YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ACQUIRED BY EXCHANGE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON ¦"-t-y.-C-j THE COUNTY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON. HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON BY WALTER S. HERRINGTON, K.C, AUTHOR OF " HEROINES OF CANADIAN HISTORY," " MARTYRS OF NEW FRANCE," "THE EVOLUTION OF THE PRAIRIE PROVINCES." ILLUSTRATED WITH EIGHTY-THREE HALF-TONES, TAKEN FROM DAGUERREOTYPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS TORONTO THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA, LIMITED 1913 COPYRIGHT, CANADA, 1913, BY W. S. HERRINGTON, K.C. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE L When the County was a Wilderness i IL The Coming of the Loyalists 17 III. The Settling of the Loyalists 36 IV. The Development of Municipal Government... 54 V. Tradesmen, Products and Prices 73 VI. The County Schools 97 VII. Adoephustown 135 Vlll. Ernesttown and Bath 152 IX. Fredericksburgh 182 X. Amherst Island 189 XI. Richmond 203 XII. T'ee Beginning of Napanee 208 XIII. The Growth of Napanef . '. 221 XIV. Reminiscences of Napanee 234 XV. Diversions and Recreations of Napanee 248 XVI. Banks and Banking 255 XVII. Napanee Churches 262 XVIII. Napanee Newspapers 270 XIX. Camden and Newburgh 283 XX. Sheffield and the Northern Townships 326 XXI. Biographical Sketches 348 Index 421 [v] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS page The County of Lennox and Addington Frontispiece ¦Specimens of Indian Relics from the Collection of Walter Clark i The Lennox Arms 17 The Addington Arms 17 A Commission from Sir Isaac Brock 32 Mills on the Appanee River, from the Drawing by Mrs. Simcoe, 1795 33 The Macpherson Mill at Napanee 33 Minutes of the First To-wn Meeting of Adolphusto-wn 48 Hay Bay Methodist Church, Built 1792 48 Dominion Hotel, Odessa 97 Logging on the Napanee River 97 Pioneer Log School House 112 Continuation School, Tamworth 112 The Langhorn Residence, Bath 129 The Finkle Tavern, Bath 129 Rev. William Case 144 Rev. Robert Corson 144 The S-witzerville Chapel, Built 1826 144 The U. E. L. Monument, Adolphustown 149 St. Paul's Church, Adolphusto-wn 149 The Fairfield Residence, Bath 156 St. John's Church, Bath 156 Napanee in 1874 193 Covered Bridge, Napanee, 1840-1909 208 G.T.R. Bridge, Napanee, Built 1855 208 Alexander Campbell Residence, Napanee 209 [vii] vin LIST of illustrations page The Old Red Tavern, Napanee 209 Archibald McNeil Residence, Clarkville 224 Allan Macpherson Residence, Napanee 224 David Roblin 229 Benjamin C. Davy 229 John Herring 229 John Gibbard 229 Allan Macpherson 236 George H. Detlor 236 Alexander Campbell 236 William Grange .,^. . . 236 Sir John A. Macdonald at Napanee, 1877 241 Napanee Snow-Shoe Club, 1885 241 The First Registry Office of Lennox and Addington, Millhaven 256 Promissory Notes, Free Holders Bank 256 Rev. Saltern Givens 261 Rev. Dr. Bernard Lauder 261 St. Mary Magdalene Church, Napanee, 1840-1872 261 Rev. Paul Shirley 268 Rev. Cyrus R. Allison 268 Rev. Father Browne 268 Rev. John Scott 268 Lennox and Addington Newspapers 273 The Academy, Newburgh 288 The Academy, Napanee 288 Samuel Clark 309 Calvin Wheeler 309 Dr. James Allen 309 Ebenezer Perry 309 Hon. John Stevenson 316 Augustus Hooper 316 Sidney Warner 316 John D. Ham 316 John Solomon Cartwright 321 Marshall Spring Bidwell 321 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IX PAGE Peter Perry 321 Samuel Casey 321 Sir John A. Macdonald 336 Sir Joh-n A. Macdonald 336 Sir Richard Cartwright 336 James N. Lapum 336 William H. Wilkison 353 Daniel Fowler 353 Captain Thomas Dorland 353 Robert Phillips 353 Sir Gilbert Parker, K.C.M.G 368 Hon. Sir Allen Aylesworth, K.C.M.G 368 Charles Canniff James, C.M.G 368 Matthew Joseph Butler, C.M.G 368 Officers and Trophy Team, Napanee Curling Club, 1902 369 County Council of 1908 and others 384 Silver Leaf Baseball Club, 1874-1878 385 Napanee Cricket Club at Syracuse, 1886 400 Napanee Bicycle Club, 1886 404 The Staff, The Napanee Standard, 1878 404 Members of the Board of Education, Napanee, 1890-1893. . . . 413 Napanee Collegiate Institute Football Team, 1905 417 PREFACE Had I not consented to undertake the task of writing a history of Lennox and Addington, before I began to look about me for material, T would probably not have given that consent quite so readily. Those only who have attempted a work of this character can appreciate the difficulties that lie in the way of the amateur historian. Many hours of fruitless research may often be spent in an effort to fix a date or to ascertain a name, and very frequently what appears to be reliable author ity may upon closer examination be found to be far astray in the inform ation so confidently communicated. All the depositories appeared to be empty, many of the old residents had recently departed this life, and such records as could be found were very incomplete. Old minute books which had served their original purpose have been destroyed or are still concealed among the rubbish of some unknown attic. If municipal clerks and secretaries of public bodies had only been taught to preserve all the books and documents appertaining to their office the work of the historian would be greatly lightened. Yet with the assistance of many willing helpers I have endeavoured to unearth all the available data that I considered within the scope of my inquiry. To Mr. Clarence M. Warner, President of the Lennox and Adding ton Historical Society, I desire especially to acknowledge my gratitude for his never failing courtesy in placing at my disposal his own well selected library and the files of the Society. He has directed my atten tion to many items that otherwise would have escaped my notice. I received many valuable suggestions from Prof. W. L. Grant of Queen's University. I am also deeply indebted to the gentlemen whose papers are reproduced in this volume, namely : Mr. E. R. Checkley, Geo. Anson Aylesworth, Paul Stein, and J. P. Lochhead. The following have also cheerfully rendered all the assistance in their power: — Robert Cox, A. C. Warner, C. R. Jones, P. F. Carscallen, P. W. Dafoe, Daniel Davern, Dr. H. S. Northmore, Ira Hudgins, Jno. A. Timmerman, T. S. Henry, Alfred Knight, Jno. M. Wallace, Jno. T. Grange, Abraham E. Loucks, Isaac Lockwood, E. O. Clark, Miss Helen Merrill, James S. Cartwright, K.C, and Rev. James Cumberland. In short, on every hand where I have sought for information I have found an eager ness to help. But for such encouragement I would long ago have felt di.oposed to abandon the undertaking. My thanks are due to the Hon- preface Durable the Minister of Education for his kind permission to use the extracts from the Documentary History of Education in Upper Canada which appear in the chapter upon the early schools. I have also con sulted and obtained much useful information from the following works : — Picturesque Canada, Nothing But Names, Centennial of Canadian Methodism, The Settlement of Upper Canada, The Makers of Canada, the Ontario Bureau of Archives Reports, The Loyalists of America and Their Times, The Medical Profession In Upper Canada, The Emigrants Guide to Upper Canada, the Statutes of Upper Canada, A Compendious History of the Rise and Progress of the Methodist Church, the files of the Napanee Standard and the Napanee Beaver, and many other author ities dealing with the early history of the Province. Doubtless many readers will think that some important events have been but lightly touched upon, and some may venture the criticism that undue prominence has been given to others. In reply to the former I may say that I have endeavoured to make the most of the material at my command, and I -would remind the latter that it is very difficult to measure the importance of preserving some apparently trifling bit of history. Above everything else I have aimed at accuracy, and while many errors may have crept in unobserved, I feel confident that the general statements of facts are upon the whole correct. I have been singularly fortunate in securing photographs of many of the county's most celebrated men. Some of these are copies from daguerreotypes, and others from faded photographs which are not in suitable condition for reproduction ; but I feel that it is better to preserve imperfect likenesses of such men as Samuel Casey and Peter Perry than allow the opportunity to pass and lose all knowledge of their per sonal appearance. W. S. HERRINGTON Napanee, Ont., July ist, 1913. SPECIMENS OF INDIAN RELICS FROM THE COLLECTION OF MR. WALTER CLARK. when the COUNTY WAS A WILDERNESS CHAPTER I WHEN THE COUNTY WAS A WILDERNESS We have no reason to believe that our county was at any time the permanent home of the red man, though from the relics that have been found we know that he frequently roamed over it in his hunting expedi tions and temporarily camped within its limits. We have not been able to find traces of extensive burial places or fortifications such as have been discovered in other localities, where the Indians were known to have resided in large numbers for years at a time. The history of Len nox and Addington is thus a blank until the advent of the white men, and the first European to set foot upon our soil was none other than Champlain himself. In the autumn of 1615 he came down the Trent River with his Huron allies, followed the Bay of Quinte to its mouth, crossed the head of Lake Ontario, and entered the Mohawk Valley to make war upon the Iroquois. Returning from this unsuccessful venture, they wintered somewhere in this district, spending several weeks in a grand deer hunt. The exact route followed by the explorers after re-crossing the lake has been the subject of much controversy. We have advocates ready to uphold the claims of Cataraqui River as being the stream which they ascended, while others just as zealously award the distinction to Hay Bay, Napanee River, and Salmon River. Champlain has told the story himself, and I cannot do better than give his own words as trans lated by Annie Nettleton Bourne. Having concluded the description of their retreat from the country of the Iroquois he continues: "After having crossed the end of the Lake C Ontario) from the Island before mentioned we went up a river about twelve leagues; then they carried their canoes by land half a league, at the end of which we entered a lake some ten or twelve leagues in circumference where there was a great quantity of game, such as swans, white cranes, bustards, wild geese, ducks, teal, thrushes, larks, snipe, geese, and several other kinds of birds too numerous to mention, of which I killed a great number, which stood us in good stead while we waited for some deer to be caught. "From there we went to a certain place ten leagues off, where our savages thought there were a great many of them. Twenty-five savages got together and set about building two or three cabins of logs of wood, laid one upon another and they stopped up the chinks with moss to pre- 2 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON vent the air from coming in, covering them with barks of trees. When this was done they went into the woods near a grove of firs where they made an inclosure in the form of a triangle closed on two sides and open on one. This inclosure was made by a stockade eight or nine feet high and about 1,500 paces long on each side: at the apex of this triangle there was a little yard which grew narrower and narrower, covered in part by branches leaving an opening of only five feet, about the width of an ordinary door, by which the deer were to enter (this yard). They did so well that in less than ten days they had the inclosure ready. Mean while some other savages had gone fishing for such fish as trout and pike of immense size which were all that were needed. When everything was ready they started half an hour before daylight to go into the woods about half a league from their inclosure, separated from each other eighty paces, each having two sticks which they beat together, marching slowly in their order until they came to their inclosure. When the deer hear this noise they flee before them until they reach the inclosure, into which the savages drive them and gradually they come together at the opening of their triangle, where the deer move along the sides of the stockade until they reach the end, towards which the savages pursue them sharply, with bow and arrow in hand, ready to shoot. And when they reach the end of their triangle they begin to shoot and to imitate wolves, which are plentiful and which devour the deer. The deer, hear ing this frightful noise, are obliged to enter the small yard by the narrow opening, whither they are pursued in a very lively fashion by arrow shots, and there they are easily caught; for this yard is so well inclosed and so confined that they cannot get out of it. "There is great sport in such hunting, which they continued every two days so successfully that in thirty-eight days they captured 120 deer, from which they feasted well, reserving the fat for winter, which they use as we do butter, and a little of the flesh which they carry off to their houses to have for feasts with one another, and from the skins they make themselves clothes. There are other devices for catching deer, such as the snare, with which they take the lives of many This is how we passed the time while waiting for it to freeze, so that we might go back more easily, since the country is very marshy. "In the beginning, -when we set out for the hunt, I ^yent off too far into the woods in pursuing a certain bird, which seemed strange to me. It had a beak like that of a parrot and was as big as a hen and was yellow all over except for its head which was red and its wings which were bltie. It made short flights like a partridge. My desire to kill it led me to follow it from tree to tree a very long timei until it flew away. Then losing all hope I wished to return my steps when I found none of WHEN THE COUNTY WAS A WILDERNESS 3 our hunters, who had been constantly gaining upon me until they had reached their inclosure. In trying to catch up with them, going, as it seemed to me, straight to where the inclosure was, I lost my way in the forest — going now one way, now another — without being able to see where I was. As night was coming on I passed it at the foot ot a large tree. "The next day I set out and walked until three o'clock in the after noon, when I found a little stagnant pond and seeing some geese there I killed three or four birds. Tired and worn out I prepared to rest and cook these birds, from which I made a good meal. My repast over, I thought to myself what I ought to do, praying God to aid me in my mis fortune: for during three days there was nothing but rain mingled with snow. "Committing all to His mercy, I took courage more than before, going hither and thither all day without catching a glimpse of any foot print .or trail, except those of wild beasts, of which I generally saw a good number: and so I passed the night without any consolation. At dawn of the next day, after having a scant meal, I resolved to find some brook and follow it, judging that it must needs empty into the river on whose banks our hunters were. This resolution once made I put it through with such success that at noon I found myself on the shores of a small lake about a league and a half long, where I killed some game which helped me very much; and I still had eight or ten charges of powder. Walking along the bank of this lake to see where it discharges, I found a rather large brook, which I followed until five o'clock in the afternoon when I heard a great noise. Listening I could not discover what it was until I heard the noise more distinctly, and then I concluded that it was a waterfall in the river that I was looking for. Going nearer I saw an opening, and when I had reached it, I found myself in a very large, spacious meadow where there were a great many wild animals. And looking on my right, I saw the river wide and big. Wishing to examine this place, and walking in the meadow I found m.yself in a little path where the savages carry their canoes. When I had examined this place well, I recognized that it was the same river, and that I had been that way. Well pleased at this, I supped on the little that I had and lay down for the night. When morning came and I had studied the place where I was, I inferred from certain mountains that are on the border of that river that I was not mistaken and that our hunters must be higher up than I by four or five good leagues, which I covered at my leisure, going along the bank of this river till I caught sight of the smoke of our hunters. I reached this place, greatly to their happiness as well as to my own." 4 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON This brief narration of the experiences of the first white visitor to this district is full of interest. We can form an idea of the abundance of game when we consider that 120 deer were captured within the area embraced by the stockades, which would not be more than 300 or 400 acres at the most. This fact would also indicate that there was no extensive settlement in the neighbourhood. The trail of the portage referred to by Champlain would point to a well defined route probably used in reaching their famous hunting-grounds and lakes teeming with fish. No clue, however, is furnished as to the point where he entered this territory after re-crossing the lake upon their retreat from the Mohawk Valley, although he refers to the "island before mentioned;" for no single island is referred to in the narrative. In describing the trip across the lake on their way to the land of the Iroquois he uses the following language: "When we arrived there we went across the eastern end (of Lake Ontario) which is the entrance to the great River St. Law rence at Latitude Forty-three where there are some beautiful and very large islands." It is not clear therefore which of these large islands he passed upon the return trip. It is reasonable to suppose that the river they ascended after re-crossing the lake was the Cataraqui (Rideau) for there is no other answering the description. It has been urged by some that he regards the bay as a river and that he came up this bay; but this theory will not hold, for no portage of half a league from the shore of the bay would bring them to a lake "ten or twelve leagues in circum ference." The theory that Hay Bay is referred to may also be dismissed for they could not go up Hay Bay "about twelve leagues." The descrip tion of his route also negatives the suggestion made by some writers that he ascended the Napanee or the Salmon River. Thus by a process of elimination and by giving to his words their clear and obvious mean ing, we cannot arrive at any other conclusion than that the river he ascended after crossing the end of the lake was the river at the mouth of which he would find himself, the Cataraqui. Making due allowance for the distances which he gives, and, bearing in mind that the league referred to by him is the equivalent of two and'one-half English miles, let us open our maps and follow him in his wanderings. Going up the Cataraqui, the only lake in any way answering Cham- plain's description is Lake Loughborough, and the leagues would be pretty short ones. As the ultimate destination of the party was Lake Simcoe they would naturally work their way along in a north-westerly direction. The cabins were built upon the banks of a river ten leagues distant. I find great difficulty in fixing any spot upon the Napanee River that can in any way be identified as the location of this encampment. I would WHEN THE COUNTY WAS A WILDERNESS 5 rather suggest the Salmon as the river referred to, and the poiijt where they took up their temporary abode as somewhere between Long Lake and Crotch Lake. I would further suggest that the noise which he concluded was a waterfall was made by the rapids at Tamworth. He does not say there was a waterfall but that he was attracted by a noise which he concluded was a waterfall, and when he approached the place from which the noise came he saw an opening and found himself in a very large spacious meadow, and he saw the river wide and big. After the autumn rains, when the Salmon River would be swollen it would appear "wide and big" above the rapids at Tamworth. He would also recognize it as the same river which he had passed on his way to the site of their encampment above Long Lake. By studying the location, as he did on the following morning, probably from a tree top, he would be able to discern in the distance the "mountains that are on the border of that river" and satisfy himself that the hunters were higher up by "four or five good leagues." In his wanderings about this region, while hunt ing for his companions, he would easily come across several bodies of water corresponding with the "small lake about a league and a half long." I am aware that this theory is not altogether free from objec tions, but I submit that the identifications which I suggest are quite consistent with the narrative, and that in following out his course I have done less violence to the description given by Champlain than will be encountered in the other theories brought under my notice. While it would be satisfactory to be able to point out the exact spot where Champlain and his party built their cabins, it is not probable we will ever be able to do so ; but practically all authorities agree that it was within or at least very near to the present limits of our county. For the fifty years following the expedition of the Hurons into the land of the Iroquois, this section of the country appears to have attracted little, if any, attention. The feud between these fierce tribes continued until the Hurons were almost exterminated and the Jesuit mission among them abandoned. During this period, the Five Nations, forming the allied Iroquois confederation, had confined themselves to the territory south of Lake Ontario except when away upon their trad ing, hunting, or war expeditions. Several years after the dispersal of the Hurons a band of Cayugas had crossed the lake and established a colony on the south side of Prince Edward County. Their village was called Kente and the small body of water upon which it was located was later called Lac de Kente by the French. Historians differ as to the site of this village, some contending that it was upon West Lake, others advancing as good, if not better reasons to prove that it was at Weller's Bay. b HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON These Indians had for many years been more or less accustomed to receive the ministrations of the Catholic Church frora the Jesuit missionaries who had been sent among them, and when established in their new home at Kente they felt the want of the services of the "Black Robes," as they called the priests, and in 1668 sent a deputation to Mon treal to petition the authorities to send a missionary to them. As their application did not at first appear to be favourably received the old chief Rohiaria went himself to Montreal in the month of September to urge the needs of his people, with the result that two Sulpicians, MM. Trouve and Fenelon, volunteered for the service. The great French statesman Jean Baptiste Colbert was at this time the moving spirit in all colonial matters under Louis XIV. He had shown a deep concern for New France and hoped to win the Indians from their savage cus toms by teaching them the French language and thus bringing them in closer touch with civilization, and had given instructions to Governor Courcelles to do all in his power to further this end. The missionary at this time was recognized, not only as the representative of the Church, but was expected to render certain services to the state also, and in more than one crisis proved himself to be a wise and skilful diplomat. The two Sulpicians, therefore, upon receiving the consent of their Superior to engage in the new enterprise, hastened to Quebec, obtained their appointment from Bishop Laval, and their credentials from the civil gov ernment. These were the first official steps taken by the church and state to care for the wants of the inhabitants of the Midland District of Ontario and we have no occasion to be ashamed of the first representa tives set in authority over this territory. Father Fenelon was a young man of noble birth, son of Count Fenelon-Salignac and brother of the great Archbishop of Cambray. We may rightfully boast of the many great men who have lived in the counties bordering on the Bay of Quinte ; but we recall none of better lineage and fairer parts than this modest and pious Sulpician, who freely abandoned a fife of comfort and luxury in France to devote his means and talents to assist in redeeming the pagan Indians of New France. It was a long move from the Court of King Louis to the wilderness of Canada, but he gladly embraced the opportunity and, full of hope and determination, completed his prepara tions for the journey to the new field that opened up for him at the Cayuga village. Everything was in readiness on October 2nd, and the two priests set out from Lachine accompanied by two Cayuga guides. It was a long and tedious paddle and one that most young men not accus tomed to the hardships of pioneer life would seek to escape; but the WHEN THE COUNTY WAS A WILDERNESS 7 Sulpicians bore their full share of the burden and arrived at the appointed post on October the 28th. Tired and hungry they were wel comed by the Cayugas, who regaled them with a repast of pumpkins fried in suet and varied the menu on the following day by a dish of corn and sunflower seeds. They at once entered upon their duties, making their headquarters at Kente, from which their field of labour was known as the Kente mission. So closely was this associated with that body of water, over which they frequently paddled, that in the course of time the name of the village was transferred to the bay, and in Quinte we retain to-day a corrupted form of the word "Kente." Not content labouring in one place alone, the missionaries sought to extend their sphere of usefulness by establishing outposts at convenient points. One of these was at Frenchman's Bay, the lake shore port of the town of Whitby, another at Ganeraski, the site of the present town of Port Hope, and the third, Ganneious, has generally been conceded to have been in this county, somewhere upon the Napanee River not far from its mouth, which would indicate that at this time there must have been at least some scattered Indian lodges along the bay. The necessity for living in villages was not so urgent among these representatives of the Iroquois who had crossed the lake to settle on the north shore, as it was among the Hurons and Algonquins fifty years before. There was no one to wage war upon- the new arrivals in this part of the country and large communities no longer required to live together for the pur pose of defence. Except for such general hunts as were described by Champlain, an isolated family could provide itself with game more easily if living apart from its fellows in some secluded cove or sheltered spot. There does not appear to have been any successful effort to fix with certainty the location of this outpost, probably because there is so little data from which to deduce any conclusion. Through the efforts of the zealous Jesuit Father the Rev. A. E. Jones, S.J., nearly every village and mission house of Huronia has been located; but there the structures were upon a more extended scale than we would expect in the case of a new mission station. It has been recently contended that Ganneious was on the Fredericksburgh side near the mouth of the river, and it is claimed that there still exist upon the farm of Ezra Hambly traces of the foundation of the building erected by Fenelon and his companions. France had been bitterly disappointed at her failure to subdue the Indians, and severe criticisms had been made of the methods of the Jesuits in endeavouring to teach the Indians in their native tongue, instead of instructing them in the French language, which it was claimed was the surest road to civilization. Thus did these arm-chair 8 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON critics in Paris sit in judgment upon the holy fathers, who had laid down their lives for the cause that was so dear to their hearts. Little did the courtiers know of the wide gulf that separated the savage from the white man. Champlain, through his unfortunate alliance with the Hurons and Algonquins, had added more fuel to the fire of hatred that burned within the breasts of the Iroquois, who vowed a terrible ven geance not only upon their hereditary enemies, but upon the white men who had humbled their pride, slain their chiefs, and invaded their terri tory; and nothing would satiate their thirst for the blood of their rivals but the complete extermination of the tribes opposed to them. The history of the world has recorded the incompatibility of the sword and cross advancing hand in hand, and the task of the Jesuits, difficult enough at its best, was rendered much more so by reason of the attacks of the French upon the Iroquois at the very beginning of their attempt to colonize New France. The messengers of peace, not through the assistance of the representatives of the crown, but in spite of the unwise policy of the civil authorities, had made substantial pro gress in their missionary labours among the savages. To no other cause can we attribute the desire of the Cayugas at Kente to have a missionary sent to them than that the lingering traces of the truths of Christianity that had been instilled in their hearts by such faithful exponents of the Gospel as Father Jogues still influenced them. It was upon this founda tion laid by him and his fellow labourers, a foundation shattered and torn asunder by the inconsistencies of the representatives of the crown, that the Sulpicians now began anew to build up a faith in the religion of the cross. To appease the Governor and the Intendant, who had received their instructions from Colbert, a new policy was to be adopted. The Indians were to be taught the French language, and it was hoped that by this means all racial differences would be wiped out, the native tribes would be brought nearer to the superior race, in closer touch with their hfe, its aims, and ambitions, and that by this new method, light would be admit ted to the darkness surrounding the pagan soul, trade would be re-estab lished upon a surer basis, and a colony would spring up that would greatly extend the power of France over the new world. To this end the Sulpicians bent all their energies, and during the long winter even ings in the stifling atmosphere of a crowded and smoking wigwam the patient fathers imparted to the wondering circle of attentive listeners the mysteries of the new tongue. At Ganneious was established one of their embryo academies, the first step taken towards the creation of an educational system in this district. In the spring of 1669 Fenelon paid a flying visit to Montreal and reported upon his work; and so pleased WHEN THE COUNTY WAS A WILDERNESS 9 were the authorities with the progress he had made that another priest ¦was added to his staff and he returned with M. D'Urfe, who remained with M. Trouve at Kente while his Superior proceeded farther west and spent the following winter at Frenchman's Bay. The season proved to be the severest ever experienced by the white men in the new world, both for its length and intensity. They were too far removed from Montreal to obtain any succour from that source and, as th'e colony had been in existence for only four years, the Indians had not been able in their new home north of the lake to raise sufficient food stuff upon the limited quantity of land under cultivation to tide them over until spring. To the bitterness of the keen frost was added the terror of a wasting famine, and the priests shared the miseries of their parishioners by eking out their scanty larder with such game as they could share and such roots as could be dug from the frozen ground. It is generally believ ed that from the exposure suffered by M. Fenelon during these terrible months his constitution was so shattered that he never fully recovered. For five years he laboured in this district, dividing his time among the various stations of the mission, and penetrating to the north in Victoria County where Fenelon township and Fenelon Falls still bear the name of this ardent young pioneer priest and educationist. In 1674, shortly after the building of Fort Frontenac, he became involved in an unfortunate quarrel over the appointment of a Governor of Montreal, which seigniory belonged to the Sulpicians, who claimed the right to appoint their own Governor and resented the interference of the Governor of the colony. Quite naturally, Fenelon espoused the cause of his brethren of the Seminary, and with perhaps more courage than prudence, considering the jealousy existing between the civil and ecclesi astical authorities, he preached the Easter sermon in the Church of the Hotel Dieu at Montreal, and in the course of his remarks pointed out the attributes that should characterize the rule of a God-fearing Gover nor. Among his congregation was a warm friend of the Governor who was associated with him in some business transactions of the very char acter which the preacher had denounced. The offending Abbe was summoned before the Council at Quebec, appointees of the Governor, and charged with sedition. He challenged the jurisdiction of this civil tribunal to sit in judgment upon him and the case was eventually car ried before the King. Fenelon's objection to the authority of the Coun cil was sustained ; but for diplomatic reasons, possessing no true merit, he was enjoined from again returning to the mission field. He died a few years after his return to France at the early age of thirty-eight, a natural death it is true, yet none the less a martyr to the cause to which he so unreservedly devoted his life. 10 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON While it is generally conceded that Frontenac was a wise and able Governor and possessed of remarkable tact in dealing with the Indians, it is at the same time alleged that he did not scruple to take advantage of the opportunities that came his way to engage in trade to repair his shattered fortunes. The member of Fenelon's Easter congregation, who resented the insinuations of the pulpit, was none other than Sieur de la Salle, the farhous explorer, whose long cherished dream was the dis covery of a western passage to China. He, like so many of the early adventurers to Canada, was born of wealthy parents and had received a good education. From his elder brother, a priest of St. Sulpice, who had preceded him to Canada, he had gathered much information of the new world. The priests of the Seminary of St. Sulpice were the feudal lords of Montreal, and in order to facilitate the growth of the settle ment, they granted large tracts of land to intending settlers. In 1666 La Salle sailed to Canada and obtained from the Sulpicians a grant of land on the bank of the St. Lawrence at the place now known as I^achine. This he parcelled out among a number of settlers, reserving a considerable portion for himself. He soon mastered several Indian languages, preparatory to the great task he seems to have conceived shortly after his arrival in Canada, if, indeed, he had not entertained the idea before he sailed from France. Ever since the travels of Marco Polo in the thirteenth century the wealth of China had attracted the civilized world and it was still believed that a passage would yet be discovered across America that would afford a short route to that land of gold and spices. La Salle had heard of the Ohio River, which he believed emptied into the Gulf of California, and which would thus solve the problem which had so long perplexed the adventurers in search of this western passage. To explore this river was now his one great object in life to which all his other enterprises were tributary. Such was his burning zeal that to his Seigniory was given in mockery the name of China, known in France as La Chine. Obtaining the consent of the Governor to pursue his explorations he sold his Seigniory at La Chine, purchased and equipped four canoes, and set out on his first expedition. I have dealt elsewhere* with the heroic efforts of La Salle to accomplish his end, and it is not to our present purpose to follow him through all his trying experiences. Suffice it to say, that by 1673, he had satisfied himself that the Mississippi flowed southward into the Gulf of Mexico, and would furnish a direct means of communication with the fertile plains of the interior of the continent, the hunting-grounds along the banks of its northern tributar ies, and the shores of the upper lakes. Frontenac, the Governor at this * Martyrs of New France, page 105 WHEN THE COUNTY WAS A WILDERNESS 11 time, had, from the time of his arrival, been studying the trade and Indian problem and adopting the recommendation of his predecessors, concluded to erect a fort near the outlet of Lake Ontario, which would serve the double purpose of holding in check the restless Iroquois and controlling the fur trade of the upper country. La Salle had won the confidence of the Governor, who despatched him in advance to locate the site of the new fort, while he made elaborate preparations for his impos ing trip up the St. Lawrence. The original design was to erect the fort upon the Bay of Quinte and, but for La Salle, who chose the mouth of the Cataraqui instead, Kingston would have been shorn of a portion of her glory and our county would in all probability have enjoyed the distinction of possessing the first military and trading-post in this part of Canada. There is a general belief, which appears to be well founded, that the Governor saw in this new enterprise an opportunity to reap a rich harvest from the cargoes of furs that would naturally find their way to the new fort, and subsequent developments appear to justify the con clusion that La Salle expected to enjoy a portion of the profits. In any event the establishment of a post at the foot of the lake was one step in his design and brought a possible base of suppHes nearer the scene of his own future operations. La Salle repaired to Onondaga, the chief village of the Iroquois, to invite them to meet the great Onontio, as the Governor was styled, at the rendezvous upon the banks of the Cataraqui. On July 12th, 1673, Frontenac, arrayed in his richest apparel, the centre of attraction of a flotilla of a hundred and twenty canoes, manned by four hundred follow ers, was received with great pomp on the site of what is now the Lime stone City. The following days were spent in outlining the new fort, haranguing the Iroquois, and in council meetings and festivities calcu lated to inspire them with fear and respect for the Great White Father. Meanwhile the Frenchmen in the district who were skilled in the use of their tools, set to work felling trees, hewing them into shape, and placing them in position under the direction of the engineer; and to the astonishment of the Iroquois there soon arose the first building on the site of the present City of Kingston, which' in honour of its founder was afterwards called Fort Frontenac. There can be no doubt that it served its purpose of keeping the hostile Indians in check, but was not calculated to improve the trade of the country in general, as was quite evident from the storm of opposition raised by the merchants of Quebec. After the ceremonies were concluded and the Iroquois had returned across the lake, a number of representatives from Kente and Ganneious appeared upon the scene to pay their respects to the Great 12 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Onontio, who addressed them as he had their brethren, exhorting them to live in peace with the French. It was in the following spring that La Salle so rudely interrupted the Easter sermon of Abbe Fenelon on behalf of his friend the Gover nor, who was not slow to compensate him for his action. La Salle, armed with strong recommendations ¦ from Frontenac, returned to France and petitioned the King for a grant of the fort, upon condi tion that the petitioner be bound to maintain it in an efficient state of defence, to pay to the Governor the cost incurred in establishing it, to make grants of land to all willing to settle there, to attract thither the greatest number possible of Indians, to induce them to lead lives more conformable to the customs of the white men, and to build a church when the settlement had reached one hundred souls; meanwhile, to entertain one or two RecoUet friars to perform Divine service. In short La Salle was to be the feudal lord of this grant, which was to include not only the fort, but four leagues of land along the lake shore westward and the two islands now known as Wolfe and Amherst. To add further dignity to the proprietor he humbly supplicated His Majesty to grant him letters of noblesse in consideration of the voyages and dis coveries he had made and the services he had rendered to the country. By a decree bearing date May 13th, 1675, the prayer of La Salle, with very slight modifications, was granted by King Louis. This was the first grant of land in the province of Ontario, and as our Island township was included in the Seigniory it will be seen that that part of our county at least is justly entitled to some distinction. I reluctantly forbear enlarging upon the growth and development of Kings ton which more properly belongs to the history of the adjoining county of Frontenac* When Amherst Island first figured in history it was known by the Indian name of Koonenesego and subsequently as Isle de Tonti, so called after the faithful companion of La Salle. So far as known, the only part it played in the programme of La Salle was upon the parchment bear ing the seal of King Louis, as the plan of colonization of the first settler of Upper Canada was never realized. Had he been content to confine himself to the course mapped out in his petition to the King he could have amassed a fortune from the fur trade, which the advantageous position of the fort would have secured for him; but the obtaining of the Seigniory was but a means towards the accomplishment of the great object of his life. He was first and foremost an explorer, determined to wrest from the unknown west the secrets of its great rivers and (*) To the reader who desires more enlightenment along this line I can confidently recommend a perusal of Miss Machar's " Story of Old Kingston." WHEN THE COUNTY WAS A WILDERNESS 13 seas. To this end he directed all his energies, using Fort Frontenac as the first of a series of bases marking his advance into the wilderness. He had the satisfaction, after many reverses and bitter disappointments, of reaching the mouth of the Mississippi and proclaiming the -sovereignty of France over all that great territory afterwards known as Louisiana. Upon his return from this expedition La Salle found that his patron, Frontenac, had been recalled. There had been a long-standing quarrel between the Church and the Governor over the sale of liquor to the In dians, the Bishops claiming that the natives were debauched through^ the traffic, while the Governor upheld the practice as being necessary to retain their trade in furs, advancing the argument that if they could not get brandy from the French they would carry their peltries to the Hudson and exchange them for the rum of the English. The argument of the Bishops prevailed, and La Barre, who had no sympathy with the enter prise of the western explorer, now ruled as Governor of New France. Under the pretext that the conditions of the grant had not been ful filled, he had in the absence of its proprietor sequestered Fort Frontenac. Enraged at this harsh treatment, La Salle sailed for France and laid before the King a plan for establishing a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi and another farther up the banks of the Illinois, which well- conceived plan, if successfully carried out, would have given to France the control of the trade of the interior of the continent. His Majesty favoured the project, rebuked the Governor for his seizure of Fort Frontenac, and bade him return it to its rightful owner. Full of hope in his new enterprise, La Salle sailed from France for the Gulf of Mexico in July, 1684, fully equipped with four vessels, a hundred soldiers, and a company of mechanics and labourers. In addition to these, thirty volunteers, a number of families to form a colony, and six priests joined the expedition. This ill-fated venture was doomed to almost every form of disaster, and its unfortunate author, after witnessing the loss or departure of all his ships and most of his followers, was mur dered on the plains of Texas in a last desperate effort to reach New France overland. No stone or monument marks to-day the last resting- place of the first owner of a portion of the soil of what is now the county of Lennox and Addington. La Barre had proven himself so incompetent to cope with the situa tion in the New World that the King, under the pretence of solicitude for his health and advancing years, requested him in 1685 to return to France, acquainting him in the same letter with the appointment of Monsieur de Denonville as his successor. The new Governor was expected to master the Indian problem, which had been going from bad 14 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON to worse since the recall of Frontenac. The English were bidding high for the fur trade both at New York and on Hudson Bay, and the Iro quois were growing restless and defiant. It was claimed by the French that the English resorted to every artifice, not only to intercept the trade on its way to the warehouses of Quebec, but to stir up the Iroquois to attack the French colonies. In 1687, after receiving reinforcements from France, Denonville resolved to strike a blow at the Iroquois, calculated not only to subdue them but to regain the confidence of the western tribes, whose trade was slowly finding its way to the English. At the inception of his campaign he practised a deception upon his enemies which his warmest supporters • never seriously attempted to justify. Setting out for Fort Frontenac with a strong force he sent messengers among the Iroquois inviting them to a feast and friendly conference at the fort. The missionary, Lamber viUe, believing that the Governor merely intended to follow the course pursued by Frontenac at the building of the fort, prevailed upon many of the chiefs and their families to cross the lake to meet Denonville and, no sooner were they within the palisades than they were captured, and the able-bodied warriors deported to France as galley slaves. The Indians, with a more delicate sense of honour than that shown by their treacherous Governor, did not visit their vengeance upon the missionary, who was still in their power, but, knowing that he had been deceived as well as themselves, they permitted him to escape to his fellow-country men. Among the number ensnared by this disgraceful artifice of Denon ville were the leading representatives of the villages of Kente and Gan neious; in fact, some eighteen men and sixty women and children were made prisoners at the latter village while pursuing their peaceful occu pations. During these years of strife they had remained neutral, living on friendly terms with the garrison at Cataraqui, for whom they hunted and fished, receiving in return such merchandise as the French were able to supply them. Although the Governor in his subsequent invasion of the Mohawk valley achieved a signal victory against the Iroquois, the honour of his achievement was robbed of its glory. The unoffending villagers, who had been instructed in the white man's code of honour by Fenelon and his successors, fell easy victims to the trap that was laid for them. The apparent advantage gained at the time was more than offset by the years of bitter warfare which followed, culminating in the terrible massacre at Lachine. The good work of the missionaries was undone ; and the Kente villages, which might, under the fostering care of a prudent Governor, have developed into thriving colonies in this and WHEN THE COUNTY WAS A WILDERNESS 15 the adjoining counties, no longer trusting to the promises of the white men appear to have faded away, probably to join their brethren across the lake. By 1689 the fate of New France was hanging by a very slen der thread. The motherland was at war with England and the colonists of Canada were terrorized by the raids of the bloodthirsty Iroquois. Trade was paralyzed, the English were gaining ground in every direc tion, and the colony appeared to be doomed. All eyes turned to Fron tenac as the one man capable of coping with the situation. He was now in his seventieth year; but when appealed to by the King to assume command again in the colony, he consented. One of the last acts of Denonville was to order the destruction of Fort Frontenac, which order the new Governor sought too late to countermand. It was dismantled and blown up, to be rebuilt again in 1696 by its founder, who recognized its strategic position. The century following the return of Frontenac to New France was a period fraught with events of momentous importance to Canada; but our local territory was far removed from the principal scenes of action, and we hasten on to a time when our history begins to have a local colour. It may well be asked what transpired in this part of the country during this long period of nearly one hundred years from the capture of the Indians at Ganneious to the arrival of the United Empire Loyalists. That the traders and Indians frequently passed this way along the waters of the Bay of Quinte there can be no doubt. It is equally probable, in fact almost certain, that the red man traversed these townships in pur suit of game, camping in favourite spots perhaps for weeks at a time, and returning again to the same haunts in successive years ; but no event of historic importance appears to have transpired within the limits of the county. Relics have been found in various parts of the county, but not in sufficient quantities to justify the conclusion that at any time prior to the advent of the Loyalists had there ever been a settlement of any consequence. The collection gathered by Mr. Walter Clark of Ernesttown and now in the possession of the Lennox and Addington Historical Society consists of such articles as might, from year to year, be lost or cast aside in the chase or carelessly left behind when shifting a temporary camp from place to place. This excellent collection, the only one in the county worthy of the name, consists of arrow-heads, axes, pipes, spear heads, pestles, and ornaments, the result of a syste matic search extending over a period of thirty years. With commendable pride and enthusiasm Mr. Clark recounts his experiences in gathering 16 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON so many valuable relics of the aborigines of the county. Nearly all of these were found upon or near the banks of Big Creek in the Fifth Concession of Ernesttown, and Mr. Clark is of opinion that they do not indicate the location of a village, but a temporary camping-ground of Indians engaged in the chase or some other peaceful pursuit. These hunting-grounds could be reached by canoe, entering the mouth of Big Creek at the head of Hay Bay, and that is probably the route that was taken. RIO RICIBIOND AND GOEDON THE LENNOX ARMS. S I J3 ]\I 0 U T H. It; THE ADDINGTON ARMS. THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS 17 CHAPTER II THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS The permanent settlement of this county began with the arrival of the United Empire Loyalists in 1784. Let us briefly glance at the causes which led to the emigration of so great a number of American colonists to the provinces of Canada. No one to-day attempts to justify the oppression of the American colonies by King George the Third and his ministers, and none will deny that the colonists had just cause of com plaint. From its very inception the colony of Massachusetts Bay, founded by the "Puritan Fathers" in 1628, but not to be confounded with the "Pilgrim Fathers" of 1620, had been a thorn in the side of the Parliament of Great Britain. No sooner had they set foot in America, than they cast to the winds all idea of religious toleration and set up an established church more exacting in its demands than that from which they had fled. As one eminent statesman tersely put it: "In short, this people, who in England could not bear to be chastised with rods, had no sooner got free from their fetters than they scourged their fellow refugees with scorpions; though the absurdity as well as the injustice of such proceeding in them might stare them in the face!"* The wor ship of the Church of England was suppressed, the Congregational Church set up in its stead, and all who refused to subscribe to the new doctrine were disfranchised and punished by whipping and banishment. Operating under an English charter, they denied the right of that gov ernment, under whose favour they had a legal existence, to exercise a supervision over the powers granted them. Although strong in their hypocritical professions of loyalty, they disregarded the mandates of the Crown and, while preaching the doctrine of freedom of speech and action, they granted no liberties to their fellow colonists who refused to subscribe to their articles of faith. True it is that in time their inso lence was checked and much of the mischief which they had done was relieved by the intervention of Great Britain ; but this only emphasized the danger of colonial rule and the wisdom of the American colonies remaining integral parts of the parent state. For the disaffected colonies to complain of their treatment at the hands of the King and his advisers and to seek redress for their grievances was the undoubted right of, * Burke, Vol. II, Second London Edition, 1758 2 18 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON every British subject, and many of England's wisest statesmen, trusting in their repeated professions of loyalty, were the strongest champions of their cause. In the autumn of the year 1774 a general convention of delegates from twelve of the thirteen provinces — Georgia not sending any dele gates — was held at Philadelphia. The principal acts of this Congress, as it was called, were a Declaration of Rights, an address to the King, an address to the people of Great Britain, a iqnemorial to the Americans, and a letter to the people of Canada. A close study of these several documents will not disclose a single expression of disloyalty to the Crown. Their arguments were based upon the constitutional rights of the colonists as subjects of Great Britain. There is no hint or sugges tion of secession ; but on the contrary they entreat "His Majesty's gracious interposition to remove such grievances and thereby to restore to Great Britain and the colonies that harmony so necessary to the happiness of the British Empire, and so ardently desired by all America." In the address of this Congress to the people of Great Britain they specifically deny any idea of seeking independence in the following words : "You have been told that we are seditious, impatient of government, and desirous of independence. Be assured that these are not facts but calumnies." It was upon the assurance that independence was not the object in view that the colonists supported the delegates in their Declar ation of Rights, the principles of which could be advocated by every Canadian to-day, without detracting one iota from his loyalty. It was upon this assurance that Lord Chatham, and many other English states men of unquestioned loyalty to the throne, so ably defended their brethren across the sea. Can it be supposed for one moment that the authors of the words I have quoted would have had the support of their fellow colonists, if they had announced their intention of invoking the aid of England's bitterest foes, who, with their Indian allies, had raided the towns and villages of New England and laid in ashes the homes of the frontiersmen? The colonists were determined to insist upon what they considered to be their rights under the British Constitution and, if necessary, were prepared to defend those rights by force, not as revolu tionists, but as British subjects, and the delegates to Congress had no mandate from the people to adopt any other policy. To depart from the principles outlined in the Declaration of Rights and in the address to Great Britain was a breach of faith, not only with the colonists them selves, but with their sympathizers in Great Britain, who were fighting their battles for them in Parliament. The despotic rule of King George, seconded by his corrupt ministers and Parliament, was as loudly denounced in England as it was in America ; but the champions of the THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS 19 colonists had no thought of encouraging secession, and no reason to believe that the American Congress would violate its professions of loyalty. As late as November, 1775, the legislature of Pennsylvania passed a resolution giving to its delegates the following instructions: "We direct that you exert your utmost endeavours to agree upon and recommend such measures as you shall judge to afford the best proposal of obtaining redress of American grievances, and restoring that unity and harmony between Great Britain and the colonies so essential to the welfare and happiness of both countries. Though the oppressive meas ures of the British Parliament and Administration have compelled us to resist their violence by force of arms, yet we strictly enjoin you, that you, in behalf of this colony, dissent from and utterly reject any pro positions, should such be made, that may cause or lead to a separation from our mother country or change the form of this government." Could words be framed to express in stronger language the attachment of the legislature to the British constitution and its determination to adhere to it? When we consider the feelings of the loyal colonists, who, although ready to assert by force of arms their rights under the British Constitution, were averse to substituting another form of government, we can readily conceive how their long cherished attachment to the British flag received a cruel and unexpected shock when the unheralded Declaration of Independence was passed by the Congress. Contrast the assurances given out on both sides of the Atlantic to the friends of the persecuted colonists with the concluding paragraph of that historic document: "We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that the United Colonies are, and of right ought to be Free and Independent States ; and that they are absolved from allegiance to the British Crown; and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that, as Free and Independent States, they have full power to levy war, con clude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a pious reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour." Let us glance for a moment at the manner in which this remark able change of front was brought about, and we shall see that it was far from the unanimous voice of the delegates, although it was so announced 20 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON at the time. Upon the reassembling of the General Congress in May, 1776, the great question of independence was for the first time proposed. During the adjournment of the delegates the worst government Great Britain had ever known, encouraged by its most despotic of Kings, had rejected the petition of the colonists praying for redress of their griev ances and had resolved upon the most drastic measures to drive their American fellow subjects into submission. An Act was passed providing for the increase of the army and navy and the hiring of seventeen thousand Hanoverian and Hessian mercen aries to chastise the colonists. The King entertained the hope that such a display of force would overawe the rising tide of rebellion, but in this he sadly misjudged his people. He had received ample warnings from America and from his ablest statesmen in England, notably such men as Chatham, Camden, Shelburne, Fox, Burke, and Cavendish that the spirit of freedom in the proud breast of every British subject could not be quenched even by a King and Parliament and that the fundamental principles of the British Constitution would in the end prevail. When the news of the passing of this Act reached America, the country, as a whole, was determined to resist the invasion of their rights. Fiery editors and pamphleteers preached the doctrine of independence. Thomas Paine's pamphlet "Common Sense" was read in every village and hamlet and more than any other agency diffused the sentiments and feel ings which produced the act of separation. Yet in the face of the agitation for independence, only four of the colonies had taken a position, which, upon the most favourable construction, could be interpreted as giving authority to their delegates to vote for a Declaration of Independence, if such a resolution should be introduced. Resistance to the King's forces was held by the great majority to be quite compatible with a desire to preserve the old political ties. A parallel case has been aptly cited in that of the Barons of Runnymede, who had no thought of renouncing their allegiance or changing the form of government when they wrested the Magna Charta from an overbearing King. On June 7th, 1776, a resolution in favour of independence was sub mitted to the Congress by Richard Henry Lee and, after some discussion, it was found that the time was not yet ripe to bring it to a vote, and fur ther consideration was postponed for a period of three weeks. On July ist the debate was resumed, and it was determined upon the motion of some astute politician, whose name has not been preserved, that "the decision on the question, whatever might be the state of the votes, should appear to the world as the unanimous voice of the Congress." On the first vote six colonies were in favour of independence and six were against it and, among those in favour of retaining British connection, was THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS 21 Pennsylvania, whose delegates had received specific instructions "to dis sent from and utterly reject any propositions, should such be made, that may cause or lead to a separation from our mother country or a change of the form of this government." Through the influence of Samuel Adams the vote of this colony, in violation of the trust committed to the delegates, was turned in favour of the resolution by prevailing upon one of their number either to absent himself from Congress at the criti cal moment, when the resolution was again presented, or to vote against what must have been his own conviction up to that time. It thus seems evident that the Declaration of Independence was not the spontaneous act of the delegates to Congress or of the legislative bodies which they represented, not the deliberate act of the people, brought about by the regularly constituted authorities; but that the far-reaching resolution emanated from a small body of men carried away by a momentary popular uprising. Thousands, who declaimed against the tyranny of King George and his ministers and > were prepared to defend their con stitutional rights at the point of the bayonet, just as consistently refused to acquiesce in the invasion of those same rights by their fellow colon ists. They had cast in their lot with their political leaders, who had repeatedly assured them that there would be no change in the form of government and, on July 4th, 1776, they felt that this confidence had been betrayed. It is not my purpose to follow up the details of the bitter war that followed or to discuss the ultimate advantage or disadvantage of that bloody conflict to the contending parties. In our present examination of the events which followed the Declaration of Inde pendence we are interested only in those whose loyalty to the British connection would not permit them to take up arms in a cause that meant the severance of the ties hallowed by many sacred associations. Their detractors argue that it was purely a matter of sentiment and that it was to their interest to fall into line and assist in overthrowing British rule. The last proposition is a debatable one into which we will not enter. As to the former, it has only to be proposed as an argu ment to be at once dismissed, for the moment that we discard sentiment as a mainspring of human activity we destroy the home, patriotism, friendship, and all in life worth living for. The finer sensibilities of the T.x>yaHsts were wounded when the General Congress cast to the winds their former professed allegiance to Great Britain, and insult was added to injury when an alliance was .sought with France. Tame submission to the new order of things by those who had been taught from their infancy to respect the ideals of British connection would have been more 22 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON humiliating than surrender to the demands of King George and his Parliament. If Congress had adhered to the principles which they had advocated up to the secret session of July, 1776, the colonists would have presented an unbroken front and with the assistance of their sym pathizers in England would have carried their point and driven from power a corrupt government ; but having committed a breach of faith by declaring for independence, they not only stultified themselves but stig matized their supporters in the British Parliament and House of Lords as accomplices in their design to sever the tie with the motherland. They could well afford to be tolerant to the Loyalists of America, even if the latter chose to enlist under the standard of their King but, as we shall presently see, those who consistently remained true to their principles were branded as traitors and exposed to the severest penalties. The framers of the Declaration of Independence gave first place to the following articles of their professed creed : "That all men are creat ed equal ; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights ; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." No sooner had they proclaimed these self-evident truths, than they pro ceeded to disregard the inalienable rights of those who were in every respect their equals and to enact cruel laws aimed directly against the life, liberty, and happiness of their fellow colonists. No one has pre sumed to belittle the respectability and social standing of the large min ority, men of wealth and unimpeachable character, who could not and would not enlist in a cause at variance with their convictions and repug nant to the traditions of their forefathers. The legislatures of various colonies placed upon their statute books the most stringent laws imposing confiscation, banishment, and even the death penalty upon all who showed a disposition to remain true to the principles so warmly advocated by their persecutors twelve months before. Besides the general provisions operating against all who fell within their pale, scores and hundreds were designated by name, and by a stroke of the pen, without a trial or an opportunity to answer the charges preferred against them, were shorn of their property, rights, and liberty, and proclaimed as outlaws. In Massachusetts alone three hundred and eight persons, who had fled for safety from their persecutors, were proscribed and made liable to arrest, imprisonment, and banishment if they presumed to return to their own homes, and for a second offence the penalty was death. In like manner these exponents of the inalienable rights in Pennsylvania, who had instructed their delegates to Congress utterly to reject any proposition that might lead to a change in the form of government, designated by name sixty-two persons as attainted by treason, unless THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS 23 within a specified time they surrendered themselves for trial. These are not isolated cases, but fair examples of the legislation that followed tliat famous Declaration beginning with "All men are created equal." Upon the slightest pretext, the property of the Loyalists was confiscated and not unfrequently passed to some prominent official and never reached the public coffers. Whatever plea might be advanced for the unnatural treat ment of the Loyalists during hostilities, it would be difficult to find an excuse for continuing the persecution after the conclusion of the war. During the negotiations for peace the welfare of the LoyaHsts was frequently under consideration. The Americans, having attained their end, could well afford to be generous towards all those who had differed from them, and one would scarcely expect to find it necessary for the British Commissioners to urge some degree of leniency in pro viding for a general amnesty to the Loyalists and compensation for the property that had been confiscated. The Americans suggested no techni cal objections when agreeing, as they did, that therq should be no future confiscations nor persecutions and that all pending prosecutions should be discontinued; yet, while assuming jurisdiction to embody these terms in a treaty of peace, they claimed that neither the Commissioners nor Congress had power to provide for restitution of the property that had been confiscated. The outcome of the prolonged conferences was a provi sion that Congress was to recommend to the several States that indemnity should be granted to the Loyalists, and with no further guar antee than that, the Loyalists were left to the tender mercies of their persecutors. No colony suffered quite as much from the depredations of the British troops as South Carohna, yet, when peace was concluded, it was the only State to grant indemnity to the Loyalists and to receive them again into full citizenship. All the other States continued to pur sue them with relentless fury. This uncompromising hostility towards their former citizens is tersely described in Sabine's "Biography of the American Loyahsts." "At the peace, justice and good policy both required a general amnesty and the revocation of the Acts of disability and banishment, so that only those who had been guilty of flagrant crimes should be excluded from becoming citizens. Instead of this, however, the State legislatures generally continued in a course of hos tile action, and treated the conscientious and pure, and the unprincipled and corrupt with the same indiscrimination as they had done during the struggle. In some parts of the country there really appears to have been a determination to place these misguided but then humbled men beyond the pale of human sympathy." 24 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON In order that we may form a proper estimate of the character of the first permanent settlers in this county I cannot do better than supple ment the foregoing quotation from an American author with the testi mony of the leading statesmen of Great Britain to whom the Loyalists, in their extremity, were forced to appeal for assistance. Lord North, who was Prime Minister during the War, in speak ing of the LoyaHsts, said: "I cannot but lament the fate of those un happy men, who, I conceive, were in general, objects of our gratitude and protection. The Loyalists from their attachments, surely had some claim to our affection I cannot but feel for men thus sacri ficed for their bravery and principles^-men who have sacrificed the dearest possessions of the human heart. They have exposed their lives, endured an age of hardship, deserted their interests, forfeited their possessions, lost their connections, and ruined their families in our cause." Mr. Burke said: "At any rate it must be agreed on all hands that a vast number of Loyalists had been deluded by this country and had risked everything in our cause ; to such men the nation owed protection, and its honour was pledged for their security at all hazards." Mr. Sheridan execrated the treatment of those unfortunate men who, without the least notice taken of their civic and religious rights, were handed over as subjects to a power that would not fail to take vengeance on them for the zeal and attachment to the religion and government of this country." Sir Peter Burrell said: "The fate of the LoyaHsts claimed the com passion of every human breast. These helpless, forlorn men, abandoned by the ministers of a people on whose justice, gratitude, and humanity they had the best founded claims, were left at the mercy of a Congres.s highly irritated against them." It was in language such as this that both Houses of Parliament recognized the sacrifices that the Loyalists had made for the motherland and admitted their liability to make good to some extent the losses that liad been sustained. To remain in a community that denied them the rights of citizenship was out of the question. During and after the war of the Revolution, it is estimated that no less than 30,000 were driven from their homes and settled in the Bahamas, Florida, the British West Indies, and Canada. Large numbers were conveyed to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, so many indeed, that the British commander of New York bethought himself of finding some other outlet for the hundreds still to be provided for and turned his attention to Upper Canada. Entertaining serious doubts whether that part of the country was habit able, he applied for information to Michael Grass, who during the TliE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS 25 French war had been a prisoner for two or three years at Fort Fron tenac. His informant assured him that the territory about the fort and along the Bay of Quinte was a desirable location for a colony and, thanks to Mr. Grass' favourable report, five vessels were fitted out, filled with refugees, and conducted by him to the northern wilderness. They; sailed from New York on September Sth, 1783, and arrived at Quebec on October Sth, and proceeded to Sorel where they wintered in tents and hastily constructed cabins. Another common route from New York, followed by the Loyalists after the war, was up the Hudson River to the mouth of the Mohawk River, a few miles north of Albany, thence up the Mohawk and Wood Creek to a portage leading to Oneida Lake. From this lake they entered the Oswego River which carried them to Lake Ontario, whence they proceeded to Kingston, the Bay of Quinte, Niagara, or Queenston. Others again followed the old Champlain route down the Richelieu River and thence to Sorel. It will be remembered that although hostilities ceased on September 20th, 1783, the British did not give up possession of New York until the 25th of November, which date has since been commemorated as "Evacuation Day." This city naturally had become a rallying point for the Loyalists, 12,000 of whom sailed in the month of September from this port for the Bahamas, Nova Scotia, and Canada. The incidents in connection with the emigration of many of the first Loyalists who settled in this country haVe fortunately been pre served in an interview with the late John Grass, of the township of Kingston, son of the Michael Grass before referred to. His statement is as follows : "My father had been a prisoner at Frontenac (now Kings ton) in the old French war, and at the commencement of the American Revolution he resided on a farm on the borders of the North River, about thirty miles from New York. Being solicited by General Her kimer to take a captain's commission in the American service he replied sternly and promptly that he had sworn allegiance to our King, mean ing George the Third, and could not violate his oath and serve against him. "For this he .was obliged to fly from his home and take refuge within New York, under British protection. His family had soon to follow him, being driven from their home, which by the enemy was dilapidated and broken up. They continued in that city till the close of the war, living on their resources as best they could. On the return of peace, the Americans having gained their independence, there was no longer any home for the fugitive Loyalists of which the city was full ; md the British Governor was much at a loss for a place to settle them. Many had retreated to Nova Scotia or New Brunswick; but this was a 26 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON desperate resort, and their immense numbers made it difficult to find a home for them all even then. In the meantime, the Governor, in his perplexity, having heard that my father had been a prisoner among the French at Frontenac, sent for him and said: 'Mr. Grass, I understand that you have been at Frontenac, in Canada. Pray tell me what sort of a country it is? Can people live there?' My father repHed: 'Yes, your Excellency, I was there a prisoner of war, and from what I saw I think it is a fine country and that people might live very well.' 'Oh! Mr. Grass,' exclaims the Governor, 'how glad I am to hear that, for the sake of these poor Loyalists. As they cannot all go to Nova Scotia, and I am at a loss how to provide for them, will you, Mr. Grass, undertake to lead thither as many as may choose to accompany you? If so, I will furnish a conveyance by Quebec, and rations for you all until such time as you may be able to provide for yourselves.' My father requested his Excellency to allow him three days to make up his mind. This was granted, and accordingly at the expiration of the three days, my father went to the Governor and said he would undertake it. Notices were then posted up through the city, calling for all that would go to Frontenac to enroll their names with Mr. Grass; so in a short time the company of men, women, and children was completed, a ship provided and fur nished, and off they started for the unknown and far distant regions, leaving the homes and friends of their youth, with all their endearing recollections behind them. "The first season they got no further than Sorel, in Lower Canada, where they were obliged to erect log huts for the winter. Next spring they took boats, and proceeding up the St. Ivawrence, at length reached Frontenac and pitched their tents on Indian Point, where the marine docks of Kingston now stand. Here they awaited the surveying of the lands, which was not accomplished so as to be ready for location before July. In the meantime several other companies had arrived by different routes under their respective leaders, who were all awaiting the completing of the surveys. The Governor also, who by this time had himself come to Quebec, paid them a visit, and riding a few miles along the lake shore on a fine day, exclaimed to my father : 'Why, Mr. Grass, you have indeed got a fine country ! I am really glad to find it so.' While the several companies were together waiting for the survey some would say to my father : 'The Governor will not give you the first choice of the townships but will prefer Sir John Johnson and his company because he is a great man.' But my father replied that he did not believe that, for if the Governor should do so he should feel himself injured and would leave the country, as he was the first man to mention it to the Governor in New York and to pro ceed thither with his company for settlement. THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS 27 "At length the time came, in July, for the townships to be» given out. The Governor having assembled the companies before him, called for Mr. Grass, and said: "Now, you were the first person to mention this, fine, country and have been here formerly as a prisoner of war. You must have the first choice. The townships are numbered first, second, third, fourth, and fifth. Which do you choose?' My father says: 'The first township (Kingston).' Then the Governor says to Sir. John Johnson : 'Which do you choose for your company ?' He replies : 'The second township (Ernesttown).' To Colonel Rogers: 'Which do you choose?' He says: 'The third township (Fredericksburgh).' To Major Vanalstine: 'Which do you choose?' He repHes: 'The fourth township (Adolphustown).' Then Colonel McDonnell, with his company, got the fifth township (Marysburgh). So after this manner the first settlement of Loyalists in Canada was made. "But before leaving, the Governor very considerately remarked to my father: 'Now, Mr. Grass, it is too late in the season to put in any crops. What can you do for food?' My father replied: 'If they were furnished with turnip seed they might raise some turnips.' 'Very well,' said the Governor, 'that you shall have.' Accordingly from Montreal he sent some seed, and each man taking a handful thereof, they cleared a spot of ground in the centre of where the town of Kingston now stands, and raised a fine crop of turnips which served for food the ensuing winter with the Government rations."* The point of embarkation upon the last stage of the journey was from Lachine, where flat-bottomed boats were constructed for the purpose. They were heavy and clumsy affairs capable of holding four or five families with their effects, and when ascending the rapids or against a swift current, the boatmen, sometimes wading up to their waists in water, hauled them along by means of a rope attached to the bow. Although the Surveyor-general had received instructions in 1783 to lay out the townships for the reception of the settlers, they arrived some weeks before they could be located. On June i6th, 1784, a mem orable day in this county, Major Vanalstine with his band of refugees landed at Adolphustown near the site of the present U. E. L. Monu ment. Each family had been provided with a tent capable of accom modating eight or ten persons. Sufficient clothing for three years, of a coarse but suitable quality, had been given to each. To each two fam- iHes was given one cow, and the Government had been liberal in the * The late William Kingsford, in his " History o< Canada," Vol. -VII, page 218-9, attempts to disprove this story, but his reasoning is quite inconclusive, and there is no reason to doubt the correctness of the story given by Captain Grass.^ Kingsford's note at most proves that a certain amount of friction arose between Captain Grass and Governor Sir Frederick Haldimand. 28 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON distribution of seed grain and tools, but of the latter the axe was ill- suited for the purpose of felling trees, being the short-handled ship axe intended for quite a different purpose. As the survey was not complete at the time of their landing, they pitched their tents upon the shore in groups until the allotments were made, when they dispersed to their several locations and the battle with the forest began. The concessions were laid out in lots of 200 acres each; four; lots covered a mile in frontage, and every two or three miles a strip forty feet in width was reserved for a cross-road. The surveyors did their work so hurriedly that in later years there were found to be many inaccuracies which led to confusion and litigation and were the cause of a great deal of trouble and bad feeling. As early as the month of July, 1783, the King, declaring himself desirous of encouraging his loyal subjects in the United States of America to take up and improve lands in the then Province of Quebec, and of testifying his appreciation of the bravery and loyalty of the royal forces in the Province, issued instructions to the Governor-in-chief to direct the Surveyor-general to admeasure and lay out such a quan tity of land as he deemed necessary for that purpose, and to allot such parts thereof as might be applied for by any of his loyal subjects, non commissioned officers, and private men in the following proportions, that is to say: To every master of a family, one hundred acres, and fifty acres for each person of which his family shall consist. To every single man, fifty acres. To every non-commissioned officer in Quebec, two hundred acres. To every private man of the force, one hundred acres, and every person in his family, fifty acres. The same instructions contained a notification of the purchase of the Seigniory of Sorel with a request that all undisposed-of lands be laid out into small allotments and distributed among the reduced members of the forces and other loyal subjects, as might by the Governor be judged the most conducive to their interests and the more speedy settlement of the Seigniory. These instructions account for the general muster of the refugees at Sorel before ascending the St. Lawrence for the Western townships. The townships having been assigned to the several companies, as described by Mr. Grass, the first "drawings" took place in 1784. The Surveyor superintended the process, which was impartially conducted by placing in a hat smaU pieces of paper, upon which were written the numbers of the lots to be distributed. Each applicant "drew" out a THE COMING OP THE LOYALISTS 29 piece of paper, and the| Surveyor, with a map of the township spread out before him, wrote the name of the person drawing the number upon the corresponding number upon the map, and the locatee was given a certi ficate or "location ticket" as it was commonly called, entitling him to a patent of the lot or part of lot so drawn by him. As provided in the King's instructions, a record of every allotment and subsequent aliena tion was kept in the office of the Receiver-general, which was the only land registry office in Canada at the time. It was under this system that the drawings took place in 1784, with the result that 434 of Jessup's Corps received their location tickets for Ernesttown, 310 of the King's Royal Regiment of New York and Colonel Rogers with 229 men located in Fredericksburgh, and Major Vanalstine and his party and some of Rogers' men, about 400 in all, became the first settlers in Adolphustown. In addition to the plan of allotment referred to in the instructions of 1783, every Loyalist field officer was to receive 1,000 acres, every chap lain 700, and every .subaltern, staff, or warrant officer, 500 acres. The excess over the ordinary allotment was not to be in one block, and not more than 200 acres were to be drawn by one person in a front conces sion. These regulations prevailed until superseded by instructions of a similar character issued in 1786 authorizing an additional grant of 200 acres, as a sort of bonus for good behaviour, to each settler who, by his conduct, had given such proof of his loyalty, decent deportment, and thrift in improving the land already received by him, as to warrant the presumption that he would become a good and profitable subject. On July 24th, 1788, the Governor-general divided what was after wards called Upper Canada into four districts, namely : Lunenburgh, from the River Ottawa to Gananoque ; Mecklenburgh, from Gananoque to the River Trent; Nassau, from the Trent to Long Point; and Hesse, from Long Point to Lake St. Clair. At the same time a judge and sheriff were appointed to administer justice in each of these Districts, and the Dutch names soon gave way to the more acceptable English titles, the Eastern District, the Midland District, the Home District, and the Western District respectively. Early in the following year the system of parcelling out the land was improved by appointing in each District a Land Board to receive and report upon applications. Each Board was to consist of not less than three members, whose term of office was to expire on May ist, 1791, unless continued by appointment. Regula- , tions calculated to facilitate the faithful performance of the duties of the Board in receiving and adjudicating upon applications presented to them and in preserving convenient records of the same were prepared by the Governor-in-Council, together with approved forms to be used by them in their respective offices. 30 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON In November the Governor-general found opportunity for fur ther expression of the gratitude of the Crown for the attachment of the Loyalists by ordering the Land Boards to take proper steps for preserving a register of the names of all persons who adhered to the unity of the Empire and joined the Royal Standard in America before the Treaty of Separation in 1783, as it was his wish to put a "Mark of Honour" upon the families in order that their posterity might be discriminated from future settlers. To the sons and daughters of all such he ordered that a lot of 200 acres be assigned upon their attaining the full age of twenty-one years. One member of the Land Board for the Mecklenburgh District was the Hon. Richard Cartwright. Another was the Rev. Dr. John Stuart, the founder of the Church of England in Upper Canada and Chaplain of the first Legislative Council. He was tendered the commission of Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, which honourable position he declined in order that he might devote his talents to his holy office. In 1 79 1 was passed the Constitutional Act, dividing the Province of Quebec into two separate provinces to be known respectively as Lower Canada and Upper Canada. General John Graves Simcoe was appointed the first Lieutenant-governor of the western Province. The new Lieu tenant-governor by a proclamation bearing date July i6th, 1^92, divided the new Province into counties, among them being the counties of Ad dington and Lennox; at the same time he superseded the old District Land Boards by appointing County Land Boards. For this purpose Addington, Lennox, Hastings, and Prince Edward were grouped to gether, and the Land Board consisted of Peter Vanalstine, Hazelton Spencer, Alexander Fisher, Archibald McDonnell, and Joshua Booth. It was at this time our county assumed its present name. The name Lennox is derived from Charles Lennox, third Duke of Richmond, who at the coronation of King George III carried the sceptre with the dove. He was ambassador extraordinary to the court of France in 1765 and Secretary of State in 1766. Addington was named after Henry Adding ton, Viscount Sidmouth, Speaker of the House of Commons from 1789 to 1 79 1, afterwards Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister of Great Britain. The new order of things was short-lived, for in November, 1794, the Executive Council of the Province abolished the County Boards and resolved that thereafter all petitions for crown lands be made to the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council. A simple form of procedure was adopted in the case of intending settlers. Any person professing the Christian religion and capable of manual labour could present himself to a magistrate residing in the county, who, being notified of his proper THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS 31 qualification to be admitted to the possession of lands within the Province, furnished him with a recommendation to the local deputy surveyor, who assigned him his location, upon payment of the usual fees of £4, 9s. and 6d., of which sum £4 was paid for the title deed when the patent was granted. It was not, however, until 1795 that the grants or patents to the allotted lands were actually issued and then only to such as produced their tickets or certificates. Originally the tickets were transferable by endorse ment, but so many abuses crept into the practice that the Government and improvident and intervened for the protection of the thoughtless decided that patents should be issued only in the name of the original locatee. The land jobber was then, as now, much in evidence, and when the patents were granted it was not unfrequently found that large tracts passed into the hands of single individuals, while others at the begin ning of their career in the wilderness were forced to begin Hfef anew as the servants of their more provident companions. Some parted with their holding for a pint of rum or some other trivial consideration, and others, being so unfortunate as to draw a lot in the third or fourth con cession, regarded the location as too undesirable to be of any real value. As there were no roads the lots upon the water-front were most highly prized, and the locatee of land which could not be reached by boat, would willingly exchange his 100 acres in the interior of the township for a much smaller quantity upon the bay. The Government had supplied them with a number of small boats, they made more for themselves, and the common means of travel was by the water routes, as each family had its dinghy, punt, or dug-out. The so-cahed pioneers in our prairie provinces who are to-day car ried within a few miles of their locations by a comfortable colonist sleeper and have merely to break the soil of the virgin prairie in order to secure a harvest in a few months' time, know little of the difficulties experienced by our forefathers, who, even after leav ing Sorel, tugged at the oars and rope for weeks before reaching the site of their future homes, where a more stubborn foe, the forest, had to be overcome before they could engage in any form of hus bandry. But men who had sacrificed all their worldly possessions and endured bitter persecution for the principles they cherished were not to be checked in their progress by any ordinary obstacle. With axe in hand they advanced against the last barrier. One man could not accom plish much single-handed, so with that neighbourly spirit which is to this day so characteristic of our farming community, they organized "bees," thereby imitating those industrious little insects, which by their united efforts successfully accomplish what would be an impossibility for the single individual. 32 HISTORY OF LENNOX- AND ADDINGTON A suitable site for the log cabin having been selected, they set to work with a will. "Round logs (generally of bass-wood) roughly notched together at the corners, and piled one above the other to the height of seven or eight feet, constituted the walls. Openings for a door, and one small window designed for four lights of glass, seven by nine, were cut out, the spaces between the logs were chinked with small splinters, and carefully plastered outside and inside with clay for mortar. Several straight poles were laid lengthwise of the building, on the walls, to serve as supports for the roof. This was composed of strips of elm bark, four feet in length by two or three feet in width, in layers overlapping each other and fastened to the poles by withes, withj a suffi cient slope to the back. This formed a roof which was proof against wind and weather. An ample hearth made of flat stone was then laid out, and a fire back of field stone, or small boulders, rudely built, was car ried up as high! as the wall. Above this the chimney was formed of round poles, notched together and plastered with mud. The floor was of the same material as the walls, only that the logs were split in two, and flattened so as to make a tolerably even surface. As no boards could be had to make a door, until they could be sawn out by the whip saw, a blanket suspended from the inside for some time took its place. By and by four little panes of glass were stuck into a rough sash and the shanty was complete."* While the dwelling was in course of construction and before the chinks were filled with plaster, long poles were placed across the ends about two feet from the floor, supported by the logs of the side walls. Across these were stretched thin strips of bass-wood bark, thus form ing a platform which was the only bedstead known to our forefathers for many years after their arrival. Rude tables and benches hewed out of the green timber supplied the furniture of their humble abodes. Before winter set in all were comfortably housed ; but the attack upon the forest continued. The work was slow and tedious, and the ship axe would be found but a sorry tool by our workmen of to-day. To get rid of the green timber and remove the sturnps and underbush was no easy task. They had at first no oxen or horses, and all work had to be done by hand. To facilitate the clearing process the trees were killed by girdling them about the base and sometimes, at great risk of destroying their homes, fire was employed. The trees when felled were cut into convenient lengths, rolled by hand into large heaps, and the torch applied. Among the settlers were many men not accustomed to manual labour, but old and young, without distinction of rank or age, joined in * CannifFs Settlement of Upper Canada, page 185 # f( By 5SAAC BROCK, Efquire, Prefideni admin- iji^rvng the Govanment of the Province of Up per Canada^ and Major-General Commanding His Mayfly s Foncs therein^ kc. Sec. %:c- '''^•-^J ^'t^^^C^^-f-L-^ )z^<'j/i^e/- &>.y CC^ -4 MEREAS ,by an AlL of the Pariiament of this l-'rovince, -passed in the Forty- (ounh \car of lIis .M.ijcliv's Rfign, intituk-J, '¦ An Act tor the better secunngihis " Province :!;;-c;!u.',t jail :.^;di'.iovJs atti-mpts or designs to dist'jrb the iranquilliiy thereof," il is among other things provided, *' Tli.it it .¦¦hall and may be lawful for the Governor, " Eicu:cnant Governor, or Person adminisicnn:; the Go'vernnieni for the time being, lo " appoint snch Person or Persons js mny appear to him proper, for the purpose of ar~ '* resiin:; such Person or Persons not having been an lEihabitant or Inhabitants of this *' Province for the space of Six Months preceding the date of his \Varrant, or not ha- *' vin;T taken the Oath of Aliegiancfc to our Sovereign Lord the King, who by words or ** aBions, or other behaviour or conduct, hath or have endeavoured, or hath or have " given just'causc to suspccl that he, she, or ihcy, is or are about to endeavour to alienate *' the minds of His Majesty's Suhjecls of this Province from His Person or GovernmenT, •' or in any wise with a seditious intent to diiturb the tranquiUity thereof." NOW KNOW YE, that \ ISAAC BROCK, E.sqUire, President, and Major-Gencral Com manding His Majcfly'i Farces within the said Province, by virtue of the pov/crs so vested in me under the authoriiy of the before recited A8, have appointed and deputed, and dft by these Presents appoint and depute you the said ^/if/i/ i A^atyL^i^£i,^^^.r^^ to ca.Tv inio Execution the r.cior.il Provisions in llic said befijre recited Aft contained — 'ilriQly conforming yourself in every particular tlierelo. Given under my Hand and Seal, at Arms, at the Government House, at YocI^. this- (C/lc^i«~»^^.eEr>-o>^.T--*^t^ day of C/'r-'Ar^^ -^^m^ ^-^ in the year of Our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and Txelvc,, am! c' His- Majesiy's Reign, the Fifty-second. /9p - y^-r^ ^ '" 5v //li Honor's Command. A^^ A COMMISSION FROM SIR ISSAC BROCK. MILLS ON THE APPANEE RIVER FROM THE DRAWING BY MRS. SIMCOE. 1795. rl-r- r^- -^»^ ?"* %t3r.. -g: THE MACPHERSON MILL AT NAPANEE. THE COMING OP THE LOYAUSTS 33 the general onslaught, working early and late. With aching bones, but buoyant spirits, they gathered about the open fireplaces during the long winter evenings and recounted, but with no expressionl of regret, the suffering their loyalty had brought upon them. Hard as was their lot, they rejoiced in the freedom of their wilderness homes. Day after day the sturdy Loyalists plied the axe; little by little the forest yielded and the spring of 1785 witnessed a wonderful change. The bright sun shine revealed here and there small clearings covered with heaps of charred logs, unyielding stumps, and masses of tangled underbrush. In the centre was a rude cabin which would compare unfavourably with that which had sheltered their oxen in the south. A few ploughs had been supplied them but there were no draft animals to hitch before them and, even if there had been, little use could have been made of the plough during the first year or two. The cleared .spots were small, many stumps and roots still encumbered the soil, and the spade was the only instrument of cultivation. The main staples of food were Indian corn and wild rice. In a few localities portable mills for grinding the grain had been furnished by the Government, rude contrivances, to be turned by hand, like a coffee-mill, but there were few if any in this county, and the settlers were forced to resort to the primitive method of placing the grain upon a smooth flat rock and pounding it with an axe or stone, until it was reduced to a powder. This soon gave way to the "hominy block" or bowl hollowed out in a hard-wood stump and cap' able of holding a bushel or more. This possessed the advantage that it held more and that the grain could be more easily kept in place while it was pounded with a heavy wooden pestle known as a "plumper," Sometimes a cannon-ball attached to a long sweep took the place of a pestle. The pumpkin in our day serves two important ends, far removed from each other. By far the greater quantity is fed to our cattle and a few only are reserved for the" old-fashioned but most palatable dessert, the "pumpkin pie." But our forefathers and the Indians raised it more for table use and served it up in many styles. The "pumpkin loaf" appears to have been relegated to the past, its nearest survival being "Johnnie cake," now served up in individual cakes and disguised under the name of "corn meal gems." The pumpkin was mixed with the Indian meal, spiced, rolled into a small loaf, baked in the open oven, broken into pieces, and spread with butter, if by good fortune the larder contained any, or was eaten with maple syrup, — an important article of food which could be had at the very doors for the taking, — or sweetened in the making by adding a liberal allowance of maplp sugar. Game and fish, as a rule, were plentiful, so that with the rations suppHed by 3 34 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON the government there was a sufficient supply of plain but wholesome food to meet the ordinary demands. Cattle, horses, and pigs were gradually introduced, but, owing to the depredations of wolves, it was many years before sheep could be raised to advantage. Dishes were very scarce but, occasionally, we still run across a highly prized U. E. L. .heirloom, a tea-cup or plate handed down from generation to gen eration. This want was at first supplied by wooden dishes which the handy craftsman whittled out of the fine-grained wood' of the poplar. These were gradually replaced by more durable pewter articles, intro duced by the Yankee pedlars. In the matter of dress, the beau of the last quarter of the eighteenth century far outshone in his gorgeous array the dude of the twentieth. Hanging on a wooden peg in the corner of the log cabin might be seen the faded blue damask frock-coat, with its high rolling collar and velvet lining. Carefully stowed away in the family chest was the white satin waist-coat, and the close fitting black satin knee breeches, the white silk stockings, and the red morocco slippers, surmounted with huge but highly prized silver buckles. What a sensation would such an attire create upon our streets to-day! The occasions for making use of such finery were rare indeed in this new settlement. The ordinary costume was made from the coarse cloth and Indian blankets supplied by the government; but the most common and serviceable garments were made from deer skins and were worn by both sexes. As soon as they could spare the land for the purpose flax and hemp were grown, and a coarse linen was woven upon the home-made loom, which became an indispensable part of the equipment of every cabin. Woollen garments, the most serviceable of all, were scarce until the danger from the wolves had been sufficiently reduced to allow the keeping of sheep. Soap was a luxury, and the week's washing could be accomplished only through a weak solution of lye, and the records inform us of the embarrassing experience of a young woman who made use of this same liquid in cleaning her only garment, a suit of buckskin. To her amazement her leather gown shrivelled away to infantile proportions and she was forced to conceal herself in the potato pit beneath the floor until her mother came to her rescue. Among the manuscripts given by the late Dr. Canniff to the I,en- nox and Addington Historical Society is a copy of a "Testimonial of Mr, Roger Bates" whose grandfather originally settled in the Bay of Quinte district, but afterwards removed to the township of Clark where he died "at the premature age of 84." As his grandmother lived to be ninety-six Mr. Bates believed that his grandfather, in the natural course of events, would have lived to reach his hundredth year but for THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS 35 a fright he received at a fire, which hastened his end. In writing of wearing apparel he says: "Skins of animals they obtained from the Indians who at that period were very numerous throughout the coun try. With those skins my grandmother made all sorts of useful and last (lasting) dresses which were most comfortable for a country life, and for going through the bush made leather petticoats for herself and girls ; as they could not be torn by the brambles, they made capital dresses — made some for the boys, and at night were extremely comfort able for bed covers. There were no tanners in those days. Shoes and boots were made of the same useful material." Dame Fashion had little to furnish to the young ladies of that day and the young man in search of a bride was not bewildered by the latest creations of the mil liner or the ever-changing fantasies of the dressmaker. Such finery as they had was obtained from the pack of the pedlar who paid the settle ments periodic visits. His stock in trade consisted of an inferior qual ity of calico, to be had at a dollar a yard, a piece of book muslin and another of check for aprons at double that price, a few common shawls, stockings, and handkerchiefs, and an assortment of ribbons, tape, needles, pins, and horn combs. His arrival in the neighbourhood was one of the events of the season, heralded from clearing to clearing, for he not only supplied many of their wants from his pack, but in the absence of newspapers- and a regular mail service, he was the bearer of news from the outside world. After displaying his tempting wares upon the floor and disposing of such coveted articles as the lean purse of the household could afford to purchase, the family gathered about the blazing hearth-log to be regaled by the pedlar's latest experiences in the fat away cities, which some of them in their better days had been wont to visit. 36 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER HI THE SETTLING OF THE LOYALISTS At the conclusion of the war and before the Loyalists had left the colonies they organized an agency composed of one delegate from each State to prepare a statement of their condition and to appeal for com pensation to the Government of Great Britain, which they felt had made very scant provision for their protection by relying solely upon the promise of the Peace Commission to recommend to the several State Legislatures that they be indemnified for their* losses. We have seen how the persecution was continued just as relentlessly after the war, which would almost justify the conclusion that the American Commis sioners at no time had any serious intention of taking the proper steps to see that their recommendation was put into effect. The Committee appointed by the Loyalists prepared a tract entitled "The Case and Claim of American Loyalists impartially Stated and Considered" in which they forcibly set forth their condition and cited precedents which would warrant the Imperial Government in taking action in their behalf. This pitiful prayer for help presented the following unanswerable argument: "His Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament having thought it necessary, as the price of peace, or to the safety and interest of the Empire, or from some other motive of public convenience, to ratify the Independence of America without securing any restitution whatever to the Loyalists, they conceive that the nation is bound, as well by the fundamental laws of society as by the invariable and external principles of natural justice to make them compensation." The British Govern ment was not unmindful of the claim of those who in its behalf had dared and suffered so much. At the opening of the session of Parlia ment following the presentation of this petition of the Loyalists the King in the speech from the throne said: "I have ordered inquiry to be made into the application of the sum to be voted in support of the Ameri can sufferers ; and I trust you will agree with me that a due and gener ous attention ought to be shown to those who have relinquished their properties or professions from motives of loyalty to me or attachment to the mother country." Five Commissioners were appointed to investigate and report upon the claims, and the time for applying for relief was in the first instance THE SETTLING OF THE LOYALISTS 37 limited to March 25th, 1784, but it was from time to time extended until 1789, and the final report was not presented and finally disposed of until 1790. The American Peace Commissioners had blundered in making no provision for restitution by those who had profited by the confiscation, a blunder which in the end cost them the loss of tens of thousands of their best citizens, with a corresponding advantage to Canada. The Commissioners appointed to adjust the claims also committed a serious blunder in imposing onerous and unreasonable conditions upon the claimants. They were disposed to view the Loyalists rather as sup plicants for charity than as British subjects demanding British justice. In commenting upon the procedure adopted the late Rev. Dr. Ryer- son, who gave the subject closer study than any other Canadian writer, . said : "Every claimant was required to furnish proof of his loyalty, and of every species of loss for which he claimed compensation : and if any case of perjury or fraud were believed to have been practised, the claim ant was at once cut off frorri his whole claim. The rigid rules which the Commissioners laid down and enforced in regard to claimants, ¦ examining each claimant and the witnesses in his behalf separately and apart, caused much dissatisfaction and gave the proceeding more the character of an Inquisition than of Inquiry. It seemed to place the claimants in the position of criminals on whom rested the burden of 'proof to establish their own innocence and character, rather than that of Loyalists who had faithfully served their King and country, and lost their homes and possessions in doing so. Very many, probably the ' large majority of claimants, could not prove the exact value of each species of loss which they had sustained years before, in houses, goods, herds of cattle, fields with their crops and produce, woods with their timber, etc., etc. In such a proceeding the most unscrupulous would be likely to fare the best, and the most scrupulous and conscientious the worst; and it is alleged that many fake losses were allowed to persons who had suffered no loss, while many other sufferers received no com pensation, because they had not the means of bringing witnesses from America to prove their losses, in addition to their own testimony." As the Commissioners insisted in every instance upon the personal appearance of the claimant and attached little weight to any testimony that was not delivered upon oath before themselves, it can readily be conceived" that a very large proportion of the Loyalists were not in a position to comply with the requirements of the Commissioners, and the result was that only about one third of those who emigrated to Canada received any compensation and the proportion in the remote part of the country was even less. Even so, however, the Government of Great Britain expended over $16,000,000 in satisfying their claims. In addi- 38 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON tion to the grants of money there were the land grants, to which refer ence has already been made, and the distribution of clothing, tools, and provisions which were dealt out impartially to all refugees. The rations were such as were allowed to every private soldier and were regularly conveyed in bateaux to each township where depots were established and placed in charge of some trusted refugee. During the first few years of the settlement the only produce that brought them in any return was the potash made from the ashes. They bartered among themselves, and a very small portion of their roots and grain reached the military post at Kingston, which was the extent of their marketing. There was very little money among them and that was usually carried away by the itinerant pedlar. Promissory notes and I.O.U.'s passed current in the neighbourhood until worn out with usage, when they were replaced with fresh ones. The letters U. E. L. which we see after the names of some of -the earliest settlers are not of local origin or applied in any haphazard fashion to all the pioneers; but represented the honorary title con ferred only upon those who had taken their stand for the unity of the Empire and had allied themselves with the Royalists before the Treaty of Separation in 1783. As has been pointed out the Executive Council of the Province of Quebec did, in 1799, at the instance of the Governor- , General, direct the Land Boards to register the names of all that were entitled to have the "Mark of Honour" put upon them, but the direction appears to have been wholly overlooked or neglected. Governor Sim coe had a passion for hereditary titles and one of his dreams was to build up a Canadian aristocracy, so in 1796 he revived the idea of con ferring titles upon the class pointed out by Lord Dorchester, and by proclamation directed the magistrates of Upper Canada to ascertain under oath and register the names of all such persons, which was accordingly done, and from that time they were known as United Empire Loyalists and entitled as an honorary distinction to place after their names the letters U. E. L. It must not be supposed that all the settlers in the front townships of this county came in one group in 1784. The greater number came then, settling in the first five townships, but for many years after others came trudging through the State of New York by different routes to join their old comrades on this side of the lake. Every newcomer received a grant of land and set to work to clear and cultivate it ; but these later arrivals were not prepared to provide for themselves as were their more advanced neighbours who had preceded them. The Government had arranged to supply rations for three years following the arrival of the large contingent in June, 1784, and in accordance with this original THE SETTLING OF THE LOYALISTS 39 design, which, it was hoped would give the colony ample time to become self-supporting, no provision was made for supplying their wants from the Government Commissariat after the expiration) of that period. A number of circumstances combined to threaten the extinction of the colony. The belated arrivals had consumed what they had brought with them, and some few, unskilled in pioneer life and farming, had not made very substantial progress in their clearing operations, and a current report appears to have gained credence among most of them to the effect that the Kjng would continue to deal out the provisions for an other year or so at least. By some misfortune or bad management the Commissary Department not only failed to forward supplies to the set tlers, as had been done in former years, but even the rations for those in the public service who depended solely upon the Government for the means of subsistence were not forthcoming either. To add to the dis tress, the season of 1787 proved to be one of those exceptional non-pro ductive years when the soil yielded but a very meagre return for the seed and labour bestowed upon it, and, when winter set in, the disheart ened colonists found themselves face to face with a threatened famine. The strictest economy was exercised in dealing out what little provision was on hand. Those who had laid by a store, paltry though it was, ungrudgingly shared it with their less fortunate neighbours, and the new year, 1788, known in their history as the "Hungry Year" was ushered in with lamentations instead of the usual happy greetings. They had been eking out a miserable existence on short allowances ever since it had been learned that the Government could afford them no relief, there were several months of winter still ahead of them, and the larders were almost empty. The bay and rivers teemed with fish but the sur face was covered with two feet of ice. Game was plentiful but ammuni tion was scarce, and the ingenious snares devised to capture the wild animals and birds could not supply the ever-increasing demand. Fabulous prices were offered for food which under ordinary circumstances could be purchased for a few shillings. In this connection the late Canniff Haight in an address delivered at Picton in 1859 said: "Men willingly offered pretty much all they possessed for food. I could show you one of the finest farms in Hay Bay that was offered to my grandfather for a half hundred of flour and refused. A very respectable old lady, whom numbers of you knew, but who some time since went away to her rest — whose offspring, some at least, are luxuriating in comfort above the middle walks of life — was wont in those days to wander away early in the spring to the woods and gather and eat the buds of the bass-wood, and then bring an apron or basketful home to the children. Glad they 40 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON were to pluck the rye and barley heads for food as soon as the kernel had formed; and not many miles from Picton a beef's bone was passed from house to house and was boiled again and again in order to extract some nutriment." Men dug in the frozen ground for roots, and in the early spring the first signs of vegetation were hailed with joy and the first green leaves and buds were eagerly sought out and devoured to allay the pangs of hunger. It is recorded that one family was reduced to such straits that they lived for two weeks upon the tender leaves of the beech trees. Others ate the inner bark of certain varieties of trees, and ransacked the woods to discover the hidden store-houses of the squir rels, that they might expropriate the nuts they had laid by for winter con sumption. Some of the weak and aged actually died of starvation, while others were poisoned by eating noxious roots. As the spring of 1788 advanced the famine was relieved, and the settlers applied themselves to their ordinary work and soon forgot the horrors of the "Hungry Year," or referred to them solely as an incentive to greater exertion in order that they might avoid a re currence of the bitter experiences they had just passed through. Cast upon their own resources they laboured as men determined to win; the clearings continued to expand, barns and outbuildings sprang up on all sides to receive the crops and shelter the cattle, which were being gradually introduced. They felt the need of im proving some of the primitive methods then in vogue, particularly the old-fashioned "hominy block." This served its purpose fairly well in crushing com, but proved very unsatisfactory when applied to wheat which required to be ground much finer than the coarser grain before it could be used to advantage by the good housewife. A mill had been built by the Government in 1782-3 at Kingston, or more properly speaking five or six miles up the Cataraqui River, the first one in Central Canada before the arrival of the Loyalists; but this was too far away to be of much service to the inhabitants of the remote parts of this county. To propel a bateau from . Adolphustown to Kingston necessitated the passing of both the Upper and Lower Gaps where the waters of Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte join at either end of Amherst Island, and these, at all times during the season of naviga tion, are likely to be pretty rough. The only alternative was to carry the grist upon the shoulders through the forest or haul it upon a hand sleigh in the winter. At a moderate estimate, allowing but a few hours for the miller to do the grinding, the errand could not very well be accomplished inside of two days, and there would be a certain expense in procuring lodging for one night at least, unless the settler chose to dc* the greater part of his travelling in the night. THE SETTLING OF THE LOYALISTS 41 The government recognized these inconveniences, and in order to overcome them, determined to construct a mill that would better serve the needs of settlers in this county, and quite naturally chose the site at Appanea Falls, which afforded the best available water-power. To Robert Clark, the mill-wright who had built the Kingston mill, was assigned the task of superintending its erection. Itl was built of logs and roughly squared timbers during the year 1786, and was ready for operation in 1787 but, owing to the famine and the consequent scarcity of grain, very little grinding was done until 1788. From an examina tion of the account of the articles purchased in connection with the work it would appear that intoxicating liquor was considered an indispensable part of the rations to be served upon special occasions such as a raising. No less than two gallons and three pints of rum were deemed necessary to keep up the spirits of the workmen at the; raising of the saw-mill and four gallons and one quart when the grist-mill was raised. For nine years at least, until the building of the mill at Lake-on-the-Mountain in 1796, this was the only mill in the Midland District west of the one on the Cataraqui River, and received the grist of all the townships along the bay, among the patrons being the loyal band of Mohawks in the township of Tyendinaga. Appanea or Appanee, and finally Napanee, became the synonym for flour in the Indian tongue, so popular had it become as the only convenient place where that article could be manu factured. This led to the erroneous belief that the town took its name from the Indian word for flour, while the converse is the case. The original meaning of the word Appanee is unknown. The mill property was purchased by the Honourable Richard Cartwright in 1792 and remained in the family from generation to generation until 191 1 when it was sold to the Seymour Power Company. So popular was the mill that it could not meet the demands made upon it and, shortly after its transfer to Mr. Cartwright, he decided to tear it down and build another .with greater capacity, and Robert Clark was again commissioned to do .the work. A new building with three run of stone was speedily com pleted, and so well was the work performed that fifteen years later it was referred to as the best mill in the Province. Mrs. Simcoe, who accompanied her husband in his journeys through the Province, made a sketch of it in 1795 which is herewith reproduced.* Robert Clark, who played such an important part in laying the foundation of what was to become the county town of Lennox and * The cut of this sketch published in Mr. J. Ross Robertson's "Diary of Mrs. Simcoe," gives the impression that the mill stood on the left or north bank of the river, the copyist, evidently mistaking- her representation of the falls to the left of the mill for a portion of the river's bank. The relative positions of the mill, the falls, and the mill- race in the sketch by Mrs. Simcoe will be more clearly understood by reference to the photograph of the Macpherson mill which is built upon the same site. 42 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Addington, was born in Duchess county in the State of New York in 1744. He was a carpenter and mill-wright by trade and owned two farms of one hundred and one hundred and fifty acres respectively, both of which were confiscated because of his loyalty to the British standard during the revolutionary war. He served under General Burgoyne, Major Jessup, and Captain Sebastian Jones. While engaged under the Government in building the mills at Cataraqui his wife and their children arrived with the other refugees at Sorel in 1783, where they endured great hardships from the ravages of small-pox. They subse quently joined him after a separation of seven years, and the reunited family settled upon Lot Thirty-four in the first concession of Ernest town. He was one of the prominent men of the Midland District, was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1788, a captain of the militia in 1809, and died in 1823. As the clearings increased in size and number and the annual yield from the soil supplied more than the wants of the table, life among the settlers became more tolerable. The want of live stock had been a serious drawback; but during the first few years they had neither the means to procure thera, nor the feed to maintain them. It is stated upon good authority that one Thomas Goldsmith obtained a fair herd of cattle in 1786, but being unable to secure a sufficient quantity of suitable fodder all but three starved to death. After the year of famine when the country assumed a brighter aspect and the virgin soil began to yield bountiful harvests, cattle and horses were gradually introduced from New York State and the older settlements on the St. Lawrence. By 1795 horses, cattle, and sheep were plentiful, the pioneers were relieved ofi the heaviest part of their work, which they transferred to the beasts of burden, and enjoyed the luxury of fresh meat, butter, and cheese. Hens and other ^barn-yard fowls made their appearance about the same time; but considerable care was still necessary to protect them from the foxes and other denizens of the forest, which had a particular relish for the farmer's poultry. One of the most onerous duties cast upon the settler was that of making roads, as each one was required to clear a road across his lot. At first trees were blazed from one clearing to another, marking a footpath through the woods; for, although regular allowances were laid out in the survey, these were rarely followed, and particularly in the townships of Adolphustown and Fredericksburgh, which are cut up by arms of the bay, the paths were irregular, some times following the configuration of the shore line or deviating to avoid a creek or swamp. As horses were introduced the boughs were trimmed to permit the rider to pass along without the danger of being brushed THE SETTLING OF THE LOYALISTS 43 off by an overhanging branch and, with the advent of carts and sleighs, stumps and trees were removed to enlarge the passage way and there was gradually developed the modern highway; but many of the bends still remain, although the causes for the deviations no longer exist, or if they do, most of them would be no serious obstacle to the modern road-maker. The author of The Bmigrant's Guide of 1820 has this to say upon the state of society in Upper Canada : "The state of society in Upper Canada, especially to a European, is not attractive. To the spiritual mind it offers Httle spirituality, (but where alas shall we find more!), to the votaries of politeness and etiquette, little of that glare of studied polish, which is so often, so arrogantly, so blindly, and so ruinously set up in the place of the great principle of christian love oE which it is so deplorable an imitator. The Canadian society has rather roughness than simplicity of manners ; and scarcely presents a trace of that truly refined, that nobly cultivated, and that spiritually improved tone of conversation and deportment, which, even in the most highly polished circles and amidst all the inflections of real or imagined superiority, is so rarely to be found. "Yet the state of society in Upper Canada is^ not without its advan tages. It is adapted to the condition of the country and is consistent with the circumstances of which it forms a part. "Its general characteristics may be said to be, in the higher classes, a similar etiquette to that established at home, with a minor redundancy of polish, and minor extravagance; and in the lower, a somewhat coarser simplicity. As far as I have seen the people, they appear to me fully as moral as any other I know, with as much mutual kindness among themselves, and more than commonly hospitable to strangers. They seem to me rather inclined to seriousness than levity, and to need only the advantage of pious instruction and of pious example, to become, under grace, one of the most valuable people upon the earth. "Their habits are, in general, moderately industrious, frugal, and benevolent. Their amusements, of course, are unhappily like those of the world. Horse-racing, betting, shooting; and where leisure abounds, idle conversation, balls, cards, and the theatre, etc. Yet I have observed with pleasure a somewhat more domestic tone amongst their women; and it has amply compensated to me for the absence of that greater degree of polish which at once adorns and disgraces the general mass of our European ladies. But the passion for that polish, corroborated as it is by all the vanities, as cultivation develops them, of our nature, is afloat. It is tending rapidly to displace the remaining and superior 44 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON charms of that simplicity: and threatens ere long to render as irrelevant to Upper Canada that beautiful sentiment of Goldsmith: "More dear to me, congenial to my heart, One native charm, than all the gloss of art." Though it does not bear directly upon the history of our county I cannot forbear quoting the same author's comments upon the then town of Kingston. "There are few towns and villages in Upper Canada, and those few are small, Kingston, the most considerable of them, being less extensive than the generalty of the common county towns in Great Britain and Ireland. Agriculturalists, such as are almost universally the people of Upper Canada, scatter themselves over their farms, not crowd together as do the colonies of commerce. "Still towns and commerce are essential parts of the prosperity of states: and as the settlements in Canada are extended, and at the same time that they produce more abundant articles for export, shall demand the enlarged introduction of foreign conveniences, towns and commerce must flourish. "Kingston, situated in the township of Frontenac, at the head of the River St. Lawrence where it issues from Lake Ontario, already feels this difference. Within the last few years, it has increased amazingly and promises to go on rapidly improving. Placed in the great course ai water communication : possessed of a harbour and dockyard, with a commanding point, which is fortified, and forms the strongest point at present in the province: while at the same time, it is the key of some subordinate, but extremely important lines of internal intercourse, it may be regarded as a dawning emporium, where wealth and grandeur shall hereafter stalk with a gait as proud and as lordly as they now stalk in places, then perhaps shorn of their meteor magnificence." If the spirit of the Captain were to revisit Kingston to-day would he consider that his eloquent prophecy had been realized? He enter tained no such hopes for York nor ventured to predict its future pos sibilities, but dismisses it with a few words as to its favourable location after referring to it as "next in importance to Kingston." Belleville is described as "a new and thriving village, situated at the head of the Bay of Quinte." The Ambitious City was then in the embryonic stage and the author of the Guide was not very exact as to its location, but honours it with a passing reference: — "And between Belleville and York, near Smith's Creek, is another village, called Hamilton." His advice to emigrants regarding methods to conduce to the pre servation of health is in many respects timely, even to the emigrant of THE SETTLING OF THE LOYALISTS 45 the twentieth century: — "The first object to emigrants lately arrived, is to avoid every excess of every kind; to be temperate in all things; and to provide, as far as possible, against exposure to the inclemencies of the weather, particularly of the night air. "For this purpose an ample supply, particularly of blankets, should be laid in at Quebec or Montreal; and this precaution should by no means be omitted on account of the incumbrance of their carriage. Of course this advice applies especially to those whose finances do not enable them to command the more expensive means of shelter wherever they go. Damp, and particularly remaining without motion in damp clothes, should, at however great a trouble, be sedulously avoided; and the best attainable shelter, even to the utmost extent of the) person's means, should be everywhere diligently sought; more especially between the months of September and June. "Marshy and swampy situations should be particularly avoided, if possible, and where altogether unavoidable, the house should be built as remote from them, as consistent with any tolerable degree of con venience in other respects. "The wood about the dwelling should be immediately and entirely cleared away ; no branches or logs left, as is very universally the case, to gather and preserve stagnant and putrefying moisture. "The dwelling should be made as impervious as may be to the sur rounding air, every crevice being well closed, and everything should be kept clean and dry about it. "When clear, good spring or river water cannot be had, the water for drinking should always be boiled and suffered to cool before it is u.sed. "In damp situations, which are exposed to agues, I esteem a moder ate use of liquor to be healthful ; but it would be better never to use it than to use it with the smallest degree of intemperance. "Generally throughout the province, but in the western di<='trict particularly, it is pernicious to work exposed to the sun during the hot season in the heat of the day. The labourers should rise at a propor tionately early hour, and rest from eleven till two. People just arrived from Great Britain commonly feel a vigour which would tend to make them despise caution ; but it is offered by one who has collected it from a very extensive experience, and he trusts it may be useful." Although the first settlers in this county spent nearly all of their waking hours in heavy toil their life was not to them a life of drudgery. Their hearts were in their work. Every acre that was cleared was one more victory over the stubborn barrier that stood between them and the road to prosperity. Every timber that was laid in their dwellings and 46 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON barns brought them one step nearer to a realization of their desire. There was a grim satisfaction in subduing nature and enlisting her forces as allies in their struggle for existence. There was a spirit of independence in their daily battle for bread. After the government' rations were with drawn, they were beholden to no man; but trusted solely to their own good right arms, and to their work they devoted themselves with a will. Sunday was their only holiday and there were no fixed hours for labour. So long as there was work to do and strength to do it, the rule was work, work, work, and when tired out, lay it aside and enjoy that refreshing rest that comes to those who know) what honest labour is. During the long evening the pine knots would be piled about the huge back-log and the different members of the family would have their work apportioned among them ; but an air of comfort and cheerfulness per vaded the room in keeping with the dancing blaze which diffused its light to the remotest corner. The father, with a last resting upon his knees held in place by a strap passing over it and under his foot, would pause with uplifted hammer to recounti some amusing incident of his day's experience. The mother would smile approvingly or join in the general laughter, never ceasing in her work upon the family socks except now and then to raise her knitting needle to caution the others against waking the younger children cuddled in a bunk upon the floor. A son musingly whittled at a shuttle he was shaping for the loom, while his sister, with' a wooden tray upon her lap, hummed a favourite tune, while she peeled and quartered its contents of apples and hung them up in garlands above the fireplace to dry. Work was the predominating feature of many of their festive gatherings. The husking bee was the occasion of much good cheer. Each farmer had his corn to husk; but, instead of sitting down by himself to do it, he summoned his neighbours to a bee, to which all within a certain radius would expect an invitation, and if any were overlooked, they would feel that an offence was intended. These bees were always held in the evening in the barn, which was lighted by candle lanterns securely suspended a safe distance above the sheaves. Seated about in a semicircle on the floor, with a bundle of corn beside each couple, the guests did the husking, throwing the ears upon a heap in the centre, while the attendants removed the stripped stalks and brought them a fresh supply. Larger and larger grew the heap of golden ears to the confusion of the attendants who dodged the flying missiles as they were hurled through the air. At the sound of the dinner horn all repaired to the house, where a steaming pot-pie awaited the hungry buskers. Dough-nuts and cider usually formed a part of the menu, which always concluded with a pumpkin pie. Then followed the pipes and stories and sometimes the fiddle, the only THE SETTLING OF THE LOYALISTS 47 musical instrument in the neighbourhood. At midnight the party would disperse; the farmer's corn was husked, all had had a jolly, sociable evening and a good supper, and it never occurred to any of them that they had been at work. There were also the logging bees in the earlier days, when the neighbours turned out with their oxen, their axes, and cross-cut saws. These were more serious affairs and meant hard work, but all applied themselves cheerfully to the task of cutting the fallen trees into lengths that could be conveniently handled, and hauling them to the burning heaps where they were consumed to ashes, which in turn were converted into potash, the only return from the magnificent trees for which there was little demand. The women had their "afternoons," a sort of clearing-house for the gossip of the neighbourhood, but that was the only resemblance it bore to the social functions of to-day. The housewife was never quite so happy as when at work, and when she called upon her neighbours she took her knitting with her. They had their bees as well as the men, and the most popular of all was the quilting bee, when they gathered about wooden frames upon which was stretched the material for the quilt and deftly plied their needles while they merrily discussed the cur rent topics of the day. The paring bees were also popular, when the apples that could not be kept fresh during the winter were pared, and quartered, and strung upon linen thread to be dried in the sun or over the fireplace. The ho'spitality of the pioneers was proverbial, and visiting was a recognized social custom especially during the winter season. They did not wait for an invitation, but when they felt disposed, generally select ing a time when the nights were bright and the roads were passable; the heads of the family would drive away to pay their respects to some old friend, arriving at his dwelling in ample time to give the good housewife an opportunity to prepare a hot supper, and rarely if ever was she caught with an empty larder. A good fat goose was gener ally suspended from a peg in the woodshed and a peep into the cupboard would invariably disclose a stock of brown -dough-nuts, fruit jams, mince pies and other delicacies awaiting just such an occasion. The visitors were always assured of a warm welcome and a right good supper. After doing justice to the edibles, more pine knots were heaped about the back-log, and the remotest corners of the room were filled with a cheer ful brightness that no modern electrolier can equal, and hosts and guests gathered about the hearth, "spun their yarns," and with the latest news bridged over the interval since their last meeting. Many happy hours were thus spent, and at midnight the visitors took their leave. 