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of  the 

of  ®ornttlo 

btt 

tne  Estate  of 
Dr.   Frederick  C.   Harrison 


HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 


HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

(IN   PART) 


BY 

JANET  CARNOCHAN 

Author  of      St.  tJKCark's  Centennial,"  "St.  jJndrew's  Centennial,"  etc.' 


WITH  FIFTY  ILLUSTRATIONS 


TORONTO 

WILLIAM   BRIGGS 

1914 


F 

$54-1 


Copyright,  Canada,  1914,  by 
JANET  CARNOCHAN 


C  2  3  1953 


S73375. 


FOREWORD 


IF  anyone  doubted  the  genius  for  research  in  the  his- 
torical field  which  Miss  Janet  Carnochan  possesses,  the 
following  pages  would  dispel  the  doubt.  The  work  is  an 
example  of  elaborate  and  untiring  investigation.  It 
embodies  the  fullest  details  of  the  history  of  Niagara. 
All  the  phases  of  the  town's  existence  since  the  days  of 
Governor  Simcoe,  every  incident  that  reveals  the  close 
connection  between  the  growth  of  the  place  and  the  devel- 
opment of  the  Province,  are  to  be  found  here.  The  local 
narrative  is  in  itself  of  wide  interest  because  Niagara  is 
a  kind  of  mother-colony,  and  from  it  have  gone  forth  to 
other  parts  of  Canada  families  and  individuals  retaining 
memories  and  traditions  of  the  early  settlement.  But  the 
book  is  much  more  than  local  in  its  theme.  As  the  first 
capital  of  Upper  Canada,  where  the  Legislature  began  its 
sessions,  as  a  battle-ground  in  the  War  of  1812,  as  a  border 
town  intimately  associated  with  international  disturb- 
ances, Niagara  touches  national  history  at  many  points. 
Miss  Carnochan  has  left  nothing  unrecorded.  From  the 
rich  stores  of  her  knowledge  have  been  drawn  details  of 
political,  social,  religious,  educational  and  commercial 
beginnings.  We  get  a  complete  picture  of  life  in  one  of 
our  oldest  and  most  interesting  towns,  and  can  reconstruct 
in  the  mind's  eye  what  Canada  was  like  more  than  a  cen- 

v 


VI 

tury  ago.  The  toil  which  has  produced  so  notable  a  work 
must  have  been  immense,  and  entitles  the  authoress  to 
the  gratitude  of  her  fellow  Canadians.  Miss  Carnochan 
has  long  been  famous  for  devotion  to  tasks  of  this  kind. 
The  transactions  of  the  Niagara  Historical  Society  bear 
evidence  to  her  zeal  in  the  cause  of  original  research.  The 
establishment  of  the  unique  Historical  Museum  in  the 
town  is  due  to  her  indomitable  enterprise  and  owes  much 
to  her  generosity  and  unselfishness.  These  and  similar 
achievements,  proofs  of  a  practical  patriotism  all  too  rare, 
are  now  capped  by  the  History  of  Niagara,  which  is  a 
timely  contribution  to  our  scanty  knowledge  of  bygone 
days.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  book  will  find  many 
readers,  both  on  account  of  its  merits  and  as  a  slight 
recognition  of  the  labours  of  its  gifted  authoress. 

A.  H.  IT.  COLQUHOUN. 


PREFACE 


FROM  many  sources,  at  many  times,  in  various  ways,  has 
the  material  for  this  book  been  gathered.  For  years  I  had 
jotted  down  anything  I  found  interesting  relating  to  the 
early  -history  of  the  town,  not  with  any  idea  of  using  in 
this  way,  but  merely  to  please  myself.  The  first  sugges- 
tion that  1  should  write  the  history  of  Niagara  was  made 
to  me  by  Lady  Edgar  several  years  before  her  death,  but 
other  occupations  prevented  this  being  carried  out.  From 
old  Niagara  papers,  from  books  of  travel,  from  original 
documents,  from  tales  told  by  the  earliest  inhabitants, 
from  happy  days  spent  in  many  libraries,  1  have  gleaned. 
Had  I  begun  the  work  while  some  of  the  old  pioneers  of 
this  vicinity  were  living,  much  more,  never  to  be  gained 
now,  might  have  been  obtained.  I  have  thought  it 
remarkable  that  very  few  of  the  early  families  have  kept 
records  of  the  time  of  landing  here,  but  there  have  been 
sad  reasons  to  explain  the  absence  of  these  documents  in 
the  events  of  1813-1814:.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  in  every 
town,  township  and  county  of  this  vast  Dominion  swept 
by  three  great  oceans  steps  may  be  taken  to  gather,  while 
it  may  be  done,  the  first  beginnings,  the  noble  deeds,  the 
struggles  to  conquer  the  hard  conditions  of  life.  Much 
has  been  done  in  some  places,  as,  for  instance,  the  story  of 
the  Talbot  settlement,  by  Dr.  Coyne,  and  the  pathetic  story 


viii  PREFACE 

of  the  Red  River  Settlers  and  the  sufferings  of  Selkirk  in 
his  attempts  to  better  the  condition  of  his  countrymen,  by 
Dr.  Bryce,  but  much  remains  to  be  done. 

