A VOICE FROM THE PAST

Leaving Cook's Bay, and following up stream the east branch of the Holland River, the first landmark of importance that one finds is the old Soldiers' Landing, also known as the Lower, or Steamboat Landing. This was used during the war of 1812-15; and for many years after the expiration of war a number of cannons were left here in charge of a soldier. They were afterwards removed by the Government. They had been brought here as the "Landing" was the point at which all heavy goods in transit over the Great Portage from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron were placed on board the batteaux for transportation across Lake Simcoe. Here, too, the well-known anchor of such enormous dimensions remained for many years as a memento of the war time. But, like the cannons, it has also been removed, though not to a great distance. A few years ago it was hauled, with much difficulty from the Lower Landing to the village park near the Upper Landing, where it now rests. This gigantic anchor came from His Majesty's dockyards in England, and was intended for a large frigate that was under construction at Drummond Island, in Lake Huron. On its way thither it had reached the Holland Landing by the assistance of sixteen yoke of oxen, when peace came and interrupted all further operations at the "Navy Yard" on Drummond Island. Being too large for transportation (its length is 15 1/2 feet, excluding the ring), except under most urgent circumstances, the anchor brought thus far on its way, was left at Holland Landing, where it now remains to form a curious monument of those early stirring times. A smaller anchor, had in its passage over the Great Portage, reached the Willow Creek, where it remained for a few years, and was then removed.

Afterwards, when regular navigation opened on Lake Simcoe, the Lower Landing was used for the larger vessels and steamers. At this place the Holland River was about twenty-five yards wide; its banks were low and marshy, and thickly wooded with tamarac. It was at this uninviting place that Yonge Street, the great colonization highway, terminated, and merged into the water course across Lake Simcoe. Dr. Scadding, one of our most entertaining Canadian historians, describes in his Toronto of Old the Lower Landing as it appeared before it fell into its present deserted condition.

Many early travellers of distinction visited the Lower Landing in the course of their journeys, and have left records of the scenes which they beheld.

One of the earliest travellers to arrive at Holland Landing was Mr. John Goldie, the writer of a journal which contained remarks relating to Simcoe County. He was by occupation a botanist and gardener, and first came to America on a tour to examine the plants of the country in 1817. His journal was written two years later, in 1819, while he was on a second trip.

Sir John Franklin embarked here in 1825, when on his first overland expedition to the Arctic Seas; and in 1827, John Galt, who was on his way to Goderich, via Penetanguishene, also embarked at this place.

The opened space referred to by Galt and other early writers was used as a camping-ground by the early Indians and fur-traders. Here could be seen encamped at all seasons of the year large numbers of Indians, often from very remote districts on the upper lakes. Many of these came several times a year for the purpose of bartering their furs at Holland Landing, which was a sort of emporium for a large part of the northern country. Whiskey was too frequently the article sought and obtained by them. On one occasion the writer's grandfather counted no less than thirty wigwams of the larger kind clustered on the common adjoining the Landing. Here, too, the annual distributions of presents to the Indians were made at first. The ceremony was witnessed by the distinguished traveller Capt. Basil Hall, on July 20th, 1827, who has described it in an interesting manner in his Travels in North America in 1827-28. The distribution for the year 1828 took place on August 14th, and a description of it has been left us by the native preacher, Rev. Peter Jones. (Life and Journals, p. 164). In Appendix A, of Dean Harris' Catholic Church in the Niagara Peninsula (Toronto, 1895), there is a narrative of the loss of a child in the Holland Marsh, and it shows the skill displayed by Indians in the recovery of the lost one.

Continuing our journey up stream, the next landmark reached is the Upper, or Canoe Landing, which is about a mile and a half above the Steamboat Landing. This Upper Landing was the ancient Indian place of embarkation of the war-parties and hunting-parties; and after the white men came upon these scenes it was still used as a landing-place for canoes and lighter craft which could get higher up the stream than the Steamboat Landing. A small bytown, consisting of two or three business places, arose at the Upper Landing at an early date - sometime in the twenties. The cause of its origin was this. The fur trade of Newmarket, which was large in the early years of this century, was chiefly supplied "from the Great Lakes of the Northland"; and the Indians used to effect a landing on the Holland River at this place after travelling with their furs over lakes, rivers and portages for many miles. The business men of Newmarket saw that the nearer they were to the landing-place, the more easily they could catch the trade - "first there, first served." In those early days it was a common sight to see 30 or 40 large wigwams of Indians from distant hunting grounds on the commons adjoining the landing-place. "To get the first bid," was therefore the object of these men in locating as close as possible to the place of landing, for it usually happened that the first bidder became the buyer. In this way the small bytown arose. A day school was opened by the Methodists, amongst the Indians at this place, on Feb. 12th, 1828. It had an average of about twenty scholars, and was kept by Phoebe Edmonds, a young missionary, whose name is familiar in the records of early Canadian mission work.

The Upper Landing was more frequently called "Johnson's Landing," after its first settler, Joseph Johnson, sr. He was one of five brothers of U.E. Loyalist descent, and had orignally settled on Yonge Street, between Thornhill and Hogg's Hollow, about the time of the war of 1812-15. Shortly after this, however, he exchanged this Yonge Street Property with a Mr. Davis, (whose hotel, built upon it, has been a familiar landmark for later travellers), taking in exchange the property at the Upper Landing Place on the Holland River. He at once permanently settled upon the latter, and his name from that time onward was connected with the place.

Amongst other early settlers at Johnson's Landing was Capt. Wm. Laughton, who was more familiarly known as "Squire" Laughton. He came from Newmarket, of which he had been an early resident, and was associated with Borland & Roe, the Indian fur traders. Laughton was the youngest member of this firm. In 1838 he was owner of the steamer "Peter Robinson," and he subsequently became captain of the steamer "Beaver," and of which he became sole proprietor in 1850. He was one of the first magistrates at Holland Landing. In later years Captain Laughton became a resident of Bell Ewart.

Borland, who was also a member of this trading firm, had Indian blood in his veins, an during the Rebellion of '37 he commanded a company of two hundred Indians stationed at Holland Landing. Wm. Roe, the third member of the firm, died in 1879 at the advanced age of eighty-four. Dr. Scadding sketches the careers of these two early adventurers in his usual interesting manner. They were connected in some way with - probably they were agents for - the North-West Company, which had a large storehouse at Johnson's Landing. Alexander Sutherland was another of those connected with the same Company, and was a resident here until his death a few years ago. Philemon Squire, who was more commonly known as "Phil." Squire, may also be enumerated among those who located at an early date in this bytown at Johnson's Landing.

Communication was possible between this place and the Lower Landing either by boat or by the road, which was known as Dalhousie Street. The two places are separated by a distance of a mile and a half.

About a mile and a half above the Upper or Canoe Landing arose the village of Holland Landing itself - the early commercial distribution point for Simcoe. Until 1853, however, it was sometimes known as St. Albans, and sometimes as Beverly. Although it appears to have been laid out as a village in 1835, its origin was some years earlier, for about the year 1821, Peter Robinson, of Newmarket, built the far-famed "Red Mill," on lot 106 of Yonge Street, thus forming the nucleus of the village destined to play such an important part in the history of this district. The "Red Mill" was largely patronized for many years after its erection, having been the nearest grist mill to the inhabitants of this county. It was built on a grand scale for those days, all the interior timbers and lining having been planed. In 1822 the Tyson family came from Pennsylvania and located in Holland Landing. Isaiah Tyson became miller in the "Red Mill," and ran it on shares for Robinson. As the mill was driven by water power, their greatest grievance was scarcity of water, which limited the amount of work done; otherwise their patronage from the extensive pioneer settlements away to the north could easily have reached 200 or 300 bushels per day. After Mr. Robinson's death the mill passed into the hands of Thorne & Barwick, of Thornhill, who fitted it with steam power. In later years it was not used except for storage purposes, but stood as a relic of early times, until destroyed by fire, March 2nd, 1894.

Hon. Peter Robinson was an enterprising man of business, and was widely known in his day. Some time after 1822 he built a commodious tavern in Holland Landing, south of and near the "Red Mill," for the convenience of travellers who began to be numerous, and leased it to Francis Phelps, who was one of the central figures of the village until his premature death in 1836 at the age of 42. Phelps' sons, J.A. and Alfred Phelps, became carpenters and remained citizens of Holland Landing. The latter, however, removed afterwards to Omaha, Nebraska, where he prospered and became well-to-do. Other sons were Hugh and Henry Phelps. Mr. Robinson was somewhat of a roving character, and never married. Acting under instructions of the Government of the time, he brought out a shipload of Irish Catholics, in 1824, and spent about a year in locating them at Peterborough. The history of that town, although he did not live there, dates from the time of their arrival. For these services in helping to colonize Upper Canada, he was well paid by the Government, which was tben in the hands of the Family Compact. (Robinson's evidence regarding the settlement of Peterborough may be found in the Third Report of the Emigration Committee, 1827, pp. 344-49 etc.).

In 1827 the Hon. Peter Robinson was appointed Surveyor-General of Woods and Forests in the Province of Upper Canada, and had an office in Toronto. At the same time he was also appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands. He was also a member of the Legislative Council, which was the upper branch of the Legislature in those days, and corresponded with the Senate of to-day. He held these positions until his death in 1837, not having lived to see the Rebellion at the close of that year.

In 1822 there were but a few families living in Holland Landing; but during the next years the village grew rapidly. It may be of interest to mention some of these first familes and what became of them.

The Tyson family, already spoken of, contained several members. One of the daughters afterwards became the wife of Sheriff Smith, of Barrie. Thomas, one of the sons, who was born in 1811, married a Miss Pearson and at first settled in Lloydtown in 1832. He was later a resident of Clarksburg, Ont., for several years, where he had mills in operation. Joseph, a younger son, studied law in the office of the late H.B. Hopkins, Barrie; he subsequently settled in the southwest U.S., acquired some reputation in the legal profession, and became Judge Tyson.

The Sweezy family were also early residents here. Betsy became wife of Alexander Walker, one of Barrie's pioneers, in 1828. Her brothers, Peter and William, for many years after this were citizens of Holland Landing.

Eli Beman, a half brother of Peter, William B., and Chief Justice Sir John B. Robinson, was also one of the leading men of the place. Some time prior to 1832 he built a log shelter house on the north side of Kempenfeldt Bay, half way between Barrie and Shanty Bay. This houde was connected with the early traffic to Penetanguishene, as was also the schooner on Lake Simcoe, which Beman owned for some time, before the introduction of steamers. In 1830, the Indians of this district were collected on a tract of land stretching from the Narrows at Orillia to Matchedash Bay; and during 1831, a line of houses was built for their use along the Coldwater Road. These were situated a mile apart over some of the distance from Orillia to Coldwater. Beman was the Government contractor for this undertaking, the work having been superintended by one Wilson. Beman died in 1869 at the age of 70 years.

Amongst other notable men of the place at this time were the Lounts - Samuel and George.

Gabriel Lount their father, was a land surveyor, and came from Catawissa, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River to Upper Canada in 1811, taking up lot No. 84 on the east side of Yonge Street, in Whitchurch. He had originally come as a boy from England, and had to make his own way in the world; but as he did not fall in with the republican ideas prevalent on the Susquehanna, decided to betake himself again to British soil in Canada. His two eldest sons, Samuel and George later took up lot No. 103 on the west side of Yonge Street on the top of the hill south of Holland Landing.

Samuel Lount, his eldest son, who was executed after the Rebellion of '37, was born Sept. 24th, 1791. He did not become a regular land surveyor, like his father and younger brother, George, but was an expert woodsman, or ranger and explorer of the great northern forests, and as such assisted his brother, George, with the surveys of the Townships of West Gwillimbury, Tecumseth and Innisfil, not to mention other work in this line. About the same time he made a special exploration of the Nottawasaga River for the Upper Canadian Government. He was also a proficient blacksmith, and a handyman generally, having become such doubtless in the employ or assistance of his brother-in-law, Benjamin Hawke, who had the contract during the war of 1812-15 for the transportation of the soldiers' supplies across the portage on their way to Mackinaw and the other posts of the interior.

In course of time Samuel Lount became one of the best known men in these northern parts of the country, ultimately, in 1834, being elected one of the members of the Upper Canada Legislature for Simcoe County. In our chapter on old elections and parliamentary representation, his political career is referred to at more length. The part he bore in the Rebellion is familiar to all readers of the history of that period, and need not detain us. After the defeat of the insurgent force at Montgomery's, he tried to make his way to the States, but was captured near Hyde's Point, about a mile and a half west of the mouth of the Grand River. He and some others had been on Lake Erie for some days, vainly trying to cross it in an open boat. Mr. Hyde saw them and went to their rescue, finding them almost exhausted and stupid with exposure to the cold. Some men in the neighborhood secured them as prisoners, suspecting they were "rebels," and took them to Dunnville. The execution of Samuel Lount on April 12th, following, has come to be looked on by all kinds of people, as a kind of judicial murder, for which their was not sufficient justification or warrant. His family moved to the United States, some of them immediately after the insurrection.

George Lount was born Feb. 3rd, 1799, and before he had attained the age of twenty had qualified as a land surveyor. With his elder brother, Samuel, who was an expert man in the woods, he surveyed three townships in Simcoe County, viz., West Gwillimbury, Tecumseth and Innisfil, in th years 1819 and 1820, Richard Birdsall being associated with them in the survey of the last named (Innisfil). Their father, Gabriel Lount, was the nominal contractor for surveying W. Gwillimbury and Tecumseth, but the sons did the work, owing to his increasing years. He died in the twenties. When Simcoe County was erected into a separate county, George became its first Registrar, 1826. He was the first Postmaster at Holland Landing, also a tinsmith, a merchant, a farmer, and what one might call a "jack of all trades," - in fact, just such a man as a new and growing coutry could find most useful. After a few years, when the circumstances required it, (Oct. 1846), he moved to Barrie, which had become the county town. He and his family have become so closely identified with this county that they deserve a full account in our sketches. He was the projector, and directed the survey, of the Minesing Road in 1847, intended to reach Nottawasaga Bay. After serving as Registrar of land deeds for nearly half a century, he resigned in 1872, and was succeeded by his son, Samuel. He died in 1874.

Aaron Jakeway became a resident of Holland Landing in 1830, and lived there for 43 years. He was by trade a tinsmith and was deputy of George Lount, the first postmaster. He spent the last years of his life in Stayner, where his son, Dr. C.E. Jakeway, had a medical practice.

Another well-known figure in his day was Colonel John Barwick, who was the business partner of Benjamin Thorne, of Thornhill; and some time after the death of the Hon. Peter Robinson, when the "Red Mill" passed into the hands of Thorne & Barwick, the Colonel moved from Thornhill and became a resident of Holland Landing. While living at Thornhill, he had, at his own expense, fitted out a regiment of cavalry during the Rebellion, but never obtained remuneration for this service. The annals of the Rebellion are mostly silent as to this troop of cavalry, yet Barwick's Horse Guards, of which he was Colonel, saw some service. After a period spent in Holland Landing, during which time he resided near the mill, he moved to Toronto. For some years he was one of the moving spirits of the Agriculture and Arts Association, under whose auspices the Provincial Exhibition of that day was held from city to city. He was president of the Association in 1861, and the same year he removed to Holland Landing, where he spent the remainder of his life.

Henry Blackstone, a grandson of the English law commentator, Sir William Blackstone, was the representative of the legal profession in early Holland Landing. He died suddenly in 1850 or shortly after that year.

Before the railway was constructed the grain trade was a factor in the life of Holland Landing, and was represented by three dealers - Laidlaw, McMaster and Parsons. All three had general stores; there were other general stores in the village, but these three, only, bought grain.

Douglas Laidlaw was a live business man. John Davidson engaged with him as a chore boy, and subsequently attained to a partnership with Laidlaw, whose sister also entered into a matrimonial partnership with Davidson. The opening of the railway in 1853 caused Holland Landing to decay, and more northerly places to rise. When this occurred, Laidlaw & Davidson removed from Holland Landing, and became merchants in the more modern village of Lefroy. Here they again carried on an extensive business in the grain trade.

While residing at Lefroy, Laidlaw married Elizabeth, daughter of "Squire" Benjamin Ross, of Innisfil, and afterwards removed to Toronto. Davidson was for a few years a member of the Innisfil Township Council.

The same cause that transferred Laidlaw & Davidson to Lefroy - the opening of the railway - brought McMaster from Holland Landing to Bradford.

About the time of the construction of the railway, the largest hotel in Holland Landing was kept by Thos. May, but this institution has gone to decay, along with many other substantial buildings, and the place wears a somewhat worn out appearance.

In the appendix to this volume, the reader will find a list of the heads of families in Holland Landing in 1836.

The settlers who first crossed the Holland River arrived in the fall of 1819, and were three Irishmen - James Wallace, Lewis Algeo and Robert Armstrong. Armstrong came from the County of Leitrim, with a family, and settled on lot 13, con. 6, within two miles of the present site of Bradford. He had a large family, chiefly boys, Christopher Thomas, John, Robert, William, Simon, James and Allan, from whom have come a numerous lineage. Christopher, the eldest, did not take up with bush life, but studied law, and afterwards became a judge in Carleton County.

James Wallace, was a native of King's County, Ireland, and on arriving in West Gwillimbury he settled on the S. half, lot 14, con. 6. Near his place was the "Old Wharf," or "Wallace's Wharf," as many called it - the first crossing on the Holland River, used by the earliest settlers, until 1824, when the corduroy and floating bridge came into use. There was a ferry here, and a rope strung across the river, by which all the early settlers crossed in a boat. After Mr. Wallace arrived he married Martha Walker, whose family (Walker) became pioneers in Tecumseth. The first beef killed in the Township of West Gwillimbury was in Wallace's log barn. During the night following, a wolf crawled into the barn through a hole and ate so much beef that he could not get back through the hole, so they shot him in the barn next morning. Mr. Wallace died in March, 1848, aged 48 years. His family consisted of five sons and seven daughters, most of whom reached manhood and womanhood.

Lewis Algeo, the pioneer of lot 13, con. 7, wore with him to the backwoods a belt or girdle containing seven hundred sovereigns, according to a custom of the time to carry one's coins in a belt. As it was easy to get rid of money fast in such a place and at such a time of hardship, his little pile of gold soon grew less. He was of Italian extraction, but immediately from Irlenad, his wife being a daughter of Robert Armstrong, his pioneer neighbor. It is said she was the first white woman to cross the Holland River. Their children were partly grown when they came in 1819. The Algeo family made some clearing on the land mentioned, then sold it to Hugh Scobie, and afterwards had a small store in Bradford in its early days. Mr. Algeo's death occured in or about the year 1839, and his family mostly became permanent settlers in this county.

In the vicinity of Coulson's Corners the brothers Milloy - William and Timothy - (adherents of the Roman Catholic Church), settled at an early date. After this, William became the pioneer of Bradford, in this way. While living near Coulson's Corners, his wife died, and he subsequently married again, and for a time lived in East Gwillimbury; then, in the fall of 1829, he built a small log tavern at the fork of the main road - where one branch led to the Scotch Settlement, the other northward - and this was the beginning of Bradford. A year or two prior to William Milloy's advent at the forks of Young Street, a small log house had been built to the west of it by Theodore Sherwood on the property of Litia McGee, where ha made spinning-wheels, wooden chairs, and other articles for a few years. He had bought half an acre from her, but was of a roving disposition, and did not stay permanently at the place. The small Tavern of Wm. Milloy at the forks of the road, was in a field, to the east, for the first road did not run in its proper place. In '31 or '32 John Edmanson built another tavern on his own lot, at the proper corner, and promoted the opening of the correct survey. As it was in opposition to Milloy, it created great annoyance to him and one or two others who had built at the original fork of the road in Mr. Stoddart's field. Great was the rivalry for some time, on account of this projected change. In the end the road was opened in the proper place and straightened; an settlers immediately began to locate at Edmanson's Corner. The superseded hamlet became known as "Old Bradford." William Milloy, after this rivalry, built at Amsterdam {on the south side of the Holland River}, a hostelry, which the settlers dubbed "Bullfrog Tavern," and where a hundred or more soldiers were quartered during the winter of the Rebellion.

Acting on instructions from the Surveyor-General, dated Decembr 23rd, 1836, George Lount had surveyed Amsterdam on the south side of the Holland River, near Bradford, for the purpose of building a store-house to be used in connection with the boats on the lake, and a wharf. But only a few people ever "located" in Amsterdam, which had streets named De Ruyder, De Witt, Van Dyke, Rubens, Keyser, etc., all good Hollandish names. Finally, in 1869, Thompson Smith, the lumberman, obtained from the Government the patent for the unused site of the "Town of Amsterdam," and devoted it to the benefits of sawlogs and lumber.

Among the first inhabitants of Bradford were: James Drury, merchant; James Campbell, shoemaker; Thomas Driffel, blacksmith; and John Gordon, wagonmaker. About the same time, Isaac B. Rogers, a farmer living a concession farther north, built a store in the village, but did not occupy it himself. This building he sold to John Peacock, an old soldier, from London, England, who settled in the village as a merchant. Mr. Driffel built a small log blacksmith shop, and commenced work in December, 1831, continuing at his trade for about twenty years. He then started a hardware and general business, which he carried on, and in 1858 was the first reeve of Bradford. On May 23rd, 1871, with about a hundred other inhabitants, he was burnt out with heavy loss.

All these men arrived within two years after Milloy's advent at the original bend in the road. Letitia McGee also built a dwelling house on her own lot at this time, or shortly afterwards. A family of Maconchy's, who had previously settled on lot 15, con. 5, Innisfil, removed to Bradford about 1840, when the place was still quite young. They had a sawmill at the bridge, (the first mill there), about the year 1848, and carried on a general store business under the name of Maconchy Bros. for some years. Thomas, one of the family, became, 1845, the second representative to the District Concil and a member of the Municipal Council. In 1857 he contested South Simcoe, as the Liberal candidate, against Hon. W.B. Robinson and Thos, R. Ferguson, the election resulting in the return of the latter. Subsequently Thomas Maconchy moved to Gilford, where he spent the remainder of his life.

A young man, Gibson Cook, came to Bradford in 1852, (or thereabout), before the railway had crossed the Holland River, and began to buy wheat for Mr. Brunskill, of Thornhill. Mr. Cook was probably the first grain dealer in Bradford, and afterwards became a resident merchant.

Arthur McMaster, one of the early storekeepers of Holland Landing, who has been already mentioned, moved to Bradford in 1856, or thereabout, after the railway was built. The construction of the railway caused Holland Landing to decay and Bradford to rise; and McMaster's removal was for the purpose of catching the western trade. The McMaster business afterward passed into the hands of Mr. Driffel.

For some years John Kennedy Falconbridge, J.P., was also a merchant of Bradford. His son, Sir Wm. Glenholme Falconbridge has risen to be Chief Justice of the King's Bench Division.

But with this sketch of the early merchants of Bradford, we have been led down to more recent times. It will now be proper to return to the period before 1830, and to Bradford's neighborhood.

West of Bradford settled John Stoddart and his three sons in 1829. The first Anglican services in the township were held in Wm. Stoddart's house. On the third lot west of Bradford, there settled about this time one who afterwards became well-known in Canadian journalism - Hugh Scobie. He came from near Keoldale, Sutherlandshire, Scotland.

On lot 5, con. 7, there settled in the early twenties, a native of Nottingham, Eng., William Armson, who became the first representative, or councillor of the township. He was an old soldier who had served in the Peninsular campaign, and sometimes wore his medal, to which was attached eight clasps, testifying to the important services he had rendered in the field. At the annual meeting of the inhabitants of West Gwillimbury, in January, 1842, he received the honor of being elected its first representative, or councillor, to the meetings of the Home District Council in Toronto. Simcoe District was then created, and in 1843 he attended its meetings in Barrie. Hr remained representative continuously till the end of 1857. For seven years he was Warden of Simcoe (1846-1853). He died in 1858 at the age of 74 years, and was buried at Christ Church, Middleton. A grandson of Mr. Armson, was the Hon Dr. W.A. Willoughby, who represented East Northumberland in the Ontario Legislature until his death in 1908. John Wright Armson, his son, resided on the homestead for the greater part of his life, and died Oct. 28th, 1908, aged 78 years.

The first extensive location of white settlers in the Township of West Gwillimbury bears the name of the "Scotch Settlement," and during the first half century that elapsed after it took rise, it was a unique locality in the life of the district, its origin being no less striking.

In the year 1811, Lord Selkirk obtained from the Hudson Bay Company a tract of land for settlement purposes, lying along the Red River; and in the autumn of 1812 Miles Macdonnell brought to it a colony about 100 persons from the North of Scotland - many of them from Helmsdale and its neighborhood - and erected houses. In June 1814, 50 more came, and in September, 1814, their number was about 200 settlers and laborers.

The original settlers of the "Scotch Settlement" emigrated to the Red River with this colony of Lord Selkirk. While there, they experienced great privations and suffering, having nothing to eat except buffalo meat, not even bread, or as the Highland women said: "No nothing but flesh." After remaining there for two or three years, a party of them determined to leave their place of exile, in 1816, and return to the less remote forests of Upper Canada.It is related that the officials heard of their design, and "placed some ordnance to prevent them. The deserters managed, however, to get hold of the great guns, and protected themselves as they left the settlement." The extant literature of these Red River troubles is quite abundant. (See statement respecting the Earl of Selkirk's Settlement upon the Red River of North America; its destruction in 1815 and 1816; and the massacre of Governor Semple and his party. London, 1817; New York, 1818).

For an account of the trials of the prisoners at York (Toronto), see Dr. Scadding's Toronto of Old, p. 299, etc.

After traversing the five hundred miles of rocky wilderness between Fort Garry and Fort William, the fugitives reached the latter place. Here the North-West Company, in order to promote their removal from the country, fitted out a fleet of small boats to transport them down the lakes. In this small fleet they arrived at the outlet of Nottawasaga River, which they ascended, as well as its tributary, the Willow Creek; then crossed the Nine-Mile Portage to the head of Kempenfeldt Bay. Passing across Lake Simcoe, they reached the settlements on Yonge Street. About three years later they went up the Holland River as far as the third concession, landed, and made a settlement on the peninsular portion of West Gwillimbury lying between the river and its north branch.

As far as can be ascertained, the fugitives consisted of the following seventeen men, some of whom had wives and families: -
Sutherland (6) -- Donald, Haman, William, Robert, James and Angus. McKay (4) -- James, Roderick, Robert and Donald. John Matthewson. (There were two men of this name, called "Red" John and "Black" John for the sake of distinction). McBeth (2) -- Andrew, Charles. Geo. Ross, Arthur Campbell and George Bannerman.

These, then, were the pioneers of the "Scotch Settlement" in West Gwillimbury, and, indeed, of Simcoe County. It is related that they did not all arrive at the Holland River at the same time, but that they came in two parties; and that the second party, which came after the final destruction of the Red River colony, consisted of Robert and Roderick McKay, two McBeths, and one Sutherland - five men in all. These are said to have come by way of Parry Sound and Orillia in 1816.

Of the Sutherlands, many of their descendants reside in the neighborhood. Of the McKays, Robert and Roderick, for many years the former was a resident of Innisfil, while the latter was a citizen of Bradford. "Red" John Matthewson was a prominent worker in matters pertaining to the Presbyterian church of the settlement. For many years he conducted the Sabbath school, and is described as an "excellent translator of sermons in the Gaelic tongue, at their Sabath day meetings." After residing there for a number of years, he removed to the Talbot settlement, in the western part of the Province, where he took up his permanent abode. Descendants of the McBeths are numerous. A son of Andrew McBeth (John McBeth), removed, about 1864, to Nottawasaga, where he was a resident until his death on Dec. 4th, 1889, at an advanced age. Members of his family, on various occasions, occupied seats at the Town Council Board of Stayner.

Wm. McBeth was drowned in the North Branch of the Holland River, August 2nd, 1830.

From the first, the success of the members of this Highland settlement was rapid, notwithstanding the privations, common to all Canadian pioneers, which they experienced during the first years after their arrival.

Owing to their poverty, many of them, both men and women, were obliged to work out in the frontier settlements on Yonge Street for the first years after their arrival. Except in the time of the heavy frosts of winter, the Holland River and the wide marshes on both sides of it were almost impassable. One of the great hardships consisted in "backing" in supplies from Newmarket over the wide marsh to their dwellings beyond it. Sometimes the river had to be waded with their supplies carried on their backs above the water. Such hardships as these were all overcome, and the Highlanders and their descendants proved to be a valuable acquisition to the population of the county. Other settlers of Highland Scotch nativity joined these in the twenties, as Hector Grant and Alex McCausland.

At this place it will be proper to mention a small group of Irish Palatines from County Limerick. Although they arrived in this county rather later than the foregoing groups, nevertheless as a group they are deserving of a brief notice. This group of Irish Palatines included the families of Robert and Thomas Parker, John Long, Andrew Herrican, Robert Atkins, George Sparling, and some others. Some of them came in or about the year 1831, although a part of them had come as early as the year 1826. (C.C. James has told the story of the Palatines in Ireland and Canada, in the Canadian Methodist Magazine, March and April, 1902).

Robert Parker and his brother, Thomas, settled on lot 10, con. 8, in 1826. Thomas was captain of the company raised in that neighborhood at the time of the Rebellion of 1837; he was for some years reeve of the township, and was a local preacher in the Methodist denomination, a church of which was in his neighborhood from 1835 onward. He lived in this township until 1887, when he moved to High Bluff, Manitoba, where he died, Sept. 29th, 1889, aged 90 years.

Robert Parker had two sons, both of whom became well-known men. Thomas Sutherland Parker became a doctor, and practiced medicine in Guelph. He was member of Parliament for one of the ridings of Wellington County from 1863 till 1872 (the north riding at first, and then the center riding after the redistribution of seats at Confederation.) He was one of the fathers of Confederation, and it is said that the last speech made in the Parliament of Canada by Thomas D'Arcy McGee was in reply to one made by Thomas S. Parker, of Welington. The other son in this family, William Robert Parker, entered the Ministry of the Methodist Church in 1860, and was stationed in Toronto, Montreal, and many of the larger towns during his life, receiving the degree of D.D. in 1885. He was twice president of the London Conference, and later president of the Toronto Conference in 1893-94.

Farther west in this same group of Palatines, were: - John Long, lot 4, con. 8, Andrew Herrican lot 6, con. 9, Robert Atkins, lot 5, con. 8, George Sparling, lot 5, con. 7.

Robert Atkins came to Canada from Ireland in 1825, and after spending sometime in Toronto with his family came to West Gwillimbury and settled on the farm mentioned, where he died in the sixties. His son, Thomas Atkins, was assessor and collector of the township for some years, afterwards a member of the township council, then deputy-reeve in 1866-7, and lastly, reeve in 1870-1-2-3-4. In 1874, he was appointed Warden of the County. For four years (1880-1-2-3) he held the position of county auditor, and when Beeton was incorporated as a village, he was its first reeve (1885 and 1886). His death occurred in January, 1887, in his 63rd year.

As an instance of the hardships of the settlers here we may relate how Mrs. Kelly, the wife of a pioneer of lot 6, con. 9, got word tht a letter was waiting for her in the post office at Holland Landing. She made ready some butter, carried it all the way to Sloan's store in that village; but when she reached there he told her he had a cow of his own and could not dispose of any of that commodity in this place. He, however, adivsed her to go to the Soldiers' Landing, where some men were camped, who might want some butter. She did so, disposed of her burden for cash, paid the postage on her letter and received it; then travelled to her home, 10 miles distant.

In the same part of the township several others settled in the early period under review, viz., the twenties. These were: - John Ferris (1823) S. half lot 8, con. 6, Adam Goodfellow (1823) lot 8, con. 6, Joseph Hodgson (1822) N. half lot 9, con. 6, Patrick Kearney (Carney) N. half lot 6, con. 7, Cornelius Scanlon S. half lot 7, con. 9, Patrick Scanlan (1825) N. half lot 6, con. 9.

West of these, on lot 3, con. 6, on what was called the "Scotch Line," Edward Jeffs was among the first to make a home in the bush. With his father, Robert Jeffs, and the rest of the family, he had come from the County Armagh, Ireland, in 1820, to Penetanguishene, which was then just beginning to attract settlers, and he saw something of the pioneer life of that northern town. While living there, he was employed sometimes to team furs from that post to Toronto for the trading firm of Borland & Roe, with whom was associated the Hon. Peter Robinson. After spending nine years in the north, sometimes at Penetanguishene and sometimes at Wyebridge, where his brother Robert became one of the first settlers, Edward Jeffs came to West Gwillimbury, in 1829, and settled on lot 3, as mentioned. He soon vecame a progressive farmer, adopting improvements more quickly than most of the farmers of that period. In later years it has become the custom with many farmers to have their stables in stone foundations under their barns. As early as 1834, Edward Jeffs built a barn with a stone foundation underneath it, and in 1837 a stone dwelling-house. He and Thomas West had a McCormick reaping machine (manufactured in New York State), in 1845-7, the first reaping machine in this county, if not in the province, and the sickle of this machine is preserved in the museum of the Ontario Agricultural College at Guelph. Mr. Jeffs' son, Edward, born here in 1837, followed in his father's footsteps as a progressive farmer, and represented the township for eight years in the County Council. Still further west, on lot 2, con. 6, James Landerkin was the first to settle at a comparatively early date. He came fron Mova Scotia, and was one of the largest men in the township. His son, George, became a doctor, settled in Grey County, and in recent years was a Dominion Senator.

Along the town line, beside Tecumseth, settlers cames as soon as in the other parts of West Gwillimbury. On the first lot in con. 3, John Davis settled in 1824; Andrew Cunningham, a native of Limerick County, Ireland, settled upon N. half lot 1, con. 5, about the same time. The latter afterwards became a justice of the peace. Joseph Kitley came about the same time to lot 2, con. 3.

Joel F. Robinson and his brother, Richard, settled at the town line in con. 7 about the year 1830. The first named had a store and became post master at Bond Head when an office was opened here in 1837. This village became an important place, especially while the Plank Road connected it with Bradford (1851-8). Besides store, mills, tannery, etc., it had a grammar school in those years, and was a centre for educational work. In 1835, the Rev. Wm. Fraser, D.D., became the pastor of the Presbyterian church, and in the following year the Rev. Canon F.L. Osler took charge of the Anglican church, both gentlemen remaining for several years here. One of the earliest representatives of the medical profession at Bond Head was Thomas Homan Mulock, M.D., whose son, Sir William Mulock, is Chief Justice of the Exchequer Division.

Northward from Bond Head, two miles and a half, another village arose at an early date, and was known as Latimer's Corners from the name of the innkeeper of the place. It was also called Springville, but this name did not adhere to it, and it finally appears on the map as Newton Robinson. At Newton Robinson settlers arrived almost as early as at Bond Head. James Hill settled in Tecumseth here in 1825, near the edge of the wide swamp northward, over which there was a good view. Thomas and Edward Matchett arived amongst the first settlers of the neighborhood and took up lots 1 and 2 respectively in the 10th concession. Isaiah Rogers came to lot 3, con. 10, with his family from King Township in 1827; and John Lee located about the same time on lot 3, con. 11.

