriptions of goods established themselves there in numbers too great, it would almost seem, for the place. The following are the names of those who, although not the very first (these having been previously referred to), still may rightfully be classed among the early merchants of the town. The names are given in the order of priority of settlement: James 16 4">U PETEH ROBERTSON Legear, David Gairdner, P. & X. Mclnnes, Joseph Cooke, Peter Kobertson, 1 F. & W. H. Hurdon, and John McLeod. These were all engaged in business at Kincardine in the fifties. Cameron & Brown- lee also were leading merchants. This firm commenced business in 1860. P. & N. Mclnnes, in addition to carrying on a large general store, established about 1857, works for the manufacture of pearl ash, enabling impoverished settlers to obtain by the sale of wood ashes, collected wherever a log heap had been burnt, a fresh source of income. Possibly the first factory started in town other than saw or grist mills was one for the manufacture of furniture; this was in 1856. The building was situated on Broadway, just west of Queen Street. This business originated with George A. Dezeng. Several years earlier than this, business enterprise was shown by George Biownc. who built a brewery on Park Street, near Macklem's Mill. In 1858 or 1859 another brewery was built on Queen Street North. The pro- prietors were Messrs. Huether & Schoenau. Their product was lager beer, a beverage at that time almost solely confined to Germans. That nationality were not numerous in the vicinity. It, therefore, lacked sufficient patronage to be successful, so after a trial of some half dozen years the plant was moved to Neustadt. A distilkry operated by Messrs. Henry & Walker was another of the early enter- prises in the place. The building stood where the lighthouse is now. This, too, was closed after an existence of a few years. No doubt the large quantity of whiskey that was smuggled from the United States in those days had something to do with its abbreviated existence. In Chapter IX. is recorded the particulars respecting the establish- 'Peter Kobertson was the son of a clergyman of the United Presbyterian Church, Scotland, and was born, August 2nd, 1811, at Kilmaurs, Ayrshire. His schooldaj'S were spent at the Kilmarnock High School. On leaving home he was apprenticed to his uncle, a cloth draper, at Glasgow. He came to Canada in 1833 and was in the employ of James and Alex. Morris, of Brockville, until he commenced business for himself at Belleville, in 1836. The stirring times of the Eebellion of 1837 and '38 soon followed. Being suspected of being a rebel, Mr. Eobertson was arrested and im- prisoned in the fort at Kingston. When brought to trial the jury brought in " No Bill " against him. After this he was unintentionally mixed up in the burning of the steamer " Sir Robert Peel " by the rebels, being a passenger on the boat at the time. In 1856 he came to Kincardine and carried on a mercantile business until 1877, when he retired. His death occurred May llth, 1885. Mr. Eobertson was a man of marked intellectu- ality as well as of integrity, and passed away esteemed and respected by all who knew him. He married Sarah, daughter of John Boss, of Brockville, and had a family of four daughters and two sons, the only surviving ones being Mrs. Alex. Shaw and Norman Eobertson, county treasurer, both of Walkerton. SCHOOLS 451 ment of the first school in the county. This, Kincardine's first school, was opened in the summer of 1851. The building, a rented frame one, was situated on the river flats near where it flowed into the lake. Mrs. Jane Nairn, as teacher there, presided over 66 scholars, com- posed of 31 boys and 35 girls. During the first half dozen years the premises occupied for school purposes were many, until at last a permanent building was secured in 1855 or 1856. The first move the school made was to a small frame building on the east side of Queen Street opposite Harbor Street. After a short stay there, it occupied a log building on the opposite side of the street. The school next found a home in a log building standing where is now the residence of Mr. John Gentles. Its stay there was short, and its next location was on Kussell Street, just west of the English Church. Finally, the school moved into permanent quarters, a frame building erected purposely for a school, situated on Victoria Street; in rear of the present Central School building, which fine and commodious brick building was erected in 1872. The early teachers in the school during the period above indicated were Mrs. Jane Nairn, John Campbell, Malcolm McLennan and Thomas Scott. The public school at Kin- cardine has had one headmaster, whose long continuance in the office deserves to be recorded. F. C. Powell became principal in September, 1877, and for 'almost a quarter of a century he labored faithfully to maintain a high standard of education in all its departments. The Model School, established at the time he took the principalship, has also been a source of credit to this old servant of the public. The first step taken to establish a County Grammar School at Kincardine was to obtain the consent and authority of the Council of the united counties of Huron and Bruce. This was obtained at the December session, 1859. At the session held in January of the fol- lowing year the Council appointed the members of the Board of Trustees. As it was to be a County Grammar School, the trustees were not all residents of Kincardine. The following are the names of those appointed: M. McKendrick, Alex. Shaw, Eev. Walter Inglis . and Eev. Isaac Middleton, of Kincardine ; Win. Gunn, of Inverhuron, and Eev. K. McLennan, of Paisley. The Board fixed the fee for tuition at $2 per quarter. In the month of July a union was brought about of the Grammar and Common School Boards, which union has continued down to the present. De W. H. Martyn, M.D., was appointed secretary of the United Board in 1862, an office he held almost continuously until his death, July 19th, 1903. The first to fill 452 FIRST PASTORATE the position of headmaster was Albert Andrews. His duties com- menced with the fall term, 1860. The following are the names of those who have filled the same position down to the present day: J. H. Thorn, July, 1867; Duncan Morrison, 1868; Benjamin Freer, 1869, June, 1871; J. Thomson, part 1871, 1872; J. E. Burgess, 1873 to 1876; Ben Freer, 1877 to 1887; Neil Kobertson, 1888-89. S. W. Perry, the present headmaster, has held that position since January, 1890, to the complete satisfaction of all interested in Kin- cardine High School. Further facts referring to this school are to be found in Chapter IX. The list is a long one of those who have received a part of their higher education at the Kincardine Grammar and High School, and in that list are to be found names of many who have pushed their way on to the very front rank of their various pro- fessions and callings in life. The first public religious service held at Kincardine is said to have been conducted by the Eev. Mr. Cox, a minister of the Episcopal Methodist Church, in 1849. The place of meeting was in a log house on Queen Street, nearly opposite the Queen's Hotel. In 1851 the first congregation 1 in connection with any denomination was organized, this initial step in the religious interest of the place being taken by the Wesleyan Methodist Church. The congregation then organized commenced with a membership of forty. Its first pastor was the Eev. Thomas Crews (1851-52). His successors in the pastorate dur- ing the early days were the Eev. A. A. Smith (1853), Eev. Wm. Creighton (1854), Eev. S. E. Mandsley (1855), Eev. Andrew Edwards (1856-58), Eev. J. F. Latimer (1859-60), and Eev. D. Connolly (1861-63). As far as the author has been able to trace, services were held at first in the public school-house until, in 1856, a neat brick church was built, 2 the opening services of which were held on Sunday, March 1st, 1857. The author was present at that and many ensuing services. As the congregation assembled for the after- noon meeting the weather was warm, springlike and balmy, but on leaving the church when the service was concluded they encountered a blinding blizzard. The snow which fell then and subsequently did not leave until the end of April. For some time after the building was in use the seating accommodation consisted of rough two-inch planks, supported by blocks of cordwood of the necessary height. There was 'This was also the first congregation to be organized within the county outside of the Indian Missions. *Nbw occupied as a dwelling by E. Einker. PRESBYTERIANS ORGANIZE 453 but one aisle, that up the centre of the church. On one side of this the women folks sat, on the other the men. The gable of this building was blown in by a high wind on March 3rd, 1862. It was never rebuilt, the roof being adapted to the new form of the walls when the repairs were made. In April, 1876, the contract for the present handsome edifice was let, the tender being $13,199. The actual cost of the building when completed was considerably in excess of the contract price. In addition to this, the cost of land and fittings are to be added when considering the outlay of this congregation at this time. The Episcopal Methodists were formed into a congregation in 1852, but did not have a settled pastor until 1854, the Kev. J. M. Collins being their first minister. At an early date services were held in a frame building, built for a lodge-room by the Good Templars. This was in a lane just north of Broadway, within a stone-throw of the site on which in 1877 was erected their large brick church. When in 1883 the 'union of this body with the Methodist Church of Canada took place, this building was deserted, the two amalgamated congre- gations worshipping together. Ultimately this building was sold for the building material it contained. In 1850 the first Presbyterian service was held in Kincardine. The place where it was conducted was the bar-room of Pat Downie's hotel, the Eev. A. Mackid, of Goderich, officiating. This section of country, peopled as it was by a population of whom the majority were Presbyterians, was for several years under the supervision of the Home Mission Committee of the several Presbyterian bodies. In January, 1852, the Free Church Presbytery, of London, deputed Eev. John Eoss to visit Kincardine, to prepare the way for A. Currie, a catechist, who labored for some months in this field. Besides the Eev. John Eoss, the Eev. John Eraser also labored here as a missionary in 1852-53. In 1854 steps were taken to build a Presbyterian Church, which was of frame, and the size thirty feet by fifty feet. Hugh Matheson was the contractor. To enable the undertaking to be suc- cessfully financed, George Murray, of " the lake shore," went to Zorra to solicit subscriptions for its erection. Prior to the construc- tion of this building, services were held in the log school building which stood on the site of John Gentles' residence. The church was built in 1855, but remained unplastered until late in the fall of 1856. While the plaster was still moist a hard frost occurred, which had the effect of taking the temper out of the mortar. On the next occasion for 454 KNOX CHUKCH holding church service, the heat from the stove speedily thawed the plaster, and during service (which was the first the author attended in Kincardine) portions of the ceiling kept dropping upon the heads of the congregation, or fell with a thud on the open spaces of the floor. The minister never halted the services, but the congregation had its eyes turned heavenward on that occasion in a way which might betoken a spiritual turn of mind, if one did not know that they were watching where the next drop of plaster was to occur and seeing if they were in a safe position. About the time the church was built the congregation was organized, bearing the name of Knox Church. At the time of the induction of its first minister, Knox Church had sixty members on its roll. This induction, that of the Rev. John Stewart, took place August 3rd, 1859. Owing to his resigning, the charge became vacant in June, 1863, and for the next three years Knox Church had no settled minister. Nevertheless the congregation grew, and the church edifice had to be enlarged in 1866. In August of that year its second pastor, the Rev. John Fraser, was inducted. His pastorate lasted until January, 1878. On July llth of the last-mentioned year the present pastor, the Rev. J. L. Murray, D.D., was inducted. His pastorate has been a most successful and happy one, the semi-jubilee of which was celebrated in 1903, a pleasing feature of which was the presentation to him and Mrs. Murray of a cabinet of solid silver tableware. In 1875 steps were taken toward the building of the pres- ent commodious church edifice. Its present state of completeness was not reached at once. On July 10th, 1876, the firaj; services were held therein, the congregation worshipping in the basement, and from then on until September 7th, 1879, when the building proper, having been completed, it was duly dedicated. In 1889 the tower was finished, and in 1894 the large pipe organ was installed. Kincardine at one time had three Presbyterian churches, the " Free," known as Knox Church, as above narrated ; the " United Presbyterian," and the " Church of Scotland." " West Church " was the name of the congregation in which the " IT. P.'s " worshipped. This congregation was organized May 26th, 1857, with forty-five members. In 1859 a church building 1 was erected at the corner of Durham and Huron Terrace Streets. The Rev. Walter Fnglis, at mai time of Riversdale, was called to this charge, and inducted April 27th, 1859. Mr. Inglis was the pastor of this congregation for ten years. For two years after he left, hopes were entertained of continu- "This building is now occupied as a dwelling by Wm. Welsh. OTHEll CHURCHES 455 ing this as a separate charge. These hopes never materialized, and on April 25th, 1871, West Church congregation united with that of Knox Church. St. Andrew's Church, in connection with the Church of Scotland, was the first congregation in Kincardine that had a church building erected before organization, the building having been erected some- where about 1862. The explanation of this is, Mr. Malcolm Mac- Pherson, its leading elder, was a most enthusiastic member of the " Auld Kirk," and his time, means and enthusiasm resulted in the building of the church. The first pastor of this congregation was the Eev. Donald F. Maclean, in 1862. His successor was the Kev. Alex. Dawson, who came in 1863. In 1867 the Rev. John Ferguson became the pastor in charge. In 1872 he was succeeded by the Rev. William Anderson. The last minister of this church was the Rev. J. B. Hamil- ton, who was ordained and inducted to the pastorate April 27th, 1880. After his resignation in January, 1884, the prospect of maintaining this as a separate congregation seemed small, and one by one its members united with Knox Church, so that after an existence of over twenty years the congregation of St. Andrew's ceased to be. The building was sold in 1885 to the Dominion Government, to be used as an armory for the company of volunteers at Kincardine. Church of England services in the early days were held in private houses. The author remembers attending one held at the home of John Keyworth. On that occasion that gentleman read the morning clmrch service, and then a sermon selected out of the works of some divine. Later, the Rev. Isaac Middleton, who was the first settled minister, held church services for some time in the Orange Hall, until the present church building was erected and opened for services, which was on July 6th, 1862. The Baptists had a strong man to take the initiative in forming a congregation of that denomination at Kincardine, in the person of the Rev. Wm. Fraser, who settled at Kincardine in 1850. His efforts resulted in the erecting of a neat log church. The building, small in size, was cruciform in shape. For a number of years this congregation were without a pastor. In 1876, through the efforts of the Rev. Alex. Grant it was resuscitated, and a large frame church was erected on Princess Street, which subsequently was moved to its present position on Queen Street. Of the many excellent and earnest men who have ministered to this charge the author specially recalls the Rev. H. Ware, now entered into his rest, a man of rare consecra- tion and simplicity. 456 OLD TIME CHURCH SERVICES It is a far call from the old-time church buildings in existence half a century ago at Kincardine, to its commodious, modern and well-equipped churches of to-day. In looking back, memory recalls some features that may be considered interesting to record. In these churches of the early settlement the seats, as has already been noted, were but rough planks, supported by equally rough wooden blocks. The light for evening services a truly " dim religious light " was supplied by tallow candles, two or three only on each side wall, placed in tin sconces. These might be snuffed when required by the finger and thumb of some man sitting near-by. In time candles were replaced by old-tune argand oil lamps with reflectors, lent by some of the merchants. 1 Then came coal oil lamps, the churches by this time being prosperous enough to provide their own lamps, which in time were fitted in expensive fixtures, and finally electric lighting, which now supplies all the light needed at evening services. In the days of the early settlement the singing was led by a precentor. 2 It was not long before a choir was formed to aid him in leading the singing. Then followed the organ, at first a modest reed instrument, and finally the pipe organ. In Knox Church there has always been service in the two languages, English and Gaelic. At communion seasons when held during the summer the Gaelic congregation met and held their service in the open air. The author recollects one such service, held back of the present site of A. Malcolm's furniture factory. The pulpit, over which was built a shelter of rough boards, faced the east, Stretching out in front of it was the table, possibly forty or fifty feet in length, covered with a snowy white cloth, while rough planks placed alongside the table supplied the seats. The congrega- tion sat on the green grass. The amphitheatre-like formation of the ground enabled each one in the audience to clearly see and hear the preacher. The hot summer sun was pouring down on all, and as a protection from its rays numerous umbrellas were spread open. A 'The author remembers how Paul D. Mclnnes would bring to Knox Church four lamps, as above described, from the store of P. & N. Mclnnes, if the service was to be conducted by a Free Church minister, while he would bring from his father's store the needed lamps if the preacher belonged to the " U. P's," for before Knox Church had a settled pastor and before either of the other Presbyterian bodies had built itself a church home, the officers of Knox Church, when they had no service of their own, generously allowed the other Presbyterian bodies to hold service, in their church. 2 Wm. Millar, of Millarton, was considered the best precentor to be found in any of the churches in the settlement. SACRAMENTAL SERVICES 457 sight not to be met with in Bruce to-day was the number of High- land women, whose head covering was a white mutch, and over whose shoulders was spread a white kerchief neatly crossed and pinned over the bosom. The Psalms of David were used solely in the service of praise, the words being lined by the precentor, who chanted the next line to be sung on the last note used. The tunes, nearly all in the minor key, sweet and plaintive, would draw as spectators those who understood not the language used in the singing, who came after their own shorter church services had terminated. The author would, if he could, give some idea of the forceful address spoken at the "fencing of the table." The standard so set for those who would "worthily partake" being so high that in many cases none would presume to be seated at the table on the first invitation. At the second, wherein there would be more reference to God's grace and Christ's merits, some godly elders would come forward and be seated, followed on the third invitation by the body of the communicants, numerous enough to possibly fill a second or third table. At these Gaelic services were many strangers, some even from Zorra, who, as well as others, attended a series of communion services which com- menced at Ashfield, succeeded by others held at Lucknow, Kipley, Kincardine and Tiverton. Each of these communion services covered a period of five days Thursday being held as a fast day ; Friday was known as the "Question Day" (in Gaelic, "la na Ceist") ; Saturday as preparation day; then on Sunday the sacrament was dispensed; on Monday thanksgiving services were held. Of these five days the Question Day services were the most unique. After the assembly on that day had been opened by the usual services of prayer and praise, the minister conducting the same would request any who had any difficult religious question on which they required enlightenment to propound it to the meeting. On this being responded to, it might be found that the question was regarding the meaning of some obscure passage of Scripture. 1 "The men" ("na daoine," in Gaelic), for so the leaders of religious life were called, would one after another express their opinion. When the time to close the meeting had come, the minister would "sift" ("n'criathair," in Gaelic) or summarize what had been said, so that those assembled might remember it. It is said that th'e peculiar features of Question Day are rapidly disappearing, as " the men " brought up in a school Especially such as tended to show what are the marks of sincerity in religious profession. 458 PENETANGOHE NO LONGER .now almost passed away have dropped off one by one. Among the most prominent of the " the men" were Kenneth Campbell, of Ash- lield; Malcolm McLennan, of Huron; James Gordon and Donald . McPherson, of Kinloss ; Hector McKay, of Culross, and George Ross, of Kincardine. The topic of church life in Kincardine is a feature which has been dwelt upon pretty fully in this chapter, but the author cannot close it without alluding to the Literary Society which for a number of years existed in connection with Knox Church. This Society proved attractive to students attending the High School. Under the wise guidance of the Rev. Dr. Murray, A. H. Smith (now of Moosomin, Sask.) and others, the young people were led to form and cherish ideals which, striven after, developed character, and resulted in after life in prominent positions being attained by them in their chosen professions. Of these, the names only of those who entered the ministry are here given. They are as follows: Rev. Messrs. A. G. McLeod, Robert Johnston, D.D., R. J. Macpherson, Hector McKay, J. A; Stewart, John M. and Ferguson Miller, Hugh Finlay, and John Matheson, of the Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. Thomas F. Whealen and the Right Rev. I. 0. Stringer, Bishop of Selkirk, of the Church of England. The author has been favored by Mrs. Wm. Rastall, of Detroit, with the perusal of an original document relating to the history 'of Kincardine, being the " Census of the Village of Penetangore," taken by Wm. Withers and R. G. Fowler, in October, 1857, to see if the population was sufficient to warrant the making application for incor- poration as a village. The census contains 837 names. This being more than sufficient, the village became a separate municipality on January 1st, 1858, under the name of the village of Kincardine, and dropped forever its dual name of Penetangore. The first reeve was William Rastall. In a footnote 1 the names of the various reeves of the village and town are given until 1896, the last year reeves sat at the County Council. The first town clerk was Joseph Barker. Of those since then who have filled the office of clerk of the municipality down to the present, it is questionable if any have been as near the 'Names of the various reeves of Kincardine town from 1858 to 1896, inclusive : Wm. Rastall, part 1858, '59, '60, '61, '66, '67, '68, '69; C. R. Barker, part of 1858 and 1882; Wm. Sutton, 1862, '63, '64, '65; Robert Baird, 1870, '71, 72, '73, '74, '75, '76, '77, '78, '79; T. C. Rooklidge, 1880; Alex. Gordon, 1881; R. T. Walker, 1883, 1890; A. Malcolm, 1884, '85. '86; De W. H. Martyn, 1887, '88, '89; J. H. Scott, 1891, '92, '93, '94, '95, '96. WATERWORKS 459 standard of a model officer as the present town clerk, J. H. Scougall. As the population grew in numbers the time at length came when Kincardine might claim a higher municipal status. The date, of this was the 1st of January, 1875, when Kincardine first entered into the ranks of the towns of the province. In a footnote 1 the names of those who have been mayors of Kincardine are given, and also their years of office. It was not long after the incorporation of the village before a town hall was built. It was a fair-sized, two-storey, frame building, which stood on the site of the present town hall. The author has not been able to fix with certainty the year in which it was built, but remembers events of 1862 in connection with the building. The pres- ent town hall was completed in December, 1872. In it are the usual accommodations asked for in a municipal building, including a fire hall. The need of a system of waterworks was felt for years before the town possessed them. They were urged both on sanitary grounds and also for fire protection. When they were established it was by private enterprise, Messrs. Moffatt, Hodgins and Clark being the principals in the Kincardine Waterworks Company, which commenced August 1st, 1890, to supply the town with pure water from the lake. The intake pipe extends out into the lake for 150 yards. The stand-pipe, which is 110 feet in height, stands back of Knox Church. Into this water is pumped, and gravitates through the system of water mains and connections. There are about four miles of water mains in the town. For four years the town paid annually to the Waterworks Company the sum of $2,100 for fire protection, for water required in watering the streets, and for water service at the school and town hall, when (as the town had the option of purchasing the plant) it was at length decided to go in for municipal ownership. The town obtained possession of the plant in September, 1894, the purchase price being $40,000. Further additions were made to the plant, which brought its cost up to $45,000. Another form of municipal ownership that Kincardine has em- barked in is electric lighting. In the late eighties an electric light 'Names of the various mayors of Kincardine: James Brown, 1875; W. P. Brown, 1876, '77, '78; Jas. A. MacPherson, 1879, 1880, '81, '82, 1891, '92, '96, '97, '98; Robert Baircl, 1883, '84, '85, '86, '89, 1890; Edward Leslie, 1887, '88; Joseph Barker, 1893; John Tolmie, 1894, '95; De W. H. Martyn, 1899; Geo. E. MacKendrick, 1900, '01; W. J. Henry, 1902; John Ruttell, 1903; A. Malcolm, 1904; J. C. Cook, 1905; W. G. Temple, 190(i. 460 THE HARBOR plant was established in Kincardine. This passed into the hands of George Swan and Samuel Henry, who sold it to the municipality in 1894 for $10,000. The total cost to the town for the electric plant up to the end of 1904 was $15,792. Of these two businesses operated by the municipality, it is understood the waterworks are the most profitable. The debentures issued by the town form a long list. Some of them have been for well-advised objects, such as those referred to in the preceding paragraphs, and for bridges and local improvements. Other issues of debentures, such as that known as the " Steel Horse Collar Bonus " and the " Stove Foundry Bonus," have failed to benefit the town to the extent hoped for. Another large expenditure, which will have to be met by an issue of debentures, is a system of sewerage, which at the time of writing is -being discussed, and must ultimately be constructed before the town can be as healthful as it should be. In Chapter V. there is related the first effort made to obtain a harbor at Kincardine, which was at as early a date as 1853. That effort proving abortive, the attention of the Government was directed to the necessity which existed for a harbor of refuge at this point. Recognizing the strength of the arguments adduced, and in response thereto, an attempt was made in 1855 to build a breakwater, con- structed of cribs of timber filled with stone. Underestimating the power of the storms which sweep over Lake Huron, the breakwater was too weakly constructed, and lasted only a few months, when it was washed away. The remains of it were found by Government Engineer Grey a short distance north-west of the end of the present pier. After the destruction of the breakwater, the Department of Public. Works in 1856 commenced the construction of two parallel piers at the mouth of the river, between which it discharged itself into the lake. These piers were one hundred feet apart. -The north pier was 540 feet in length, and the south pier 190 feet. These works sufficed for some years. At the time of the passing of the County Gravel Eoads By-law, Kin- cardine obtained a substantial grant towards the improvement of its harbor. Between the county and the village $23,000 was spent on the harbor in the years 1866 and 1867. During those years the dredging of the basin was commenced, and the north pier was extended to 757 feet, and the south pier to 495 feet. The Govern- ment also gave a grant of $4,500 to assist in this work. In 1872 there was commenced the work of dredging the harbor to its present extent of about four acres, and to a depth of 12 feet. This extensive work GRAIN BUYERS 461 was not completed until 1877. Further work in the way of dredging and repairs has been done nearly every year since. At present the north pier is 1,470 feet in length, and of a uniform width of 30 feet. The south pier is 840 feet in length. The east side of the harbor basin has a water frontage of 463 feet, the south side one of 253 feet, and the west side one of 440 feet. Over $200,000 has been spent on the Kincardine harbor, but owing to the entrance being narrow and the river always bringing down sediment, which is deposited in the basin, the harbor has never been worth the large amount spent upon it. The Government had the light near the pierhead established in 1874> and in 1881 the main lighthouse shed its guiding rays over the lake for the first time. William Kay was keeper of this lighthouse for many years. At present it is in charge of Thomas McGaw, Jr. As an additional aid to navigation, a steam foghorn is located at the waterworks pumping-house, which is 1,375 feet north of the entrance to the harbor. Possessing a harbor, Kincardine before the advent of the railway was the best grain market in the county, and every winter its numerous warehouses were filled with the produce of the farms of all the town- ships lying back from the lake. Long processions of farmers' sleighs ladened with grain were a familiar sight on its street at that time. Some days as much as ten thousand bushels of grain would be pur- chased. The chief grain buyers were Robert Baird, Robert Walker, Francis Hurdon, Ross Robertson and Arch. Campbell. In the spring, when a schooner arrived to carry away to Buffalo, Toronto or Montreal a cargo of the grain which filled the warehouses, the town witnessed a busy sight. To save demurrage every effort possible was made to speedily laden the vessels. Men were paid 25 cents an hour (and were expected to earn it) shovelling grain into two-bushel bags. As soon as filled these were piled on wagons, teamed away to scows 1 to be transported to the vessel lying at anchor in deep water, quickly hoisted upon the deck, the bag strings were cut, and the golden grain poured into the vessel's hold. All work was rushed so as to get the vessels quickly away. Sometimes a squall or a gale would come before the vessel was laden, and she would have to slip her anchor and get well off shore. Sometimes this could not be done, and the vessel was driven upon the beach, to the great loss of her owners and also of the shippers of grain. After the railway was opened the above-mentioned 1 Wheh the piers were extended into deep enough water the vessels lay alongside the pier and were ladened there. 