48 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON At a time when newspapers were scarce, the postal service expensive and irregular, and the means of communication with the outside world very incomplete, these gatherings served the useful purpose of exchang ing bits of news which had been gathered by different members of the company. As late as 1840 there were very few post-offices in this county, as appears from the following list taken from the Kingston Almanac published in the third year of the reign of Queen Victoria. Postal Rate Post-offices Post Masters From Kingston d. Adolphustown Stephen Griffiths 4^ Bath Wm. J. McKay 4>^ Camden East Samuel Clark iyi Fredericksburgh W. Anderson 4^ Mill Creek (Odessa) Timothy Fraser 4j^ Napanee Allan Macpherson 4^ The population of this county is given in the same little publication as follows: Adolphustown, 1,620; Amherst Island, 822; Camden East, 3,155; Ernesttown (then Ernest Town), 3,976; Fredericksburgh, 2,674; Rich mond (including the village of Napanee), 1,859; and Sheffield, 473. The weather prophets were as venturesome seventy years ago as they are to-day. The one writing for the Kingston Almanac unhesitat ingly informs the reader months in advance what he may expect from the elements. He thus predicts for the month of October: "The com mencement of this month until the 4th will be unusually warm and steady. On the 5th, Northeast winds will set in, accompanied by cold, sleety rain, with heavy showers of hail, with interruptions of bright, cold, blowing days, continuing to the twelfth: after which the weather will become fine, with cold, frosty nights, the days being warm and temperate. On the i8th the weather will again change, with cold rain and blustering weather, with occasional cold, clear, frosty nights chang ing at sunrise to soft rainy weather with frequent squalls. On the 23rd frost will set in with steady, clear weather. On the 26th it will become more temperate," The almanac joker had evidently just begun to put in an appearance, as only five or six of his attempts appear in this issue. This is one of them : "In what do the Loughborough girls ex-sell ?" "In the market," 1 We of the twentieth century within easy call of the skilled physi cian by means of the net-work of telephone lines, urban and rural, know little of the disadvantage under which our forefathers laboured in this respect; for even as late as 1817 there were only ten qualified physicians in the Midland District, not a single one of whom resided in this county-; and at the time of the first settlement the pioneers were dependent ¦/I / ^.,77t... ,^.^, -v. ../...,..,, ¦/,- A,'/,.;; /o- ^TX:- ...,., 6 ,. <->y-.,' •/,. -/y/'< -^'.y^^¦,y;;.4^.. .... .#;:;^.. y^yi^y,/,^,^ ,y.-^tM // - ,-'./. / ¦AJ; .v;y- .,, y i a-' ' • 4 -^ .'A--' ' y /y V ..^-^ij/JO^.^^,.^, -O MINUTES OF THE FIRST TOWN MEETING OF ADOLPHUSTOWN. "^.iim HAY BAY METHODIST CHURCH, BUILT 1792, entirely upon the army surgeons at the milita^^ostsT VVe are not to infer from this that all followers of that profession were on the revolu tionary side; on the contrary the leading physicians not only espoused the cause of the Loyalists but made no effort to conceal their views. The explanation is given in Sabine's Loyalists of the American Revolution: "The physicians who adhered to the Crown were numerous, and the proportion of Whigs in the profession of medicine was less, probably, than in either that of law or theology. But unlike persons of the latter callings, most of the physicians remained in the country and quietly pur sued their business. There seems to be an understanding that though pulpits should be closed and litigation be suspended, the sick should not be deprived of their regular and freely chosen medical attendants, I have been surprised to find from verbal conversation and various other sources, that while the 'Tory doctors' were as zealous and as fearless in the expression of their sentiments as the 'Tory ministers' and the 'Tory barristers' their persons and property were generally respected in the towns and villages where little or no regard was paid to the bodies and estates of gentlemen of the robe and surplice," There were army surgeons attached to the garrison at Kingston; but as their duties were limited to the post at which they were stationed they were not at all times willing to go any distance from their station ; and the refugees for years were obliged to depend upon what little knowledge they themselves possessed of the healing art. The most dreaded scourge was small-pox, and in view of the modern controversy upon the subject of vaccination the following extract from an editorial appearing in the Newark Journal of February ist, 1797, is of interest: "We hear from every settlement the determination for a general inocu lation for the small-pox. This resolution is highly commended by per sons of prudence. The country being young, and growing more exposed to that disorder, a general inoculation every two or three years will for ever render its prevalence in any way of very little concern, there being then none, or but few excepting young children, to be affected by it. This season of the year is highly favourable to do it; to defer it until warm weather or summer is highly dangerous. The blood is in a state then easily to become putrid, fever may set in with it, and besides these to place it in the most favourable situation, must sus tain infinite injury. To enact a law to enforce a general inoculation looks arbitrary ; but the writer of this who can in no wise be interested by himself or friends, is of opinion that such a law in any country, more particularly in a new one, would operate to the greatest possible benefit of the country, and be justifiable on the principles of public and private good. But a so beneficial law he expects never to see so long as there 4 50 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON remains a blindness in so many to their own safety and welfare, and a delicacy in our rulers to compel a man to throw off old prejudices and to do those things that are taught by the simple and natural law of self- defence." Although a statute was passed as early as 1788 to prevent persons practising physic and surgery without first having obtained a license from such person as the Governor or Commander-in-Chief should ap point for the purpose, and though other acts were, from time to time, enacted with the same end in view, these laws were not enforced and the country for a time was overrun by a number of unqualified quack- doctors, possessing little or no knowledge of the diseases they treated or the drugs they administered. One of the first to declare war against these fraudulent practitioners was the Reverend, afterwards Bishop, Strachan, who, under the pseu donym, "Reckoner," wrote several letters to the Kingston Gazette in 1812, in which, among other things, he says: "The Province is overrun with self-made physicians who have no pretensions to knowledge of any kind, and yet there is no profession of any kind that requires more extensive information, "They comprehend not the causes or nature of diseases, are totally ignorant of anatomy, chemistry, and botany; many know nothing of classical learning or general science. Where shall you find one among them attending particularly to the age, constitution, and circumstances of the patient and varying his prescriptions accordingly? It is indeed pre posterous to expect judgment and skill, a nice discrimination of diseases, or proper method of cure, from men who have never been regularly taught, who cannot pronounce, much less explain, the terms of the art they profess, and who are unable to read the books written upon the subject. The welfare of the people calls aloud for some legislative pro vision, that shall remedy the increasing evil," The Reverend gentleman cites several instances of gross incompetence that came under his personal observation, among them the case of a young woman ill of the fever for whom the doctor, without measuring it, poured out such a dose of calomel "as would have killed two ploughmen," Upon the departure of the medical attendant, the patient's spiritual adviser threw the dose out of the window. Another Act to license practitioners was passed in 181 5; but it re mained a dead letter, and the war against quackery was renewed by a writer from Adolphustown who in a letter to the Gazette thus states the case : "It is a subject of deep interest to many that the executive and magistracy should show such a sluggishness in enforcing the laws of the THE SETTLING OF THE LOYALISTS 51 province. It is particularly to be deplored so far as those h-vfs relate to persons calling themselves doctors; not only our fortunes but also our lives are in the hands of those deplorable quacks. How does it hap pen that an Act of the session of 1815 is not acted upon? Is it because that Act is unwise, or is it because the executive does not think it of sufficient importance to put into operation ? If the first, why not expunge it from the laws of the province? If the latter, what is the use of a House of Assembly at all? "Perhaps, Mr, Editor, you and other respectable gentlemen living in town, who have access to and knowledge to value the merits of those practising medicine, may not feel so much as I do the miserable condi tion of the country; but, sir, if the health of the subject is not a matter of sufficient importance to rouse the morbid sensibility of those whose duty it is to administer the laws, I should imagine that in a political point of view it would be a matter of great importance to look after those quack spies who are daily inundating the province. Those men (most brutal, generally speaking, in their manners, and in their conduct immoral in the highest degree) go from house to house like pedlars, dealing out their poisonous pills and herbs, and holding out to the gaping ignorant the advantages of a republican government, "But to give you an instance of the contemptible conduct of one of those animals, nearer yourself. During the last Session of the Peace I had occasion to be in Kingston, and although I lodged in a private house, I had occasion to call one morning at a tavern. While speaking to the landlady in the bar, in comes a doctor and calls for a gill of brandy. He drank it, in the course of which he put a great many questions to her about the health of her customers, and finally said he would leave some fever powders, as it was likely the country people would be get ting drunk (as he termed it) and would require medicine. The lady thanked him, and said if she wanted any medical aid she knew where to send for it. "To conclude, Mr. Editor, the consequences of the present system will be, in the first place, to prevent native merit entering into the pro fession; secondly, those few respectable and regularly educated men whom we have amongst us will either leave the province or get a mis erable subsistence if they remain; and, lastly, though not the least, the province will be in some degree revolutionized by those emissaries of a licentious republic." "Veritas" "Adolphustown, May 14th, 1816," 52 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON The truth of the words of the Rev, Dr, Strachan and "Veritas" is demonstrated by the following advertisement of the cure-alls offered for sale by these impostors: "Richmond, Oct, 17th, 1817," "Advertisement — This is to certify that I, Solomon Albert, is Good lo cure any sore in word Complaint or any Pains, Rheumatic Pains, or any Complaint whatsoever the Subscriber doctors with yerbs or Roots, Any person wishing to employ him will find him at Dick Bells, "Solomon Albert"* If Solomon's remedies were of the same class as his English, it is lo be hoped that the good people of Richmond did not consult him in a I'lrofessional way. The Legislative Assembly, no longer able to withstand the attacks made upon it for not protecting the public against the quacks and their pernicious concoctions, passed an Act creating a Medical Board, com posed <;of five or more persons legally authorized to practise medicine, with power "to hear and examine all persons desirous to practise physic, surgery, or mid-wifery or either of them within the province," and upon the certificate of the Board as to the fitness of the applicant, a license to practise might be granted to, him. This Statute came into force on November 27th, 1818, and the Board was promptly appointed and con vened at York and proved themselves equal to the occasion by rejecting one out of two petitioners for license. At the April session one out of two was rejected, and at the meeting in July four out of seven appli cants were found unfit to practise, A remedy was at last found for the long standing evil, Mr, George Baker of Bath was the first gentleman from this county to pass a satisfactory examination before the Board, He received his certificate in January, 1820, In July of the same year Hiram Weeks of Fredericksburgh was similarly honoured, and the third practitioner for the county was John Vanderpost of the same township, who was licensed in January, 1821, For the next sixteen years the following appear to be the success ful candidates from this county, so far as can be gathered from the minutes of the Board, James Fairfield Bath 1827 Abraham V, V, Pruyn Bath 1831 Isaac B, Aylesworth Bath 1835 Thos, Chamberlain Bath 1837 * The Medical Profession in Upper Canada, page 36 THE SETTLING OF THE LOYALISTS 53 That quackery was not thoroughly eradicated is quite manifest from the following advertisement which appeared in the Napanee Standard in 1873: "Dr, Hyatt" "Clairvoyant and Magneticphysician" "examines diseases by a lock of hair, photograph, or autograph. Can be consulted at his residence opposite Green & Son's furniture ware houses, Dundas Street, Napanee," 54 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER IV THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. By an Imperial Act passed in 1774 entitled "An Act for making more effectual provision for the Government of the Province of Quebec in North America," the boundaries of the province were so fixed as to include all lands lying north of a line drawn from the Bay of Chaleur, following approximately the present southern boundary of the Province of Quebec, thence along the St, Lawrence, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie, and on westerly to the Mississippi River, excepting only the territory granted to the Hudson's Bay Company. It also included Newfoundland and all islands and territories falling within the jurisdiction of its government. Provision was made for the government of this extensive territory, by further enacting that His Majesty might appoint a legis lative council, not exceeding twenty-three in number nor less than seventeen, which council would have power to make ordinances for the peace, welfare, and good government of the province. There was an \express prohibition against levying any taxes, except such rates and taxes as the inhabitants of any town or district might be authorized to assess, levy, and apply for the purpose of making roads, erecting and repairing public buildings, or for any other purpose respecting the local convenience and economy of such town or district. In the same year an Act was passed fixing the duties to be imposed upon brandy, rum, and other spirits, and syrups and molasses, discriminating in favour of all such manufactured in great Britain or carried in British ships. In striking contrast with this last mentioned Act there was passed in 1778, as a result of the American Revolution, an Act declaring that the King and Parliament of Great Britain would not impose any duty-tax or assessment, except only such as it might be expedient to impose for the regulation of commerce, and that the product of all such duties should be applied exclusively for the use of the colony in which the same were levied. From the breaking out of the rebellion in 1776 the Province of Quebec appears to have been a special object of solicitude on the part of King George and his Parliament, Year after year we find enact ments calculated to encourage new settlers. With the coming of the Loyalists the people of this extensive domain felt that they had outgrown the age when they could be ruled by a Government and Legislative THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 55 ' Council in whose appointment they had no voice. The Act of 1774, popularly known as the Quebec Act, provided no machinery for the self-government of the local districts, such as the Loyalists had been accustomed to in their former homes; and such ordinances as had been passed by the Legislative Council were not well suited to the require ments of a people accustomed to British laws and institutions. During the first few years after their arrival in the county the settlers were too busy to give much attention to the question of the administration of justice; yet differences arose between neighbours, and offences were committed by wrongdoers, and these differences had to be settled and the oflfenders punished. From the time they had first set out on their northern journey they had lived under martial law, and thei officers appointed to command the several companies continued to exercise their authority until they were gradually replaced by the civil authorities. They, however, did not enforce that rigid military discipline that is generally understood to prevail under such circumstances; but, in their own way, endeavoured to maintain peace and order by applying the English laws as they understood them. Lord Dorchester, who came to Canada in the autumn of 1786, was the" first Governor to take up the question of the administra tion of justice in Upper Canada. A few magistrates were appointed in this part of the province, but their jurisdiction was so limited that matters of any magnitude could be determined only by the higher tribunals in the lower province. When Upper Canada was divided into districts in 1788 a General Commission of the Peace was issued appointing two magistrates for each township in the district of Mecklenburgh. This number was added to from time to time as cir cumstances required or sufficient influence was brought to bear to secure an appointment. More extended power, both ministerial and judicial, was vested in the justices, who were authorized to sit collectively as one body known as the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, a name retained long after the justices had ceased to exercise their powers in session. This important body performed the duties now assigned to our municipal councils, justices of the peace, police magistrates, and to some extent the county judges. One such court was established in each of the four Districts, and the first court held in the Mecklenburgh District was at Kingston on April 14th, 1789. There were four jus tices present, Richard Cartwright, Junior, Neil McLean, Richard Porter, and Arch, McDonnell, For over twenty years Richard Cartwright was the leading spirit of these sessions, at which he presided when present, and his addresses have been characterized as remarkable for their "sound principles, liberal 56 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON views, and tempered dignity," Upon the few occasions when he was absent his place was taken by Neil McLean, Alex, Fisher, or Thomas Markland, During the first few sessions up to the passing of the Con stitutional Act the court not only heard and determined civil and crim inal cases, but also issued ordinances calculated to provide for the good government of the district. Some pretty heavy sentences were handed out by the sessions with the evident intention of stamping out the crime of larceny. We find that at the April sessions of 1790, one Frederick Piper, for having stolen a ploughshare purporting to be of the value of ten shillings, was ordered to be given thirty-nine lashes on his bare back at the public whipping-post, to be imprisoned for one month, and to suffer the further humiliation of being exposed one day each week in the stocks and duly labelled with the word "Thief," in order that all passers-by might know the crime for which he had been convicted and have the opportunity of taunting him upon his degradation. That the reader may appreciate the multifarious duties performed by the Court of Quarter Sessions in addition to the hearing of civil and criminal cases, let me briefly review the records for the year 1797, The first meeting presided over by Alex, Fisher was held at Adolphustown on January 24th, and no less than thirteen justices took their places upon the bench. Two new justices were sworn in and took their seats, thus swelling the number to fifteen. The formal proceeding of reading the commission and summoning the grand jury was performed in the usual manner, but no general business was transacted except the ordering of a levy of £26 from the counties of Addington and Ontario to meet the expenses of the member, Joshua Booth, in attending the meeting of the Legislative Assembly for the year 1796 and the sum of £25 to cover his expenses for the year 1795. A special session, attended by only two justices, was next held at Kingston on March i8th to receive the accounts and lists of the road overseers and to apportion the road work to be done by them. Another meeting was held at Kingston on April 25th and 26th, at which five justices were present the first day and two on the second. The chief business transacted at these sessions was the ordering of the levy of a rate for the ensuing year, the recommendation of the appoint ment of two additional coroners, the passing of several accounts for services rendered in connection with the relief of the poor, and other accounts of the clerk of the peace and township clerks, the granting of a license for a public inn, the auditing of the treasurer's accounts, and the appointment of constables for the year. On July nth and 12th the .sessions were held at Adolphustown with seven justices in attendance, which number was increased to eight by THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 57 swearing in a newly appointed member of the court. At this court the justices established a Court of Request in the township of Marysburgh, and another in the townships of Sophiasburgh and Ameliasburgh, At a meejing held in Kingston on October loth, four constables were fined twenty shillings each for non-attendance. From the foregoing it will be seen that the justices transacted a large amount of business outside of their judicial duties. In 1798 licenses were granted by them for the establishment of a ferry across the Napanee River, fixing the toll for foot passengers at 3d,, and horse and man at 7d,, and another at Murray at which the toll was fixed at 4d, and 8d., respectively. Prior to 1798 ministers of the Church of England only could legally perform the marriage ceremony, but an act was passed in that year authorizing the Quarter Sessions, when six justices at least were pre sent, to grant licenses to clergymen of the Church of Scotland or Luth erans, or Calvinists to solemnize marriage, upon their taking the oath of allegiance, being vouched for by seven respectable persons members of the congregations or community to which they belonged, producing proofs of ordination and the sum of five shillings, Robert McDowell, the Presbyterian minister, complied with these conditions at the sessions held at Adolphustown in July, 1800, and was given the required certi ficate, the first issued in this district. In January of the following year a similar certificate was granted the Lutheran minister, John G. Wigant, At the sessions held at Adolphustown on January 25th, 1803, the first ferry license between Ameliasburgh and Thurlow was granted to William Garow (Gerow) with the following tolls: — every man is,, two or more 9d, each, man and horse 2s,, span of horses and carriage 2s, 6d,, yoke of oxen 2s, 6d,, every sheep 3d,, every hog 4d. In 1 79 1 was passed the Constitutional Act, dividing the Province of Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada and making provision for the government of the two provinces thus formed. Each legislature was to consist of three branches, the Lieutenant-Governor, the Legislative Council, and the House of Assembly, corresponding to our Governor- General, Senate, and House of Commons, Under the new order of things Colonel John Graves Simcoe was the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, and pursuant to the authority vested in him, he pro ceeded by proclamation, bearing date July i6th, 1792, to divide the province into counties and to declare the number of representatives to be elected by each to serve in the Legislative Assembly, which was to con sist of sixteen members. The component parts of our county, as at present bounded, entered into the composition of three separate counties, namely, Ontario, Addington, and Lenox (afterwards spelled Lennox), 58 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON The county of Ontario was composed exclusively of islands, compris ing all the islands lying between the mouth of the Gananoque River and the most easterly extremity of Prince Edward County, among the num ber being Amherst Island, then known as Isle Tonti; Addington was composed of the Township of Ernesttown and all the land between Lake Ontario on the south and the Ottawa River on the north that would fall within the extension of the eastern and western boundaries of the town ship, including of course the then township of Camden. Lennox was bounded on the east by the county of Addington, on the south by the Bay of Quinte, and on the west by the Bay of Quinte, and the western boundary of the township of Richmond extended northerly, until it intersected the western boundary of Addington. In fixing the repre sentatives that the several counties, nineteen in all, were entitled to, the apportionment was much more confusing from the twentieth century point of view. Ontario and Addington were to send one representative; Adolphustown was severed from the neighbouring townships and linked to Prince Edward to form an electoral district to be represented by one member, and the remainder of Lennox, that is Fredericksburgh and Rich mond, were united with Hastings and Northumberland in sending one representative. The present county of Ontario was sparsely settled at the time and had then no separate existence. So few indeed had taken up land on the north shore of Lake Ontario that all the territory between Weller's Bay and Burlington Bay was divided into three counties, Northumberland, Durham, and York, and the latter two had not suffi cient population to entitle them to a representative, but were joined to a part of Lincoln to form one electoral district. The members of the Legislative Council, seven in numljer, were appointed by the Crown and held office for life. Fully equipped with all this legislative machinery, to which was added an Executive Council or advisory board. Upper Canada entered upon its career as a self-governing province at Niagara in September, 1792. The first act of the miniature Parliament contained a provision which gave great satisfaction to all the inhabitants and has proven a blessing to all future generations. It was expressed in few words but was far-reaching in its consequences, for it swept away the obnoxious French Civil Code and brought the province under the laws of Great Britain, The operative words were as follows: "That from and after the passing of this Act, in all matters of controversy relative to property and civil rights, resort shall be had to the laws of England, as the rule for the decision of the same," At the same session trials by jury were established and Courts of Requests created for the easy THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 59 and speedy recovery of small debts before two or more justices of the peace. The four Districts which had been given Dutch names to appease a large number of Loyalists of German descent were renamed the "Eastern," "Midland," '"Home," and "Western" Districts respec tively. The Court of Requests, corresponding to our present division courts, were presided over by justices residing in the respective divi sions. In 1840 there were eleven of these divisions in the Midland District, and the Kingston Almanac published in that year gives the fol lowing list of courts and justices severally assigned to them : "Division 3rd. — Ernesttown and Amherst Island: — Isaac Fraser, Wm. I. McKay, Orton Hancox, Benjamin Seymour, William Fairfield,. Junior. — Holden at Bath." "Division 4th. — Camden and ' Sheffield : — ^Jacob Rombough, Samuel Clark, Calvin Wheeler, R. D. Finley, W. M. Bell.— Holden at Camden East." "Division 5th. — Part Fredericksburgh and Adolphustown: — James Fraser, David L. Thorp, Samuel Dorland, Samuel Casey, Jacob Detlor, Williams Sills.— Holden at Charters Inn." "Division 6th. — Part Fredericksburgh and Adolphustown: — Archi bald McNeil, James Fraser, W. W. Casey, Geo. Schryver, A. Campbell. —Holden at Clarkville." "Division 7th. — Richmond and part Hungerford: — Allan Mac pherson, Archibald Caton, George H. Detlor, David Stuart, Charles Macdonald. — Holden at Napanee." There was only one registry office in the District at that time, and it of course was at Kingston, but thefe were two deputy registrars, Isaac Fraser at Bath, and Robert McLean at Belleville. When the Loyalists first settled here there was no workable statutory authority for municipal government, but the necessity for it was felt, and the Quarter Sessions took it upon themselves to supply the defect, levied assessments, let public contracts, and issued orders for the good government of the Dis trict corresponding to our by-laws. The citizens were not content with the rule of the justices. They had been accustomed to their town meet ings, their town offices and by-laws, and saw no reason why they should not enjoy the same privileges in their new home, and they proceeded to convene town meetings, appoint their own officials, and frame regu lations to meet their needs. There lies before the writer the original minute-book of the town meetings of the township of Adolphustown extending over a period from 1792 to 1849. 60 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON All of the business transacted and recorded at the first meetifig is embodied in twelve lines, containing only ninety-four words, and the entire record from 1792 to 1849 inclusive, after which date the Municipal Act came into force, is contained in less than one hundred pages, the greater portion of which is given over to census returns and lists of officers elected. The officers chosen at the meeting of March 6th, 1792, were a town clerk, a constable, two overseers of the poor, three pound-masters, and two fence-viewers. At the meeting of March 5th, 1793, there were chosen a town clerk, two constables, two overseers of the poor, four overseers of the highway, and six fence-viewers. The Act providing for the nomination and appointment of parish and town officers was passed July 9th, 1793, after which a special town meeting was held on August 28th of the same year, and the following officers were chosen: a town clerk, two assessors, a collector, four overseers of the highway and fence-viewers, the two offices being combined by the Statute, three pound-masters, and two town wardens. The Statute enacted that the inhabitant householders should choose "two fit and dis creet persons to serve the office of town wardens for such parish, town ship, reputed township, or place; but as soon as there shall be any church built for the performance of divine service, according»to the use of the Church of England, with a parson or minister duly appointed thereto, then the said inhabitant householders shall choose and nomin ate one person, and the said parson or minister shall nominate one other person, which persons shall jointly serve the office of churchwarden; and that such town wardens or churchwardens, and their successors duly appointed, shall be a corporation to represent the whole inhabitants of the township or parish, and as .such, may have a property in goods or chattels of or belonging to the said parish, and shall and may sue, prosecute, or defend in all presentments, indictments, or actions for and on the behalf of the inhabitants of the said parish." Notwithstanding the building of a church for the performance of divine service, the town meetings in apparent disregard of that provi sion of the Statute, continued to elect two wardens until 1823, when for the first time the right of the church to nominate one of the wardens was recognized, as appears by the following minute for that year: "Thomas Williams, Esq., Church Warden, appointed by the Clergyman ;" and La?arus Gilbert was appointed by the town meeting. In each suc ceeding year up to 1836 the church nominated one of the wardens, after which date the wardens or commissioners were all chosen by the inhabitants. At the annual meeting of 1792 Reuben Bedell was appointed town clerk, Joseph Allison and Garret Benson constables, Paul Huff and THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 61 Phillip Dorland overseers of the poor, Willet Casey, Paul Huff, and John Huyck pound-masters. The dimensions of hog yokes were fixed at i8 x 24 inches. The height of a fence was fixed at four feet eight inches, and Abraham Maybee and Peter Ruttan were appointed fence-viewers. It was further decreed that water was not to be regarded as a fence, that no pigs were to run at large until they were three months old, and stallions were not to be allowed at large at all. Our forefathers wasted no words in their municipal enactments as the foregoing regulations were embodied in the following brief sentences : "Dimensions of hog yoaks i8 inches by 24, — height of fence 4 feet 8 inches. Fence-viewers Abraham Maybee and Peter Ruttan, — Water voted to be no fence, — no pigs to run till three months old. No stallion to run," The minutes concluded with "Any person putting fire to brush or stubble that does not his endeavour to hinder it from doing damage shall forfeit the sum of forty shillings," We thus see the two bodies, the self-constituted town meeting and the Court of Quarter Sessions exercising concurrent jurisdiction, as the latter body at its session of July 14th, 1789, passed the following order: "No stallion more than two years old shall be allowed to run after the twentieth instant under a penalty of forty shill ings to be paid by the owner, one half of which will be allowed the informer," This conflict of authority was the subject of legislation at the next meeting of the Provincial Parliament held at Niagara in July, 1793- It must be borne in mind that Adolphustown was recognized as the most important centre of civilization in Upper Canada at the time, and the representatives of this district were men of high standing whose counsels carried great weight, Kingston had grown to be a town of a hundred or more houses, was a military and naval centre, but Adolphustown took the lead in all matters appertaining to the adminis tration of the civil affairs of the province. The right of the people to appoint their own officials was recognized by the second Act of this the second Pariiament which authorized the calling of town meetings on the first day of March each year for the purpose of choosing a town clerk, assessor, collector, overseers of highways, pound-keepers, town wardens, and constables. To those officers was intrusted the authority to administer the laws within their respective spheres ; but no power was given to the local body to enact any by-laws, yet upon this slender foundation has been built our Municipal Act of to-day. At the same session an Act was passed for holding the Quarter Sessions for the Midland District alternately at Adolphustown in January and July, and at Kingston in April and October. The town meetings scored another victory at this session by being given the power "to ascertain and deter- 62 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON mine in what manner and at what periods horned cattle, horses, sheep, and swine, or any of them, shall be allowed to run at large," Turning again to the minutes of the town meetings we find the inhabitants of Adolphustown providing for their own needs, regard less of either the Quarter Sessions or. Parliament, In 1794 the first declaration of war was made against the thistle which was carried to this part of the province in the bateaux from Lower Canada, The following minute appears in the record for that year: "It is agreed by the toWnship that the weed called thistle should be crushed in its growth and to this purpose that pathmasters do direct the people to assist every person on whose land the same may grow in subduing it. Pro vided it be found necessary and of this the pathmasters are to be the judges." Beginning with the year 1794 the town clerk carefully entered in his minute-book, as directed by the Statute of the previous year, a return of all the inhabitants of the township. This is repeated in the same precise form each year, giving the name of the head of the family in the first column and the number of men, women, male and female children in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th columns respectively, and the total number of the household in the 6th, From these records the population of the township in 1794 was 402 ; in 1804 it had increased to 585, but fell back to 552 in 1814; the last return, which is for the year 1822, gives the total as 571, The average family during these twenty-nine years was six and seven, and Paul Trumpour and Alexander Fisher head the list, each having a household of seventeen. The war against the thistle was continued, and in 1799 eleven overseers were appointed "to determine whether a fine of forty shillings shall not be laid on any person or per sons who shall be found remiss or negligent in stopping the growth of the thistles on their premises, which fine if so laid by the aforemen tioned persons or any three of them shall be laid out in subduing said thistles in this township. It is also agreed that when any person has so many growing on his lands that it may by the pathmasters or any one of them be thought to be burthensome for him to cut, that the path- master do order out all the persons liable to do statute duty on the high ways to his assistance." Notwithstanding the master stroke in adding the rider to their order by which a friendly pathmaster could come to the relief of the delinquent the provision appears to have been unpopular and this "Prudential Law" was repealed the following year, only to be re-enacted in 1801. For the next eight years the town meeting contented itself with appointing officers and continuing the same "Prudential Laws" from year to year, the only attempt at original legislation being THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 63 the simple enactment in 1810 "that hogs and pigs are not to be commoners unless lawfully yoaked the whole year." For the next thirty-nine years the town meetings did little more than appoint the officers of the township and re-enact the laws of the previous year by simply inserting in the minutes "Prudential Laws the same as last year," Their efforts at law-making were practically confined to vary ing from time to time the regulations concerning animals running at large. Meanwhile the Quarter Sessions continued to administer the civil and criminal laws to the extent of their jurisdiction, and to exercise their other powers in managing the jail and other public institutions; in laying out and improving the highways ; in levying an assessment to provide for the sessional indemnity of the members of the Assembly; in appointing street and highway surveyors, district and township con stables, and inspectors of weights and measures. They regulated ferries and markets, and the granting of certificates to applicants for licenses to sell liquor, and to the clergymen of dissenting congregations, who could not solemnize marriage until authorized by the court. That the people of Upper Canada for over fifty years continued to intrust the manage ment of their local public affairs to a small body of men nominated by the Crown speaks volumes for the patience and law-abiding qualities of the inhabitants, and is no small compliment to the intelligence, public spirit, and fair-mindedness of the justices composing the Sessions. When we consider what the Loyalists had already undergone in order to maintain their principles we wonder that they submitted as long as they did to the autocratic rule of the justices. They had been accus tomed to popular self-government and had learned through their experi ence at the town meetings how easy a matter it was to make and repeal laws. The towns gradually broke away from the authority of the Quarter Sessions by the creation of Boards of Police to regulate their affairs, and in some cases notably Toronto, Kingston, Cornwall, and Bytown (Ottawa), by special Acts of Incorporation, With these examples before their eyes, popular government in the rural sections could not long be deferred, and in 1841 the Quarter Sessions were shorn of much of their power by the passing of The District Councils Act, Each District was constituted a municipal corporation to be governed by a District Council clothed with power to build and maintain schools, public buildings, roads, and bridges, to fix and provide means for paying the salaries of the district and township officers, and to levy assessments to meet the expense of the administration of justice. It was not without a bitter struggle that this victory for the people was achieved. Lower and Upper Canada had just been re united, and the Honourable S. B, Harrison at the first session chain- 64 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON pioned the Act through the new House against such strong opposi tion as Sir Allan MacNab and Mr. J. S. Cartwright, the member for Lennox and Addington, both of whom are credited with oppos ing the bill because it was democratic and republican in prin ciple, while the member for Hastings (Mr. Baldwin) thought that it did not go far enough, and was pleased to style it "an abominable bill" and a "monstrous abortion" which he viewed "with detestation." The bill was eventually passed, some sections being carried by very narrow majorities. In 1798 there had been a readjustment of the counties by which the old county of Ontario was done away with, and it was enacted "that the townships of Ernesttown, Fredericksburgh, Adolphustown, Richmond, Camden (di.stinguished by being called Camden East), Amherst Island, and Sheffield do constitute and form the incorporated counties of Lennox and Addington." The Midland District at the time the District Councils Act came into force comprised the counties of Frontenac, Lennox, and Addington. The first meeting of the new council was held in 1842 and was composed of one repre sentative from each township duly chosen at the respective town meet ings. The Act of 1841 proved to be so satisfactory that the same Mr. Baldwin who had viewed it "with detestation" sought to extend its principles in 1843 by introducing a general municipal act providing for the incorporation of all townships, towns, counties, and cities. The bill passed its three readings in the Assembly but was strangled in the Legis lative Council. Six years later he reintroduced the same measure with certain amendments and improvements, among them being the inclusion of villages in the list of municipalities eligible for incorporation. The principle of the District Councils Act had so grown in the popular esteem that but little opposition was offered, and our "Magna Charta of Municipal Government" became law, and remains to-day in our Municipal Act a lasting monument to the wisdom of its author. During the same session it was deemed expedient to abolish the territorial divi sion of the province into districts, and the county was made the unit for judicial and other purposes. By a series of so-called "Gerrymandering" Acts successive gov ernments have carved up many of the counties into electoral dis tricts; but for other practical purposes the principle of the Act of 1849 '^^.s been maintained. As the several districts had erected jails and other public buildings the rights of the several counties making up the district were preserved by providing that the dis trict jail, court-houses, grammar schools, and officers should thence forth belong to the counties and union of counties set forth in the THE DEVELOPMENT OP MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 65 schedule to the Act. In this schedule we find Frontenac, Lennox, and Addington united for judicial purposes arid, under the above mentioned proviso, joint owners of the public buildings which had been erected in the town of Kingston. In 185 1 certain other alterations were made in the territorial divisions of the province whereby new townships were added to many of the existing counties. Addington is described as being composed of the townships of Camden, Ernesttown, Kaladar, Anglesea, Sheffield, and Amherst Island; while Lennox retained its original territory but was defined as Adolphustown (formerly Adolphus Town), Fredericksburgh, Fredericksburgh additional, and Richmond. By an Act of Parliament passed in i860 the county of Lennox was incorporated with the county of Addington to form the county of Lennox and Addington and the union with Frontenac was continued as before. By the same Act the townships of Effingham, Abinger, Ashby, and Denbigh were added to and formed part of Addington. In 1863 Frontenac was severed from Lennox and Addington, and each became a separate county for both judicial and municipal purposes. The only connection between the two, apart from the neighbourly feeling created by long association, is in respect to our county judges, whereby the judges of the two counties alternately exchange duties in the county and division courts, ' »j In 1896 an attempt was made to improve the system of selectin|f county councils, as the number of members in some counties was so great that the councils were too unwieldly to dispose of the business brought before them with that despatch that is supposed to characterize their proceedings. The new Act provided for the subdivision of the counties according to a sliding scale under which our county was rearranged with five divisions as follows : I, The Highlands Division, consisting of the townships of Abinger, Anglesea, Ashby, Denbigh, Effingham, Kaladar, and Sheffield, II, The Camden Division, consisting of the township of Camden and the village of Newburgh. III. The Ernesttown Division, consisting of the village of Bath and the townships of Amherst Island and Ernesttown. IV. The U. E. L. Division, consisting of the townships of Adolphus town, North Fredericksburgh, and South Fredericksburgh. V. The Napanee Division, consisting of the town of Napanee and the township of Richmond. Two councillors, or commissioners as they were called, were to be elected from each division, making ten in all, and eaCh elector, being entitled to two votes, could if he saw fit cast his two votes for one can didate by making two crosses upon his ballot opposite the name of the 5 66 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON I candidate of his choice. For ten years the experiment was continued, and while it had a few redeeining features, which operated to some advantage in very large counties, yet, in the average county, the innova tion was not regarded as a success. It was felt that the old system of sending members of the local councils as the representatives of the municipalities which elected- them brought together as a county council a body of men in close touch with the wants of every part of the county. Such representatives, being members of the councils of the lesser municipalities, were better able to give expression to the wishes of the body they represented than one or two individuals elected by the general vote of two or more townships. The policy of the local munici pality should be in harmony with the policy of its representative in the county council, and a representative not cognizant of all the inner work ings of the lesser body might very easily have defeated the aims of the electors who supported him. This opinion was quite general, and the Act was repealed in 1906, and we returned again to the original method of forming the county council. We have seen how in the early days the justices of the peace were the most important personages in the community. The squires were looked up to as the supreme local authority ; for they not only adminis tered the finances of the district, levied the rates, and appointed officials ; but sat as judges in both civil and criminal matters. Little by little encroachments were made upon their authority, first by the town meet ings, to which bodies were assigned certain rights, then by the district councils, and finally by the County Courts Acts passed in 1845. I'^ ^^ same year a law was passed providing that the county judge should preside as chairman at the Quarter Sessions of the Peace. The right of the justices to sit at the sessions was still recognized, and the justices present were authorized to elect a chairman pro tempore in case the county judge from sickness or other unavoidable cause was unable to be present. The legislature went one step further in 1873 and declared by Statute that in order to constitute a court of sittings of the General Ses sions of the Peace presided over by the county judge, it was not neces sary that any other justice of the peace be present. Thus the squires were told in modest yet unambiguous language that, while their presence was not prohibited, the business of the court could be carried On without them. In the following year the legislators went one step further and enacted that whenever from illness or casualty the judge was not able to hold the sittings of the General Sessions of the Peace the sheriff should adjourn the court, or in other words while the presence of the THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 67 justices could be dispensed with, that of the county judge could not. It is many lyears since the justices have taken their places upon the bench alongside the county judge, but their right to do so could not be successfully challenged. The statutory authority for the constitution of the court remained unchanged from 1801 to 1909, except the provisions relating to the chairman and to adjournment in case of the absence of the county judge. He is still styled the chairman of the court, and the present Consolidated Act of 1909 still recognizes the right of the justices to participate in the proceedings by re-enacting the section of 1873 that the presence of the justices is not indispensable in order to have a regularly constituted court. Another inroad upon the jurisdiction of the justices was made by the Police Magistrate Act first introduced as a part of the Municipal Institutions Act of 1866, and after Confederation so amended from time to time that now justices are prohibited from adjudicating upon or otherwise acting in any case for any town or city where there is a police magistrate. In this very prohibition, extended also to cases arising in a county for which there is a police magistrate before whom the initiatory proceedings have been taken, these words appear "except at the Court of General Sessions of the Peace." This quotation from the Police Magistrates Act of 1910 makes it clear that it never has been the intention of the legislature to exclude the justices from taking part in the sessions if they see fit to exercise their preroga tive. The result of all the foregoing legislation is that our justices of the peace to-day have been shorn of practically all their power, and to day are the custodians of the Statutes and administer an occasional oath to the witnesses to conveyances. There are scores in every county, among them many of our best citizens; but not one in ten has ever presumed to take an information or adjudicate upon a case. The old- fashioned "Squire" who was a terror to evildoers and the standard authority upon all matters in his neighbourhood, has passed away with the stage-coach and wayside inn. Faithfully he served his day and generation as the local legislator and judge, the guardian of the public funds, and the administrator of the public business, and not unfre quently his counsel and advice were sought in matters not falling within the pale of his public duties, and his services were sought as arbitrator of the disputes between neighbours. By precept and example he gen erally wrought for the well-being of his fellow-citizens. As a public conveyancer his presence in the community was a convenience, and many of the documents drafted by him display considerable skill and good judgment. To the old justices, who before the creation of our 68 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON present system of courts and municipal institutions, took upon themselves the burden of ministering to the people's needs, we can all look back with admiration and gratitude, for they were the stalwart men of one hundred years ago. In the year 1820, one C. Stuart, a retired captain of the East India Company's service, after a year's residence in the Western District of Upper Canada, wrote a very interesting little volume entitled The Bmigrant's Guide to Upper Canada. He appears to have been a keen observer, and his reasoning is clear and sound, particularly in dealing with the adverse opinions of the day in respect to the gift by the British Government of a free constitution to the Canadas. In commenting upon the administration of justice in Upper Canada he writes: "At York (the capital) is the Supreme Court, consisting of a chief and two minor judges. These three traverse the three circuits into which the province is divided, namely, the Eastern, the Home, and the Western in rotation ; holding their assizes at Brockville, Niagara, and Sandwich, in the autumn yearly. Besides these in each District, there is a district court, which sits quarterly the day following the breaking up of the general quarterly sessions, and determines all minor civil suits. "The general quarterly sessions are the same as in England, and meet early in April, July, October, and January. "The magistrates or justices of the peace, and the various other parish or town officers are the same as in England; and are equally invested with the authority to correct and equally inattentive to the sacred duty of correcting the common vices of drunkenness, profaneness, and Sabbath breaking, which distort and afflict society. "As far as this remissness, which is everywhere a general feature of the human character, permits, and where these common principles of corruption, which are everywhere inherent in human society, interfere not, the administration of the laws decidedly partakes of the general excellency of the laws themselves. Justice may be said to pervade the province. A Canadian is free, in one of the fairest and happiest mean ings of that term. He need fear no evil, to the correction of which human laws can reach, unless he himself provoke, and the pubhc good require it." The Consolidated Statutes of Upper Canada provided that vvhen the census returns taken under an Act of Parliament showed that the junior county of any united counties contained 15,000 inhabitants or more, then, if a majority of the reeves and deputy reeves of such county in the month of February in any two successive years passed a resolu tion affirming the expediency of the county being separated from the union and, further, if in the mont.h of February of the following year a THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 69 majority of the reeves did transmit to the Governor-in-Council a peti tion for the separation, then the Governor, if he deemed the circum stances of the junior county such as to call for a separate establishment of courts and other county institutions might, by proclamation setting forth the facts, constitute the reeves and deputy reeves a provisional council, and therein name one of its members to preside at the meeting, also therein determine the place for and the name of the county town. Twelve years before its consummation, conditions were ripe and the agitation began for the separation of this county from Frontenac; but little progress was made until the Honourable John Stevenson took the matter in hand and followed it up with that determination which charac terized the man. Frontenac of course was opposed to the movement and used every means in its power to thwart the will of the inhabitants of Lennox and Addington. The greatest drawback, however, arose from the prolonged controversy over the selection of a county seat, there being no less than four aspirants in the field: Tamworth, Newburgh, Napanee, and Bath. The case of Tamworth was thus summed up in a resolution presented at a meeting of the reeves and deputy reeves called for the purpose of considering the question: "Whereas this county being ninety miles long, we think that there would be an injustice perpetrated against the settlers in the rear of the county if a frontier village should be chosen for the county seat ; for of a necessity the inhabitants of the, new townships cannot for years have good roads, nor acquire wealth enough to have easy carriages to convey them to the county town; and if Bath, Newburgh, or Napanee should be chosen the rear settlers would have to travel over eighty miles to do their county business. And whereas the Village of Tamworth, in the township of Sheffield, approaches the nearest to the centre of this county and is a healthy location, we deem it the best available place for the county seat." For obvious reasons this species of argument did not appeal to the county's representatives, and Tamworth did not long continue in the race. Bath's chances of securing the prize were little better than those of Tamworth; but Ernesttown fought stubbornly for the claims of the old village in the forlorn hope that in the bitter war waged between Newburgh and Napanee, the dark horse might win through a compromise between these irreconcilable contestants. Matters became more complicated by the presentation of a petition from the inhabitants of Amherst Island that in the event of a separation their township should remain in the senior county. When just on the eve of the general election of 1863 the reeves and deputy reeves determined to force the hands of the government ; anH on April i8th, a meeting was held in the town hall, Napanee, to con- 70 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON sider the best method of selecting the county town. In the month of February of the two preceding years the necessary resolutions had been passed affirming the expediency of the separation, and in the month of February of the then current year the necessary petition had ieen trans mitted to the Governor, praying for the separation ; but the vexed ques tion of the county seat still remained unsettled. It was a critical hour for the two rival villages of Newburgh and Napanee when Mr. J. J. Watson of Adolphustown was called to the chair. Bath had retired from the contest, and the reeve and deputy reeve of Ernesttown joined forces with those of Camden to establish the seat of the county at^ New burgh. All manner of wire-pulling was indulged in to outwit the cham pions of the claims of Napanee. The first vote taken was to seal the fate of Tamworth, when to the surprise of many the vote of Camden went for the northern village in the expectation of capturing the nor thern vote when the yeas and nays were called for the resolution favouring Newburgh as the county town. Tamworth secured five out of fifteen votes, Newburgh obtained but one more. It was apparent at this stage of the proceedings that Napanee would carry the day, and it would have befitted the wisdom and dignity of the meeting to have passed the re maining resolution unanimously; but such was not the temper of the disappointed fighters from Ernesttown and Camden, and when a show of hands was called nine supported the claims of Napanee and the same six, who had voted for Newburgh, still persisted in their opposition and, to their chagrin, the votes of the northern townships were all in favour of the present county town. The opposition did not stop there. Much bitterness had been engendered during the long struggle, and the editors of the Napanee papers were not wholly blameless for the bad feeling created. The reeve of Newburgh might with good grace have accepted his defeat; but his blood was up, and he petitioned the government to defer the question, thus causing a further delay. To offset this last move Mr. Stevenson prepared a counter petition signed by the repre sentatives of Napanee, Kaladar, Sheffield, Richmond, Adolphustown, and North and South Fredericksburgh in which the attention of the government was again called to the fact that all thd conditions precedent for the issuing of the proclamation had been complied with, and that the delay was "highly detrimental to the interests of the localities which your petitioners represent, and inconvenient and injurious to the great majority of the people at large." Finally on August 21st, when the elections were over and no further excuse could be found for withhold ing from the people of Lennox and Addington the long deferred answer to their petition, the royal proclamation issued; the separation was an THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 71 accomplished fact. Napanee was the county town, and John Stevenson was named as the person to preside at the first meeting of the provisional council which was called to meet in the, town hall, Napanee, on the loth of the following month. The Newburgh sympathizers bowed to the inevitable, and the Napanee press, content with the victory achieved, counselled that all local jealousy should cease, and that the provisional council enter upon they- new duties in a proper spirit and with a view only to the welfare of the whole county. At the appointed time the council met and was composed of the following gentlemen: J. J. Wat son, Adolphustown ; J. McGinnis, Amherst Island ; W. F. Peterson, Bath ; S. Warner, Reeve, C. Fraser, Deputy Reeve, Ernesttown; D. Sills, South Fredericksburgh; M. Parks, North Fredericksburgh; J. N. Lap um, Reeve, G. Paul, Deputy Reeve, Camden; J, D, Ham, Newburgh; E. Perry, Reeve, J. Murphy, Deputy Reeve, Sheffield; C. R. Flint, Kaladar and Anglesea; I. Sexsmith, Reeve, R. Denison, Deputy Reeve, Richmond, and John Stevenson, Napanee. Mr. Stevenson was unanimously elected warden and Mr, Wm, V, Detlor was appointed clerk. To the credit of all concerned the coun cillors sank their former differences and entered upon the serious busi ness of setting their house in order, A by-law was introduced at this first session providing for the issue of debentures for the sum of $20,000.00 to provide funds for the building of a court-house. At a meeting of the council called on December i8th to consider the by-law introduced at the September session the same was finally passed, and the incoming council for 1864 found themselves in funds for the erection of the court-house, which was energetically proceeded with. The County Courts Act had been in force for many years at the time of the separation, and Judge Mackenzie was the only judge in Frontenac, Lennox, and Addington, He presided at all the division courts in the united counties and the county court as well, which was held only at Kingston, Division courts in this county were held at Amherst Island, Millhaven, Conway, Tamworth, Centr'eville, Newburgh, Napanee, and Wilton, The separation called for an entire new set of officers for Len nox arid Addington, John Joseph Burrows, county crown attorney of the united counties, was appointed county judge of this county, and Judge Mackenzie remained county judge of Frontenac for a few years, when he resigned and removed to Toronto and resumed prac tice. Pie was succeeded by Judge Draper, who died in 1869, when Judge Burrows was transferred from Napanee to Kingston and made judge of the county of Frontenac, William Henry Wilkison, who had been called to the bar in 1861 and was practising in Napanee, was the first 72 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON county crown attorney of this county and was appointed judge in 1869 to fill the vacancy caused by the removal of Judge Burrows, His Honour Judge Price was appointed in 1878 to succeed Judge Burrows, and His Honour Judge Madden was made Judge of Lennox and Add ington in 1903 upon the death of His Honour the late Judge Wilkison, The first sheriff of the county was Oliver Thatford Pruyn, who dele gated his duties to his brother M, W. Pruyn for a few years and after wards to his son, Thomas Dorland Pruyn, He died in 1895 at his farm in the front of Fredericksburgh where he had continued to live after his appointment, and was succeeded by the present sheriff, G, D. Hawley. There have been no less than five county crown attorneys in the following order: W. H. Wilkison, W. A. Reeve, A. L. Morden, S. C. Warner, and H. M. Deroche. John Bell McGuin was the first clerk of the county court, and upon his death in 1887 was succeeded by the present incumbent W. P. Deroche. Our county has been singularly fortunate in its public officers and particularly in the judges of the local courts. By an arrangement which prevails in 'very few other counties in the province the county judge of Lennox and Addington exchanges every alternate sitting of the county and division court with the county judge of Frontenac, so that each county has the benefit of the services of twq senior judges. At the time of his death the late Judge Wilkison had borne the honours of county judge thirty-four years, and the present judge of the county court of Frontenac has already completed his thirty-fourth year upon the bench. It falls to the lot of few public servants to render such long and faith ful service to their country. His Honour Judge Madden now complet ing his tenth year as judge is still in the prime of manhood and bids fair to maintain the record for longevity in service established by his predecessor and contemporary. Fortunately for the bar of the two counties, and fortunately for the litigants, our county judges have been men who ranked high in the profession and brought to the high office to which they were called not only the experience of a successful practice but what is of greater importance still the unblemished record of men of high moral standing. The township of Camden claims the honour of being the birthplace of the county judges of both counties. TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 73 CHAPTER V TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES The settlers in our newly opened territories of to-day suffer very little inconvenience in obtaining the staple necessaries of life whether it be in the forests of New Ontario or on the plains of the Northwest, and the prices paid are not much greater than those prevailing in the towns and villages of the older settlements. The catalogues of the departmental stores will be found in the remotest corners and they serve as useful guides in determining the values of the goods offered for sale. When there were no railways, express companies, or parcel post the merchant and customer were both sorely handicapped. The transportation facili ties were of the most primitive character and the carriage of goods from the larger centres to the country store was slow and expensive. From dire necessity the farmer had learned to wait upon himself, and his patronage of the store was confined to a few staples which he was unable to procure from the rivers, the forest, or the soil, or to manufacture from the raw material which those afforded him. To a certain extent he was his own butcher, baker, carpenter, blacksmith, tailor, and shoemaker, and he served himself in many other capacities. His wants were so few and simple that could he revisit the scenes of his toils and pleasures he would stand aghast as he viewed our honest yeomen of to-day revel ling in the luxuries and labour-saving devices pf the twentieth century. The pack-pedlar was the first to serve his needs, and then the country store, and as his circumstances improved his patronage of the latter increased. As the merchant's sales increased and the cost of carriage was reduced he could not only lay his goods down for less money but could subsist on a smaller margin of profit. Stores in the neighbouring villages or townships created competition, and from these several causes the cov eted merchandise was gradually brought within the reach of the poorest inhabitant. A few references to the growth and development of the customer's means and the tradesman's sales will not be without their useful lesson. In the "Testimonial of Mr. Roger Bates," to which I have elsewhere alluded, he writes : "As our family grew up in the Clarke settlement my grandfather wished to see them well settled before he died, and an' opportunity offered by the purchase of a military grant 74 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON from George Shaw of 600 acres which they drew in 1804 in the vicinity of Cobourg, "Whilst the lands were being cleared and a log house erecting they opened a small store close to the property now possessed by the White family. Here my father, Stoddard Bates, and my uncle. Lew Bates, planted an orchard, and we had a snug temporary residence. This store was supplied with goods by Enoch Woods, who brought the first assortment to Toronto. Everything at that time was very dear, but a system of barter was carried on that was of advantage to all parties. My father made a great quantity of potash which fetched at that time a good price. This in part paid for his goods. On referring to the old books now in possession of my mother I find some entries that give an idea of the general prices of goods, which people then had to pay: 1804, Gimblet, p/., Padlock $J4, Jack-knife $1, calico $ii/^ per yard, needles id, each. Ball of cotton $7^, Board of pigs $1 dollar per week, old axe $2j^, had to send them to Kingston to be ground. Tea 8s,, bk, 19s,, Halifax currency, barrel pork 27 to 30$ per barrel, flannel 6s. 3d. yard, salt 6d. per lb,, mill saw fourteen dollars, "My father and uncle were partners in this store, which turned out very profitable, as the settlers round were always in want of something or other. The woods at that time were alive with deer and bears. Many were killed by the Indians who traded off their skins dressed by the squaws, which made useful garments, "For a long time my grandfather had to go with some of his neigh bours all the way from Clarke to Kingston, 125 miles, with their wheat to be ground there. They had no other conveyances than bateaux, which were commodious as the journey would sometimes occupy five or six weeks, "Of an evening they put up into some creek and obtained their sal mon with ease, using a forked stick that passed over the fish's back and held them tight as with a spring," Either Mr. Bates must be in error as to the time expended in mak ing the round trip of 250 miles or much time was wasted owing to the rough weather encountered on the south shore of Prince Edward county. The following account is copied from the original now on file among the archives of the local Historical Society : Mr. John Ham 1809 To Peter Smith, Dr. Jan, 13 To 2 black silk handkerchiefs, @ 7s, 6d ij4 Balmy Pope, @ is. 4d - s. d, IS . . I 8 TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 75 i. s, Jan,i8 100 lbs, shingle nails, @ is, i>^d 5 12 50 lbs, plank nails, @ 9s i 17 50 lbs, nails, @ 9j^s i 19 Feb , 6 To cash paid him amounting 4 10 23 To I piece white cotton 37^^ yds., @ is, loj^d, 3 10 2^2. yds. shirting, @ 3s 7 J 3/^ yds, Irish linen, @ 3s. 6d 12 3 wine glasses, @ 7j4d i 3 brown soap, @ is. id 3 Cash paid him amounting to 15 Mai:. I To 2 axes, @ los i . . 10 To 85 iron, @ 6d 2 2 Cash paid him amounting to 5 I barrel @ i 5 Apr. 27 I barrel green tea » 7 May 30 I can of tobacco weighing 2j4) @ 2s 5 6 yards cotton, 2s 12 I Bohea tea 4 I green tea 7 Oct ,11 I green tea 7 2 muscovado sugar, @ lod i I nail hammer 2 J4 indigo 4 I paper ink powder i 3 knives and forks, 12s, 6d. per set 6 I stick blacking ball Cash paid him amounting to 15 Oct, 12 To I barrel Liverpool salt i 15 J^ bushel ditto 5 The following is copied from the original upon the same Mr. James Long 1809 To Rich & Robison, Dr, i s, Jan, I To balance as per acct, rendered 10 20 d, 6 67 6 3^ 6 Feb, II Mar, 1 1 21 25 June 17 I qt, whiskey I do. do. I do. I do. I do. 4 yds. 3 handkerchiefs. do. do.do. cotton. 2s, 6d, i) 2S, . . 3 I II I I 10 6 8 6 5 9 9 files: d. 9>^ 4 4 4 46 76 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON i. s. d. June28 I qt. whiskey i 6 July 20 I urag stone i I hat 12 . . I hat 5 • • 3 lbs. sugar 3 • • I lb. pepper 3 3 2 handkerchiefs, @ 2s 4 • • 3 hks. thread 3 I lb. snuff 2 . . •^ ^ yd. sprig musHn 2 6 I paper pins i lO 4 yds. Bingal stripe i6 . . I yd. tape i • • I J4 yds, yellow flannel , . . ' 4 8^ 2 yds. shirting cotton 6 6 2 yds. cotton, @ 2s. 6d 5 . . 2 yds. calico, @ 3s. 6d 7 . . I yd. lace 3 • • ^ yds. muslin 4 6 9 hks. thj ead 9 Aug. 5 4 hks. thread 4 Taylors thimble 6 J4 indigo 4 • • 12 I spelling book 2 . . 2 doz. buttons, 9d i 6 A snuff box 2 . . Aug. 15 3 gallons spirits i 16 . . A handkerchief 3 4 ij4 flannel 3s. 6d 4 4^4 23 ^ lb. powder 2 6 2 lbs. shot 2 . . I lb. snuff 2 . . A spelling book 2 10 I bbl. salt • I 7 6 A shawl 3 9 Sept. 9 2^ yds. cotton, @ 2s 5 , . 13 -y^ lb. allspice 2 . . 2 gallons spirits, @ 12s i 4 . . Paid Henry German i 16 11 15 I gallon wine 15 . . Yz doz. knives and forks 5 6 TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 77 Sept.27 I qt. spirits Oct. 4 I qt. wine 16 I qt. wine 2 yds. gray cloth 18 5 yds. cotton, @ 2s. . . I pr. stockings A pocket handkerchief I muslin handkerchief A shawl I shawl 2 yds. binding Tape and thread 1/4 yds. calico, @ 3s. . ij4 yds. caHco, @ 2s. . 23 I lb. green tea Nov. 2 I dozen needles A sad iron 7 I qt. spirits 14 I qt. spirits 17 Paid Wm. Bailey 22 I gallon spirits , 2 setts knitting needles , s. 3 3 3 13 10 42 2 3 4 43 7 33 3 7 12 12 9 9 6 3 3 8 4 6 6 993 3 8 A country store-keeper's ledger as a rule is not very interesting reading, but a perusal of that of Squire William Bell, who conducted many lines of business in the township of Thurlow, ninety years ago, throws light upon the every day dealings of our grandfathers. As early as 1797 the Squire was schoolmaster to the Mohawks upon a salary of £30 a year which was paid to him by drafts made upon Rev. John Stuart of Kingston, agent for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. The departmental store is not a creation of the last few decades, as the entries made by the Squire in the hand-made book, stitched with shoe thread, now lying before the writer, reveal the fact that besides being coroner for the Midland District and a justice of the peace issu ing summons, warrants, and executions he was a general merchant and dealt in every article that his customers could reasonably expect to find in a new country. Under date of May ist, 1823, we find the two fol lowing items charged to one Andrew Kenady : s. d. "For 6 gallons of whisky, @ 2s. 6d 15 "For Court costs assumed for you 4 6 78 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON The record is silent as to the relation these two items bear to each other. The Squire dealt extensively in whiskey, selling it by the gallon, quart, and bottle, and does not appear to have handled any other intoxi cant. It will be observed that the price is just about one fifth of what it is to-day and the quality no doubt was quite up to the standard. The store-keeper was the private banker of the neighbourhood, as in the same account appear the two following items : i. s. d. "Paid Robert Smith on your note taken up for you 9 7J^ "Cash lent when going to Belleville i Many of his other customers were accommodated in like manner. The last item in that account "for a sow with pigs li, 5s.," lends a variety to their dealings not found in modern accounts. The following items selected from the account of Jacob Kitchenback for the years 1823 to 1830, inclusive, disclose a variety quite as remark able as the dealings with Kenady (Kennedy). It will be noted that the Squire's spelling, although he had been a school teacher, is not quite orthodox, but the writer has seen much worse in our county town during the past few months: s. d. "For one pair of shoes 10 . . 71. ¦2 "For paid to McClure 17 "Postage paid for a letter 4}^ "For 2 summonses for Philps & Lewis i . . "For ballance due me on dear skins 6 6 When settling with a customer he very wisely made a memorandum of the fact, invariably stating the circumstances. The following memo randa at the end of this account are a very fair illustration: "Jan. 14th, 1829. Settled with Jacob Kitchenback in full by an agreement between him and myselfe and in presence of his son Edward and a number of other persons, a calff skin and sheepskins due still, which he is to deliver at Morrow's Tavern in Belleville. "Received the calf's skin and some sheepskins due J4 a sheepskin." In those days a few lasts, awls, and other shoemaker's tools were indispensable in every farm-house, and factory boots were practically unknown. Nearly every man was his own cobbler, and the country mer chant- sold the materials for mending boots, and in some instances Squire TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 79 Bell charged for making the repairs. Probably one of his many employees officiated at the cobbler's bench when not otherwise engaged. The following items are gathered at random from his ledger : s, d, "For grafting a pair of boots for your man and finding leather ^ g "For one pair of half soles i 3 "For I yard of shoe lining 2 "For out soles for your wife's shoes i 8 "For sole leather and making your shoes 7 6 "For leather for a pair of men's shoes 10 This singular entry, perhaps for a one-legged customer, also appears : "For half of a pair of shoes 5 , , There must have been a seamstress in connection with the estab lishment as we find several charges similar to the following: s, d, "For a cotton shirt and making 8 For cotton and thread for a shirt 5 6 Making the shirt 2 Trimmings and making a pair of pantaloons 8 Cotton for 2 shirts 11 8 Making and thread for ditto 5 Making a weastcoat 5 For making a pair of pantaloons finding thread, silk, and lining 7 He occasionally dealt in live stock as is shewn by the following items : i. s, d, "For a pair of oxen 18 15 . , "A yoake and- bows 7 6 "For a paif of steers sold you at Belleville 6 10 , , "For a heifer to St, Pier the French man 2 15 ,, "For a cow and calff which is to be returned if not paid for 4 15 •• There appears to be no end to the Squires' resources for earning a few shillings, as we find a charge against George Kitchenback "For the 80 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON use of my horses to break up 12 acres of land, etc., and putting in the seed." Other entries for horse hire appear: s. d. "For the use of a horse to Rawdon, 4 days at is. 3d 5 "For 2 days of my horse 5 For my horses and slay to the big Island Marsh for a load of hay i c He rented his oxen in like manner — "One day of my oxen 3 5 Another customer who purchased some pork and had some writing done was charged s. d. "For keeping a span of horses one night 2 6 The following account is quite characteristic of the many bewilder ing roles in which the Squire figured in his dealings with his cus tomers : "Thurlow, Aug. nth, 1823 James Limburner To Wm. Bell, Dr. s. d. For an emetic from Doctor A. J, Williamson 2 . . For cash sent in a letter to George Ridout, Esq., for you. 15 ,. Paid the postage of the above letter to York i 6 Cash at Gregware's shop 2 , , Aug. 25 For 2 summonses i For a subpoena 6 26 Cash at Belleville for postage of a letter i 10 Oct. 5 Paid for taking your tool chest and your selfe to the Nappannee Mils 10 9 Keeping a horse 10 days in pasture 5 , , Costs paid in Court for you Paid Campbell for you 12 6 For board and lodging when sick, weeks @ 7s, 6d, per week £11 Among the other interesting facts to be gathered from the fore going account we may observe the excessive postage upon the two letters and that our county town was then known as "the Nappannee Mills," TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 81 The Squire also rented a house, but accurate as he usually was in his figures I cannot follow him in his computation of the rent charged to one Joseph P, Huyck in the following entry: i. s, d, "Dec. 4th, 1829. House rent from May 4th, 1829, to Dec. 4th, 7 m. @ los 4 . , In a more dignified capacity than that of mending boots and making shirts does the Squire appear at times : £, s. d. "For a trip to Judge Fisher's with slay and horses i 10 , , "For going with you to Taylor and searching record and writing 5 , , "For writing and attending on an arbitration between you and Peter Moon . , , ,. . . 6 3 "Attending you arbitration at Shannonville with Soper . . 7 6 In the good old days the people borrowed from their neighbours witl^ the usual results, but the Squire kept a strict account of the break ages and articles lost, a plan that might prove advantageous to the lender if adopted in our day: £. "For a shuttle lost For salt lent at different times For the cutter broke by Augustus For tobacco lent at different times For 4 loaves of bread lent your men and not returned.. An ox ring broke and not repaired nor any furnished to replace it For corn and pease borrowed and not returned s. d. 3 9 5 16 3 I 6 3 6 15 The follovving items gathered from his various accounts enlighten us as to the prices charged ninety years ago, and further illustrate the endless variety of the store-keeper's stock-in-trade: f, s. d. "I'or a bushell of onions to your brother 5 . . For 10 bushells of apples, @ is, 3d 12 6 For 1,000 feet of lathing 2 , , , , For 4 apple trees, @ 7j4 2 6 For slabs pr agreament 5 ¦ ¦ For half a kid skin 10 . . For 2 loads of wood by my son Stephen 6 . . For a pair of sleigh runners 5 ¦ • 82 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON I. S. d. To half a quire of paper i . . For 20 bushells of potatoes at 2s. per bushell For I bushell beets 5 ¦ • For 2 bushells of onions, @ 7s. 6d 15 . . For 3 bushells of carrots, @ 5s 15 . . For 4 bushells turnips, @ is 4 ¦ • To 182 lbs, beef, @ 3d 2 6 6 For one pound tobacco i 6 For I dozen awl blades 2 , , F'or I ^ bushells of wheat, @ 5s 7 6 For 2 cotton handkerchiefs, @ is, 2d 2 4 For 4>4 lbs, porke, @ 6d 2 3 For %y2 lbs, fresh pork, @ 4>^s 4 2 For 238 feet i^ plank clear stuff 12 loy For 484 feet 7^ boards @ 4s, 6d i 2 2J/2 For 600 feet ^ boards i 10 , , For 300 seasoned siding, @ 5s, 6d 13 3 For a mill gudgeon 99 lbs. at 6d. per pound 2 9 6 For 2 flannell shirts, @ 12s. 6d i 5 . , To a stripe shirt 8 For a pair of ribed socks 4 ¦2 An auction sale possesses a fascination for most people, and espe cial interest must have been taken in that of Daniel Haight held at Adolphustown in 1829, He was a prominent man at the time, the father of eleven children, and the year before his death he held a dis persion sale or vendue as it was called. The conditions of the sale as announced over his signature were as follows: "Any person purchas ing, and not to the amount of twenty shillings, must make immediate payment, and those purchasing to that amount or upwards must give satisfactory security or the property will be exposed to a second sale. If it sells for more he is to reap no benefit, but if for less he is to make good the first sale. All that comply with these conditions', shall have one year, without interest, to make payrhent in, and if at the expiration of that time they come forward and pay one half they shall have one year for to pay the other half by paying interest, Daniel Haight N.B, — The security first entered in the list is to stand for the pur chase by that individual for which his name is first entered. True copy of conditions of sale made public at the day of sale. R." Haight" TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 83 The following inventory of his household furniture will throw con siderable light upon the manner in which the early houses were furnished. Although he was a man possessed of no small amount of this world's riches, as appears from the inventory of the sale, and had some literary taste, as might be inferred from an inspection of his library, yet in the house we find the most expensive single article of furniture was the kitchen stove. This, too, was the only stove in the house, which was no doubt heated by the old fashioned fireplace. Blankets and quilts there were in abundance, but bedsteads were few. One was of fancy cherry ; and doubtless the pride of the good wife's heart, and sacredly reserved for the use of visitors were the set of light calico curtains and the "teaster sheet and cloth" used to decorate this article of furniture. The most of the family probably slept upon folding bunks, which served as seats in the daytime, and as bedsteads at night. "A Memorandum of the Household Furniture, 4th month, 1829." £. s, A desk, black walnut 3 10 I clock and case 5 • • I stove and pipes 7 • • I looking glass 3 I cherry stand 3 1° I strong box "iro" 6 . . 6 Windsor chairs, 45s., 6 chairs, i8s 3 3 I cherry bedstead and cord, 24s i 4 I set dark curtains, 25s i 5 4 window curtains, i stand cover, 2s 12 14 white flannel blankets, good 12 12 8 check blankets, 20s 8 . . 3 striped blankets, i8s 2 14 5 Indian blankets, Ss i 5 7 quilts, 22s., I cradle quilt, 5s 7 ^9 2 bedsteads and cords 2 . . I bedstead curtains and mattrass 2 10 5 straw bed ticks, 5s i 5 3 cotton sheets, 7s., 3 linen sheets, 7s 2 2 I set light calico curtains, Teaster sheet and cloth i 3 2 Willow baskets 4 3 sets of upper valance, head cloths and Teaster sheets. . i 15 2 ink bottles, is. ; sugar box, is, ; bread dish, is 3 I pair spoon moulds, 7s, 6d, ; i pitcher, is, ; pepper box, is , , 9 6 Butter ladle, is, ; fat bottle, is, 9d 2 9 84 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON I pair gold scales and weights I pair pippe tongs, 3s. 9d. ; copper tea kettle, los T knot dish "chopping bowl" I iron pot, 5s. ; 10 gal. cask, 4s. ; meat tub, 5s Wash tub, 3s. ; dye tub, 3s. ; pickle tub, 4s. ; soap tub, 3s. I plaid blanket I map of the Holland purchase I map United States, 5s. ; i map England, Ireland, etc. I large Bible, 15s., 3 vols,, Clarkson's Penetrations, 20s, I Buchan's Domestic medicine 2 vols. Brooks', 6s. 3d. ; 3 vol. Pownal, 3s. 9d I Lewis Dispensatory 3 pair under valance, 2s. 6d., and 7s. 6d. ; 4 window cur tains, los I set muslin vallance, 2s. 6d. ; 4 tablecloths, 3s 1 1 pillows, 4s 2 caps, 3s 3 brass candlesticks, 5s I iron basin, 3s. 9d. ; i smoothing iron, 3s. 6d I iron candlestick 14 pair pillow cases, 2s. 6d. ; 2 bolster pillow cases, 2s. 4 feather beds, 60s 6 towels, IS. ; 2 tin pots, 5s 3 milk pans, 2s. 6d, ; 9 metal spoons, is 9 silver spoons, 5s 10 case knives and 7 forks 3 tea cannisters, is. 3d I tin tea pot, 2s. ; 4 tin basins, is. 8d 2 decanters, 3s. gd. ; 2 wine glasses, 9d lyi gal. glass jar I blue-edged platter I green-edged plate, is., i oval dish, 9d I pewter platter, 4s. ; 9 earthern plates, 6d I bowl, 6d. ; cups and saucers, 4s. 6d. ; 2 sugar bowls, IS. 3d II saucers and cups, 4s. ; 2 gal. jugs, is. 2d I Elliott Medical Pocket Book I Franklin Sermons I Stackhouse's History of the Bible 2 vols. Brown's Union Gazeteer I vol. i6th. Report British and Foreign Bible Soc I 12 s. 7 13 2 14 12 12 5 II 15 6 10 5 19 14 4 6 15 7 I 191616 5 10 33 9 73 I 8 7 6 I 32 7 2 d. 6 9 6 6 3 6 9869 9 6 TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 85 I vol. History of the United States of America I vol. Elias Hicks' sermons 2 vols. Newton's Letters I vol. Ricketson on Health I vol. Jersey Kurgy I vol. Memorials Deceased Friends I vol. Harvey's Meditation I vol. Reply to Hibbard I vol. John Scott's Journal T vol. Barclay on Church Government I vol. Abridgment of Morse's Geography . , , , I vol. on Shakerism I vol. Works of the late Dr. Franklin I vol. Journal of Richard Davis I vol. Lessons from the Scriptures I vol. Lessons by Picard I vol. Sequel to the English Reader 7 67 5 22 2 I 5 23 2 5 2 I 3 6 6 663 663 6 114 i8 8 An examination of the following list of property disposed of at the sale will reveal the fact that the stock of an Adolphustown farm of eighty-four years ago would compare favourably with that of most farms in the same district to-day. In the inventory we miss the binder, horse-rake, and other farm implements in such common use to-day, although the fanning mill appears to have arrived upon the scene. "A List of property sold at vendue, January 26th, 1829, belonging to Daniel Haight of Adolphustown," Article 4 Hogs 4 Hogs 5 Hogs 6 Sheep, first choice, 6 " " '• , g (I i( (( 7 " 6/9 per head II Bull 1 " Sold To Ricketson Haight, Consider Haight. (( (< Ricketson Haight. Samuel Dorland. . Ricketson Haight. Phillip Haight.. . Ricketson Haight. Surety Consider Haight. . Ricketson Haight. 15/3 per head 14/3 " 10/ John D. Haight. ;^S. d. 2 0 0 1 19 6 2 8 0 4 11 6 4 5 6 5 0 0 3 14 9 1 1 0 1 1 9 85 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Article Calves Calf Steers . HeifTer Ricketson Haight . Cow HeifTer Yoke Oxen Horse Mare Gray Colt Horse Mare Cutter Fanning Mill Sow and Pigs . . c Potash Kettle (1) Set Harness Leach Tub (2) Sleigh Saucepan (3) Pot "(4) Pan Axe Cake Pan and 2 Tin do. Chair and Sundries. . . . Pails Fork Handsaw Waggon Chair (5) Pruning Knife Handsleigh (6) . Chairs , " 7/9 Set Dutch Harness (7). Collarsand 4 trace chains Neck Yoke , Pocket Compass .... Set Harness Ox Carte. , Chair Sold to Daniel Ruttan. . . . Consider Haight, it ( ( Ricketson Haight. Consider Haight. Surety (Son-in-law) Noxon Harris .... Job Dunham Ricketson Haight. Reuben Haight. . . Ricketson Haight. Consider Haight. Phillip Haight, . , Consider Haight. Samuel Haight, , , John Mullet Rowland Haight. Consider Haight. Ricketson Haight. Consider Haight. Daniel Ruttan, . . Consider Haight. Ricketson Haight. Marvel Garrison. , Ricketson Haight, Marvii Garrison. John Dunham. . . Andrew Quackinbush Consider Haight.... Ricketson Haight. . , , Consider Haight.... John Haight Consider Haight. Ricketson Haight. Ricketson Haight. Consider Haight. George Bedle Ricketson Haight. . . . Marvii Garrison James Ackerman, Sr, John Clapp Daniel Ruttan Consider Haight.... (Son-in-law) Ricketson Haight. 4/1 Edwin Mallory. Ricketson Haight. Paid £ 1 2 6 22 43 4 3 1 23 2512 17' 11 19 2 1 1 33 s. 13 8 1210 15 19 0 12 10 1915 0 12 1 1417 17 17 6 0 1216 5 1011 5 10 6578345 5 4 6 10 16 i 13 TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 87 Article Sold to 1 Cutter 1 Two Horse Waggon. . 1 Saw (8) 1 String Bells 1 Wood pt, of Waggon . 1 1 Cheese Hoop (9) 1 Copper Kettle 1 Griddle (10) 1 Toasting Iron 1 Flesh Fork 1 Pair Steel Yards (12). . 1 Lantern and Basin. . . . 1 Pestle and Mortar (13) 1 Apple Peeler (14) 1 Iron Mortar 1 Heckle (15) 1 Tin Horn (16) 1 Cradle 1 Basket and Shears. , . . 1 Pan 1 Spider I Tea Kettle I Kettle 1 Churn 2 Tubs 1 Keeler and Bowl (17). 3 Trays (18) 2 Trays and Bowls 2 Trays 2 " 1 Cheese Knife 1 Keg 1 Cheese Rack 1 Tub 1 Bowl 1 Pail 1 Bread Tray 1 Tub I Five-pail Kettle (19).. 1 Whip 1 Pail 1 Whip 1 Waggon Chair 1 Bedstead and Cord (20). 1 Table 1 " •• •• Adam Ackerman. Ricketson Haight. Phillip Garrison. , PhiUip Haight. . . Daniel Ruttan. , , , Samuel Dorland . . Job Dunham. . , , John Clapp Ricketson Haight. John Clapp George Bedle. . . , Reuben Haight, . . Reuben Clapp. , , , Ricketson Haight. Daniel Ruttan. . . . James Ackerman. George Bedle. . . . Marvii Garrison . . Rueben Haight. . . Phillip Haight Reuben Haight. . . Ricketson Haight, Phillip Haight Phillip Garrison . . Ricketson Haight. Lewis Lazier Ricketson Haight. George Bedle. . . . Edwin Mallory. . . John Haight Daniel Ruttan. . . . John Haight Daniel Ruttan. . . Reuben Haight. . . John Clapp Phillip Garrison . . Reuben Haight. . . John Haight John Frederick. . . John Clapp Lewis Lazier George Bedle . . , Consider Haight William Hopson Lewis Lazier . . . Surety Jas, Ackerman, Sr, Marvii Garrison. Paid, Paid Paid in Work, Paid. Paid. Paid. John Dafoe, Paid £ 1 18 1 5 4 88 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Article I Table 2 Half Rounds (21) 1 Pail 1 Half Bushel Measure, . . 1 Saddle 1 Flour Chest 1 Pair Sieves 1 Patent Plough (22) 1 Plough 1 Harrow 1 " 1 Cradle (23) 1 Set Blacksmith's Tools 1 Pitch Fork (24) 1 Cradle and Scythe 1 Scythe 1 " and Snath 1 Scythe .... 2 " 1 Hatchet 1 Scythe and Snath 1 Plough 1 Bedstead 1 Axe 1 Combus Table (25) A lot of things in the shop A box of bucks Sundries 1 Cradle , 1 Grind Stone 1 Punchon and Coder. , , I Empty Pipe 1 Spade and Shovel 1 Tub 1 Hoe and Clevis 1 Hand Irons and Tongs. 1 Ton of Hay 2 Tons of Hay 1 Broad Axe 1 Beetle and Wedge 2 Trowels 1 Ox Yoke... Iron 1 Grindstone 1 Chair John Clapp Lewis Lazier Edwin Mallory. . . Daniel Ruttan . . . Ricketson Haight Phillip Garrison . . Reuben Haight . . Daniel Ruttan . . . Consider Haight . Ricketson Haight Consider .Haight. . Samuel Borland. , Lewis Lazier Sold to Ricketson Haight . Consider Haight . , Ricketson Haight, Reuben Haight, , , , Ricketson Haight. Rowland Haight . , Ricketson Haight . Consider Halarht Ricketson Haight . Ricketson Haight. Isaiah Thompson . Daniel Ruttan . . , Ricketson Haight, George Bedle Ricketson Haight, (( i( Consider Haight , John Mullette , , , Ricketson Haight, Consider Haight. . Daniel Ruttan . . . Consider Haight . Ricketson Haight. Consider Haight . Ricketson Haight. Surety Paid. Paid. Paid. Paid. Paid Andrew Quackenbush £ s. d. 1 12 0 2 5 1I 1 1I 5 695 18 7 10 1 0 4 11 1 9 3 8 2 1 16 2 2 1 4 6 I 18 6 2 17 0 8 3 9 3 . 7 9 1 3 ;^326 6 8 tradesmen, products, and prices 89 Notes "i. Potash Kettle. — This was a very large iron cauldron which would hold three or four barrels of water, sometimes more. It was called so because it was used for boiling down the lye obtained from hardwood ashes. Nearly every farmer who could afford it had one. It was inclosed by a stone plastered wall having at one side an opening to receive wood, and on the other side a flue to produce a draught and permit the smoke to escape. Its rim rested on the top of the inclosure and at an elevation sufficient to allow a fire to be made under it. By this means the water was evaporated more speedily from the alkali, or impure carbonate of potassa, a white metallic substance used for many purposes. It was one of the few things in demand which brought money in those days, and hence the ashes from the wood heaps and the house were carefully preserved. "2. Leach Tub. — This was usually made of boards, of oblong shape, and in the form of a "V" — barrels were often used — and secured on a thick plank, with a slight incline to carry off the lye. Before filling the tub coarse straw was put in the bottom over which some lime was scat tered, and then it was filled with ashes, after which water was applied day after day until the alkali had been all washed out, when it was conveyed to the kettle and treated as above. "3. A flat-bottomed pot with a cover, otherwise called a baking pot. They are still in use but of less consequence now. The good house wife in those days had not dreamed of cook stoves. If she wanted to make a stew, she raked a few live coals out in the hearth and set this contrivance upon them. ~" "4. Note refers to payments. "5- Waggon Chair. — This was a strong splint-bottomed seat capable of holding two persons comfortably, and three at a pinch, made to sit on the inside of the box of a lumber waggon — the farmer's carriage then. As the waggon had to be used on the farm the box was movable and usually painted. If a visit was contemplated or a meeting attended on Sunday, the box was put on, the chairs placed and covered with buflFalo skins or quilts. "6, Hand Sleighs were about as useful in those days when the ground was covered with snow as a wheel-barrow is in summer now. "7. Dutch Harness. — In contradistinction to harness in which collar and hames are used, quite common now, but not so then. "8. This is a long saw with a handle at both ends, a cross-cut saw, used for sawing timber and an important implement at that time. 90 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON "9, A wooden hook eight or nine inches deep and fourteen or six teen inches in diameter in which the cheese curd is put and pressed. "10. Griddles have not gone out of date, but the griddles of that time had hoop handles with an eye in the top which enabled the cook to turn it round. When in use it was suspended over the fire by' an iron hook fastened to the crane. "11. Flesk Fork. — Used to turn meat in the pot. "12. Steel Yards. — Every farmer had them. As there was a great deal of barter going on then they were a necessity. "13. Pestle and Mortar.- — Very common in farmhouses then and useful. There were numbers of things required for culinary and other purposes that could not be reduced by any other means. "14. Apple Peeler, — A little machine for peeling apples, A great improvement on the knife and a prominent feature at apple bees, "15, Heckle, — A wooden instrument used to free the fibre from the stalk of the flax. "16. Tin Horn. — Used to call the men to their meals. Many a time in my young days have I awaited its pleasant call. "17. Keeler and Bowl. — The first a shallow wooden vessel of two or three gallons capacity used for holding milk in the place o£ tin pans which were not easily to be had, and were expensive. The bowl was a wooden dish usually made out of ash knots by the Indians, who were experts in making these dishes and numbers of other useful things for the house, such as splint brooms, spoons, ladles, trays, baskets, etc. which they exchanged for provisions. "18, Trays, — An oblong wooden dish made by the Indians, and used principally by the housewife for manipulating butter. "19. Five Pail Kettle. — A pot that would contain five pails of water. "20. Bedstead and Cord, — The old post bedstead has disappeared with its straw and feather ticks. The posts were morticed to receive the beams. The latter were pierced with holes about nine inches apart, through which the cord was passed lengthwise and crosswise and then drawn as tight as possible with a wrench made for the purpose. This held the frame together and supported the bed, "21, Half Rounds. — The half of a circular table which could be drawn out and pieces put in to extend its length, or they could be placed at the ends of another table. They were usually made of cherry, "22, Patent Plough, — This was a cast-iron plough with a wood beam and tail. It was first made, I believe, by Willet Casey, and a great advance on the old ones, which were made altogether of wood, except the sabre which was of wrought iron. My father had one and sometimes TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 91 used it, but it was a clumsy implement and discarded as soon as pos sible. "23. Cradle. — At that time the only implement in use for cutting grain. "24. Blacksmith's Tools. — Farmers and their sons were their own carpenters, blacksmiths, and, to a large extent, also harnessmakers, shoemakers, coopers, and waggonmakers. "25. Combus Table. — Probably some kind of an extension or folding table." The next ten or fifteen years witnessed a decided change in the class of goods handled by the country merchants, or the ordinary cus tomers from Richmond and Fredericksburgh were more fastidious in their tastes than those who dealt with Squire Bell. The writer has examined the original day-book of David Roblin for the year 1838, and parts of the years 1837 and 1839, and finds a great change in the class of goods sold. He( carried on business as a general merchant on the Deseronto Road near the present residence of Mr. Herchimer Ayles worth. The following items are not exceptions but fairly represent the class of goods which passed over the counter week after week during the year : £. s. d. To Y2. tea, @ 5s. 6d 2 9 To yi lb. snuff, 3s 9 To 7 yds. plaid, @ is. 6d 10 6 , To I lb. tobacco i 3 By 16 bushels ashes, @ lod 13 4 To 4 bushels peas, @ 5s i To 6 lbs. pork, @ 6s 3 • • To I cwt. flour 15 • ¦ To I pr. kid gloves 3 9 To 2 plugs sweet tobacco 4 To 2 yds. gingham, @ is. 6d 3 To 6 "yds. fustian, @ 2s 12 . , To 7 yds, lace, @ 3s i i • • To yi lb. powder 6 To I lb. shot lYi To I gun lock 5 To 2,400 feet boards, @ 3s. 6d 4 4 • ¦ To I dress hndkf 3 ¦ • To 8^ yds. cahco, @ is, id 9 5 To 16 yds, factory cotton, @ is, id 17 4 To Yi gallon whiskey, @ 5s 2 6 92 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON £. S. d. To I yd. ribbon, @ 4d 4 To I qt. rum, @ 6s i 4 To lYi yds. silk, @ 5s 7 6 To I table cover, los lo . . To lo^ lbs, cheese, @ 6d 5 4j4 To 2^ yds. buckskin, @ 6s 13 6 To I pack cards i 3 To I pr. side combs 5 To I fur cap 15 . . To I silk hdkf 7 6 To 3j^ lbs. sole leather, @ is. 6d 5 3 To ID yds. S loom, is. id 10 10 To 3 yds. gray cloth, @ 3s 9 . . To I counterpane 11 6 To 3 yds. red flannel, @ 3s. 9d 11 3 It will be seen at a glance that the goods handled by Mr. Roblin were very superior to those handled by Squire Bell. Tea at five shill ings and five shillings and sixpence was sold every day and was a luxury evidently unknown to the citizens of Thurlow ten or twelve years before. Mr, Roblin sold very little whisky, in fact it was very excep tional to find an entry for intoxicating liquor, which leads to the sup position that he did not carry it in stock but upon very rare occasions accommodated a customer with a quart or more. Silk handkerchiefs and dress goods, side combs and counterpanes would indicate a decided improvement in the purchasing power of the ordinary customer. The age of the deerskin skirt had passed, the maidens scorned the home spun, and the merchant was called upon to carry an assortment of dry goods such as muslin, calico, factory cotton, pilot cloth, shirting, check, flushing, blue cloth, red flannel, bed ticking, moleskin, cambric, silk, and canvas, all of which I find figuring among the sales of a single week. The following blacksmith's account is among the interesting papers of our Historical Society: 1832 James Long to J, Grant, Dr, £, s, d, June 4 To seting tyer 2 6 To repairing a feller 6 To baleng a kittle i 3 7 To a cleves and ring 2 . . Aug,io To repairing a whippletree 9 TRADESMEN, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 93 Aug. 14 To sharpening a colter To a hook Dec. 8 To shoeing a horse 12 To a pair of andirons 15 To a pair of andirons 17 To seting 4 shoes 1833 Jan. 5 To an iron to a wooding horse 10 To shoeing a horse Feb. 5 To jumping an axle 9 To seting i shoe £. d. 6 6 37 10 2 I 3 5 •• I 3 7K2 Cr. 2 £ By 14 pounds of veel ... July 9 By 15 pounds of veel . . . By cash N0V.23 By 92 pounds of beef . . . . Feb. 9 By 2^ pounds of butter 3 3 14 2 3 d. 6 9 4 3/2 Ballence due J. G. I 3 io>^ • 17 aV^ The following market quotations are from a copy of the Index pubHshed at Newburgh on April 27th, 1854: Kingston Markets s. Potatoes per bushel 3 Oats per bushel 2 Barley per bushel 4 3 5 2 Rye per bushel Peas per bushel . . . . Apples per bushel . . . Carrots Beef per cwt Pork Ham per lb Flour per cwt Buckwheat per cwt. . Indian meal per cwt. d, 6 10 6 6 6 to 27 3020 s. 3 3 5 4 8 4 2 30 35 21 6 13 d. 6 3 7K233 9 94 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON S. Mutton per lb Veal Butter Cheese Tallow Eggs per dozen Fowls per couple i Partridges per couple 2 Geese each 2 Turkeys each 2 d. s. d 6 3 10 I . . 5 68 10 I , , 8 to 2 6 6 3 . . . , 2 6 6 5 6 In August, 1855, are found the following quotations upon the same market : Kingston Market Potatoes per bushel 3 Oats per bushel 2 Peas Beef per lb Pork per lb Hams per lb Flour per cwt 25 Indian meal per cwt 13 Mutton per lb Veal per lb Butter per lb Cheese Tallow Eggs per doz Fowls per couple 2 Hay per ton 40 Straw per ton 20 Wood per cord 11 August d. 7, 1855 s. d. 6 4 6 9 5 6 7^2 3 •• 6 3 •• 7K2 •• 7K2 .. 9 27 •• 14 .. 4 ¦• 5 3 7/2 • • 4 .. 9 II 6 66 .. 9 3 •• 60 .. 3 25 •¦ 12 6 In the copy of the Standard published on February 7th, 1856, we find the following quotations of the Napanee markets : s. d. s. d. Flour per cwt 25 . . to 27 6 Rye per bus 7 6 8 9 Barley per bus 4 . . Oats per bus i 9 2 .. tradesmen, PRODUCTS, AND PRICES 95 s. d. s. d. Peas per bus 3 6 4 Potatoes per bus 2 Indian meal per cwt. 11 6 11 3 Oat meal per cwt 15 . . 20 Beef per lb 3 . . 4 Mutton per lb 3 . . 4 Pork per cwt 30 ,, to 32 .. Venison per lb 3 . . 4 Lard per lb. ¦ 6 . . 71/^ Butter per lb 10 i Eggs per dozen 10 i Cheese per lb 6 . . 9 Apples per barrel 2 .. 2 6 Potash per cwt 27 6 Wood per cord 7 6 10 . , Hay per ton 40 , , 50 , , It was not the custom of the merchants in those days to advertise the selling price of their wares, but Thomas Lamb demands the atten tion of the reader in the same issue of the Standard by the glaring head line "Mark? Read?? and Learn??" Having engaged the attention of the reader by this device he then most modestly begs leave to acquaint him with the fact that he has removed to those near central and com modious premises on Dundas Street recently vacated by Robert Easton, Esq,, and proceeds under the following heads to extol the quality of his wares • Dry Goods, Broadcloths and Ready Made Clothing, Groceries, Sugars, Teas, Tobaccos, Liquors, Brandy, Gin, Scotch Islay, Proof and Whiskeys, Hardware, Knives and Forks, Weavers Steel Reeds, Boots & Shoes, FUR CAPS, All he craves on the part of a discerning public is a timely inspec tion. For the purpose of comparison I append extracts selected from the accounts of different individuals as they appear in a ledger of a merchant carrying on business in Napanee in 1859, These accounts possess an 9b HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON additional interest as they mark the transition from sterling to decimal currency. The gross amount of the purchases is invariably carried forward in decimal currency but the book-keeper could not break away entirely from his pounds, shillings, and pence and seems to lapse involun tarily into the old method. 1859 Jan. 4 Yi tea, 3s., 30c. ; 15th ^ tea, 60c., 30c 22 I tea, 50C. ; Y2 mustard, 30c., 15c $1 .50 Jan. 4 To I tea, 2s. 6d, ; knobs, 2d 54 To 5 flannel 14, 618 1,49 Jan, 5 By turkey, 43c, ; 3 pecks potatoes, 50, 37j^c 81 Jan, 5 To I tea, 60c,; set spoons, 20c,; 7 calico, iid., $1,28,,,, 2,08 Jan, 22 %Y^ lining, 6d,, 9Sc. ; i silk, $1.00; i ribbon, 20c.; 4 trim ming, 2s., 14c 1 .94 To hot. electric oil, 5s., i oz. condition root, loc i . 10 Jan. 6 To pr. Prunella boots, $1.75; 7th i tea, 2s. 6d. ; 7 calico, 10, 5s. lod, ; spools, IOC 3,52 Jan. 7 Y^ tobacco, 34s., 17c; 15th i tea, 60, 17th; 7 Cobourg, 37s. $2.59; I Holland, 20, i Selecia, 12s 3.68 Jan. II To I horse rasp, 47c,; 2 spelling books, I2j^c,, 25c 72 Jan, II To I doeskin, $1,75; J^ cassemere $1,50, $1.32; i casse- mere, 90c 3 . 97 Nov. 23 To Y2 tea, 3s. 6d., is, 9d, ; trimming, 7s, 6d,, $1,50; 28th trimming, 9s. 6d,, $1,90; i tea, 3s, 6d, 70c 4,45 Jan, 14 To slate 13, peas 3, i qr, paper 17, pencil i, 2 penholders I, 2 button 8 ,,.,........; 44 Mar. 2 To % silk, 7s. 6d., $1.32; cash 50 pr. rubbers, 80c 2.62 Apr. 19 % muslin, is. loc. ; braid, 8 18 Jan . 22 To I qt. molasses, 9d 15 Oct. 19 lY^ ribbon, lY^A.-, 2i/^d., 2 sk. silk 3d., 6d. ; ij^ fruit 3d., 4^d. keg lead 14s, 4i^d 3-io Mar, I 10^ goat hair lustre 25, $2,63; 3 Cobourg J4 80; i fining, 13 1-38 - j*^ ^j& Tiari C-i-^'-^^- > ' - /''« dominion hotel, ODESSA, LOGGING ON THE NAPANEE RIVER. THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 97 CHAPTER VI THE COUNTY SCHOOLS Before the division of Canada into the Upper and Lower Provinces there were no schools in this province under government supervision. The first school in Upper Canada, so far as we have any record, was opened by the Rev. John Stuart in Kingston in 1785. In 1786 John C. Clark opened a school in the township of Fredericksburgh and remained in this county teaching for two years. It has been stated that the school was located at Clarkville in the town of Napanee, but I have been unable to find any authority supporting the contention. The first mill was built here in 1786, and several workmen were employed in its erec tion, but there was no settlement of any consequence along the river until some time after the mill had been built. His son Major Clark, in writing of his father's movements, is credited with saying: "He arrived with his family in Montreal in the year 1786 and proceeded to the Bay of Quinte. He remained two years at the Bay, employed in teaching." The fact that he used the word "Bay" in indicating the locality where his father spent the two years teaching is not at all conclusive that he means he was engaged on the shores of the Bay; as this district might quite properly be spoken of in that manner by any one writing from a distance, but, at the time the Major gave the information, Napanee was a village of some consequence, and, if his father had been engaged in teaching at Napanee, he in all probability would have said so. This, the first rural school in this province, was undoubtedly in the township of Ernesttown or Fredericksburgh and the honour is generally conceded to the latter township, A Mr, Smith opened a school in Ernesttown in 1789, We have this bare fact with no further details to enlighten us as to the christian name of Mr, Smith, or the location of the school. It may be that Mr, Smith at first went from house to house, which would be given over for the day for the use of the teacher and pupils, until a suitable building could be provided. As the Clarks were the most prominent men in the township and the foremost leaders in opening up schools, it pro bably was located near their old homestead in the vicinity of Millhaven. In 1789 a Mr. Lyons conducted a school in Adolphustown, The in formation regarding Mr, Lyons is just as meagre as that concerning Mr, 7 9b HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Smith; but we have trustworthy information as to the location of the first school-house. Under date of February 29th, 1908, Mrs, Alma Gun- solus, sister of the late D, W, Allison, made the following statement: "I, Mrs, Alma Gunsolus (nee Alma Allison), now entered upon my ninetieth year of age, state with distinct recollection that the afore mentioned school-house stood on the property now owned by Frederick Membery, immediately adjoining a small building to the east, now stand ing there, and once used as a blacksmith shop, and only a short distance from the U, E. L. Memorial Church to the west of it, and that the first teacher's name that taught in this school when I first went to school was a Mr. Hughes. He was considered the best teacher far and wide, and many persons came to this school from a distance on account of his superiority over other teachers. The late Sir John A. Macdonald attended the school. I remember him as being nicely dressed and looked upon as being rather superior in ability to others in attendance, and 1 do not remember seeing him barefooted as some have said he was. J, J. Watson, Parker Allen, Mrs, Watson, Mrs, Allen Vanalstine and Joseph Allen, Mrs. Tull, Mrs, Garner, Thos. Rennie, Jas. Rennie, Bessie Rennie, Caroline Rennie, Mrs. Captain Chambers, John E. Dorland and sisters, Jas. Dorland, Thos. Dorland, John Dorland, Jane Ann Dorland, the family of Peter V. Dorland, Gilbert Wilson, Stephen Casey and sister, Mrs. Thos. Wilson of Kingston were all my schoolmates at this school, but they were all older than I. In my father's and, mother's time, and their schoolmates Colonel Peter V. Dorland, Colonel Samuel Dorland, Samuel Casey, Thos. Casey, the Ruttans and others being the second generation of the U. E. L.'s got their first days of school here, and Arthur Vandyck, the grandfather of Henry Vandyck of Fredericks burgh, was their teacher and walked from where Henry Vandyck now lives, around by the Bay shore fully four miles every day to school," Mrs, Gunsolus' statement is confirmed by the Honourable Henry Ruttan, son of William Ruttan, one of the pioneers of Adolphustown, He was at onel time Speaker of the Legislature, and for many years sheriff of the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham, In his autobiography he says: "In a few years as the neiglibourhood (Adolphustown) improved, school-teaching was introduced by a few individuals whose bodily infirmities prevented them from hard manual labour. At seven years of age I was one of those who patronized Mrs, Carnahan who opened a Sylvan Seminary for the young idea. From there I went to Mr, Jona than Clark's, and then tried Mr, Thomas Morden, — and lastly, Mr, Wil liam Faulkner, a relative of the Hagermans, You may suppose that these gradations to Parnassus were carried into effect because a large THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 99 amount of knowledge could be obtained. Not so ; for Dilworth's Spell ing Book and the New Testament were the only two books possessed by these Academies. About five miles distant was another, teacher whose name I do not recollect. After his day's work was over in the woods, but particularly in the winter, he was ready to receive his pupils. My two elder brothers availed themselves of this opportunity, and always went on snowshoes, which they deposited at the door, ready for their return. By moonlight it was considered a beautiful and exciting excur sion, especially when the school girls joined the cavalcade. Then the same process of learning was gone through with in Dilworth's Spelling Book and the New Testament. "Years later, there stood the old square log school-house on the hill at Adolphustown Village, some rods east of the church, where Mr. John Hughes taught, a somewhat celebrated teacher in his day, to whom children were sent from other townships. That must have been in the twenties of this century, and among the scholars there then were the Macdonalds, afterwards Sir John, and Mrs. (Professor) Williamson, the Aliens, Hagermans, Dorlands, Trumpours, Ruttans, and others, whose names linger in the memory of the older people. It was the only school in the entire township, south of Hay Bay, and numbers of the children had to trudge their weary way four or five miles daily to reach that school through the heavy woods and' bad roads; and yet some fairly good scholars and very intelligent persons came out from those four low log walls. All who now linger of them are those venerable citizens, Mr, Parker Allen, J.P., Mrs, Alma Gunsolus, and Mrs, Garner, How times have changed since one teacher and one small school-house of twenty feet square seemed to suffice for nearly an entire township. "Among the other excellent qualities of Governor Simcoe, he was an ardent enthusiast upon the subject of education, and before he assumed office he had matured his plan of establishing grammar schools in every District with a university at their head, at the seat of govern ment. A policy good enough as far as it went, but lacking in one essen tial, that it contained no provision for elementary education. "In 1807 the first step was taken to carry into effect, in part at least, the recommendations that had been so strenuously advocated by him by enacting that one public school be established in each and every District of the province, and "that the public school for the Midland District shall be opened and kept in the town of Kingston." The sum of eight hundred pounds was appropriated for the maintenance of these pubhc schools, from which the sum of one hundred pounds was to be paid to each teacher of the eight Districts into which the province was then divided. ' ! 100 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON These public schools, commonly known as "Grammar f^chools," are not to be confused with the common schools, which were first brought into existence by the Act of 1816. As this Act of 1807 was to remain in force for only four years, it was hoped by the inhabitants of this county that at thQ expiration of that period some more satisfactory arrange ment would be made for the accommodation of the youth of the town ships along the Bay: but this hope was dispelled by the repeal of that clause in 1808, thereby making the location of the one public school in this District perpetual. The grievances of the inhabitants of this part of the District were set forth in a petition to the House of Assembly dated January 6th, 1812, in which it was stated that "by reason of the place of instruction being established at one end of the District and the sum demanded for tuition (being such) that most of the people are unable to avail themselves of the advantages contemplated by the institution a few wealthy inhabitants (in the District), and those of he town of Kingston reap exclusively the benefit of it (the Grammar School) in this District," They had in the previous year given a more practical demonstration of their dissatisfaction with the provision of the Act of 1807 by founding an academy at Bath and issuing the follow ing prospectus: "The subscribers hereby inform the friends of learning that an Academical School, under the superintendence of an experienced pre ceptor, is opened in Ernesttown near the Church, for the instruction of the youth in English Reading, Speaking, Grammar, and Composition; the Learned Languages — Greek and Latin; Penmanship, Arithmetic, Geography, and other branches of Liberal Education, Scholars attend ing from a distance may be boarded in good families on reasonable terms, and for fifteen shillings a year ($3) can have the use of a valuable Library." Sig, "Robert McDowel, Wilham P'airfield, Benjamin Fairfield, Solo mon Johns, William Wilcox, Samuel Neilson, George Baker, Thomas Lees, Ernesttown, March nth, 181 1," It was thus that the first public school in this county made its bow to the pubhc. The first Master of the Bath Academy was Mr, Barna bas Bidwell, who came to Upper Canada from Massachusetts in 1803 or 1804, The Academy was deserted and used as a barracks during the war of 1812, but apart from this interruption it was noted as a well conducted school, and among the illustrious pupils who have received their training under its roof was Marshall Spring Bidwell, son of the preceptor, who was returned as representative of this county to the House of Assembly in the elections of 1825, 1829, and 1831, Mr, Robert " THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 101 Gourlay who came to Canada in 1817 and at great pains collected all the information he could regarding the country, which was subsequently published by him in two volumes, entitled Statistical Account of Upper Canada, in speaking of this Academy says: "Among other indications of the progress of literary ambition I cannot forbear referring to the Academy lately erected in Ernesttown, by the subscription of public spirited inhabitants of that and the neighbouring townships, who appear to be convinced that the cultivation of liberal arts and sciences is naturally connected with an improvement of manners and morals, and a general amelioration of the state of society," After the Academy had resumed its classes the tru.stees issued the following notice: "The Trustees of the Ernesttown Academy hereby give notice that they have appointed the Reverend Alexander Fletcher, Preceptor of that academical institution which will be opened in a few days, after having been closed for some time, "The Reverend Alexander Fletcher and Mr, McInto.sh have com menced teaching in fhe Ernesttown Academy, viz,, the English language grammatically, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, geography with the use of the globes, mathematics, recitation, composition, and history, with the Latin and Greek languages. "Mr, Fletcher attended a complete course of classical studies at the colleges of Glasgow and Edinburgh; Mr, Mcintosh received a liberal education at King's College, Aberdeen : and from their combined experi ence in, and adoption of the most successful and approved modes of tuition, they hope to merit the approbation of their employees, "Boarders can be accommodated in respectable private families on the most reasonable terms. Ernesttown, October 6th, 1818." When the Academy was erected the deed of the land was taken in the name of certain prominent citizens as trustees for the school. As their children grew up, these trustees, while interested in the general cause of education, had not the same personal incentive to devote their time and attention to the carrying on of the undertaking, and others who had grown intO' manhood since it was first organized, or had moved into the neighbourhood, had little voice in its management, although they may have had a deep personal interest in seeing that it was efficiently conducted. To meet the wants of those who were willing to contribute towards the maintenance of the institution an Act was passed in 1834 incorporating as a body politic by the name of "The Bath School Society," all such persons as had contributed by subscription to the original building or to the repairs that were found necessary shortly 102 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON before the Act was passed, together with all such persons as rhight there after contribute to the support of the school to the amount of two pounds, teri shillings annually, so long as they continued to contribute such annual sum. The Society was authorized to take a conveyance of the school lands, to elect trustees, and do all things necessary for the proper management and maintenance of the school. In the following year, 1835, the Assembly introduced several bills dealing with educational matters, and by a vote of thirty-seven to seven carried a resolution to grant annually for a period of five years the sum of £100 for the support of competent teachers for the Academy. All of these bills, including among them the one providing the grant for the Bath Academy, were rejected by the Legislative Council. It may well be asked why ' the Legislative Coun cil and the Executive Council were alike hostile to legislation which aimed at the improvement of the school system. It was a notor ious fact that the schools were in a wretched condition, and that all of the proposed measures were steps in the right direction, and were passed by the Assembly with very few disseriting votes. Mr. Frederick Burrows has answered this question in an address delivered in the Historical Hall, Napanee, in November, 1909: "You will doubt less wonder why there should have been such persistent opposition to elementary education on the part of the administrative and responsible section of our early Parliaments. The fact must be confessed that the early Governors and the majority of the gentlemen — appointees of the Cjovernors — who composed the Executive and Legislative Councils, although well educated themselves, were averse to the education of the masses. They honestly believed that popular education would lead to sedition and discontent, "The policy of the early Governors beginning with Simcoe, the first one after the passing of the Constitutional Act of 1791, was to have a State Church, a University connected therewith, and a few 'classical schools as feeders of the University, — all to be endowed from Crown lands. This, they felt, would amply meet the intellectual, moral, and spiritual needs of the people, "Dr, Hodgins, in his Documentary History, aptly calls this policy of estabhshing higher institutions of learning before providing for ele mentary schools, an educational anomaly — an anachronism beginning at the apex and working down to the base," Bath was one of the sufferers by the " action of the Legislative Council, and both Newburgh and Napanee have since outstripped it in the race for recognition as an educational centre. Had the Society THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 103 received that assistance from the government vvhich the public spirit and enterprise of the supporters of the Academy so justly merited, the school would have been able to retain its standing and our county town might have been on the Bay of Quinte instead of upon the Napanee River. The following letter from Robert Phillips, of Fergus, written in April, 1896, throws some light upon the position of the schools at the time of which he writes : "In 1845, I was appointed the teacher of the Bath Public School. The building was rough cast, two stories high; the lower story was divided into two rooms. In the one room was the Public School Depart ment, and in the other was the Grammar School. In both these Depart ments, the fittings were similar to those in the first school I taught, but the pupils were more advanced. In a short time the Irish National Sys tem of School Readers, Arithmetics, Grammars, etcetera, was introduced ; and after these were Maps, Anatomical Plates, Orrery and Tellurian were added. All these were of great benefit to the pupils. "As it was, the Academy finally became merged under our Public School Act into an ordinary common school; but it has remained one of the best and most progressive schools in the county. "While the District School at Kingston and the Academy at Bath served their purpose in their respective spheres the want of common schools in the several townships was severely felt, and the demand for elementary training of the youth was general throughout the province. The first attempt to meet this want by legislative enactment was in 1816. The speech from the throne by Lieutenant-governor Gore outlined the fundamental features of our present system of education in the follow ing words : "The district schools instituted by law (in 1807), and admirably fitted as a step between elementary schools and a seminary for the higher branches of education, will not, without further aid, produce sufficient advantage to the youth of the province. "The dissemination of letters is of the first importance to every class; and, to aid in so desirable ari object I wish to call your attention to some provision for the establishment of schools in each township, which shall afford the first principles to the children of the inhabitants ; and prepare such of them as may require further instruction to receive it in the district schools. From them it seems desirable that there should be a resort to a proviricial seminary for the youth who may be destined for the professions or other distinguished walk's in hfe, where they might attain the higher branches of education. The' royal bounty has already been bestowed toward that end, in the destination of large tracts lO-i HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON of land, and no attention shall be wanting on my part to second and carry into effect the result of your deliberations on this important sub ject. "The reply to His Excellency's speech was couched in fitting language which voiced the feelings of the people of the whole province. "The system detailed by Your Excellency for the education of youth in this province fully corresponds with our sentiments on the sub ject, and as the dissemination of letters is of the first importance to every class in promoting morality and religion, in ameliorating the con dition of mankind, and in beautifying posterity, this subject will claim from us such consideration as will carry into effect the benevolent intentions of Your Excellency. "We will not question the good intentions of either His Excellency or the House of Assembly, but the Act produced as the means of putting into effect those "benevolent intentions" was lamentably weak and lack ing in many essential details, and if one were disposed to be sarcastic .some stress might be laid upon the fact that it came into effect on the first day of April. The Assembly, apparently doubtful as to its efficiency, declared that it should remain in force only four years. It was not a compulsory measure, but simply declared it to be lawful for the in habitants of any town, township, village, or place to meet together for the purpose of making arrangements for establishing a school, and when a school had been built and provision made for payment of a portion of the teacher's salary "to appoint three fit and decent persons trustees to the said common school, who shall have power and authority to examine into the moral character and capacity of any person wishing to become a teacher of such common school, and, being satisfied of the moral char acter and capacity of such teacher, to nominate and appoint such person as the teacher of such common school." How the school-house was to be erected or how the funds were to be raised to pay the undefined portion of the teacher's salary was left to the ingenuity of the inhabit ants ; but section seven of the Act seems to show that it was to be by voluntary subscription by providing that all such contracts may be enforced by suit, A board of education of five members appointed by the Lieutenant-governor for each district was to exercise a general supervision over all schools within their jurisdiction and to apportion among them any moneys that might be granted by the government for that purpose. Prior to the coming into force of this Act all schools in the province were private enterprises, and down to 1810 the only ones in the county were those already mentioned, together with one at Napanee conducted by Mr. D. A. Atkins in 1791. THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 105 "From statistics collected by Mr. Gourlay we learn that in 1818 Ernesttown with a population of 2,450 supported thirteen common schools, besides the Academy at Bath, and Adolphustown maintained three. "The following course of study, copied from the Documentary His tory of Education in Upper Canada, may be taken as typical of all com mon schools throughout the province about the year 1820. Mornins: Number of Pupils. Books used. First class of 8 Grammar Lessons, Exer Murray's Eng Boys. cises on Grammar, Read lish Reader. ing, Spelling and Parsing: Murray's Writing or Arithmetic. Grammar and Exercises : Gray & Walkingham's Arithmetic. First class of 4 Grammar "Tasks'": Defini Enfield's Speak Girls. tions, Correction of Er er : Murray's roneous Syntax: Reading: Grammar and Parsing and Spelling : Exercises : Writing or Arithmetic. Carpenter'sScholar's Assistant : Walikngham's Arithmetic. Second class of 8 Grammar, Parsing, Etymo NewTestament: Boys. logy, Reading, Spelling Murray's and Parsing. Grammar and Spelling Book. Second class of 7 Grammar Lessons, Defini Barrie's Reader: Girls. tions, Reading, Spelling Murray's and Parsing: Writing. Gram mar: Scott's Les sons: Writing. Third & Fourth 10 Spelling: Reading: Analys Testament and class of ing: Orthography. Murray's Children SpellingBook. 106 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Afternoon Number of Pupils. Books used. First class of Boys. First class of Girls. Second class of Boys. Second class of Girls. Third & Fourth Classes. 