The first settler north of the "Big Swamp," on the West Gwillimbury lands, was James Kidd, a native of Ireland, who took up lot 1, con. 14, and became the pioneer of the settlement at Cookstown in 1825. Mr. Kidd's land extended almost to the north-west corner of West Gwillimbury, their being only the "broken front" intervening. His three sons were William, James and Daniel, all of whom may be called pioneers as well as their father, and his daughter, Margaret, became the wife of Henry Morris, of Essa, in 1830. Another daughter, Eleanor, married John Ross, J.P., a pioneer of Tecumseth.

One of the first settlers north of Bradford, before that town came into existence, was William Robinson, who came to Canada from King's County, Ireland, in the year 1822, though he was of English descent. In the "old country" he had been a lieutenant in the Yeomanry. Soon after reaching Canada, he kept a shoe store in Holland Landing for five years. He bought lot 15, con. 8, (a mile north of Bradford), 200 acres from the Canada Company, and when his wife, with the family arrived in 1829, from Ireland, they all settled upon the land. Their house became the resting place of many travellers and early settlers. At the wedding of their daughter, Mary, the settlers arrived by ox teams; there were no less than sixteen yoke of oxen gathered, and the only horse in the township. Mr. Robinson had four sons - Gilbert, William, George and David, and three daughters. The homestead was the south half, and David, the youngest son, afterwards occupied it. When Gilbert, the eldest son, married in 1835, he settled on the north half of the lot. William, jr., at first settled on lot 14 (N. half), con. 4, Innisfil, and aftewards went to the "Queens Bush" when the tide of settlement flowed in that direction. Mr. Robinson, sr., bought lot 22, con. 1, Innisfil for George, who was accidently killed by a falling tree in 1843.

Prince Belfry, who married William Robinson's daughter, Mary, settled on the opposite lot, viz., lot 16 (N. half), con.8, in 1830. Altogether, there were ten sons on the Belfry family of East Gwillimbury, and six daughters, two or three other sons, besides Prince settled hereabout, about the same. The buring-ground on Ira Belfry's farm, to the west, was the one Bradford people used at first.

About the time William Robinson came, Christopher Burns settled on lot 15 (S. half), con. 9.

At an early date also, two notable settlers took up lots in the ninth concession - John Thorpe and Mark Scanlon; the former, S. half lot 17, con. 9, the latter, S. half lot 16, con. 9. Both men were partly advanced in years when they came, but active. Thorpe, in course of time, became crippled with hard work and even palsied; but infirm and palsied though he was, he once shouldered his gun and shot a large bear that ventured to trespass on his crops.

They went into mill operations soon after their arrival, and, in accordance with the Government policy of the day to grant mill sites, they received grants of land for mills on the stream. They built a grist mill in 1824 or 1825 on shares. About the year 1832 they dissolved partnership, and Mr. Scanlon, alone, then built a sawmill, and afterwards another. The first sawmill was equipped with an old-fashioned "gate-saw," which was one of the earliest kinds of saws adapted to motive power, the driving power in this case being water power, as everywhere else at the time.

Othes thought Thorpe & Scanlon were making money at this business, so opposition mills were established on the same stream. There were on it as many as six sawmills at one time, owned as follows: - Mr. Mackie (whose mill, Mr. Woods ran for a time), Mr. Scanlon (two mills), George Thorpe, Enos Rogers, Issac Rogers (whose mill passed into the hands of Zachariah Evans). The railway company once established a flag station by the name of Scanlon, where the track crosses this useful stream, but afterwards abandoned its use. Mr. Scanlon was a native of the County Carlow, Ireland, was made a justice of the peace in 1847, and died June 26th, 1871, aged 74 years.

George Evans and family came to this neighborhood about the year 1826 from Durham County, Ontario, where they had settled upon coming from County Caven, Ireland a few years earlier. In this family there were seven sons: - John, William, Thomas, James, George, Samuel and Arnold; also two daughters: - Jane and Catharine. James remained on the original homestead, lot 14, con. 10. A son of the latter was George M. Evans, who was reeve of West Gwillimbury for some years, and Warden of the County in 1883. Zachariah Evans, who was clerk of the township for more than 21 years, and who died in 1906, was the third son of James Evans.

In 1822, John Coulson took up lot 15, con. 11, on which he soon made a backwoods home for his family. His name, afterwards, was given to the "corners" there, and to the hill on the "Main Road," where his large conspicuous red house and barn were familiar landmarks to the early travellers along the road. He was a friend of John Carruthers, the travelling catechist, who often stayed over night there on his northern journeys (as he states in his book), as well as did many other early travellers. One of his sons, James, was killed by a falling tree in the winter of 1827, leaving a widow and two children. In the same year, another son, Robert, received a patent for part of lot 13 in the 10th concession. John, the eldest, afterwards lived on the original homestead, and William Coulson was a member of the first Township Council in West Gwillimbury.

West of the Coulsons, on lot 13, con. 11, the Kneeshaws settled early, William Kneeshaw being the head of the family. The settlers of this family were Thomas, John and Robert.

About 1830, James Tindall, a native of Yorkshire, Eng., settled on N. half lot 16, con. 12. He took an active interest in education, and was one of the promoters of Ebenezer Methodist church at Deerhurst. His son, William, was an early teacher at the "Hollows," in this township, and afterwards became a minister in the Methodist denomination.

Near this place, and about the same time, there came an Irish oddity by the name of John Gill, who erected a "Beer Shanty," the first of its kind, along the Main Road. He had no wife, but lived alone. He was a ventriloquist. In his shanty was a great old-time chimney into which he used to "throw" his voice for the edification of the travellers and loafers staying at his "hotel." He also kept the letters for the accommodation of the settlers of this neighborhood before a regular post office came into existence.

Previously to 1825, John Cayton setled on S. half lot 13, con. 12. He was a well-known figure in the early days, and for some time after he arrived he was the northernmost settler. In 1825 a movement was on foot among the settlers of the Penetanguishen distrcit to extend Yonge Street northward from Clayton's farm to the head of Kempenfeldt Bay, and thereby complete the overland communication between York and Penetang. The contract for the construction of the part as far north as the site of Churchill was secured by Cayton, but owing to his slight acquaintance with the forest, he sub-let the work to the Warnica brothers, of Innisfil, who had taken the contract of the remainder, as far as the Bay.

Another well-known resident of the neighborhood will now come under notice, as he settled in '31 or '32 - Joseph Fennell, J.P., at one time a reeve of the township, and a member of the Council for many years. The post office near the townline of Innisfil is named after this pioneer. He was a member of the Church of England, and was the means of establishing a church at Coulson's Corners, where his remains have their resting place.

About this time three brothers, of the name of Cosgrove, located at lot 15, con. 14, - William, Archibald and George. The two former had wayside taverns on the Main Road. Soon after their arrival a large burial pit of the ancient Huron Indians was discovered on the farm of William. The discovery of a large number of human skeletons in one pit associates itself with war in the minds of those who are unacquainted with Huron mode of burial. Perhaps it was on account of this discovery and the popular error with regard to its origin that William named his tavern "The Fortune of War," although another account states that on the signboard of the inn there was the figure of a man with his leg shot off in war.

At the time of the general influx of settlers in 1832, and after it, there came a number of emigrants from England and formed a settlement in the vicinity of lot 10, con. 12. From the hilly character of the neighborhood, the settlement has always borne the name of "The Hollows." John Garbutt settled here in 1823. He was one of the early magistrates of the township. His children walked daily to Churchill school, a distance of 7 miles.

Nathan Jackson, a native of Yorkshire, England, was another early settler at "The Hollows." arriving in 1837 and settling on N. half 11, con. 13. He had belonged to the Methodists in Yorkshire, and kept up his membership on coming to this country. He died, April 28th, 1892, at the advanced age of 91 years.

Tecumseth appears to have excelled all the other townships, so far as rapid progress is concerned. Beginning with 1822, with scarcely a single white man within its borders, its population in 1829 had reached 546, as we learn from a copy of Mackenzie's Colonial Advocate, dated April 9th, 1829. The rapidity of its development during the succeeding years is indicated in the following table: -

Notwithstanding the rapid settlement of the township, from which one would infer that pioneer life there was beset by fewer obstacles, the hardships of the first settlers in that township seem to have been unusally severe.

A part of the pioneers in the extreme south east of Tecumseth came from the North of Ireland. A partial list of these early settlers in the south east, mostly in the ealy twenties, is here given; - Robert Clark, (1825) , lot 23, con.2, Gilbert Coffey, (1825), lot 21, con.4, John Coffey, (1825), lot 22, con. 4, James Manning, (1819), lot 24, con. 5, Joseph Walker, (1827), lot 21, con. 3.

This group of pioneers mostly came by way of King Township, and settled, as we see, in the corner adjacent to that township, and in the vicinity of Dunkerron. The had very hard times after their arrival, not only in getting their first crops harvested, but in finding a market for the grain. It was related that Robert Clark, who was the first person to bring a wagon into Tecumseth, could neither get money nor tea for the first produce of the fields. "Tea was a cash article in those days, and though Clark offered the merchant as much wheat as chose to take for a pound, he could not get it. The best he could do was to trade his load for deer calico and earthenware, at the rate of fifty cents per bushel. He drew to little York, a distance of at least thirty miles, five barrels of flour; but all he could get for it was $2.50, half cash and half 'trade,' with the understanding that he was to have one barrel of salt for one barrel of flour.

James Manning, sr., named on the above list, was indeed one of the very first to settle in the township. He died, Dec. 19th, 1866, aged 90 years.

Joseph Walker was a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, and came with his brothers and sisters early in the twenties to the new settlements in West Gwillimbury and Tecumseth. In 1849, or the following year, he moved west to the township of Brant, Bruce County, and pursued his vocation of milling at the present site of the town of Walkerton, the town being named after him. Sketches of this useful pioneer are in Belden's Atlas of Simcoe County, and in Norman Robertson's History of Bruce County, with a portrait in each.

A few from other countries settled amongst these Irish residents in the early years, of whom were the following: - Henry Dean, lot 22, con.2, Jeremiah Lundy, (1822), lot 19, con. 1, Henry Nolan, (1829), lot 23, con. 2, Peter Doyle, (1829), lot 24, con.3.

Henry Nolan and his wife were both of good Quaker stock. Their son, George A. Nolan, of Tottenham, was reeve of the township for four years - 1870-73. He was again reeve in 1881-2-3, and on the incorporation of Tottenham as a village he was elected as its first reeve in January, 1885, but resigned the position a few months later.

Peter Doyle, also named in this list, was the first to settle in his neighborhood. He was a Qualker, and he made the first wagons in the neighborhood.

One of the first persons to settle in the township was Andrew Carswell. The travelling catechist, John Carruthers, relates in his Retrospect (page 232), that Mr. Carswell and some others opened the forest here in 1819. At any rate, he received the patent for the north part of lot 24, con. 4, as early as June 21st, 1823. They had come in by way of the settlements of West Gwillimbury, adjoining them.

A member of this family, John Carswell, settled farther north, near Bond Head. In the early days, his house was used as a place for preaching by the Presbyterians. He was one of the Home District Councillors for Tecumseth in 1842, and in the following year represented the township in the Simcoe District Council.

It is worthy of notice that the first distinct influx of settlers into this township, came in or about the year 1825, and most of those settled in this southeast quarter of the township. Among the names of settlers entering or taking up lands before this period, not already mentioned, we find that of John Connor (1822) who took up lot 19, con. 1, and that of William Walker, (1821) on lot 15, con. 1.

The Hawke family were amongst the earliest settlers in this southeast corner of the township. Benjamin Hawke, the head of the family, came to Yonge Street from Pennsylvania about the year 1811, his wife being a sister of Samuel Lount, who was executed after the Rebellion. During the war of 1812-15, Mr. Hawke was the contractor for hauling the cannons and supplies passing through Holland Landing, and across the portage from the Head of Kempenfeldt Bay to the Nottawasaga River. His sons, along with himself, settled in King and Tecumseth townships in the twenties, when the parts around Lloydtown and Schomberg were opening for settlement. He was one of the canidates to represent the County of Simcoe at the election for the Assembly in 1834, but was not successful. He was appointed a justice of the peace in 1843. He was lame, and in his day had a full share of the rugged experiences of frontier and pioneer life. Periphen Hawke, was taken prisoner during the Rebellion disturbances of 1837, and, after five months' imprisonment, was pardoned, according to the list of persons arrested appearing in Lindsay's Life of W.L. Mackenzie. And it is said that Gabriel Hawke, of Tecumseth, was also taken prisoner during the Rebellion, although his name does not appear in that list. Gabriel was a large, powerful man, and well-known in the early days of the Township of Tecumseth. Some part of the Hawke family moved to the Township of Wellesley, County of Waterloo, where the village of Hawkesville is named after them.

Farther north, in the vicinity of Bond Head, and northward, the settlers were of different types, and less uniformly of one nationality than is some other parts, though there was also here a large sprinkling of North of Ireland people. Chief amongst the earliest in this central part of the township were: - James Armstrong, (1825), lot 22, con. 7, Richard Batters, lot 21, con. 6, Richard Callaghan, (1825), lot 24, con. 9, George Clunis (1825), lot 19, con. 6, Adam Graham, (1821), lot 24, con. 8, James Hill, (1825), lot 24, con. 11, William Mares, (1827), lot 22, con. 9, James McDermott, (1825), lot 18, con. 8, Edward Rorke, (1824), lot 15, con. 7, Henry Willoughby, lot 24, con. 8.

George Ramsay was amongst the first to arrive, having come in 1822, and taken up lot 19, con.8; although, being a bachelor, he did not settle upon his land until 1825, hiring others in the meantime to make a clerance on it. In that year he married, and with his young wife repaired to his home in the backwoods, taking along with his household outfir a small coffee mill. He was an early magistrate and it was "Squire" Ramsay who married Henry Morris and Margaret Kidd of Essa, this being the first marriage in the settlement. During some seasons of the year, the Holland River was so swollen with floods that it was impossible for the Tecumseth settlers to cross it on their way with grists to Newmarket, where was the nearest mill. At such time Ramsay's little coffee mill was in great demand, and it is said that people came for several miles to grind a few quarts of grain, in order to ward off starvation while the floods lasted. Mr. Ramsay also taught the school in Section No.11 for some years in the forties and fifties. He was a native of the County Tyrone, Ireland, and died November 10th, 1865, aged 69 years and two months.

The original settler in the northern part of Tecumseth was Thomas Cooke, whose name (on lot 24, con. 14), is remembered in connection with Cookstown. But settlers located in the north rather slowly, chiefly on account of the "Big Swamp," which shut them off from communication with the south, and also because the Government Road from Bradford westward, drew the traffic into the central and southern parts. Mr. Cooke was a native of County Leitrim, Ireland, and had advanced far enough with his affairs to raise a house on his land in 1833, across the road from James Kidd (in West Gwillimbury), who was the pioneer of this locality. Mr. Cooke's sons may be classed as early settlers, as well as himself, viz., James, Christopher, Thomas and George.

Hiram Bigelow received a patent for lot 12, con. 6, as early as 1823, and became one of the first settlers of this township. Afterwards, he started the first grist mill in the township, in 1832, or earlier, on lot 20, con. 9, on the stream a mile west of Newton Robinson. Like all the other mills of that early day, it was turned by water power, there being no steam mills at the time. It had wooden wheels, and its remains were to be seen at the place until recent years. Mr. Bigelow had built a sawmill here before he built the grist mill. Some part of the "race" to carry water for the wheel, he made of scooped logs, about a quarter of a mile lomg, or nearly. His son, Nelson Gordon Bigelow, became a prominent lawyer in Toronto, and was at one time member of the Ontario Legislature for the city.

William Monkman, a native of Lancashire, Eng., settled in 1819 or early in the twenties on the S. half, lot 17, con.3. His wife, Hannah Dale, was a native of Yorkshire. He prospered, and in course of time became the owner of 300 acres. He is best remembered as the founder of "Monkman's Meeting-house," the Methodist church at this place. As early as 1828, a travelling Methodist missionary, Rev. John Black, held services in his house, as we learn from Carroll's work on Case and his Contemporaries, (111,. 200). He had a family of three sons and six daughters. The sons were: George who died in 1846; John and Lawrence, both of whom moved to Garafraxa Township. His daughter, Sarah, was the wife of Thomas Gamble, J.P., a well-known resident of the township in later years.

In this part of the township, also, Gilbert Williams was one of the earliest settlers, on lot 15, con.2. He died Feb. 11th, 1865, at the age of 88 years. Joseph Hollingshead received a patent for lot 13, con. 4, in April, 1822, and his son, William, was a resident on this land for many years. He died March 24th, 1890, in 87th year. About the same time as the others, in this early group of 1822 or the next year, was William Rogers, who settled on lot 12, con. 2. He was, like a number of his neighbors, a native of England.

A little further west than the Monkman settlement, towards the centre of the township, in the first four concessions (especially in concessions one and two), several familes of Irish Catholics settled among the rest. In course of time these established a Catholic Church, with presbytery and burying-ground, on the second line on lot 14.

At Penville, Adna Penfield, a native of Connecticut, was one of the first settlers, his land being lot 18, con.4. Jesse Mills, a shoemaker, was also a settler of long standing. A village sprang up here at an early date, and a cross road, for the convenience of the settlers, was opened through six concessions, traversing the village in its course. It became an important center soon after the settlement of this neighborhood. In 1837, William Lyon Mackenzie held one of his meetings at Penville, and their was the usual excitement, but this did not prove to be one of the most seditious quarters in that stirring time. Sir Francis Bond Head has had but few admirers even among loyalists, yet the only place in Canada bearing his name as a memorial is to be found in this vicinity - the neighboring village of Bond Head; thus bearing witness to the ultra-loyal and satisfied condition of the inhabitants generally. In later years, the municipal council erected a Township Hall at Penville, and it thus became the "capital." When the railway passed up the valley through Tottenham and Beeton in 1877, Penville waned, and lost the importance it had in the earlier years. In this neighborhood there were some good forests of white oak, which is one of the most valuable trees for timber on this continent.

In the neighborhood of Penville, a few others settled in the early years to which we are referring: - James Coady, (1823), lot 14, con. 7, John Milligan, (1825), lot 14, con. 5, John McDermott, (1825), lot 15, con. 6, Daniel McCurdy, lot 13. con. 5.
The last named of these pioneers reached the century mark, having died June 3rd, 1878, aged 100 years, 5 months and 17 days. He was a native of the County Antrim, Ireland.

James Ellison came from the North of Ireland and settled on lot 8, con.2, in 1822, or soon afterwards. Early in the thirties before any church had arisen in the settlement, the house of Mr. Ellison was used as a Presbyterian place of worship, and a cemetery was started in the neighborhood, on lot 7 on the third line, in 1837 or earlier. The members and adherents of this preaching appointment built a log church at the place late in the thirties, and a manse was also added in course of time. Mr. Ellison had only one son, William. Two of his grandsons entered the Presbyterian ministry in the Hamilton Synod. Mr. Ellison died March 7th, 1880, aged 93 years.

Before the Rebellion, John Pearcey had settled on lot 10, con. 2. He had come from the North of Ireland, like nearly all the other settlers in the same neighborhood. He died October 9th, 1868, in his 64th year. Beside him on a part of the same lot settled John Fleming about the same time, who survived till January 15th, 1891, reaching the age of 75 years. James Milligan had arrived in this neighborhood in 1825, if not before. He is recorded for lot 9, con. 2, but always lived, in subsequent years at any rate, on S. half lot 9, con. 3. Other early settlers in this locality, with their approximate dates of settlement, were: - Owen Casey, (1825), lot 6, con. 2, William Hamner, (1824), lot 6, con. 1, Thos. McGoey, (1825), lot 7, con. 1.

To the northward of the last group of settlers a few others established themselves early in the twenties. Robert Martin came in 1822 and settled on the fourth line, his land being recorded as lot 9, con. 4. He received a patent for N. half lot 8, con. 3, April 28th, 1825. On the fifth line he had a small mill, with turning lathe, in the forties and fifties. After passing through the usual hardships, he reached a mature age, and died December 29th, 1867, aged 72 years.

In 1825, Hugh Semple, a native of Scotland, settled on the next land westward, lot 7, con. 4, and spent his lifetime in this locality. He died October 2nd, 1882, aged 72 years. His eldest son, Andrew Semple moved to Garafraxa in the pioneer days of that township, and subsequently became member of the Dominion House of Commons for Centre Wellington during three parliaments (1887 to 1900).

James White, a native of County Down, Ireland, settled on lot 8, con. 3, at an early date. Mr. White died October 3rd, 1846, aged 52 years.

John Totten secured a patent for thesouth-west quarter of lot, con. 2, in 1825. Alexander Totten, a member of this man's family, started a store on lot 6, con. 3, in 1835 or 1836 (before the Rebellion). They were natives of the County Armagh, Ireland. In 1840, Alex. to wife, Isabella, daughter of John Willoughby, of Newton Robinson, and this couple lived here more than fifty years. Beside them a village grew up, and when a post office was opended here in 1858, the name Tottenham was given to it out of compliment to the pioneer of the locality.

When the question of incorporating Tottenham as a village came before the County Council in June, 1884, John Thomas Smyth was appointed enumerator for taking the census of the village. He found the proposed limits contained 792 inhabitants and the council incorporated it with George P. Hughes as the first returning-officer. The first reeve elected was George A. Nolan (1885).

The incorporation of Beeton, as a village, came up at a session of the County Council in June, 1884. The Council appointed Thomas Atkins enumerator for taking the census of the village, which he found, within the proposed limits, to contain 781 inhabitants, and the Council incorporated it , W.H. Dickson being appointed the first returning officer. Thomas Atkins was elected as the first reeve of the village, but some inhabitants (Mr. Fenton and others) threatened suit against the county to set aide the By-law of Incorporation. The matter was taken into the courts, and the case of Fenton vs. County Simcoe was a topic in the newspapers of the day. Chief Justice Wilson quashed the By-law (No. 379), and his decision extends over a number of pages in volume 10 of the Ontario Law Reports, but there was an appeal from his decision, and the case entered in the Court of Appeal. In the meantime (January, 1886), the County Council asked the Legislature by memorial to pass an Act to confirm and legalize By-law No. 379, and the Legislature passed an Act for the purpose, as 49 Vict., Chap. 51 (1886), which closed the matter in dispute.

Patrick Hughes, a native of the County Armagh, Ireland, took up lot 6, concessions 6 and 7, in 1832. He was a pensioned soldier, and had served through the Peninsular war, having been wounded at the battle of Vittoria, 1813. His wife was a Portuguese, a native of Lisbon. Mr. Hughes died in 1872, aged 87 years. His son, George P. Hughes, is also to be classed in the roll of pioneers, having been born on the Tecumseth homestead in November, 1834. He became one of the early merchants at Keenansville, where he established a local newspaper (called the Simcoe Observer), as early as 1865, and was also postmaster and magistrate. Some time after the opening of the Hamilton Railway through Tecumseth (viz., in 1882), he moved to Tottenham, where he carried on a banking business, and also the Sentinel newspaper, this being the name he gave the Observer after its third year.

Another notable pioneer in this part of the township was John C. Colgan, who settled on lot 1, con. 5, in 1828, or very soon afterwards. Across the town line from his home, the first Catholic Church of St. James was erected in 1833, and a small village grew up here, to which was given the name of "Colgan." This pioneer will be remembered as the poet "Fagan," the name he signed to his poetical effusions which used to appear in local newspapers. A volume of his poems was printed in Toronto in 1873, written during the preceeding thirty years. They were mostly of local interest; the titles of the pieces, and many references throughout them, recall scenes and events of bygone times in Tecumseth and Adjala.

The village of Ballycroy took its rise at an early date in the same neighborhood where the above-mentioned settlers had been amongst the first to take up lands.

A serious fire occurred in Ballycroy in 1875, in which three young women met their death. A marble headstone in the graveyard of St. James' Church, four miles north, recalls the event with this inscription: - "To the memories of Mary A. Fanning, aged 32 years; Margaret H. Daley, aged 24 years, and Bridget Burke, aged 28 years, who perished in the conflagration which, on April 29th, 1875, destroyed the village of Ballycroy, this monument is raised by their afflicted relatives in grateful recollection of their estimable qualities and early lives." These young women were milliners in the store of Peter Small, which was one of the buildings destroyed.

Near this place, the Hunber River, which takes its rise in this county, passes from it into the adjoining County of Peel.

In the south west, in the vicinity of Mono Mills, a few settlers arrived about the year 1820, and within the next few years the following took up lots in the adjacent parts of Adjala: - John Cobean, con. 3, lot 3, Jones Hall, con. 3, lot 6, James Darraugh, con. 2, lot 5, Stewart Mason, con. 2, lot 1, James McKenna, con. 3, lot 7.

The first named, John Cobean, was the constable of his neighborhood in the early years, having been appointed to that office in 1836 or perhaps earlier.

A sad misfortune overtook the family of the second person (Jones Hall) named on the above list in the early years of the settlement. He sent his son, Joseph, a young man, for a froe (a tool used by the pioneers for splitting shingles), to a settler's in a part of the adjoining Township of Tecumseth, near the eighth and town line corner. Joseph lost his way in the forest and did not return home at night as his father expected. Next day the father called out the settlers to search for him. Many turned out to give help, and one of them, James M. Tegart, of Tecumseth, came upon his lifeless body lying in the woods; he had perhaps died through fear of exhaustion. They brought his remains to the house of one of the Tecumseth settlers, Mr. White, and buried him in front of Mr. Tegart's farm. This became the first burial in the cemetery a mile east of Tottenham; other graves soon were added, and a regular graveyard began. This was more than eighty years ago, and he was perhaps the first white man who died in Tecumseth. No stone marks his resting place, but settlers of the locality for many years lamented the untimely end of poor Joseph Hall.

The last named person on the above list, James McKenna, died May 12th, 1885, aged 89 years.

To the northward of the Ballycroy settlers, a few others arrived about the year 1828. Among these were: - John Headon, con. 7, lot 10, Harvey Huntley, con. 7, lot 14, Owen Keough, con. 5, lot 10, Henry McCullough con. 7, lot 11, Patrick Patton, con. 6, lot 9, Daniel Small, con. 7, lot 11.

James Hart, who took up lot 8 in the 7th concession, was also one of the early settlers in this neighborhood, his house being about two miles from Keenansville. From an early year he was Township Clerk until his death, which occurred February 9th, 1869, at the age of 48 years.

At Keenansville, which took its rise on Bailey's Creek at an early period, as there was good water power on the stream, Harvey Huntley was said to be the first settler, having arrived about 1828, and took up the east half of lot 14 in the seventh.

Owen Keough was a native of County Cavan, Ireland, and reached a ripe age, his death having occurred April 2nd, 1876, at the age of 96 years.

Henry McCullough, the fourth on this list, was District Councillor for Adjala in 1842-3.

Patrick Patton, the next on the list, was Division Court Clerk for a time, and otherwise took part in the public affairs of the township.

Daniel Small was one of the first settlers, a patent for the lot above mentioned having been issued in the name of his brother, James, in 1828. He hewed out a home for himself and children; and near the same place he breathed his last, September, 5th, 1890, at the advanced age of 98 years. Peter Small, his son, became a merchant in Ballycroy, and a reeve of Adjala for nine years (1867-1875). Afterwards he resided in Toronto, where he was bailiff of the Division Court. Another son, Patrick, was also a memeber of the Township Council on different occasions.

James Duross (lot 12, con. 8), one of the pioneers, lived to be 113 years of age, having survived unti May 15th, 1896. The reader may observe, from these notes on the Irish pioneers of Adjala, how many of them reached great ages -- in the case of Mr. Duross, far beyond the century mark, and many other cases nearly the century. Whatever the cause, the facts show great strength of nerve and constitution on the parts of these Irish pioneers.

James Hamilton, with his sons, Alexander, Thomas and John, settled early on lot 10, con. 6. This was a Presbyterian family, there being a few such mixed among the Irish Catholics who formed the majority of the settlers in this locality. Mr. Hamilton, sr., died April 12th, 1858, aged 80 years, and was interred in the family plot in the cemetery on the third line of Tecumseth, where they attended church.

Luke Harcourt, an Irish Catholic, also settled in this neighborhood aat an early date. He received a patent for lot 7, con. 8, in April, 1835, but appears to have lived at Keenansville from the earliest years of that village, and worked at his trade as shoemaker, being like most shoemakers, not blessed with a large amount of this world's goods. He subsequently moved to the frontier part of this province. Hon. Richard Harcourt, of Welland, Ont., is a grandson of this pioneer.

Besides the main stream of the Notawasaga, which passes in a northeasterly direction across the township, another branch parallel with the river itself, and crossing the township at a more southerly part, was sometimes known as Bailey's Creek. This made an obstruction for settlers, the earliest and most numerous settlements being south of it. It was not easy to make roads across Bailey's Creek, or in its neighborhood, during the early years; accordingly, in 1843, the District Council of Simcoe expended money for a "trespass" road here.

As early as the year 1828, some settlers had begun to take up lots in the good lands just north of Bailey's Creek. Among these were the familes of Connors, Kelly and Keenan. It was from the last family that the village of Keenansville had its name. Robert Keenan was District Councillor (1846-9), and reeve of Adjala, (1857), for twelve years altogether. He died January 10th, 1903, aged 83 years.

Keran Egan, a native of King's County, Ireland, took up the E half of lot 13, con. 6, in 1829. He had a bed of hemlock boughs for a time, while he prepared a more substantial shelter. He spent his long lifetime near Keenansville, on the place where he first settled, and died January 25th, 1890, aged 95 years. Two brothers of his were also early settlers in the same neighborhood.

Hugh Kelly, a native of County Carlow, Ireland, took up the east half of lot 14, con. 5, in 1828, or the following year, and was a lifelong resident in this locality.

About the same time as the preceding, two pioneers took up lot 14, con. 4., viz., Patrick Feheley, on the west half, and Andrew Goulding on the east half.

Thomas Hollend and his son Felix also settled near Keenansville (on lot 12, con. 7), in the same period.

Michael Haffey settled upon the west half lot 14, con. 5, at this early period. On the opposite lot in con. 6, where John Haffey lived at a later time, Henry J. Peck, of Stanley, N.Y., found, in 1887, parts of the skeleton of a mammoth. This is the only instance known of mammoth bones having been found in Simcoe County. One of the molars is in Elmira College, N.Y. The other bones are in the Geological Museum of Lafayette College, Easton, P.A.

On the lot south of Haffey, George Kidd settled during this first arrival of settlers, and here arose the village of Athlone.

Farther west, on lot 10, con. 1, James Flynn settled at this time. He was an assessor of the township for some years, until he moved to the United States.

In "North Adjala", which is the part of the township north of the wide swamp of the Nottawasaga River, a settlement was made very soon after the southerly parts. Among the first settlers in this part were the following: - William Cassidy, con. 1, lot 29, Matthew Conway, con. 3, lot 28, Michael Healey, con. 5, lot 29, John Hoey, con. 4, lot 32, Thomas Irwin, con. 4, lot 31, Thomas Langley, con. 4, lot 29, John Reilly, con. 6, lot 30, William Ryan, con. 5, lot 26.

The first named on this list received a patent for his land in 1821, but did not actually settle so early.

Before 1830 a few familes had taken up farms, and were already making their first clearings. To notice the more conspicuous, at least, of these settlers, and to review the most notable incidents of their first years in the forest, the plan proposed is to begin at the southern extremity of the township and proceed northward along the Penetanguishene Road, making short digressions here and there into the various intersecting concessions, wherever a particular individual or event of notoriety should be recalled.

Lewis J. Clement, a "Dutch Canadian," arrived upon N. half 16, con. 1, from Niagara, in June, 1829, with his wife, one child, a hired man, and a yoke of oxen. He built a temporary brush tent, which was by them called "home," for a brief period, until a more substantial and commodious dwelling place couold be erected. Clement's house, built by the carpenter, James Soules, was the first frame house in Innisfil, and is still standing. In subsequent years. Mr. Clement became a magistrate. He died April 9th, 1873, in his 74th year. A large family then survived him, of whom the best known, perhaps, were Dr. Lewis Clement, of Bradford, and Stephen Clement, who was for a time deputy-sheriff of this county, under Sheriff Smith, and who afterwards became sheriff of Shoal Lake District, at Birtle, in Manitoba.

Robert McLean, an Irish soldier settled upon lot 17, con. 2, in May, 1829, a month earlier than Clement. Dugald McLean, a son of this pioneer, and John Lawrie, jr., were the sawyers of the settlement, and they were drowned about 1840 off De Grassi Point. Both McLean and wife died from an attack during an epidemic of cholera, which carried off numerous settlers in that section in September, 1849.

Another notable pioneer, though not one of the earliest, was Charles Willson, (S. half 15, con. 2), who arrived and settled in 1833. In company with the Maconchy brothers, of lot 15, con. 5, he came from the North of Ireland, (Tyrone or Derry), and to a member of that family he became married. He was one of the three Wardens of Innisfil for the year 1841, before a Township Council was organized, and filled other important positions, at different times. But in 1850 he removed to Tecumseth.

On a corner of his farm, Robert Laird, who had settled at an early date, opened a store about 1835 -- the first store in Innisfil. This was the nucleus of Cherry Creek.

James Rogerson, (N. half 19, con. 2), a native of Scotland, arrived in 1833. Of his family, which was large, several members of it became residents of this neighborhood.

Alfred Willson, the son of a U.E. Loyalist, came from Holland Landing after the Rebellion and took up the north half, lot 16, con. 2, at Cherry Creek. He was the representative of Innisfil at the meetings of the Simcoe District Council from 1843 until 1849, both years inclusive. He also contested this county in December, 1851, with the Hon. W.B. Robinson, but was not successful. Some time later he moved to Bell Ewart, where he lived until his death, in 1888, at the aage of 77 years.

Hiram Willson, his brother, with two sons, Lambert and Wellington, came from Sharon, in York County, later, and purchased S. half, lot 16, con. 3, near Cherry Creek, also becoming settlers of long standing.

Innisfil, like West Gwillimbury, had its "Scotch Settlement," but the group of settlers which it comprised came from another quarter, and at a later date -- the autumn of 1832. We turn off the main Road now to notice this group of interesting pioneers. Previous to that year they had settled in the Township of Dalhousie, Lanark County, but finding its rocky surface anything but a congenial dwelling place, and seeing no prospects of making a permanent home there, they deserted in a body and settled in the south-east of Innisfil.

Their native place was Glasgow and its vicinity, where some of them had belonged to the recalcitrant brotherhood of Glasgow weavers, so notorious in British history. They had left Scotland at the time of the intense public excitement preceding the passing of the Reform Bill. Most of them had taken part in the agitation; and, like the Pilgrim Fathers of an earlier time, they preferred to live beyond the sea rather than endure the grievances of their native land. Most of them, too, were platform orators, and enthusiastic Reformers, which their descendants are to this day. The individuals who, with their families, composed this interesting group of settlers were: -- John Lawrie, N. half 17, con. 2, Rev. John Climie, S. half 17, con. 2, John Todd, S. half 19, con. 2, Hugh Todd, N. half 12, con. 5, Gavin Allan, 15, con. 5, Robert Wallace, S. half 22, con. 5, William Duncan, S. half 18, con. 6, William Cross, 20, con. 6, James Jack, N. half 21, con. 5.

They settled closely together; and this circumstance, together with the fact tha a number of their descendants remained at the old homesteads and in the same neighborhood, gave the south-east part of Innisfil the Scotch-Presbyterian character which it possessed.