A  few  words  in  explanation.  This  is  not  the  story  of 
Niagara  now.  My  work  for  years  appears  to  have  been 
not  to  exploit  the  present  but  to  try  to  do  justice  to  those 
who  have  gone  before,  to  tell  of  the  noble  work  they  accom- 
plished and  of  the  difficulties  they  surmounted.  It  must 
be  seen  that,  though  so  much  has  been  gathered,  still 
much  remains  untold.  For  this  reason  I  have  placed  the 
words  "  In  Part "  following  the  words  "  History  of 
Niagara,"  hoping  that  others  may  take  up  the  work.  It 
will  be  seen  that  much  has  been  drawn  from  my  papers 
read  before  Historical  Societies,  but  by  far  the  greater  part 
of  the  book  has  never  before  appeared  in  print,  and  the 
same  can  be  said  of  the  illustrations,  about  fifty  in  number. 
These  also  are  from  various  sources  and  of  many  styles — 
reproductions  of  old  miniatures,  oil  paintings,  water- 
colors,  silhouettes,  old-fashioned  daguerreotypes  and  the 
modern  kodak  print. 

To  many  individuals  I  owe  thanks  for  kindness  extended. 
Dr.  Brymner  in  the  Archives  Branch  showed  every  cour- 
tesy, as  did  Dr.  Bain  in  the  Reference  Library;  also  to 
Mr.  Avern  Pardoe  in  the  Legislative  Library,  Dr.  Fraser 
in  the  Archives,  J.  J.  Murphy  in  the  Crown  Lands  Depart- 
ment, Mr.  J.  Ross  Robertson  for  the  help  given  by  his 
"  Landmarks  "  and  "  History  of  Free  Masonry,"  Colonel 
Cruikshank's  "  Documentary  History,"  Mrs.  J.  G.  Currie 
for  rare  pamphlets,  Miss  Quade's  "Reminiscences,"  and 


PEEFACE  ii 

those  of  Miss  Gilkeson  and  J.  A.  Davidson,  Dr.  C.  C.  James 
for  his  "Early  Legislators/'  Rev.  E.  de  M.  Rudolf,  Dr. 
Boyle,  Dr.  Colquhoun,  Mr.  C.  A.  F.  Ball,  Mr.  J.  McFar- 
land,  Mr.  P.  A.  Porter,  and  to  many  others.  To  Mrs.  E.  J. 
Thompson  thanks  are  due  for  kodak  views,  to  officers  of 
the  town  for  allowing  examination  of  documents  in  min- 
utes of  churches,  libraries,  schools,  and  town  records.  I  had 
thought  to  give  a  list  of  books  from  which  I  have  gleaned, 
and  indeed  began  it,  but  the  number  increased  so  that  I 
relinquished  the  idea,  the  limits  of  time  and  space  for- 
bidding. 

As  the  greatest  lyrical  poet  hoped  "  to  write  a  book  or 
sing  a  song  for  Scotland's  sake,"  so  I  in  a  humbler  way 
have  aimed  to  write  a  verse  or  tell  a  story  for  Niagara's 
sake,  "  mine  own  romantic  town."  To  all  Niagarians  here 
or  in  distant  homes  this  work  is  dedicated. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I.    NIAGARA 

II.    EARLY  CENSUS  AND  MUNICIPAL  RECORDS       .         .  7 

III.  NAVY  HALL  AND  FORT  GEORGE         ....  10 

IV.  FIRST  PARLIAMENT  AND  GOVERNOR  SIMCOE   .         .  13 
V.    THE  UNITED  EMPIRE  LOYALISTS     ....  19 

VI.    GENERAL  SIR  ISAAC  BROCK 24 

VII.    BUTLER'S  BARRACKS 28 

VIII.    AMERICAN  OCCUPATION,  MAY  27TH  TO  DECEMBER 

10-TH,  1813 32 

IX.    FORT  NIAGARA 41 

X.    NIAGARA  LIBRARY,  1800-1820          ....  46 

XI.    ST.  MARK'S  CHURCH        .         .         .         .  .56 

XII.    NEWSPAPERS     ........  69 

XIII.  ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH 80 

XIV.  STREETS  AND  MAPS  OF  THE  TOWN           ...  97 
XV.    EARLY  BUILDINGS  AND  EARLY  MERCHANTS    .        .  106 