7 10 Reading, Spelling and Par sing : Writing or Arith metic. Reading, Spelling and Par sing : Writing or Arith metic. Reading, Spelling, Parsing and Writing. Reading, Spelling, Parsing and Writing. Same as in the morning. Same as in the morning. Same as in the morning. Same as In the morning. New Testament and Barrie's Lessons. It will be seen that in this rather monotonous programme the study of Geography is omitted, and it probably is just as well for the youth of that day, as the only available text-book upon the subject would not have been very enlightening so far as the New World was concerned. The following comprises all the information between the two covers about the North American Continent: "What is America? The fourth part of the world, called also the New world. "How is North America divided? Into Old Mexico, New Mexico, Canada or New France, New England, and Florida. "What is New France? A large tract of ground about the River St. Lawrence, divided into East and West, called also Mississippi or Louisiana. "What does the east part contain? Besides Canada, properly so-called it contains divers nations the chief of which are the Esquimals, Hurons, Christinals, Algonquins, Etechem- ins and Iroquois. The considerable towns are Quebec, Tadousac, and Montreal. "What is New Britain? It lies north of New France and is not culti vated, but the English who possess it, derive a great trade in beaver and originac's skins." * Documentary History of Education in Upper Canada, Vol. I, page 166 THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 107 Whatever faults the author of this valuable treatise may have possessed he could not have been charged with unduly exalting the great ness of the United States. There were no text-books published in Canada a hundred years ago, and very few were used in the schools. From a careful examination of the books of several general merchants carrying on business in the Midland District from seventy to a hundred years ago I have not found the entry of any books but spelling books ; and from statements made by old residents I believe the speller and the New Testament were about the only ones possessed by the ordinary pupil. I take it therefore that the text-books enumerated in the typical course of study above referred to would not be found with the pupil but with the teacher. In March, 1820, the provision of the Act of 1816 with certain amendments was continued in force and a new impetus was given to the formation of new sections. This Act made the erection of a school-house a condition precedent to the organization of a school section; but furnished no machinery for raising funds to meet the necessary expenditure. Any contribution towards that end could only be voluntary, and, we all know from experi ence that it is no easy matter to induce the general public to assume new burdens, especially if there be no particular immediate benefit accruing to the individual tax-payer. In the year 1820, John C. Clark was road-master for the first concession of Ernesttown, and as such he kept a small pass-book in which he entered the names of all liable for the performance of statute labour within his division, and from day to day he kept a strict account of the work done by each. The names of those so working upon the roads and the number of days' service required of each as entered in the book are as follows: Josiah Lamkin, 4; John Mitcher, 4; Henry Galloway, 3; Charles Hagedorn, 2; John C. Clark, 11; Daniel Rose, 7; Henry L. Holcomb, 6; John Fairfield, 8;, David Sheldon, 2 ; Stephen Fairfield, 8 ; William J. McKay, 7 ; David Purdy, 7 ; Philip Daly, 7 ; Peter Sheldon, 2 ; Captain Pane, 7 ; Samuel Purdy, 3 ; Gilbert Purdy, 3 ; Owen Kinney, 3 ; Chester Micholson, 2 ; Matthew Clark, 2 ; Leonard Brown, 2 ; John Miles, 3 ; Charles Butler, 2 ; Hiram I-Iawley, 2; Joseph Abbott, 3; And. Wilson, 3. While so engaged Mr. Clark, who, it will be observed, was the largest ratepayer, appears to have conceived the idea that a school-house could be constructed in the same manner. And as most of the road work had been commenced in the month of March, 1820, during which period the road-master would have been 108 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON brought into contact with each individual in his division and he, no doubt, made good use of his time in advocating the building of a school- house, as from the repository from which the pass-book containing the entries of the road work came, we have another identical pass-book, hand-made with the sheets of paper fastened together with an old-fash ioned brass pin with a spherical head. In this latter are entered the names of all those contributing labour and materials to the school-house, and tlie first entries are about six weeks later than the first date relating to the road work. This little book tells its own story of the difficulty in obtaining a building in which to instruct their children. The heaviest ratepayer, John C. Clark, bore the brunt of the burden and must have felt discouraged at times, as the accounts show that it took three and one-half years to complete the undertaking. In only one instance was the work commuted, and then in the case of a woman whose husband had apparently died after the work was begun. As no price was put upon the work or material supplied it is quite evident that it was volun tary. If a comparison be made between those called upon to perform the road work and those who assisted in the erection of the school-house it will be seen that nearly all the ratepayers did a fair proportion of the work, but not until five or six of the leading men had got out the frame and work had been suspended for more than a year. Account of Labour and Materials at School House Cr. 1820 William J. McKay, Work, Day, Apr.13 I 14 ij4 22 2 28 Y^ 29 I 1822 William J. McKay, Work, Day, •Aug. 4 Y^ Sept. 6 I 9 ^ By two thousand shingles. 18 I 24 I 25 r 26 r THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 109 1823 May 20 By order los. W. Venton^ Nov. 7 I 8 2 29 I 16 1820 John C. Clark, Cr, days, April By getting timber at the frame 2 13 ¦ I 14 I 17 I 22 2 24 I 29 1Y2 1822 John C, Clark. Cr. days. Aug. 4 2 Sept. 6 I 7 By Carter 6 9 y2 By 163 feet boards By 136 feet plank 13 By 75 feet plank 14 By 105 feet plank 316 feet plank 14 V2 14 By carter 4/^ 16 By 740 feet siding Oct. 27 By 49 do do 789 1823 Apr. 18 By Y2 day's work Y2 22 By 43 in. boards Nov. 2 2 8 I ID I 28 , I 29 I 110 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Apr, 13 Work at the frame 14 15 17 22 28 Samuel Purdy, Cr, days. 29 1822Sept, 4 By 5 lbs. Board Nails, @ 9 , Dec, 25 By Y2 day Drawing Boards 9 days. John C. Clark — work 20 Paid Carpenter (Carter) ioj4 Plank 316 feet Boards 206 feet Siding 789 feet -Apr.13 17 22 1822 Dec. By boards Gilbert Purdy, Cr. day. I . . . I . . . I Matthew Clark, Esq. By two thousand shingles Cr. day. 1820 1823 26 By work i Apr,i8 By work i 19 By work i Nov, 7 , I 8 I 28 Drawing Brick and work at the House 2 Mrs, Fairfield. Cr. days, £, s, d, Apr. 13 Work i • 3 • 14 I • 3 ¦ 15 ^ ¦ 3 ¦ THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 111 1822 Cr, days, £ s, d. Sept, 4 By j^ . 13 4 By 4 lb. Shingle Nails, lod 4 By 4 lb, 2 oz. Board Nails, 9d 4 By 2 lb. 6 oz. Shingle Nails, lod 85 18 8 27 By cash , . i 24 18 8 • 24 5 • 1823 Mrs, Fairfield, - Cr. days. £ s. d. Paid Carter . . 5 . Nov. 8 Work Y^- 16 27 By Cash 15 . 326 Henry Galloway. Cr. days. Apr.13 Work I 14 I Wm. H. Clark. Cr. days. Nov. 7 I 1820 Matthew Clark, Jr. Work, Cr, days, Apr,i3 Y2 14 I 22 I 28 V2 1822 29 I Oct, 25 /4 1823, Apr.i8 I 1820, Daniel Rose, days, Apr,28 • y^ 29 y By getting timber 3 viz., 2 plates & 7 posts. 1822. Sep,27 By 112 ft, siding boards 1823, Apr.19 By Work i 112 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Henry L. Holcomb. days. Apr.29 y^ Dec. 1 1823. Apr,i8 [ 19 I Nov, 7 I 1822, Charles Hagedorn, Cr, days. Sept, By y^ Thousand Shingles , , 1822, Josiah Lamkin, Cr, days, Sep, 18 By Work l Dec, By work with oxen i^ 1823, Apr,i8 I 1823, David Purdy, Work, Cr, days, Apr.18 I 19 I James Hough, Cr, days. By work i Peter Hough, Cr, days. By work i 1823, Bn, Vn. Winckel. Cr, days, Apr, I By Work i 1822, Owen Keogh, Cr. days. Dec, By John Wilson, Work i 1823, John Vent, Work, Cr, days, Nov. 7 I 1823, Wm, Hawley, Cr, days. Apr.18 By five pieces Siding By making a pannel door . .' By making four window sashes Nov. 7 By Benj'n H. Days Work i 8 Y2 PIONEER LOG SCHOOL HOUSE, CONTINUATION SCHOOL, TAMWORTH. THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 113 ^823- Sam'l Huffman. Cr, days, Nov, 7 J 1823- Thomas Denison, Cr, days, £, s, d, June By order on Mr, Cartwright 15 , Nov, 7 By work i 1823, Mrs, Krein, Cr, £ s, d, June By Cash 2 6 8 1822. Sept, Cash Rec'd, and expended as follows: By J.CC— for 10 lbs. Nails, @ 8d 6 8 Paid Carter i 17 . 1823, June Paid for Glass i . Nov, Paid for 200 Brick & 3 lb. Nails 8 , Paid for 385 feet of Boards, @ 3s, 6d, per Hundred,, , . 13 5 Ernest Town, Jan'y. ist, 1823, Rec'd, of John C. Clark the Sum of two Pounds two Shillings Cr, for Work done at the School House, and also in full of all demands for that and all other debts and accounts to this date, as Witness my hand and year above W^ritten. William Carter. Among the valuable documents in the possession of the County His torical Society is the oldest known school register in the province of Ontario, kept by John Clark, evidently the same John C. Clark before referred to, and covering the period from March 26th, 1810, to July 21st of the same year. It is a small book containing sixteen pages, the leaves being fastened together by a hand-made pin. The pages are about six by three and one-half inches and ruled so as to afford space for keeping a record of one week on each page ; but for the first four weeks, there being only eleven pupils in attendance, the Hst of names extended only half way down the page; so that by writing the names over again on the same page the lower half was found sufficient for recording the attend ance for the second week, and in like manner the teacher was able to economize space and record the next two weeks on the second page. Beginning with the week of April 23rd the attendance had so increased that a full page was devoted to that week's record, and so on through 114 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON the book. The following is a copy of the register for the week begin ning April 30th: May begins on Tuesday. Jacob Pruyn Margaret Pruyn , , Henry Simmons. Polly Simmons. . , Henry Guinn, . . . Peggy Guinn , , , , Polly Jacoby . . , , Polly Bennett Anna Pults John Storms Eve Wolfram . , , . Morriah Wolfram Alpha Fisk James Fisk Betsy Jenkins , . . . Wm. Jenkins, . . Guy Follock James Storms. . . John Vosburg. . . Leany Vosburg. . Jinny Vosburg. . . 30 P P PPP P P P PPP PP PPPP AA A A ,1st 2nd 3rd 4th p P A P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p P P P p * P P p A A A p A A A p A A A 5 th 1 2 PP PP P P A P PPP P A A A P AAA These family names point to the neighbourhood of Wilton and Odessa as the territory from which these pupils were drawn and the school-house was doubtless somewhere in that vicinity. With the excep tion of the Vosburgs this record would reflect credit upon a modern school where we have good roads and short distances to travel. As a rule the teacher had every alternate Saturday to himself, but occasion ally we find Mr, Clark teaching six days in the week for two and three weeks in succession. The only holiday during that period covered by the register apart from the Sundays and a few Saturdays is June 4th, and in the column set apart for that day is printed in large letters: — "Training Day, June 4Th, 1810, Absen-." In printing these words in the book the penman misjudged the space at his disposal and found himself at the bottom of the page before he had completed the last word, which is accordingly short of one letter. Training Day was the anni versary of the birth of King George and was celebrated by all able- bodied men joining in an annual drill under the superintendence of an officer appointed for the purpose. THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 115 The only qualification of a teacher demanded by the Act of 1816 was that the moral character and capacity of the applicant for the posi tion should be satisfactory to the trustees. The lot of the teacher was not an enviable one. Money was scarce, and the maximum grant from the government was £25 a year to any one school, and in many cases this was the principal available means to meet the salary of the teacher. If he were a single man, as was generally the case, he "boarded round," making his home first with one family, then with another, carrying his carpet-bag of personal effects with him as he moved from house to house. The fuel for the school was contributed by the different sup porters and, strange to say, at this time when wood could be had for the cutting, the teacher frequently dismissed school from want of wood. In the register of attendance kept by a teacher in the front of Ernesttown in 1832 I find the following record for the week begin ning Monday, January 2nd: Subscribers Mr, George Smith. , Mr, J, Lamkin Mr, Wm, Garbutt,, Mr, Henry Baker. , Mrs, Walker Mr, Rankin , Mr, James McAuley, Mr. Samuel Purdy.. Mr. Joseph Purdy, , Mr, John Hough. . . M 0 2;oo oo.3 O na- oo T 3 2;o oocu3O oo W 4 oo oD.a o oo T 5 ooo D.ao (fl oB- Oo F 6 ¦z oo o0.3o n s- oo o o CLD3 s 7 oo o. crc OCL The teacher of this particular school commenced his register of the pupils by entering P or A after their respective names, but after the first five weeks he abandoned this method and thereafter entered the names of the subscribers or proprietors as he sometimes styled them, and after the name of each he made an entry of the number of pupils present from that family. The same register shows that school was closed for four other days during that winter from want of wood. As a rule every alternate Saturday was a holiday, but either the conscientious teacher or exacting trustees thought the time lost during the first week 116 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON in the year should be made good, and for the next five weeks the school was kept open every Saturday, From October 31st to May 12th the teacher lost one day through sickness, one half day "writing deeds and memorials," six days attending court, and one day surveying a road. At a time when text-books were so scarce this school appears to have been overstocked with arithmetics, as the teacher, with apparent pride, records no less than seven, as follows : "Arithmetics used in this School, Gough, an Irish work, Ingram, a Scotch author. Gray, a Scotch author, Willets, an American Author. Pikes, an American Author, Dilworth, an English Author, Tutor's Assistant, an Enghsh Author," There is no name in this book to indicate who the teacher is; but the handwriting appears to be the same as that in the other small books which are known to have been kept by John C, Clark, and the family names indicate that the school was near Millhaven, in the vicinity of the original Clark homestead, although there are only three names in this register that appeared among the list of contributors towards the school- house built by John C, Clark only ten years before. If he be the same teacher who kept the register of 1810 his popularity must have been on the wane or the pupils at Millhaven were not as alive to their oppor tunities as the boys and girls of Wilton, as will appear from a glance at the register for the week beginning Nov, 28th, 1831 : George Lamkin . , . , Elizabeth Smith , . . . Ira Smith Eliza Smith David Smith Mary Eliza Garbutt. Nancy Garbutt. . . . Henry Garbutt Arch, Garbutt Henry Walker Anthony Rankin., . . Mary McAuley James McAuley,... David McAuley . . . . A A A A P A A A P P P A P P A P A A P P A A A A A P P P P P A A A A A P P P P P A * A A A P P P P P P P P P P A A A A A P A A A A A A A A A P P Pp A P A P A P P AAA THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 117 George Baker. James Baker. , Richard Baker William Baker Martha Purdy, . Chariotte Odle, Jacob Holmes Ann Swan . , . . , Jacob Helmer, p P * A A p P P A • A p P P A A A A A A A P A A A A A A A A A P P P A A P P A A A P A A A A A P P A AA AA A At t^he foot of each page the teacher kept a record of the weather, interspersed with what he evidently considered the important events of the neighbourhood. Occasionally he ventured to prophesy and his forecasts were not very reliable. The following are extracts from his weather record and news items: "Jan, 5th, 1832, 8 A,M, wind south, cloudy weather, milder, i P,M, wind S, W, snowing, moist, thawing a little, 4 P,M, W, S, W,, cloudy, mild, appearance of a thaw. "6th, 5 o'c, A,M, wind N,W, brisk and snowing. The anticipated thaw has shifted to cold, i o'clock P,M, calm cloudy but mild, A wood Bee, "i2th, 4 P,M, Wind E, snowing moderate. James Losee & Han nah Grass married. "14th. I P,M, Fair, Wind S, thawing, Henry Grass' shop burned last night, "21st, I P,M, Wind N,W, fair & cool, Donald Ross living at Major Kreims broke his legs near Wm, A, Ameys, "Feb, 1st, I P,M, Cloudy and not very cold, Sylvester Lamkin & Miss Hough married, "2nd, 8 A.M. Cloudy and raining heavy. Mr, Edward Walker shot himself this morning at W, Kent's barn, "Mar, 5, I P,M, Wind N,E, cloudy and raining a little, Betsy Vanwinkle married to Samuel Badgley, T, Dorland, Esq,, died. "8th. 8 A,M, Wind N,E, cloudy and chilly. This morning Charles Blanchard, a carpenter, hanged himself in his barn." Thus he continues through the book with his tale of the weather, woes, and weddings. The writer has been unable to secure any original contracts to teach in this county; but the following agreements with Mr. Robert Laing, who taught in the fourth concession of Fredericksburgh for a 118 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON portion of the year 1817, will serve to illustrate the usual terms of engagement : "We, the subscribers, promise, according to the number of scholars subscribed for by us, severally to pay Robert Laing ten dollars when due for keeping school in Mr. Peter Cole's house for one month, com mencing April 28th, 1817, each day, Sundays and every other Saturday excepted, and also to contribute according to our several proportions to furnish him with board, lodging, and washing during the same. He is to make up after the end of the month any loss' of time that he may not attend duty during the same, and agreeing to quit when a majority of the subscribers shall desire it on being paid for the time he has remained." "Big Island, April 28th, 1817." This agreement was signed by seven subscribers, after whose names were set the number of pupils to be sent by them respectively, making a total of twelve. As no school-house was provided and they did not engage to furnish twenty scholars, this school would not fall within the provisions of the Act of 1816 and would not therefore be entitled to receive any portion of the Government Grant. In 1818 the same teacher entered into the following agreement: "This agreement made this ninth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, between Robert Laing, teacher, of the first part and the other subscribers hereunto. Inhabitants of Hallowell of the second part witnesseth: — That the said party of the first part engages to keep a good school according to his ability, and to teach Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, if required for one Quarter, to commence on next at the School-house nearest Daniel Leavens and William Clark, in the Second concession of the second tovvnship. That he is to keep ¦ school from eight o'clock till twelve and from half after one till four o'clock each school day; the remainder of the time and every second Saturday to be at his own disposal, but he is to be allowed the liberty used by other teachers of being absent at other times, if he should require it, and make up for the same. That in a general way he is to cause the school to say six lessons each day besides Tasks, if practicable, but is nevertheless subject to reasonable directions respecting the School from the said Daniel Leavens and William Clark, who are hereby acknowledged trustees thereof. And the said party of the second part doth promise according to the number of scholars subscribed for by each to pay the said Robert Laing at the rate of twelve dollars and a half per month, whereof one half in Cash at the end of the Quarter and the other in orders or other value monthly, if required, and to THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 119 furnish him with board, lodging, "and washing as aforesaid during the said term — and if the said trustees for good cause should desire him to retire before the term above appointed he is to be paid for the days he has kept at the rate of twenty-four to the month. "In witness whereof we have hereunto severally and respectively subscribed our names the day and year first herein written." (sgd) Robert Laing, Teacher." Number Subscribed for Subscribers for Scholars. by each. (sgd) Daniel Leavens 2 (sgd) WilHam Clark 3 (sgd) John Huff >4 (sgd) David Clark Y2 (sgd) Eli McConnell ^ (sgd) Norman L. Harvey i (sgd) James Gerow Y2 (sgd) Abraham Gerow Yz (sgd) Reuben Burlingham Y2 (sgd) Peter Leavens Yz Three other agreements somewhat similar in terms with the fore going are upon file among the records of the local Historical Society, two for schools in the township of Hallowell, and one in the township of Ameliasburgh. In the latter township each subscriber, in addition to promising to pay seven shillings and sixpence per quarter for scholars subscribed for, also undertakes "to furnish one cord of wood made sufficiently small by chopping or splitting" and the teacher, perhaps benefiting by his experiences in other schools, inserted a clause in the agreement to the effect that he was not bound to keep school when there was not a proper supply of firewood. The last chapter in the pathetic history of this unfortunate peda gogue is told by the Coroner of the Midland District in the following announcement : "At Public Auction" "Will be sold on Thursday October 23rd, 1823, at the house of John Taylor, Inn-Keeper in the township of Thurlow, at the hour of ten o'clock in the forenoon the following wearing apparel and books, the Property of the late Robert Laing, Deceased, viz,:— 'i New Blue Coat, I Drab Surtout Coat, 3 Satton Waistcoats, 3 Woollen Waist coats, 4 Cotton Waistcoats, I Silk Handkerchief, i pair of Shoes. I Razor & Comb. 9 pairs of Stockings, i Cotton Night cap. i Back of an old Waistcoat. About Y2 lb. of Thread. 6 fine linnen Shirts, i 120 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON old Shirt, i Diaper Towell. 2 Cotton Handkerchiefs. 2 dozen and 8 Buttons. I Gilt Bible, i Laten Bible, i old Lexican. i Shorter Cate chism. I Laten Grammar, i Lattin & Greek Book, i Hymn Book. I Lattin Virgil, i Greek Grammar. I Lattin Dictionary and one Book. The whole of the above Property is to be sold to the Highest Bidders in order to defray the Funeral Expenses of the said Robert Laing, and if any money should Remain after the Funeral Expenses are paid the same to be Equally Divided amongst the Creditors, Provided they bring just accounts Duly authenticated on the Day of Sale to be delivered to William Bell, Esq,, Coroner for the Midland District,' This notice of sale is in the same handwriting as the old account book of William Bell, the merchant referred to in another chapter. Judging from a letter written to Laing in 1795 by his mother while he was visiting in London he must have been at least fifty years of age. Some of his correspon dence is in French, with which language he was evidently familiar. His only worldly possessions outside of his scanty wardrobe were the few books offered for sale by the coroner, and these point to the trend of his mind, "In his Pioneer Life in Zorra Township, the Rev, W, A, McKay, D.D. has in general terms so aptly described the pioneer school that his remarks may be applied to the early schools in this county, "The pioneer school-house was a very humble affair: a log shanty thirty feet by twenty-two, cornered but not hewed, with chinks between the logs filled with moss, all plastered over with clay. The roof con sisted of rafters with poles laid across, and for shingles pieces of elm bark, three feet by four. The chimney was made of lath covered with plaster, and served for heating, ventilating, and lighting the little school- house. Of course it frequently caught fire in the winter, but the boys, by the free use of snow, were equal to the occasion. There was but one small window on each side. The furniture was in keeping with the rest of the building. About four feet above the floor, holes were bored into the logs of the wall and pieces driven in. Upon these were laid rough bass-wood planks, three inches thick, and so the desk was made complete. The teacher's desk was a little more pretentious, being built on four upright wooden pillars and furnished with a small drawer, in which the dominie kept his taws, his switch, his ruler, and other official equipments, "The grey goose furnished the pens, and the ink was made from a sohition of maple bark diluted with copperas. Sometimes the ink would freeze, resulting in bursted bottles. To prevent this it was not unusual to mix a little whiskey with the ink, for the whiskey of Zorra in THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 121 those days, though cheap, would not freeze like that alleged to have been used by some politicians in Muskoka a few winters ago, "The paper used was coarse foolscap, unruled. Each pupil had to do his own ruling; and for this purpose took with him to school a ruler and a piece of lead hammered out into the shape of a pencil. Our first attempt at writing was making 'pot-hooks' and 'trammels' which mean the up and down strokes of the pen. After practising this for several weeks, we began to write from 'copy' set by the teacher. "The sentiment of the copy was always some counsel, warning, or moral precept for the young: and, as we had to write it carefully and in every line of the page, it could not fail to impress itself upon the memory, and to influence the life. I ascribe no little importance to this factor in early education. The duty of being on guard against evil companionship and making the most of life by every day diligence was constantly inculcated by these head-lines set by the teacher. Here are a few illustrations — I will give them alphabetically, as they used to be given to us as copy lines : 'Avoid bad company or you will learn their ways,' 'Be careful in the choice of Companions,' 'Choose your friends from among the wise and good,' 'Do not tell a lie to hide a Fault.' 'Emulate the Good and Virtuous,' 'Fame may be too dearly bought,' 'Honour your Father and Mother,' 'Let all your amusement be innocent,' 'Omit no Opportunity of acquiring Knowledge,' 'Perseverance overcomes Difficulties,' 'Truth is Mighty and will prevail,' 'Wisdom is more to be desired than Riches.' "Being thus early taught by our teachers, we naturally took to the scribbling of rhymes in our books. Here are two of them as samples : 'Steal not this Book, for fear of shame, 'For here you see the owner's name, 'And God will say on that great day : 'This is the Book you stole away,' and another version was this : 'Steal not this book, my honest friend, 'For fear the Gallows will be your end,' Here is very wise advice from an old school song: 'Work while you work, play while you play, 'That is the way to be happy and gay,' 122- HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON "The Usual Programme of Common School Teaching in those days: I, Opening prayer by the teacher, 2, Reading the Bible, 3, Shorter Catechism questions, 4, The teacher making and mending quill pens, while the scholars were busily occupied with their lessons, most of them writing, 5, The Junior Class reading and spelling. 6. Reading the New Testament. 7. Class in English Reader. 8, Class in English Grammar; the text-books being Lennie or Murray. 9. Mayor's Spelling Book. -ID, Arithmetic, the text-books being Daboll or Gray, "The method of teaching in pioneer days was exceedingly mechani cal. The pupil was taught to parse a word, not by studying its relation to other words, but simply by committing to memory a list of 'preposi tions,' 'adverbs,' 'interjections,' etcetera. He knew that a certain , word was a preposition, because he had committed to memory a list of prepositions, in which that word occurred; and so on with the other parts of speech. The list of prepositions was of course very long, and was a terror to young Grammarians, It was arranged alphabetically: first the prepositions beginning with 'A' : about, above, according to, across, after, against, along, amidst, among, amongst, around, at, athwart. Then came the 'B' words : bating, before, behind, below, beneath, between, betwixt, beyond, by, and so on with the 'C's.' "The list of adverbs was not arranged alphabetically, but proceeded in this fashion: so, no, not, yea, yes, too, well, up, very, forth, how, why, for, now, etcetera, "After this the interjections claimed their right to be memorized; but oh! oh! I forbear. We used to think the long dagger-like mark after each one of them was put there to indicate some murderous design, "The 'tawse' was a great institution in those days. It was thought that the knowledge that could not be crammed into the memory or rea soned into the head could be whipped into the fingers or the backbone. Pupils, girls as well as boys, were flogged for being late, although some of them came two miles through the woods, climbing over logs, and often wading through streams, to get to school. They were flogged for whispering in school, or for making pictures on the slate, or not THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 123 being able to recite correctly such barbarous lists of parts of speech as above indicated. And worse than all, they were flogged if they failed to recite correctly the Shorter Catechism, Oh! how the Presbyterians envied the other religious denominations for their privilege of Exemp tion from the Catechism ! "In preserving order, the teacher watched all the scholars with the eye of a detective and soon found out any scholar or scholars guilty of the crime of whispering. Instead of coming down and remonstrating with the offender, as the teacher of the present day would do, he doubled up the 'tawse' into a ball and sent it flying with unerring aim, carrying consternation to the delinquents; those to whom this 'fiery cross' came, had immediately to come up to the master's desk, each of them holding on to some portion of the detested 'tawse,' and there receive castigation due to their fault," I might explain to my young readers who have never come into contact with that most effective instrument of torture that the 'taws' or 'tawse' is the Scotch name for a leather strap cut into strings at one end and commonly known as a cat-o'-nine-tails. It was originally brought into use on board ships for punishing mutinous sailors and was made from nine knotted cords attached to a piece of rope for a handle. The following experience of an old-time teacher in a neighbouring county well illustrates some of the difficulties the teacher had to con tend with and the method employed to overcome them : "The discipline in those times, as practised by what people called a good teacher, was really severe. After I' took the school I heard that the big boys hurled a former teacher through the window when he attempted to bring them under subjection to his rule, I was warned by the trustees that I might possibly have difficulty with some of the young men, two especially being named. One I convinced of my superior agility, in an encounter which he sought, by giving him a good ducking in a snow-drift, — after which lesson he proved to be one of my best friends. The other young fellow was not so easily managed. He was twenty-one years of age, and in his a b c's, as it was then called. Having persisted in committing a glaring offence, I told him that if he did- not behave, he would be punished. He paid no attention lo the warning, I therefore took a large birch rod behind me, and was upon him before he could rise from his seat, and gave him a complete thrashing I had no more trouble with him or this school," The School Act of 1841 was a crude attempt at school legislation as compared with our complicated system of to-day, yet the principles were sound, and paved the way for the measures which followed. The 124 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON leading features of the Act were (a) the estabhshment of a permanent fund for common schools to be created and maintained by the sale and rent of lands granted by the legislature for that purpose, (b) the appointment of a Superintendent of Education with power to enforce uniformity in the conduct of the schools, (c) the creation of a board of education in each district whose duty it was to divide the territory into school districts (sections), apportion the school fund among them and, where necessary, assess the inhabitants of each sec tion in a sum not exceeding £50 for the erection of school-houses, (d) instead of electing trustees for each section, as is now done, these duties were to be performed by "Common School Commissioners" five or seven in number, elected in the same manner as the township officers. This Act was passed after the union of Upper and Lower Canada, was applicable to the entire Province of Canada, and was found by experi ence to be adapted to the wants of neither section of the province. In 1843 another Act was passed, apphcable only to Upper Canada, embodying the general principles of the Act of 1841 but introducing more details calculated to meet the requirements of the English-speak ing section. One of the most radical changes in the new Act was a provision for township superintendents, answerable to county superin tendents, who in turn reported to an assistant superintendent for Upper Canada, who was under the direction of the chief superintendent. The Secretary of the Province of Canada was ex-officio the chief superin tendent. Prior to the passing of the Acts of 1841 and 1843 there was absolutely no system. When the people felt the need of a school they simply put their heads together and made the best arrangements they could, independent of what might be going on in an adjoining town ship, where the people adopted that plan best suited to their conven ience and ideas of how a school should be conducted. This lack of system and uniformity the Legislature sought to overcome by causing all the schools to be placed under supervision and, — as frequently occurs in attempts to overcome one evil the pendulum swings just as far in the other direction, thereby introducing another evil, — ^the gov ernment overstepped the boundary by providing for a series of super intendents, each reporting to the one next above him in the scale. The only direct personal supervision exercised, beyond that of the trustees and visitors, was that of the township superintendents ap pointed by the local councils, and there was no guarantee that they had any qualification for the important duties they were called upon to per form. By intrusting to such men the regulating of the conduct of the THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 125 schools, the Legislature defeated the end they sought to attain. Experi ence disclosed other defects. The trustees not only hired the teacher but selected the text-books to be used; and the central authority had no power to enforce its recommendations. The government fully realized the defects in the old method, of every neighbourhood shifting for itself according to its idea ; but did not appear to possess the ability to produce a workable Act, The Act of 1843 'was based upon the School Act of the State of New York, and that in itself was sufficient to condemn it in the minds of many who were very much averse to anything "tainted with Yankee notions," The one thing needful was a master mind, capable of measuring carefully the needs of a young country and of evolving a system that could be enforced. Happily the choice fell upon a man deeply inter ested in educational matters, who for years had made his influence felt through the medium of the press, the pulpit, and the public plat form. To the Rev, Egerton Ryerson, a prominent Methodist, was committed the task of investigating the whole subject and reporting to the government such suggestions as he deemed expedient to over come the defects in the Act of 1843, He spent some fifteen months in visiting the United States and Europe where he diligently inquired into the various systems in force and, upon his return in the early part of 1846, made a comprehensive report, accompanying it with a draft bill, which was passed by the Legislature on May 23rd in sub stantially the form in which it had been prepared by its author. This Act forms the basis of our Public Schools Act of to-day. Many amendments have been made to suit the requirements of our increasing population; but so thoroughly did Dr, Ryerson perform the duty assigned him that his fundamental principles have undergone no change. To secure the best possible results from the new Act, Doctor Ryerson was, by Royal Commission bearing date June 12th, 1846, appointed Superintendent of Education for Upper Canada, and from that date, chiefly owing to his exertions, our schools have continued to improve. The new Act was very unpopular at first, but the Superintendent successfully combatted the storm of opposition that was raised against it. The Newcastle District was the most persistent in its efforts to secure an abolition of the Act, They caused a circular letter to be forwarded to the councils of the other Districts, asking their co-opera tion in petitioning the Legislature for the repeal of the Act, calling their attention to the following, among other objections: I, The machinery was too complicated, and too large a proportion of the public funds was apportioned for the pay of the Superintendent, 126 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON 2, The duties of the trustees were of too troublesome a character and intricate a nature to be performed by the class of persons available for that position, 3, All Superintendents, both provincial and district, should be abolished, leaving it to the district clerks to make out such returns as might be required by the government. To the credit of the Midland District the standing committee reported to the Council: "Your committee cannot recommend the Council to take any action (at present) with regard to the suggestions contained in that communi cation, believing that after a longer acquaintance with the operation of the present School Act, interested parties will eventually be better satis fied with the school system, although we are ready to admit that the school law is susceptible of improvement in its details," This report was adopted by the Council in October, 1847, and the county fell into line with the progressive spirit of the time, and has ever since kept pace with the advances made in all matters appertaining to the training of our youth for the duties of citizenship, Dr, Ryerson was untiring in his efforts to put the system upon a sound basis, no stone was left unturried by him in order that he might obtain the opinions of all classes in the country as to its defects; and he was ready at all times to receive suggestions as to the best method of remedying these defects. With this object in view a school convention was called in Napanee for February 25th, i860, which was largely attended by representatives from all parts of Lennox and Addington, The leading feature of the meeting was the Chief Superintendait's address, which was very fully reported in the local press. After com menting upon other matters touched upon by the Doctor the Standard said: "The learned and eloquent Superintendent then entered upon that which was more particularly the object of his visitation, namely, to consult with and elicit the views of the people in reference to future legislation on the subject of education in order to the further improve ment and efficiency of the noble department at the head of which he is so wisely placed. This is a peculiar feature in the Doctor's procedure and not unworthy our commendation, to have the people with him in his administration and suggested improvements, a principle which he has maintained since his incumbency; for no important feature in the School Law has he introduced without first appealing to the people and getting their assent thereto. The improvements suggested will be found embodied in the resolutions contained in the proceedings given of the meeting and published in this paper," At the conclusion of his address THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 127 it was moved by John Stevenson, seconded by the Rev, Dr, Lauder, and carried, "that this meeting approves of the grammar schools becoming county schools, the county council appointing half the trustees and pro viding funds for their support and equal to the government grant, and that the schools be free," It will be pertinent at this stage of our inquiry into the early his tory of our schools to introduce some reminiscences of those who took part in the proceedings of those days, Robert Phillips, an old teacher of seventy years ago, thus relates two experiences : "I began to teach at Asselstine Factory near Bath, in October, 1842, The school-house was a frame building about twenty- four feet square. The fittings of the .school were a desk and bench on each side, with some additional forms for pupils who did not write. At the end opposite the door was a desk which was used as a pulpit on Sundays and by the teacher on week days. Opposite the pulpit, or desk, was a large box for holding fire-wood. Every second Saturday was a holiday. The teacher usually received fifty cents a month for each pupil, as salary; and got his board by staying with the patrons of the school as many days in proportion to the number of pupils sent. This was called 'boarding round,' "There were no apparatus, maps, or black-board when I began to teach. After a while a black-board was got, which cost one dollar. At first there were no geographies or grammars used, I drew a map of the world on the black-board and gave the pupils a general idea of the principal countries and their peculiarities. This mode of instruction was very popular in the school section, I think the only reading books used were Mayor's SpelHng Book and the English Reader, The first geography was Olney's, and the first grammar was Lennie's, "The school was visited every quarter by a Township School Com missioner, who made a note of the number of pupils in attendance and on the roll, which served as a basis for distributing the government grant among the schools. These commissioners were chosen at the town meeting about the beginning of the year. The chairman of these com missioners examined appHcants for teachers' certificates," The following letter from the late W, R, Bigg, ex-Inspector of Public Common Schools in the County of Leeds, is one of the most interesting documents written upon the subject of our early schools: "Midland District, My first experience dates from Adolphustown, 1843, in what was then termed the 'Midland District,' Being desirous of trying my hand at teaching I applied to the trustees of a certain school section where a vacancy existed, as to the usual method of pro cedure and for general information, being then a perfect novice. 128 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON "From the trustees I learned that my first step would be to procure a certificate of qualification from one of the 'Township School Commis sioners,' and was referred to 'Squire Casey,' the chairman of the School Commissioners of Adolphustown, who lived near at hand. Then, sup posing I obtained the desired certificate, my next step would be to draw up an agreement to the effect that I would teach the school of the sec tion for twelve dollars a month, and 'board round' free, for the winter term of six months, '1843-44, "I may here remark that it was then customary to engage men for teachers for the winter half of the year, and 'school marms' for the summer half, although a few school sections were found to be suffi ciently large to enable the inhabitants to keep a male teacher all the year round. "Accordingly I waited upon 'Squire Casey' to undergo the dreaded ordeal of examination. This, however, was very brief and entirely oral, and consisted in being simply asked to spell 'Summons,' The 'Squire,' you must know was, as his title imphed, a magistrate, and in his official capacity often issued a summons, and well knew that the general Canadian orthography was 'sumons.' Upon my spelling it in the orthodox fashion he wrote me out a certificate, authorizing me to teach any school in the township of Adolphustown, "Being thus 'armed in mail of proof back again I went to the trus tees of the vacant school section, and was requested to draw up an agreement and canvas the section for 'signers,' which I accordingly did, and succeeded in obtaining the requisite number of twenty-six names, some signing for three scholars, others for two, but more for one, and a. few for half a scholar. I may here remark that very few actually signed their names; the bulk of those in the section 'couldn't write very good,' but told me to put their names down. The object in getting 'signers' was this : The salary for six months at twelve dollars a month would be seventy-two dollars, for which the estimated amount of gov ernment grant, twenty dollars, being deducted, left fifty-two dollars for the section to make up. This averaged two dollars per scholar for the twenty-six signed for, and was deemed quite a large bill, "It may interest some persons to know the meaning of 'half a scholar,' the explanation is that the 'signer' became bound to pay the teacher one dollar at the rate of two dollars per scholar, whether he sent any pupils to the school or none, though he generally contrived to send one or two for an occasional few days, and then omitted sending any for a month, 'to make up,' taking especial pains that his 'average attendance' should not exceed one scholar for half the term, or 'half a scholar' for the whole. THE LANGHORN RESIDENCE, BATH, THE FINKLE TAVERN, BATH. THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 129 "The teacher had to collect his 'pay' at the expiration of the term, and often had to take notes or to 'trade out the bill' at some store, rarely getting over half in cash, and invariably sustaining a loss, "Equipments, Furniture, Apparatus, Playground "The majority of the school-houses in Upper Canada in the early forties were built of logs, though frame ones were coming into fashion and, in towns and cities, brick and stone structures made their appear ance. The rural school-houses were generally small, few exceeding twenty by twenty-four feet, and all alike destitute of maps and black boards. The building consisted of one room only, with an old wood stove in the centre ; the seats and desks were placed all round two or three sides of the building and directly facing the windows, consisting of twelve lights in each window, seven by nine inches or eight by ten. There were no playgrounds nor closets, the highway was occupied for the former and the adjoining woods for the latter, "School Studies and Attendance "The studies of the school were chiefly hmited to spelHng, writing, reading, and arithmetic, with geography and grammar in a few of the better class of schools. The text-books in use were Mayor and Cobb's Spelling Books, the English Reader, and the New Testament, Daboll and Walkingham's Arithmetics, Olney and Morse's Geographies, and Kirkham and Lennie's Grammars, There were no 'authorised versions' in those days. The attendance was irregular then as now, the elder boys and girls going to school during the winter and the younger ones during the summer months. Few attended throughout the year. In fact the chief educational improvements have been limited to our town and city schools, and even these have shown no advancement dur ing the last two decades, "Boarding Round "The length of the stay that the teacher made with each of those who 'signed' was proportional to the number of scholars each had signed for. Thus, if twenty-six had been obtained for a six months' term the average stay with each signer wpuld be one week per scholar. Accord ingly the teacher boarded with the farmer, or patron, one, two, or three weeks, as per number of scholars signed for; and when the time was up he moved on to the next signer, having to go back again during the 9 130 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON week to get his underclothing, which had been washed during the interim. (Boarding round included washing,) "Teachers' Certificates "My next certificate, in 1844, was from the school superintendent of the Midland District, and covered his 'School Circuit,' and was obtained ^ without any examination whatever, I was teaching in Fredericksburgh, without any license beyond the request of the trustees to await the advent of the school superintendent who was shortly expected, and then he would examine me. After visiting my school and inspecting the state of the different classes, the superintendent decided that it was unnecessary to examine me, remarking that the status of the pupils, coupled with the very favourable report which he had received from the trustees, was sufficient evidence of my qualification; and he handed me the usual legal certificate. Subsequent experience has proved to me that the superintendent, Mr, John Strachan, was right, Poeta natus est non f actus. So it is with the teacher. The educational machinery of the present day turns out the raw material, ad libitum, but as to his teaching capacity or qualifications, the less said the better. During my experience of half a century, I never met but one teacher, that is, one possessing not only high scholastic attainments, but the faculty of imparting that knowledge, governing by love, and yet excelling as a disciplinarian. That teacher was a Mrs, Arthurs, "Licking the Teacher ¦'It was not an uncommon occurrence in 'old times,' during the win ter term, when the young men and women of the school section went to school for a few months, for a few of the roughs and bullies to con spire to 'lick the teacher,' not because of any disagreement with him or personal disHke, but rather to perpetuate an old custom, such as we read of in reminiscences of the lawless regions of the 'Great Republic' "In the early forties when teaching on the 'High Shores' of Sophias burgh in the district of Prince Edward, one fine winter's morning on my way to the school-house, as I was passing the residence of Peter Wood, one of the trustees, he opened the door and hailed me, and warned me to look out for myself on that particular day as a plot had been laid to give me 'a licking' before four o'clock, I simply smiled incredulously ; but on his reiterating the statement and assuring me that it was true, I told him that he mu.st be misinformed, as perfect harmony THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 131 prevailed in the school, and that I had not had any trouble with any of the scholars, I then asked by whom I was to be attacked; but, like a true Canadian, he declined to give the names. Finally, however, to put me on my guard, and having pledged myself not to 'peach' or to 'split' on him, he gave me the name of one of the conspirators, - Read, a thickset, lubberly, clumsy, good-natured boy about eighteen years of age; the name of the other conspirator was not disclosed. Having thus gathered all the information that 'Pete' Wood was disposed to give me, I proceeded on my way to the school-house, musing, as I went, on the incredibility of the whole story, "On arriving at the 'sacred shades of Academus' at about half-past eight o'clock, (in those days doors in the country were seldom fur nished with locks), I was rather surprised to find two boys. Read and Hazard, sitting by the stove and pretending to be studying their lessons, an unusual proceeding before nine o'clock, when school was 'called in,' "I went to my desk and occupied the intervening time with 'pre paratory work,' At nine as usual I went out to 'ring the scholars in,' who immediately came flocking in' from the grove adjoining the school, and proceeded to their seats, but Hazard and Read suddenly jumped up, put down their books, and each pulling out a jack-knife and a large apple from their pockets began 'predatory operations,' "I instantly asked the two boys if they were aware that 'school was in,' at the same time ordering them to put away their knives and apples, and go to their desks. Hazard 'flunked' at once and obeyed, not so Read, who shouted out: 'I didn't take the knife out for you and I shan't put it away for you,' I was young then, twenty-two years of age, supple and fiery, and having no whip in the school-room (as I always governed by 'moral suasion') I rushed to the door, with the inten tion of exploring the aforesaid grove for a suitable sapling wherewith to comply with Solomon's injunctions. Quick as I was. Read, being nearer the door, sprang to it before me, and facing about, presented his open jack-knife, effectually debarred my egress for a moment, and but for a moment. Keeping my eye well on his (I gave him a right good thrashing) and finished by putting him out of the door, and throwing his slate and books out after him; and that was the last I ever saw of Read, The whole section laughed heartily over the result of 'licking the teacher' and the universal judgment was 'serve him right,' "Examinations for Teachers' Certificates "Later when I engaged as teacher in the Prince Edward District I found that the Common School Act had been amended. Township and 132 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON county boards of ..examiners had superseded the Township Commission ers, and examinations were held periodically. The place of examina tions selected for Sophiasburgh was Demorestville On the appointed day teachers requiring certificates of qualification met the board, and after two hours' oral wrestling with reading, writing, arith metic, and geography, all succeeded in passing. It is perhaps needless to add that the examinations were a mere farce, neither the examiners nor the examined were qualified. Still the material and the machinery employed were the best procurable, and fully equalled the remunera tion, "County councils had also been empowered to appoint county super intendents of schools, who were generally paid four hundred dollars ($400) a year, and had to pay their own travelling expenses, and to visit each school in the county at least once a year. They were also empowered to grant certificates of qualification to teachers. Township superintendents were also appointed; but no qualifications were then required from either class of officers, "My next examination was before the school superintendent for the county of Hastings, who was also Warden of the county, Mr. William Hutton. I found him ploughing on his farm On stating my errand, that I had taken a school in Thurlow near a farm which I had bought, and that I desired a certificate, he proposed to examine me en route to the house, ploughing as he went. He gave me for spelling 'One fox's head,' 'two foxes' heads' 'one lady's bonnet,' 'two ladies' bonnets.' But his grand attack was in grammar, and he asked me to state what kind of speech were each of the nine 'thats' which were in the follow ing sentence : 'The lady said in speaking of the word that, that that that, that that gentleman parsed was not that that, that she requested him to analyse,' Having gone through this satisfactorily, I was complimented by the superintendent and informed that I was the first teacher he had examined who had parsed all the 'thats' correctly ; and at the house he wrote me out the required certificate of qualification, I never was before any board of examiners or county superintendent again, but went to the Toronto Normal School and obtained a First Class Provin cial Certificate, Grade A, in 1856, subsequently finishing my scholastic career as an 'Inspector.' "To Egerton Ryerson and to him alone, is due the astonishing im provements effected in common school education from 1846 to 1876, It is hardly possible for the present generation to conceive of the state of our pubhc common schools, or the qualifications of the teachers a half century ago prior to the Ryersonian era. The one great mistake of his THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 133 life was the ambition to be the only 'Chief Superintendent,' and using his great powers and influence to arrange to be succeeded by a Cabinet Minister, thus throwing our educational system into the domain of politics The abolition of the depository was also a mistake; but that mistake was not his," (Sgd,) "W, R. Bigg," "Brockville, 1896," In 1871 was passed an Act providing for the appointment of County Inspectors of Schools who were to supersede the Local Superintendents. This important piece of legislation did more to improve the common schools than any other one measure. Under the old system some mem ber of the community, supposed to be well educated, was generally chosen for the position of superintendent; and not unfrequently a resi dent clergyman for the time being was honoured with the appointment. He might be a most exemplary gentleman in many respects, yet possess no qualifications for the duties of his office. Under the new Act only such candidates for the position could be appointed as had passed the necessary examination and obtained certificates of qualification from the Council of Public Instruction. The new system not only provided that competent men should have the general supervision of the schools; but extensive powers in respect to school sites, buildings, equipment, and the settlement of disputes between sections, or factions of one section, were vested in the inspectors, who were to devote themselves exclusively to the duties of their office. In this county Mr, Frederick Burrows was appointed under the Act ; and to him is largely due the present efficiency of our schools. For thirty-five years he travelled from the shores of the Bay of Quinte to the sparsely settled mountainous region one hundred miles north of the frontier townships. The cheerless and unsightly old school-houses have, under his direction, been replaced in many sections by more artis tic buildings designed in many instances by himself. The teachers have been encouraged, he trustees enlightened, and the pupils delighted by his semi-annual visits. He has had to beat down many deep-rooted pre judices ; but by his pleasing manner and indefatigable energy he brought about a wonderful improvement in every part of the county. Upon his retirement, in 1907, the northern townships of Lennox and Addington and Frontenac were formed into a new school division and placed under the inspection of Mr, M, R. Reid, a former teacher in the Napanee Collegiate Institute; Mr, D, A, Nesbit, headmaster of the Newburgh school, was appointed Inspector of the remaining town- 134 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON ships of Lennox and Addington, By thus reducing the area under one inspector more time is now devoted to the individual schools ; and the good work begun by Mr, Burrows is being enthusiastically catu^ied on by his successor. Much still remains to be done in the matter of planting trees and otherwise adorning the school grounds and buildings. It is to be hoped that this will be speedily accomplished by the early intro duction of school gardens and instruction in agriculture in every part of the county. ADOLPHUSTOWN 135 CHAPTER VII ADOLPHUSTOWN Although the first settlement of the other front townships, Ernest town and Fredericksburgh was contemporary with that of Adolphus town, yet, at the very mention of pioneers, it is to the latter that our minds naturally revert. We have become so accustomed to looking upon this little township, the smallest in the province, as the stage upon which so many eventful scenes have been enacted, that we involuntarily asso ciate it, one way or another, with nearly all the great events of our early history. If we attempt to picture to ourselves some episode in the daily life of our forefathers, we naturally turn to Adolphustown to seek some local colouring for our picture. From an historical point of view it has always been, is now, and is likely to maintain its place as the banner township of the province. Many, and among them the writer, would be only too pleased to disprove this statement and award the honour to some other locality, the mere mention of which awakens in our hearts the hallowed memories of early associations. But the task is too great, and we will not attempt it. No ramparts have there been raised to resist an invading foe, and the clash of arms has never resounded within its peaceful precincts ; yet every acre of clearing is a battlefield upon which momentous issues were determined. Not alone in wielding the axe or breaking the soil did the pioneers of Adolphustown excel; but, with the same sturdy resolution, they faced the serious and difficult task of evolving a system of self- government, and blazed the trail, followed in after years by other muni cipalities, by the introduction and encouragement of social, religious, and educational institutions which alone can rescue a community from degeneration, I do not mean to belittle the importance of the achieve ments of the settlers of other parts of the province; but upon taking a general survey of the entire field and bearing in mind the size of the township and the fact that its inhabitants were engaged exclusively in agricultural pursuits, we cannot in fairness give to Adolphustown a place second to any other municipality in the work of laying the founda tion of our present greatness, as we are pleased to style it. So accustomed are we to trace the beginning of many great move ments to some incident in the history of this township that there is a 136 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON danger of investing the pioneers with too dazzling a halo. They were but human and subject to. the same infirmities that beset us ; but they had received a lesson in the rough school of experience and emerged from that ordeal nobler and better men. The suffering and persecution which they had endured left them better equipped for the trials of the new life in the wilderness. The weeding-out process had taken place before they left their homes on the other side of the line, and few, if any, enlisted under the Loyalist balmer and remained steadfast in their ranks but the strong in heart, men not easily carried away by a new cry or passing fancy, men capable of independent thought, and prepared to sacrifice all their possessions in defence of their honour. Such were the first settlers of Adolphu.stown who landed on Hagerman's Point on June i6th, 1784, To the same' class belonged the pioneers of Fredericks burgh and Ernesttown, and to a certain extent those of Richmond and Camden ; and much of the history of Adolphustown will find its parallel in the other townships of this county settled during the same period. Owing to its isolated position' the family names in Adolphustown have undergone fewer changes during the past century than any of these four other townships. This circumstance, and a certain amount of commendable pride in the achievements of their forefathers, have developed a personality about the inhabitants of Adolphustown quite distinct from that of the residents of other parts of the county. From like causes the Amherst Islanders can be distinguished ; and the writer is not alone in his belief that it is possible to detect, in each of these townships, a slight accent or inflection of speech differing not only from each other but from that of every other part of the county, Mr, Thomas W, Casey in his Old Time Records relates an amus ing incident illustrating the resentment of the inhabitants of Marysburgh towards their neighbours across the Bay for asserting their superiority over them, "The 'Fourth-towners', as the residents of Adolphustown were then called, had the credit of being 'a good deal stuck up,' con sidering themselves a good deal ahead of their neighbours. The 'Fifdi- towners,' who lived across the Bay in Marysburgh, were inclined to resent this and assert their own equality for 'smartness,' One day, when the court was in session, a challenge was sent to the Fourth-town ers to test their 'smartness.' They were invited to pick out their three best wrestlers and have it out with the Fifth-towners. Of course they took that 'stump,' Samuel Dorland. Samuel Casey, and Paul Trumpour were chosen to hold up the reputation of Adolphustown, Who were their opponents is not known. ADOLPHUSTOWN 137 "The hour was fixed, and a near-by field was selected where hun dreds were on hand 'to see fair play' and help decide which township had the best men. These were all noted athletes, and they were then young and in their prime, Samuel Dorland, afterwards a Colonel in the militia and a leading official in the Methodist Church, was an ex])ert wrestler, and used to boast, even in his old days, that he seldom if ever met a man who could lay him on his back. He soon had his man down, Samuel Casey, who afterwards became a leading military officer and a prominent justice of the peace, was one of the strongest men in the township, bet not an expert wrestler. He was so powerful in the legs, that his opponent, with all his skill, could not trip him up, and at last got thrown down himself, Paul Trumpour, who was the head of what is now the largest family in the township, was not so skilled in athletics : but he was a man of immense strength. He got his arms well fixed around his man and gave him such terrible 'bear-hugs' that the poor fellow soon cried out 'enough,' to save" his ribs from getting crushed in, and that settled it. The Fourth-town championship was not again dis puted," The causes which led to the migration of the Loyalists and their arrival in Upper Canada have already been dealt with in the introduc tory chapters. The first survey of the township was made under the direction of Major Samuel Holland, Surveyor-General; but the actual work was performed by J, Collins, Deputy Surveyor-General, assisted by Captain Sherwood and Lieutenant Katte, during the fall of 1783 ; but it was not subdivided into lots until the following year. It was named after Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, tenth son of George III, On the early maps the village was described as Hollandville, so named after the Surveyor-General, but the name did not find favour with the inhabitants and was dropped. The townships along the front were surveyed from east to west and numbered accordingly, Kingston, First Town; Ernesttown, Second Town; Fredericksburgh, Third Town; Adolphustown, Fourth Town; then crossiiig to Prince Edward the numbers continued, Marysburgh, Fifth Town ; Sophiasburgh, Sixth Town ; Ameliasburgh, Seventh Town ; then recrossing the Bay and numbering from west to east, Sidney, Eighth Town; Thurlow, Ninth Town; Richmond, Tenth Town, In the first three townships the lots are numbered from west to east, from which it is quite properly inferred that first having determined the breadth of the township, the surveying party returned along the same route, marking and numbering the lots; and this is borne out by the 138 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON fact that the Surveyor-General upon reaching the Fourth Town pitched his tent there and made his headquarters near the present village of Adolphustown, (hence the name Hollandville) and from this point directed the survey and received the reports of the several men operat ing under him. These townships continued to be known as First Town, Second Town, etc., for many years ; in fact at the present time it is not unusual for the inhabitants of Prince Edward to designate these original townships of that county as Fifth Town, Sixth Town, and Seventh Town, From a map now in the Bureau of Archives, and prepared by Col lins pursuant to an Order-in-Council of 1790, we learn the original names of the several bodies of water about the township. What we now call the Bay of Quinte, extending from Trenton to Amherst Island, is set down under different names; the name Quinte being applied only to that portion extending easterly from Young's Point, The trangular body of water between Glenora and the High Shore is described by Col lins in his report of the survey as Savannah Bay, but is not designated by any name upon the map. The small bay between Young's Point and Ruttan's Point is marked as Perch Cove, and that between Ruttan's Point and Bygott's farm is called Bass Cove, The indentation between Bygott's Point and Thompson's Point is Little Cove, and the southern portion of the reach opposite Thompson's Point is called The Forks, while the northern part from Casey's Point to Mohawk Bay is described as the North Channel, Hay Bay is also subdivided, the easterly divi sion being known by its present name, Hay Bay, and the westerly part being called East Bay, Major Vanalstine was the recognized head of the band of Loyalists who first settled in Adolphustown, and was appointed to the command of the company before they sailed from New York, He was a typical Dutchman, rotund in form, with a swarthy complexion, and spoke the English language very indifferently. He brought with him many negro slaves and, having suffered many privations himself, he entertained a kindly feeling towards the individual members of his company, and was always ready to extend relief to the needy. There was no system of municipal government, in fact, no means of administering the affairs of the community during the first few years of the settlement, and the good-natured Major exercised a fatherly supervision over the entire township, and many a dispute terminated in a friendly compromise through his timely mediation. He was placed in charge of the govern ment stores and provisions, and in distributing them among the inhabi tants was kept in close touch with every family. ADOLPHUSTOWN 139 Up to 1788, when the Court of Common Pleas was established, all Upper Canada was governed by martial law; not indeed by drum-head tribunal with its summary procedure and ever-ready executioners, but, owing to the absence of any regularly established court and officers for the administration of justice, the captains in command in each locality was requested to enforce the English laws, and the means of carrying out these instructions were, to a great extent, left to their own wisdom and ingenuity. They do not appear to have abused the authority con ferred upon them, but on the whole to have exercised it impartially. From the very day they left New York, they had been accustomed to look upon themselves as the natural guardians of the companies placed under their command and the arbitrators of any disputes that might ari.se. Prominent among the older settlers of Adolphustown were Captain Peter Ruttan, Michael Sloat, Nicholas Hagerman, and Philip and Thomas Dorland, One or more of these were frequently called upon to assist in determining some of the vexed questions that arose between neighbours and to share with Vanalstine the responsibility of settling the disputes and, to the credit of the contestants and the arbitrators, it i,s said that their awards were accepted without cavil and regarded as pre cedents for the guidance of others. To Major Peter, however, was largely due the peace and harmony that appears to have prevailed before there was an organized effort to regulate their affairs by the appointment of public officers. The Loyalists had not abandoned their temporary canvas dwellings before a serious dispute arose over the eastern boundary of the town ship. The battalion settling in Fredericksburgh had been promised lots in the same township ; but it was found that a sufficient number had not been laid out to accommodate them all and, but for the intervention of the Surveyor-General who supported Vanalstine and his company, Col lins would have extended the limits of Fredericksburgh westerly so as to absorb the whole township of Adolphustown, The Major stoutly maintained the rights of his company and demanded that they should not be disturbed in the territory that had been assigned to them nor annexed to the neighbouring township where they would lose their identity as a separate community, as they would be greatly outnumbered by Colonel Roger's corps, for whom provision was being made in Fredericksburgh,. A compromise was effected, but not until the Surveyor-General and his Deputy had nearly come to blows over the matter, by cutting off twelve lots from the easterly side of Adolphustown and giving them to Roger's men. This tract has ever since been known as "Fredericksburgh Addi- 140 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON tional" and is so described in the official maps of the township of Fred ericksburgh to-day, Adolphustown was a small township in the first place, and the loss of this territory so reduced it that it became, and is still, the smallest township in the Province of Ontario, , It would be remarkable if so many people could live side by side and be brought into daily contact with each other without manifesting some desire for a form of local government in which they themselves might participate. No matter how wise, just, and impartial a despot may be, the Anglo-Saxon cannot forget the privileges which were won by his ancestors at Runnymede; and while we would not characterize as tyrannical the leadership of the commanders of the various corps of Loyalists, yet it could hardly be expected that the settlers, for any length of time, would be content to have their affairs administered by any one man or set of men in whose appointment they had no voice. As the clearings grew in size, and live stock was introduced, and cattle and other animals wandered away through the forest to a neigh bouring clearing and mingled with their kind, frequent differences arose, ' not only as to the ownership of stray animals, but also respecting the damage done to the growing crops, and the necessity for devising some uniform regulations to govern such matters. In their former homes they had been accustomed to their town meetings which, then as now, afforded an opportunity to the disgruntled to air their grievances. It frequently makes little difference whether or not any active steps are taken to remedy the real or imaginary complaints of certain members of the community, who for weeks go about the streets or among their neighbours picturing in glowing colours some impending calamity that is about to overtake them. The public meeting is the cure for all such. Having once for all dehvered themselves of their burden, and dis charged what they conceived to be their duty towards the public, they resign themselves to their fate if the public conscience does not appear to be aroused by their warning, until some new phantom arises to dis turb their equanimity. Such nervous, often well-meaning, individuals exist in every municipality to-day; and they serve a useful purpose, not so much by the wisdom of their suggestions, as by awakening the more staid and philosophic citizens to a sense of their individual responsibility. It was thus that the citizens of Adolphustown were convened to dis cuss public questions at a town meeting held on March 6th, 1792, and a similar meeting was held on March 5th, 1793, although the Act legalizing such meetings was not passed until July, 1793, The meetings held after the passing of the Act did not differ materially from those held prior to its enactment, which points conclusively to the fact that the Statute ADOLPHUSTOWN 141 was framed for the purpose of giving to the other municipalities of the province that same limited measure of self-government which the ¦citizens of Adolphustown had devised for themselves before the matter had been taken up by the Legislative Assembly, The Legislature fol lowed the precedent of Adolphustown, even to the date of the meetings, by decreeing that all town meetings should be held annually on the first Monday of March, It is true that most of the actual business of the township was car ried on by the justices of the peace, but the very fact that once a year the ratepayers were summoned together to discuss all questions of a local character and to appoint their own officers to administer the Pru dential Laws and to perform the other statutory duties devolving upon them, operated as a safety-valve and satisfied in a measure that natural longing for self-government. In the old minute-book, which is probably the most unique of its kind in the province to-day, was kept a record of the different earmarks adopted for distinguishing the cattle, sheep, and pigs, under the some what misleading heading "Record of Marks for the Inhabitants of Adolphustown," The following are a few of the marks selected at random from the old record which commenced with the year 1793 : "George Ruttan — a hole in the right ear," "Peter Vanalstine — a slit in the end of the left ear and a slit in the under side of both ears," "Alexander Fisher — a half-penny under the right ear," This mark was afterwards taken over by Robert McAfee, which transfer was indicated in the record by a cross placed over the name of the first owner of the mark and the name of the second owner inter lined, "David Barker — a swallow fork in the right ear," "Paul Trumpour — a crop off the right ear with a slit on each side of the same," "Thos, J, Dorland — a crop off the right ear and a hole in the same," "Samuel Casey — a crop off the right ear and a swallow fork in the left," In recognition of his ability and services Major Vanalstine was the first justice of the peace in the township to receive his commission ; and in due course a similar honour was conferred upon Thomas Dorland, Nicholas Hagerman, Peter Ruttan, Michael Sloat, and Alexander Fisher, The last named afterwards became the first judge of the Midland Dis trict, Ruttan had been a captain in the regular army and was somewhat proud of that distinction, and with the newly acquired title of "Esquire," 142 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON which was not used indiscriminately as it is to-day, he felt himself to be a man of considerable importance and was not disposed to yield first place to any man in the township. He was particularly envious of the old leader. Major Vanalstine, It frequently transpired that the har mony of the meetings was disturbed by the reluctance of JSquire Ruttan to concur in the opinions expressed by Squire Vanalstine, On one occa sion Ruttan appeared at a meeting clothed in full regimentals and de manded that proper respect be paid to that uniform, which had seen active service in His Majesty's army, Vanalstine tactfully declined to be drawn into an altercation with the old soldier, who for once carried the day and scored a victory over his rival. The old Major retained the respect of those among whom he lived and was buried with military honours in the north-west corner of the burying-ground. During the last decade of the eighteenth century Adolphustown was recognized as the most important settlement in the Midland District, It numbered among its inhabitants many leading men in almost every walk of life, Kingston, from its strategic position, had long before been selected as the military and naval centre, and much of the glory of the Limestone City was due, not so much to the enterprise of the ordinary citizen, as to the fact that it was the seat of many government and other public institutions maintained and supported, not by the municipality, but by the public at large. Notwithstanding this disparity of fortuitous circumstances, when the Courts of the General Quarter Sessions were established in 1793, the little township, which could not boast of even a village of any dimensions, was placed on an even footing with its more pretentious urban rival. The first regular court was held the first Tuesday in July, 1794, in Paul Huff's barn on Hay Bay, as there was no public building in the township at the disposal of the justices. The next session was held in January of the following year; and as there were no means of heating the barn, which had served the pur pose very well in the summer season, application was made to the Methodist body for the use of the new church which had been recently erected upon the same lot. Objection was taken by some to making the "house of prayer" a "den of thieves," with a timely explanation that the reference was not made to the lawyers and court officials, but to the criminals ; but the scruples of the congregation were overcome, and justice was dispensed from the pulpit of the Rev, Wm. Losee's Chapel, The citizens of the township then took the matter in hand and in 1796 built a court-house by voluntary subscription near the site of the present town-hall. The erection of the building gave the locality some ADOLPHUSTOWN 143 prominence and may be regarded as the beginning of the village of Adolphustown, Previous to the building of the court-house, there were a few scattered residences in the vicinity, among them being that of Nicholas Hagerman, which was situated on the Bay shore almost in front of the U, E, L, burying-ground and only a few rods from the U, E, L. landing-place. That point of land lying between the creek and the Bay was known as Hagerman's Point, Shortly after the landing of the LoyaHsts, a httle child, worn out with fatigue and exposure, died, and was the first refugee to be buried in this county. In the neighbouring woods they digged a grave and, as they laid the tiny form to rest, many a sunburnt pioneer tried in vain to conceal his emotion, A few months later, one Casper Hover, a relative of Barbara Heck, was killed by a falling tree, while engaged in clearing his land. His body was laid beside that of the little child; and the spot was for years recognized as the general burial-place; and here the ashes of many of Adolphustown's illustrious dead now lie mouldering. Tombstones they had not, and slabs of wood, long since decayed, were the only markers for the graves until in later years stone monuments were introduced; but they, too, have crumbled away or the inscriptions have become so obliterated that few can now be deciphered. On June i6th, 1884, the corner-stone of the monument now stand ing at the edge of the old burial-ground was laid with Masonic Honours by R, W, Bro, Arthur McGuinness, D,D,G,M, of Belleville, before a great concourse of people assembled from all parts of Canada to com memorate the centennial celebration of the landing of the Loyalists, Patriotic addresses were delivered by L, L. Bogart, then over eighty years of age, and the oldest living male representative of the U, E, Loyalist band. A, L, Morden, Dr, Canniff, D, W, Allison, Sir Richard Cartwright, and Rev, D, V, Lucas, In due time the monument was completed and upon its face was inscribed: "In Memory of the U, E, Loyalists who through loyalty to British Institutions Left the U, S, and landed on these Shores on the i6th of June, 1784." A more enduring monument to the noble band of pioneers is the sweet memory of their loyalty and sacrifice embalmed in the hearts of the pre sent generation of their descendants, who with a commendable zeal are 144 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON taking active measures to preserve all the old landmarks in the town ship connected with its early history. We have seen how the Courts of General Sessions were established in 1793; but a new difficulty arose at this point as there were no lawyers duly authorized to practise ; and it was felt that the dignity of the bench could not be maintained without some restrictions being placed upon the advocates who were to appear before the courts. To overcome this difficulty an Act was passed in 1794 empowering the Governor, Lieuten ant-Governor, or person administering "the government of the province, to authorize by license under his hand and seal, such and so many of His Majesty's liege subjects, not exceeding sixteen in numbers, as he shall deem, from their probity, education, and condition in life, best qualified to act as advocates and attorneys in the conduct of all legal proceedings in this province," Three years later all persons then admitted to practise in the law in this province, derisively styled "heaven-born lawyers," were, by an Act of the Legislative Assembly, incorporated as the "Law Society of Upper Canada" upon practically the same basis as that Society to-day exists, Nicholas Hagerman was one of the favoured few of "sufficient pro bity, education, and condition in life" and was the first lawyer admitted to the bar in the county of Lennox and Addington. He was a man of refinement and education who had studied law before he left New York; and the honour conferred upon him was not unworthily bestowed. He continued to practise until the time of his death, and for a long time enjoyed the monopoly of being the only practitioner in the county. He had no regular office hours, but went about his daily occupation and, when waited upon by a client, he would shoulder his axe or scythe and repair to his dwelling to turn over his musty volumes, or render such other professional service as the circumstances warranted. The founda tions of his home built upon the shore have long since been washed away by the encroaching waters of the bay. He was buried on the east side of the old burying-ground just north of an old oak tree, but no stone to-day marks his last resting-place. He had two sons, Christopher and Daniel, both of whom were elected to parliament in 182 1, Christopher for the electoral district of Frontenac, and Daniel for Addington, Daniel died before the Hou.se assembled; but Christopher took his seat, and in time became one of the most illustrious men of his day. He studied law with his father and afterwards with Allen McLean of Kingston, and it not unfrequently happened that father and son were opposed to e^ch other on the same REV. WILLIAM CASE, \\^^ I Ml REV, ROBERT CORSON, THE SWITZERVILLE CHAPEL. BUILT 182e. ADOLPHUSTOWN 145 case. On one such occasion Christopher scored a signal victory over his father, at which the father exclaimed: "Have I raised a son to put out my eyes" ; whereupon Christopher quickly retorted : "No, father, but to open them," In 1815 this same son was appointed a King's Counsel, and afterwards became Solicitor-General, and finally Chief- justice of the Province of Ontario, A fair estimate may be formed of the recognized ability of the early inhabitants of Adolphustown by scanning the list of members of the Legislative Assembly chosen from the men living in or brought up in this township. In the first legislature Philip Dorland was elected: but being a Quaker he refuseii to take the oath and his election was annulled, and Major Peter Vanalstine was elected in his stead. To the next seven parliaments Adolphustown contributed the following mem bers: Thomas Dorland, John Roblin, Willet Casey, Samuel Casey, Daniel Hagerman, and Christopher Hagerman, The inhabitants of Adolphustown are a peace-loving people but, in time of need, never fail to respond to their country's call. During the war of 1812 Captain Thomas Dorland was the first commissioned officer in the township and was placed in command of a company at Kingston : Captain Trumpour commanded a company of horse during the same campaign; and Christopher Hagerman was appointed aide-de-camp to the Lieutenant-General commanding, with the rank of Lieutenant-Col onel, The young men of the township have at all times regularly en listed in both the infantry and cavalry branches of the volunteer ser vice; and a brass tablet in the Anglican Memorial Church in the village Commemorates the heroic death of Captain Thomas Wellington Chal mers who fell on the battlefield in South Africa in his valiant attempt to rescue a wounded comrade. This county always has been and is likely to remain a stronghold of Methodism, As early as 1788 a young man by the name of Lyons came to Adolphustown and engaged in teaching school; and on the Sabbath he would collect fhe people together in the house of one of his employers and conduct religious services after the order of the Methodist Epis copal Church, Methodism was not popular among many of the Loyal ists, who had been brought up to believe that any other doctrine than that contained in the thirty-nine Articles of the Established Church was not only rank heresy, but its exponents were little short of traitors to the throne of Great Britain, Lyons' preaching was bitterly opposed by certain extremists ; but as there was no law to cover the alleged offence of exhorting the inhabitants to accept the faith as he explained it, his opponents contented themselves by holding him up to ridicule, 10 146 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON boycotting his school, and rendering his residence among them as unpleasant as they could. Such territory did not appear to be a very promising field for*the Methodists ; but first impressions are not always reliable, and so it proved in this case. In 1790 Wilham Losee paid a visit to this part of the country and preached the tenets of Methodism along the Bay of Quinte, and among other places in the tavern of Con- rade Van Dusen at Adolphustown, ' There has been considerable misapprehension as to the locality of the VanDusen tavern; and most writers have taken it for granted that it stood in the village just east of the court-house. The writer has before him a conveyance of lot number sixteen in the first concession of Adolphustown, from Conrade VanDusen to Richard Davern, dated October 2nd, 181 5, in which the expressed consideration is seven hun dred pounds. It was upon this lot that the tavern was built, and the consideration would indicate that the buildings must have been of more than ordinary value, Daniel Davern, a grandson of the grantee, still residing upon this lot, helped to remove the stone foundation of an old building which his father assured him was the same upon which stood the old VanDusen tavern. After selling the farm he moved to the vil lage and lived just east of the court-house, a fact which accounts for the error. In the body of the document the name of the grantor is spelled "Conradt Van Duzen;" but his own signature, which appears in a plain round hand, is "Conrade VanDusen," which should dispose of the ques tion of the spehing of his name. In those days the wife could only bar her dower by appearing before the proper official to be examined, in order that he might certify that her consent was given "freely and volun tary, without coercion or fear of coercion on the part of her husband or any other person," Such a certificate signed by John Ferguson, District Judge, is attached to this interesting old document, Losee was a nervous, intensely energetic man, and had the use of only one arm, the other being withered. Above all he was a Loyahst and had known many of the residents before he emigrated from the United States, A Loyalist and a Methodist preacher! Such a paro- doxical combination had never been conceived and, out of mere cur iosity, many who had scoffed at Lyons and McCarty went to hear the one-armed Loyal Methodist, who by his piety and earnestness won the hearts of his listeners. So popular was he that a petition was presented to his conference to have him sent to this county; and in the following year he returned, the first regularly appointed Methodist minister in Upper Canada, ADOLPHUSTOWN 147 Among Losee's most devoted supporters was Paul Huff, who lived on the south shore of Hay Bay on lot eighteen in the third concession, and it was at his house that the congregation from that part of the town ship used to meet for divine worship, and at which was established on February 20th, 1792, the first regular class meeting in Upper Canada. The attendance at the meeting increased so rapidly that the living room at Huff's would no longer accommodate them, and it was determined to erect a meeting-house, Paul Huff donated the land, and twenty sub scribers undertook to pay £108 towards the building fund. The build ing was to be erected under the direction of Losee, and was to be thirty- six feet by thirty, two stories high, with a gallery. The most liberal subscriber towards its erection was none other than the same Conrade VanDusen at whose tavern a few years before McCarty had been arraigned as a vagabond. The foundations were laid; and soon there arose an imposing structure still standing to-day as a monument to that good man who well and truly laid the corner-stone of Methodism in Upper Canada, Overjoyed with the success of his first effort at church building Losee set about with renewed energy to improve the accommodation in the other townships; but he was permitted to foster the advance of his holy cause for only two years, as that bright intellect, overburdened with the work of his ministry, was shattered by a blow it had not the strength to withstand. His pathetic cohapse is thus described by Playter in his History of Methodism : "He was the subject of that soft, yet powerful passion of our nature, which some account our weakness and others our greatest happiness. Piety and beauty were seen connected in female form then as well as now, in this land of woods and water, snows and burning heat. In the family of one of his hearers, and in the vicinity of Napanee River, was a maid of no little moral and personal attraction. Soon his attention was attracted, soon the seed of love was planted in his bosom, and soon it germinated and bore outward fruit. In the interim of sus pense as to whether he should gain the person, another preacher came on the circuit, visits the same dwelling, is attracted by the same fair object, and finds in his heart the same passion. The two seek the same person. One is absent on the St. Lawrence, the other frequents the blest habitation, never out of mind. One, too, is deformed, the other a person of desirable appearance. Jealousy crept in with love. But at last the preference was made, and disappointment like a thunderbolt overset the mental balance of the first itinerant minister in Canada," His historian tells us that he returned to Kingston in 1816 to dispose of 148 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON some property he had acquired while here; and that he was upon this visit completely restored to his former mental health and visited the old Adolphustown charge, where he preached to his old parishioners, and then returned to New York, In 1805, near the old chapel on Hay Bay, was conducted the fir.st camp-meeting ever held in Canada, trom far and near the adherents of the Methodist Church came in their bateaux, filled to the gunwale with tents, bedding, and provisions, or in lumber waggons hauled by the slow-moving oxen, which with swinging gait wended through the forest to the meeting place. Never had the woods of Adolphustown echoed such shouts of praise and song as went up from the hundreds of earnest worshippers under the guidance of such saintly leaders as Case, Ryan, Pickett, Keeler, Madden, and Bangs, In the same neighbourhood, in 1819, occurred the saddest event that ever befell that part of the county. All nature seemed to smile on that bright Sabbath morning of August 20th, as eighteen young people, jubilant with the spirit of the season, seated themselves in a flat-bot tomed boat at Casey's Point, and the young men plied the oars as they turned the prow towards the opposite shore to attend quarterly meeting in the Losee chapel. With innocent jests and snatches of sacred songs they moved merrily over the surface of the bay until, as they neared the landing-place, the boat began to leak and, in the confusion which fol lowed, capsized, plunging all the passengers into the water. The service was in progress, and the officiating clergyman had just given utterance to the prayer that "it might be a day long to be remembered" when the congregation was startled by screams of terror, and rushing from the church saw the unfortunate victims struggling for their lives. Every effort was made to save them from their perilous position, but of the eighteen, who a few minutes before were overflowing with the happi ness of youth, only nine were saved. On the following day nine coffins were ranged side by side in front of the chapel, and the Reverend Mr. Puffer, taking as his text "I know that my Redeemer liveth," endeavoured to preach a funeral sermon; but was so overcome with emotion in the presence of a large congrega tion, who could not restrain their tears, that he was unable to finish his discourse. In the old grave-yard near by may still be seen the last rest ing-place of the drowned. It is needless to say that the disaster was long remembered; and the sympathy of the district went out to the stricken families, among them being some of the best known in the county. Of the dead there were two Germans, two Detlors, one Bogart, one RobHn, one Clark, one Madden, and one Cole. THE U, E, L, MONUMENT. ADOLPHUSTOWN. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, ADOLPHUSTOWN. ADOLPHUSTOWN 149 Without commenting upon its literary merits I reproduce a poem published in a Napanee paper thirty-six years after the sad occurrence: Come all ye young people of every degree. Read o'er these lines which are penned down by me; And while you are reading these lines which are true. Remember this warning is also for you. In the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and nineteen. On the twentieth of August on Sunday I mean. The place where it happened I also wrote down The loss may be told of in Adolphustown. These people were in health and all in their prune. All modestly clothed in apparel so fine. To Church they were going their God to adore. They to reach the said place, had a Bay to cross o'er. The boat being small and their number eighteen. To go o'er together they all ventured in. They launched away, singing a sweet exercise. The moments near by them were hid from their eyes. The voice of Jehovah speaks unto us all. To always be ready and come at His call. And while you are reading these mournful lines o'er. Death may be sent for you and enter your door. The boat being leaky the water came in, To bail with their hats they too late did begin, They looked at each other, beginning to weep. The boat filled with water and sunk in the deep. Their friends on the shore, to help flew with speed. And eight of the number from the water was freed, There were brothers and sisters, and parents also Soon heard the sad story which filled them with woe. A seine was prepared to draw them to land. Their friends with loud weeping all round them did stand. Such scenes of lamenting I ne'er saw before; The loss was so fatal that none could restore. 150 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON There was John and Jane German, Peter Bogart also. There was Mary and Jane Detlor in the water below. There was Matilda Roblin and Betsy McCoy, Betsy Clark, Huldah Madden and the late Mary Cole, To unchangeable regions their spirits had fled. And left their poor bodies inactive and dead. They solemnly were borne into the Church yard Their graves in rotation for them were prepared. On the Monday following their coffins were made And into the same their dead bodies were laid. Their friends with loud weeping on the shore did stand. Their bodies preparing to enter the sand. The sermon delivered on that mournful scene By one, Isaac Puffer from Job, the nineteenth. Although these dead bodies the worms may destroy. They will see God in glory and fullness of joy. The sermon being o'er and brought to a close With a few words of comfort addressed unto those. Whose hearts were quite broken and filled with grief, And in a few moments those bodies must leave. And now we must leave them beneath the cold ground. Till Gabriel's trumpet shall give the last sound. Arise ye that sleepeth, arise from the tomb. And come forth to judgment to hear thy just doom. It may not be generally known that the Canadian Society of Friends also had its origin in the township of Adolphustown, As early as 1790 two Quaker preachers came to the township by appointment, and held services there; and the Society was first organized in Upper Canada by James Noxon, who lived in Adolphustown, We find his name among the list of inhabitants as late as 1814, at which time he is said to have moved to the township of Sophiasburgh, which is probably correct, as his name does not appear upon the records after that date. He was pathmaster in 1797 and 1798 and clerk of the to-wnship in 1799. It is not improbable that one of his chief reasons for removing was that he might be in closer touch with the Friends of that township where the ADOLPHUSTOWN 151 seed had taken deeper root. Just how Brother Noxon overcame his scruples about taking the oath prescribed by the Statute to be taken by every officer of the township the records do not inform us. Among the prominent men hailing from this old township some mention should be made of David Roblin, He was born in 1812 and in 1832 moved to Napanee where he engaged in business. He was a Reformer of the Baldwin school, and first entered public life as repre- ,sentative of the township of Richmond in the District and County Coun cils, which position he held for eighteen years, and rendered such good service to the municipality electing him and the united counties at large that he achieved the unique distinction of filling the warden's chair for seven consecutive years. In 1854 he was elected to Parliament over the Honourable Benjamin Seymour, and continued to represent this county until 1861, when he was defeated by Mr, Augustus Hooper, Upon the occasion of his death in 1863 the Napanee Standard, which had always opposed him in politics, paid the following tribute to his memory: "In all his business transactions he had the reputation of being an honest man and an upright dealer. He was of a disposition to secure many friends and in business this often cost him too much. He was too gen erous to secure and lay up much wealth, although at various times he possessed a large amount of property. He was highly respected and esteemed by all who knew him ; even by his strongest political opponents, A most obliging friend and neighbour he had many warm friends," 152 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER VIII ERNESTTOWN AND BATH The Township of Ernesttown, the second township laid out in this part of Upper Canada and hence known as Second Town, was named after Prince Ernest, the eighth child of King George III. It is described by Deputy Surveyor-General Collins, whose report of the survey bears date November 7th, 1783, as "a tract of land six miles square situate on the north side of Lake Ontario, bounded in front by the said lake, and in depth by the ungranted lands belonging to the King ; on the east by the ungranted lands as aforesaid, and on the we.st by a township marked on the plan No, 3 (Fredericksburgh)," He pays it the compli ment of having "twenty- three thousand and forty acres of land, which appear to be equal in quality to the best lands in America," This township was first settled in 1784 by members of the Second Battalion of Sir John Johnson's regiment, the King's New York Royal Rangers, The Report of the Ontario Bureau of Archives, 1905, thus epitomizes the career of this illustrious soldier: "The name of Sir John Johnson is overshadowed by the greater name of Sir Wilham Johnson, his father. Yet his own services were many and important. He joined the army as a volunteer in the Revolutionary War and operated largely among the Mohawk Indians. He raised and commanded a regiment of two battalions in Canada, named the Royal Greens, He defeated Herkimer in 1777 at Fort Stanwix and, suffered defeat in 1780 at Fox's Mill, He was knighted by the King at London in 1765, -After the war he was appointed Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs in British North America, Colonel-in-Chief of the six battalions of the militia of the Eastern TownsTiips, and a member of the Legislative Council, He resided in Montreal, He married Mary, daughter of John Watts, Presi dent of the Council, New York, and had one son William, a colonel in the British army, killed at Waterloo, Sir John died at Montreal in 1822," It will be remembered that in the allotment of the townships Cap tain Grass was given his choice and selected the first township, King ston, the main consideration which moved him being its proximity to Cataraqui; but the followers of Johnson, and their descendants, have had no cause to regret the choice made by their leader, as the Deputy ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 153 Surveyor-General was not amiss in his description of the soil, although far astray as to the present dimensions and acreage of the township. As a matter of fact Ernesttown contains 68,644 acres, and the inhabi tants still maintain that it is "equal in quality to the best lands in America," If we could have passed along the bay in the early spring of 1784 from the site of the present village of Bath to that of Millhaven we would have witnessed a remarkable scene. There, scattered among the openings in the dense forest, were pitched scores of military tents, which had seen years of service in the Revolutionary War, Wandering along the beach, or fishing from the sides of the large bateaux anchored a short distance from shore, were the sunburned veterans from the Mohawk Valley and the Upper Hudson, Hovering over the camp-fires, preparing the rations that had been doled out by the officers in charge, were the housewives, attired in their quaint costumes, while the restless children chased the curious squirrels through the wood or amused them selves with casting pebbles in the water. To the number of four hundred, the largest company assembled in any township, they thus waited for weeks, until the surveys were completed and the lots ready for the drawing. Among them were many men who had left, or been driven from, comfortable homesteads in the State of New York, for no other offence than loyalty to the throne which they had been taught to respect. If we could have mingled among them we would have heard the familiar names. Miller, Fairfield, Fraser, Booth, Baker, Mabee, Rose, Finkle, Pruyn, Brisco, Snider, Amey, and scores of others which have from that day to this been associated with the steady march of progress of this grand old township. Finally the survey was completed, the drawings took place, and as the head of each family received his location ticket he pulled his stakes, shouldered his tent, and the little procession, father, mother, and children, moved away towards their new home. Their belongings were few, — a iDundle of clothes, some bedding, and cooking utensils, so few indeed, that in most instances they could all be carried upon their backs. Hav ing arrived at the destined spot they laid down their burdens and gazed about them. They were all impressed with the loneliness of the dense forest, which only here and there admitted a ray of sunshine, yet this was to be their home. That word, with all its tender associations of the past, hovf empty it sounded! Before the night set in they had barely time to pitch the tent and prepare a hasty meal. Exhausted with the labours of the day and overcome with emotions to which none dared give expression, they laid themselves down upon a mattress made from a few hemlock boughs cut from a neighbouring tree. 154 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON What dreams disturbed those slumbers in the stillness of the for est night, broken only by the hooting of an owl, or the howling of some wild beast startled by the unexpected presence of the strange intruders in their familiar haunts? Could their wildest nightmare picture the obliteration of the forest, and see rising in its stead grassy slopes over which wandered herds of well-kept stock, and stately homes from the open windows of which came the notes of a piano accompanied with songs of merriment from well-dressed lads and maidens? Or, most marvellous of all, a well-groomed husbandman and his modest spouse speeding in a horseless carriage along a level highway, past spacious barns and neat cottages connected by telephones, and before each of which the empty mail box awaited the postman's delivery of the daily mail? We are safe in assuming that no such visions arose before the tired sleepers. How stupendous must the task before them have appeared, as on the morrow they wandered over their domain to select a site for the log cabin! On every side stood the tall timbers like stalwart giants raising their proud crests one hundred feet about the ground, a silent challenge to this puny creature, man, to dispute with them the mastery of the soil over which they had held sway for a thousand years. There was no time to morahze; a cabin must be built, and the stubborn forest sub dued. How well their work was done is attested by the comfortable homesteads throughout the township to-day. The officers were favoured by receiving -lots upon the front, while the privates were located in the rear concessions; and as the children matured they settled upon the lots back farther still. The early history of Ernesttown does not differ materially from that of Adolphustown in respect to the trials and privations of the pion eers. As Adolphustown village was the legal centre of the Midland Dis trict outside of Kingston, so Ernesttown village, afterwards Bath, so named after the famous English health resort, was the commercial and educational rival of Kingston, and promised, in its early days, to become a town of importance. The township filled up so rapidly that in 1811 it had a population of 2,300, the largest of any township in the province. It was about the time of the war of 1812 that the leading village of the township was given its present name and, by 1816, notwithstanding the depression that had followed the war, it had made such progress that Samuel Purdy felt justified in establishing a stage line between the village and Kingston, This first venture in the stage business proved so profitable to the proprietor that in the following year he inaugurated a line between Kingston and York, leaving Kingston every Monday ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 155 morning at six o'clock and York every Thursday morning at the same hour. This new enterprise was announced by the following advertise ment: "Persons wishing for a passage will call at Mr. David Brown's Inn, Kingston, where the stage books will be kept. From twenty to twenty-eight pounds of baggage will be allowed to each passenger, over this they must be charged for. All baggage sent by the stage will be forwarded with care, and delivered with punctuality, and all favours acknowledged by the public's humble servant, (Signed) Samuel Purdy,. Kingston, January 23rd, 1817, N,B, stage fare eighteen dollars," Before the introduction of this stage line to York the ordinary means of travelling between Kingston and "Muddy York" was by the large flat-bottomed boat propelled by oars. Once a week this awkward craft could be seen going up the bay to the Carrying Place where it was hauled out of the water and turned over to Asa Weller, a tavern-keeper. He had a low-wheeled truck waggon built for the purpose, upon which the boat was placed and hauled across the isthmus by a yoke of oxen,. where it was again consigned to the water, and the oarsmen continued their voyage along the shore to the capital. The only alternative was by horseback, which served the purpose very well if the traveller was not encumbered with much baggage. The usual starting point was from Finkle's tavern at Bath, from which place a white guide conducted him to the Trent, where the Indian agent fur nished him with a native guide, who accompanied him along the Indian trail through the forest to his destination. While Adolphustown village was the legal centre of the Midland District after the establishing of the General Sessions, Bath may claim- the distinction of being the seat of the first court held in Mecklenburgh (the name was changed in 1792) by Judge Cartwright, and as this was before any court-houses were built, Finkle's tavern was used for the purpose. The old village also has the distinction, we will not say honour, of being the scene of the first execution by hanging in Canada, and the saddest part of the story is that the victim, who thus paid the death penalty by being swung from the limb of a tree near the old tavern, was innocent of the crime of which he was convicted. He was charged with stealing a watch, circumstantial evidence pointed to him as the thief; but he protested his innocence, claiming that he had purchased it from a pedlar. The evidence could not have been conclusive and consisted mainly of the finding of the stolen article in his possession ; but this, in the opinion of the judge, cast upon the accused the onus of proving how he came by it. The pedlar belonged to the itinerant class, and had 156 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON passed on to some other section of the country, where he could not be reached. The prisoner could not, under the law as it then stood, give evidence on his own behalfj so, by reason of his failure to establish his innocence, the general rule of law was inverted and he died upon the gallows. While the judge was pronouncing sentence a spectator in the court interrupted the proceedings by protesting against the conviction: but the audience was in sympathy with the finding of the court and .hissed him down, A few months later a pedlar repassing through the neighbourhood confirmed the words of the unfortunate man by stating that the watch in question had been sold by him under the circumstances alleged by the prisoner at the time of his trial. The date of this trial is unknown, but it must have been some time between 1787, when the first criminal court was held at Bath, and 1793, after which the courts were held alternately at Adolphustown and Kingston. At this first criminal court a negro was convicted of stealing a loaf of bread and was sentenced to receive twenty-nine lashes. No interval of time passed between the sentence and the execution in the early days, otherwise the first hanging might not have taken place. There was no whipping-post ready to receive the convict, so he was lashed to a bass-wood tree but a few yards from the hotel; and the court ad journed for a few minutes to allow the spectators an opportunity to witness the whipping. The bass-wood tree served its purpose so admir ably that, it was adopted as a part of the equipment of the court; and for many years after it ceased to hold its victims in position to receive the lash it was pointed out to travellers as one of the objects of interest in the village. The road between Bath and Kingston was one of the first, if not the first, road of any importance built in the province and, when the original mail road from Kingston to York was first laid out Bath was considered too important a place to be ignored; and the road followed the shore from Kingston to Bath, continuing through Adolphustown to Young's Point, then known as Dorland's Point, Here a ferry carried the travellers across to Lake-on-the-Mountain, whence the road con tinued to the head of Picton Bay and through Prince Edward County, passing Bloomfield, Wellington, and Consecon to the Carrying Place, thence along the lake front to York, This road, as finally completed, was known as the Danfbrth Road, having been built under government contract by one Asa Danforth, who commenced operations in 1798, and completed his contract in 1801. Danforth had his headquarters at Bath, where he lived with Henry Finkle, THE FAIRFIELD RESIDENCE, BATH. ST. JOHN'S CHURCH. BATH. ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 157 General Simcoe conceived the idea of a grand military highway extending from one end of the province to the other, to which he gave the name of Dundas Street, but his term of office was terminated shortly after its construction was begun, and it was many years before it was completed. The first macadamized road built in the province of Ontario was that portion of Dundas Street lying between Kingston and Napanee. This once magnificent highway was commenced in 1837 and completed in 1839. It was due to the enterprise of John Solomon Cartwright, then judge of the Midland District Court and member of the Legislative Assembly, that the plan of Governor Simcoe was revived, and the pro vincial government was induced to set apart $120,000 for the undertak ing, which sum it was expected would be repaid from the tolls collected at the gates placed upon the road every five miles. The engineer in charge of its construction was James Cull, grandfather of Mrs. H. T. Forward and Mrs. Peter Bristol of Napanee. The work was well done, but the cost exceeded the estimate, so that it was necessary to obtain a further grant of $12,000 from the government in order to complete it. In 1859 the united counties of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington purchased the road from the government for $49,200 to be paid i^ twenty equal annual instalments of $2,460 each, without interest. When the united counties were divided in 1864 and Lennox and Addington became a separate municipality, the county of Frontenac assumed the obligation to the government, and the two counties adjusted the liability by Lennox and Addington undertaking to pay to Frontenac the sum of $20,000 in equal instalments, extending over the same period as the original debt to the government. Regarding the negotiations for the purchase of the road which were first commenced in 1850, the Napanee Bee of July i6th, 1852, says edi torially: "We are gratified to learn that the Counties' Warden, D. Rob lin, Esq., our thoroughly enterprising townsman, has effected a reduc tion in the price of the Kingston and Napanee Macadamized road. It will be remembered that the road was struck off to the Warden on behalf of the Counties' Council for £15,400. It will also be remembered that the county objected to the legality of all the bids over £12,300, and they claimed that they were entitled to the road at that price, that hav ing been the Warden's bid. "On October 28th, 1850, the Warden laid the matter before the government, asking a reduction. The claim of the council has been finally acceded to, and the road now stands at £12,300 against the counties; only $2,300 above the upset price and more than £3,000 less 158 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON than private parties would have gladly paid. We trust that this fact will have the effect to enable the people of these counties to determine as to who is the most deserving their gratitude and confidence, the man who prates about government abuses, and which, peradventure, have , only an ideal existence, and who labours not assiduously for the good of the counties ; or him who exerts his abilities untiringly and efficiently in their behalf," Frontenac kept up the payments to the government, and collected annually from this county the amount agreed upon until a few years after Confederation, when through some means, which perhaps it might be well not to inquire into too carefully, Frontenac discontinued the payments, and Lennox and Addington took advantage of the situation and made no further contributions to the coffers of the sister county on account of the purchase price of the road. For many years after this new route for the government road had been adopted the line of travel still continued along the shore from Kingston to Bath and thence to Napanee, In turning over the old Statutes of 1828 the writer ran across an Act, from the preamble of which, if he did not observe the date, one might infer that it was of quite recent origin. It reads as follows: "Whereas in consequence of a dispute having arisen between the justices of the peace of Ernesttown and the justices of the peace of Fredericks burgh, in the Midland District, respecting the right of either party of such justices to take charge of a public road running from front to rear between the aforesaid townships of Ernesttown and the gore of Fredericksburgh, or to which party of right the making and repairing of such road belongs; in consequence of which dispute, the aforesaid road, though much travelled from necessity, is dangerous and difficult to travel on account of being left, in a great measure for a long time past, without being mended and improved," Although there is excel lent material for making good roads in every part of this county the civic authorities are for the most part pursuing the same policy that was introduced by the Act respecting "Statute duties on Highways and Roads" passed in 1798, with the result that our highways may be classed among the worst in the province; and it is not to our credit that that part of the first macadamized road in the province lying within the limits of this county has by neglect lost all resemblance to what it was eighty years ago. In the chapter upon schools I have dealt at some length upon the deep interest the first settlers of Ernesttown took in the matter of edu cating their youth. ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 159 A century ago Bath was the military centre of the county where the volunteers from the other townships used to meet for training; and during the war of 1812 the township contributed the following officers for the defence of our county: Lieutenant-Colonel James Parrott, Cap tains Joshua Booth, C, Fralick, Norris Brisco, Peter Daly, Robert Clark, . and Sheldon Hawley; Lieutenants Davis Hambly, Henry Day, John Richards, Daniel Fraser, Robert Worlet; and Ensigns Isaac Fraser, David Lockwood, Daniel Simmons, Abraham Amey, Solomon John, and John Thorp, Senior, While the present inhabitants of this township are largely prohibi tionists their forefathers were evidently not so inclined, as the first brewery and distillery in Upper Canada was built by John Finkle not far from Bath; and to afford the public an opportunity of sampling his products his brother Henry kept for many years the only tavern between Kingston and York, The Kingston Gazette of April 19th, 1817, announced "A Pearl and Pot Barley Factory is to be established in Ernesttown, It is said this is the first establishment of the kind we recollect to have heard of in Upper Canada, We have seen some of the barley and think it equal to that imported. Such domestic manufactories ought to be encouraged by the community," As Gourlay writing of the same year states that there was a barley hulling mill in Ernesttown we conjecture that both writers referred to the same establishment. During the first twenty years of the settlement of this county nearly all of the buildings were constructed of squared logs, which could be shaped for the walls quite easily by the aid of the cross-cut saw and the adze. They were substantial and durable, cool in summer, and warm in winter. Lumber was not used for the simple reason that there were no means of producing it except with the whip-saw, to operate which required such exertion that lumber was used only for the manufacture of furniture, vehicles, doors, and other articles where it was impractic able to use the heavier material. With the introduction of saw-mills towards the close of the eighteenth century lumber became more com mon; but the log-house still found favour with the inhabitants. The saw-mills, as a rule, were furnished with a vertical saw, and the power was obtained from the old-fashioned undershot wheel, although in some instances that were favourable for its erection the overshot wheel was used. One of the most widely known men in the county was Henry Finkle of Bath, He was a son of Dr. George Finkle (or Finckel), a Prussian by birth, who came to America between 1740 and 1750, and engaged in 160 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON the fur trade with the Indians, At the breaking out of the Revolution ary War he sided with the King and met the fate of most of the Loyal ists by having his property confiscated, and was compelled to seek safety in flight. Accompanied by his three sons he came to Quebec, where he lived until his death about 1783. His son, Henry, when only sixteen years of age enlisted in the Engineer Department of the British army, where he became famihar with the use of tools, which knowledge proved to be of great service to him in after life. Upon receiving his discharge from the Engineer Department he joined Major Jessup's Battalion in the regiment under the command of Sir John Johnson. At the conclusion of hostilities he found himself among the refugees destined for the shores of the Bay of Quinte and was alloted lot number six in the first concession of Ernesttown. He built the first frame house in the township about the year 1800 and, although there was a saw-mill at Napanee at the time, he cut all the lumber entering into its construction with the cross-cut and whip-saw upon his own premises. He led the way along many lines and is credited with having built the first wharf upon the Bay of Quinte, the first brewery, distillery, and Masonic Hall in the county,* He also erected upon his own farm a school-house and teacher's residence which he donated to the community, and the Masonic Hall he gave to his brethren of the order. He kept for many years the only tavern between Kingston and York, and owned and operated several sailing vessels upon the lake and bay. He is said to have been the first man in Upper Canada to emancipate his slaves. He died in 1808 and was buried in Cataraqui cemetery. After his death his widow retained for many years an interest in his vessels and was part owner of the first steam-boat that plied upon the waters of Lake Ontario, The first timbers were laid in October, 181 5, and she was launched and christened the Frontenac on Septem ber 7th, 1816, The length of her keel was 150 feet, her deck 170; and she cost about £20,000, Just before the launching of the Frontenac there came to Canada a young man named Henry Gildersleeve, a native of New Haven, Connecticut, where his father owned extensive ship building yards. He was naturally attracted to the Finkle shipyard, and upon paying it a visit he met a greater attraction in the person of Lucre- tia, the handsome daughter of Widow Finkle, He found congenial employment in assisting to complete the Frontenac, married Lucretia, * His biographer Anderson Chenault Quisinberry claims that the frame dwelling the brewerj', distillery, and Masonic Hall were the first buildings of their kind in Upper Canada, See Genealogical Memoranda of the Quisinberry family and other families page 143, ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 161 and in 1817 superintended in the same yard the construction of the steamer Queen Charlotte, the first steam-boat upon the Bay of Quinte route. This was the beginning of the shipbuilding industry of the Gildersleeve family, who for nearly a century have taken a prominent part in the navigation of Lake Ontario and the St, Lawrence, The Queen Charlotte was launched in the spring of 1818 and made semi- weekly trips from the Carrying Place to Prescott, calling only upon the bay at Trenton, Hallowell (Picton), Adolphustown, and Bath, Belle ville, then known as Meyer's Creek, had not yet attained sufficient im portance to be included in the stopping places, and Deseronto was not upon the map of the bay or yet given any name. R. R. Finkle, for many years the jovial wharfinger at Bath, was a grandson of Henry, as was also Henry Finkle who for many years carried on a carriage fac tory at Newburgh and operated a line of stage coaches between Kingston and Napanee, one of which may be seen in our illustration of the Dominion Hotel, Odessa. I have referred elsewhere to the unpleasant experience of Mr. Lyons in Adolphustown by reason of his having conducted religious ser vices not in accordance with the teaching of the Established Church. More drastic measures appear to have been adopted in the case of Mr, McCarty, The following is copied from a history of the Methodist Church published in Hallowell (Picton) in 1832: "In the course of the same year (1788) Mr, James McCarty repaired to Canada and settled in Ernesttown. Pie was formerly from Ireland; but remaining some time in the United States, and having fre quent opportunities of hearing the celebrated Whitfield when on his last mission to America, he became a convert to the Whitfieldian cause, and a zealous promoter of experimental religion. He made no preten tion of' any union with the Methodist connection, either in Europe or the United States ; but professedly avowed himself one of Whitfield's followers, "Soon after his arrival he began to warn sinners to flee from the wrath to come and to encourage such as had tasted the comforts of reli gion in former days. He preached Christ to the people of the various neighbourhoods, who generally attended his meetings in large numbers. Being accustomed to the manners of the Church of England, he read his sermons, but with that deep feeling and engagedness that they produced a happy and lasting effect on the minds of his hearers. Convictions were multiplied, which were succeeded by conversions; and numbers of Methodists that were in the country before him, joining heart and hand with him in the work of the Lord, a jealousy was soon excited among 11 162 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON those who were advocates for the lifeless forms of the Church of Eng land, Fearing that Methodism might become established they soon raised a persecution against Mr, McCarty, in order to extinguish the flame of pure religion which had already begun to spread. There were three individuals who ranked among the officials, and leading characters, that were by far the most active in that infamous and wicked scheme. Of these were the Sheriff, Mr, L , a militia captain, Mr, C , and the chief engineer. Mr. L , the sheriff often declared boldly that there should be no religion established but that of the Church of England. But yet the people would assemble in private houses, and Mr, McCarty, true to his Master's work, would meet with them and preach. Greatly enraged at this, his enemies could fix no other alternative for its abolition than that of banishing Mr. McCarty to the United States. "An edict had been issued by the government, that all vagabond characters should be banished from the country. They therefo.re seized upon this advantage to effect the seclusion of Mr. McCarty with that groundless pretext, "As he was preaching one Sunday therefore at the house of Mr. Robert Perry, Senior, four men armed jvith muskets came to apprehend him and take him to the jail at Kingston. Being conscience-smitten, doubtless for their atrocious design upon the Sabbath Day, they, how ever, left their arms at the house of Mr, Perry, a short distance from the place of worship. Upon the bail of Mr, Perry for Mr, McCarty's appearance in Kingston on the following day, the men left him and returned. On their arrival at Kingston the next day, Mr, Perry pre sented Mr, McCarty to the sheriff and demanded his bond given the day before. But the sheriff refused absolutely to take any charges con cerning him. They therefore bid him good-bye, and retired. The enemies of Mr, McCarty however, rallied the same day and thrust him into prison, but he was again hberated by Mr. Perry's bail. When the time had expired for which he had been bailed, he with Mr, Perry repaired again to Kingston to receive his destiny, where by the orders of the chief engineer, he was put on board of a boat managed by four Frenchmen, -who were directed to leave him on a desolate island in the St. Lawrence, This they attempted to do, but through Mr, McCarty's resistance, they were induced to land him on the main shore, from whence he returned home to his family and friends." The writer further states that McCarty, while on his way to Mon treal to institute proceedings against his persecutors, mysteriously dis appeared and was never heard of again. He concludes his account of McCarty's fate with the following suggestion of speedy retribution upon ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 163 the heads of the principal offenders : "Captain C afterwards fell into a state of insanity, which continued many years and finally closed with his death. The engineer who ordered McCarty to be left on the desolate isle closed his career in eight or ten days afterwards, and Mr, L also died suddenly in the course of two or three weeks," A great deal has been written about this celebrated case; and while it is true that a man named McCarty was banished from the district as a vagabond, it is not improbable that the facts have been distorted to suit the views of each particular writer. The foregoing is inaccurate in many details even as to the name of the alleged vagabond. The only authentic account of the prosecution is presented in the official record of the Court of Quarter Sessions held at Kingston on April 13th and 14th, 1790, at which the presiding justices were Richard Cartwright, Neil McLean, and Archibald McDowall, From this it appears that only one witness was called for the prosecution and seven for the defence; yet the court, after hearing the evidence and conferring with the grand jury, directed the accused to leave the district. The record reads as follows : "Wednesday, April 14th, 1790, Charles Justin McCarty appears upon his recognizance taken upon information that he is a vagabond, imposter, and disturber of the peace. Witness for pro, sworn Benj, Clapp. For defendant, John Ratton, Wm, Williams, Emanuel Elder- beck, Alex, Laughlin, David Lent, Eliz, VanSickler, Florence Donovan. The court having heard the evidence for the prosecution, likewise the evidence for the defendant, will deliberate on the merits of the informa tion against the defendant. The court having consulted with the Grand Jury, do order that the said Charles Justin McCarty shall, within the space of one month, leave this district and not return, and that the Sheriff of this disfrict shall see this order duly executed," At the sessions held on Tuesday, July 13th, 1790, the following entry is made : "Charles Justin McCarty having been apprehended and committed by the Sheriff for having returned to this district after having left it, in consequence of an order of the last Court of Quarter Sessions held April 13th last, the court do order that the said Charles Justin McCarty shall remain in gaol until the Sheriff shall find a proper conveyance for sending him to Oswego," Historians have dift'ered as to which township shall claim the dis tinction of having the first Methodist chapel in Upper Canada, Adol phustown or Ernesttown, Both were built after the same pattern, of the same size, under the direction of the same preacher, and in the same 164 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON year, and at the best the little township can claim but a few weeks advantage over the larger, yet we rarely hear any mention of the Losee chapel in Ernesttown, James Parrott took charge of the financial end and received the subscriptions; while Robert Clark, besides subscribing ten pounds towards the building, superintended its erection, working up on it himself at five shillings and sixpence per day and, as it neared completion and the funds were getting low, he reduced his own wages to -two shillings and ninepence per day, John Lake and Jacob Miller also took an active part in raising funds and procuring material for its construction. It was located about three and one-half miles east of Bath on the bay shore on lot number twenty-seven. Many of the adher ents afterwards moved to the fourth concession and tore down the church, took it with them, and re-erected it on the York Road near the village of Odessa, where it stood for many years until replaced by the brick church which is still standing. While the old church on the front was being built the first Quarterly Meeting in Canada was held in Mr. Parrott's barn in the first concession on September 15th, 1792, After the war of 1812 there was a very strong prejudice among the Methodists of Upper Canada against the loyal Canadian adherents of that denomination remaining under the jurisdiction of the Methodist conference of the United States. The agitation continued until the year 1827, when the first Canada conference was held at the village of Hallo well (Picton), to which was presented a memorial that the Canadian Church should become an independent body not later than the year 1828, This memorial came before the general conference at Pittsburgh in May, 1828, and a resolution was passed granting the prayer of the Canada Methodists, The second Canada conference was held in the Switzer chapel in Ernesttown in October of the same year, and was presided over by Bishop Hedding and, in accordance with the resolution of the general conference, the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada was organized, and Rev, William Case was appointed the first General Super intendent, The first Church of England clergyman to visit Upper Canada, in fact the only refugee clergyman, was the Rev, John Stuart, frequently styled the father of the Upper Canada Church, He was born at Harris- burgh in 1730, received Holy Orders in 1770, and was appointed mis sionary to the Mohawks at Fort Hunter, He remained in charge of this mission after war had been declared, but suffered so many indig nities at the hands of the revolutionists that he emigrated to St, John in 1 781, He taught school for some time in Montreal until he was promised in the autumn of 1783 the chaplaincy to the garrison at Catara- ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 165 qui. He visited the settlements along the bay, at Niagara, and the Grand River in the summer of 1784, and finally settled at Cataraqui in August, 1785, where he continued to live until his death in 181 1, He was held in such high esteem that he was appointed Chaplain to the Upper House of Assembly at its first session in 1792, and was tendered, but declined, the commission of the first judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the Midland District, In 1799 he received the degree of D, D. from the University of Pennsylvania and was the first Canadian to be thus hon oured by any educational institution. From the second year of the settlement of Ernesttown the adherents of the Church of England were accustomed to assemble on the Lord's Day at the residence of Jeptha Hawley, in the neighbourhood which still bears his name, and join in the service of the Church under his leadership. The first Church of England clergyman to reside in this county and the second to be stationed in this part of Upper Canada was the Rev. John Langhorn, who came to Bath in the year 1790, and for many years was the only representative of his Church over the territory between Kingston and the Carrying Place. He was a pious but very eccentric man, and could be seen going about his extensive parish mounted on his pony, with a bag over his back, a broad-brimmed hat tied up at the sides, and his stockingless feet encased in low shoes resplendent with large silver buckles. He was an expert swimmer, fond of his plunge in the bay, and frequently swam from the mainland to Amherst Island. He did not forego his outdoor bath even in the cold est weather, and in the winter season would dive through one hole in the ice and come up at another. For some time he was the only clergy man in the district outside of Kingston authorized to solemnize mar riages, and made it a rule never to perform the ceremony after eleven o'clock in the morning and, being remarkably punctual himself in all his appointments, he turned the key in the door of the church at eleven if the prospective bride and groom were not on time, and refused to open it again that day. In 1791 the Rev, Mr, Langhorn built St, Paul's Church at Sand hurst, the first church erected in this county. It was constructed of logs, was opened on Christmas Day of the same year and, by a strange ¦coincidence, was burned to the ground twenty-five years later on Christ mas Day. Three years later he built St, John's Church at Bath, which is still standing, but has been repaired so often that little more than the original foundation now remains. 