4(J2 RAILWAYS advantage which Kincardine possessed a* a grain market was neu- tralized, and grain was not marketed there as of yore. Merchants and others, thinking that there was not competition enough among the grain buyers, sought to establish it, so they and others in 1899 organ- ized '"' The Farmers' Elevator and Shipping Company." Unfortun- ately, the company made no money, and in 1905 were forced into liquidation. The object sought of improving the market was, how- ever, attained. The warehouse used by the company was purchased by W. J. Henry, who is endeavoring to maintain Kincardine's reputa- tion as a good grain market. Kincardine was very much interested in the various railway schemes that agitated the county at large in 1869, and it was a bitter pill to swallow, when the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway scheme carried, as related in Chapter VII., leaving Kincardine without any railway and with the prospect of being deprived of the trade which had been flowing into it for so many years, and see it go to build up towns elsewhere. However, before the railway was opened to South- ampton the prospect brightened. Two bills passed the Legislature in 1871, authorizing the construction of separate lines of railway to Kincardine, namely, the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway, by a branch line from Listowel, and the London, Huron and Bruce Rail- way. The first of these received a bonus from the village of $8,000, and was completed to Kincardine in the fall of 1873. 1 The London, Huron and Bruce Railway never came nearer to Kincardine than Wingham, nevertheless the town gave it a bonus of $3,000. This road was opened in January, 1876. On the discovery, in 1868, that large deposits of salt existed at less than a thousand feet beneath the surface at Kincardine, steps were taken to bring this necessity of life into the market. It was the Kincardine Salt Prospecting and Manufacturing Company (of which James Brown was president, and James A. MacPhersoii secretary- treasurer), which obtained the bonus offered by the County Council for sinking an artesian well and obtaining salt. Another company was formed, in which Walkerton capital was largely represented. This was known as the Bruce Salt Company. The method at first used to evaporate the brine pumped from the wells was not an economical one, the brine being boiled in potash kettles set in rows and bricked in, each row being called a " block." The consumption 'This branch was operated by the contractors until taken over by the railway company, December, 1874. SALT WORKS 463 of wood was enormous. As cordwood was not to be had at the low price of former days, the process was found to be too costly. Flat pans 75 to 100 feet in length and 20 to 25 feet in breadth were men tried, with better result?. The two companies named not finding much profit in the manufacture of salt, after a few years' trial, closed down their works. About this time, early in the seventies, two Ameri- can capitalists became interested in the salt industry, and each com- menced to erect an extensive plant at Kincardine. That built by William Gray is said to have cost $75,000; that built by L. Kight- meyer was not quite so expensive. These firms shipped salt in bulk to Chicago. 1 The American tarff, however, was against them, and the Canadian market too small to permit the business to be profitably conducted, so about 1876 Mr. Gray closed down his plant. Mr. Right- meyer continued the, struggle for about fifteen years longer, and unfortunately lost the best part of his fortune in his efforts. After remaining idle for about ten years, the Gray Salt Block was pur- chased by the Ontario People's Salt Manufacturing Company, in 1885. This compan}- has been run in connection with the Dominion Grange, and this connection has insured it a constant patronage. Its manager is John Tolmie, M.P. As some readers may be interested to know some facts connected with this establishment, they are given in a footnote. 2 The fishing industry was established at Kincardine late in the fifties. By 1866 it had so developed that six boats sailed each morning from Kincardine harbor to lift and set their nets many miles out in the lake. Among those early engaged in this industry were Thomas McGaw, Alex. Gordon, Robert and Alex. Donnelly, Kenneth and Duncan McKenzie, Samuel Splan, also John. Peter and Thomas (Jr.) McGaw. They who follow the calling of a fisherman on Lake Huron experience many dangers and much hardship, and, after all, there is no very large returns for all their vicissitudes. 3 Kincardine fishermen have been fortunate in meeting with so few fatalities. During nearly 'In 1875 the product of salt at Kincardine amounted to 137,000 barrels, of which there was exported the equivalent of 90,000 barrels. 2 Size of main building, 250 x 90 feet; size of addition, 110x70 feet. The well is 989 feet deep. The evaporating pans are " V " shaped, 12 x 100 feet and 7 feet deep, made of boiler iron and lined with sawed stone and heated with live steam pipes passing through the brine. The salt as precipitated by the brine is rjemoved by an endless chain rake and deposited in bins. There is also an open flat evaporating pan, 100 x 28 feet, raked by hand. 'That a record may be preserved, the weight of some large fish, as mentioned in the local press, is here given. In July, 1875, Samuel Splan caught a salmon-trout weighing 74 Ibs., and Charles Splan, in August, 1883, a white fish that weighed 19 ^ Ibs. 464 FISHERMEN half a century only two have lost their lives while pursuing their call- ing. These were Elliott Hunter and a man named Mclntosh, their overladened boat being swamped in a gale while returning from the Pishing Islands in 1882. Thomas MeGaw, above-mentioned, has earned a well-deserved reputation as a builder of fishing boats. One built by him, called The Belle, and sailed by his son Peter, carried off for three years in succession the cup offered at the Goderich regatta for the fishermen's yacht race. Having been won three times by the same boat, the trophy remains in the proud possession of Peter McGaw. Another of Mr. McGaw's boats, the Water Lily, has been very successful in carrying off prizes at various regattas. In a former part of this chapter is mentioned the inception of some of the industries of the town. Por a list of those in existence in 1866 the author turns to an old " Directory of the County of Bruce," published by J. W. Rooklidge (an old Kincardine boy, who has passed away) . We there learn that in that year Kincardine had three grist mills, three sawmills, two tanneries, two woollen mills, two pearl ash factories, two foundries certainly a fine record for so early a date. Ira J. Pisher is probably the man who has been the longest actively engaged in manufacturing in Kincardine. He came to Kincardine in 1860, and built a foundry on Victoria Street, taking off his first heat in October, 1861. Since then he has had his share of the vicissitudes of life, but in them all has proved himself to be a good and worthy citizen. John Watson (another man of worth) founded in 1858 the present extensive furniture factory conducted by the Andrew Malcolm Company. It was but a small concern at first, employing but few hands, and which used horse-power to drive the machinery. One of his employees was Elijah Miller, who for several years also carried on a furniture factory. Messrs. Combe & Watson are another offshoot. Their large factory on the harbor flats catches the eye of all who arrive in town by either rail or water. The Hunter Bridge and Boiler Com- pany, established in the early eighties, employs a number of hands, and helps to make the town known at outside points. Pork packing has long been one of the industries of the town. Started originally by Wm. Rastall, it has been continued by T. C. Rooklidge and Robert Madden, and flourishes to-day under the management of Henry Cole- man, whose cured bacon has more than a local reputation. One of the most unsuccessful ventures that Kincardine ever entered into was that known as the Gundy Stove Foundry, which was bonused by the town THE PRESS 465 to the extent of $7,000. The town has never been recouped for this generous bonus, as the foundry was run for only a few years. The press became a power in Kincardine when on the 4th of August, 1857, the first number of The Western Canadian Common- wealth was issued. The publisher was John McLay, afterwards Regis- trar of Deeds for the county. At the time of his coming to Kincardine he was a young man of about 25 years of age. The press, type and all the equipments of a printing office he brought with him from Glasgow, Scotland. Mr. McLay was a spicy writer, and in consequence made for himself some bitter enemies. When he received the office of registrar the paper passed into the hands of Joseph Lang, who changed its name to that of the Bruce Review. He was burned out October 29th, 1870, when he disposed of the paper. Up till then its politics were those of the Liberal party. The purchaser was C. Cliff e. From the time he took hold of the Review it has been an upholder of the Conservative party. T. C. Bartholomew was the next owner of the paper. He about the end of the seventies sold out to Mortimer Brothers, who changed the name of the paper to The Kincardine Standard. In March, 1882, Andrew Denholm purchased the paper. After publishing the paper for about four years, Mr. Denholm sold out, and it passed once more into the hands of its former publisher, Joseph Lang, who changed the name to the Kincardine Review. Since 1891 Hugh Clark, M.P.P., has been the editor and publisher of the paper, assisted part of the time by his brother, Charles Clark. The Bruce Reporter was first issued 7th of December, 1866, by Albert Andrews, a resident of some years' standing as headmaster of the Grammar School. The ownership of the paper passed in the early seventies to "Messrs. Crabbe & Brownell, then to J. H. Brownell, who sold the paper to W. M. Dack in 1879. Mr. Dack continued to publish the Reporter until the spring of 1901, when he received the appoint- ment of Registrar of Deeds for the county. J. S. Gadd then became the publisher, and continued as such until the paper passed into the hands of its present proprietor and editor, J. J. Hunter, in 1905. The author, in bringing this chapter to a close, regrets that he cannot write as fully as he would like to regarding some of the men who for years have been among the prominent citizens of Kincardine. There is Robert Baird, the present postmaster, who for over half a century has been a leader in the town, as reeve, mayor, warden of the county, Conservative candidate in two political campaigns, and a lead- ing grain merchant. His predecessor in the position of postmaster, 4t)6 FAMILIAR NAMES Mathew Mackendrick, unpretentious in manner, but faithful almost to a fault in the performance of his duties. Then among those not to be forgotten is Dr. S. S. Secord, who has practised his profession in the county since 1857, who deserves to be remembered with Dr. McClure, of the " Bonnie Brier Bush." Another, and possibly the oldest settler in the town, is Joseph Barker, who, with his good wife, have ever been found on the side that maketh for righteousness. Also James A. MacPherson, who was elected mayor of the town on nine occasions. A list of town worthies must include the name of Eev. J. L. Murray, D.D., for nearly thirty years pastor of Knox Church. But the list must be curtailed, for the town has not lacked in men good and true, who have aided in its development, and in making the town what it is one of the pleasantest towns in which to live in Ontario. CHAPTER XXXIV. TOWNSHIP OF KINLOSS. 1 EXTRACT FROM THE BEPORT OP COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. " This township runs largely to extremes, some portions being extra good, while other portions are very hilly and swampy. Interspersed with small lakes and being well watered, it is well calculated for mixed farming. No scarcity of timber in this township and the roads are excellent, gravel being plentiful. Portions of Kinloss are greatly improved since the last valuation. The rate per acre is $31.15, including village property, which equals $1.78 per acre for the whole township." . As pointed out in Chapter II. the first lands within the county surveyed into farm lots were those on the first concession of Kinloss. This survey was made in 1847 by Alex. Wilkinson, P.L.S. Two years later, in 1849, the Durham Eoad and the adjacent " Free Grant " lots were surveyed by A. P. Brough, P.L.S. 2 Three years after this, in 1852, the residue of the township was surveyed by E. R. Jones, P.L.S. The " Free Grant " lands were opened for settlement in June, 1849, and Eanges Three, North, and South, of the Durham Eoad, were offered for sale at the same time. The remaining portion of the town- ship came into the market at the "big" land sale, 3 held September 27th, 1854. The price at which the lots on the first concession were sold it being classed as School lands was ten shillings ($2.00) per acre. Concessions 2 to 12 are Crown lands, and the price at which they were sold was seven shillings and six pence ($1.50) per acre. The first settlers in the township settled on the " Free Grants " in 1850. Among them were Joel Eli Stauffer, John and Wm. Shelton, Thomas Hodgins and Mankin Meredith. These pioneers of the township deserve credit for having located on lands that were far *The township derives its name from one of the titles of Lord Elgin, the Governor-General at the time the township was surveyed. Among his many titles was that of Baron Bruce, of Kinloss. 2 Mr. Brough, in his report, gives the Indian names of the two lakes near the Black Horse, now called Silver Lakes ; translated, the names are Otter and Mud Turtle Lake respectively, for the north and south lake. 3 See Appendix K. 469 470 OPENING DURHAM ROAD from a base of supplies, Kincardine being the nearest point at which purchases of provisions and other needed articles could be made. During the summer and fall of 1851 most of the settlers were able to earn a little money by working at the government job of opening the Durham Road, either as contractors 1 or as axemen. This public work was indeed a fortunate thing fer these early settlers, as it per- formed the double purposes of providing them with a road and also with supplying them with much-needed cash. A tedious delay occurred in opening the other main roads in Kinloss. The tenth side-road from Lucknow to the Black Horse was opened, under the direction of David Gibson, P.L.S., by the Bureau of Agriculture in 1858, 2 which also in 1859-60 opened the county boundary line between Bruce and Huron. The lack of roads in the early days had a decided retarding effect upon the development of the township. The first to take up land and settle in the southern part of the township are said to have been Norman Nicholson, Duncan and Alexander McKenzie, Martin Mclnnes, John McDonald, R. Gollan, William, David and James Henderson, Wm. Bryce, Peter Reid, James, John, Thomas and David Falconer, Wm. and J. Tiffin, Andrew McManus. All of these and others also had squatted on their lots before they were opened for sale. The year of the " big " land sale witnessed a great inflow of settlers, who took up the choicest of the remaining lots. Among those who came there about this time may be mentioned Alex. Graham, Thomas Harris, 3 Robert Purves, 4 S. A. Ferric. Patrick, John and Peter Corrigan. 'Particulars of the Kinloss, Durham Road contracts, let July llth, 1851 : Samuel Colwell, to chop out road in front of lots 1 to 4, at rate of 22 per mile and 10s. per rod for causewaying. J. Eli Stauffer, to chop out road in front of lots 5 to 8, at rate of 22 per mile, and 12s. 6d. per rod for causewaying. John Smith, to chop out road in front of lots 9 to 12, at rate of 24 per mile, and 8s. 9d. per rod for causewaying. Mankin Meredith, to chop out road in front of lots 13 to town line, at rate of 24 per mile. The total amount of all these contracts was 155 2s. 6d. On completion of the work payment was made October 28th and December 13th, 1851. 2 In 1854 the United Counties Council gave a grant of 50 to open this road, an offer having been received from Thos. Hodgins and others to give a roadway through their lands to avoid Silver Lake. The expenditure of this grant seems to have been the extent of work done on this road prior to letting of the Government contracts in 1858. 'Thomas Harris' name appears elsewhere in this History in connection with the settlement of Kincardine and also with Ripley post-office. He was for some time the only Justice of the Peace in Kinloss. 4 Robert Purves was one of the prominent men of Bruce for many years. A native of Berwickshire, he came to Canada in 1850, at the age of eighteen, and settled in the township of Wawanosh. In 1854 he took REEVES OF THE TOWNSHIP 471 111 1852 Kinloss, in common with the other townships in the county was united to the township of Kincardine for municipal pur- poses. At the session of the United Council held June, 1854, a petition from the ratepayers of Kinloss was presented asking that that township be made a separate municipality. The report of the special committee appointed to consider the petition is here given, as being a reliable statement showing the development of the town- ship at that date. It is as follows : " Our committee cannot recom- mend that the prayer of the petition of Mankin Meredith and others be granted. The assessment of this township is the least of any in the counties, save one, it being only 1,170, and the expense of a reeve sent from said township would be equal to two pence farthing in the pound on the gross assessment for the year 1853, upon which assessment your Council are now obliged to base their taxations for the purpose of raising funds which may be available up to 1855. Further, that we had no reliable document before us upon which to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion that this township has the number of names on its assessment roll which are requisite to enable it to obtain a set-off/' At the September session following, the question of municipal separation came up again, and on the casting vote of the warden the prayer of the petition was granted and the necessary by-law passed. The by-law appointed Wm. Shelton as returning officer, and directed that " the election be holden at the house of Wm. Meredith on the sixth concession." The Council elected were: Boyer Paul, Murdoch McKenzie, Murdoch McDonald, Thomas Harris and Wm. Shelton. This Council elected Boyer Paul 1 as reeve, 2 and up the farm lots iii the first concession of Kinloss, on which he lived during the remainder of his life. In 1865 Mr. Purves was elected reeve of Kinloss, an office held, excepting during the year 1868, until the end of 1883. After a retirement from municipal honors, he again, during the years 1893, '94, '95, was elected as the chief officer of the township. The County Council also elected him as warden of the county three times in succession, for the years 1880, '81, '82. The repeated municipal honors bestowed on Mr. Purves emphasized the appreciation" in which he was held as a man of sound judgment and prudence. His death occurred July 20th, 1902. Paul had negro blood in his veins. On his presenting his certifi- cate of election as reeve of Kinloss at the first meeting of the United Counties Council at Goderich, some members took objection to his taking his seat at the council on account of his color, holding that he was non- eligible, and expressed curiosity to know if the majority of the electors in Kinloss were colored. After some discussion he was allowed to take his seat. 2 List giving the names of the reeves of the township of Kinloss, from 1855 to 190(5 : Boyer Paul, 1855; John Purvis, 1856 to 1863; Malcolm Camp- 472 THE "BLACK HORSE" appointed as its clerk Wm. Herndon. He held the office for only one year, when he was succeeded in the clerkship by Peter Reid, 1 who faithfully performed his duties for forty-four years, namely, from 1856 to 1899 inclusive. The office of the township treasurer was held during the first nine years of the municipality by the following : Thomas Hodgins, 1856; Peter Reid, 1857; Murdoch McKenzie, 1858-62, and John McRae for part of 1863. On the 19th October, 1863, Peter Corrigan was appointed the township treasurer, and has held the office ever since to the satisfaction of all. The lot of the pioneers of Kinloss had certain features which added to the usual hardships that faced a backwoods settler. Being located far back in the bush they had to make long journeys to obtain the most ordinary necessaries. Then the almost total absence of water privileges large enough to drive a good grist mill was a draw- back, so that until the grist mill at Lucknow was running in 1859, a trip to Walkerton, Kincardine or Dungannon was necessary when- ever a few bags of wheat had to be ground. Sawmills were in opera- tion in Kinloss as early as 1854. The first one built was erected by J. Eli Stauffer at the "Black Horse." It was at this point in the township that the first effort was made to develop a village, which began to form around the post-office, known as " Kinloss/' which was opened in 1853-4, with Thomas Hodgins as the postmaster. To him also belongs the credit of having opened the first store there. About the same time, in 1854-5, a tavern was opened by Wm. Shelton. This was called the " Black Horse," a name that was extended until it became that by which the village was and has continued to be known. The first school in the township was also opened at this point. The house put up for its use was, as were most of those at this time, only a log one. The earliest public religious services in the township were held here, the first of which was conducted by the Rev. Thomas Hadwin, a Methodist minister, at the house of Mr. Thomas Hodgins. After the school-house was built these services were held in it, and then, at a later date, in the Orange Hall. About 1857, Presbyterian church services were held, the Rev. Walter Inglis, of Riversdale, bell, part 1864, 1868; Chester Chapman, part of 1864; Kobert Purves, 1865, '66, '67, '69, 1870 to 1883, 1893; James Grant, 1884 to 1891; George Mclntosh, 1892; Alex. Nicholson, 1896; J. Johnston, 1897, '98; G. Moffatt, 1899; Frank Henry, 1900 to 1904; Dan. McDonald, 1905, '06. *Peter Eeid was a native of Glasgow, where he was born in 1819. He settled in Kinloss in 1854, where he followed farming. His family had the pleasure of celebrating the golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Eeid two years before his death, which occurred in 1900. RAILWAY BONUS 473 officiating. He succeeded in forming the nucleus of the congrega- tion now known as that of North Kinloss. His successor was the Eev. A. G. Forbes. In 1874 a brick church was built by the united efforts of the Presbyterians and the Methodists, still in use by the latter denomination. The Silver Lakes, situated close to the Black Horse, have attracted to them for a number of years parties of campers-out and picnickers from Lucknow, Kincardine and Walker- ton. Certainly as long as the groves on their banks are preserved these parties are likely to seek recreation at this delightfully picturesque spot. Kinlough, two miles and a half south of Kinloss P. 0., is the larger village of the two. It began to take form in 1857, when John Scott opened a store there. Shortly afterwards Simon Corrigan helped to centralize business there by starting a sawmill and also an hotel. On a post-office being established in 1864 he was appointed postmaster. The village at present boasts of a handsome school-house, lately erected, and three churches, a Presbyterian, a Methodist and a Church of England. Holyrood is situated two miles and a half south of Kinlough. Its post-office was opened August 1st, 1856, William McKenzie being the first to have charge of it. Here a large sawmill was built in 1864 and successfully operated for many years. The Eoman Catholic congregation at this place was organized about 1870. They built a neat frame church, in which services are now conducted by the priest from Teeswater. The township of Kinloss has been singularly free of indebtedness. The only debentures issued by the municipality were for drainage purposes, in 1882. They amounted to only $1,946, and were paid in ten years. At the time (1871) the railways were seeking bonuses to construct lines through the southern part of the county to Kincardine, the people of Kinloss were urged to give a bonus by each of the two railway companies, namely, the narrow gauge from Teeswater or the wide gauge from Listowel, which ultimately was constructed. A meeting was held (July, 1871) at the Black Horse at which a resolution was passed asking the Township Council to submit a by-law to grant a bonus of $15,000 to the road from Teeswater. This the Township Council refused to do. Ultimately the township assumed its share (according to equalized assessment) of the $51,000 sectional bonus given to the Southern Extension Eailroad by the 474 THE "BIG" CHURCH townships of Huron, Kincardine and Kinlosts. When Lucknow boeanie separated from Kinloss in 1874 it assumed an annual pay- ment of $130 as its share of the obligation of the township. This chapter may fittingly be closed by relating the history of the South Kinloss Presbyterian Church, as given to the author by its pastor, the Kev. F. A. MacLennan: " Early in the fifties this district was thickly settled by immi- grants, mostly from the north of Scotland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, nearly all of whom were Gaelic-speaking Presby- terians. " In 1856 they built a log church on the east side of the gravel road, about half a mile north of the present church building. About that time the congregation held its first communion services in the bush close to the log church, two ministerial members of the Presby- tery of London officiating. The late Mr. Hugh Eutherford, of St. Helens (who had been ordained in Scotland before coming to Canada), was the only elder present to officiate on the occasion. It seems that there was not an ordained Free Church elder in the whole district from Goderich to Culross at that date but himself. The late Mr. John Gordon, of St. Helens, was the only English-speaking communicant present on Sabbath. For his benefit an English table was served. The fact that the collection taken during the five days of the services amounted to $50, all coppers, not a single silver coin, shows that the attendance would average 1,000 at least. "Until 1863 the congregation worshipped in the church regularly, receiving such supplies as the Presbytery could send them. At that time the large church standing in the cemetery, and which is still occupied, was built. The late Rev. John -Eraser, of Thamesford, formally opened it for public worship. Every alternate Sunday the Rev. Adam McKay, of Teeswater, held service in this church until, in 1867, the Rev. John McNabb was ordained and inducted to this charge. Soon after the" following were ordained elders and formed the first Kirk-Session, viz., Messrs. Murdo Mackenzie, Peter Milne, Robert Young, James Gordon, Thomas Falconer and Donald Mac- Pherson. Mr. McNabb resigned the charge in 1869 and was suc- ceeded by the Rev. Duncan Cameron in 1872. Mr. Cameron resigned in 1881, and was succeeded bv the Rev. Alexander MacKenzie in 1882. Mr. MacKenzie resigned in 1887, and was succeeded by the present pastor, the Rev. F. A. MacLennan, translated, from the Presbytery of Glengarry in May, 1882. Services from the vor v first have been held in this congregation in both English and Gaelic. Gaelic, the lanaruage of the congregation fifty years ago. is approach- ing the vanishing point. Still it dies hard." CHAPTER XXXV. VILLAGE OF LUCKNOW* THE present thriving village of Lucknow owes its origin to ail offer made by the government of a grant of two hundred acres of land to any one who would erect a mill on the Nine-Mile Eiver near the spot where it crossed the Woolwich and Huron Road, which road forms the boundary line between Kinloss and Wawanosh. This offer was closed with by J. Eli Stauffer, a German from Waterloo County, mentioned in the preceding chapter as one of the first set- tlers on the Durham Road in the township of Kinloss. It was in 1856-57 that Mr. Stauffer erected the dam and sawmill. The latter could hardly be called a first-class mill, but it supplied a much-felt need of the adjoining townships in Huron and Bruce. One of the first to settle near the mill was Ralph Miller, who in April, 1858, purchased a small parcel of land from Mr. Stauffer, on which he built a log tavern, that went by the name of the " Balaclava House." James Somerville, 2 who deservedly is entitled to be called the founder of the village, was probably living there at the time the agreement for this sale was drawn out, as his name appears thereon as witness to the signatures. During the summer of 1858 Mr. Som- erville, having purchased from Mr. Stauffer the mill and his right to the land, had the south halves of lots 57, 58, 59 and 60 on the first concession of Kinloss surveyed into village lots. The date of the J The village of Lucknow bears the name of the city in India around which so much interest centred in the days of the Indian Mutiny, which was fresh in the minds of all at the time of the survey of the village. A number of its streets are named after prominent generals in the Indian Army. 2 James Somerville was born at Dunfermline, Scotland, in 1825, and came to Canada in 1841, with his parents, who settled at Dundas. He there learned the trade of a millwright. In 1851 he moved to Wawanosh and built a sawmill, between what is now Belfast and St. Helens. Mr. Somer- ville, in 1858, secured Mr. Stauffer 's mill and right to the land. From that date he continued to be associated with Lucknow until his death, which occurred September 19th, 1898. In 1872 he was the Eeform candidate for the House of Commons for North Huron, but was defeated. In 1882 he again was a candidate, this time for West Bruce, and was successful. Mr. Somerville also sat in the township councils of Wawanosh and Kinloss. 475 476 FIRST MERCHANTS , registering of this plan is September 21st, 1858. 1 This plan shows both a saw and a grist mill, the latter built, in all probability, that summer by Mr. Somerville. On September 1st, 1858, the village lots were offered at auction, and the ceremony of naming the place was celebrated by a salute of twenty-one we cannot say guns but of explosions of that number of charges of gunpowder, placed in large auger-holes bored in good-sized trees standing in the village plot. The survey of the village lots on the Ashfield and Wawanosh side of the village 2 was not made until the early spring of 1861. The first merchant in Lucknow was Malcolm Campbell, who com- menced business in 1859. He was also the first postmaster, the post- office being established shortly after he came to the village. Other merchants, foreseeing the possibilities of development at this point, opened up business shortly after Mr. Campbell had done so. Half a dozen years after the post-office was established the following were carrying on business as merchants at Lucknow : In addition to Mal- colm Campbell there was Walter Armstrong, Bingham & Little, Alex. Murray, Charles Secord and John Treleaven. The grist and saw- mills were then being operated by Walter Treleaven and Messrs. Lees & Douglas ran a wool-carding mill. The population was then (1866) placed at 430. The village received quite an impetus in the same year from the construction of the gravel road northward through the township of Kinloss, which had the effect of bringing to Lucknow much of the trade of the township that had previously gone to Kin- cardine. The next forward step of note made by the village was the result of the opening of the railway in 1873. No doubt the business men of the village have complained loudly and deeply at the poor service that the railway has given them at times; but it should be borne in mind that it is 'the railway that has made Lucknow a grain market, and the shipping point for the produce of the farms situated for miles north and south of the village. It also has given the ship- ping facilities which induced manufacturers to there establish fac- tories. In fact, it is the railway which has made Lucknow the flour- ishing village of to-day. 