At the Rebellion of 1837 some of these settlers did not desire to go to the front and assist in the quelling the uprising, as they naturally sympathised to some extent with the principles advocated by William Lyon Mackenzie and his party. As the "Dalhousie" settlers were not outspoken in their opinions on the matter, they were suspected of having non-pacific intentions. One of them possessed an old rusty musket, which was promptly taken from him lest he should aid the rebels' cause, and he was forced by loyalists to go to the frontier. This circumstance attached the name of "Rebels in Disguise" to the "Dalhousie" people and their descendants for some years after the Rebellion. Another report was circulated that they had been banished from Glasgow to Dalhousie, and that they had fled from their place of banishment to Innisfil. This report was chiefly made to do duty at municipal elections, when any of the "Dalhousie" settlers were candidates.

John Lawrie, the first on the list given above, was a prominent person in his neighborhood, and a platform speaker of ability. His two sons, John and William, together with Dugald Mclean, were the three sawyers of the settlement, for which they manufactured almost all the lumber for the district with a whipsaw in one of the old-time saw-pits. About the year 1840, John Lawrie, jr., and Mclean obtained a canoe near De Grassi Point one Sunday afternoon and set out to cross the lake to Roache's Point on the opposite shore. They were never heard of afterwards, and it was supposed that they had been drowned off De Grassi Point.

The other son, William Lawrie, probably became better known at one day than any other member of the group. A few years after his arrival in Innisfil he married a daughter of Rev. John Climie, and filled a variety of callings. At one time he preached occasionally; at another he occupied the position of chief constable of this county, after having served a term in Bradford as Bailiff of the Division Court, and another in Barrie in the office of Sheriff Smith. At other times he was bailiff, auctioneer, etc., and travelled throughout this county to a considerable extent in these capacities; few men in his day knew it better than he. One of his most notable exploits was the arrest, in 1858, of Robert Coulter, the outlaw, charged with murder at Holland Landing. On another occasion he was in company with John Rose, of Bradford, when they were beset by robbers, near the place, but the two succeeded in warding off the attack. Subsequently he removed to Wroxeter, Huron County, where he carried on a conveyancing business for some years, and reached an advanced age.

Rev. John Climie, the second individual on the foregoing list, had been a weaver in a village seven miles from Glasgow. A brother of his started the famous Clark spool firm of Glasgow, the name of the firm continuing for several years to be Climie & Clark. His family consisted of four sons and some daughters, who came with him from Scotland. One of the sons died in Innisfil soon after their arrival. Rev. John Clime, jr., of this family, was a Congregationalist minister, ans was stationed from 1840 onward for sometime at Bowmore (now Duntroon), in Nottawasaga, and subsequently at Darlington, 1851; Bowmanville, 1856, and Belleville, 1861. It appears to have been difficult for him to abstain from taking part in politics. His son, Mr. W.R. Climie, was secretary of the Ontario Press Association, and editor and proprietor of the Bowmanville Sun until his death in 1894. William Climie, another son of the pioneer, lived on the homestead, on the second concession line. The two remaining brothers, George and Andrew, went to Perth County, and have left there a numerous line of descendants.

At Churchill Galvin Allan, one of the "Dalhousie" settlers, took up lot 16, con. 3 (N. half), in 1832, and lived there for about eight years, when he moved a mile further north, his sons have been identified with this neighborhood from the beginning of the settlement.

On the opposite corner of the cross roads, (on S. half, lot 15, con. 4), John Gimby, a native of England, settled with his family in 1833. Three children of this family died during the local outbreak of cholera in the autumn of 1849.

This family removed to the Township of Derby, near Owen Sound, where John and Joseph hewed out new homes for themselves in he unbroken forest. These two men in their neighborhood became well known, the latter of whom died on Nov. 21st, 1889, at the agoe of 63, leaving a large family. In the early years of its existence Churchill was known as "Gimby's Corners," and subsequently as "Bulley's Acre," from the rough characters who often congregated there and held a "Merry Dublin."

One of the best known citizens of Churchill for many years was Henry Sloan. By trade he was a waggonmaker, and pursued his calling at this place. He was a prominent Orangeman, one of his ancestors having come with William of Orange from Holland, and settled in Ireland. He was second deputy-reeve of Innisfil for two years (1869-70).

In the neighborhood of Lefroy, Henry Grose, who had arrived in the county in 1832, after some time spent in West Gwillimbury, settled on S. half, lot 21 con. 4, Innisfil, and had a sawmill there at an early date. He was a native of England, became a justice of the peace, and was at one time a member of the Township Coucil. His death occurred in 1888.

The village of Lefroy was named after Gen. Sir John Henry Lefroy, who, from 1844 until 1853, was in charage of the Magnetic Observatory in Toronto. Gen. Lefroy's first wife was a daughter of Chief Justice Sir John Beverley Robinson.

Johnn Cripps, who arrived upon S. half 20, con. 4, about the same time as the other pioneers of this neighborhood, at first performed all his farmwork with one ox; then, after fortune had smiled more graciously upon him, with a horse and an ox yoked together -- which presented a spectacle rather more amusing than convenient. Some years later he sold his farm, and shortly afterwards a false report was circulated by some one that gold had been found upon the farm which he had just left, causing him sorely to regret the sale of his possession.

While in this neighborhood, it may be proper to say a few words upon Bell Ewart -- once the commercial metropolis of this Lake Simcoe region. For a long time, immediately after the opening of the Northern Railway in 1853, it was the busiest distributing point in the north; for there the taffic of all Lake Simcoe centred. It was the headquarters of the boats, and the shipping, of the lake. In 1852, Sage & Grant, two capitalists from the United States, built a large sawmill there -- the largest in these parts at the time. While good timber was plentiful around the lake, a large business was carried on; but after a few years the timber limits became partially exhausted, the large mill was accidentally burned down, and Bell Ewart dwindled in size.

With regard to the orthography of the word Bell Ewart, a curious circunstance arises. The place was named after the late Mr. Bell Ewart; and the word is so spelled in all records of the post office department. But for some reason or other the most frequent rendering was Belle Ewart; and a majority of the older books and records persisted in using the final "e."

It is recorded, though with what degree of correctness we have been unable to learn, that a pioneer named Jacob Gill pitched his habitation, in 1821, on lot 23, con. 2, near DeGrassi Point, "just in from the lake shore, where for a number of years he was left the sole disturber of the woodland peace."

With Bell Ewart the list of deserted villages is not exhausted, for about three miles to the north of that place, beyond Cedar Point, on the shore of a small bay, was once the village of Lakeland. Here was a sawmill and two or three dozen houses, but the place lost its human habitations.

Returning now to the Penetanguishene Road, from which we have deviated, and still advancing on our way northward, the fifth concession is next reached, where a few settlers arrived quite early. The Maconchy brothers settled upon lot 15, con. 5, in 1833, having come from the North of Ireland with Charles Willson, as already stated. The career of the late Thomas Maconchy was sketched in our chapter on Bradford, whither his family went from this farm about 1840.

In 1832 came John Patterson and located upon lot 14, con. 5. Patterson was accompanied by Thomas Reive, who returned to Scotland, coming again to Canada in 1834, with the late Richard Boyes, of Churchill. The latter in that year became a settler on the same farm with Patterson, but Reive did not permanently settle on it until 1846, remaining there until his death on October 13th, 1889.

Other early settlers of the same neighborhood are included in the following list: -- Mitchell Scott, (1833), N. half 11, con. 5, Alex. Ross, (1835), S. half 11, con. 5, William Fisher, (1835), 11, con. 6, J. Johnson, (1835), S. half 9, con. 6, James Reid, (1830), S. half 19, con. 5, Alex. McLean, (1832), S. half 20, con. 5, Peter Gartley, (1833), S. half 21, con. 5, John Pratt, (1835), S. half 15, con. 7, W. McCullough, (1831), N. half 17, con. 6, James McLean, (1832), S. half 19, con. 7.

Where the eighth concession crosses the Penetanguishene Road, a group of well-known settlers located at an early period. "Squire" McConkey settled upon lot 16, con. 8, in the early part of 1829. His family was the first to settle upon the Main Road here, after it was opened. His son, Thomas D. McConkey, was a merchant in Barrie from 1843, onnward, M.P. for North Simcoe, and finally Sheriff of Simcoe.

"Squire" Benjamin Ross also arrived upon S. half 15, con. 8, in the autumn of 1835. For about thirty years he was clerk and treasurer of Innisfill Township, and the Innisfil post office of which he was postmaster during the same time, was the first in the township, and the only one for several years until the opening of the railway. He died at an advanced age in 1875, leaving a number of sons and daughters, one of whom being ex-Mayor C.H. Ross, of Barrie.

Samuel Maneer, a native of England, located upon N. half 15, con. 8, with his family in the autumn of 1831. A large number of descendants of his family are now residing in different parts of the province. A few other settlers took up lands near him about the same time, including James Robins and John Thompson.

James Wilson, William McCullough and William Booth were soldiers of Irish birth, who in 1831 were disbanded from Niagara or Toronto and did not return to their native country but took up lands in this township. With them was Joseph Orchard, a native of England, who also as a veteran soldier obtained land and turned his attention to farming in Innisfil. In the fall of each year when the turnip crop was ready to harvest, Mr. Orchard (and Mr. Wilson likewise) used his sword for "topping" the turnips, i.e., cutting the leaves off them, thus coming as near as possible to a fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy that the sword shall be turned into a plough share, and the spear into a pruning hook. It was the writer's privilege once to find another sword in this county used as a stove-lid lifter.

While in the southeast of Innisfil there was a distinctly Scotch immigration, in the west and southwest parts of the township there was a large influx of Irish settlers from Ulster. The two settlements were separated from each other by the "Big Swamp," which almost amounted to isolation, and on this account they have ever since largely retained the distinctive social features impressed upon them by the first settlers. These Irish settlers in the southwest arrived by way of Perry's Corners, (Cookstown), to the south of which, at a short distance, was the only road across the "Big Swamp," which extended far up into Innisfil.

In the autumn of 1824, John Perry located upon the corner lot of Innisfil. This man, it appears, and his sons, were inclined to follow Nimrod's pursuits, and in their early hunting expeditions wouold wander over the adjoining townships, which were then but thinly populated, calling at the settlers' houses. For several of its first years Cookstown was known as "Perry's Corners." Subsequently, one Dixon kept a tavern there, and it was then called "Dixon's Corners," which name in turn was changed, in 1847, to "Cookstown."

John Sutherland, a native of Sutherlandshire, Scotland, was an early settler in the first concession. He died May 8, 1888, aged 82 years.

Amongst other settlers who came at an later date to Cookstown was Thomas R. Ferguson, formerly M.P. for South Simcoe, who was also of Irish birth. He came to this country when quite young, and subsequently engaged in mercantile business at Cookstown for a number of years, with success. He first became reeve and representative of Innisfil in the County Council in 1852, and held the position for many years, during seven of which he was Warden of the County. In 1857 he was first elected member of Parliament for South Simcoe, and remained its representative till 1873.

Thomas Bathers, with his family, located upon the first concession, also, at an early date, and like the Perrys, their neighbors, were given to Nimrod's pastime

Henry Hindle, an emigrant from England, arrived upon N. half 7, con. 3, in "33 or '34. He was the first white man to cross the "Big Swamp" on the fourth concession line of Innisfil. Upon the occasion in question he was on his way with a grist to Holland Landing, with his oxen and a sleigh. Everything went well, until, on his way home he reached the swamp, where he was attacked by a pack of wolves. To save himself and oxen from being devoured, he was obliged to chain his oxen to a tree, and run around them all night, brandishing his axe and shouting all the time to keep the wolves at bay. When dayight came the wolves fled, leaving the sturdy pioneer to pursue the remainder of his journey unharmed.

In the same neighborhood, which has usually been known as "Hindle's Settlement," there arrived about the same time two brothers from the Borth of Ireland -- John and William Lennox. The former located upon N. half 8, con. 3, and the latter upon S. half 9, con. 4. Both have left numerous descendants. Haughton Lennox, a grandson of John, was first elected M.P. for South Simcoe, in 1900, and is the present member.

Thomas W. Lennox, who served as first deputy-reeve of Essa in 1886 and for several years afterward, is a son of William.

Amongst other early settlers from the North of Ireland, who took up lots near these men, may be mentioned: - John Scroggie, Matthew Gray, John Sharp, James McCormack, Stewart Wright, and others, all of whom came by way of Perry's Corners, and have left descendants in the neighborhood in prosperous positions.

The first person to disturb the woodland peace in Innisfil was Mr. Francis Hewson, of Big Bay Point. This man came to Canada from Ireland in 1817, leaving his family in their native country until he should prepare a home for them in the forest. At Big Bay Point he purchased 500 acres of land, and in 1820 the family arrived there becoming the pioneers of the township. Shortly after their settlement, he was appointed a magistrate, and in this capacity for some years he tied all the matrimonial knots of the district. He was the first magistrate in the county, and performed the first marriage ceremony. The children of this familw were: -- Fannie, Francis, William, and Anna. Francis removed at an early date to Duntroon, in Nottawasaga, and became, in 1850, the first treasurer in that township. William became a millwright and built saw and grist mills in 1852 at Painswick on the large stream thenceforth known as Hewson's Creek. Anna, the youngest, was the first white child born in Innisfil; and became Mrs. Davis, of Galesburgh, Illinois.

Owing to the lonely situation beside the Lake Simcoe waterway, over which passed the entire traffic between the frontier and the upper lakes, the house of the Hewson family sheltered many early travellers, fatigued by the toil of the journey. Amongst them were Sir John Franklin and his party, who passed through in 1825. After a residence of a few years at Big Bay Point, the family removed away, their farm became deserted, their fields were again overgrown with woodland, and nature once more reigned supreme. The forest of second growth trees which then appeared upon the scene of their first experiences, makes the place so attractive at the present day for those desiring to find retirement in the heated months of midsummer. In early years, Big Bay Point was called Hewson's Point from the connection of this family with the place. In 1834, Mr. Hewson left the Point, and with his family became a resident of Barrie.

Attention has frequently been called in these sketches to the fact that the pioneers mostly settled in groups, according to nationality. Several instances of this feature have already been found; and we now come upon another group of early settlers who had been pioneers in Markhan Township in the vicinity of Thornhill, but who re-settled in the northern part of Innisfil, just in from the shore of Kempenfeldt Bay. One of this Markham group, and the second man to arrive for permanent settlement in the township, was David Soules, who, with his brother, James, in 1823, purchased a block of land west of the Hewson Tract. The Soules brothers were of Nova Scotian descent, and were members of a family of twelve residing at Thornhill.

During the war of 1812-15 David had taken an active part in its stirring events, although he was then but young. He was at Little York when it was taken by the Americans, in April, 1813; he went with Major McDouall's party for the relief of Michilimackinac, in March, 1814, and assisted them in building fourty batteaux on the Nottawasaga River; he was present when the two American frigates were captured with their crews of sixty men; and he assisted in taking them as prioners to Kingston. He was also one of those who opened the military road from Kempenfeldt to Penetanguishene, towards the close of the war. While thus on duty during war time in our county, he formed a high opinion of its superior advantages for settlement; and, as we have seen, afterwards carried his ideas into effect by locating at Big Bay Point, almost before any others had disturbed the Simcoe forests. He settled there in preference to any other place, thinking that if a town should rise in his part of the country, it would be there. Unexpected changes are wrought by time; and the farm which he selected is now far from the beaten paths of commerce.

Soules, upon his arrival, built a small log house about three miles west of the Point, on a portion of his land (lot 26, con. 14), quite near the shore of Kempenfeldt Bay. This log cabin was replaced in 1838 by a frame one constructed of boards cut with an old-time whipsaw. At this place he continued to live for 52 years until his death in 1875, passing through all the experiences of Canadian forest life. With his ox team he assisted Sir John Franklin and his party across the Nine-Mile portage in 1825; and he often earned, in those early years, a few dollars, by teaming over the portage. His wife, Miss Youmans, of Scarboro Township, shared with him the trials of backwoods life through all these years; and their only child, Samuel Lount Soules, was born in 1823. Soules was a brother-in-law of the ill-fated Samuel Lount, and the part which he took in the Rebellion was one of importance and interest.

James, his brother and companion and those years, brought his wife from Thonhill in 1822. He was frozen to death near Hammond's Point, in the fall of 1833. His house was the second frame house in Innisfil.

The next settler, and also one of the Markham group, was George F.H. Warnica, a Dane, who had seen many parts of the world before settling in the U.S. Leaving New York State about 1815, he temporarily resided in Markham, but permanently settled in Innisfil, and became the first settler at Painswick, (N. half lot 13, con. 12), where he and is family arrived in February, 1825. No other settlers lived nearer than David Soules, at Big Bay Point, at distance of six miles; and many were the hardships which they experienced in reaching their forest home over the ice at Kempenfeldt Bay and through the deep snow to their land. Mr. Warnica died in 1847, at the advanced age of 83. His family consisted of four sons: John, George, Joseph and William, who have left a number of descendants.

John, the eldest, was the first assessor of Innisfil, his duties in this capacity having been required as early as the thirties; and on different occasions during the forties he also performed the duties of that office. In 1850 he moved to Wisconsin, where he died in 1882. George, the second son, became the first settler of lot 15, con. 12. It is said at one day he was champion axeman of the township, and the large size of this man, and the strength of his muscle, would seem to indicate the truth of the statement. As in the days of Asaph, "a man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees," so here in the pioneer days of Innisfil, it was of some moment to be a good axeman. He was the first representative, or district councillor, of Innisfil at the meetings of the Home District Council, at Toronto, in 1842, and was a member of the first councils of Innisfil in 1850-1-2, besides being connected with municipal affairs in various other ways. He was also a justice of the peace. His death occurred in 1886. Joseph and William were constables for the district, and as such attended some of the earliest courts at the county town. They were large, fearless and resolute men, not easily overcome in their efforts to kep the peace. Joseph was one of the constables. Joseph was one of the constable at the famous Steele-Robinson election at Barie in 1841. He was a carpenter by trade, and after living some years in Barrie, moved to Michigan, and perished at the close of the Civil War in the U.S., in which he had taken some part. William, the youngest son, was as intrepid as the others. One night, early in the thirties, while living at home at Painswick, the dog made a great uproar, from which William knew that something was wrong. He rose from bed, seized an axe, and without dressing marched forth into the darkness. The dog led him to where their cow was standing over her newly-born calf, keeping at bay a large and famished wolf which was trying to seize it. There was just light enough to see what was taking place. With one blow across the back from the axe he crippled the wolf so that it could not travel, and with another blow on the head he finished its career. The wolf was large, but very gaunt and famished, as wolves often were in the springtime, and this made it so bold. He became the settler of N. half lot 20, con. 10, where he resided till his death in 1876.

Amongst others who came from Markham and took up land in northern Innisfil were Nathaniel and Jonas Wood, two brothers, who settled upon lot 16, con. 13, in 1833, the former on the north half. The baptism of his child by Rev. Father Mayerhoffer, a minister of the Church of England, from Markham, who occasionally came in those early years to visit his former parishioners, was the first event of its kind in the settlement. The services on that occasion, and indeed on many other occasions, in those early years, were conducted in the loft of Warnica's Inn at Painswick, which appears to have been the only available place of meeting in the neighborhood for adherents of all denominations, unti as late as the Rebellion of '37.

Another of this Markham group was Samuel Wice, who came to Innisfil (lot 13, con. 12), in 1833. His brother, Henry Wice (N. half 13, con. 10), was also among the earliest arrivals. It was customary in olden times to have a very large fireplace and chimney in one end of the log cabin; but Henry Wice appears to have outstripped everyone else in that line by having the fireplace and chimney so large as to occupy the whole end of his house. In other words, the chimney was the fundamental feature against which he built his log caabin.

Following closely after these Markham pioneers came a small group of colonists from England, and located in a cluster near Big Bay Point: -- John Hammond, lot 24, con. 13, Moses Hayter, lot 25, con. 13, Joseph Hunt, lot 25, con. 12, Robert Fitten, lot 26, con. 12, John Pratt, lot 16, con. 11.

Hammond was a London carter, who had gathered considerable means, which he invested in Canadian woodland on the shores of Kempenfeldt Bay. He did not enjoy his property for many years, but died in 1840.

Moses Hayter constructed the first sawmill of the neighborhood, at the lake shore on his farm. He afterwards became the first jailer of this county. A sketch of his career appeared in the Pioneer Papers, (No. 1), of the County Historical Society.

To these families of English colonists may also be added the names of Webb and Cullen, the latter of whom, Samuel Cullen, was one of the earliest residents of Vespra, but soon removed to Big Bay Point. Another early resident of the same neighborhood was Robert Robinson, )N. half 27, con. 12). It is related of him that on one occasion, when the family ran out of breaed and were pinched for food, he threshed some wheat over a barrel, winnowed it in the wind, and carried the grist all the way to the nearest mill, at Holland Landing, on his back, and home again. Mr. Robinson was a zealous Orangeman, and the first Orange Hall in the township was built on the corner of his farm. The last years of his life were spent in retirement at Craigvale, where he died in 1865.

Tollendal had its origin with the erection of a sawmill -- the first in Innisfil Township-- in '29 or '30, by George McMullen. With him was associated in this work George Emes, a man of some experience in mill construction, who came from Roache's Point, in North Gwillimbury, for the purpose of building it. The mill was soon purchased by Captain Robert O'Brien afterward Admiral O'Brien, cousin of Lieut.-Col. E.G. O'Brien, of Shanty Bay, who in turn disposed of it to Mr. Edmund S. Lally. The latter gentleman became, therefore, one of the first residents of Tollendal.

Mr. Lally had come to Canada in 1835, with letters of introduction to Sir John Colborne, the Lieut.-Governor, and had joined his brother, Meyrick Lally, at Shanty Bay, who had preceded him by three or four years. Shortly afterward he purchased from Captain O'Brien the mill property at Tollendal, and resided there until 1845. Being unaccustomed to the conditions of life in a new country, he, at times, in common with all pioneers, had difficulty in providing for his family; but with time all these difficulties were overcome. He was appointed County Treasurer in 1845, and thereupon moved to Barrie.

His sawmill at Tollendal was then leased and carried on by Alex. Sibbald. A grist mill had been erected in 1835 beside the sawmill by three men who had united their efforts for that purpose. The water power at this place was good, and its proximity to Kempenfeldt Bay rendered it easily accessible by water to a large number of settlers. This was the first grist mill in the township, the settlers up to that time having been obliged to carry their grists to the Red Mills at Holland Landing. This early grist mill at Tollendal was rented and operated by Jas. Priest, who was a resident of the place for a number of years.

It was from Mr. Lally that Tollendal received its musical name.

At an early date when the County of Simcoe was about to be severed from the Home District, Tollendal partook in the strife to become the county town, it being at that time as large a place as Barrie. An agitation had been previously started to make Kempenfeldt the county seat; thereupon Tollendal also became a competitor for the honor. Mr. Lally decided that the capital should be located at the head of the bay, which was about midway betwen the two rival villages. And thus was determined the fate of all three places; Kempenfeldt and Tollendal dwindled, while Barrie, at the head of the bay, sprang into sudden importance and life. Some time after, Mr. Lally moved to Barrie. He held conjointly with the County Treasurership, the agency of the Bank of Upper Canada. Upon the failure of that bank, in 1866, he was instrumental in establishing a branch of the Bank of Commerce at Barrie, of which he was manager for a long time. Mr. Lally retired from banking, and died at Barrie, June 17th, 1889, at the age of 83. During his life he was commissioned Lieut.-Col. of the Simcoe Battalion.

Amongst the early figures of Tollendal was John Chantler, who was born in England in 1816, and was at first a member of the Society of Friends. He emigrated in 1832 and settled in Newmarket, but removed to Tollendal in 1839. For a time he operated the grist mills at the latter place; and with him resided his sister, Elizabeth, who was united in marriage on Jan. 10th, 1842, to Rev. George McDougall, the Methodist missionary to the Indians of the North-west, sketches of whose life have appeared from the pens of Rev. Dr. John McLean, and his son, Rev. Dr. John McDougall. Shortly after her marriage, and at the time when Barrie was experiencing a boom consequent upon its selection as the county town, John Chantler removed thither and became one of its first merchants. At a later time he left Barrie, and was for many years a resident of Stroud.

Other early residents of Tollendal were the Sibbalds. John came with his wife and family of small children to Canada in 1832. They arrived at Kempenfeldt, in November, when the weather was to rough fpr the steamer "Colborne" to land at Tollendal, so they had to cross the bay in a small boat to their destination after the storm had abated. They came from Edinburgh, although Mr. Sibbald was a native of Roxburgh, and his wife a native of Fifeshire, the two having met and married in the Scottish capital. Mr. Sibbald died, Sept. 26th, 1865, aged 65 years.

Alexander Sibbald, as we have said, was for some time the tenant of the Lally sawmill. John Sibbald, his brother, was also for many years a resident of Tollendal. Andrew, another son, of the same family, followed the teaching profession, and in 1875, when Rev. George McDougall, the North-west missionary, was on a visit to his friends in Innisfil, Andrew Sibbald accompanied him to the far North-west, where he has been a teacher of the Indians since that time. The father of this family, John Sibbald, was the proprietor of the earliest public-house in Tollendal.

Robert Simpson, in 1841, built a brewery at Tollendal, but it was destroyed by fire Jan. 1st, 1848. Inducements were than held out to him to locate his business at the county town, which he did. Thirft Meldrum also had a distillery at Tollendal, in its pa;my days, which was also destroyed by fire.

Among the later arrivals in the northern portion of Innisfil was William C. Little, a native of Gloucestershire, England. He had received an education as a surveyor, in which calling he served for some time in Australia, and was also in India, where he was engaged as a young man's private tutor. He came to Innisfil in 1847 and settled on lot 6, concession 13. In 1853 he became a member of the Innisfil Council and in 1856 was chosen one of Innisfil's representatives to the County Council. He served the township at the County Council for many years, retiring at the end of 1879. He was first elected M.P. for South Simcoe in 1867, and continued to represent that constituency in the House of Commons until his death, December 31st, 1881. Of his sons, E.A. Little represented Cardwell in the Ontario Legislature from 1894 to 1906, and became registrar of the Surrogate Court for this County. Another son, Alfred T. Little, joined the medical profession, and is Medical Health Officer in the county town.

The first settlement in Essa was accordingly made in the southeast corner of the township, and the three men, to whom the honour is due of making the first breach in the unbroken forest, west of Cookstown of to-day, were George Dinwoody, Thomas Duff and Samuel McClain. These three pioneers "located" lots number one, in the 10th, 9th and 8th concessions respectively, along the townline between Essa and Tecumseth. They had come from County Monaghan, Irleand, in 1825, to York (Toronto), and were related to each other by blood and marriage. Duff amd NcClain came first to view the land, and while in the forest at the place, they lay over night under a hemlock tree on the Tecumseth side of the townline.

The removal of these settlers (at least the families of Dinwoody and Duff) took place from York (Toronto) to Essa early in the summer of the year 1826. While going to their new homes, they were obliged to make their oxen swim across the Nottawasaga River to the south of the site of Cookstown, or as the morass was called - "The Big Swamp." This swamp continued to be an obstacle to the pioneers for many years, for they had to bring supplies from Holland Landing and Newmarket; and one of their earliest enterprises consisted in cutting a trail through it, though it was still necessary to "back" their supplies across it, as it was impassable for vehicles, and remained so for a long time till a Government crossway was constructed.

These pioneers built a shanty upon the lot of Dinwoody, which they called "home," for a brief period, until further progress could be made, the two familes living together for the first winter or longer. Their nearest neighbours were those in the vicinity of Bond Head, distant fully five miles.

George Dinwoody and Thomas Duff were thus the two first actual settlers in Essa Township.

In course of time George Dinwoody prospered, and in 1843 built a brick house, which was the first brick house in Essa. Robert Dearing, of West Gwillimbury, was the bricklayer who did the work of laying the bricks and mortar of this house. Mr. Dinwoody turned out as a volunteer during the Rebellion of 1837, and was the First Lieutenant of the Essa Company. He was the first elder of the Presbyterian Church in Essa, and served this locality in other ways during his long life. He died February 23rd, 1885, aged 85 years, his wife having died July 2nd, 1884, aged 93 years. They had two sons viz., William and James. William Dinwoody was the first white child born in Essa, and when grown to manhood settled upon lot 3, concession 9, of the township. He died in 1906. James Dinwoody was born here August 29th, 1828, and still lives on the homestead on which he was born more than eighty years ago.

The wife of Thomas Duff was Margaret Dinwoody, a sister of George, the pioneer. Thomas Duff was captain of the Essa Company of volunteers who turned out at the time of the Rebellion of 1837. He was one of the first elders of the Essa Presbyterian Church. He was also the Home District Councillor for Essa in 1842, travelling on foot from his home to the meetings of the council in Toronto, but receiving no pay or travelling allowances, as members get at the present day. He died October 12th, 1875, aged 81 years, his wife having died December 30th, 1869, aged 70 years. In their family there were four sons, John, William, Thomas and George; also five daughters, Mrs. Alex. McKee (who was killed in a railway crossing accident December 8th, 1896, at Lockport, N.Y.), Mrs. Robert Sproul, Mrs. Dr. Norris, Mrs. Jas. McBride, and Mrs. Rachel McKee. His farm of 200 acres passed into the hands of John and George. John Duff died March 4th, 1901, in his 76th year, and his son, Major John A. Duff, of Toronto, died two years later. Another member of his family is the Hon. James S. Duff, M.P.P. for West Simcoe, for which he was first elected in 1898, and became Minister of Agriculture for Ontario, October, 1908. George, one of the original pioneers family, was a member of the Essa and County Councils for some years, and Thomas has been licence inspector for Centre Simcoe since 1905.

Samuel McClain, the third person mentioned in this group, became disabled shortly after his arrival, and retired to York (Toronto), where he was joined by his family from Co. Monaghan, Ireland, in 1827. He died prematurely in 1832. His eldest son, John, became his successor on the Essa lot in November, 1835, and remained its occupant for many years, afterward removing to Barrie, where he resided until his death, April 29th, 1898, in his eighty-first year. Of Samuel McClain's three other sons - Samuel, William and Robert, - William also became a resident of Essa, and was reeve of the township for fifteen years (1853-66, and again in 1868). He then moved to Toronto where he entered the government service.

On the corner of George Dinwoody's land, a log Orange Hall was built at an early date, and in pioneer years this was also used for preaching by the Presbyterians, for township meetings, and for the purposes of a schoolhouse. Among the early teachers in this pioneer schoolhouse (in the thirties) were Andrew Coleman, a Mr. Bird, and James Johnston, all of whom are referred to at greater length in our chapter on the first schools.

Hugh Dinwoody, a brother of George, settled at first on the Tecumseth side, in this vicinity, and was also one of the pioneers. His family came from Ireland to the settlement in 1834, he himself having arrived here a year or two earlier. For a number of years, in the forties, and later, he kept a store at Clover Hill on the Essa side, this being the pioneer store at the place, at which a lively trade was carried on at one time.

David Lewis had been a soldier and came from Toronto early in 1825 to the vicinity of Cookstown to seek a 200 acre farm, being entitled to 100 acres as a soldier, and 100 as an intending settler. Before he started from Toronto on this trip, one of the men who had surveyed Essa, had directed him to a surveyor's shanty left standing on Buckley's Hill, a mile south of Cookstown, where he could obtain shelter. He had with him two men, and a little favourite dog. By following the "blaze" along the townline from the settlements near Bond Head, they reached the shanty in time to stay in it the first night. They found another surveyor's shanty beside the small creek passing across the townline of Tecumesth and Essa, by which he was able to know the place which had been described to him, and he chose a lot here at that time. When returning to the settlements they went astray and were lost in the woods for two or three days without food or shelter. The two men with him wanted, in this dilemma, to kill the little dog for food, to which Mr. Lewis would reluctantly consent if they should fail to reach a settler's before noon next day. Just before noon they came upon two men chopping in the woods, and by these men the lost travellers were taken in to dinner, and the life of the little dog was spared. When Mr. Lewis came again to the locality the next season, Dinwoody and Duff had arrived with their familes, and Mr. Blackstock had settled on a lot up the east townline, so Mr. Lewis now chose No. 3, in the 11th concession, facing the townline, and built a house upon it the same year (1826). He brought his family from Hogg's Hollow to the Essa lot in March, 1829.

Those pioneers were not long the sole disturbers of the woodland peace, for in the same year, 1826, (and partly during the next), they were joined by another company, all of whom located in the neighborhood. Amongst the new arrivals were: - John Blackstock, lot 9, con. 11, Charles Chapman, lot 7, con. 8, Robert Gilroy, lot 3, con. 8, William Strong, lot 5, con. 10, John Strong, lot 5, con. 10, Henry Morris, (1828), lot 7, con. 11.

These settlers were chiefly from the North of Ireland. John Blackstock had settled with his family almost as early as any of those who have been mentioned in the former part of this chapter. The Blackstock family were natives of the Co. Cavan, Ireland. He did not live many years in the Essa forest, but died in the forties. Of his family, John Blackstock, jr., died January 4th, 1884, in his 77th year, and George Blackstock survived till June 16, 1903, aged 84 years.

Charles Chapman, the second pioneer in the above list, died June 20, 1867, aged 84 years.

Robert Gilroy, the third early settler mentioned in this list, was a young man and may be classed with the group of Monaghan settlers (Duff, Dinwoody, and McClain), as he was a relative of Mr. Duff and family. He met with an accident with horses and waggon, went to Toronto for cure and had an operation, but died from the effects (March 11, 1843), aged 31 years.

William Strong was Township Clerk of Essa for a time. After living on the lot mentioned (lot 5, con. 10), he removed to Cookstown, where he died, January 28, 1852, aged 43 years. John, his brother, went west to the "Queen's Bush" with the movement in that direction. James Strong, their younger brother, also went to the "Queen's Bush" and prospered there.

Henry Morris, the last mentioned, was the Simcoe District Councillor for Essa in 1843-4-5, and again in 1849; and he was the first reeve of the township in 1850.

One account states, (and it is probably correct), that the Perry family came next after Dinwoody and Duff to this neighborhood (in 1826), but they really belong to Innisfil, and have been already mentioned in our sketch of the settlers in that township. William Perry built the first tavern in Cookstown on the Innisfil corner, and this gave it the name of Perry's Corners. Before the village got the name of Cookstown, there was a contest over how the place should be named, and the strife waxed warm for a time. Hugh Dinwoody wanted it called Newtown Newbliss, after a place in Ireland; but Ferguson wanted it called Redhill after another place in Ireland. Mr. Cooke, solved the question in a way that suited himself, as he was the first person that sold lots in it and registered the plan that way, so the proposers of other names had to fall in line with this one.

Furhter north than the settlers already mentioned, and at a slighter later period, there settled John Henry, the pioneer at Thornton of to-day. He took an active interest in the early education of the children of his neighborhood, taught school in the forties, and Henry's schoolhouse was the name by which the locality was first known. He was also a magistrate. He died September 11, 1866, in his 75th year. His two sons, James and Thomas, may also be classed amongst the pioneers of the locality.

Alex. Arnold settled on lot 5, concession 11, Essa, in 1832, and his son, James, came to Essa in 1834.

Near the same part of the township as the last mentioned, others settled about the same time. James Speers came from Ireland in 1832, married in 1838 and settled upon lot 12, concession 10, which he had bought at an earlier date. His younger brother, Hugh, may also be classed among the pioneers. At the time of the Rebellion of 1837, the Essa company of volunteers mustered at the house of the kinsmen, Jas. Speers in Tecumseth, before starting for Toronto.