166 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON At the outbreak of the war of 1812, he seems 'to have feared that our country would be subdued by the republic to the south, and deter mined to return to England, In March, 1813, he inserted in the Kingston 'Gazette a notice of his intention to quit the country and requested all who had any objections to his going to acquaint him with them. If any such were received they did not prevail upon him to alter his plans, as he sailed in the following summer. Before leaving he presented his books to the Social Library of Kingston, which gift was suitably acknowledged in the Gazette as follows: "The Rev, Mr, Langhorn, of Ernesttown, who is about returning to England, his native country, has presented his valuable cohection of books to the Social Library, estab lished in this village. The directors have expressed to him the thanks of the proprietors for his liberal donation. Many of the volumes are very elegant, and it is to be hoped, will, for many years, remain a mem orial of his liberality and disposition to promote the diffusion of useful^ knowledge among the people with whom he has lived as an Episcopal Missionary more than twenty years. During that period his acts of charity have been frequent and numerous, and not confined to members of his own Church ; but extended to indigent and meritorious persons of all denominations. Many who have shared in his bounty will have rea son to recollect him with gratitude and to regret his removal from the country." Fifty-seven years ago a keen observer and cautious writer said of Bath : "This quaint-looking Dutch town has long been a standard stop ping place on the Bay of Quinte, and is much better known than many villages of four times its size. Its population exceeds 400 souls, it has a good many merchants' stores, twice as many machine shops, several factories, a shipyard, wharves, and warehouses, a cu.stom-house, good inns, two churches, an academy or grammar school, a post-office, and a hundred other village adjuncts. Its distance from Kingston is seventeen miles, and there is almost hourly communication with that city by steam. Bath does a much larger mercantile business than its size would imply, being a place for storing and shipping grain."* This was Bath at the time of the building of the Grand Trunk Railway; but in vain to-day would we look for the machine shops and factories. If that railway had entered Bath and crossed the Napanee River four or five miles from the town, Bath to-day would, have been a thriving place, the county seat of Lennox and Addington, the centre of the municipal, legal, and commercial life of the county, built upon a site * Dr, E, J, Barker in the "Transactions of the Board of Agriculture of Upper Canada. 1855 " ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 167 unrivalled for the beauty of its location by any town in the province, or if the railway had even touched at Bath it would have retained much of its former importance. An apparently trifling circumstance will often make or unmake an individual or a locality; so it was in the case of Bath, The cupidity of one man changed the destiny of this once beautiful and promising vil lage and destroyed the future, not only of the avaricious author of the wrong, but of the entire community. It was the intention of the Grand Trunk to run the line through Bath, but a certain land owner, whose property would be crossed by the railway, made such exorbitant demands upon the company for the right of way and caused the directors so much annoyance and vexation in his determination to sell his land for many times its real value, that, to escape further trouble, the plans were altered, and the line avoided the village, which has ever since paid a heavy penalty for the rapacity of this short-sighted individual, ' There may also be some force in the following comments upon Millhaven by the same author: "This is the site upon which Bath should have been built, being two miles nearer Kingston, and being the mouth of Mill Creek, the only stream that empties itself within the boundaries of this county (Addington), Here is sufficient water-power to turn many mills, though only one large grist-mill is erected, and this serves Amherst Island and a great part of the neighbouring country. At Mill haven resides I, Fraser, Esq,, the county registrar, the only county officer except the warden who resides out of Kingston, The village has a population of 150 souls, and contains a post-office, inn, merchants' and mechanics' shops," While it is quite true that Millhaven possesses the natural advantage of a fair water-power, time has not demonstrated that that alone can preserve a village from decay, Bath possesses a style of architecture all its own, the old frame buildings, with the covered balconies. There are several of these old mercantile houses providing for a store or place of business in the lower story and a dwelling-house in the upper. They seem to belong to an other age and carry us back to the days of our grandfathers. It requires but little effort upon our part to re-people them as they were eighty years ago. Standing in the doorway is the master of the house, clad in knee-breeches and cut-away coat with high rolling collar, and a black scarf about his neck. As he gazes out upon the lake he takes a pinch of snuff from a silver box which he closes with a snap and tucks away in the pocket of his silk waistcoat. Upon the balcony above his spouse is sitting upon a straight-backed chair to relieve the pressure of the tight- fitting bodice, the lower part of which terminates in a V-shaped point 168 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON and makes the huge crinoline look twice as big as it really is. The next moment we are aroused from our reverie and brought back to the twen tieth century by the appearance of a modern residence sandwiched in between these relics of "ye olden time." Bath is a strange admixture of the past and present, but so pro-, nounced are the evidences of its former busy life in an age that knew not cement walks and plate-glass windows, that we almost regret that these modern innovations were ever introduced. Above it all there is an atmosphere of refinement, a certain something that recalls the Erasers, Clarks, Fairfields, Shibleys, and others whose names we rever ence, men who rise far above our estimate of the present generation, for they began with nothing but their strong right arms and hearts of steel; they worked upon the raw material, and left us the fruits of their labours. When we are brought face to face with these quaint reminders of the sturdy pioneers, and look upon the old firesides, before which they sat planning for the uphfting and comfort of their posterity, we are pay ing but a small portion of the debt we owe if we pause to give expres sion to our veneration for the builders of the oldest village in the pro vince of Ontario. Some of the historic old landmarks in and about Bath are still standing. In driving along the bay shore a little less than one mile west of the outskirts of the village there may still be seen on the farm now owned by Mr, Isaac Brisco, an old one-story frame dwelling that differs little from many other old houses in the county, except that it bears the unquestionable marks of antiquity. That was the old Finkle tavern, the first public-house between Kingston and York, About twenty yards west of it stood the old bass-wood tree, the first whipping-post in Upper Canada. From the highway we can command a view of the bay shore, and jutting out into the water is a gravelly point now overgrown with scrubby cedars and showing not a trace of the industry that was carried on there a century ago, — the shipyard from which was launched the first steamer built in Upper Canada. As we near the village, just before crossing the bridge our atten tion will be attracted by another quaint old residence on the bay shore, a frame building with a stone addition built on the west end of it. Here lived the Rev, John Langhorn; the stone addition was built by him for a study, and in it was stored his famous collection of books. As we enter the village we pass the town-hall, not nearly so old as the style of its architecture would suggest. This may be said to have been built under compulsion in 1866. The courts used to be held in the lower story of the school building, and besides being cold and uncom- ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 169 fortable, the noise from the exercises in the room above interrupted the proceedings, and His Honour Judge Burrows objected to delivering his judgments to the accompaniment of the multiplication table recited in unison by the junior class in the upper story. He lectured the council of the village upon the poor accommodation provided, and removed the court to Millhaven, promising to return when a suitable court-room was placed at his disposal. This had the desired effect, the council took prompt action, and the present town-hall was erected. Several destructive fires have wiped out many of the old buildings, and among them the old tavern, where now stands the modern Bay View Hotel. Over the way is an old stone building, the original store of B. F. Davy & Co. There were few industries in Bath sixty years ago in which the Davys did not have an interest. The old frame tavern now replaced by the brick one was kept by Peter Davy, and under it,s roof was born and brought up Benjamin C. Davy, the first lawyer of prominence and the first Mayor of Napanee. General merchants, liquor dealers, tavern-keepers, grain buyers, farmers, and ship-builders, the Davys were a busy family. The old frame building west of the Bay View Hotel and occupied for many years as a store by Mr, E, McKeiity was many years ago the old VanClake hotel. Going down the east side of Church Street there will be found standing at the water's edge a comfortable looking old rough-cast house in an excellent state of preservation, in which lived a century ago Mr, Benjamin Fairfield, a representative of Lennox and Addington in the sixth Parliament of Upper Canada. When visiting the village it might be well to continue the journey two miles farther east to Millhaven. Just after crossing Mill Creek we will come to an old rough-cast house on our left, the home of Isaac Eraser, representative of our county in the Legislative Assembly from 1817 to 1820; and a few feet east of the house will be seen a small stone building, the first registry office in the county of Lennox and Addington. Passing on through the village there are few relics of the olden days until we reach the home of Mr. Frederick Wemp, who will show us the taproom in - which the Widow Losee, generations ago, served liquid refreshments to the gentry from Kingston, when exercising their spirited horses along the first well constructed road in this part of Upper Can ada. The following is a list of the business men of Bath during the past sixty-five years : Merchants: B. F. Davy & Co., James Donnolly, John Lasher, John Nugent, Samuel Rogers, Rogers & Wright, W. H, Davy & Co,, J, 170 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON & S, Lasher, Daniel McBride, F, & M, McMullen, Richard Olds, E, D. Priest, S, & M, T, Rogers, John S, Rowse, Edw, Wright, D, T, For ward, Balfour & Armstrong, Chas, Cummings, Mrs, Chas, Fairfield, Gautier Ferrin, Mrs, Nancy Grant, P, B, Hogle, Edmund McKenty, D, J, Campbell, Frank H, Priest, Hudson Rogers, D, T, Rowse, Joseph Trimlet, Mrs, E, B, Wright, Thomas E, Howard, Wm, Johnston, Over ton Ball, Charies Burley, J. M, Wemp & Co., W, H, Hall, R, Mott, E. H. Wemp, Robinson Bros, Wharfingers and Ship-owners, Grain and Coal: W, H, Davy, Allen Dame, R, R, Finkle, G, A. Wartman, Carriage Makers and Blacksmiths: Balfour and Armstrong, Wm, Cardwell, John Williams, E, D, Priest, Samuel Rogers, Billings Laird, Charles Lewis, Charles Campion, Webster Middleton, Fairfield & Boyes, Chas, Collins, Allen Lewis, Jedediah Fry, Charles Lewis, George MoraU, Maxwell Robinson, Armstrong Bros., W, J, Calver, Samuel Jaynes, Tailors: William Blair, James Harris, Matthew Sharp, Andrew Blair, J, Covert, Jos. Trimlet, Peter Pappa. Carpenters and Builders : Abraham Harris, Davis Asselstine; Lyons & Richards, Richard Ruttan, John Shepherd, A. W, Davy, J, H, Mur doch, Hatter: Wm. Burley, Saddlers and Harness Makers: S, B, Hart, Reuben Greaves, R, R, Finkle, James Johnston, Thos, C, Johnston, Robert Mott, Thos, Sea ward, J, J. Johnston, Wm, Shibley, E, P, Shepherd, Shoemakers : F, Prest, Wm, Buzby, Daniel Hickey, Patrick McQuirk, W, & E, Reeves, Thos, Bain, Robert Kittson, Wm, Topliff; Lemuel Irons, Cabinet-Makers : D, T, Forward, Elias Price, Thos, Gardner, Hiram A. Hoselton. Ship-Builders: P. R. Beaupre, W, H, Davy & Co,, Luke Cun ningham, Iron-Founders: Charles Tripp, D, T, Forward, Tinsmiths: Harry Boyle, W, H, Hall, One of the chief if not indeed the main industry, in this as well as all other townships in this section to-day, is the manufacture of cheese. We take it as a matter of course that every farmer shall have a certain number of milch cows and that in the neighbourhood there shall be a cheese factory. It was not so fifty years ago, and the following letter written by Dr. Depew from Odessa on July 6th, 1866, shows how the innovation was viewed at that time: "A few mornings ago I was pass ing through the north-western part of the township along by Neville ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 171 Switzer's, the Switzer Chapel, and so on up what is called the Seventh Concession Road, and truly to any person who can enjoy the beauties of country scenery, no finer ride than this may be sought for, early on a summer's morning. "Marks of industry and thrift are abundant everywhere; beautiful fields of -wft-ving grain advancing" to the harvest, good fences, commodious outbuildings, and tasteful and convenient dwellings embellish the pic ture, "Free from the noise, and smoke, and bustle, and anxiety of the crowded city, truly no man in this country at least is as happy as the honest independent farmer, "As I passed the various farmyards, contemplating the beautiful prospect around me, my attention was suddenly arrested by a sight rather new to me. Sitting on elevated platforms near almost every resi dence and glittering in the rays of the morning sun, were large tinned cans, into which I espied the fair milkmaids straining the early products of the lowing kine. Ah! thought I at first, are our Canadians imitating the Hollanders, and preparing curd for winter use, by curdling milk and separating the whey through barrels with perforated bottoms ? No ! I answered to myself, the Dutch thus prepare their curdled buttermilk, but this milk is sweet and new. The idea of a cheese factory then occurred to my mind ; and soon after I met a boy with a horse and wag gon gathering up the milk cans, who confirmed my supposition by in forming me that there were two in the neighbourhood, "On my return from Napanee, I availed myself of the opportunity and visited these two novel institutions. The first is situated about five miles east of Napanee, is the elder of the two, and was first put in oper ation by Yankee enterprise, some time last year. In this one I received every information respecting the process of cheese manufacturing and was shown a beautiful display of cheeses they had made this year, -all through the kindness and attention of a very intelligent, good-looking, and attractive lady, who was busy in the establishment. One very fine- looking cheese I observed was marked July 4th in honour of the day (although a very rainy day). She seemed a little annoyed by the opposi tion factory in the neighbourhood and thought it hardly fair, when they had made the attempt first and gone to considerable expense in import ing apparatus, after they thought it would be a paying concern, "The next factory, about a mile further east and situated by a little brook, is the property of a company in the neighbourhood. It was put in operation this year under the management of a Mr. Chat- 172 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON man and seems to be doing a good business. In both factories the vats for curdling the milk are capable of containing about 500 gallons, Mr, Chatman told me that he found the vat in his factory too small, and that another was in process of construction. He said that they had worked up 450 gallons of milk that morning and that their daily re ceipts were constantly increasing. He estimates ten pounds of milk to one pound of cheese, consequently in round numbers they must be turn ing out over 400 pounds of cheese per day, "The cheese which are already manufactured have a very excellent appearance, and considering the utility of cheese as an article of diet its manufacture should be encouraged. Our country is not as well fitted perhaps for the production of large quantities of dairy products as some which have shorter and less severe winters ; still it pays those engaged in this business sufficiently to encourage others to engage in it also, "There is undoubtedly a great saving effected both in labour and material by the intervention of those factories, and we trust they will meet with the patronage they deserve, and that they will endeavour to manufacture cheese which will be a credit to the country that produced them, and make the name of Ernesttown famous for 'Good Cheese' in places near and far." The writer has driven scores of times down the York Road from Napanee to Odessa and was aware that in so doing he passed through Morven ; yet at no stage of the journey was he quite able to satisfy him self just where that interesting place was, where it began, or where it ended, and it is only quite recently upon inquiring from the old residents that he has learned that it begins somewhere on the west side of the town line, loses itself somewhere on the other side of Storms' Corners, and takes in considerable territory lying both north and south of the York Road between these two indefinite points. In the olden days Morven was noted for its taverns and politics, which were closely as.sociated, especially about election time, for the only polling-place in the county for many years was at Morven; and as the poll was held in one of the several wayside inns and the election' lasted several days, and treating was considered quite the proper thing, and whiskey was cheap, it is very easy to conclude that it was to the interest of the tavern-keeper to remain on favourable terms with the party in power. The old Fralick tavern stood on the north side of the road just east of the town line, in fact the building is still standing, but has been remodelled into the farmhouse of Mr, B, B, Vanslyck, In the east end ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 173 was the bar. The building across the way now used as a drive house was the old tavern barn. The old Gordanier tavern stood just east of the intersection of the Violet Road with the York Road, This was one of the best equipped public-houses between Kingston and Little York and was the headquarters for the travelling public and the stage-coaches. It has been torn down and no trace of it now remains. The rivalry between these two hostelries was very keen, and during a hotly contested election there was more politics to the square acre in this neighbourhood than in any other place in the county. Under the new ocder of things, with the introduction of the rail way, the disappearance of the stage-coach, and the opening of polls in various parts of the county, Morven has ceased to cut a figure in elec tions, and the seat of war has been transferred to Odessa, It is said that one candidate, after returning from a canvas of that village, re ported to his committee that the two polls at Odessa after a careful revision of the lists showed twenty-one votes for himself, nineteen for his opponent, and two hundred and sixty doubtful. There must have been something in the Morven atmosphere that created a thirst, as there was still another tavern at Storms' Corners kept by Jeremiah Storms, It, too, has disappeared, and the Corners can boast of nothing at the present time more exciting than a farmhouse. Upon the second farm on the road to Violet' there lived some eighty years ago Dr. Samuel Neilson, who combined the practice of medicine with farming. His territory joined that of the famous Dr. Chamberlain, who lived on the Hamburgh road in the stately old frame house still standing on the banks of the creek. Dr. Neilson had a son Joseph, a bright, intelligent young man of no mean literary ability, who in 1837 won a gold medal in a keenly contested competition for the best essay upon Emigration to Upper Canada. He taught school for a time at Morven and afterwards kept a store there ; but all the while was discon tented with his surroundings, longed for a wider sphere of activity, and finally cut away from his early associations and went to New York. He studied law, in the course of time became a noted practitioner, and was elevated to the bench. He was the presiding judge at the Beecher- Tilden trial, which lasted over four months and was watched from day to day by a score or more of critical reporters representing the secular and religious press of the English-speaking world. In the maze of con flicting testimony and hair-splitting technicalities he maintained through out a patient, dignified composure, and by his fair and impartial rulings evoked the praise of all who followed the case. His remains now lie beside those of his father in the grave-yard of the White Church. 174 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Lake's carriage factory was at one time the leading industry of Morven, which also had two general stores and a drug store, Frederick Kellar had a tannery fifty years ago over on Big Creek, and midway between it and the York Road on the town line Daniel Perry had an other. The stores, taverns, tanneries, and . all other evidences of the attempts to make Morven a commercial centre have passed away, and nothing remains to-day to distinguish it from any other ordinary coun try road. While Wilton is to-day a tidy little hamlet, surrounded by an excel lent agricultural country, in the hands of a prosperous and contented population ; yet it is not the Wilton it was fifty years ago. Perhaps the hundred or more who live within a radius of half a mile of the corner which used to be called Simmons' Mills are not prepared to admit that Wilton has retrograded during the past two generations; but the fact remains that it has shared the fate of every small country village not possessing some special privileges which enable it to compete with the larger centres. In 1856 the Board of Agriculture of Upper Canada offered a prize of £15 for the best essay upon the county of Addington, which was awarded to Dr, E, J, Barker of Kingston, who thus summed up all that was to be said about Wilton: "This is an old place of business, but is not a large village, its popu lation straggling and scarcely amounting to 150 souls, all told. Big Creek, which empties into Hay Bay, takes its rise a few miles to the eastward and passes through the village, turning a couple of mills in its progress. But Wilton owes its importance and standing to being the residence of Sidney Warner, Esq., a leading merchant of the county, and who for many years has been the reeve of Ernesttown, Here he does a very extensive business, having large mills at a short distance, and being known far and near as a man of trust and probity. Besides Mr, Warner's there are several other establishments in Wilton, and one good, well kept, clean inn, that of Mr. Simmons. Wilton is sixteen miles from Kingston and four miles from Mill Creek, turning off to the north at the latter place, with a good road all the way. The coun try round about the village is excellent," Mr, Warner died in 1886 at the ripe old age of seventy-nine, loved and respected by all who knew him; and with him departed the life of the neat little village he had created. The excellent country still remains ; upon the rural mail boxes appear the same family names that are to be found upon thp monuments in the old cemetery, the same old golden rule is observed; but Wilton is not the same, Sidney Warner, the spirit of the place, is not there. ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 175 A perusal of the following business directory of Wilton of sixty years ago will give the reader a fair idea of the place it then held among the smaller villages of the county: Bartram, Joseph, Shoemaker, Beatty, Dawson, Cabinet-maker, Beesley, Nathaniel, Blacksmith. Davy, John, Saddler, Hill, John, Carriage Maker, Ovens, William, Carriage Maker, Perrault, Nicholas, Mason, Phillips, William, Tailor. Pultz, Henry, Merchant, Pomeroy, Dr, T,, Physician, Reed, Joseph, Blacksmith, Simmons, Benj., Grist and saw mills, Simmons, Henry, Inn-keeper, Smith, John, Blacksmith, Sole, Dubois, Shoemaker, Taylor, Dr, H,, Physician, Thompson, Wm., Carpenter. Thompson, James, Carpenter, Thompson, Wm,, Cabinet-maker, Tomkins, Edw,, Tailor, Warner, Sidney, General Merchant, Upon my visit to Odessa in search of information I was fortunate in securing as guides two old village boys, Messrs, Albert and Charles Timmerman, who entered into the spirit of my mission and conducted me down back alleys, and side streets and lanes, directing my atten tion here and there to points of interest, which awakened past mem ories when they were barefooted boys playing upon the banks of the creek. We visited two octogenarians, Wesley Babcock and John Bab- cock, and concluded our investigation with a call upon William Henzy, who informed us that he had, upon the previous day, eaten his ninety- second Christmas dinner. He came with his father and settled upon lot thirty-seven in 1830 and has lived there ever since. The place had no name at the time for the very good reason that there was nothing upon which to bestow it, John Link lived in a newly built log cabin down where the saw-mill now stands and had just raised the frame of the grist-mill which is still standing, but has since been enlarged by having some twelve feet added to the eastern end. After the mill was completed the locality was known as Mill Creek, a name which it retained until 1855, when Parker S, Timmerman, who was following closely the progress of the Crimean War, renamed it Odessa to commemorate the successful investment of that city by the British fleet in 1854, The next house to make its appearance in the neighbourhood was built by John Snider just west of the drill shed site, John Aylesworth settled about the same time a short distance west of Snider, Next in order came the tavern of Jacob Comber built on the corner of the Wil ton road and Main Street, The York Road had not been built, and 176 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON there was no bridge over the creek, but the road, such as it was, crossed the stream up above the rapids. John Blake was the first keeper of the Comber inn, which was locally known as the Red Tavern, but afterwards was decorated with an imposing sign upon which was painted in bold letters: "The Lambton Tavern," "Talk about taverns," said the old gentleman, "if it's taverns you want I'll give you lots. of them! Why there were five in a row right over there," and he pointed towards the rear of the lot, "There was lots of whiskey then and good whiskey too. The stuff you get now is pizen," He then enumerated the five taverns on the old road that crossed at the rapids, each withhi gun-shot of the next one. He could not restrain his laughter when he told about the little shack kept by Stephen Redden among the bushes on the bank of the creek, near where the bridge now stands, Stephen mended shoes, when he felt disposed to do anything, but always kept a keg of whiskey in the corner of the shanty, and was ever ready to exchange a mug of the precious liquor for a sucker. One evening, while he was frying a fish in a pan over the coals, Pete Clark, a pal of Henzy's climbed upon the roof, thrust a spear through a hole which served as a chimney, and thus relieved Steve of his sucker. This operation was repeated several times, to the great amusement of the neighbourhood, before Redden was able to account for the mysterious disappearance of his half-cooked supper. The old gentleman grew quite enthusiastic in describing the nightly revelries over at Skibereen, This was an Irish settlement in the vicinity of the Woollen Mills, where seventy years ago, there were some dozen or fifteen shanties inhabited by a boisterous lot of emigrants from the Emerald Isle, They gained an unenviable reputation for drinking and fighting, which was partly redeemed when Mr. John Booth took up his residence among them and within the bacchanalian precincts built a respectable dwelling, thereafter known as Skibereen Castle, and now owned by Mr, B, G, Ham, John Link continued for a time to run the mills, and built the first house, in what is now the heart of the village, just opposite the grist mill, upon the site now occupied by the handsome cottage of Mr, B, Toomey, He thought he saw an opportunity to better himself by exchanging his Mill Creek property for a water-power owned by Ben jamin Booth about four miles down stream. The trade was finally con summated, but not until both parties had worn themselves out in a law suit over the terms of the exchange. Link took over his newly acquired property, established himself in business there, and founded link's Mills, Booth assnmed control of the mills at Mill Creek and for three quarters ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 177 of a century the family was closely identified with the manufacturing industries of the village. In every public movement they were to be found on the side of progress and advancement. Every church in the village is built upon land donated by them. The last link in this long family chain binding the Booths to the business interests of Odessa was severed a few months ago when B, A, Booth sold out his woollen-mills and removed to Gananoque, The first school-house in the village was built seventy-five years ago upon the ground now occupied by the drill shed, Wm, Henzy went to school there to Wm, Carleton, whom he has not yet quite forgiven for attempting to punish him for an offence which he did not commit. The teacher used to make the ink for the neighbourhood and kept a large jug of it in the school-house. In a scuffie during the noon hour the ink was upset and spilled upon the floor, and some one informed the teacher that Henzy was the guilty individual. Carleton came back to the school- house in -a fury and summoned Henzy to the front. Up he went, de clared his innocence, and called his accuser's attention to the fact that his left arm was broken and in a sling at the time, and that he was not hkely to be engaged in any. scuffling. The teacher produced his tawse and ordered him to hold out his hand. The pupil at the time weighed i8o pounds and was not disposed to be bullied too far. He released the fractured arm from the sling and extended it towards the tawse, at the same time clenching his right fist and drawing back his arm in a position ready to deliver a blow if the teacher attempted to inflict the threatened punishment. Carleton took in the situation and, believing discretion to be the better part of valour, directed the pupil to take his seat. All the schooling Henzy received was one month's tuition under this teacher,John Babcock, now in his eighty-ninth year, took a keen delight in telHng about the pranks the boys played in the old red school-house seventy years ago, and indulged in a hearty chuckle as he explained in detail how a flock of geese welcomed the old teacher Kineberry as he unlocked the door one morning. This notorious old pedagogue used to pay too frequent visits to the numerous taverns in the neighbourhood ; and it was while he was recovering from one of his periodic "sprees" that Frank Mancur installed the feathered class. The old school-house did service as such until i860, when a brick one was built upon the present school lot. In 1885 it was replaced by the well-equipped two-story building which still ranks among the best in the country. One of the teachers who is still remembered by the old residents was Daniel McRae, an old discharged soldier of the British 12 178 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON army. He had served as trumpeter in his time, and organized the first Odessa band. While upon active service a bullet had grazed an upper eye-lid which in healing left a tiny aperture, but quite large enough to serve as a peep-hole, through which he could spy out the mischievous boys, who never felt secure from detection, when to all appearances the teacher was asleep, A change came over the village upon the completion of the maca damized road. Before that time there was very httle business carried on outside of the mills. Now and then a small store would be opened up; but the stock was small and the" customers few, Bath had good stores and commanded the best of the trade from nearly all parts of the township. By means of the new road goods could be easily transported by the merchants from Kingston or Napanee; and the farmers in the neighbourhood found it to their advantage to deal in their own village where credit could be easily obtained, and there was a considerable sav ing in the matter of tolls. The first tradesman of any consequence was Parker S, Timmerman, who opened up a general store on the north side of Main Street one block from the bridge. He was the first regular postmaster and entered upon his duties as such in 1840, although his commission was not issued until 1841, Before his appointment Timothy Fraser had been in charge of the mail for a short time. Mr, Timmer man continued in office until his death in 1897, thus establishing a record for long service in Canada, The office is now in charge of his son, John A, Timmerman, In 1859 he built the stone building on the south side of the street, and to it removed his store and the post-office; and there the office has remained ever since, except for a short period. In the old coaching days, when a load of mail, under the protection of two armed guards, was hauled day and night over the new highway, it arrived at Mill Creek about four o'clock in the morning. By the dim light of a tallow candle the contents of the bags would be emptied upon the floor, and the postmaster and his assistants would sort out all that was intended for his office, and re-deposit the remainder in the bags, together with such outgoing mail as had accumulated since the last load passed through. The guards superintended this process and, as soon as it was concluded and the mail again placed upon the vehicle, they mounted up behind, the driver took his place at the reins and, with a crack of his whip, the horses dashed away towards the next stopping place, where the operation was repeated. To Mr, Timmerman this method of distributing the mail appeared to call for a great deal of unnecessary work, as each postmaster between Kingston and Toronto was obliged to handle all the matter destined for those offices which had ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 179 not yet been reached by the carrier, "Why not," he asked himself, "have a small separate bag for each distributing point along the line, and avoid the superfluous work of handling a large quantity of mail matter intended for other offices?" He communicated his idea to the inspector at King ston, who approved the suggestion; and in a few months the small bags were provided, and the plan of the Mill Creek postmaster was put into operation, Asa H, Hough was a contemporary of Mr, Timmerman but engaged ill many more lines. He began with a foundry for the manufacture of ploughs, to which was afterwards added a blacksmith shop, then a gen eral store, and finally a bakery. For many years these two men controlled the trade of the village. The following is a list of the principal tradesmen and manufacturers who for the past seventy years have solicited the patronage and, so far as they were permitted to do so, supplied the wants of the village and surrounding country: Carriage Makers: John Babcock, Benjamin Maybee, A, Leonard, Andrew Wycott, Watts & Jones, Stewart Babcock, Billings Hartman, and Robert H, Baker, General Stores : Asa H, Hough, Parker S, Timmerman, Benjamin Clark, Marcus M, Parrott, Donald B, Booth, Wm, H, G, Savage, Francis Wycott, Alex, McDonald, Lewis Allen, James McKeown, N, F, Snider, Charles Albert Walker, Anderson Venton, Sidney J, Walker, Solomon Camp, S, D, Clark, James Day,, Byron Derbyshire, John Shields, P, A, Maybee, Noble & Sherman Band, Francis Mancur, Mrs, M, E, Breden, Mrs, Jane Woodruff, and Mrs, Peter Graham, Tanneries: Alex, Gordon and William Gordon, Marble Cutters : Calvin Beatty and W, R, & G, Moore, Cloth Factories : Joshua Booth, Michael Asselstine, and B, A. Booth, Sash and -Blind Factory : Anson Storms, Saw-mills: John K, Booth, Richard Smith, Cabinet-Makers: L, Dow, Thos, G, Darley, and Franklin Hibbard, Pump Manufacturers : Stephen Moore and Abner Silver, Saddlers and Harness Makers: Henry Fox, Reuben Graves, King James Strong, and Nicholas Baker, Perhaps the most eccentric business man of the place was Daniel David a coo.per, .who prepared his own coffin and headstone and kept them stored in a loft over his workship for twenty years before he required them. The old road that crossed at the rapids was abandoned by the travelling public when Jacob Comber in 1838 spanned the creek by a 180 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON bridge and connected the two sections of the new road. The old taverns on the back street closed their doors, but plenty of new ones sprang up, so that in a short time no less than seven were in operation in what might be termed the new village, for, until the building of the road, nearly all of the business was transacted on the west side of the creek. To provide against any possible shortage in the supply of intoxicants, a wholesale liquor store was also opened. The advocates of temperance may well rejoice at the progress they have made, when they consider that seventy years ago there were over twenty-five bar-rooms in the township of Ernesttovvn, including Bath, The two public-houses that have survived the temperance legisla tion were both built about fifty-five years ago. The brick one was first opened by Johnston Walker, who moved into it from the old Red Tavern, He was succeeded by his widow, who sold out to Joseph Sproule, The frame hotel opposite the post-office was first kept by Robert Wycott and passed from him into the hands of James Watts, then to John McKay, and finally to Joseph Sproule, whose son still con ducts a temperance house in the stand where his father acquired the reputation of setting the best table in the county. As we enter the village from the west the first building to attract our attention is the drill shed standing just inside the twelfth milestone marking the distance from Napanee. It was built in 1870 to provide a home for Colonel Anson Lee's volunteer company. The old frame build ing opposite was the dwelling-house and surgery of Dr, Clare, Behind it stood the first Methodist Episcopal church in the village, an old frame building which was torn down in 1870, when a new stone one was built on the south side of Main Street. When the Methodist churches united it was sold to the Church of England. The first Wesleyan Methodist Church was built about seventy years ago. It was a frame building and was in time replaced by the brick one built upon the same site. Two years ago that was burned; but the con gregation promptly responded to the call for help and erected the sub stantial edifice in which they now meet for worship. Upon the lot now occupied by the Roman Catholics there formerly stood among the tombs of its builders a frame church built in 1837, I" 1898 the old building was torn down, the cemetery was removed, and the present church erected. Like most of the other villages of the frontier townships Odessa as a business centre appears to have seen its best days. It entered upon its era of greatest prosperity with the building of the York Road; but the building of the Grand Trunk Railway marked the beginning, of a ERNESTTOWN AND BATH 181 slow but sure , decline. Some optimists argue that the decline has not yet set in and that the village was never more prosperous than it is to day. In support of this contention we are confronted with the argument that to-day there are more comfortable homes, more gentlemen of leisure, and more money in the bank than there were sixty years ago. These are not necessarily evidences of general prosperity, but are more frequently associated with stagnation. By the early forties all the land in the township was taken up and every one was busy in clearing it and, where practicable, converting the timber into lumber. The farmers' wants were simple and the village stores, mills, and factories were able to supply them all. The railway brought them in closer touch with the cities and towns of the other parts of the province and greatly reduced the cost of transporting heavy wares and merchandise. As the woods disappeared the saw-mills found less to do. The greatest change has been in the last thirty years. The farmer receives more money from the cheese factory than from any other source, and this is done without leaving home. The milk is taken from the platform on the roadside and his cheque is delivered at his door. The rural postman brings him the catalogues from the large depart mental stores, from which he fills out his order, and a few days later his purchases arrive by express or parcel post, A clever innovation has been lately introduced, whereby he ships his produce, generally cream, to the city store, and the temptation to expend a portion of the amount standing to his credit upon the attractive bargains offered him is too strong to be resisted. The large factories have crowded the small ones out of business and, where a few years ago several workmen were engaged in manufacturing carriages, sleighs, and farm implements, we now have an agency of one of the larger concerns. It may be that the goods thus obtained are better and cheaper, but it is at the expense of the smaU country village ; and Odessa, like the rest of them, has been obliged to accept the inevitable with the best grace it could. 182 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER IX FREDERICKSBURGH The township of Fredericksburgh was named after Frederick, Duke of Sussex, the ninth child of King George III and, being the third town ship laid out on the water-front, was for years known as Third Town, The first general survey was completed in November 12th, 1783; but, like the other townships along the bay, the lots were not marked and numbered until the following year. The surveyors endeavoured to have the lots run at right angles to the shore line, with the result that the eastern boundary of Fredericksburgh formed an acute angle with the western boundary of Ernesttown with the apex at the front on the bay shore, thereby producing a gore between the two townships, which was annexed to Fredericksburgh, The original township, still designated in the Registry Office as Fredericksburgh Original, was twenty-five lots in ' width numbered from the west, but being found insufficient to accom modate all of Colonel Rogers' corps who, to the number of 299, had been promised a settlement by themselves, twelve lots were taken from the western side of Adolphustown, which lots are still designated in the Registry Office as Fredericksburgh Additional, In the centre of the township on the water-front there were laid out a number of village lots, marked on the plan as the village of Fredericksburgh; but the expected village has not yet materialized. The hurried manner in which the survey of the township was con ducted has given rise to a good deal of confusion and has more than once been the subject of legislation. Finally, in 1826, confusion was worse confounded by the passing of an Act whereby the justices of the peace in the township were authorized to re-survey any concession or number of lots and to cause monuments to be erected to establish the true boundaries. One has but to glance at a modern map, especially of North Fredericksburgh, to see what a bewildering chaos was made of the concession lines; and the conveyancer has to be constantly upon his guard when attempting to define the metes and bounds of certain tracts of land which fell under the operation of this Act, The original settlers of the township belonged to the same type as the pioneers of the Second and Fourth Towns; and what has, in a general way, been already written concerning the noble qualities and the FREDERICKSBURGH 183 ) experiences of our forefathers in the two latter townships is equally applicable to those of Fredericksburgh, There was no rallying point within its bounds, such as Bath in Second Town and Adolphustown vil lage in the Fourth, and unfortunately the minutes of its town meetings have not been preserved, or if preserved have not yet been located. Strictly speaking the history of Clarkville should be embodied in the comments upon Fredericksburgh ; but I have found it more convenient to group it with Napanee, of which municipality it now forms a part. In the early settlement of this township there were a number of adherents of the Lutheran Church who organized themselves into a regular congregation about the same time that the Methodists and Angli cans began building churches for their respective followers. For ten years or thereabouts they held services in the houses of the prominent members ; and about the year 1803 the first church, known as St, Ebenezer, was erected in the vicinity of Close's Mill on Big Creek, This name is still preserved as a Christian name in some of the families who, at that time, were enrolled among its members. The Fretz, Smiths, Fralicks, Sickers, Alkenbracks, and Bristols appear to have been among the most influential families who, for forty or fifty years, endeavoured to maintain in their new home the church of their forefathers, but were singularly unfortunate in having as their first clergymen men who were addicted to the intemperate use of intoxicants, a habit which was far more prevalent among all classes one hundred years ago than it is to-day. It is reported that one of these shepherds of the Lutheran flock died from injuries received from a fall while under the influence of liquor. Such a circumstance could not fail to produce a disastrous effect upon the congregation, especially at a time when the Methodists in the same and neighbouring townships were organizing temperance societies and using every effort to wipe out the evil of strong drink. Although the congregation was a small one and, even with the aid received from other parts of the county, could not afford to maintain a pastor in as comfortable circumstances as the other denominations, they clung together until the middle of the nineteenth century. One by one the families drifted away to the Methodists, until but a faithful few remained under the pastorate of the last minister, the Rev. Mr, Plato who, unable any longer to stem the tide, followed the example of big parishioners and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church himself, and for many years was a much respected itinerant preacher of that faith in Eastern Ontario, The Lutheran Church in this county, while appearing to have been organized in Fredericksburgh, had appointments also in Ernesttown, 184 HISTORY OF I,ENN0X AND ADDINGTON Camden, and Richmond, making up one circuit, all in charge of the same minister. For many years the parsonage was on the York Road on the farm owned by Mr, Edward Kaylor, The Ernesttown congregation was a weak one, and joined with the Methodists and Presbyterians in the use of the same church, built on the old Amey farm on lot sixteen in the second concession. The joint use of this meeting-house rendered their absorption by the Methodists an easy matter, and many of the members of the latter body now worshipping in this same old church on the Odessa circuit will find upon an examination of the records that their forefathers were baptized, married, and buried by a Lutheran clergyman. "There was a small class near Switzerville, but no regular meeting house; and the members soon joined hands with their neighbours the Methodists shortly after the building of the Switzer Chapel, which, so far as can be ascertained, must have been erected" shortly prior to 1822, There were Lutheran classes also at Camden East, "Upon the farm of John Bower, at the site of the present village of Strathcona, there was a stone Lutheran church which was torn down some years ago and the present Methodist church erected in its place. There were a number of Lutherans scattered along the river front in the township of Richmond, prominent among them being the Kimmerlys, Browns, Olivers, Bowens, and Sagars, In 1828 David Kimmerly offered to donate the land upon which to build a church, and a meeting was called to consider the proposition; but the church was never built. All the Lutheran congregations dispersed with the breaking up of the parent body in Fredericksburgh and, so far as this county is concerned, the Lutherans as a separate denomination ceased to exist about the year 1850, "The following reminiscences of Mr, Peter Bristol of Napanee, now in his ninety-third year, but who still styles himself a Fredericksburgh boy, were furnished by him to the writer in an interview : "I was born on lot twenty-three in the Second Concession of Fred ericksburgh on December 27th, A,D, 1820, I remember distinctly the incidents of my boyhood days, even the funeral of my grandmother, which occurred in my third year. She was a dear old lady, and the ceremony took place at my grandfather's house, to which a number of planks had been brought to form seats to accommodate the neighbours, I was crawling about the floor, childlike, under one of these benches, when one of the assembled friends stepped upon my fingers, at which I howled lustily and disturbed the solemnity of the ceremony. The corpse was lying at the time on a plank in a corner of the room, for, although FREDERICKSBURGH 185 the funeral was in progress, the coffin, which was being made by a car penter in the door-yard outside, was not yet ready for the remains. There was no elaborate expense in connection with the burial of the dead, — a plain pine box, unpainted and uncovered, was considered all that was necessary. She was buried at the old Lutheran church at .Big Creek. , "My father lived in a log house of one room until I was ten years of age. It was two stories, and in order to reach the upper story we mounted a ladder in a corner of the lower part of the dwelling. The furniture was of the simplest character, and little of it. My father was considered an average prosperous farmer, fully up to the times, and had one hundred acres of land, of which only five acres were cleared at iny earliest remembrance; yet he managed to raise and educate, so far as there was opportunity, a family of. thirteen of which I was the second. He had one horse and but one yoke of oxen up to the time he built a small frame house when I was ten years old. There were wild animals about at the time ; and when I used to go to bring the cows home to be milked I have seen as many as five deer at a time. Wolves were very common, and we had to gather our sheep in every night and shut them in a closed pen to protect them from the marauding intruders, "My first school days were spent under the care of Miss Margaret Perry, who afterwards married David Williams of Ernesttown, The school-house stood just over the town line in Ernesttown, on the farm of Davis Hawley, grandfather of Sheriff G. D, Hawley. It was a small frame building about a mile from my father's house, with very few pupils in attendance, among them being the sisters of the late Zina Ham, I had no books except a spelling book, and the only subject to which I devoted myself the first summer was the mastering of the alphabet, "A few years after this an Irishman called Paul Shirley, came to the neighbourhood and offered his services as teacher for the winter in a log school-house situated in the front of the third concession of Fred ericksburgh, near or upon the land of Jacob Detlor, My father, John Ham, Jacob Detlor, and Henry Ham took the matter in hand, and made a bargain with Shirley, and I went to that school that fall and winter, I walked through the bush about a mile and a quarter with my sister to school, stopping on the way to pick up the Ham children who accompan ied us through the woods over two streams which in the autumn we crossed on fallen timbers. I then took up the study of geography and grammar, I also attended school on the farm of the father of the late Sheriff Pruyn and had to travel two miles and a half. This was the last I attended in this county. The reason I was shifted about from one 186 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON school to another was that the district was not divided into sections, and the schools were not kept open with any regularity, and my father would send me wherever he thought I could receive the best training, ' "My people were Methodists, and attended service first in one school-house and then another, whichever was most convenient. Most of our clergymen were local preachers, farmers who went out on the Sabbath day and conducted divine service, I remember seeing in the pulpit, or rather behind the teacher's desk in the school-house, the fol lowing gentlemen expounding the gospel : Rufus Shorey, Davis Hawley, John Ham, and George Sills, The service consisted of singing, con ducted by two or three old men and women, prayer, generally a very long one, and an exhortation without selecting any text from which to speak. The first regular preacher I ever heard was when Elder William Case came to our neighbourhood, "The crops consisted of wheat and corn principally; I was twenty years old before I saw any barley or knew what it was. Every farmer made maple sugar, raised his own potatoes, wheat, pork, poultry, beef, and mutton, but pork was the chief article of diet in the way of flesh, I have known my father to pack at one time three large barrels of pprk for the family use. Tea was a luxury and cost one dollar to one dollar and a half per pound, "The clothing was made principally of -linen for summer, and full- cloth and flannel for the winter, all of which were woven at home. We grew our own flax, and after pulling, (it was never cut), we spread it out on the sod, turned it over weekly with a wooden fork, and when sufficiently rotten it was dried and gathered up and bound into bundles, and was next put through a process called crackling. This consisted in putting it through a machine which broke it up so that the fibres were loosened and could be separated into strings. It was then drawn over a board with hundreds of nails projecting two or more inches through it so that it presented a surface of small spikes; and by drawing the flax over it the nails acted as a comb and removed the woody substance from the fibres. The fibres were then spun into thread by the women, and wound into balls as large as a man's head. After this it was leached by immersing the balls in a weak solution of lye, and put in the loom for weaving. Two thirds of the children's clothing, both boys and girls, consisted of this gray linen, which was not dyed but retained its natural colour. "I remember the first time I saw the village of Napanee. I was about five years old and went with my father and mother in a lumber waggon, the only wheeled conveyance we had, to visit Henry Kimmerly FREDERICKSBURGH 187 who had married my mother's sister and lived on what is now known as the Daly farm on the Deseronto Road. We crossed the river on a float ing bridge near where the new iron bridge now stands, Roblin's Hill was then very rough and steep. There were a number of dwellings at Clarkville at that time; but the village on the north side of the river all lay east of the present John Street, except a few scattered houses on the knolls in the western part of the present site of the town. The old McNeil house then stood where its ruins stand to-day and was the finest residence I had ever seen. In coming from my father's house to Napanee we passed two or three frame houses; all the rest were built of logs. Where the Campbell house now stands there was a small grove of second growth pine and other scrub trees. As I grew older I used to accompany my parents upon this trip about once a year, "We did not deal in the stores at Napanee when I was a boy, as there was no market, and there was one in Kingston ; and my father took his produce either to Kingston or to Bath, which latter place we con sidered the business centre of the county, Henry Lasher conducted what was called a farmers' store in Bath, It was managed by him for the farmers, who formed themselves into an organization and saved for themselves the profits which usually went to the middleman ; but Lasher bought them all out one after another. Later on the Davys grew up there, Peter and Benjamin, and became influential men, and monopohzed the business, but not until Lasher had made a fortune, "As time passed on we got more in touch with Napanee; but did not visit it often or trade much there until it became the county town and I had grown into manhood and was shifting for myself. My old friend Henry Forward was one of the principal merchants, and con ducted a general store on the south side of Dundas Street just east of the Harshaw Block, Old Dan Pringle, as everybody called him, kept hotel on the corner where Smith's jewellery store is, and that was head quarters for the farmers from our neighbourhood; although the Brisco House afterwards became the popular resort for the Ernesttown, Fred ericksburgh, and Adolphustown people. When I first became at all familiar with Napanee or, as it was very commonly called. The Appanee, Clarkville was of much more importance relatively than it is to-day, and the greater part of the village was on that side of the river, "The first brick building I ever saw was the little house east of Madden's store on Dundas Street; and so far as I know it was the first one built in Napanee, "I remember the first election I ever witnessed. It was over seven ty-five years ago, about the year 1836, John Solomon Cartwright and 188 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON George H, Detlor, the Tory candidates, were running against Peter Perry and Marshall Spring Bidwell, They ran in pairs; Perry and Bidwell were called the rebels by the other side. There was only one polling-place in the county and that was at Bath, It was a little booth on the edge of the village, I was quite a young man at the time and didn't know much about the issues ; but I could understand that the people were greatly excited. The taverns of Bath were crowded with men wrangling about the votes. Whisky was .flowing freely, and there were plenty of drunken men and brawls in the streets. There were lots of taverns all over the country. There was Charter's tavern near the head of Hay Bay, John Davy's over near Sandhurst, and Griffiths in the second concession about four miles west of Charter's, Ernesttown must have had a dozen at least, "There was quite an excitement in the county over the Mormon missionaries who went about the different townships preaching and bap tizing the converts. Quite a number were baptized in Big Creek, Brig- ham Young was here himself, and, if I remember aright, he preached at Bath, That must have been nearly eighty years ago. The headquar ters of the Mormons was not in Utah then, but somewhere in Ohio, Joseph File and his family, John Detlor, Junior, and two Lloyds went away with the missionaries to their 'Promised Land' ; but they all came back but one of the Lloyds who died out there," AMHERST ISLAND 189 CHAPTER X AMHERST ISLAND If the writer were disposed to give a free rein to his imagination what a tempting field for romance lies before him in the island town ship! In the first chapter I have pointed out how it formed a portion of the seigniory of La Salle, No doubt he asked to have it included in the grant of Fort Frontenac owing to its strategic position, commanding, as it does, the entrance to the Bay of Quinte. That he attached some importance to the insular part of his possessions is apparent from the fact that he bestowed upon it the name of his faithful lieutenant Tonti. Before that it was known by the Indian name Kaouenesgo. It is the only portion of our county that was included in this the first patent of land issued by the Crown in the Province of Ontario, The next white owner of whom we have any record was Sir John Johnson, Just how Sir John became the possessor is not known ; but in the absence of another account we cannot do better than relate the story as it has been so often told. His father. Sir William, was held in high esteem by the Mohawks, and one day as he was parading before them in full regimentals, an old chief named Hendrick, who envied him his gold braid and shining epaulets, accosted him most gravely and said : "Sir William, me dream a dream last night," The great white chieftain asked him the nature of his dream, and he solemnly replied : "Me dream Sir William that you made me present of your coat," Sir William was so amused by the ingenious method adopted by his friend to obtain a gay uniform that he stripped off his tunic and handed it to the delighted Chief, A few days later when he met him arrayed in the military uni form, he said: "Good-morning, Chief." The old warrior saluted him in true soldierly fashion ; whereupon his white companion continued : "I had a strange dream last night. I dreamed that you had given me that island in the blue water over there," referring to Amherst Island. The tables were turned upon the red man, but, not to be outdone, he replied : "Ho ! Ho ! Sir William ! you dream big dream ! I give you the island ; but we won't dream any more." In any event, about the time the Loyal ists were settling upon the mainland. Sir John Johnson was recognized as the owner of this heavily timbered island across the bay. In due time it was inherited by his daughter Maria Bowes, who, in 1835, sold it to the 190 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Earl of Mount Cashel, and in 1857 it became the property of Major R, P, Maxwell of County Down, Ireland, Another story is told of the remarkable manner in which it once changed hands; but in repeating it here there is no intention to associate the transaction with any of the names here mentioned, if, indeed, the occurrence ever took place. The story runs that a game of cards was in progress at the home of a wealthy lady in Ireland; the stakes were high, the lady was a steady loser, and in desperation put up her Can adian estate and lost it. The title deeds were made out in the name of the winner, who thus became the owner of Amherst Island, Major Maxwell's brother managed the estate until 1871, since which date Mr, W, H, Moutray has been the resident agent. About two thirds of it is at present owned by resident farmers ; the remainder, about 5,000 acres, being held under lease from Mr, Henry Percival- Maxwell the owner. At the time the settlers began to take up the land it was densely wooded with oak, ash, hickory, maple, beech, and elm, and a few clumps of pine, cedar, and spruce. The pioneers were U. E, Loyalists, who crossed over from the main shore, principally from Ernesttown, and purchased farms on the east end, or head of the island, as it is called. Among the first to settle were the Howards, Wemps, Richards, McGin- nesses, McDonalds, McMullens, Hitchins, Instants, and McKentys, The first transfer of title to an actual settler of which we have any record took place in 1803, Soon after this emigrants from Ireland began to settle on the west ern end, among them, being the Pattersons, Prestons, Gibsons, Girvins, Cochranes, Cousins, Kerrs, Aliens, Spiers, Polleys, McQuoids, Glens, Burleighs, and Saunders, They had very little, if any, capital; but what was more to the purpose they brought with them strong sound bodies, good moral characters, habits of thrift and industry, loyalty to the British Empire, and a reverence for things sacred. These sterhng qualities have been transmitted to their descendants, than whom there are no better citizens in Ontario to-day. By a proclamation of Governor Simcoe bearing date July i6th, 1792, the province was divided into counties for the purpose of parha- mentary representation. Among the nineteen original counties was the county of Ontario composed of "Isle Tonti" or Amherst Island; "Isle au Foret," now Simcoe Island, Grand or Wolfe Island, and "Isle Cau- chois" or Howe Island, In 1798, when a general rearrangement of the counties took place, the island county was broken up into its several component parts, and the islands were attached to the mainland opposite them. AMHERST ISLAND 191 By this new subdivision Amherst Island became and has ever since remained a part of the county of Lennox and Addington ; but the attach ment has at no time been very strong. Its insular position accounts in some measure for the lack of interest shown by the inhabitants towards the other parts of the county. There have been no town lines to quarrel over, no drainage system extending into a neighbouring municipality, and no union schools maintained in part by another township. Several miles of deep blue water separate them from the mainland and they are just as near to Prince Edward or Frontenac as to the remainder of the county of which they form a part. The daily boats, during the season of navi gation, are timed with a view of carrying the pas.sengers from the island to Kingston and returning them to their homes the same day, while there is no communication between the island and Napanee, It is quite natural that the inhabitants should follow that course offering the least resistance and should do their marketing and trading in Kingston instead of Napanee, Had they been consulted at the time of the separation of the counties they would have been attached to Fron tenac, In fact they presented a petition to the government praying that this be done. It was a reasonable request and one that in all fairness might have been granted, as it is far more convenient for them to have their legal and municipal centre in the city where they transact nearly all of their other business. They have become reconciled to the present awkward arrangement, and so long as they make no complaint the rest of the county will be very glad to maintain the alliance which has given to our county council some of the best men who have sat in that body. It is a regrettat)le fact that there is so little communication between the islanders and the citizens of the mainland ; but there appears to be no remedy in sight at the present time. If the Grand Trunk Railway had touched at Bath, as was the original intention, it might have been other wise. As has been remarked in the chapter upon Adolphustown there is an individuality about the islanders that distinguishes them from the people of all other parts of the 'county. It is difficult to define this characteristic; but there is a whole-souled honest frankness that draws one to them and creates a desire to know them better. Perhaps it is the Irish blood. The first religious services upon the island were conducted by that worthy pioneer missionary of the Anglican Church, the Rev, John Lang horn, who was succeeded by the Rev, W, Agar Adamson, Chaplain to His Majesty's forces at Kingston and also Chaplain to the Legislative Council of Upper Canada, 192 HISTORY OP LENNOX AND ADDINGTON The old frame church, which stood on a commanding site a mile west of Stella village, together with a glebe of one hundred acres, was a gift to the congregation by Lord Mount Cashel, It was built about 1836, The Rev, John Rothwell of Ireland was incumbent from 1845 to 1865, He was followed by the Rev, Mr, Smart, who continued as rector until 1869, when the Rev, Conway E, Cartwright, M,A,, T, C, D,, took over the charge, and so ingratiated himself with his parishioners and those of all denominations that his removal in 1874 was deeply regretted by all who knew him. The Rev, J, J, Christie, a native of Scotland, officiated from 1875 until 1877, when the Rev, Canon Roberts, Mus, B,, was appointed rector and ministered to the parish until 1891, He devoted himself faithfully to his parochial work; and during his term the present St, Alban's Church was built upon the bay shore. From 1891 to 1896 the Rev, Sterne Tighe M.A., T, C, D,, was the resident clergyman, and upon his resignation his place was filled by students and others until the appoint ment of the Rev, R, S. Wilkinson in 1903. A few years before the lat ter clergyman's arrival the rectory had been burned; and it was during his incumbency, which terminated in 1906, that the present one was built. The Rev, J, E, Lindsay, B.A,, B.D,, was rector from 1906 to 1909, when the Rev, J, E, Dixon was inducted, and has continued up to the present to minister to the spiritual wants of some sixty families, adherents of the Church of England, As might be expected a large number of the inhabitants are Presby terians; but no regular services for those of that faith were conducted upon the island until 1849, Were it not for this neglect to supply them with a regular minister no doubt the adherents of this church would be more numerous than they are to-day. Although they were almost over looked for more than a generation there are still some fifty-five families supporting the church that most naturally appeals to the descendants of the north of Ireland Protestants, The Rev, Mr, McLeise, an Ulster missionary, cared for the fold of his countrymen for a short time, holding the services during fair weather in the open air where Glenwood Cemetery is now. A member of his congregation thus writes of those services: "From this primitive place of worship, beneath the spreading branches of the trees, with the green grass for a seat and the firmament for a covering, there ascended as fervent prayers and praise as from the most stylish cathedral." On March 6th, 1852, the congregation was for the first time duly organized, with the Rev. Daniel McCurdy, uncle of Professor McCurdy of Toronto University, as minister, and James Strain, William Patterson, and James ^ AMHERST ISLAND 193 Girvin as ruling elders. No less than seventy-four members were en rolled upon the first list of communicants, A substantial frame build ing was soon erected near the road upon the lot where the church now stands, Mr, McCurdy remained but a short time and demitted his charge in 1853, After a vacancy of two years the Rev, James Mcintosh was in ducted, and for twenty years remained the esteemed and faithful minis ter of a devoted and appreciative congregation, who to this day love to recall the good results of his ministrations. He died in 1875, and over his grave in Pentland Cemetery a suitable monument was erected by his loving friends, among whom he had laboured until death summoned him to his reward. The Rev, Howard Steele assumed the charge in 1876, and was followed by the Rev, Alex, MacLennan who died in 1880. In the month of February, 1881, the present incumbent, the Rev, James Cumberland, M,A., was inducted, and has the distinction of hav ing served his congregation i, longer than any other clergyman in the county, and the esteem in which he is held, not only by the adherents of his own church, but by all denominations upon the island, speaks vol umes for his ability as a minister, a kind-hearted gentleman, and a pub lic-spirited citizen. As soon as he was fairly settled among his parish ioners he looked about for the means of providing a more suitable place of worship. A site was donated by Mr. William Allen, and under the management of Elders William McMaster, Wihiam Fleming, and Henry Filson, all of whom have since passed away, the present church was commenced in 1883 and completed in 1884 at a cost of $8,000. Robert Kilpatrick, Alexander McKee, David Reid, Wm. McQuain, Robert Fil son, and Robert Patterson were also active members of the building com mittee. Near by stands the manse built fifty years ago upon a site don ated by Major Maxwell, Mr, Cumberland has taken a deep interest in the early history of the island, and to him I am indebted for the greater part of the material upon which this chapter is based. In no part of the county, unless it be at Erinsville, have the Method ists such a small percentage of the population as on Amherst Island. Eight or ten families, at the most, profess adherence to that body; but what they lack in nunibers is fully compensated for by the zeal displayed in loyalty to their church. Prior to 1874 they worshipped in the Orange Hall at Stella; but in that year, through the efforts of the Rev, Mr, Ferguson, backed up by his small but enthusiastic congregation, the pre sent church was erected, and the neat little parsonage was soon added, to provide a home for the resident clergyman. Among the reverend genfemen who have from time to time been stationed there, especial men- 13 194 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON tion might be made of the Reverend Messrs, Pyke, Brown, White, Orser, Lidstone, and Pearce, but none more distinguished than the pre sent scholarly pastor the Rev, G, Haughton Porter, M,A,, S,T,D,, author of the Reality of the Divine Movement in Israel, which work has given him a place among the theological writers of the day. The earliest records we have of the island having ministrations by the Roman Catholic clergy date beyond the middle of the last century, when the Rev, Father McMahon came from Kingston and held ser vices at the homes of the members of his church. He was succeeded by the Rev. Father Donoghue, during whose term his handful of follow ers, numbering about ten families, built in i860 the church in which they still meet for worship. The land upon which it was built was the gift of the late John McCormack. He was followed by the Rev, Father McWilliams who lived at Railton, but for over twenty years was the regular priest of the parish. He took an active interest in all matters affecting the welfare of the islanders and was one of the promoters of the cable line connecting the island with the mainland. The first schools upon the island were established about eighty years ago. They were of that primitive type which have been fully described in the chapter upon the early schools of the county. That satisfactory results were attained in the old log school-houses has been attested by the intelligence of the generation that has just passed away. The stan dard has steadily improved; and at the present time illiteracy among the islanders is very exceptional. Among the teachers of the early days Robert Burleigh, George Wright, John Robb, and Miss Moffat are still remembered and frequently referred to as having done excellent service in the education of the youths of the township. The island now has five public schools and a continuation school, all of which are efficiently maintained and are doing satisfactory work. Not content with the aid given to their local schools the islanders have led the way in higher education by a voluntary contribtion of $500 towards the endowment of Queen's University, in return for which that institution awards free tui tion to one student, to be nominated annually by the municipal council. In the early days of the settlement the ordinary farm consisted of fifty acres, upon which was built a log cabin near the shore. The greater part of the inhabitants were sailors, who followed their calling during the summer, and cut cord-wood and thus cleared the land dur ing the winter months. The greater portion of this wood found its way to the Kingston markets ; and large quantities were piled upon the shore near the wharf to furnish fuel for the steamers plying on the Bay of Quinte. AMHERST ISLAND 195 As the clearings enlarged and the population increased, they turned their attention to tilling the land, and the rich soil generally yielded a bountiful harvest. The main crop was barley, and that grown upon the island held first place and commanded the highest price upon the Oswego market. So great was the demand for this superior article that for many years the farmers sowed little else, with the result that the land was becoming exhausted, A hostile tariff against Canadian barley destroyed that industry; and the farmers viewed with alarm the loss of their market, and had visions of their broad acres lying idle and the bailiff taking possession of their chattel property. Their worst fears proved groundless, and the check to the rich harvest of barley, rich at the expense of the soil devoted to its cultivation, proved a blessing in disguise. They turned their attention to dairying with most gratifying results. There are two well-managed cheese factories upon the island, one at Stella and another at Emerald, both possessing excellent shipping facil ities and turning out a good quality of cheese and butter that yield pro fitable returns to their patrons. Well-bred herds of milch cattle now roam over the fields that were being rapidly impoverished by the barley, the phantom of the baihff has melted away, and the yeomen of the island were never so happy and prosperous as at the present time. As in other parts of the county, the development of the cheese industry brought with it a remarkable improvement in the raising of pigs and, as has been humorously remarked, the farmer has found it greatly to his advantage to market his grain upon the hoof. The shoals off the shores on both sides of the island are famous fish ing grounds, where salmon trout and white-fish abound in great num bers. Until a few years ago there was a small fleet of fishing smacks, which might be seen putting off in the early morning to lift the nets, returning later in the day laden with the choicest specimens of the finny tribe that our great inland lakes can furnish. Now the more prosaic motor boats have crowded the picturesque sailing vessels off the waters, ' There are few sportsmen on the bay, or either side of the eastern end of Lake Ontario, who have not spent a pleasant day at "The Brothers," trying to tempt the black bass to take their bait or rise to the fly, and if sufficiently skilled in the art of "The Compleat Angler" they can depend upon returning with well-filled baskets. About 1832 David Tait, a master shipwright from Scotland, landed at the foot of the island. The best of oak and pine timber grew near the shore in large quantities; and the enterprising Scot saw, no doubt, a reasonable possibility of establishing a useful industry. He built his 196 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON first schooner, the David Tait, near the east end. After being success fully launched, a cable was attached to her bow and a score or more of row-boats manned by twice as many sturdy fishermen towed her around to the north shore, where she was fitted out and put into commission for the grain and lumber trade, Mr, Tait built and repaired vessels at different places on the north shore until 1847, when he established a shipyard near the upper end of Stella Bay, where he pursued his calhng for eleven years, during which time he employed a staff of sixty or seventy men and built over fifty sailing vessels. They were of the schooner type with centre-board. Only one was for a resident of the island and that was the good ship The Bachelor, built for William Scott, a general merchant at Stella, The modern ship-builder would make little headway with the equip ment of the Tait shipyard. The oaks and pines, after being stripped of their branches, were hauled to the shore by oxen, just as they fell from the stumps. With adze and whip-saw his expert workmen hewed and sawed them into shape and fitted them together. His terms of contract were simple and easily understood, one dollar for each bushel of capa city. By 1858 the timber suitable for ships was so depleted that the yard was closed and the owner removed to Picton, The islander who could not handle a boat would be very much out of place, and there are few, if any, of the inhabitants who are not as much at home upon the water as upon the land. Their forefathers from the counties of Down and Antrim were well skilled in manipulating a sail, and their own insular position has kept the succeeding generations in practice, with the result that the crews of the lake -going vessels are yearly recruited from the seafaring mariners from Amherst Island, many of whom own and sail their own vessels, carrying coal, grain, and lumber to the bay and lake ports. The training in endurance and the handling of a boat is well illustrated by the experience of the late Sam uel Glen, who seventy years ago, killed and dressed two pigs, took them one and one-half miles to Stella, placed them in a skiff, rowed them to Kingston a distance of ten miles, disposed of the carcasses, made his purchases, and rowed back again in one day. Many of the best known mariners upon the lakes served their apprenticeship in the island fishing boats or took their first stand before the mast under such well known masters as Captains Thomas PoUey, Nathaniel Allen, Hugh Glen, Joseph and Henry Saunders, Captain T, Saunders, who as a lad took his first lessons in navigation upon the waters washing the shore of Amherst Island, now commands the largest ship saihng upon the Upper Lakes, The picturesque sailing vessels of fifty years ago are being AMHERST ISLAND 197 crowded off our inland- wafers by the whalebacks and steam barges, and the Jack Tar of the Great Lakes will soon be forgotten or remembered only in song and story. The following article was contributed to the Napanee Beaver three years ago by the Rev, Mr, Cumberland of Stella: "There is a short chapter of Canadian History which you will not find in any of the school histories. It may be classed with the Battle of the Windmill at Prescott, as one of the closing scenes of the Mackenzie Rebellion of 1837-8, although not so serious in its results. "Having met with no better success on the Niagara frontier than at Montgomery's tavern, it seems that Mackenzie turned his steps eastward and planned a night attack on Kingston over the frozen river in the win ter of 1838. For some reason the attack was not made, although the soldiers and citizens of the Limestone City were quite prepared to receive him and any who might choose to accompany him, "Two filibusters. Bill Johnston, a Canadian, and Van Rensselaer, an American, did, however, get a large number of patriots' collected at Hickory Island, below Gananoque, but these nearly all dispersed when they heard that the volunteer militia were ready to march against them, "Bill Johnston and a few kindred spirits, however, remained in their hiding-places among the Thousand Islands, eluding the vigilance of the authorities of the law, and living the lives of pirates and outlaws for a time. They took possession of the steamer Sir Robert Peel, and after robbing the passengers and plundering the ship, set fire to her, "They also came in boats to the north shore of Amherst Island, and in the dead hours of the night made an attack on the house of Mr, Pres ton, They placed guards at the entrance and then proceeded to attack and plunder the inmates. Mrs, Preston managed, however, to elude the guards and proceeded to give the alarm. Bill and his gang of ruffians met with a warm reception from Mr, Preston and his brave sons, one of whom was slightly wounded by a pistol shot. The pirates beat a hasty retreat when the alarm was given. This wanton attack naturally alarmed the citizens of good Isle Tonti, as it was then called; for what safety could they have in their homes with such a gang of lawless des perados hovering about, A company of volunteers was soon enrolled, armed, and placed under command of Captain John S, Gumming, A stone house had just been built by William Gelson, on his farm, opposite 'The Brothers' (islands). Within its strong walls the company was sta tioned for a time until a suitable barracks was built on -the Patterson farm at a point in full -v'xfw of the Lower Gaps, Here the men were 198 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDIN^KPN quartered until peace was restored and they "vv^rg-. disbanded, each man being allowed to take his flint-lock home with him. jlri this age of long range rifles the old flint-locks would be considered out of date. Yet in th^ hands of these hardy pioneers they would rid doubt have rendered effective service. The great victory of Waterloo had been won twenty- three years before with exactly the same kind of weapons. But the enemy, no doubt considering that 'discretion is the better part of val our,' kept away from our shores, "These men, who in troublesome times, stood ready to defend their country and their homes, have all answered the last 'roll call,' but their names and their memories will long be remembered with respect on Amherst Island, "The barracks in which they were quartered have long since disap peared, and the stone house above referred to, situated near the North Shore on the farm since owned by Captain Henry Saunders, is now an uninhabited ruin ; sic tempora mutantur." The following is a list of names enrolled in the Amherst Island Volunteer Company, organized upon the occasion above referred to, and fairly represents all of the pioneer families upon the island, at that time : John S, Cummings, Captain; William Dundas Hale, First Lieuten ant; John Hitchens, Second Lieutenant; Robert Burleigh, Pay master-Sergeant; James Preston, Sergeant; Hugh Spring, Sergeant; Joseph Gonue, Henry Davy, Thomas Treleven, John Trelevan, Samuel McMath, Hugh McMath, Thomas Cousins, Anthony Iverso, William Cousins, James McMath, Thomas Woodside, William Patterson, Hugh McMullen, Aeneas McMullen, William Craig, John Gibson, William Gib son, William Gelson, Archibald Hutton, James Annet, William Clark, John McQuoid, James McQuoid, John Pentland, Hugh Patterson, David H, Preston, Alexander Spiers, Hugh Higgins, James Castello, John Mc- Clintoc, Edward Allen, William Irvine, Frances McMaster, Samuel McWaters, Samuel Smith, John Tindall, John McKenty, John McCabe, Thomas Murray, James Scott, Samuel Barry, Francis Cantell, John Dusenbery, John Weller, Stephen Tugwell, James Finigan, Jacob Baker, Philip Baker, Joseph Welsh, John McVeen, Samuel Glen, James Strain, James McFadden, John Larck, Antoine Lavernia, Dennis Lavinac, Andrew Finlay, William Kinsley, Joseph Boyd, James Brownlee, John Glidden, James Finnic, John Brookmire, Augustus Haighter, James Hobbs, The mercantile business of the island has been in the hands of very few men, Wm. Scott, Captain Policy, George Wright, and J, S, Neil- AMHERST ISLAND 199 son have been general merchants at Stella, the last named having been continuously in business for forty years. At Emerald Messrs. Fowler & McGinness catered to the wants of that end of the island which is now served by Mr, Reginald Instant, The county has produced many good and great men, but none have been held in higher esteem and veneration by his friends, neighbours, and fellow citizens than the late Daniel Fowler, R,C.A, He was born in county Kent, England, in 1810, the eldest son of a large family. He was a school-fellow of the late Lord Beaconsfield, 'and left school at nineteen years of age. From his boyhood he showed a strong predilec tion for drawing, a taste that was not encouraged by his parents, who intended him for the profession of the law. In due time he was articled in Doctors' Commons and entered upon a course of study for which he had no liking. After his father's death he forsook the grave precincts of the law courts to commence the study of art and entered the studio of J, D, Harding, of whom Ruskin makes favourable mention. At the age of twenty-four he went to the continent, and spent a year in Switzerland, Italy, and the cities of the Rhine and Moselle, During this sojourn he made many sketches which furnished subjects for some of his best paint- • ings in after years. Returning to London he married and settled down to an artist's life, but his health failing him, his physician advised a change to sur roundings that would expose him more to the open air. He emigrated to Canada in 1843 with his wife and family and settled upon Amherst Island, He bought the farm west of Barry's Point, a secluded and beautifufly situated spot, with a grove of tall cedars extending to the shore. It was an ideal home for the artist who, through a small opening in the trees, commanded a view of the blue waters of the bay, with the picturesque shore line of the mainland in the distance. Here in his quiet retreat, which he appropriately named "The Cedars," he spent over half a century and witnessed the tender saplings planted by him and his faithful wife grow into large and stately shade trees. For fourteen years he devoted himself to the cultivation and improvement of his farm, and during this period never touched a brush. He then paid a visit to England and renewed his old associations, which revived his passion for art with a force not to be resisted. Upon his return to Canada he resumed the practice of his profession and con tinued it with faithful and devoted industry for thirty-five years. The history of his career during this period is coexistent with that of Can adian art. His pictures were awarded many prizes at the Provincial 200 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON exhibitions between 1863 and 1875 and he materially assisted in improv ing their art department. In 1876 he carried away from the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia the only medal awarded in America for water- colour painting. In 1886 he received the diploma and medal at the Col onial and Indian Exhibition in London, He was one of the founders of the Royal Canadian Academy, and, to the regret of many, declined to allow his name to be placed in nomination as the first president. He lived a secluded life, and for years at a time was not off the island; yet he was so fully engrossed in his paintings, his garden, books, and family circle that he reckoned those years among the happiest he spent. Nature has been most bountiful towards Amherst Island in fur nishing it with many beautiful and picturesque little coves, nooks, and points, which have been sketched by Mr, Fowler and rendered classic by his artistic genius. He had a style peculiarly his own, and his strong broad touch and daring colours can be easily discerned. As a painter of still life and flowers he had perhaps no equal among his contempor aries. Although he mingled very little with the outer world, he kept in close touch with the leading questions of the day and particularly with the political changes in England, He designed the little Anglican Church at Emerald and was a liberal contributor to the building fund. The desk, altar, and windows also bear testimony to his artistic taste. He took a deep interest in the island volunteer company and gave some of his little master-pieces as prizes for marksmanship. Altogether he was a fine type of the English gentle man; and his good wife fuhy sustained the best traditions of the truly refined and cultured English lady. She came, on her mother's side, from the well-known English family of Leake, which has furnished to the British navy and army some of its most daring commanders, Mr, Fowler died September 14th, 1894, in his eighty-fifth year. His widow survived him by nine years, dying in August, 1903, aged ninety-two years. During the war of 1812 a few men of the Royal Artillery are said to have been stationed on the chff overlooking the Upper Gaps, Two guns, a six and twelve-pounder, stood ready to send their greetings to the enemy, should any of them chance to pass that way. Having waited in vain for an opportunity to test their marksmanship upon the expected invaders, the officer in command felt that he and his men could render better service elsewhere; but they had no means of transporting their guns to the mainland. The legend informs us that the guns were buried upon the cliff which has since been known as "The Battery," and the artillery-men rowed across the bay and found their way back to the AMHERST ISLAND 201 barracks; but the buried field-pieces were never disturbed. It is a romantic spot, commanding a view that naturally appeals to the imagina tion of the painter or poet, and a chorus of dissent would be raised if any antiquarian, with pick and shovel, attempted to verify the legend which for a century has passed current among the youth of the island. It was sacred ground to Mr. Fowler, and to his children rendered more sacred still by the father's brush. His daughter, Mrs. Annie Christie, seated upon the cliff, composed the following beautiful lines : ABOVE THE GUNS Where the waters of Quinte surge and sigh With a sweet, mysterious minstrelsy. O'er silver shingle, through whispering sedge. And murmurous spaces of cave and ledge. Where the blue-bells nod from each mossy edge; Where over Ontario's field of blue Lies such calm as reigned when the earth was new ; Where on lovely Quinte's breast impearled The passing stain of a smoke-wreath curled Is all that tells of the living world; Where the cliff hangs over the flood below, A sombre shadow above the glow, I, with my face to the shining west. In a restful mood in a world at rest. Lie at my length on the grassy crest. Back from the edge a fathom's space. Clasping the cliff in a close embrace. Binding the curve, hke a fillet found On a maiden's tresses, a grass-grown mound Guards from the verge's utmost bound. What is it? A midnight haunt of elves Who make their home in the rocky shelves? A witch's circle? Or Nature's way To keep from danger her lambs that stray On the slippery slope in the summer day? Far other. Here, so the legend runs. Lie buried two of old England's guns; And the circlet that crowns the lifted crest. In its emerald bravery softly dressed. Was a rampart ohce for her soldier's breast. 202 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON The zephyrs wander, the blue-bells blow O'er the muzzled watch-dogs that sleep below. In the years gone by did they show their teeth? Belched they their fiery, sulphurous breath With a blast of flame and a bolt of death ? Was there a day when the silence broke. And the echoes of headland and inlet woke. Not to the nesting wood-bird's note. Or the dipping oars of a fisher's boat. But the hoarse, harsh bay of an iron throat? Story tells not. Their work was done When the peace that wraps us was earned and won ; All but forgotten they quiet lie; But from under the sod, as the years go by. They send us a message that may not die. Oh! land of promise, that front'st the sun! With untried feet set to a course unrun. Out to the future thy fair hands reach. But bend thine ear to the silent speech And heed the lesson the guns would teach. The strength and the spirit that forged those guns Live and burn anew in the souls of thy sons. Keep them, Canadians! deep, though dumb. In prairie, and valley, and city's hum. For a need that — God grant it! — may never come. But as blossoms whiten and grasses wave , From the cannon's scarce-remembered grave. So from your buried strifes must rise Love's infinite possibilities. And the flower of the nation's destinies. RICHMOND , 203 CHAPTER XI RICHMOND The name Richmond is taken from the same source as Lennox, the latter being derived from the family name Lennox, and the former from the town of Richmond from which the family receives its ducal title. The story of the front of Richmond differs little from that of the townships south of the river, except that it was a few years behind them, and the first settlers came, not in large companies but in small groups, and in many instances single families. The one centre of attraction was the south-east corner of the township at The Appanee Falls, and the greater portions of the chapters dealing with that village belong to the history of the township of which it formed a part. The business of the front of the township was not all created in the village at the falls; stores of no mean importance carried on a brisk trade at other points on what we now call the Deseronto Road, As recently as seventy-five years ago David Roblin had a general store about a mile east of Deseronto, and many years prior to that a store had been conducted in the same locality by Mr, Kimmerly, A more pretentious rival to Napanee was at her very doors, at the corner where the Deseronto Road branches off near the residence of Mr. M, C, Bogart, From the time the first saw-mill was set up in Napanee tons of saw-dust were dumped into the river with an utter disregard of the damage it might eventually do to the shipping interests. Whether or not the business men about this corner expected that in time the river above the bend would become impassable and that their location would mark the head of navigation and become a famous port the writer has been unable to ascertain. They must have had great expectations in that direction when they bestowed upon their little hamlet the imposing name of Liverpool, Of course there had to be a tavern. No matter how small the place of business, a public-house appeared to be indispensable. There were no high licenses in those days, and it did not require much capital to set up in the business. A taproom, with a bar across one end, served as a sitting-room as well; and when it was time to close the bar it was not necessary to clear the room; but a latticed frame hung from the 204 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON ceiling by hinges, was lowered so that the bottom of the frame was flush with the outer edge of the top of the bar, and this made, with the front of the counter, a partition shutting off that part of the room containing the liquors from that in which the guests were assembled. With such a room, stocked with a few barrels of whiskey and beer, and an extra bed-room or two, an ordinary dwelling could very easily be converted into a tavern. In the days of the stage-coach, before the railways were constructed, the wayside inn was a greater necessity than to-day. The weary tra veller stopped where night overtook him ; and if the inn was crowded it was only a matter of a mile or two before he could reach another. Thus there was the John Fralick Tavern at Morven, the old Quacken bush Tavern in ClarkviUe, the Red Taveni in Napanee, the Gunn Host- lery at Liverpool, and another on the Deseronto Road next door to the old Kimmerly store. The old red frame building on the north-west angle formed by the intersection of the Slash Road with the Front Road is the tavern in which, long ago, John Gunn stood ever ready to furnish refreshments to whomsoever honoured him with a call. On the op posite corner, in the white frame house, was the general store of George H. Detlor. On the south side of the main road near the water's edge was a brewery and distillery operated at one time by Charles and James Cull, behind which was a wharf extending far out into the river. The farm to the east, one of the first to be taken up on this side of the river, was owned by Elias Huffman, in whose family it has remained for over a century. He formerly settled upon what is now known as the Campbell place on the south side of the river ; but being disappointed in the character of the soil, he moved across to the north side and brought up his family in a large log house, which was superseded by the frame dwelling still standing on the south side of the road. It is reported that some members of the family, rather than go around by the floating bridge to visit the new Richmond place when the log house was building, used to ford the river across a bar near what is now known as Campbell's Rocks, It was from this log house that the two sons, Jacob and Elijah Huffman set out on foot, with a few days' rations in bags over their shoulders, to seek their fortunes in the wilds of the northern part of the county, and became the founders of the Huffman settlement at Moscow, Another son, Isaiah, remained on the old homestead, out lived the commercial enterprises of the neighbourhood, and built the handsome brick residence on the north side of the road where he died in 1890, highly respected as one of the few remaining pioneers of the early days of Richmond, RICHMOND 205 One of the early residents of Selby was Edward Storr, who was born at Selby, Yorkshire, England, and who, when a post-office was first established, bestowed upon it the name of his birthplace. Before that it was known as Gallagher's Corners, taking the name from the pro prietor of a tavern about one fourth of a mile east of the present vil lage. Like the rest of the county there was no shortage of taverns in this neighbourhood ; Selby was favoured at one time with no less than three, Gallagher's was the popular inn for a time, and all the traffic from the northern country passed his door, as the Richmond Road had not been built. Among the first families in the vicinity were the Roses, McKims Beemans, Donovans, Holcombs, and McNeils, names that have no fam iliar sound to the present generation, so great have been the changes in the ownership of property. This is in striking contrast with the town ship of Adolphustown where the roll-call, except for the Christian names, differs little from what it was a century ago. The first school-house, built over seventy years ago, was about one- fourth of a mile west of the village. This in time gave way to the Union School-house, which was originally constructed as a place of public wor ship as well, was provided with a pulpit and seating capacity for over one hundred persons, and was used by the two Methodist bodies and the Anglicans, The pupils came from boundary to boundary, the section being six miles in length. One of the ablest teachers sixty years ago was Wm. McMullen, who afterwards moved to Napanee and took a posi tion upon the staff of teachers of that town. Selby had its full quota of general merchants, among the first being Patrick Phelan, David and John Wartman, and Thomas and John Wesley Sexsmith ; it also boasted a drug store kept by C. D. Sweet. When the creek had a larger and swifter current than it has at pre sent Thomas Sexsmith built and for a number of years operated a saw mill, which proved a source of profit to himself and a convenience to the neighbourhood. Napanee was brought nearer by the building of the Richmond Road; and the better facilities for reaching the merchants of the town had a depressing effect upon the local trade of the village. The stores gradually dwindled away, in time the taverns closed their doors, and Selby shrank to its present proportions. The first white man to settle north of the Salmon River was Joseph Pringle, who with his wife Barbara took up land on the north bank about midway between the present village of Roblin and Forest Mills. They were monarchs of all they surveyed, both in fact and name, for the old gentleman and his comely spouse, an aunt of Mr. Allan Oliver on the Deseronto Road, were styled respectively, "King" and "Queen," 206 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON by all the later settlers, who paid homage to them as the pioneers of the north of Richmond, Their son, Joseph Pringle, was the first white child born north of the Salmon River, This river took its name from the great number of salmon which used to come up the stream. They managed to leap all the falls and rapids until they reached those at the site of Forest Mills, which were too high and swift. Great quantities of them would at certain seasons congregate at the foot of the falls, and it was an easy matter to scoop out a cart-load in a few minutes. This barrier they could not overcome, and none were to be had above this point. This fact distinguished these falls from all others upon the river, and before any mills were upon its banks they were designated as The Falls, The second man to move into the northern wilderness was John Windover, who was married to a sister of Joseph Pringle, He settled upon a lot about one mile north of The Falls and built a log house there about eighty-five years ago, James Davis, the third settler in this part of the county, took up land in the vicinity of Westplain. The only bridge over the river for years was at The Falls ; and all the traffic from the northern part of the county had to cross at that point. As the settle ment increased, a road was cut through the bush along the nqrth bank to the site of the present village of Roblin; and a small. hamlet sprang up there in the vicinity of The Falls. The first house was built by Chauncey Windover about seventy-five years ago. There soon followed the McConnels — ^John, James, and Wilham — Calvin Dafoe, Aaron Oliver, and Peter Bumhour, Ezra A, Spencer saw an opportunity to serve his neighbours and earn an honest penny out of a saw-mill; so he built a dam across the stream, erected a mill, and set up in business in opposition to Archie McNeil, who had established mills at The Falls, which lost their old name and were known as McNeil's Mills, a name which was retained until a post-office was established, when it was changed to Forest Mills, Spencer's venture proved so profitable that he built a grist-mill a few years later; and a village sprang up about the two mills, known as Spencer's Mills, This village, now called the old village, was on the road running east and west, in fact the only road through that part of the county, for the Richmond Road had not yet been constructed, Spen cer's Mills had its full quota of taverns kept, in the early days, by Christopher Huyck, Orin Pringle, and Bernard and Lambert Vanalstine, There were three or four stores. Among the early merchants might be mentioned Robert Martin, Wm, Paul, and George Parrott, The place also boasted of a last factory, a broom-handle factory, and a tannery owned by William Vandusen, RICHMOND 207 In 1852 the Richmond Road was built, and all the northern traffic that used to follow the north bank of the river and cross it by the bridge at McNeil's Mills was diverted from that route, crossed the river at Roblin, and came straight south by the new road to Napanee, with the result that the old village of Roblin was side-tracked, and the traffic that formerly passed the doors of its hotels and merchants no longer had occasion to do so. The route proposed by the road company was east of the present line, and would have passed north and south through the centre of the old village, but Spencer protested against his property being cut up. This diversion of the proposed line was the beginning of the end of the old village of Spencer's Mills, By degrees many of the old stores and dwellings were abandoned or moved over to the main thor oughfare, and a new village was formed. In 1856 the government granted the prayer of the inhabitants for a post-office, and it was proposed to call it Spencerville after Ezra A, Spencer, who was still the leading man of the place; but that name had already been appropriated in another part of the province; so it was named after the most popular man in the county, Mr, David Roblin, the sitting member for this riding in the old Parliament of Canada, In i860 a correspondent of the Standard drove through the county in the month of August and summed up his observations concerning his trip through Richmond as follows: "Rye, hay, and barley are being cut, winter wheat is ripening, the spring crops are the best I ever saw. The orchards are loaded with fruit, and we have prospects of an abundant harvest. Our grain buyers may as well begin to fill up their coffers, and we may all look out for a better time coming, "In our drive we passed through Selby, a smart little village four miles north of this place. It has a population of some three hundred, four stores, two churches, town-hall, two inns, and one carriage shop, A new school-house is being erected. There are several mechanics' shops ; and a large amount of business is done in the sale of dry goods, grocer ies, and provisions; and great quantities of produce, — potash, shingles, and lumber are purchased here. This is the seat of the township of Richmond, and has a fine settlement surrounding it, "Roblin village lies five miles north of Selby and has some two hun dred population. There is a good water privilege here on the Salmon River with a saw-mill and machine shops, also several stores, tavern, etc, "Two miles below this place lies Vader's Mills, another good privi lege with saw-mill and machinery. Two miles lower down is McNeil's Mills (Forest Mills) with saw and grist-mill and factory." 208 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER XII THE BEGINNING OF NAPANEE Napanee takes its name from Appanea, the Indian appellation of the falls before the white man took up any land in the vicinity. The signification of the word is unknown. We have no reason for believing that the place had attracted any one, either red or white, to settle at this particular point before the building of the first mill in 1786, although it has been suggested that it was the site of Ganneious, one of the out posts of the Kente mission established about the year 1669, There is no direct evidence that this post was seven miles up the Napanee River, and there appears to be no particular reason why it should have been so located as the river was not recognized as a link in any of the great trade routes across the country. Doubtless the Indians, who were ardent lovers of nature, had, when passing this way on their hunting expeditions, paused to admire the foaming waters, as they tumbled noisily over the hmestone ledges, and had deemed the place of sufficient importance to assign to it the euphon ious name which happily has been retained. The white man, with a view of utilizing the power, built his little hamlet in the vicinity of nearly every waterfall in the older parts of the province, and these have grown into villages, towns, and cities; but the Indian was not influenced by any such utilitarian motive. At certain seasons the fish might gather in great numbers at the foot of the falls ; but fish were so plentiful in all the lakes and rivers that that alone would not be a very strong induce ment for founding a village at the place. No one has ever found relics to indicate that an Jndian village ever existed here; and no mention has been made of the place by any of the earlier travellers. For the same reason, that it is not to-day in the direct line of any of the great water routes, the river could not have been used to advantage for that purpose two or three hundred years ago. No stream in the pro vince is more difficult to navigate, owing to the great number of falls and rapids which render a portage necessary every few miles. Although the town has easy communication with the bay and lake at the present time and is on the main line of our oldest railway we must confess that in early days, when the red man held sway, Napanee, or the site upon which Napanee now stands, was of little consequence. The most thickly COVERED BRIDGE, NAPANEE. 1840-1909, G. T. R, BRIDGE, NAPANEE, BUILT 1855, ALEXANDER CAMPBELL RESIDENCE. NAPANEE, THE OLD RED TAVERN, NAPANEE, THE BEGINNING OF NAPANEE 209 settled part to-day was, in its primitive state, a swamp over-grown with reeds and scrubby bushes, a breeding-ground for mosquitoes, where the frogs all summer long nightly answered the crojiks of their brothers in the marsh under the hill. The inhabitants of Napanee were a long time in determining what part of the land upon which the town is now built should become the business centre of the place, and what should eventually be set apart as the choicest residential quarters, Roblin's Hih was not considered suitable for dwellings, owing to the shallow soil, the supposed difficulty in obtaining drinking water, and the steep climb that was necessary in order to gain the summit; yet Mr, David Roblin, in his day the most influential man in the county, chose it as a site for his house, Clarkville was hmited to a narrow strip along the base of the hill ; but Mr. Archie McNeil, a shrewd and calculating business man, had such confidence in its ultimate destiny that he built a store there, and erected a substantial house, surrounded by beautiful grounds decorated with shrubbery and flowers. Although no one at the present time would seriously contemplate putting his money into a dwelling east of the Newburgh Road, the "King of Napanee," Allan Macpherson, did not hesitate to build on the bank of the river the handsomest house in the county at thq time of its erection. The popular and prosperous Alexander Campbell went to the other extreme and selected a site for his magnificent residence on the other side of the river beyond the limits of the corporation. In fact the primitive condition of the land upon which Napanee now stands was such that, but for the presence of the water-power, no one would have selected it as a site for a town ; and it has been only through the energy and enterprise of its citizens that the natural difficulties in the way of the settler have been successfully overcome and transformed it into one of the prettiest sites in the province. The question of drainage, which should be one of the first considerations, but is too frequently overlooked, has baffled generations of town councils; and it is only in recent years that the difflculty has been faced and a system inaugurated at a very large expenditure of money. The records inform us that at the building of the first log flour-mill On the south side of the river in 1786 a clearing was made of one and three-quarter acres ; but the writer has yet to learn from any acknow ledged authority the exact position of that clearing. The first mill was built on the south side of the river because it afforded the most con venient location ; that side of the river bank sloped gently to the water's edge at the foot of the fall, while the other side was rough and steep, 14 210 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON A sluice-way could be constructed on the Fredericksburgh side along an easy grade ; whereas the Richmond side presented no such facilities ; and the canal constructed about the year 1840 was the only final solution of the difficulty encountered in conducting the water from above the falls to the mills below. There doubtless were some residences for those in charge of the mills : for while we are accustomed to speak of the first mill at Napanee, meaning the grist-mill, there were in "fact two, a saw mill and a grist-mill, and the former was, as a matter of convenience, built first in order that it might be used in shaping, the material for the grist-mill. We find in the account-book of Robert Clark several items of expenditure in connection with the building of the grist-mill, and among them the following: "To clearing one acre and three-quarters of Land for a mill, at seven dollars per acre £3," It would not be necessary to clear this quantity of land for a mill alone, and, as the entry is among others for expenditures incurred just as the mill was approaching com pletion, it is probable that the greater portion of this clearing was for residences and gardens for those connected with the mill, unless we assume that Mr, Clark omitted to make the charge when the work was actually done, an omission he was not likely to make when we consider that the other entries all appear to be in their proper sequence. The land lying along the bank of the river from the foot of the falls to the agri cultural grounds, containing not quite two acres, would be very well adapted for the purpose, and was probably the first clearing in Napanee, Allan Macpherson himself first lived within this area before he built on the other side of the river; and old residents state that there were several small houses in that vicinity occupied by employees of the mills. Near the edge of the sand pit may still be seen a part of the foundation of the Macpherson house, and the land south of it in the centre of which is a clump of bushes, was his garden. Across the road, in the Agricultural Society grounds and about three rods east of the main entrance, was Macpherson's barn. Some of the stones which formed its foundation are still cropping out of the ground. The village needed room for expansion, so it leaped across the shallow strip of soil where the race track is to the more suitable locality above the bend in the river. There several streets were laid out, many of which have since been closed, residences, taverns, and other buildings were erected, and a busy village soon followed and took its name from James Clark, upon whose land it was built. In the early part of the last century the Cartwrights built a grist mill on the Richmond side of the river near the present site of the old THE BEGINNING OF NAPANEE 211 Herring foundry. This new mill gave an impetus to the village that had already begun to spring up on the north side ; but it was not until about the year 1840 that there was any serious thought of extending the limit of the corporation west of East Street and then only when, by a process of elimination, expansion in every other direction was considered out of the question. The old Macpherson residence, the old English Church which stood on the corner of Thomas Street and the Newburgh Road and the building up of Salem (Vine's Corner), all bear testimony to the confidence the firs.t residents had in East Ward as the real centre of the town. For many years nearly all the business of the village was trans acted in this district, which contained the first store, tavern, church, and school-house on the north side of the river. There is still standing on the north side of Dundas Street, on a high foundation, with the end of the building next the street, one of the old relics of the glory of the east end. This was the famous Red Tavern, the scene of many a lively scrimmage when whisky was cheap, and it was not considered the duty of the town constable to interfere when the country boys saw fit to settle their little differences by a rough and tumble contest in the tavern yard. At that time Piety Hill was separated from West Bridge Street by a low, wet ravine, and the high ground in the west end of the town was covered with pine trees, a few of which, having escaped the axe of the woodman, are still standing in the grounds of the Travers' residence, originally built and occupied by the Honourable John Stevenson, That part of the town just west of Robert Street, which contains so many handsome dwellings, was almost inaccessible, and could be reached only by crossing a creek beyond which was a swamp in which the water was several feet deep even in the time of some of the present inhabitants. The river was first spanned by a floating bridge, replaced from time to time by wooden ones, which were frequently damaged by ice-jams in the spring, until a substantial covered wooden bridge was constructed in 1840, This proved to be one of the most remarkable bridges in the province; indeed it is doubtful if any other structure of its kind ever stood so long and carried such an enormous amount of traffic with so little repairs. It was torn down in 1909, and the planks forming the lattice-work were, after sixty-nine years of constant service, found to be still so sound that they were utilized in street crossings in the outlying portions of the town, and bid fair to out-live some of the new material laid down at the same time. The present iron bridge is built on the site of the old covered one ; and there may be seen on the south bank of the river a few yards from the highway, a portion of the grading which formed the approach to one of the wooden bridges that did service prior to 1840, 212 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON There still stands in the grounds of the Agricultural Society a little building in which many of the old residents of the town received their first and only education. For many years in the second quarter of the last century a school was conducted in the basement of the building now occupied by Mr, Samuel McCoy, So far as known this was the first building devoted to school purposes in Clarkville, and the first teacher of whom we have any record was a Mrs, Dier, supposed to be the widow of the first doctor of Napanee, Later on the school was moved to an old two-story building at the base of the hill, and there it remained until about the year 1846, when John Solomon Cartwright donated the strip of land off the north side ot the field, afterwards purchased by the Agri cultural Society, and upon it was built the cottage school-house. The first trustees of that school were James Henry, John W, Perry, and Robert Lowry, The old two-story house in use before it was built was torn down about forty-five years ago; and there was found in the chimney by Mr, Thos, S, Henry, a rapier, which he presented to the masonic lodge of the town, and which is still among the properties of that society. At the time of the building of the Clarkville school there was on the other side of the river, near the big elm tree at the railway bridge, a school-house one and a half stories high, said to have been built by Allan Macpherson at his own expense. The lower story was devoted to the school and to public meetings of almost every character, and for some time it was the only public hall in the village. In the upper story lived the teacher. This was the first school-house built in Napanee but, before it was erected, a school was for some time conducted in an old building on the river's bank near the falls. We have been unable to fix the date of its erection, but it must have been ten or fifteen years earlier than the old one standing in the Agricultural Grounds. As the land upon which it stood was expropriated by the Grand Trunk Railway the old building was torn down and rebuilt on Piety Hill, where for many years it was used as a dwelling-house. In 1892 it was called upon to make way for the handsome residence of Mr, H, B, Sher wood, This time it was moved to Roblin's Hill as a Church of England Mission; and in 1900 it made its last journey and suffered the humiHa- tion of being transported to the country, vvhere it now serves as aii addition to a cheese factory on the Palace Road, The question naturally suggests itself, why didn't the people of Clarkville patronize the school on the other side of the river? That was the one thing the residents on the Fredericksburgh side would not do, for by so doing they would be admitting the superiority of the Richmond THE BEGINNING OF NAPANEE 213 side, and the rivalry between the two sides was too keen for that, Clark ville had its own tavern kept by Andrew Quackenbush, who afterwards retired and moved out to his farm, its own store kept by Archie McNeil, and the McNeil residence with its beautiful grounds, and its own doctor, in fact the only one in the vicinity. It was with grave apprehension that the residents at the foot of the hill witnessed the growth 'of the viHage on the other side of the stream, and it was to check the expansion in that direction and to maintain their own identity that the cottage school-house was built. The first mill had been built on that side of the river, the township of Fredericksburgh had taken its place among the important settlements of the county when Richmond was regarded as in the backwoods, the first school in the province had been opened within its boundaries two years after the landing of the Loyalists ; and it would be a serious blow to the pride of the inhabitants of that township to have to send their children to be educated in another and, to them, inferior township. So for a time the two schools were maintained within sight of each other; and many a battle royal was fought on the banks of the stream between the pupils of the rival institutions. It was not without a struggle that the residents of Clarkville saw their glory departing; but an inexorable fate had decreed that the town should be built up on the Richmond side of the river. Few of the old landmarks of its former greatness now remain. The old McNeil house is still standing ; and any one interested in the old village will be repaid by a visit before it at last tumbles down. It is not on the Clarkville Road, but on the short street south of it, and is well situated on a rising piece of ground overlooking a bend in the river, an ideal spot for a house. The front is almost concealed by a wilderness of plum trees and lilacs, and the yard is overgrown with weeds ; but iaside will be seen evidences of comfortable arrangements which few modern houses possess. Two spacious fireplaces on the ground floor have their counterparts in the rooms above ; and the huge chimney in the rear is all that is left of the old kitchen. It was built before stoves were in general use and when wood was the only fuel; and the yawning cavity under the old chimney across which was swung the iron crane, supporting the kettles of savoury stews, has in its day supplied many a banquet to the guests of the old mansion. From the position of the rooms on the ground floor it is appar ent that the dining-room was in the addition to the rear of the main building. In the vacant lot in front of the house stands an old pine tree, from the branches of which McNeil used to suspend the carcasses of the beeves slaughtered by his workmen. The base of the tree served as a 214 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON hitching-post towards which the butcher's victims were hauled by a rope about the horns, A street used to run behind the house; and on this street, neariy opposite the dwelling, stood the tannery of William Templeton, grand father of the present bearer of the same name, the editor of the Napanee Beaver. It was a two-story building, the lower part and a basement on the slope of the bank being used as the tannery, and the upper story as a dwelling for the proprietor. During a dry season chips of the tan bark may still be seen on the edge of the bank. East of the tannery was the carding-mill of Andrew Quackenbush, who obtained the power to propel his machinery from an old-fashioned horse tread-mill, A part of the old Quackenbush tavern is still standing east of the McNeil house, andj is at present occupied by Mr, George Grass, It formerly had an addition to it, which has been removed. In the addition was the court-room in which the Court of Requests was held and the Fredericksburgh magis trates sat for the trial of petty offences. The Henry house, built by Dr, Brewster over eighty years ago and afterwards purchased by the late James Henry, is still in the family, and in a good state of preservation. On the opposite corner stood the McNeil store, and near by was the Ramsay store in which the late Sir John A, Macdonald is said to have had an office for a short time before he began to practise law in Kingston, His biographer makes no mention of his ever having resided in Napanee, but the writer has interviewed many old residents who positively assert that he did; but they differ as to his having practised law in the village. There appears to be no room for doubt that young Macdonald was for a short time in Ramsay's employ; and it is not improbable that while so engaged he displayed his aptitude for unravelling knotty problems, and was intrusted with some of the legal business of his employer ; thus giving rise to the belief that he actually practised law in Napanee, An anonymous correspondent of the Beaver forty years ago referred to Sir John A, as a regular attendant at divine service in the old school- house in East Ward, and speaks of his taking a prominent part in pitch ing the tunes, an accomplishment which his biographer has also over looked. The Methodists and Anglicans used to hold their services in this building before any churches were erected in Napanee, The mis sionary in charge of the Napanee parish at the time was the late Rev, Saltern Givens, who in the course of an address delivered by him at the laying of the foundation-stone of the present St, Mary Magdalene Church, stated that John A, Macdonald was one of a number of young men who used to meet on week evenings in the school-house and prac tise the hymns and psalms for the Sunday following. THE BEGINNING OF NAPANEE 215 About twenty-five years ago, when paying a flying visit to the town during a general election, and engrossed as he must have been with so many calls upon his time, with that characteristic thoughtfulness which he possessed in such a remarkable degree. Sir John did not forget his old Clarkville friends; but found time to call upon the Widow Henry, whose dwelling was only a few rods from the store in which he had served fifty years before. Upon that occasion he remarked that he was familiar with every stone in the foundation of the old building which is still standing and is the first house on the north side of the street east of the Agricultural Grounds, The ordinary citizen of Napanee would indignantly scoff at the idea of there being a log house ini our town, yet if he would strip the clap-boards off the house just across from the old) Ramsay store he would find that there is at least one, and this one built only sixty years ago, Mr, Thomas S, Henry was among the first pupils of the new Clark ville school. About the same time John Newton taught in the school on the other side of the river ; later he was succeeded by the late Dr, Grange. As a lad Mr. Henry went to a circus, the tent of which was pitched on the west side of East street near where the residence of Mr. F. W, Smith now stands, and remembers seeing the elephants led away to the woods, — the present site of the court-house and jail. The first Academy in Napanee was built in 1846 on the lot north of the Western Methodist Church, and the first head-master was the Rev, J, A, Devine, M,A, One of the most popular masters of the Aca demy was Robert Phillips, who began his career as a school teacher at Asselstine's Factory, Ernesttown, in 1842, and afterwards taught in the Public School and High School at Bath until 1855, when he accepted the head-mastership of the Academy, The trustees at that time were Dr, Carey, father of the Venerable Archdeacon Carey of Kingston, John Benson, John Stevenson, James Blakeley, John Gibbard, and Allan Templeton, The Academy was then used both as a High School and Public School, there being twenty pupils in the former department and forty in the latter. There were several private schools in the town which also accommodated a large number of pupils. Under the new head-master the school improved ; and the attendance increased to such an extent that it was found necessary to provide more accommodation. Another building was erected south of the Academy, and for a time it was used exclusively for the High School pupils and the other building was given over for the use of the Public School, This arrangement did not prove very satisfactory; so in 1864 the Board decided to erect a brick building on Bridge Street to accommodate 216 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON all the classes of both schools. The contract was awarded to John Herring at $7,950, work was commenced at once, and the new Academy, the present West Ward ochool, was opened in 1865 with Mr, Phillips as its first head-master, Napanee, with a population of 1,400, was justly proud of the new building, which was by far the handsomest school structure in the county. At the time it was deemed sufficient for the entire school population of the town. The Clarkville school had been closed, and the old building near the railway bridge had been removed. The splendid reputation for good schools which for sixty years our town has boasted of began with Mr, Phillips, He was thorough and painstaking, and was loved by his pupils and highly esteemed by the citizens ; and when he resigned his position in 1867 he was presented with many testimonials of the affectionate regard of all classes of the community. Only a few years had passed after the erection of the Academy, as the West Ward School was called, when the residents of the East Ward were again heard from. The one building in which the Grammar and Public Schools were housed was found to be inadequate for the purpose. More school room was needed, and the East Enders saw an opportunity of regaining some of their