'It seems strange that the Crown patent was not secured before the survey was made. It was April 2nd, 1862, before the patent for the south halves of 57 and 58 was issued to M. C. Cameron, and March 23rd, 1863, when the patent for the south halves of 59 and 60 was issued to James Somerville. It was in October, 1854, that the lands in Ashfield and Wawanosh, now in the village of Lucknow, were settled upon by Daniel Webster and James Henderson respectively. INCORPORATION 477 The initial step taken with a view to Lucknow becoming a separ- ate municipality was made in December, 1863, when, on petition of James Somerville and twenty-three others, the United Counties Council erected it into a police village. The incorporation of the village of Lucknow was an event that created a commotion unusual in the ordinary routine of procedure as laid down in the Municipal Act for the incorporation of villages. This arose from the fact of the village being located partly in the county of Bruce and partly in the county of Huron. The conveni- ence of the inhabitants would perhaps have been secured to a greater extent by being united to Huron, as the county town would then be but twenty-two miles distant. But Bruce had an interest, in retain- ing the village as part of the territory of the county. The arguments used on this side were: That the majority of the inhabitants and three-fifths of the area of the village were on the Bruce side of the county line; that the bulk of the business of the village came from, and would continue to come from, the Bruce side, and this as the result of gravel roads constructed at the cost of the county at large; and, lastly, that the large railway bonus paid by Bruce would, if the separation take place, be for the benefit of a village in another county. This last argument, especially, made the Bruce County Council strongly oppose loss of territory at this point. But politics had pos- sibly the largest share in influencing the decision finally reached. The member for South Bruce (E. M. Wells) had received at election times strong support at Lucknow, and he was unwilling to submit to the loss of so many votes as the placing of it in another electoral division involved, and so his influence, though unapparent, was felt in the contest. With so many interests at work, no wonder that a year passed before a settlement was arrived at. The history of the proceedings was, so far as the author has been able to trace, as fol- lows: "At a meeting of the ratepayers of the village held in the spring of 1873, a motion was unanimously passed that the necessary steps be taken to have the village incorporated and annexed to the county of Huron. Messrs. E. Graham and E. Clendening were appointed delegates to bring the matter before the Huron County Council, and Messrs. James Somerville and Eobert Hunter were to act in the same capacity before the Bruce County Council. The prayer of the petition was acceded to by each of these bodies, and both councils on the same day (June 7th, 1873) passed a by-law incorporating the village of Lucknow and annexing it to the county 478 JOINED TO BRUCE COUNTY which it represented. When it became apparent that a deadlock was likely to ensue on account of this dual annexation, and the ques- tion would have to be decided by the Governor-in-Council, the Bruce County Council appointed the warden (Robert Baird) and Robert Purves as delegates to go to Toronto in the interests of the county. The first Village Council (elected in January. 1874) at an early meet- ing passed a motion to memorialize the Lieut-Governor to have the village annexed to Huron County. Meanwhile the people of the townships of Huron and Kinloss, who did their trading at Lucknow, gave emphatic expression to the business men of the village of their opinion, that it would be an unjust act to have Lucknow, which had been largely built up by their trade, severed from their common county and united to another. These pronounced expressions of opinion produced an effect, and many in the village were prepared to accede to the wishes of their customers; prominent among those willing to do so were Malcolm Campbell, Robert Graham and Dr. MacCrimmon. On the other hand an equal number held out that to be united to the county of Huron was for the interests of the village. The leaders of this party were James Somerville, Thomas Lawrence and J. Treleaven. Each of the parties sent largely signed petitions to the Lieut.-Governor presenting their views for his consideration. Excitement in the village ran high; in fact, so many bitter feelings were engendered at this time, as the result of the hotly fought con- troversy, that years passed before they were smoothed away. Finally a meeting was called of the ratepayers, in hope of an agreement being reached. After each side had presented its side of the question, a vote was taken, which gave a majority of one in favor of the village being annexed to Bruce. This vote was challenged on the ground that one who was not a qualified ratepayer had voted for Bruce. In April, 1874, at the suggestion of the authorities at Toronto, so it is said, another vote was taken, which resulted in a majority of two being obtained for union with the county of Hur6n. Notwithstand- ing this final vote, the Lieut.-Governor, on June llth, 1874, issued a proclamation annexing the incorporated village of Lucknow to the county of Bruce. A week prior to the issuing of the proclamation, a telegraph message announcing the decision arrived at was received by the warden, and read to the Bruce County Council, then in session ; when it was moved that the reeve from Lucknow do now take his seat at the Council board. Up to this date (June 4th, 1874) Lucknow was unrepresented at the County Council of either county. In VILLAGE HELVES 479 uary, 1875, the respective wardens of Huron and Bruce met with the reeve of Lucknow, and after consultation agreed that the propor- tionate share of the liabilities of the county of Huron chargeable to Lucknow was twelve hundred dollars. This the county of Bruce assumed, and payment was made in two instalments. The first Village Council (elected January, 1874) was composed of M. Campbell, reeve; and Thomas Lawrence, Charles Mooney, Alex. Mclntyre and Walter Treleaven, councillors. The joint offices of clerk and treasurer were conferred upon George T. Burgess. In a footnote 1 are given the names of the reeves and officers of the municipality from its organization until 1906. The building first used as a town hall was properly known as the Temperance Hall. The land on which it stood was given by James Somerville, at an early date, to a temperance society that they might erect a hall thereon. This they did in or about 1862. The present town hall was built in 1885, 2 at a cost of $4,500. It contains a fire- hall and a lock-up on the ground floor. Over these, in the second storey, is a commodious hall, suitable for public meetings and enter- tainments. Unfortunately, the plan of this structure was defective in respect to the roof, which, after the building was completed, had to be given additional support in a way that has marred the appear- ance of the auditorium. In the present year (1906) an arrangement was made with Andrew Carnegie, the millionaire, famous for his gifts to public libraries, who has donated $7,500 for a public library building. The building to be erected will be 50 x 80 feet in size. To all intents and purposes it will be the town hall of the future, as in addition to giving accommodation for a public library it will provide an auditorium and a board-room. The latter will be used by the Village Council to meet in. The village, for its part in the agree- ment with Mr. Carnegie, undertakes to furnish the site and to make an annual grant of $750 toward the maintenance of the library and hall. J List of reeves of the village of Lucknow, with years of office : M. Campbell, 1874, '75, '76, '77; D. A. MacCrimmon, M.D.,* 1878; George Kerr, 1879, '80, '81, '82; D. Campbell, 1883, '84, '85; J. S. Tennant, M.D., 1886, '87; R. Graham, 1888; James Bryan, 1889, '90, '91, '92, '93; James Lyons, 1894, '95, 96; J. G. Murdoch, 1897, '98, '99; William Taylor, i900; William Allan, 1901, '02, '04, '05; A. D. Davidson, 1903; J. G. Anderson. 1906. List of village treasurers : G. T. Burgess, D. K. Cameron, George A. Siddall, and John Murchison, at present in office. List of village clerks : G. T. Burgess, W. H. Smith, Brown Mallough. Hugh Morrison, and P. A. Malcolmson, at present in office. "The formal opening was on May 24th, 1886. 480 THE SCHOOL The first public school building known to the village was a modest frame building 24 x 30 feet, erected in 1862. The pupils in attend- ance there were at first wholly from Kinloss. Three or four years later a union school section was formed by the adding of parts of the townships of Ashfield and Wawanosh. The first to teach in the new building was a Mr. Middleton. 1 In 1865-6 the teacher was D. A. MacCrimmon (now Dr. MacCrimmon, of Kipley). He was succeeded by James Warren, P.L.S. (of Walkerton), Angus McCharles (a prominent son of Huron Township, lately deceased), Charles Cliff (of the Wingham Advocate) and others. The last principal in the old school-house and the first in the new was C. Priest. He was succeeded by P. M. McEachern (now the Presbyterian minister at Glammis). D. D. Yule succeeded him, and continued as the principal of the school for seventeen years. Mr. Joseph Stalker, who entered upon his duties in 1902, is the present principal of the school. The commodious eight-room school-house now in use was built in 1878. The erection of this building necessitated the issue of the first deben- tures sold by the village. In a footnote 2 these are to be found included in a list of all debentures issued by the village corporation. Lucknow has on different occasions suffered severely by fire, which destroyed important sections in the business part of the village. The first of these serious losses occurred in 1864. Some time in the seventies a good hand fire-engine was purchased by the village. Ten years later, when a proposition was made to invest in a steam fire- engine, public opinion decided that the wisest thing to do would be to instal permanent waterworks for fire protection. This was done in 1890. Since- then at the pump-house steam is kept up all the time. The numerous hydrants are favorably located, giving an assurance of a bountiful supply of water if a fire should break out. The result of this has been a marked reduction in insurance rates. before the erection of the school building, school was held in a building on Campbell Street, previously used as a tannery. *LiST OP DEBENTURES ISSUED BY THE VILLAGE op LUCKNOW. In 1878, for school building and furnishing, $10,113. In 1885, for town hall, $4,500. In 1890, for waterworks, $10,000. In 1890, for Cliffe & Forester loan, $5,000. In 1902, for granolithic sidewalks, $7,100. In 1905, for granolithic sidewalks, $3,785. In addition to the above, the village annually, from 1875 to 1890, in- clusive, paid the sum of $130 as its share of the debentures given by the county as a bonus to the Southern Extension Eailway. CHURCHES 481 The earliest public religious services held in 'the vicinity of Lucknow were conducted by a Presbyterian elder of the name of Campbell, who resided in Ashfield. This was at a time prior to that when roads had been cut through the forest, so the elder and his flock had of necessity to find their way to and from the place of meeting by the blaze on the trees. The Wesleyan Methodists organized a con- gregation at Lucknow in 1862, of which the Eev. David Ryan was the first minister. He was succeeded by the Eev. E. W. Fraser, and he by the Rev. Wm. Tucker. The New Connexion Methodists were organized into a congregation in 1865, the Rev. John Walker being the minister. The present handsome church edifice on the corner of Campbell and Havelock Streets, erected in 1885, in which the Methodist congregation worships, was preceded by a much less pre- tentious building of rough-cast, which did service as a place of worship for a number of years. Although Lucknow has always had a large Scotch element in its population, it was some time before a Presbyterian congregation was formed within the village, the "big" church (or South Kinloss congregation), just outside the village, being where the Presbyterians attended services. Sometimes, however, the minister at the " big church " held evening services in the village. About the time (1869) that the Rev. J. McNabb resigned the pastorate of the South Kinloss congregation, steps were taken by the Presbyterian residents of the village to there erect a church building. The result of these efforts was a good-sized frame edifice, known as Knox Church. Soon after the settlement of the Rev. Mr. Cameron at South Kinloss some of the leading members from the village separated from the congregation. Not obtaining what they wanted from the Presbytery of Huron, they applied to the Church of Scotland in Canada, and were erected into a congregation that bore the name of St. Andrew's, Lucknow, which built for itself a neat stone church. 1 The Rev. I. B. Taylor was the first minister, but he resigned after a pastorate of seven or eight years, and was succeeded by the Rev. John McNabb in 1882. In 1886 the Rev. Mr. Cameron, who continued his ministry in Knox Church, Lucknow, after resign- ing (in 1881) the South Kinloss part of his charge, and Mr. McNabb both resigned in order to afford the two congregations in the village the opportunity of uniting, which they did in September, 1886. In J After the union of the two Presbyterian congregations in the village the building was sold to the Baptists. At present it is owned and occupied by the Roman Catholic congregation. 17 482 THE " SENTINEL " 1887 the united congregation called the Rev. Angus McKay, and in 1888-9 built the present large and substantial brick church. On Mr. McKay's resignation in 1904 the present pastor, the Rev. D. T. L. McKerroll, entered upon the pastorate of this large congregation. The Church of England at Lucknow is known as St. Peter's, and was erected in 1878. It was in the first week of January, 1874, that The Lucknow Sentinel published its initial issue. Since then, week by week, this chronicle of the local events of village and country has been issued. The first proprietors were Messrs. Bowers and Hunt. In a short time the paper passed into the hands of D. B. Boyd, who conducted it for two or three years. On his death his widow continued to publish it until her marriage to James Bryan. For nearly three decades Mr. Bryan filled the editorial chair of the Sentinel, until he sold his interest in the paper to Mr. Albert McGregor, in October, 1906. Ever since the railway has been in operation Lucknow has been a good market where the farmer could sell his grain and other farm produce. J. G. Smith was one of the first to be prominent as a grain buyer after the advent of the railway. Prior to that event merchants purchased grain, pork and other produce largely " for trade." To dispose of their purchases they had to team them to Goderich for shipment. The author, lacking that intimate and personal acquaintance with the citizens of Lucknow, past and present, which might enable him to refer to them individually in these pages, must touch but lightly on such a topic. For a number of years the village possessed among its citizens a trio of medical doctors that stood out promin- ently. Dr. D. A. MacCrimmon, as chief of the Caledonia Society, is referred to elsewhere. Dr. J. H. Gamier, noted as an ornithologist, possessed a collection of stuffed birds which numbered over twenty thousand, and Dr. J. S. Tennant, councillor and reeve of the village, and Conservative candidate for South Bruce, whose sudden death, September 12th, 1902, was so deeply lamented. Another old and worthy citizen, the local bard, is Robert Graham. What old curler is there in this part of the province but knows J. B. Hunter and the rinks of keen curlers that stood by him on the ice playing the " roar- ing game," one of the sports for which Lucknow has made a name for itself. If there is anything which more than another has bestowed on the village of Lncknow an almost continental fame it is the Lucknow CALEDONIAN SOCIETY 483 Caledonian Society. It is an acknowledged truism the world over, that the Scot, wherever his lot may be cast, cherishes with enthusiasm everything of a national character, its language, history, poetry, songs, pastimes, sports, and also the national costume. There are few sections, if any, in the province more thickly settled with Scotch- men, or those of Scottish descent, than the townships in the vicinity of Lucknow. These conditions existing, it only required a few lead- ing spirits to inaugurate and maintain an organization the aim of which would be to develop and perpetuate everything characteristic of Scottish sentiment, life and practice. " Who was the first to suggest the formation of the Lucknow Caledonia Society the author cannot say. 1 The society, however, was enthusiastically inaugurated during the winter of 1874-5. Provision was made in the constitution for extending help to Scotchmen in need or to their families, also for the development of national sentiment by the holding of Scotch con- certs, banquets and balls, and for what became the most prominent feature in the history of the society, the holding of annual gatherings for athletic sports. It was the success that attended these gatherings, celebrated on the second Wednesday in September in each year for twenty years, that gave the society a widely extended fame, and caused Lucknow to be appreciatively spoken of in many a far distant group of Scotia's sons. That these gatherings were so successful and so largely attended may be attributed, primarily, to the enthusiastic Scottish element of the adjoining district and to the untiring efforts of the officers to provide attractive features. 2 Then the management at all the gatherings was excellent, and everything promised in the programmes was carried out. With all this there was accorded a hearty, liberal support by the people of the village to the efforts of the society. Among those connected with the Society at its inception t ir Fhe records of the society have unfortunately suffered loss from fire on two occasions. The author is indebted for the facts of the society to Chief MaeCrimmon and his successor, Chief Alex. MacPherson, and John Murchison, late financial secretary of the society. 2 The Lucknow Caledonian Society was instrumental in inducing the following to visit America and be present at their gatherings : Donald Dinnie, the leading athlete of Scotland; also Geo. Davidson, another famous athlete ; the champion Scottish piper, Wm. McLennan, was another who left Scotland on a visit at the solicitation of the Society. Duncan C. Boss, a noted athlete from the United States, was an annual competitor in the sports for several years. In 1881 one of the attractions was Piper Joseph Hendry, late of the 78th Highlanders, the sound of whose pipes were the first assurance the besieged in Lucknow (India) had of the nearness of the troops sent for their relief at the time of the Mutiny. 484 THE SOCIETY'S GROUNDS were the following: Donald A. MacCrimmon, M.D., 1 Alex. McPher- son, Capt. John McPherson, Alex. Mclntyre, Wm. Mclntosh, Allan McDonald, A. D. and A. K. Cameron, AJex. Currie, Dougal McKinnon, Malcolm Campbell, James Findlater, and others. Among other active members who joined the society at a later date might be mentioned John Murchison, D. E. Cameron, George E. Kerr and D. D. Yule. The society held the first of its athletic gatherings in September, 1875. The place where held, both in this and the fol- lowing year, was at Hugh McKay's grounds. From 1877 to 1880 the Agricultural Society's park was used for this purpose. After that all the gatherings were held at Lome Park, a property purchased by the society. This park has an area of six acres, and is situated in the south-west corner of the village. It is admirably adapted for the objects the society had in view when purchasing it. On its south side there is a gradual slope rising to a considerable height, affording ample seating accommodation for thousands of spectators. To add to this the society erected on the west and north sides of the park large grand stands, on which some four thousand persons could be seated. The sward, on which the contests of strength and skill came off, perfectly level and of ample size, lay before the uninterrupted view of all these spectators. On the grounds there were also two platforms, on one of which the dancing for prizes came off; the other was occupied by bands of musicians and pipers, who enlivened the proceedings and filled up all intervals with music. In the park the society also built the Caledonian Hall, a large frame structure of octagonal shape. Of its eight sides each was sixty feet long. This building, erected in 1883, was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1900. The first athletic gathering, as above-mentioned, was held in 1875. About $300 was then offered in prizes. The attendance thereat was so encouraging that in the following year the manage- ment felt warranted in increasing the amount offered in prizes by $.100. As the gathering in each succeeding year proved to be a greater J Dr. MacCrimmon was chief of the society from its formation until he left Lucknow, in 1890, excepting one year, when he was absent in Europe taking a post-graduate course. The doctor is a native of Glengarry, Ontario, where he was born in 1838. His first association with Lucknow was as the teacher of the public school, which position he held in 1865 and 1866. He resigned to take up the study of medicine. On obtaining his degree he commenced to practice in Lucknow, remaining there until 1890, when he moved to Underwood. After a sojourn there of five years he took up his residence at Eipley, where he at present resides. There is no doubt but that the success of the Caledonia Society of Lucknow was largely due to the enthusiasm, energy and personality of Dr. MacCrimmon. THE GAMES 485 success than the preceding one, the prizes offered gradually increased in value until in 1883 and 1884 the handsome sum of $1,300 was offered. The attendance at the games increased from hundreds to thousands, until high water mark was reached in 1882, when fully twelve thousand persons attended the games. Such a large attend- ance could only be secured by the co-operation of the railway com- pany, which in 1878 offered fares at excursion rates; then, as the demand for transport increased, furnished special trains. These would arrive filled to overflowing with enthusiastic Scots, of whom might be quoted the sentiment that headed each annual programme of sports, which was: ' ' Oh, Canada, I lo 'e ye weel, Altho' nae son o ' thine; Within thy wide domain there beats Nae truer heart than mine. But when a day like this corn's roun' Auld Scotia has her claims ; The thistle aye corn's uppermost, I'll gang to see the games." The main features of the sports were distinctly in accord with the name and objects of the' society. Prizes were given to the best per- former on the bagpipes, to the best dancer of reels, strathspeys, the Highland fling and sword dance, also to the best dressed man and boy in Highland costume. In feats of strength and skill the prizes offered covered a wide field familiar to all Scottish athletes. Then there was an archery contest for ladies and also a quoiting tourna- ment. The various contests were eagerly watched and the winners were loudly cheered. The excitement reached its climax over the tug-of-war between teams chosen from the men of Bruce and Huron Counties. This, was generally the last event on the programme The men are selected with care by each captain. As the muscular fellows that compose each team strip for the event their supporters are loud in prophesying victory for their county. Then when, each team in place and grasping the rope, the word "go" is given, the " tug " commences. Among the spectators the excitement is intense, some of them being so carried away by it that it is with difficulty they are prevented from seizing the rope to help their side to victory. The handkerchief that marks the centre of the rope quivers over the centre line. Each team, encouraged by the cheers 486 GAMES CEASED of its friends, strains every muscle. Maybe a foot slips, a slight advantage for the other side is thus obtained. Encouraged thereby yet one more effort is put forth, and amid the shouts of thousands a " draw " is made, and their opponents are pulled across the line. It seems a pity that these annual sports have for the last ten years been given up, but from various causes the Caledonia Society has not the strength it once possessed. Some of its most interested and active members have left the village; many others have become members of " The Sons of Scotland." Weakened as it has thus been, the feature of the annual games has been dropped, let us hope but for a time. SOUTHAMPTON^ CHAPTER XXXVI. TOWNSHIP OF SAUGEEN* i EXTRACT FROM THE KEPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901. prr ' ' This township, in proportion to its acreage, has more inferior land, we think, than any township south of the peninsula. The shore range, while much better than that of Bruce, is far below the average. This range, together with the thousands of acres of drift sand in the north, and cut as the township is through its whole length by Mill Creek, the Saugeen River, and the railroad, combine to pull down the average value very much. However, there are a number of very fine farms in Saugeen that will compare favorably with any in the- county. There are some sections of very stiff clay, and the land is very rough along the banks of the Saugeen Eiver. The rate per acre for this township is $28.66. There is no village property in Saugeen. ' ' MEN with keen eyes to perceive latent possibilities and who pur- posed settling in the Queen's Bush petitioned, as early as 1847, the government to have a survey made of the lands at the mouth of the Saugeen River and open the same for settlement. The locality was visited by Alex. Wilkinson, P.L.S., 2 in the fall of that year, but no lands were surveyed at that time. The survey of Saugeen Township into farm lots was conducted by A. Vidal, P.L.S. 3 His commission to do this work was dated January 13th, 1851. Gathering his party of men and necessary supplies, he left Sarnia by boat and reached the mouth of the Saugeen River on April 18th following. Securing canoes the party proceeded up the river to near the point where they were to commence work. Mr. Vidal's instructions were: Commenc- ing at the north-west corner of the township of Brant, to carry the Elora Road, as originally projected, through to some place near the mouth of the Saugeen River, and then survey the township into farm lots. The starting point was reached April 22nd, and work immediately commenced. The line thus laid was the base for the *" Saugeen " is the corrupted form of an Indian word meaning the entrance or mouth of the river. 2 See Chapter II. 'Afterwards elevated to the Senate of the Dominion. 489 490 PIONEERS survey of the rest of the township, 1 which was completed August 22nd, 1851. In seeking to name the first settlers in Saugeen, the reader is asked to remember that at the first, and for some subsequent years, the present town of Southampton and the village of Port Elgin formed an integral part of the township. This it is necessary to bear in mind, as it was at these points the first settlements in Saugeen were made. It was in June, 1848, that Capt. John Spence and William Kennedy settled at Southampton, as is narrated in Chapter III. During the following year these pioneers were joined by James Orr and George Butchart. It was in the fall of 1849 that settlement was made at Port Elgin, the first settler being Lachlin (Loch Buie) McLean, who after a season spent at the Fishing Islands, landed at Port Elgin Bay and built a small log shanty in which he spent the first winter alone, and which as a tavern was at a later date known to all the settlers in Saugeen. In 1850 the first party of land-seekers entered the township. These were Peter Smith, Dugald Bell and Donald Mclntosh. As their home was in the county of Grey, on the Garafraxa Koad, they in all probability descended the river on a raft or scow and made their way to the township in this manner. Satisfied with the prospects, they returned to make arrangements to settle in the following spring. The next party of prospectors were William 2 and David Kennedy. From their home near Guelph they, in January, 1851, drove to Owen Sound, then guided by an Indian they walked to Southampton and thence into the interior of the township. Thoroughly pleased with the outlook for settlement, they retraced their steps, to return in April following. David Kennedy, in his book entitled " Incidents of Pioneer Days/' 3 describes the weari- some journey over the Garafraxa and Durham Eoads to Hanover in March, 1851. The building of a large scow there (the lumber for which they cut with a whip-saw out of a large pine tree they had felled), then the tedious delay owing to high water in the Saugeen, 'A peculiarity about the survey of Saugeen is the " Marine allowance " along the edge of the river in this township, a feature not found elsewhere on the river Saugeen. z William Kennedy was for thirty years a resident if Saugeen. He then moved to the township of Derby, residing there for ten years, when he retired from farming and resided at Tara, where he died, July 31st, 1903. For twenty-five years he was an elder of the Presbyterian Church at Burgoyne and latterly at Tara also. 3 A perusal of this little book is earnestly recommended to any one interested in the pioneer days of the county of Bruce. FIRST SETTLER 491 the final start of the party of twelve in number, the narrow escapes from shipwreck, and at length, on reaching Saugeen Township, the gladsome welcome given them by the earliest settler, Alexander Wallace and James D. Cathay, the latter a teacher and missionary at the Indian village. As far as the author has been able to ascertain, Alexander Wallace is entitled to the credit of being the first settler in what is now the township of Saugeen. While the snow was still on the ground, in the spring of 1851, Mr. Wallace left Owen Sound for "the bush/' drawing after him a toboggan on which was piled his household effects, his brave wife, ladened with bundles, accom- panying him. Beaching the Indian village Mrs. Wallace remained as the guest of Mrs. Cathay, while her husband sought a desirable spot on which to locate. Having found one to his liking, he pro- ceeded to erect a log shanty. It is related of Mrs. Wallace, that becoming anxious to assist her husband, she left her hospitable quarters and sought her husband's shanty, the walls only of which were erected. As neither door, window or roof had been made, she entered her new home by climbing over the top of the log wall. From that time she remained with her husband roughing it in the bush, 1 and nobly doing her part in making a home in the wilderness. The following are the names of some of 'the pioneers of Saugeen who settled in the township in 1851: Alexander and John Wallace, William and David Kennedy, Thomas Burgess, Philip Strowger, John and Jacob Atkinson, William Gowanlock, James Eowand, Silas Fuller, Peter, Thomas and John Smith, William, Joseph and John Stirton, Archibald Armstrong, Thomas Turner, ISTeil Bell, John King, Archibald Pollock and Eobert Craig. The majority of those above-mentioned found their way to their new homes in the bush by way of the river Saugeen, either on rafts or roughly constructed scows. To persons unaccustomed to handling such unwieldy crafts mishaps were a common occurrence. Some were shipwrecked on sunken snags, others had a portion of their cargo swept off into the turbulent waters by low-hanging branches of trees that bent over the stream. So dangerous to inexperienced sailors was the navigation that it was with feelings of thankfulness the passengers reached their destination and stepped ashore. Hardly any of these voyagers but could relate a tale of hairbreadth escapes during the course of their passage down the Saugeen. ir This estimable and much esteemed woman passed away, February 12th, 1906, having survived her husband some thirteen years. 492 LIVES ENDANGERED The number of incoming settlers increased in the following years. Among those who entered the township in 1852-3 the following may be mentioned : " Donald Currie, Dugald Bell, Robert Leeder, Iden Goble, James Stewart, Clement Seiffert, Henry and Adam Hilker, John Stafford, John and Angus McPhee, Donald, Archibald and Angus Galbraith. These years also marked the beginning of a flow into the township of settlers of German nationality from Waterloo County, men who as a rule were pretty well-to-do. So satisfied were these first-comers in regard to the prospects of the settlement that a proposition was made to Mr. McNabb, the Crown Land Agent, to settle the rest of the township with Germans from the locality they came from. This proposition was not, however, entertained. Not- withstanding, the flow of German settlers continued. Prominent among them were Benjamin Shantz, Samuel Bricker, W. H. R*uby, John Goble, Peter Wagner and John Zant. The following incident of the early settlers is worthy of being recorded. It is an extract from the Paisley Advocate. Late in December, 1851, two travellers seeking to cross the Saugeen were obligingly ferried across in a canoe by two of Mr. Gowanlock's daughters. On returning, the river, which had all morning been running snow, slush and ice, became so blocked thereby that the two young women found that it was impossible to force the canoe across the river. They certainly were in a perilous position, as no rope or pole could be got that would reach them from the shore. Some- times the canoe with its surrounding^ of slush would remain immov- able, then breaking loose would start swiftly down the river, and all the while little or no progress was made shoreward. It was bit- terly cold, and only by incessant attempts at paddling could the young women keep themselves from freezing. It was not until about dusk that they were rescued from their dangerous situation, and then it was accomplished by felling a small tree into the river, which by the greatest good fortune they were able to grasp in passing. One of these young ladies afterwards became the wife of James Rowand, the member for West Bruce for the years 1887 to 1895. The lands in Saugeen were among those classed as " School Lands," and as such were opened for sale 1 July 30th, 1852, at the price of ten shillings ($2.00) per acre. Pioneers who had located themselves on farm lots prior to this date were known as squatters, 'See Appendix ,T. REEVES AND OFFICERS 493 and they had, on the appearance of the notice offering the lands in the township for sale, to take immediate steps to have recognized their " squatter's rights " to the lots on which they were living. Saugeen is the smallest township in Bruce. Nevertheless, in the early years of settlement up to 1856, owing to the rapid inflow of industrious settlers, it occupied a second or third place in regard to the amount of its equalized assessment among the townships in the county. 