Henry Rooney, a Waterloo veteran, of the west half lot 2, concession 8, belongs to this early period, and William Cunningham, of the same neighborhood, as well as his brothers.

Among the later arrivals near Cookstown was Lieut.-Col. R.T. Banting, who came in 1845 to ths locality. In 1851 he was appointed Township Clerk of Essa and held the position for a great number of years. He became superintendent of schools for Essa and served fourteen years in this capacity, as long as township superintendents continued to be appointed, 1858-71. He was appointed County Clerk of Simcoe in 1860 and held the position till his death, April 1, 1902.

Of the McBride family who settled near Braden's side road at a later time, Margaret was unfortunately lost in the wreck of the Asia on the Georgian Bay, September 14, 1882, aged 37 years. The Indians found her body have it had been was washed ashore beyound Owen Sound.

Near Ivy, several settlers arrived about the year 1847. These included George Davis, John T. Fletcher, John and James Lennox, James McQuay, Thomas Parker and Hugh Speers. Of these, George Davis, J.P., became deputy-reeve of the township in 1861 and held the position until he was elected reeve in 1867. He was chosen warden of the county in 1872, and died at the close of his year of wardenship.

The village of Angus was laid out at the time the Northen Railway was constructed in 1854, by Jonas Tar Bush, a real estate agent, who had acquired part of lot 30 on which it is situated between the Nottawasaga and Pine Rivers, and nearest the latter. John B. Smith had one of the early sawmills near this place, and a post office was established here in 1856, bearing the Christian name of Angus Morrison, then M.P. for North Simcoe.

Among the first in the western settlement of Essa were James Robinson, James Bullock, John Bryce, Alexander and Robert Ruthven, senior, William Stevenson, William Allan, William Hall. These men with their familes had emigrated from Scotland during the "radical times" in Glasgow, preferring to face the forests of Upper Canada rather than endure the political and social oppresion of the Mother country. They first settled in the County of Lanark, in the Ottawa River district, but finding that region somewhat unpromising, they soon removed to Essa. They were, indeed, part of the same Scotch migration which settled in the southeast of Innisfil. Soon they became comfortably located, and they have left a large line of descendants in that beautiful farming district.

Alex. Ruthven, a weaver from the vicinity of Glasgow, with his sons and brothers, Robert, William, George and James, were amongst the best known settlers in this Scottish group. William went to Elderslie Township, Bruce County, in the early years. The brothers, Robert and George Ruthven, settled on lot 9, concession 1, Essa, in the spring of 1832, and thus became pioneers in that settlement. George was an assistant to Charles Rankin, surveyor, in the survey of Collingwood Township in the summer of 1833. This was the first township in the present County of Grey to be surveyed, being then included in Simcoe County. George Ruthven, while thus engaged, located a farm in that township at the time, viz., lot 31, concession 12, and afterward settled upon it, becoming a pioneer of Collingwood Township. On their way to make the survey of Collingwood Township in 1833, they went from West Essa through the woods near to Angus of the present time, an got their provisions over the Nine Mile Portage from Barrie, then just newly established.

Robert Ruthven, senior, a brothr of Alexander, was also a pioneer in West Essa. He was born in Glasgow and died November 21, 1879, in his 77th year.

It is one of the traditions of the West Essa setlement that one of the sons in the Ruthven family was the first white child to cross the Nottawasaga River in the westward movement of settlement.

William Ruthven, of this settlement, was an early school teacher in the fifties near Cookstown.

About this time also, Charles Handy came out of Tosorontio, where he had been living out of reach of neighbours, and settled upon the west half lot 5, concession 4. The Turnbull family and Mr. Brewster also belong to this early period.

James Robinson, settled in 1831 on lot 4, concession 1, Essa, and after living a while here, moved to Tecumseth, and later to Vespra, where he died.

John Bryce, of lot 6, concession 1, settled in 1831, also. He, like the other people in this group, went to the settlement by way of Bradford and Perry's Corners (Cookstown).

Thomas Bruce, another pioneer, had come first to the Township of Tyendinaga in Hastings County, and afterward removed to West Essa. His Grandson, Geo. W. Bruce, of Collingwood, was warden of the county in 1904, and is Lieut.-Col. of the 35th Battalion, Simcoe Foresters.

A true story, written by Ernest Bruce, of West Essa, entitled "The Barn Raising," gained the prize for the County of Simcoe in 1890, in the Montreal Witness competition. It appeared in that newspaper, and related the story of how a barn was once raised in pioneer days of West Essa without whiskey, - an event that rarely ever happened in that period, or locality.

The Mormon movement in the early forties took some hold in West Essa. A Mr. Lake was the Mormon missionary, and held services from house to house in the settlement, the meetings being attended by crowds, as preaching from higher ideals was then scarce. At these meetings, William Ritchey also did some preaching in an unknown tongue. They baptized in Hall's Creek, having made a number of proselytes. Before long these left their lands, several familes in number, and like a swarm of bees they went off all at one time in covered waggons, or prairie schooners, going to swell the Mormon settlement in Illinois or Missouri, and later at Salt Lake City. At a later time some adherents of the Mormons built a chuch or meeting house of that denomination in Alliston, but it is now obsolete.

The tract known as the "Essa Flats" had good pasture lands, and although they were not taken up quite so early as the higher lands, yet settlers came upon them at a comparitively early time.

Walter Todd, a native of Yorkshire, Eng., settled upon lot 3, concession 4, early in the thirties. He was District Councillor for Essa in the years, 1846-7-8.

John Assip, a native of Ireland, was another early settler about the same time, and took up the west half of lot 4, concession 4. He was a retired soldier, and a shoemaker by trade, his knowledge of St. Crispin's craft being very useful in the backwoods in the early days.

William Fletcher, a native of Yorkshire, Eng., had settled about the year 1825, upon lot 3, concession 14, Tecumseth, in the vicinity of the present town of Alliston. As his sons were growing up to manhood, he acquired at an early time, a farm at the creek or river in Essa, where Alliston now stands, and it is stated that he removed to this land in 1847. The mill privileges of the stream had attracted him thither, and in the following year, in conjunction with his sons, John and George, he erected a sawmill there, and a gristmill in 1853. A village soon grew up at these mills, William Turnbull being one of the first storekeepers.

In June, 1874, the question of incorporating the place as a village came up, and the County Council appointed as census enumerator, John Gilbert, whose census return showed that it contained more than the requisite number of inhabitants necessary for incorporation, so they passed a by-law to incorporate it as a village.

A bad fire in the winter of 1877-8 destroyed much of the business part of the place, after which it was rebuilt in a more substantial manner. The village, in 1884, granted a bonus to Knight & Wilson, agricultural implement makers, for rebuilding the Vulcan Foundry, and thereby secured for the place an industrial establishment.

Another severe fire visited Alliston in the early part of 1891, and in the following year, the place, which by this time had been made a town, raised $16,750 by debentures to construct a system of waterworks for better fire protection as well as domestic use.

An Order-in-Council was passed by the Government on April 26th, 1819, respecting the settlement duties on the road, and settlers began at once to locate themselves along its course from Kempenfeldt to Penetanguishene. The Order-in-Council ran as follows: -

"It being desirable to open the road to Penetanguishene, which commences on the north side of Kempenfeldt Bay, his Excellency in Council is pleased to order that to such persons quailfied to receive grants from the Crown as are able and willing to perform settlement duty, locations of 200 acres will be made, upon their undertaking to begin their settlement duty within one month after receiving the certificate of location, and continuing the same until a dwelling house be erected, and ten acres cleared adjacent to the road, and one-half the road in front of the location cleared also.
Ordered, That notice of the above order be published in the York Gazette."

By the end of the year 1819, the allotments reached as far northward as lot 33, or thereabout, and the lots had all been taken up to this place. It was from this plan of settling the lots that in some instances we find brothers, or father and son, in the same family, who has applied at the same time, occupied farms opposite each other, as in the case of Partridge, Brown, White and Craig. It will be convenient to begin at the south end of the road and follow it northward to Penetanguishene.

Strange as it may seem to the modern citizen, there was a time in the early life of these parts when the Village of Kempenfeldt was a larger and more promising place than Barrie itself. The time referred to embraced the period between the reclaiming of the forest and the selection of Barrie to be the county seat, about the year 1837, as a result of which the hopes of Kempenfeldt were permanently blighted.

The Government reserve of "Kempenfeldt" was first laid out quite early in the century, when the road to Penetanguishene was surveyed by Wilmot, as was mentioned in our sketch of the survey. Subsequently a Government station was established on this reserve for the accommodation of men and stores landed for transportation overland to Penetanguishene. Log barracks and a store were built, the latter of which was kept for a time by John Withrow, and afterward by William Todd. These would begin about the year 1819 or 1820.

The Johnson family, who were related to the pioneers of the same name at Johnson's Landing on the Holland River, as mentioned in our chapter on Holland Landing, lived at Kempenfeldt for a while as early as 1822, and after some absence from the place, a part of the family returned to the Penetanguishene Road, near Kempenfeldt, to live permanently in the thirties. Of this family the sons were: Lawrence, James (who resided most of his life near Kempenfeldt Bay and died February 3, 1895, in his 87th year), William (who settled in Flos), Thomas and Joseph.

The first years of Kempenfeldt's existence are checkered more or less with the operations of speculators - the invariable frequenters of new and rising towns. A somewhat incomplete account of their operations was published a few years ago in Belden's Atlas, which may serve, if reproduced at this point, to illustrate the varying fortunes of Kempenfeldt in the first years of its existence.

"It will be necessary to return to the early part of the nineteenth century, when the Penetanguishene Road was located, and the Town of Kempenfeldt platted at the point of its intersection with the bay of the same name. This was but another attempt on the part of the Government to influence the course of commerce by the issue of a fiat declaring, 'this is a town.' The non-realizations of their anticipations in this respect, however, was by no means an isolated one, as the maps of several western Ontario counties are adorned with 'towns' which never reached a position of greater dignity than a place on paper, reflected from the imagination of Government engineers.

"The area embraced within this 'town' was 300 acres, which was sacredly reserved and preserved for the representatives of commerce, and from the clutches of the agriculturist. We have no record of any merchants taking up their residence within its precincts, however, until the surrounding territory had been located by actual settlers, who commenced the subjugation of her forests for purposes of husbandry rather than trade.

When circumstances began to indicate a prospect of a future town at Kempenfeldt, the Government disposed of its forty-five acre reserve to the west, and its influence was promised to assist the development of Kempenfeldt. The 'reserve' so often mentioned was purchased by Captain Oliver, R.N. But ere two years had passed over the now established hamlet of Kempenfeldt, radically different opinions as to its future status had been formed by parties in interest. The representatives of Government became convinced that the effort to build up a town in that place must end in failure; while Captain Oliver, owner of the western 'reserve', seeing a brilliant futire in store for Kempenfeldt, induced the Government to relieve him of his forty-five acre purchase farther west, and secured a large tract in the immediate vicinity of the hamlet down the bay."

It appears that a Crown Land sale of lots in the town plot of Kempenfeldt took place in 1836 to John Fullarton, on Monck Street and Davis Street-- named, we suppose, from two half-pay officers in Oro, and preserved from oblivion by the circumstances of this sale. Mr. Fullarton's house was on the top of the hill where the roads divide, and its foundations may still be seen at the place.

Amongst other early citizens of Kempenfeldt not hitherto mentioned were Charles Collins and Adam Bryant. The latter--Mr. Bryant--was an English house carpenter by trade, and enjoyed the esteem of his fellow citizens. His wife died early in the fifties, leaving no children; and Mr. Bryant himself passed the remainder of his life with his friend, Mr. Lang, the jailor of the county at that time.

Captain Robert Oliver, R.N., who has been mentioned, lived about half a mile to the east of Kempenfeldt, on the property now owned andoccupied by Mr. George Raikes. Here the captain owned a large estate. His house near the shore was a rustic edifice of considerable dimensions, from the center of which rose a massive stone chimney stack. A Mr. Roadhouse, of Albion Township, was one of the stone masons who built this large stone chimney about the year 1827. Time and modern destructiveness were for a long time unable to erase this large chimney from its foundations, and it stood near the railway track as a memento of former times, while the house to which it belonged had perished years before. Immediately in the foreground is the "cove" known as Tralfalgar Bay, so named by Captain Oliver in honour of Lord Nelson's great victory. His son, Captain Robert Oliver, left for the States at the outbreak of the Mexican war in 1846, and afterward remained there.

Another conspicuous figure at Kempenfeldt was George Ball. He became a permanent resident in 1834, after passing through many thrilling experiences, and remaind continuously in Kempenfeldt from that year. He was born in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland, on May 1st, 1801. While young, he made up his mind to emigrate to Canada, and accordingly took passage in the brig "Workington Despatch," bound for Quebec. All things went well on the voyage for a time, but when in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in July, their vessel was shipwrecked, and only a portion of the passengers and crew was saved, amongst whom was Mr. Ball. The survivors were rescued by some fishermen of the Gulf, and subsequently taken to Halifax in the British warship "Tyne." From the latter place they were taken to Quebec, where they arrived September 8th, 1828, after an eventful voyage lasting several months. It afforded Mr. Ball a pathetic topic of conversation throughout his life to describe the distress and sufferings of the poor shipwrecked passengers on this occasion. Tears would fill his eyes when relating their terrible experiences amid the rocks, and on bringing to his memory the pitiful cries of the helpless children separated from parents and friends. On reaching Quebec Mr. Ball worked his way up to St. Catharines during the autumn of the same year. At this place he found work and abode there until the autumn of the next year, 1829, when he removed to Toronto. In the latter city he narrowly escaped death from being run over from a loaded waggon. As it was, he was laid up from the effects of this accident for a long time. When one considers the narrow escapes Mr. Ball had in those years, it is marvellous that he lived to be more than ninety years of age. In 1833 he came to Kempenfeldt and bought the farm which he permanently settled upon in the following year. As he was unmarried at that time he boarded with his neighbours at Kempenfeldt, but in a few years after his arrival he bought the newly built dwelling of the unfortunate widow Ladd, whose husband had been drowned in Kempenfeldt Bay. It was customary in those early years with Mr. Ball to raft sawlogs across the bay to Lally's mill at Tollendal, where they were manufactured into lumber; he would then return the product to Kempenfeldt for use. Mr. Ball, during those years, while still remaining in possession of his Kempenfeldt property, would find employment in the more frontier sections of the country, and was at one time hired with Hugh Scobie, the Toronto publisher, who owned a farm just west of Bradford. He died October 28, 1891, at 90 years of age.

William Mann was another central figure of the place in its early years. He opened a store and tavern in 1831, and subsequently owned and operated a brewery for several years. The name of Mann's Point was more frequently given to the place then Kempenfeldt. His tavern was the rendezvous for many of the social gatherings of that time, as well as a welcome shelter to the weary traveller. Mr. Mann came from Plymouth, Devonshire, Eng., and died October 10, 1872, in his 77th year.

A tavern was also kept by one Mr. Ladd, the site of which institution was at or near the brickyard of modern times. Its host is said to have been addicted more or less to the flowing cup; and he met an untimely end by drowning in Kempenfeldt Bay, about the time of the Rebellion of 1837. His widow was well spoken of, and subsequently removed with her family of five children or more to the United States.

Amongst other citizens of that hamlet were Barnett Vandeburgh and James Somers. Barnett Vandeburgh, with James Johnson, burnt the first brick kiln at Kempenfeldt in 1836 or earlier. Mr. Vandeburgh returned to Markham Township about the time of the Rebellion of 1837, but subsequently came to Innisfil Township, where he spent the remainder of his life.

James Somers and his wife (Elizabeth Snow) were natives of Somersetshire, Eng. Their son, George, has resided in the place throughout his entire life. The pioneer died April 13, 1873, aged 75 years.

A Mr. McDonald was a tailor at Kempenfeldt at an early date, and Thift Meldrum built an early wharf at the Point.

Early Kempenfeldt, however, did not monopolize the emigrant traffic to the northern districts, which were settled rapidly after 1832. At Hodge's Landing, now known as Hawkstone, more people landed on their way into the northern part of Oro and Medonte; and Wellesley Ritchie, the govrenment agent, lived on the Coldwater Road, at Bass Lake, to place new settlers on their lots. Perhaps no person could have given a better account than Mr. Ritchie, where he living, of the settlement of this county, especially in the northern half.

But to return to Kempenfeldt, which thus suffered in the competition with other landing places. When the County of Simcoe was to be severed from the old Home District, Kempenfeldt made a vigorous agitation to become the county town, as it was the largest place. Thereupon Tollendal, across the bay, put forth its claims to be recognized. In the strife which followed it was decided to locate the county seat at the head of the bay, as a result of which the fate of the older Village of Kempenfeldt became sealed for all time to come.

Proceeding northward from Kempenfeldt along the top of the hill, an object of historic interest is Lawrence's graveyard, at lot 5, in which lie many pioneers and their descendants. From the marble slabs over the graves here and in the Episcopal cemetery onward at Crownhill, maybe gathered almost the only remaining records of their lives. The first house built north of Kempenfeldt was John Lawrence's in 1819, on lot 5 (west or Vespra side).

Beyong the "wide swamp" are several fine farms, all settled quite early, on one of which (No. 11, west side) lived a well known figure of former years-- "Tom" Mair. He was a native of Yorkshire, and at an early date imported some very fine stock from England, which became the progenitors of a valuable herd. Captain Bonnycastle passed this way in 1835 and notes the agricultural enterprise of this pioneer--("The Canadas in 1841"). His name was correctly written Thomas Mair, though in the rough-and-ready speech of the settlers he was known as "Tom Mairs." Mair remained for many years the uncrowned king of stock breeders in this section of the country, but latterly fortune smiled less graciously upon his affairs, and the prosperity which he had known in his earlier days considerably declined. He appears to have taken part with George Oliver in the building and operation of the early mills at Midhurst, about 1825, and it is recorded that he was chirman of the Vespra township meeting in 1838, assisting in various ways both before and after that year in the local government of his township. He died December 11, 1877, in his 82nd year.

Advancing on our way northward the abode of James Wickens is reached at lot 13. He was a native of Berkshire, Eng., and had formerly held a position as lieutenant on the commissariat staff of the British army in the Peninsular War, but had withdrawn from the service on half-pay and settled, first, at Penetanguishene, and then on this lot. After settling here, he had a sawmill on the stream in the "Big Swamp" southward, and the stream became to be known as Wicken's Creek. In the parliamentary contest in Simcoe in 1836, Mr. Wickens was a candidate, the other two being W.B. Robinson and Samuel Lount. On this occasion Messrs. Robinson and Wickens were elected, the defeat of Mr. Lount, who had been associated with Mr. Robinson in the representation of the county up to this time, being attributed to the Government's distribution of land patents amongst a number of half-pay officers and soldiers, settled in that county, especially in Medonte, to secure their enfranchisement. But, be the cause whatever it may, the fact remains that Mr. Lount was ousted in this contest from his place in the dual representation of Simcoe by Mr. Wickens. Had the result been otherwise, there is no telling what effect might have been produced on succeeding events--the precipitation of the unfortunate uprising of the following year in which Mr. Lount took a part; so that the share which Mr. Wickens had in this country's affairs was an important one, although not intentional on his part. He continued to represent Simcoe until 1841, when the position was filled by Captain Steele. Mr. Wickens was also connected in other ways with the municipal govrenment of Vespra, as the minutes of its first council meetings show (January 3, 1842). He died May 20, 1847, aged 71 years.

On the same side and toward the north, came the dwelling of Jonathan Sissons, a native of Yorkshire, England, who came to Canada in 1834, and located upon lot 16. He was elected "commissioner" in 1838, and also held the office of "township warden" on several occasions after this. He subsequently served as reeve of Vespra, for eight years, a position afterward also occupied by his son, Jonathan Sissons, jr., who is now jailor. Mr. Sissons, senior, died June 29, 1880, in his 75th year.

On the adjoining lot (No. 17) John and William Partridge had settled in 1819. They had come with the first group of settlers in that year.

John Partridge died November 28, 1828, in his 62nd year.
Chas. Partridge died July 2, 1880, in his 82nd year.
John Partridge, jr., died May 4, 1893, in his 79th year.
Wm. H. Partridge died in 1904, aged 78 years.
From these have sprung a numerous line of descendants.

Ministers of the gospel visited the outlying new settlements of Simcoe very seldom in those early years; a travelling missionary would sometimes pass through a settlement, and his visit would be an important event in its hitory. Such was the experience of this settlement. It is related that about the year 1830, Captain Phillpotts, aide-de-camp of Lieut.-Governor Sir John Colborne, with Mrs. Phillpotts and a company of friends, were travelling from Penetanguishene to Kempenfeldt. In this party was a clergyman. One of the settlers near Crownhill becoming aware of this fact, seized the rare opportunity afforded by the presence of the divine, and had his children baptized and those of some other familes in the settlement. The solemn rite was performed at a small brook by the roadside, the children having been previously arranged in a row for the purpose. Some of the parents were also baptized with their families, bringing back scenes of apostolic times. The episode recalls those in the life of Vladimir, the Russian evangelist, who baptized whole villages in groups.

About two miles farther north (lot 26), at Dalston of the present, lived another notable figure in the person of Peter White, J.P., a native of Cornwall, Eng. He came with the first company of settlers in 1819. At the cabin of this man were held the first religious services ever held in Vespra. A log meeting house was erected on his farm in 1825, and in it Mr. White held services in connection with the Methodist Church for several years. The place was called White's Corners in the early days, and Dalston at a later time. On January 2nd, 1837, he was chosen township clerk of Vespra, a position which he held for a number of years. Mr. White died January 29, 1876, in his 90th year. His only son, Charles, occupied the homestead. At the time of his death, September 8th, 1908, he was suppose to be the oldest native of the county, having been born at Dalston, February 14th, 1824.

Charles Debenham located in the same year with White (1819), upon the adjoining property (lot 27). Mr. Debenham taught the early school at Dalston. It is recorded that he was chosen one of the commissioners of Vespra for 1837, and one of the "wardens" of the township for the year 1839. He died November 29, 1852, aged 72 years.

A mile further on, John Bruce and his wife, a pair of Scotch Presbyterians, located in 1819, and opened the first store in 1829. He also kept travellers; and in addition to this, their house was used as a place of public worship, thus making a threefold purpose for which the edifice was used. The travelling catechist, John Carruthers, called on them in 1832, and refers to his visit in his 'Retrospect," (p. 7). In 1835 (July,-- aged 46 years) Mr. Bruce died and the care of the household devolved upon his widow, Agnes, who remained hostess of the place for many years afterwards. She is described as a jolly, muscular woman, and is said to have on one occasion rolled a barrel of flour from Kempenfeldt to her own place, although this story lacks confirmation. Almost everyone acquainted with the settlement was familiar with the wayside tavern of "Nanny" Bruce, where Lord Elgin, Governor of Canada, once called, according to a report in circulation.

Richard Williams took up lot 36 in July, 1821, and brought his family to the place in the following year. Three sons in this family-- Richard, Thomas and John,-- entered the ministry of the Methodist Church. The Rev. Thos. Williams was the author of an interesting series of "Memories" in the "Orillia Packet" in 1890-1, which the Pioneer and Historical Society of this County has reprinted in pamphlet form. Another son, William, died September 12, 1895, in his 82nd year.

Among the arrivals to settle on this side of the road at a slightly later date, yet during the early pioneer period, was the Caston family. Aaron Caston, a native of Suffolk, Eng., acquired at this time lot 40, adjoining Craighurst of the present day. He died March 25, 1882, aged 88 years. Marmaduke Caston, a member of the same family, died November 25, 1897, aged 70 years.

Buried in the heart of an almost boundless forest, as were the familes which settled along the Penetanguishene Road in 1819 and 1820, they underwent privations and hardships that differed but slightly from those regularly encountered by pioneers in other parts of Canada. Little else than the usual routine of bush life-- felling the monarchs of the woods, piling the brushwood, burning the fallows, and making their first clearings--served to animate their life in the backwoods. There were features, indeed, peculiar to the neighbourhood in question, but these were of a local character, and produced only minor points of difference.

John Gough, the early settler on lot D, at the bend in the road, died March 23, 1877, in his 95th year.

Among the earliest of those who settled on the Oro side in 1819 were the Drurys--Joseph, the father, with his two sons, Thomas and Richard. They were natives of the historic Kenilworth in Warwickshire, Eng., and have availed themselves of the free grant lands of the Penetanguishene Road thrown open for settlement in 1819. Thomas and Richard Drury, being both young men, soon became expert woodsmen, and thoroughly acquainted with the rivers and lakes of the locality. When Sir John Franklin made his memorable Arctic expedition in 1825 by way of Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay, these two men accompanied his party as assistants for some distance up the lakes. They opened in 1833, in company with Alex. Walker, of Barrie, the Sunnidale Road as far as the Nottawasaga River. A notable incident in the career of Thoams Drury was his marriage in the village at the Portage on Willow Creek,--a place that has now totally disappeared. Both of these men subsequently held the office of councillor and Richard Drury was reeve on different occasions in Oro Township. Charles Drury, a son of Richard, was also reeve of Oro for some years, and represented East Simcoe in the Ontario Legislature from 1882 till 1890. During the last two years of the term he was Minister of Agriculture. He was Sheriff of Simcoe County from 1894 till his death, January 12, 1905.

George Hickling, senior, also located in 1819. He was a navy veteran from London, Eng., and a turner by trade. He did not understand bush life, but by perseverance and thrift it was not many years before he had a cultivated farm. He died October, 1836. His sons were: George, William, Ebenezer, John and Charles; his daughter, Eliza, became the wife of Edmund Drury, later of Vespra. Most of them became pioneers of the Penetanguishene Road, and were amongst those who lived to see this county advance from a state of unbroken wilderness to its present improved condition. The older settlers who have seen the transition of the forest from its primeval state into comfortable homesteads, are becoming exceedingly few.

George Hickling, jr., became the pioneer on No. 52, in the Flos lots farther north on this military road.

Wm. Hickling, who died September 22nd, 1892, was born in London, Eng., in the year 1806, and secured a position when but a young man as gentleman's attendant, which position he held until coming to Canada. His income being small and having a wife and one child, he was induced to try and better his circumstances by emigrating to this country, which he did in the year 1831. Upon his arrival here his circumstances were not the most encouraging, he having but fifty cents in his pockets with which to start life in a new country. He did not yield to discouragement, but came and settled upon a farm in Oro, where he lived until within a few weeks of his death. His strength of will and courage were soon put to the test by the trials and hardships of pioneer life, which were the most trying to him because he had never been accustomed to manual labour. Of the extent of character as to those trials and hardships none of the present generation know. The first wheat he planted he put in with a hoe and reaped it with a sickle, and after flailing it out and cleaning it with the wind he carried upon his back, a bushel at a time, to the Red Mills at Holland Landing to get it ground into flour, which was selling at that time for five cents a pound. He was an ambitious man, yet the extent of it was in getting five acres cleared which he thought would be all he would need. For eighteen years he battled manfully and in a limited degree successfully with the difficulties of farm life when he was called to England to receive £600 which a deceased aunt had left him. This was the turning point of his life, for upon returning to Canada he at once paid the remaining debt on his farm. Being now in the happy condition of freedom from debt, his "tact and push," his attention to business, his perseverance, soon started him upon a career of prosperity.

Ebenezer Hickling settled at an early date on lot 19, concession 2, Oro. His house on this lot was on the rear of the land, that is, on the third line. It took fire and was burned down, January 5, 1832, leaving the inmates in a sorry plight.

John Hickling, the fourth son, died March 30, 1887, aged 72 years.

Charles Hickling, the youngest son, arrived on May 10, 1831, and was a lifelong resident of the Penetanguishene Road settlement, having seen its development almost from the beginning. He died on April 3, 1909, at the ripe old age of 93 years.

Edward Luck became an early settler on lot 16. He was born at Albany, New York State, in 1806, and moved with his father's family to Simcoe in 1820. For twenty-two years, beginning in 1842, he taught school continuously in the Crownhill school. He passed over to the majority on February 4, 1890, being at the time of his death the oldest surviving settler in this part of the county. He had a large family of sixteen children, several of whom still survive.

Charles Partridge, the pioneer of lot 17 has been referred to in connection with the lot of the same number on the Vespra side. This family came in 1819 with the earliest arrivals.

Michael Bergin was the first settler on lot 19 on the Oro side. His wife was a daughter of Mr. Lodge, who lived with them, and her brother, Francis Lodge, may also be classed as an early settler here with them. They were members of the Roman Catholic Church, of which there were comparatively few members along this Military Road. Mr. Lodge, senior, died about the year 1840, having lived to be 105 years of age. When Michael Bergin died about the year 1852, Mrs. Bergin and her brother, Francis Lodge bequeathed their property to the church of their choice, and lived in retirement at Montreal, or in its vicinity.

Reaching lot 20, we find it occupied by a member of the brown family, who arrived in 1819. John Brown, the head of the family, settled on the Vespra side, and his son, Samuel, across the road on the Oro side, on this lot. John Brown's daughter, Grace, became the wife of Abraham Jory in England, and Mr. Jory, who was a native of Cornwall, with his family followed his wife's people to Canada in 1847. He purchased lot 25, at Dalston, from the estate of John McDonald, the fur trader mentioned elsewhere in this work, and became an early settler. Mr. Jory died Aoril 17, 1882, aged 89 years. It was Samuel Brown's wife who waited upon John McDonald, just mentioned, during his last sickness, from which he died in 1828.

James White, the first settler on lot 26, was a brother of Peter White, on the opposite, or Vespra, side, the two having been natives of Cornwall, England. James White's wife, (Pamila Draper), was of U.E. Loyalist descent, being a daughter of Joel Draper, of North Gwillimbury. Like other people born in this country, and used to its hardships, she made a sturdy, progressive, pioneer's wife. In the early days, the Indians travelled the Penetanguishene Road in considerable numbers, as it was the well beaten highway between the two lakes. Once when a pack of half-drunken Indians called at their place and became troublesome, she chased them with a pair of tongs, which they feared more than a tomahawk, as they did not know what the tongs were, or what injury they might inflict greater than a tomahawk might do. James White was born, December 3, 1800, and died May 10, 1879. His widow died August 10, 1889, at the age of 85 years. In their family there were two sons; William, who died April 22, 1884, in his 51st year; and James, jr., both being occupants of the homestead. There were also several daughters: Mary (Mrs. Wm. Gardiner, of Oro); Elizabeth (Mrs. Edward Osborne, of Dalston); Livinia (Mrs. Bristol, of Syracuse, N.Y.); Harriet (Mrs. Chas. White, of Dalston); Lydia (Mrs. Herman H. Cook, of Toronto), and Lucy (Mrs. J.L. Cook, of Toronto).

Francis Oades, of the next lot (No. 27), was a native of Egham, England. He was the patentee of the lot (in 1823, although he had arrived at the beginning of the settlement in 1819, or very soon afterward), and died June 8, 1859, aged 76 years. His son, James, had died on Christmas Day, 1851, aged 35 years.

A mission was early established by the Episcopalians at White's Corners, now Dalston, the pulpit being supplied by the Rev. S.B. Ardagh, of Shanty Bay, and many a time in the diary of that faithful worker appeared the entry--"Service at White's School House, Penetanguishene Road."

James Watson, a native of Stirlingshire, Scotland, located lot 28, in 1819, with his father's family, living continuously there until his death on August 5, 1888, at the ripe age of 83 years.

When Joseph Drury made a beginning on lot 30 in 1819, only two of his sons came with him; others remained in England, of whom Edmund came later and settled in concession 2, Vespra. The two who came (Richard and Thomas) have already been referred to , as they took up lots farther south on the road the following year.

The next early settler was on lot 32, viz., Isaac Hart, a native of Exeter, Devonshire, Eng., who had settled first in Schenectady, N.Y., where he married a Miss Terwilliger, of that State, and of Dutch descent. On coming to Canada in 1819 to live, they had by that time three sons, who soon grew up to be hard working boys. These worked faithfully at felling the pines down the hills on their land, and burning them; and by the year 1831 they had the largest clearing along the Penetanguishene Raod. After getting the land cleared, Mr. Hart grew quantities of corn, etc., which he sold to the soldiers of the establishment at Penetanguishene, and thus he prospered rapidly. Altogether he had a large family of twelve,--nine sons and three daughters. Of the sons there were: George, William, Abraham, Isaac, John, Nathan, Jacob, Thomas, Charles, nearly all of whom became permanent residents of this county, and helped to increase its wealth.

William Richardson located about two miles farther north on lot 36, in February, 1821. In the month of September, 1852, a company of three persons, then but recently arrived from Scotland, who were travelling from Flos to Innisfil, spent a night with Mr. Richardson and his wife, and found them even at that time in comfortable circumstances, with a good house and a large clearing. They were kind and hospitable to their guests, as most of the older settlers always were. Their particular delight consisted in showing these visitors, with a good deal of well merited pride, the result of their labours in the backwoods. A large bed of growing tobacco was an object of special interest. Their guests were entertained till midnight with an account of their early settlement in the wilderness thirty years before, and how they had to bring their flour from Holland Landing by boat to Kempenfeldt, and then carry it home through the forest, besides many other stories of their early life in the bush. The carrying of grists by the pioneers through long distances seems to have been a universal topic of conversation.

The following story was told in later years by Giden Richardson, one of the sons of this pioneer, the events referred to having happened as long ago as 1825. "The bears were so numerous that his father kept the pigs shut up in front of the door of the dwelling house, and had to keep a little log heap burning at night for the purpose of frightening the bears away from the sty. The swine had to be penned every enening, but one Saturday night, it being wet, no fire was kindled, and Mr. Bruin of course took advantage of the situation and came amongst the pioneer's swine, which lay between the log heap and the door step. The bear made a charge at one of the pigs, knocking it through the door into the middle of the house, which was all one room. Of course it wakened up all the inmates of the house--the faher and five sons. When daylight came they tracked the bear down the lane, and saw also the tracts of two cubs, which could not have been far off, as, at the approach of the men, they heard the old bear give a large whistle to warn the little ones of danger. After having been assaulted in the night time the pigs scampered away and went to the Northwest House on lot 35 (Vespra)--so called because owned by Mr. McDonald, a Northwest trader. Two or three days afterward Rev. Thomas Williams and the narrator went into this house and found the pig that had been struck, lying dead."

Mr. Richardson had a family of seven sons, all of whom became pioneers of the neighbourhood: John, Gidenn, William and George settled in Flos, James in Vespra, Robert at Edgar, and Henry at Craighurst.

George McLean, a native of Dundee, Scotland, located in 1820 upon lot 38. He died February 7, 1859, aged 61 years. His family included James, of Kempenfeldt, who died March 23, 1892, at the age of 56 years; John, whose death occurred on December 20th, 1889, and was for years a dealer in grain; and George, who remained upon the homestead.

Even before the survey of Oro in 1820, it was the intention of the Government to devote part of it to the philanthropic uses of a coloured colony. A few coloured settlers were located, but for some reason or other the initial enthusiasm of the project died out, and nothing further on the part of the Government was done until about 1830. In connection with this proposal they appointed Lieut.-Col. Edward George O'Brien, who had settled in Oro and founded the community of Shanty Bay, to act as Government Agent for the location of the negro immigrants.