lost prestige. The English Church was being torn down and removed to West Ward, the trade of the town had nearly all passed beyond East Street, the greater portion of the Fredericksburgh traffic now reached the town by way of the bridge on Centre Street, the Richmond Road had diverted all the northern travel down Centre Street " that used to reach Napanee by way of Selby and Vine's Corner; in fact every public improvement for years, except the building of the Court house and jail, had deprived the east end of the town of some of its former advantages, A new school was needed ; and it was high time that that part of the town, which eighty years before had been the centre of the life and trade of Napanee, should receive some recognition from the other wards. It was unfair that the young children of the East Ward should be called upon to walk from one end of the town to the other to reach the school. These and other arguments were pressed upon the trustees, who com mitted the serious mistake of deciding upon the erection of a second Public School, At that time no one foresaw the rapid strides that would be made in the next twenty years in our educational institutions. It was intended that the new building should furnish accommodation both for the Grammar School and for the Public School pupils residing in that part of the town. On April 30th, 1872, Mr, George Cliff presented the plans and specifications of the school-house, which were accepted by the THE BEGINNING OF NAPANEE 217 Board; and building operations were well under way in a few weeks' time. In less than a year the building was ready for occupation and on April 1 6th, it was opened without any ceremony except a few impromptu remarks from one or two trustees and the architect. During the first term no less than one hundred and eighty pupils were enrolled, and these were formed into three classes, which were so congested that it became necessary to engage a fourth teacher at the beginning of the second term. By 1882 more room was required for the accommodation of the classes of the High School, which met in the Academy, The only avail able building in any way suitable for the purpose was the Roblin resi dence on Robhn's Hill, and the School Board concluded to secure it, A new difficulty arose as this house was not within the limits of the cor poration; and as it was impracticable to move the large building down the hill so as to comply with the requirements of the School Act the only alternative was adopted by extending the boundaries of the town to include this property. This was accordingly done, and this building was the home of the High School for several years. It was an ideal location in some respects, but very inconvenient, especially during the winter season. The ceihngs were low, the ventilation none too good, and it was not long before parents complained about the long walk and the crowded rooms. If Napanee were to maintain its reputation for afford ing educational facilities to its population it became apparent that the day for erecting a suitable building for the High School could not be much longer deferred, A most competent staff of teachers under Mr, Cortez Fessenden was giving excellent satisfaction; but they could not do jus tice to themselves or the ever increasing number of pupils in their cramped quarters, A new building was an imperative necessity and, in the face of a strong opposition from some ratepayers, the Board wisely determined that one should be erected in keeping with the needs of the town and county. The present Collegiate Institute, although built over twenty years ago, is in every respect an up-to-date building, owing to the care bestowed upon the plans by the building committee in investigating all the latest improvements in school architecture and equipment, and select ing what they believed to be the best ; and the thorough test it has since un4ergone has amply proven that they erred little, if at all, in their judgment. Many objections were raised at the time to the site and, while it is to be regretted that a more central location could not be obtained, it will be found upon taking a survey of the town that suitable grounds 'nearer the centre could not be secured. The building was 218 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON erected in the years 1889- 1890, and the committee was composed of A, L, Morden, Chairman, W, F, Hall, D, H, Preston, W, Coxall, T, S. Henry, A, Henry, W, Templeton, and H, V, Fralick, Mr, Fred Bartlett was the superintending Architect; and the con tracts for the work were distributed as follows:, Wm, and Hugh Saul, Camden East, stone-work and excavating Wm, Evans, brick-work George A, Cliff, carpenter-work Mr. Lang, Belleville, slating Boyle & Son, galvanized iron-work, plumbing, etc. John Wallace, plastering, and D. Ash, painting. If the roll of any class of public servants in Napanee should have been more carefully preserved than any other it is the list of teachers who have from time to time taught in our High School and Public Schools ; but, unfortunately, no such record is in existence to-day, or, jf . it be, its whereabouts is unknown. In referring to the two grades of schools one naturally places the higher in rank first; but, in the hearts of most people the teachers of the Public Schools hold a place so dear that no associations in after life, apart from the family ties, can ever dislodge them. It may be that other towns have been blessed with the same patient, faithful class of Public School teachers as Napanee ; but it would be difficult to conceive how any could have better. In our rural schools the teachers too frequently make use of the profession as a stepping-stone to some other calling, and, although they may possess ability and apply themselves faithfully to their work, they cannot enter "into it with the same spirit as the teacher who has dedicated her hfe to the training of the little ones and feels the awful responsibility that rests upon her shoulders, I purposely refer to the female teachers; for,. with the exception of Mr, James Bowerman, who rendered excellent service in our Public School for twenty-two years, the teachers who have for more than a generation devoted all their energies towards the educa tion of the children of Napanee have all been women. Hundreds of grown-up men and women in Napanee to-day, and as many more dis persed over the continent, when all other faculties have grown dim, will cherish with loving memory the happy days spent in the class-rooms of Miss C, H, Ballantyne, Miss Jennie F, Walsh, Miss Lucinda Aylesworth, and Miss Mary E, Fraser, The head-masters and assistants of the High School and Collegiate Institute have, for the most part, been men of the highest standing in THE BEGINNING OF NAPANEE 219 their profession ; and many of them are to-day filling some of the most important positions in the educational work of our province. The following is a complete list of the teachers who have been engaged in the schools of Napanee so far as the writer, from the sources at his disposal, has been able to ascertain them. Head-masters of Grammar School and Collegiate Institute Messrs, Thos, Newton, J, A, Devine, James Grange, John Thomp son, R, Phillips, E. B, Harper, H. M, Deroche, John Campbell, R, Mathe- son, C, Fessenden, T, M, Henry, U, J, Flach, Head-masters of Public School Messrs, Thos, Newton, J, A, Devine, James Grange, John Thomp son, A, Russell, Alex, Martin, Peter Nelson, H, V, Frahck, A, C. Osborne, J, Bowerman, J, R, Brown, C. H, Edwards, J, C, Tice, Assistant Teachers in the Grammar School and Collegiate Institute Miss E, J. Yeomans, Messrs, Geo, Shuntcliff, D, C, McHenry, Staf ford Lightburn, D, F, Bogart, Wm, Tilley, S, J, Shorey, C, F, Russel, J, J, Magee, W, Chipman, N, Wagar, G, Kimmerly, C, C, James, R, F, Ruttan, G, A, Chase, J, H, Hough, M, F, Libby, W, R, Sills, Miss C, L, Roe, Messrs, A, Martin, G, H, Reid, A, E, Lang, L, Bowerman, G, W, Morden, J, Cohing, Wm, Lochead, F. W, French, A, G, Wilson, Misses Margaret Nicol, Margaret Smith, Messrs, J, F, VanEvery, F, S. Selwood, Miss E, A, Deroche, Messrs, M, R, Reid, R, A. Croskery, A, M, Burnham, Miss E. M, Henry, Messrs, T, C, Smith, H. E, Colhns, Misses Jessie Mitchell, J, L. Galloway, Mr, E, A, Miller, Misses C. Saunders, Isabella Moir, Helen Grange, Messrs, H, J, Haviland, J, M. Hutchinson, Lewis Might, Miss A, M, Dickey, Messrs, J, E, Benson, R, S, Jenkins, W, B, Taylor, W, B, Brown, E, J. Corkill, Assistant Teachers of the Public School Mrs, Dier, Messrs, Faulkner, Tripp, Corey, O'Connor, Jas, McCann,- Michael Dolan, Richard Corbett, John Burnip, Kelly, Fisher, Misses Nelson, Quair, Mrs, Chas, Chamberlain, Miss Schemehorn, Alfred Morgan, Miss Amanda Fralick, Messrs, J, W, Bell, J, Fox, Stafford Lightburn, Robert Williamson, William McMullen, Misses Mary Wright, Charlotte Fralick, Margaret Butterfield, Messrs, Wallace Blakeley, Ori- 220 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND .ADDINGTON son D, Sweet, Thos, Laduc, Misses Mary C, Rennie, Sarah Chamber lain, Mr, Wm, Bryers, Miss H, Davy, Mrs, G, Robson, Misses E, Brown, A, Hosey, L, Vandyck, J, F, Walsh, A, Yourex, L. Aylesworth, M, Phelan, Mary E, Fraser, C, H, Ballantyne, Mr, A, M, Anderson, Miss B, Phelan, Mr, R, R, Lennox, Misses E, Gillen, Lydia Caton, T, Mc- Creight, Eha James, Mr, W, J, Black, Misses F, Sawyer, W, B, Kaylor, G, L, Wagar, Eunice A, Shipman, Mr, M, R, Reid, Misses A, Tutle, A, M, Detlor, B, Lafferty, S, McLaurin, L, McLaurin, N, L, Grange, Mr, J, D. Henry, Misses E. B. Vrooman, Catherine A, Grange, Minnie Grange, S, H, Mills, Misses Mary Lamey, Margaret O'Brien, Mrs, Eva Toby, Miss Dora Casey, Mr, Wm, R, Sills, Misses Emma Allen, L, Wallace, Mr, Frank Anderson, Misses Edith Harris, H, Ethel Mair, Jessie E. Mair, Etta Harrison, Jessie Crysler, Etna R, Baker, Florence G, Hall, Mata Wales, Elsie A, Parks, Mabel Caton, Lillian Caton, Emma E. Vanluven, Blanche Hawley, Norma Shannon, THE GROWTH OF NAPANEE 221 CHAPTER XIII THE GROWTH OF NAPANEE As Napanee owed its origin to the grist-mill erected in 1786, it was quite natural that the mill should play an important part in the history of the village. For years it was the leading feature of the place, and many of the most prominent families of Napanee were, in one way or another, interested in its operation, After.it had passed into the hands of Mr, Cartwright he began to look about for a capable mill-wright to make some needed improvements and superintend the operation of the new mill. Such a man he found in yOung John Grange, who had emigrated from Scotland in 1794 and settled in or near Syra cuse in the State of New York, After some correspondence Grange entered into an agreement with Mr, Cartwright to come to Napanee and take charge of the mills. He was' the progenitor of the many branches of the Grange family who for over a century have been intimately asso ciated with the development of the town. The birth of his son Wilham, in 1800, was an event of some importance, as it is claimed that he was the first white child born in Napanee; though the same distinction is claimed for James I, Vanalstine said to have been born in the same year. After concluding his engagement with Mr, Cartwright, Grange pur chased from him a large- tract of land, which became the Grange home stead. At the time of the purchase he believed that he was getting the land upon which the town now stands, and claimed that that was the understanding between them; but upon examining his title he found that a substantial reservation had been made of all the land bordering upon the river, so he was forced to build his dwelling about a mile north of the town. Disappointed in not securing a portion at least of the water privilege at the falls, he developed a power and built a saw-mill upon the stream crossing his farm. This was used to advantage for two generations for the benefit of himself and neighbours ; but as the land lying along the banks of the stream was cleared the flow of water was so reduced that it could not produce sufficient power to turn the wheel except during the spring freshets. Eventually it was abandoned, the dam was washed away, and little, if any, trace now remains to point out the location of 222 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON the first power developed in the county other than that at the falls in Napanee, About the year 1812 the mill was rented to Allan Macpherson, who ill his day was the most prominent and influential man in the village. He kept a general store at the foot of Adelphi Street near where the office of the Gibbard Company now stands ; and in the store he kept the first post-office opened in Napanee, He owned and operated a distillery and a saw-mill near the base of the falls on the opposite side of the river, and was extensively engaged in the lumber business. He was mar ried to a daughter of Judge Fisher of Adolphustown, and was himself a Justice of the Peace and a member of the Court of Requests for the seventh division of the District, which comprised the township of Rich mond and a part of Hungerford. Altogether "Mac," as he was fam iliarly called, had very good reasons for posing as the Laird of Napanee; for no one man either before or since his time has wielded a greater influ ence in the community than he. He was conscious of his own import ance, and by some was regarded as overbearing; biit we can readily con ceive that a man with so many business enterprises upon his hands would find it necessary to assert and stand by his rights. He built the old Macpherson residence, which is still standing on the bank of the river in East Ward, and was in its day the most imposing building of its kind in the county. He took a lively interest in all matters affecting the public welfare, and built the first school-house in Napanee, While he scrupulously insisted that every man he dealt with should live up to his obligations he was kind to the poor, and always ready to extend a helping hand to his friends. Among the clerks employed by him in his store was an old bachelor, Frederick Hesford, who owned a hundred acres or more in that part of the town now known as Upper Napanee and through which runs a street named after him. Upon his death he willed this land to different members of the family of his employer. Allan Macpherson, upon being appointed Crown Lands Agent, removed to Kingston, and was succeeded in business by his son Donald, who for many years was reckoned among the prominent men of the village. There was no surveyor's subdivision of the village into lots when the first buildings were erected ; and it was not until the year 1831 that a regular plan of the site of the town proper was prepared by Samuel Benson, P.L.S, This plan shews a pot-ashery, a grist-mill, and a saw mill on the north side of the river, Napanee proper, as originally laid out, extended only from the river to Thomas Street and from East Street to West Street, thus excluding the limits of the first village, all of which THE GROWTH OF NAPANEE 223 lay east of East Street, In the subdivision of what is now known as East Ward that triangular portion bounded by Bridge, Dundas, and Adelphi Streets has not to this day been laid out into lots. This omission is explained by the fact that it was built up before the arrival of the surveyor, and any attempt upon his part to lay it out into regular lots not corresponding with the land occupied by the several owners would have led only to confusion. This also accounts for the irregularity of many of the holdings in East Ward which are not uniform in size or shape. Until recent years Napanee had more places where intoxicating hquor was sold than were necessary for the good of the inhabitants. In the local press of 1855 a correspondent complains about there being no less than seventeen licensed drinking places in the village. Such appears to have been the condition of affairs from the beginning, and two of the first buildings to be erected on Main Street after the survey by Benson were taverns, both built by the same man, Daniel Pringle, The first was built near the site of thei present Royal Hotel ; and shortly after its completion he sold out to Miles Shorey and immediately proceeded, to erect the Tichborne House on the corner now occupied by the Smith Block, Among the first buildings erected on Main Street between East and John Streets was the frame building still standing on the corner opposite the Rennie Block, which was built and for many years occupied as a general store by John Benson, who lived on the corner of Bridge and East Streets now owned by Mr, John Thompson, Mr, Augustus Hooper, who afterwards represented this county in the Legislative Assembly, received his start in life in this store as managing clerk for Mr, Benson, About the same time the first building erected on the corner at the other end of the same block, where now stands the Albert Block, was built by John V. Detlor ; here for many years he also carried on business as a general merchant. The trade of the town gradually extended westward along Main Street, and about the year 1840 the Merchants Bank corner for the first time was occupied as a place of business. It was here that David Roblin, afterwards one of the leading men of the county and for many years its representative in Parliament, began his career as a Napanee merchant, having come to the village from the front of Richmond, where he had kept a store for three years. He carried on an extensive and profitable business; and for a long time this was regarded as one of the most popular sites in the village and town, a reputation which it failed to maintain after the erection of the Leonard Block, as the present build- 224 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON ing was first called. Year after year witnessed the erection of more stores along Main Street until Centre Street was reached ; and about the middle of the last century Campbell's corner opposite the Campbell house came into favour with the country folk and received a very large share of their patronage. Beyond this point on Main Street all efforts to establish a profitable business house of any kind have, with very few exceptions, invariably failed. This westward trend of trade between the years 1820 and 1855 had a depressing effect upon the merchants of the east end, where Wni, Miller, A. C, Davis, and a few others succeeded in keeping pace with their rivals west of East Street, Clarkville struggled hard to hold its grip upon its customers; but the once thriving suburb was doomed, although at one time during this period there were no less than four stores across the river kept respectively by B, Hane, Archie McNeil, ' Donald McHenry, and Thomas Ramsay, At the present time our county cheese board meets every Friday during the factory season. We have our "Hog Days" for the shipment of pigs, and our "Turkey Days" when car-loads of fowls are purchased for the Christmas trade in our large cities. Our surplus horses, cattle, and sheep are now purchased by buyers going through the country at irregular intervals to suit their own convenience; but about seventy-five years ago there came into existence what was known as the "Fair Days," when a general mart for the disposal of all such produce was held on the first Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the months of March, June, September, and December, These Fairs were established by Royal Proclamation, and were looked forward to by both the country and townspeople as very important events. The streets were thronged upon these days with thousands of people from all parts of the county, who exchanged their stock and other produce for the ready cash of the drovers and buyers from different parts of the province. Refreshment booths, hucksters, and even Punch and Judy Shows were much in evi dence, and the hotels and merchants reaped a rich harvest from the crowds. When first inaugurated they were semi-annual, being held in March and September, but met with such favour, both from the farmers and the villagers, that later on they were held every three months. For weeks before the appointed time hand-bills were scattered throughout the county. One of these gptices, about fifteen inches square printed in heavy type and bearing date February 15th, 1841, now lying before the writer, reads as follows ; "The Napanee half-yearly Mart or Fair will be holden at said place on the first Tuesday in March next (being the 2nd ARCHIBALD MCNEIL RESIDENCE, CLARKVILLE. UtIII I i^-s^^^ f-^ \ ALLAN MACPHERSON RESIDENCE, NAPANEE. THE GROWTH OF NAPANEE 225 of the month) and two following days, when every description of cattle will be offered for sale ; and when cash wiU be paid for all sorts of grain. Farmers and others will find it to their interest to support an establish ment which has already proved so beneficial to the country at large and to the District in particular," With the advent of the railways, the gen eral improvement in shipping facilities, and the changes in the methods of dealing in these commodities, the "Fair" has long since become a thing of the past. In 1852 Napanee was made a police village, whereby three trustees were permitted to spend, for purely local purposes, a certain portion of the taxes levied upon the property within its limits ; but in other resj)ects it remained a part of the township of Richmond and was under the jur isdiction of the township council. In 1855 it rose to the dignity of an incorporated village and the first council was constituted as follows : John Benson, reeve; Geo, H, Davy, Donald Macpherson, Robert Esson, and Abraham Fraser, councillors. On July i8th, 1855, at a public meeting called for the purpose of considering the propriety of building a market house and town-hall, a series of resolutions were carried favouring the project. The question of purchasing a fire-engine was also discussed, and a resolution recom mending the council to take immediate steps to secure one was carried. The council promptly submitted a by-law for raising £1,200 upon the debentures of the village, £i,goo for the' market house and £200 for the fire-engine. The by-law was carried, the engine purchased, and the con tract let for the building now standing in the market square; but not without a spirited correspondence in the local press as to the propriety of expending so much money upon what was styled by one correspondent a useless ornament. One of the leading business men went so far in his criticism of the faulty construction of the roof as to prophesy that it would collapse within five years' time. The original resolution of the ratepayers' meeting called for a stone building; but the village fathers in their wisdom chose brick instead. The lower story was given over to butchers' stalls and accommodation for the country folk bringing their products to market, and the upper story for a public hall, as at present arranged. The fire-engine created quite a sensation in the village as one might infer from the following editorial which appeared in the Reformer of January 23rd, 1856: "On Thursday last our village, or at least the boys of our village, were quite elated by the arrival of our long expected fire- engine purchased from Messrs, Perry and Co,, Montreal, It is quite a small affair indeed, but perhaps will serve us for some time to come, 15 226 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON "About four o'clock p,m, she was brought out for the purpose of testing her merits and halted in front of Mr, Shaw's Hotel, where the water flew briskly, to the great amusement of many who for the first time beheld a fire-engine in operation, A few hip, hip, hurras, and pro bably a few toasts drank, and a march up street ended the afternoon's amusement, when she was laid up for a further test at some future period when necessity called, "Perhaps the purchasers are well pleased with their bargain and do not consider they have paid too much for the whistle ! But let us ask a few questions. Considering the size of the engine does not $700 look large for it? The hose is a separate thing, we understand, for which is paid only four shillings a foot, two hundred feet then, the quantity required, would be worth $160. Besides a hose-cart, the price of which cannot be less than $40, so tbat with other appurtenances, hooks, ladders, etc., our engine will cost considerable money, probably upwards of a thousand dollars, does this not look large? Perhaps not, we do not wish to be the first to complain." The event of the year, however, was the laying the corner-stone of the town-hall, which took place on June nth, 1856. Programmes of the procession and order of proceedings were scattered broadcast through out the county, announcing most elaborate preparations for the "auspi cious occasion." At the appointed hour the various bodies and indivi duals to take part in the event were marshalled in order, two and two, on Dundas Street, First in order was the Napanee Sax-horn Band, fol lowed by "a body of constables with their batons," then came the dif ferent organizations of the county: municipal officers, professional gen tlemen, school children, and citizens generally. So complete were the arrangements for the grand parade that no one appears to have been omitted; and if all who were invited to take part responded to the call of the grand marshall, there would have been no one left but the women and babies to line the streets as the procession marched to the market square, where the officers and members of Union Lodge with their visit ing brethren, who brought up the rear, were to perform the solemn cere mony of laying well and truly the huge block of limestone which still supports the south-east corner of the building. Then followed the speeches of the orators of the day; after which the procession was re formed and marched along" Bridge and Dundas Streets to Shaw's Hotel, where they dispersed. As we have already said, the question of the separation of the coun ties was agitated for years before it was brought about, and quite natur ally there arose out of it the question of the location of the county THE GROWTH OF NAPANEE 227 town, Newburgh, Bath, and Napanee all aspired to the honour, and each presented many good and sufficient reasons for its claim. The Index espoused the cause of Newburgh, while the Standard and Re former scoffed at the pretensions of both the other villages, Bath had no champion in the press and did not long continue in the race. The strife between the other two contestants was prolonged and acrimonious ; and an estimate of the spirit in which the warfare of words was -waged may be formed from the following editorial which appeared in the Reformer of February 27th, 1856: "The Index is somewhat sur prised to see the apathy of the Napanee journals on the question of the late meeting of the reeves and deputy-reeves of Lennox and Addington to decide on the propriety of a separation of the above named counties from Frontenac, After quoting the notice of the meeting from the Standard the editor remarks that the Reformer was judiciously silent, which is very true as regards our silence, but to the word judiciously we beg to ask an exception, "The drive of business at that time was such as to prevent our being in attendance at the meeting, consequently no notice was taken of it ; but should we have noticed it, the purport of our remarks would not have varied materially from that of our cotemporary. The meeting was held in the presence of the authorities, the motion was put and unanimously carried. The Index asks 'why were not the yeas and nays on the question given' — simply because there was no negation offered- — a very plausible reason, in our humble opinion. He further informs us that 'Theologians say that hope is made up of expectation and desire' and that 'our cotemporary hopes for a separation of the counties,' and .so do we hope for it in the fullest acceptation of the term, and our next February meeting we trust, will grant us the decision in the right way. Hear what he says again: 'If Addington consents to the separation she will see to it that she has the county town situated within her own limits,' or words to that effect, "We would ask in the name of wonder, providing the separation be ratified, where would the county town be situated ? Certainly our cotem porary cannot imagine for a moment, that the inhabitants of these counties would consent that Rogue's Hollow should be thus honoured ! And yet from his language that would be inferred. Mighty Moses! How some folks aspire! It reminds us of a fable. How preposterous the idea. "In way of consolation to our friend of Newburgh, we cannot blame him in striving to uphold the interests of his darling village, for it is natural so to do ; but that must be considered a very poor pretext indeed 228 HISTORY OF LENNOX, AND ADDINGTON for asserting it to be the proper place for the county town. Perhaps there is not an individual residing three miles on this side of that place who has an occasion to visit the ambitious village twice a year, and probably very many who live in the western part of Camden much oftener visit Napanee than they do Newburgh — doing so with much greater ease, Newburgh's advantage as a market is very inferior, which fact is easily substantiated. On the contrary our advantages are, or soon will be, in that respect all that can be desired, showing superabundant advantages over our aspiring neighbours. This fact is so well estab lished that it needs no controversy, and all that may be said by our cotemporary hereafter cannot, in any way, affect these verities. A thing once substantiated by self-evident truths cannot be refuted. Our neighbour, therefore, may as well rest content with his present position, for we predict he will never see the day when Newburgh wih be honoured as a county town," The solution of tUe vexed question has been described in another chapter. There was something incongruous in the village of Napanee having been proclaimed a county town, and the only remedy was to have the corporation raised one step higher in the municipal scale. It had passed from a hamlet to a police village, from a police village to an incorporated village, and on June 30th, 1864, an Act of the Legislative Council and Assembly of Canada received the royal as;sent, whereby the village became an incorporated town from December ist of the same year. At the ensuing election B, C, Davy was elected its first mayor, John Stevenson, reeve, William McGillivray, deputy-reeve, and Wm, Miller, John T, Grange, S, McL. Detlor, M, T, Rogers, John Gibbard, John Herring, and H, T, Forward, councillors. The following is a hst of Mayors from the date of incorporation to the present time: Mayors of Napanee * 1865-6-7 Benjamin C, Davy 1886 Uriah Wilson 1868-9 1870-1 James C, Huffman 1887-8 Dr, H, L, Cook 1872-3-4 Amzi L, Morden 1889-90 Thomas G, Carscallen 1875-6-7 Walter S. Williams 1891 Jehial Aylesworth 1878 Archibald McNeil 1892 Edward S, Lapum 1879 Charles James 1893 Raymond A. Leonard 1880-1 Alexander Henry 1894-5 Charles Stevens 1882-3 Charles James 1896 John Carsom 1884-S Wilder Joy 1897 Dr, G, C, T, Ward ^aj^^^M WM, -^^Tl in k ¦R^^^ Wk K BnQl H ^ r^^P 'M t -f w ¦^ 4 4 1 / ) p ^ m ^fl. DAVID ROBLIN. BENJAMIN C. DAVY. JOHN HERRING, JOHN GIBBARD. THE GROWTH OF NAPANEE 229 1898 Thomas Jamieson 1905-6 John Lowry 1899 Thomas D. Pruyn 1907-8 Herman Ming 1900-1 Thomas G, Carscallen 1909-10 T, W, Simpson, M,D, 1902 George F, Ruttan 191 1 Amos S, Kimmerly 1903 John P, Vrooman 1912 Wm, T, Waller 1904 Marshall S, Madole 1913 W. A. Steacy For many years, especially since the opening of the driving park just west of the town, Napanee has been the centre of attraction on Dominion Day; and the leading feature of these celebrations has been the testing of the .speed of each and every horse in the county and of some from a distance that had any pretensions as racers. July 1st, 1867, the natal day of Confederation, was advertised to be a gala day in our county town, to which the country people came in crowds to hear the Royal Proclamation and witness a grand military dis play. A platform was erected on the north side of the town-hall where the ceremony was to tak^ place. The Forty-Eighth Battalion was repre sented by two companies from the town, one from Odessa, one from Ernesttown, and another from Amherst Island, and the Napanee Artil lery Company turned out to swell the numbers of the soldiery. The merchants were , supposed to observe the holiday ; but most of them remained behind their counters to take full advantage of the crowd of customers passing their doors, and evidently felt that they had answered all the claims upon their loyalty by displaying before their places of business all the faded flags and bunting they could muster. At eleven o'clock, the appointed hour, the Mayor, Mr, B, C, Davy, read the Proclamation before the assembled crowd and the militia, who had been commanded to stand at ease but appeared to be very uncom fortable in executing the order. Upon the platform were the municipal officers of the county, several clergymen, and no less than five prospec tive candidates for the coming election. These aspirants for parlia mentary honours took advantage of the occasion and, after a few well chosen remarks as to the future of our great Dominion, each occupant of the rostrum in turn advanced many cogent reasons why the free and inde pendent electors of Lennox and Addington should commit to him the welfare of the riding. The crowd good-naturedly endured the speeches thus inflicted upon them and, after giving three cheers for Her Majesty and the new Confederation, dispersed to the several hotels and restaur ants to indulge in what was to most of them a more pleasing pastime. After dinner the volunteers re-formed on the market square and went through some evolutions in what was said to be very good style. 230 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON The present Napanee Band had not been organized, and such attempts at entertainment as were furnished by the few instruments col lected for the day did not render the occasion more enjoyable to those who were musically inclined. Napanee has made a decided advance since that day in the entertainment provided for its visitors on July ist. The tame and tiresome proceedings of this the first day of Confederation would appear more ludicrous still if compared with Dominion Day, 1912, when no less than 10,000 visitors poured into Napanee to witness an aeroplane flight, horse races, and baseball matches in our beautiful park, to say nothing of the circus which also pitched its tents within the gates, Mr. Benjamin C. Davy, the first Mayor of Napanee, was born at Bath in 1829. He was educated at the Bath Academy and after studying law with Sir John A, Macdonald was called to the bar in 1850, He began the practice of his profession in his native village, where he remained but a few months, anH then opened an office in Kingston, which he gave up in a short time, and came to Napanee, where he con tinued to practise his profession until 1872, His office was in the frame building west of the Campbell house, and was the favourite rendezvous of a group of congenial townsmen among whom Napanee's first lawyer was a leader in all matters affecting the welfare of the municipality. When Manitoba was attracting the attention of the eastern provinces in 1872, he went west with a view of settling there, but ill health com pelled him to return. He died in February, 1874, from an attack of pneumonia contracted through exposure in the election campaign of Sir John A, Macdonald, for whom he entertained such respect that he neglected his own comfort and health in his efforts to secure his return. He was popular among all classe-s, and was regarded by the profession as one of the leading lawyers of this District. Mr, Davy enjoyed a monopoly of his profession until 1856, when Mr, John MacMillan opened an office, but did not continue long in prac tice in Napanee. George A. Hine's name appears among the legal cards in 1 861, and Wm, H. Wilkison was called to the bar in the same year and gave the first serious opposition Mr. Davy had to encounter. After the separation of the counties and the establishment of the courts in the new county there was an influx of the gentlemen of the robe, and by 1866 there were no less than six law offices in the town : Thomas Scott, E, J, Hooper, W, S, Williams, W, H, Wilkison, O'Reilly & Macnamara, and Davy & Holmsted, Mr. Holmsted, Senior Registrar of the High Court of Justice at Osgoode Hall, is the author of several standard works upon Ontario practice. THE GROWTH OF NAPANEE 231 James O'Reilly, Q.C, of Kingston, was a celebrated lawyer and obtained much of his business from this county. The opening of so many offices in Napanee had a marked effect upon his retainers from this section. To retain his connection with his old clients he opened an office in the county town and placed his junior partner, M, J, Macnamara in charge. During the next ten years another group of legal gentlemen were sohciting the patronage of a suffering public. Among the number were W, A, Reeve, F, McKenzie, W, R, Chamberlain, Stephen Gibson, D, H, Preston, A, L, Morden, Fred W, Campbell, Thos, J, Robertson, W, E, Lees, H, M, Deroche, and Cartwright & Cartwright, The last mentioned firm was composed of John R, Cartwright, at present Deputy Attorney-General of Ontario, and James S, Cartwright, Master in Chambers at Osgoode Hall, To treat of the doctors of Napanee .in a fitting manner and give to each a space commensurate with the place he filled in the lives of the old families would require many chapters. We have but to mention such names as Chamberlain, Ash, Allen, Trousdale, Carey, Grange, Clare, Bristol, and Ruttan to the old residents to awaken tender memories of the past and bring forth scores of interesting experiences well worth recording. The physician is so closely indentified with the inner life of his patients and is the chief actor in so many critical events fraught with joy and sorrow upon which hang the very life and death of those who place themselves in his hands, that he is more than a professional atten dant. His duties do not end with the treatment of ailments but, apart from his strictly professional services, he has frequently thrust upon him the awful responsibility of confidential adviser upon the most delicate questions affecting the family relationship, and, when the angel of death is hovering near, a more sacred duty still. He must be patient, alert, tender, and courageous,- — qualities that do not always go hand in hand, Napanee has been highly favoured in this respect; and in the long role of skilled physicians who have practised in the town and surrounding country few indeed have not reached this high standard. Even at the risk of resting under the charge of an unjust discrimination I will single out for comment only three, as representative types, knowing full well that I am doing an injustice to many others, Dr, James Allen was a graduate of Edinburgh University, came to Canada shortly after graduation, and settled first, about 1839, at Conway, where he practised his profession for two years. He then moved to Napanee and lived on the corner of Bridge and East Streets, where now stands the brick residence of Mr, F. W, Smith, He had an office and drug store on the south side of Dundas Street near the site of Waller's 232 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON store. He was ranked as a skilful doctor, but the life of the pioneer possessed a charm for him; and about the year 1844 he purchased a farm near Lime Lake, sold out his store and practice to Dr, Shirley, and retired to his estate to do battle with the forest. He there became the leading man of the settlement and raised a large family of eight boys and five girls. He abandoned his profession as a calling, but went to the relief of his scattered neighbours when urged to do so, and invariably declined to accept a fee for the services rendered. Nearly all the Aliens, and there are many of them in the northern part of Hungerford and Richmond, are his descendants. At a birthday party given in his honour nearly fifty years ago no less than sixty of his grandchildren assembled under one roof to pay their respects to the old gentleman, Dr, Oronhyateka never acquired fame in his profession; but no Canadian physician ever acquired greater international notoriety than he. He was a bright young Indian fifty-three years ago ; and upon the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada in i860 he was chosen as the representative of the Mohawk band to present an address to His Royal Highness, who was so impressed with his intelligence and manly bearing that he persuaded him to accept a royal bounty, — a course in medicine at Oxford, In due course he returned tg Canada and in August, 1866, began his professional career in Napanee, He had an office in the Cartwright Block and built the red brick residence on the crest of Robhn's Hill, He could not entirely free himself from his natural adherence to the cures of the red man and in his professional card announced his faith in the herbs prescribed by his forefathers. He remained but a few years in Napanee, when he removed to Western Ontario, and finally settled in London, where he became indentified with the Independent Order of Foresters, of which Society he became the High Chief Ranger, and as such acquired a world-wide reputation. The typical family doctor of the old school was the late Dr, Allan Ruttan, He was a son of Peter W, Ruttan who claimed to be the first white child born in the township of Adolphustown, His grandfather, William Ruttan, (spelled Rattan in the original records) was enrolled in the old U, E, L, list still preserved in the: Crown Lands Department at Toronto, and was assigned lot number eighteen in the first concession of Adolphustown, The story is told of William Ruttan that he was very fond of music and dearly loved, after a hard day's work, to take down his old violin and entertain the family with a few selections. This same instrument had helped to shorten many a tiresome day in the voyage around the Gulf and during the winter's sojourn of the Loyalists at Sorel. He was THE GROWTH OF NAPANEE 283 a follower of Rev. William Losee, in fact one of the largest contributors to the building fund of the old Methodist chapel on Hay Bay. Losee could not tolerate a violin, and remonstrated with Brother William upon his worldliness in being so familiar with one of Satan's contrivances for luring the faithful from the fold, Ruttan could not see eye to eye with his spiritual adviser upon this point; but the preacher was firm, so he finally yielded, and proposed to give it away to a negro who had long desired to possess one. This was also objected to upon high moral grounds, so to appease the missionary the dear old fiddle was thrust into the fireplace and consumed to ashes, Dr, Ruttan was born in Adolphustown in 1826, and after passing through the common school of the township took a preparatory course of instruction at the Picton Grammar School, and graduated from McGill University in 1852, Immediately after graduation he commenced to practise in Newburgh and in a short time acquired an enviable reputa tion. When the final vote was taken fixing Napanee as the county town he evidently felt that the chances of Newburgh growing into a populous centre were not very encouraging, so he removed to Picton, greatly to the regret of the citizens of the village and surrounding country, who, upon his departure, presented him with a silver service and an address testifying the esteem in which he was held by all classes in the com munity. He remained in Picton less than two years, when he returned to Napanee and purchased the only three-story residence in the town, — the old brick dweUing-house on the market square, where he lived until a few years before his death, when he removed to the dwelling on Bridge Street now occupied by his son, Mr, G, F, Ruttan, K,C, He died in 1898, universally respected by all who knew him. He was a tall, power ful man with a strong face indicating great force of character, yet in the sick room he was gentle, and had a great affection for his patients. He was often heard to remark that he would be unable to operate upon a child if he allowed himself to pause and think of the appeahng cries of the little sufferer. He possessed great originality, and in treating many of his difficult surgical cases devised and made his own mechanical appli ances. In his conversation he was plain and blunt, with a touch of humour that removed the sting of his sometimes caustic comments ; and between him and his patients there was a bond of sympathy stronger than that arising simply from the confidence in his medical skill. For many years he was the representative of this District on the Ontario Medical Council, and by this connection acquired more than a local reputation as one of the leading physicians of the province. 234 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER XIV REMINISCENCES OF NAPANEE The late Mr, Thomas H, Waller, until a few months ago one of the oldest business men of the town and gifted with a remarkable memory for details of places, names, and events, a few weeks before his death furnished the writer with the following information regarding fhe business section of Napanee as it appeared sixty years ago. In 1848 Mr, Waller, then a lad of fourteen years, was apprenticed to one Wm, Parish with whom he learned the tin-smith trade. This he followed successfully until his death, gradually enlarging his business by the addi tion of a plumbing and steam-fitting plant and a hardware store carried on by himself and his son, William T, Waller, The present generation would not recognize the main street of Napanee of sixty years ago as described by this old resident. Most of the buildings were frame, one and one-half or two stories high and, as a general rule, the upper portion was used as the residence of the pro prietor of the business carried on on the ground floor. One of the most prominent men of the town was Squire Alexander Campbell, who con ducted a general store on the south-west corner of Dundas and Centre Streets, in a two-story frame building with a verandah extending along the entire frontage on both streets. This served as a shelter for some of the coarser wares exposed for sale and as an excellent loafing place, where the idle used to congregate to gossip or wile away the hours of waiting for the stage-coach with the mail, as the post-office was kept in the rear of the building, and could be reached either by going through the store or by a rear entrance from the verandah on Centre Street. The Squire prided himself on a well kept garden, which extended from the rear of the store to MiU Street. On the erection of the present brick building, known as the McMullen Block, the frame store was moved to the middle of the block, where it still remains. Just across the street on the north side stood an old frame tavern which Mr, Campbell purchased, tore down, and built the Campbeh House upon the site. He also built the handsome stone residence across the river, and in front of it a substantial stone wall above what is still known as Campbell's Rocks, Here, in a high fenced inclosure, he kept for years a herd of deer captured in the northern part of the county. He was the REMINISCENCES OF NAPANEE 235 second postmaster of Napanee, following Allan Macpherson, and was succeeded by the late Gilbert Bogart, who in turn was followed by the present postmaster, Dr, R, A, Leonard, West of the old Campbell store was a frame building in which for a time was published the Napanee Standard; next to it was another two- story frame building, part of which was recently replaced by the brick store of Mr, John Ellison, For some time the upper story of this build ing was used as a school-room and the lower part as a tin-shop and ware- room by the late John Herring, who made a specialty of stoves and ploughs and had his workshop and foundry on Mill Street in the old building afterwards used as a -soap factory and later still as an eva porator. He afterwards was extensively engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements and employed a large number of workmen in the factory built by him next door to the Gibbard factory in East Ward, He re-organized the Napanee Gas Company, which in other hands had proved a failure, and for many years enjoyed the monopoly of supply ing the municipality and its citizens with gas from his plant, Mr, Herr ing was a man of great originality, enterprise, and perseverance. He amassed a small fortune in the paper business at Napanee Mills (Strath cona) and sold out for a good round sum when the industry was upon a good paying basis, but, unfortunately, embarked in a losing venture which swallowed up nearly all the savings of a lifetime. He built a glass factory nearly opposite the Grand Trunk Depot, equipped it with all the modern appliances, and imported German glass-blowers and workmen from the United States ; but conditions were not favourable for its suc cessful operation and its founder sustained a loss which would have crushed a man of ordinary energy and resource. West of the Campbell House, where F, W, Vandusen's harness shop now is, Mr. Benjamin C, Davy had his law office, and the rest of the block through to Robert Street was occupied by a number of low, ram bling, frame houses. In the rear of one was a bowling-alley, in another was McBean's cabinet shop, in which a member of the family still resides, and in a third one Tom Hussy, the hatter, manufactured plug hats adapted to ah degrees and stations in life. On the north-east corner of Centre and Dundas Streets, now occu pied by the Robinson Company, there stood a small frame building where the father of the late George Mills had a harness shop. Just east of it in another frame building the old gentleman lived. The next building was also a frame one in which a cobbler named Lamphier lived, and made, and mended boots; next to him was Conger's dry goods store. About the middle of the block was Robert Esson's general store, and 236 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON adjoining him was a carriage factory and blacksmith shop. Every block in what is now the business part of the town appears to have had its tavern or drinking place and this one was no exception, as next door east of the carriage shop was Andrew Stevenson's saloon. Next door east was Gleeson's saloon, and near the corner, where Chinneck's jewel lery store now is, was a drug store kept by J. C. Huffman and Dr. David Ash. On the corner, where Wallace's drug store is now, a man named Morris had a tailor shop ; and when Grange was burned out in 1857 on the other side of the street he moved across to the premises occupied by the tailor, and in i860 built the brick building on the corner which has ever since been occupied as a drug store and by some one or more mem bers of the Grange family until Mr, T. B, Wallace took possession ten years ago. On the south-east corner of Centre and Dundas Streets, now occu pied by Mr, Fred L, Hooper, the druggist, stood a low frame building, the west part of which was a shoemaker's shop conducted by Benoni Briggs, and the eastern part a grocery kept by a man named Embury, A little later George Sexsmith had a tailor shop on the corner, and east of the store occupied by Embury was another building which had many short term tenants, but eventually was used as a grocery and dry goods store by George Quackenbush, who, in order to assure his doubting friends that he was in business in earnest, painted a huge sign across the front of the premises which read, "An Established Fact, George A, Quackenbush," The stone bakery was turning out bread, buns, and sweetmeats from the ovens of Edward H, Dickens ; and in the next store, occupied by Mr, Waller, the late Thomas H, Waller was serving his apprenticeship under William Parish, All the other buildings in the block through to John Street were frame; and among the various occupants during the decade following 1850 Thomas Trimble had a butcher shop in partnership with a man named Watts, Mrs, Scales, mother-in-law of J, T, Grange, had a small grocery, and Mrs, Millburn created dreams in the millinery Une, Wm, McMullen dealt in dry goods and groceries, and next door was Grange's drug store. Over the drug store was the home of the Napanee Standard which was burned out at the same time as the drug store. On the Merchants Bank corner James Blewett had a store, over which was a barber shop conducted by a coloured man named Huffman, Crossing John Street to the site of the Albert Block we would have seen a rickety old frame building tenanted by Wm, Fell, a baker, and Davis Fraser, a tailor. To maintain the average of drinking places there were two in the centre of the block, one a saloon managed by Lafayette Davy, adjoining which was Joseph Halfpenny's shoe shop. Next door ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. W^ILLIAM GRANGE. 1 Hj P ^^^S kJ ^ '« "^ Igl P '^^'^ H 1^^ ¦ ^^ I ^B s^ / ^•^"HK^ 1 "^ 8F^*^ 6 '^ , ^ ALLAN MACPHERSON. GEORGE H. DETLOR. REMINISCENCES OF NAPANEE 237 was Shorey's hotel, and over the sheds of the hotel was a hall used as a court room before the division of the counties. On the other side of the hotel Henry Douglas, who had learned his trade with John Herring, had a tin-shop. The general store of H, T, Forward was near the corner, where John Benson, one of the most public-spirited men of his day, also kept a store in the building now standing upon that lot. The other side of the street would have presented as great a con trast. Old Dan Pringle, as every one called him, catered to the wants of man and beast at one end of the block where the Smith building now is, and at the other end, upon the site of the Rennie Block, George Davy had a store, Davy bought the Pringle corner, the old Tichborne House, and managed it himself for many years. East of it was one of the few brick buildings on the street, in which John S, Edgar had a drug store. It was about this time that Henry Douglas gave up the tin-shop across the street and commenced business as a general store-keeper in the old frame building which he continued to occupy to the time of his death. The old stone building is an ancient landmark. In one part John Blew ett had a general store, over which he lived ; in the other half was Joseph Gunsolus' saloon. Between the saloon and the corner the mother of Mr, Uriah Wilson had a small grocery, and later on WilHam Lamphier had a shoe store. The Brisco House was then a small two-story brick build ing which has since been enlarged; and the opposite side of the street presented a very sorry appearance with a row of tumble-down build ings and lumber yards. While East Ward was losing its grip upon the business of the town there were still some substantial firms in the old ward with a large annual turnover. The two-story brick building on the east side of East Street was not a part of the Brisco House property until recent years ; but was known as the Warner Block and extended through to Dundas Street, the lower story on the corner being a part of the Warner property. In this corner was situated the store of Marshall Roblin, In a frame building east of the present alley way was Meagher's flour and feed store. Next door east was William Miller's store, and adjoining this was John Ste venson's store. On the same side of the street was a grocery kept by a man named Foster, and Wales' corner was occupied by a bowling- alley. On the corner of Adelphi and Dundas Streets was the general store of Alexander Davis. He afterwards built and moved into the brick building east of the Henry Block, now used as an auditorium for a moving picture theatre. Two frame buildings occupied a part of the corner where the Cart wright block is ; and when the Granges rebuilt the corner of Dundas and 238 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON John Streets J, C, Huffman moved down to the corner of East Street where the Daly Tea Company's offices are now. He controlled a goodly portion of the drug trade, and in his palmy days built the large brick dwelhng now owned by H, M, Deroche, When the Cartwright Block was built these two frame buildings were moved eastward and are still stand ing at the foot of Adelphi Street, but their order is reversed. One was for many years used by the late James Perry as a woollen-mills office; but upon the west side of it can still be deciphered the Huffman drug store sign, painted there fifty years ago. The other frame building next door to the Gibbard Company's finishing room stood near the present site of Boyle & Son's store and was the first store occupied by Boyle & Wright as a hardware store. In the same locality Rennie made a spe cialty of penitentiary boots, and further east in the same block were the dry goods stores of W, H, Fralick and Wm, V, Detlor, R, V, Powell had a tin-shop where Normile's warerooms are ; and where now stands the small brick blacksmith shop was one of the busiest hives in the vil lage, in fact the most historic store of Napanee, that of Allan Macpher son, There can still be seen beneath the floor of the shop the old cellar in which was stored the surplus stock of whisky. This was once the hub of Napanee, for Macpherson's industries were all directed from his store, in which was also kept the first post-office. Perhaps no part of the town has undergone a greater change than the river front. From the bend in the river just above Light's dock, extending all along the northern bank up to the falls, there stood piles of lumber to the height of fifteen feet or more. This lumber was the product of the mills farther up and was hauled to the river's bank by the teams, summer and winter, to be shipped to its destination. It was a common occurrence to- see four or five schooners loading at a time; and the merry call of the workmen and deck-hands could be heard from sunrise to evening, above the clatter of the boards and planks, where now a deathlike stillness reigns, broken only by the occasional put-put of the motor boats,. Where Mr. Waller's residence now stands on Bridge Street there was a clearing; but the rest of that part of the town was covered with trees from which the choicest timber had been cut. All that area south of the park and north of the Deseronto Road found its natural drainage outlet through the depression between Dundas and Bridge Streets, and far into the summer a pond of stagnant water was found at the lowest point in the vicinity of the residence of Mr, T, G, Carscallen, Unsuited as it was for the purpose, it was a favourite bathing-place for the youth of the town; and many a time did young Waller and his companions, after a hard day's work, meet at this pond for their evening swim. REMINISCENCES OF NAPANEE 239 The woods about the site of West Ward School were a famous pigeon rookery, where the wild birds came in flocks towards evening and roosted in such numbers in the trees that frequently the branches gave way under their weight, Mr, Waller recalls having frequently gone in the night, with an old musket, and in a few minutes secured as many as he could carry home in a bag slung over his shoulder. Another method in common practice for capturing the pigeons in the open was by means of a net forty or fifty feet long by twenty or more in width. The net would be held in place about three or four feet above the ground by means of small posts placed at regular intervals and controlled by the operator by a series of cords, A small quantity of grain would be scat tered upon the ground under the net. As a flock of wild pigeons ap proached, a tame decoy, a stool pigeon, trained to lure them to their fate, would fly upwards and conduct them to the tempting grain ; and as the)"" began to feed under the net the operator in ambush would pull the cords, the posts would tumble over, and the net drop upon the unsuspecting birds, who thrust their heads through the meshes where they were securely held until their necks were wrung by the heartless hunter, Mr. Waller remembered an occasion when the late O. T, Pruyn, former sher iff of this county, captured two hundred and fifty pigeons in this manner at one haul. Thus to reconstruct from one's memory the entire business portion of a town as it appeared sixty years ago is no slight task, as will be apparent to any one attempting to recall the various occupants of a row of buildings ten or twenty years ago. The foregoing statement, based upon the information furnished by Mr, Waller, has been submitted to other old residents, who made but few alterations in the original. These shght changes have been adopted after being verified from other sources. That part of Dundas Street near the foot of Adelphi has never lost its standing as an important business and manufacturing centre, for when the Macpherson interests began to decline the Gibbard industry began to take root. It was a lucky accident that gave the Gibbards to Napanee, John Gibbard, who at the time of his death was justly entitled to be styled "Napanee's Grand Old Man," was born near Wilton in 1812, His father, William Gibbard, was a carpenter and mill-wright who erected more mihs in this and the adjoining county of Prince Edward than any other one man. Among others he built a saw-mill and a grist mill near Thompsonville at the first water-power that was used on the river north of Napanee, John learned his trade with his father and worked with him until he was twenty-four years of age, when he shoul dered his basket of tools and set out for Oswego, He walked to Cul- 240 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON bertson's Wharf (Deseronto) where he expected to catch a boat to carry him across the lake, but waited in vain for hours for the vessel to arrive. Night was coming on and no boat was in sight, so he gathered up his tools, returned to Napanee, secured a situation, and spent the rest of his days in the town, which probably he would never have seen again but for the belated vessel, which did not arrive in time to pick up the passenger waiting impatiently upon the wharf. He continued to work at his trade for many years, and assisted in the erection of the Macpherson house east of the Newburgh Road and the grist-mill on the other side of the river near the falls. Later on he devoted himself to the manufacture of fanning-mills, and in i860 leased a mill on the canal, in which he turned out sashes, doors, and a few lines of furniture. This factory was burned in 1864 but was rebuilt in 1868, when his son, W. T. Gibbard, was taken into the business and the firm of J, Gibbard & Son appeared. In 1 87 1 they abandoned all other lines and devoted themselves ex clusively to the manufacture of furniture; but just as the business had become nicely established another destructive fire, in 1874, again reduced factory, plant, and stock to ashes. Again it was rebuilt on a larger scale, and for eighteen years the firm prospered and proved a boon to the town, affording employment to a large number of workmen ; but was once more wiped out by fire in 1892, After this fire the Gibbard Furniture Com pany was organized, a new factory was built, the most modern machinery installed, and business resumed with greatly increased facilities for meet ing the demands of the trade, Mr, W, T, Gibbard, the manager and leading stockholder, relieved his aged father of his former responsibility and proved a worthy successor, A few months ago the reins were handed over to the sole male representative of the third generation of this branch of the family, Mr, George Gibbard, who, following in the footsteps of his ancestors, continues as manager of the leading industry of Napanee, John Gibbard died in 1907 in the ninety-fifth year pf his age, universally respected by all who knew him and especially by the employees of the industry he had established. The following list of professional and business men of Napanee is copied from the Canada Directory of 185 1 : Allan, David, chemist knd druggist Black, Rev, J,, Wesleyan Bartels, James F,, conveyancer Blewett, John, grocer Bartels, George, carriage maker Briggs, Noel, shoemaker Beeman, T,, saddler Brown, Rev, M,, Epis, Methodist Benn, James, blacksmith Bruton, Charles, grocer SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD AT NAPANEE, 1877. NAPANEE SNOW-SHOE CLUB, 1885. Back row— Left to right. James T. Log-gie. Thomas Trimble. William C. Smith. George Napier. John Roblin, W, A. Doxsee. Frank Jemmett. Dr. Harry Wray. C. Z. Perry. Fred Blewett. Albert Empey. Front row — Left to right. William Shannon. John W. Robinson. William Trimble. Joseph Kirby. Joseph McAlister. REMINISCENCES OF NAPANEE 241 Campbell, Alex,, postmaster Carey, Dr, Francis V. Chamberlain, Dr. Thomas Chatterson, John, grocer Chrysdall, John, lath factory Clapp, G. S., land surveyor Clark, Leonard, blacksmith Clark, Andrew L., saw-mill Close, Thos., carriage maker Cooper, John, tailor Cornell, George, innkeeper Davey, Geo. H., general store Detlor & Perry, general store Dickens, Edmund, baker Doney, Solomon, shoemaker Easton, Robert, general store Edgar, John, carriage maker Fink, Hiram, blacksmith Foot, Benjamin, tailor Forward, H. T., general store Fraser, Davis, tailor George, F. J., general store Georgen, T. W,, general store Greenleaf, G, D,, printing-office Gunn, William, general store Halfpenny, Joseph, shoemaker Hamilton, A,, carriage maker Hill, lath factory Herring, John, foundry and tin- shop Huff, Thos., blacksmith Huff, Eliakim, cooper Huff, William, cooper James & Peterson, general store King, John, innkeeper Lamb, Thos., general store Lamphier, Wm,, shoemaker Lamphier, John, shoemaker Lauder, Rev, W, B,, Anglican Macpherson, Donald, general store McCuUoch, James, tailor McLaughlin, James, tailor Mackay, A. B., Clerk Division Court Madden, S. S., tanner and shoe maker Martin, James, general store Miller, George, saddler Moray, Joseph, blacksmith Napanee Bee, The, weekly paper Parish, Wm,, tin-smith Perry, John W, Smith, cloth fac tory Pringle, Daniel, hotel keeper Rust, carding-mill Reynolds, Rev, Mr,, Wesleyan Schermerhorn, Asa, grocer Shirley, Dr, Thomas Shorey, Miles, hotel keeper Stevenson, Andrew, grocer and saloon Storr, Edward, shoemaker Templeton, Wm,, tanner Trom, James, saddler Vine, David, grocer Wilson & Co,, general store Wright, Wm,, general store An anonymous contributor to the Standard gave the following pen picture of Napanee in 1861 : "Take your stand on Robhn's Height and look down upon Napanee, and even though you hail from the would-be ambitious Newburgh, you will be forced to admit that its appearance is really imposing. On its south-eastern side the waters of the Napanee River, having cleared the rapids, flow softly around a semicircular bend 16 242 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON evidently intended by nature for the site of a large city; and as far as the eye can reach a fine country for settlement stretches away back from the town in every direction, "The town itself presents the appearance of a circle of houses with the Town-hall as a centre. It is a British town, being a beautiful mix ture of red brick blocks, whitewashed cottages, and blue-stone buildings, with a few dirty, dingy, rickety structures which in the olden time weni by the name of houses, but ought now to be numbered amongst the things that were. Near to the Town-hall you observe by far the most conspicuous object in Napanee, a spire that might do credit to any city, and at sight of which the shade of John Wesley would rejoice, could it only be conjured up to behold it, for upon inquiry you discover that it is another monument to his name, and to the name of a greater than Wesley. Posterity will never blush at this deed of their fathers, "A magnificent block next arrests the eye. It is the Campbell House, to all appearance little inferior to the Astor House of New York. But no Yankee lives there, for British colours float proudly over it. An other building south-east of the town-hall attracts the gaze. It is the justly celebrated Grange's Block, a beautiful ornament to our town, and where business is piled en masse. A person may there have anything he wishes for, cheap coffee and tea, cups and saucers to drink them out of; clothes of all sorts, and soap to wash them with; furs to keep out the cold, and physic to cure it; drabs and drugs for all weathers and dis eases ; a tooth extracted ; a limb set ; a lawsuit settled ; or a book or news paper printed, "Away on the western side of the town, on the rising ground, amid dark pines, you behold the elegant mansion of the town reeve, John Stevenson, Esq., one of the wealthiest of our citizens, and at our last election no mean candidate for a seat in Parliament. The Canada Pres byterian Manse, a neat building of brick, stands close by. Had you a glass in your hand, you might discover on the top of that stone struc ture on the north-west of the town a cross, for it is a Church which belongs to Rome, The Church of England with its tower and turrets, on the east side of the town, next catches the eye. Apart from the business and bustle of our streets, it occupies the centre of God's acre, the sleeping ground of the dead, in venerable silence and solemnity a house of the hving God. A few lingering trees fringing the suburbs, now contending alone with the breezes and the beasts, sing and sigh of the waving forests passed away. "But why tarry so long viewing Napanee from a distance when you might, by leaping into one of the numerous conveyances continually REMINISCENCES OF NAPANEE 243 passing townward, soon be in its centre. We would ask the reader to do so were it not that we wish to walk with him into town and view it somewhat at leisure. Crossing the river by a wooden bridge with tim bers still sound although bearing the date of 1840, the stupendous arches of the Grand Trunk Railway bridge excite your admiration ; and as you stand gazing at its workmanship, a train of thirty cars shoots overhead, proving that it is a structure of strength as well as of beauty, "The bridges passed, the town at first sight presents no very inviting aspect. Old dwarfish houses meet the eye, but they are not to be despised; for as many a one does a large business in a little house, so it is in some of these. Let us go along Dundas Street, taking a few notes of anything noticeable by the way. The first building is the carriage and sleigh factory of J, Rooney, who has a good display of cutters of the newest styles. Passing what seems to be a watering-place for horses, T, Close's carriage factory stands surrounded with dismembered bodies of carriages and sleighs scattered in sad confusion, after the rough and tumble fashion of Bull's Run, The means of repair, however, Mr, Close says are close at hand, T. Mooney shoes horses and repairs guns amid a range of dismal shanty-like things which the past age forgot to take with it, Davis stands high as a haberdasher under a low veran dah, O'Byrne's big blue boot tells that its master has a good footing near, "At A, B, Dunning's door winter clothing is piled up, with a red or green sash waving overhead, Allingham's Cabinet and Furniture store supplies the town with sideboards and sofas on the shortest notice; and near by the village artist challenges competition in the art of realizing the poet's wish, enabling people from the country 'to see themselves as others see them.' With the sun for his senior partner, he has, gen erally speaking, bright prospects. Foster's window displays hoops and skirts, hats and feathers. Miller, his neighbour, sells candlesticks, ropes, and carpets ; and Rogers disposes of a considerable quantity of hardware, and boots, and shoes to those who put up at Fletcher's Hotel. Huffman disposes of drugs, Rennie of penitentiary boots and shoes, and H. Doug las of stove pipes, pails, and brooms. At Harrington's new store you may have cheap sugar, at L, Doney's smoked hams, and you may fill your self drunk at Davy's or the Lennox Hotel, places of great resort on Fair days, and in the neighbourhood of which fights and other convivial sports are often exhibited. "The Phelan lump sugar, suspended in the street, and the Parish kettle of uncommon size, speak as eloquently for their possessors as the wooden bust decked with artificial flowers in the window of Miss Lowry, 244 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON J, C, Huffman and John Grange give cash for rye smut, William McMul len tables it down for pot ashes, and T, Beeman is prepared to pay for 10,000 hides, Abel Yates will keep a man for a dollar a day; S, T. Clements wih take out his teeth or put them in, at a moderate charge; Wilkison, Hine, or Davy will mete out the law to him or sell him land; Waddel will make him a saddle or harness for his horse; Lewis, the coloured barber, will shave him ; Blair will make him a good coat ; and Lamphier or Briggs a good pair of boots; Clarke or Carnal will mend his watch; and George Wilson will fit him out for the winter; Robt, Easton win insure his house or his life ; and any one may have a night's lodging under the Town-hall free of charge. In a new shop Charles McBean sells new goods at new prices, and has a regiment of Lilliputian soldiers guarding his window ; Rennie & Co, guarantee that their goods will neither fall short in weight nor in measure, and yet it pays them to sell sixpenny cotton for fourpence a yard. Such is a short, but by no means exhaustive outline of the business of our streets. "The different trades and professions of Napanee rank as follows: The town keeps thirteen sons of Crispin making its boots, and eight tailors cutting out and patching up its garments ; nine men making har ness for its horses ; three butchers killing its oxen and sheep ; two watch makers regulating its time ; four houses licensed by law to sell that which sows the seeds of disease, and creates quarrels ; seven ministers proclaim ing the gospel; three lawyers laying down the law; two hundred and fifty scholars attending its schools, and five teachers teaching them; four bakers baking its bread, and two thousand people consuming it. "In the centre of the village in an open square stands the universal town-hall, a useful but by no means ornamental brick building. Town- halls, all the world over, are at best a nondescript class of buildings, and appear to us to defy the genius of architects, whose maxim is that a building should always convey to the public some definite idea of the pur pose for which it was designed. The failure, no doubt, is attributable to the fact that the town-hall is intended to serve no purpose in particular, but is meant to be available for every purpose under the sun. Viewed in this light that of Napanee nobly fulfils its mission. Once within its walls you can buy and sell beef, listen to revival sermons and theatrical entertainments, sit and stare with amazement at a continent, an island, or the whole Arctic regions passing through the building upon canvas, get yourself or others entangled in the meshes of the law, choose one man to represent you and another man to misrepresent you in Parha ment, be bought by ladies at bazaars, or sold by gentlemen at an auc tion, be humbugged or enlightened by a public lecturer, attend a school REMINISCENCES OF NAPANEE 245 exhibition, or take lessons in dancing. In short, in Napanee, as in every other town-hall, idle persons often spend idle hours and throw away idle dollars, "The Campbell House also deserves special notice. Its handsome and cheerful appearance from without, and ample accommodation within are sufficient to account for the rapidity with which its fame has spread, and its popularity increased. Guests, we believe, not only receive a kind and warm reception at the hands of its able proprietor, but they are also attended to by men and women of their own colour and country, and not, as in most American hotels, by the sons and daughters of Ham, who ever bring to mind the accursed institution of the South, that bone of American contention. Our large and stately grist and saw-mills rattling away by the river's side, urged on by a never failing water-power, and our thriving stores and woollen factories are exactly what our Campbell House would lead us to expect. The very fact that 9,000,000 feet of lumber are annually exported from Napanee is a giant truth which speaks volumes for its flourishing trade, ' "The different religious denominations in Napanee are the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England, the Presbyterian, and the Epis copal and Wesleyan Methodist Churches, the services in which are con ducted by seven clergymen. This sounds well for the morality of the town; but when you set alongside of it the fact that there are four tav erns and a great many more low unlicensed groggeries, you will be apt to suspect the population are not all saints. Each sect advocates from the pulpit and the platform unity and harmony amongst Christians, and apparently in earnest! But at the same time the acts of the one body towards the other seem to say : 'Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou,' Public meetings for the advocacy of meas ures affecting the good of the community, instead of being protracted meetings, as might be expected where so many gentlemen of the cloth are on hand, often turn out distracted meetings, or what are called fail ures ; simply because the clergy do not stand shoulder to shoulder in the cause, "Theatres, Panoramas, Dioramas, Cycloramas, Tom Thumb gather ings (and scarcely a week passes without something of the kind), are generally well attended; and when an instructive lecture on history or science is announced it is no strange occurrence in Napanee to see the speaker of world-wide celebrity draw a crowd of no more than twenty to hear, him! The political assemblies of Napanee, as in every town in America from the Straits of Belle Isle to the Straits of Florida, draw out 246 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON those whom even the camp-meeting horn cannot bring within the sound of a sermon. Representation by Population is the only article in some men's creeds ; and they are eager to embrace the glorious opportunity of bearing witness to it before the world when an election day comes round, "There are two temperance societies in town ; one in connection with the Good Templars and the other known by the name of 'The Napanee Teetotal Society.' The former has seen better days than the present; but its star is again in the ascendant. Although its members are few we believe that some of them are enthusiastic in the cause; and this is one of the elements of prosperity in any enterprise, either for the aggrandize ment or amelioration of man ; for no great undertaking ever yet succeeded without having an enthusiast at its head. But it strikes us that the object of this Society is to form a little social gathering of Good Templars, and not to reform or cure the town of Napanee, or any other town, of drunk enness; and a little more exertion put forth outside their division might tend both to strengthen their body, and advance the cause it seeks to promote. The other Society is of recent origin, and is intended for those who wish merely to pledge themselves to abstain from the use of intoxi cating liquors as a beverage, without joining a Society where badges, pass-words, and an outlay of cash are required. We trust the two Societies wih, by a friendly co-operation, do much in reclaiming the drunkard and preventing the sober man from being led captive to destruction by a stronger than himself, — strong drink. True prosperity can never attend a town while drunkenness stalks rampant in its streets; and Napanee is so stained with this and other vices, that our river, black though it be itself, makes a tremendous leap to get past it as soon as possible, "Another evil requiring remedy is that of children strolling, or loung ing idly, (yea, worse than idly) at street corners after sundown. The education that is acquired there is not of the best kind. It is easily learned, but not so easily forgotten. It is there that superfluous Eng lish words are picked up, unnecessary habits formed, and rowdyism, which sometimes shows itself in Town-hall meetings, fostered. Tom would be far better at home than abroad of an evening. "Napanee is not deficient in musical talent ; on the contrary, it may be justly said, to be passionately fond of it. It signifies not what street you pass through at the close of the day, you are certain to hear sweet music sounding forth from a piano or a melodeon that is being touched by some gentle hand. It can also bear a favourable comparison with other towns for female beauty and accomplishments. One has only to REMINISCENCES OF NAPANEE 247 attend a school exhibition or a bazaar to be convinced of this ; and young men from the country desirous of settling in life would do well to attend on such occasions. Our town may lack beautiful trees to shade and shelter its streets, but it is not lacking in young and beautiful belles. Children, and dogs too, are very numerous ; and it is no unusual occur rence to be awakened at midnight by a barking quarrel which the latter have engendered. Let war come, Napanee is garrisoned with more than a volunteer regiment," 248 , HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER XV DIVERSIONS AND RECREATIONS OF NAPANEE During^thd winter of 1865-6 there were many vague rumours afloat that Canada was to be invaded by the Fenians, whose programme was to subdue our country as the first step towards the liberation of Ireland, Little attention was paid by the authorities to this war scare until the beginning of March, when the Government thought the situation was serious enough to warrant the calling out of ten thousand volunteers in order to be in a position to resist the proposed invasion. Lennox and Addington shared in the general excitement; and a public meeting was called in the town-hall at Napanee for March 13th, to take into consideration the necessity of raising volunteer companies to aid in the defence of our country. Patriotic addresses were delivered by Mr. George Wilson, Thomas FlyUn, Dr. Bristol, F. W. Campbell, Geo. A. Fraser, and John T. Grange; and resolutions were unanimously carried requesting Messrs. Campbell and Fraser, who had acquired some military training, to raise two companies in Napanee. There was not at the time any military organization in the county except in the old township of Adolphustown, where Captain Sweatman had maintained a company. St. Patrick's Day came; but the Fenians did not put in an appearance. The two companies were enrolled in Napanee and their services tendered to the government; but the Militia Department in formed the gentlemen who had completed the organization that their services were not deemed necessary; but that arms would be sent to them as soon as the necessary arrangements could be completed. The young warriors of this promising town were not content with being thus neglected; another public meeting was called, at which the military authorities were roundly criticised; and a Home Guard was enrolled to patrol our streets and keep a sharp look-out that no conspiracies against Her Majesty were hatched in our midst. Two companies were formed at Tamworth, one at Bath, and one at Enterprise. An Artillery Com pany was also formed in Napanee, and during the early summer months met three times a week for drill in the town-hall. The Adolphustown boys, who in time of peace, had prepared for war, were at the front covering themselves with glory; while the other newly enrolled companies were at home clamouring for clothing and DIVERSIONS AND RECREATIONS OF NAPANEE 249 arms, and indulging in all sorts of misgivings as to the probable over throw of the empire unless these accoutrements were promptly supplied them. It never occurred to them, until the visit of Brigade-Major Shaw to this district in July, that the Commander-in-chief and his subordinates had been too busy in mustering and pushing to the front the fully-equip ped and well-drilled companies from other parts of the country to devote any attention to the wants of the fresh recruits of Lennox and Adding ton, On the evening of July 17th the Major, arrayed in feathers and gold braid, with a sword dangling at his side, created quite a sensation in Tamworth by summoning Captains Douglas and Brown to a conference. The Captains signified their willingness to produce their volunteers for inspection; and on the following morning, although the day was wet and disagreeable, messengers were despatched through the concession and side lines ; and by one o'clock in the afternoon Captain Douglas stood at the head of fifty-four burly yeoman at one end of Front street, and fifty-two answered to the roll-call of Captain Brown at the other end. The Major was astounded at the promptness of the response, con gratulated the Sheffield men upon their soldierly appearance, and promised to return a favourable report to the Adjutant-general and to see that they were speedily equipped with all the necessaries to place them in a position to participate in the defence of their country. The Company at Bath was also accepted, and Napanee's hour of trial arrived on the evening of the 19th. The Artillery Company was put through the various military evolutions in which they had been instructed and acquitted themselves creditably. In the course of his address the Major referred to the unenviable notoriety Napanee had gained during the Fenian excitement, at the Adjutant-general's office and throughout the district, and hoped that the reputation of the town would be retrieved by displaying more of a patriotic and military spirit in the future. During the following week he inspected the Infantry Com panies under Captains Campbell and Fraser and, while he promised to make a favourable report, he again took occasion to lecture the good people of Napanee and explain to them that if they wished to shew their loyalty to the Queen they should not wait until the foe was actually upon our soil before making a move. Our citizens accepted the rebuke and, although the war scare was over, for a time the military spirit was rampant ; and public meetings were cafled to discuss ways and means of defraying the expense of our volunteers at a military camp, which it was proposed should be held in this county in the autumn. The infection spread to Ernesttown; and in August another company of Infantry 250 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON under Captain Anson Lee was formed at Odessa. The town council appropriated $500 for the erection of a drill shed, petitioned the county council to supplement this sum by $1,000, and the government was expected to contribute as much more. R. J. Cartwright (the late Sir Richard) signified his willingness to donate a site. Rumours of another contemplated invasion were current in Septem ber ; and the local force scented a bloody engagement when a Fredericks burgh farmer laid intormation before the Mayor that suspicious looking craft were from time to time discharging in the night at McDonald Cove cargoes which were suspected to be Fenian arms. His Worship, Mayor Davy, instructed the Chief of Police to investigate the matter; and three waggon loads of patriots "armed to the teeth" drove to the spot, determined to sell their lives dearly or return with the munitions of war of "The Irish Republic." This land force was to co-operate with the local navy, which consisted of the old steamer John Greenway, which was lying at the dock at the time. The town council, which happened to be in session, embarked upon the steamer and proceeded down the river to the appointed rendezvous. Early the next morning both parties returned to town, having done no more serious damage to the supposed invaders than to frighten aWay a small boat alleged to have been engaged in smuggling liquor to the other side of the line. The county council met in September and declined to entertain the request of the town for a grant for the erection of a drill shed, so the plan fell through; but the county military organization was completed; and the December number of the Canada Gazette announced the forma tion of the 48th Battalion with Captain Anson Lee of Odessa raised to the rank of Lieutenant-colonel. The same number proclaimed Lieuten ant Edward Stevenson, Adjutant of the Napanee Battery Garrison Artil lery. The Fenians had abandoned their designs upon Canada and, save the few who were languishing in our prisons, were said to be directing their steps towards Mexico, with the avowed intention of setthng things down there, expelling the French, and sending the Emperor Maximihan about his business. The cold weather and the municipal elections were coming on ; and the citizens of the county soon forgot the stirring events of the year then closing and again settled down to their ordinary pur suits. At no time have the young men of Napanee taken very kindly to soldiering; the two Infantry Companies organized in the town made a poor shewing at the annual inspections, and more than once the com ments of the Inspector were not at all complimentary. The reasons assigned at the time were the lack of interest shewn by the town council, DIVERSIONS AND RECREATIONS OF NAPANEE 251 and the want of a drill shed or other suitable quarters for the accom modation of the volunteers. For a time the annual camp was held in the fair grounds; the "palace" being set apart as quarters for the men, while the tents of the officers, hospital tent, and officers' mess tent occu pied positions facing the east entrance. As some four hundred men used to assemble at these annual drills the town, for a while, wore quite a military air, Napanee has always been ambitious in the matter of sports. At the present time the Curling Club, although labouring under a great disad vantage in having a very inferior rink, has more than held its own against Belleville, Brockville, and Kingston, and has to its credit more trophies than any other club in the Eastern League, It was organized about twenty years ago by Dr, Bissonnette and the late W, A, Bellhouse, For many years the Napanee Hockey Club scored many brilliant victories against the neighbouring towns and cities, but has been unable to main tain its record through the want of a rink. The Collegiate Institute football teams have captured all the cups that have come within their reach, and baseball has had its intermittent periods of popularity, and whenever a team has been put in the field it has made a fair showing. For over twenty years the ancient game of golf has had a few ardent votaries, whose annual defeats have not quenched their love for the sport. Fifty years ago there were two or three bowling-alleys in the town, while to-day there is none, nor has tliere been for thirty years. The time is ripe for the revival of this excellent game and the introduction of bowling on the green. Wickets, stumps, bails, and cricket bats are terms unfamiliar to the rising generation and this, too, in a town which twenty-seven years ago held the championship of the province. Captain F. S. Richardson has found no successor to fill his place upon the green ; but it is to be hoped that the young men now coming to the front in the sporting world will regain for Napanee the good reputation it once had of being the best cricket town in the province. The "gentleman's game" took the lead in manly sports before Napanee assumed the dignity of a town, and the matches with the neighbouring villages were among the leading events of the season. The following report of a contest between Napanee and Bath played on the Bath cricket ground on July 28th, i860, will be of interest to the "old boys :" "Bath winning the toss sent Napanee to the bat at 11.30 a,m. 252 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Napanee — First Innings Charles Ham, b Wilmer 3 A, Campbell, run out 9 G, Taylor, b Wilmer i W, Casey, run out 52 Jno, Taylor, b Cameron 4 C, Jenkins, b Wilmer, c Ash- ton 17 Jno, Stevenson, b Cameron , . 5 Jno, Wilson, b and c Wilmer, 12 W, Blewett, b Cameron , , . . o Thos. Crampton, b and c Cam eron 2 C, Donoghue, not out 4 Byes , Wides 109 16 7 Bath — First Innings Wilmer, st Ham 18 R, B, Price, b Ham 5 R, R, Finkle, leg b,w o I, Cameron, b Ham, c Steven son I C, Ashton, b Ham 10 Haywood, b Carey, c Steven son I I. Price, b Carey 0 Dr, Ashton, b Carey, c Wilson 0 R, Stinson, b Carey, c Camp bell 0 I, Johnston, not out 5 H. Rogers, b Carey 2 Byes Total 132 Total 44 4 78 Haywood, b Carey i Finkle, run out 10 Wilmer, not out 20 Dr, Ashton, b Carey i R, Stinson, b Carey o R, B, Price, St, Carey 5 I, Johnston, b Carey 3 I, Cameron, b Carey o C, Ashton, run out o I, Price, St Ham 4 Bath — Second Innings H. Rogers, run out 3 Byes 47 4 51 First Innings 48 99 Napanee — First Innings 132 "The play on both sides was good, Carey's score of 52, and his bowling in the second innings showed him to possess no common skill as a cricketer, while Wilmer displayed great judgment and a clear know ledge of the game by his steady scoring and the manner in which he carried out his bat' in the second innings against Carey's and Ham's bowling, C, Ashton made a fine score of ten. The fielding on both sides was good, and some splendid catches were made. After the game all adjourned to Stinson's Hotel where a capital dinner was prepared, to which ample justice was done in that hearty style in which cricketers so excel, when Mr, Stinson, the president of the Bath Club, with some DIVERSIONS AND RECREATIONS OF NAPANEE 253 very appropriate remarks, presented a very fine ball, with three cheers, to the Napanee' Club, which was responded to by Mr, J, Taylor the presi dent of the club in a very nice manner, and cheers returned. Cheers to the ladies . whose presence graced the field, responded to by Mr, H, Rogers in an eloquent speech, and cheers for the Umpires and Scorers when the clubs bid each other adieu, soon to meet again and renew the contest,'' On June 9th, 1873, a match was played between Kingston and Napanee on the grounds of the Kingston Club with the following score : Napanee — First Innings ¦Farmer, J,, b Galloway Hawley, c Corbett Mumford, b Ormiston Geddes, b Galloway Farmer, R,, b Galloway Chinneck, b Ormiston Stevenson, b Ormiston Pruyn, c Galloway Webster, b Galloway Abrams, not out Waddell, b Galloway Byes, leg byes and wides , , , I II o 8 o o 13 3 II I 28 Total 68 Second Innings Farmer, J,, run out 8 Hawley, b Galloway 3 Mumford, b Galloway o Geddes, c Carruthers , 8 Farmer, R,, b Ormiston 3 Chinneck, b Ormiston 5 Stevenson, run out 3 Pruyn, b Galloway o Webster, not out o Abrams, b Ormiston o Waddell, b Galloway o Byes, leg byes and wides . , , . 23 Total 50 Kingston — First Innings Fuller, b Pruyn Glidden, b Pruyn Ormiston, c Abrams Jones, b Pruyn Dickson, c Abrams Corbett, b Pruyn Galloway, b Abrams Alexander, b Pruyn Burkett, b Pruyn Hendry, not out Carruthers, c Hawley . . . Byes, leg byes, and wides II o 17 ID 4 4 12 3 4 I 26 Total 83 Second Innings Dickson, c Chinneck 6 Corbett, b Pruyn 5 Jones, b Pruyn 2 Galloway, b Abrams o Hendry, c Chinneck 9 Alexander, b Pruyn 4 Glidden, b Pruyn 5 Carruthers, b Pruyn o Ormiston, not out 3 Byes and wides 3 37 Napanee, ist and 2nd innings. 118 Kingston, ist and 2nd innings. 120 Majority for Kingston 2 With two wickets to spare. 264 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Few towns possess better natural advantages for obtaining beautiful recreation grounds than Napanee ; but in its early years no effort appears to have been made to secure a proper place for field sports or to set aside any of the vacant lands for a park. The cricket club used a pasture field or commons, and the school children were confined to the narrow limits of the land attached to the school buildings. The first step towards providing a park was taken about twenty-five years ago by a few lead ing citizens, among them being His Honour Judge Wilkison, Wm, Miller, Nelson Doller, Stephen Gibson, and several other public-spirited men. The beautiful driving park to the west of the town is the result of their labours. To the generosity of Mr, Harvey Warner the town is indebted for the more central square that bears his name. The trees, shrubs, and flow ers were donated by the Horticultural Society, which is largely responsi ble for the marked improvement in the cultivation of flowers in all parts of the town. Our river front is and has for years been an eyesore to every one ; and it is to be hoped that some united effort will, in the near future, be made to render it more presentable, A stranger approaching our town by water receives a first impression that is not easily shaken off. A municipal wharf, at which steamers, and visiting and local motor boats could discharge their passengers, is badly needed and could be. provided at a very small cost. The grounds of the Agricultural Society are used for public pur poses one day out of three hundred and sixty-five. In commenting upon this beautiful spot forty-five years ago, when the "Palace" was first used, the editor of the Weekly Express said : "The grounds so beauti ful by nature now requires a touch of art. It would cost twenty-five cents a piece or less to plant elms or maples around the whole plot, and in a few years the place would become a public park, a greater ornament to the place than it now is, and a resort for pleasure seekers who. most delight to bask in ambrosial groves," Forty-five springs have come and gone, and those longed-for elms and maples are still unplanted. If the very sensible advice of the editor had been acted upon, Napanee would have had in the east end of the town, at a trifling expense — an ornamental pleasure-ground that other towns, less favourably situated, would be glad to spend thousands to duplicate. No doubt the Society would have been only too glad to see its pasture field turned to such good account. It is only in recent years that the citizens have begun to appreciate the facilities for boating which they possess, and many have yet to learn the beauties of that part of the Napanee River above the fahs, A more ideal stream for the canoeist it would be difficult to find, parti cularly that tortuous part of it meandering through the overhanging trees and along sloping meadows between the town and Mink's bridge. BANKS AND BANKING 255 CHAPTER XVI BANKS AND BANKING As the settlements advanced and transportation facilities improved, money began to circulate, and it was not long before the thrifty farmers and merchants of Lennox and Addington began to accumulate savings. Many of these were invested in the stock of the early banking institu tions of the province, especially the so-called Bank of Upper Canada, and the Commercial Bank of the Midland District, both of which had their headquarters at Kingston. Early in 1837 a bold attempt, the honour of which belongs to Bath, was made to found a bank of our own. The previous years had been a period of feverish prosperity in Upper Canada and in the United States ; and in the latter country many schemes of wild-cat banking had been floated. In Upper Canada the restrictions imposed by the official class upon the incorporation of banks had been very severe; and although in some cases dictated by a real desire for "sound money" they had also tended to the profit of their authors. This had aroused much discontent; and a movement had been begun in favour of "joint-stock banking, without incorporation, after the English model,"* Under deeds of settlement, a number of small banking institutions thus came into existence without need of legislative formalities, and by a deed of settlement signed at Bath and bearing date February nth, 1837, the several parties thereto agreed to become partners in a company to be known as the Freeholders' Bank of the Midland District, Sixty- three subscribers were obtained, among them being such representative men from the county as Benjamin Ham, William Sills, Peter Davy, Samuel Clark, John Hawley, Hammel Madden, John V. Detlor, Phillip J, Roblin, Joshua B, Lockwood, and Elijah Huffman. The articles of partnership, containing about 8,000 words, were, for the convenience of the subscribers, printed in pamphlet form, and provided for every pos sible contingency that could reasonably be expected to arise. The first six articles of this legal masterpiece read as follows : "i. That they, the said several persons, parties to these presents, shall and will become Partners together in a Company, or Society, to be called THE FREEHOLDERS' BANK OF THE MIDLAND DIS- *l3reckenridg-e, "History of Banking: in Canada." (Washing-ton Government Print ing" Office, 1910) 256 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON TRICT, and from time to time, and at all times, so long as they shall continue Partners therein, promote and advance the interest and advan tage of the Company, to the utmost of their power, "2, That the Company shall consist of 300 Shareholders, each of whom may subscribe and hold any number of Shares not exceeding ten Shares, and that each Share will be one hundred pounds of lawful money, of the Province of Upper Canada : Provided always, and it is the intent and meaning of this clause that each person subscribing these presents as a Shareholder, must have good title in fee simple to and be in posses sion of real and unencumbered property of the full value of the number of Shares and amount so subscribed by such Shareholder. "3. That no person shall, in his or her own right, be allowed pre viously to the opening of the Bank, or at any subsequent period, to sub scribe for or possess more than ten Shares of the said Company, save and except such Shares as shall come to any person or persons by bequest of any previous Shareholder, or as his, or her, or their next of kin. "4, That it shall not be lawful or competent for two or more in dividuals to subscribe for or hold jointly (except as trustees, executors, or administrators) any Share or Shares, and in no case shall any Share 01: Shares be divided into fractional parts, "5, That no benefit of survivorship shall take place between the Shareholders; and each of the Shareholders, as between one another, shall be entitled to and interested in the profits, and liable and subject to the losses of the Company in proportion to his or her Share or Shares, in the said Capital, Fund, or Joint Stock, "6, That the business of the Company shall commence when three hundred persons shall have subscribed these presents as Shareholders, and shall be conducted on the following principles: "That the Company shall issue their notes payable twelve months after the date thereof ; the said notes bearing date from the day or time when the same shall be issued, and shall lend money in the Bank-notes of the Company, due at twelve months, as aforesaid, to such persons as may apply for the same, and shall convey to the President and Cashier of the said Company for the time being and their successors in office in trust for the said Company, their right, title, and interest, in, to, or out of, freehold property being intrusted to the Directors for the time being. The person receiving the said loan or advance shall also give a Promis sory Note as maker thereof, payable to Cashier of the said. Company for the time being, or his order, and due nine months after the date thereof for the amount so lent or advanced. The Company will renew the said Promissory Note as long as may be required by the borrower ¦ J^- .-, THE FIRST REGISTRY OFFICE OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON, MILLHAVEN, PROMISSORY NOTES, FREE HOLDERS BANK. BANKS AND BANKING 257 upon the security of the real property so conveyed as in this clause before mentioned, and upon the following conditions, that the said person bor rowing shall bring to the Office or Banking house of the Company, spe cie, the notes of other banks made payable on demand, or the notes issued by the said Company, which shall become due according to their tenor in six months after the date of the said renewal, equal to the amount of the note or obligation so required to be renewed. These con ditions being first performed by the person so borrowing, the Company will immediately re-discount upon the renewed note, and the real pro perty and security as aforesaid, to the amount of the former note given by the borrower, by giving him the said amount (less discount) in the notes of the Company, payable twelve months after the date of the said renewal, — and the Company will accelerate the effecting Exchange by every means consistent with the safety of the Institution that can be adopted, for the purpose of enabhng the person borrowing, as aforesaid, to renew his note as aforesaid. The Company will also discount Promis sory Notes, as in the present Bank Companies in the said Province with approved endorsers. But for or in no other business, adventure, trade or merchandise whatsoever, than that of Banking, according to the description and system in this clause before mentioned," (Promissory notes of five and twenty-five shillings respectively, beau tifully engraved and printed by a New York firm, were ready for issue. It is doubtful, however, whether any of them were issued, for just at this moment the boom burst. Through the reckless system of discount ing practised in the United States, the credit system of that country had been strained till it snapped, and a financial panic ensued. In England, too, there was distress, and taking warning from the losses of their neighbours, on March 4th, 1837, the Provincial Legislature struck a fatal blow at the Freeholders' Bank by passing an Act "to protect the public against injury from private banking," which forbade under heavy penalty any bank bill or note to be issued by any body, "associated without legis lative authority," Four institutions, which had actually begun operations, were exempted from its provisions, but of these the infant bank of Bath was not one. In vain Mr, Peter Davy and 386 other freeholders of the Midland District petitioned the Legislative Assembly that the Bank "may be allowed to continue its operations," A Bill was brought in, and after some amendments by the Legislative Council, which were accepted by the Assembly,, passed on July nth, 1837, "to afford relief to certain banking institutions heretofore carrying on business in this pro vince, by enabling them more conveniently to settle their affairs, and for protecting the interests of persons holding their notes." This Act 17 258., HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON allowed the shareholders of such institutions to appoint commissioners for settling their affairs ; and under it the shareholders of the Freehold ers' Bank appointed James Fraser, Wilham Sills, and Benjamin Ham commissioners for the purpose. It is significant of the looseness with which affairs were at this time transacted in the province that the Bill was brought in on the motion of Mr, John Solomon Cartwright, Member for the county, and that on August 7th, 1837, the appointment of the commissioners was confirmed by the same John Solomon Cartwright in his capacity of Judge of the District Court of the Midland District, The work of the commissioners took some time, and on February 14th, 1838, a petition, apparently praying for certain further powers, was presented by them to the Legislative Assembly, and referred to a special committee. The original powers eventually proved to be sufficient, the affairs of the Company were wound up without the need of a report from the committee, and early in 1838 the dream of the would-be financiers of Lennox and Addington had vanished. The first Savings Bank opened in Napanee was purely of local origin and was known as the Napanee Savings Bank Society, The Com mittee of Management consisted of R, J, Cartwright, J, Stevenson, J, Grange, J, F, Bartels, W, McGillivray, and Alex, Campbell, with the Rev, Dr, Lauder as Treasurer, and Robert Phillips, head-master of the Grammar School, Book-keeper, On Friday, October 5th, i860, the books were opened for depositors, and the following rules were pub lished : 1st, The Society will receive any sum not under 25 cents, 2nd, Will allow interest upon each pound remaining in their hands for a period not less than two months at the rate of 5% per annum, but will not on broken parts of a pound or for broken parts of a month, 3rd. Will not receive more than two hundred dollars from any one individual. 4th. The Treasurer and Book-keeper will receive and pay out moneys at the Town-hall between the hours of 7 and 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays of each week, 5th, Any sum not exceeding $5 may be drawn out on demand, and any over $5 upon giving a week's notice, 6th, All sums paid into the hands of the Treasurer will be forth with placed on deposit in the Commercial Bank of Canada at Kingston, 7th, No money will be loaned or otherwise invested on any pretence whatever, Sth, Each depositor will be provided with a small book, wherein deposits and sums paid out are to be entered. No money will be received BANKS AND BANKING 259 or money returned unless this book be produced to have the proper entries made therein, 9th, No money is to be received or paid out except in the joint presence of the Book-keeper and Treasurer, or if the latter be unavoid ably absent, of some member of the Committee, And each deposit or repayment must be hiitialled in the depositor's book by both of the above parties. Sir Richard Cartwright was the founder of this very laudable institu tion ; he and two other members of the Board, Messrs, McGillivray and Bartels, gave their personal bond guaranteeing the investors against loss, and advanced the very excellent reasons for all persons of srnall means patronizing the bank that the money "thus placed out of their immediate control, will prevent their indulging many an extravagant desire, will teach them careful and provident habits, and in addition will be improv ing in amount to be ready for them at any moment when really re quired," Fifty years later we see the same man, then Minister of Trade and Commerce, placing upon the Statute Books of Canada a similar pro vision to encourage thrift among the poorer classes throughout the entire Dominion, The first chartered bank to open a branch in Napanee was the now defunct Commercial Bank which on June 4th, 1864, opened its books for business in the small frame store on John Street between the Paisley House and the stone building used for many years as a butcher shop. The manager was the late Alexander Smith, who lived in the latter building and, from want of a better place, kept the bank books and cash in a safe in his dining-room. Over the dining-room the manager slept; and a hole through the floor commanded a view of the front of the safe and afforded an opportunity, if the occasion demanded it, to discharge into any would-be robbers the contents of a brace of pistols which were always ready at hand. The Commercial Bank continued in business for four years, when a panic was caused in the town by the announcement of its failure; but the Merchants Bank came to its rescue, took over its premises, business, and staff, and remained in the old frame building until 1870, when J, J, Watson of Adolphustown erected on Bridge Street the building designed especially as a bank and dwelling and now occupied by Dr, Simpson, The lower story of the western end of the building was devoted to the bank, and the door now used as the office door of the surgery was the bank entrance. Behind the office to which this door gave admittance was the vault and private office of the manager. For ten years this was the headquarters of the bank in Napanee, when it was felt that a location on Main Street would be more 260 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON desirable and the building opposite the Campbell House was secured, Mr, Smith continued as manager until 1893, when Mr, T, E, Mertett assumed control. The latter gentleman's promotion was rapid, but not undeserved, as he remained but two years in Napanee as manager, when, after a few brief changes, he was placed in charge of the New York branch and now fills the important position of Branch Superintendent and Chief Inspector of this, one of the largest financial institutions in Canada, He was succeeded in 1895 by the late W, A, Bellhouse, who gained great popularity in the town as an able and obliging banker, and a most enthusiastic golfer and curler. The present manager, Mr, E, R, Checkley, who had spent several years in the Napanee branch under different managers, relieved Mr, Bellhouse during his illness in 1909, and upon the death of the latter was appointed to his present position. In June, 191 1, the bank moved into its pleasant and commodious quarters on the corner of John and Dundas Streets, where the genial manager and his obliging staff are still dealing in the coveted dollars and cents. The next bank to open a branch in Napanee was the Bank of British North America which carried on business for two or three years in the Miller Block on John Street, one door south of the front entrance to the Paisley House dining-room, A most singular fatality pursued the chief members of the staff; and the head office, apparently discouraged in the' attempt to man an office in Napanee, concluded to withdraw from the town. The Dominion Bank took over the business of the Bank of British North America in January, 1878, and continued for a time in the same premises until accommodation was provided in the Blewett Block on the Market Square corner. There has been a succession of able and popular managers in charge of the branch, who, together with the embryo bank ers from time to time under them, have been a decided acquisition to the social life of the town. The business of the bank has steadily increased under their fostering care until now it is regarded as one of the most prosperous branches of the institution. The General Manager of the bank, Mr, Clarence Bogert, is an old Napanee boy ; and two of the man agers, Mr, Baines and Mr, Pepler, now holding responsible positions in the Toronto offices, each secured their fair partners in life in Napanee, while in charge of the local branch. Following is a list of the managers from the opening of branch to the present time, with the respective dates of service : R, A, Halliwell from 1878 to 1883 R, D, Gamble from 1883 to 1885 Waher Dariing from 1885 to 1888 REV. SALTERN GIVENS. REV. DR. BERNARD LAUDER, MBif'-WM' ¦M f.sr- ST. MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH, NAPANEE, 1840-1872, BANKS AND BANKING 261 E, H, Baines from 1888 to 1897 Arthur Pepler from 1897 to 1898 T, S, Hill from 1898 to 1904 D, L, Hill from 1904 to 191 1 G, P, Reiffenstein from 191 1 to the present time. The last to enter the field in Napanee was the Crown Bank of Can ada, which, in 1906, opened a branch on the south side of Dundas Street in the Albert Block, where it has remained ever since; but upon amal gamating with the Northern Bank in 1908 the name was changed to The Northern Crown Bank, Up to the present it has undergone few changes ; but it is rapidly making history under its energetic manager, Mr, R, G, H, Travers, who has been in charge of the branch since a few months after its opening. Prior to the coming of this bank to Napanee there were only two banks in the county, the Merchants and Dominion, but now there are ten, of which number three are in Napanee and a branch of the Northern Crown in each of the following villages, — Bath, Odessa, and Enterprise, a branch of the Sterling in Tamworth, the Merchants in Yarker, and the Standard in Camden East and Newburgh, 262 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER XVn NAPANEE CHURCHES Prior to 1835 there was no church in Napanee of any denomina tion, and religious services were conducted in private houses or any room that could be found suitable for the purpose. We gather from the Lang horn records that there was a congregation of the English Church in Napanee as early as 1809 and probably much earlier. The village was at that time annexed to Bath ecclesiastically ; but was not much credit to the mother church of the county. Of so little consequence was it that no wardens were chosen for three successive years, and even the rector of Bath was not greatly worried over the neglect. In 1835 the Cart- wrights donated the lot on the north-west corner of Thomas Street and the Newburgh Road, upon which was built a plain stone structure, St. Mary Magdalene Church, It was about forty feet long by thirty wide, and above the roof there rose a tower in which was hung a bell, the first to summon the good people of Napanee to worship. Not a trace of the old church now remains, as it was torn down and the material used in the erection of the new St. Mary Magdalene which has recently been im proved and is now one of the handsomest churches in the diocese. Even after the congregation had provided a place of worship, no resident rector was appointed, but the Rev, Saltern Givens, missionary to the Mohawks in the Tyendenaga Reserve, took the parish in charge and conducted services every Sabbath until 1849, when the Rev, Wm, Lauder was appointed the first rector of the parish of Napanee, He was succeeded in 1862 by the Rev^ J, J, Bogert, M,A,, who removed to Ottawa in 1881, and was followed by the Rev, Archdeacon T, Bedford-Jones, LL.D, The present rector. Rev, Arthur Jarvis, assumed charge upon the removal of the Archdeacon to Brockville in 1890, and retired from active supervision of the parish in 1908, since which date the church has had two Vicars, the late lamented Rev, F, T, Dibb, and the present incum bent, the Rev. W, E. Kidd, The Wesleyan Methodists were but five years behind the Anglicans, and in 1840 built a brick church forty by sixty feet on the site of the present Trinity Church, the land being also donated by the Cartwright estate ; in fact the site of every church in the town was a gift from this family. It was dedicated by the Rev, Gilbert Miher, who was stationed NAPANEE CHURCPIES 263 in Napanee at the time; and the pulpit was afterwards filled by many prominent preachers, among whom were the Reverends Robert Corson, D, B, Madden, John Black, William Haw, and B, Slight, In i860, while the Rev, F, Berry was in charge of the church, steps were taken to build a new stone church which was intended to outstrip in size and grandeur every other place of worship in the District, The congregation responded to the call of the pastor, subscriptions came pouring in, the noble edifice, as it was at that time considered, was begun, and the last touch on the exterior was the erection of the weather-vane which took place on Octo ber 27th, 1861, and was an event of such importance that the whole town turned out to witness the performance. A local reporter thus described it: "The finale was placed upon the spire of the new Stone Church in our village on Monday p.m. It was quite exciting to witness the opera tion. To see men, and these our own citizens, busily engaged with pole, rope, and tackle at the dizzy height of one hundred and fifty feet from terra firma, to see them handle an object some four feet long by two feet in thickness was a sight worth seeing. And none witnessed it with greater pleasure than the children of our Grammar and Common Schools, who were allowed by the kindness of Mr, Phillips, the principal, to wit ness the sight, "It is pleasing to know that -from the beginning of the erection of this very beautiful and large edifice, no serious accident has occurred. It speaks well for the care and management of the contractors The edifice thus far is certainly a credit to the church, and an ornament to the village, and tells favourably for the energy of the Building Com mittee under whose direction it has been erected." The dedication of the basement took place on Sunday, November 23rd, 1861, Appropriate sermons were preached morning and evening by Rev, George Young of Kingston, and in the afternoon by John Black of Belleville, This was followed by a Bazaar on Monday evening, at which addresses were delivered by the Reverends Dr, Stinson, John Black, George Young, H, Lanton, and J, C, Ash, The singing was said to have been of "rare excellence and reflected much credit upon the young people," Even this once grand edifice was in time felt to be inadequate for the needs of the large congregation ; and to the Rev, W, H, Emsley may be given no small part of the credit for the erection of the handsome cement church so perfectly equipped and beautifully decorated. It was built in 1906 on the site of its two predecessors; and the citizens of Napanee, and especially the loyal congregation that contributed the funds for its erection have just cause to be proud of the magnificent structure. 264 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON About the year 1840 the Napanee circuit extended all the way from Gosport on the south to Wheeler's Mills on the north, covering a terri tory over which there are now stationed at least ten clergymen. The roads in the northern part of the county were mere trails through the forest, from which the underbush had been cut; and the circuit rider's only practical means of travelling from one appointment to another was on horseback. Two ministers were in charge of this circuit, and it can be readily understood that, they spent a very large portion of their time in the saddle. In 1842 Father Corson was returning one day from a visit to Wheeler's Mills, and his course lay through the northern part of Rich mond, as the Salmon River could be crossed only at a point now known as Forest Mills, As he was jogging along the lonely path, with his saddle-bags dangling behind him, he met a solitary traveller who be sought him to come over to Lime Lake, where there were a few scattered log huts, without either preacher or regular service. The appeal was too strong for the good old man to resist, so Lime Lake was added to the Napanee circuit, 'I'he stranger who made this appeal was the late Elijah Storr, who afterwards became one of the prominent men of the county, and occupied the warden's chair. As the population increased in numbers and wealth, one by one the appointments were lopped off and the circuit reduced. Thus in 1850 Newburgh was set apart, in 1866 Selby was removed, in 1872 Morven and Gosport were severed, and for the first time Napanee became a cir cuit of one appointment only. The term "circuit," implying the riding about from one appointment to another, is scarcely applicable to a single church which received exclusively the services of its pastor; but the nomenclature of the good old days is still retained, and perhaps it is for the best if for no other purpose than to carry us back to the time of our fathers who "Cheerful bore the hard "Coarse fare and russet garb of pioneers "In these great woods, content to build a home "And commonwealth, where they could live secure, "A life of honour, loyalty, and peace," Following is a list of the ministers stationed on the Napanee circuit from 1840 to the present day: 1840 Revs, Cyrus R, Allison, William Haw 1841 Revs, Robert Corson, Gilbert Miller NAPANEE CHURCHES 2(55 1842 Revs. Robert Corson, Gilbert Miller 1843 Revs, William Haw, Samuel P, LaDow 1844 Revs, Asahel Hurlburt, Samuel P. LaDow 1845 Revs, Asahel Hurlburt, John Sanderson 1846 Revs, George Goodsori, John Sanderson 1847 Revs, George Goodson, John A. Wilhams 1848 Revs, William McFadden, John A, Wihiams 1849 Revs, William McFadden, Thomas Cleghorn 1850 Revs, John Black, Joseph Reynolds 185 1 Revs, John Black, John W, German 1852 Revs, D, B, Madden, Robert Brewster 1853 Revs, D, B, Madden, John D, Pugh 1854 Rev, George F, Playter 1855 Rev, George F, Playter 1856 Revs, Benjamin Slight, M,A., John Slight 1857 Rev, Benjamin, Slight, M,A, 1857 Revs, William English, Samuel Wilson 1858 Revs, William English, John Thompson 1859 Revs, William English, William W. Ross i860 Revs, Francis Berry, James Ash, Richard Pretty 1861 Revs. Francis Berry, Davidson McDonald, George Robson 1862 Revs, Francis Berry, T, W, Jeffrey, George Robson 1863 Revs, Wm, McCullough, T, W, Jeffrey, David Brethour 1864 Revs, Wm, McCullough, David Brethour, John F, German 1865 Revs. John S, Clarke, D, Kennedy, B.A., G, H, Squire, B,A, 1866 Revs, John S, Clarke, Alexander Campbell 1867 Revs, John S, Clarke, Alexander Campbell 1868 Revs, Wm, Scott, Thomas Kelley 1869 Revs, Wm, Scott, William Shaw 1870 Revs, Wm, Scott, John Ridley 1871 Revs, George M, Meachem, M,A,, Thomas Cardus 1872 Rev, George M, Meachem, M,A, 1873 Rev, George M, Meachem, M,A, 1874-5-6 Rev, W. S, Blackstock 1877-8-9 Rev, A, B, Chambers, B,C,L, 1880-1 Rev, Wm, Hansford 1882-3-4 Rev, M, L. Pearson 1885-6-7 Rev. W. H. Emsley 1888-9-90 Rev. A, B, Chambers, D,D, 1891-2-3 Rev, S, J, Shorey 1894-5-6 Rev, N, A, McDiarmid, S,T,D, 266 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON 1897-8-9 Rev, W, J, Crothers, M,A, 1900-1-2-3 Rev, C, E, Mclntyre, M,A, 1904-5-6-7 Rev. W, H, Emsley 1908-9-11-12 Rev, G, W, McCall, B,A., B.D. 1912 Rev, S, Sellery, M,A,, B,D, About the year 1842 the first Methodist Episcopal church, known for a long time as the White Church, was commenced on the site of the Western Methodist Church, and was completed in 1844, with the Rev, John Bailey as Presiding Elder, and the Rev, H, H, Johnston as the Minister in charge. In 1871 the Rev, S, G, Stone was appointed to Napanee, and he felt the need of a new church. The late John Gibbard was the most prominent man in the congregation and, up to the time of his death, was a generous contributor to the funds of the church. It was a large undertaking for a small congregation, but the enthusiasm of the pastor and the liberality of Mr, Gibbard became infectious, the work was begun, and the present church completed in October, 1873, '^^ a cost of $17,000, It has recently been renovated and improved, and is well suited to serve the needs of the congregation for many years to come. The needs of the pastor are not overlooked, as he is housed in a handsome and well furnished parsonage next door to the church. This church has been singularly fortunate in securing some of the most prominent men in the conference to officiate as pastor. Following is a complete list of the clergymen stationed at this appointment during the past fifty years : 1861-63 Rev, J, C, Burnell 1864-67 Rev, David Wilson 1867-69 Rev, I, B, Aylsworth, D,D, 1869-71 Rev, J. D, Bell 1871-74 Rev, S, G, Stone, D,D. 1874-77 Rev. Bidwell Lane, D.D, 1877-79 Rev, C, S, Eastman 1879-81 Rev, George Hartley, D,D, 1881-84 Rev, Stephen Card 1884-87 Rev, J, P, Wilson, B,A, 1887-89 Rev, E, N, Baker, B,D, 1889 Rev, J, B, Clarkson, resigned through illness 1889-1892 Rev, C, O, Johnson 1892-94 Rev, J, J, Rae 1894-97 Rev, D, O, Crossley 1897-1900 Rev, Caleb Parker NAPANEE CHURCHES 267 1900-04 Rev, S, T, Bartlett 1904-08 Rev, J, R, Real 1 908- 1 1 Rev, W, H, Emsley 191 1 to the present. Rev, J, P, Wilson, B,A, Napanee was originally but one of several posts of a Roman Catholic mission comprising Adolphustown, Fredericksburgh, Napanee, Richmond, and Deseronto, From the year 1845 to 1856 mass was occa sionally celebrated in the homes of John Walsh and Richard O'Brien, who, with James Gleeson, undertook the building of the present stone church in 1856; and although the congregation was small this faithful trio persevered in the good work till they had erected the substantial edifice which is a lasting memorial to their exertions. From 1856 to i860 Father Michael MacKay and Father McMehan attended to the spiritual wants of the congregation, and were followed by Father Brophy, who remained in charge until 1864, From 1864 to 1869 Father Browne was the first resident pastor, and during his short incumbency many substantial improvements were made, notably the finishing of the interior, the installation of new pews, the erection of an altar, and the purchase of the present presbytery. The Rev, Father Leonard, one of the most learned priests of the diocese, was appointed in 1869, but owing to ill-health was forced to retire after a stay of five years. Father McDonough came to Napanee in 1874, and won such love by his unfaltering adherence to the duties of his sacred office and his uni form courtesy to all that it was to the deepest regret of all denominations that he was transferred to Picton in 1889, His place was taken by Rev, Father Hogan, who proved a worthy -successor to Father McDonough, and for fifteen years upheld the dignity of his profession, and at the same time ingratiated himself into the hearts of all classes in the com munity. The Rev, P, J, Hartigan took charge of the parish in 1904, fol lowing in the steps of "his predecessors by ministering to the congrega tions of both Napanee and Deseronto, In 1906 Archbishop Gauthier visited Napanee, with a view of car rying out the long contemplated division of the parish, which was hap pily effected by each congregation undertaking to support a pastor of its own. Father Hartigan was left in charge of Deseronto, and Father T, P, O'Connor was appointed to the new parish of Napanee, The congre gation has more than fulfilled the expectations of the Archbishop and, besides maintaining their own pastor, have beautified and improved their church under the guidance of the present pastor, who has proven him self to be a devout and scholarly gentleman, amiable and energetic, Dur- inp" his pastorate he has installed a set of beautifully executed Stations 268 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON of the Cross, enlarged the auditorium of the church, erected a new vestry complete in its appointments and a chancel adorned by artistic memorial windows donated by Mr, John F, Walsh, and the estates of Mrs, Ellen McNeil and Miss M, A, Blewett, A new altar of chaste design and perfect workmanship completes the interior of this beautiful church, in the decoration of which no expense has been spared. Major Vanalstine of Adolphustown was a Presbyterian and was responsible for sending for the first minister of that faith who came to this district. This was the Rev, Mr, McDowell, who came to Canada. in 1800 and settled in the township of Ernesttown; but preached at dif ferent points upon a circuit extending from Brockville to the head of the Bay of Quinte, Of him Dr, Canniff wrote : "No man contributed more than he to fulfil the divine mission 'go preach' and at a time when great spiritual want was felt he came to the hardy settlers. The spirit of Christianity was by him aroused to no little extent, especially among those who in the early days had been accustomed to sit under the teachings of Presbyterians, He travelled far and near, in all kinds of weather, and at all seasons, sometimes in a canoe or bateau, and sometimes on foot. On one occasion he walked all the way from the Bay of Quinte to York, following the lake shore, and swimming the rivers that could not other wise be forded," The Presbyterians were loyal to their church, and there were a great many throughout the county: but they were scattered over the whole territory, and not strong enough to build churches for the several congregations; so, as a rule, they held their services in private houses, school-houses, or any public hall that could be secured for the purpose, Napanee was no exception to the rule, and this denomination was the last in town to provide for themselves a place of worship. The Presbyterian Church, a substantial stone structure forty-four feet by sixty- five feet, was commenced on July ist, 1864, and by the fol lowing spring the lower portion was ready for use by the congregation. The dedicatory services of the basement took place on Sunday, March I2th, 1865. The Rev, John B, Mowat of Queen's College preached in the morning, the Rev, W, McLaren in the afternoon, and the Rev, Pat rick Gray in the evening. On Monday evening following the ladies held their first tea-meeting, which was the forerunner of the regular annual gatherings for which that congregation has become famous. The clergy man in charge at the time was the Rev, John Scott, who had come to Napanee some two years before, and before the building of the church conducted services in the old Academy and afterwards in the town- hall He was highly esteemed by all denominations ; and the commodious REV. PAUL SHIRLEY. REV. CYRUS R. ALLISON, REV, FATHER BROWNE. REV. JOHN SCOTT. NAPANEE CHURCHES 269 building provided for the Presbyterians is due to his energy and persever ance. There was a halt in the building operations some time after the dedication of the basement, and the main audience room was not com pleted until 1869, when it was opened for public worship by the Rev. Dr. McVicar of Montreal. The following clergymen have in turn offi ciated in this church : Reverends John Scott, Alexander Young, Duncan McEachern, W. W. Peck, J. R. Conn, and Dr. Howard. 