1 It was this fact that led the United Counties Council, when it dissolved the union of townships within the county of Bruce, 2 to make it a separate municipality, instead of uniting it with some other township, as was done in the case of all the other townships, Huron excepted. The first municipal election was held in January, 1854. The one polling place was at Belcher's tavern at Southampton, and the returning officer was Alex. McNabb. The members of Council then elected were Messrs. James Calder, John Valentine, Thomas Turner, Alexander McNabb and John Smith. The first meeting of the Township Council was held at the house of James D. Cathay, on January 16th, 1854, the first business of which was the election of a reeve, which honor was unanimously conferred on Alexander McNabb, and James D. Cathay was appointed township clerk. In a footnote 3 the names of the various reeves of the township from the first to the time of writing are given, also of the township clerks and treasurers. In Chapter VI. arc narrated the measures taken to relieve the destitution that existed throughout the county in 1859 (" Starvation Year"). Saugeen Township shared in the common calamity, but to J See Appendix M. 2 See Appendix F. "Beeves of the township of Saugeen from 1854 to 1906, inclusive: Alex. McNabb, 1854, '56, '57; Bobert Beid, 1855; Donald Currie, 1858; Thomas Brown, 1859, '60, '61; William H. Buby, 1862, '63; James Bowand, 1864, '67, '68, '69, '70; John Wallace, 1865, '66; Henry Hilker, 1871, '72, '73; N. Casaidy, 1874, '75, '76; John Peirson, 1877 to 1888; P. Cummings, 1889 to 1894; A. B. Hutchison, 1895, '96; M. Cook, 1897, '98; Alex. MeKinnon, 1899, 1900; Alex. McCannel, 1901, '02; Bobert Smyth, 1903 to 1906. Names of the township clerks of Saugeen from 1854 to 1906 : James D. Cathay, 1854; Dr. H. Haynes, 1855; John Eastwood, 1856, '57, '58 and 1871 to 1876; Archibald Boy, 1859 to 1867; John C. Currie, 1868, '69, '70; E. B. Fleming, 1877 to 1904; Fred. W. Elliott, 1905, '06. Names of the township treasurers of Saugeen : In 1854 and 1855 the author has reason to believe that the township clerk was also township treasurer, but has not been able to obtain conclusive evidence. John Eastwood, 1856, '57, '58; Archibald Boy, 1859 to 1869; W. H. Euby, 1870 to his death, August 9th, 1892; N. E. Leeder, Sr., part of 1892 to 1906. 494 OPENING OF ROADS its credit be it noted that it and the village of Southampton were the only municipalities within the county that declined to accept aid from the County Destitution Fund. The Township Council, at a meeting held April 14th, 1859, decided to use whatever funds were ic the township treasury, and also whatever more that might be obtained by the sale of Non-Resident Loan Fund Debentures to purchase seed grain, which was to be sold to any resident of the township, for which an approved joint note, payable in October following, would be accepted. Councillors Joseph Schell and John Stafford were appointed a committee to receive and distribute the grain thus purchased. The first expenditure made by the government towards opening roads in Saugeen was in 1852, when that part of the Elora Road which lies north of Burgoyne was opened as part of the Saugeen and Sydenham Road, the contract of which was let by Mr. McNabb, Crown Land Agent. After the appointment of David Gibson as Super- intendent of Colonization Roads in September, 1853, contracts were let for making a good "Winter Road 7 ' 1 on what are known as the Elora and Goderich -Roads. The principal contractor for work on the Elora Road was James Campbell, who was paid 270. On the Goderich Road the largest contracts were let to Joseph Gilbert and James Turner, who received respectively 250 and 180. The work in these several contracts was performed in 1854. Very little, if any, work was done under government direction in 1855 in Saugeen, but in 1856 Joseph Gilbert received a 'contract for work on the Elora Road that amounted to 1,020, which outlay was made in the endeavor to make of it a " summer road." The County Gravel Road By-law, passed in 1865, provided liberally for the town- ship of Saugeen, both the Elora and Goderich Roads being gravelled, giving the east and west sides of the township excellent roads. Saugeen and Brant are the two townships in the county that are the most burdened with the expense of constructing and maintaining large bridges. The Saugeen River is a noble and deservedly admired stream, but when its course lies through the 'full length of a town- ship, as in Saugeen, and bridges have to be stretched across its waters and over good-sized tributaries as well, a large outlay is demanded, first to build the bridges and then an annual charge to keep them in 'In a foot-note in Chapter V., referring to Mr. Gibson's work, the specifications of a " winter road " are to be found. BRIDGES 495 repair. The township of Saugeen, the town of Southampton and the villages of Port Elgin and Paisley have reason to congratulate them- selves upon the relief from this financial burden that has come from the county. In some instances this has come because of the liberal, broad-minded views held by members of the County Council. In other cases this has been because of statutory compulsion, as in the case of Stirton's bridge. 1 Upon the boundaries of these four minor municipalities above mentioned or within their limits, the county is responsible for sixteen bridges, about two-thirds of these being expensive structures, e.g., McCalder's bridge, the cost of which was over $9,000. Notwithstanding the help received from the county, Saugeen has eleven bridges over 75 feet in length to maintain, the names and length of which are given in a footnote. 2 Saugeen, although the smallest township in the county Bruce, has been by no means the one of the least influence. At an early date in the history of the county it was of sufficient importance to be one of the first two townships to be created into a separate municipality. On two occasions have its reeves been elected to the wardenship of the county, in the persons of John Peirson and P. Cummings. From the ranks of its yeomanry, in the person of James Rowand, it has furnished the member for North Bruce to sit in the House of Commons, and in the person of Lieut.-Col. J. W. S. Biggar a repre- sentative to the House of Assembly at Toronto. The settlers who took up land in Saugeen were of good stock, and their descendants may be relied upon to maintain, as they of the past have done, the good name and reputation of the township. 1 The oft-repeated refusal of the County Council to assume this bridge, which is 334 feet in length, led the member for North Bruce (C. M. Bowman), at the suggestion of some of his constituents, to seek to have the Municipal Act amended so that counties be compelled to assume all bridges over 300 feet in length that are required for general traffic. The House of Assembly passed the Amendment (see 3 Edw. VII. Chap 18, Sec. 132) and Stirton's Bridge became a county bridge. 2 List of some of the bridges in Saugeen, with their length : Over Mill Creek McBae's (235 feet), Schwass' (231 feet), Zant's (174 feet), Keetle's (115 feet), Murkar's (114 feet), McEwen's (81 feet); over Snake Creek Bell's (275 feet), Goldberg's (189 feet), Stewart's (119 feet), Gowanlock's (77 feet); over Beaver Creek, (115 feet). CHAPTER XXXVII. VILLAGE OF PORT ELGIN. 1 As mentioned in the preceding Chapter, the first person to settle in the bush that covered the present site of Port Elgin village was Lachlan ("Loch Buie ") McLean. The summer of 1849 had seen him engaged at the Fishing Islands. After the work of the season there was over, he found his way to Port Elgin Bay. The supply of provisions he had was small; nevertheless he made up his mind to settle there for the winter at least. On land lying just north of Market Street he built a shanty, in which he kept a tavern for several years. His patrons consisted principally of the settlers in Saugeen, Bruce and Elderslie, and of land-seekers going into these townships. The amount of travel past " Loch Buie's " was by no means inconsid- erable before the erection of Burgess' (now McCalder's) bridge, as the route taken by travellers going to the townships above named from Southampton was along the lake shore as far as the bay at Port Elgin ; there it struck inland. At " Loch Buie's " the heavy loads of flour or other supplies the settler had carried on his back thus far were set down, and rest and refreshments were sought. George Butchart, one of the very earliest of the pioneers of Bruce, came to the county with the idea of engaging in lumbering operations on the Saugeen. Perceiving how much more easily a dam could be erected across Mill Creek than the wide Saugeen Eiver, not to mention the difference in cost, he in the spring of 1852 commenced the erection of a dam and saw-mill on Mill Creek, at a point now within the village limits. This mill he operated for a couple of years, to the great con- venience of immediate settlers, until 1854, when he sold the water privilege and sawmill to Benjamin Shantz and moved to Bale de Dore. Mr. Shantz, on becoming possessed of the property, commenced the erection of a grist mill, which was completed in 1855. There is always a reason why for the originating and developing, or not doing so, of an industrial and trading centre in new settlements. J The name borne by the village is supposed to have been given in honor of the Earl of Elgin, Governor-General at the time the village began to take form. 496 *' CAPT. JOHN SPENCE p. 508 LT.-COL. A. E. BELCHEK p. 512 HENRY HILKER p. 497 THOMAS ADAIR p. 513 HENKY HILKEll 497 This in some cases is none too apparent, as is shown in Appendix N, where there is given the names of a number of places in this county which at first promised well, but failed to develop. In the case of Port Elgin, however, we see a village that rapidly developed, although handicapped by close proximity to another village which possessed the advantage of an earlier start, and which also was expected to be made the county town; and yet for several decades the younger village was the most prosperous of the two. This is largely attributable to the men who founded or afterwards lived in the village of Port Elgin. Its founders were Henry Hilker, 1 Samuel Bricker, 2 Clement Sieffert, Ben- jamin Shantz, 3 Martin Hoover and John Stafford. The presence of a mill and a tavern located at cross-roads possibly formed the nucleus for the village, and the above-mentioned energetic, resolute men supplied the necessary enterprise which evolved from a settlement in the bush the thriving village of Port Elgin. It was in 1852, 1853 and 1854 that the above-mentioned men settled on the farm lots which afterwards they had surveyed into village lots. 4 Prior to the survey portions of the farm lots had been sold for building purposes, but only to a limited extent. Confirming this, the author has been told by Mr. J. C. Kennedy that when he came to Port Elgin, in September, 1855, the village then consisted of but seven houses, of which two were taverns kept by John Stafford and H. Hilker. The author has been fortunate in receiving from A. H. E. Kennedy a letter, giving inter- esting particulars regarding the early settlement of Port Elgin; The 'Henry Hilker was born near Heidelburg, Germany, in 1824. When ten years of age he went, with his father, to Jamaica. Their stay there lasted only until 1837, when they came to Canada and settled at Preston. In the fall of 1852 Mr. Hilker came to Bruce. After taking up land, part of which is now in Port Elgin village, he returned to Waterloo. In the following spring he brought his family with him to his bush farm. From then until his death (which occurred January 2nd, 1900) Mr. Hilker was constantly engaged in enterprises which helped to make Port Elgin all that it is to-day. As a member of the firm of Ruby & Hilker, merchants and grain buyers, his name became widely known throughout the county. The Commercial Block, built by him, and in which the firm carried on business, has few to equal it in appearance outside of our cities. Mr. Hilker held the reeveship of Saugeen for three years, and that of the village for seven years. For many years he was a member of the United Brethren Church, but latterly he united with the Presbyterian Church. 2 E. N. Brower was the original squatter on lot 9, concession 8, township of Saugeen (now part of the village plot). His rights were purchased by Samuel Bricker. 3 George Butchart was the original squatter on lot 41, lake range, town- ship Saugeen (now part of the village plot). His rights were purchased by Benjamin Shantz. "The date of the plan of the survey is March 2nd, 1857. 498 NORM ANTON POST OFFICE letter was accompanied by a map, showing the corners at the crossing of the eighth concession road by the Goderich and Saugeen Koad, now the corner of Mill and Goderich Streets, Port Elgin. On the north- east corner of lot 40, Lake Eange (now block 47) stood John Staf- ford's tavern. Across the road, on the north-west corner of lot 9, con- cession 8 (now block 1) was E. N. Brewer's shanty, and on the south- east corner of lot 41, Lake Eange (now block 68), was the log house in which Mr. Kennedy kept store. In his letter he says : " I was the first store-keeper in the township of Saugeen, having opened a store in what is now the village of Port Elgin on May 27th, 1854. At that time the village contained only three houses, a tavern unfinished log-house that I bought for a store, that had been built by a Mr. Butchart, who had sold out to Benjamin Shantz before I went to Saugeen. I bought the house and 1-4 acre of land on the corner from Benjamin Shantz. After opening my store the people got me to petition the Post Office Department to establish a post- office. The petition was granted, and I was appointed postmaster. The post-office was named Normanton 1 on account of it, at that time, being considered one of the most northern post-offices in Canada. The nearest date I can find as to when the Normanton P.O. com- menced business is about the 16th December, 1854. At that time there was no waggon road through Port Elgin; the mails were brought on foot by a man of the name of John Urquhart, who once a week carried the mail from Kincardine to Southampton." After conducting the business above-mentioned until April, 1855, Mr. Kennedy disposed of it to Messrs. Lehnen & Kuby. 2 Mechanics and others also in increasing numbers were led at an early date to settle at Port Elgin. By united effort they had the satisfaction of witnessing the surrounding walls of forest trees being pushed further office at first was known as " Normanton," a name it bore until April 1st, 1874, when the post-office authorities consented to change it to Port Elgin. A. H. R. Kennedy continued to act as postmaster for about a year, when he was succeeded by John J. Lehnen, who held the position until 1864. Archibald Boy was the next postmaster. On his death, in 1868, his widow was appointed his successor in office, which position Mrs. Eoy has retained until the present day. *J. J. Lehnen only remained in the firm for a few years, after which he sold his interest to H. Hilker, when the name of the firm became Kuby & Hilker. On Mr. Euby's death (August 9th, 1892) the business was continued under the present name of Hilker & Co., by Henry E. Hilker. It is satisfactory to think that the first mercantile business started in the village is, after half a century, still flourishing. The next merchants to commence business in Port Elgin were George Craig and Edward Gordon. EARLY INDUSTRIES 499 back, roads opened, houses built, and trade and commerce increase. These last-mentioned features received a marked impetus by the con- struction of a pier, built in 1857-58, by private enterprise, which per- mitted the landing of passengers and goods. Prior to this, when the steamboat entered the bay on its way to and from Goderich a large scow (built by George Fenwick) was rowed out until it lay alongside the steamer. By it all passengers and freight found their way to land. The pier helped to a great extent to build up the export trade of the village. Grain buyers appeared in the persons of Martin Hoover and Samuel Bricker, who built, at the harbor, grain storehouses. About the time the pier was built the government undertook the construction of a small breakwater, the initial step toward the making of a harbor. Among the early settlers of Port Elgin alive to-day and a resident of the village, is J. C. Kennedy. September, 1855, is the date when he first set foot there. After he had succeeded in erecting a house and shop he commenced business at his trade as a wagonmaker, which he carried on successfully during many years' until he retired. In May, 1856, James Muir, another of the pioneer artisans of Port Elgin, took up his abode in the village, and since then has been one of its active citizens. Andrew Hood was Port Elgin's first blacksmith, but unfortunately he met an untimely end. He, with his family and brother, had been enjoying a sail on the lake, Eeturning therefrom, and after having entered the bay, by some mishap the boat capsized and all were drowned. Of industries that developed about the time referred to there might be mentioned the steam sawmill built in 1856 by Samuel Bricker. The boiler for this was floated down the Saugeen. To successfully navigate such an unwieldy craft pieces of timber were secured to its sides at the water line, forming a rough sort of a deck on which to stand. They also served as outriggers to prevent the boiler from roll- ing over. 1 A foundry was commenced in a small way by Alex. McLauchlan in 1859. The extent of the plant can be judged from the fact that horse-power was used to drive the air-blast required when smelting. A few years later, when his brother Eobert became a part- ner in the business, a ten horse-power engine was installed. Brick- making was started by Barthold Smith in 1860. A woollen mill was another industry of the village, inaugurated in the early sixties by 1 The incident, clipped from the Paisley Advocate, given in a footnote in Chapter V., about floating a boiler down the Saugeen, doubtless referred to this exploit, although the Advocate fixes it earlier and says that the boiler was for a mill at Southampton. 500 " THE TIMES " Messrs. Buschliii & Eby. They who subsequently carried on this industry have been Betzner & Sons, McCarthay & Wilson, Lewis McCarthy and M. G. Barber. A description of Port Elgin in 1866 is to be found in a Directory published early in the following year. The population is therein stated to be about 630. In addition, the following particulars are given. There were five churches in the village belonging to the follow- ing denominations, namely: Methodist, Mennonites, United Breth- ren, Presbyterian and the Church of the New Jerusalem, two schools, a commodious Town Hall, four stores, three hotels, a job printing office, a brewery, two tanneries, a woollen factory, a foundry, two sawmills, a grist mill, a pottery, besides a goodly number of the smaller handicrafts, and one physician, Dr. Eobert Douglass. 1 During the half dozen years or so subsequent to the last-mentioned date the growth of the village was not rapid. This is shown by a comparison of the amount of assessments. In 1868 the assessed value of village property was $31,120. Five years later, in 1873, it was but $92,000. The following disconnected incidents belong to this period. Port Elgin, with other lake ports, came in for its share of harbor grants from the county, which spent in 1867-68 some $3,600 on works in the harbor. 2 Some time about the year 1869 Port Elgin was first connected with the outer world by electric telegraph. In the same year 3 a sectional tax was levied by the township of Saugeen on the property in the village. " To raise the sum of $350 to defray the expense of fencing ground and erecting a suitable building within the limits of the village for agricultural and other exhibitions." Not much could be done with this small amount, yet from such humble beginnings has sprung the highly successful North Bruce Riding Exhibition of to-day. Another event of this period in the history of Port Elgin was the establishing in 1869 of a local newspaper, The Free Press. The enterprising publisher was H. J. Benner. For seventeen years this paper experienced the usual vicissitudes of country journalism, till, in 1886, it and The Busy Times were merged into one under the name of The Port Elgin Times, now The Times. The Busy Times made its first appearance in the last week of December, 1877. W. S. Johnston (now of Toronto) was the proprietor and ir The first medical man to settle at Port Elgin was Dr. Hill, who came about 1856. 2 Port Elgin Harbor Works in 1867 and 1868 are described as consisting of a landing pier extending 264 feet out into the lake and of a breakwater 509 feet in length. "See By-law No. 36 of County of Bruce, passed December 9th, 1869. OPENING OF THE RAILWAY 501 editor. In 1888 Robert Munro purchased The Times, and has con- ducted it ever since most successfully. The opening of the railway for traffic in 1873 resulted in bringing io Port Elgin an augmented volume of trade. The population increased and attained to a number that authorized an effort being made to have the village incorporated. On a census being taken that year, the population was found to be 941. The County Council there- upon passed, on June 7th, 1873, a by-law incorporating the village of Port Elgin, also directed that the first municipal election " be held in the old school-house on the south side of Mill Street," and that John Eastwood be the returning officer. The election, which was held the following January, resulted in the return of H. Hilker as reeve, 1 and D. 0. Bricker, James Muir, Martin Hoover and John Mclntosh as councillors. Following the separation from the township of Saugeen an adjustment of assets and liabilities of the two municipalities had to be arranged. In this matter Henry Hilker and James Muir acted for the village, and Neil Cassidy and John Peirson for the township. The decision arrived at was that the village assume, as its share of the liabilities of the township, the sum of $535.30. The decade following the opening of the railway may properly be looked upon as the most prosperous period in the first half century of Port Elgin. Not only did it become incorporated, but business was conducted on a scale larger than previously known. Farmers found it to be a satisfactory market at which to sell their various descriptions of produce, while its reputation as a grain market was widespread. The most prominent and energetic of Port Elgin's business men of this period was D. 0. Bricker, 2 although others there were deserving of mention who also developed large commercial and industrial enter- J The following are the names of those who have been reeves of the village of Port Elgin, with the years in which they held office, viz.: H. Hilker, 1874, '75, '77, '78, '79, '80, '82 ; A. C. Sinclair, M.D., 1876; D. J. Izzard, 1881, 1891 ; W. S. Johnston, 1883 to 1890 ; E. Munro, 1892, '93 ; J. A. Chapman, 1894, '95, '96; J. R. Paterson, M.D., 1897; H. E. Hilker, 1898, '99; John George, 1900; D. Geddes, 1901 to 1906. 2 Dilman Oberholt Bricker was born, in the year 1840, in the county of Waterloo, of Pennsylvania Dutch parents of the Mennonite faith. His father, Samuel Bricker, with his family, settled in Port Elgin in March, 1854. D. O. Bricker was at an early age engaged in business for himself. His energy and enterprise not only brought him to the front, but the village also. For years he conducted his varied business enterprises success- fully. To carry these on conveniently he built the Arlington Block, which provided the largest premises occupied by any firm in the county. Suffering heavy losses in grain, Mr. Bricker, in the fall of 1880, became bankrupt. To retrieve his fortunes Mr. Bricker went to Winnipeg and was again successful. After twenty years there his health gave way and he returned to Port Elgin, where he spent the last two years of his life. His death occurred April 17th, 1904. 502 THE HARBOR prises, such as Zinkan, Cress & Co. Their tannery, manufacturing for the shipping trade, employed a large number of workmen, and was one of the leading industries of the village. The promise the village gave of further growth induced the Bank of Hamilton to open a branch there in 1873. For thirty-three years this was the sole chartered bank in Port Elgin, although a private bank (Allen, McMahon & Co., afterwards H. A. Allen) carried on business for about fifteen years of this period, until it closed its doors hi 1894. In the summer of 1906 the Metropolitan Bank opened an agency in the village, supplying it with abundant banking facilities and incidentally showing the increased business importance of Port Elgin. After the incorporation of the village, the need was felt of a suitable town hall. The matter was taken up in 1875 by the Village Council, which at one of its first meetings passed a by-law to raise a loan of $3,000. for this purpose. The site, at a cost of $900, was pur- chased from Edward Gordon, and the contract was let to J. McLachlan for $2,460, and in August following the corner-stone of the building was laid. The sum raised as above mentioned, being insufficient to complete the building, more money had to be raised. To do this, in 1877 the Legislative Assembly was applied to, which, in response to a petition, passed an Act 1 authorizing the sale by the corporation of certain public squares and reserves on the following mentioned conditions : " The proceeds of every such sale by the said corporation . . . shall be held and applied by it, in fully finish- ing and completing the town hall . . . and in aiding the Board of School Trustees ... in purchasing a site and erecting such school buildings as the said Board may require to have built." The new town hall was opened March 7th, 1877, with a concert and a ball. The harbor at Port Elgin, like all others on the eastern shores of Lake Huron, has cost a large sum. The initial work, as before stated, was commenced in 1857-58. In 1872 Alex. Sproat, the member for North Bruce, stated in the House of Commons that the expenditure up to then on this harbor was in excess of $30,000, of which but a small proportion had been paid by the government. The depart- mental report for the year ending June 30th, 1899, states that the expenditure by it up to then amounted to $80,652. Since then further large sums have been expended, so that it is safe to say that the cost of making the harbor what it is to-day is greatly in excess of $100,000. Mariners may say that its entrance is none too easy under certain ] 40 Vic, Chap 36. DEBENTURES 503 conditions of wind and weather, but, once in, vessels have all the pro- tection needed. Port Elgin harbor is an excellent one for a vessel to winter in, there being no danger from spring freshets, as is the case where the harbor is placed at the mouth, of a river. The village of Port Elgin has ever been liberal and public-spirited in granting bonuses and loans to encourage the establishment of industries in its midst, and also in providing means for useful and needed public improvements, as the following list of issues of deben- tures shows. Prior to 1885 the total issue amounted to $16,000. The following list up to that year is probably correct; after that year it is so: In 1875 Debentures issued for $3,000 for town hall. 1875 1879 1880 1885 1887 1888 1890 1890 5,000 for school purposes. 3,000 for bonus to grist mill(Grey &McChesney) 5,000 for harbor improvements. 1,000 for bonus to foundry. 5,000 for loan to grist mill (Geo. A. McKay). 5,000 for loan to button factory. 4,000 to build High School. 4,20J to build Public School. In 1897 the unpaid debenture debt and interest amounted to $13,127.06. There existed at the same time a floating debt of the village nd the two School Boards which amounted to $3,992.39, mak- ing a total indebtedness at that time of $17,119.45. -This being found burdensome and oppressive, application was made to Parliament to consolidate the debt and extend the payment of the same over twenty years. The application was granted and an Act 1 passed authorizing the issue of debentures to the extent of $17,000 for the said purpose. Since then the further issue of debentures has been : In 1902 Debentures for $ 4,000 as bonus to brush factory. " 1903 " " 10,000 as bonus ($3,000) and loan ($7,000) to Do- minion Harness Co. " 1903 " 4,530 for construction of granolithic sidewalks, "Local improvements." " 1904 " " 5,800 for construction of granolithic sidewalks, " Local improvements." By-laws passed, f 7,000 to Wm. McVicar, bonus to sawmill and 1905 1906 1906 -( spur line of railway to harbor. -Debentures yet -( 30,000 for system of waterworks. 10,000 loan to the Stevens, Hepner Company brush to be issued. ^ factory. Prior to the vote being taken, in June, 1906, on the last two men- tioned items, the then debenture debt of the village was stated to be $34,005.49, exclusive of local improvement debentures. It will be noted what a large amount has been voted by the rate- '60 Vic. Chap. 76. 504 THE SPUR LINE payers in the endeavor to build the village up as a manufacturing centre. Success has unfortunately not attended all these efforts. At present the leading industry of Port Elgin is probably the brush factory. This was established in 1883 by John Hepner (previously a resident of Napanee) and six business men of the village. Two years later, in February, 1885, the works were destroyed by fire. A stock company was then formed under the name of the Port Elgin Brush Co., Limited, and the works rebuilt. T. I. Thompson was president of this company, and B. B. Boyd manager. Ten years later the company went into liquidation. In June, 1896, the plant was purchased by H. H. Stevens, John Hepner and E. H. Schiedel, who carried on the busi- ness under the name of Stevens, Hepner & Co. In 1901 the last- mentioned gentleman retired from the firm. In that same year new buildings were, erected and the capacity of the plant doubled. Five years later, in the spring of 1906, the firm made a proposition to the village, offering to erect an addition to their factor}*- of 180x36 feet, of three stories and basement, and to double their capacity for. produc- tion, provided the village would install a system of waterworks (affording fire protection), and guarantee a loan of $10,000 for ten years. The proposition was accepted by the village, and the required by-law was passed by a large majority. The business is at present carried on under the name of The Stevens, Hepner Co., Limited. Another manufacturing plant that promises to add materially to the business of the village is the AVm. McYicar & Sons sawmill, at the harbor. A bonus of $7,000 to this firm was voted upon and carried, September 16th, 1905, in consideration of which the firm undertook to erect a large sawmill, and also to purchase the, right-of- way for a spur line of railway from the Grand Trunk Railway station to the harbor, to grade the same and supply the required railway ties, the Grand Trunk Eailway Company at the same time offering to supply the rails and lay the track. W. McVicar & Sons also agreed to furnish a locomotive and engine-house. At the time of writing considerable work has been done, and the line is almost completed. 