He had, at the age of fourteen, entered the naval service as midshipman on board H.M. frigate Doris, but the peace with America in 1815 blighted his hopes of advancement in the navy. A lengthy extract from his "jottings," made while in the service, appears in Thompson's "Reminiscences," and describes his first experience of life at sea. Leaving the navy, he entered the army for a time and served in the West Indies, where his health failed him, but soon after he again went to sea and made numerous voyages to the East. Illness forced him to leave the service and come to Canada.

In his pretty log cottage at Shanty Bay he dwelt during the first years after his settlement, and his relations with the settlers of the neighbourhood were of the most friendly character. Mr. Thompson in his "Reminiscences" has preserved a glimpse of his residence as it appeared in 1833, and has also recorded various incidents in his career.

In those early years he was a commissioner of the Court of Requests at Barrie, and occupied the position of chairman of the Quarter Sessions for the Simcoe District. He was one of the first magistrates in this locality.

When the uprising of 1837 took place, he called together a company of stalwart settlers, and marched for Toronto; but before arriving there he received instructions from Sir F.B. Head, the Lieut.-Governor, to proceed to Bond Head and remain there to take charge of the place, for there had been some disaffection in the district. After Simcoe had been erected into a county, Mr. O'Brien and his family removed to Toronto, where they resided for many years. He began business in the city as a land agent, and was subsequently Manager of the Provincial Insurance Company, unti 1857. In 1848 he became partial proprietor of the Toronto Patriot newspaper, but on May 25th of the following year occured the great fire which destroyed the Patriot printing office. Shortly afterward Mr. O'Brien sold his share in that newspaper to Mr. Ogle R. Gowan.

Lieut.-Col. E.G. O'Brien's life, as well as that of his wife, have been warmly eulogized by their comtemporary generation. Their charitableness caused them to be respected by people of all shades of opinion; and it is recorded that to Mrs. O'Brien, Toronto is indebted for its first ragged school. Several members of their family became distinguished in various ways. Lieut.-Col. Wm. E. O'Brien was commanding officer of the 35th Battalion, Simcoe Foresters, resigning October, 1897, and was member of the Dominion House of Commons for Muskoka; Lucius R. O'Brien was generally acknowledged to be the foremost Canadian artist in his day; while Henry O'Brien, K.C., of Toronto, is a well-known member of the legal profession. In the burial ground of the Shanty Bay church, which they mainly assisted to establish, Col. O'Brien and his wife are buried, and over them an Irish cross bears the following words:

"In loving remembrance of Edward George O'Brien, who died September 8, 1875, age 76; and of Mary Sophia, his wife, who died October 14, 1876, age 78. This stone is raised by their children. He having served his country by sea and land, became A.D. 1830 the founder of the settlement and mission of Shanty Bay. She was a true wife and zealous in all good works. Faithful servants, they rest in hope."

Shanty Bay with its old associations was the centre of a movement which has much interest from an historic point of view. The movement referred to consisted in the bestowal of land along the lake shore to retired British half-pay officers by the Government of Upper Canada. This practice had been followed by the Government for some time previously, but when Sir John Colborne became Governor in 1828, for some reason or another he formed a preference for the Lake Simcoe section, and advised almost all the half-pay officers who applied to him for grants to settle on the north shore of Lake Simcoe. There was, accordingly, about the year 1830, a demand for sites along the Oro shore, where a delightful view of the scenery of the lake could be had. But the soil being poor and stony many of those who located found to their sorrow that they could not live upon scenery alone, and the subsequent stampede was almost as hasty as the rush to get located.

The folowing is a list of those officers of the army and navy who obtained land grants, beginning at Kempenfeldt and proceeding eastward to Hawkestone: Captain Ross, Capt. Oliver, Col. O'Brien, Capt. E.A. Walker, Capt. Monck, Major Adam, Major Laurie, Capt. Charles McVittie, Col. Wm. B. McVity, Col. Davis, Johnson Allingham, and Col. Carthew.

Each oficer received a grant from Sir John Colborne, the Lieut.-Governor, the land being distributed amongst them in proportion to their rank and services. It was usual at that time to allot the land to officers according to a statutory schedule taking account of the length of time in the service and the quantity of land to which each class was entitled; and the Oro allotments were made in this way. (See chapter on land Grants Vol. 1).

Reference has been made in former chapters to some of those whose names are mentioned in the preceeding list. Capt. Robert Oliver has been mentioned in connection with Kempenfeldt. Prior to locating in Kempenfeldt Capt. Oliver resided on the site now known as "Woodlands," in a large, substantial log edifice owned by Eli Beman of Holland Landing, the occupants being (besides himself), his wife, 3 sons, 2 servants, with Meyrick Lally, and John McWatt (who had arrived in 1832 on the newly constructed steamer).

Major James Adams received his land grant near Oro station in 1832, and became one of the earliest magistrates in Oro. He was the Home District Councillor for the township in 1842, and in the following year was the first Treasurer of the District of Simcoe, but died a few months after his appointment. Descendants of his have lived in the same neighbourhood since that time.

Capt. E.A. Walker moved from his first "location" near Shanty to the county town and represented Vespra Township (with which Barrie was then included for municipal purposes) as District Councillor throughout the entire period of the Simcoe District Council (1843-9).

Col. Wm. B. McVity afterward became the first Clerk of the Peace when the County of Simcoe was organized. He died April 6, 1877.

Capt. Monck was a cousin of Lord Monck, the first Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada.

Capt. Malcolm Ross of the King's Regiment received 1,400 acres in 1832 in concessions 7, 8 and 9, near the shore.

Several of the half-pay officers who have been mentioned were located at or near Hawkestone. Amongst those who occupied a conspicuous position in the locality was Lieut.-Col. Arthur Carthew, late of H.M. 64th Regt., an officer of Cornish origin. But he did not dwell permanently at Hawkestone. Some time after 1836 he built a commodious house on a part of the Deer Park property on Yonge Street, the interior fittings of which, according to Dr. Scadding in "Toronto of Old" were of solid black walnut, had been bought from the Jarvis' family residence by him, and transferred without much alteration to Deer Park. Col. Carthew is also said to have made extensive improvements on property near Newmarket. He died on October 4, 1878, at the advanced age of 82 years.

These officers, in settling on the lake shore, encountered the usual hardships of the backwoods. Rev. Isaac Fidler met with one of these officers at Newmarket in 1832, and refers to him in his "Observations in the United States and Canada." As already mentioned, Sir John Colborne did all in his power to induce well-to-do immigrants to settle north of Lake Simcoe; but, with few exceptions, nothing was gained by the experiment but a sorrowful experience.

The settlement of the half-pay officers, so unique in its conception, was evidently an attempt to follow the classic policy of the Romans, who settled the veteran or retired soldiers on the outlying colonial frontiers to establish there "communities of loyal, able and valiant citizens." The plan looked all right on paper, but was unpractical for modern times.

The grantees of these lands, although receiving estates which were larger than what one would call "small holdings," and which were not in accordance with more recent land policies and the prevalent views of to-day as to what the size of land grants should be, did not impede settlement, as the land along the shore generally was somewhat stony in places and the soil not always the best. (It was not such land as practical people would take up first.) On the contrary, the officers had usually some wealth, and in making their disbursements for clearing and for what they needed, they circulated money and helped to make times good. In nearly every case, they lost money by their settlement while the community gained it. After selling their land for what they could manage to get for it, they generally moved to the towns where they passed the remainder of their days. Thompson's summary from his "Reminiscences," will form a fitting conclusion to our own remarks on these officers:-

"Where are the results of the policy which sent them there? What did they gain- what have their familes and descendants gained- by the ruinous outlay to which they were subjected? With one or two exceptions, absolutely nothing but wasted means and saddest memories."

A colonization road into upper Oro was cut through from Hodges' Landing at an early date, and joined with the earlier route from Kempenfeldt to Penetanguishene, at Dalston of the present. The Hodges' Landing road soon became a feeder of the Penetanguishene Road, and owing to hills and the big swamp on the lower portion of the latter, it probably shared for a time as much as, if not more traffic than, the Kempenfeldt part of the same route. But in 1847, through the instrumentality of the Hon. W.B. Robinson, Commissioner of Public Works, and member of the Legislative Assembly for Simcoe, the Kempenfeldt-Penetanguishene Road was thoroughly cleared out to the width of sisty-six feet, and made passable for its entire length of over thirty miles. This step removed any further necessity for using the Hodges' Landing road, But, as late as 1851, we find the road distinctly marked on the county map in Smith's "Canada: Past, Present and Future," which, however, might have been copied from some old map, as one map-maker copies from another.

Hodges' Landing received its name from Richard Hodges, a native of England, who settled there in 1830, on lot 24 beside Lake Simcoe, and his son, William, born here in 1834, may also be classed among the pioneers. Capt. Davis settled on the east side of the Hawkestone Creek about the same time as Richard Hodges on the west side.

Wellesley Richie, the Government Land Agent, built shanties for the emigrants newly arriving to go into the northerly parts of the township, on the west side of the stream. There was a trail form this Landing to the Rugby line, toward the northeast, by which the settlers reached their new lands in that quarter.

S.M. Sandford, who had the first store in the county town, did not succeed in business there, and, with Capt. Bell, was one of the first to make a start in business at the Village of Hawkestone. They built a store on the east side of the creek at a short distance from the lake shore. The present wharf at the place was built by the Dominion Government in the year 1900.

Another of the early settlers in the backwoods near Hawkestone was George Anderson, a native of the County of Tipperary, Ireland, who came to Canada in 1832, and after living in Toronto four or five years came to Oro and took up lot 18, con. 11. He died September, 1890.

Still another pioneer was Peter Smith, who came from Islay, Scotland, in 1834 and settled on lot 20, con. 12. He was a zealous churchman, having been an elder of the Presbyterian church during twenty-six years.

As early as 1819, the project of settling negroes north of Lake Simcoe was under consideration by the Government, as it appears from the Dominion Archives Report for 1897, (State Papers, Upper Canada, p. 100), and we find the Davenports were located in Flos very soon after this early date. Accordingly we may infer that the African name of Oro was intended to signify the uses of the township, according to the Government. The actual settlement, however, began about 1830, with commissioning Lieot.-Col. E.G. O'Brien as the Governemnt Agent for locating the negroes. These were placed mostly along the second line of the township, which thus came to be called Wilberforce Street, in commemoration of the British philanthropist. Particulars of these colored pioneers are scanty enough at the present day, yet a list of their names, so far as the writer has been able to glean them, may be of some interest:

Although more than a score of these "darkey" families arrived and were "located", scarcely a quarter of that number of familes exist in the township at the present day, the climate having proved to be to rigorous for them. In course of time many moved to more genial climes. Samuel Thompson in his "Reminiscences," speaking of the period about 1833 says:- "The inhabitants of the colored settlement were constantly at loggerheads with each other or with their white neighbours."

At the Middle Crossroad, John C. Steele, the eldest son of Capt. Steele, of Medonte, settled at an early date on lot 16, con. 6. He was Reeve of Oro for a period of eighteen years (1859 to 1876, both years inclusive) continuously, and was Warden in 1875. Some Reminiscences of the early days of this county, written by him, appeared in the Orillia Packet in 1893-4, and were unusually interesting. The post office maintained here in former years bore the name of Steele in honor on this well-known family.

Some events and characters of the early days of the settlement along this Crossroad, have found places in the writings of Miss Miller (Marion Keith).

William Hatch, a native of England, settled on lot 14, con. 7, a mile from Steele post office of later times, in 1832, which lot was afterward owned by Joseph Harrison. Mr. Hatch brough a bag of sovereigns from England with him when he came, and found it useful in helping him through the pioneer days. His sons, Henry and Richard Hatch, carpenters, lived first near Guthrie, and Henry afterward had a woodturning business in the county town. The first orchard in Oro grew from apple seeds which Mr. Hatch, sr., brought from England and planted on the farm just mentioned.

George Firth, a native of Yorkshire, England, also settled on lot 15, con. 7, in or about the year 1832. He was the inventor of a mouldborad for ploughs, which had a name in its day. His son, John Firth, lived for many years of the Penetanguishene Road, half way between Wyebridge and Penetanguishene, on lot 105, which came to be known as Firth's Corner.

Near the Middle Crossroad and in the vicinity of East Oro, a number of families from England settled in the early years of the township's history. A few of these deserve passing notices.

Joseph Pearce, a native of Yorkshire, located on lot 15, con. 7, about the same time as the last named settler.

Three English families took up "locations" in con. 10 in 1831.
Samuel Jeremy, lot 12, con. 10.
Henry Crawford, lot 14, con. 10, (W. half)
Noah Cotton, lot 14, con. 10, (E. half)

Of these, at least two were natives of Suffolk County,- Jeremy and Cotton. Mr. Jeremy died February 1, 1890, in his 82nd year. Henry Cotton and wife both reached advanced ages. Samuel Cotton, a son of this pioneer, died August 10, 1892, in his 86th year.

John Leigh, another native of England and his sons settled upon lot 16, con. 13, and this locality has always received the name of Leigh's Corners from this pioneer.

William Baskerville and his sons, (Henry, James, John, Samuel and William), settled upon lots 14 and 15 (E. half), con. 13.

In this part of the township there settled at a slightly later date (1841) Henry Creswicke, a man who afterward held the position of County Surveyor and had the supervision of public works for nearly forty years. He was born September 26, 1804, at Hanham Court, Bitton Parish, Gloucestershire, England, received his education first at Bristol, and then at Reading Grammar School undre the famous Dr. Valpy. Mr. Creswicke first came to America in 1830, spent three years in Michigan, then returned to England and served as civil engineer on the Great Western Railway under some distinguished engineers. In the year 1841, with his wife and a small family he again came to America, at the request of Col. W.B. McVity and settled in Oro, on the west half of lot 15, con. 13. At the suggestion of Capt. J.A.E. Irving , Warden of Simcoe District in 1843, he prepared for and passed his examination as County Surveyor, after walking from his home in Oro to the City of Kingston, which was then the seat of government. His first work as County Surveyor, to which office he was appointed by Government in 1843, was the laying out of the Sturgeon Bay Road, a work done under the government Board of Public Works. Among some other of his noteworthy works in the early years was the West Gwillimbury Plank Road, besides numreous other roads and bridges mentioned in the chapters on this subject, and with these may also be included the road (1852) from Holland Landing to Mount Albert. After residing in Oro for some years he moved to the county town, and besides being county surveyor, he was an auditor of the accounts for the administration of justice for many years. At the June session of the County Council, 1881, Mr. Creswicke tendered his resignation as County Surveyor, and the Council accepted it, yet he was to retain his position until the end of the year 1881 and the office was to be abolished from that date. At the next session (in November), on the eve of his retirement the Council tendered to him their congratulations on the successful and energetic manner in which he had discharged his duties as County Engineer and Surveyor for the unusually long period of 39 years. He died January 21, 1883, and at his funeral, on the 24th, the County Council, which was then in session, attended in a body, out of respect for his memory. Of his sons, Henry Creswicke, jr., was a Provincial Land Surveyor, and Alfred E.H. Creswicke is the County Solicitor.

In 1835 there came to Oro a pioneer who had marked individuality of character, and who afterward held the position of Superintendent of Schools for the County. This was Henry Adolphus Clifford, a native of the vicinity of London, England. He received a good education in his young days, travelling two miles daily to an advanced school or college in London. Coming to Oro in 1835, he settled first on lot 27, con. 2. At a later time he moved from the farm to open a store at Dalston, and kept the post office when it was established, which was named after the suburb of London from which he came. He had a large share of the faculty of self-help, having learned something of the trade of the bookbinder; he was also carpenter, wheelwright, and shoemaker, and at a later time a photographer, too, having taken the photograph of himself from which the engraving which appears in this history was made. By his habits of thrift he acquired property, and at one time had as many as four farms in Oro. He was appointed Superintendent of Schools for Simcoe by the District Council in 1846, and served in this capacity until 1850 when the faulty system of having a superintendent of schools in each township was adopted. Mr. Clifford's reports on the schools of those early days, so far as they were printed by the District Council, show a remarkable grasp of the business with which he was dealing, and are pregnant with weighty observations on the subject. When engaged inspecting the common schools of this district, he travelled on horseback from one school to another, his inspectorate then including the present limits of Simcoe County as well as a considerable part of the present county of Grey. He was absent from home much of the time, and as there was a good deal of money in the house (because he paid the teachers, this being a very different system from that of the present day), it is said that Mrs. Clifford had some fears for its safety. So one night when there was a little more that usual, she kept a large cauldron full of hot water ready at hand and boiling for the entertainment of burglars, if any of these should make her a visit. None came, however, for the hearty reception which she had prepared for them. In December, 1870, he moved to South Falls, Muskoka, (a few miles from Bracebridge), where he kept a store and built his own buildings, made his own plows, harrows, boots and shoes, etc., altogether proving himself to be a handy man, and just such a one as could only thrive in Muskoka in its early days. He kept the store and post office at Muskoka Falls for 31 years, and died August 5, 1901, 91 years of age.

Another early settler who took a leading part in school matters in the early days of Oro was the Rev. Ari Raymond, who also lived in this part of the township. He taught school a mile west from Edgar of the present day, and started there the Congregational Church. It is said he was a clever kind of a Yankee,- genial, kind, and at the time he lived in Oro was still young in years. He was a good carpenter, and a handy kind of man, generally.

In the early days of Canada, with the exception of ministers of the established churches, no person could be regarded as a minister with a right to solemnize marriage rites until he had appeared before the Justices of the Peace in Quarter Sessions, with satisfactory proofs of his ordination. The records of the Quarter Sessions at Barrie show that Ari Raymond, Congregational Minister, on January 6, 1846, duly produced proof of his ordination, and a certificate was granted to authorize him to solemnize marriages in accordance with 1 Wm. IV., Chapter 1.

Northward from the last mentioned, at the townline, Joseph Ellsmere, a native of County Down, Ireland, came to this country with his family, in 1832, and settled on lot 1, con. 4, where they saw some of the rugged experiences of life in the wilderness. In the family were two sons, John and Joseph, who are also to be included in the roll of pioneers.

One of the early settlers at Edgar was Robert Richardson, son of the pioneer who lived on the Penetanguishene Road, and who has been already mentioned. Another was Alexander Miller, a member of the Medonte family of that name. Mr. Miller had formerly taught school at Dalston, and at one time kept the post office at Edgar.

Several Highland families from Islay, Argyleshire, settled first on the "dry lots" in the northern parts of the township, because the land was dry and the forest easier to clear. But they soon found out their mistake, and removed to more fertile ground southward.

Some of those who settled in the early years in the "dry lots" were the sons of Farquhar Bell, they having taken up lot 7, con. 8. His three sons, Gilbert, Duncan and Malcolm came from Scotland in 1833, and after living in the "dry lots," settled on lot 15, con. 8, on which the Township Hall was built at a later date. Another brother of theirs, Archibald, besides other members of the family arrived later, (before 1846, however). Their sisters were Mrs. Donald Galbraith and Mrs. Colin Gilchrist. Descendants of these families of Bell are numerous. The sons of Archibald Bell were Farquhar, Gilbert and Duncan, one of whom (Gilbert) taught school and had a general store at East Oro, and at another time taught school at Shanty Bay.

The Islay settlers in Oro and Nottawasaga brought various customs to their new homes in Upper Canada from their native Highlands. None of these were so odd as the one they employed to full their home made cloth in their own homes at what they called "kicking bees." These unique "bees" in Oro have furnished the title given by James B. Steele to his story of "McLarty's Kicking Bee."

The Campbell family were well known in the early days of Oro. Of these there were five brothers,- Donald, Archibald, Alexander, Angus and John. The last named, (John,) settled in Thorah Township, near Beaverton.

This family came to Canada from Islay, in 1831. John Campbell, son of Donald, was in the milling business, and carried on a lumber mill at one period of his life. Two sons of Angus, viz., Duncan and Neil Campbell, entered the Winnipeg College, and were well known citizens there.

Perhaps the most widely known of the original family, were the brothers Alexander and Archibald, who were twins. These settled for a time near the head of Kempenfeldt Bay, and built the first house in Barrie. As they lived in the county town for the purpose of working at their trade, they remained until 1844 or a little later, and removed to Oro, where they took up lots 17 on opposite sides of the same road, Alex. in the 4th concession and Archibald in the 5th. In the family of Archibald, the sons were Archibald, Donald and Neil. Of Alexander's family, George, a member of the County Council for a number of years, Mrs. J.J. Brown (Barrie), and Mrs. Muir. These two pioneer brothers rest near each other in the graveyard of Guthrie Church. Archibald, born November 15, 1807, died December 21, 1881; Alexander was the last of the five brothers to survive, having died October 18, 1887.

The Currie family were also among the early settlers to arrive, having come in 1833. A part of this family, after living in Oro for a year, moved to Nottawasaga and became pioneers in that western township.

After the Islay settlers left their first locations in the north part of Oro, extensive tracts of land, comparatively clear of stumps, were left uncultivated, and formed a wide common. Across this lonely stretch of ground, a settlers' road led to the northeastern parts of the township from Galbraith's Corner, diagonally to the next concession line. Around this dreary road some grim associations used to cling, for a story is current that about the year 1853, a woman walking to the home of her relatives to spend the Christmas holidays, was cruelly murdered in a lonely part of its course. The circumstances are narrated in a story which was written by Miss M.C. Ferguson, of Orillia, and which was awarded a prize in the Montreal Witness Story Competition, August, 1892.

Duncan Gilchrist was one of the prominent settlers in the northern tract now under review. In 1813, Mr. Gilchrist had belonged to the volunteer coast guard in the west of Scotland, under the Duke of Argyle. He came from Bowmore, Islay, in 1834, with his family, landed at Hodges' Landing, and they made their way along the rough settlers' road and through the bush to lot 6 in the 8th concession, some two miles or more northwest of Galbraith's Corner. On the outbreak of the Rebellion of '37, he volunteered, and in the year after the Rebellion he was an officer in the volunteer company stationed in the garrison at Penetanguishene. His sons, Colin, Duncan and Ronald, may also be included in the roll of pioneers.

Prominent amongst those Islay settlers who remained on the Upper Crossroad and near it, until later years, were the brothers John, Angus and Donald Galbraith. John Galbraith, the inn-keeper, kept the widely-known tavern of pioneer days on lot 10, con. 9, at what became known as Galbraith's Corner. As this place was on the stage road from Barrie to Orillia, Mr. Galbraith and his hostelry were well known to travellers, and it was a stopping-place of considerable notoriety in those early days. Mr. Galbraith was a councillor in the Township Council for some time. At this same corner, Knox Church, the pioneer Presbyterian place of worship in Upper Oro, was erected, and in it services were held in Gaelic down to a recent date. Some of the original settlers of this neighbourhood never acquired the English language, or did so very imperfectly. A large proportion of these settlers now lie in the churchyard where they attended services for so many years.

Duncan McMillan and his wife, natives of Islay, settled in 1831, on the lot on which the church was built, and after living there a few years he became dissatisfied with the scarcity of water, sold his claim to the farm for a cow, and bought a homestead near Jarratt's. This couple lived together during the unusually long period of sixty-three years of married life, the wife (Margaret McKerroll) dying first, on June 7, 1892, in her eighty-ninth year.

The earliest settler on the townline of Medonte and Oro was Peter McPhie (McDuffie in the lists) who came in the twenties and settled on lot 1, con. 9, Oro, near Coulson, when all around them was the forest wilderness. He was one of the very first of the Islay settlers to arrive in this country. He died in 1848.

Oro furnishes an exception of considerable interest in the settlement of this county. Its earliest settlers were chiefly Highland and Lowland Scotch, especially in the upper parts of the township, this fact having been noticed by Dr. Thomas Rolph, whose Statistical Account of Upper Canada appeared in 1836; and the general character of the settlers has been preserved almost unchanged since the township's first settlement.

Other pioneers who "located" near the Upper Crossroad in the vicinity of Rugby in the year 1831 were: James and William Tudhope, with their sons, Matthew Johnson, Henry Litster, William Rutherford, Donald Grant; John, Angus and Donald Galbraith, and many others.

The Tudhope families settled in Oro in 1831, James Tudhope, on lot 6 in the 11th concession; and his son George, afterward clerk of the township, took up half of lot 6 in the 12th.

They were natives of Lanarkshire, Scotland, and in the year mentioned, left the crowded districts of Scotland for the forest wilderness of Upper Canada. When George took possession of the lot opposite his father's, between Rugby and Jarratt's Corners, he married Miss Rutherford, a daughter of the pioneer of that name in the same neighbourhood, and entered upon the task of clearing his land. He became the first clerk of the township when it received municipal organization in 1835, and was again clerk in 1836, 1838-9-'40,'41. At the beginning of 1857 he was chosen clerk once more, and held the office until his death, January 19, 1892, having occupied the position for forty-one years. He was also secretary of the Agricultural Society from its inception, retaining the position for many years. His son, Henry J. Tudhope, was chosen his succesor as Township Clerk.

Wm. Tudhope, Orillia, was another son of James Tudhope, sr. He becane proprietor of extensive carriage works in Orillia, and his son, Jas. B. Tudhope, has represented East Simcoe in the Ontario Legislature since 1902. James Tudhope, who moved to the Township of Wallace about 1854, and afterward until his death about Aug. 1, 1894, resided in Listowel, was also a son of Jas. Tudhope.

Wm. Tudhope, brother of James, sr., settled on lot 7, in the 11th concession, and his son Walter took up, a year or two later, lot 1 in the 8th concession.

Daniel Cameron (clerk of the township from 1842 to 1845) settled quite near Rugby in 1831. The families of McCallum, Robertson, Ormsby, Cameron, Donald McLeod, and Buchanan settled also in Oro early in 1831.

The post office bearing the name of "Rugby" was established August 1st, 1860, the first postmaster being Walter Hunter, who afterward became a pioneer in the western part of Flos Township, in the neighborhood of Crossland post office at a later date.

Nearer Jarratt's, the Islay people formed a settlement at an early date, as the land there was better supplied with streams of water than the parts passed earlier in this chapter. Alex. McLean came in 1831 and settled on lot 3, con. 8. He died in 1875. His wife, Ann McPhie, came with her parents to Oro in 1834, and survived until January 29, 1901, having reached the age of 91 years. James McKerroll with his family arrived in 1831 and took up lot 1, con. 10.

Hugh Reid settled near the same place in 1834. He attained the ripe age of 82 years, and died Marach 15, 1890. Duncan Reid, with his wife and five children, came from Islay in the fall of 1836 and took up lot 2, con. 9.

John McLean settled upon lot 4, con. 10 (E. half), almost among the first to arrive in the neighborhood, and lived to a recent date, reaching the advanced age of 103 years.

The brothers Clark came to this settlement in 1832, John Clark with his family having come in that year, and "located" near Jarratt's. Duncan Clark was Clerk and Treasurer of the township from 1846 until 1856, both years inclusive.

Some other settlers than the natives of Islay settled in this locality, in which may be mentioned John Hammond. He and his family passed through their full share of the hardships of pioneer life.

Farther east, Charles Jarratt located on lot 15, con. 14, about the same time; while Rev. Charles Brough located also in 1832 on lot 1 in the 11th con.

Carruthers in his "Retrospect," notes having visited Mr. Brough on September 17, 1833:-"Called upon the Rev. Mr. Brough, of the Church of England, and during my stay with him I was much pleased with his conversation. He is labouring in the Township of Oro, etc., with much diligence in the Gospel."

Mr. Jarratt's land having a good mill site upon it, an exchange of lands was made by these two settlers in the year 1835; Rev. Mr. Brough then proceeded to erect a mill which began operations shortly afterwards. Peter McCallum took up lot 6, con. 10, at an early date; while his son, Daniel, who had previously attended Princeton College, joined him in 1840.

In the year 1832, three or four pioneers with their families arrived in the wilderness south of Bass lake, and began to subdue its wilderness. These were the following:
Joseph and Nicholas langman, natives of Cornwall, England, who took up lot 6, con. 14.
John Hardie of lot 6, con. 13.
Francis Buchanan, lot 7, (W. half), con. 13.

As already stated in this chapter, under the subdivision of Hawkestone, Wellesley Richie, the Government Agent for placing settlers on their lands, was stationed in 1832 near Bass Lake on account of its convenient position for the performance of his duties.
(See also "Memories" of Rev. Thomas Williams, p. 47.)

From the first it was manifest to the traders and settlers of a speculative turn of mind that the Indian trading post at The Narrows might naturally develop into a town at no very distant day. As already mentioned in our skecth of Hawkestone, or Hodegs' Landing, the landing places along the north shore of Lake Simcoe were various, but all were continuative of the great trail across the isthmus of Hurontario. In the immediate vicinity of The Narrows there were at least three of these landing places; the one on Lake Couchiching, where Orillia now stands; The Narrows proper, where the scattered hamlet of Invermara marks the place at which the important trail leading to Port Hope crossed the waters of Lake Simcoe; while the third was on the shore of Shingle Bay. Hence it was no wonder that the first white occupants of The Narrows and its environs were divided in their opinions as to the site of the coming emporium.

Honore Bailly patented, on September 1, 1826, five hundred acres in the vicinity of the town, viz., lots 10 and 12, in concession 5, (200 acres each) and lot 11, in concession 6, (west part, 100 acres). These lots were all beside the lakes, and were evidently selected on account of their proximity to the water.

A great change has come over Orillia since the early fur-traders went among the Ojibways of the forests there at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The first white settlers at the town as given in one account, were: Jacob Gill and family, Gerald Alley, Thomas Butcher and family, Captain Borland, Rev. Gilbert Miller, the Wesleyan missionary; Robert Bailey and family, and James Sanson and family in the fall of 1833.

It is recorded that in 1833 Gerald Alley, who is said to be the first white settler, and who had arrived a year or two before this, was employed by the Government to instruct the Indians in farming, and in the autumn of that year superintended them in clearing a field adjoining Neywash Street, near the dwelling house erected by the government for Chief Yellowhead.

Throughout Simcoe County, as in every county, , the local historians have been the newspaper men, in almost evrey case. George H. Hale of the Packet has been an earnest worker in the early history of Orillia and its environs. and for many years the readers of the Packet have received the benefit of his historical work, especially in his notices of the pioneers, as one by one they were laid at rest. Some of his numerous sketches have proved helpful in the compilation of the brief pioneer notices which follow.

So early as 1834, a few of the settlers made an attempt to establish a town at the landing place on Shingle Bay. An advertisement setting forth its good qualities appeared in the Toronto Courier that year, and it was called the "New Town of Innisfallen."

Notwithstanding the eclat with which the Shingle Bay enterprise was ushered into existence, Innisfallen never matured beyond a few cabins on the shore and a place in the list of dead villages on Lake Simcoe. Orillia instead became the favorite trading point and outstripped the other landing places in the rapidity of its growth.

Walton's Directory, composed near the end of the year 1836, furnishes a list of the settlers in Orillia at that time. On lot No. 9, concession 4, there were:

Gerald Alley, Robert Bailey, Andrew Borland, Michael Bowers, James Dallas, Peter Lamb, J.M. Lawrence (Larmour ?), John J. Rowe.

Nearer the shore on lot No. 9 in the 5th concession, were located Andrew Moffatt and Rev. Jonathan Scott, the Indian instructors. While on lot No. 10, in the 5th concession, also within the limits of the original village, were Jacob Gill and Leonard Wilson. To these names, another authentic list of the first settlers adds the name of Neil Morrison.

The Town of Orillia, owing to its interesting history, and perhaps partly from being the headquarters of the Ojibways, has from time to time figured in Canadian literature. In addition to Mrs. Anna Jameson's sketch, referred to in another chapter, Charles Sangster's, "Sonnets written in the Orillia woods, August, 1859," appeared during 1860 in "Hesperus and other Poems;" and Dr. Scadding has, on various occasions, written at some length upon the town and its surroundings. The adjacent township was the birthplace of Mrs. Fanny Kelly, afterward of Kansas, who in 1864, while travelling across the plains to Montana in a waggon train, was taken captive by the Sioux Indians, with whom she remained in captivity under severe hardships for five months. A Canadian edition of the "Narrative of Her Captivity" appeared in Toronto in 1872. Mrs. Kelly was one of the Wiggins family, of lot 10, concession 2, South Orillia.

By the year 1837, as it may be seen in the appendix, Orillia had a dozen or more white families, but there was little further increase until about 1841, when a fresh influx began, the effects of the rebellion having by this time been worn off.

The white settlers petitioned the Government for a landing in 1838, and received it. In the following year they sent another petition asking the Government to remove the Indians to Rama, which was also done. Samuel Richardson, of Penetanguishene, thereupon surveyed the Orilla town plot in the same year (1839), the removal of the Indians to Rama having left the way clear for the inauguration of a village and ultimately a town.

A number of years passed before the citizens sought to become incorporated. At the session of November, 1866, the County Council appointed John C. McMullen as census enumerator for Orillia, with a view to incorporation. He found there were a sufficient number of inhabitants therein to entitle them to incorporation, and the council thereupon passed a by-law for the purpose, appointing Frank Evans, barrister, as the returning officer for the first municipal election. The first reeve chosen for the new village was James Quinn, viz., for the year 1867.

A historical sketch of Orilla, with illustrations, was printed by the Orillia Times in an edition of the Canadian Annual for 1895, and contained much interesting matter on the history of the place for the preceding sixty years. The Times also issued an illustrated souvenir number in 1906. There have been historical skecthes and descriptions of the town also issued at various times by the News-Letter and by the Packet. The "Memories" of Rev. Thomas Williams, in the last named newspaper, contained many references to the early days of Orillia.

Jacob Gill came to Orillia from Newmarket, and was the millwright in connection with the Indian Department. He had a family of fourteen children, nearly all of whom became residents of the district. He has been described as a very intelligent person,- originally a citizen of New York State, who had emigrated to Canada from Albany and Troy, N.Y.

A man of considerable prominence in the early days of Orillia was James Sanson, a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, who came to Canada in the fall of 1833 and settled in Orillia Township. After a short time at his first location, he moved to the place known as "Beechwood Hill," in the same township. He soon encountered some experience of pioneer life in the thinly settled district to which he had come, as some sheep which he had brought from near Toronto were destroyed by wolves. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1847, and as a magistrate was a peacemaker, doing his best to heal differences. In May, 1852, he was appointed reeve of the township. At the beginning of 1853 he became warden of Simcoe County and held the office for four years. In 1854 he contested North Simcoe against Angus Morrison during the heat of the Clergy Reserves controversy, bu was not successful. Shortly after he held the wardenship he moved into the Town of Orillia, where he resided at "Melville Lodge," and where he died Aoril 12, 1874, aged 81 years. His wife, Mary Laing, who was a sister of David Laing, the celebrated author and antiquarian, of Edinburgh, also died within a few hours of his death, both being buried at the same time.

Of this family, the Rev. Canon (Alex.) Sanson had the charge of Little Trinity Church, Toronto, for about fifty years. And David L. Sanson was in mercantile business in Orillia for some time, and was twice mayor of the town; he died in October, 1893.

Andrew Moffatt, the Indian teacher and interpreter, was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1843, and was a resident from the time of his arrival early in the thirties until his death in 1873. His wife was a Miss Manwaring, a native of Connecticut, who came to Orillia also as a teacher of the Indians in 1832, and was married to Mr. Moffatt in 1834. They continued teaching the Indians until the removal of the band to Rama five years later, aftre which Mr. Noffatt went into business in Orillia. She survived her husband until October 12, 1891, passing away at the advanced age of 82 years.