270 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER XVIII NAPANEE NEWSPAPERS The first newspaper published in this county was a five-column sheet issued on November 2nd, 1850, by the Rev, G, D, Greenleaf, It was called the Napanee Bee and, according to the announcement at the top of the first page, it was "Devoted to the cause of Civil and Religious Liberty, and to the promotion of Agriculture, Education, and Morality," The title extended across the top in a ribbon scroll, over a wood-cut of the village which is probably the oldest picture of Napanee in existence, and has been identified by many old residents as a remarkably accurate representation. On the south side of the river are two large buildings, a grist-mill and a brewery, and along the river front are six other build ings scattered along the bank from the falls to West Street, On the site of the big mill is a three-story building with a wharf extending from it half-way across the river. There are three churches ; the English on Thomas Street near the Newburgh Road, the Wesleyan Methodist Church on the site of Trinity Church, and the old White Church where the Western Methodist Church now stands. There were only two build ings on Bridge Street west of West Street, one near the site of the Methodist parsonage and the other across the street. There were three small houses in the vicinity of Madden's corner; but west of that not a single house appears in the picture. The third issue published on November i6th, is confined to two pages; and the editor apologetically craves the indulgence of his readers for the appearance of the paper and by way of explanation states that one of his printers had taken "French leave" and had stolen a watch from another member of the staff, so that the paper had perforce befen neglected while the proprietor had been engaged in bringing the thief to justice. There are two numbers of the Bee among the archives of the Historical Society, and they compare very favourably with the ordinary country newspaper of to-day both in subject-matter and appearance. The Bee was printed from a press constructed by its portly editor, who, in addition to printing the newspaper, conducted a cabinet shop, and offered for sale all classes of furniture for cash or in exchange for lum ber or merchantable country produce. The editor waged a relentless war against the liquor traffic, and the greater part of his editorials and communications were devoted to this NAPANEE NEWSPAPERS 271 subject. The Sons of Temperance were strongly organized throughout the province, and the proceedings of the various lodges were given a prominent place in the Bee. Mr, Greenleaf had the courage of his con victions and did not hesitate to express his views in good strong Eng lish when he thought the occasion warranted it, as will be seen from the following editorial, which appeared in the issue of July i6th, 1852 : "Bath, though not large, is, nevertheless, a place of considerable com mercial interest and importance. Situated on the margin of the Bay of Quinte, at or near its junction with the lake, eighteen miles above Kings ton and about two from Amherst Island, it becomes the central depot and mart for the peninsular part of Adolphu.stown and Fredericksburgh, the front of Ernesttown, and the above named Island. Having no water- power for mechanical purposes much of the business which would other wise centre here is drawn to other points. Still, Bath has its advantages, and will steadily but slowly progress, "At present it is suffering materially from a moral plague spot in its very midst and which greatly cripples nearly every enterprise in the vil lage; and, to an extent, in the surrounding country. We speak of a miserable, unlicensed groggery kept by one S , himself a filthy drunk ard. On a recent visit to Bath the writer drove up to the house, sup posing it to be an inn. The first salute was a bacchanalian song by a gang of drunken rowdies in the bar-room. Next appeared at the front door a bloated, red-faced, red-eyed hiccoughing specimen of Rum's work with a — 'Will ye — hie — will you ha — hie — have your horse put ou — put out?' Sorry that he had stopped there the writer began to wish for better quarters; but being uncertain that his condition could be bettered for the time being by removing, he thought to make a virtue of necessity and so stopped. Going soon afterwards to look after his horse, he found him hitched, with a lock of miserable hay so placed that the horse could not reach it by three feet, A retreat was at once decided upon, and another trial was made across the street at Hollisters, Here the horse fared better. By the way, we believe that Mr, Nelson Hollister is the most worthy of the patronage of the travelling public of any landlord in Bath, He has recently opened, is young, and appears to have some conscience in respect to the rum part of his business ; and in all but this we can wish him success. Notwithstanding his knowledge of the Bee's opposition to the liquor traffic he gave his name as a subscriber. "As for S , it is certainly a matter of surprise that the good people of Bath will suffer him, in open violation of law and order, to continue his moral and social nuisance in their very midst. Is there no remedy? Is the stranger to be decoyed into this unauthorized house 272 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON where his beast will be defrauded and his own quiet disturbed? And will the people in whose faces this wrong is perpetrated quietly or pas sively give indemnity for the act ? It is said that Mrs, S is an excel lent woman, and we believe it; but we cannot see as this should be a sufficient excuse for his going 'unwhipped of justice,' But enough of this," The most extensive advertiser in the Bee was James Grange "at the sign of the Bottle and Mortar" ; and accompanying his advertise ment were crudely executed wood-cuts, one of which pictured suffering humanity in distressing attitudes, with outstretched arms pointing hope fully to the familiar sign of the fat, round bottle with the words "Grange, Druggist" upon the side, surrounding a representation of a mortar in the centre, with the wholesome motto of "Live and let live," E, A. Dunham announced to the public that he had a newly opened assortment of fresh goods of almost eyery description that he was pre pared to dispose of in exchange for cash or wool, Robert Easton, "be tween the sign of the Blue Bottle and T, Kettle" solicited an early call from his patrons, friends, and customers in need of bonnets, ribbons, and muslin-de-laine, and intimated that wool, grain, butter, and farm produce generally would be taken in exchange, Charles James was "pre pared to offer such as favour him with a call the best bargains ever received in the way of broad-cloths, cassimeres, tweeds, plain and fancy Orleans" and other goods, including prunella boots, teas, and tobacco; and would accept in exchange "Rye, Oats, Peas, Corn, and Shingles." Almost the only advertiser who did not express his desire to' accept produce in exchange for his stock-in-trade was Mr. B. C. Davy, barris ter and attorney-at-law. This is probably explained by the fact that he enjoyed a monopoly in his particular line. The patent medicines and proprietary remedies proclaimed their wonderful cures through the columns of the Bee and the "Great Vege table Magic Pain Destroyer,'' "The East India Hair Dye" and other nos trums occupied fully one half of the advertising space. According to a census return published in the Bee in January, 1852, the population of Lennox was 7,955, made up as follows: Adolphus town, 718, Fredericksburgh, 3,166, Richmond including Napanee, 4,071, Napanee village contained at that time 1,020 souls. Although the little paper persistently announced week after week that it was "pledged to no party either political or religious," and that it intended ever to seek fearlessly to maintain an independent course "unaw'd by influence and unbrib'd by gain" yet, when election time came, it could buzz as loudly and sting as severely as the most partisan journal. ^fiiuot ani) 3.i)bint|toii Sctig LV .\ WKKKKV roi.ITICVU (OMMERCLVU i.lTKK.UtV ,\M) AOVEUTISJ.Xf; .I.)i ![| 70L L NAPANEE. SATURDAT. MABOB % IBOfi. 3^^'=^^'g"gf"i|ITi'rtiL»H^^«>.Di>i NCTft s <; i; ^ r. K 1 1, % u V c it ti « i: it- iv.r iiutoio b;.j ^y: NAPANEE BEAv ER. J z mm d^ ¦¦<¦ ¦ -•^' I, \ pa^jaiut ®r^r4^ m. leaver, LENNOX AND ADDINGTON NEWSPAPERS. NAPANEE NEWSPAPERS 273 Its appeal to the electors who were about to assemble in a few days at Gordanier's Inn in Ernesttown to nominate a candidate would hardly be considered moderate even in our day: "Up, then, ye electors! Ye real friends of 'our Canada' and true conservators of religious equality and rational equal civil rights! Yc supporters of Progress and Reform : up, up, and at your post ! ! ! The contest is not to be, we trust, as it should not, one of partisan and favouritism, but of purely patriotic against selfish, of Christian against sectarian principles. On the one hand will be arrayed the advocates of religious preferences and exclusive rights ; the supporters of a stand-still- and-do-nothing policy in relation to national improvements, and the friends of sectarian multiplication, ad infinitum, with the attendant neces sary consequences of all such measures; and who thus labour to entail upon this infant country all the curses of such anti-liberal and anti- Reform principles," For nearly two years the reverend gentleman continued to preach temperance through the columns of the Bee and periodically to apologize to his readers for issuing a half sheet owing to the scarcity of paper, until he finally suspended publication owing to the "very discouraging and disadvantageous circumstances" under which he laboured, A few weeks later, over the names of G, D, Greenleaf and C, Lowry, appeared the prospectus of the Napanee Emporium, a seven-column paper, which was in reality a revival, of the Bee; but the proprietor decided upon dropping that name and adopting the new one, "believing it to be better adapted to the contemplated character of the paper," The change of the name and size of the paper were not acconipanied by any radical change in the tone and character of its reading matter. The editor could not get away from his text; and even the strong temper ance element in the county looked for something more in a newspaper than temperance lectures and the records of the doings of the various temperance organizations, so it was not long before the Emporium was laid to rest beside its elder brother, the Bee. ¦In the year 1854 the leading men of Napanee felt that the time had arrived when the town and the surrounding country should no longer be dependent for the news of the world upon the Kingston press, whose columns were filled with attractive advertisements of the merchants of that place seeking to divert the trade from Napanee, The first press was purchased by Allan Macpherson. Robert Esson, B. C. Davy, and a number of prominent men were induced to take stock in the venture ; and the Napanee Standard was first published at the office of Alexander Campbell over Macpherson's store at the east end of Dundas Street, It 18 274 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON was not long before Mr, Campbell relieved the other stockholders of their shares and became the sole proprietor, with Mr, B, C, Davy as editor. The latter gentleman wielded a versatile pen and never hesitated, when it suited his purpose, to express his likes and dislikes. After Mr, Campbell had opened his store opposite the Campbell House the print ing plant was moved into an old frame building next door where its pro prietor could conveniently exercise an oversight over the management. When Mr, Davy assumed the editorship, at the princely salary of $4,00 a week, he entered into an agreement with his employer to protect him against libel actions. He had not filled the editor's chair many months before both himself and Mr, Campbell were defendants in a libel suit brought against them by one Rombough, for some offensive language which had appeared in the columns of the Standard from the pen of the lawyer-editor. Before the trial took place Mr, O'Reilly, counsel for the plaintiff, offered to withdraw the action if the defendants would undertake not to publish anything further about Rombough, Davy favoured a settlement upon these terms, and Solicitor-General Smith, counsel for the defendants, also recommended it; but Campbell refused to give the undertaking, with the result that the trial went on and the defendants were mulcted in the sum of $50 and costs. Needless to say the business relations between the proprietor of the Standard and its editor were promptly terminated; instead of the friendship which pre viously existed there arose a bitter enmity, and the angry lawyer vented his feelings through the columns of the Reformer, in which his former employer was styled a "petty tyrant" and the journal he himself had once edited "a miserable rag,'' Mr, Campbell, however, continued its publication as the local, organ of the Conservative party, and never lost an opportunity to strike back at his former editor, whose office was just across the street. These little pleasantries did not tend to increase the popularity of the Standard, which was sold in 1858 to Mr, Alexander Henry and Mr, Chnton A. Jenkins, Mr, Jenkins retired from the partnership in the following year in favour of Mr, T, S, Henry, The plant was removed to the upper stories of the Henry Block on the north side of Dundas Street, where Henry Brothers continued as sole proprietors until the suspension of publication in 1885 > a-t which time Mr, Alexander Henry was profitably engaged in the paper business at Napanee Mills, and Mr, T, S, Henry conducted the book store which he has continued to manage to the pre sent day. Among the journeymen who served their apprenticeship in the press room of the Standard were the late William Templeton and G, M, NAPANEE NEWSPAPERS 275 Beeman, the founders of the Napanee Beaver. The Standard was well named; and it is quite refreshing, even at this late day, to peruse its editorials, which deal not only with issues of local interest but with the greater questions affecting the whole country. Among the editors who framed its policy was Mr. F, R, Yokome, the present managing editor of the Peterboro Examiner. Encouraged by the proprietor, who not only invited but sought the views of prominent citizens upon all matters worthy of discussion in the press, the correspondence column was one of its leading features. Through this medium the opinions of the ablest men of the community were presented to the pubhc, evils needing correction were fearlessly exposed, and a check was placed upon hasty municipal legislation. What was deemed worthy of approval in the individual or body corporate was highly commended, the public benefactor received his full share of praise, and what is just as important, the evil-doer, no matter what his station in life, was as unscathingly denounced. While this pohcy com manded the respect of the general public, it at times rendered the editor's chair not quite as comfortable as might have been desired. The Reformer was first pubhshed in the month of August, 1854, by Messrs, E, A, Dunham and J. W, Carman, In a well written pros pectus, printed in the first few issues, the publishers announced that they chose the Liberal policy, "because of its peculiar adaptation to the con stitution of our nature, and as best calculated to give operation and effect to those progressive measures which originate in minds not meas ured and bounded by personal and selfish interests," As its title indi cated and its prospectus declared it was the local organ of the Reform party, and threw down the gauntlet to the Standard, which was already in the field as the champion of the rights of the Conservatives. The Reformer contained some excellent editorials during the first year, written by Mr, Dunham, who sold out in 1855 to a brother of his junior partner; after which Carman & Brother were announced as pro prietors and J, W, Carman as editor and publisher. The new editor proved himself as capable as his predecessor, and paid his respects to the Index with such marked attention that the Newburgh journal charged Mr, David Robhn with being the author of the castigations so freely bestowed upon it. Those were the good old days, when the editors, lacking other matter, devoted a column or two to holding their contem poraries up to ridicule; and as both the Standard and Index were pour ing hot shot into the office of the Reformer the latter was kept pretty busy in repelling their attacks. 276 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON In glancing over an issue of July 25th, 1855, the conviction is forced upon the reader that the same old wail has been going up from the over burdened ratepayers for sixty years, A correspondent writes: "Main Street needs some six inches of fine broken gravel from one end to the other, say ten feet wide, rounded up in the centre so as to turn off the water, and then a nice covering of sand to make it passable at once; and this should be done now, and not wait till all the money is expended on the back streets where it is not half so much required," The Reformer was doomed to meet the fate of its predecessors; and after a few eventful years its career was ended, the plant was removed to Kingston, and the Standard had the field again to itself. The Bantling was a small four-page three-column sheet which does not appear to have been taken very seriously by the people of Napanee, It made its first bow to the public as a regular newspaper on January 1st, 1859; although a specimen copy was issued on Christmas Day of the preceding week, in which it was announced that "The Bantling is printed by the editor, edited by the publisher, pubhshed by the proprietor, and proprieted by the Devil." In the prospectus which appeared in the free specimen issue over the signature of Mr, T, M, Blakely, an agreeable literary melange was promised, out of all keeping with the size of the sheet, which, however, he led his readers to believe would be doubled if he received proper sup port and encouragement. The editor could not be congratulated upon the selection of a title for a paper which professed to serve the subscribers weekly with the cream of domestic and foreign news. Although the Bantling did not profess to espouse the cause of either poHtical party, one does not need to peruse very far the few paragraphs devoted to local news before he can make a comparatively safe guess that the editor was not in full sympathy with the Conservatives, who swept everything before them at the municipal elections which were reported in the second issue. There was a rhymster who contributed to its columns; and in the number containing the election returns each successful candidate's alleged speech is reported in rhyme. The council consisted of five mem bers, Messrs, MacPherson, Bartles, Grange, McGillivray, and Davy, Mr, MacPherson's speech is said to have been as follows: "My heartfelt thanks to all this crew, "Who have elected me is due; "Although I've bought you cheap enough, "With whisky, money, and such stuff, "I give you notice, one and all, "I've whisky now for sale on call," NAPANEE NEWSPAPERS 277 Judging from the criticisms in the Bantling the Napanee Fire Brigade could not have captured many trophies in 1859, Commenting upon a fire which was described as calamitous, it said in its third issue : "The Fire-engine and Hook and Ladder were on hand, but were in very poor working order — the engine not having been worked since the fire on the corner of Dundas and Centre Streets, which is about 18 months ago, and the hooks having no ropes attached to them," The paper was not conducted upon lines calculated to win the sup port of the average reader; and it would have been a serious reflection upon the intehigence of the citizens of Napanee if it has received their approval. During its short career not a single merchant availed himself of the advertising space placed at his disposal. It contained very little news, and the articles professing to deal with local topics were crude attempts at humour, such as parodies on the Holy Scriptures and letters from alleged correspondents supposed to be caricatures upon the lan guage and spelling of the loquacious countryman. "Nothing in its life became it like the leaving it" ; as its obituary notice, which appeared in the twenty-eighth number, was the best article published in its columns : "It is our painful duty to record the last week of a Mr, Bantling, who 'breathed' its last on July i6th, 1859; after a lingering sickness of six months and twenty-one days. The remains of Mr, Bantling will be removed from the office followed by its numerous mourners, to its final rest. It is to be hoped that the shops will be closed when the proces sion is moving and a general mourning will be observed by ah the citizens. It is lamentable that one so young, just blooming into life, should be cut off from the world ; but disease seized him with an iron grasp and held on till the last breath of wind reluctantly departed from his body," In the general election of 1863, in which Sir Richard Cartwright was opposed by Mr. Augustus Hooper, all other issues gave way to the ques tion of the separation of the counties and the choice of a county town, Mr, Hooper favoured Newburgh, and Sir Richard championed the claims of Napanee, The Standard was placed in an awkward posi tion and was forced to oppose the candidacy of the man, who, but for the local issue, would have received its support, Mr, T, S, Carman had anticipated the situation, and thinking the time opportune for the intro duction of a Reform newspaper, he accordingly established the Weekly Express. It was a large ten-column four-page sheet, well printed and edited, and received the liberal patronage of the business men of the town. The first issue, which was published in 1862, made it clear that its avowed purpose was to oppose the policy of the Conserva- 278 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON tive party, a course which it has followed with more or less success ever since, ^ About ten years later Mr, Carman sought pastures new in a wider field and sold out to Mr, T, W, Casey, who reduced the size to six columns, increased the pages to eight, and changed the name to the Napanee Express, with the motto "The greatest good to the greatest number." Mr. Casey understood thoroughly the newspaper business, was an eloquent speaker and an easy writer, but above everything else, was a most ardent supporter of the cause of temperance and lost no opportunity to give his support to every measure and organization which had as its purpose the suppression of the liquor traffic. The columns of his paper afforded an excellent opportunity to lay before the public his views upon a subject which was so near his heart, and every issue was devoted more or less to the progress of the temperance cause. Such a policy, however commendable, did not appeal to a large number of his readers who did not share his views. After a few years he sold out to Mr, John Benson, who discovered that the management of a newspaper was a much more difficult task than he had bargained for ; and it was not long before Mr, Casey's name again appeared on the front page as proprietor. In 1880 Mr, William O'Bierne purchased the plant and infused new life into the paper, which had lost some of its former prestige. At no time in its history has the Express so well fulfilled its purpose as a moulder of public opinion as under the management of Mr. O'Bierne. He fearlessly attacked what he believed to be detrimental to the interests of the town and county, and just as fearlessly supported every movement which, in his opinion, was for the public good. The same policy pur sued by him in Western Ontario has made his paper, the Stratford Bea con, one of the brightest dailies in the province. In 1886 Mr, J, C, Drewry assumed the editorship and became pro prietor, and, while he gathered many items of personal news from the outlying districts in the county and condensed the general news of the week, there was a_ falling off in the editorial column, which more than anything else can give character to a newspaper. In 1890 he sold out to John Pollard and E, McLaughlin, who conducted it in partnership for four years, when the latter retired and Mr, Pollard became sole pro prietor. He died in 1904, leaving the business to his son Mr. E. J, Pol- yard, who has recently installed new presses with electric motor power from which he issues weekly an eight-page sheet containing much inter esting reading matter of a varied character. NAPANEE NEWSPAPERS 279 In the month of May, 1864, Messrs, Dickens and Lamphier "having been assured," as they announced in their prospectus "of the support of a large number both of the inhabitants of the town and surrounding country" and feeling that the increasing business of the place would war rant the establishment of another paper, began the publication of the Lennox and Addington Ledger. It was an eight-column paper, the larg est published in the county up to that date, and professed allegiance to neither political party, its proprietors declaring that they would "at all times be found doing battle on the side of whatever is for the welfare and advancement of the province and more particularly of these coun ties," Judging from the few issues which the writer has been privileged to examine the Ledger was far superior to the ordinary country news paper of to-day. At the time of its publication the American War was being bitterly waged; and the editorials dealing with the great issues between the North and South reflect great credit upon the ability of the editor who penned them. All the editors of the local press of fifty years ago appear to have felt the responsibility cast upon them as purveyors of news and moulders of public opinion. They excluded from their columns the petty personal items so common in the country press of to-day, and of no possible inter est to any one except the friends of the correspondents who have a mania for seeing their names in print. The news of the day was pub lished in a concise form, all questions of public interest were intelligently discussed, and the editors, striving to keep abreast of the times, gave their readers the benefit of their views and awakened an interest in all matters affecting the public welfare. The Ledger merited a better fate than it met at the hands of the business men of the town and the electors of the county generally. The cleavage between the political parties, the Grits and Tories, was very pronounced in those days. The Reformer had very little use for any thing of Tory origin, and the Standard could see very little virtue, if any, in any policy advocated by the Grits, Both papers were well edited, each hammered away at the other, and each had the support of the party it represented. The ordinary subscriber was satisfied with one local paper, and the paper receiving his exclusive patronage was the one whose political views were agreeable to his taste. Little room was left for the independent journal; and the enterprising young men who sought to establish a foothold for the Ledger and to teach the free and independent electors to think for themselves, found that they had undertaken a hope less task, and from want of support were forced to retire from the' field 280 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON after a short but most respectable career as proprietors of one of the best newspapers ever published in our county. From the time the Rev, G. D, Greenleaf first appeared in the journal istic field as the uncompromising foe of the liquor traffic some section of the press of Napanee had- kept up the fight, but no writer in the pro- ¦v;,ince devoted himself quite so assiduously to the cause as the late Thos, W, Casey. For many years he was Grand Secretary of the Independent Order of Good Templars ; and it was quite natural, when that Order con cluded to publish an official organ, that Napanee should be its home and that he should be selected as the Editor-in-chief, In 1869 the Casket was first issued from the press of Henry & Bro, It was an eight-page, five-column weekly journal with an artistic heading and, to help out the subscription list, it took under its wing the Inde pendent Order of Foresters and the Sons of Temperance, each of which organizations was allotted a certain amount of space under the control of its own editor. The presence of so much ready matter in the press room of the Standard accounts in some measure for the frequency of the stirring articles in support of temperance, which, week after week, appeared for years in the columns of that paper. For fourteen years the Casket waged a relentless war against the traffic; and it would be diffi cult to estimate the important part it played in moulding public opinion and bringing about the temperance legislation of the past forty years. In the month of January, 1870, Cephas I, Beeman published the first issue of the Addington Beaver, a four-page six-column weekly paper, the first and fourth pages of which were printed upon the presses of the Pembroke Observer by George M. Beeman. The two inner pages, which were devoted to advertisements and local news, were printed by the pro prietor at Newburgh, The paper was so well received by the public that, after it had passed the experimental stage, Mr, George M, Beeman and William Templeton purchased the plant, enlarged the paper to seven columns, and moved it to Napanee, where the publication was con tinued under the name of the Ontario Beaver. Later on the name was again changed to the Napanee Beaver and the paper further enlarged by the addition of four more pages. In 1892 Mr, Beeman sold out to his partner, who continued as editor and proprietor until his death in 1908. since which date it has been published by his son. The Beaver has the unique record of being the only newspaper organized in this county which, at some period in its history, has not been obliged through financial distress, either to suspend publication or pass into the hands of its creditors. It has now a circulation of nearly four thousand, and is to be found in nearly every home in the county. NAPANEE NEWSPAPERS 281 Its popularity in recent years is in no small degree due to the space that for many years has been devoted to the early history of this county. The "Old Time Records" from the pen of the late Thomas W. Casey have not only been read with the deepest interest by those whose ances tors figured in the events so faithfully recorded, but have been eagerly sought after and preserved by historians and archivists in all parts of the province. It has a large staff of correspondents whose contributions fill many columns ; and while the items thus supplied may not always possess much literary merit or be of interest to the ordinary reader they have the desired effect of increasing the circulation. On the eve of the general election of 1896 the journalistic firmament of Ontario was enriched by a new luminary, the Napanee Star. The "Salutatory" which appeared in the first issue announced as follows: "The Napanee Star makes its first bow to the good people of the town and county. It has come to stay. Its desire is to become a welcome guest in every available household, bearing such reliable and impartial news, and views of methods and things as may best instruct and interest all with whom it may come into contact, "The Publisher believes that there is room for an independent and impartial journal, anxious and willing at all times to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth regarding public affairs, no mat ter what party or clique may be harmed or helped by the fullest possible information thus given. Mere party organs are prone to tell such things as help their party, and carefully conceal .such as may tend to injure. From such, very one-sided and distorted views are obtained. The pur pose is to open the Star to a full, free, and fair discussion of what may come within its range ; giving both sides a fair opportunity, so far as its limits will permit." The new competitor for the patronage of the public was owned and published by Mr. Charles Stevens, who adopted as the motto of his promising offspring "Equal Rights to all — Special Privileges to none." The raison d'etre for the sudden appearance of the Star could easily be gathered from an address which appeared in the same issue over the [name of the proprietor, in which he announced to the free and inde pendent electors of the riding of Lennox that, upon the solicitation of a large number of friends, he had consented to allow his name to be placed in nomination as an Independent candidate at the coming election. In a three-cornered fight between Mr. Uriah Wilson, Conservative, Mr, Edmund Switzer, Patron-Liberal, and Mr, Stevens, Independent, Mr, Wilson headed the poll ; but the Star, although it had failed in its pur pose to secure for the publisher a seat in Parliament, contrary to the 282 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON expectations of many, remained in the field as an independent journal. It was a spicy five-column little sheet which catered to no particular party or class; and as was the desire of the publisher as announced in his "Salutatory" it was a welcome guest in many households in the county. From the same cause that produced the premature demise of the Ledger, the Napanee Star, after a brief and almost brilliant career, suffered a total eclipse and cea'sed to twinkle in 1900, CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 283 CHAPTER XIX CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH In the Proclamation of King George III bearing date July 24th, 1788, by which the first four Districts of Upper Canada were defined, Camden was named as the last of the townships making up the District of Mecklenburgh, and was the only township in the District not fronting upon a body of water. This circumstance largely cut it off from com munication with the other townships and was a serious drawback to its settlement; for even in the townships upon the bay and river the rear concessions were avoided and considered undesirable. But as room had to be found for the newcomers they kept gradually moving northward, and this, one of the best agricultural townships in the province, soon came in for its share of the increasing population. It was named after Charles Pratt, Earl Camden, Viscount Bayham, Attorney-General under Lord Chatham in 1757, raised to the peerage in 1765, and afterwards Lord Chancellor of England, By the statute of 1798, dividing the province into counties it was designated as one of the original townships of the counties of Lennox and Addington and was called Camden East, to distinguish it from a township of the same name in the county of Kent, While the early settlers of Camden were sturdy men and true who merited all the praise that has been bestowed upon them by their descendants and the local historians, yet they did not undergo the same hardships that the pioneers of the front townships were called upon to suffer. They probably toiled just as hard in clearing their farms and building their log cabins ; but they were provided with better appliances and could obtain supplies of a better quality and with less inconvenience than the U, E, Loyalists. The older townships were well organized, courts of justice were established, schools and churches were built, and communication with other parts of Canada was comparatively easy before the settler began to take up land in Camden, They were for the most part the sons and daughters of the pioneers of the front townships, who moved farther back when there were no more lands to be had in the front. It is said by one authorit}^ the Rev, W, Bowman Tucker: "David Perry was the first white man to build a house in Camden, and thi.s 284 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON became the beginning of Newburgh, His location Was on the hillside in the north end of the village on the west side of the present Main Street and opposite the present Aylesworth homestead," This David Perry was a son of Robert Perry, one of the first U, E, Loyalists of Ernesttown, The date of this old building is inferentially fixed about the year 1820; but this cannot be correct, as John Gibbard's mill was built six or seven years earlier than this and a dwelling probably accompanied it, and Albert Williams settled at Camden East as early as 1804, As we go north, or more properly speaking north-east up the Napanee River the first falls we meet after leaving the town are at Strathcona, This hamlet has had a chequered career and has changed its fortunes oftener even than it has changed its name. In the early twenties of the nineteenth century Adam Bowers built a mih at the foot of the rapids, and the place was for many years known as Bowers' Mills, Adam was a Lutheran and brought his children up in the same faith; and his son John built a stone church upon his farm at the Mills, The deacons of this church, according to the only record of it preserved, were Samuel Taylor, John Bowers, and Jehiel Brisco, and the member ship consisted of the deacons and Charles K, Cook, Joseph Lockwood, James Lockwood, Harriet Bowers, Joshua Kay, James Leroy, Martha Brisco, Andrew I, Johnson and wife, Mrs, Rachael Lott, Widow Lott, Sr,, Mrs, Elias Huffman, Artemas Grange, Fallura Granger, and Widow Granger, The tombstone of Adam Bowers in the old Lutheran burying- ground has escaped the general desecration which has wiped out nearly aU the old landmarks, and may be seen to-day with its simple epitaph: "In memory of Adam Bowers who departed this life, Nov. 16, 1830, Aged 69 years," To this an admiring friend, Abraham Lott, an uncle of the late George Lott, added the following inscription: "An honest man here lies at rest "As e'er God with his image blest, "The friend of man, the friend of truth, "The friend of age, and guide of j'outh, "Few hearts like his with virtue warmed, ', "Few heads with knowledge so informed, "If there is another world, he lives in bliss, "If there is none, he made the best of this, "Here beneath these earthly towers "Lie the remains of Adam Bowers, A, Lott," CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 285 The place was of very little consequence under the Bowers and did not begin to assume any importance until about sixty years ago, when A. D. W. Garrett & Co. purchased the water-power and began lumber ing operations on a large scale. The firm was composed of A. D. W. Garrett, Samuel H. Cook, and Arnold Harris. They were all Ameri cans from Ballston Spa, near Saratoga Springs, New York. They exported the product of the mill to the United States and paid their workmen in Yankee money. Everything about the place seemed to have a Yankee flavour, and the village which sprang up about the falls was popularly known as Yankee Mills, Cook and Harris had no personal supervision over the industry, which was managed by the senior part ner Garrett, who had an office in Napanee in the east end of the build ing occupied by A, C, Davis in East Ward as a general store. About the year 1855 his body was found at the foot of the falls nearly opposite his office, and the manner of his death was an inexplicable mystery which was never cleared up. He was known to have had large sums of money about him and, as none was found upon his person, it was gen erally supposed that he had met with foul play; but there was no clue to indicate how or at whose hands he had met his untimely death. The friends of Garrett looked about for a suitable person to look after their interests in the partnership, and the remaining partners were as deeply interested in securing a competent person to manage the mill, Mr, Reuben Wright of Ballston Spa was sent over to investigate and protect the estate of his unfortunate nephew. He took up his residence at the Mills and displayed such aptitude that, with the consent of all parties interested, he was appointed manager. He exercised a general oversight over the timber limits, the getting out of the logs, and the mar keting of the products, and gave his son, Hiram M, Wright, the contract of sawing the lumber. Another son, now our esteemed townsman, Reu ben G, Wright, was book-keeper from 1862 to 1867, A few years after the new order of things was established, Harris died and a brother-in- law of Cook, by the name of Cochran, took his place in the firm, which was thereafter known as Cook and Cochran. In 1861 a post-office was established, and a new name, Napanee Mills, was selected, one that from its very inception gave rise to confusion. In the early seventies the only survivor of the original partners died, and Cochran sold out the mill to H, M, Wright & Co. and the timber limits to the Rathbun Co, H, M, Wright & Co, organized the Napanee Paper Company, composed principally of Napanee gentlemen, conspicu ous among the number being Mr, W, F, Hall, the first Secretary, John R Scott, and Alex, Henry, The Paper Company tore down the saw- 286 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON mill and erected on its site a paper-mill, which for many years proved a very profitable investment. After the Paper Company was fairly launched the Wrights turned their attention to a new industry, the raw material for which was found upon the old Bowers' farm which they had purchased. Extensive strata of water limestone well suited for the manufacture of water-lime were discovered in the ridges a few yards from the river. Quarries were opened up, and the stone was hauled to Napanee to the old Lane Mill at the foot of Robert Street, where it was converted into water-lime. The business was carried on for some ten years, when the Rathbun Company purchased the Bowers' farm, which was also found to have large deposits of clay peculiarly adapted to the manufacture of Portland Cement when combined with marl, which had been discovered in unlim ited quantities near Marlbank, A cement plant was erected, and enlarged from time to time, dwellings for the workmen were built and a large number were removed from Napanee, where they were no longer required for the forgotten employees of the defunct glass factory. The marl was hauled in from the north by the train-load ; and the Star Brand of Portland Cement manufactured on the old Bowers' farm acquired reputation for excellence second to none on the continent. These were the days of prosperity for Napanee Mills, whose weekly wage bill exceeded that of any village upon the river. The place wore an air of contentment, every house was tenanted, the large boarding-houses were filled to their utmost capacity, the corner store did a thriving business, and the Newburgh merchants threw out tempting baits to secure a por tion of the trade of this busy village two miles down the river. In the course of a few years the local supply of raw material for the paper-mill became exhausted, other mills with unlimited capital and more favourably situated entered the field, dividends were reduced, and the Company was wound up. The Cement Company was taken over by a larger concern which transferred the business to Marlbank, the plant was dismantled, the workmen's houses became untenanted, many were sold and removed, and but few of those that remain are now occupied. The Store has been burned to the ground ; and the once promising village has a most cheerless prospect before it. After the South African war the name was again changed to Strathcona, in honour of Canada's High Commissioner to London, who gave $i,ooo to a public library for the village. No one is better qualified to speak of the past and present of New burgh than Mr. George Anson Aylesworth, who was born in the village, has studied carefully its history, and followed closely its progress. In CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 287 the second volume of Papers and Records of the Lennox and Addington Historical Society appeared a well written article from his pen upon his native .village, which with his kind permission is herewith reproduced : "It is not quite the same with Newburgh as with that English vil lage celebrated in the Cornhill -Magazine: 'Our Village is unhonoured yet in story, 'The present residents its only glory' for former residents constitute mainly such fame and 'glory' as render the annals of Newburgh interesting. "To begin with, it has the distinction of being the largest incorpor ated village in Ontario, its area being five and one-half square miles. Camden township bounds it on the east, north, and west, Ernesttown on the south. It is twelve miles northward from the shore of the Bay of Quinte at Bath; seven miles up-stream north-easterly from where the Napanee River sinks to the navigable level of the Mohawk branch of that same Bay of Quinte, "The valley of the Napanee River from Yarker to the Bay, fourteen miles, is very picturesque as well as fertile. The late Dr, Grant, who had seen the sights of that half of the world that lies between Cali fornia and the Danube, used to declare that he knew of no drive of more varied beauty than the vale of the Napanee from Colebrook or Yarker, down, "The village proper is in the centre of the large area above men tioned, that is, at the intersection of the King's highway from Bath to Tamworth, (Main Street), with the concession line between the first and second concessions of Camden township, "The Napanee River, about one quarter of a mile east of Main Street, ' divides into two branches, which re-unite about an equal dis tance west of Main Street, thus inclosing an island of about seven acres in area. Near the centre of this island is a cave, in former times occa sionally explored by over-bold school boys, who, each with a piece of candle and matches in plenty, used to descend into and crawl through this hole in the ground. "They brought back tales of inscriptions and mysterious wonders in underground compartments, that excited much envy and enlargement of eye among the more timorous who dared not squeeze in, for fear they should be unable ever to squeeze out again. Of late years the entrance to this cave has become stopped up, and few village mothers are anxious ¦for its re-opening, "This double river affords no less than thirteen good water privileges within less than one third of a mile. These have been valued and 288 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON made of great utility in times past; in these later electric days the time of their appreciation is again dawning, "Tradition preserves the names of the first settlers : William Van Pelt Detlor and Benjamin Files, two sturdy cousins, who took up land in 1822, south of the river, David Perry, in 1824, built the first saw mill here, and John Madden, in 1825, another. Of course, in those remote well wooded times, a saw-mill was the first thing the settlers most urgently needed, — after a tavern, "About a mile and a half .south of the border of Newburgh stood Switzer's Chapel, older than which was but one other Methodist meet ing-house in Upper Canada, It was erected about 1826, and I have heard the late Mr, Mitchel Neville say that at its erection, he, being a boy of eleven years, was given charge of the grog-jug to carry it about among the good old Methodists of that neighbourhood who were there at the 'raising' — teetotalism not yet having been invented. With pro priety may Switzer's Chapel be mentioned herein ; for the skilfully framed timbers, and some of the old windows, themselves of the genu ine original building thereof, stand now in Newburgh village, a new brick church having been built on the Switzer site some years since. "In 1825, my grandfather with one of his brothers, paying a visit to their uncle, David Perry, who lived north of the river, had to ride their saddle horses from their home near Bath . around by way of Napanee, and so on up the river, there being then no bridge at Newburgh. "In 1826, this Mr. Perry built a grist-mill, which two years later he sold to Samuel Shaw, who was the village's first merchant. "1831 saw Madden's grist-mill established; it served the public fill destroyed by fire in 1902. "John Black started a tannery in 1832. "And so the village grew; stores, axe factories, carding-mills, car riage, and agricultural implement works. "The first name of the place was 'The Hollow,' there being hills on every side. Soon, in compliment to the business abilities and enter prise of its inhabitants, some genius dubbed it 'Rogues' Hollow,' Pub lic appreciation of the fitness of things fastened the name. The grow ing town at last grew restive under such a title, and it became time for a change, "Of the village in that day one of the men of learning was the doc tor, Isaac Brock Aylesworth was born near Bath, December 4th, 1812. At the request of his mother's father, Robert Perry, he was named after General Sir Isaac Brock, who, in October of 1812, had fallen in battle at Niagara, Educated at Bath Academy, and at New York, he moved ,''ti,fj' THE ACADEMY, NEWBURGH, ''^'^l^p^^i HB » IRn' ^^BKI^^SK^^iSr-- ' 1^ ^^ ""* - ..':f'V9 HQk K ^~~-#^^ ' ^B^ilM P H m'^ '^'Js ^y ^^^ ¦ ^^^^^n^^l^H^ r ¦» p^ ijPHH'l^^V ^^l^^l»Mi )J PmI u i^B^ ¦ ^^ to r Kk^^^^KI y^^m 9 ^^^ THE ACADEMY. NAPANEE, CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 289 into 'The Hollow' in 1836, During the troubled years, 1837 and 1838, he was living at Napanee, but appears to have returned to Newburgh early in 1839. When going to and from New York he had seen New burgh on the Hudson river. Like 'The Hollow,' it lies under and upon the terraced sides of hills, and so it came about that the doctor gave its present name to Newburgh. "With the late Robert F. Hope and George Eakins, the doctor had much to do with the establishment of Newburgh Academy, the exact date of whose opening seems 'shrouded in the mists of antiquity,' Dr, Hodgins, the historiographer of the Department of Education in Ontario, once told me: 'Your relative (the doctor) was active in the founding of Newburgh Academy,' "In the first volume of 'Documentary History of Education in Upper Canada,' by J. George Hodgins, M.A., published in 1894, pre fatory remarks, (pages III-IV), we find: 'The celebrity of the Ernest town or Bath Academy may have been increased from the fact that at it was chiefly educated by his father, — its master, — a man so eminent in his profession and so distinguished in the history of Upper Canada as was Marshall Spring Bidwell, a gifted member of the House of Assembly in its early days, and its Speaker for some time.' . . . " 'Then the success of the Newburgh Academy was noted in our own times, and in it, as one of its latest Principals, the Rev, Dr. Nelles first learned those lessons in the art of teaching and government which he afterwards turned to such excellent account, as the gifted President for so many years. of Victoria University' , , , (page V) 'Anim ated by the same spirit as possessed these early colonists, the U, E. L.'s established schools of a superior class early in the century in the chief centres of their settlements, such as Kingston, Cornwall, Bath, York, St. Catharines, and afterwards at Newburgh. Soon a Grammar School was established in every district' , , , , (Vol. V, p. 128) 'In a further report to the Midland District Council the Education Committee , , , recommended that a Model School be established in the Vil lage of Newburgh, styled a Township Model School, and that the Super intendent of that Township be recommended to establish the same, Kingston, May i8th, 1844, (Sig,) Anthony Denike, Chairman,' "Dr, Nelles was Principal of Newburgh Academy in 1846, In the foregoing extract he is spoken of as 'one of its latest Principals,' which would seem to indicate that this school was not a very new or recently established institution in 1846. Also, be it observed, that Newburgh Academy has mention among the first six Grammar Schools to be estab lished in Upper Canada, 19 290 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON "My father says he saw Newburgh first in 1843, ^"d the Academy was then an establi-shment not regarded as a novelty. On the other hand, it seems unlikely that a village that consisted mostly of saw-mills in 1825, and was as yet without a bridge, whose first merchant began business in it in 1828, it would be doing well for those pre-railroad days, if at the end of a decade it had established a school, let alone an Aca demy,' 1839 seems, on the whole, the most probable date. Although those were the days when 'lickin and larnin' went hand in hand, still it is hard to believe that there is any hidden allusion to the Academy in the statement that John Black started a tannery in 1832, "Searching the old files of the Christian Guardian, (first published in 1828 at Kingston, and soon removed to muddy Little York), if haply therein I might find some advertisement or other mention of the begin ning of Newburgh Academy, it happened to me, — although unsuccessful in my researches, yet, — like as Abraham Cowley expresses it: 'The search itself rewards the pains ; . , , things well worth his toil he gains ; And does his charge and labour pay With good, unsought experiments by the way,' "These informing glimpses were vouchsafed to me : 'Napanee, January 26tli, 1841, To the Editor of the Christian Guardian, — In my last communication I made mention of a meeting at New burgh, I do consider this to have been one of the most important meet ings of the kind I ever attended. The heathen name of this place was 'Rogue's Hollow,' the Christian name is Newburgh, It is new in many respects. It was once drunken, it is now sober, it was once wicked, it is now to a very great degree reformed. This change commenced some eighteen months ago, in the formation of a Society on the Total Abstin ence principle. (Sgd.) C, R, ALLISON,' 'April 7th, 1841. 'Rev, John Ryerson's Journal : — On Wednesday at six o'clock, we held a meeting in what is called the Switzer neighbourhood, a place twenty miles distant from Adolphustown, This is a neighbourhood in the back part of Ernesttown, embracing the most numerous and wealthy body of Methodists of any country place I know of within the bounds of the Province, , . the inhabitants generally are a most sober. CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 291 industrious and respectable people. The missionary meeting which was very numerously attended, was a very poor one, made up of long dry speeches, and a thin collection, — subscriptions and all only amounted to some ii4, whereas they were well able to have given £40 , , , , The evening after we were at Switzer's, we held a meeting in the Vil lage of Newburgh, and a most interesting and profitable festival it was, Newburgh, which lies on the Napanee River, about six miles above the village of Napanee, is a very thriving business place, of a population of 200 souls. The Village is surrounded by a wealthy, flourishing coun try. Our church is the only place of pubhc worship in it; indeed the inhabitants are mostly Methodists, or Methodistical in their sentiments. The cause of temperance here seems to triumph over everything, the great body of the people are teetotalers, and you may suppose that with such a society of Methodists and class of citizens, and on the eve of a powerful and extensive revival of religion, we could not but have a noble Missionary meeting, and so it was, the church was literally cram med with respectable people, Dr, Aylesworth took the chair and opened the meeting by a very suitable address, and after the speaking was through, he introduced the subscription by signing £2. His liberal example was soon followed with several subscriptions of a like sum, and then for less sums, until the whole amounted to the handsome sum of ^34 3s- 3d-' "In July, 1908, just behind the Library Rotunda on Parliament Hill, Ottawa, I heard my father say, 'When I first saw this spot it was all covered with pine stubs. That was in the year 1855, and I was sent here to By-town, as it was called then, to attend Grand Lodge, as dele gate from Newburgh Division, Sons of Temperance,' "But Newburgh had an organized Society of Teetotalers much earlier in the century, for in the autumn of 1839, at the teetotaler's din ner held in the tavern, when the plum pudding with plenty of appro priate sauce was served, a wag of a brother arose, and 'begged leave to move that no brother having any regard for the pledge be served with more than one swill pail full of this brandy sauce!' "Passages from the Christian Guardian already quoted, indicate how strong in the early days was Methodism in Newburgh, In 1856 was begun, and in October, 1858, was dedicated a most commodious stone church, by the Wesleyan branch of that body. In 1862 the Methodist Episcopal congregation built a frame church in the northern part of the village, A few years later it was burned to the ground, and a httle afterward was erected the stone church now owned by the Pres byterians. The Anglican church, also of stone, was dedicated in 1881, 292 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON From an interesting account of the dedication of the new Wesleyan edifice, and a description of the building published in the Christian 'Guardian of November 3rd, 1858, and subscribed 'G, Dorey,' the two following sentences are taken: 'Though but a small community, our Newburgh friends have erected a House of Worship unequalled by any village of equal size and resources in the Province, and which would not disgrace any of its cities' , , , , 'The building is heated by two hot air furnaces, and lighted by the coal-oil lamp, which for cheapness, cleanliness, and brilliancy seems likely to supersede the present modes of illumination, gas excepted,' We catch here a vivid glimpse of the old burgh by candle-light, "In 1858-9, the village achieved municipal incorporation, Augustus Hooper being the first Reeve, He, in the County Council of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, assisted in the passing of the 'By-law No, 99 for erecting the Village of Bath and neighbourhood into an incorporated village, by the same name,' (Passed, 23rd Sept,, 1859). Bath is more ancient than Newburgh in some respects, but it doth not appear that it is entitled to be any bigger-feeling. "In the minutes of the County Council of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, under date of January 27th, 1857, we find the following per sons were appointed Grammar School trustees: 'For Newburgh, C, H. Miller, Esq., reappointed, and R, F, Hope, Esq,, in place of Dr, Ruttan; and Allen Caton in place of the Rev, P, Shirley, deceased,' "Under date of April Sth, 1857, 'At 2 p.m., the Council resumed and proceeded to the appointment of local superintendents of schools, as follows, viz, : — Upon motion of S, Warner, seconded by Mr, Perry, Joseph Parker for Camden.' This is none other than the father of Sir Gilbert Parker. At that time Mr- Parker, Sr,, resided at Camden East, where Sir Gilbert was born. The father of Sir Gilbert's mother was the late George Simmons, Esq., who for a long time was a citizen of Newburgh, At that same session of the County Council Mr, Whelan brought up the memorial and report of the Trustees of the Newburgh Model School, Finally we find in the Report of the Committee on Fin ance this clause, — 'Your committee having examined the report of the Newburgh Model School would recommend that the usual annual grant of £50 be continued to that institution for the present year,' "The main line of the Grand Trunk Railway was at first surveyed and located up the valley of the Napanee River as far as Yarker, and thence towards Kingston, But from this path of rectitude the railway was deflected by 'graft' and 'influence,' CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 293 "We have seen that the late Dr. Nelles was at one time Principal of Newburgh Academy. Newburgh was the first Methodist circuit travelled by the Rev, Chancellor Burwash, A,D, 1861, "Prince of Wales Lodge, No, 146, G,R,C,, A, F, & A, M,, was organized at Newburgh in March, 1861 ; and its first Junior Warden was William Van Pelt Detlor, who was one of the two 'Primitive great grandsires' of the ancient burgh, "A County Agricultural Exhibition building was erected in 1864, upon the south hill of Newburgh, Therein annually a good show was held, till Harrowsmith in 1892, snatched the exhibition from the village unawares, and left its 'Palace' desolate, — an unneighbourly act, which Tamworth a few years later avenged by swooping down upon the annual meeting at Harrowsmith and returning to her noi"thern fastness trium phant with the spoil! "In those bygone days, 1856-66, the great American Travelhng Circus frequently pitched its temporary tent upon Newburgh's vacant lots, "One of the first cheese factories in Canada was opened in New burgh in 1864, It is 'still doing business upon the old stand,' and its monthly dividends are much admired and appreciated, "In 1865, Newburgh became the place of holding the Fourth Divi sion Court in Lennox and Addington, Isaac J, Lockwood being Clerk, Homer Spencer, Bailiff, and the first suitor, Robert Forsythe Hope, "It may be that matches matrimonial are made in heaven, but in the early sixties, when I was a small boy, going home from school, I have lingered many a time to watch the process of manufacture of the hand-made lucifer matches, carried on by a company of men, women, and boys in the 'Irish-town' suburb of Newburgh. "From Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to Newburgh, in 1870, came the Thomson family, and established paper-mills. Later, a short distance down the river from Newburgh another large paper-mill was erected, and still later, at a less distance up the river from the village, a third group of paper-mills was established by the same people, "In 1876, the bridge carrying Main Street, Newburgh over the larger branch of the Napanee River, was swept away. The village replaced it with a new wooden structure which lasted till in 1908, the County Council of Lennox and Addington at the suggestion of the High Court of Justice obligingly built a new village bridge of iron and con crete, "1884 made Newburgh happy with a real railway. 294 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON "Sept. 7th, 1887, a Trojan conflagration swept through and across the viUage, and without doubt, would have effaced it utterly, but for the arrival (thanks to the railway) of Napanee's fire-engine and brigade. Eighty-four buildings were burned to the ground, comprising every shop or store of any sort, and many dwellings. Twice before and twice since has Newburgh suffered grievously from fire, but 1887 was by far the worst. In 1864 Lake's carriage shops and the surrounding buildings went up in flames in the night time. In January, 1872, the Academy building was gutted by fire. While the new building was being buih the Grammar School found a habitation in the basement of the Method ist church, and the public school in the hall of the Division Sons of Tem perance. In 1902, the Madden grist-mill and Stickney's foundry and agricultural implement works were burned, and finally, — it is to be hoped finally, — in 1908, there was a more than sufficiently destructive blaze, for the second time checked and extinguished, not a moment too soon, by the Napanee Fire Brigade, "In the latter years of the decade between 1890 and 1900, Newburgh became celebrated among villages for electric lights, profusion of patriotic flags, and high taxes, "The Methodist church built in 1856-8, was planned large in order to accommodate the expansion, at that time not unreasonably expected. But in common with nearly all other Ontario villages and smaller towns, growth has been slow, chiefly owing to the opening of the vast 'last, best West.' This needlessly large church was adorned with a large pipe organ in 1899, the gift of the late John Shibley, to honour the memory of his parents. "The twentieth century has brought to the village long stretches of cement pavement, also a fire-engine and volunteer company; but as yet we worry jlong without any lock-up, stocks, pillory, or policeman. "Travellers note the uncommon 'tone' of the town, traceable directly to the Academy, to which the brightest young folk from the surround ing townships flock like doves to the windows. Newburgh is not large enough to afford to these 'boarders' much distraction, and on the other hand there is little opportunity for any boy or girl to go far wrong in so small a community, without being both noticed and checked in time. "The Academy is the ancient glory and the present pride of the com munity. Established when the community was very young, we find it flourishing under the governance of a Presbyterian minister, the Rev. Mr, Wightman, in the years immediately following the subsidence of the Rebellion (1837-8), The words of Dr, Hodgins have been quoted already concerning the Rev. Dr, Nelles and Newburgh Academy, As CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 295 early as 1844 the Academy became a Model School, After Dr, Nehes' promotion, Mr, David Beach was Head-master, In his day the annual examination and exhibition of Newburgh Academy was looked forward to by the whole country side as almost a local Olympic, Partitions so built as to make the operation easy were entirely removed, and the whole upper flat of the large new building (whose first occupation the Index dates at 1853), was thus thrown into one huge hall. The hall would be filled to its capacity for three successive days with the rela tives and friends of the 'scholars' delighted to attend the public examin ations, dialogues, essays, orations, spelling matches, addresses, and dis tribution of prizes, "After Mr, Beach came the Rev, William Lewin, B,A,, as Principal. In 1906 I saw the Rev, gentleman at Napanee, The hale old man, upwards of eighty-two years of age, was laughingly recalling how he resigned the Head-mastership of Newburgh Academy in 1863, because of 'broken health.' "John Campbell, M.A,, frora Victoria University, followed Mr, Lewin, teaching till 1871. It was in his day that, in all, between a dozen and a score of youths from the Bahama Islands came to be educated at Newburgh Academy, The Rev, Mr, Cheesbrough wrote from Nassau, New Providence, Bahama Isles, to the Rev, E. Ryerson, Chief Super intendent of Education, asking him to recommend a good school, in a suitable locahty, etc, whereto boys might be sent for education, Mr, Cheesbrough stated that as suitable schools in the West Indies were not to be had, and as sending their sons to England was more costly than satisfactory, and sending them to the United States would be exposing them to learn too much, several white gentlemen of Nassau had in view the education of their sons in Upper Canada. Chief Superintendent Ryerson recommended Newburgh Academy and John Campbell, M.A. The Southern youths came, and they revolutionized young Newburgh. "After Mr, Campbell, other distinguished Principals of Newburgh Academy have been: A, McClatchie, M.A., Mr. Carlyle, (nephew of Thomas Carlyle, the prober of shams), P. L. Dorland, Chas. Wynn- Williams, H, L, Wilson, now of John Hopkins' University, and D. A. Nesbitt, since Inspector of Public Schools. "Mitchell's Directory, published in Toronto 1865, affords us this glimpse: 'Newburgh possesses a large and elegant academy, where the higher branches of an English and Classical education are taught. The Common school is in the same building, under the charge of H. M, Deroche,' 296 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON "One of the earlier Inspectors of Grammar Schools, in his report to the Chief Superintendent of Education for Upper Canada, discusses the advisability pf extending degree-conferring powers to Newburgh Academy and to some other early schools of equal efficiency, "The High School Act of 1891, by providing that County Councils should contribute proportionately to the support of High Schools where county pupils receive education, worked a great benefit to Newburgh Academy, relieving a small and unfortunate village community of a portion of the heavy and long and patiently borne financial burden of its maintenance, "Newburgh deserves well of this country for its Academy's sake. It has given to the churches a great host of eminent and distinguished reverend gentlemen, of school teachers beyond computation, and of physicians far too many to be named. Upon each of the three con tiguous- counties composing the old Midland District, Frontenac, Len nox and Addington, and Hastings, Newburgh Academy has conferred its Judge upon the bench. Of other learned lawyers and able statesmen, orators and politicians a multitude, — who shall number them? And of these last, every man a patriot, "In all seriousness, the Village of Newburgh, in its 'sequestered vale,' merits an ample wreath of praise, for 'it is the essence of justice to render to every one that which is due,' " Among the learned lawyers who claim Newburgh as their birth place, Mr. Aylesworth, if his modesty had not stood in his way, might have made especial mention of one who not only attained the well- merited reputation of being the leader of the Ontario Bar, but won the esteem and gratitude of all his countrymen by his courageous attitude on the Alaska boundary question and his administration of the Depart ment of Justice in the late Liberal administration. Newburgh is justly proud of the Honourable Sir .A.llan Aylesworth, K.CM.G,, brother of the author of the foregoing article, and son of one of Lennox and Add- ington's grandest old men, the venerable John B, Aylesworth, Newburgh, at different periods in the history of the village, has supported no less than four weekly newspapers, or to be more accurate, has failed to support them ; as each in turn expired at an early age after a lingering illness except the Beaver, which moved to Napanee for a change of atmosphere and seems to have been so benefited by the change that it increased to double its former size. The Index was the first to make the venture in 1853, just, about one year before the Standard was first issued from the little room over Macpherson's store in Napanee, The first editor, publisher, and pro- CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 297 prietor was Mr, I, B, Aylesworth, son of the late Robert Aylesworth of- Odessa, for many years clerk of the township of Ernesttown, The heading alleged that it was devoted to agriculture, commerce, science, and morality, and it adopted the wholesome motto : "Open to all parties, led by none," Mr, Aylesworth left the editor's chair for the pulpit, and afterwards became the Rev. Dr. Aylesworth, at one time president of the London Methodist Conference, He was succeeded by Messrs, D. Beach and A. Caton, the former announcing himself as the editor and the latter as the financial manager. The only local opposition to these pioneers in journalism was the Green leaf sheet of Napanee; and they had a fair opportunity of establishing themselves in the good-will of the public, which appears to have been liberal in its patronage, as twelve of the twenty-eight columns were filled with advertisements, which must have yielded a respectable revenue if they adhered to the published tariff of rates. There was, however, a woeful want of original matter and local news ; and when the editor did take up his pen he dipped it in gall and proceeded to enlighten his readers upon the wickedness of that village seven miles down the river. This :nay have tickled the two rows of villagers who, during the summer evenings, perched upon the railings of the old bridge and speculated upon the best site for the county buildings Avhen Newburgh would become the county seat; for even at this early date the separation of the counties was a live issue. If the editor had taken a broader view of his duty and responsibil ity he could have made his paper more popular throughout the county, and advocated and advanced the interests of his own village to better advantage. It would have required very little to convince him that the engineers and promoters of the Grand Trunk Railway had been per suaded to overlook such a business centre as Newburgh through a con spiracy between Kingston and Napanee, In commenting upon this unholy alliance against his village he says: "Some of our Napanee friends have been accused, with what justice we will not pretend to say, of concert ing with the Kingstonians to prevent the Grand Trunk Railway from passing through these parts of the United Counties," While he declines to vouch for the accusation he proceeds to argue the question as if the culprits had confessed their guilt, and concludes his tirade with a sentence which shows the wholesome dread which possessed his soul that Napanee might possibly derive some material advantage from the construction of the line under consideration : "It would really be a matter of astonishment if the citizens of Kingston be so indifferent as quietly 298 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON to allow the business of these parts, which must be of no small import ance to them, to be permanently concentrated in Napanee," When the Index did assay to comment upon the public questions of the day, other than those of purely local interest, its editorials, written in excellent English, displayed good judgment and marked the author as a m.an of no mean ability. It is, therefore, but fair to conclude that, in his zeal for his native village, he willingly sacrificed his personal inter ests; for there can be little doubt that his failure to obtain the support necessary to maintain his paper was in no small measure due to his strong advocacy of the claims of Newburgh and his persistent attacks upon all other villages in the county, and particularly Napanee, It is difficult to say at this distant date who is responsible for the outbreak of bad feeling between these two villages; for it cannot be denied that the controversy over the location of the county town was waged with much bitterness, and the newspapers of Napanee were not guiltless in foment ing the strife, Newburgh was a pretty and thriving village meriting a better nickname than that of "Rogues' Hollow," and the attacks of the newspapers of Newburgh upon Napanee and the other villages were not without provocation. Air, Beach retired from the partnership about the year 1858; and his pen was taken up by a young man who had graduated from a Cam den farm and the Newburgh Academy and was at the time a clerk in Mr, Caton's drug store, in the rear of which the Index was pubhshed. For two years this young man, who had also purchased an interest in the concern, continued to edit the paper with no small degree of credit to himself. But, like the first editor, he felt that he was destined for another field of usefulness and quitted Newburgh to enter a law office in Kingston, That he soon attained eminence in his chosen profession is attested by the fact that for thirty-four years he has been and still is the Judge of the County Court of the County of Frontenac, His Honour C, V, Price, Mr, Caton for a time endeavoured to continue the pubHca- tion; but the burden was greater than he could carry, so he sold the plant to a gentleman in Gananoque ; and Newburgh for a time was with out a mouthpiece to laud its merits and berate the press of Napanee, The British North American entered the arena with a great flour ish of trumpets on the eve of the decisive battle for the separation of the counties ; and the name alone was sufficient to strike terror into the hearts of its contemporaries in Napanee, They, however, do not appear to have retreated one step from the position taken by them in the fight ing line; but turned their weapons upon this new exponent of New burgh's claims, and in a few short months silenced its guns. So brief CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 299 was the career of the paper that little can now be learned about it. It was owned and edited by Mr, George W, McMullen about the year 1863, and met with such scant encouragement that the proprietor wisely concluded that he could never achieve fame or wealth through that medium ; so he folded his tents and removed first to Picton and after wards to Chicago. The fame that was denied him at Newburgh was afterwards thrust upon him through the investigations of the Pacific Scandal. In the month of June, 1875, the Newburgh Reporter was first pub lished by two Newburgh boys, J. F. and W. J. Pappa, sons of an old resident, Daniel Pappa, a tailor and general clothier, J, F, had served his first apprenticeship as a printer under Cephas I, Beeman in the Beaver office in his native village and had gone to Watertown to pursue his calling and, having mastered the art, returned to his old home to see what he could do in the way of running a paper himself. The brothers produced a very respectable seven-column paper, superior to the others that had tried the experiment, as it devoted more space to local news, which was gleaned by the reporter and several regular corre spondents from the other villages in the county. At the end of two years W, J, sold out his interest to his brother, who continued the pub lication until 1880, when he leased it to A. M, Dickinson, who had been for some time an employee in the office. The latter soon followed in the footsteps of his employer by going to the United States, where both have since been engaged in the newspaper business, Mr, Pappa is at present associated with the Watertown Daily Times and Mr, Dickinson is the managing editor of the Utica Saturday Globe. The Reporter, like two of its predecessors, was allowed to die a natural death and no effort has since been made to revive it. The Napanee Beaver, which is dealt with in another chapter, was first published in Newburgh as the Ontario Beaver, but while yet in its swaddling clothes was transferred to Napanee, The following is a list of the merchants and manufacturers of New burgh during the past sixty years : Merchants : Stevenson & Ham, Florence McEgan, A, D. Hooper, Caton & Miller, John Dowling, John D, Ham, D, Hooper, Richard Osborn, Miles Caton, Nathan Empey, Henry»Paul, W, A, Hope & Co,, John Shorey, Homer H, S. Spencer, Wm. Beckett, D. P. Clute, Chas, "Wellbanks, John Rook, C. W, Thomson, L, E. Percy, M. Ryan, Mrs. H. Stone, George M, Walker, Edgar Knight, Blacksmiths: John Creighton, John Farley, John Percy, Thomas Scott, Henry Dunn, Philip Phalen, John Dunn, C, D, Shorts. 300 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Carriage Makers : Henry Finkle, Wilham Hookaway, Samuel Lake, D, A, Burdette, Scott & Jennings, George M, Baker, John Baughan. John Farley & Son, C, H, Finkle, Gaudier & Dunwoody, Coopers: Jere Remo, Joseph Miller, Francois Miller, Tanneries: John Black, D, & A, Burdette, Wm, Clark, Joseph W, Courtney, Daniel Day, Druggists: Allen Caton, Miller & -A.ylesworth, Duff & Co., M, I. Beeman & Co., H, B, Collier, J, Vv', Yeomans, T, I, Winter, James McCam.mon, M,D, Paper Manufacturers: James Thomson, Thomson Bros,, Thomson Paper Co, Shoemakers: James Davy, Wm, Detlor, Wm, Irons, Jacob Detlor, W, P, V, Detlor, James G, Davidson, George Detlor, Walter Brisco, Wm, Mulholland, Saddlers and Harness Makers: O, S, Roblin, Homer Spencer, Wells & Brother, John C, Wells, H, J, Wood, James Johnson, Watchmaker and Jeweller : Richard Rook, Tinsmiths : John Rook, Charles Wellbanks, Grist-Mill: George Madden, Michael Davern, Robert Gibson, J, F. Burgoyne, John Drewry, W. D. Drewry, Cabinet-Makers: George Eakins, Joseph Fullerton, W, H. Eakins, Eakins & Co, Carding-Mills : Sylvester Madden. Carpenters: Wm, Brown, Wm, Howell, Edw. Jones, Howell & Clark, Edward Huyck, Elias Clark, Saw-Mills : George Madden, C, H, Miher, John Pomeroy, David Y. Pringle, Richard Madden, Robert Paul, Axe Factory: Thos, Armstrong, Simon Hanes, Joseph Taylor, R. B. Hope. Tailors : Paschal Deroche, Ezekiel McConnell, Andrew Russell, Daniel PaJDpa, W, W, Adams, George Rowlinson, Alex, Dick, Foundry: C, H, Miher, D, B, Stickney, Edwin W, Stickney, Mill-Wrights: Nelson Shorey, Gideon Scott, Builders and Contractors : Edward Jones, Robert Dougan, Cheese Manufacturers : James Haworth, Nelson McKim, E, J, Mad den, Hugh Howey, George Cleall, As its name indicates, the village of Centreville'owes its very existence to the fact that it is situated near the centre of the township, Camden East formerly had the honour of being the municipal capital of Camden; but objections were taken to its location on the very border line of the township, and in the contest that followed Centreville came CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 301 out victorious. The following article on the vihage, written by Mr. J. S, Lochhead, has been kindly placed at my disposal: "The Village of Centrevihe is situated almost in the centre of the township of Camden, and from this fact it derives its name, "It lies between lots 24 and 25, in the front of the 6th concession. The surrounding country is comparatively level, and an excellent farm ing district. The nearest body of water is Mud Lake, which lies about two miles east of the village, and is important chiefly for duck shooting. The lack of water-power is a great hindrance to the growth of the vil lage. Its area at present is about fifteen acres, and the population approximately one hundred. To-day the village comprises two stores, the Methodist Church, the Town-hall, the Orange Hall, one hotel, a cheese factory, and two blacksmith shops, besides the residences, "About a mile south of the village is the Roman Catholic Church, and nearly a mile east is the Public School, both of which were probably built with the idea that some day they would be within the corporation, but, alas ! no such expansion lay in the future for Centreville, Although Centreville reminds one of a little vihage that has 'climbed half-way up the hill, and then sat down to rest,' it has a past worthy of note, for forty years ago it held quite an important place in the township. The population was more than double what it is now, and quite a business stir was evident. The surrounding country consisted of homesteads, owned by well-to-do farmers with large families, who were not afraid to work, and since have gone out and made their mark far away, in many cases, from their old home. Some old homesteads which we can recall at present are the Shorey, the Miher, the Vrooman, the Lochhead, the Switzer, the Whelan, the Hawley, the Wagar, the Milligan, and the Weese, "The village was formerly known as Whelan's Corners, and this name reveals its real origin, for the first building was a large frame hotel, erected on the south-west corner by John Whelan, seventy years ago. About this time a Wesleyan Methodist Church was built, and two years later a Methodist Episcopal Church, both frame buildings, besides a Roman Catholic Church, — not the large stone edifice of to-day, — but a small frame building. The next addition was a blacksmith shop, and soon afterwards a wagon shop, "In 1842 Mr, James N, Lapum opened the first store, carrying his goods over the corduroy roads all the way from Kingston, "Up to this time there was no post-office in the place, and the near est office was at Camden East, then known as Clark's Mills, This same 302 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON year a post-office was opened. Mr. Lapum was made post-master, and the name of the village was changed to Centreville, "The next year the old log school-house was torn down and a large stone one was built in its place. Then a shoemaker shop was opened, the town-hall was erected by the township, and a few years after another shoemaker came to the village, besides several additional fam ilies. Later on, Mr. Lapum, who had in the meantime made consider able money in his store and potash works, was in a position to buy a better site for a new store and residence, and so opened up on a larger scale. He also built a large stone tenement house near his store, "About this time another hotel was erected, and the next year Mr, C. S. McKim opened up another store. This was afterwards converted into a third hotel. In 1851 Dr, Ash came to the village, two more blacksmith shops were started, a cooper shop, a harness shop, a grocery, and two tailoring establishments. Mr. J. S, Lochhead at this time kept store in the village, "In 1867, when Canada came under Confederation, Mr, Lapum was the first member of the House of Commons, representing Addington, which was and is still, a Conservative constituency, "In 1870, a cheese factory was started by Mr, Lapum and Mr, John S, Miller, ex-:M,P,P, This was afterwards bought by Squire Whelan, On whose property the building was erected, and who managed it most successfully until his death six years ago. The latter, we might men tion also, was for forty years Clerk of the Fifth Division Court, which always meets at Centreville, It is also worthy of note that Sir Gilbert Parker's father often appeared here as magistrate, "Shortly after Confederation, Dr, Switzer came to the village, and eight years later Dr. M, I, Beeman arrived, making in all three doctors in the village at this time. Before long Dr, Ash, who by this time had a large practice, entered into partnership with Dr, Beeman, and Dr, Switzer left the village. Soon after this Mr, John Hinch opened up a general store, and finally bought a corner lot and built a fine brick store and residence on his new premises. "And now there was a turn in Centreville's prosperity. Several fires destroyed three of the hotels, as well as many of the other build ings. The Bay of Quinte Railway was built about this time, and not being on the line, Centreville's trade and business began to decline. Gradually people began to move away. The Presbyterian manse and the Methodist parsonage were both vacated, and the ministers removed to Tamworth and Enterprise respectively, as both these villages were on the railway. Several years later, Dr, Beeman bought out Dr. Duff in CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 303 Newburgh, and moved away. Several doctors succeeded him in turn, until gradually the practice was so divided that to-day Centreville has no doctor at all, "One bright spot in the history of the village during all these years was the erection of a fine stone town-hall to take the place of the old frame building, "The last blow was the big fire which destroyed Mr, Hinch's build ing, the finest in the village, so to-day to the casual observer, Centre ville presents rather a sad spectacle of its former self. But who knows its future? The main line of the Canadian Northern is registered to pass through Centreville, and in that case business may boom again in these prosperous years in Canada, To-day the township council still meets in the village and the oldest resident, Mr, J. S, Lochhead, is town ship treasurer, which position he has held for the last twenty years, "In closing, all we can say is that we hope there are better days in the future for Centreville, and that her sons and daughters may yet have further reason to feel proud of her," Camden East was originally located some distance farther up stream than where the village is at present. It had its beginning, as had all the villages on the river, by the building of a saw-mill, Abel Scott, the progenitor of the Scott family at Mink's Bridge, built the first saw-mill about the year 1818; but its dam caused so much damage by flooding the adjacent lands that it was afterwards moved down stream to its present location. He sold out in 1821 to Samuel Clark, grandson of Robert Clark, the mill-wright who built the first mills at Kingston and Napanee, He was a prominent man in his day, carried on an extensive lumber business, was a justice of the peace, and for some time was one of the representatives of Camden in the district council. A small vil lage, principally for the accommodation of his employees, sprang up, and was known as Clark's Mills, by which name it is still called by many of the old residents, Clark was a prominent member of the Church of England, donated the land upon which St. Luke's church stands, was a liberal contributor towards the building fund, and personally superin tended its erection. This first Church of England in Camden township cost about $1,500, to which the Governor-General, Lord Sydenham, con tributed £25. It was opened for divine service on March 29th, 1844, by the Rev, Paul Shirley, the missionary in charge of all the northern part of Addington, assisted by the Rev, Saltern Givens of Napanee, Dr, E. J, Barker of Kingston, in his report on the county of Add ington in 1856, thus writes of Camden East: "This is a settlement of Samuel Clark, Esq,, son of a U,E,L,, who some thirty years ago left his 304 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON father's home in Ernesttown and built a grist-mill here. It is now quite a village with every requisite of such. Good roads to Kingston and to the rear of the township, a tri-weekly mail, capital inns, some half dozen merchants' stores and twice that number of tradesmen's stores, cloth factory, tannery, distillery, brewery, grist-mills, and saw-mills in abund ance. An Episcopal church, Methodist chapel, good school-house and court-room. The population is between 500 and 1,000 souls. The immense quantities of lumber piled along the banks of the river, by which the public road runs, show the vast amount of lumber sawed, dried, and prepared for the American market, to which it mostly finds its way,"* The doctor was writing for a prize when he penned the foregoing paragraph ; and I fear that in his zeal to paint a fair picture of the vil lage he took some liberties with the facts when giving his estimate of the population and enumerating the various industries of the place. The present public-house in Camden East was built over eighty years ago by a man named Sewell and was conducted as a tavern until the passing of a local option by-law a short time ago. Just across the street diagonally, was another tavern, which ninety years ago was kept by Joshua B. Lockwood. It was known as the Farmers' Hotel, and under its roof was born Isaac J, Lockwood, for many years a bookseller in Napanee and now living in retirement on John Street, hale and hearty, although in his eighty-first year. To him the writer is indebted for most of the following information, for, fearing that the older generation would all pass away before some one had gathered and put in suitable form, the history of his native village, the old gentleman had some twelve or thirteen years ago written a very full account of all the facts he could gather about his birthplace, which he has kindly placed at my disposal. Before Samuel Clark moved to Camden East, he owned a farm and kept a small store on lot number twenty in the sixth concession of Ernesttown. His first act was to change the site of the dam, and he laid the foundations of the village by building three mills, a saw-mih, a grist mill, and a carding and fulling-mill, none of which are standing to-day as they were all burned at the same time. The old Squire met with a series of misfortunes. He rebuilt his grist-mill of stone, and this again was burned. In the early forties his woollen factory was again burned, and his saAv-mill met a similar fate in 1865, The water had its freaks which also caused him trouble time and again. Once a wing of his dam was carried away, at another time a portion of the mill yard was swept away, taking with it a large quantity of lumber, and still again the boom * Transactions of the Board of Ag-riciilture of Upper Canada, CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH, 305 timbers, stretched from bank to bank, gave way, and down the stream rushed his logs in a mad race. Other minor casualties happened from time to time, but with it all, the old gentleman preserved his equanimity. About 1832 he sold out to George Sinclair Gordon, a gentleman with more money than business ability; but in the end he was not over burdened with either, as after two years' experience, he "was unable to meet his obligations and the property reverted to the Squire, Camden East had one of the first post-offices in the county ; and as in later years Colebrook and Yarker had a, contest over the post-office question in which the now lesser village came out victorious, so a similar con troversy arose over the first post-office in the township, the claimants being Newburgh and Clark's Mills. The Inspector came from Kingston and called first at Camden East, when the residents, and particularly the hostess at the Farmers' Hotel, endeavoured to persuade him to make the appointment at once and not bother going to Rogues' Hollow, That official, however, felt that he had a duty to perform, and proceeded in state to Newburgh, where a coloured servant so offended his highness by neglecting to show the deference that was due to a man of his exalted degree, that he promptly summoned his orderly, mounted his horse, returned to Clark's Mihs, established a post-office there, and appointed Samuel Clark the first postmaster, a position which he held until his death. The name of the place was then changed to Camden East, Although Samuel was postmaster, the office was in charge of his brother William, who kept the first store of any consequence in the village. This store was built where the residence of Lewis Stover now stands. When Samuel died, in 1866 he was succeeded by his brother Benjamin, who held the appointment until he was superannuated; and Mr. James S. Haydon became postmaster upon condition that he pay an annuity of one hundred dollars to his predecessor during the rest of his natural life, an obligation which was cheerfully and faithfully dis charged. Although the first industry was established at this place by Abel Scott, and the village began with the advent of Samuel Clark, the his tory of Camden East may be traced back much further, Isaac Cote, a, trapper, is said to have been the first white man to occupy any portion of the land upon which the village now stands. In the latter part of the eighteenth century he built a log cabin, the ruins of which Mr. Lock- wood remembers having pointed out to him over seventy years ago. It is quite evident that there were settlers in the township at that time as the Langhorn register contains the record of the baptism of Sewantha Rush at Camden on June 29th, 1791, 20 306 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON, The first actual settler at Camden East of whom there is still pre served a complete record, was Albert Williams, who, between 1800 and 1804, moved from the township of Fredericksburgh and settled on lot twenty-five in the first concession and the lot abutting on it in the second concession. The date is approximately fixed, as he had a large family of children, one of which was baptised at his old home in Fredericks burgh in 1800, while the next baptism in the same family describes him as of Camden East and the ceremony as having been performed in 1804, He built his house on the south bank of the river for the very good rea son that there was no bridge across the stream at the time. Later on he built an old-fashioned Dutch house, so called, on the north bank, which in time gave place to another frame dwelling built by his. son James, who succeeded to his estate. It was left to Lorenzo Dow Wihiams, the son of James, to erect upon the same property the most imposing farm residence in the county. The first school-house in the village was built on the bank of the river in 1833, It is still standing, but has lost its dignity, as it is now used as an adjunct to a carriage factory. There were no churches at the time, and such religious services as were held were conducted in the old stone school-house. With no churches and no regular services the inhabitants appreciated the visits of the clergymen, and turned out more faithfully perhaps than does the present generation in the age of good roads, easy riding conveyances, and comfortable pews. It mattered not the denomination of the bearer of the Gospel message or the condition of the weather, the people all turned out and gave him a warm welcome. The announcement of the services was made at the school and it was invariably timed for early candle-light. A few minutes before the appointed time the residents of the village and surrounding country would be seen wending their way towards the bank of the river, the bead of each family carrying a candlestick in which was a tallow candle. For many years, Clark's Mills was the "Capital" of the township, and the town meetings, courts, and elections for the whole township were held there. As the township became more populous a movement was set on foot to reorganize municipal affairs, objections were raised against the business of the municipality being transacted at a village situated on the very boundary of the township, and a more central loca tion was demanded, which resulted in the selection of a central village, thereafter known as Centreville, after which, one F, McEgan, a wag of Newburgh, in one of his humorous speeches re-christened Camden East the "Ancient Capital," CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH, 307 There is little left of Camden East to-day to recall the stirring times described by Dr, Barker fifty-six years ago. The days of its glory are a memory now ; and many of the old residents complain that in a mod ern survey of the village, even the old street names have been arbitrarily wiped out and new ones substituted for them. The Williams, Hughes, Finlays, Clarks, Sproules, and Lockwoods, who laid out the streets and gave them the names of the old pioneers, have all passed away, and if these links connecting the past with the present have been thus destroyed the citizens of Camden East have a just cause of complaint and should demand that the former names be restored. The villagers now love to recah the names of their talented sons who have distinguished themselves in different walks of life. In the heart of the village is still standing an old house in which there was born about fifty years ago, a lad who differed little from the other boys of the neighbourhood. He went to the same school, played in the same muddy street, and learned to swim in the same pool behind the cedar bush. His father kept store and was also a justice of the peace, and it was said of him that his court never adjourned, but justice was dis pensed in a summary manner wherever a case overtook him. The boy's grandfather was a Methodist exhorter, a man of little education; but there was one book which he had well digested and that was the Book of books ; and in an argument upon the Scriptures, he was never known to come out second. He was a fluent speaker, and this particular grand son inherited the oratory of the grandfather, and at an early age acquired a local reputation as a speaker and reciter. For a time he was clerk in the store of Mr, James S, Haydon and did not impress his employer as possessing any extraordinary qualifications for the position. Later on he inclined towards the pulpit, moved to Belleville with his father, and became lay-reader and deacon in St, Thomas' Church under Rev, Canon Burke, He afterwards undertook a journey to Australia, and his letters to a London newspaper marked him as a man of letters. His progress thereafter was rapid and to-day he is the author of many well-known novels, a member of the British House of Commons, and subscribes — or may subscribe — himself Sir Gilbert Parker. The following is a comparatively complete list of merchants, trades men, and others who have been engaged in business in Camden East since its earliest days : .Merchants: R. D. Finlay, Joshua B. Lockwood, William H. Clark, Peter H. Clark, James Haydon, Felix Hooper, Henry Martin, Edmund Hooper, Joseph Parker, Benjamin Clark, Hugh Duncan & Co., James S, Haydon, Edward Hinch, Henry Hooper, Michael Temple, Haydon & 308 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON, Ryan, Wm, Sherlock, Mrs, S, Lew, Stover & Bicknell, T, B, Wood, L, H, Stover, Wm, Bicknell, Leroy & Dickson, J, W, Patterson, N, Stead- man, Dickson & Son, Carriage makers and blacksmiths: Isaac Huff, R, W. Caswell, Joseph Darling, John Harrigan, J, Lockwood, John Skinner, Charles - Benn, Richard Brown, Joseph Robinson, J, L, Skinner & Son, R, P. Coulter, S. W, Hamilton, Jonas Lockwood & Son, Carpenters and builders: Peter Hume, Charles Wellington, Henry Close, James Hawse, Alex, McCormack, John Graham, Jacob Huffman, James Hume, James Lew, Alex, Duncan, N, Terrill, Charles Wilson, Daniel Lew, George Wilson, Silas Edgar, Robert Lovelace, Cyrus Edgar, Columbus Edgar, Cabinet-makers : Thomas Andrews, Samuel Andrews, Saddlers and Harness makers: Thomas Bamford, Joseph Lewis. Tanner: William Bush. Shoemakers: William Bush, Nicholas Bense, Hugh Duncan, John Gilbreth, Clark Hamilton, Alex, Summerville, Charles Riley, Wra, Sherlock, Tailors: Reuben Schryver, Wilham Harrison, Pierre Papin, Robert Johnston, Charles F, Benton, Terence McNulty, William Calder, Aaron Cranis, Charles Henry Bookes, Robert Guy, Bakers : George Clark, Samuel Lew, Physicians : Dr, Francis Purcell, Dr, Crow, Dr, Shirley, Dr, Nathan Bicknell, Dr. McDonnell. Mill-wrights : Malcolm McPherson, Joseph Burgoyne, David J. Wartman. Saw-mills and grist-mills: Samuel Clark, George S. Gordon, Peter H. Clark, William Woodruff, N. Clark, John Grouse, George Empey, Augustus Hooper, Joseph Burgoyne,' Jr., Archibald McCabe, James Nimmo, James Parrott, E. Compton, Beagle Parrott, Thos, Wilson, R, F, Bicknell, J, R, Scott. Distillers : John Rennie, Haydon & Sproule, John Johnston, Brewers : Thomas and Samuel Andrews, Hotel keepers : Joshua B. Lockwood, Sewell, John W, Perry, George Clark, R, W', Caswell, Augustus Hooper, Edw, Carscallen, Robert Sproule, Robert Collins, William W"arner, Peter Wier, Michael Temple, Joseph Sproule, Michael McConnell, D, P, Clute, Sam Jack son, Robert Orr, Mrs. McCarthy, McConnell & Collins, Samuel O'Brien, Fanning-mill maker: James McTaggart, Tinsmiths : Alex, Sahans, James T, Page, Samuel Greenaway. SAMUEL CLARK, CALVIN WHEELER, DR. JAMES ALLEN. EBENEZER PERRY, CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH, 309 Yarker is the railway and manufacturing centre of the township. There was a time in its early history when, as Vader's Mills, it had all it could do to hold its own with its rivals, Colebrook and Camden E^st; in fact on more than one occasion, as in the contest for the location of the p(5st-office, Vader's Mills was quietly but firmly requested to stand aside for the more deserving villages to the north and south. Time has, however, brought its soothing balm ; and Yarker to-day somewhat haughtily smiles upon its poor but pretentious neighbours, Mr, E. R. Checkley, for some time manager of the branch of the Merchants' Bank at the village, has diligently inquired into its early history and has laid before the public the result of his investigations in a paper read before the Historical Society in 1910, With the permission of the Society and the author I publish it in full : "A little over one hundred years ago, when Upper Canada was young, when Governor Simcoe held his court at muddy Little York, the land whereon Yarker now stands belonged to the Crown, By a patent dated January 13th, 1796, Lots No, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43, in the first Concession of Camden were conveyed to Governor Simcoe himself, and this property, comprising one thousand acres, was for many years known as the Simcoe tract. The present village of Yarker stands on Lots 41 and 42, "At that time the Simcoe tract was covered by the primeval forest, and the land was not only well wooded but well watered, for the Napanee River ran through it, and on this river was a beautiful fall 26 feet high. For some reason the Governor kept this property intact for many years. What that reason was we can only conjecture; but it is probable that he was not above receiving the unearned increment, due to the labours of other men on the lands that bounded his, or in other words, he had a good speculation, and he was going to hang on to it. To the north of the Simcoe tract was a hamlet called Peters' Mills, now the Village of Colebrook, and four miles to the south was the Village of Wilton, The speculation does not appear to have turned out very well, for in the end his heir, Henry A. Simcoe, sold the whole property including the beautiful Simcoe Falls, which was a valuable water-power, to Sidney Warner of Wilton, for the sum of $3,000, after holding it for forty years, "I have mentioned that the Simcoe Falls was 26 feet high. To-day it is only about 12 feet high. Owing to the country being covered by the forest, a much greater quantity of water came down the river then than now; and old residents state that in the spring-time the roar of water over the falls could be distinctly heard for five miles. But the 310 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON, cause of the decrease in the height of the falls was the lumbering on the river. Long ago they did not bring down round logs as in recent years ; but they were first squared in the woods and the square timber then floated down the stream. The bed of the river is limestone rock, and when the timber went over the fall it would dislodge pieces of the rock and carry them over also. This gradual wearing process went on year after year, so in course of time the height of the fahs was reduced, and a sloping rapid produced above the falls extending back for 50 feet or so. At the head of this rapid there js now a dam which throws the water into the flumes on either side of the river, A very large number of arrow-heads and spear-heads made of flint have been found, around this falls and on the banks of the river below it; and also on the shores of Varty Lake, about two miles away. It is an interesting question where the Indians obtained their flint, as there is none in this, part of the country, so far as I am aware, "In these early days the making of potash was one of the principal industries, and it was a great industry. Wood was the only fuel, and that was plentiful, and the long logs blazed on the cheery fireplace, and the ashes were carefully saved. When the ground was cleared and the roots of the trees taken out, they were piled up and burned in order to obtain the ashes. Much valuable timber appears to have been burned simply for the ashes, "One of the principal makers of potash was Mr, Sidney Warner, of Wilton, He also had a large general store; and the settlers could obtain whatever they might need in exchange for ashes, Mr, Warner converted the ashes into potash, and sent it down the St, Lawrence to Montreal, where he, in turn, could obtain all the supplies he wanted from the wholesale houses. The potash was then shipped to England, where it was used in the bleaching of cotton. But other methods of bleach ing cotton have long since prevailed, and potash is no longer used; but it was a great industry while it lasted, "The deed by which the Simcoe tract was transferred by Henry A. Simcoe, the heir, and I presume the son of Governor Simcoe, to Sidney Warner, is dated July ist, 1840. Soon after acquiring it, Mr. Warner opened it up by selling that portion of lots 41 and 42, north of the river, to the late George Miller; and the piece adjoining the river on the south side he sold to David Vader, who built a saw-mill upon it, Mr, Alpheus VanLuven, who still lives in Yarker and is a nephew of David Vader, tells me that when he came here as a mere boy in the early forties to visit his uncle, the place consisted then of two log houses, and a log blacksmith shop and the saw-mill that his uncle owned, which was CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH, 311 built of boards, George Miller, late in the forties buih a grist-mill and a carding-mill upon the land that he had bought upon the north side of the river. Under this carding-mill the late John A, Shibley established, in 1 85 1, the first store in what was then the Vihage of Simcoe Falls. He afterwards moved to the site of the present hotel, and later to the stone building that he had built across the street, in which Mr. John Ewart now conducts a general store and the post-office, I cannot be sure of the exact date of this stone building, but it is certainly over 50 years old. In 1852 David Vader sold a portion of the land and water- power that he owned, to the late Joseph Connoly, who .built thereon a foundry and plough works. This business is still carried on by his son, A, A, Connoly, who enjoys a considerable local trade. The grist and carding-mih that George Miller had built was soon afterwards burned. It was rebuilt by him and subsequently sold to Alexander McVean, A part of the land adjoining the mill site was sold by George Miller to Garrett and Anthony Miller, who built a tannery, of considerable size upon it, which was afterwards turned into a pail and fork factory. This building and McVean's mill were both burned on January 13th, 1863. The grist-mill was rebuilt by McVean, and was subsequently sold by him to Messrs, Connoly and Benjamin, who in turn sold it to George McDonald, He sold it to Jas, Richardson & Son, of Kingston, who sold it to James H, West, who sold it to James Freeman, the present owner. When George McDonald owned it, he introduced the roller pro cess of making flour into the mill, David Vader, after .selling part of his property to Joseph Connoly, sold the balance of his entire holdings to the late Samuel Scott, who had a plan made of that part of the pro posed village to be on the south side of the river. The saw-mill origin ally built by Mr, Vader was burned, and the mill site and water-power were subsequently sold by Samuel Scott to Messrs, Booth, of Odessa, who built a woollen factory upon it, and sold it to Messrs. Lott and Stevenson, who, in turn, sold it to the late Peter Ewart, during whose ownership it burned. The mill site and water-power were then sold to E, W, Benjamin, who built upon it the existing power house of the Benjamin Mfg. Co,, Limited, "About 1850 George Miller, in a suburb of Yarker, known as Woodmucket, erected a saw-mill. This mill was bought in 1856 by E, W, Benjamin, who moved here from Odessa, About 1857 the mill was burned, and was rebuilt by E, W, Benjamin, who also built a hub fac tory on the same water-power and made, beside hubs, grain measures. It was in this factory that the business of the well known firm of Con noly and Benjamin was first started, which had assumed considerable 312 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON, proportions before the death of the late Joseph Connoly, This saw-mih is now owned by Peter VanLuven, and operated by Bostwick Babcock, who does a purely local trade. Connoly and Benjamin bought the ruins of the old tannery and rebuilt it as a hub and spoke factory, and then afterwards turned it into a wheel factory. It was sold by them to Ben jamin Bros. & West, who sold to Freeman & West. "The Benjamin Manufacturing Company Limited was incorpor ated in 1895 and erected their present commodious premises. They after wards purchased Freeman & West's building, and it is now used by them as a power house for their electric light plant, and for storage. The Benjamin Mfg. Company Limited have a very extensive plant, employ ing a considerable number of men, and the very latest machinery, and is one of the largest manufacturers of carriage wheels in Canada. "Until 1859 the village was known as Simcoe Fahs, but there was no post-office here, all the mail coming to Peters' Mills a mile distant. An effort was made in the early part of that year to have a post-office established here; but the Government objected to the name of Simcoe Fahs, on the ground that there was already a Simcoe in the County of Norfolk, and told the people they would have to choose another name, A meeting was held in the store of John A, Shibley, and a list of names made out to be sent to the Government, the names being placed in the order of preference. Mr, McVean proposed the name of Yarker after Mr, George W, Yarker, of Kingston, who owned all the mills at Syden ham, which were operated by Wm. Vance, Mr. Vance purchased the property later from Mr. Yarker, Mr, Yarker belonged to an old Eng lish family, which for over four hundred years has held lands in York shire, the family seat being Leyburn Hall, Leyburn, parish of Wensley, Yorkshire. Mr. Yarker's father, Robert Yarker, came to Canada during the War of 1812-14, as Deputy Paymaster-General of the forces, and was stationed at Montreal, where he died in 1835. He himself became a resident of Kingston, where he was a well known leader in society and patron of the turf. Here he died in 1847. He had two sons, George W. Yarker and James S. Yarker, The latter went into business as a hard ware merchant, and the former entered the Bank of Montreal, where he got on well, being manager at London, England, and also at Toronto, for many years. He afterwards became the General Manager of the Federal Bank of Canada, and is at present Manager of the Clearing House in Toronto, Mr, James S- Yarker died many years ago. The name of Yarker was the seventh or eighth on the list, and it was hardly likely that that name would be chosen, as the Government would surely be satisfied with some name before they got so far down on the list. It CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH, 313 was jocularly remarked that if it were chosen possibly Geo, W, and James S, Yarker would give something to the village. I have been told that the first name on the list was Pekin, In view of the fact that we have a Moscow and Odessa close by, it would appear as if the people in this vicinity had a strange liking for the names of prominent places in foreign countries, Mr, Alpheus VanLuven suggested Rockburg from the quantity of rock around here. But the unlikely often happens, and it did so in this case, as the Government passed over all the other names and selected that of Yarker, Shortly afterwards a dance was held in the village at which George W, and James S, Yarker were pre sent, and, as had been surmised, they promised to present the village school with a bell. In the course of the summer Messrs, Yarker brought out the bell, they were met by the villagers with a brass band, and all repaired to the woods close by, where a picnic was held, speeches were made, and there was general feasting and merry-making. This bell still hangs in the village school and bears the following inscription: 'Pre sented to George Miller, Esq,, and the inhabitants of Yarker by George W, and James S, Yarker, 1859,' "A school was established here in the early part of the forties. The old school building still exists on the south side of the river. It is built of stone, is of one story, and is now used as a dwelhng. It is said that there was a school building before this one, but if so, no trace of it remains. The present building was built about 1872. It was then a one- story building; but anotner story was added in 1896, "Religious services were held in Yarker for many years in the old school-house, before any church building was erected by the Methodists and the Church of England. About 1853, Yarker formed part of the Methodist Wilton circuit, and continued to do so until the Yarker Cir cuit was formed about 20 years ago, taking in Yarker, Colebrook, and Moscow, The congregation continued to worship in the school-house until 1868, when the present large stone church was erected. The church is now well filled with a good congregation, and is at present in charge of the Rev, Enos Famsworth, "Rev, Paul Shirley, Church of England missionary in Camden, made frequent visits early in the fifties, but the first resident clergyman in the parish to hold regular service was the Rev, W. J, Muckleston now of Perth. This was early in the sixties. After the Methodists built their church, the Church of England congregation bought the old school that they had jointly occupied; and about 1878 they built a church on the hill, which was subsequently burned. The present church of St, Anthony was erected in 1895 by the O'Loughlin family as a memorial 314 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON, to the late Rev, Anthony J, O'Loughlin, This was erected during the incumbency of the Rev, F, D, Woodcock, who was succeeded in 1902 by Rev. C. E. S, Radcliffe, This Church of St, Anthony is one of the prettiest churches I have ever seen, perfect in all its appointments. There is a surpliced choir and a fine service, "The Merchants Bank of Canada established a branch here in Sep tember, 1905, and is now about to enter into its new and commodious premises erected by Mr. E. W, Benjamin, This building is a credit to the village, and one of which the people are justly proud. It is built of red brick, two stories in height, the banking room being on the ground floor, and upstairs there are two bedrooms, a sitting-room and a bath room for the staff. It is heated by hot air, lighted by electricity, is finished down-stairs in oak, upstairs in Georgia pine, and has hardwood floors throughout. The banking room is well lighted and altogether is far superior to any bank building in Napanee, "No account of Yarker would be complete without mentioning the building of the Railway, The first meeting to form a company was held in 1880 in Napanee, The party from Yarker comprised Joseph Connoly, E, W, Benjamin, Peter Ewart and J, V, Burn, The meeting was held in the town-hall at Napanee, but so little interest was taken in the matter that there was hardly any one else present and the meeting was adjourned for a week. At the adjourned meeting Alex, Roe, of the firm of Hooper & Roe, took the chair, and W, S, Wilhams was secretary of the meeting. He was appointed secretary of the company, and remained so during the construction. It is to the foresight and determination of the above men that the community is indebted for the present railway facilities. The first directors of the company were James Haydon, Joseph Connoly, Peter VanLuven, Alex, Roe, W, F, Hah, John R, Scott, E, W, Benjamin, and H, S, Walker of Enterprise, The president was Alex, Henry, of Napanee, The railway was called the Napanee, Tamworth, and Quebec Railway, and extended from Napanee to Tamworth, It was opened in August, 1884, In 1886 the line was sold to E. W, Rathbun, who extended it to Tweed on the north, Sydenham in the east, and to Deseronto in the south, and secured run ning powers over the Kingston & Pembroke Railway from Harrowsmith to Kingston, Mr, Rathbun had the name changed to Napanee & West ern Railway, and subsequently to Bay of Quinte Railway, The present efficiency of the road is largely due to Mr, H, B, Sherwood, who has been a very capable superintendent, "The village has two electric light plants, one operated by A, A, Connoly, and the other by The Benjamin Manufacturing Company, CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH, 315 There is also a good hotel, fitted up with all modern conveniences, owned and managed by John Watt, Among the principal business men not already referred to, I may mention Mr, B, S, O'Loughlin and Mr, J, C, Connoly, The village contains two general stores and two grocery stores, a furniture store, a jewellery store, a hardware and tin shop, a barber shop, two blacksmith shops, and a livery. There is also a club supplied with billiard and pool tables, which is an advantage that many a larger place cannot boast of. We have two resident physicians in the village, Dr, J, H, Oldham and Dr, M, A, McQuade, "Perhaps some one who is familiar with the fahs at Yarker may be inclined to ask why I have spoken of them as 'the beautiful Simcoe Falls'? If they are not as beautiful as they were half a century ago,. it is simply because they have been marred by the hand of man. Any one examining the rocks can see that the falls was at one time very much higher and somewhat wider than at present, and the volume of water was much greater. There was no rapid above the falls then, and there was a sheer descent from the level of the river above. The rocks were covered with pine trees, and buildings did not encroach upon the falls as at the present time. It must certainly have been at that time a beauti ful falls. But if the falls have not improved with time, the vihage to-day is very different from the log houses of the early forties. Nestling in the valley, it makes no difference from what direction you approach, you cannot see it until you are upon it. But it is in the summer time that you see it in its beauty. With its streets well lined with trees, and with good side-walks, of which a fair amount is of granolithic pavement which is being extended each year ; with its fine residences and well kept lawns, one can see at a glance that the moribund state, which is the usual condition of the average village, does not exist here. Among the principal residences may be mentioned those of E. W, Benjamin, A, W. Ben jamin, F, E, Benjamin, J, C, Connoly, and B, S, O'Loughlin, The hotel and the new bank building and all the principal residences are pro vided with private water-works of their own and fitted with all modern conveniences, "The electric light plants supply excellent light which is very largely used. We have a good hall owned by Mr. John Ewart, in which concerts and meetings of all kinds can be held. Manly sports of all kinds receive hearty support; but the river running through the village is swift and seldom freezes over, so we get but little skating unless vve go some distance away. We pride ourselves on having a model village, and if the .opinions expressed by outsiders may be taken as a fair criterion, our boasting is not without reason," 316 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON, The fohowing is a list of the merchants, manufacturers, and others who have carried on business in Yarker since 1850: Woohen Mills: George Miller, Wm, Danvers, Arnold Booth, Peter Ewart, Peter Ewart & Son, Carriage Makers and Blacksmiths : Samuel Lockwood, John R, Steele, John Whalen, Hugh Rankin, Amey & Huffman, Stanley Amey, Isman Silver, Isaac Benjamin, Adolphus Kennedy, Andrew Russell, Johial Snider, Wm, Skinner, D, H, Smith, Wm, Connoly, Frank Davey, Wellington Babcock, Tanners: Anthony Miller, Garrett Miller, John Stewart, Wm, J, 'Gordon, Factories : George Miller, James Scott, Hazelston & Wood, Stillman Hazelston, E, W, Benjamin, Connoly and Benjamin, Connoly Benjamin & Co., Benjamin West & Co., Benjamin Bros, & West, Freeman Bros, & Walker, Benjamin Manufacturing Co, Foundries : Connoly & Ault, Jos, Connoly, Jos, Connoly & Son, Con noly Bros., A,' A, Connoly, Tailors : Hugh Cambridge, Frederick Boyd, Angus Johnston, Merchants : Matthew Holms, Joseph Fox, Martha Brisco, Wm, Scott, John A, Shibley, G, W, Green, W, Abrams, Robt. Irvine, Thos. Empey, Owen Aldred, John A. Shibley & Son, J. P. Lacy, Jos. Green field, J, V, Burn, S, I. Winter, Wm, Barton, T, E, McDonough, Wm, Drewy, C, F, Noles, J, C, Connoly, Ewart & VanLuven, John Ewart, B. W, Holden, J, A, Vandewater, George Deare, P, W, Thornton, Chas, Freeman, Saw-Mills : Paul Vader, Samuel Scott, S, & T, Scott, George Miller, E, W, Benjamin, Peter Wartman, Bostwick Babcock, Grist-Mills : George Miller, Timothy Chambers, Wm, Muntz, Alex, McVean, Connoly & Benjamin, George McDonald, E, A, Banyard, Jas, H, West, Jas. Freeman. Cabinet-Makers: Michael O'Loughlin, James Scott, William Long, J. M, Wright, Saddlers : Alpheus VanLuven, Michael VanLuven, John Van Luven, Byron Estes, C, H, Barton, Builders : Amos Ansley, John Ansley, Henry Ansley, Stephen Simp- kins, Johial Snider, Hiram Vanest, Cyrus Edgar, Isman Silver, Shoemakers : Thos, Carroll, Abraham Philips, Robert Graham, W, J, Silver, The village of Colebrook is built upon parts of Lots number forty- four and forty-five in the second concession of the township of Camden, the former being originally owned by John Gordon and the latter by Eli "?• '"- SIDNEY WARNER. JOHN D. HAM. HON JOHN STEVENSON. AUGUSTUS HOOPER. CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH, 317 Peters, Peters built a saw-mill on the river's bank; and for years this place was known as Peters' Mills, simply because there was nothing there but the mih, Peters' first mill had only one saw, an upright one, called a jig saw, and as business increased a second one was added. This mill was burned and replaced by a more substantial one. In 1842 Charles Warner, brother of the late Sidney Warner and father of A, C, Warner of Colebrook, purchased the Gordon lot and part of Peters' farm bordering upon the river. He built a store, the first one in the place, installed a circular saw in the Peters' mill, laid out the land about the falls in village lots, and began business on a most extensive scale, sawing as much as 750,000 feet of lumber in one year. The timber for this mill was obtained from the limits about Rock Lake, Long Lake, and Thirteen and Thirty Island Lakes and floated down to the mill in the spring. When the logs began to arrive two shifts of men were employed and the mill kept running night and day. Little care was taken either to preserve or properly dispose of the refuse material; the saw-dust was allowed to drift away as best it could, and the slabs were dumped out of the end of the mill into the water. There was a strong eddy at the foot of the rapids where the slabs were whirled about until caught in a projecting ledge where slabs and saw-dust mingled together in an inextricable mass, and so completely filled the bed of the river from bank to bank that the eddy disappeared. The pre sent generation is pulling out of the stream the slabs that accumulated there sixty years ago. The first grist-mill, which also passed into the hands of Mr, Warner, was built over seventy years ago by an English man, John Rouse, In 1851 Mr, Warner petitioned the government for a post-office; and the inhabitants about Vader's Mills did likewise, and a long and spirited struggle ensued between the two hamlets for the coveted prize. Sidney Warner was a very influential man at the time and he naturally used his influence in favour of his brother Charles, who was lord of Colebrook, David Roblin, the member for the county, was besieged with calls, letters, and petitions. Compliments were exchanged between .the two sets of petitioners; and the inhabitants of one place could see no good reason why those residing in the other should have the presump tion to ask for a post-office. The Warners were victorious ; and the people down stream were forced to swallow their pride and go to Cole brook for their mail. This meant more customers from the rear conces sions for the Warner store; business was brisk, and in 1855 the hand some stone residence was built. 318 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON, The business relations between the merchant and the farmer were carried on upon the very same plan as was adopted in the frontier town ships fifty years before. The farmer, in clearing the land, would pile into huge heaps the inferior timber, which to-day would grade better, than most of the logs drawn to our local mills, and burn it to ashes. Some would leach the ashes themselves and convert them into potash, others would draw their ashes to the store and sell them at sixpence a bushel, to be taken out in trade, and the merchant would make the potash. The arrival of the ox-carts laden with ashes or potash was a daily occurrence at the Warner store; and a man familiar with the pro cess found constant employment in looking after this branch of the business. Modern scales were unknown at the time. The weighing was done by an evenly balanced scale, consisting of a platform at one end of a beam, upon which the ashes were heaped, and large weights of fifty-six pounds each were placed upon a smaller platform at the other end of the beam. Two of the weights made the hundredweight of one hundred and twelve pounds, which was the standard in those days. After the ashes were leached the lye was boiled down and placed in lar^e iron coolers, and when sufficiently cool was packed into barrels of approxi mately five hundred pounds each. These were hauled to Kingston, a dis tance of twenty-two miles, two barrels to a load ; there they were shipped to Montreal and placed on board the sea-going vessels for the English markets. The first school-house for the accommodation of the inhabitants about Colebrook was built of logs about sixty years ago, on the conces sion hne between the first and second concessions, about half a mile from the river. This was subsequently removed to the west side of the village and about the same distance from the river. About fifty years ago the bridge was carried away by the spring floods; and many of the old residents still relate their experience in being ferried across the river all summer to enable them to reach the school-house. The old log school-house was for many years the only place of worship for the Methodists until a church was built at the old burying ground between Colebrook and Moscow, then known as Huffman's Corners. This church was not proof against the autumn winds, and the heating appointments were not of the best. Every old settler carried in the tail of his Sunday coat a red bandana handkerchief, and when the draughts began to play havoc with the locks of the male members of the congre gation the bandanas were whisked out, placed over the heads, and tied under the chins, to the great amusement of the youngsters present. CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH, 319 Warner's first store was built near the bridge, but as business improved a more pretentious one was built farther from the river. This is still standing and is used as a private residence, Colebrook possessed advantages at that time that it has not to-day. There was no road along the west side of the river, so that all travel from the back country for ten or fifteen miles around passed down .the east side of the river past Warner's door. The first church in the village, which is still standing, was built in 1874; the stone-work being done by Wihiam and Hugh Saul, junior, and the wood-work by Miles Storms of Moscow, In May, 1877, the vihage was swept by a disastrous fire, wiping out the saw-mill on the west side of the river, three stores, two hotels, and five dwellings, Moscow is not, never has been, and probably never will be a village, yet it has for nearly ninety years been an important centre still known to many as the Huffman Settlement, It marked for many years the farthest point north to which the farmer had penetrated. There was no water-power in the vicinity to attract the lumberman such as was pos sessed by the other small settlements in the north of the county. The excellence of the soil in the neighbourhood was its only recommenda tion. The land- was well timbered ; but that alone was rather a hindrance than an advantage in the absence of a convenient mill to convert it into lumber, Jacob Huffman, who formerly resided in the front of Richmond, was the first man to take up land in this part of Camden, In 1825, in company with his brother Elijah, he started north with a bag over his shoulder, in one end of which was his axe without a handle, and in the other a few rations of flour. It was a simple matter to make Bowers' Mills, where they crossed the river by a bridge; but from that point the way lay through a dense forest and along an unfrequented trail between Varty and Mud Lakes, The tired brothers reached a point about one mile and a quarter east of the corners now known as Moscow; but at the time the surveyor's post was the only indication that a white man had ever passed that way, Jacob's first task was to whittle for himself an axe-helve, which he fitted to that all important weapon of the pioneer which had done more than any other implement to subdue the forest and convert the wilderness into fertile farms. Two years later his brother Elijah took up the next lot west of his, and from that day to this the Huffmans have played no unimportant part in the settlement which they founded. Many anecdotes of their experiences are stih current in the family. Elijah Huffman was a justice of the peace, and did not stand upon 320 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON. ceremony when he felt that his services were required in the administra tion of justice. It is related of him that upon one occasion he was informed that a discharged soldier named Rudolph, had been shot by a reckless character, Wilham Kain, who was making his escape through the forest. The magistrate promptly put his hounds upon the track of the fugitive murderer, ran him down, conveyed him to Kingston, and delivered him into the hands of the sheriff. The prisoner was tried, convicted and executed, Elijah was a famous hunter, but took little credit for the bags he secured; as deer were so plentiful that he could easily obtain one any time he felt so disposed. He kept a record of the number of bears he shot until he passed the century mark, when he gave up the count. Any one travehing to-day from Colebrook to Moscow will observe a particularly well built road near what is known as the Moscow Cemetery, That part of the highway was originally built by Elijah Huffman from the bounty received from the government upon the heads of wolves shot by himself and his neighbours upon Training Day. Among the early settlers who bore the burden of clearing that part. of the township was Joseph Foster, a farmer and miller at Petworth. He was a strong temperance advocate, and when business was slack he used to visit the other settlements and lecture upon his favourite theme. Among other pioneers were three Amey brothers from Bath, Joseph, Lyman, and John. For many years they lived together keeping bachelor's hall, each taking his turn at the domestic duties about the house. About the middle of the last century, when the clearings had assumed proportions not much short of what they are to-day and a school had been established, the choice of a teacher fell upon a bright young man named Zara VanLuven. He conducted the school for three years and otherwise made such good use of his time that he married a daughter of one of the farmers of the neighbourhood, bought a little store at the corner that had been run by a man named Cromer, and set up in business for himself. In the natural course of events the Van Luven house was blessed by the arrival of a pair of twin boys said to have been "as like as two peas" ; and the proud parents bestowed upon them the respective names of Everton L, and Egerton L, VanLuven, which did not tend to reduce the difficulty in distinguishing the mis chievous pair of lads, who for years were among the chief attractions of the country store, A post-office had been established in the time of Cromer, who was the first postmaster. The name Springfield had been assigned to the place, which name was not pleasing either to the new PETER PERRY, SAMUEL CASEY, JOHN SOLOMON CARTWRIGHT, MARSHALL SPRING BIDWELL, CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 321 store-keeper or the neighbourhood in general, as there were several other post-offices bearing the same name ; and it was not an unusual occurrence for the mail intended for the Huffman Settlement to travel about the country for weeks before it reached its proper destination. Several meetings were held in the VanLuven home and several names were suggested. The stirring events of the Crimean War had made the history of Russia familiar to the minds of all, and the name of Moscow was chosen, to commemorate the retreat of the great Napoleon from the gates of that city. For over fifty years the VanLuvens, father and sons, continued in business at the Corners, A brick store and dwelling-house were built; and the country people for miles around bartered their produce for the merchandise of the general merchant. As in other parts of the country, potash was one of the staples exchanged by the merchant for the com modities he required in his trade, Mr, VanLuven purchased all the wood ashes that were brought to him, and besides kept several teams upon the road hauling ashes to the Comers, conveying the manufactured product to Kingston, and returning laden with goods for the store. No less than six V-shaped leaches were in constant operation producing lye which was boiled down in large kettles, each with a capacity of several barrels. When it had reached the proper consistency the thick fluid was poured into the iron coolers and allowed to congeal, when it was turned out a solid mass of potash. These huge cakes of about two hundred and fifty pounds each were of such a size and shape that two filled a barrel in which they were placed, and upon being headed up were ready for the market. The village of Enterprise has fully justified the expectations of its godfather by growing into a neat well kept business centre, not boasting of any extensive manufactory, but well equipped with a number of stores of every description calculated to provide for all the wants of the thrifty farming community in the centre of which it is located. Fifty-seven years ago it was known as Thompson's Corners, so named after Robert Thompson, the first merchant to open up a general store at this place. This store was located on the north-west corner of Concession and Main Streets opposite the store now occupied by Dr, Carscallen, One Adam Scott, a cobbler, had a bench in the same building, and mended the soles and patched the boots of such of the inhabitants who were not able to perform this service for themselves, Thompson sold out to one Joseph Campbeh, who for some time continued to carry on business at the corner. 