1 A bonus and loan totalling $10,000 was granted to the Dominion Harness Company, in 1903. This company has not, as originally 'At the time the railway to Southampton was surveyed the intention was to have the railway enter Port Elgin on the lake shore side, and the station in proximity to the harbor. Considerable and mistaken opposition to this proposal was met with from property holders in the eastern part of the village, under the impression the centre of business would be moved to the vicinity of the proposed station. Unfortunately the views of these men carried, and it is only now, after many efforts, that the railway will reach the harbor. SCHOOLS 505 started, been a successful venture. In 1906 the company was reorganized under the name of the Dominion Pressed Steel Company, to manufacture shovels and similar goods. John George is the president of this company, and F. Miehle is the manager. High hopes are held that this firm may prove a success and the village derive benefit from the assistance rendered. The first school building of the village stood on the site of the present High School. A Miss Agnes Lawrence was the first teacher. Her father, Alexander Lawrence, was the next who endeavored to lead the youth of the village in the paths of learning. The school build- ings and furnishings at first were none too elaborate. These condi- tions improved, however, as the years rolled by. In 1875 a good brick school-house was erected, and in 1890 a further advance was made when the present handsome school premises became the home of the village Public School. The High School was opened in the fall of 1889. For the first fifteen years J. T. Lillie, B.A., filled the position of headmaster, and did so in a manner that brought credit both to the school and to himself. On his resigning, Mr. J. Camp- bell Clark was appointed his successor. In addition to the schools belonging to the regular educational system of the province, there existed an Academy, connected with the United Brethren Church, during the years 1880, 1881 and 1882, the principals of which we r e the Rev. A. B. Sherk and D. B. Sherk. Public religious services were in the very early days held in a building erected for the common use of all denominations. The Presbyterians were the first to be organized into a congregation. The following extract from the Annual Report for 1894 of this congrega- tion is so complete that it is worthy of permanent preservation, and a large extract therefrom is here given : " While yet the settlers were few in number and were separated from one another by the primitive forest, the Presbytery of London, realizing that many of them belonged to Presbyterian families, sent in one and another of their ministers to let the people feel that the church had not lost sight of them, and was interested in their welfare. Among the first to come (in 1854) was the Rev. John Scott, then of St. Andrew's, Lon- don (afterwards Rev. Dr. Scott, of North Bruce), who, having come early in his ministerial life to preach and dispense ordinances, and by the way to gather together the scattered few and lay the founda- tions of Presbyterianism in the district, spent the last ten years of his ministry among some of the very people for whom he had many years before done something to supply with the means of grace, and 506 PRESBYTERIANS keep them in connection with the church of their fathers. The reverend doctor tells how that in the early fifties he more than once or twice, by appointment of Presbytery, visited this northern country and preached at Southampton, Port Elgin, Dunblane, Paisley and North Bruce. One of the first services held within the bounds of what afterwards became the Port Elgin congregation was conducted by him in the house of Mr. John Smith/ on the 6th concession of Saugeen. In those days so dense was the bush that the minister failed to find Mr. Peter Smith's, although it was only about a mile and a half from his brother's at the riverside, on what is now the McGillivray farm. The Kev. W. Ball, then of Woodstock, visited the district in 1854, and dispensed ordinances at various places. The first ordained minister was the Eev. James H. McNaughton, who was settled over the congregation of Southampton from 1855 to 1859, and who had a number of preaching stations, Port Elgin among the rest, which were supplied more or less regularly by him for several years, without their being united to form a pastoral charge. About the time of Mr. McNaughton's resignation Mr. Alexander Fraser was appointed as missionary at Port Elgin, where he labored with so much acceptance that he was called as pastor, and ordained and inducted on the 22nd of October, 1861. In July, 1862, we find a communion roll of 53 members; but as eleven of these had been added since Mr. Eraser's settlement, the membership at that time must have been about 42. The first church, which was built in 1860, was soon found to be so inconveniently situated (the village having grown in a different direction from that which was originally expected) that it was never fully completed; and in 1870, although the membership was not by any means large or wealthy, yet, animated with commendable zeal, and realizing that a conveni- ently situated church was necessary to the advancement, if not of the very existence, of Presbyterianism here, the erection of the present church building was determined upon and a substantial and comfort- able brick church with basement was erected. Early in 1871 the basement was opened for worship. The church had not been erected much more than a year, when the Rev. Mr. Fraser, who had faith- fully and amid not a few hardships ministered to the people for about eleven years, tendered his resignation, which was accepted early in 1872. After a vacancy of about eighteen months, during which a union had been consummated with Dunblane, the Eev. D. C. McKay, M.A., was called and settled as pastor of the united charge. Scarcely had he entered upon his ministry when he was stricken down, and OTHER CHURCHES 507 died on September 21st, 1873, after a short pastorate of only five weeks. Eighteen months again elapsed before the settlement of the Eev. James Gourlay, M.A., was effected. Meanwhile the church building had been completed and finished at a cost of about $4,000, besides a further expenditure for the bell, and was opened on Septem- ber 27th, 1874, by Kev. A. Topp, D.D., of Knox Church, Toronto." This building was enlarged in 1889 at a cost of $1,300, and extensively renovated in 1901. The pastorate of the Eev. Mr. Gourlay, which extended over twenty years, was terminated by his resignation in July, 1895. The Eev. A. H. Drumm was the next to minister to the spiritual needs of the congregation. He was followed by the Eev. A. Mahaffy, who was inducted in January, 1900, to this charge, which he continues to minister to. The congregation held jubilee services on July 9th, 1905. Other denominations were not long in following the example set by the Presbyterians, and proceeded to organize as congregations, the United Brethren being the next to do so. In 1866 there were five churches in the village, the three others not above mentioned being the Methodist, the Mennonites and the Church of the New Jerusalem. In a few years the congregation last mentioned ceased to be, but the number of denominations in the place remained the same, as the Baptists formed themselves into a congregation. Subsequently, some time in the seventies, congregations belonging to the Church of Eng- land and the German Evangelical Church were formed. The above- mentioned number of religious denominations in this locality has of late years been increased by a congregation of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), whose church is just beyond the southerly boundary of the village. The attractions that Port Elgin offers as a summer resort are yearly becoming more and more appreciated. The splendid beach, the bracing breezes that blow from off Lake Huron, and the mineral spring and baths are attracting each season an increased number of visitors. The efforts put forth by the people of Port Elgin to hold annual gatherings of the pioneers of the county are worthy of the fullest commendation. The first of these was held July, 1899, and is referred to in Chapter VIII. Since then these gatherings have been held annually, and are one of the events of the summer at Port Elgin. At the time of writing the village is possessed, as not before for years, with a sense of its possibilities. That it may have the courage to press on and attain is certainly the desire of its well-wishers. CHAPTER XXXVIII. TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON. 1 FOR a number of years in its early days the village was known by the names of Saugeen or Southampton, one as commonly used as the other. The former was that used by the Post-office and Custom House Departments, as well as by the public generally, while as Southampton it was known by the Crown Lands Department, besides being the name of the village mentioned in the special Act passed for its incorporation. It took many years 2 before unanimity was reached as to the name to be used when speaking of the village. The idea of la}'ing out a town plot at the mouth of the Saugeen River was early thought of by the heads of the Crown Lands Depart- ment. Even before a plan for the division of the county into town- ships had been settled upon the decision to have such a survey made was arrived at. This is indicated by a letter on record among the correspondence of the Department, dated October 1st, 1847, addressed to R. Lynn, P.L.S., directing him to survey a town plot at the mouth of the Saugeen River. Why he did not immediately proceed to carry out these instructions the author cannot say. Four years passed, and it was the summer of 1851 before he made the survey. The first settlement made at Soiithampton was in 1848 by Capt. John Spence and William Kennedy, the particulars of which are to be found in Chapter III. 3 These two pioneers were before long joined by James Orr and George Butchart. At first they were all 'At the time the name Southampton was bestowed upon the prospective town it did not seem appropriate, as it was then the most northern lake port in the province. Possibly the name was bestowed in the hopes that in its development the town might rival in importance its famous English namesake. 2 It was 1889 or 1890 before the name of the post-office was changed from Saugeen to Southampton, and 1895 when, as a port of entry, Saugeen was changed to Southampton. 3 In addition to the biographical incidents relating to Captain John Spence given in Chapter III., it might be stated that he was a skilful, brave seaman, traits of character he markedly exhibited in the rescue of the crew of a large American vessel from a watery grave under most dangerous circumstances. The American Government recognized this heroic act by presenting Capt. Spence with a very fine gold watch. 508 THE PIONEERS 509 engaged in carrying on a fishing business, Spence and Kennedy having purchased of the Niagara Fishing Company its plant and rights at the Fishing Islands. This did not prove a successful venture, and in a few years was dropped. Capt. Spence took to sailing, being in com- mand of a vessel called the Sea Gull. Win. Kennedy left to engage in a search for Sir John Franklin, James Orr opened a tavern in the village, and George Butchart took up land and started a saw- mill at Port Elgin, as related in the next preceding chapter. Among the earliest settlers who came in after the above-mentioned were Alex. McDonald, John McLean, Jos. Gilbert, Peter Brown, John Cooke, Jas. Lambert, Thos. Lee, Robert Eeid, Richard Hill and James Calder. The last three mentioned were storekeepers. In August, 1S51, Crown Land Agent Alexander McNabb 1 and his son, John M. McNabb, arrived at Southampton. His stay that year lasted until the beginning of December. In May of the following year he brought his family to the village to take up their permanent residence there. Among others that settled in the village in those early days, at a slightly subsequent date, might be mentioned John C. Coulson, John Belcher, John Peck, J. M. Kelly and John Ewing. The winter of 1851-52 opened with sad forebodings for the hand- ful of settlers at Southampton some dozen or more families who depended for their supply of the absolute necessaries of life upon what was brought from time to time to the village by sailing vessels from Goderich. As the winter drew on, the supplies were found to be running low. The settlement was relying upon Capt. Alex. McDon- ald, in command of the Saucy Jack, to bring in, before navigation closed, what flour and other provisions would be required. Unfor- tunately he delayed his time of sailing too long. His vessel was caught in a gale, and it, with all on board, perished. It was a black outlook for the settlers, some of whom made their way to the older settle- ments, there to remain for the winter. 2 For those who stayed at the village supplies sufficient to maintain existence were by some means brought through the deep snow and a roadless forest from Owen Sound. Nevertheless, it was a winter of many privations. A graphic description of Southampton in 1852 is given in a letter written by Mr. Andrew Crawford, a student missionary, sent by the *A biographical sketch of Mr. McNabb is given in a footnote in Chapter V. 2 Mr. Kennedy, in " Pioneer Days," p. 72, seq., gives a graphic account of their tramp through the snow to Owen Sound. 510 AS IT WAS IN 1852 Presbytery of London, to minister to the spiritual needs of the people in this locality. An extract from the letter which bears date May 25th, 1852, is here given: "Our village (Southampton) is quite a new place; it only rose into existence last summer, and already it numbers about thirty houses. Though but a village at present, Southampton is laid out for a large town, and judging from its situation and other advantages connected with it, this contemplated design may be speedily realized. Many town and park lots have already been taken up, and some excel- lent frame houses are being erected thereon. The streets are regular and wide; some of them have been opened. Several large reserves have been laid off for churches, schools, market buildings, court-house, a cemetery and other public institutions. There are already three well- filled stores, and even now the inhabitants have the privilege of weekly mail, despatch and arrival. At present a few inconveniences arising from the situation and circumstances of the place are, of course, to be expected and experienced." A post-office, known as Saugeen, was opened in the village in 1851. The first postmaster was Eobert Eeid. He held this office until 1857, when Thomas Lee 1 received the appointment and retained the position until his death in 1901. On January 26th, 1855, the present system of post-office money orders was instituted. Of the 160 offices in Canada at that time authorized to issue such orders, Saugeen was the only one in the county of Bruce. There is no doubt this privilege was on account of the presence of the Crown Land Office in the village. Two years after the establishing of a post-office the gov- ernment made Saugeen a port of entry for the collection of customs. John McLean was the first officer in charge. That an idea may be obtained of the business done at this port in the early days, the fol- lowing figures from the returns of 1855 are given : Exports, $629.20 ; imports, $6,614.02 ; amount of duties collected in 1855, $843.58. It is said that a great deal of whiskey used to be smuggled in at this point from the United States, and tales, are told of the devices to get the officer out of the way while the goods were being landed. 1 Thomas Lee settled in Southampton in the spring of 1851. In partnership with his father-in-law, Thomas Godfrey, he built the first bridge over the Saugeen River, on the line of the Elora Road. The bridge was known as Burgess' bridge and crossed the river in the vicinity of what is now known as McCalder's bridge. Besides holding the office of postmaster he was engaged for some years as a for- warder, commission merchant and insurance agent. For many years he was one of the wardens in the Church of England congregation, and was the village treasurer for twenty-six years. His death took place February 20th, 1901. I INCORPORATED 511 An agency of the Bank of Upper Canada was established at Southampton as early as 1854, Alexander McNabb being the agent. The large payments made on account of land purchases doubtless accounted for the presence of a chartered bank in what at that time was only a small backwoods village. On the failure of the Bank of Upper Canada, the Commercial Bank of Canada opened an agency in Southampton, of which Alex. Proudfoot was agent. His successor was Alex. Sproat. Mr. Sproat was also county treasurer, and when it became necessary for him to remove to Walkerton when it became the county town, he succeeded in taking the agency with him. From that time (June, 1867) until the Bank of Hamilton in 1898 opened an agency in Southampton, the village was without a chartered bank. At the time the provisional County Council commenced to thresh out the county town question (this was in 1857), the village of South- ampton considered itself as possibly the premier village of the county because of having resident there the Crown Lands Office and a bank over and above all that Kincardine, its strongest rival, could boast of, except, possibly, in the matter of population, in which Kincardine slightly excelled. Into the fight for the county town Southampton, therefore, entered, with strong hopes of capturing the coveted prize. In addition it had assurances made by government officers that it was certain to be the county town. To strengthen its claims for the coveted honor, incorporation was sought. As the required population did not reside within the proposed limits of the village, this could not be obtained in the manner laid down by statute, so Parliament was asked to pass an Act of incorporation, 1 which was done, July 24th, 1858. The record of the county town contest is given in Chapter VI. There is related how that on two occasions an effort was made to make Southampton the county town of the north half of a divided county. Both of these attempts came to naught, as well as those to make it the county town of the county as a whole. The election of the first Village Council occurred shortly after incorporation, in the summer of 1858. In a footnote 2 the names are J 22 Vic. Chap. 42. 2 Reeves of the village of Southampton: James Calder, part of 1858; Thomas Webster, part of 1859; J. T. Conaway, part of 1859, '60, '62, '63, '71, '72, '78, '79; John Eastwood, 1861; Thomas Adair, 1864 to 1868, 1873 to 1877; Alex. Sinclair, 1869, '70; W. S. Scott, M.D., 1880 to 1883, 1888 to 1892; George E. Smith, 1884 to 1887, '93; A. E. Belcher, 1894, '95, part of '96, '98; C. M. Bowman, part of 1896, '97; William McGregor, 1899 to 1902, '04; N. B. Zinkan, 1903. List of mayors of the town of Southampton : A. E. Belcher, 1905, '06. 512 MAYOR BELCHER given of all those who held the honorable position of reeve during the years the municipality ranked as a village. In 1904 the necessary steps were taken to have Southampton raised to the status of a town. A census revealed a population of over 2,400 (but this was at the height of the season of summer visitors), so after the required notice had been given, the Lieutenant-Governor issued a proclamation that Southampton be erected into a town, which proclamation came into effect on Monday, December 26th, 1904. At the election that followed in 1905, A. E. Belcher 1 was elected the first mayor of the town, an honor conferred upon him again in 1906. A month after the village was incorporated action was taken to have a town hall. A lot on the west side of Albert Street was secured, on which a building was erected which was used in a twofold capacity, the ground floor being fitted up for school purposes, and the second story as the town hall. This building still exists, and is known as the Masonic Hall. The building now used as a town hall was built in 1862, by private subscriptions, as a drill shed for the Eifle Company organized in the previous year. When the headquarters of this com- pany were removed to Port Elgin the village acquired the building for the purpose of being used as a town hall. It was opened as such by a concert and ball, December 27th, 1873. In 1855 that part of the town plot lying north of the river was surveyed into village lots. The trouble that arose with the Indians about this survey is referred to in Chapter I. The author has in his possesion a map of the village of Southamp- ton, dated July 30th, 1857, which outlines the village as it was at that date. There are over 130 houses marked in this plan. At that time the business portion of the village seems to have been north of High 1 Lieut.-Col. Alexander Emerson Belcher was born January 30th, 1844, at Toronto, and came, with his parents, to Southampton in 1852, where he received his education at the public school. Possessing a liking for military matters, he, when only fifteen years of age, raised a company of boys, which he drilled. At the time of the Trent affair he joined the Southamp- ton Rifle Company. In 1866 he went with it to Goderich, at the time of the Fenian Eaid. In 1868 he attended the Military School and obtained a first-class certificate. In 1895 he was made Honorary Lieut-Colonel of Militia. From 1872 to 1888 he was engaged as a commercial traveller for wholesale houses doing business at Toronto. In 1891 he returned to Southampton, where he has resided since. He has taken an active part in politics, working in the interests of the Conservative party. Being likewise active in the Orange Society, he has held office in the four Grand Lodges of the Order. He was first elected to the village council when only twenty-one years of age, and has been reeve of the village during three years, and was elected its first mayor. Enthusiastic in regard to the history of the county, he has been president of the Historical Society from the beginning. He is also a vice-president of the Bruce Pioneer Society. THOMAS ADAIR 513 Street, on Huron and Grosvenor Streets. On the east side of Huron Street, commencing close to the river, was the Crown Lands Office. A little south of this was the Bank of Upper Canada, and still farther south was the office of the Crown timber agent. In all, there are six shops shown on the plan, two hotels and five warehouses. These last were located near the mouth of the river. Of manufacturing estab- lishments there is shown to be a planing mill (located on the beach near where the mineral water spring is now), a steam sawmill (on the river's edge, east of where the creek from the Little Lake enters it), and a saw and grist mill at the Indian Eapids. No wharf or pier is shown on this plan ; but the author has been informed that the owner's of the warehouses had each a landing wharf constructed at the owner's expense and known by his name, as Eeid's Wharf, Calder's Wharf, Belcher's Wharf, etc. A little later than this, in 1858, the government built a breakwater north of the river, and at a later date constructed piers on each side of the river. The government report made in 1898-99 shows that the total amounts spent on these works at the mouth of the river amounted to $32,757. Since then there has been a very large expenditure for dredging and deepening the channel. In the sixties a pier was built that extended out into the lake from the beach, at a point a little south of the present pumping station, the remains of which, though under water, are still to be traced. This pier bore the name of the Bogus Dock. When speaking of the harbor at Southampton the extensive works at Chantry Island are first thought of. In the winter of 1870-71 the contracts for these were let, being for a pier that was to extend from the island towards the shore, and for one from the shore outwards, an opening, forming the entrance to this harbor of refuge being left between these two piers. The contract for the first 500 feet from the island was let to a contractor of the name of Brown; the next 2,200 feet was let to a syndicate composed of Eobert Baird, Eobert Eeid, Eobert Walker and Thomas Adair. Andrew Lindsay had the contract for the pier extending from the shore. A large part of this contract he sub'-let to Thomas Adair. 1 The total amount spent on this harbor Thomas Adair, of whom the author wishes to refer with the kindest memories and as one who was enthusiastic in obtaining material for this History, was born December 24th, 1826, a short distance north of Glasgow, Scotland. He, with his father and the rest of the family, in August, 1844, emigrated to Canada, and settled in the township of Dummer, County of Peterboro'. After several years of hard work, some of the time in the lumber shanties, he managed to secure a little ready money. Having heard glowing accounts of the Queen's Bush, he, in the spring 18 514 THE LIGHTHOUSE of refuge by the government closely approximates the large sum of $300,000. Owing to the difficulty of entering under certain conditions of wind and weather, it is not of the service that was anticipated. The lighthouse at Chantry Island, a circular stone structure, that exhibits its light at a height 94 feet above high water mark, has been sending out its warning and guiding rays over a radius of fifteen miles, since 1859, to the mariners sailing on Lake Huron. Duncan McG. Lambert was the first lighthouse-keeper. On his death the post was r given to his son, W. McG. Lambert. On several occasions members of this family have heroically rescued shipwrecked mariners whose vessels have been lost on the shoals surrounding Chantry Island. On September 19th, 1879, in one of these gallant efforts, one of the sons, Eoss Lambert, and another of the crew lost their lives through the capsizing of the boat in which they had gone to an attempted rescue. The Government Meteorological Department is closely associated with the navigation of our Great Lakes, and it will be in place here to mention that one of the large observatories of this department has been stationed at Southampton since 1871. Mrs. and Miss, Stewart, in charge, telegraph thrice daily their reports to the department at Toronto. The early settlers were not long before they had a school started in the village ; 1852 was the year when it was opened, it being the second of 1849, came to see what the free grants were like. In Chapters III. and XXI. an account is given of his entry and settlement in the township of Brant. He sold his farm there in 1853 and took up land in the township of Saugeen, near Dunblane. After three years' work on his two lots he sold them and bought lot 34, concession 15, in the township of Brant. This he traded for one in Arran. In 1857 he came to Southampton and worked for James Calder, merchant. In 1861 he built a storehouse, and for the next twelve years was engaged in buying grain. From 1871 to 1877 he was engaged on large contracts on the Southampton Harbor piers, along with Andrew Lindsay and others. These contracts proved remunerative, yielding a handsome profit. He left Southampton in 1880, and after a residence of a year at London he moved to Toronto, where he resided until his death, which occurred on Christmas Day, 1901. For ten years Mr. Adair filled the reeve 's chair in the village council. He took a very active part in the railway bonus campaign of 1869. He was one of the volunteers who went to the front in 1866, and was in charge of the teamsters that accompanied the Eed Kiver expedition, in 1870, as related in Chapter X. Mr. Adair 's gifts as a singer were well known throughout the county, and he was often called upon to sing at concerts and church socials. In religion he was a Presbyterian and helped in the organization of the IT. P. Church of Brant. He was twice married his first wife was a Miss Inglis, of Brant. To them were born ten children. His second wife was Miss Margaret Graham, who survived him. Of this union three children were born. In politics Mr. Adair was an enthusiastic Liberal. His remains were brought to Southampton for interment. THE SCHOOL 515 or third in the county. The first teacher 1 was Nathaniel Squires. He was succeeded by Miss Gooding, of Goderich, and she by James D. McVittie. The school at first met in the log building erected as a Presbyterian Church, which stood in the south-west corner of High and Albert Streets. It was afterwards held in the New Connexion Methodist Church, and after that in what is now the Masonic Hall. The present school building was erected in 1880 at a cost of over $5,000. The first medical man in Southampton was Dr. A. Walker; then came Dr. H. Haynes, but he in a short time moved to the township of Bruce, and was its reeve for part of 1856. The next who ministered to the ailments of the community was Dr. W. S. Scott, 2 who came in 1855, and made Southampton his home during the rest of his life. The history of the church life of Southampton is not without interest. Owing to the fact of there being a mission at the Indian reserve, as mentioned in Chapter III., the Methodists were on the ground from the very first, and the minister at the reserve held services for the early settlers. The Wesleyan and New Connexion Methodists both organized congregations in the village in 1854. The Eev. George Jacques, William Eichardson and Stephen Brownell were the first ministers of the Wesleyan Church. The Rev. S. B. Gundy, William Tindall and Eev. B. Hammersley were the first ministers of the New Connexion congregation. The church buildings erected for each of the congregations were of no great size, only about 20x30 feet. After the union of these two churches a neat brick building was erected, that had a seating capacity for about 200. The congregation grew mark- edly, and a larger church has long been needed. On September 12th, 1906, the corner-stone was laid of a church building that is expected to cost about $12,000. About half of this sum has been contributed 1 The author is indebted to Mr. J. McNabb's sketch of the History of the County of Bruce for the name of the first teacher. He also desires to acknowledge the assistance he has received from the frequent historical items Mr. MeNabb has contributed to the public press from time to time. Mr. MeNabb 's knowledge and memory of the events of the early days and early settlers is without an equal within the county of Bruce. 2 Dr. W. S. Scott was intimately associated with Southampton for forty- five years. He was a native of the township of Esquesing, where he was born in 1825. After completing his studies, he commenced the practice of medicine at Southampton, in 1855. His kindly, cheerful manner made him popular as a doctor throughout the adjoining townships, in which he possessed an extensive practice. In politics he was a Conservative, and on different occasions was made president of the North Bruce Conservative Association. His death occurred October 18th, 1900. Having been long associated with the Bruce Volunteers, he was given a military funeral under the charge of the officers of the 32nd Bruce Infantry. 