One of the prominent men of Orillia in the early days was James Dallas, who was born in the City of Edinburgh in 1797, and emigrated direct to Orillia in 1835, taking up at this time the property upon which he resided up to the time of his death, on June 9, 1872. In his native city he had been a baillie or alderman, and always took an active interest in public affairs. W. Chambres, in his "Memoirs," speaks of a man, afterward settled at Orillia, Canada, (referring to Mr. Dallas), who had given him, in the early days of his publishing enterprise, an order for bookbinding. Mr. Dallas was the representative to the Home District Council in Toronto in 1842 from Orillia, a municipal body which met four times that year; and was also the representative from Orillia in the Simcoe District Council the following year, being succeeded in 1844 by Frederick Dallas. He was also appointed a magistrate in 1843, and at the end of the same year became warden of the county or district, as it was then called, his appointment having been made by the government. He continued to act as warden for a little more than a year, and then withdrew from municipal life. In his own local sphere he held various positions of trust, including that of President of the Orillia Mechanics' Institute, the Branch Bible Society and others. On his death the Orillia Packet spoke of him in these terms: "Although unobtrusive in political matters, whenever he preceived wrong or oppression, dishonesty or dishonour, he was always ready with voice or pen to uphold the right. He was a thorough gentleman, of the old school, and for nearly forty years his sterling character has given his opinions more weight than those of any other man in our community." When he died, in 1872, the County Council also placed on record its regret, speaking of him as a man known for his integrity and uprightness of character.

Frederick Dallas may also be included among the pioneers. He also was appointed a magistrate in 1843, was District Councillor for Orillia from 1844 until 1849, and in 1841, or earlier, had erected on the stream at his place the pioneer industry known as the Orillia Mills.

Rev. John Gray came to Orillia in 1851 to take charge of the newly established Presbyterian congregation, and in the beginning of the following year was appointed by the County Council as Township Superintendent of Schools for the townships of Oro and Orillia, a position he held for seven years. He was appointed Superintendent of the Oro schools in 1859 and in 1863-4. He was also a member of the Board of Education at various times, and took an active interest in the improvement of the methods of primary education, in addition to the work of his pastorate.

Arthur G. Robinson, C.E., was for many years one of the well known citizens of Orillia, in which he resided (with occasional short absences) for sixty years. He was born in Ireland in 1817, received an education in Dublin for engineering and came to Canada in 1832 with his father, Dr. S. Robinson, and a number of family connections,- viz., the families of Blake, Brough, Hume, and others,- some of whom settled in the vicinity of Orillia for a time. When Orillia was only an Indian village in 1832, he passed through the place, but shortly afterward returned to Ireland with his father. He returned to Canada the next year and spent his life as an engineer in the country of his adoption, with his headquarters mostly at Orillia. In 1843 he married May, only daughter of Wm. Mulock, of the Coldwater Road. As an engineer he took part in the construction of the Lachine and Welland Canals, the building of lighthouses on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, the locks at Port Carling in Muskoka, and under the chapter on roads and bridges mention is made of some of his other works in this county. He died on February 24, 1894, aged 77 years, and his widow died a year later.

Henry Fraser moved into Orillia from Price's Corners and began the erection of a large brick building for a hotel, but it was on too large a scale and before he finished it for that purpose, the Canadian Government, in the last months of 1857, or January, 1858, commenced negotiations for purchasing it for an asylum for convalescent lunatics. For some reason the sale or transfer did not take place immediately, so the project was helped along by the County Council, which initiated action in 1859 in reference to increased lunatic asylum accommodation for the Province. Other councils joined, and the crusade had a good effect, as the Government thereupon chose Orillia as the site of a branch asylum. By October, 1859, the sale had been completed, and the Convalescent Lunatic Asylum at Orillia became an established fact. It soon began to undergo enlargement and completion (in 1860) under the superintendent, Dr. John Ardagh, and Kivas Tully, of the Public Works Department, and the building thus erected for a hotel became the first Asylum. It was three stories high, heated by steam, and had, with its two wings, a frontage of 118 feet, the verandahs being railed in with iron rods, which gave it an unique appearance. By 1866 the patients numbered 140, the official title of the institution being at that time the Orillia Lunatic Asylum for Chronic Patients. At a later time the Government transformed it into an Asylum for Idiots, and a large, new building was erected for the purpose, facing Lake Simcoe.

H.R.H. the Prince de Joinville was in Canada in 1861, and in the course of his travels visited Orillia and other parts of the county. He was a son of Louis Phillippe, the ex-king of France, and in the American Civil War was attached to the Army of the North for a time.

Amongst the arrivals in Orillia in the growing years of the early fifties was John Kean, who came in 1852 as a millwright from Brantford, and as he afterward took a prominent part in public affairs, he is entitled to receive some notice in this place. Mr. Kean was a native of Co. Antrim, Ireland, where he was born in 1820. He came to Canada in 1832 and settled in the Township of Nassagaweya, Halton County, where his parents had settled a few years previously. He became a millwright and in early days after coming to Orillia built saw and grist mills, some of which were: Marchmount, Washago, Penetanguishene, Muskosh, two near Orillia, and others. He was reeve of the Orillia Townships from 1862 until 1869, both years inclusive, and was warden of the county in 1868. In 1869 he became the senior partner in the firm of Keane, Fowlie & Co., which built the sawmills at Victoria Harbour and operated them until 1876. In 1875 he was elected member of the Ontario Legislature for East Simcoe, over Hugh Sutherland, by a majority of 164, and represented the riding in the Assembly until 1879. In the winter of 1880 he was sent by the Dominion Government to Fort McLeod, N.W.T., to build a sawmill at Pincher Creek, and in 1833 became one of the pioneers of Lethbridge, Alta., where he built a small lumber mill for the Galt Company, and had charge of other enterprises, including the Northwest Coal and Navigation Co. He died at Lethbridge, May 31, 1892. His son, Mr. B.F. Kean, may be classed as one of the pioneers of Orillia, and also his brother Frank Kean, who came there to reside in 1854.

Thomas Goffatt established a post for the Hudson's Bay Company at Orillia in 1862-3, and continued it for seventeen years, until all their posts throughout Southern Ontario were closed.

In the other parts of the township of South Orillia were the following early settlers:

The opening of the Coldwater Road along the line of the ancient trail, in 1830, or soon afterward, afforded one of the most important arteries to the inflowing tide of settlement. Some settlers came at that time and located on either side of the highway. Amongst these who settled upon it in South Orillia in 1832 was Paul Darling, M.D. Dr. Darling was the first physician to practice in this section of the country, became surgeon to the Indian Department, married a daughter of Captain Hamilton, of Matchedash and Penetangusihene, and went to live in Manitoulin Island, when Captain T.G. Anderson, the Indian Superintendent, moved with the Indians to that island in 1837. Dr. Darling had also two brothers who were early residents of this township for a while in the early years of its settlement, viz., William, who became the Rev. W.S. Darling, for some time Rector of Holy Trinty Church, Toronto, and James Darling, who subsequently moved to Penetanguishene, where he entered into partnership with W.B. Hamilton in a general store.

John Finch, the third on the above list, was a native of England. He forsook the backwoods and entered the ministry of the Baptist denomination, having been located in Tollendal in later years.

William Mulock came with his family from Banagher, Ireland, to the Coldwater Road in 1834, but found the transfer to the Orillia forests a great change indeed. One of his sons became the Rev. Canon (John) Mulock, of Brockville, Ont., and afterward of Winnipeg, Man.

John Harvie, a native of Scotland, settled in South Orillia with his family in 1832, and different members of this family and their descendants have been prominent in the history of the township and the locality generally. The seven sons in this Harvie family were, in the order of their age: John, Andrew, Robert, Charles, Alexander, William, Thomas. All of these, at one time or another, occupied farms of their own in South Orillia.

John, the eldest son, became the well known stage driver from Barrie to Orillia in the early days before the railway, and at a later time was one of the proprietors of the stage line from Orillia to Gravenhurst. His son, John T. Harvie, was the representative of Gravenhurst to the Simcoe County Council in 1885-6-7.

Andrew, the second son, like most of the other members of the family, did much teaming to this settlement from Toronto in the early days, especially in winter, when the boats could not run.

Robert, the third, about the year 1844, took up lot 8, on the second line, which was then a hundred acres of forest, and lived on it throughout his life, which closed April 14, 1890.

The fourth son, Charles, made his first business venture by teaming for the settlement to and from Toronto, before the days of the railroad. It required a week to make the round trip in those days, and for a period he brought all the merchandise required by the stores and all the settlers desired. His homestead was the west half of lot 9, concession 2, where he reaped his first harvest with a sickle and his last with a self-binder. He was an ardent agriculturist, did much to improve the quality of farm stock in his neighbourhood, his herd of shorthorns being the earliest in the district, and he was for many years an active member of the board of directors of the early agricultural Society at Orillia, his name appearing in the minutes of the society as long ago as 1847. At different times he filled the offices of vice-president and president of the society. He also took a prominent part in municipal matters, becoming a member of the township council at an early date, and in October, 1869, his name first appears on the roll of county councillors, as reeve of Orillia townships. He died September 25, 1891, having been connected with municipal affairs for about 20 years, and with public affairs generally all his life. His son, W.M. Harvey, is now sheriff of Simcoe County.

Wm. Harvie, the sixth son, and the last survivor of the seven, died March 8, 1909.

Alexander and Thomas, the remaining sons in this pioneer family, were also lifelong residents of the township.

Three brothers, Charles, Stanhope and Basil R. Rowe, came to Canada aabout the year 1830, They were memebers of a Devonshire family, although immediately from London, Eng. In 1832, Charles, the eldest, came to Orillia and took up land beside Bass Lake for himself and brothers. For a short time, they resided at Holland Landing, but about the date just mentioned, came to Bass Lake. Basil, who was the younger of the three, was 16 or 17 years of age at the time of their arrival in the woods of Bass Lake. Subsequently, both Charles and Stanhope went to the United States, but Basil remained in South Orillia throughout his life. He married a daughter of Captain Hamilton, of Matchedash and Penetanguishene. In the early days of Orilla Township, Mr. Rowe was chosen township clerk, and held the office for a generation or more. His death took place on December 29, 1894.

A few of the first settlers along the shore of Lake Couchiching in this township were half-pay officers, as also in Oro Township. In otherwords, the line of half-pay officers through Oro extended onward through South Orilla into North Orillia, and indeed into Rama on the opposite side of Lake Couchiching. Among those officers who took up lands in South Orillia were three mentioned in the above list, viz., Capt. Wm. Kersop, Capt. St. John and Capt. John Thompson.

A considerable number of the pioneers who located in North Orillia where from Ireland. Those who had settled in this township prior to 1836 are given in the following list:

At Marchmont, Robert Booth, a native of England, came here in 1835, and was followed by his family the next year. Here they continued until about 1849. Descendants of the family are still living in Orillia and surrounding districts. Members of this family were George J. Booth, J.P., of Orillia, and R.H. Booth, of Bolton, Ont., and later of Toronto, where he died August 19, 1890.

A notable pioneer was Captain John Drinkwater, who settled on lot 1, concession 2, in 1832. His sons, R.J.S. Drinkwater and T.H. Drinkwater became well known residents of the locality. The latter was well known as Captain of the 7th, or Orillia Company, of the 35th Battalion, for sevreal years.

Soon after the opening of the Coldwater Road in the thirties as a waggon road, Henry Fraser built a tavern at Price's Corners and settled down as a host to the numreous travellers along this road in the pioneer days. He had passed through the various gradations of settler, farmer and pioneer. At a later date, viz., in the fifties, he had a hotel in Barrie, and still later he built the large brick hotel in Orillia, as has already been seen, which was transformed into the first asylum. In the sixties he is found again at the county town, as the proprietor of the Exchange Hotel, but afterward withdrew into private life.

In 1832, a number of family relatives,- Blake, Brough, Hume, Robinson, and others,- came from Ireland to Canada, some of them settling in this vicinity for a time at least. Wm. Charles Hume, who is mentioned in the above list for North Orillia, was one of this group. He owned much land in the vicinity of Marchmont, was nearly related to the well known family of Blakes, of Toronto, was a half-brother of the late A.G. Robinson, C.E., of Orillia, and also related to Lord Marchmont, after whom he named the village where he resided for many years during the pioneer period. Mr. Hume returned to Ireland, where he lived, (in County Dublin), and died November 4, 1890, in the 86th year of his age. It is said that he was a fine specimen of the old Irish gentleman.

Patrick Joyce, named in the list of pioneers, served for a number of years in the British army, and had fought under Wellesley, in his celebrated expedition to India. He had also served in Canada during the war of 1812-15. He returned from Ireland to Canada in 1832, and became a settler in North Orillia, where descendants of his reside to this day. His son, Henry Joyce, of lot No. 13, in the 4th concession of that township, died December 21, 1889, aged 78 years.

As already stated, half-pay officers received grants in this township, of whom Robinson, Thompson and Wood are noteworthy in the above list. Dr. Chas. Robinson, so long a residence of the Ardtrea neighbourhood, settled here in 1832. Lieutenant Wm. H. Wood, of the 44th Regiment, also settled at Ardtrea in 1832.

In North Orillia, at the beginning, only the first two or three lots along the south side of the township received early settlers,- in one case, at the west, as high as the seventh lot. But settlement gradually extended northward.

During the severe bush fires of August and September, 1881, the township suffered damage in the conflagrations. And again, during the summer of 1887, extensive fires burned over and devastated large tracts of uncleard lands, especially in the eastern parts. To prevent the growth of obnoxious weeds and also to prevent fires in the future, the County Council sent a memorial to the Legislative Assembly asking it to procure grass seed for seeding the burned lands.

Washago had its beginning in 1852, when Quetton St. George & Co. built a sawmill at the outlet of Lake Couchiching into the Severn River. On March 16, 1831, the Upper Canadian Legislature passed an Act for vesting the estates of the late Laurent Quetton St. George in W.W. Baldwin (1 William IV,. chapt. 27). In the schedules at the end of this Act are printed lists of the lots and parcels of lands in Mr. St. George's estates. They include 2,500 acres in Medonte, 800 in South Orillia, and 2,300 in North Orillia, besides smaller parcels in other parts of this county. It is said that these extensive grants were made to the first Mr. St. George in order to encourage settlement through his services, if possible, but as it was usual in the days of Upper Canada before 1807 to grant 5,000 acres to each member of the executive council and other prominent men, with 1,200 acres to each of their children, it may have been in some such way that Mr. St. George became entitled to the land tracts. Nothing came of the estate, however, until the dawn of the railway period on Lake Simcoe, when timbered lands acquired some value, and sawmills began to spring up in all directions about the lake. John Kean secured the contract for building the Washago mills in 1852, and the place thenceforth became the first of the new settlements to spring up in the parts north of Lake Couchiching.

Two miles further north at Severn Bridge, the nucleus of a village arose with the construction of the Muskoka Colonization Road in 1857-8. Among the first settlers were William Johnson and James H. Jackson, who arrived in 1858. Mr. Jackson became the postmaster on the establishment of the office, January 1, 1861, and was also chosen representative to the Simcoe County Council for Morrison Township in 1870, a position he continued to fill for twelve consecutive years, until 1881. Sawmills were not built here until after the opening of the railway in the early seventies, although the water power was equally good with other places on the Severn River.

Enoch Bradley and 286 other ratepayers of North Orillia petitioned the County Council in June, 1893, for separation from South Orillia for municipal purposes, and the County Council thereupon passed a by-law for the purpose, but it was soon discovered that to do this required an Act of the Ontario Legislature. At the following session of the council in November, having had before them the opinion of the county solicitor on the illegality of the by-law, they came to the conclusion that it was illegal and passed another by-law to repeal it.

Owing to causes which may be readily understood, Matchedash did not become settled at so early a date as other townships in this county. The first settlement was in the southwest corner of the township, near the North River. The Matchedash Road from Coldwater, up the east side of the bay, was surveyed and cut open n 1830, James Hamilton, jr., acting as the surveyor.

Captain James Matthew Hamilton of the 5th Regiment of Foot, drew 800 acres of land in Matchedash, and the family, of whom there were eight sons and daughters, moved there in 1831 and made a clearing near the North River, on lot 4, concession 3. On account of the rise of the water of Georgian Bay, which rises and falls periodically, part of their lands became flooded, and the family some years after their settlement, left the place for Penetanguishene, where at least a part of them had been already residing.

It is recorded that in 1845 there was only one settler in the township, but in 1850 the population had increased to seven. Between the years of 1845 and 1850, Joseph S. Gill (lot 4, con. 3), and the Lovering family arrived, and about the same time the Burrows family. Mr. and Mrs. Gill went into Matchedash, as settlers on the farm formerly held by the Hamilton family, when there was but one other settler in the township, and through perseverance established a comfortable home, which they called "White Oak Farm," and brought up their family of sixteen children. They celebrated their golden wedding September 5th, 1894.

E.W. Ketchum and 54 other ratepayers of Matchedash petitioned the County Council in June, 1887, for the separation of the township from Orillia township, with which it had been theretofore connected for municipal purposes, and the County Council passed a by-law to effect the separation, to begin with January 1st, 1888. The first reeve elected for the separate municipality was Oliver Burrows.

After becoming a separate municipality, Matchedash had a better opportunity than before for internal development, with an eye single to its own interests. The roads in particular called for much attention. So far as roadmaking has proceeded in the township, an extra number of deviations are required to avoid obstacles, especially rocks. But the survey of Matchedash allows a sideroad at every third lot, and thus gives the township more roads to choose from in selecting those for construction, than in the cases of other townships southward.

In January, 1885, before the separation from Orillia, the County Council had confirmed By-law No. 186 of Orillia and Matchedash, passed October 13, 1884, to establish a road on part of the line between the 3rd and 4th concessions of Matchedash. In June, 1889, the Council granted $100 to build a bridge over the North River in the 2nd concession, Matchedash. The Matchedash Council passed, in 1891, By-law No. 28, to avoid certain rocks on the allowance for road between the 1st and 2nd concessions, by a deviation at lot No. 11, and the County Council confirmed the deviation.

Step by step the Matchedash Council has pushed the developments of the roads into the interior of the township. In 1892, a bridge was built over the Black River in the 6th and 7th concession line. And in the same year, on December 15, the council passed a by-law to establish a deviation road on the 4th concession line across lots 10, 11, 12 and 13, thus making a divergence on account of the obstacles presented by the Black River.

The construction of the C.P. Railway through the township, and its opening for traffic in 1907, with the erections of stations at Lovering and Buckskin, have helped to open up the township more rapidly than before.

Along the townline between Medonte and Oro a group of settlers came in 1832. Rev. Charles Brough (who was on the Oro side), Jas. Beard, Chas. Shire, Alexander McNab and William Switzer. Of these, Beard and Shire arrived on July 1st of that year, at Price's Corners. Shire and Switzer, who were both from Ireland, are said to have been the first settlers in this part of Medonte, Capt. Steele having arrived in the next month. During the first years of their settlement, there were but three monied men in that part-Captain Steele, Lieutenant Wilson, and Dr. Drinkwater. These furnished work to the poor, yet industrious, arriving settlers, and their liberality was greatly appreciated by the pioneers on that account. The Indian mill at Coldwater began operations in 1833, and to it, in that year, Mr. Shire carried on his back a bushel of his first crop to be ground into flour. Mr. Switzer died January 24, 1893, aged 88.

Archibald Reid, a native of Islay, Argyleshire, Scotland, was also another of the early settlers near Jarratt's Corners. He came to Canada in 1834 and settled, first in Oro, but shortly afterward removed to Medonte, to lot 2, concession 9, where he continued to reside until his death, on Februaary 12, 1890.

Furthre west, in concession 7, on lot 1, George Walker, a native of England, settled in 1833. He had been a soldier before coming to Canada, and received this land for his services. His death occured on May 24, 1888.

One account states that the first settler in this part of Medonte was Samuel McClure, formerly of the 13th Light Dragoons, who with his family, and the family of a comrade soldier, named Ferris, had set out from Ireland for Canada in 1831, but Ferris had died of cholera at the quarantine station in the St. Lawrence River. Mr. McClure's stepson, James Quinn, afterward became the first reeve of Orillia Town, and took a prominent part in public affairs.

The first person to make the beginning of a village at Warminster was Walter Barr, who built a tavern here on the Coldwater Road, and for sometime it was the nearest stopping place to Colwater.

Of "Captain" Steele, R.N., whose name was once a household word in Medonte and the surrounding townships, a brief biography is preserved in Morgan's "Sketches of Celebrated Canadians." His election in the spring of 1841 over Wm. B. Robinson for the County of Simcoe brought him into special prominence.

Lot 19, concession 12, was the farm upon which Commander Elmes Steele, R.N., or as he was more familiarly called, "Captain" Steele, originally settled, and which his family called "Purbrook." Commander Steele, as already intimated, was the member of the old Canadain Parliament for the county during the years 1841-4, and for some time was Lieutenant-Colonel of the militia of the county. John C. Steele, his only son by his first wife, after having gone through a term as pioneer at this Medonte settlement, at length settled in Oro, became reeve of Oro for several years, and was warden of this county in 1875. He contributed some interesting reminiscences of pioneer days to the Orillia Packet in 1893-4, written from his residence in Coldwater, to which he had retired some years ago, having been appointed Division Court Clerk. Another son, Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel B. Steele, made his first entry into active military life in the Northwest Mounted Police about the time of the formation of the force. Still more recently he had command of Lord Strahtcona's Horse in South Africa (1900-2) during the later period of the Boer War, and afterward served in the permanent South African service. James B. Steele, another younger son in this well known family, has long resided at Beaver lake, ALberta, and has written some interesting sketches of the early days in Simcoe County, as well as of the district in which he resides.

The Rev. George Hallen came to Medonte in 1835, as the pastor of St. George's, and bought from a settler named Bywater, lot No. 11, concession 13, on which there was a log house when the Hallen family arrived in this locality. In 1840, Mr. Hallen removed permanently with his family to Penetanguishene, where he became chaplain to the establishment, and was the first rector of old St. James' Church, which was dedicated by Bishop Strachan in 1842, although built two or three years earlier. In the cemetery of St. James' Church now rests the remains of the Rev. Mr. Hallen, who died in Toronto in 1882, and also some members of his family. He was one of the first to take an active interest in the history of the immediate district in which he lived, and aided with his pen the advancement of historic work. At one time he thought of buying the land on which the Old Fort at the Wye River stands, and took a surveyor to the place for the purpose of locating its position correctly and making maps of the fort and its surroundings. The valuable, early maps thus do to his exertions were reproduced in the writer's report on the historic sites of Tay Township, through the courtesy of his son, Edgar Hallen, of Orillia. Preston Hallen and Richard Hallen, other sons of the pioneer clergymen, were also well known residents of Orillia in late years.

Lieutenant George Wilson, R.N., settled on lot 14, concession 11, early in the thirties. He was chosen representative for the united townships of Medonte and Matchedash to the Simcoe District Council for 1843, but during that year he received the appointment of Collector of Customs at Sault Ste. Marie, and resigned the office of councillor. His son, William Wilson, became the occupant of the lot mentioned.

Captain Thomas G. Anderson, the Indian agent, came to Coldwater in 1830. He received a grant of several hundred acres on the Coldwater River, extending for some distance from the village up the river, built a log house on it and moved his family to it from Penetanguishene. His estate was in the flat lands or swamp near the Coldwater Road, and from the nature of the soil he called it "Clayfields," which he sold to Wm. Noble Rutledge at a later time. While here he superintended the cutting of the Coldwater Road to Orillia, and the erections of houses for the Indians along the "Indian Hill." He kept the Medonte post office in its first years, being its first postmaster (1834-38). His wife was a daughter of Captain James Matthew Hamilton, some time of Penetanguishene. In 1837 the Government transferred him to Manitoulin Island at the time the Indians were located there, and shortly afterward he moved his family to the island. His son, Rev. G.A. Anderson, of the Mohawk Reserve, Bay of Quinte, died Maarch 12, 1896. Volume VI. of the Ontario Historical Society's "Papers and Records" contains an article on Captain T.G. Anderson, with much family history. Captain Anderson himself also kept records and diaries of some parts of his life, and these have been published in the Orillia Packet, and in the Wisconsin Historical Society's Collections.

The Indian mill at Coldwater was built by Jacob Gill, a millwright who was familiarly known in that section for many years. He has been already mentioned under the head of Orillia, where he resided on first coming to the locality. Amongst other early persons in tht section was William Rawson, who came from Drummond Island with the migration of 1828, and afterwards lived in Price's Corners for some years, becoming familiar to the Medonte settlements.

Joseph Craddock also came from Drummond Island in 1828 with the migrations of soldiers and attendants, and lived for a short time at Penetanguishene. He came to Coldwater in 1830, received a grant of 50 acres of land (the southwest quarter of lot 23, concession 12) on which he resided till his death. (See Mr. A.C. Osborne's paper on the "Drummond Island Voyageurs," in Papers and Records of the Ontario Historical Society, Volume 111.)

Another early settler at Coldwater was William Grouette, the government interpreter at the Indian agency here. He received a grant of lot 22, concession 13, in the early thirties.

John Borland came first to Coldwater in 1828, and resided here permanently from 1841 onward. He was a son of Captain Borland, the fur trader, and was also among the first in the district.

Another well known settler of Coldwater, at a slightly later date, was George Caswell, who acquired the government mill there, and was one of the central figures of the place for a number of years.

Coldwater was made a Police Village in November, 1897, by a By-law of the County Council.

Edmund Moon was an early settler, having taken up lot 15, concession 9, when around him was the wilderness. He was first appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1847, and was postmaster of the Medonte post office after 1838, the post office here being named Moonstone, after him. Henry and George Moon also arrived early. Many descendants of these pioneers now live in this part of the township.

John Carthew, a brother of Colonel Arthur Carthew, of Hawkestone, was a well known early settler in Medonte, having drawn lot 17, concession 10, as part of the land grant for his services.

In concession 6, Robert and Alexander Miller took up lots 12 and 13 at an early date. Robet Miller was first appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1857, and in various ways took part in the public affairs of the township.

William Thompson came from Ireland to Canada in 1832, and took up lot 10 in the 7th concession. His onlu son, also named William, lived here throughout his life, which closed April 28, 1892, in his 80th year.

John Fowler arrived in 1832 with his family and took up lot 8, concession 8, Alex. and Joseph of this family may also be classed as among the pioneers.

A Mount St. Louis a few settlers located in 1832 and shortly afterward. One of those who came in 1832 was John P. Hussey, who kept a store and post office at Mount St. Louis, of which he was appointed the first postmaster in 1857.

Charles Fitzgerald also came in the same early period to that neighbourhood. John Fitzgerald, of the same family, was the first deputy-reeve of Medonte in 1872, and held the position for four years, being also a township councillor at other times. He died April 4, 1890, in his 64th year. Although he had begun life with scanty means, by industry and perseverance he prospered and became comfortabaly well off.

A little further west, John Yates settled upon lot 53, concession 2, in the same early period.

With the Township of Tay, and the neighbouring inlet of Gloucester, Sturgeon, and Matchedash Bays, a historic locality is reached. From very early times the large estuary between Christian Island and the rocky Muskoka shore was known in a general way as Gloucester Bay, and was regarded as an important branch of the route to Lake Huron. Modern usage has applied the name of "Gloucester" to a smaller offshoot of the original bay.

As might naturally be expected the first settlers in Tay were, or had previously been, connected with Indian trading. This had been the occupataion of Micheal MacDonnell, the earliest pioneer of the township, who located upon lot 101, con. 2. In 1816 he had entered the service of the Hudson's Bay Company when he was quite young, became an officer in the service of the same Company, and acted as a kind of private secretary for Lord Selkirk, when that nobleman was in Canada. For three years he was connected with Lord Selkirk and the Red River Settlement. But he returned to his native Ireland for a while (1820-1), and during this time Lord Selkirk died. Lady Selkirk appreciated Mr. MacDonnell's services in behalf of her husband, with whom he had been intimately associated in the Red River. Soon afterward Mr. MacDonnell again returned to the fur country, but the two companies had amalgamated, and he did not like the new regime, so he resigned his position and took to the life of a civilian. It is recorded (Mr. Osborne's Drummond Island Migration, p. 140) that he came from Drummond Island in 1826. Another account states that he finally settled in Tay in 1829, having then acquired the estate of the place named. Both of these dates are probably correct. He was squarely built and of medium size; and from a fantastic custom of wearing his hair or perhaps from some artificial wig, the settlers called him "Wiggie" MacDonnell to distinguish him from John McDonald, the other fur trader.

Samuel DeBurgh Frazer came from Ireland to Tay in 1839, his mother having been a Miss MacDonnell, sister of Michael MacDonnell just mentioned. He acquired the estate of his uncle, or at least a part of it, and became one of the most prominent men of Tay for many years, being known as "Squire" Frazer. He was the representative of Tay in the Simcoe District Council in 1848-9, and on the united townships of Tiny and Tay becoming entitled to a reeve of their own in the Simcoe County Council in 1851, he became their first reeve and occupied the position for six years. Again, in 1869, when Tay was separated from Tiny, he became the first reeve of Tay and was elected for succeeding years until 1874 (inclusive), and again in 1878 he was elected. During the last named year the incorporation of Midland as a village was effected, and he became its first reeve in 1879, also filling the position in the following year. In 1881-5 he was again reeve of Tay, and retired from public life at the close of this period, after being the chief officer of one municipality or another for 22 years, although never receiving election to the warden's chair.

The first settlers in the south parts of Tay came from Durham County in the late sixties and early seventies. One of the earliest of this numerous colony from Manvers and adjacent townships was Robert Webb, who came to the west half of lot 3. concession 5, in 1865, when the valleys and hills to the north of him were all a wilderness, and he continued to live on it until about 1887.

Tay contained comparatively few settlers until the building of the Midland Railway. The township was not a separate municipality until 1869, but was connected with Tiny for municipal purposes until that year. It appears, however, that it had the required number of names on the assessment roll (100 resident freeholders and householders) for some years before that time, to entitle it to get separation from Tiny; but, owing to some difficulty in the Municipal Act, real or alleged, there was some doubt as to the power of the County Council to pass the necessary By-law, until June, 1868.

Peter Burnett surveyed the original town plot of Midland in 1872 and 1873. It is also in record that A.C. Thomson made surveys about the same time on lots 107 and 108, concession 2, Tay, for building lots. A place named Everton had been surveyed on lot No. 111, concession 1, Tay, in the year 1853, but it did not materialize, and it is worthy of note that since the erection of the smelter on the northwest side of Midland Bay, and the consequent rise of houses in that part, the real estate transfers have reverted to the original plan of Everton, which had not been used for about half a century.

The Bay was called Mundy's Bay in former years, from the first settler, Asher Mundy, whose land (lot 112, con. 1) extended from the Penetanguishene Road almost to the harbour which was selected about November, 1871, as the proposed terminus of the Midland Railway. Midland's first years appear to have been checkered by the transactions of rival real estate dealers, as at every other railroad terminus. Harkley's Swamp at the west end of the town was a troublesome place to bridge, and was the burial place of numerous grants of money for road-making purposes.

The first merchants in the place were N. Courtemanche, Thomas Gladstone (who also started a hotel), and H. Sneath. The post office was opened in September, 1872, Mr. Gladstone being appointed the first postmaster.

Cook Bros. commenced the erection of the first sawmill during the winter of 1871-2, and finished it in the following summer. Of this well known firm of lumbermen, H.H. Cook, was a member. He was first elected M.P. for North Simcoe over D'Alton McCarthy in 1872, and afterwards became well known in public affairs, having been engaged in eleven political contests at one time or another in some part of North Simcoe.

Chew Bros. erected a steam shingle mill a little later, and also erected other mills in subsequent years.

As the place grew in size, the need arose for incorporation. At its session in June, 1878, the County Council passed a By-law appointing Jordan Cronkhite census enumerator, and laid the matter over till the October session for further consideration. By October, Mr. Cronkhite's census showed that the proposed limits of the village contained 836 inhabitants, and accordingly the Council passed a By-law to incorporate it as a village. The limits stated in the By-law of incorporation were the east halves of lots 105, 106, 107, 108 and 109 in the 1st concession of Tay, and the west halves of lots 105, 106, 107, with the whole of lot 108, in the 2nd concession, making a total of 469 acres. The first municipal election was to be held in McFarland's Hall, and Alex. Paterson was appointed returning officer. At the first election, Samuel Frazer was chosen the first reeve for 1879.

The sketch of the rise of Midland which appears in Belden's Atlas (published in 1881) is fairly complete and ought to be consulted by anyone desirous of possessing all the particulars that can be obtained. The writer of that sketch,-Charle W. Ashford, (afterward, the Honourable Clarence W. Ashford of the Hawaiian Islands)- had been connected with the staff of surveyors aaand civil engineers on the construction of the Midland Railway, and from his own personal knowledge of the early days of Midland, he was in a position to write the sketch referred to. It reflects severely on the operations of the Midland Land Company, which transacted a real estate business at the beginning of the place. The Ontario Legislature passed, in March 1872, an Act to incorporate the Midland Land Company, as 35 Vict., C. 97. And in 1882, the Legislature also passed a further Act to ammend the original Act incorporating the Company, as 45 Vict., C. 77.

With the growth of Midland, it obtained sufficient population to entitle it to incorporation as a town in 1887, which it became in due course of time, with J.B. Horrell as the first Mayor, and W.H. Bennett as reeve.

In the year 1869, John Kean, of Orillia, with W.D. Ardagh and Richard Power, of Barrie, and Albert Fowlie, of Orillia, formed a partnership as Kean, Fowlie & Co., and built an extensive sawmill to the east of the Hogg River outlet. The place now became known as Victoria Harbor, having been hitherto called Hogg's Bay more frequently. The firm of Kean, Fowlie & Co., operated the sawmill here until the year 1876, when a change took place in the firm.

One account states that a military officer had a pioneer sawmill at the mouth of Hogg River at a much earlier date than the Victoria Harbor mill above mentioned, probably the one marked as McNab's on Gibbard's map of 1853. Other mills here at later times were those of Nickerson Bros., and John McDermitt.

Thompson's sawmill at Sturgeon Bay, erected in 1848 or a little before, is supposed to be the first in this township, and was situated, as Gibbard's map of 1853 shows, fully a mile up the Sturgeon River. The road had been opened to Sturgeon Bay from Coldwater in 1843-4, and the terminus on the Bay became a busy port, marked "Tay Port" on the map above mentioned, with steamers and other vessels making regular calls. W.H. Tanner acquired or built a mill here in 1873, and the place assumed the name of Tannerville. The survey of Port Powell here in 1846 has already been noted in chapt. V., Vol. 1.

Near Fesserton, Benjamin Dusong settled about 1840, and passed his life in the neighbourhood. His death occured January 8, 1890. Across the water from Fesserton, Mr. Cowan, the fur trader, established a trading post in the eighteenth century, as it has been already stated in the chapter on the early fur traders (Vol. 1, chapter 3). The remains of his post have been known as the "Chimnies."

The first clearing at this place had its origin about the time the Govrenment built the grist-mill and houses for the Indians at Coldwater in 1832-3. From the Narrative of Michael Labatte recorded by Mr. Osborne it appears (p. 140) that Labatte was sent by the Government to clear the land at Waubaushene for the Indians at the time mentioned.

William Hall erected a sawmill here, the date being recorded as 1851. The Georgian Bay Lumber Company acquired the land here at a later time, and erected an extensive sawmill.