21 322 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON The leading inhabitants had for years been agitating for a post- office, as the nearest one was at Camden East and, when the petition was granted the question arose as to the name, as it was felt that Thomp son's Corners, while it had served the purpose as indicating the location of Thompson's store, was not at all suited as the name of an important distributing point of Her Majesty's mail, Thompson, who was looked upon as the sage of the neighbourhood, took the matter in hand and called upon his friend Mrs, Edward Cox, mother of Colonel Robert Cox, to discuss the question. They had both been school teachers in the Emerald Isle and therefore were qualified to dispose of it, and after a consultation they agreed'upon the name "Enterprise," and Enterprise it thereafter became and probably will remain, as the inhabitants are rather proud of the appellation and are doing their best to fulfil the prophesies of those who bestowed it. At first the post-office depart ment provided only a weekly service; and the first mail carrier was a one-legged man, who, mounted on a shambling nag, with a mail-bag over his shoulder, fully realized th? confidence placed in him by Her Majesty and announced his approach to the village by several loud blasts on a tin horn which he carried slung over the pommel of his saddle. This custom evoked from the village sage the following: "Blow ye the trumpet blow. The gladly welcome sound. The mail of Enterprise has come So get your news and start you home," which the urchins shouted after the postman as he passed along the street, Campbell thought that Croydon was a more promising field for an enterprising merchant who was beginning to feel the effects of competi tion, so he moved to Croydon, and the old Thompson store was closed up, James Sherman had for some time been teaching school about half a mile south of the Corners in an old log school-house, where most of the older generation of that part of the township received their education, and at the same time he lived and conducted a general store about three fourths of a mile west of the Corners. Believing there was more money to be made in business than in training the young idea how to shoot, Sherman built a frame store, where Alonzo Walker now carries on business, and moved into the old Thompson stand, which he used as a residence. Here he continued until his death, and was succeeded by Robert Graham,, in his day one of the most prominent men of the town ship. He was a justice of the peace, for several years sat at the coiincil CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 323 board of the township, and was Camden's representative for more than one term in the county council. About thirty-five years ago he sold out to Harvey S, Walker, who died in the year 1882, since then the business has been carried on by his son Alonzo, upon the same lot, but in an enlarged and greatly improved building. The first hotel in the village was a frame one kept by Eli Hawley on the corner now occupied by the Whelan House. Hawley had up to that time, about fifty-five years ago, been an ardent advocate of temper ance and took a prominent part in the Sons of Temperance Lodge, which met in a hall built for the purpose by Mr. Thomas Clancy, where the Methodist church now stands; and his former temperance friends expressed their indignation by composing the following: "He left the Sons of Temperance And a tavern now does keep. He likes to see the drunken men Go staggering down the street." The writer called upon a bedridden couple, Jethro Card and his wife Amarilla, still living in the village, both of whom, have seen their four-score years and ten ; and the old gentleman, not yet quite recovered from the humiliation he felt over the offence, stated that he brought to Eli Hawley's tavern the first barrel of whiskey that ever came to Enter prise. He said he obtained it at Jack Raney's, about midway between Newburgh and Camden East, where the Thompson Paper-mill is now, and paid for it the fabulous sum of tenpence per gallon. Hawley sold out to Charles Paisley of Napanee, who was followed by Peter Wager and Hugh Rankin, who tore down the old building and in 1879 built the present frame one still used as a public-house. It has, since its erection,. passed successively through the hands of Michael O'Dea, John Whelan, his widow Catharine Whelan, to the present occupant, their son Michael Whelan. When Hawley sold out his tavern he built the store now occupied by Dr. Carscallen, where for a number of years he carried on a general store ; and when Graham sold out to Walker he moved into the Hawley store; where he dealt in drugs and stationery and kept the post-office, and was succeeded, except for a short interval, by the present occupant, Dr, A, B, Carscallen, The first church in Enterprise was built by the Wesleyan Methodists where the Church of England now stands. The Episcopal Methodists for a long time met in the Sons of Temperance Hall opposite the cheese factory; and after the two bodies united, they sold the former building to the Church of England, and built the hand- 324 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON some brick church on the site of the Temperance Hall, The cheese fac tory across the way was built by Thomas Clancy in 1871 and was then and stih is one of the best conducted factories in the county. The old Hamilton House was "built, about the year 1859, by Chris topher Grass, who ran it for a number of years and then sold out to Samuel Hamilton, Mrs, Jethro Card remembers when nearly all of the township of Camden was a dense forest with large areas of impassable swamps. She ¦was questioned as to the place of her birth and replied, "At the Falls," and when asked "What Falls?" she replied, "The Napanee," a form of expression in common use eighty years ago. She apologized for her lack of learning saying, "You know we were poor and the nearest school was four or five miles away, too far away for me to go in the winter; and in the summer the girls worked in the field and bush the same as the boys," Her husband remembers when the wolves and deer were "thick as bees" about Mud Lake, "I could go out and get a dozen deer at a time if I had cared to," remarked the old gentleman. His elderly spouse was asked if she ever wore a deer-skin dress and she, evidently regarding that uniform as the mark of a squaw, promptly replied, "No, I never came down to that. We had good linen dresses. We raised, heckled, spun, and wove the flax ourselves, and made our own flannel and full-cloth. No, we were poor, but we had lots of warm clothes," In the early part of the nineteenth century George Wagar moved from Fredericksburgh and took up land two miles east of Centreville; but at that time neither Centreville nor Enterprise was in existence, A trail through the forest and an occasional log cabin in a small clearing, and very few of them, were the only signs of human habitation in that part of Camden, Bath was the only place where supplies could be obtained to advantage, and many a time did he send his son, John V, Wagar, on horseback through the woods to the stores in the old village on the bay shore. If this old pioneer could return to the old homestead to-day, which is still in the family, and observe the change which has come over the territory he used to frequent, he would find a vihage greater than Bath almost at his very door, one railway running north and south, another east and west in the course of construction, and his grandson the proud proprietor of one of the most up-to-date general stores in the county. The merchantile houses of Walker and Wagar have been the mainstays of the village for over a quarter of a century. In 1876 Joel Damon Wagar first left the farm for what he believed would be an easier life, and opened a small store in the east end of the village in partnership with R, L. Henry of Napanee, At the end of two CAMDEN AND NEWBURGH 325 years he bought out his partner and for a short time occupied the Walker corner, as it is now called. He then moved across the street to a large frame store, where he remained until a few years ago, when he built the imposing brick one in which he is still seeking for that easier life. The following are the men who have conducted most of the busi ness of Enterprise during the past fifty years : Store-keepers : Robert. Thompson, James Campbell, James Sher man, Graham & Woolfe, James Pike, Harvey S, Walker, R, H, Peters, Robert H, Wickham, J, D, Wagar, A, B, Carscallen, Robert Cox, Edmund Fenwick, S, B, Merrill, R. S, Milhgan, R. J, Leroy, Walker & Davy, T, Kenny, E, J, Wagar, Alonzo Walker, Caton Bros., P. Martin & Co., S. Wagar. Carriage makers and blacksmiths: Orrin Card, Eli Hawley, Wm, Stafford, Thomas Babcock, Wm, Jackson, Charles Lockwood, Jeremiah Lockwood, James Vanalstine, Dorland Wagar, Leonard Wagar, Well ington Wagar, W, L. Peters, Edwin Lockwood, W, J, Millow, David Mouck, A, E, Smith, W, E. Lobb, M, King, Shoemakers: Sylvanus Cronk, Robert N. Clark, James Pyke, George G, Wagar, Christ, Lyman. Cabinet-makers: Eugene Cox, George Files. Harness makers: George Dick, Wiley Keach, Reuben Card, C, Keach, J, W, Brown, Asa Harten, MiU Managers: Wm, Fenwick, J, Lockwood, Enterprise Milling Co,. W, S, Fenwick & Sons. 326 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER XX SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS The Township of Sheffield was named after John Baker Holroyd, Lord Sheffield (1734-1821), an Irish peer, greatly interested in the North American trade and in the Colonial Empire of Great Britain, Accompanied by Mr, P, F, Carscallen, one of the veterans of the township of Sheffield, the writer strolled through the streets of Tam worth loitering here and there at a corner, and from his guide gathered the following information concerning that interesting village, Calvin Wheeler was the first white man of any consequence to settle in the township of Sheffield, He owned four hundred acres of land lying east of Main Street, If we cross the river over the wooden bridge we find to our left a knoll, and over the top of it we observe a depres sion — that depression was a continuation of the road along the east bank of the river which no longer goes over the knoll but turns at right angles and proceeds eastwards. Taking our stand upon this knoll we command a view of several points of interest. Looking northerly between the banks of the stream about a quarter of a mile distant, standing in the hollow is the residence of Mr, James Donovan, Upon that spot stood the first house built in the township of Sheffield, a log cabin, the forest home of Calvin Wheeler, At the edge of the bank near by he built a saw-mill and threw a small dam across the river and, on a small scale for a few years carried on a lumbering business, until he conceived the idea of moving farther down stream. He next con structed a dam just below and a little to the right of the knoh, about forty feet north of the cement dam recently built by Mr, A, B, Cars callen, At the western end of the dam he erected a saw-mill, and on the eastern bank about a hundred feet farther down stream a grist-mill. We can see where the knoll has been pared away to make room for the foundation of the shed that stood in front of the grist-mill. The old road that passed over the knoll and along the eastern bank of the river to the first mill was abandoned, the old bridge up near the site of the Donovan homestead was neglected and subsequently washed away, and a new bridge built where the wooden one now stands. In the olden days the only public highway leading to the front by the west ern route was out by the road now passing the Presbyterian manse, on SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 327 through the south-east corner of Hungerford to Westplain, then called Sedore's Corners, and then to Forest Mihs, known at that time as McNeil's Mills, as this was one of the points where Archie McNeil of Napanee carried on his lumbering operations. The road then continued southward to Selby, on past Gallagher's Corners a little east of that vil lage, and the traveller reached his destination by way of Vine's Corners, When the new bridge was built just south of the grist-mill the road leading from it out over the hill was followed instead of the one past the Presbyterian manse, but in other respects the same circuitous route to Napanee was the only passable road to that village west of the Salmon River, It will be observed that there is a bend in the road around the dwell ing-house of Mr, James Wheeler which stands on the road allowance. That house was the first one built in Tamworth and was the home of his grandfather, Calvin Wheeler, who owned all the land in that vicinity and, regardless of the road allowance, chose that spot as the site for his dwelling. Later on, when he deemed it prudent to lay out a street with defined boundaries whereby to reach the bridge, he conducted it around his house, and in so doing had to cut down and cart away a small sugar- loaf knoll which obstructed the passage in front of where the Orange Hall now stands. Nearly opposite his residence and east of the Orange Hall he built a frame store, where he carried on a thriving business for years,- until he moved into more commodious quarters, the old building still standing opposite the sheds of the Wheeler House, In 1848 Wheeler's Mills, as the village was then called, began to assume some importance ; and the few scattered inhabitants petitioned the government for a post-office, as the nearest point from which they could obtain their mail was Camden East. The prayer was granted, and Wheeler was asked to select a name for the office. He had always been an ardent admirer of the eminent Enghsh statesman. Sir Robert Peel, member of Parliament for Tamworth, and he thought he could choose no more fitting name for the new post-office than the constitu ency represented by his favourite prime minister of England, It was an eventful day in midwinter when Sam Hicks appeared at the top of the hill plying the whip to his steaming nag, which, with a mad rush, galloped down the decline and came to a sudden halt in front of Wheeler's store. Sam dropped his reins and hauled from beneath the seat and delivered into the hands of James Wheeler the first bag of Her Majesty's miail to arrive in the vihage, while the bystanders tossed their caps into the air and cheered lustily for the first Sheffield mail carrier. 328 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON The old grist-mill near the bridge was torn down years ago, and on its site was built a carding-mill, which in turn was pulled down and the material used in the small building standing a few yards north of Mr, Carscallen's new one. The products of the Wheeler saw-miU were squared timbers, deals, and staves, the latter being used in the West Indian trade for the manufacture of molasses casks. The timbers were floated down the river to Shannonville during the spring freshets, and the deals and staves followed by the same route later in the season. At Shannonville the timbers were constructed into rafts and on them were piled the deals and staves ; and when all were fastened they were towed away on their long voyage down the St. Lawrence. Facing southward from our point of vantage on the knoll we notice an old frame building, now known as "the cottage" standing not far from the eastern end of the bridge. This was also built by Calvin Wheeler and in its day was regarded as a very handsome house, second only to Wheeler's. To the south of the cottage stood a tannery, long since crumbled away, and to the north on the corner was Jackson's dis tillery, where whiskey could be purchased at two shillings a gallon. Between 1850 and i860 the small patches in the forest began to assume respectable proportions. Northward from the knoll lies a tract of good farm land which was settled principally by Irishmen, while southward on the same side of the river opposite the present railway station was another small colony from the Emerald Isle. At this time the Crimean war was being fiercely waged, and every ship from the old land brought news of the latest battles, in which the Irish regi ments were achieving distinction. Their fellow-countrymen in the two settlements above referred to used to gather about the huge fireplace in the old Wheeler House, which also owed its origin to the enterprising Calvin Wheeler, and before the blazing hearth-logs discussed with no small degree of pride the deeds of valour of their fellow-countrymen at Sebastopol and Balaklava, So common were these gatherings and so frequent the references to these two celebrated battles that the Irish set tlement up stream was christened Balaklava and the smaller one down stream Sebastopol, which names they retain to the present day; but the former name did not fit well the Irish tongue and has become corrupted into Ballyhack, The road running past the cottage and on down through Sebastopol formerly followed the devious course of the river's bank, but in time was straightened and laid out as it now is, and the roadway was converted into gardens and sites for the residences now along the eastern side of the stream. SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 329 Main Street was laid out by Calvin Wheeler and Champ Smith, and that part of it now lying between Rose's corner and the iron bridge was sixty years ago a swamp in which one was in danger of being mired, especially during the spring months. The first building erected in this part of the village was the Douglas tavern, built by the late Robert Lockridge, Shortly afterwards Wheeler built a town-hall on the site of the present brick one. Prior to the building of the old hall the courts and public meetings were held in the upper story of Wheeler's drive house, which was reached by an outside stairway, and before this provi sion was made a room in the tavern was set apart for the purpose. The first church in the village was the old W^esleyan Methodist, which stood between the Douglas tavern and the town-hall ; and the first man to minister to the spiritual needs of that congregation was a local preacher named Christopher Thompson, He was a whole-souled, devout old gentleman, who formerly lived near the head of Hay Bay on Big Creek, but moved north to a farm on Beaver Lake, He had a large family and kept open house to all who passed his way, with the result that he lived and died a poor man. He was loved and respected by all, and in his dechning years, when his earning powers were sensibly reduced, all denominations turned out to the Methodist tea meetings and contributed liberally to this means of replenishing his slender purse. The first circuit rider to establish an appointment at Wheeler's Mills was the Rev. Robert Corson, who with the Rev. Gilbert Miller were the ministers in charge of the Napanee circuit which, at the time, about the year 1842, extended from Hay Bay to Lime Lake, If the little old blacksmith shop on the hill were capable of feeling and had a tongue to give expression to it, it would exclaim in the words of Hamlet "to what base uses we may return" ; for where now is heard the creaking of the bellows and the anvil's shrill song there resounded sixty years ago the piping voices of the first school children of Sheffield ; and until a few years ago there could be deciphered on the window-sill the scribbling of one of those self-same children, now an old man who has passed the allotted span. Like all school-houses of that day there was a shelf fixed to the wall, which served as a desk, and before it was a rough bench with no back to it, so that when the pupils were at work they sat with their faces to the wall. The first teacher was Mr, Charles Chadwick, a young man, who, before engaging in the profession, had served, as a clerk in Mr, Charles Warner's store at Colebrook, He was a bright young fellow with a good word for every one he met, and had none of those disagreeable experiences which too frequently befell the lot of the pedagogue of long ago. 330 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Before the first Methodist Church was buiU on Main Street that denomination held their services in the old school-house. The Epis copalians used to meet in Wheeler's residence, where the Rev, "Daddy" Shirley, as he was affectionately cahed, used to come periodicaUy to minister to the faithful few who were not content with the homespun service of the farmer preacher from Beaver Lake, Father Pendergrass of Centreville came regularly through the woods to the home of Bardey McMullen to care for the somewhat larger flock of Roman Catholics. Tamworth now has three Churches, the Methodist, originally the Methodist Episcopal, built in 1868, the Church of England, 1865,' and the Presbyterian in 1889, On the east side of the river, commanding a view of the surrounding country for miles, there was erected, in 1912, through the enterprise of the leading men of the vUlage and adjacent territory, a handsome Continuation School, equipped in the most mod ern style and in every way a credit to the community. About fifty or sixty years ago John and Robert Grange built the saw-miU down stream below the railway bridge and later on built on the other side of the stream the grist-mill, which was destroyed by fire, Tamworth has during the past twenty years been visited by two destruc tive fires which wiped out nearly all the buildings on Main Street; but their places were soon filled by better and more handsome ones of brick, so that at the present time the business section of the village has a thor oughly up-to-date appearance. The residential sections have kept pace with the improvements on Main Street ; and' the citizens may justly be proud of their tidy little village. The reader may readily gather from the foregoing that Sheffield and its principal village owe much to the energy and enterprise of Calvin Wheeler, who, full of confidence in the future of the township, took up his residence there at a time when the forest had scarcely been touched. There were no roads nor bridges, and he led the life of a pioneer, under going many trials and hardships ; but lived to see his forecasts verified. He was born in Vermont about the time of the War of Independence; but his parents did not join the Loyalists, although they sympathized with them, and young Calvin was- taught to respect the British flag. During the war of 1812 the lessons of his early childhood again manifested their power in the breast of the full-grown man ; he felt that the British cause was just, and broke away from his uncongenial envir onment, came to Canada, and settled on the Napanee River near the site of the village of Strathcona, WhUe there he was engaged for many years in the lumber business, when he concluded that it could be carried on to better advantage in one of the northern townships, so he accord- SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 331 ingly commenced operations on the Salmon River, His influence was not limited to the village he built" up ; but was, felt throughout the entire district. He was a justice of the peace, a commissioner in the Courts of Requests, and for many years a representative of the northern town ships in the Midland District council. He took an active interest in all public matters and attained the rank of major in the Militia, He kept in touch with the leading questions of the day, was kind-hearted and generous, and more than once when the township was short of funds he opened his owm wallet and -met the expense of some needed improve ment. It is said that the first town-hall and school-house were both built by him and donated to the municipality, Tamworth, like Newburgh, has passed its newspaper era. In Sep tember, 1879, Mr, Asa Cronk made the venture. He came originaUy from the township of Ameliasburgh in Prince Edward County and had been experimenting in journalism for a time at MiU Point, The lumber village had for nearly two years given him sparingly of its patronage, and in the summer and autumn of 1879 had been too busy fighting an epidemic of small-pox to pay much attention to the appeal for support from the Mill Point Echo; so Cronk concluded that he had no further use for MiU Point, and pulled up his stakes, moved to Tamworth, and set up his press in the shop now occupied by Mr, John O'Brien. The villagers were rather proud of the idea of a local paper and did all they could to encourage the proprietor of the Echo. Cronk was a pleasant fellow to meet and formed many friends in the village; but the novelty of the personal column soon wore off and, when an election came on, the editor, although he had announced in the first number that he would take an independent course in politics, buckled on his political armour and proved himself to be a splendid fighter in the eyes of one party and an objectionable antagonist from the standpoint of the other side. His editorials were few and weak, and in a few months he had exhausted his stock-in-trade of jokes upon the local questions. The news he furnished to his readers was just such as might be expected from a newspaper with a small circulation published in a country village. It was correctly named the Echo and presented in a condensed form such news as could be gathered from the Toronto dailies, and his exchanges. For three years it continued to make its weekly appearance, until in 1882 the proprietor thought he saw less worry and perhaps bet ter wages in the custom-house at Wallaceburgh. In a neat little speech the editor thanked the good people of Sheffield and the north country for their support, regretted parting from so many friends, tenderly com mitted the Echo to its grave, folded his tents, and moved to Wallace burgh. 332 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON The Sheffield elections were looked forward to fifty years ago as one of the occasions of the year, when one might expect something exciting. There was little privacy about the polls, and the open vote left no opportunity for concealing how the electors had voted. The excitement did not always end on election day, as is evidenced from the following extract from the minutes of the council of 1855 : "Pursuant to law I have this 15th day of January, 1855, met at the inn of Mr, William Hayes for the purpose of organizing the newly elected councillors for the present year, but from the appearance of a riotous mob who surrounded me and the many threats circulated by them that they would take the life of myself if I would not agree to their request, therefore, in order to preserve the peace I deemed it necessary to withdraw and notify the members returned to me to attend on another day," (Signed) "Patrick Gafney Clerk." The following is a list of the leading business firms in Tamworth since the first saw-miU was established there: Merchants : C, & J, Wheeler, Alonzo Wheeler, Robert Helms, R, & J, Herchimer, Loyst & Keller, George Miller, Franklin Seldon, Henry Douglas, Richard Douglas, Robert Downey & Bro,, Forshee & Cham berlain, Hooper & Oliver, Hinch & Thornton, John Sherman, Charles Shields, John W, Shorey, Robert McD, Smith, Robert McMullen, Mun- roe Bros,, Robt, Paul, John Reid, Jr,, Hawley Thornton, Reuben W, Vandewater, C, G, Coxall, A, C, Douglass, J, R, Fraser, J. A, Fraser, Alex, Hassard, Lawrence Way, G, S, Hinch, Jas. E, Perry & Co,, L, Way & Co,, John W, Fuller, David Philips, T, M, Barry, W, E, WUson, W, H, Millburn, J, M, Storring, Carscallen & Wagar, Thornton & WeighiU, W, A. Fuller, A, B, Carscallen, C, A, Jones & Son, Blacksmiths: Robert Helms, James Kirk, Matthew Wormworth, Robert Paul, W^ J, & J, Shields, John Copeland, Elias McKim, E. & A, McKim, Robt. Perry, G, M, Richardson, Edw, Dawson, Jas, Shields, » Wm, Garrett, J, C, Mouck, H, Richardson, J, A, Hunter, Cheese Box Manufacturers: John Fraser, George Woods. Shoemakers : Nicholas Bence, John Storring, George Bolger, George Detlor, D, Williamson, Wm, Hardy, John Reed, G, P, York, John O'Brien, Carriage Makers: John Thompson, Wm, Parks, James Shields, J, A, Hunter, Newton Carscallen, Sherman Martin, Undertakers : Knight & Busby, E, M, McKim, Taylor & Co, Wheel-wrights : David Ring, John Thompson, A, N, CarscaUen. SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 333 Saddlers and Harness Makers: George Davids, George Goodwin, George Bruton, George Corran, L, P, Wells, Cabinet-makers: J, Thurston, B. F, Smith, Knight & Busby, Tanners: George Miller, Nicholas Baker, John Rain, George C, MiUer, Andrew E, Markland, Jas. Elliott, Carding-Mill : Richard Jones, D, Mitchell & Son, C, A, Jones, Coopers : Samuel Robertson, Edward Ring, John Drader, M, Stor ring, Druggists : Aylesworth & Huffman, Jas, Aylesworth, Rose & Rose, C, R, Jones, D, E. Rose, C, H, Rose, Tailors : Henry Hooper, Patrick Harvey, John Floyd, Wm, Covert, John Floyd & Son, Millers: John Jackson, John & Robert Grange, Gideon Joynef, Hiram Keach, A, S, Blight, Keach & Vannest, R, Richardson, W, D. Mace, A, B. CarscaUen. Sawyers : C, Wheeler, John Jackson, Grange Bros,, H, & G, Joyner, Albert MiUigan, W, D, Mace, J, E. Woodcock & Sons, Any one visiting Erinsville need not seek far to ascertain the origin of its name. It would be disclosed in the features and dialect of the first person he met; and enter any house he chose he would be received with a right whole-souled Hibernian welcome. Nearly all the Irish that came to this county seventy years ago seemed to gravitate towards that part of Sheffield, and the same nationality has maintained the ascendency ever since, l^he little hamlet began with a blacksmith shop sixty years ago; and the inevitable tavern was opened by Pat Gafney a few years later, and with all its changes of fortune there has been no period in its history from that day to this, that the taveni has not been very much in evidence, Patrick met with the misfortune of being burned out ; but his custom soon passed over to Richard Mahoney, the oldest hotel keeper in the county, who for forty-five years has met his guests with the same ruddy countenance and beaming smile, Mahoney was caUed upon to share the honours with Nicholas Phelan, and afterwards with Phelan's son William, The Phelans began business in a rather unpretentious frame building, which was followed by a more commodious brick one, which survived its landlord by two years, when it was burned, Napanee has its annual bachelors' ball, and the different villages in the county have their parties, hops, and various species of terpsichorean entertainments; but for downright unrestrained mirth, all of these have yielded first place to the famous ErinsvUle dance organized by Nicholas Phelan so long ago that it is recognized, especially by the young people of Sheffield, as the one great event of the year. Held at the festive sea- 334 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON son of the New Year, when troubles are forgotten, it is the one occasion above all others that brings out the best there is in the light-hearted Irish lads and lassies of all the surrounding country. It is none of your slow, dreamy, new-fangled glides, where the pale-faced young man, in swal low-tailed coat, apologetically attempts to direct the movements of the sylph-like form whose favour he has craved by a delicate touch of the tips of his white gloved fingers. No ! it is the good old-fashioned dance with some life and action in it! To secure uniformity ot time the fiddler does the "caUing off" and when he announces "swing your partner" there is no uncertainty about the execution of the order; and "balance all" gives each performer an opportunity to display his and her latest achievement in mastering a difficult and soul-stirring jig. Refreshments follow, and plenty of them: — none of your dainty trifles, lady's fingers and bon-bons! — ^but good, wholesome, substantial food that satisfies the inward craving for nour ishment and fortifies the recipients and prepares them for another bout upon the floor. The fi,ddler, too, takes a well earned "spell," tucks away a few pounds of roast turkey, mince-pie and pound-cake, after which he is ready to officiate a few hours more at the bow. He is a man of some import ance, and his stentorian voice may be heard above the uproar and laugh ter summoning the young men to secure their partners for the next dance, — while his fiddle wails and screeches undergoing the tuning pro cess. He is the privileged character of the occasion and does not hesitate to comment upon the awkward performance of some bashful debutant or join in familiar badinage with any of the guests who give him an opportunity to display his wit. No one thinks of leaving before five o'clock in the morning, when all join in some familiar reel, after which the sleighs and cutters are brought over from the church sheds, neigh bouring barns and stables and, amid peals of laughter and the jingling of bells, the merry guests disperse for their respective homes. The stores of Erinsville have never carried large stocks nor done an extensive business, but merely catered to the simpler wants of the immediate neighbourhood, Tamworth has from its commencement secured the greater portion of the trade of the township, Erinsville has the largest Roman Catholic church in the county; and rain or shine, good roads or bad, the congregation will be found in their pews at every regular service. The Sheffield Irishmen are blunt and outspoken and sometimes more demonstrative than is necessary; but for fair and honest dealing and a general observance of law and order they cannot be excelled by any community in the county. SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 335 Herbert F, Gardiner in Nothing but Names suggests several pos sible derivations of the name Kaladar, but is rather inclined to favour the theory that it is derived from an East Indian word "Kilhdar," mean ing "a governor of a fort," It is difficult to conceive the connection between the two or to understand why the individual selecting the name should go to India to secure one. Another suggestion is that it is derived from Kildare, the name of a county in Ireland, and a third, which is not seriously put forward, is that it is a corruption of "Kill a deer," and so- named owing to the abundance of that game in that part of the county. The old residents pronounce the name "Killdare" which might point to the second theory; but the incredulous will ask if it be named after Kildare the Irish county, why spell the word Kaladar? Anglesea is named after Henry Wihiam Paget, Earl of Uxbridge and Marquis of Anglesea, who was born in 1768 and died in 1854, He was a famous soldier, winning distinction at the battle of Waterloo, where as second in command to the Duke of Wellington, he commanded the allied cavalry. He was created a Marquis and had conferred upon him the order of the Bath and Garter, and in 1828 was created Lord- Lieutenant and Governor-General of Ireland, where he won the esteem and good-will of the Irish people, Anglesea, from which he takes his title, is the name of an Island and County in Wales, Abinger is named after Sir James Scarlett, Baron Abinger, of Abinger, Surrey, who in 1827 was Attorney-General of Great Britain, and in 1834 was Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. Effingham takes its name from Henry Howard, Earl of Effingham. Denbigh was called after Denbighshire in Wales, which is famous for its mines of lead, iron, and coal. There are no less than fifteen villages in England named Ashby, besides the market town of Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire, which has a ruined castle, once the prison of Mary, Queen of Scots, From some one or more of these the township of Ashby derives its name. In taking the census in 1851-2 the enumerator took no notice of the townships north of Sheffield, At that time the Addington Road had not been buUt ; and the only human beings in that extensive territory were such as might be found in the lumber camps, and especiaUy in the vicinity of Flinton, which was known as Fhnt's MUls, In 1855, when the new road was nearing completion, Kaladar and Anglesea, which for municipal purposes were joined to Sheffield, appeared from the assess ment roll of that year to have forty-six ratepayers and sixty-eight actual occupiers of the land. Thirteen hundred and sixty acres were returned as under cultivation; and this estimate was probably far in excess of 336 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON the crop bearing acreage, and included all the cleared land in the two townships. No mention whatever was made of Abinger and Denbigh which formed a part of that great northern wild, scarcely touched yet even by the lumberman. The one man familiar with every phase of that section of the country was Ebenezer Perry ; and to him the government intrusted the supervision of the construction of the Addington Road, sometimes called the Perry Road; and after it was built he was appointed land agent, with headquarters at Flinton. This road, according to the official documents published at the time, "commencing in the township of Anglesea, in the northern part of the county of Addington, near the village of Flint's Mills in Kaladar, runs almost due north to the River Madawaska, a distance of 35 miles, and is to be continued thence for the distance of 25 miles till it intersects the Ottawa and Opeongo Road," The purpose of this road was to open for settlement the townships of Abinger, Denbigh, Ashby, Effingham, and Barrie; and it was the duty of Mr. Perry to locate the settlers and see that the homestead duties were performed. He was authorized to allot to every bona fide settler who had attained eighteen years of age one hundred acres, upon condi tion that certain duties were to be performed before he could obtain a title to his land. He was to take possession within one month of the date of allotment, and put in a state of cultivation at least twelve acres of the land in the course of four years, — build a house, (at least 20 by 18 feet) and reside on the lot until the conditions of settlement were duly performed, Mr. Perry was very enthusiastic over the north coun try and devoted himself most assiduously to the task assigned him. Five questions dealing with the nature of the country and its probable future were submitted to him in 1856, and in preparing' his answers thereto he went into the matter so exhaustively and covered the ground so intelligently and thoroughly that they form the best treatise ever pub lished concerning that part of this county. The questions and answers as published in 1858 in the Journal and Transactions of the Board of Agriculture of Upper Canada are here reproduced at length: "Are the lands in the back country of a quality to reward the agri culturist for his labours?" "I would beg leave to say that in my opinion they are. The soil is a sandy loam, more or less coloured with a vege table mould. It is made up of the decomposed granite hiUs that crop out at stated intervals all over the back regions. The silica, of which those rocks partake in abundance, is crumbled to atoms by the agency of the acids contained in rain and snow water, by the dissolvents in atmospheric air, and by the aid of a little unobtrusive plant, called SIR JOHN A, MACDONALD, SIR JOHN A, MACDONALD, SIR RICHARD CARTWRIGHT, JAMES N. LAPUM. SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 337 lichen, which thrives in our driest weather on the bare granite, and without seeming effort, by the action of its roots, daily detaches smaU particles and deposits them at the base of the rocks in debris. Thus in my opinion the soil is made up of the silica or sand of the surrounding rocks," "There is a feature in the growth of the timber on the lands in ques tion, in connection with the fertility of the soil, that I do not under stand. Where hardwood predominates, the soU is a dark loamy sand; where pine takes the lead, a pale yellow sand is found. The whole drift has one common origin. The yellow sand bears by far the most lofty gigantic trees; some having yielded to the lumbermen seven thirteen- feet logs, the lumber of which was fit for the American market; and one stump which I measured I found it to be five feet two inches across, not including the bark; and yet the yellow sand gives a much less yield of grain to the farmer. Where the dark loams have had a fair trial, the yield has been equal to the most favoured soils of the frontier townships, wheat, rye, oats, peas, barley, and Indian corn all flourish; potatoes and other bulbous roots exceed the growth in older townships, I have in no instance seen clover tried, but am of opinion that at no distant day, if attention is turned towards it, that clover seed will be one of the staples of this section of the country." "Is not the land so broken by the granite hills as to isolate the set tlers, and thus mar the social interchanges of life?" "I think that if I say no to this question I shall be fully borne out by facts; the granite ranges run nearly east and west, and consequently the valleys and tuffs must have a corresponding course. Now the Addington Road ranges to a north course, and consequently crosses the valleys that lie between here and the Madawaska ; the first and largest valley is found just beyond. the rocky range, or fourteen miles north of the River Clare, This range of rocks, over which the Addington Road runs, by winding through its gulches, is nearly a barren waste ; then you come on land that is fit for settlement; it is about five miles from where the rocky range loses itself to the rear of Kaladar; and about six miles of the road-lots are entered for settlement, making a distance of eleven miles across the valley, that in all probability will be settled, "Nor is this all; many lots beyond those taken afford a sufficient amount of plough land to insure their settlement before you come to the next broken range, which occurs at the head of Massenoga.Lake; and even there some redeeming qualities are found. You remember that I said that the valleys run east and west, so a large settlement will find its way in there ere long, I do not wish to be understood to say that all the 22 338 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON area here spoken of is fit for cultivation — there is too much broken land abounding through this district to suit me — but I wish to say that the township of Kaladar has a fair portion of exceUent land ; that of Barrie, Denbigh, and Ashby will be, when cleared and tilled, equal in_quality of soil and quantity of plough land in proportion to their area, after deduct ing the water, to either Camden or Ernesttown. "Anglesea, Abinger, and Effingham are more broken. After you leave the head of the Massenoga Lake, the road passes over a rough range of rocky ground, covered with fine groves of pine, interspersed with patches of hardwood land. Those patches of hardwood land are sufficiently numerous to induce settlers to occupy probably the road line through this range; but as you approach the Madawaska River, a river as large in appearance as the Trent, you pass a rich roUing country, watered with the purest springs, whose tiny brooks are filled with speckled trout, and whose hills are clothed with the red beech that have innumerable marks of bears' claws, that ascend and descend them annually for the mast. If you would ascend a high hUI that skirts this valley, at whose base the road runs, you would see down on both sides of the river the pale green foliage of the hardwood in strong contrast with the deeper tints of the evergreens. The hardwood land on this side occupies seven or eight miles in width, and to all appearance is as wide as the other side of the river," "What chance has the settlement in getting in supplies, and which is the best road to the land?" "There are two ways for settlers to approach the lands, and supplies can be got by either. First up the Madawaska, from Bytown and Perth — this is but a winter road, and can not be travelled until frost sets in and bridges the lakes and rivers; by this route, up to this time, all the provision and provender has been sent to supply the lumbering districts on the Madawaska; and the supplies have to be got in one year before they are used ; this route is expensive and unsafe, as an open winter or a general thaw closes the road; the other is the Addington Road itself ; this is much the safest, cheapest, and shortest route — it being about forty miles nigher the bridge over the Madawaska from Kingston than from the City of Ottawa, and the whole of the Addington Road is securely bridged; so that when the snow sets in the road is available — and ere long it will be a summer road as well; the main obstruction at the present time is the first sixteen miles from Clare, on which some forty or fifty men are engaged with bars, picks, barrows, carts, etc, and with the aid of fire and sledges, are battering off the high points of the granite rocks, and filling up the low SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 339 places, so that in a few weeks both settlers and lumber merchants can receive supplies any day in the year," "The best way at present for people at a distance to approach the land is to take Hayes' stage, which starts on the east side of the market house in Kingston every Tuesday and Friday, and it will set them down within five miles of the commencement of the Addington Road; but as soon as the cars start, Mr. Hayes intends to run his stage to Napanee, which then will be the shortest and cheapest route to the lands on the Addington Road, Tamworth, Centreville, Newburgh, and Napanee. All villages through which the stage will pass afford facilities to obtain sup plies for the settlement or shanties." "How and where wiU they dispose of their surplus if they have any?" "Every intelligent man knows that if there be no avenues to dispose of the surplus produce when raised, that it will destroy the energies of any man however industrious he may be; he wUl not put forth his physical strength merely to raise grain to rot in the stacks or perish in his granary, I assure you that this alternative will never take place in my opinion ; and if it do, the time is so remote that this^ genera tion need not entertain any fear about the matter — not that there is to be no surplus raised, for if settlers use but common industrious habits, in the space of three or four years a large surplus must be the conse quence, for the rich loams of that region will pay the farmer with no niggardly hand; but the demand will for years overreach the supply — new settlers will be consumers before they are producers, and the vast amount of lumbering all along the Madawaska and its tributaries will require more than the settlement can yield for years. Last winter a score of sleighs passed daily at the end of the bridge I was helping to build over the Madawaska, loaded with pork, flour, oats, hay, and gro ceries, and I was informed by some of the lumber merchants, that the supplies had hardly commenced going up. There are forty miles of a pine growing country between here and the Madawaska not cut off; and if two miles per year should be taken, it will last for twenty years yet; and if the supply shall exceed the wants of the lumberers and set tlers, the excess can be converted into beef, mutton, and pork, and driven to the railroad, and pass to the frontier markets," "The probable future of the settlement?" "The answer to this in some measure must be like a fancy sketch — the imagination must stretch forward, and predict the future — it must unfold the leaf of fate, and read events that are locked up in the escritoire of time. Sages tell us that we may judge the future by the past; if so, I look forward at no distant day for an industrious, intelligent, and rich population to be 340 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON spread over the lands of our interior. The first half of the nineteenth century has changed the destiny of the human race, and in no place has its effects been more visibly portrayed than in our province. We are just emerging into manhood, untramelled by customs or manners made venerable by their antiquity; there is no arena here that the prejudices and usages of a sturdy race of men could not combat inch by inch the ground sought to be occupied by the improvers of our age; we have nought to do but adopt the new fashion and we are as much at home in it as our grandsires were in theirs." "The first settlers in our country had to contend with many obstacles that have no existence now — they had no roads, nor mills, nor mechan ics — nor had they any place to apply to for bread for their famishing children, or seed grain, if a crop faUed them — nor had they teams to assist them to move the ponderous logs from their new chopped fallows?* Yet by incessant toil, perseverance, and economy, they prevailed and made homes worthy of themselves. And shaU we, the sons of such sires, hesitate to leave the refuse shallow soils that overlay the hmestone beds of the frontier townships, and go on the rich loams of the interior, where (thanks to the men who control the destinies of our province at the present time) government is constructing a good summer road, over a barrier that would have eternally shut out private enterprise?" ¦' "Our fathers plunged into the forest with a scanty stock of provi sions on their backs, followed by our mothers with the wardrobe and cooking utensils, threading their way by untrodden paths to the place where they intended to plant their vineyard. Contrast the event of their settlement with the facilities that we enjoy — we now jog along by steam — we converse by lightning; and think you that our new settle ment will be debarred the privilege of partaking of the recently developed impetus that impels forward the destinies of the human race? I tell you no! A decade will suffice to perform what formerly con sumed a century — in ten years the rich valley of the Madawaska, and the no less rich tuffs or valleys that lie scattered among the granite range between here and there, will teem with life and the bustle of com- m.erce. The stroke of the axe, the noise of the shuttle, and the ring of the anvil, will commingle with the bellowing of the herds and bleating of the flocks — villages will rise, having churches whose tinned steeples reflect the rays of the morning sun; and as each succeeding Sabbath appears, call forth, by the reverberating sounds of their bells amongst the valleys and hills, well dressed youths, the children of the present race, to worship the God of their fathers," SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 341 "Some of you think this is but the view of a dreamer — know ye not that the collective wisdom of our province have decided to make a ship canal up the Ottawa to Georgian Bay, and that 4,000,000 acres of land are set apart to aid in constructing a railroad from Quebec to said bay. Think you that both conveyances will run side by side ; will not the rail road seek another route, so as to have no competitor, and open up a greater breadth of country? If so, no way offers so great facUities of construction, nor a larger amount of traffic, than the valley of the Madawaska, If this should take place, we will have cities where I only- anticipated villages, and towns instead of hamlets," The following letter written in 1861 and now among the archives of the local Historical Society, throws some light upon the inner work ing of the office of the Land Agent : "Dear Sir, — I was over the Addington Road with A, B, Perry and we concluded that it would take on an average at least £62 los, per mile to make a good summer road after we have finished up the first 16 miles, I wrote my brother to see you before he reported, I will write Mr, Hatton soon concerning the matter in question. "It appears to me that we are to have a great flow of emigrants next spring on our road and means should be taken to have a stage run ning from Napanee to Tamworth at least and a mail through the settle ment. Richard Bishop is qualified for a Post-master, he is on No. 6 in Barrie, which is nearly 30 miles from here. When you are at Toronto ask how the gift land comes on over the 16 mUes. It is time that we had as many settlers on that desolate range as possible to make things look less lonesome. And the Bureau of Agriculture should take steps immedi ately concerning the erection of mills at suitable places to aid settlers. I will see you soon and then we can arrange the matter. I do not know what to do about running for- councillor again. I would by far rather decline. Your friend, "Sig, E, Perry," "D, Roblin, Esq,, M,P,P," To what extent the prophesies of Mr, Perry were realized may be gathered from the excellent article contributed by Mr, Paul Stein to the publications of the Historical Society, Mr, Stein was a pioneer in the north country, induced to settle there by the circulation in his native land of the government literature prepared from the reports of Mr, Perry. and other land agents. If more men of the type of Mr, Stein had been attracted by the emigration pamphlets, the older townships, even 342 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON with the superior advantages they possess, would need to look to their laurels. There is a clear and inteUigent ring about the following essay which discloses the character of the writer: "Up to about the year 1855 nearly all the lands in the rear of Add ington county from Cloyne northward were covered with primeval for ests, which had never been injured by fire, and only in some places had the lumbermen commenced to cut and remove the best of pine timber for export, "The timber consisted, and what is left of it stiU consists of pine, spruce, tamarac, balsam, basswood, maple, beech, birch, ash, elm, cedar, etc. "The character of the soil is variable, but consists chiefly of sandy loam; in some places very light, or shallow and stony, and when cleared only suitable for pasture. Some tracts of considerable extent are entirely unfit for cultivation, being either too rocky and mountainous, or consisting of swamps and marshes, part of which could be reclaimed by underdraining. The country is exceptionally well watered with lakes, creeks, and springs, which contain pure and clear water, and the lakes are stocked with fish of various kinds. Deer and fur bearing animals were very plentiful when the first settlers arrived here, but of late game of all kinds is getting rather scarce. "In or about the year 1856, the Addington Colonization road was constructed by the Government of Upper Canada, under the supervision of Mr. Ebenezer Perry, of Tamworth, with a view to open the northern part of Addington county for settlement, and to encourage settlers to locate there. Crown lands in the townships thus opened were offered for sale at one dollar per acre, with the exception of those lots immedi ately adjoining the Addington road, which were given as free grants to actual settlers. "The first settlers who located in the township of Abinger came from Leeds county in 1856-7. Among them were Chas, M, Kenyon, A, P, and Wm, Wickware, David and Elisha Mallory and their sons, Hugh Grant, David Levingston, Wm, Levingston, etc, "The first settlers who took up homesteads in the township of Den bigh arrived shortly after and were chiefly from the county of Prince Edward, They were Isaac Cranshaw, Robert Conner, George W, Sweet- nam, A, Cruickshank, David Switzer, John Bums, J, Reid, J, Peck, and probably a few others, "In order to attract German immigrants to Upper Canada the Gov ernment had issued some German literature, which was distributed by Immigration Agents in Germany, in which the newly opened districts SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 343 adjoining the Frontenac, Addington and Hastings Colonization roads were very favourably described and recommended for settlers with limited means. "One of those pamphlets fell into the hands of two neighbours in the Prussian Province of Silesia, who were at once very favourably im pressed with the statement that they could get each one hundred acres of good land, which, when cleared, would grow every kind of farm produce that was raised in their own native province, for nothing, and though they were not practical farmers, for one of them, Charles New man, was a distUler, and was foreman in a distUlery, and the other, August John, was a miher who had only a smaU grist-mill rented, they decided to try their luck in Canada. Crossing the Atlantic in the 50's in the steerage of an immigrant sailing vessel, in which they had to furnish their own provisions, bedding, etc., for a trip lasting from seven to ten weeks, and in one case with smaU-pox, and no physician on board ship thirteen weeks, was no trifle, but they landed safely in Que bec, reached Napanee, where they with the assistance of a countryman, who acted as their interpreter, purchased the necessary supplies and engaged a couple of teams which brought them to their destination in Denbigh township in the summer of 1858, They took possession of and located on adjoining lots on the Addington road, built, with the help of a few neighbours, a log shanty large enough to hold both fam ilies and all their possessions, and went to work with a will to clear yet a little land for a late crop of turnips and some other roots. They were the first pioneers of what was for years afterwards known as the Ger man or 'Dutch' Settlement, But they were destined to meet with a very serious misfortunate. Intending to acquire a cow, they all, men, women, and children, left their shanty one morning in the early fall to cut some hay in Beaver meadow, quite a distance from it. While thus engaged, they happened to look towards their habitation and noticed a heavy column of smoke rising in that direction. Hurrying home they found their dwelling with aU contents a mass of flames, out of which they were not able to save a particle, and had nothing left but their poorest clothes they had dressed themselves with in the morning. A pitiful situation for any one, but how much more so for those two fam ilies with a couple of little children each, in a strange country, in a forest away from all civUization ! -After consulting what to do next, Mr, New man decided to remain, and to try his luck in trapping and hunting, while Mr, John preferred to move with his family to Bridgewater, where both he and his wife found employment. In the following spring they returned to their homestead and built a small log cabin for them- 844 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON selves. In i860 and 1861 several other German families joined them, and they began to feel more at home. They laboured, however, under many serious disadvantages. Their nearest post-office for instance was at Perry's Mills, and afterwards at Hardinge, in the township of Barrie, a distance of over twenty miles. In 1863 Denbigh post-office was estab lished, with David Hughs as postmaster, and Gotthard Radel as the first mail carrier, who had to carry H, M, mail on foot, there being as yet no horses in the settlement. Another great disadvantage was the want of a grist-mill, the nearest one then being at Bridgewater, Later on another one was built at Rockingham, in Renfrew county, and an other one in Plevna, in the county of Frontenac; but either of them was over twenty-five miles from the settlement, and as teams of any kind were scarce, it was no uncommon occurrence that the happy pos sessor of a horse or of a yoke of oxen would demand from his neigh bour who was not so fortunate, one bushel of wheat for taking another bushel to the mill for him to get it ground, "Another drawback for the settlers was the difficulty of obtaining supplies. There were no stores in the vicinity, and no road as yet to Renfrew, and nearly all the trading for a number of years was done in Napanee. The first small store was started by Chas. M. Kenyon, near the head of Massanoga Lake, but his stock was very limited at first, "About the year 1859 Washington Mallory built a small saw-mill in Abinger township, and a few years later Elisha Mallory purchased lot No, 20, in the 8th con, of the township of Denbigh, on which another mill site was situate, which Mr, Mallory improved, and on which he erected another saw-miU, so that the settlers were able to obtain all the lumber they required for their building operations, "Several other settlers had squatted on adjoining lots of Goveni- ment land near Cedar Lake, and a small frame church had been built for Protestant worshippers on an acre of land donated by E. Mallory, The little settlement was first known as the Cedar Lake Settlement, In 1867 Messrs, Charles Stein and Paul Stein, then residing ori a farm in the township of Richmond, bought from E, Mallory the land contain ing the saw-mill and mUl site, and in the following year built a grist-mUl on it, which had only one run of Buhr stones and the necessary bolting and cleaning machinery, but was well patronized and appreciated by all settlers in the vicinity, A few years afterwards the little saw-miU was torn down and a larger one built by Paul Stein, with better machinery and a greater capacity, Mr. John Mallory opened a little general store near by, which soon after passed over to Mr, Samuel Lane, who was appointed postmaster. Another store, a blacksmith shop, and a public- SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 345 house were built, and Cedar Lake Settlement graduaUy ceased to exist and Denbigh village took its place, "In 1882 the grist-miU was found to be inadequate to the require ments of the surrounding farming population, and P, Stein bought out his father's interest in it, tore it down, and replaced it by a larger one, containing two run of stones and more improved machinery. In 1884 the German Lutheran congregation, though only consisting of about twenty families, built a parsonage, and in 1886 a frame church. Since 1884 t'ney have always had a resident rhinister, who has to belong to the Lutheran Synod of Canada, which pays part of his salary, for beside his Denbigh congregation, he has to attend to the spiritual needs of a small congregation in Plevna, Frontenac county, and two larger con gregations in Raglan, Renfrew county, and Maynooth, Hastings county. "In 1901 P, Stein sold the grist-mUl to E, Petzold, who soon after enlarged it by adding to it a first-class roller plant of thirty barrels capacity per day, with all other necessary machinery, which makes it now one of the best equipped little roller mills in this part of the pro vince, with, however, one serious disadvantage : It is run by water-power and in dry seasons the water sometimes fails, causing considerable loss to its owner and inconvenience to the patrons, "In 1902, J. S, Lane bought some land adjoining the viUage and erected on it a steam saw-miU, which also contains shingle and lath machinery, a planer and matcher, etc, A couple more general stores and some other business establishments had been added, and the village now contains one roller mill, one steam saw-mill, three general stores, two public or boarding-houses, two churches, one public school, two blacksmith shops, one wood-working shop, two agencies for agricultural implements, one physician, one Crown Land agency, one post-office, one Orange hall and two public halls belonging to private owners, A new cheese factory has also been built not far from the viUage, which will be put in operation next spring, "Vennachar is a little hamlet in Abinger township, seven miles southeast of Denbigh village. It was almost entirely swept out of existence by a bush fire in the spring of 1903, and some of the buUdings then destroyed have never been rebuilt. It comprises now one general store with post-office, one public school, one Methodist church, and about a mile from it a Free Methodist church. There are also two cheese fac tories at no great distance from it, "No reference has, as yet, been made to municipal matters, which, perhaps, deserve to be mentioned. The municipality of Denbigh, Abinger, and Ashby was organized in 1866. The first municipal council 346 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON was composed of James Lane, reeve; and E, C, Bebee, Isaac Cranshaw, Chas, M. Kenyon, and Chas, Newman, councillors, who voted them selves for their services a salary of 25c, per session, David Hughs was appointed township clerk at ten dollars per annum; John Lane, town ship treasurer, at the same salary; Robert Conner, assessor, at eight dollars, and William Wickware, collector, at fifteen dollars salary. The following year the members of the council raised their own remuner ation to one dollar per session, and the clerk's salary to twenty dollars per annum, at which rate it remained for many years. "In 1866 two public school sections were established. No. i in the German Settlement, and No. 2 at Vennachar. Now there are seven schools in operation. The following gentlemen have served the munici pality as reeves since its organization: James Lane for 1866, Chas, M. Kenyon from 1867 to 1870, Samuel Lane from 1871 to 1880, Wilham Haines for 1881, James Lane from 1882 to 1884, George W, Sweetnam from 1885 to 1891, William Lane for 1892 and 1893, George W, Sweet nam for 1894, William Lane from 1895 to 1898, James Lane from 1899 to 1901, John S, Lane from 1902 to 1909, The township clerk's office has been filled by David Hughs during 1866, by William Lane from 1867 to 1883, by Edwin Wensley during 1884 and 1885, and by Paul Stein from 1886 until now. The township treasury was held by John Lane from 1866 until 1907, by Herman Glaeser during 1908, and by Eathel C. Bebee up to the present. "There are now five post-offices within the municipality: Denbigh, Vennachar, Slate Falls, Glenfield, and Wensley, and the mail service is satisfactory. Denbigh has a tri-weekly mail to Plevna, via Vennachar and Wensley, and a bi-weekly one to Griffith and to Slate Falls. Several efforts have been made to get the abandoned Denbigh-Cloyne mail route established, in order to get direct connection and communication with Kaladar Station and Napanee, but so far they have been unsuccessful. "The market facilities for farm products, cattle, etc, are now not as good as they were when lumbering operations were carried on more extensively. Formerly the lumbermen needed all the hay and grain the farmers could spare, and had to import large quantities. Now, how ever, nearly all the floatable timber has been cut and removed, or has been destroyed by bush fires, and the farmers will have to pay more attention to dairying or the raising of beef cattle. "A very serious disadvantage is the absence of any nearer railway or other shipping facilities. The municipahty forms the centre of a dis trict which has railways on all sides and around it, but no railway sta tion nearer than from 35 to 40 miles from Denbigh village. As the SHEFFIELD AND THE NORTHERN TOWNSHIPS 347 public roads leading to any of the railroad stations are also seldom in very good condition, the shipping problem of farmers' products is a ser ious one. Other industries, however, are also retarded thereby. "It is generally believed that valuable minerals in paying quantities exist in the hills and valleys of the municipality, and gold, mica, and graphite mines have been worked, but they were always closed again because the transportation of the products to the nearest raUway station made their operation unprofitable. Only a few weeks ago a discovery of ruby-corundum in the township of Ashby was sold to Mr. J. H. Jewel, of Toronto, for a very fair amount. Mr. Jewel has since pur chased one thousand acres, on part of which this discovery is situated, from the Government, and has had one half of that area resurveyed and laid out in smaller parcels. A gang of mechanics and other labourers are now engaged building a boarding-house 30 x 60 feet, near the mine, and a considerable amount of lumber and other building material is said to have already been ordered for further building operations in the com ing spring. If this venture should prove a success it will encourage fur ther prospecting and lead to further discoveries. "In conclusion it mignt be mentioned that there has not been any liquor sold or a tavern or hotel license issued in the municipahty for upwards of twenty years, nor has there ever been an inhabitant of the municipality imprisoned or otherwise punished for criminal offences. The worst transgressions against the laws of the country have been trifling civil cases of little importance," 348 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON CHAPTER XXI BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES The writer was tempted to single out for comment the names of scores of individuals now living or who lived in years gone by in this county, and did so intend, when this work was first considered ; but upon looking over the ground it soon became apparent that such an undertak ing would be entirely beyond the scope of the present volume, I have therefore concluded to content myself by devoting this chapter to brief biographical sketches of those men who have filled the important pubhc offices in the gift of the people of Lennox and Addington, limiting them to the wardens of the county and the representatives from this county to the various legislative bodies of the country. The latter fall under four different heads : ( i ) members of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada from 1792 to 1841 when the union of Upper and Lower Canada took place; (2) members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada composed of the former two provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canada from 1841 to 1867; (3) members of the House of Com mons, which came into being under the British North America Act of 1867, which is our constitution of to-day; and (4) members of the Legis lative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, which body also owes its existence to the same Act, I am aware that, in thus restricting myself, many worthy names will be omitted, names of men whose acts might well be placed upon record in some permanent form ; but as this purports to be a history of the county rather than a treatise upon the lives of all its celebrated citizens I feel justified in adopting this course; although I have frequently, in the general narrative, departed from the text to give a brief review of the life of some individual when I felt that the subject under discussion warranted the digression. For the sake of convenience I have arranged in alphabetical order the notices of such as fell within the classes above named, David Wright Allison, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1881, Member of the House of Commons 1883 and 1891, D, W, Allison was familiarly known as the "old war-horse" of the Liberal party in Lennox and Addington, He was descended from biographical sketches 349 Joseph Allison, U, E, L,, who at the time of the Revolution was engaged in the navy yard at New York, His house was pilfered by the rebels and, after securing everything of value that could be carried away, they applied the torch to the rest and burned the dwelling and its contents. He had the satisfaction of stealthily entering the rebel camp and under cover of darkness, carried off five of the best horses they had. At the battle of White Plains he had several narrow escapes, and on one occa sion his comrade was shot by his side, and the belt supporting his can teen was severed by a bullet. He was one of the first contingent to land in Adolphustown and a few hundred feet from that landing place his grandson, D, W. Allison, built the handsome brick residence where he spent the last years of his life. D, W, was a genial man, who always looked upon the bright side of life and endeavoured to find some good qualities in every one he met. Although primarily a farmer he sought to better his fortune by engag ing in many other lines of business, among which were shipping, min ing, and lumbering, and he was never staggered by the magnitude of any speculative transaction. No man in his native township was more highly respected, as he was kind and generous to the poor and a friend and neighbour to all who knew him. He passed through all the stages of municipal politics from coun- cUlor of Adolphustown to warden of the county. Few men would have had the courage to engage in a political contest with Sir John A, Macdonald; but Mr. Allison buckled on his armour, in 1882, and went forth to battle against the greatest statesman of his day. Sir John was elected; but some of his over-zealous workers had overstepped the limits and he was unseated through acts of bribery committed by his agents. In 1883 the same contestants again entered the field, and Mr, Allison was victorious ; but held his seat for only one session, as he was called upon to pay the same penalty for the folly of his friends as his redoubtable opponent had paid the year before. In the bye-election which followed Mr. AUison was again defeated by Mr. M. W, Pruyn of Napanee. In 1887 Mr, Uriah Wilson was returned to parliament for the first time, defeating Mr, Allison by twenty votes ; and the same can didates again entered the arena in 1891, when Mr. AUison secured a majority of sixty-one votes over his opponent. This election was again protested and the seat once more declared vacant; but not until the member-elect had completed one session in parliament. Once again he measured swords with Mr, WUson, but failed to secure the requisite number of votes. From the foregoing it will easily be seen that he 350 history of LENNOX AND ADDINGTON earned the title which was applied to him by his friends. He died at his home in Adolphustown in 1909, Cyrus R, Allison, Warden of Lennox and Addington 1899, Cyrus R, Allison is a brother of the late D, W, Allison, of whom a brief sketch has just been given. He spent nearly all his days upon his farm in the township of South Fredericksburgh, A few years ago he retired to the village of Adolphustown, where he Jives a quiet life, yet more active than most men of fourscore years. His views upon the political issues which have stirred the souls of the electors of Lennox have been as strong perhaps as those of his elder brother; but he chose the privacy of his own home in which to ponder over them, and rarely if ever entered the firing line during the many contests which divided the riding into hostile camps. Although living in a municipality 'where party lines are tightly drawn and a party vote would have excluded him from office; he was repeatedly elected reeve; and was pressed to con tinue in office when he would have retired had he followed his own inclination. His affable manner, good judgment, and unblemished char acter were fully recognized and appreciated by his neighbours, who wisely declined to be swayed by party feeling when selecting a man to conduct their municipal affairs, BowEN E, Aylesworth, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1897, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1898-1902, The name of Aylesworth carries with it in the county of Lennox and Addington a certain amount of prestige; no further certificate of character is necessary, and Mr, Bowen E, Aylesworth is no exception to the rule. In 1788 Job Aylesworth, a well-to-do New England farmer, came to Canada with his three sons and settled in the township of Ernesttown, One of these sons, Bowen, when twenty years of age, married Hannah, a maid of sweet sixteen, daughter of Robert Perry, U, E, L. This young couple settled on a farm north of Bath, and in the course of time were blessed with no less than fifteen chUdren, of which number nine sons and four daughters lived to be grandparents. This will account for the many branches of the famUy scattered over all parts of the county. It will be observed in examining the history of this county, and parti- biographical sketches 351 cularly the township of Ernesttown, that wherever there has been a movement on foot for the betterment of the condition of the people the records will disclose the presence of one or more Aylesworths behind that movement. We find them in the pulpit and other professions, in mercantile life, and on the farm, taking no mean position wherever placed. One of the fifteen children rocked in the sap-trough by the young mother was the father of Bowen E, Aylesworth who now owns and resides upon the farm where his grandfather Bowen lived eighty years ago. He has passed through all the stages of advancement from coun cillor to member of the Legislative Assembly, back again to the farm; and is such a firm believer in the simple life and the dignity of the call ing of the tiller of the soil that he doubtless derives more solid comfort in watching the growth of the crops in his well-tilled fields than he did in listening to the debates upon the budget, Mr, Aylesworth is a pro gressive farmer who has studied the art of making two blades of grass grow where ordinarily there would be but one, and has been eminently successful in putting into practice the useful lessons learned from a care ful study of the science of agriculture. The Government bulletins which are issued regularly for the benefit of the farmer are not tossed by him into the waste basket. In his public life he pursued the same course of action by carefully weighing the probable result of every proposed meas ure. He does not profess to be a public speaker which, in these days of long and tiresome speeches to the reporters of Hansard, is coming more and more to be regarded as a virtue. He is a Liberal in politics, Henry Allen Baker, , Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1904, Henry Allen Baker is descended from the U. E, L. Bakers who originally settled in the first concession of Ernesttown, He has, with the exception of a few years, resided aU his life upon the farm formerly owned by his father, John Baker, upon which he was born in the year 1842, He belongs to the superior type of yeomanry who are the back bone of our county, the thinking, intelligent, progressive type, who are proud to be tUlers of the soil. In 1883 Mr. Baker was first elected a member of the Camden council, which position he was content to occupy for three years, untU he had familiarized himself with the work ing of that body, when he advanced a step, and for six years was first deputy reeve; and then, fully qualified with his nine years' experience, he tendered his services as reeve, which the electors promptly accepted, and returned him as head of the council for four years. For two years 352 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON he was commissioner from Camden division, and in 1904 he was chosen warden of the county, in which position his experience in municipal matters in his own township was a great aid to him in his general super intendence of the county's business. For ten years he has been a director of the Lennox and Addington Fire Insurance Company, which, by its careful management under men like Mr, Baker provides a satisfactory form of insurance for the farmers of the county at actual cost, Mn Baker has been for forty years an enthusiastic member of the Masonic Order, was Master of his mother Lodge at CentreviUe for three years, and upon his affiliating with Albion Lodge at Harrowsmith was twice elected to the same position in that Lodge, John W. Bell, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1879, Member of the House of Commons for Addington, 1882-91, 1896-1900, Mr, Bell was a born leader of men. His fine physique, command ing appearance, and intelligent face were valuable assets which marked him as a man capable of taking his position in almost any sphere of life. He was born in 1836, received a good education at the Newburgh Aca demy, taught school for a time at Strathcona, then known as Bower's Mills and was afterwards engaged in the school at Napanee, He was sought out for municipal honours, passed rapidly from councillor to warden of the county, and in 1882 was elected to the Dominion House and sat as a member of that body for three parliaments. He was very prominent in the Orange Order; and in 1889, when the famous Jesuit Estates' Act was before the House he proved his metal by refusing to be led or driven, and was one of the famous thirteen who stood firmly against the passing of the bill. Whether he was right or wrong in the vote recorded matters httle ; but the fact that he was able to break away from party affiliations and resist the influences that were brought to bear upon him, marked him as a man of strong character, fearless, and conscientious. He was a pleasant companion, a forceful speaker, and a true patriot of whom the old county may justly be proud. He died in 1901, William Alexander Bell, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1878, If WiUiam A, Bell had been spared to live out what we are pleased to term the allotted span of life, he would in all probability have become one of the best men our county ever produced. He was the only son of WILLIAM H, WILKISON. DANIEL FOWLER. ROBERT PHILLIPS. CAPTAIN THOMAS DORLAND. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 353 Major James Bell of Newburgh, and was on the high road to fame when he was stricken down, in 1882, at the early age of forty-two years. He was content to follow the most 'honourable of all occupations, and was never ashamed to earn his bread as a farmer by the sweat of his brow. He passed creditable examinations at Newburgh Academy, which, thanks to the men who have supported and managed that institu tion, has the enviable reputation of turning out more good and noble men than any other school of its proportions in the province. He after wards served upon the board of education, in the municipal council and as warden of the county. He was successful in whatever he undertook, and entered into the work he set about to perform with a cheerful deter mination to do it well. Barnabas Bidwell, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1821. Fate and the Family Compact appear to have conspired to deprive Lennox and Addington of its full measure of repres.entation in the eighth parliament of Upper Canada. Daniel Hagerman, at that time practis ing law in Bath, was returned at the general election in 1821, but he died before the House assembled; and at the bye-election which followed Barnabas Bidwell was declared member-elect for the county. Both Hagerman and Bidwell were men far above the ordinary type; the former being a brother of Christopher Hagerman, who afterwards became Chief Justice, and the latter the first teacher in the Bath Aca demy, which had been estabhshed in 181 1. He had formerly practised law in the State of Massachusetts, and rose to such prominence in the profession that he became Attorney-General of the State and was after wards returned to Congress, where he served at least one session. Later on, he became treasurer of Berkshire county ; and some of his detractors alleged that he had emigrated to Canada to escape the penalty due to embezzlement while filling that position, but there is no reason to believe that he was guilty of any greater crime than that of having lost all his property in some unprofitable investments. There was no end to the slanders circulated concerning him during the campaign; and, as they failed in their object of defeating him at the polls, a determined effort was made to expel him from the House after he had taken his seat. During the first week of the session the agents of the Family Compact presented a petition to Parliament praying that the seat be declared vacant upon the ground that the occupant was an alien. In this they were more successful than in their appeal to the electors 23 354 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON who had returned him, and, though he had years before taken the oath of allegiance, he was declared not to be a fit and proper person to be a member of the House, from which he was expeUed on January 5th, 1822, twelve days before Parliament prorogued. Although his parlia mentary career extended over only a few weeks he made his influence felt and was a thorn in the flesh of the govei"nment, which felt much relieved at his expulsion. In 1824 was passed an Act respecting the qualifications of candidates for election to the House of Assembly, and although seven years residence in the province and the taking of the oath of allegiance were declared to be sufficient qualifications in the case of an alien, especial care was taken to for ever bar the eloquent and formidable Bidwell from again taking any part in the deliberations of Parliament, by adding a rider to the effect that no person who had held office in any of the executive departments of State in the United States would be capable of serving as a Member in the House, Marshall Spring Bidwell, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1824-1836. Politics in Lennox and Addington was at a white heat when a writ was issued for the election of a member to represent the riding during the last session of the eighth Parliament. The county was entitled to two members, and two had been elected at the general election, Samuel Casey and Daniel Hagerman. Casey held his seat throughout the full term, but Hagerman died before the House met; and Barnabas Bidwell, who was elected to fill the vacancy, was unseated before he had completed his first session. His successor, Matthew Clark, met with a similar fate, and Marshall Spring BidweU, a briUiant young barrister of Kingston, son of Barnabas, was placed in nomination by the Reformers. The contest was one of the most bitter ever waged in the county. This was the time of open voting, when the state of the poll was known to every one from minute to minute. The election was held in John Fralick's tavern at Morven, which was the only polling-place in the county; and to give every elector a fair opportunity to exercise his franchise the poll was kept open for four days. In one room the whis key was flowing freely for all who saw fit to partake of it ; and in those days drinking was much more general than it is to-day. One can easily picture the exciting scenes attending an event where all the elements necessary to arouse the passions of the two contending factions were present. It was the beginning of that prolonged struggle which culmin ated in the rebellion of 1837; and, whUe the leading men of our county BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 355 did not encourage armed resistance, they had just cause to complain against the tyranny of the Family Compact, whose oppressive course of action bore heavily upon the long-suffering Loyalists of this district, Bidwell was elected, and proved to be a prominent member, although only twenty-five years of age when he first entered Parhament, Shoulder to shoulder with Peter Perry, he fought valiantly for the cause of the people against the ring of politicians who controlled the government, and made themselves obnoxious by turning a deaf ear to the rights of the majority and limiting their patronage and favours to their own exclusive circle. He is credited with being the first member of Parliament in Canada to introduce a measure abolishing the law of primogeniture. He fought strenuously to secure the passing of such an Act, and more than once it secured the endorsement of the Legislative Assembly but, like many other important measures of his day, was thrown out by the Upper House. Bidwell established a record by hold ing his seat for thirteen consecutive sessions, during four of which he was Speaker of the House, He and Perry both suffered defeat in the general election of 1836, just prior to the insurrection; but both should be held»in grateful remembrance by the people of Lennox and Adding ton as the staunch champions of the cause of responsible government. In suppressing the insurrection of 1837 which followed their defeat at the polls, several banners were captured ; among them being one bear ing the inscription "BidweU and the Glorious Minority," This was an old political banner which had done service in former election campaigns and had, without the concurrence of Bidwell, been appropriated by the insurgents. He had never counselled violence, and was guiltless of any offence against the laws of the land; but the Governor, Sir Francis Bond Head, seized upon the circumstance and warned Bidwell that mar tial law was about to be proclaimed, that he was likely to be arrested and prosecuted for high treason, and that, as he would be unable to pro tect him, the only safe course for him to pursue was to flee from the country. The general attitude of the Governor towards Bidwell and particularly his remonstrances to the Colonial Secretary when instructed to place his name on the list of judges of the Court of Queen's Bench cost Sir Francis his position, Bidwell left Canada and went to New York, where he was admit ted to the bar and in a short time attained the distinction of being one of the most astute, scholarly, and refined members of the profession, a reputation which he retained until his death, which occurred on October 24th, 1872, In such esteem was he held by his brethren that a meeting of the New York Bar, presided over by Judge Daniel P, Ingraham, was 356 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON convened a few days after his burial. Among other resolutions passed at this meeting was the following: "Resolved that the Bar of the City of New York is deeply sensible of the loss it lias sustained in the death of Marshall S, Bidwell, Sud denly called from the midst of us in the full possession of his matured intellect and after a long career of distinguished usefulness in his pro fession he will be remembered by his brethren as an able and learned lawyer, a courteous gentleman, and an earnest Christian," In moving this resolution the speaker, another leader of the Bar, said: "I have known him through a long career and I presume I simply speak the sentiments of every one nere when I say that a more learned lawyer never practised in our courts," Judge Neilson, formerly of Morven, spoke feelingly of the well developed mind and fine Christian character of Mr, Bidwell, and Chief Justice Church in granting the application to have the resolution recorded in the minutes of the Court of Appeal said: "His great learning and ability, not less than the purity of his private character, and kindness of heart, endeared him to all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance during his life, and will embalm his memory in grateful remeyibrance, now that he has departed from among us." Such was the character of the man our province lost through the action of Governor Head and his coterie of friends in the Executive Council, W, D, Black, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 191 1, to the present time, Mr, Black was born in the township of Finch in the county of Stormont in 1867, His father came to Canada from Scotland fifty-eight years ago, and for the first ten years of his residence in the new world taught school near Morrisburgh, and then engaged in farming. In 1875 he moved to the township of Hinchinbrooke, where he still resides at the ripe old age of eighty-two years. The son, W, D,, remained upon the farm with his father until he reached his seventeenth year, when he started out for himself as trackman on the C,P,R, He apphed himself so diligently to his work that at the end of three years he was made foreman, a position which he held until his resignation seven years later, when he settled in the vUlage of Parham, built a store, and set up in business as a general merchant. He continued in this business for fourteen years, and to add a little variety to the work behind the counter he acquired a saw-miU at Parham and another five miles west of that village at WagarviUe, and operated them both to advantage. biographical sketches 357 He crowded so much in these fourteen years, with apparently such profitable returns, that in 1905, at an age when most men are settling down in earnest for good hard work Mr, Black retired from mercantile life for one of ease in the village where he had taken up his home. Although he now leads what is generally recognized as a life of ease it is by no means one of idleness. He has acquired considerable real estate about the county, is interested in some lumbering concerns in New Ontario, and has other business investments requiring his attention. Politically Mr, Black's experience has been a most remarkable one. He has not encountered the usual difficulties that beset the candidate for public office. He was a member of the township council for several years, was two years commissioner to the county council and is now a member of the Legislature, ,a consistent follower of the Conservative administration, yet his name has never appeared upon a ballot. Surely his lines have fallen in pleasant places. He has been before the pubhc in other capacities which meant a good deal of work and little pay; fifteen years secretary-treasurer of the Agricultural Society, two years director of the Canadian Fair Association, five years secretary of the Farmers' Institute and fourteen years auditor of the School Board; and the people of Addington rewarded him for his faithful service in these several offices by electing him by acclamation every time his name was put in nomination. While a good many would welcome the good luck of Mr. Black there appear to be few, if any, who do not agree that he merits aU the prizes that are coming his way. M, C, Bogart, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1906. In the last year of that experimental period when the county coun cil was composed of ten commissioners elected in pairs, two from each of the five divisions in which the county was then divided, Mr, Bogart was one of the representatives for the division composed of the town ship of Richmond and the town of Napanee and was chosen warden in 1906, He had not taken a very active interest in municipal matters up to that time, and on many occasions declined to accept the nominations tendered him; but all the whUe he had been an intelligent observer of what had been taking place. The system of electing commissioners to the county council instead of having that body made up of reeves and' deputy-reeves from the various municipalities possessed one advantage, as illustrated in the case of Mr, Bogart, Good men could be induced to accept the position of commissioner to the county council who perhaps 358 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON would not feel justified in accepting the position of reeve or deputy- reeve, which entails much more loss of time, Mr, Bogart's proudest boast is that he is a farmer, and so he is, if owning and living upon an exceUent farm is the only requisite for admission to the ranks of that honoured caUing, For many years he has had an office in the town, where he has quite an extensive connec tion in the insurance and real estate business; and he may be found at his desk between the hours of nine and four if business or pleasure does not call him elsewhere, in which event an obliging assistant will respond to any emergency calls. He is a firm believer in securing a reasonable amount of comfort and pleasure in life whUe in a position to enjoy it, and accordingly has travelled extensively over this continent and the European as ^vell, in company with his good wife, Mr, Bogart is a good business man and goes about to enjoy life in a good business-like manner; and if at any time he felt disposed again to enter public life his short terms of service in the town and county councils are a suffi cient guarantee that he would look well after 'the interests of his constitu ents. He is descended from Gilbert Bogart, a Loyalist of Dutch origin, who was among the first refugees to sail from New York around through the Gulf and up the St, Lawrence to winter at Sorel and land the fol lowing spring at Adolphustown. Other conditions being favourable, we may safely predict for ex- warden Bogart a ripe and happy old age; as Gilbert, the head of the family, died at seventy-eight, and his wife at ninety-five; Gilbert's son, Abraham, lived to be eighty-two, and his wife Maria attained the remarkable age of one hundred and two. Sergeant Joshua Booth, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1792-6. Addington and the islands along the lake front were united as one electoral district at the time of Mr. Booth's election in 1792, He had served as a sergeant during the Revolutionary War, and was among the first refugees to settle in Ernesttown. He followed the occupation of a farmer and miller, and is credited with having built the first grist-mill erected in the township of Ernesttown, He lived and died on lot num ber forty in the first concession, and the mill was erected on the creek not far from Millhaven, He became a large landowner and built several other miUs; and it was from the miUs built by his son, Benjamin, at Odessa that that village derived 'its first name of Mill Creek, He was regarded as one of the most prominent and prosperous men in the county; and the many families of Booths that have lived in different BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 359 parts of this county and have generally been engaged in the milling business are all descendants of this, the first member for the district of Addington and Ontario. He was a justice of the peace and a member of the court of requests for the Ernesttown Division, He died very suddenly in 1813, at the age of fifty- four, leaving a widow and ten children. Phillip D. Booth^ Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1869. It was quite natural that PhUlip D. Booth should have political aspirations, as both his grandfathers were elected in this county at the first election held in Upper Canada, He was the eldest son of Ben jamin Booth, a volunteer in the rebellion of 1837, who was son of Joshua Booth, the representative of Addington in the first Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, His mother was a daughter of Phillip Dorland, the quaker member-elect from Adolphustown and Prince Edward to the same Parliament, who from conscientious scruples refused to take the oath and was accordingly denied his seat in the House, Parker S, Timmerman, the first postmaster of Odessa, married Phillip D. Booth's sister, who transmitted to her children the same loyal spirit that animated her father and grandfather; for, when the call to arms was sounded in 1870, five of her sons shouldered their muskets and marched to the front. Phillip D. was born in Ernesttown, at Millhaven, but afterwards moved to Odessa, where he engaged in the lumber business on a large scale. The greater portion of the lumber sawed in the township of Ernesttown during the first half of the nineteenth century passed through the mills of some member of the Booth family. He also oper ated a grist-mill. He was a member of the first councU of the township, in 1850, which was made up as follows : Robert Aylesworth, reeve, Sidney Warner, deputy-reeve, Phillip D, Booth, John Asselstine, and Ezra D, Priest, councillors. He was elected no less than fourteen times at the municipal elections, and once allowed his name to be placed in nomination at a general election for representative to the Legislative Assembly, There were two other candidates in the field; and in the three-cornered fight he suffered defeat. He died on October i8th, 1883, James Bryden, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1898, Mr, Bryden was the first, and up to the present time, the only repre sentative from the northern townships to be raised to the dignity of 360 history of lennox and addington warden of the county. He was a sawyer and farmer and resided in the vicinity of the village ^f Flinton, The experiment was not altogether a successful one. The warden is not only the presiding officer over the body which chooses him, but is ex-officio a member of every committee of the council, and as such should be in close touch with all the business transacted during his term of office. He cannot serve the county unltess he is within easy reach of the chairmen of the various committees. The work of the council cannot be performed during the sessions which, at their best, are simply meetings of the general body for outlining the work to be done and sanctioning the performance of it when completed. The actual work is done between the sessions; and a warden living fifty or sixty miles from the county seat cannot, no matter what his qualifica tions may be, render as good service to the county as one within easy call, without making greater sacrifices than the electors can expect or he, as a rule, can afford to undergo, John C, Carscallen, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1894, Thos. G. Carscallen^ Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1888, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1900, until the present time. "Luke Carscallen was an Irishman by birth, had served in the British army and retired and emigrated to the American colonies prior to the rebellion. He desired to remain neutral and take no part in the contest. The rebels, however, said to him that inasmuch as he was acquainted with mUitary tactics he must come and assist them, or be regarded as a King's man. His reply was that he had fought for the King and he would do it again, consequently an order was issued to arrest him; but when they came to take him he had secreted himself. His escape was a hurried one, and all his possessions, including a large estate to the extent of 12,000 acres, were at the mercy of the rebels. They, disappointed in not catching him, took his young and tender son, and threatened to hang him if he would not reveal his father's place of concealment. The brave little fellow replied, 'hang away!' and the cruel men, under the name of liberty, carried out their threat ; and three times was he suspended until almost dead, yet he would not tell, and then, when taken down, one of the monsters actually kicked him." BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 361 'Thus wrote Dr, Canniff of the grandfather of Thomas G, and John C, Carscallen, who settled on lot number twelve in the fourth conces sion of Fredericksburgh, This property has ever since remained in the family, and is occupied to-day by Mr, Fred B, CarscaUen, The farm descended from Luke, the pioneer, to his third son Isaac, the father of Thomas and John, both of whom were born and brought up on the old homestead, John followed in the footsteps of his father and engaged in farming until 1888, when he and his brother embarked in business in Napanee as undertakers and house decorators; but John did not move to town until 1901. In a township where political feeling runs pretty high and the parties were evenly balanced John C, was elected twenty- six times. For eighteen years he sat at the head of the council board, and to him, the late Irvine Parks, and W, N, Doller, the township of North Fredericksburgh owes a debt of gratitude for the able manage ment of the affairs of the municipality during their administration. Life upon the farm did not appeal to the younger brother, Thomas G,, who at seventeen years of age set out to learn the trade of painter and paper-hanger; and the tasteful decorations of scores of houses in Napanee, Belleville, and Deseronto bear testimony to the fact that he became master of his trade, which he followed until he entered into partnership with his brother, Thomas G, Carscallen's municipal honours were won in Napanee, where he has resided ever since his marriage in 1873, For seventeen years he sat in the council, and four out of the seventeen he presided over that august body. His popularity is attested by the fact that he was returned seven times by acclamation, four times as reeve, twice as mayor, and once as councillor. Receiving his nomination from the Conservative party he has represented Lennox in the Local Legislature since 1902,^ thus completing the unique record of having passed through twenty-one elections without sustaining, a single defeat. In the Legislature he has been very attentive to the interests of his native riding, and is always ready to render any assistance to his constituents irrespective of their politics. Both brothers were honoured by being chosen to occupy the high est municipal office in the gift of the people of Lennox and Addington, and the experience of their long years of service in their respective local councils served them in good stead when called upon to preside over the county council. If the old pioneer, whose ashes rest in the old cemetery in Fredericksburgh at the first bend in the river below the town, could rise from his grave to-day, he would heartily approve the records of these two grandchildren. 362 history of lennox and addington John Carson, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1895. John Carson was born in Inniskillen, Ireland, in 1840 ; and to escape the terrors of the famine of 1847 his father sailed from Belfast with his wife and three children and came to Kingston. He shortly after settled in the front of Ernesttown where John, the only son, remained with the family until he had grown to be a strong lad, when he was apprenticed to a Mr. Kaylor who operated a tannery on the York Road. While so engaged he was brought frequently in contact with the late John Coates, a harness maker in Napanee, who used to get his supplies of leather from Kaylor. A friendship sprang up between the two which was strengthened by the marriage of Carson's sister to Coates; and- it was not long before the young Irishman occupied a bench in the workshop of his brother-in-law. He mastered the trade in all its branches and set up for himself on the north side of Dundas street in 1878. In the year 1883, when Culhane's Hotel was burned, Thos, Symington, Fred, Chin neck and John Carson purchased the site and built the substantial brick block just east of the Royal Hotel, and here Mr. Carson moved his busi ness from across the street and continued to serve his customers until his death in 1903, He was a man of few words and never gave expression to an opinion until he had viewed the matter from every stand-point, with the result that he never found himself entangled in any hasty conclusions. For sixteen years he sat around the council board of Napanee and his well- known habit of careful and impartial consideration of all municipal affairs won for him the sobriquet of "Honest John," He served the town as councillor, reeve, and mayor, and, while the blood of his ancestors which flowed in his veins might rise to fever heat during an election campaign, all was forgotten when the ballots were counted ; and Honest ' John settled down to business and could always be found supporting every measure calculated to advance the interests of the corporation. As warden of Lennox and Addington he pursued the same careful course; and when he laid down the gavel he was heartily congratulated upon his satisfactory work as the presiding officer of the councU, John Solomon Cartwright, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1836-1841, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Canada, 1841-1845, It might be said in Napanee of John Solomon Cartwright as was inscribed on the tomb of Sir Christopher Wren in St, Paul's Cathedral : biographical sketches 36S "If you would see his monument, look around," for every church, school and public building in the town erected during his lifetime or for many years after his death stands upon ground donated by him or his estate. He was the twin brother of Robert Cartwright, son of the Honourable Richard Cartwright, and was born at Kingston, September 17th, 1805, He was educated at Kingston Grammar School, admitted to the bar in 1827, and entered on the practice of his profession in his native town. His father owned the land upon which the greater part of the town is built; and the Cartwright family have always taken the deepest interest in everything affecting the public welfare of Napanee and have contri buted liberally to every worthy object brought to their attention by the citizens or any organization in the town. In 1842 he was tendered the office of Solicitor-General, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr. Baldwin. In a letter to the Governor declining the honour he wrote as follows : "On the question of responsi ble government I have already explained to your Excellency my views of its dangerous tendency : and the more I reflect upon it the more I feel convinced of its incompatibility with our position as a colony — parti cularly in a country where almost universal suffrage prevails; where the great mass of the people are uneducated; and where there is little of that salutary influence which hereditary rank and great wealth exercise in Great sBritain. I view responsible government as a system based upon principles so dangerous that the most virtuous and sensible act of a man's public life may deprive him and his family of their bread, by plac ing him in a minority in an Assembly where faction and not reason is likely to prevail." The ;first survey of the town was made under his direction, in 1831,, by John Benson. He followed closely in the footsteps of his father and was the largest real estate owner in the county, judge of the district- court of the Midland District, and member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. He first entered Parliament in the ante-rebellion' period of 1836, and was selected as candidate by the ultra-Conservatives to contest the riding with George H. Detlor against the invincible Reformers, Bidwell and Perry. The prestige of the family name and the position he held at the time upon the bench were stronger factors in securing his return than the popularity of the cause he represented. He was thoroughly conscientious in his views upon responsible govern ment, and never hesitated to give expression to them in language that could not be misinterpreted. Being a prominent member of the militia he was raised to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and was very instru mental in organizing the volunteers for the defence of the province,. 364 history of lennox and addington One of his first acts in Parliament was to secure a grant for the con struction of the macadamized road from Kingston to Napanee, His views upon the political situation after the Union of 1841 are clearly set forth in a letter written April 3rd, 1841, from which the foUowing extracts are taken : "I have been looking over the hst of Members of the United House, I find few that I know and still fewer of congenial mind and feeling, I almost wish I was not a member. As far as I am capable of forming an opinion I should divide them as follows : 40 determined supporters of the Gov,-Gen,, 30 Republicans at whose head I place the Solr.-Gen,, 8 Con servatives and 5 doubtful, in all 84. If the Conservatives will act to gether they can form a band that may turn many a question in favour of right and justice, but it can only be done by a manly and upright course, by demonstrating on all occasions that they have the good of the province, British supremacy, and monarchial principles in view in all they do. They must be governed by great moderation and sound dis cretion, otherwise they will be without influence "The Union must now be supported and made to work if possible; but I look forward to a stormy session and the political horizon offers no cheering prospect, I inay in truth say I dread the trial. My mind is made up to expect attacks on every good man and principle and I con ceive it will be unprofitable for Ld. S, to remain neutral. He must come out one way or other before the Legislature has been many weeks in session." In February, 1844, he went to England to obtain, if possible, for the people of Kingston some compensation from the^ Imperial Government for the injuries supposed to have been sustained by the removal of the seat of government to Montreal. In this he was unsuccessful. He died on January 15th, 1845, and was buried in St. Paul's Churchyard, Kings ton. An address signed by some sixty members of the House, among them being Sir John A. Macdonald, John Sandfield Macdonald, Robert Baldwin, Papineau, La Fontaine, and others was forwarded to his wido"w two weeks after his death. It in part read as follows: "We, the undersigned. Members of the Provincial Parliament, beg leave to express our most heartfelt and sincere condolence with you upon the irreparable bereavement with which it has pleased the Almighty Disposer of events in His inscrutable wisdom to visit upon you and your infant family. "When we say that we knew your late husband it is unnecessary to add that we loved and esteemed him. We esteemed him in his public capacity for his great talents, his extended patriotism, and his unbending biographical sketches 365 integrity. We honoured and loved him as an individual for the good ness, the kindness, and the charity with which he fulfilled aU the obliga tions of a friend, a neighbour, and a subject. "We further lament that the last member of a family, distinguished for its eminent virtues and love of country, has passed hence and in this world we shall see his face no more." The memorial windows in the chancel of St. Mary Magdalene Church and the beautiful baptismal font were erected to his memory by members of his family. The Honourable Sir Richard Cartwright, G.C.M.G., Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, 1861-67. Member of the House of Commons, 1873-8. No county in Canada has been more honoured in the matter of illustrious representatives in parliament than Lennox and Addington, for among the number who have at different times appealed to the elec tors and sat in the House as their representative were the Right Honour able Sir John A. Macdonald and the Honourable Sir Richard Cart wright. Sir Richard's history is too well known to require any comments upon his life in these pages. The following tribute to his memory appeared in the Toronto World, a leading Conservative paper: "It can be said of Sir Richard Cartwright that he was the greatest parhamentarian, as such, that ever sat in the Canadian Commons, and he was a member of it for the most of the time since Confederation. He had parliamentary style, he was deeply read in parliamentary lore, and his mind was stored with information : so that he went into parliamentary action with the armour and fighting skill of Achilles and the craft of Odysseus. And he could sort out in a flash those of his fellows who had parliamentary class or the promise of it. "In the private associations of the House he had the pohtest of manners and in debate the most virile invective. His words were winged and they were barbed; so that on the whole he had a longer and more unbroken record as a debater than any other member of the Canadian House." During the last few years of his life he was severely crippled with rheumatism; but his debating power suft'ered nothing from his physical infirmity. His death, following an operation from which he was beheved to be recovering, occurred on October 23rd, 1912, a few days before his Reminiscences, a valuable contribution to the political history of Canada, issued from the press. 366 history of lennox and addington Willet Casey, Member of the L^slative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1811-12, and 1817-20. When John Roblin's seat was declared vacant in 1810 because he was a local preacher of the Methodist Church, a reason that would not commend itself to many thinking minds in bur day and generation, Willet Casey of Adolphustown was elected for the balance of the term of the fifth Parhament, and was again elected in 1817, and sat as mem ber of the seventh Parliament until 1820. He was a Reformer, and his mate from this county was Isaac Fraser, a Tory, so the honours were fairly divided in Lennox and Addington. Eraser's election was not due to his political views but to his being universally esteemed as an upright and conscientious man. The terms "Tory" and "Reformer," as used one hundred years ago, should not be confused with the same terms as sometimes applied to the two great political parties of to-day, as the politics of Canada have undergone so many radical changes during the last century that there is no connection between the political parties of that day and this. Willet Casey and his brother William were among the first U. E. L, settlers in Adolphustown and bore their full share of the burden of transforming it from a wilderness to the most advanced township in the province in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, Willet Casey was born in Rhode Island and, his father having been killed during the war, he, after its close, settled near Lake Champlain thinking it was British territory, but upon discovering his mistake removed to -A.dolphustown, where he found shelter in a blacksmith shop until he built for himself a log house, Samuel Casey, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1821-24, Samuel Casey was a son of WUlet who was twice elected as mem ber for this county on the Reform ticket: but his son did not follow in his footsteps, but joined the Tory party, and contested the riding at a time when the war against the Family Compact was growing very bitter. There was not much fellow-feeling between the two representatives from Lennox and Addington, as the Government had set its heart upon redeeming the county; and four elections were held before a member was procured who could hold his seat against the machinations of the Compact, The first colleague of Casey died before taking his seat, biographical sketches 367 the next two were unseated, and Marshall Spring Bidwell represented the county for the balance of the term; and so mutual was the feeling towards each other that he and the Tory member, Casey, would not ride together in the same coach. History does not enlighten us as to the cause of Samuel's defection from the ranks of the Reformers, His own father and his uncle William both voted against Bidwell and Perry ; but the electors of the county were deeply incensed by this time, and the latter two were returned and successfully carried all the elections which foUowd in quick succession until the famous ante-rebellion contest of 1836, when the Tory candidates, John Solomon Cartwright and George Hill Detlor were victorious, Matthew Clark, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1823, After the expulsion of Barnabas Bidwell from the House, in 1822, it can readily be conceived that the free and independent electors of Lennox and Addington were not in very good humour over the action of the government in defeating their will by unseating the candidate whom they had chosen to represent them in parliament. Matthew Clark, a farmer residing in the front of Ernesttown east of Millhaven, was next chosen as the standard-bearer of the Reform party. He was a U, E. Loyalist himself, and son of Robert Clark who built the first grist mill in Napanee, He was duly elected ; but the same forces that deprived Bidwell of his seat took action against Clark, he in turn was unseated upon a technicality, and another appeal to the electors was necessary. During his short career in the House he was too busy defending himself to acquire a reputation as a parliamentarian, George W. W, Dawson, Member of the House of Commons for Addington, 1891-6, Mr, Dawson has all the good, and none of the bad, characteristics of an Irishman, He is genial, quick in retort, eloquent, and shrewd. He was born in Sligo, Connaught, on St, Valentine's Day in 1858 and arrived in Canada with his father in 1864, He was educated at Kingston and Belleville and settled down to business as a general merchant and lum berman at Plevna in 1875, and two years later was appointed postmaster, a position which he retained until 1891, He was elected reeve of Clar endon and MiUer in 1880-1-2. In 1891 he was returned to the House of Commons for the electoral district of Addington, and was looked upon 368 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON as one of the brightest young men in the Liberal party. He was a vor acious reader, was weU posted upon the public questions of the day, and had few equals as a debater. In 1901 he was appointed Inspector of Penitentiaries of Canada, and has given the question of prisons and prisoners a great deal of careful study; and many of the improvements adopted, in our penal institutions are based upon suggestions made by him. In 1910 he was the official delegate of the Government of Can ada to the International Prison Congress held at Washington, and took a prominent part in the proceedings. Robert Denison, Warden of Leni;iox and Addington, 1874. Robert Denison was born in the third concession of the township of Richmond in 1820, and spent his boyhood days at the forest home of his father, which afforded few advantages in the way of education. He grew up with the township, and witnessed it pass through the various stages of development from a wUderness, void of roads, to the advanced and prosperous municipality it is to-day. He not only witnessed the improvements going on but actively participated in them. He was manager of the Richmond Road Company almost from the time it was built, until it was taken over by the county. He was returned time and again to the township council, and in 1874 was chosen warden of the county, and devoted himself particularly to the improvement of the county roads, in the construction and maintenance of which his experi ence in maintaining the Company Road through his township enabled him to introduce some much needed reforms. In 1875 he moved to Napanee and opened a wood yard, by means of which he found a ready and profitable market for the product of a tract of timber land held by him in Richmond. He afterwards opened a grocery on Centre Street which was largely patronized not only by the townspeople in the north ern part of the town, but by his large circle of friends and acquaintances from his native township who passed his door in coming to town. He was a man of few words, who lived the simple life, and in all his deal ings endeavoured to be governed by the Golden Rule. He died on Sep tember 22nd, 1906, George Denison, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1884-8, Mr, Denison was the first non-resident ever elected to the Provin cial House as representative for the riding of Addington, which is ¦^ '•^ ^-t SIR GILBERT PARKER, K.C,M,G, HON. SIR ALLEN AYLESWORTH, K.C.M.G, CHARLES CANNIFF JAMES, C.M.G, MATTHEW JOSEPH BUTLER, C.M.G, TITLED SONS OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON, "-..""¦¦: ¦ "'." ;.: " :¦¦-'¦ y .^/yyy. j'°^^^^^||MM|pB||H ¦m- g:^tt 'M^ /;-^?i' *i«i*.- ¦^ ¦¦ ^ "•'''¦¦ • - "ii^R^ ^ ¦ ; Vv* ¦* \ .¦* .;. ^^^^¦¦f 1 ¦ /r -*;, ¦'^ Wf -'' "^^ ' .M^m^:mt J m- ¦4^ , '* tv'^! :' .-.mwEtif^m ^k J' .? flp'' ,, ^ ^\ •::fy .^¦' "¦ ,^^p^^^* , -¦'' ^f^ .,,^ ;— .- 1114/ __ Y : ¦¦¦ . ^#^ ¦ i j 1 pA, "^^jh '^ |. _ N^ SfiJHiilM ->" M m^^^ f i?'^iv •¦ ..--si M ^^ OFFICERS AND TROPHY TEAM. Back row— Left to right. Thomas Symington. W. Fletcher Hall. William A. Daly Middle row— Left to right. Fred Chinneck. W. A. Bellhouse, Front row — Left to right. A NAPANEE CURLING CLUB. -1902. John S. Ham. Dr. Raymond A. Leonard. William Templeton. John W. Robii William C. Smith. Walter S. Herrington. Re\. Alexander ISiacdonald. J. Lester Boyes. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 369 explained by the fact that at the time he was returned county boundaries were not observed in laying out the ridings, and Portland was in the rid ing of Addington. He was born in the west of Ireland; but lived only six months in his native land, when his parents emigrated to Canada, settled near Collins Bay where they remained eight years, and then moved to the township of Portland where the boy George grew up and spent all his days. He was educated at the public school and early in life manifested a deep interest in everything affecting the welfare of the community and particularly the farming industry. He was a prosperous farmer himself and lost no opportunity to promote any measure cal culated to improve the condition of the agriculturalists of Ontario. He was held in high esteem by all classes in Portland and served many years as deputy-reeve and reeve of that township. He died a bachelor in 1902 in his eighty-fourth year, and was buried at Sydenham, Hammell Madden Deroche, K,C,, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1871-83 Mr, Deroche was born at Newburgh in 1840, and received his early education in the schools of that village. He graduated from Toronto University with first class honours in 1868, While a student he enhsted in the Queen's Own Rifles and saw active service in the defence of his country at the battle of Ridgeway. He began the study of law with Mr. D, H. Preston now the oldest practitioner in Napanee, completed his course with Mr. James Bethune of Toronto, and was called to the bar in 1874, since which time he has practised his profession in Napanee, being associated for many years with His Honour Judge Madden in the well-known firm of Deroche & Madden, He taught school for four years in the Newburgh High School and for two years in the Napanee Academy, M!r, Deroche represented his native county in the Local Legislature for three successive terms, being elected for Addington by the Liberal party in 1871, 1875, and 1879, He was appointed county crown attorney in 1899, and has fairly and fearlessly discharged the duties of that office to the present time. As a student Mr, Deroche developed into an eloquent and forceful speaker and maintained his reputation as such throughout his parliamentary and professional career. His popularity is due to his genial disposition and scholarly attainments. He possesses the faculty of intelhgently discussing anjr subject that may be introduced, and enlivens his discourse with happy illustrations from an inexhaustible supply of entertaining narratives drawn from his own experiences and from a wide range of reading, 24 370 history oe lennox and addington George Hill Detlor, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1841-6 Concerning his ancestors George H, Detlor said: "My grandfather, John V, Detlor, emigrated with my grandmother from Ireland to New- York, Directly after his marriage in the City of New York they removed to the town of Camden, where they resided with their family, and at the close of the rebellion (having joined the Royal Standard) he, with two or three of his sons and sons-in-law, came to Canada, and finally settled on lands in the township of Fredericksburgh, lot number twenty-one in the sixth concession, where he and his sons lived and died. My father moved to the Town of York (now City of Toronto) in 1802; and at the invasion of that place by the Americans, in April, 1813, my father lost his life in defence of the place, 'i here is now but one of my grandfather's children living; an aunt of mine, Mrs, Anne Dulmage, resides in the village of Sydenham, township of Loughboro, county of Frontenac," These words were uttered over forty years ago. In 1836, at the last general election before the union of Upper and Lower Can ada, George H. Detlor and John S, Cartwright were returned in Len nox and Addington, and held their seats during the troublesome period that followed, Mr, Detlor, at the time, was a merchant in Napanee, After retiring from politics he was for a time clerk of the united counties of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, and later on was appointed Col lector of Customs for the port of Kingston, William Nelson Doller, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1877 W, N, Doller, born in 1823 in the township of Ernesttown, was the son of Charles Doller who fought against the British in the Pen insular war and, being taken prisoner, had such respect for his captors that he joined the army of Great Britain and came to America just in time to take part in the battles of Queenston Heights and Lundy's Lane, and to be present at the capture of Oswego, His son William was, however, a man of peace and never engaged in any more serious conflicts than the municipal elections of North Fredericksburgh, For thirteen consecutive years he was elected reeve, and his administration of the aflfairs of the township was marked by that good judgment and probity which characterized all his business deahngs. He was of a retiring disposition, and declined the nomination by the Conservative party as candidate for both the Local Legislature and the biographical sketches 371 House of Commons, He and the late Judge Wilkison were largely responsible for securing and laying out the beautiful driving park which is one of the attractions of Napanee and should, before it is toq late, be purchased by the corporation as a pleasure resort for all time to come. He had received no education but such as the common schools of his day afforded; yet he took the keenest interest in securing for others advantages which had been denied him. For many years he was a mem ber of the board of Albert College, and for two years as president of the public library he devoted himself to the task of rendering it more serviceable to the public. He was a faithful and consistent member of the Methodist Church, and was an ardent supporter of the union of the various bodies which culminated in the formation of the Canada Methodist Church, He lost no opportunity to advance the interests of the farmer and devoted much of his time to the various details of the agricultural societies of the county. As warden of the county, in 1877, he proved himself to be thoroughly conversant with the duties of his office; and not content with acting as presiding officer he initiated and assumed the burden of working, out for himself the details of most of the business coming before the council. He died in October, 191 1, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years, Phillip Dorland, Elected member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1792 Adolphustown, which justly prided itself in being the most advanced township in the province in the old pioneer days, was for a time unre presented in the first Parliament, Phillip Dorland was duly returned, at the first election held in the province, as member-elect for Adolphus town and Prince Edward county. The Legislature met at Niagara on September 17th, 1792; and Dorland was among the number who had travelled for days through the forest following the old Indian trails, for there were no roads worthy of the name. Each member, before tak ing his seat, was required to subscribe to an oath, and there was no escape from it. The member-elect from Adolphustown was a Quaker long before he ever sought parliamentary honours, and nothing stood between him and the vacant seat but the oath. It was a simple oath of allegiance accompanied with a declaration that the affiant would faith fully discharge his duties as a member of the august body which was to govern the destinies of Upper Canada for the next four years. Brother Phillip had no objections to the purpose of the oath, for he had demon strated his allegiance by joining the Loyalists and coming to Canada in 372 HISTORY OE LENNOX AND ADDINGTON 1784; and he had travehed all the way from Adolphustown with no Other object in view than that of faithfully serving his King and coun try; but he had instilled in him the Quaker doctrine "'Swear not at ah," and swear he would not. There was no provision at that time for receiving a declaration from those who had conscientious scruples against taking an oath ; so the seat was declared vacant, and Dorland mounted his pony and returned to his home. He was the first choice of his native township, and although he cannot be said to have represented them in Parliament, yet the honour conferred upon him entitles him to be enrolled among the first repre sentatives, Cyrus Edgar, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1909 Mr, Edgar is justly proud of his ancestors, who were Loyalists on both sides of the house. His grandfather, W^illiam Edgar, was a native of Richmond, Virginia, who, rather than deny his allegiance to his King, after the Revolutionary War forsook everything, came to Canada, and settled in Fredericksburgh, His great-grandmother was a daughter of Michael McCabe, another Fredericksburgh pioneer, who was allotted the farm on Hay Bay which is still in the possession of his descendants, Cyrus Edgar was born in the township of his forefathers in 1861, and in 1880 moved to the township of Camden and learned the carpen ter's trade, which he has followed ever since. He probably superin tended the erection of more buildings in this county than any other single individual, among them being some of the finest residences, churches, schools, and farm buildings. He has led a busy life, and appears to thrive upon hard work; for with his thirty years wrestling with heavy timbers and plying the hammer and saw he is but yet in the prime of manhood. He has, however, found some time to devote to public mat ters and has demonstrated that he can work with his head as well as his hands. For six years he was a member of the public school board in section number three of Camden, and was first elected a member of the council in 1903, After four years' experience at the council board he was returned as reeve, which position he held for three consecutive years, reaching the warden's chair in 1909, where he displayed that same capacity for faithful work that he did before the bench. He is at pre sent employed at the Ontario Prison farm at Guelph; and the good people of this province may rest assured that the carpenter work under his supervision will not be neglected. biographical sketches 873 William Fairfield, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1799-1800 William Fairfield was one of the fifteen children of William Fair field, Senior, who settled on lot thirty-seven in the first concession of the township of Ernesttown, He was returned to the Legislature at a bye-election in 1798 as representative for Addington and Ontario coun ties, and sat during the two remaining sessions, after which Addington was united with Lennox as an electoral district. The Kingston Gazette contained the following obituary notice at the time of his death: "Died At his home in Ernesttown, on February 7th, 1816, in the 47th year of his age, W, Fairfield, The funeral was attended by a numerous circle of relatives, friends, and neighbours. He left a widow and seven children. The first link that was broken in a family chain of twelve brothers and three sisters, all married at years of maturity, his death was a loss to the District as well as to his family. He was one of the commissioners for expending the public money on the roads. Form erly a member of the Provincial Parliament, many years in the Com mission of the Peace. As a magistrate and a man he was characterized by intelligence, impartiality, independence of mind, and liberality of sentiments," The old Fairfield residence, built in 1796, is still standing on the bay shore at Bath, Benjamin Faireield, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1817-20 Benjamin Fairfield, a, younger brother of William, was elected to the Legislature in 1816 as one of the representatives of Lennox and Addington, He owned a farm at Bath, and was one of the prominent men of that thriving village in the early part of the last century. Among his other enterprises he was extensively engaged in the shipping indus try, and during the war of 1812 one of his vessels was destroyed by an American gun-boat. He was a regular member of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace and as such wielded a good deal of influence, W. J. Fairfield, for many years a prominent merchant of Bath, and Judge Fairfield of Picton were sons of Benjamin. Robert Filson, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1889 Robert Filson was a typical, whole-souled Irishman, bom in County Down in 1844. He came to Canada in 1858 and made his home on 374 history oe lEnnox and addington Amherst Island, where he hved the rest of his days. As a young man he spent many years sailing upon the great lakes, and in 1870 married, and settled down to the more prosaic life of a farmer, on the south shore. When twenty-one years of age he enlisted in number Four Com pany of the 48th Battalion, and during the rest of his life was connected with the militia, being at the time of his death quarter-master of the 47th with the rank of captain. His son, Edward, enhsted in the Royal Canadian Dragoons during the South African war, and so distinguished himself that he rose to the rank of corporal, but was shortly afterwards killed in action at Lihiefontein, Mr. Filson did nothing by halves ; but threw aU his energy into any matter he had in hand, and made his influence felt. He first entered the island council in 1878 and was elected reeve five times prior to his elevation to the wardenship ; and in the wider sphere of the county council he was outspoken in his views, and unsparingly criticised any measures that did not commend themselves to his judgment. He took a leading part in securing for the island telegraphic communication with the mainland, and was one of the chief promoters in organizing the Amherst Island Mutual Insurance Company, As warden of the county he gave his support to the establishing of the School of Mining in con nection with Queen's University, At the time of his death, in 1895, he was a member of the county council, which attended his funeral in a body to pay their last tribute of respect to his memory, Reginald A, Fowler, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1903 Mr. Fowler is a son of Daniel Fowler, the artist, was born at "The Cedars" on Amherst Island in July, 1845, and educated at the pubhc schools of the island and at the private academy of the Rev, John May of Kingston, Though the most retiring of men one would meet in a day's travel Mr, Fowler was ready for action when the peace of his native land was threatened- He was a volunteer in the 48th Battalion, which was organized at the time of the Fenian scare in 1866, and was speedily promoted from the ranks to a lieutenancy. In 1870 he was sergeant in Company No, 5 of the Ontario Rifles, joined the Red River Expedition under General Wolseley, and to-day wears a medal for his participation in the quehing of that outbreak. He has always taken a deep interest in whatever tends to promote the welfare of the community; and the islanders have not been slow to avail themselves of his good judgment and business abihty, electing or BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 375 appointing him to serve in different capacities, — in the Township Council, on the Board of Health, and as a director of the Agricultural Society, He first entered the island council in 1875, and served in the county council' in 1895-6, and again in 1901-2-3-4, In 1903 he was chosen warden, and as such commanded the respect of all the members and looked carefully after the interests of the county as a whole. While Mr, Fowler is a strong party man he is liberal in his views, and is prepared to concede to his neighbour who differs from him in politics the same honest motives that prompt him in forming his opinion upon the public ques tions of the day, Isaac Eraser, Member of Parliament of Upper Canada, 1817-1820 Isaac Fraser was a hard-headed Scotchman who took his time in arriving at a conclusion, and when once he had passed judgment upon any set of facts submitted to him there was no appeal from that deci sion so far as he was concerned. He belonged to the old Tory party of a hundred years ago, was regarded as one of the most upright men in the township of Ernesttown, and wielded a great influence among his friends and neighbours. He was loyal to his King and loyal to his church; in fact he was too loyal to believe that a Governor could do any wrong. He no doubt was influenced in his political adherence to the Tory party by the public utterances and contributions to the press of the Presbyterian clergy of his day, who, while not going as far as the Angh- cans in supporting the Family Compact, favoured the idea of the Gover nor and his advisers ruling the country, even to the extent of disregard ing the will of the people as expressed in the measures passed by their representatives in Parliament, Isaac Fraser was, upon his retirement from politics, appointed the first registrar of Lennox and Addington, with his office at Millhaven, He was also a justice of the peace, as was his father before him. For many years he was connected with Asselstine's woohen factory in Ernesttown, which was one of the princi pal industries of the township. He died in 1858, in his seventy-ninth year, L. L. Gallagher,, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1907 Mr. Gallagher is a native of the county of Leeds, where he was born in i860. As his name would indicate he is of Irish descent, his father having come to Canada in 1836, just in time to demonstrate his 376 HISTORY OE LENNOX AND ADDINGTON national characteristic by joining the militia and taking a hand in the defence of his newly adopted country. The subject of this sketch was one of thirteen children, ten of whom grew into manhood and woman hood; and despite the superstitious prejudice against the number thirteen father and mother both hved to the age of seventy-nine years, and the children, like their parents, have thrived and prospered. In 1885 Mr. Gallagher purchased the stock and store of Mr, D, S, Warner of Wilton; in the following year he purchased the homestead of the late Sidney Warner, and is to-day one of the most up-to-date and enter prising general merchants in the county. He has lost no opportunity to boom the cheese industry, believing that our county is well adapted to dairying and that a well-conducted cheese factory brings prosperity to its patrons. For thirteen years he owned and operated two factories, during which period his knowledge of the business was so well recog nized that for eight years he was secretary-treasurer of the Frontenac Cheese Board and for two years its president. He was also, for ten years, respectively third, second, and first vice-president of the Eastern Dairyman's Association, He served as school trustee for three years in the Wilton section, sat for three years as a member of the Ernesttown council, and for two more took his position at the head of the table. In 1907 he attained the highest municipal office in the county, and proved an energetic and busy warden who inquired into the details of all matters coming before the county council. Mr. Gallagher is still a young man with, let us hope, many years of usefulness before him ; and while he has been resting for the past f^w years upon the public honours already acquired, and has been devoting himself strictly to business, there is every probability that later on he will make his influence felt in a higher sphere of politics. j Smith Gilmour, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 19 10 Smith Gilmour was a farmer in the township of Sheffield, and belonged to that type of manhood which is a credit to any community. He strove in his own honest way to do what he conceived to be right, with the result that he was highly esteemed by all. He was A member of the Masonic Order, having served in all the important offices in his mother Lodge at Tamworth, He was a devoted member of the Pres byterian Church, yet broad enough in his views to recognize and encour age all denominations in the noble work of reclaiming fallen humanity. He died in January, 1912, at the age of fifty-nine years. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 377 John T, Grange Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1871-5 John T, Grange is a grandson of the Scotch mill-wright John Grange who came to Napanee one hundred and twenty years ago to overhaul the mill for Richard Cartwright, and a son of Wihiam Grange, alleged to have been the first white child born in Napanee, William Grange was born, hved, and died on the old Grange farm directly north of the town. In his day there was a saw-mill on the creek on this farm: but it was torn down fifty years ago and it now is one of the last places in the county to be selected as a site for a mill, John T, was born in 1837, went first to a country school, then to the old East Ward school, and finished his education in the old frame grammar school on West Street where his cousin, James Grange, was head-master. James, Wihiam, and Thomas Grange were engaged in the drug busi ness, although the names of the latter two did not appear as members of the firm. When he had reached fourteen years of age, John T, entered the drug store as a clerk. There were several changes in the personnel of the firm ; James sold out his interest to his brother John, who, after the fire of 1857, sold out to William and Thomas ; but the same firm name of John Grange & Co. was retained until 1864, when Wihiam Grange died, and it became Grange & Bros., the partners being the three brothers, John T., Alex. W., George S., and their cousin, William Grange, This combination lasted until 1879, when the partnership was wound up, and Alex, and George started afresh under the name of A. W, Grange & Bro. and John T. formed a new partnership known as Daly, Grange & Co. John T, has continued to live in Napartee ever since he first entered business, and is to-day one of the oldest residents. Not only has he watched its upward progress for the past sixty years ; but has, in one way and another, participated in the building up and improvement of the town. For ten years he was a member of the town council, and sat for one year at the school board; but his greatest achievement was his elec tion to the Local Legislature over the Honourable John Stevenson, who was considered a most formidable candidate. He was returned a second time in a three-cornered fight, in which he was opposed by the late Thomas W, Casey and Phihip Booth, Mr, Grange has for many years been one of the auditors of the county treasurer's books, but the posi tion which is unanimously conceded to him is that of chairman at the nomination meetings in Napanee, Just when, how, or why Mr, Grange was chosen for this position for so many years neither he nor any one 378 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON else appears to know ; but the fact remains that he was elected year after year until the custom became a fixed rule, and if any one pre sumed to bring forward any other name it would be resented as an uncalled-for innovation. Ira Ham, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1873 John Ham, the ancestor from whom all the Hams of Lennox and Addington are descended, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and took part in several important engagements. It is related of him that at one time when in the firing line of the British forces he was struck by a bullet from the rebel army, which lodged in the calf of his leg. He limped away to the improvised field hospital and assisted the surgeon to remove it, and picking up the blood-stained missile he wiped it dry, and as a special favour requested a comrade to return it to the enemy in the same manner in which it had been forwarded to him. He settled in the township of Ernesttown, where he raised a family of ten children, eight of whom were sons, all of whom lived and died in "Canada, Such was the U. E. L. grandfather of Ira Ham, a farmer in the township of Fredericksburgh, who inherited some of the characteristics of his grandfather, especially that of saying precisely what he meant. He was a "plain, blunt man" accustomed to speak his mind freely upon all subjects; but fortunately he was optimistic in his views and of a jolly disposition, and rarely felt disposed to make any disagreeable or of fensive remarks. If he had occasion to comment severely upon any event or concerning any individual, he never sought a dark corner in which to express his views nor waited until the back of the individual he was about to criticise was" turned, but spoke it frankly and freely in broad daylight to his face. He rather enjoyed a scramble in municipal politics, took a defeat with as good grace as he accepted a victory, and was never known to grieve over the result of an election. In his native township he was respected as a kindly neighbour and a man of many good parts, not anxious to thrust himself forward, but prepared to accept his share of the burden of public service. He was warden in the year 1873, and ten years later died at his home in his native town ship, John David Ham, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1866 and 1886 John D, Ham was a grandson of the U, E, L, pioneer John Ham, and a cousin of Ira Ham, the subject of the previous notice, Mr, Ham BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 379 was one of the most reriiarkable men of his day, of unusual ability, and a philosopher with a natural instinct for business. He started out in life a poor boy, who, for a few shillings a week, served as midshipman before the mast in our bay and lake navigation, and then took a position as clerk in the store of John Stevenson at Newburgh, The employer quickly recognized in the young lad that high capacity for business which in a few years gave him a standing among the leading merchants of the county. He was promoted from clerk to partner; and in a short time bought out Mr. Stevenson and continued in business until 1868, when the death of his only child, a bright young man of twenty years, blasted all his plans for the future. By strict attention to his own aflfairs and honourable treatment of all his customers he had at this time amassed a fortune which enabled him to retire from mercantile pursuits. He sold out his store, made an extensive tour of the continent, and settled down to a life of ease and comfort. In the disastrous Newburgh fire of 1887 his home was destroyed, when he purchased the W. S, Williams' residence on Thomas Street in Napanee and lived there until his death in 1893. He was one of the only three wardens who have been returned a second timiC to preside over the council ; and that body mJght have received the commendation of the electors of the county if he had been retained in office a few years longer, instead of following the puerile policy of changing wardens every year. It is quite true that they all may be good men, but no good man can accomplish much in one short term. He no sooner gets comfortably seated in the warden's chair and maps out for himself a policy than he is called upon to retire in favour of some new blood, and thus the honours are passed around at the great risk of the business standing still. County councils as a rule are not very public-spirited. The representatives are so intent upon obtaining some special grant or privilege for their respective municipalities that often what affects the general welfare of the county is overlooked. The public roads of this county are, and have for years been a dis grace to a wealthy community having abundance of excellent road material in every township, and it has been largely due to the utter lack of any well defined policy under the general supervision of competent men. Each successive warden has some new ideas of his own, which, in the matter of roads, are pretty sure to be centred upon the supposed needs of his own township; so, instead of having one or two up-to-date highways in the county, we have half-a-dozen apologies for roads upon which a large proportion of the labour and material has been "W^asted, Such a condition of affairs would hardly prevail if a good level-headed 380 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON business man were retained in the warden's chair for a number of years, or a thoroughly competent road engineer were given a free hand to execute a systematic plan for improvement, of the roads. Our county councillors in general are good men, but they are human and cannot shake off the frailties of the race, I cannot refrain from giving expression to an opinion long enter tained, that the business affairs of a county could be much more satis factorily conducted by a commission of three or four capable men, such as was John D. Ham, elected or appointed for a term of years, than by a dozen elected indiscriminately from all parts of the county. The sys tem is at fault, not the men who try to operate it, John D, Ham was one of the leaders in the prolonged struggle over the separation of the county from Frontenac, He set his heart upon winning for his own village the coveted prize of the county seat and, although there was not much to commend his cause, especially after the course of the Grand Trunk Railway had been finally determined, he succeeded for many years in defeating the main question of separation by creating a dead-lock upon the minor question of the selection of a county town, Charles W, Hambly, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1908 Mr. Hambly's father and grandfather came to Canada from Eng land seventy-five years ago, and settled in the township of Fredericks burgh opposite Deseronto, One son, William Hambly, worked out by the month for some time in Prince Edward, receiving for his labour the princely sum of four dollars a month ; and his brother, Samuel Hambly, now living a retired life in Napanee, had the same experience. They despised not the small wage, which was the best to be obtained at the time, and, by pursuing the same policy of thrift and industry, they met with that material prosperity which falls to the lot of most men in this young and growing country who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and go to work where and when the opportunity presents itself. Charles W. was born in the township of Fredericksburgh and has continued to reside there up to the present time. He owns and operates a good farm near the town, admires and always has one or more good driving horses, and enjoys the free and independent life which the farmer and the farmer alone is privileged to lead. In 1905 he first tendered his services to the electors of his native township, and they appear to be satisfied with the attention he has given BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 381 to the business matters intrusted to him, as he has been in the council ever since. This township has never acted upon the foolish policy of passing the honours around, but when they get a good man in the coun cil and he has made himself familiar with the work in hand they keep him at it. An examination of the records will probably disclose the fact that North Fredericksburgh has had fewer reeves than any other town ship in the county, and it will also be found that no township has been managed more economically. In 1908 C, W, Hambly was elected reeve and made his debut iti the county council ; but instead of taking a corner seat and waiting to see what the others do, he took his position upon the dais as warden of the county. In the county council the policy of pass ing the honours around does prevail, so at the end of a year he retired to the side benches. His promotion has been so rapid that people now inquire "what next?" George Douglas Hawley, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1880-3, 1886 Mr. Hawley was born about sixty years ago on the old Hawley homestead in the township of Fredericksburgh. He is a son of the late Joseph Case Hawley and grandson of the old U. E. L. soldier, Davis Hawley, who first settled in Ernesttown, but afterwards moved over to and died on the Fredericksburgh farm which Mr. George D. Hawley still owns. Mr. Hawley is a mild mannered gentleman who is said to have spent more sleepless nights over the death sentence of a convict in the Napanee jail vvhich was subsequently commuted, than did the prisoner himself, and would not be taken for an aggressive man ; yet -he achieved the distinction of fighting no less than five election campaigns within the short period of seven years. It might be added that all of these were not of his own choosing. In 1879 he contested the riding of Lennox as the nominee of the Liberal party against Mr. A. H. Roe, Conservative, and was elected by a majority which, upon a recount, was narrowed down to seven. The same contestants again entered the field in the gen eral election of 1883 when Mr, Roe was elected, but died before the end of his term. At a bye-election Mr, Hawley defeated Mr, George T, Blackstock, was unseated, and defeated him again, and for all his trouble sat as member for Lennox for the one remaining session of the unexpired term. In the general election which followed Mr. Hawley buckled on his armour for the fifth time and was defeated by Dr, Meacham. In 1887 he was appointed clerk of the First Division Court at Napanee, a position which he held until 1895, when he was appointed 382 history of lennox and addington successor to the late O, T, Pruyn, sheriff of the county of Lennox and Addington, Mr, Hawley is a well-read man and a pleasing speaker, although in recent years he has very rarely appeared upon any public platform. He devotes himself to the duties of his office and the manage ment of his farm, and occasionally takes a little recreation in a hunting expedition, but has never been charged with securing more game than the hunter's license permits, John HoglE, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1876 Bostian Hogle was one of the original party of Loyalists who set tled in the township of Ernesttown, His father, John Hogle, was a captain in the British army and met his death at the battle of Benning ton, Of such stock was descended John Hogle who was born near Ernesttown Station in 1826, He owned a small farm near Link's Mihs and at one time owned and operated a woollen-mill and plaster-mills on Mill Creek. He also claimed the distinction of having built and man aged the first cheese factory in the township. While he had no opportunity to distinguish himself in military ser vice as did his great-grandparent whose name he bore, he was not averse to a battle in the field of municipal politics, and was successful in seven contests for the deputy-reeveship of his native township. While still in the warden's chair he was appointed Collector of Customs at the port of Bath, He moved to the village and occupied, until his death in 1898, the old homestead of the late William Davy, The duties of his office were not very onerous, but such as they were, he executed them with a scrupulous regard for the preservation of the revenue, and was kind and courteous to all who had business relations with him in his official capa city, Augustus Frederick Garland Hooper, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1866 • Member of the Legislative Assembly of Canada, 1861 to 1863 Augustus Hooper was born in Devonshire, England, in 181 5, and came to Canada in 1819 with his parents, who remained in the City of Quebec, He was educated at the public school and seminary of the Old Capital and, when he grew up, was engaged for a number of years in a lumbering firm. In 1843 he set out for Canada West and estab lished himself in mercantile business at the village of Newburgh in part nership with his brother Douglas, under the firm name of A, & D, Hooper, biographical sketches 383 -About the year 1850 he built the bid stone Hooper residence at Camden East and branched out in the lumbering business, which he fol lowed until his death. He was for several years reeve of the township of Camden, was the second warden of the county of Lennox and Add ington, and died on December 30th, 1866, one day before his term of office expired He successfully contested the riding in 1861 for the old Parliament of Canada, and was in turn defeated by Sir Richard Cart wright in 1863, Being an Addington man and closely associated with the business interests of Newburgh, he quite naturally upheld the claims of that village for the county seat, while Sir Richard, who was deeply interested in Napanee, supported the latter village. The local question of the separation of the counties and the choice of the county town over shadowed all other issues and turned the scale in Sir Richard's favour. Augustus Hooper had one son, the late E, J, Hooper, for whom he built on Piety Hill in Napanee the substantial brick residence in which the late Mrs, David Andrews lived for so many years. His widow, a sister of the late David Andrews, survived her husband by forty-two years. Edmund John Glynn Hooper, Member of the House of Commons, 1878-1882 Edmund Hooper, a brother of Augustus, was born in Cornwall, England, in 1817, and two years later came to Canada with his parents and lived in Quebec until 1843, when he moved to Upper Canada, and was for some years associated with his brother Augustus in the lumber business on the Napanee River, He afterwards operated a saw-mill on Fifth Depot Lake, and was meeting with success in his new venture when a disastrous fire, in 1855, wiped out his mill and a large quantity of lumber. He next set up as a general merchant at Camden East and remained there until 1863, when he removed to Napanee and opened a store on the north side of Dundas Street near the centre of the block between John and Centre Streets, and afterwards moved over to the other side of the street east of the Royal Hotel, He was the first treasurer of the county, which office he held until 1880, He ran against Sir Richard Cartwright in 1873, and was defeated; but met with better success against the same opponent in 1878, and repre sented Lennox in the House of Commons until 1882, when he gave way in favour of Sir John A, Macdonald, Mr,, or more properly speaking. Captain Hooper was in command of the Napanee Battery of Garrison Artillery, and during the Fenian scare was in charge of the gun-boat "Rescue" with a detachment of the Napanee Battery, and patrohed the 384 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON St, Lawrence from Kingston to Prescott, He was also engaged in the suppression of the rebellion of 1837 as lieutenant, and afterwards cap tain of the Royal Artillery, Upon his return from the patrol service in 1866 he was presented with a sword of honour by the Battery he commanded. He built the brick dwelling on John Street, Napanee now owned by Mr, J, J, Johnston, He died at Napanee in October, 1889. Edmund J, Hooper, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1867-71 Edmund J, Hooper, son of Augustus, was born at Camden East in the stone house where his father lived and died. He practised law in Napanee, and for a time lived in the Andrew's house on Piety Hih. Mr. Hooper had a keen sense of humour and always relished a good joke, even at his own expense. He died at Napanee in the spring of 1892, and was buried in the family plot at St, Luke's Church, Camden East, As a lawyer and politician he never went to extremes, was faithful to his friends, and fair and courteous to his opponents. He was a Con servative in politics and the first representative of Addington in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Hiram Keach, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1902 Hiram Keach was born near Centreville on May 26th, 1851, was educated at the common school in Camden, and afterwards took a com mercial course at the Ontario Business Cohege at Belleville, After thus equipping himself for a commercial life he entered the employ of Steven son & Lott as book-keeper in their lumber office. In 1876 he went into partnership with L. Way, purchased the branch store of R. Downey & Bros, in the village of Tamworth, and carried on that business until 1880, when he and Mr, Vannest purchased the old Grange flour-mills at Tamworth and continued to operate them until 1905, For the past six years Mr, Keach has been accountant and store-keeper at the Mani toba Penitentiary at Stony Mountain, He was first elected to the township council as deputy-reeve in 1892 and afterwards as reeve in 1896, When the new County Council Act came in force he was elected one of the commissioners from the High land Division and continued for eight years as the representative of the northern townships in that body. From 1898 to 1906 he was treasurer of Sheffield and was warden of the county in 1902, As a Liberal can- COUNTY COUNCIL OF 1908 AND OTHERS. Back row — Left to right. Thos, Symington. R. R. Burleigh. Smith Gilmour. J. F. Dawson. Cyrus Edgar. G. A. Wartman. C. F. Allison. Front row— Left to right. Wm. Templeton. J. C. Creighton. Irvine Parks. R. W. Kimmerly. C. W. Hambly. W. G. Wilson. J. S. Lane. D. A. Nesbit. B. G. Hamm. M. Ryan. Wesley McGill. R.W.Paul. SILVER LEAF BASEBALL CLUB— 1874-1878. Back row— Left to right. Charles Baker. Charles Mills. Wm. Ross. John P. Davis. Jas. E. Herring. Charles Schryver. Front row.— Left to right. Charles Mair. " Dod " Boyes. Frank Blair. John Phelan. biographical sketches 385 didate in 1904 he contested unsuccessfully the riding of Addington at the general election for member of the House of Commons and met a similar fate at the provincial general election in the following year, Mr. Keach is very retiring, not over modest nor bashful; but a simple, quiet reserve possesses himi that did not serve his purpose as a politician among those who did not know him well. He is, however, cool and cal culating, a man of few words but good judgment, all of which are excel lent qualities for a councillor or member of Parliament but not very tell ing upon the hustings, James Noxon Lapum, Member of the House of Commons, 1867-1872 Mr. Lapum was a lifelong Conservative and the first representative of Addington in the Dominion House; and the handsome Confedera tion medal awarded to each member of the first Parliament of the Dominion is now preserved as a precious heirloom by his daughter, Mrs, Thomas S. Johnston of Napanee. He shared the honours of the old county with Sir Richard Cartwright, whose desk-mate he was during his parliamentary term. He was born on the farm of his father near Wil ton, and at the age of seventeen was apprenticed to his brother-in-law, Mr, Sidney Warner, with whom he served as clerk in the general store and received a sound business training which equipped him for a suc cessful career. In 1842 he set up in business for himself as a merchant at Whelan's Corners and was the strongest champion for the removal of the munici pal seat of the township from Clark's Mills to that place, which, owing to its central location, was named Centreville, It was through his efforts that a post-office was established in 1843, and he was appointed the first postmaster, a position which he continued to fih until his election to the House of Commons, Every village is intimately connected with the history of some one individual, and Mr, Lapum may quite properly be styled the father of Centreville; but in bestowing this title upon him I must reserve some of the honour which it carries for Squire Wihiam Whelan, who, although he never aspired to a seat in Parliament, was a prominent man in the community and dearly loved by all who knew him, Mr, Lapum was a justice of the peace and well qualified to act as such ; but owing to his extensive business connection he wihingly left in the hands of the Squire the administration of the law in that part of the county, knowing full well that justice would be done. Although slight in stature Mr. Lapum was a man of great en durance and capable of transacting more business in a day than most 25 386 history oe lennox and addington men would perform in two, A general store handling all sorts of mer chandise and receiving in exchange every kind of produce from eggs to ashes would tax the energies of a man of ordinary capacity; but if we add to this the superintendence of the post-office, the building of a store, residence, and cheese factory, and the management of two farms, we wonder what time was left for sleep and refreshment. Yet with all these calls upon his time we find him taking an active part in the organization and maintenance of the militia corps of the county, in municipal affairs, and finahy in federal politics as standard- bearer of the Conservative party; and whatever work he assayed to per form he entered into it with his whole heart. He was for many years and up to the time of his death treasurer of the township, and the task of his auditors was an easy one, as his books were accurately and neatly kept. He died in July, 1879, within a few days before completing his sixtieth year; and although it was a busy season among all classes, the esteem in which he was held in the county was manifested by the hun dreds who turned out to his funeral, which was said to be the largest ever held in the township, Edwin Smith Lapum, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1891 E, S. Lapum was born upon the farm of his father, Chauncey Lapum, in the township of Portland in 1848, and remained at home with his father until he was sixteen years of age, when he went to his uncle's (Sidney Warner) store in Wilton, where he served in the capacity of a clerk for three or four years. Being of a lively disposition he cast long ing eyes towards the gayety of the village of Newburgh, which at that time was celebrated for its handsome beaux and pretty belles ; his appren ticeship under his uncle was a sufficient guarantee of his ability as a clerk, and he with no difficulty secured a similar position in the general store of Miles Caton, Having satisfied himself with all that the vihage life had to offer, his next move was to Napanee, to the store of Thomas Mallory, He remained with Mallory for five or six years and then set up in the insurance business on his own account, and for the past six years has conducted a furniture store as well. Upon the death of the late Robert Mill Mr. Lapum was appointed his successor as treasurer of the town of Napanee, a position which he was, owing to his municipal experience, especially well qualified to fill. He was not long in Napanee before he drifted into municipal politics, and no candidate for municipal honours was ever better skilled in cam- biographical sketches 387 paign tactics than he. No man could excel him in getting out the vote ; and when the ballots were counted his name was generally found among the favoured few who secured the requisite number to entitle them to a seat within the bar of the council chamber. For twenty-two years he was a member of the town council, and during that period served upon every committee, sat in the mayor's chair one year, and for one year presided over that more august body, the county council, Mr. Lapum never does things by halves, and believes in the theory that if a thing is worth doing at all it is worth doing well, and if it is worth doing well it should be done at once. Being active in his habits, quick in his move ments, and careful in execution, he was a useful man in the council, and on many an occasion ridiculed the shameful waste of time in "Words ! Words ! Words !" and thus enabled the members to get through more work than they otherwise would. He would grasp a complicated situa tion, place it before his hearers in a simplified form, concluding his exposition with his favourite phrase, "d'ye understan?" and if they did not understand, the operation would be repeated with emphatic gestures until the argument was driven home, Benjamin C, Lloyd, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1884 Mr, Lloyd was born in New York State about the year 1831, and while yet a mere lad came with his parents to reside in the county of Hastings, On attaining manhood he and his brother Charles removed to the township of Ernesttown, By his industry and thrift he purchased a good farm on the Newburgh Road near the vihage of Strathcona, where he lived the rest of his days, and died in 1905, He was a plain, honest, hard-working farmer, devoted to his calling, yet alive to the interests of the general public, and wihing to accept the responsibility of performing such public duties as were assigned him, A, B, LoYST, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 191 1 Major A, B. Loyst is one of the rising young men of the county, who, although he has not yet reached his twoscore years has made remarkable progress in everything he has undertaken. He was born in South Fredericksburgh on the shores of Hay Bay in 1874, and still finds in the good old township ample scope for his ambition, and recognizes that the life of a farmer is no drawback to the advancement of an 388 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON energetic man. He was not sixteen years of age when he joined the militia, and before he was thirty he had attained the rank of major. He has already been a member of the township council for six years, four of which he was reeve, and in 191 1 reached the highest municipal office in the county by being chosen warden, and as such acquitted him self honourably and impartially. The Right Honourable Sir John A, Macdonald, K,C,M,G,, Member of the House of Commons, 1882 It was always very apparent that Sir John had not forgotten his boyhood days in Adolphustown, or his experiences in Napanee when he was a clerk in a Clarkville store and sang in the English Church choir in the old East Ward school-house, for he retained a warm place in his heart for his old friends in Lennox and Addington and frequently recalled these early associations. His career is known to the reader, so I will content myself with a few extracts from a tribute paid to his memory in the House of Commons by his friend, but political opponent. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, upon the occasion of the announcement of his death : "It is in every respect a great national loss, for he is no more who was in many respects Canada's most illustrious son, and who was in every sense Canada's foremost citizen and statesman, , , , His loss overwhelms us. For my part I say, with all truth, his loss overwhelms me, and that it also overwhelms this Parliament, as if indeed one of the institutions of the land had given way. Sir John A, Macdonald now belongs to the ages; and it can be said with certainty that the career which has just been closed is one of the most remarkable careers in this century. It would be premature at this time to attempt to divine or anticipate what will be the final judgment of history upon him; but there were, in his career and in his life, features so prominent and so con spicuous that already they shine with a glory which time cannot alter. These characteristics appear before the House at the present time such as they will appear to the end in history. "I think it can be asserted that for the supreme art of governing men Sir John Macdonald was gifted as few men in any land or in any age were gifted — gifted with the most high of all qualities — qualities which would have shone in any theatre, and which would have shone conspicuously the larger the theatre. The fact that he could congregate together elements the most heterogeneous and blend them into one com pact party, and to the end of his hfe keep them steadily under his hand. biographical sketches 389 is perhaps altogether unprecedented. The fact that during all these years he maintained unimpaired, not only the confidence, but the devo tion, the ardent devotion, and affection of his party, is evidence that, beside these higher qualities of statesmanship to which we were the daily witnesses, he was also endowed with that inner, subtle, undefinable characteristic of soul which wins and keeps the hearts of men. "As to his statesmanship, it is written in this history of Canada. It may be said, without any exaggeration whatever, that the life of Sir John Macdonald, from the date he entered Parliament, is the history of Canada, for he was connected and associated with all the events, all the facts, all the developments, which brought Canada from the position Canada then occupied — ^the position of two small provinces, having noth ing in common but the common allegiance, and united by a bond of paper, and united by nothing else — to the present state of development which Canada has reached." He was member for Lennox during the first session of the Parlia ment following the general election of 1882. W, A, Martin, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1905 "Alf," Martin, as he is known in and out of public life, son of William Martin, farmer, was bom in the fourth concession of the town ship of Richmond in i860. He received a common school education and attended the High School at Napanee for a few terms; but he made the best use of his opportunities, and did not lay aside his books when he returned to the farm. He moved with his parents to the township of Camden in 1883, and upon the death of his father, in 1900, inherited the farm near Moscow upon which he had lived since leaving Richmond. There is a good strain of Irish blood in his veins, which asserts itself as soon as a general election is announced. Only once was he elected to the township council, yet for eleven years he represented that town ship in the county council, an achievement which few, if any, in the pro vince have equalled; and one which none can surpass. He was elected deputy-reeve the year before the Act came in force under which the commissioners forming the county council were not mem.bers of ^the township councils, and during the ten years that Act remained in force he was returned as commissioner from Camden. He keeps abreast of the times upon all public questions, is a pleas ing platform speaker, and is quite at home upon the hustings. He once contested the riding of Addington for a seat in the House of Commons, 390 history of lEnnox and addington and was by no means dismayed at not receiving the requisite number of votes to enable him to write M. P. after his name. He is progressive and alert, and being sthl a young man he may be heard of again in the political arena. W, W, Meacham, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1887-98 The writer has pleasant recollections of attending school in the old stone school-house at Rednersville in the county of Prince Edward, The teacher was a mild-mannered young man who chose to rule by love rather than by fear, and in the gentlest of tones corrected his none too attentive pupil, and smilingly patted him on the head when perhaps a birch across the shoulders would have been more in keeping with the prevailing system. Measured in years this seems long, long ago; but only as yesterday when the freshness of the picture is considered. Years passed by until a certain provincial election in Lennox, when entering a public meeting in Napanee called in the interests of the Con servative candidate, he again saw his old teacher in the same gentle tones soliciting the votes of the electors, and those gentle tones prevailed. The same old smile that won the hearts of his pupils captured the votes of the electors, and Dr, Meacham continued for three successive Legislatures to represent the old riding of Lennox, He was a grandson of Dr, Seth Meacham, who in the early part of the nineteenth century came to Canada from the New England States and practised medicine in Belleville for many years. The grandson, Walter W,, was born in Colborne on September 22nd, 1841, and was educated at Albert and Victoria Colleges, He taught school at Bridge- water in the county of Hastings and in Rednersville in the county of Prince Edward. He studied medicine at Dr, Rolph's Medical School in Toronto and received his degree as a Doctor of Medicine in 1869, He practised his profession for many years at the vihage of Odessa, He was a friend to the poor, and when summoned to the bed-side of the sick he never inquired as to the ability of his patient to meet his bills, but gave rich and poor the same attention. In 1899 he removed to Warsaw in the county of Peterborough, where he died on July 27th, 1905. John S, Miller, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1886-90 John Stewart Miller is of Irish descent; his ancestors having come to America and settled in New England; but during the Revolutionary biographical sketches 391 War they joined the refugees for Canada, lived at Three Rivers until 1790, and then moved farther westward to the shores of the Bay of Quinte, J, S, Miller was born in 1844 in the township of Camden and spent his early years upon the farm of his father, Thomas Miller, He received the ordinary common school education, to which he added in 1871 a course at the Business College at Belleville, In 1875 he was appointed clerk of the township of Camden, which office he filled until 1886, when he resigned the clerkship and was appointed treasurer. He was an active member of the Orange and Masonic Orders, hav ing attained the coveted honour of County-Master of the Orange Asso ciation in 1878-9, He was a member of Prince of Wales Lodge A.F, & A.M. Newburgh, and assisted in the organization of Victoria Lodge, Ceutreville, and Lome Lodge, Tamworth, and was Master of both of the new Lodges. He was attached to the 48th Battalion and attained the rank of lieutenant, and upon its disbandment joined the 47th. In 1886, receiving the Conservative nomination, he was elected mem ber of the Local House and represented Addington during the ensuing Parliament. In 1883 he became a merchant at Centreville, and continued to live there until 1890, when he moved to Manitou, Manitoba, where he and his son, H. S, Miller, as proprietors of the Poplar Glen Farm, are pursuing the vocation of their ancestors. He was not long in his west ern hon:e when his services were requisitioned by the Manitoba Govern ment, and he was appointed upon a commission to investigate and report upon the advisability of establishing an agricultural college in the prairie province. The commissioners visited several institutions in the United States and made such a clear and comprehensive report that it was acted upon, and a college established in accordance with their recommenda tions. Mr, Miher served as reeve of Pembina in 1895-6-7, after which he retired from public hfe, and has since devoted himself to the cultiva tion of his magnificent farm. William Miller, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1871 William Miller was born near Bath in the township of Ernesttown in 1830, and lived upon the farm with his father until he was eighteen years of age, when he left home to serve as a clerk in Gunn's general store in Kingston, He devoted himself faithfully to the interests of his employer ; and in a few years had so mastered the details that his father set him up in business for himself in East Ward, Napanee, About the same time, his brother, Davis H. Miher, came to the village and engaged 392 history of lennox and addington in business as a grain merchant, having his office in his brother's store. Both displayed remarkable business ability, and each in his own sphere succeeded in accumulating a small fortune ; and although they were intimately associated and took counsel one with the other in important transactions, yet at no time were they in partnership. In the early seventies both retired from the mercantile business, but retained offices in the Miher Block in East Ward, where one or the other of the two brothers could always be found prepared for an old-fashioned visit, a game of checkers, or an advance of any reasonable sum upon real estate at a fair rate of interest, William Miller upheld the traditions of the family name by his uprightness In all his business transactions. His favourite pastimes were driving and hunting. He was a good judge of horseflesh, and his services were in great demand at the county fairs. He always owned a good team of roadsters, and never appeared happier than when taking his afternoon drive behind a spirited pair of thorough-breds. He annually formed one of a party of sportsmen to visit the north country during the hunting season, and rarely returned without one or more pairs of fine antlers to his credit. While on one of these expeditions, in 1898, he became separated from his companions, and for four days in a chilly November was lost in the forest and, exhausted with hunger and fatigue, he took refuge in a deserted cabin, where he was found in a critical condition by another hunting party. His talents as a sound business man never showed to better advantage than in the warden's chair, where he safely guided the council through one of the most important years in its history, Robert Patterson, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1892 Robert Patterson was a farmer and a soldier, and attained a very high degree of perfection in both vocations. His watchword was "thoroughness," He joined the 48th Battalion during the Fenian excite ment in 1866, and in the following winter attended the military school at Kingston and devoted himself so diligently to his militia work that he was raised to the rank of major in 1875, He commanded the company which acted as a guard of honour to Lord Dufferin upon the occasion of his first visit to Kingston; and so pleased was His Excehency with the fine appearance and soldierly bearing of the island company that he complimented the major upon the excellent service he had rendered. His large farm on the east end of the island was weh stocked with thor ough-bred Durham cattle, which he was the first to import to the town- biographical sketches 393 ship. His well-tilled acres and comfortable home, where his large circle of friends always found a warm Irish welcome, bespoke that same thoroughness which characterized every undertaking to which he applied himself. In all public matters, whether municipal, provincial, or federal, he was a strenuous worker ; and the candidate for political honours who received his support could rest assured that the major would not retire from the field until the last vote had been cast. The issues in a town ship election are never very clearly defined ; yet the forces on Amherst Island, even in the days of Major Patterson, lined up for battle ; and the successful candidates were held strictly to account for their ante- election promises, with the result that the controllable rate levied for taxes was always a moderate one, the public moneys were wisely expended, and no municipality in the county is more economically man aged than our island township. He served many years in the local coun cil and was honoured with the wardenship in 1892, in which position his sterling qualities were highly appreciated. He died deeply lamented on January ist, 1895, in the fifty-seventh year of his age. George Paul, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1875 A few years after Napoleon I, was finally shorn of his power and Wellington's army had been disbanded, three of his veterans decided to devote the rest of their lives to the ploughshare instead of the sword, I'hey came to America and settled in the township of Camden, and were known as the "The Three Williams,"— William Paul, William Allan, and Wilham Nugent, George Paul was the third son of Wihiam Paul and was born in Camden in 1828, The north-west part of the township was a dense forest at the time, and the opportunities for acquiring even a common school education were very meagre indeed. For a few months during the winter a teacher might be secured to board around the neighbourhood and impart to the boys and girls of his patrons an imper fect knowledge of the three R's ; and they were considered lucky who had the privilege of attending such a school. In some sections there would be a school-house; but in many the living-room of some settler's log cabin was the only place available. It is remarkable how many bright, intelligent men were reared amid such surroundings, men who in after years filled positions of trust and honour. Such was the lot of George Paul, who became one of the strongest men in Camden, figured' conspicuously for years in municipal affairs, and was chosen warden in 394 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON 1875. He finally settled on the old Greave farm near Camden East, where he spent his declining years, William J, Paul, Member of Ontario Legislature, 1905-11 Member of the House of Commons, 191 1 to present time That it pays to be pleasant and agreeable to ah persons has been well illustrated in the case of Mr. Paul, That he might have attained rank and position nad he been otherwise is quite possible; but an elec tion by acclamation such as was tendered him in 1908 can be attributed only to the fact that he is at all times a friend to every one. He not only represents the constituents of his riding, but he does his best to serve them. He is descended from the old bombardier of the Royal Army, Wihiam Paul, who is referred to in the notices of R, W. Paul and George Paul. I do not know that he has ever seen the "Land of brown heath and shaggy wood Land of the mountain and the flood," but his veins are full of good Scotch blood, the kind that wih not be downed. It is said that when his grandfather was in the wars, his good wife Janet accompanied the army on the march, with the family bedding strapped to the cannon. W, J, Paul, son of Robert, was born in Camden in July, 1854, and followed the occupation of a farmer and lumber-man; but in more recent years has devoted himself almost exclusively to the cheese Indus try, and at the present time is operating no less than four factories. His grandfather on his mother's side was Neil Stewart, the first reeve of the township of Sheffield, and his father was a member for many years of the council of Kennebec and Sheffield, William J, received no education but such as the common schools of Camden and Sheffield afforded; and here he displayed what is gen erally conceded to be another Scotch characteristic in helping himself to all that was to be had. He was returned a great many times to the Sheffield council, and for ten years was either reeve or commissioner to the county council. In 1905 he was elected as representative for Add ington in the Provincial House by a majority of 625, the largest ever given to a candidate in that riding. So great indeed was the vote that in the next general election in 1908 he was returned without opposition. He retired from the provincial arena in 191 1, and was elected to the House of Commons by a majority of 586; and if his past experience is biographical sketches 395 any criterion he need not worry much when the next nomination day comes. It is needless to add that he is a staunch supporter of the Con servative administration, Robert W, Paul, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1904 Robert W. Paul comes from good old Scotch stock. His grand father was born in Edinburgh, was a soldier in the British Army, and saw active service in the Peninsular war. He emigrated to Canada in 1819 and settled in Camden, where he raised four sons, one of whom was the late William Paul of Roblin. Robert W., the eldest son of William, lived with his father upon the farm until he was eighteen years of age, when he drifted away to California to seek a fortune. This was near the close of the Revolu tionary War when the Pacific Coast States were bidding high for emi grants, and Mr. Paul joined the train of adventurers bound for the Golden West, For two years the fortune he was seeking eluded his grasp, and he concluded that Canada was not such a bad place after all ; so, packing his carpet-bag, he turned his back upon the land of sunshine and returned to his native county, where by his own pluck and persever ance he demonstrated that the county of Lennox and Addington offers opportunities, to any young man of determination, as attractive as any other part of the American continent. He engaged in farming and branched off into dealing in eggs and hides, until he has established an extensive business connection in these two commodities. The militant spirit of the grandfather has survived two generations, and Robert W, inherited his full share of the fighting qualities of the old soldier, and has engaged in many a municipal contest, in which he has come out victor eighteen times. He first entered the field as a can didate for councillor while a resident of the township of Camden, and for several years was a member of the council of his native township. He subsequently moved to Richmond, where he still resides at the village of Selby ; and it was not long before his infiuence was felt in the public affairs of that township. The electors wisely placed his name upon the nomination list ; and he has for many years been a member of the Rich mond council and a staunch champion of the rights of his constituents. As warden of the county he was courteous to all; but insisted upon the embryo orators confining themselves to the subjects under discussion, an example that might profitably be followed in most municipal bodies. 396 history of lennox and addington Peter Perry', Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1825-1836 Peter Perry was born about one hundred and twenty years ago on lot number three in the first concession of Ernesttown; and although many worthy men have since then upheld the honours of the family he was the most illustrious to bear the name. Robert Perry, a sergeant in the King's Royal Rangers, and his two sons, Daniel and Robert Junior, were all members of that loyal band "Who loved The cause that had lost, and kept their faith To England's crown and scorned an alien name. Passed into exile, leaving all behind Except their honour, and the conscious pride Of duty done to country and to King." Peter was the son of Daniel and was brought up on his father's farm, receiving only the meagre education offered to the youth of the township at the time; but the lessons of loyalty were deeply instilled in his youthful breast by hearing from the lips of his father and grand father the trials they had undergone rather than join the rebel ranks. These lessons were never forgotten, and when he had grown to man hood and saw the government of Upper Canada passing into the hands of an irresponsible and grasping faction he was among the first to raise his voice against the prostitution of the people's rights and to demand for his constituents that liberty and equality for which his grandfather had fought and suffered. He lived with his father until he attained his majority, when he married Miss Mary Ham, a daughter of John Ham, and settled on lot number twenty-five in the second concession of Fredericksburgh. He was first elected to the Legislature of Upper Canada in 1825 and, with Marshall Spring Bidwell, continued to represent Lennox and Addington until 1836. During his last term he moved to Whitby, engaged in mer cantile affairs, and became one of the most prominent figures in that county. He had extensive business connections in the northern part of the county, and the town of Port Perry on Lake Scugog was named after him. He was a man of strong individuahty, persuasive and tena cious, just such a man as the Family Compact feared, as he was an uncompromising advocate of reform. History has fully justified the noble stand he took, and the county of Lennox and Addington has just reason to be proud of this pioneer politician who went down to defeat biographical sketches 397 in his fourth election fighting bravely for the cause which ultimately prevailed, and laid the foundation for a constitution excelled by none in the world. There are many branches of the Perry family, all descended from the old U. E, L, Sergeant, now scattered over the country, but no worth ier scion of the name lives to-day than Commissioner A, B, Perry, C,M,G,, the head of the Royal North West Mounted Pohce, an old Len nox boy, born and brought up on his father's farm in the township of Ernesttown, Ebenezer Perry, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1872 Ebenezer Perry was bom in the year 1801, An anecdote is stih preserved concerning him and his cousin. Job Aylesworth, which is illustrative of the character of the two men. They were working one day in a field when they fell to discussing a subject which had recently been introduced in the neighbourhood, a somewhat unpopular one in the days of our grandfathers, the subject of total abstinence. It had never occurred to them before that so universal a beverage as whiskey could be, or ought to be, totally eliminated from their dietary. Leaning upon their hoe-handles they threshed the question out in all its bearings, and determined upon a course of action which they promptly put into exe cution by repairing to a neighbouring tavern, which in those days was never difficult to find. Arriving at the hostelry they called for two bumpers of the "accursed liquid," pledged each other's health, drained their glasses to the bottom, and with a hearty hand-shake declared they would never taste it again — a pledge they both kept for all time, A more extended review of Mr, Perry's hfe wih be found in the chapter upon Sheffield and the northern townships, Mathew W, Pruyn, Member of the House of Commons, 1885-6 M, W, Pruyn was born of U, E. L. parents in Fredericksburgh on October 22nd, 1819; but the farm had few attractions for him. He was educated at the common schools, and when a mere lad went to Wood stock, where he lived four or five years and acquired a knowledge of the grocery trade. In 1840 he set up in business for himself in Brant- ford and did weh until 1862, when his entire stock was destroyed by fire upon the day following the expiry of his insurance policy. While residing in Brantford he was twice elected to the town council and in 398 history of lennox and addington 1858 was mayor. After the loss of his stock he set out for the West, going by way of Panama and up the Pacific coast to British Columbia, where he spent two years in the mountains prospecting for gold which he never found in sufficient quantities to induce him to continue the search. He returned to his native province in 1864 just as the separa tion of the counties took place; and as his brother, O. T, Pruyn, was appointed sheriff of the new corporation of the county of Lennox and Addington he chose M. W. Pruyn as his deputy. This position he con tinued to fill until 1871, when he embarked again in the m.ercantile life and followed it until his death in 1898. In the years following the general election of 1882 Lennox passed through a political maelstrom in which both political parties appear to have completely lost their heads. Election followed election, protest followed protest, corruption was rampant; and there, are some who main tain that the evil influence of those campaigns has not yet been wiped out. It was through such an atmosphere that Mr. Pruyn entered poli tics. He had no sins to answer for, as he had not taken an active part in the other elections, and was returned by a majority of flfty-eight votes over the Liberal candidate, and held his seat for the balance of the parliamentary term. He was a courteous and refined gentleman, cautious never to give offence, yet capable of defending himself if he felt his position was unjustly attacked. He was just the type of man to bring before a set of electors whose blood was aroused, for his quiet, easy manner would have a tendency to soothe the hysterical element that is so much in evidence on both sides during a hot election. He never offered himself again as a candidate, in fact took very little part in subsequent elections, but devoted himself to his own affairs. James Reid, Warden of "Lennox and Addington, 1887 Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1890-1905 James Reid bears the name of his grandfather who emigrated to Canada from County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1829, and lived in Kingston for a few years after his arrival, spent a few more years in the township of Ernesttown, and finally settled down in the eighth concession of Cam den about three miles from Croydon, With James Reid the elder came his infant son, Robert Reid, but four years old when he left his native land. The young lad followed the fortunes of his father in the pioneer life in Camden until he was old enough to shift for himself, when he married and settled on a lot about three miles east of Enterprise, where he raised a family of nine, all of whom are living at the present time. biographical sketches 399 James Reid, ex-M.P.P., one of these nine, was born in 1848. Car- mai) Creek crossed through the old homestead, and his father, utilizing the water-power of this stream, built a saw-mih upon its bank and com bined the more lucrative occupation of lumber-man with that of farmer. His son James devoted himself to getting out the timber, conveying it to the mill, and converting it into lumber; and became master of every branch of the industry. In the early days, when the limits were more accessible than to-day, this little mill had an annual output of 1,000,000 feet of merchantable lumber. In 1875 Mr. Reid married and took up farming in his native township, which he followed until 1908, when he was appointed registrar of deeds for the county. To most men lumber ing and farming would not be chosen as a fitting apprenticeship for the somewhat intricate duties of the office of registrar ; but Mr. Reid has proven his adaptability to these dissimilar callings, and his well-kept books and his never failing courtesy to all having occasion to examine the records intrusted to his keeping have, fully justified the appoint ment. Public honours have been freely showered upon him; and of him it may truthfully be said they were not always of his seeking. He was the only non-resident of the village ever appointed to the board of trus tees of the Newburgh High School. He was a member of the municipal council of Camden for ten years, eight of which he was a member of the county council and filled the warden's chair for one term. It was no small compliment to him that, in a riding with many aspirants for political honours, he sat in the Legislative Assembly for fifteen ses sions. The people of Addington make many cahs upon the time and patience of their representative in the provincial house, especially in their dealings with the Crown Lands Department in which many diffi cult questions arise. In this respect Mr, Reid proved himself a friend indeed to scores of his constituents, and freely rendered his services to all applicants for his assistance, never stopping to inquire their political leanings or position in life. He received his nomination from the Con servative Association. Charles Riley, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1901 Charles Riley was born in Ireland in the month of November, 1839, and came to Canada in 1847. Mr. Riley is a shoemaker by trade, and like many others of the same calling is somewhat of a philosopher. Just why the last, awl, hammer, and needle should be conducive to logi- 400 history of LENNOX and addington cal reasoning and a philosophical turn of mind has never been satisfac torily explained; but the fact remains, so many at least are pleased to believe, that shoemakers are good reasoners and rarely do or say foolish things, Mr. Riley is no exception to "this rule, if rule it be. He came to Camden East in 1857, where he has continued to reside until the pre sent time. For a number of years he was a trustee of school section number three of Camden East and secretary-treasurer of the board. From 1893 to 1896 he was deputy-reeve of Camden; and when the county council was composed of commissioners elected from the different divisions Mr. Riley was one of the first representatives from the Cam den division. He was chosen warden in 1901 and discharged the duties of the office in a very satisfactory manner, Christopher Robinson, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1797-8 Upon one of the tablets in the memorial church at Adolphustown appears the following simple inscription: In Memory of Christopher Robinson Ensign Queen's Rangers, Inspector Crown Woods, One of the first Benchers of the Law Society M, P, Lennox and Addington 1794, Born about 1763, died 1798. At this time Lennox and Addington were not united as a riding; but Addington was joined with the islands along the lake and river front known as the county of Ontario, and Addington and Ontario had one representative. In the first Parliament, from 1792 to 1796, Joshua Booth was the representative, Christopher Robinson succeeded Booth, but died in November, 1798, after having been in attendance at the first two sessions of the second Legislature, Few men in the short span of thirty- five years attained such distinction as this early representative of our county. In his character and achievements he fully sustained the honour of a long line of illustrious ancestors and passed on unsullied the price less heritage of a good name to a posterity just as distinguished. Sir John Beverly Robinson, Chief Justice of Upper Canada from 1829 to 1863, was a son of Christopher, and Sir Christopher Robinson, the most eminent lawyer ever produced by the Law Society of Upper Canada, was his grandson. i^J^l^nS r ;.j™, s^&!S»S»v VJ- ^".'^ MgvjT,. •a^^^^sf - J^fc|rf • siV^ J^AJBoPV^i— f-MMgm IP^^P^,: ^^ r^ ^R- ^M ^P'-I^SI ^^: ' -*ii^^ HHta i^'.^j^m'F ai^UH^ik^^Hi ^W| AffiHJ ¦npH f^Mf^ ^^^R I'^^s^^'^^^TsB^PWl 9f^p,^ tjMnB iSp all i.P^-^-^^i t: 'j/ ^m Bbl[rSL^?^:w yBj IL-Jv*' ^ ^ ^^^IdI^iSH'V^Sc^'^ w^' ^mI ^^mt fUM 1 ^^;^ fP( uKj^rm^^^ ^-"W"9 wmi^4 \^M^\ f^TBl 4,-^ Hi f ^j^P' ^^^ L ^^^ i' ' - 'a^fcj^E ^E^^* _^^^- "V^'tntMlL^H ^1 (''•€^ ^H ' 71^^ .: 7^ ^^,yj ¦t"^ "/^JB I^^B^H^H ' "^^ m^ks^S^m ''^I^^^^H ^K^^^^^H >.-^T^ ^^^^^ft r, "jE^^K ^^^3Bmi Hji^fiHHH^H ^^^¦^^¦¦liifHH^^H^^^l ^^^^^^^^^^^^H f^^ ^^HBH^^i^H^r^ y' ^^^C H Hi H NAPANEE CRICKET CLUB AT SYRACUSE. 1886. Standing— Left to rig-ht. Wni A. Djily. J .hn G Daly. R. A. Leonard. J, Allum. A visitor. Fred Daly. George Burrows T. D. Pru>n. Sitting — Left to right. Herbert Daly. Harold Jones. F S. Richardson, (Captain). George Maj bee James E Herring. Wm. Do.\see. biographical SKETCHES 401 John Roblin, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1809-10 John Roblin was living the peaceful life of a farmer in New Jersey at the time of the Revolution, taking no part in the contest. His home was attacked and fired upon by a scouting party, and he was wounded in the knee, stripped of his clothing, and his house ransacked. The ruffians placed the muzzle of a musket at the breast of his wife and defied her to call George her King, at which she fearlessly rephed, "He once was ; why not now ?" The husband was afterwards placed in a rebel hospital and his wound so neglected that he was crippled for life. He abandoned his farm, joined the refugees, and settled in Adolphus town. In 1809 Lennox and Addington became entitled to two members in the Parhament of Upper Canada, and Roblin was duly elected; but as he was a Reformer his presence in the House was objectionable to the Family Compact. As no other charge could be brought against him a petition was filed against his return upon the ground that he was a local preacher of the Methodist Church, and in the eyes of the Compact an enemy to the established Church, and consequently not a fit and proper person to take part in the deliberations of the Legislature of a British colony; he was accordingly expelled from the House in 1810. After his death his wife purchased one hundred acres of land in Sophiasburgh, went into the woods with her family of small children, and assisted in felhng the trees to build for herself a log cabin. She paid for her land by weaving, and brought up a family whose descendants have been among the leading men of Prince Edward county. David Roblin, Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, 1854-62 David Roblin was born at Adolphustown, on April 19th, 1812. He was the youngest son of John Roblin, M.P.P,, who was born in the State of New York, and was among the United Empire Loyalists who settled in Adolphustown in 1784, Mr, Roblin spent his boyhood days upon his father's farm at Adolphustown, moving to Napanee when twenty years of age, and was the first merchant to engage in business on the Merchant's Bank corner. He later removed to Fredericksburgh, then to Richmond, and finally returned to Napanee, He married Miss Pamelia Hawley, a daughter of 26 402 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Jehiel Hawley of Fredericksburgh, and upon removing from Richmond to Napanee lived on West Street, in the small brick house north of the residence of Mr. James Daly. While living there he built the large brick residence on the top of the hill in the east end of the town, after which it was known as Roblin's Hill. He continued to live there until his death on March ist, 1863, He was engaged largely in the lumber busi ness, and in connection with the late Schuyler Shibley, speculated freely in U, E. L. scrip, making large sums of money ; but, although his income was at times quite fabulous, he was of too generous a nature to accumu late a fortune, but spent his money as easily as he earned it. He had a large family, entertained extensively, was kind to the rich and poor alike, and always had a host of friends. In 1 84 1 he was elected to the district council as reeve of Rich mond, and continued to hold his seat as representative of that township until 1859, In 1850 he was elected warden of the united counties and occupied the warden's chair until the end of 1857, He always took a prominent part in politics, having early attached himself to the Liberal party. His activity pointed him out as the com ing man for Lennox and /iddington very shortly after the removal of Messrs. Bidwell and Perry. In 1844 he ran in opposition to Honour able Benjamin Seymour, and was defeated; and having met with some pecuniary losses he stood aside in favour of Mr, Cephas H, Miller of Newburgh at the election of 1848; but Seymour again proved invincible. Upon the House being dissolved, Mr. Robhn was again the candidate of the Liberal party in opposition to Mr. Seymour; but was again defeated. In July, 1854, the contest was between, the same gentlemen; and this time Mr, Roblin was elected by a majority of fifty- four; and he con tinued to represent the county until 1862, He was a firm adherent of Sir Francis Hincks, and went over with him to the Coalition. He became and remained a steadfast supporter of that administration through all its changes. A strong, personal friendship existed between him and the member from Kingston, which continued unbroken up to the time of his death. Mr. Roblin's adherence to the Coalition, however, changed the position of parties in Lennox and Addington; many of his old friends disapproved of his course and for sook him; but through the influence of Sir John A. Macdonald and his friends he obtained many supporters from the ranks of old political opponents. A portion of each of the old parties supported him, and another section of each opposed him. At the election of 1857, Mr. Augustus Hooper came out in the interest of the then Opposition, but was beaten by Mr. Roblin. The contest in 1861 was between the same biographical sketches 403 candidates ; and this time Mr. Roblin was defeated. He was a Reformer of the Baldwin school, and while engaged in politics he spent a great deal of time looking after the wants of his constituents; and his corre spondence upon public matters, which is preserved in the archives of the Historical Society, shows that he carefully investigated the minutest details of all transactions in which he interested himself as the repre sentative of the county. In the public offices which he fihed he gave all his talents to his work, and was highly respected and esteemed by all who knew him, even by his strongest political opponents. The village of Roblin, formerly Spencer's Mills, was named after him, Alered H, Roe, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1884 Mr, Roe was born at Westport in the county of Frontenac in 1842, and was educated at Victoria College, Cobourg, He studied law for some time in the office of the late Judge Wilkison when he was a practi tioner in Napanee, Giving up the profession before he had completed his course he went to Forest Mills and set up in business as a general merchant, and at the same time ran a, grist-mill and saw-mill. In 1873 he returned to Napanee, resumed his legal studies, and did a general law business associated with the late E. J, Hooper. Although he never passed the necessary examinations to entitle him to practise in the higher courts, his knowledge of business and men and the experience he had gained in the law office stood him in good stead, and enabled him to ren der good service to his clients. He was the chief mover in the organ ization of the Napanee Gas Company, a project that most men would have hesitated to undertake when the natural difficulties in the way of piping the town are considered. He frequently appeared in the Surro gate Court, and was a regular attendant at the Division Court circuits, which did more business at one sittings in his time than is done now in twelve months. He was a formidable opponent at election time, pos sessed good executive ability, and as a platform speaker had few equals in the county. He was elected as a Conservative ,to the Legislative Assembly in 1884 ; but died during the first year of his term, at the early age of forty-two, David McGregor Rogers, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Uppfer Canada, 1797-1800 David McGregor Rogers, familiarly known in his day as "Major Rogers," although he was not entitled to the military title, was the second son of Major Rogers, a large landowner in the State of Vermont, where 404 HISTORY OE LENNOX AND ADDINGTON he and his brother were officers in the Queen's Rangers. They were en gaged in the French and Indian wars and, after the taking of Quebec, Major James Rogers, the father of David, was despatched by General Amherst to take possession of the western forts held by the French" as far west as Detroit and Michilimackinac. He afterwards went to Eng land, and in 1765 published a journal of his experiences in these wars, and later published another book of general information upon the North American colonies. He returned to Vermont and during the revolution met the fate of most of the Loyalists by having his property destroyed or confiscated; so, abandoning his lands, he came to Canada and settled in Fredericksburgh, and is alleged to have built the first frame house in the township, which was located on the Sherman farm on the north shore of Hay Bay, David resided with his father until the death of the latter about the year 1792, when he moved to Prince Edward County to take up some land to which he was entitled as the son of an officer. He was not unknown in Adolphustown, which township was united at that time with Prince Edward as one riding. He was the member for this riding during the second Parliament; but before the next election took place there was a redistribution of the seats and Adolphustown was attached to the other townships of this county to be represented by one member. By a further redistribution, in 1809, the county became entitled to two members and so remained until the union in 1841, Rogers afterwards moved to the township of Cramahe ; but still remained in politics, sitting as a member for twenty-six consecutive years, a figure reached by no other member of the Parliament of Upper Canada, In his home in Northumberland county he pursued his occupation as a farmer, was a merchant, clerk of the peace, clerk of the district court, and registrar of deeds! When you consider that he was also a Member of Parliament it will be easily understood that he had very little leisure. He was a mag nificent type of manhood — energetic but not impetuous, strong-minded but not tyrannical, genial but not patronizing, and shrewd but honour able in all his dealings, Matthew Ryan, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1913 It was a happy combination of circumstances that reserved the wardenship of the semi-centennial of the separation of the counties for Mr. Ryan. The first three wardens of the couqty, John Stevenson, Augustus Hooper, and John D, Ham were, at some period in their his- the NAPANEE BICYCLE CLUB, 1886. Back row— Left to right. Dr. G. C. T. Ward. Wm. E. Foster. A. N. Sweetman. A. R. Boyes. Wm. C. Smith. W. J. Trimble. W. J. Normile. Archie Clark. Front row — Left to right. Fred Roe, Wilkie Pringle. Wm. Thompson. Fred McGuin. ¦ ¦j |H ^^H H ¦HPiiipmH^ I B.^J WS^^^^-W- 1 M n ^^ P I H El H ^^^ 1'- ' E ^^ ^1^ Pji ¦ m Wh. v< 1 1 1 |j n ^j^j^^^jCT r PKlIL J^^^* ^ m 1 h i ^Ks -lim*' ^ ''^^^^^HT^^^^I 1 1 Wk M .^^^M^^^H 9 yHS THE STAFF, THE NAPANEE STANDARD, 1878. Back row— Left to right. George Burnip. Charles Ham. Guy Baker. William Davis. James Baker. Edward Root. F. R. Yokum. James Gallagher. Front row— Left to right. Elliot Vanalstine. Charles Allison. Sandy Melville. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 405 tory, successful merchants of the village of Newburgh, and they proved to be three of the best wardens the county ever had, Mr, Ryan served a portion of his apprenticeship in the same stores over which at one time these three men exercised control, and in after years, when they had all passed away, he succeeded them as the leading merchant of his native village, and like them is now called upon to exercise in the warden's chair that same tact and executive ability which he has dis played in the management of his own business. He was born in 1850, the son of Matthew Ryan, a stone-mason of Newburgh, who could not afiford to give his namesake any further start in life than a training in the Newburgh public school. He had as teachers Mr. John B, McGuin, and Mr, H. M. Deroche. When onlj- thirteen years of age he began to shift for himself as clerk in the store of Mr, Douglas Hooper, where he continued for over four years, and then entered the employment of Mr, John D, Ham and remained with him until Mr, Ham retired from mercantile life. Mr. Ryan then went to Centreville as managing clerk for Mr. James N. Lapum, member of Parliament for Addington, whose public duties called him away from home for weeks at a time, and being in search of a trustworthy young man his choice fell upon the present warden. In 1870, while yet in his minority, he formed a partnership with Cyrus Ash, son of Dr, Ash; and the firm of Ryan & Ash was soon advertising great bargains at the new Centreville store and continued to maintain the good reputation for fair dealing until 1876, when the sen ior partner retired and returned to Newburgh with a view of going west, when a word from his former employer completely changed his future career, James S. Haydon had succeeded his father in business at .Camden East, and had just lost his clerk, Gilbert (now Sir Gilbert) Parker, and was looking about for a competent managing clerk. Mr John D. JIam recommended that he secure the services of young Ryan for whose business ability he had the greatest respect ; and in order that the employment might be of a permanent character he suggested that Ryan be taken into partnership. It was thus the firm of Haydon & Ryan came into being, and the partnership which lasted for sixteen years demonstrated the ability of Mr.. Ham to measure up the two men, who, by this happy chance, were linked together in a most prosperous busi ness career and united in a lasting friendship which has endured ah the trials that beset the busy man. In 1892 the partnership was dissolved. Mr, Haydon retired from mercantile life, and Mr, Ryan shortly after opened a general store in Newburgh, where he is still engaged in business and is recognized as one 403 history of LENNOX AND ADDINGTON O.f the most extensive and prosperous merchants in the county. Although his own affairs are such as might well command his whole attention, he has not been deaf to the call of duty; and has cheerfully taken upon his shoulders his full share of responsibility in the government of his native vihage, in the council of which he has for many years been a leading member. No municipality in the county has had more difficult problems to solve than Newburgh and, thanks to the fact that the business men of the village are not afraid to give their time and talents to the solving of these problems, none has come through the ordeal more successfully. Now that our county appears to be entering upon a new era in its history, an era calling for large expenditures, we are to be congratulated in having at the helm a man capable of following in the footsteps of the able men which Newburgh in the past has supplied for the position now occupied by Mr. Ryan. Thomas V, Sexsmith, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1885 There is no better known family in the township of Richmond than that of the Sexsmiths, — honest, intelligent, hard-working farmers, who for generations have pursued their honourable calling, aiding in the development of their native township, bearing their share of the burden in administering its affairs, and sharing in the general prosperity they have helped to create. To such families, content to play their part in the rank and file of Canada's noblest citizens, we owe more to-day than we often concede; for all other callings and professions stand or fall as our farmers prosper or decline. There is no better type of this family than Thomas V. Sexsmith, born seventy-four years ago in Richmond, where he continued to live until three years ago, when he sold his farm and purchased another in Ernesttown near Camden East. The esteem in which he was held by those who knew him best may be inferred from the fact that for thirty- five years he was steward of the Methodist Church at Selby and for thirty-eight years secretary of the school board. For ten years he was a member of the township council, sat for six years in the county council, and was warden of the county in 1885, He was a great admirer of the late Sir John A Macdonald and was one of a deputation to wait upon him and tender him the nomination of the Conservative party of Lennox, In his own sphere and in his own unostentatious way he has faithfully discharged the duties devolving upon him as man and citizen. biographical sketches 407 Benjamin Seymour, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Canada, 1854-64 There is a singular appropriateness about certain names, and that of Benjamin Seymour is a striking illustration. The very name is pon derous, and suggests a man of substance and influence. Such a man was the wealthy merchant and money-lender of Bath, He lived on the north side of Main Street east of the lot upon which now stands the Bay View Hotel, and had a general store on the corner east of his resi dence. He owned a great many farms in Fredericksburgh and Ernest town and had mortgages upon twice as many more. Although he was wealthy, he was a man of very simple habits and denied himself many luxuries which he could have well afforded and still have lived well within his income. He was a shrewd business man ; but strictly honour able in ah his dealings, and his word in any transaction was as good as his bond. His opinion was sought upon all public questions affecting the welfare of the municipality, and when any proposition received the endorsement of Benjamin Seymour it was pretty sure to be carried through. He was for many years in public life; and after serving ten years in the Legislative Assembly of the old Province of Canada, was chosen a member of the Legislative Council, and at Confederation was appointed one of the fir.st senators of the new Dominion, Schuyler Shibley, Member of the House of Commons, 1872 to 1878 Schuyler Shibley did not require to trace his ancestors very far in order to demonstrate that there flowed in his veins the blood of men from whom he might well be proud to be descended. There has been but one titled class of nobility in Canada composed exclusively of Can adians, and that was the long list of United Empire Loyalists ,whose claims were carefully investigated before their names were placed upon the roh of honour and they were permitted to write after their names the letters U.EX, Any Canadian who can follow up his family history to such a starting point is quite safe in preparing his genealogical tree without going any further back. His grandfather on his father's side was John Shibley, LT E.L. who settled in Ernesttown near the village of Bath, and his mother was a daughter of Barnabas Day, U,E.L,, of the township of Kingston, His father, Jacob Shibley, represented the county of Frontenac in the Legislature of Upper Canada, 1834, Born in the year 1820, Schuyler 408 history of LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Shibley was educated at the Waterloo Academy near Kingston and spent most of his days upon the farm in the township of Portland. In 185 1-2 he made a tour of Europe, visited all the principal capitals of the continent, and returned to his native township one of the best informed farmers in the province. In conjunction with David Roblin, the local member for Lennox, he speculated extensively in U,E.L. scrip, became possessed of very large tracts of real estate, good, bad and indifferent, and was at times reputed to be very wealthy. He took a prominent place among the politicians of Frontenac, and was an independent supporter of John A. Macdonald up to the exposure of the Pacific Railway Scandal, when he cast in his lot with the party of Alexander Mackenzie. For several years he was reeve of his native township of Portland and as such had a seat in the county council, over which he was elected to preside as warden in the years 1868-69, and 1872, Mr. Shibley was a man of remarkable ability who could have exercised a great influence for good had he devoted his time and energy to the wellbeing of his country; but he was too much engrossed in his private affairs to give public matters first place in his consideration. He first entered federal politics as candidate for Addington in 1867 and was defeated; but in the general election of 1872 he was returned by a majority of 646. In 1874 he was again elected, unseated, and re-elected in the same year. He died at his home in 1886, Major Hazelton Spencer, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1792-6 Hazelton Spencer came to this county in 1784 and settled near Conway in the township of Fredericksburgh upon the farm owned by the late Henry Vandyck, He had seen considerable military ser vice during the Revolutionary War and was raised to the rank of major in the Royal Canadian A^olunteers, and up to the time of his death took a deep interest in all matters connected with the defence of Canada, Although he maintained his home upon the farm in this county, he was for six years, from 1797 to 1803, commandant of the garrison at Kings ton, and during that period lived in the Government House in that town. There were only sixteen members in the first Legislature of Upper Canada, and three of these represented constituencies made up in part of portions of this county. The islands along the lake front were known as the county of Ontario, which was united with Addington as one electoral district, Adolphustown and the county of Prince Edward BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 409 formed another, and the third was composed of Lennox (except Adol phustown) and Hastings and Northumberland, The two latter counties were very thinly settled and played an unimportant part in the choice of a representative. Major Spencer was the member for that district extending from the present town of Cobourg to Napanee, At the time of the outbreak of the American War in 1812 he was county lieutenant of this county, an office combining the duties of our present sheriff and county crown attorney, and he died somewhat suddenly in February, 1813, from an illness brought on by over-exertion in the discharge of his duties as such officer. Honourable John Stevenson, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1863-4-5 Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 1867-71 Napanee has never had a better citizen than the Honourable John Stevenson. He was always found foremost in the ranks of those who were advocating advancement and improvements. The county rightfully honoured him by choosing him as the first warden, and Lennox made no mistake in electing him as her first representative in the Legislative Assembly of the new Province of Ontario. He was the only man to serve as warden for three terms, and no man merited the honour more than he, for it was largely due to his untiring efforts that the separation of the counties became an accomplished fact. The province did honour to itself and especiahy to the old riding of Lennox by choosing him as the first Speaker of the House. It was not alone as a public servant and in the field of municipal and provincial politics tnat Mr. Stevenson excelled ; but in the industrial and commercial world as well he had few equals and no superior in the county. The Stevensons were English, and first settled in Pennsylvania soon after Wihiam Penn went there, the pioneer of the family being Sur- veyor-in-Chief of the States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, One branch of the family went to New Jersey and some of its members drifted away to Virginia, Andrew SteVenson of that State, once Speaker of the House of Representatives and at another time Minister to the Court of St, James, was a relative of John Stevenson. The New Jersey branch of the family, as weh as those who remained in Pennsylvania, were staunch Quakers, Edward, the father of John Stevenson, moved from New Jersey to the State of New York when the son, John, was 410 history of LENNOX AND ADDINGTON quite young. Later on he moved to the State of Michigan then being developed, where he took up land and remained the balance of his life. The son first went to Canada, settled in the county of Leeds, received his early education in Brockville, and taught school for one year in the country district about Maitland. In 1831 he went to Bath and engaged himself as a clerk in the general store of Henry Lasher, for whom he worked for five years at a salary of i20 a year. On the death of his employer his son, John Lasher, took over the business with Mr. Stevenson as a partner. This partnership continued until 1848, when Mr. Stevenson opened a store in Newburgh, engaging as manag ing clerk the late John D. Ham, who had also served his apprenticeship under Lasher, and who was shortly after admitted to partnership with Mr. Stevenson, and in 1850 purchased his interest. After disposing of his store in Newburgh John Stevenson moved to Napanee, where he spent the remainder of his life. There was scarcely any class of business represented in the town that did not at some time engage his attention. He was a general merchant, which in itself meant a. great deal, a lumber-man, vessel owner, ship-builder, miller, sawyer, forwarder, and owned large tracts of real estate. He employed a large number of men in Napanee and was a most important factor in building up the village. In 1852 he made a contract with the government for five years for the employment of convict labour in the Kingston Penitentiary for the manufacture of furniture. In 1853-4 he entered into a contract with the late David Roblin for the building of the stone piers of the railway bridge over the Napanee River, He was for a time interested in a contract for the employment of convict labour in the State prison at Auburn, New York. For several years he and the late Cephas H. Miller had charge of the big grist-mill in Napanee, As a justice of the peace he was for many years the chief magistrate in the administration of justice in the township of Richmond, his chief associate on the bench being the late John Herring. He took a deep interest in all educational and municipal matters. Two of his last business ventures were the establishment of a brush factory in Napanee and a piano factory in Kingston, He built the substantial brick residence opposite the Eng lish Church, which was his home for many years, and here he died in his seventy-second year on April ist, 1884, Two younger brothers of Mr, Stevenson attained distinction in the political arena of the United States ; one, Edward, was elected Governor of the State of Idaho in 1885, the other, Charles, was elected Governor of Nevada in 1887, biographical sketches 411 Elijah Storr, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1880 Elijah Storr was born in Selby, Yorkshire, England, in 1817, and emigrated to Canada in 1830, His father first settled in York county, later on moved to Prince Edward, and finally in 1840 took up land near Lime Lake in the northern part of Richmond, which at that time was a wilderness. Life was a hard struggle with the Storr family for years, as there was very little return for the labour expended in clearing the land except what was received from the merchants in Napanee in exchange for potash. Elijah sought to better his condition by moving nearer the front ; and when the opportunity presented itself he exchanged his farm in the rear for one at Leinster, where he lived until 1900, and then in his eighty-fourth year retired to a quiet home near Selby, where he spent the rest of his days. The only education he received was at the public school before he came to Canada ; but he was gifted with good common-sense and an intelligent appreciation of the higher aims of the jiatriot and true citizen. He was a member of the council of the united counties before the sepa ration, and was one of the foremost champions of the rights of Lennox and Addington in the prolonged controversy over that vexed question. He and the late George Madole were regarded as the leading men of their native township fifty years ago; and when they agreed upon any subject affecting the local interests of Richmond their advice, as a rule, was followed. He was chosen head of the county council during that decade in its history when some of the best men this county has pro duced filled that honourable position ; and mea.sured by that high stan dard he was not found wanting. He died at Selby in the month of December, 1906. Thomas Symington, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1902 Mr, Symington is a canny Scotchman, so canny that he hesitated about furnishing any data about his personal career until assured that the writer had no sinister object in view in seeking the information. He was born at Douglas in Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1841, and came to Canada in 1846 with his parents, who settled upon a farm in Brighton township. He followed farming until he was thirty-three years of age, and for the last seven years of this period pursued the calling upon his own responsibility and was not unsuccessful. In 1874, no doubt influ- 412 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON enced in a large measure by his brother-in-law the late A, L, Morden, Q,C., he came to Napanee and engaged in the grocery business till 1881, when he sold out. He had been longing to revisit the scenes of his childhood and, freed from business cares, he availed himself of the opportunity and spent one year in the old country. Having completed a most interesting tour of the British Isles and the continent in company ^yith his wife, he returned to Napanee and built on the south side of Dundas Street a very neat opera house which proved a great boon to the playgoing people of the town. The old town-hall was neither comfortable nor convenient for public entertainments; and Mr. Symington's enterprise in providing a suitable hall for public gatherings of all kinds was appreciated by all classes in the community. Unfortunately the hall was burned in 1887 and was not rebuilt; but in its place arose the stores west of the Royal Hotel in which he again opened up a grocery. He continued in business for about ten years, and again retired; but idleness and he were never on good terms, and for the past ten years he has been engaged in the fur, seed, and evaporator business. 'Mr. Symington is a well-informed man and is capable of forming an intelligent opinion upon all subjects affecting the public welfare; and when once he has carefully weighed the pros and cons and arrived at a conclusion he never hesitates to express it, and in .so doing is not moved by any consideration as to the popularity of the views entertained by him. He has been several times elected to the town council, and was county commissioner for two terms, and warden of the county in 1902. In office he pursued that policy which commended itself to his judgment; and if the course followed by him was questioned or attacked he never shirked the responsibility of defending his position. Timothy Thompson, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1797-1804 Timothy Thompson was one of the U, E, L, pioneers who settled on the front of Fredericksburgh. He owned large tracts of lands in the county and was reputed .to be very wealthy. He lived in a large frame house on the bay shore upon the farm now owned by Mr. Edward Wright. He was a royal entertainer and kept open house for all his friends, and his popularity among the electors was due in no small meas ure to the sumptuous repasts provided for all who chose to partake of his hospitality, especially about election time. The memories of the spacious dining-hall with Ensign Timothy at the head of the board laden ^^^ ¦ ¦^ ^^^^hI ¦ jkoH 1 % ^^^1 k m> \4!Hb ^^^^1 ^^^H_L ^^H^H p'^M H ik' ^^^H ^ i^fc'' j^f^^M j^Hp ^^hI HH !^^l H I^^H 1 !{|^H|'^.> ^^^^^^p*. ^^H ¦* mUtmSSL — -^'^iS^r'irf BftB^^^V^— aj. * _-; ICJ"'* ^ - -j - -"i- ¦Kmi •k iiMfc^AanwHS — members of the BOARD OF EDUCATION-NAPANEE, 1890 TO 1893 J. Webster. T. S, Henry. H. V. Fralick. W. Templeton. T. D. Pruyn. W. Coxall. G. J. Curlett. A. L. Morden. H. M. Deroche W. F. llall. W. S. Herring-ton. Secy.-Treas. Alex. Henry. A. W. Granyre. John Co.ites. A. S. Ashley. J. P. Hanley. biographical sketches 413 with the best his well-stocked larder could produce, and the steaming trenchers borne upon the heads of the negro slaves, all had their effect upon election day. He succeeded Hazelton Spencer as the representa tive in the second Legislature for the district composed of Lennox (ex cept Adolphustown) and Hastings and Northumberland, and again in the third and sixth Legislatures after there had been a redistribution of the seats, and Lennox and Addington had been united as one electoral district, James Thomson, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1896 James Thomson was born near Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1832, and died at his home in Newburgh in 1902, His father was a paper manu facturer, and his sons, James and John, both served their apprentice ship of seven years in the mill of their father before they were discharged as masters of the art. When about twenty-two years of age James came to America, and secured a position as manager of a mill in Tren ton, New Jersey, In the year 1875 he came to Canada with a view of going into part nership with William Rooklidge and his brother John in the town of Gananoque, under the firm name of Rooklidge, Thomson & Co, A business was already established at this town under the management of his brother John, who was the only one connected with the concern who understood the secret process of treating the wood pulp to produce from it the grades of paper required for the market; and the main object- of introducing the other Thomson into the firm was to have another experi- "enced manager to fall back on in case John Thomson's services should not at all times be available. For business reasons Newburgh was con sidered a m.ore desirable site for the plant than Gananoque, so the first mills were erected on the Napanee River, After the first year John stepped out of the firm and assumed the management of a new plant at Strathcona, Two years later Rooklidge and James Thomson dissolved partner ship, and a new company, composed principally of Napanee capitalists, was organized and took over the business, retaining Mr, James Thom son as manager. The brothers continued at their respective posts for two years, when they severed their connection with the mills they were managing, formed a new partnership themselves, and built the large mill near Camden East; and the small village which sprang into being was thereafter known as Thomsonvihe, (It is now one hundred years 414 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON since that power was first Utilized by John Gibbard, who built a saw mill there during the war of 1812. He was the father of John Gibbard, the founder of the Gibbard Furniture Factory of Napanee,) For six years the brothers carried on a successful business, when John retired from the firm to make way for the sons of his brother James who him self withdrew from the partnership in 1900, to enjoy for the remainder of his days that rest which he so justly merited. As a man of business, as a neighbour, friend, citizen, and public official one always knew where to find James Thomson, He conscien tiously did what he conceived to be his duty and was never influenced by any motive that did not appeal to him as honourable. He was always open to conviction and weighed carefully every proposition submitted to him ; and when he had mapped out his course he punsued it with firmness and determination; yet he was not arbitrary, but conceded to all men the same right to think and act for themselves. He was respected by all who knew him, and loved by those who knew him best, especially by his own employees. Peter Vanalstine, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada, 1793-6 Many references have already been made in these pages to Major Peter Vanalstine, He was of Dutch descent and declared it in his build, complexion, -and speech, for he was in every respect a typical Dutch man, He was the leader of the first company of Loyalists who landed in Adolphustown, and might properly be denominated, the pioneer of the pioneers. He brought with him a number of negro slaves; and, so far as life in the wilderness offered the opportunity, he lived in grand style, and was never happier than when entertaining his friends to a sumptu ous dinner. He was a rollicking good-natured companion, a striking contrast to his sedate neighbour, Phihip Dorland, who dechned to take the oath of office as a member of the Legislative Assembly. When the new election was held the major was returned as the first member to sit in the Assembly for Adolphustown and Prince Edward, He was a justice of the peace, and his name frequently appears in the records of the sessions as one of the members of that administrative and judicial body. He lived on the peninsula west of Adolphustown village and built on the opposite shore at Glenora the first grist-mill in Prince Edward county. He died in 181 1, and was buried in the U, E. L, burying-ground at Adolphustown, biographical sketches 415 Sidney Warner, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1867-8 John Stevenson, John D, Plam, and Sidney Warner were the only men who were honoured by being chosen to act as warden for a second term, and none were more wortny of the honour than they. They were all broad-minded men who had a thorough knowledge of the needs of the county : they had all participated in the long fight over the separation from Frontenac, and were best qualified to conduct the affairs of the new municipahty of Lennox and Addington, Mr, Stevenson was opposed to the other two during that bitter struggle ; but all were prac tically agreed upon the wisdom of the proposed separation, and differed only upon the question of the county town, each being influenced by local interests: but, when the separation became an accomplished fact, they forgot their former differences and worked in harmony for the wellbeing of the whole county. To these three men the county owes much. At no time since 1863 has there been in the council so strong a trio as these three merchants, who for the first six years of the county's history so managed its affairs, with the assistance of many other able councillors, among whom might be specially mentioned J. J, Watson, William Miher, and Ebenezer Perry, that in reading to-day the minutes of the early sessions one is staggered with the amount of work performed, the financial problems solved, and the remarkable business ability displayed throughout it all. It was no easy matter to adjust the liabilities of the united counties so that each should assume its just proportion. New offices were created in Lennox and Addington, new buildings had to be erected, sites selected, plans and specifications prepared, contracts let, and money raised to meet the obligations. It was in a crisis like this that the services of a Sidney Warner were needed, as among his other admirable qualities he was a thorough business man whose integrity was never challenged, Hig. father, Stephen Warner, lived near Saratoga in the State of New York, where Sidney, the eldest child, was born. He was a farmer, and attracted by the good reports of the Loyalists in Canada left his American home in 181 2, came to South Fredericksburgh, and lived a few years on lot number eighteen in the third concession. For a time he endeavoured to add to the slender revenue of the farm by setting up a small distihery. He shifted about from one place to another and fin ally settled down in the seventh concession of Ernesttown, In 1828 Sidney, a young man just turning twenty-one, displayed his commercial instinct by starting a small store in Ernesttown about two 416 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON miles from Simmon's Mills, This store he continued to operate for eight years, then shifted it over to the Mills, and opened up on a larger scale. His influence began to be felt ; and for the next fifty years Sid ney Warner's store was famous for miles around. He soon applied for and obtained a post-office and himself became the first postmaster, and upon being requested to select a name for the new office he chose the name Wilton. He was a justice of the peace and in him the title was well exemplified, as he invariably induced the would-be litigants, if they were at all amenable to reason, to settle their differences amicably, shake hands, and be friends. His name became a synonym for honour, hon esty, and uprightness in all things. No man in Lennox and Addington had more extensive dealings with the public and was brought in closer touch with the people through his store and as a money-lender, but the man is yet to be found to say an unkind word about him. He was for many years in the old district council and for nineteen years was a member of the Ernesttown council. During this period he was fourteen years reeve, four years deputy-reeve, and one year only a simple member of the board. Mr. Warner was generous to the poor, and although he controlled more mortgages upon the farms of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington than any other single individual he was never known to eject a mortgagor from his premises. In this respect his son, Harvey Warner, who inherited the greater part of his fortune and most of his good qualities, has followed closely in his footsteps. Many a poor man and woman could testify to his num erous unostentatious acts of charity, and the church to which he belongs has especial cause to be grateful for his liberal donations; the Napanee Public Library and the Harvey Warner Park are evidences of his tender regard for the welfare and happiness of the general public. Although now approaching fourscore years, he, unlike his father, has never filled any public office and would never allow his name to be placed in nomina tion for positions of trust and honour, which would have been his, no doubt without opposition, if he .coiild have seen his way clear to accept them, Sidney Warner died on his eightieth birthday on July 12th, 1886, and was buried in the family plot at Wilton,, G, A, Wartman, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1912 Michael Grass, the pioneer of the Loyalists, wliose adventures are recounted in Chapter II, was the great-grandfather of Mr, G, A. Wart- NAPANEE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE. FOOTBALL TEAMS, 1905. Back row-Left to right. Ernest Anderson. Bruce Wager. Harry Preston. Bert Vanalstine. Joseph McNeil. Wm. Templeton. Harold Duffett. Ray Gleason. Middle Row— Left to right. John McCainus. Roland Daly. Walter Emsley. M. R. Keid. Ross Dafoe. George Savage. Hubert Baker Walter Caton Front row-Left to right. Bidwell Conway, WiUiam McLaughlin. George Shorey. Gladwin Clark. -;dth Johnston . Claude Knight, Joseph Murphy BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 417 man, who is the son of John Wartman, and the grandson of Peter Grass, U. E, L, He was born at Selby in 1854. While yet a mere lad his parents removed to the lake shore road near Portsmouth, where he attended the common school, grew into manhood, and followed the occu pation of a farmer not far from the very place where his great-grand father had helped to hew out a home in the forest over a hundred years ago. Fifteen years ago he moved to Bath and engaged in the coal and grain business, which he still carries on. He soon identified himself with the municipal affairs of the village, has been seven times elected h'^ad of the council, and has proven himself to be a careful and pains taking official, J. J, Watson, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1870 It-would have been surprising indeed if J, J. Watson had not been a loyal public-spirited citizen, for he was descended from parents who knew what it was to fight and suffer for the flag under whose folds they sought repose in the days of peace. His father was born in Eng land, and at eighteen years of age joined the navy, and served upon one of His Majesty's ships engaged in the suppression of the slave traffic on the coast of Guinea, Owing to ill-health he came to Canada, and in the war of 1812 joined the colonial forces and was wounded at the battle of Lundy's Lane, He afterwards settled in Adolphustown, was appointed in 1816 the first postmaster in the township, and married a daughter of Captain Alien, the fighting Quaker, who was among the first to land at Adolphustown with Major Vanalstine in 1784, Mr. Watson was born in 1816 and received the best education that the province could at that time afford. Among his school companions was the late Sir John A. Macdonald for whom he naturally entertained feelings of the strongest friendship and admiration. During the rebel lion of 1837 he served with the volunteers at Kingston, was gazetted as captain in 1869, and was afterwards tendered the command of a regi ment, which he declined. He never paraded his military title, but was more generally known as plain J, J, Watson. For nine years he was local superintendent of schools, and his prac tical suggestions regarding educational matters were so highly esteemed by Dr. Ryerson that they were embodied in the departmental publications issued by him. He was postmaster for thirty-nine years, and served many terms in the county council both before and after the separation of the county. Shoulder, to shoulder with the Honourable John Stevenson 27 418 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON he braved the storm and smoke of battle, and when the victory was won he and Sidney Warner, John D. Ham, Ebenezer Perry, and others began the constructive work of the new municipality and justly earned the title of Fathers of Lennox and Addington, In 1870 he was chosen warden and proved to be a very active one, and was credited by his fel low members of the council as having displayed marked skih and ability in the discharge of his duties. Above all things else Mr. Watson was a Loyalist, and as such was a prime mover in the U. E. L. celebration of 1884, and with his counsel and purse did much to ensure the success of that epoch-marking event in the history of our province. The two poplar trees standing in front of the Memorial Church were planted by him eighty years ago, and he intended building his own dwelhng upon that lot; but donated it to the church instead. The Rector of the parish now resides in the house in which he was bom. Uriah Wilson, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1882 Member of House of Commons, 1887, and 1692-1911 It has fallen to the lot of few men in the Province of Ontario and of none in the county of Lennox and Addington to receive at the hands of his fellow-citizens the public honours that have been awarded to Mr. Uriah Wilson, who for ten years was a , member of the council of Napanee and for twenty-three years represented his native county in the House of Commons. That he has attained this distinction is due to his own eneregy and force of character, as he started out in life the third member of a family of six children whose father died when Uriah was but twelve years of age. He was born in North Fredericksburgh in 1 841 on what was known as the Macdonald farm a few miles from town, lying north of the York Road. There he lived until he was eight years of age, when his father, a stone-mason, moved to Napanee and lived in a house upon an alley way in the rear of where the Paisley.. House now stands. While other boys of his years were attending school the subject of our sketch was denied that privilege and helped his father at his trade. His father died in 1853, leaving the widowed mother dependent upon the young children for her support. Napanee at the time was an important lumber centre from which were shipped the products of the numerous saw-mills up the river; and the young lad who was in after years to sit in the most important legis lative body in the British Dominions beyond the Seas found employ- biographical sketches 419 ment upon the docks. At that early date he gave promise of that thrift which afterwards made him one of the leading merchants of the town by carrying his weekly earnings to his mother to assist in the maintenance of the family. As the family grew up and were better able to shift for themselves he was apprenticed to a shoemaker, Benoni Briggs by name, and worked on the bench four years, when he was pronounced a master of the trade. Factory boots and shoes were little worn at the time, and Mr, Wilson set up in business for himself ; and it was not long before the young man who had started out in life by carrying a hod for his father was the head of a busy shoe shop which turned out a quality of footwear excelled by none in the country. His brother John was taken into the business, and as Wilson & Bro., they have won their place among the leading merchants of the district. Mr. Wilson's capacity for mastering the details of any undertaking he had in hand singled him out as a candidate for municipal honours, and for ten years he was a member of the town council, having been elected five times by acclamation. He passed through the various stages from councillor to mayor, and in 1883 was chosen warden of the county. In 1887 he was elected to Parliament as a straight Conservative; and through the varying changes in parties and policies he continued, with the exception of one session, the representative of his native county until 191 1, when he retired from the political arena. As a member of the House he made a special study of the immigration problem, and while in opposition the severest criticisms of the policy of the government were from the Honourable member from Lennox, Mr, Wilson has taken a deep interest in all matters affecting the welfare of his native town and county, and has given freely of his time, talents, and means to encourage and assist every worthy cause which was in need of support. Among his other generous acts he contributed to the town the land upon which the public library stands, NiAL P. Wood, Warden of Lennox and Addington, 1883 Mr, Wood is now enjoying the twilight of life in the city of Kingston, where he has resided since 1885. He is a son of the late Jacob Wood, and was born in 1841 on the shore of the Bay of Quinte below Bath, He remained at home with his father until he had attained his majority, when he married and commenced farming for himself on lot number twenty in the third concession of Ernesttown, where he con tinued to reside until he moved to the city. 420 HISTORY OF LENNOX AND ADDINGTON He is a man who looks upon the bright side of all things in life, keeps a watchful eye upon what is going on about him, yet meddles with no matters in which he is not personally concerned, and was consid ered) by the electors to be just the type of man who could safely be in trusted with the business affairs of the township. He accordingly was first placed in nomination in 1873, and with little effort upon his part sat in the council for eleven consecutive years. The duties of councillor are not very onerous in Ernesttown as the path was well blazed by such men as Sidney Warner and Phillip D. Booth, so that their successors have little to do but meet once a month in Odessa, go through the routine of business generally outlined in advance by an intelligent clerk, partake of a good dinner at Sproule's Hotel, and return home. Mr. Wood discharged all of these duties satisfactorily; and in 1883 was chosen warden, after which he. retired from public life, and two years later sought a change from the peaceful quiet of the farm to the more stirring bustle of the city. INDEX PAGE A Abinger Township 65 Adamson, Rev. Wagar 191 Addington Road 335 Adolphustown, Minute book of 59, Important centre 61, Auction sale at 82, Contest between Adolphus town and Marysburg 136, First survey 137, Origin of name 137, Dispute over boundary 139, First town meeting 140, First regular court 142, Court House built 142, Legal centre 154, Stage road through 156. Agricultural Society Grounds .... 254 Allan, Dr. James 231 Allen, Parker 99 Allison, Cyrus R 350 Allison, D. y/ 143, 348 Allison, Joseph 60 Amherst Island granted to La Salle 12, Changes in ownership 189, Settlement of 190, Churches of 191, Schools 194, Fishing 195, Ship-building 195, Militia 197, Daniel Fowler 199. Anglesea Township 335 Ashby Township 65, 335 August, John 343 Aylesworth, Sir Allan 296 Aylesworth, Bowen E 3S0 Aylesworth, Geo. Anson 286 Aylesworth, Isaac Brock 288,297 Aylesworth, John 17S B Babcock, Wesley and John 17s Baker, Henry Allen 3Si Baldwin, Robert 64 Ballyhack 328 Banks of Lennox and Addington 255 Bantling, The 276 PAGE Barker, David 141 Barker, Dr. E. J 303 Bass Cove 138 Bates, Roger, testimonial of 34, 73 Bath, Bath Academy 100, Commer cial centre 154, First court at 155, Military centre 159, First steam boat built at 160, Description of 166, Merchants of 169, Cricket match 251, Described in The Bee 271. Beach, David 295 Bedell, Reuben 60 Bee, The Napanee 270 Beeman, Cephas I. 280, 299 Beeman, G. M 275, 280 Beeman, M. I. 302 Bees, Logging 32, Husking 46, Quilting and paring 47. Beaver, The 280, 296 Bell, John W. 352 Bell, William Alexander 352 Bel], William 77, 120 Bellhouse, W. A 251,260 Benjamin, E. W. 311 Benson, Garrett 60 Benso'n, John 278 Benson, Samuel 222 Bidwell, Barnabas 100, 353 Bidwell, Marshall Spring 100, 188, 289, 354 Bigg, W. R. 127 Black, John 288 Black, W. D. 356 Blake, John 176 Blakely, T. M. 276 Bogart, Gilbert 235 Bogart, L. L. 143 Bogart, M. C. 357 Booth, B. A. 177 Booth, John 176 Booth, Joshua 30, 358 Booth, Phillip D. 359 [421 422 INDEX PAGE Bower, John 184 Bowers, Adam 284 Bristol, Peter, reminiscences of • • 184 British North American Bank 260 British North American Newspaper 298 Bryden, James 359 Burrows, Frederick I33 Burrows, John Joseph, Judge 71 Canniff, Dr. William I43 Camden, Early settlers 283, Strath cona 284, Newburgl^286, Centre ville 300, Camden East 303, Yarker 309, Colebrook 317, Mos cow 319, Enterprise 321. Camden East 303 Campbell, Alexander 209, 234, 258, 273 Campbell, John 295 Camp-meeting, first 148 Card, Jethro 323 Carleton, William 177 Carscallen, Dr. A. B. 323 Carscallen, A. B. 326 Carscallen, John C. 360 Carscallen, P. F 326 Carscallen, Thos. G. 360 Carson, John 362 Cartwright, Rev. Conway E. 192 Cartwright, J. S. 64, 157, 187, 362 Cartwright, Hon. Richard, Member of Land Board 30, Purchases grist-mill at Napanee 41, Mem ber of Quarter Sessions 55, Trial of McCarty 163, Secures Wm. Grange's services 221 ; 258, 365. Cartwright, Sir R. J 55. 143, 258, 259, 277 Carman, J. W. 275 Carman, T. S. 277 Case, Rev. Wm 148, 164 Cajsey, Samuel 141, 145,366 Casey, Thomas W. ¦ ¦ 136, 278, 280, 281 Casey, Willett 61, 145, 366 Casket, The 280 Cayuga Indians, Settlement at Kente 5 Cedar Lake settlement 344 Centreville 300 Chadwick, Charles 329 Chamberlain, Dr. Thomas 52, 173 Champlain's route in the County . . I, 2, 3, 4, 5 Charlotte Queen, steamer 161 PAGE Checkley, E. R. 309 Cheese Factories, first 170 Christie, Mrs. Annie 201 Christie, Rev. J. J. 192 Clark, John C. 97. I07, "3 Clark, Matthew 367 Clark, Robert 41. 164,210 Clark, Samuel 255, 303 Clark, Walter 15 Clarks Mills 303 Clark settlement 73 Clarkville 183, 187, 212 Clancy, Thomas 323 Clergymen of Napanee 263 Colebrook 316 Connolly, Joseph 311 Connolly, J. C. 31S Comber, Jacob I75 Commercial Bank 259 Cook, Samuel H. 285 Corson, Rev. Robert 264, 329 Cox, Col. Robert 322 County Court Clerks 72 County Court Judges 71, 72 County Crown Attorneys 72 Court of Requests 59 Cronk, Asa 331 Crotch Lake, Champlain encamped near 5 Cricket Club 251 Cull, James 157, 204 Cumberland, Rev. James 193, 197 Curling Club 251 Davern, Richard and Daniel 146 Davis, A. C 224,237 Davis, James 206 Davy, Benjamin C. ¦ • 169, 229, 230, 23s, 250, 272, 273, 276 Dawson, George W. W 367 Declaration of Independence, How brought about 20, Not spontan eous act of delegates 21. Denbigh Township 65, 33s Denison, George 368 Denison, Robert 368 Depew, Dr. 170 Deroche, H. M., County Crown At- . torney 72, 231, 295, 369 Deroche, W. P., County Court Clerk 72 Detlor, George H 188, 204, 370 Detlor, John V. 223, 255 INDEX 423 PAGE Devine, Rev. J. A. 215 Dixon, Rev. J. E. 192 Doller, W. N. 254, 370 Donoghue, Rev. Father 194 Dominion Bank 260 Dorland, Phillip 61, 139, 145 Dorland, Thomas •¦¦¦139. 141. 145, 371 Drewry, J. C. 278 Dundas Street, first macadamized road 157 Dunham, E. A. 275 E Echo Newspaper 331 Edgar, Cyrus 372 Effingham Township 65, 335 Emporium, The Napanee 273 Emsley, Rev. W. H. 263 Enterprise 321 Erinsville 333 Ernesttown, — Origin of name 152, First settled 152, Village of 154, First chapel in 163, First cheese factories 170. Ernesttown Academy loi F^xpress, The Weekly 277 F Fairfield, Benjamin 373 ^'airfield, Wm. 373 Fenelon, Father, appointed to Kente Mission 6, Establishes out posts 7, Suffers from famine 9, Differences with Governor, Re call and degth 9. Ferguson, Rev. 193 Fessenden, Cortez 217 Filson, Robert 373 Finkle, Henry 159, 168 Finkle, John 159 Finkle, R. R. 161 Fisher, Alex. 30, 56, 62, 141, 222 Forest Mills 206 Forks, The 138 Forward, Henry . . .' 187, 237 Foster, Joseph 320 Fowler, Daniel I99 Fowler, Reginald A. 374 Fralick, Tavern 172, 204 Fraser, Isaac 59, 167, 375 Fredericksburgh 182 Fredericksburgh, Additional .... 139, 182 Freeholders' Bank 255 PAGE French Civil Code abolished 58 Frontenac County, — Agitation for separation from Lennox and Ad dington begun 6g, 'Finally accom plished 70, Purchase of York road 158. Frontenac, Governor — Visits Catar aqui II Frontenac Steamer 160 G Gafne}^, Patrick 332 Gallagher, L. L 375 Gallagher's Corners 205 Ganneious 7, 8, 208 Garret, A. D. W. & Co 285 Geography — How taught in early schools 106 German immigrants 342, 346 Gibbard, John 215, 239, 266 Gibson, Stephen 254 Gildersleeve, Henry 160 Gilmour, Smith 376 Givens, Rev. Saltern 262, 303 Gordanier, Tavern 173 Gordon, George Sinclair 305 Gordon, John 316 Gourlay, Robert loi Graham, Robert 322 Grange, Dr. James 215 Grange, John T. 377 Grange, Wm. 221 Grass, Michael, — Persecution of 25, Recommends shores of Bay of Quinte for settlement of Loyal ists 26, Conducts Loyalists to 27. Greenleaf, Rev. G. D. .... 270, 273, 280 Gunsolus, Alma 98 H Hagerman, Christopher 144, 145 Hagerman, Daniel 144, 145 Hagerman, Nicholas . • 139, 141, 143, 144 Haight, Canniff, — Relates exper iences of Loyalists in the "Hun gry Year" 39 Haight, Daniel 82 Hall, W. F. 218, 285 Harris, Arnold 285 Ham, Ira 378 Ham, John 378 Ham, Jno. D 378 Hambly, Chas. W. 380 424 INDEX PAGE Hay Bay 138, Drowning accident. 148 Haydon, James S 305, 307 Harrison, S. B. 63 Hawley, George Douglas 72, 381 Henry, Alex. 218, 274, 285, 314 Henry, Thos. S. ••..212, 215, 218, 274 Henzy, William 175, 177 Herring, John 216, 235 Hogle, John 382 Holland, Major Samuel 137 Hollandville, First name of Adol phustown Village 137 Hooper, Augustus. 151, 223, 277, 292, 382 Hooper, E. J. 230, 384 Hooper, Edmund -'- 383 Hope, Robert F. 292, 293 Hough, Asa H. 179 Hover, Casper 143 Huff, Paul 60, 142, 147 Huffman settlement 319 Huffman, Elias 204 Huffman, Isaiah 204 Huffman, Jacob and Elijah.204, 255, 319 Huffman, J. C. 244 Hungry year 39 Huyck, John 61 I . Index Newspaper 296 Indians. — Not the permanent home of I, Deer hunt 2, Treatment by France 8, Ensnared at Cataraqui 14, Followed Bay of Quinte route 15, Relics collected by Walter Clark IS. J Johnson, Sir John 27, 152, 189 Johnson, Sir William 189 Justices of the Peace 55, 66 K Kalader Township 335 Keach, Hiram 384 Kellar, Frederick 174 Kente 5 Kingston, Site of, selected for Fort Frontenac 11. Emigrant's Guide's comments on 44. First school 97. L Laing. Robert 117 Lapum, Edwin Smith 386 PAGE Lapum, James N. 301, 385 Lane, J. S. 345 Langhorn, Rev. John .... 165, 168, 191 La Salle, Dealings with Seigniory at Lachine 10, Selects site for Fort Frontenac 11, Obtains grant of land on Bay of Quinte 12, 189, Pursues his explorations 13, Dies in Texas 13. Lauder, Rev. Dr 258 Lawyers Heaven-born 144, of Nap anee 230. Ledger Lennox and Addington . . 279 Lee, Colonel Anson 180, 250 Lennox, first spelled Lenox '. ...'.. 57 Leonard, Dr. R. A. 235 Lewin, Rev. Wm. 295 Little Cove 138 Lindsay, Rev. J. E 192 Link, John 175, 176 Liverpool 203 Lochhead, J. S 301,302 Lockwood, Isaac J. 293, 304 Lockwood, Joshua B. 255, 304 Lloyd, Benjamin C. 387 Long Lake, Champlain encamped near 5 Losee, Rev. Wm 142, 146, 147 Loughborough, Lake 5 Loyst, A. B. '. . 387 Lucas, Rev. D. V. 143 Lutheran Church 183 Lyons, School Teacher 97 M Macdonald, Sir John A. . • -99, 213, 388 MacLennan, Rev. Alex 193 MacNab, Sir Allen 64 Macpherson, Allan 209, 210, 212, 222, 235, 273 McCarty, James or Charles Justin 147, 161 McCurdy, Rev. Daniel 192 McDonnell, Archibald 30, 55, 163 McDowell, Rev. Mr. 268 McGuin, John Bell, County Court Clerk 72 INIcGuiness, Arthur 143 Mcintosh, Rev. James 193 McKay, John 180 McKay, Rev. W. A 120 McLaughlin JE. 278 McLean, Allen 144 INDEX 425 PAGE McLean, Neil 55, 163 McLeise, Rev 192 McMahon, Rev. Father 194 McMullen, George W 299 McNeil, Archie 209, 213, 224 McRae, Daniel 177 McWilliams, Rev. Father 194 Madawaska River 338 Madden, James H. Judge 71 Mahoney, Richard 333 Mallory, Elisha 344 Martin, W. A. 389 Massenoga Lake 337, 338 Maxwell, Henry Percival 190 Maxwell, Major R. J 190 Maybee, Abraham 61 Meacham, W. W. 390 Mecklenburgh, — District created . - 29 Merchants Bank 259 Methodists stronghold of 145, — First chapel in Adolphustown 147, First chapel in Ernesttown 163, Separation from United States conference 164, Few on Amherst Island 193, Churches in Napanee 262. Midland District. Mecklenburgh changed to Midland 59 Miller, George .311, 313 Miller, Rev. Gilbert 329 Miller, John S. 302, 390 Miller, Wm. 224, 254, 391 Moutray, W. H. 190 Morden, A. L. — County Crown At torney 72, 143, 218, 231 Morven, — Description of 172 Moscow 319 Muckleston, Rev. W. J. 313 Municipal Government, Develop ment of 54 N Napanee, — Origin of name 41, 208, The beginning of 209, First mills 210, Bridges 211, Schools 212, School teachers 218, Building up and extension of 221, "Fair Days" 224, Building Town Hall 227, Selection as County Town 70, 227, Mayors 228, Dominion Day 229, Lawyers 230, Doctors 231, Des cription of by T. H. Waller 235, Postmasters 234, Directory of business men 240, Pen picture of PAGE in 1861, 241, Diversions and re creations of 248, Fenian invasion 248, Sporting clubs 251, Parks 254, Banks 255, Churches 262, Newspapers 270. Napanee Mills 285 Neilson, Dr. Samuel 173 Neilson, Judge Joseph 173, 356 Nelles, Dr. 289, 293, 205 Nesbitt, D. A. 133, 295 Newburgh 286 Newburgh Academy 289 Newburgh Reporter, Newspaper . . 299 Newburgh Merchants 299 Newman, Charles 343 Newspapers of Napanee 270, of Newburgh 296, of Tamworth 331. Northern Crown Bank 261 Noxon, James 150 o O'Beirne, Wm 278 Odessa 175, Merchants of 179. O'Loughlin, Rev. Anthony J. .... 314 O'Loughlin, B. S. 315 Ontario County 58 Oronhyateka, Dr. 232 P Pappa, I. F. and W. J. 299 Parker, Sir Gilbert 292,307 Parks of Napanee 254 Parrott, James 164 Patterson, Robert 392 Paul, George 393 Paul, Robert W 395 Paul, William J 394 Perch Cove 138 Perry, David •. . .283, 288 Perry, Ebenezer 336, 397 Perry, Peter 188, 355, 396 Perry, Robert 162, 284, 350 Peters, Eli 316 Peters' Mills 309, 317 Phelan, Nicholas 333 Phillips, Robert 127, 216, 258 Physicians, — Not persecuted 40, Need of among the Lo}'alists 49, legislation respecting 50, Quack doctors 51, 52, Medical Board es tablished 52, First successful can didates 52, of Napanee 231. Pollard, John and E. J. 278 Porter, Rev. G. Haughton 194 426 INDEX PAGE Porter, Richard 55 Post-Offiices in 1840 48, sorting of mail in 178. Preston, D. H. 218,231 Price, C. v., Judge 72, 298 Prices of Merchandise 74, 75, 76, 77, 78. 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 8s, 86, 87, 88, 91, 92. 93, 94. 95. 96. Pringle, Dan 187, 223, 237 Pringle, Joseph 205 Prudential Laws 62 Pruyn Matthew W. 397 Pruyn, Oliver Thatford,— Sheriff 72 Pumpkin, The 33 Purdy, Samuel IS4 Puritan Fathers, — inconsistencies of 17 Quakers, First Society of 150 Quackenbush, Andrew 213 Quarter Sessions, Established 55, Duties performed 56, Meetings 56, Administer laws 63, Justices shorn of power 66. Quinte, — Origin of name 7, Origin al limits of 138, First steam boat upon 161. R Red Tavern, The 21 1 Reeve, W. A., County Crown At torney • 72 Reformer, The • • 275 Registry Office, — First 59 Register of school attendance .... 114 Reid, James 398 Reid, M. R 133 Richardson, F. S. 251 Richmond, — Origin of name 203, Taverns 203, Liverpool 204, Selby 205, First settlers in northern part 206, Richmond Road 206, 207, A drive through in i860, 207. Riley, Charles 399 Roberts, Rev. Canon 192 Robinson, Christopher 400 Roblin, David 151, 157, 206, 209, 223, 27s, 317, 341, 401 Roblin, John 145, 401 Roblin village 206 Roe, Alfred H. 403 Rogers, David McGregor 403 Rogers, Col. 29 Rothwell, Rev. John 192 PAGE Ruttan, Dr. Allan 232 Ruttan, George 141 Ruttan, Henry 98 Ruttan, Peter 61, 139, 142 Ruttan, Wm. 232 Ryan, Matthew 404 Ryerson, Rev. Egerton 125 s Salmon River, — Champlain at 5, Origin of name 206, Only bridge over 264. Schools, First in Upper Canada 97, First in Fredericksburg 97, First in Ernesttown 97, Public Schools 100, Bath Academy loi. Course of study in common schools 105, Text books 106, 107, 116, How school-house built 107, Early reg ister 113, Teachers' contracts 118, Pioneer school-house 120, Rev. Egerton Ryerson 125, Reminis cences of early teachers 127, In spectors 129. Scott, John R 285 Sebastopol , 328 Selby 205 Sexsmith, Thomas V 406 Seymour, Hon. Benjamin ....151, 407 Sheffield Township 326 Sheriffs 72 Sherman, James 322 Sherwood, H. B. 212, 314 Shibley, John 294 Shibley, Schuyler 407 Shirley, Rev. Paul . . . 185, 303, 313, 330 Simcoe Falls 311 Sloat, Michael 139 Smart, Rev. 192 Smith, School Teacher 97 Snider, John 175 Society for the Propagation of the Gospel 77 Sorel 26 Spencer, Ezra A. 206 Spencer, Major Hazelton 408 Sproule, Joseph ., . . . 180 Standard Napanee 273 Star, The Napanee 281 Steamboat, first the 160 Steele, Rev. Howard 193 Stein, Charles 344 Stein, Paul 341, 344, 345 Stevens, Charles 228, 281 Stevenson, Edward 250 INDEX 427 PAGE Stevenson, Hon. John. 69, 211, 215, 242, 258, 409 Strachan, Bishop 50 Strathcona 284 Stone, Rev. S. G. 266 Storr, Elijah 264,411 Stuart, Rev. Dr. John ..-30, 77, 97, 164 Switzer Chapel 164, 288 Symington, Thomas 411 T Tait, David I95 Tamworth, Champlain at 5, Mili tary organization at 249. Teachers of Napanee Schools 218 Templeton, William 214, 218, 274 Thompson's Corners 321 Thomson, James 413 Thompson, Timothy 412 Tighe, Rev. Stearne 192 Timmerman, Albert and Charles . . 175 Timmerman, John A. 178 Timmerman, Parker S 175. 178 Town meetings 59 Training Day 114 Trumpour, Paul 62, 141 u United Empire Loyalists, — Perma nent settlement began with 17, Decline to approve Declaration of Independence 21, Persecution of 22, Persecution continued after peace 23, Character of 24, Story of emigration 25, Arrival at destination 28, Assignment of land to 28, Registered by Land Boards 30, Experiences in new homes 31, House building 32, Primitive life of 33, Dress 34, Seek compensation for losses 36, Difficulties in obtaining compen sation 37, Mark of honour 38, Origin of title U. E. L. 38, Hun gry year 39, Famine relieved 40, Improvement in condition of 42, Home life 46, Desire represent ative Government 54, Monument to 143. Utensils, — Description of those used in early days 89, 90, 91 V Vader, David 310 Vader's Mills 309 PAGE Vanalstine, Major,. — Selects Adol phustown for his Company 27, Member of Land Board 30, Head of Adolphustown Loyalists 138, Opposes reduction of territory of Adolphustown 130, Marks of 141, Dispute with Squire Ruttan 142, Election of 145, Presbyterian 268, Biography of 414. Van Dusen, Conrade 146 Vanluven, Alpheus 310, 313 Vanluven, Egerton L. 320 Vanluven, Everton L 320 Vanluven, Peter 312 Vanluven, Zara 320 Vennachar 345 w Wagar, George 324 Wagar, Joel Damon ¦ 324 Walker, Alonzo 323 Walker, Harvey S. 323 Walker, Johnston 180 Waller, Thos. H. 234 Warner, A. C. 317 Warner, Charles 317 Warner, Harvey 254, 416 Warner, Sidney 174, 309, 317, 415 Warner, S. C. County Crown At torney 72 Wartman, G. A. 416 Watson, J. J. 259, 417 Watts, James 180 Wheeler, Calvin 326, 327, 328 Wheeler, James 327 Wheeler's Mills 327 Whelan, Wm. 302 Wilkinson, Rev. R. S 192 Wilkison, William Henry 71, County Crown Attorney 72; 230, 254. Williams, Lorenzo Dow 306 Wilson, Uriah . .228, 237, 281, 349, 418 Wilton 174 Windover, John 206 Wood, Nial P 419- Wright, Hiram 285 Wright, Reuben 285 Wright, Reuben G 285 Wycott, Robert 180 Y Yarker _. 309 Yankee Mills 285 Yokome, F. R. 275