516 THE PRESBYTERIANS by C. M. Bowman, M.P.P., and appropriately the ceremony of laying the corner-stone was performed by Mrs. Bowman. No item in connection with the early history of Southampton has been related in the public press more frequently or with more detail than the starting of the Presbyterian congregation there. As it is desirable to collect and preserve these facts in a permanent form, the author here gives them in full. The Kev. J. B. Duncan, the first Presbyterian minister to visit Southampton, arrived there August 5th, 1851, in company with his uncle, Alex. McNabb, the Crown Lands Agent, having journeyed from Goderich in a sailboat. His first public service in the village was held in a house that stood on the site after- wards occupied by the Busby House. Mr. Duncan's sojourn in the village was short, but yet sufficiently long to stir the people up to apply to the Free Church Presbytery of London to be erected into a mission station, which request that body, on October 8th, 1851, agreed to, and resolved to send a missionary. On March 12th, 1852, the Presbytery arranged to send Mr. Archibald Crawford, a theological student, who arrived at Southampton, May 7th following. In a letter written by Mr. Crawford shortly after his arrival, he has the follow- ing to say regarding his mission : " I was particularly pleased, upon landing, to find that the Pres- byterians of this place had erected a neat and commodious place of worship, which was receiving the last touches of the tools of the mechanic on the day of our arrival. On the Sabbath, the 16th inst, it was opened for worship and dedicated to the service of our God and Maker. I was kindly assisted on that occasion by the Eev. Mr. Hutchison, Methodist missionary to a company of Chippawa Indians, residing about three miles from this place, and by the Eev. Mr. Kribs, of the Congregational Church mission, Colpoy's Bay. The attendance was highly gratifying, and the collection, too. I rejoice to say that the church has been opened almost free of debt. Last Sabbath we had two diets, which were well attended, on which also our regular collection gave evidence of the liberality of the people. On the morning of that day we opened a Sabbath School, 1 when several teachers and twenty-four children commenced their interesting labors. I am happy to say that Alex. MclSTabb, Esq., who has done much for this place, has kindly undertaken the superintendence of the school. To-morrow evening I propose opening a Bible Class, where I hope to meet several young people. I have managed to give a service 1 This was the first Presbyterian Sunday-school established in the county, and probably the first within it of any denomination. CHURCH OF ENGLAND 517 every third Sabbath at a station in the country. Though there are no horses or means of conveyance here, yet I was glad to notice some in church who walked through the bush eight and ten miles." The church building that Mr. Crawford mentions was built of logs, and stood on lot 8, south of High Street, near where the present post-office is. Its doors and windows were donated by Mr. Alex. McNabb, and were brought from Toronto. Friends in Toronto also contributed to the cost of erecting this building. In 1863 the lot was sold, and the building torn down. Services were then held in the Town Hall on Albert Street. After the union with the United Pres- byterian congregation services were held in the building erected by them, which was on Clarendon Street, overlooking the river. In 1887 this building was moved to its present site on Albert Street. Mr. Crawford's stay at Southampton extended over the summer of 1852. In the following summer the Eev. John Scott (afterwards of London and North Bruce) ministered to this flock. In the year 1854 the Eev. James H. McNaughton was inducted into the pastorate of the congre- gation. He remained for some four years. After he left, the congre- gation was pastorless for four years until, in December, 1862, the Eev. Andrew Tolmie was inducted. His pastorate extended over thirty- five years. In 1898 the Eev. W. T. Ellison was ordained minister of this charge. His successor is the Eev. E. T. Cockburn, the present minister of the congregation. At one time there was a United Pres- byterian congregation in Southampton. Its sole minister was the Eev. D. Waters, and his ministry was during the years 1861, '62 and '63. Patrick J. Hamilton gave to this congregation a lot on Clarendon Street as a church site. The church built thereon was erected free of debt; but Southampton at that time was not large enough for two Presbyterian congregations, and Mr. Waters resigned. The union of the two congregations and the transference of the church property was not accomplished without some hard feelings, which are now, we hope, forgotten. The Eev. A. H. E. Mulholland, of Owen Sound, is said to have been the first to hold Church of England services in Southampton. About 1856 the Eev. J. P. Hodge was settled over the congregation that had there become organized. He only remained a year or so. After a vacancy, the Eev. J. P. Curran was placed in charge of this parish. Under his efforts a church, a frame building, known as St. Paul's was built. In later years this has given place to the tasteful brick edifice in which this congregation worship. 518 THE PRESS The first attempt of the press to make itself known within the county was at Southampton, when, in 1856, The Pioneer made its bow to the public. Its existence was, however, of but short duration. David Culbert was the publisher, and he may justly be termed the pioneer printer of the county. In 1859 he sold out to D. McMillan, who published a newspaper known as The Morning Star, but this, too, faded away after an ephemeral existence. F. H. Lynch Staunton, in 1862, commenced to publish The Bruce Vindicator. This paper lasted until 1864, when it, too, ceased to be. After this about twenty years passed, and the village was without a newspaper of its own. Job printing was carried on during part of this time by David Culbert, who at last, in 1888, commenced the publication of The Pioneer (No. 2). This was two years after The Beacon had been successfully launched. There was no room for two papers in the village, and Mr. Culberf s venture collapsed. William Graham was the founder of The Beacon, which is now published by Ernest E. Short. The first manufacturing industry that Southampton possessed was a steam sawmill, started in 1853. It is that mentioned in a previous paragraph, where a plan of the village as it was in 1857 is spoken of. Messrs. Lines & Hamilton were the owners. This mill was burnt down. When rebuilt it was operated as a steam grist mill and dis- tillery by William Brady. The mill privilege at the Indian Kapids was taken up by Messrs. Lines & Hamilton in 1852 or '53, and transferred by them in 1854 to Messrs. Dalton & McNabb, of Toronto, who, in the following year, commenced the construction of a mill race. They also erected and partially enclosed a building intended for a grist mill. In 1856 they sold their rights to the mill privilege and the improvements to John Denny, who in that year cut a road through the bush to the village and moved his family in. By the spring of 1857 Mr. Denny had the grist mill in operation. In 1859 the sawmill was completed, and in 1865 the woollen mill was running. The head of water at first was not obtained by a dam thrown across the river, as at present, but by one that from the headgates ascended the river about mid-stream, to a sufficient distance to obtain the required head. Mr. Denny continued to operate these mills for many years, after which he retired to Toronto. This water privilege was purchased in 1897 by the Saugeen Electric Light and Power Company, and the power developed furnishes electric current for lighting purposes to the town of Southampton and the village of Port Elgin. FISHERMEN 519 The opening paragraphs of this chapter refer to fishing as the initial industry of Southampton. For many years it was also the most prominent, employing many men and a large amount of capital. The importance of this industry is apparent by a return made in 1885, which gives the number of men employed as 70, manning 18 boats, in which and their outfit some $30,000 of capital was invested. The day of the sailing fishboat is passing away, and steam tugs are replacing them. The latest statistics that are available to the author are for the year 1899. There were then engaged in the fishing business of this port five steam fishing tugs and five sailing fishboats. The tugs averaged about 40 -tons measurement, and carried crews of five or six men. The outfit of each of these tugs in the way of nets, etc., was worth about $4,000. The outfit of a sailing fishboat was worth from $500 and upwards. The names of the Southampton fishermen indicate that many are of Scotch descent, such as McAulay, McLeod, McKenzie, Murray, Graham, and Logie, while others have names such as Dobson, Chambers, Foster, etc., which show that the Scotch do not have a monopoly of this occupation, involving so many hardships and so many ups and downs of fortune. A large tannery was built in 1880 by Messrs. Bowman & Zinkan at the outlet of the Little Lake. The village gave the firm in the way of a bonus the site, comprising about six and one-half acres. To enable the corporation to do this a special Act of Parliament was passed. 1 For twenty years this business was the chief manufacturing industry of the village. On July 31st, 1900, a fire broke out and ; destroyed the greater part of the works, throwing over one hundred men out of employment, and causing a loss that exceeded $100,000. As the tannery was not rebuilt, its destruction was a serious blow to the village, but was not such a crushing blow at that time as it would have been ten years earlier, owing to the establishment in the mean- time of the large furniture factories established by the Knechtel family, known as the Knechtel Furniture Company, the S. M. Knechtel Chair Company, and the S. Knechtel Wood Turning Com- pany, some of which firms have been in operation in the town since 1895. The loss by fire mentioned in the last paragraph was not the first time the village suffered seriously in that manner. Early in the morning of November 4th, 1886, a fire broke out which proved to be the most disastrous the village ever experienced. It started in the J 45 Vic. Chap. 42. 520 WHAT KEPT THE VILLAGE BACK house of J. M. Kelly. The wind being high, it soon spread to the Busby House on the corner of Grosvenor and High Streets. From there it extended eastward, and this so rapidly that in four hours everything for two blocks along High Street was burnt to the ground. Over fifty buildings were consumed, and over thirty families rendered homeless. The loss was estimated at over $60,000, with but a small amount of insurance. Subscriptions for the relief of the sufferers were taken up that amounted to over $8,000, both municipalities and private individuals subscribing liberally. The County Council also remitted the county rates payable by the village that year. There is no doubt that many people were disappointed in the growth and development of Southampton. Many settled there, expect- ing that in a short time it would become quite a good-sized town. Why the place was held back has been attributed to the following reasons : First, the village lots are too large for close settlement, so the people at first were too scattered. Then the lots were largely bought up by speculators, who held them, for high prices. Such as these manifested no willingness to put forth effort for the common weal, but each for self, waiting for others to improve their property, that they thereby might receive indirect profit. People came to the village expecting to settle there, but were frozen out by ridiculous prices asked for property. Another reason was that until 1866 the village had hardly any back country to build it up by its trade. A glance at the map shows Southampton to be at the apex of a triangle. These reasons, in part, also account for the development of. Port Elgin. The lots there Avere only one-fifth of an acre in extent, and purchasers had to settle on them. Then the older settlers at Port Elgin came largely from one district, and there existed a community of interest among them. Then the township of Bruce and a great part of Saugeen geographi- cally were tributary to Port Elgin rather than to Southampton. Nevertheless there was no necessity for the second village, and there would not have been one if the result of speculative greed could have been clearly foreseen. That Southampton might have some back country which could be depended upon to do its trading there, the people of the village, some time in the early sixties, petitioned the government to erect a bridge over the Saugeen Eiver, that thereby the settlers in the townships of Amabel and the north part of Arran might be enabled to reach South- ampton. The petition was acquiesced in, and a grant of $4,000 was made. With this grant the bridge known as Denny's bridge was built BRIDGES 521 in 1865. The Southampton tradespeople, however, learned in time that Amabel people crossing at Denny's bridge found the distance to Port Elgin so very little more than Southampton that they were often tempted to go there. This started the agitation to have a bridge built nearer the mouth of the river. At last, in 1889, the present bridge was built, the county contributing $2,000 towards its erection. This bridge, some 430 feet long, is the longest in the county. Southampton seemed to take on a new lease of life about ten years ago, and this with a vigor that has been maintained. New blood was circulating, fresh ideas were received in an optimistic spirit, trade increased, handsome residences were erected, granolithic sidewalks laid, an expensive system of waterworks established, a park secured, and the village became a town. This is gratifying to record, but the most satisfactory point is the hopeful feeling possessed by the towns- people. This became very apparent in August, 1906, when, although the debenture debt of the town was known to be $59,729, four by-laws were passed by an almost unanimous vote, granting substantial aid toward the establishing or enlarging of manufacturing industries. It is this spirit which has enabled the town to assume as its motto, " Progressive Southampton." In bringing this volume to a close the author does so with a realization that one topic connected with the County of Bruce has not received the notice it deserves. A chapter should have been devoted to Lake Huron, its navigators, its fisheries and fishermen. The story of dire disasters and shipwreck, of heroic efforts to rescue endangered lives, as well as the tales and legends connected with the lake, deserve to be recorded. The author does not feel capable. of doing justice to the subject, having for the last twenty years resided at Walkerton, an inland town. He is conscious of having lost touch with those whose daily life is on the bosom of Lake Huron, not to mention missing the inspiration received from gazing on the broad expense of its waters and daily drinking in a sense of its grandeur and beauty. That these last-mentioned features might not be altogether overlooked in this volume, the author would bring his labors to a close by quoting some beautiful lines written by the late Thomas McQueen, and published half a century ago in The Huron Signal: 522 OUR OWN BROAD LAKE OUR OWN BEOAD LAKE. We cannot boast of high, green hills, Of proud, bold cliffs where eagles gather, Of moorland glen and mountain fills, That echo to the red-bell 'd heather. We cannot boast of mouldering towers, Where ivy clasps the hoary turret; Of chivalry in ladies' bowers, Of warlike fame and knight who won it, But had we Minstrel 's Harp to wake, We well might boast our own broad lake. And we have streams that run as clear, O'er shelvy rocks and pebbles rushing; And meads as green, and nymphs as dear, In rosy beauty sweetly blushing. And we have trees as tall as towers, And older than the feudal mansion; And banks besprent with gorgeous flowers, And glens and woods with fire-flies glancing, But prouder, loftier boast we make, The beauties of our own broad lake. The lochs and lakes of other lands, Like gems, may grace a landscape painting, Or where the lordly castle stands, May lend a charm where charms are wanting. But ours is deep, and broad, and wide, With steamships thro' its waves careering, And far upon its ample tide The bark its devious course is steering ; Whilst hoarse and loud the billows break On islands on our own broad lake ! Immense, bright lake ! I trace in thee An emblem of the mighty ocean, And in thy restless waves I see Nature 's eternal law of motion ; And fancy sees the Huron Chief Of the dim past kneel to implore thee With Indian awe he seeks relief, In pouring homage out before thee ; And I, too, feel my reverence wake, As gazing on our own broad lake! OUR OWN BROAD LAKE 523 I cannot feel as I have felt, When life with hope and fire was teeming, Nor kneel as I have often knelt, At beauty's shrine, devoutly dreaming. Some younger hand must strike the strings To tell of Huron's awful grandeur, Her smooth and moonlight slumberings, Her tempest voice loud as thunder ; Some loftier lyre than mine must wake, To sing our own broad gleaming lake ! APPENDICES. APPENDIX A. INDIAN TEEATY EELATING TO THE SUEEENDEE OF THE SAUGEEN PENINSULA. We, the Chiefs, Sachems and Principal Men of the Indian Tribes resident at Saugeen, Owen Sound, confiding in the wisdom and protecting care of our Great Mother across the Big Lake, and believing that our Good Father, His Excellency the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, Governor-General of Canada, is anxiously desirous to promote those interests which will most largely conduce to the welfare of His red children, have now, being in full Council assembled, in presence of the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, and of the young men of both tribes, agreed that it will be highly desirable for us to make a full and complete surrender unto the Crown of that Peninsula known as the Saugeen and Owen Sound Indian Eeserve, subject to certain restrictions and reservations to be hereinafter set forth. We have therefore set our marks to this document, after having heard the same read to us, and do hereby surrender the whole of the above named tract of country, bounded on the south by a straight line drawn from the Indian village of Saugeen to the Indian village of Nawash, in continuation of the northern limits of the narrow strip recently surrendered by us to the Crown; 1 and bounded on the north-east and west by Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, with the following reservations, to wit : 1st. For the benefit of the Saugeen Indians we reserve all that block of land bounded on the west by a straight line running due north from the Eiver Saugeen, at the spot where it is entered by a ravine, immediately to the west of the village, and over which a bridge has recently been constructed, to the shore of Lake Huron ; on the south by the aforesaid northern limit of the lately surrendered strip ; on the east by a line drawn from a spot upon the coast at a distance of about (9 1 /-;) nine miles and a half from the western boundary aforesaid, and running parallel thereto until it touches the aforementioned northern limits of the recently surrendered strip ; and we wish it to be clearly understood that we wish the Peninsula at the mouth of the Saugeen Eiver to the west of the western boundary aforesaid to be laid out in townpark lots and sold for our benefit without delay ; and we also wish it to be understood that our surrender includes Known as the " Half Mile Strip.'' 525 526 APPENDIX A that parcel of land which is in continuation of the strip recently^ surrendered to the Saugeen Eiver. We do also reserve to ourselves that tract of land called Chief's Point, bounded on the east by a line drawn from a spot half a mile up the Sable Eiver, and continued in a northerly direction to the bay, and upon all other sides by the lake. 2nd. We reserve for the benefit of the Owen Sound Indians all that tract bounded on the south by the northern limit of the continuation of the strip recently surrendered ; on the north-west by a line drawn from the north-easterly angle of the aforesaid strip (as it was surrendered in 1851, in a north-easterly direction) ; on the south-east by the sound extending to the southern limit of the Caughnawaga Settlement ; on the north by a line two miles in length and forming the said southern limit. And we also reserve to ourselves all that tract of land called Cape Crocker, bounded on three sides by Georgian Bay, on the south-west side by a line drawn from the bottom of Nochemowenaing Bay to the mouth of Sucker River, and we include in the aforesaid surrender the parcel of land contained in the continuation to Owen's Sound of the recently surrendered strip aforesaid. 3rd. We do reserve for the benefit of the Colpoy's Bay Indians, in the presence and with the concurrence of John Beattie, who represents the tribe at this Council, a block of land containing 6,000 acres, and including their village, and bounded on the north by Colpoy's Bay. All which reserves we hereby retain to ourselves and our children in perpetuity, and it is agreed that the interest of the principal sum arising out of the sale of our lands be regularly paid to them so long as there are Indians left to represent our tribe without diminution at half-yearly periods. And we hereby request the sanction of our Great Father the Governor- General to this surrender, which we consider highly conducive to our general interests. Done in Council, at Saugeen, this thirteenth day of October, 1854. It is understood that no islands are included in this surrender. JOHN (totem) KADUHGEKWTJN, [L.S.] Signed and sealed : ALEX, (totem) MADWAYOSH, [L-S.] L. OLIPHANT JOHN (totem) MANEDSWAB, [L.S.] Supt. Genl, Indian Affairs J NO - TH OS. (totem) WAHBUHDICK, [L.S.] PETER JACOBS, PETER ( totem ) JONES ' ^^ Missionary. DAVID SAWYER, [L.S.] JOHN (totem) JOHNSTON, [L.S.] JOHN H. BEATY, [L.S.] Witnesses : THOMAS (totem) PABAHMOSH, [L.S.] JAS. Ross, M.P.P., JOHN (totem) MADWASHEMIND, [L.S.] C. RANKIN, P.L.S., JOHN AUNJEGAHBOWH, [L.S.] A. McNABB, JAMES NEWASH, [L.S.] Crown Land, Agent. THOMAS (totem) WAHBUHDICK, [L.S.J CHARLES KEESHICK. [L.S.] APPENDIX B 527 APPENDIX B. COPY OF A EEPOET OF A COMMITTEE OF THE HONOEABLE THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, APPEOVED BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVEENOE-GENEEAL ON THE 27TH SEPTEMBEE, 1855. On a memorandum dated 12th instant, from the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, submitting certain proposed changes, as shown in two certain plans, in the shape of the Indian reserves in the tract commonly called the Saugeen Peninsula, lately surrendered to the Crown, both changes having been assented to by the Indians in Council, and recommending : 1st. That the reserve known as the Saugeen Eeserve, now bounded on the west by a straight line running due north from the Eiver Saugeen at the spot where it is entered by a ravine immediately to the west of the village, be bounded instead by the Indian path called the Copway Eoad, which takes a north-westerly direction, as shown by the red line in the plan. This change will give the Saugeen Indians a small increase of frontage on Lake Huron, and will not interfere with the town plot now laid out on the tongue of land contained between that lake and the Eiver Saugeen. 2nd. That the south-western boundary of the Cape Crocker Eeserve, now formed by a line drawn from the bottom of Nochemowenaing Bay to the mouth of Sucker Eiver, start instead from the south shore of Hope Bay, at a small point about a m'ile from its head, and strike Lake Huron two miles south of Sucker Eiver, as shown by the plan. This change would cut off from the Indians one mile of frontage on Hope Bay, giving them in compensation two miles extra frontage on the Georgian Bay. The head of Hope Bay has been recommended by Mr. Dennis, the surveyor of the tract, as the site for a town, and the present position of the south- western boundary of the reserve would render it impossible to carry out his suggestion. The Committee recommend that the proposed changes be effected. Certified. WM. H. LEE, C.E.C. 528 APPENDIX C APPENDIX C. STATEMENT EEL A TING TO THE INDIANS ON RESERVES IN THE COUNTY OF BRUCE. (Taken from Government Reports for the year ending June 30th, 1900.) Cape Croker Band. Saugeen Band. Total. Number of acres in Reserve 15,586 9,020 " " " at Chief's Point : 1,280 Number of acres in Hunting Reserve in Township St. Edmunds 2,000 1,800 17,586 12,100 29,686 Indian Fund Capital Account $396,63455 $311,34608 $707,98063 Interest on above for year 14,652 29 12,002 86 26,655 15 " distributed to Band 9,72459 6,78047 16,50506 Amount of pensions 433 75 371 00 804 75 Population by creeds Methodists 241 256 Roman Catholics 130 30 Anglican 17 2 Congregationalists 80 888 368 756 Acres of land cultivated or in pasture 1,500 1,020 2,520 fenced 600 850 1,450 Value of implements and vehicles $5,000 00 $3,700 00 - 4 8,700 00 " live stock 8,000 00 3,300 00 1 1,300 00 " real and personal property .. 75,50000 114,75200 190,25200 " earnings 15,15000 19,56200 34,71200 Number of Schools and Teachers .... 3 3 6 Total salaries paid to School Teachers $900 00 $873 00 $1,773 00 Indian Agents (salary $500 each) . . . John M elver J. Scoffield Indian Chiefs W.B. McGregor Thos. Solomon Mandowoab " Chiefs' salaries $20000 $15000 " Secretaries Frederick Lamura diere Henry Ritchie " Secretaries' salaries. . .* $250 00 $93 75 Physicians' " 50000 40000 Acreage of unsold lands in the Saugeen Peninsula, the proceeds of which, when sold, will increase the Indian Capital Account : Albemarle, 714 acres ; Amabel, 268 acres ; Eastnor, 1,048 acres ; Lindsay, 3,772 acres ; St. Edmunds, 4,267 acres ; Bury townplot, 807 acres ; Harwicke townplot, 1,111 acres ; Oliphant townplot, 40 acres ; Southampton, 22 acres ; Wiarton, 25 acres ; Saugeen Fishing Islands, 880 acres ; Cape Hurd Islands, 7,720 acres. APPENDIX D 529 APPENDIX D. COPY OF ORDER-IN-COUNCIL BE DURHAM ROAD AND FREE GRANTS. August 26th, 1848. IN COUNCIL : His Excellency the Governor-General was pleased to direct the attention of the Executive Council to the subject of colonization settlement of the vacant lands of the Crown in Upper Canada. -By order of His Excellency, and in conformity with the opinion of the Council expressed in various deliberations in the presence of His Excellency, and as further connected with the same subject to a report of the Commissioner of Crown Lands proposing locations for colonization and settlement, His Excellency was pleased to state that proceedings had been taken in the several Departments for the purpose of commencing operations under the proposed plan, and His Excellency was pleased, for the purpose of giving the necessary authority for carrying out the purposes of the Government regarding colonization and settlement in the Wellington District, by and with advice of the Executive Council, to adopt the following order : It is ordered by the Governor-General, by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council That the tract of Crown Lands in the Huron, Wellington and Simcoe Districts bounded on the south by the Canada Company's lands, on the west by Lake Huron, on the north by the Simcoe District, and on the east by the townships of Maryborough, Peel and Garafraxa, be a locality for disposal and settlement on the plan adopted at the Owen Sound Settlement. It is further ordered that a road be laid out to commence in the unsurveyed lands of the Crown at a point as near the south-east corner of the township of Melancthon as convenient to be carried through Melancthon, Artemesia, Proton and Holland, so as to join the Garafraxa Road as near to the village of Sydenhain as possible, and that upon the said Road being explored and laid down to the width of one chain, that two tiers of lots of fifty acres each be laid out on each side of the road. It is further ordered that a road be laid out through the said tract of the width of one chain to commence on Hurontario Street, to be carried through the southern part of Nottawasaga and through the townships of Osprey, Artemesia and Glenelg to the Owen Sound Road, then across that road through the townships of Bentinck, Brant, Greenoek and Kincardine to the mouth of the Penetangore River, on Lake Huron, and that a double line of lots, to contain fifty acres each, be laid out on each side of the said road, and that side lines or roads of the same width be allowed for at convenient distances to connect the front with the roads to be laid out in the rear of these lots. It is further ordered that a parallel line of road be run on each side of the said two roads above named, of the width of one chain, but the said additional roads are not to be cleared at the expense of the Government. 530 APPENDIX D It is further ordered that the two main roads above mentioned be cleared of timber without eradicating the stumps of the trees any further than may, in some cases, be necessary to make the road passable, and that cheap causeways be laid over the swamps and bridges of cheap construc- tion over the streams, so as to make the said roads passable for wheel carriages. It is further ordered that settlers being subjects of the Queen, males, and not under the age of eighteen years, be assigned each a lot of fifty acres. They are to be placed on their respective lots by the agent, and are to have a free grant of the same lots on clearing on the same respec- tively to the extent of twelve acres, within four years from the first day of January next after their taking possession of the said lots. The said settlers are to be composed of persons who have the means of maintaining themselves until they can procure a maintenance by cultivating their lots. Upon the abandonment of any lot by a settler, the same is to be open for sale or grant to another. The settlers receiving grants are to have the privilege of purchasing, in addition to their grants, so as to make up in the whole two hundred acres. Settlers on parts of the tract not intersected by roads, and not included in the fifty-acre lots laid out for grant, are to have the privilege of purchasing to the extent of two hundred acres each. As it is desirable that there should be straight boundaries in the rear to the lots lying upon the road, and as by reason of deviations caused by the nature of the ground, in seeking a good line of road it may not be practicable to have the road in all cases run in a straight line. The agent should be instructed by the Commissioner of Crown Lands to locate upon lots which, by reason of the deviations aforesaid, shall contain more than fifty acres, persons who are prepared to purchase and pay for the surplus, and in case lots shall by such deviations be made to contain less than fifty acres, and parties shall not be willing to accept the lesser quan- tity in full of their grants, to locate upon such lots persons who shall be willing and prepared to purchase the surplus over and above fifty acres in two or more lots. It is further ordered, that so soon as it may be practicable, townships be surveyed and established on each side of the lines of road to be laid out, and that in the meantime and in anticipation of such establishment, the agent be instructed to locate persons on the lots laid out and surveyed. It is further ordered that the names of the locatees, with the numbers or designation of their lots, and also the names of the purchasers, be entered in a book to be kept by the agent, and also that a book in the like form be kept in the office of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to be filled up from monthly returns to be made by the agent, so that the one book may be a duplicate of the other, and that alterations in locations or sales be noticed in each. It is further ordered that the expenses of surveys, of agency, of clearing and making the aforesaid roads, be paid and charged by the Commissioner of Crown Lands in a separate account, and repaid to him by warrants issued from time to time in his favor. APPENDIX E 531 It is further ordered that the agent be instructed to select a place for his residence, at some convenient place within the said tract where there shall be a site for a town or village, and in the neighborhood of water power, and that he shall erect a dwelling-house and make a clearing of twenty acres at the expense of Government, according to such instructions as has been conveyed to him or as shall be conveyed to him in that behalf by the Commissioner of Crown Lands. It is further ordered that such portions of the above order as contains information for settlers a>nd purchasers be published by the Commissioner of Crown Lands in such newspapers as he may select. APPENDIX E. COPY OF HAND-BILLS ANNOUNCING THE OPENING OF THE FEEE GEANT LANDS FOE SETTLEMENT. AGENCY FOE THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CEOWN LANDS IN 'THE WELLINGTON AND HUEON DISTEICTS. 