The project of building a swing bridge across the Narrows of Matchedash Bay at Waubaushene was mooted at an early time. In January, 1882, the County Council petitioned the Ontario Government for a grant of money to assist in this work, as settlers, lumbermen and others then had to travel some 25 miles to reach a point not more than two miles from Waubaushene. Nothing having come of the request, the Council renewed the application in November, 1885, and the question then fell through. The settlers of Baxter, Matchedash and a part of Tay were labouring under a great disadvantage in having to travel around Matchedash Bay when they wanted to reach Waubaushene. In those townships, as the last named petitioned set forth, there was a large tract of land, the settlement of which was retarded for want of proper means of communication.

It is recorded that a Mr. Stone built the first sawmill at Port Severn before the erection of the one at Waubaushene, although it is marked as Sanson's on Gibbard's map of 1853. In 1857, Alex. R. Christie purchased this sawmill, and it was carried on for some time under the name of Christie & Co. The other partner was Andrew Heron of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where Mr. Christie had carried on a general store prior to purchasing the Port Severn Mill. Their mill was twice burnt to the ground, inflicting heavy losses upon them. They rebuilt and enlarged it, and in 1872 sold it to the Georgian Bay Lumber Company.

Along the townline between Tay and Matchedash, which was opened out as a road for some distance northward at a comparatively early date, an early settler on the Tay side was Walter Lawson, whose name is given to Lawson post office, of which he was the first postmaster.

At the distance of a few yards to the west of the railway depot was the old landing place, to the existence of which the present town owes its rise. This was the southeastern terminus of the trail known as the Nine-Mile Portage, leading to Willow Creek and thence by canoe down the Nottawasaga to the open waters of Georgian Bay. Any reference to the early history of the town would be incomplete without giving prominence to this Portage, and the important part it played in the early years of the 19th century.

It is impossible now to ascertain just when this portage was first opened. It dates back into the 18th century-prehaps earlier-and was a portage over which the Indians used to carry their canoes. Toward the close of the war of 1812-15, it was widened so that sleighs and waggons could cross it, to transport supplies to the Government posts of the upper lakes-especially Fort Michilimacinac at the entrance to Lake Michigan.

Some writers have stated that the first house built in the town was the Government storehouse erected near the railway station, but it would appear that no storehouse existed until the year 1819. During the war Sir George Head was sent to Canada to superintend the commissariat duties of the proposed naval establishment at Penetanguishene; and in the spring of 1815 he was temporarily dwelling in a cabin at Kempenfeldt, but resolved to move his quarters to the head of the bay-the site of the present town. For this purpose he set at work to build a dwelling some French-Canadians, who were of the small detachment of men stationed with him. This log house, built by the military officer, Sir George Head, appears, then, to have been the first building on the site of Barrie, of which we have any record. Probably it was soon destroyed, but what became of it is apparently not recorded. At all events the want of suitable accommodation at this terminus of the portage became seriously felt. The removal of the garrison from Nottawasaga to Penetanguishene, in 1818, increased, too, the need for better accommodation.

The Government, therefore, in the autumn of 1819, as nearly as can be ascertained, built two store-houses, one at the Willow Creek end of the portage, the other at Barrie. The latter, which was a log structure, besides being a depot for military supplies in transit to the posts on the upper lakes, also served to shelter the settlers and their effects bound for the neighboring townships. This military post at Barrie as it is said, was protected and supplied for a few years by an armed schooner on Lake Simcoe, kept in commission by the Johnson family of Holland Landing. Traders, settlers and Indians passed and repassed this depot in considerable numbers during the period now under review. The Rev. Thomas Williams, when about 14 years of age, was employed on this portage in 1824, with Alex. Walker, and has given some account of it as it then was in a flourishing condition in his "Memories." Nos. 3, 4 and 5. Commodore Barrie, after whom the place was named, and who was commander of the British war vessels at Kingston for some time, passed through in June, 1828, while on a tour of inspection to the various naval depots on the upper lakes. (Scaddings "Toronto of Old," p. 565.)

Andrew Borland, the Indian trader, patented part of the town site of Barrie, on March 9, 1827, viz., the W. part of the E. half of lot 24, con. 4, which was afterward known as the "Berczy Block."

The Government storehouse already referred to, which stood on Marks Street, immediately in the rear of the railway depot, was situated upon a military reserve of forty-five acres, bounded on the west by Bayfield Street and on the east by Berczy Street. After serving as a storehouse for some time, it was abandoned by the authorities, and was used as a dwelling for about three years by David Edgar, the second person to locate upon the site of the town. When it became evident, about 1830, that a town was arising at Kempenfeldt, the Government disposed of its reserve at the head of the bay to Captain Oliver; (west half of lot No. 24, con. 4), but at the end of two years, for some reason, the Captain re-sold it to the Government, which thereupon surveyed it into town lots, the instructions to Deputy-Surveyor Hawkins being dated April 6, 1833. Several persons immediately located upon the new town site, and its existence may be said to date from that year. The Government had built shanties along Dunlop Street for settlers, in the spring of 1832. Prior to 1832 the only settlers were David Edgar and Alex. Walker, but during the next three years the influx of settlers was considerable. From Walton's Directory for the year 1837, we learn the names of the heads of familes in the place at that time.

The completed list of about three dozen settlers may be found in the Appendix to this volume. Some account of each settler was collected by the Simcoe County Pioneer and Historical Society and was printed in No. 1 of the Society's Pioneer Papers.

Alexander Walker, the first settler to locate at the place, was a plain Scotch farmer, who taken to himself as wife, Miss Betsy Sweezy, of Haolland Landing. Their earliest house keeping experiences after locating at Barrie were in a dwelling which was little better then a barn; indeed the building was afterwards used as a barn. In June, 1830, a party of visitors from Yonge Street called on the Walkers, while they were dwelling in their primitive fashion. In keeping with the hospitable customs of the day, the party, although strangers, were invited to take a meal, which for the main part consisted of a homemade cake baked outdoors in the ashes of the fire kept burning in the yard for domestic purposes. The domicile-barn in which Mr. Walker spent his first days in Barrie was situated a short distance northeast of the Government storehouse. That autumn (1830) he built a house farther up the hill. He patented on September 26, 1833, the E. half of lot 21, con. 4, Vespra. The family of Mr. Alex. Walker consisted of four children. For a few years afterward he and his family were residents of the town. He moved from Barrie in 1838, and in subsequent years he became a lock tender on the Welland Canal.

David Edgar, the sone of a U.E. Loyalist, was a large, fine-looking man, but as teetotalism had not then penetrated into the Canadaian backwoods, he grew partial to whiskey, and latterly became quite dissipated by it. He had married a young lady of the Township of Ernestown, (Addington County), or nearer Napanee, the only daughter of an Irish gentleman named Sharp. In fact, the match was a runaway, and displeased her father greatly. The young couple came to Barrie, and took up their abode for at least three years in the deserted log storehouse erected by the Government. The he obtained on November 21, 1833, a patent for the east part of lot 24, con. 5, (60 acres) just west of Bayfield Street, and upon it, erected a house on Toronto Street of the present, to the south of Elizabeth Street. He had once contemplated building a house on the site of the present Post Office building, for which he dug the cellar, and erected a frame only, but made no further progress with the work. The foundation of this structure was discovered while excavating for the basement of the Post Office building, in 1884. The frame of this projected building was removed by Thrift Meldrum to a site further east (northeast corner of Poyntz and Dunlop), and used as a tavern for many years. Mr. Edgar's wife and family were dwelling and Barrie at the time of his death in 1840, but subsequently removed to Belleville. There she resided for many years afterwards, but had found her father and mother dead. Mr. Sharp had been induced, in his later years, to enter a speculation in which he lost all his means. Taken altogether the history of the family is a somewhat tragic chapter.

Following the survey of the town in 1833, several persons took up lots and located upon them at once; and the place received a considerable boom. Amongst those who had settled here before that date were Richard Carney, John Bingham, Sidney M. Sanford, and John McWatt.

In order to understand more fully the topography of the embryo town, it may be stated that the principal street (which corresponds with the modern Dunlop Street) ran parallel and almost identical with Marks Street, but a short way north of it. On one side of this old street stood the Government storehouse, while on the other side Richard Carney came in 1832 and erected a log tavern for the accommodation of travellers and others. The second early inn-keeper of the place was John Bingham, who also in 1832 erected, farther east on the main street, a hewn log tavern which has since developed into "The Queen's."

At the corner of Dunlop and Mulcaster Streets of the present, the Government had erected a log cabin for the convenience of arriving settlers. In this building Sidney M. Sanford opened a store in 1832, and thus became the first storekeeper. On Christmas Day of the following year he erected the frame of a new building at the corner of Owen and Dunlop Street, and continued therein for some years. He was subsequently appointed Treasurer of the County in 1884, and died August 12, 1885.

Mr. Sanford engaged as clerk in his store, John McWatt, who had left Cromarty, in Scotland, on June 25, 1832, for Canada. When he first visited Barrie three were but Edgar and Walker living at the place. He subsequently purchased Mr. Sanford's store business, and became the first Clerk of the Simcoe District Council in 1843 till 1852. He died May 21, 1892, in his 81st year.

In addition to the names of the earliest residents of Barrie given in the Appendix, there may be mentioned Dr. Archibald Pass, who arrived in July, 1835, and was the first doctor in the neighbourhood. As the pioneer doctor of the settlements around, he had some hard experiences on his travels, which extended as far as Nottawasaga and even further. He died December 2, 1861, in his 55th year.

Among the later arrivals who took a conspicuous part in public affairs was William D. Ardagh, a native of Tipperary, Ireland. He was reeve of Barrie from 1864 to 1871, and during the last three years of this term, he was Warden of the County. From 1871 until 1875 he represented North Simcoe in the Ontario Legislature. In 1883 he was appointed Judge of the Eastern Judicial District of Manitoba, with headquarters at Winnipeg. He died suddenly on April 16, 1893, at the age of 65.

Amongst others who took part in the affairs of the County was John Strathy, barrister-at-law, who was County Clerk for four years (1853-6).

He was succeeded by Richard B. Bernard, another citizen of the town, who also held the position for nearly four years (1857-9).

An epidemic of scarlet fever of a very malignant type swept over the town in the summer of (July and August) of 1843, carrying of scores of children, and during its ravages many familes lost heavily.

Barrie was incorporated in 1850 as a "town" undr 13 and 14 Vict., chap. 64, and Proclamation of September 27, 1850, the Act being framed to come into efect at the commencement of 1851. Under the Act just referred to, Barrie was classed along with others as a "town" "without any municipal organization." At the beginning of 1854 it sent a representative separately from Vespra, to the County Council, Jonathan Lane being its first reeve. But its municipal organization became then only that of a village, and remained so until 1871, when it became a "town" in the ordinary sense of the word as used to-day, with Robert Simpson as the first Mayor.

A petition for the incorporation of Allandale as a village came before the County Council as long ago as January, 1883, but the petition had not been "authenticated" and was not acted upon. Again in June, 1891, the subject came before the same body, and Wm. Kell was threupon appointed Census enumerator. He found it contained 984 inhabitants, and the Council incorporated it, with Robert Campbell as the first returing officer. W.P. Soules became the first reeve on the new municipality. The limits of the village were more definitely described in another By-law passed, January, 1893. The union of the village with Barrie took place January 1, 1897.

At Midhurst, a settlement was made at an early date, but it did not proceed with the same rapidity which characterized some other places. In 1825, a mill-site at this place was granted by the Government, on Willow Creek, for the purposes of sawing and gristing. The mills were built chiefly by subscriptions from the settlers, and were operated by George Oliver and John and Thomas Mair. They are said to have been the first mills built north of Lake Simcoe, and must certainly have been a boon to the settlers, as the nearest point at which there were mills up to that time was Holland Landing.

John Munro, a native if Inverness, Scotland, came to Canada with his wife and young family in 1832, settling for a short time in Penetanguishene, from which place he removed to Barrie and became one of the first residents of the town. About the year 1835 he moved finally to lot 14, con. 7, Vespra, where he lived for many years, undergoing the usual difficulties and hardships op pioneer life. Robert Munro, his son, continued as the representative of the family at this place, and Christiana Munro, a daughter, became the wife of George Sneath in 1845, surviving until April 13, 1894. Amongst those who located near Oliver's Mills was George Sneath, Esq., who arrived in 1842, from England. He taught school in Vespra for fourteen years, for a portion of which time he was also local superintendent of schools. He became clerk and treasurer of Vespra in 1854, and continued in office until his death, on July 13, 1907, in his 88th year. Mr. Sneath was the author of numerous sketches of the early days of this county. Hi son, W.A. Sneath, of Elmvale, was Warden of the County in 1897.

Another conspicuous person in Vespra of a slightly later time, was Robert Leadley, a native of Yorkshire, England, who came to Canada with his wife and two children in 1852 and purchased the Midhurst mills, which had been carried on by Henry R.A. Boys. Mr. Leadley has a long record of municipal service in Vespra, having been a member of the council for 30 years, for seventeen of which he was reeve, continuously (1867-83). He died July 28, 1893.

Another well known pioneer was Michael Quinlan, a native of County Clare, Ireland, who came to Canada in 1842, and settled on lot 21, con. 3, spending the remainder of his life on this lot. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1863. His death occurred November, 8, 1892, aged 74 years. Sevreal sons of his became premanent residents of the township and neighbourhood, of whom Daniel Quinlan was Warden in 1902, and is now the County Treasurer.

Joseph Tomlinson, of lot 8, con. 8, was the first actual settler in the Minesing settlement after the survey of the Minesing Road by George Lount in 1847. In fact, Mr. Lount located Mr. Tomlinson at the place. They had to go through the water of Willow Creek to reach his "location" when he first settled.

In 1833 the "Old Sunnidale Road" was opened by the Drurys, assisted by Alex. Walker of Barrie. The route chosen was from Barrie to Brentwood, and thence to Nottawasaga Bay. The present Sunnidale Road coincides with the original bush waggon-track made in 1833, except that portion nearest Barrie. For three miles this portion of the old one was in a different place and though not used nowadays, its course here may still be traced. When making this road through the forest, the workmen came upon the remains of a man, lying in the woods. It was impossible to recognize his features, but there were sufficient remnants of clothing, boots, and other articles to indicate that the body was that of a white man, who had perished during the winter. (Rev. T. Wiliams, in his "Memories, p.32, stated the body was that of Mr. Boothby, the surveyor's chainbearer). A lonely grave was made at the place, and for nearly four score years the unfortunate man has lain upon the hill, even the exact place of his burial having been forgotten.

The first person to locate upon this newly made colonization road was Dudley Root, who opened a tavern beside it at a distance of about eight miles from Barrie, on lot 20, con. 11. In fact, Mr. Root went to this place before the road was opened in 1833, having reached there by an Indian path or trail. A description of this man and his tavern, as they appeared in 1833, is given by Samuel Thompson in his "Reminiscences." In 1833, David Meacham left Glasgow, Scotland, with his family, to find a home in Upper Canada; but upon reaching Montreal, he died from the prevailing scourge of cholera. His widow with her little ones came on to this county, became the wife of Dudley Root and settled upon the newly made Sunnidale Road near Grenfel of the present time. Here the family encountered the hardships of pioneer life, and met them with bravery. One of the members of the family was Thomas Meacham, of Sunnidale, who afterward filled various municipal offices in that township.

The names of others who located in the same part of Vespra before 1836 are, Thomas Berry, Thomas Foster, Dennis Martin, John Kelly, and Myles Kenny, the latter of whom was a member of the first municipal council of Vespra.

Capt. McKinnon, who served in the Rebellion of 1837, is also to be mentioned amongst the earliest in that section.

Another pioneer of the same part was Robert McGowan, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, who enlisted in the 71st Highlanders when quite young, and came with his regiment to Canada in 1826. With a detachment of soldiers he was sent to Penetanguishene, passing over the route thither when it was a wilderness. He remained there until his regiment was sent back to England in 1831. Upon his arrival there he was granted his discharge, upon which he returned to Canada, and took up lot 21 in the 14th concession of Vespra, but left it and then lived near Midhurst. He continued to be a resident of the township until his death in 1888, at the advanced age of 84 years, having left several descendants in the district.

Charles Hickling furnished the writer with a list of the first industries in the township, as known to him at the time of his arrival in 1831, supplementing the information about Vespra already given.

"The first sawmill was built about 1825, and the first grist-mill about 1827, by Geo. Oliver, at Midhurst. The second mill was built by Government for the Indians at Coldwater. The only tavern was near Hillsdale, kept by Wm. Prey (lot 53), 1829. The first store was kept by John Bruce, (1829), on lot 31; he also used to keep travellers. A brewery by Charles Kerridge, (lot 23 on the Oro side), in 1828. The first distillery was built by George Oliver, about 1836 or 1837, at Midhurst. The first blacksmith shop by T. Ambler, (lot 6), 1828. Peter White, J.P., (lot 26), at Dalston, built the first meeting-house, 1825."

With the exception of an early settlement in what was known as "Upper Flos", this township did not become generally settled until later years. The cause of this tardiness in its development is not far to seek. Standing on the hills which run through the south-eastern portion of the township, one can see at a glance the flat character of the surface of the land throughout the greater part of its extent. As far as the eye can reach westward, there was nothing in sight for the pioneers but the long dark forest, extending away to the hills of Nottawasaga, and through this wide plain of unbroken forest ran the Nottawasaga River. It was certainly discouraging to early settlers to enter the forests here and open settlements; and so for many years the settlement of "Upper Flos" was the only attempt in that direction.

One after another the settlers arrived, pushing the limits of civilization further westward each year into the forest, until the Village of Apto took rise on the outskirts of the clearings, toward the southerly end of the township. This, however, did not take place until 1851, in which year the founder of the village, Dennis Gallagher, a pensioned soldier, located there. The post office, the first in the township, was opened in 1857, and was kept at the Vespra town line by Malcolm Stewart, who was postmaster until 1859. In the latter year it was moved to its present location and Mr. Gallagher became postmaster, being also the school teacher for the settlement. The first to settle in this part of the township were: Dominick Moran, who took up lot 4, con. 2, in 1836, or earlier, and John McAvoy, a retired soldier of the 89th Regiment, with his brothers, Patrick and Henry, who also arrived about the same time. John McAvoy was reeve of Flos in 1869-70-1. Thomas Barnard in the Coughlin families settled further west at a sligtly later time.

Further north, in the next portion of "Upper Flos," Gavin Turner, a native of Scotland, settled with his family on the second line, "Old Survey," in 1835. His sons, James, Gavin and John Turner, also became early settlers in Flos. John Rowatt also settled in the same tract about the same time. Gideon Richardson, a son of William Richardson, who settled on the Penetanguishene Road (Oro side) and who was mentioned in our account of that locality, made a beginning in the "New Survey" of Flos, on lot 1, con. 6, before 1836. His brothers, George and William, settled southward from his "location" at a slightly later period. In the same neighbourhood John Cumming settled in 1843.

The opening of the North Simcoe Railway in 1879 stimulated the growth of the central parts of Flos. Charles Anderson, of Anten Mills, became well known in lumbering circles about this time, the name of the firm being Anderson & Tennant, and from the first syllable of each man's name the word "Anten" was made up. Mr. Anderson afterwards operated large mills at Little Current, Manitoulin Island, but died November, 1896, at the age of 54.

In the year 1870, O.J. Phelps came to Flos and purchased a sawmill on Marl Creek, and from that time onward he became identified with the Village of Phelpston, which in the year after his arrival was established and named after him. Mr. Phelps was chosen reeve of Flos in 1872 and continued to hold the position until 1885, or a period of fourteen years, during which time he was mostly elected by acclamation. He was first elected M.P.P. for West Simcoe in 1883, and represented the riding in the Ontario Legislature until 1890, in which year he was appointed sheriff of Simcoe County, serving in this capacity for four years.

Vigo and its surrounding neighbourhood received its settlers mostly in the sixties. One of these was Henry Gribbin, who kept a wayside inn for many years. Dennis Gallagher sold his store at Apto in 1868, and removed to Vigo, becoming its postmaster, and establishing a store. For more than twenty years he was the mail carrier for the office, as well as for other offices in the south of Flos. He donated the site of Vigo Church, and was the business man of the place. But the fierce forest fires of September, 1881, destroyed his property there, and he retired to Phelpston, where he died, January, 1893, aged 83.

Henry Crossland settled with his family in the early seventies at the place which now bears his name, the post office having been opened about the year 1874, while the settlement around was still in a pioneer condition. Several settlers on the eighth line north of his "location" had come from the easterly part of Oro at an earlier time.

The two first settlers at the north end of the township were Thomas Allen and William Wood, and their names were given to the first post office in that quarter, by the process of combination into one word "Allenwood."

In the serious bush fires following the dry period at the end of the summer of 1881, many families in the western part of Flos lost their homes by fire and had to begin life anew. The circumstances were of such a serious nature as to call for much sympathy with the sufferers.

Anyone who has occasion to visit the Village of Elmvale now, without having been there for a few years, will be very much struck with the extensive improvements that have been made in that time. The contrast is even more striking if we look backward to the beginning of this flourishing village. Previous to 1847, the entire flat portion of the Township of Flos, where Elmvale, Fergusonvale and Phelpston now stand, and all the district west to the Nottawasaga River, was a wilderness seldom trodden by white men. In the year 1847 James Harvey came from the North of Ireland, and finding his way into the "bush" settled on the bank of the River Wye about a mile and a quarter east of where the village now is. His son, William Harvey, was superintendent of the township's schools for fourteen years, (1858-71), and for many years filled the position of township clerk and treasurer.

John Ritchie, father of John, William and Thomas Ritchie, came with his family from Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and took up his abode near Harvey in 1849. William Ritchie and Edward Archer, with their families, followed in 1851. Nor did they themselves think there was any more land around them worth settling on, except what they had already taken up. About 1853, however, John McGinnis planted himself on lot 6, (north half) concession 8, which is now part of Elmvale, but called by the settlers at that time-the "Four Corners." These were followed by the families of Strath, Graham, Paterson, Dickey, and a short time later by those of Drysdale, Lambie, Kerr and Malcolm.

Gabriel French was also an early settler on the high ground, northeast of Elmvale, and numerous descendants of his still live in the neighbourhood. He died November 4, 1902, at an advanced age.

Years passed and these few settlers with occasional additions to their numbers continued clearing away the forest and making homes for themselves. About the year 1859, Thomas Stone opened out a store at the "Four Corners," and a few years afterwards Joseph Lambie opened another. The first place of worship was the Presbyterian Church- built in 1864 on the rising ground about one-quarter of a mile east of the village. This was beside the graveyard, where so many of the first settlers are resting.

Elmvale received its first boom when the North Simcoe Branch Railway was built in 1879, and it has continued to grow ever since without any visible interruption. In 1887, G. Copeland & Sons built a large flour mill with a capacity of 150 barrels a day, and with an elevator attached to the mill, capable of storing 30,000 bushels of wheat.

Wm. Rowley, sr., contributed an article on the "Early Settlres of Flos," to the Elmvale Lance of September 27, 1906. And the same paper in its issue of December 13, 1906, contained a sketch of the township's history.

Elmvale was made a Police Village by a By-law of the County Council, in June, 1894.

This settlement began soon after the migration from Drummond Island in 1828, when the contingent of French-Canadians who had ben connected with the post at that place was transferred to the vicinity of Penetanguishene, and each one given a small grant of land. About the time to which the skectches of the pioneers in this history mostly refer, viz., 1836, when the French-Canadian settlers just referred to were living chiefly in Penetanguishene, some of them began to take up larger farms in the fertile valley in concessions 15 and 16 of Tiny, in what is now known as the Lafontaine settlement. This contingent of French-Canadians, who settled at Penetanguishene, and some of them afterward around Lafontaine, have left their impress upon the localities and their surroundings.

Louis DesCheneaux settled about the year 1830 and built the first house near Lafontaine, on lot 16, con. 16. He was born in 1789, and had come to this country about the same time as the migration mentioned. This was the beginning of the settlement, and others soon followed, four of whom settled on other parts of the same lot, viz., Chas. Cote, John LaCroix, Cyril Pombert, and Joseph Thibault. Before the year 1836, we find that the following had also settled in the vicinity of Louis DesCheneaux:

Colbert Amyot (Cuthbert Amiotte), south halves lots 16 and 17, con. 15.
Louis Desaulnier, lot 13, con. 15.
Louis George Labatte. south half lot 16, con. 17.

These three setllers received the patents for the lands named in the year 1836. The second settler in the list just given, (Desaulnier), had been a government interpreter to the Indians. And L. G. Labatte's location was at the extreme north end of Tiny beside what is known as Thunder Bay.

Others who went to the settlement about the same time as the first settlers mentioned above, or a short time later, were:

J.B. Boucher, lot 15, con. 16.
Louis Chevrette, lot 13, con. 17.
Edward Doucette, lot 13, con. 17.
Antoine and Oliver LaFreniere, lot 18, con. 15.
Chas. LaMoreau, lot 15, con. 15.
Joseph Messier, lot 17, con. 15.
Augustin Precourt, lot 16, con. 15.

The fine stream which flows through this "Happy Valley," and is the only stream of any considerable size wholly within the township, has been known by various names, including Boucher's River, Marchildon's Creek, etc. The name of Messier's Lake was attached to one of the small lakes in the north part of Tiny, from the above named early settler.

Numerous facts about some of the above mentioned settlers and others are preserved in a monograph by A.C. Osborne on the Drummond Island migration in the third volume of papers and records issued by the Ontario Historical Society, 1901.

This settlement of French-Canadians is the only one of any extent in this county in which the English language is not spoken. Formerly, in Oro and in Nottawasaga, Gaelic was spoken by the first settlers, but Gaelic is now practically obsolete in those townships. Surrounded, as the settlement in Tiny has been, by English speaking settlements, the French speaking settlers there have inevitably acquired English gradually. This is especially true of the men, who have been further afield that the women; so that at the present time there is scarcely a man who cannot express himself in both languages.

In regard to the facility of acquiring English, Jas. C. Morgan, Public School Inspector, replying to questions submitted to him by the County Council, in November, 1893, stated that the French language was then taught in two schools of Tiny, Nos. 13 and 19, and was used to a slight extent, for purposes of communication in two more, Nos. 17 and 18. He stated further that the French population in Tiny had always been most anxious to have English taught thoroughly.

A trail or portage lead across from the head of Penetanguishene Bay to the Nottawasaga Bay from the earliest times. At the westerly end of this Indian path on Nottawasaga Bay, at what has been known as "Tiny Beach," a sawmill was erected in the first years of this county's settlement, about 1832, and was known as the "King's Mills." When Sir Richard Bonnycastle visited the locality soon afterward, he passed this way, and speaks of the place in his "Travels in Canada."

At a later time about (1858), the mill, or its successor, passed into the hands of a company of shareholders, consisting of John McWatt, - Sutherland, John Dewe, and H.P. Savigny, the surveyor, the firm being known as John McWatt & Co. Subsequently, as it is said, Mr. Dewe acquired all the shares of these partners and conducted the sawmill for a short time with Riley Randolph as manager, but a depression in the lumber market resulted in the failure of the undertaking. Mr. Dewe subsequently became Chief Post Office Inspector for the Dominion, and held the office for several years. Members of the Randolph family afterward were mill owners in the Township of Nottawasaga at the Batteau River and Stayner.

The sawmill in Tiny was about half a mile from Nottawasaga Bay. An early occupant of the north half of lot 18, con. 12, near the mill, was Hypolite Brissette, whose son, John Brissette, became well known as a voyageur.

John Vent & Co., of a neighbouring lot, were also mill owners at a later time.

As it has been our custom to speak of some of the prominent pioneers in each township, it comes next in order to do the same for Sunnidale. In the "Reminiscences" of Samuel Thompson the early connection of that pioneer and his brothers with the township was told in Mr. Thompson's own words at considerable length. This man with his brothers Thomas and Isaac came from England in 1833 and took up land on the newly-opened highway through Sunnidale. After two years of the usual hardships there, they exchanged their Sunnidale lot for one in Nottawasaga, and removed thither. This was in the autumn of 1835; but their stay there was even shorter, as in the summer of 1837, Thompson left Nottawasaga to seek permanent employment in Toronto. He was a printer, and readily found work in a newspaper office, as the times were feverish owing to the approaching Rebellion.

In 1839 he acquired an interest in the Toronto Herald Newspaper, and continued in this profession until 1860, publishing in succession, during those years, the Herald, Patriot, News of the Week, Atlas and Daily Colonist newspapers, and finally the Quebec Advertiser. The story of his life and experiences is told by himself in a most interesting manner in "Reminiscences of a Canadian Pioneer" already mentioned. When the Toronto Public Library was established in 1883, Mr. Thompson's services to the country were remembered by appointing him to a position in connection with it; but he only survived a year or two. Alex. McNeill, in the list of Sunnidale pioneers, was the early innkeeper of the township, probably the first in it.

The Shaw family, of whom there were three brothers, John, Duncan and Donald, settled in Sunnidale in the very earliest period of the township's settlement. The last named, Donald Shaw, was related by marriage to Wellesley Richie, the Government agent for locating the settlers upon their lands, and two sons of Mr. Shaw became artists, one of whom, H.R. Shaw, resided in Rousseau, Ontario, and the other, D.A. Shaw, resided for many years in the county town and produced work in both portrait and landscape painting. Donald Shaw sat for about twenty years in the township and County Councils, and in the earliest period of schools (1844, etc.), was the Township School Inspector.

Gilbert Macaulay, mentioned in the Pioneer List in the Appendix, was the pioneer School Teacher of this township, and is referred to in the chapter on the early schools.

A little further onward, Alexander Gillespie settled about the same time and also became a useful pioneer. He was the first postmaster of "Sunnidale" post office on its establishment June 4, 1840, and for some years in he forties was the Township Clerk, as well as a Justice of the Peace, having received the latter appointment in 1857.

Timothy Haggart, placed in the List on lot 9, was employed in the party of Wellesley Richey, and soon afterward became a resident of the county town where he spent the remainder of his life.

Of Henry Seeler on lot 7, it is recorded that he was a native of County Kerry, Ireland. He was chosen District Councillor for Sunnidale for the year 1846, but grew tired of the office, and for the next three years the township was without any regular representative at the District Council board, there being nobody in the township with means enough to lose time to fill the office. George Sneath in his article on Sunnidale fifty years ago (printed in No. 1 of the Pioneer Papers of the Simcoe County Pioneer and Historical Society, page 13) relates how in the year of Mr. Seeler's District Councillorship he travelled on foot to Barrie. He died April 7, 1893, having nearly reached his hundredth year; his aged wife had died a few hours before him, and they were both buried in one grave, after residing 59 years together on the homestead.

In the pre-rebellion years Joseph Crowe located on the Sunnidale Road, at the place which bears his name to this day (Crowe's Corners). The district around Meaford was settled about the same time as Sunnidale; and as it was long prior to the railway days, a great deal of teaming was in requisition by the new settlers in that remote section of the country. Mr. Crowe's house was a convenient hostelry or stopping place for the night. The ice of Nottawasaga Bay was extensively used in winter time over which the supplies for these Meaford settlers could be transported. On one occasion, while on a teaming expedition, when the condition of the ice toward spring was critical, Mr. Crowe lost a valuable span of horses through the ice, and he himself narrowly escaped from drowning. Such were the ups and downs of pioneer life.

Were we to mention at some length the trials and hardships of the Sunnidale Road settlers, these sketches would become lengthy, as they were particularly severe. Sufficient has already been said of their troubles. The Appendix contains the roll of the names of those who had settled in the township prior to 1837.

Another notable pioneer who settled on the Sunnidale Road, four miles south of Sunnidale Corners, and who arrived in the spring of 1837, was S. Fisher. He was 76 years of age at the time, had been a London publisher, and was not well adapted for the hardships of bush life. However, he persevered, but did not succeed well at his advanced age. He died in 1848, and his grandson, George Rogers, succeeded him on the homestead. Some of Mr. Fisher's experiences in this locality are described in Mr. Sneath's paper already referred to, and also by W.L. Smith from a narrative of George Rogers, published in the Weekly Sun (Toronto), of September 3, 1902.

A little way northward from Mr. Crowe, George Cathey had a pioneer sawmill near the Nottawasaga River. He was a Captain in the Militia and drilled the pioneers' sons, as Mr. Sneath has related in the interesting article referred to. In many ways Mr. Cathey was a useful man in that neighbourhood.

John Currie, mentioned on lot 3 in the list of the pioneers, was the Township Clerk in 1845, and belonged to the same family as others of that name in Nottawasaga. Various early settlers along this Sunnidale Road were natives of the Island of Islay, Scotland, some of whom removed to Nottawasaga.

Nearly all the early settlers in Sunnidale lived along the Government Road. Having now made a few references to the early settlers along this pioneer road called the "Sunnidale Road," some remarks ought to be made in regard to the arrangements for settling the pioneers upon their lands. The chief agent appointed by Government to do this work was Wellesley Richie, and in the "Memories" of the Rev. Thomas Williams (published by the Simcoe County Pioneer and Historical Society, in 1909) there is an account of the work as it was carried on, Mr. Williams having been one of Mr. Richey's party in his undertaking. The following instructions to Mr. Richey from the Government Department will throw a little light upon the events of those far off days.

The vicinity of New Lowell was not improved unti 1853, when Peter Paton, Neil and Martin Harkin, and others, began to open its forests. Peter Paton became thr first postmaster of New Lowell in 1855. His son, Robert Paton, was M.P.P. for Center Simcoe, 1890-8.

At Sunnidale station, which was at first called Silver-shoe, and Strongville since 1904, John Ross settled in 1854 and became its first postmaster in 1856.

In June, 1858, by a By-law of the County COuncil, Sunnidale was detached from Vespra, with which it had been grouped for municipal purposes, and authorized to elect a Township Council after January 1, 1860. Whether intentional or not, the By-law was framed so as not to come into effect for more than a year and a half after it was passed. Misunderstanding the date, the Sunnidale ratepayers, at the beginning of 1859, elected a Township Council, with John Ross as reeve, but the County Council held it to be illegal, wand would not allow Mr. Ross to take a seat at the County Council board. As the people of Sunnidale had elected their Township Council, and did not wish to be retarded for a whole year in becoming a separate corporation, they applied early in 1859 to the Canadian Parliament for an Act to legalize their proceedings, but the Bill did not pass in the Legislature.

In the serious bush fires which devastated portions of this County during August and September, 1881, several settlers in Sunnidale, especially in the northerly parts of the township, sustained heavy losses by the destruction of their buildings and other property.

Soon after the survey of the Tonship of Nottawasaga by Thomas Kelly, in 1832, and Chas. Rankin in 1833, a few settlers began to take up lands within its borders. A local immigrant agent was appointed in the person of H.C. Young, a gentleman of Scottish birth, who appears to have held the position for about one year. It would be in Mr. Young's term of office in 1834, that two or three notable settlements were begun in the township -a Highland Scotch settlement at Duntroon, a settlement of Irish Catholics on the fourth line, and a small German settlement near Batteau. It is related that. "These first settlers did chopping for the Government, being paid in provisions, which at first they had to carry from Barrie on their backs, but were subsequently supplied from the shanty store of the overseer, Mr. Young, who was also a Crown Lands Agent. Some Dutch (German) settlers are said to have refused the work thus offered them, and it is alleged that a number of them starved to death, though others lay the cause of their mortality to sickness." (The Government's instructions are printed in our last chapter, on Sunnidale.)