24th August, 1848. The undersigned agent, appointed by His Excellency the Governor- General for the settlement of the Crown Lands in the townships of Glenelg, Bentinck, Brant, Greenock and Kincardine, in the county of Waterloo, hereby gives notice to all persons willing and having means of locating therein, that his office is temporarily fixed at or near " Hunter's," on the Garafraxa Road, where he will receive the application of the settlers, every day of the week between the hours of nine and five o'clock, from the 15th day of September next. Fifty acres of land will be given to any settler eighteen years old and a subject of Her Majesty, who will present himself, provided with a certificate of probity and sobriety, signed by known and respectable persons and having the means of providing for himself until the produce of his land is sufficient to maintain him. The bearer of that certificate shall mention to the agent (who will keep a registry thereof) his name, age, condition, trade or profession, whether he is married, and, if so, the name and age of his wife, how many children he has, the name and age of each of them, where he is from, whether he has somewhere any property, and in what township he wishes to settle. The conditions of the Location Tickets are : To take possession within a month after the date of the ticket, and put in a state of cultivation at least twelve acres of the land in the course of four years ; to build a house and to reside on the lot until the conditions of settlement are duly fulfilled, after which accomplishment only shall the settlers have the right of obtaining a title of property. Families comprising several settlers entitled to lands, preferring to reside on a single lot, will be exempted 532 APPENDIX F from the obligation of building and of residence (except upon the lot on which they reside), provided the required clearing of the land is made on each lot. The non-accomplishment of these conditions will cause the immediate loss of the assigned lot of land, which will be sold or given to another. Leave will be granted to those who shall have obtained a lot gratis to purchase three other lots on the road (150 acres), at eight shillings per acre for ready money, so as to complete their two hundred acres in all. The land intended to be settled is of the very best description and is well timbered and watered. The roads will be opened on a breadth of 66 feet, and the land on each side will be divided in lots of 50 acres, each to be gratuitously given. Beside the principal road, there will be others (one on each side of the principal road) marked out on the whole extent of the territory, and on which free locations of 50 acres will be made. But as the Government only intend to meet the expenses of survey on those additional roads the grantees will have to open the road in front of their location. The most direct route to reach the agency on the Garafraxa Eoad is by way of Guelph and Elora, in the Wellington District. GEOEGE JACKSON, Crown Lands Agent. APPENDIX F. BY-LAW. To dissolve the Union of Townships comprised within the County of Bruce, and form the same into separate Municipalities. WHEREAS all the townships within the County of Bruce, one of the United Counties of Huron and Bruce, are at present formed into one Municipality, having the Township of Kincardine as the Senior Township ; and whereas the same is found to be very injurious and inconvenient for the inhabitants of these Townships ; and whereas since the same has been formed into one Municipality, the population within it has greatly increased, entitling the Union to be subdivided into separate Municipalities ; and whereas in terms of numerous petitions from the inhabitants, freeholders and householders of many of the said Townships, signed by at least two- thirds of the same, it is set forth that there are at least one hundred names of resident freeholders on last year's Collector's Eoll, and in others there are over fifty and less than one hundred names of resident freeholders on their respective Collector's Eolls for last year, and that from their position with regard to streams and other natural obstructions, it is very inconvenient to be united to the Township of Kincardine for Municipal purposes ; and whereas, it is expedient by one general By-law to dissolve the present Union of Townships comprised within the County of Bruce, and form them into separate Municipalities. APPENDIX F 533 1. Be it therefore enacted by the Municipal Council of the United Counties of Huron and Bruce by virtue of the powers vested in them by the Upper Canada Municipal Corporation Acts, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that from and after the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, the union of Townships comprised within the County of Bruce shak be dissolved, and the aftermentioned Townships shall be separated from the said Union, and shall from and after that date form separate and distinct Municipalities. 2. And be it enacted, that the Township of Huron shall form one Municipality, and that William Gamble, Merchant, shall be the returning officer to hold the first election, the election to be holden at the School House, Pine Eiver, Lake Shore Eoad. 3. And be it enacted, that the Townships of Brant and Carrick, be united for municipal purposes and form one municipality, the Township of Brant to be the senior Township, and that John Eckford be the returning officer to hold the first election, the election to be holden at Mr. Joseph Walker's Tavern, in the Township of Brant. 4. And be it enacted, that the Townships of Greenock and Culross be united for Municipal purposes, and form one Municipality, the Township of Greenock to be the senior Township, and that John B. Eitchie be the returning officer to hold the first election, tne election to be holden at George Cromar's house, No. 30, North Eange, Durham Eoad. 5. And be it enacted, that the Townships of Arran and Elderslie be united for Municipal purposes, and form one Municipality, the Township of Arran to be the senior Township, and that Archibald Eoy be the returning officer to hold the first election, the election to be holden at the said Archibald Eoy's house in the Township of Arran. 6. And be it enacted, that the Township of Sau'geen be a separate Municipality, and that Alexander McNabb be returning officer to hold the first election, the election to be holden at Belcher 's Tavern, Village of Southampton, in the Township of Saugeen. 7. And be it enacted, that the Townships of Bruce and Kinloss remain joined to the Township of Kincardine. , WILLIAM CHALK, Warden, Huron and Bruce. Passed 21st Sept., 1853. D. H. EITCHIE, County Cleric. 534 APPENDIX H APPENDIX G. REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF A LOCAL CROWN LAND AGENT. COPY OF ORDER-IN-COUNCIL PASSED 29TH APRIL, 1851. " On the Communication of the Honorable the Commissioner of Crown Lands, dated 28th April instant, respecting the appointment of a local Agent for the sale of Crown and School lands in the County of Bruce, who should reside in the Town of Southampton, and which communication is as follows, namely : ' The Commissioner of Crown Lands respectfully suggests to His Excellency the Governor-General in Council, the necessity of appointing a local Agent for the sale of Crown and School lands in the County of Bruce, to reside at the Town of Southampton, at the mouth of the River Saugeen. To this part of the Province public attention has been very generally directed as affording a large field for the settlement of the emigrants and for the rising families of the farmers living in the more populous parts of the Province, and hundreds of persons have gone and settled themselves even before the surveyors have been able to divide the lands into farm lots. Much difficulty is expected to arise unless these lands are offered for sale and settlement at an early day. It would therefore be very desirable at once to appoint a resident agent there, whose duties would be to sell the Crown and School lands in that County, to superintend the making of the two roads already ordered to be opened, and to issue timber licenses on the north shore of Lake Huron and Superior. The undersigned would suggest that Mr. Alex. McNabb be appointed to such agency. Mr. McNabb at present holds the position of Head Book Keeper in the Department of Crown Lands, and is a very efficient officer. ' " The Committee respectfully advise that the proposed agency be estab- lished and that should sucn be your Excellency's pleasure, Mr. McNabb be the Agent, on the conditions specified, and the Committee further advise that the several suggestions of the Commissioner be approved and acted on. ' ' " WILLIAM H. LEE." APPENDIX H. CROWN LANDS DEPARTMENT. Toronto, June 27th, 1851. Notice is hereby given, that certain Lands (appropriated for School purposes under the Statute 12 Vie. Chap. 200) in the Townships of Brant and Kincardine, and in the Villages of Penetangore and Southampton, in the County of Bruce, will be open for sale, upon application to Alexander McNabb, Esquire, on and after the fifth August next. 535 Lists of lots and information as to the terms and conditions of Sale can be obtained at the Office of the Commissioner of Crown Lands. The Globe, the Guelph Advertiser and the Huron Signal will insert the above once a week until the day of Sale. Appearing in Can. Gazette, July 19th, 1851, and immediate subsequent issues. APPENDIX I. INDIAN DEPAETMENT. Quebec, July 23rd, 1852. Public notice is hereby given, that the strip of land situate North of the Townships of Arran and Derby, in the Counties of Grey and Bruce, and extending nearly from Sydenham to Saugeen, having recently been surrendered by the Chippawa Indians of Saugeen and Owen Sound, to Her Majesty the Queen in trust, to be sold for their benefit, and having been surveyed and laid out into Farm Lots, for the purpose of settlement, is now open for sale, excepting Lots, Nos. 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32, subject to the condition of a road (now projected) being constructed through the whole length of the tract of such width and in such direction as may be hereafter determined upon. Intending purchasers will, on application to John McLean, Esquire, of Guelph, the authorized Agent for the Indian Department, be informed of the price per acre, and terms of payment. By Command, E. BEUCE, Superintendent General. APPENDIX J. COPY OF ADVEETISEMENT APPEAEING IN TEE CANADA GAZETTE, JULY 3 1ST, 1852, OFFEEING SCHOOL LANDS FOE SALE IN THE COUNTY OF BEUCE. CEOWN LANDS DEPAETMENT. Quebec, 30th July, 1852. Notice is hereby given, that the School Lands in the Counties of Bruce, Grey and Huron, are now open for sale to actual settlers on the following terms r viz.: The price to be ten shillings per acre, payable in Ten Annual Instalments, with interest ; the first instalment to be paid upon receiving authority to enter upon the land. Actual occupation to be immediate and 536 APPENDIX K continuous; 1 the land to be cleared at the rate of five acres annually for every hundred acres during the first five years ; a dwelling-house, at least 18 by 26, to be erected ; the timber to be reserved until the land has been paid for in full and patented, and to be subject to any general timber duty thereafter ; a License of occupation, not assignable without permission to be granted ; the sale and the license of occupation to become null and void in case of neglect or violation of any of the conditions ; the settler to be entitled to obtain a Patent upon complying with all the condi- tions ; not more than two hundred acres to be sold to any one person on these terms. First published in The Canada Gazette, July 31st, 1852. All papers in the province to copy for one month. APPENDIX K. COPY OF NOTICE APPEAEING IN THE CANADA GAZETTE OF AUGUST 17TH, 1854, SLIGHTLY ABEIDGED. CEOWN LANDS DEPAETMENT. Quebec, 17th August, 1854. Notice is hereby given that the undermentioned lands (set apart for school purposes under Statute 12, Vic. Chap. 200) in the County of Bruce, U. C., will be open for sale to actual settlers, upon application to Alex. McNabb, Esquire, at Southampton, in the Township of Saugeen, on and after the twenty-seventh of next month, on the following terms, viz.: The price to be Ten shillings per acre, payable in Ten equal annual Instal- ments, with interest : the first instalment to be paid upon receiving authority to enter upon the land. Actual occupation to be immediate and continuous : the land to be cleared at the rate of two acres annually for each hundred acres, during the first five years ; a dwelling house, at least sixteen feet by eighteen, to be erected : the timber to be reserved until the land has been paid for in full and patented, and to be subject to any general timber duty thereafter ; a License of occupation not assignable without permission will be granted : the sale and License of occupation to become null and void in case of neglect or violation of any of the conditions : the settler to be entitled to obtain a Patent upon complying with all the conditions, not more than two hundred acres to be 1 The following resolution of the United Counties Council, passed June 24th, 1854, makes evident that the conditions mentioned in above advertisement were not in all cases successfully enforced : " That these Counties, in a financial point of view, are suffering serious loss in consequence of parties having got possession of a large portion of the most valuable lands in the County of Bruce, and by means of misstatements, insincere promises to the Crown Lands Agent, and other unfair means, have contrived to evade this wise condition imposed by Statute, namely, actual and continuous settlement, and thereby retarding the progress of improvement and its consequent increase of population and industry, which alone is the true source of individual and popular wealth. For this cause, and with a view to the prosperity of these Counties and its consequent most desirable increase of revenue, it is most judicious that the Warden be required to petition (at as early a period as may be) ihe Governor and Council, praying that such measures may be adopted as will make sure the practical performance of the evident good intentions of the Legislature as displayed in the 5th section of the Act 16 Vic., Chap. 159." APPENDIX L 537 sold to any one person on these terms. (What here follows regarding description of lands is condensed from notice as printed.) Township of Bruce Lake Kange, Lots 11-70 and rest of Township surveyed in Concessions. Township of Kinloss 1 Concession, Lots 1 to 80. Also : The undermentioned Crown Lands. Subject to the same conditions of Actual settlement and terms of payment, at 7s. 6d. per acre. Township of Carrick All farm lots therein. Township of Culross All farm lots therein. Township of Greenock Lots on second Concession and all North of same. Township of Kinloss Lots on 2nd Concession to 12th Concession in- clusive, and on Eange 3 North and Range 3 South of the Durham Eoad. APPENDIX L. Population of the County of Bruce according to the Census taken in the following years : 1850 1 1852 1861 1871 Townships Albemarle 54 678 Amabel 182 1,805 Arran 149 2,551 3,780 Brant 621 3,125 5,994 Bruce 100 2,250 3,764 Carrick 3,163 5,005 Culross 2,266 3,839 Eastnor (b) Elderslie .... . 14 1,774 3,699 Greenock 244 1,847 2,981 Huron . 114 236 2,429 4,079 Kincardine . 262 1,149 2,906 4097 Kinloss 47 1,842 3,430 Lindsay 20 St. Edmund Saugeen . ... 277 1,520 2,579 Villages Chesley Lucknow Paisley Port Elgin Southampton 609 858 Tara . . Tees water Tiverton . . Towns Kincardine . . . . . 981 1,907 Walkerton . . . Wiarton .. .... (a) (a) (a)(c) 376 2,837 27,499 48,515 1881 1,505 3,046 3,.il2 5,423 4,236 5,909 3,807 1,364 3,273 3,751 5,175 4,506 3,628 (d) (d) 2,090 893 1,162 1,154 1,400 1,141 561 861 545 2,876 2,604 796 1891 1 819 3,890 2,913 4,929 3,793 5,503 3,345 1,484 3,047 3,389 4,125 3,618 2,903 550 287 1,813 1,437 1,285 1,328 1,659 1,437 695 1,128 550 2,631 3,061 1,984 1901 1,962 3,587 2,562 4,349 3,109 5,023 2,955 1,830 2,458 3,085 3,539 2,855 2,355 751 623 1,581 1,734 1,111 1,086 1,313 1,636 625 930 470 2,077 2,971 2,443 (a) Included in Brant. ,218 64,603 59,020 (c) 995 on Assessment Roll. (b) Included in Albemarle. (d) Included with Eastnor. From the Assessment Roll, which is incomplete, as Brant and Saugeen are omitted. 538 APPENDIX N APPENDIX M. Equalized Assessment of the different Townships in the County of Bruce in each of the years from 1851 to 1857 inclusive. Showing the relative development of each during the first years after settlement : Kincardine. Bruce 1851 .13,138 61 1852 22,992 61 1853 22,727 3,792 1854 37,273 14,487 1855 55,909 14,487 1856 59,027 48,385 1857 83,264 67,176 Kinloss ... Huron .... 375 . 1,051 375 1,051 1,170 7,674 7,998 16,248 9,597 48,746 34,050 57,715 33,436 58,261 Brant . 5,665 7,554 9,322 17,667 35,335 70,907 79,762 Carrick Greenock . . Culross . . . Saugeen . . . Arran . Nil. . 1,902 . Nil. . 2,148 . Nil. Nil. 1,902 Nil. 2,864 Nil. 373 3,571 Nil. 8,333 4,499 9,783 8,236 2,923 34,504 24,351 29,350 24,708 8,771 51,756 48,702 45,633 36,673 36,787 45,136 55,726 59,525 44,015 43,572 63,847 54,833 Elderslie . . . . Nil. Nil. Nil. ' 7,037 21,111 44,306 55,775 Total ..24,342 36,801 61,461 180,510 348,475 534,348 643,466 APPENDIX N. List of places in the County of Bruce which have been before known by various designations, nick-names or otherwise, during their history. These several names may be found in this work. Present Names. Other names by which the place has been known. .Aberdour Pipe Clay. Allenford Drift Wood Crossing. Armow Reekie 's Mills. Balaklava Glenlyon. Baie de Dore Malta and Port Bruce. Burgoyne West Arran P. O. Cargill ". Yokassippi. Cargill Station Mickles. Chesley Sconeville. Deemerton Beaford. Eden Grove Pinkerton Station. Greenock P. O. Enniskillen. Hanover Buck's Crossing, or Buck's Bridge. Inverhuron Sauble town-plot, Little Sauble Eiver. Invermay Arran P. O. Kincardine ... i .*.........< Penetangore. Kinloss . Black Horse. Lurgan ....." , Pine Point. Mildmay Mernersville. APPENDIX O 539 Other names by which the place Present Names has been known North Bruce The Devil 's Elbow. Paisley Mud Eiver. Pine Eiver P. O Starvation. Port Elgin Normanton. Eipley Dingwall. Eiversdale Mud Eiver. Southampton Saugeen. The Mouth. Stoney Island Port Head. Tara '. Eblena. Tobermory Bury. The Tub. Collins ' Harbour. Vesta Springvale. Walkerton Brant. Eouge 's Hollow. Wiarton Colpoys. Names of places in the County of Bruce which were expected to develop into towns, but instead of doing so have faded away : Adair Town-plot Township of Albemarle. . Alma " Huron. Balaklava " Carrick. Greenock Town-plot " Brant and Greenock. Hardwick Town-plot " Eastnor. Inverhuron " Bruce. Lockerby " Elderslie. Malta ' ' Bruce. Moscow -. . . ' ' Culross. Oliphant ' ' Amabel. Port Bruce " Bruce. Port Head, or Stoney Island " Kincardine. Scone . " Elderslie. APPENDIX O. LAND IMPEOVEMENT FUND. HOW THE GOVEENMENT BEOKE FAITH WITH THE SETTLEES. At a meeting of the special committee appointed by the Legislature, held 2nd December, 1869, to inquire into the merits of the petitions from residents of Bruce, respecting the claims for the continuance of money for local improvement from the Land Improvement Fund, Crown Lands Agent, Alex. McNabb, gave the following evidence : I was Crown Lands Agent for the County of Bruce from 1851. The county began to settle up in 1854, and it continued settling up rapidly for the subsequent five or six years. The lands, excepting three townships, were school lands the school lands were not the best lands. We had 540 APPENDIX O several applications from settlers to purchase. In the petitions presented to the House he recognized the hands of many of the original purchasers; although some of them came in lately and some are assignees of the original purchasers. Messrs. Gillies, Brown, Adair, Eckford, Eae and Eowe were original purchasers. Mr. Blake having read the evidence given by Mr. Adair, Mr. McNabb referred back to his original instructions. He said when he first went up he told Mr. Price, the commissioner, that roads were essential before they could open up the country and facilitate settlement. The difficulty arose how money for that purpose was to be obtained. The question was fully considered and at length it was decided that a tax or fee of 30s. should be raised upon every 200 acres sold, and 20s. upon every 100 acres in the township of Brant. A sum of 1,500 was advanced, to be repaid from the fee fund, and he was instructed to enter into conjunction with Mr. Jackson, who was then agent in Grey. He took charge of that portion of the road from the Durham Eoad to the village of Paisley. He then took charge of the balance of the road to the Saugeen Eiver. This forms part of the Elora Eoad. Another road was opened with the assistance of Mr. Jackson. In August, 1852, he received instructions to stay all sales. In September, 1852, he received instructions to open sales in certain townships. The only further instructions he received were in 1857, to keep the returns of each township separate under Crown, Clergy, and School Beserves. ' The roads referred to were completed at an expenditure of 1,800 an additional 300 having been sanctioned by Mr. Eolfe, the commissioner who suc- ceeded Mr. Price. Mr. McNabb had received a private letter from Mr. M. Cameron in 1852, which had been mislaid. It was private, but he thought it was intended to inform the settlers. It referred to the passage of a Land Act and contained an intimation that the price of land would be reduced and to allow a payment of 2s. 6d. out of purchase money for the purpose of creating a fund to effect improvements. He knew of the passage of the Act in 1853 and was aware of the clause with reference to the Improvement Fund. Beyond the letter referred to he had had no intimation from the Government. In his own mind he considered that the money would go towards opening up new roads and repairing those already constructed. Shortly after Mr. David Gibson, Government Superin- tendent of Colonization Eoads, came to the county with reference to the opening up of roads. Mr. Eichards objected to this evidence, but if the committee intended to allow everything to be given in evidence he should say no more. Mr. McNabb had frequent conversations with Mr. Gibson, who led him to believe that the road would be opened up through the county and paid for through that fund. Mr. McNabb, in selling lands, alluded to this whenever the subject came up, which it frequently did. He then explained the object of the fund that in consequence of the Land Act of the Legislature of 1853, the Government had power to appropriate towards opening roads in the county one-fourth of the proceeds of the purchase of school lands and one-fifth of the crown lands. He did not tell them that the government would appropriate it, but that the Government had power to appropriate it. Sub- sequently Mr. McNabb said that he had told settlers that they would have APPENDIX O 541 the benefit of that fund that is, that the county would have the benefit of it. He did state to them that although the price of the land was 10s. it was virtually only 7s. 6d., because there would be 2s. 6d. expended in roads and bridges which they would otherwise have to pay themselves. That was his own honest belief, and in proof Mr. Gibson was sent up to complete the roads. The subject of the backwardness of the roads was constantly mentioned as an obstacle to settlement by intending settlers. When this occurred he always referred to the Act of Parliament, and to Mr. Gibson being in the county laying out the roads. He thought the opening of the roads facilitated settlement. He did not know that his statements had any such influence. It may have had such influence, but he could not say. He mentioned it to show that the settlers would have good roads. Some settlers came to him and went away without settling; but it was a subject of complaint. He had complained of it himself. He had sold to Mr. Adair, but did not recollect the conversation he had with him. Mr. Adair 's evidence was read to Mr. McNabb, who said he had no doubt it was true if Mr. Adair said so, but he had no recollection. He had had thousands of sales, and it was impossible to recollect the conversation he had with all of the applicants. He did not remember any of the conversation, but such was his respect for Mr. Sinclair and the others who had given evidence, that he could not question them. All intending purchasers seemed much interested in the fund. He always led them to believe that one-fourth or one-fifth of the proceeds was the amount to be returned, and Mr. Gibson frequently had conversations . in the same strain. He was quite satisfied in his own mind that the settlers would get the benefit of this money, and he spoke of it as strongly as he felt himself. He had thrown his lot in among them and felt a common interest. The opinion generally prevailed among the settlers that they would have this fourth or fifth. There was no doubt entertained whatever. The bulk of the settlement of the county did not, in his opinion, take place upon the strength of his assurance. He could not have had conversa- tions with so many people. He was also agent of the bank. It was all one office. The same conversations were held there when people came to pay their deposits. He felt that when the clause was omitted in the Act of 1859 it was a breach of faith. He thought the Government had been pledged, and that was also the impression of the settlers. The settlers never gave up the hope that justice would be done them by the restoration of the fund. He remembered an election address signed by Malcolm Cameron in 1854 referring to the fact of their having obtained a Land Act which reduced the price of land to 10s., and gave a fourth to public improvements. He could give no other information about the other counties. He considered the Land Act of 1853 to be a general Act for the province. EEPOBT OP THE COMMITTEE. The following report of the Land Improvement Fund Committee was presented to the House : The Committee have held many meetings and examined numerous wit- nesses and papers, and carefully considered the matters referred to them, and they find unanimously : 542 APPENDIX O 1. That on the 7th of July, 1852, the Government of the day passed an Order in Council in the following words: Upon the memorandum submitted by the Commissioner of Crown Lands relative to the School Fund in the counties of Grey and Bruce, the Committee of Council recom- mend that the reduction in price from 12s. 6d. to 10s. an acre, as suggested, be approved, and that the regulations laid down in said report be approved, and further, that a measure be submitted to Parliament to authorize the expenditure of a sum equal to 2s. 6d. per acre of the purchase money on the improvement of the roads and harbors within the said counties, and the Committee further recommend that not more than 200 acres be sold to any one individual except upon special recommendation of the Commis- sioner of Crown Lands, approved by His Excellency in Council. 2. That by the Land Act of 1853 it was enacted that it should be lawful for the Governor in Council to reserve out of the proceeds of the School Lands in any county a sum not exceeding one-fourth of such proceeds as a fund for public improvements within the county, to be expended under the direction of the Governor in Council, and also to reserve out of the proceeds of unappropriated Crown Lands in any county a sum not exceeding one-fifth as a fund for public improvements within the county to be expended under the direction of the Governor in. Council. 3. That at this period there were large tracts of Crown and School Lands in various counties settled ; and it was the policy of the country to encourage the settlement thereof as much as possible. 4. That one of the greatest obstacles to settlement was the want of roads and bridges, and it was in order to induce the speedy settlement of the country by providing means for the construction of such works that the s^id Order and Act were passed. 5. That shortly after the passing of the said Act large numbers of persons purchased and settled on the vacant Crown and School lands, and within a very few years they were well settled, four-fifths of the School lands having been settled in 1853, 1854 and 1855. 6. That the general belief and opinion of the settlers was, that they would be entitled to have one-fourth of the price of School lands, and one-fifth of the price of Crown lands, expended within the municipalities, on the construction of roads and bridges. 7. That this belief and opinion was entertained byseveral of the Crown Land Agents who sold the lands. 8. That several of such agents stated to the intending settlers, that if they became settlers, one-fourth of the price of School lands, and one-fifth of the price of Crown lands, would be expended as aforesaid, and that thus the price of their lands was practically less than the stated price by these amounts, which would otherwise have to be raised by local taxation for the same purposes. 9. That large numbers of settlers purchased on the understanding with the agents stated in the preceding paragraph, especially in the county of Bruce, where the population increased from 2,837 in 1852, to 27,494 in 1861. 10. That the Government of the day, in an Order in Council, dated on the 27th February, A.D. 1855, referred to the Improvement Fund as being established by the Land Act of 1853, and ordered certain expenditure APPENDIX O 543 thereon, and in another Order in Council, dated on the 27th of March, A.D. 1855, further assumed the existence and availability of the Fund. 11. That on the llth December, 1855, the Government of the day, in an Order in Council, referred to the said Fund in the words following : " The Minister of Agriculture also brings under your Excellency's notice that numerous applications have been made for aid from the Improvement Fund, created by the 14th section of the Land Act, 16th Vic. Chap. 159, which authorizes one-fourth of the proceeds of the, sale of School lands, and one-fifth of those of Crown lands, to be expended in the several counties in which the sales are affected. " That none of this Fund has as yet been set apart from the sales hitherto made, although an Order in Council has been passed for the expenditure of 25,000 thereon. That it appears requisite that the Crown Lands Department should be directed to apprise the Inspector General of the amount at the credit of each county for proceeds of sale of both Crown and School lands so that the proportions accruing to the Improvement Fund may be set apart by the Eeceiver General for that purpose. Out of the Improvement Fund referred to he -recommends that the following sums be appropriated to the objects hereafter stated, viz.: (Stating several applications)." 12. That on the 28th day of July, A.D. 1856, the Government of the day passed an Order in Council in the following words : In reference to the Fund for Public Improvement formed under the 14th Section of the Act 16 Vic. Chap. 59, the Committee recommend that the funds derived from the sale of lands in each particular township or other municipality, and applicable to the purposes of the Fund, and not already apportioned, be applied to the making, maintaining, altering or improving the roads or bridges in each of those townships or other municipalities respectively, and be for this purpose distributed and disposed of, by and through the Municipal Council of each such township or other municipality, each such Council to report to the Bureau of Agriculture the manner of expenditure of all such moneys, on the 1st days of January and July in each year, and at any intermediate time within ten days after having been called upon so to do by that Department. 13. That on several occasions during the years 1857, 1858, 1859 and 1860, the Government of the day, by Orders in Council, appropriated to purposes of local improvement moneys arising out of the Improvement Fund. 14. That books were opened in the Crown Lands Department, labelled ' ' Eoad Improvement Fund, ' ' with a heading to each page in the words, ' ' Statements of the amount available for public improvements on sales of Crown lands, under 16 Vic. Chap. 159, Sec. 14, in each township in the county of ," in which books the accounts of the fund were kept. 15. That on the 6th March, A.D. 1861, the Government of the day made an Order in Council in the following words : " On the recommendation of the Honorable the Commissioner of Crown Lands, the Committee advise that the Order in Council of 7th December, 1855, authorizing the payment of the Improvement Fund created by the Land Act, 16 Vic. Chap. 159, be rescinded." But no order has been made rescinding that of 28th July, 1856. 16. That no part of the Improvement Fund accruing since the 6th March, 1861, has been applied to the purposes of the Fund. 544 APPENDIX O 17. That large sums of money have, since 6th March, 1861, been received by the Government of the late Province of Canada from sales of Crown and School Lands, made between the date of the passing of the Land Act and the 6th March, 1861. 18. That further large sums have been received on account of such sales by the Government of Ontario, and further large sums remain due on account of such sales. 19. That large sums^have been expended and large debts incurred by the various municipalities for the construction of roads and which would otherwise have been in whole or part conducted by means of the Improve- ment Fund. 20. The Committee beg leave, lastly, to report that they abstain from stating any opinion or making any recommendation, because they under- stood the order of reference to confine them to the ascertainment of the facts for the information of the Legislature. That an idea be had of the amount derived from the Land Improvement Fund, the following figures are given, showing amounts available to various municipalities for the period from 31st December, 1859, to 6th March, 1861 : Crown Lands. School Lands. Kincardine Township $57 54 $1,829 20 Arran Township 2,624 81 Brant Township 21 76 2,499 79 Bruce Township ' 1,227 3 1 Carrick Township 901 73 Culross Township 1,303 03 Elderslie Township 1,385 51 Greenock Township 834 97 Huron Township 1,764 75 Kinloss Township . . /. 901 81 277 31 Saugeen Township 1,159 02 Penetangore Town 63 57 Southampton Town 10 08 163 27 Paisley Town 171 14 217 74 Inverhuron Town 213 50 $4,202 06 $13,425 78 4,202 06 Total, less 6 per cent, of School Lands $17,627 84 The loss to the several municipalities arising from the action of the Government in withholding payments, was the amount due to each from collections made from March 6th, 1861, to July 1st, 1867. Payments were made to the various municipalities of the principal and interest, compounded at 5 per cent., under 45 Vic. Chap. 3-49 Vic. Chap. 6. and 54 Vic. Chap. 9. In 1886 $31,889.69 was so paid to municipalities in Bruce on account of interest. APPENDIX P 545 APPENDIX P. EEPOET OF COMMITTEE ON THE DESTITUTION EXISTING IN THE COUNTY OF BRUCE IN 1859. The Committee on the destitution existing in the County of Bruce, consisting of Messrs. Fraser, Gillies, Brown, Gunn, and Broeklebank, having duly considered the lamentable state of the county, and having consulted the Crown Land Agent and others, beg most respectfully to report : That they find that the deficiency in breadstuffs in this county prevail to a most serious and alarming extent. That this deficiency arises directly from causes beyond human control. That your Committee have too good reason to believe that a very large portion of the prevailing destitution requires immediate relief, and that, in many eases, no time can with safety be lost. Your Committee are of opinion that the most desirable and feasible mode of relieving this distress, will be, by passing By-laws in the suffering Townships, authorizing the issue of Debentures payable in five years, unless the Government is willing to advance the whole sum from the Improvement Fund without the issue of Debentures, in the following proportion, namely : Bruce, 1,000 ; Kincardine, 1,000; Huron, 1,000 ; Elderslie, 600 ; Kinloss, 500 ; Carrick, 500 ; Culross, 500 ; Greenock, 500 ; Southampton, 500 ; Kincardine Village, 500 ; Saugeen, 500 ; Arran, 500 ; and Brant, 500 ; mortgaging the Improvement Fund for the final payment of such Debentures. That such sum of money so raised shall be expended in opening up leading lines of roads in the respective munici- palities, such work to be given out in small contracts to the needy and destitute, and to be paid for only in grain or flour, to be purchased by the municipalities, stored up in convenient localities, and distributed under their jurisdiction. That the principal leading roads through the several municipalities calculated to benefit the greatest number, be opened and improved. Your Committee strongly recommend that this Council do petition Gov- ernment in reference to this matter, authorizing the Provisional Warden to proceed to Toronto forthwith, in order to lay before Government and Parliament, if necessary, the state of affairs in this county, and to endeavor to obtain a sum of money in advance of whichever scheme may be adopted by Government for the relief of immediate distress, such sum, if received, to be handed over to the suffering Townships in proportion to the sums set down after each. Your Committee further beg to recom- mend that each Eeeve shall, in his own Township, inculcate the absolute necessity of strict moderation and prudent management on the part of the people, as well in regard to unnecessary indulgences, as in reference to their general habit of living. All of which is respectfully submitted. WILLIAM GUNN, Chairman. Committee Boom, 5th Feb., 1859. 19 646 APPENDIX Q APPENDIX Q. NAMES AND EESIDENCE OP THE WAEDENS OF THE COUNTY OP BRUCE, DOWN TO 1906. Name. Year or Years of Office. Residence. George Cromar 1857 Greenock. John Purvis 1858, 1861 Kinloss. John Valentine .... 1859 Greenock. John Bruce 1860 Brant. J. T. Conaway 1862 Southampton. John Gillies 1863, 1869, 1870, '71, '72 Elderslie. James Broeklebank .. 1864, '65, '66, '67, '68 Brant. Robert Baird 1873, '74, '75, '76, '77, '78, '79 Kincardine town. Robert Purves 1880, '81, '82 Kinloss. James Tolton 1883 Brant. John Pierson 1884 Saugeen. H. T. Potts 1885 Arran. W. S. Johnston 1886 Port Elgin. William Dickison . . 1887 Carrick. William Scott .... 1888 Culross. John Douglass .... 1889 Tara. James Gaunt 1890 Kinloss. J. S. McDonald 1891 Huron. Thomas Bradley, M.D. 1892 Kincardine Township. James Bryan 1893 Lucknow. J. H. Scott 1894 Kincardine town. Wm. MacKintosh . . 1895 Arran. J. H. Elliot 1896 Chesley. James Shouldice . . . 1897 Elderslie. X/. T. Bland 1898 Kincardine Township. D. M. Jermyn 1899 Wiarton. P. Cummings 1900 Saugeen. Benj. Cannon 1901 Brant. J. J. Donnelly 1902 ~. . . Greenock. Robert Watt 1903 Wiarton. John McCharles 1904 Huron. Wm. McDonald 1905 Chesley. A. W. Robb . 1906 . ..Walkerton. APPENDIX R 547 APPENDIX R. RESULT OF VOTING ON THE SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTORS OF BRUCE 1877, Sept. 18. Dunkin Act For the Act Against Act Voters on each Side. 3,747 2,605 Maioritv Total No ' of Total No ' Majority. Voteg poUed _ Voters. 1,142 6,352 1879, Jan. 21. To repeal Dunkin Act 1,679 For the Act 167 Against Act 1,512 1,345 1884, Oct. 30. Scott Act For the Act Against Act .... 4,499 3,178 1,321 7,690 1888, March 2. Scott Act For the Act .... Against Act 3,673 5,065 1,392 8,738 1894, Jan. 1. Provincial Prohibition Plebiscite For : Against 6,884 3,149 3,735 10,033 15,848 1898, Sept. 29. Dominion Prohibition Plebiscite For Against 4,862 2,697 2,165 7,559 16,423 1902, Dec. 4. Provincial Referendum in favor of putting in force the "Liquor Act of 1902 " (prac- tically Prohibition) For Against 6,357 2,545 3,812 8,902 548 APPENDIX S APPENDIX S. The following list contains the names of all members of the Independent Companies, (the Companies of which the 32nd Bruce Battalion was com- posed upon its organization on the 14th September, 1866), to whom has been awarded the Canadian General Service Medal for services rendered in the suppression of the Fenian Eaid of 1866. The 32nd Battalion was not called out on active service in 1870 and no medal, therefore, has been awarded for that year. George Simpson. Malcolm McGillivray. John A. Darling. Joseph Blakeway. Samuel Nowry. John Nowry. Martin Schroeder. Robert Dewstow. Alex. McDowell. Thomas Bailey. William S. Scott. Angus Munn. Thomas Burgess. Alex. McNabb. Donald Currie. Richard Tranter. Josiah Tranter. William Tranter. John McTaggart. John Pierson. James Johns. Donald Robertson. James Scott. Thomas Fortune. Alex. E. Belcher. Chris. F. Forest. Chris. Parker. John Robertson. John Johns. John Fortune. Wm. J. McMenemy. Chris. R. Barker. John Boal. James Burns. Eichard Collins. William Fanning. Francis Graham. John Guest. Robert Hunter. William Johnston. John H. Kean. James McCue. Thomas McCue. Thomas MeGinnis, Wm. M. McKibbifi. Samuel McLean. Peter McPherson. Malcolm Ross. Francis Sellery. John Sellery. Henry Stanley. Thomas Wilson. Joseph Harrison. George Green. William Boyd. William Brown. Henry Collins. Robert Donnelly. John R. Kay. Alex. Wright. Edward Colwell. Daniel Gossell. John Miller. John King. William Thompson. John C. Byers. George Elliott. David Shanks. John J. Walker. Thomas Levins. William Hall. Henry Hall. Levi Walker. Robert A mill. James Bartley. Edward Bowles. Edward Collins. Edmund Collins. Thomas Collins. James Daniel. William Daniel. William C. Davie. Gideon Doupe. James Fair. James Hay. William Hunter. Robert Irving. John Jolliffe. Thomas Kidd. John Magill. John Merritt. John D. Merryfield. John Millar. William Mitchell. Vincent Mosser. Murdock Mackenzie. Alex. McLean. David Ogg. John Parker. William Sparrow. Hugh Steele. Samuel Steele. William Tully. Elijah Welsford. James D. Wilkie. APPENDIX S 549 Lachlan Boyd. Henry E. Collins. Thomas Morrison. David Kay. Matthew Darling. Paseho Saunders. Jasper Lillie. Eichard Kidd. Hugh Campbell. Alex Moffat. Mounty Mick. Cyrus Barnum. John Eobinson. Andrew Millar. Peter Larose. Thomas Foster. Duncan Mackenzie. William H. Daniel. Thomas Atchison. Samuel B. Osborne. James Millar. John Brown. James G. Cooper. John P. Quinn. Among other residents in the County who received Fenian Eaid medals for service in other corps than the 32nd Battalion are : Thomas Dixon, H. P. O'Connor (deceased), David Traill, John Henderson, W. A. McLean (deceased), W. A. Green (deceased), and Norman Eobertson. The following list contains the names of all members of the 32nd Eegiment who have been awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces officers' Decoration or Long Service Medal respectively, and whose decorations or medals have been engraved " 32nd Eeg't. " There are, probably, others who have been awarded the distinction, who counted time served in the 32nd Eegiment towards the necessary qualifying of twenty years, but whose last service was performed in some other corps. c. A. F. OFFICERS' DECORATION. Lieut.-Colonel J. H. Scott. Surgeon-Major De W. H. Martyn. P. M. and Hon.-Major J. Henderson. Captain J. Douglas. Lieut. C. A. Eichards. C. A. F. LONG SERVICE MEDAL. P. M. and Hon.-Major A. B. Klein. Q. M. and Hon.-Major D. Eobertson. Captain T. Mitchell. Q. M. Sergeant J. A. Hogg. Bandmaster D. Fisher. Sergeant C. Hurford. Sergeant H. D. Wettlaufer. Private D. Bell. 550 APPENDIX T APPENDIX T. LIST OF DEBENTURE ISSUED AT VARIOUS TIMES BY THE COUNTY OF BRUCE Date of Issue. Object of Debentures Issued. Amount. 1859 Feb. 1. Relief 1st issue $17,200 1859 June 2. Relief 2nd issue 16,800 Total for relief of destitution 1859 July 19. County buildings 1st issue $24,000 1866 June 28. County buildings 2nd issue 20,000 Total for county buildings 1865 Oct. 5. Gravel roads 1st issue $220,000 1867 Dec. 2. Gravel roads 2nd issue 20,000 1868 June 27. Gravel roads 3rd issue 20,000 1869 June 8. Gravel roads 4th issue 20,000 Total for gravel roads 1869 Dec. 7. Bonus to Wellington, Grey & Bruce Railway .... 1872 Jan. 10. Bonus to Southern Extension Railway 1 1885 Jan. 11. To meet debentures maturing . . 1898 Oct. 17. To erect and furnish House of Refuge 1905 Oct. 1 1. To rebuild McCalder's bi-idge Total. $34,000 $44,000 $280,000 $250,000 51,000 20,000 20,000 10,000 $709,000 1 These debentures were only guaranteed by the county, beinsf paid by a sectional levy on the municipalities of Huron and Kincardine townships and Lucknow and Tiverton villages. APPENDIX U 551 APPENDIX U. COUNTY COUNCIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY OF BEUCE. EEPOET OF COMMISSIONEES. To His Honor the Lieutenant Governor in Council : We the undersigned Commissioners appointed under ' ' The County Council Act, 1896," by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, to divide the County of Bruce into County Council Divisions, report that having duly heard and considered all the evidence adduced before us, and having had due regard to the provisions of the said Act, we have divided the said County into nine County Council Divisions for the purposes of the said Act, as follows : 1. The First County Council Division to consist of the Townships of Albemarle, Eastnor, Lindsay, Bury St. Edmunds, and polling sub-division number five of the township of Amabel and the town of Wiarton. 2. The Second Division to consist of the Township of Amabel, except polling sub-division number five, the Township of Arran and the Village of Tara. 3. The Third Division to consist of the Township of Elderslie, polling sub-division number five of the Township of Greenock, and the Villages of Chesley and Paisley. 4. The Fourth Division to consist of the Township of Brant and the Town of Walkerton. 5. The Fifth Division to consist of the Townships of Carrick and polling sub-division number six of the Township of Culross. . 6. The Sixth Division to consist of the Township of Culross, except polling sub-division number six, and the Township of Greenock, except polling sub-division number five, and of the village of Teeswater. 7. The Seventh Division to consist of the Townships of Huron and Kinloss and the Village of Lucknow. 8. The Eighth Division to consist of the Town of Kincardine, the Town- ship of Kincardine and the Village of Tiverton. 9. The Ninth Division to consist of the Townships of Bruce and Saugeen and the Villages of Port Elgin and Southampton. All of which is respectfully submitted. Dated at the Town of Walkerton, in the said County of Bruce, the first day of July, A.D. 1896. S. J. JONES, JOHN CEEASOE, Commissioners. 552 APPENDIX V APPENDIX V. COPY OF THE ADVEKTISEMENT OF THE LAND SALE AT OWEN SOUND, SEPTEMBER 2ND, 1856. INDIAN LANDS SALE AT OWEN SOUND. At Sydenham (Owen Sound), on Tuesday, the 2nd September next, and following days, at 10 o 'clock a.m., will be sold at public auction about 144,800 acres of Wild Land, consisting of the Townships of Keppel and Amabel, and the Town Plot of Southampton on the North side of the Saugeen River, being composed of the Southerly portion of the Saugeen Peninsula, adjoining the Townships of Arran and Derby. The farm lands wil be put up to sale in lots or parcels of nearly 100 acres without any conditions of settlement duty excepting those fronting on the line of road laid out from Sydenham to the Fishing Islands, and the new line of road from Sydenham to Saugeeii on these the Department will impose a condition that the purchaser shall, within one year after the date of purchase, cut and remove all the Timber from the centre of the road to the depth of ninety feet. The valuable property within the Township of Amabel known as the Falls or Mill Privilege, situated on the River Au Sable, comprising an area of 1,100 acres, will be sold in one block. The Town and Park Lots in Saugeen will also be put up to sale at the same time. The terms will be one-third of the whole purchase price in cash at the time of sale, and the balance to be paid in six equal annual instalments, with interest at 6 per cent, per annum. The Department reserves to itself the power to attach to any lot, at the time of sale, the obligation on the part of the purchaser to pay for any improvements which may have been made on such lot by squatters. The fact that such improvements had been made before the date of this advertisement must be proved to the satisfaction of the Department before the 15th August next. An Agent or person to conduct the sale will be in attendance at Owen Sound from and after the 20th August for the purpose of affording to intend- ing purchasers such information as may be required. R. T. PENNEFATHEB, Superintendent General. Indian Department, Toronto, 18th July, 1856. INDEX. Adair, survey town plot, 234. Adair, Thomas, takes up land in Brant, 32, 35, 111, 293, 513. Albemarle: Surveys, 16, 74; first set- tlers, 237 ; reeves, 238 ; Albemarle vs. Eastnor, 239 . Allen, James, 209. Allenford, 215, 538. Alma, survey, 16, 423. Amabel: Survey, 16, 74; first set- tlers, 209; early settlers, 211; first council , 213 ; list of reeves, 213 ; railway bonus, 214; first school, 215. Anderson, O. G., 299. Anderson, Thomas G., 8. Andrews, Albert, 173. Armow, 538. Arran: Survey, 16, 50, 265; pioneer settlers, 265, 266, 268, 269; Arran vs. Amabel, 271. Ashery, pot and pearl, 78, 275, 328. Backwoods characteristics, 76. Bacon, Joseph, 281. Baird, Robert, 465, 546. Balaclava, 339, 538. Banks, private, 139. Barker, C. R. : Settles in Huron, 30 ; Clerk of Council, 42; Division Court, 72. Barrett, William, Judge, 133. Battle of Saugeen, 3. Belcher, Lt.-Col. A. E., 152, 180, 512. Bellemore, Louis, 30, 417. Berford, Richard, 266, 270, 274. Bervie, 436. " Big " Land Sale, The, 67, 320, 347, 536. Biggar, J. W. S., 134, 190, 192. " Black Horse," The, 469, 472. Blair, William, 30, 422. Blake, Hon. Edward, 106, 114, 117, 119, 123, 135. Bland, L. T., 151, 157, 158, 546. Blue Springs, 292. Bonnar, Dr. H. A., 135, 137, 377. Bonus, first municipal, 62. Boulton, Edward E., 36, 212, 402. Bowes, William, 412. Bowman & Zinkan, 519. 20 553 Bowman, M.P., C. M., 148, 154, 157, 516. Boyd, Lt.-Col. B. B., 192. Bradley, Dr. Thomas, 546. Bradley, William, 412. Brant: Survey, 15, 48, 293; early settlers, 34, 281, 283; "Proudfoot's block " road, 283 ; map of, with Malcolm McLean, 285; reeves, 286; municipal officers, 286; first church-, 287 ; Brant vs. Walkerton, 290 ; board of health, 291. Bricker, D. O., 501. Brill, S. R., 360. Brocklebank, James, 285, 546. Brough, A. P., 13, 48, 50. Brown, Henry, 111, 365, 412. Bruce, County of: First settlers, 26; its birthday, 39; united to Huron and Perth, 39; annexed to Ash- field, 41; first reeves, 42; first council, 42; first assessments, 41, 538; first assessors, 43; first col- lectors, 43 ; first levy, 43 ; union of townships dissolved, 45, 532; separates from Huron, 102; provis- ional County Council formed, 46, 81; proposition to divide county, 83, 94, 95; See "County Council." Bruce, John, 92, 309, 312, 546. Bnice, Old Boys' Reunion, 149. Bruce, Pioneers' Society, 152. Bruce, Port : Survey, 323 ; fire at, 96, 324. Bruce, Township of: Surveys, 16, 50, 314; first settlers, 317; becomes a municipality, 321; reeves, 321; drainage, 326. Bruce, W. C., County Clerk, 82, 187. Bryan, James, 546. Bull, William, 209. "Buck's" Bridge, 34. " Buck's " Crossing, 34. Bush road, specifications for, 49. Butchart, George, 321, 323, 490, 496, 497, 508. Cameron, Allen: Settles at Kincar- dine, 26, 47, 55, 430; seeks a seat at County Council, 40. Campbell, Alexander, I.P.S., 168. 554 INDEX Campbell gang, 89. Campbell, J. B., 151. Campbell, J. E., 151, 157. Cannon, Benjamin, 546. Capital punishment, only case in county, 108. Cargill, Henry, 136, 137, 141', 15.1 ; buys lands, 406; mills, 407; char- acteristics, 407. Cargill,. Village of, 290, 4X)7, 538. Carlsruhe, Village of, 342. Carrick: purveys, 16, 58, 335; pioneers, "336; other, settlers, 337; first Township '/.'Council, 338; . reeves, 338. as : ka.nette, Jcjlin, ?6; 402. fca^rayT James D:,,:491, 493. eaiterjitlarH^'j^Qi-est-t^ht, 148. , ^lsti* roUirns, .tabulated, 637. , . Chantry Island Lighthouse, 514. Chartrand, Joseph C., 36', 462, 408. Chepstow, 409. Chesley._ Town of : ' Founders of, 374 ; "survey 'of ' 375; railway reaches,. ,377; ' incorporated, '377; ..jreeyes;" v ' '377; debentures, 378; 'scho'ol, '378 ;; 'churches, 379 ; Enter- ?iHse;"'38l ; industries, 381 ; "Big :' ; iW' .M. "' ^juldren's Aid Society,- 147. 'fa&bim,' W. I'., Ititf. Clapp, r >r; K. :, 154, '157. 'CM, M.P.P., Lt.-Cpl. Hugh, 154, "M7:T&2^a8r^5. -, Wai-H. William,: ,403; '404, 't'lea'lung grain, 42 1 . fclement, Adam, 3,5: ' .. ('Miie-n't; R. R, 298. . Clende.iiing, W. S.', 166. Collins',' -William, 303. ".' qolweliy'Saniuei,' 431, T'ommercial Bank ' failure, 106. v^v/n.t, ~rT' George, 3.761 Qoppw, J. i Jackson, George, C. L. Agent of Free Grants, 32, 33, 48, 61, 53}. ...,.', Jane Miller, The, loss of steameE, 232. Jardine, George, 178, 180, 297 ; death of, 372. Jasper, Thomas, tragic death of, 36. Jermyn, D. M., 148, 154, 546. Johnston, William ("King"), 32, 34, 35. 556 INDEX Johnston, W. S., 546. Kennedy, A. H. R., 497. Kennedy, Captain William, 27, 490. Kennedy, David, 490. Kennedy, J. C., 497, 499. Keys, Cowan, 64, 421, 436. Keys, James, 417. Keyworth, John, 447. Kincardine, Town of: Surveyor's de- scription, 439 seq. ; surveys, 15 ; incorporated, 84, 458, 459 ; first set- tlers, 442; changed appearance, 443, 448; first merchants, 443; Harbor Street, 448, harbor by-law, 44; harbor, 460; first work at har- bor, 74; first bridge, 449; early merchants, 450; public schools, 451; grammar school, 451; high school, 452; Methodist Church, 58, 452 ; Presbyterian, 453 seq.; Knox Church Literary Society, 458; Church of England, 455; Baptist Church, 455; water works, 459; electric light, 459; grain buyers, 461; salt works, 106, 462; fisher- men, 463; industries, 464; news- papers, 465. Kincardine, Township of: Surveys, 15, 48, 429; settlers in, 26,, 29; senior township in county, 430; first settlers, 430; roads opened, 433 ; Lake Shore Road, 434 ; reeves, 435 ; " Egypt," 437 ; schools, 438. Kingsmill, Judge, 105. Kinloss: Surveys, 11, 16, 58, 469; roads, 470, 476 ; first settlers, 469 ; settlers, 48; early settlers, 470; contractors on Durham Road, 470; railway bonus, 473; Presbyterian Church, 474, 481. Kinlough, 473. Klein, A. B., Judge, 133, 134. Kribs, Rev. Ludwick, 94, 238, 516. Lake Huron, early navigation of, 55, 56 Lambert, D. McG., 514 ; W. McG., 514. Lamont, Joseph L., 34. Land sale at Owen Sound, 74, 552. Land sale, The " Big," 67, 536. Lands, arrears of payment insisted on, 94, 108. Lands, condition of settlement, Free Grants, 33, 529, 531 ; Crown lands, 536; Indian lands, 198, 552. Lands, Crown and school, reduced in price, 63, 539 seq. ; opened for sale, 534, 535, 536. Land Improvement Fund, 94, 110, 539 seq., 541. Langdon, R. V., 166. Lee, Thomas, 58, 510. Lehnen, J. J., 498. Lennox, James, 221. Lewis Settlement : 63, 418 seq.; names of settlers, 419. Libraries, Public, 175. Lighthouses, 88, 248, 260, 423, 514. Lindsay, Township of : Surveys, 16, 74 ; first settlers, 251 ; pioneers, 253 ; first school, 251 ; as a municipality, 252 ; reeves, 253 ; lumbering in, 253 ; mining for silver, 254. Linton, J. W., 179, 266. Lions' Head : In 1875, 246 ; steamers to, 244 ; churches, 247. Lucknow, Village of : Survey, 476 ; mills, 475, 476 ; first merchants, 476 ; railway opened, 476 ; in- corporation, 477 seq. ; reeves, 479 ; village officers, 479 ; town hall, 479 ; Sentinel, 482 ; deben- tures, 480 ; waterworks, 480 ; school, 480 ; Caledonia Society, 483 ; games, 484 seq. Lurgan, 423. Lymburner, Hiram, 253. Lyons, David, 365. McCalder's Bridge, 157. McCharles, John, 546. McCool, John, 166. McDonald, Alex., 252. McDonald, John, 368. McDonald, John S., 139, 148, 421, 546. McDonald, William, 158, 381, 546. McDougald, Brothers, 432. McGregor, Richard, 320, 321. Mclnnes, Norman, 328. Mclnnes, P. & N., 78, 450. Mclntyre, Arch., 349. Mclver, John, 240, 528. McKay, J. G., 322. McKay, Rev. Adam, 357, 359, 474. McKechnie, Donald, 138, 371. McKenzie, P. H., 157. McNabb, Alex., C. L. Agent, 51, 58, 493, 509, 511, 516, 533, 534, 539. McLaren, Dr, P., 392, 397. McLay, John, 99, 124, 423, 465 ; registrar, 105 ; dismissed, 125. McLean, Andrew, 352. McLean, "Loch Buie," 60, 490, 496. McLean, Malcolm. 44, 180, 285, 297, 304, 347. McLellan, Abraham, 158. McLennan, Finlay, 31, 417. INDEX 557 McLennan, Murdock, 432. McLeod, Captain Murdoch, 51, 56, 430, 432. McNabb, J. M., 51, 142, 216, 239. McNabb, Rev. John, 474, 481. McNally, Henry, 285. McNaughton, D., 138. McNeill, Alex., 128, 135, 137, 141, 151, 205. McQueen, Thomas, 69, 521. McRae Alexander, 31, 417. McRae, Duncan, 31. McRae, Malcolm, 417. McTavish, Peter : Teacher, 326 ; some of his scholars, 326. MacCrimmon, Dr. D. A., 165, 480, 482, 483, 484. MacGregor, Captain Alex. : At Fish- ing Islands, 21 ; harbor, 24. MacGregor, Captain A. Murray, 23, 26, 55, 323. MacKendrick, David, 435, 445. MacKendrick, Geo. R., 459. Mackintosh, William, 270, 273, 546. Macklem, William, oatmeal mill, 448. MacLennan, Malcolm, 81, 424, 451. MacLennan, Rev. F. A., 474. MacPherson, Malcolm, 435, 447. MacPherson, James A., 459, 466. MacPherson, Sir D. L., 100, 106, 201. Main Station Island, Ruins at, 22. Malcolm, Andrew, 148, 157, 458. Malcolm, Village of, 290. Malta : Survey, 323 ; fire, 96, 324. Martin, Murdoch L., 319. Martyn, Angus, 418. Martyn, Dr. De W. H., 191, 451, 459, 549. Megraw, Ainsley, 383. Megraw, John, 385, 402. Messner, F. X., 340, 343. Mickles, 406. Mildmay, Village of, 339. Militia Act of 1855 : Six Battalions in Bruce, 178. Millar, William, 430, 456. Miller, B. B., 153, 221. Miller, Elijah, 29. Mills : Hand, 60 ; first saw mill, 26 ; first grist, 62 ; public meet- ing to bonus, 61. Missionaries to Indians, 20. Moffatt, D.D., Rev. R. C., 166, 288, 307. Moore, David, 298. Moore R. E., 153. Moore, W. J., Bequests of, 148, 155. Moscow, 352. Muir, James, 499. Municipal government, early forms of, 40. Municipal Loan Fund, 44, 116. Munn, Alexander, 368. Murray, Hugh, 322. Murray, Rev. Dr. J. L., 454, 466. Murray, R. H., 149, 214. Neelands, Abraham, 272. Niagara Fishing Co., 22. Normanton, 498, 539. Noxon, Saylor & Co., 298. O'Connor, F. S.: Sheriff, 138} death, 153. O'Connor, H. P., 128, 129, 134, 137, 549. Oliphant, Laurence, 6. Oliphant, Village of, 215. Orchard, Simon, 53, 59, 362, 383, 384. "Our Own Broad Lake," 522. Paisley, Village of : First death, 385 ; survey, 386 ; school, 388 seq. ; scholars and teachers, 388 seq. railway opened, 391 ; incor- poration, 392 ; reeves, 392 ; officers, 392 ; debentures, 392 ; waterworks, 392 ; St. Andrew's Church, 393 ; Knox Church, 394 ; other churches, 395 ; bridges, 396 ; Advocate, 397 ; banks, 397. Parke, C. V. : Sheriff, 153, 228. Patrons of Industry, 139. Paul, Boyer, 471. Pearce, Thomas, 371. Penetangore, meaning of, 439. Peninsula : Railway proposed in, 151 ; Indians surrender, 194 ; Charles Rankin displeased at not having to conduct sales, 194 ; first sale of lands postponed, 194 ; sale September, 1856, 195 ; conditions of sale, 197 ; settler's grievances, 199 ; timber dues, 200 ; licenses cancelled, 201 ; roads, 202 ; dis- tress in, 203 : telegraph line, 204. Perry, S. W., 173. Phelan. John, 409. Pichg, Pierre, 18. Pierson, John, 546. Pigeons, wild, 79. Pine Point, 423. Pine River, 422. 539. Pinkerton, David, 405. Pinkerton, Village of, selected as county town, 98, 408. Pioneer, a backwoods, 24. Pioneers gathered : Port Elgin, 149 ; Walkerton. 152. 558 INDEX Pioneers : Of Elderslie, 54 ; Huron, 30, 31 ; Brant, 34, 36. Police Magistrate, 134. Porter, David, 137. Port Bruce : Survey, 323 ; fire at, 90s 324. Port Elgin, Village of : Survey 2 497 ; industries, 499, 504 ; Times, 500 ; incorporated, 501 ; reeves, 501 ; banks, 502 ; .town hall, 502 ; har- bor, 502 ; debentures, 503 ; spui; line, 504 ; development, 520 ; schools, 505 ; Presbyterians, 505. Port. Head, Survey, 435. Post Offices, first, 57, 64.. Potts, H. T., 136, 141, 151, 273, 546. Powell, F. C., 451. Prohibition plebiscite, 139, 547. Provincial surplus distribution, 116. Purves, Robert, 470, 546. Purvis, John, 471, 546. Queen's Bush, 10 ; government de- cides to open it up, 11. Railways : Struggle for bonus, 107 seq.; 'granted W. G. & B. Railway, 109 ; Southern Extension, 113 ; completed to Southampton, 115 ; completed to Kincardine, 117 ; completed to Teeswater, 118 ; nar- . row gauge T. G. & B. Railway, 348, 351, 355 ; London H. & B., 120 ; completed to Wiarton, 225, 226. Rankin, Charles (see "Surveyors"), 194. Rastall, William : Fur trader, 19 ; sketch- of, 444 ; reeve, 435, 458. Rattlesnake, incident of, 254. Reekie, Mrs. John, 56. Reekie, William, 437. Reekie's Mills, 437. Referendum vote, 154. Reid, James, 347, 358. Reid, Peter, 472. Riach, John, 443. Ripley : Post Office, 424 ; village, 425' ; Knox Church, 426 ; Huron congregation, 426. Ritchie, John B., 55, 64, 403, 404, 405, 533. Riversdale, 408. Road, Durham and Southampton, 52. Road, Durham : Contracts to open, 49, 52, 71 ; assumed by county, 103, 120. Road, Eldra, 65, 70, 71, 369. Road, Owen Sound, 58. Roads : Colonization, 64, 71, 90, 111 ; Saugeen and Goderich, 90. Roads, good, 71, 153. Roads, gravel, 84, 95, 102, 110. Roads in Peninsula, 202. Robb, A. W., 154, 379, 381, 546. Robertson, David, 304, 549. , Robertson, Norman, 134, 152, 549. Robertson, Peter, 450. Roether, Samuel, 137. Ross, D. W., 105, 119. Ross, Paul, 304, 352. Rowan, Capt. Duncan, 29, 55, 74, 430, 436. Rowand, James, 129, 136, 137, 491. Rowe, Samuel T., 5.3, 362, 367, 383, . 384. Roy, Archibald 268, 270, 498, 533. Sacramental services, 359, 456 seq. t 474. Salt wells, 106. Sang, sr., Charles, 268. Saucy Jack, loss of, 509. Saugeen, County of, 94. Saugeen River, navigation of, 491, 499, 53. Saugeen, Township of : Surveys, 16, 50, 489 ; first settlers, 490, 491, 492 ; reeves, 493 ; officers, 493 ; roads, 494 ; bridges, 495. Saugeen Valley Railway, 124. Sawyer, David, 21. Schools : First in county, 58, 159 ; statistics, 167, 175 ; local superin- tendents, 161, 165 ; inspectors pub- lic schools, 166 ; humor in, 170 ; model, 172 ; grammar, 172 ; high, 173. Scott Act, 129, 136. Scott, D.D., Rev. John, 326, 357, 360. Scott, J. H., 128, 135, 192, 546, 549. Scott, Dr. W T . S., 515. Scott, William, 546. Seeber, Ernest, 342. Settlers, characteristics of early, 75. Shantz, Ben, 62, 496, 498. Shaw, Alexander, 105, 123, 137, 148, 201 ;. captain of volunteers, 181. Shaw, W. M., 155, 300. Shelton, William and John, 48, 469, 472. Sheniian, John, 64, 297, 339, 347, 402, 405. Shipwreck, almost, of the ministry, 91. Shouldice, James, 546. Sinclair, Archibald, 318, 321, 430. Sinclair, Donald : Appointed regis- trar, 125 ; biographical sketch of, 125. Sleighs, settlers', 60. Smith, David, 281. Smith, Peter, 14, 490, 491. 559 Somerville, James, 475. Southampton, Town of : Surveys, 7, 16, 508 ; first settlers, 27, 508, ' 509 ; as it was in 1852, 510 ; in- corporated, 84, 511 ; town hall, 512 ; harbor, 513 ; school, 515 ; Presbyterian Church, 516 ; Meth- odist Church, 515 ; Church of Eng- < land, 517 ; Newspapers,- 518 ; in- dustries, 518, 519 ; fishermen, 519 ; development, why delayed, 520 ; bridges, 521 ; big fire, 519 ; be- comes a town, 512. Spence, Captain John, 27, 56, 490, 508. Sproat, Alex : Mayor of Walkerton, 304 ; as lieut.-colohel, 186, 190, 192 ; county treasurer, 100, 117, 135 ; banker, 511 ; as M.P., 105, 112, 311. " Starvation Year," 85 seq., 494, 545. Stauffer, J. Eli, 48, 467, 470, 472, 475. Steinmiller & Son, Jacob, 342. Stewart, Dr. J. M., 154, 377. Stoney Island, 435 ; great storm wrecks storehouses, 436. Stringer, Rt. Rev. I. O., Bishop of Selkirk, 438. St. Edmunds, Township of : Surveys, 16, 74 ; first settlers, 256 ; lumber- ing, 259 ; first school, 259 ; a sep- arate municipality, 259. Surveys : Amabel, 16, 74 ; Albe- marle, 16, 74 ; Arran, 16, 50 ; Brant, 15, 48 ; Bruce, 16, 50 ; Car- rick, 16, 58, 336 ; Culross, 16, 58 ; Eastnor, 16, 74 ; Elderslie, 16, 50 ; Greenock, 16, 58 ; Huron, 11, 16, 50 ; Kincardine, 15, 48 ; Kinloss, 11, 16, 58 ; Lindsay, 16, 74 ; Sau- geen, 16, 50 ; St. Edmunds, 16, 74 ; Half Mile Strip, 12 ; Fishing Islands, 16 ; Durham Road, 13 ; Elora Road, 15, 48, 335 ; geological, 20 ; by A. Wilkinson, 11 ; by A. P. Brough, 13, 18, 50, 335 ; by Charles Rankin, 7, 12, 50 ; Adair, 234 ; Alma, 423 ; Chesley, 375, 382 ; Inverhuron, 322 ; Invermay, 271, 272 ; Kincardine (town), 15, 445 ; Lucknow, 475, 476 ; Malta, 323 ; Oliphant, 215 ; Paisley, 16 ; Port Bruce, 323 ; Port Elgin, 497 ; Port Head, 435 ; Riversdale, 408 ; Stokes Bay, 248 ; Southampton, 7, 16 ; Tara, 275 ; Teeswater, 354 ; Tiverton, 331, 332 ; Walkerton, 301, 132 ; Wiarton, 16. Sutton, William : First mill, 62 ; sheriff, 105 ; dismissed, 138 ; sur- veys; 445 ; biographical sketch, 446 ; grist mill/ ,440. Tara, Village of : As Eblana, 276 ; .surveys, 2.75; becomes incorpor- ated, 125, 276 ; churches, 276 ; Leader, 277. .Teeswater River, 14 ; to deepen, 352. Teeswater, Village of : Postoffice, 348 ; surveyed, 354 ; jearjiest set- tlers, 354 ; incorporated, 355 ; . debentures,. 356 ; schools, 356 ; churches, 357 ; News, 361. Thomson W. R., 360. Timber dues, 200 ; licenses, cancelled, 201. Tiverton, Village of : Baptist Church, * 329, 330 ; Presbyterian Church, 329 ; incorporated, 330 ; reeves, 331 ; first settlers, 331, S32 ; sur- vey, 331. Tolmie, John, 139, 141, 158. Tolton, James, 15, 141, 546. Traill, David, 549. Treaties, Indian, 3, 5, 6, 69, 525, 527. Truax, R. E., 136, 137, 139, 148, 154, 157, 300, 411. Underwood, Village of, 324. Urquhart, John, mail carrier, 318, 498. Valentine, John, 45, 62, 91, 179, 297, 385, 386, 387, 402 ; sketch of, 404, 405, 546. Valuation of the county, 123, 136, 151. Vanstone, Richard, 134. Volunteers : X. W. Rebellion, ordered out, 132 ; first company, 180 ; other companies, 179, 181 ; at Goderich, 184 ; 32nd Battalion formed, 186 ; colors presented, 187 ; General Luard reports, 189 ; commanding officers of 32nd, 192 ; Red River Expedition, 188 ; Fenian Raid, 1866, 183 ; recipients of medals, 548 ; county grants, 185, 189. Walden, David, 30, 417. Walker, Francis (Paddy), elected reeve, 43, 52, 445. Walker, Joseph, 294 ; erects dam and saw mill, 297 ; grist mill, 298. Walkerton, Town of : Becomes a town, 114, 302 ; first settlers, 294 ; first survey, 301 ; post-office called Brant, 297 ; first store, 297 ; in- dustries, 299 ; binder twine com- 560 INDEX pany, 301 ; fight for county town 302 ; incorporated as a town, 302 schools, 302, 303 ; mayors of, 304 town hall, 304 ; churches, 305 press, 307 ; as a grain market 308 ; railway opened, 308 j the "big fire," 310 ; town hall, 311 ; the Bend Park, 311 ; Board of Trade, 312 ; curlers, 312. Wallace, Alexander, 491. Wallace, County of, 83, 95. Wallace, James, lost in the woods, 282. Wardens of the county, list of, 546. Waterwitch, steamer, 218, 396. Watt, Robert, 245, 546. Weir, Lieut.-Col. A., 192. Wells, R. M., 128, 136. Welsh, Thomas, 421. Welsh, William, 421. Wheat yield per acre, 348. White, Joseph M., 147. Wiarton, Town of : First settler, 221 ; early settlers, 222 ; post office opened, 222 ; incorporated, 125, 223 ; first council, 224 ; indebted- ness at start of, 224 ; railway reaches there, 225 ; wharf, 226 ; custom port, 226 ; waterworks, 226 ; newspapers, 227 ; banks, 227 ; high school, 228 ; reeves, 228 ; mayors, 228 ; town hall, 228 ; becomes a town, 228 ; beet -sugar company, 229 ; the Spirit Rock, 231. Williamsburg, survey, 445. Winter of 1851-52, 58, 384. Withers, William : First settler, 26, 55 ; erects saw mill, 26, 55, 430, 431. Wolves, 96, 350, 366. University of California Library Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. * Phone RlenewaSs 310/825-S188 UCLA YRL/lLL . L .'. B . R * RY FACILITY A iiiiiiil F 1059 B95R6