The experiences of the pioneers Samuel Thompson and his brothers, upon locating in the forests of Sunnidale, have been referred to in the chapter on that township. Owing to their land in Sunnidale being near a large cedar swamp extending into Nottawasaga, the locality was to aquish, and they accordingly determined to remove to a better spot in Nottawasaga. As Mr. Thompson's narrative of their removal contain glimpses of the events that were happening in the district at that time, we shall refer to the reader the account in his own words.

Mention was just made of the establishment of a Highland Scotch Settlement at Duntroon, but it should not be inferred that all the early settlers near that place were of that nationality. A few of those who located early were of Irish nativity, and a few were Germans. Some of these Nottawasaga pioneers had been previously located in Sunnidale, but owing to the marshy character of the land and other causes, their families soon cast their lots in the more westerly township. Late in 1834 or the early part of 1835 a number of five acre lots were laid out, and given to immigrants without power of sale, at Bowmore at that time, but since named Duntroon. It is said that twenty-one settlers availed themselves of this provision by the Government, and removed their familes there. The names of these pioneers are as follows:-

John Adair, Malcolm Bell, John Birtle, Alexander Campbell, Angus Campbell, Archibald Currie, Peter Currie, William Dallas, Andrew Jardine, David Jardine, Andrew Lawlor, Archibald McColeman, John McDermaid, Archibald McEwan, Neil McEwan, John McFayden, Archibald McGillivray, Duncan McNabb, John McQueen, Wm. Martin, Conrad Swalm.

Most of these settlers, however, left the five acre lots within a year or two afterward and took up bush farms in the neighbourhood. In this respect it may be of interest to contrast the Bowmore pioneers with the French settlers of Penetanguishene. In both cases the system of granting small lots was adopted by government; and while in the former case the settlers entirely forsook the small holdings, the movement was not so marked in the latter case.

One of the earliest to arrive at the five acre lots was Malcolm Bell who came with his family in October, 1834. He died July 5, 1854, in his 74th year. Numerous descendants of his have been residents of the locality. His eldest son, Angus Bell, was Clerk of the Township for a number of years.

Peter Currie came with the first contingent of Islay settlers in the fall of 1834, but did not live long to see the growth of the settlement, having been killed by a falling tree in March, 1835. The place where the accident occurred was north of Duntroon, on or about lot 26, con. 8, and his death was the first that took place in the new settlement. One of his sons, John Currie, afterward settled on lot 35, con. 12, and another, James Currie, on lot 38, con. 10.

Hugh Currie came to Canada in 1833, and lived for some time in Oro, but in 1836 he settled on lot 28, con. 9, near Duntroon, where he lived for upward of 55 years, and for 52 he was an elder in the Presbyterian Church at Duntroon. His death occurred at Collingwood, October, 1893, at about 83 years of age.

William Dallas, also a native if Islay, Scotland, like all the others here, settled first on a five acre lot, then moved to lot 20, down the 8th kine. About the year 1893 he died at the home of his daughter in Manitoulin Island, where he was buried. His son William became the occupant of the homestead.

It is stated that Neil Bell was the first white child born in the township, in March, 1835, but there is a diversity as to this particular, as a later account states that John Ross, a son of he man who built the first grist-mill, was the first child born within its borders.

Archibald Freguson came a short time later that the others in this interesting group of settlers. He was a stonemason before coming to Canada. His son, Peter Ferguson, became the first school teacher at Duntroon, although in this particular, as in some others, there are two accounts of the case, another stating that Malcolm Livingstone was the first school teacher. The truth of the matter is that Peter Ferguson belonged to the Old Kirk, and the Livingstone family to the Free Church. Each party had a teacher of its own, and the writer cannot ascertain which was the earlier of the two. One thing is certain; there was strong feeling manifested on both sides, as according to one amusing account, even the children of the respective schools could not pass in the roads without flinging sticks or stones at each other.

Peter Ferguson was a good platform speaker in both Gaelic and English, and became the first reeve of the township in 1850, when the name of "reeve" took the place of the district councillor. He represented the township for seven years at the County Council board, in the first year of which (1850) the question of taking £50,000 stock in the Northern Railway came up, and as the vote in the Council was a close one, he was given credit for giving the casting vote in favour of the measure, and in this way earned the dislike of many prejudiced against it. At a later time he was postmaster at Colingwood and also Customs inspector there. Subsequently he removed to the Northwest.

Amongst the best known of the later settlers at Duntroon was Francis Hewson, who arrived in 1842. He had come in 1820 from Ireland with his paents to Innisfil, where they were the first settlers in the township. He became the Township Treasurer of Nottawasaga in 1850, and held the position until his death, which occurred, February 10, 1900. He also held other positions of trust, and was President of a Pioneer Society organized in Nottawasaga in 1892.

Jas. Mair was the Free Church local preacher at a later period, and held services mostly in Gaelic, although he was also versed in English.

After the Rebellion of 1837, Archibald McAllister, moved his family from Toronto where he had been living, and purchased lot 27, con 8, Nottawasaga, near Duntroon, where he lived until a short time previous to his death on December 15, 1893. His son, Dr. L. McAllister, was reeve of the Township for some years, and later, Township Clerk.

As to the question of who kept the first store at Duntroon, there are two accounts in existence, as usual, one stating that William Milloy kept the first store, while another says that Francis Baxter kept the first.

Some question as to the disposal of the five acre lots having arisen at a later day, William Gibbard, the surveyor, was employed to make a plan of these lots, as laid out upon lot 25, in the 8th and 9th concessions. Mr. Gibbard's plan, which is preserved in the Department of Lands at Toronto, is dated May 26, 1860. A burial lot and a school lot had been provided in the original survey.

One by one the settlers on the five acre lots at Bowmore bought larger farms further south and west, and moved to their new purchases, the settlers persisting in their work of clearing and moving further back. At an early date they opemed the eighth line, or Hurontario Street, as it was called at a somewhat later date, southward to the Bowerman settlement at Dunedin. They opened this road, notwithstanding a series of formidable hills, deep valleys, the Devil's Glen itself, (near Glen Huron), and other frightful places to be crossed. A traveller along this road to-day journeys past houses and barns perched upon alarming hills that would frighten the bravest dweller of the flat country, yet all this land is as fertile as clay can be, and it attracted the early settlers thither.

They soon learned how to navigate the steep hills with ease. They have a chain and shoe attached to the waggon, and when going downhill with a load they fix one wheel of the waggon on the shoe, attaching the latter to the fixed part of the waggon by the chain. With the one wheel firmly set so that it cannot revolve, they move down the hill with ease and safety. For going up a hill, a trailing "dog" holds the waggon in its place while the horses rest. With these appliances they navigate the hills with almost as much ease as the denizens of the lower ground navigate the plains.

The first post office at Duntroon was opened about the year 1836, and was known for many years in the post office annals as "Nottawasaga." By 1857 it had been changed to "Bowmore." The first postmaster was Angus Campbell, who held the position for about twenty years, and after him Francis Hewson was appointed.

The original town hall for the township was erected here but was burned down. At one time a considerable quantity of business was carried on at Duntroon, but the arrival of the railway alterd the course of trade. For some years, however, after the first opening of Nottawasaga, the clearings around Duntroon made the main settlement in the township.

The evidence of Chas. Rankin, the surveyor of this township, in regard to the slowness of its settlement up to 1838, is given in Lord Durham's Report, and has also been quoted in Dent's "Upper Canadian Rebellion," Vol 1, p.61. There had been no clergy reserves in Nottawasaga, and hence there had been a greater profusion of land grants to others. According to Mr. Rankin, the whole of the land in the townships of Nottawasaga and Collingwood had been granted, mostly to persons who did not become actual settlers, but the townships themselves were almost entirely unsettled (Collingwood Township having then only one settler). So much wild land intervening between one settler and another, made communication amongst them extremely difficult.

The Rev. John Climie, who had formerly been a settler in the Township of Innisfil, became the first resident minister of Nottawasaga at Duntroon. In the Manuscript Minutes of the General Quarter Sessions for the Home District, under the date, April 6, 1841, is the following entry:-The Rev. John Climie of the Township of Nottawasaga, minister of the Congregationalist Society, appeared and was recognized as such and received a certificate (to solemnize marriages) according to the statute, having first taken the oath of allegiance." To get this certificate Mr. Climie had been under the necessity of travelling to Toronto where the Quarter Sessions met, as this was before the erection of Simcoe into a separate district. Having obtained the license to marry couples, Mr. Climie was called upon quite frequently to perform the ceremony for the pioneers' sons and daughters. Mr. Climie built the first church in the township in 1842, a little south of Duntroon. The first Presbyterian congregation was organized at Duntroon in or about the year 1841, but there was not stationed minister here until the Rev. John Campbell came in 1853.

Some years ago, Mr. W.J. Honeyford furnished the following particulars of the first congregation to one of the local newspapers:- "the first church was organized on July 20, 1841. It was Congregational, with nine constituent members, who were the Rev. John Climie and his wife, John Moore and Mrs. Moore, William Throope, John Rogerson, Henry Hunter, Joseph Honeyford and E.F. Honeyford."

About the year 1838 William Ross built the first grist mill in this locality, on the upper part of the Batteau River on lot 23, con. 8, having received from Government a grant of land for the purpose. It is stated that Mr. Ross constructed nearly the whole of the mill with his own hands, even to the making of the millstones. About five years after the erection of the mill Mr. Ross lost his life through being caught in the machinery, the date being recorded as April 30, 1843, at the age of 56 years, in the inscription on the headstone in the Duntroon Cemetery.

Fred T. Hodgson, of Collingwood, who had arrived in Nottawasaga in 1848, and was familiar with the townships growth, wrote a series of "Nottawasaga Reminiscences," which appeared in the Collingwood Enterprise in 1907, in the issues of that newspaper for June 13 and 27, and July 11. They contain many references to the pioneer days at Duntroon, and in other parts of the township.

Donald Blair also wrote a series of letters on "Early Days in Nottawasaga," for the Collingwood Bulletin, in 1908, the initial letter appearing in the issue of that journal of August 6, and continuing for five weeks. Various interesting particulars are given by that writer, more especially about the early days of Duntroon, with which he was personally acquainted from his youth upward.

In addition to the appellation of "Bowmore," the Village of Duntroon, was known as the "Scotch Corners." It was near this place that in the winter of 184-, Rev. Dr. Burns, the late distinguished Presbyterian divine, had an experience of travel which is to odd to be omitted. On the occasion in question he was making a missionary tour among the outlying settlements in this northern country, and when close to Duntroon he was nearly shot for a bear. The details of the incident appear to have been something like these:

In company with a friend he was driving thither through a snow storm, and when at the foot a hill near the village, the rig in which they were travelling upset and caused something to go wrong with the harness. In order to get out of this predicament and proceed on their journey, it was necessary to get a piece of rope from a pioner's cabin which was in sight at the top of the hill. So setting out on his errand, dressed in his great bearskin coat and cap, and with huge fur gauntlets on his hands, the travelling missionary found the hill so slippery and difficult of ascent, owing to a recent thaw succeeded by keen frost, that he could not keep his feet, so was obliged to get down on all-fours to proceed. Jut at that time the woman of the house for which he was making, happened to come to the door, and through the falling snow espied the strange object coming toward them, whereupon she cried out to her husband: "Mac, get your gun! here's a bear." The man rushed out with the gun in his hands, and was taking sight, when he became conscious of the mistake, and burst out with a loud guffaw, and said, "Tuts, woman; why, that's Dr. Burns!"

Soon after the formation of the settlement at Duntroon, a new one was begun on the tenth line and on the lands adjacent to it. This onw was known as "The Back Settlement," as it lay closer to the Mountain ridge, across which there was no communication in the first years. The first settler close to the foot of the mountain was Donald Currie, a native of Islay. He had brought his family to Canada in 1834, reaching the Township of Oro, where he spent his first Canadian winter, and where one of his children died. The following summer he moved his family to Nottawasaga, which he had visited by himeslf the summer before, and placed them on one of the five acre lots at Duntroon. As showing the tender care of Highland people for their domestic animals, for their first winter in this new settlement at Duntroon they picked basswood leaves in the fall and saved them for cow feed. These, with the assistance of some turnips they got from Duncan McNab who had arrived the season before them, and had grown a small crop, together with the browse, kept their cow alive over the winter.

After living at the five acre lots for two or three years, he moved his family to the "Back Settlement," as already stated, taking up lot 35, con. 11, (S. half). About the year 1839, at the raising of a log building for Archibald McEwan, a log slid back and broke Donald Currie's leg. There was no Doctor nearer to the place than Barrie, which was about thirty miles distant, so before they could get Dr. Pass from the county town several days had elapsed, as a result of which his leg had to be amputated. There was no chloroform in those days, but he stood the ordeal without murmuring.

Donald Currie died January 15, 1868, aged 80 years. Of his family who grew up to maturity, there were:- Archibald, Laughlan, Peter, Flora, Ann (Mrs. Barr), Mary, Donald. The eldest, Archibald, received a five acre lot, but after marriage to up lot 37, con. 12. A grandson of the elder pioneer, Donald Currie Barr, of Collingwood, was Warden of the County in 1908.

One of the pioneers in the same settlement was Archibald McEwan, who took up lot 31, con. 10. He had settled also for a short time on one of the five acre lots at Duntroon, before moving to the "Back Settlement."

Another pioneer in the same part of the township was John McCallum. He came to Canada in 1836 and took up land in Sunnidale, but remained there for only one year. He then came to Nottawasaga and settled on lot 28, con. 10, where he resided until his death, March 23, 1894.

Andrew and David Jardine had settled in the five acre lots at Duntroon in 1834, and went to lot 30, con. 10, about the same time as the others who moved to this part of the township from the Government block. At a later time Andrew Jardine was a Justice of the Peace and became the first Clerk of the Division Court. He died, July 20, 1871, aged 70 years. David Jardine died May 27, 1865, aged 73 years. Some interesting Reminiscences of the pioneer days in Nottawasaga, by David Jardine, junior, appeared in the Collingwood Enterprise of June 7, 1907.

Amongst those who came to this part of the township at a slightly later period was John Macgillivray, who arrived with his family in 1848, having lived for a short time in North Carolina. He settled on lot 27, con. 12, where he lived until his death on April 21, 1892. Several members of the family of this pioneer have occupied prominent positions in the country.

The road allowance between lots 25 and 25, the whole road, in fact, from Sunnidale Corners to Duntroon (or Bowmore), was cleared out in the fall of 1834, and it was the pioneer's road for many years. Settlers began to locate in 1834, upon the Fourth Line of Nottawasaga, which was soon opened up to meet the Crossroad northward. McEachren's tavern was erected at the meeting place of the two roads at an early time, and the place got the name of the "Fourth Line Corners." At a later time it has been called Ballygrant, in which is included the settlement southward.

John McIntyre took up lot 24, con. 3, and settled on the crossroad at an early date, his patent being dated May 26, 1836, and his name becoming also attached to this locality.

Sothward, on the higher ground, the families of John and Joseph Bertles, Edmund Duggan, Patrick Dooling (or Dolan), Thomas Fenelon, and a few others settled in 1834 or the following year, soon after the township's survey, although they were not all located on the fourth line, but within easy distance of each other. Luke Harcourt also became an early settler in this small settlement of Irish Catholics, for a short time, on lot 17, con. 4, having come from the Township of Adjala, where we had occasion to notice him amongst the pioneers. In fact, several of the settlers in this part of Nottawasaga arrived by way of Adjala, having reached Nottawasaga by a trail through the forest leading from one township to the other, across the Pine Plains of Tosorontio. The old cemetery of the Roman Catholics on lot 13 on the fourth line was the first cemetery of that denomination in this part of the country. Owing to the soil being so wet, notwithstanding the high elevation of the groound, the place was abandoned as a cemetery for the one upon lot 25, con. 6, but several of the original settlers are buried at the earlier one on the fourth line.

To the northward of the settlement of Irish Catholics just mentioned, a few families of Highland Scots from Islay, also settled in the first years of the township's history, including the families of Campbell, Currie, McCallum, McQueen and McLean.

John Currie of this part of the township was one of the early school teachers, and was also Township Clerk for a period (1843-6, etc.)

On the fourth line, at lot 20, the East Nottawasaga Presbyterian Church, erected in 1854, has a pioneer graveyard, and is the resting place for the remains of a large number of early settlers. The building is now a brick edifice, but was originally built of more primitive materials, in keeping with the times in which it was erected.

In the year 1834 a small group of families including those of Swalm, Mattz, Kinder, Bulmer (Boomer), Knuff, Klippert, Moyer and Stoutenburg, left their homes in Hesse-Cassel, Germany, to find new abodes in the forests of Ontario. Their voyagae across the ocean lasted thirteen weeks and was more hazardous than usual for even those days of perilous sea voyages. In a fierce hurricane the vessel was carried out of her course and nearly wrecked, but managed to hold on her voyage after repairs by the ship carpenters. In addition to the perils of the sea, they had to face that terrible scourge the cholera, from which a number of the company died and were buried at sea.

In course of time they reached Quebec, and after the hardships and delays of quarantine, or the apology for it which then existed, in the St. Lawrence River, the remnant came on this county. After waiting for three weeks at Barrie, which then consisted of three or four small shanties, until the last portion of the Government Road had been opened out from Sunnidale Corners to Duntroon, this small group of pioneers set out for their destination in Nottawasaga in the latter part of October, 1834. With great difficulty they reached the new Government block of land, newly divided into five acre lots, where they were among the first to arrive. To each family there was alloted a five acre lot, with a certain amount of provisions in exchange for chopping or othr labour, as already explained in the chapter on Sunnidale. After spending about three years at the five acre lots, some of this small group were the first to form the settlement of Germans on the Sixth Line near the Batteau.

The hardships of some of these German families were unusually severe. Edmund Duggan of the fourth line used to relate in after years how his crops there consisted partly of turnips which he sold to the German settlers of the Batteau, and upon which they chiefly subsisted. He thought some of them were indolent and thriftless, and hence they suffered want, but it is more probable that their half-famished condition had robbed them of their natural energy.

It is stated how Boomer, (or Bulmer), once lost his way in the woods, and was nine days without food. Found by some Indians in a dying condition he was taken to their camp and restored, but it was not easy to understand to what settlement he belonged. After partial recovery the Indians took him to Toronto, and left him with the Government officers, who sent him back to his family in Nottawasaga.

Conrad Swalm, another of the group, made his way to the earlier settled Township of Markham, and earned enough to purchase food for his hungry wife and little ones at home on the plot. Altogether the sufferings and hardships of the pioneers of Simcoe County furnish no sadder story than the annals of this little group of settlers from Hessse-Cassel. The cause perhaps lay, in part at least, in their want of knowledge of the new surroundings and conditions into which they had been transplanted.

The families of Bowerman, Clark, Cooper, Hill and Sing came from the vicinity of Bloomfield in Hallowell Township, Prince Edward County, about the year 1834, and were the first families of the settlement around Dunedin, which some people mistakenly called the "Yankee Settlement." They were of U.E. Loyalist descent, and not U.S. citizens, but they had the Bay of Quinte dialect, which was distinctly of the "Down-east Yankee" kind, and that gave rise to the mistaken name. It is said that these familes, or at least some of them, were of Quaker origin. This settlement would appear to have been the first in the township, some having come into it by way of Orangeville and Horning's Mills in the summer of 1834.

In the Bowerman family there were four brothers,- Joseph, Judah, Israel and Benjamin Bowerman. This settlement was formed under the direction of the first named, Joseph Bowerman, who was also connected at various times with the opening of new roads in the vicinity. He died February 20, 1877, in his 66th year. Judah Bowerman built the first mill at Dunedin at an early date.

The River Road, passing through Dunedin and following the Noisy River, was opened at an early period of the settlement.

The name Dunedin was given to the post office about the year 1870.

Near Lavender, the families of Coyle, Mastin and Tupper settled about the year 1834. Peter Mastin died April 28, 1878, in his 82nd year. Wm. Bulmer, another pioneer of this neighbourhood, died May 4, 1899, in his 77th year.

Nulty & Webster built the Creemore Mills on the Mad River about the year 1845, having formed a partnership with each other for this purpose. In connection with this mill, Mr. Webster had a small store, the first one in the place, and G.I. Bolster came as clerk in this store. The post office was opened in 1849, with Edward Webster as postmaster. Subsequently Mr. Bolster carried on a business of his own, and became the postmaster. At a later day he was Inspector of Weights and Measures, with headquarters at Orillia. Launcelot G. Bolster, the pioneer of the family of this name, died June 3rd, 1867, in his 80th year.

In November, 1883, the County Council passed a By-law for the erection of Creemore into a Police Village. It thus became the first Police Village created in this county, and police trustees were to be elected for the village.

In June 1889, the County Council passed a By-law appointing James A. Spence as enumerator to take the census of Creemore. In this case the council gave some time for the taking of the census of the village, as the Beeton Lawsuit (Fenton v. County Simcoe), three years before this, had had a wholesome effect upon their deliberations. At the next session of the council (November) it appeared by Mr. Spence's enumeration return that Creemore had 753 inhabitants, whici was more than the required population, within the limits of 500 acres, and it was therefore entitled to incorporation, for which the Council passed a By-law, November 20, 1889. The first returning officer appointed was Joseph Hood, and the first reeve elected in January, 1890, was James A. Spence.

On the higher ground to the south of Creemore and Avening, somw settlers had established themselves at an early time. Amongst these were John Lott, Robert Martin, James Matchett and Hamilton Neelands. Hamilton Neelands, jr., served the township as deputy-reeve and reeve for several years, and afterward took a Government position. During his latest years he was in the Inland Revenue office, London, Ontario, where he died March 1, 1893.

In this part of the township, (viz., south of Creemore), John Rhodes had the first threshing machine in the fifties. It was one of the primitive kind, viz., without a separator attached to it. Mr. Rhodes, who was a native of Yorkshire, England, died October 1, 1895, in his 81st year.

In this part of the township, Joseph Honeyford, sr., and W.J. Honeyford, later of Alberta, and formerly of Avening, were also among the first settlers.

George Carruthers, a native of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, came to Buffalo, N.Y., in 1848, and in the following year came to the site of Avening, where he chopped and cleared an opening in the forest, to which he moved his family in 1851.

Frederick C. Thornbury came from West Gwillimbury where he had kept a tavern about 1845 and later, and built grist and saw mills at Avening about the year 1860. These passed into the hands of his son, W.H. Thornbury, who became also the first postmaster on the establishment of the office, February 1st, 1864. The latter was reeve of Nottawasaga in 1868-9. F.C. Thornbury died January 16, 1872, aged 63 years, and W.H. Thornbury died in New York, in September, 1908.

George Carruthers and sons, who had been the pioneers, as mentioned above, also erected mills about the same time as the mills of Mr. Thornbury. One of the sons of Mr. Carruthers, the pioneer, viz., John J. Carruthers, was reeve of Nottawasaga in 1870-2, and also in 1874-6; he went to New Zealand in 1882. George Carruthers, jr., of the mills, died Aoril 25th, 1906, in his 67th year. An Wm. G. Carruthers has been postmaster at Avening for several years.

It would appear that the builders of mills on the Mad and Noisy Rivers, which supply excellent water powers, began the erection of mills on the upper parts, and established them in rotation down the stream. Thus, beginning with the earliest at Dunedin, then the mills at Creemore in 1845, and those at Avening about 1860, followed each other down stream into the flat lands, the hills having been settled and cleared before the easterly lower parts.

When the Carruthers family settled at Avening in the early fifties, there was only another settler on the second line northward, near Cashtown of the present time.

Jas. Cooper built a sawmill at Glen Huron at an early date, which was probably the first mill at the place; but it was a small one; and he either sold or abandoned it in 1852, to build another at the Batteau, on the rise of the prospect of the railway passing there. The latter undertaking is mentioned in its proper place under the heading of the Batteau.

Jas. Hamilton was at a later day one of the well-known residents of this neighbourhood, from his connection with the Township and County Councils for a number of years. His death occurred in November, 1894. His son, W.H. Hamilton, was a county commissioner, and Warden in 1900.

Another well known settler, who came here about 1845, was Jas. D. Stephens, or as he was more familiarly called, "Tally-Ho" Stephens. He was a man of more than usual energy, and lived in this neighbourhood until about the year 1880. He succeeded John Frame, in 1845, as the District Councillor for Nottawasaga, and married Mr. Frame's widow for a second wife. At an early date he built a carding mill at Glen Huron, also the first grist and saw mills at Hurontario, and it is stated undet that heading, and had various other mercantile and manufacturing branches of business. About the year 1880, he retired to Winnipeg to live with his son, where he died, November 9, 1891.

The "Green Bush" tavern on the eighth at lot 18 was a famous hostelry in the pioneer days, kept by Jas. D. Stephens, who also had a store here. The hospitality of the place still lives on in a group of old apple trees which supply, in their season, the birds and squirrels with an abundance of fruit, although almost every other sign of the life of former days has departed except the foundations.

Opposite the "Green Bush," the family of Robertson were early settlers. One of the members of this family, and Calvin Throope of Sunnidale, afterward entered into partnership with each other as Robertson & Throope in the Atlantic Iron Works, Brooklyn, N.Y., and made sugar refinery machines.

The village itself, which is half a mile west of the mill site, was surveyed in 1856 by Cyrus and Josiah R. Sing, on their property. These brothers had come from Price Edward County, as it is stated under the heading of the Dunedin settlement, and had removed to the upper parts of the Mad River in 1852 or earlier.

The post office was established in 1852, under the name of the Mad River Mills, of which the early postmaster was Andrew Yuill; he was succeeded at a later time by Josiah R. Sing, whose family name was given to the office. Cyrus Sing subsequently became a settler at Meaford, where his death occurred, April 25, 1904, at an advanced age.

This place had its origin with the opening of the railway in 1854. The first settler was Andrew Coleman who was a foreman or sub-contractor on the construction of this part of the Northern Railway. Mr. Coleman came to Stayner in 1854 and built the first hotel on the site of the "Queens" when the rest of the land now covered by the buildings of the town was almost an unbroken forest. The first building was a shanty, and was used as a boarding-house for the men employed on the railway construction. Mrs. Coleman was the first white woman to live in the place, and after the completion of the railway the family remained as permanent residents. He sold the original site in two or three years and built other hotels in the place. Another of the first settlers was Gidoen Phillips, who built a sawmill, and was appointed a Justice of the Peace, April 3, 1857.

For a number of years the place was known as Nottawasaga Station, and the post office, which was established in 1855 with Donald Baine, a lumber merchant and storekeeper, as the first postmaster, was also known by the same name. About the year 1857, the village, but not the post office, was called Dingwall, but about the year 1864 the name was changed to Stayner, which it finally retained.

In June, 1872, the County Council passed a By-law for the incorporation of Stayner as a village, with A.M. Ingersol as the first returning officer. The first reeve elected (for 1873) was George Randolph.

The Ontario Legislature passed an Act to incorporate the Town of Stayner, March 23, 1888, as 51 Vict., chapt. 61.

One of the good mill privileges of the Pretty River was where Hurontario Street crosses it, and here Buist & Melville built saw and grist mills in or about 1853. They had been carrying on business at the Old Village in the earlier years of the fifties, and then took up the erection of the big mills at Nottawa, where they also had a general store.

After the opening of the railway, various sales of vacant lots took place on "wild cat" schemes in this part of the township, and one of these sales was advertised to take place, October 14, 1856, at Collingwood, the property to be sold consisting of building lots on lot 37, con. 8, of Nottawasaga, at Nottawa Mills. About this time Bourchier & Lyall had a saw-mill near this place.

Another of the early stores at Nottawa was kept was kept by Jas. Cooper, who had erected the mill at the Batteau, as it stated under that heading. In Mr. Cooper's store at Nottawa, two clerks were employed by him, F.T. Hodgson and Thomas Long, afterward well known residents of Collingwood. It was with Mr. Cooper that Mr. Long made his entry into business life, afterward so successful, his first wages having been $12 a month and board.

James Cooper built a mill at the Batteau River in 1852, about 2 miles from its outlet, where the railway crosses it, and a hamlet of some size grew up. There was an overshot waterwheel in use in this mill, which in a year or two passed into the hands of Jas. D. Stephens, who had been carrying on business in the Hurontario mills at the bay shore for some time before this. Mr. Stephens also built at the Batteau another mill with a central discharge waterwheel.

On selling his mill at the Batteau, Mr. Cooper built a store at Nottawa. Mr. Cooper was one of those who had come from Prince Edward County with the Bowermans, Sings, and others, to the Dunedin settlement, as already noticed, and had carried on a small sawmill at Glen Huron before coming to Batteau and Nottawa. Ultimately Mr. Cooper went to Bracebridge, where he carried on a sash and door factory, saw-mill, etc., and died there.

About the year 1866, Batteau was called "Warrington," but the name did not remain long with it.

It may have been observed in our peregrinations through this township that the various rapid streams flowing down out of the glens in the face of the "Mountian" furnished good water power for numerous pioneer mills. One of the good mill privileges on the Pretty River was at its outlet into the Nottawasaga Bay, and here were the Hurontario Mills built early in the forties about a mile to the east of Collingwood of to-day. The place had previously been a frequent resort and camping place of the Indians for fishing and other purposes.

Of late years this place has been called the Old Village. The first person who began to build a saw-mill at the outlet was Francis Baxter, who had a store at Duntroon, and who obtained the patent for lots 43 and 44, con. 7 (70 acres), February 14, 1843. Soon afterward he got timber out for the mill, but did not carry out the work any further. James Connell took up the project and completed it, getting the patent for N. half 43 and lot 44, con. 8, (200 acres), on September 24, 1844. The business was then conducted by Chas. D. Stephens and his brother M.N. Stephens, who also buit a grist mill at the mouth of Pretty River in 1845, and conducted them for some time.

Andrew Maarackell and a Mr. Cook soon opened inns at the place, which was for some time the only spot showing signs of life along this shore of the bay.

In the industry of boat-building, Hector McAllister built the first boat at the Old Village, having obtained a patent for land in this locality in 1856.

The beginning of the town took place immediately upon the selection of the place as the terminus of the new railway during or perhaps a short time before the winter of 1852-3, which was two years before the completion of the line. Joel Underwood was the nominal owner of 335 acres of the site of the town, nearly opposite the small islets or rocks known as the Hen and Chickens. And when the place was selected for the terminus, a small group of two or three men entered into partnership with Mr. Underwood, who supplied the land, to erect a steam saw-mill, which, with the board dwellings that soon arose around it, became the nucleus of the future towm.

Mr. Underwood's silent partners, who were Sheriff Smith, David Morrow, and the Rev. Lewis Warner, and who were then residents of the county town. (although Sheriff Smith shortly afterward took up his residence in Collingwood), had got some inkling through county offical sources that the Hen and Chickens terminus had been, or would be, selected. With the information which had thus become known to them, this company lost no time in making a start on the new town site. As Mr. Underwood's mill was built two years before the railway was actually completed, the boiler and machinery for it had to be hauled by team, and the hauling was done by John L. Waarnica of Tollendal. Mr. Underwood was a Yankee who had arrived here about the year 1847, and being of a loquacious turn, although without capital, floated the project successfully.

Prior to the choosing of the place as the railway terminus, the survey of the harbour, which was the first of many surveys if we except Bayfield's general survey, was made by Sandford Fleming (afterward Sir Sandford Fleming), who was an assistant engineer on the railway construction, and whose family relatives were well known early settlers at Craigleith. One of Mr. Fleming's assistants or helpers in this survey work was the late Alex. Smith of Vespra.

Mr. Underwood was the nominal owner of the land on which the town's first buildings were built, but Sheriff Smith had patented, on November 4, 1852, lot 43, (200 acres), and on November 22, 1851, lot 44, (135 acres), in the 9th concession of Nottawasaga, and afterward had them surveyed into building lots by Wm. Gibbard, the surveyor. Besides the steam saw mill, erectd at the outlet of what is still called Underwood's Creek, Mr. Underwood opened a store. This was on First Street, just south of the outlet of the Creek, while the sawmill was on the opposite side.

Joseph H. Lawrence was also one of the first settlers of the town, and became one of the first office-bearers in the Methodist Church on its establishment in 1853, and the Superintendent of the Sunday School on its formation in the following year. Mr. Lawrence was appointed Town Clerk in 1858, and held the office until his death in June, 1877.

it is stated that James Smith had the first store in Collingwood, and George Collins the first tavern.

As to the choice of a name for the town, the adjacent township of Collingwood, under the name of Alta, had been surveyed twenty years prior to the first survey of building lots in the town, and the name of Alta abandoned for that of Collingwood. But as to who actually appplied it to the new railway terminus of 1852-3, there is a slight difference in the published reports. One account of how the harbour and railway terminal point got its name at the instance of D.E. Buist is recorded by David Williams in his paper on the naming of the post offices in Simcoe County, alreay referred to in another chapter.

A few boats started singly to run regular trips with the opening of navigation in 1855, but the first regular line of steamboats, in connection with the railway, began in 1857.

Collingwood was incorporated as a town under a local Act of the Canadian Legislature passed June 10, 1857, for that purpose, as 20 Vict., chap. 96. In this way it did not pass through the "village" stage. By this Act, the town ceased to be part of Nottawasaga on January 1, 1858, and became a municipality by itself. Wm. B. Hamilton was chosen by the Council, as the law then required, the first Mayor of the town for 1858, and Jas. Telfer was elected the first reeve to represent the town in the County Council. John McWatt, who was chosen Mayor in the following year, 1859, was the first Mayor of the town chosen by the votes of the people, the law having been changed in this particular. Mr. McWatt was elected Mayor for succeeding years up to and including 1866, in which year he removed to the county town. He had formerly resided in Barrie until he was appointed collector of customs at Collingwood in 1856. It was during John McWatt's Mayoralty tht H.R.H., the Prince of Wales, now King Edward VII., visited Canada in 1860, and the Collingwood Town Council decided to invite the Prince to visit the place. Mayor McWatt was despatched to Quebec to obtain the promise of a visit from His Royal Highness, the Council granting $50 toward the expenses of the mayor's trip on this important errand, which resulted in complete success, and the subsequent visit of the Prince was a good "ad" for the town and county.

A Jubilee History of Collingwood (published on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Jubilee, 1887) was issued by the Collingwood Enterprise-Messenger, and contains the chief doings of the town council from the beginning in 1858 until 1876, with much other historic material. Some of the aldermanic disputes of those early days of the town furnish quaint reading for the people of to-day. The author's name is not given, but it is fair to suppose that important parts of that interesting town history were prepared by John Hogg, who was one of the pioneers of the town, having arrived in May, 1856, and established the Enterprise at the beginning of the following year. He was reeve of the town for fourteen years, beginning with 1863, and was Warden of the County in 1873, besides holding various other offices of trust at different periods of his life. His death occurred February 11, 1901.

Several bad fires have occurred in the town at different times, but the one on Sunday, September 25, 1881, was perhaps the most disastrous of them all, destroying as it did a large portion of Hurontario Street, (the main thoroughfare), in the business part of the town.

In June, 1882, the ratepayers of the town having approved of a By-law for the purpose, Collingwood issued debentures to the amount of $25,000 to assist in building and establishing a Dry Dock and Ship-building Yard in the town.

Fred T. Hodgson prepared for the Board of Trade an extended Report for the year 1893, giving much information about the town. This was issued in the form of a booklet in 1894, and contained a sketch of the history of the town and its vicinity.