XVI.    FREEMASONS             120 

XVII.    SCHOOLS,  PUBLIC  AND  PRIVATE       ....  128 

XVIII.    THE  BOATS  AND  HARBOR  AND  DOCK  COMPANY       .  135 

XIX.    ASSEMBLIES,  BALLS  AND  CELEBRATIONS         .        .  141 

XX.    GROWTH  OF  THE  TOWN  AND  CHANGES   .         .        .  147 

XXI.    THE  MAYORS  OF  NIAGARA  AND  THE  TOWN  RECORDS  150 

XXII.    THE  JAIL  AND  THE  COURT  HOUSE         .         .         .  157 

XXIII.  THE  METHODIST  CHURCH 163 

XXIV.  MILITARY 166 

XXV.    THE  BAPTIST  CHURCH 176 

XXVI.    GRAVEYARDS  OF  NIAGARA  AND  VICINITY         .         .  178 

XXVII.    INDIANS,  THEIR  TREATIES  AND  COUNCIL  MEETINGS  191 

XXVIII.    ST.  VINCENT  DE  PAUL  CHURCH      .         .         .         .201 

xi 


xii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXIX.    AFRICANS  IN  NIAGARA 203 

XXX.  ODD    ADVERTISEMENTS    AND    ITEMS    FOUND    IN 

NIAGARA    PAPERS           .....  208 

XXXI.  CANADA  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH          .         .         .  212 

XXXII.    NIAGARA  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 214 

XXXIII.    NIAGARA  HIGH  SCHOOL 219 

XXXIV.  STATUTES  PASSED  IN  PARLIAMENT  RELATING  TO 

NIAGARA  FROM  1792  TO  1840        .         .         .230 

XXXV.    PHYSICIANS  AND  LAWYERS 234 

XXXVI.  POST  OFFICES  AND  POSTMASTERS          .         .         .  243 

XXXVII.    OBITUARY  NOTICES 245 

XXXVIII.    SOCIETIES  AND  CLUBS 255 

XXXIX.    SOCIETIES 266 

XL.  BOOKS  PRINTED  OR  WRITTEN  HERE      .         .         .  285 

XLI.  POEMS  RELATING  TO  NIAGARA     ....  289 

XLII.  FRUIT  IN  THE  NIAGARA  PENINSULA     .         .         .  308 

XLIII.  REFERENCES  TO  EARLY  BOOKS  OF  TRAVEL     .         .  311 

XLIV.    VISITORS  AT  NIAGARA 314 

CLOSING  WORDS    .  322 


HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 


PARADISE  GROVE. 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

St.  Mark's  in  1834 Frontispiece 

Paradise   Grove 1 

Parliament  Oak 16 

House  of  D.  W.  Smith,  1793 21 

Sir  Isaac  Brock      .        .                 25 

Brock's  Cocked  Hat 25 

Lighthouse  and  Lighthouse  Keeper's  House,  built  1803     .  28 
Hospital  Built  in  1822,  showing  Palings  around  Butler's 

Barracks 28 

Battle  of  Fort  George,  May  27,  1813 39 

Fort  Niagara,  erected  1725  and  1749 42 

Joint  Funeral,  June  25,  1911        .         .         .        .        .         .42 

St.  Mark's  Church 65 

House    of   J.    Powell,    1826,    afterwards    owned    by    Jas. 

Boulton  and  Dr.   Morson 65 

St.  Andrew's  Church 80 

Pulpit  of  St.  Andrew's  Church 83 

Rev.  Dr.  McGill 94 

House  of  George  Field,  built  1802 101 

House  of  Jas.  McFarland,  built  1800 101 

Locust  Grove,  Residence  of  Mrs.  J.  W.  Ball       .        .        .108 

Residence  of  Miss  Mary  Servos 108 

House  used  as  a  School  by  Miss  Young  in  1825.    Built  in 

1816 119 

James  Butler's  House  before  1812 119 

Masonic  Hall 122 

Queenston  in  1840 122 

xiii 


xiv  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Representative  Men — Hon.  John  Simpson,  Judge  Camp- 
bell, Ralfe  Clench,  Jas.  M.  Dunn,  LL.B.     .         .         .147 

The  Old  Jail  and  Court  House 151 

The  Western   Home,   formerly   the   Old   Jail   and   Court 

House 151 

Representative   Men — Col.    Macdougal,    Capt.    D.    Milloy, 

Henry  Paffard,  Major  Hiscott,  M.P.P.        .        .        .154 

Hon.  Robert  Hamilton 158 

Father   Gordon       . 201 

St.  Vincent  de  Paul  Church 201 

Seal  of  the  Grammar  School 232 

High  School  Centenary,   1908 232 

Historical   Building 279 

Navy  Hall 279 

High  Post  Bedstead  in  Historical  Building      .        .        .282 
Tablets  to  Early  Settlers  in  Historical  Building      .        .     282 

Count  de  Puisaye 289 

Count  de  Puisaye's  House,  built  1799        .        .        .        .289 

Sycamore  Tree  at  Fort  George 293 

Balm  of  Gilead  in  "  The  Wilderness "  .        .        .293 

Officers'  Quarters,  Butler's  Barracks 300 

French   Thorn   Trees 300 

William  Kirby,  F.R.S.C 304 

Laura    Ingersoll    Secord 316 

Monument  at  Queenston,  1911 316 


HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 


CHAPTER  I. 
NIAGARA. 

OUINAGARAH,  Ongiara,  Niagara, — in  the  index  of  the 
"  Documentary  History  of  New  York,"  there  are  over  forty 
forms  of  the  sonorous  Indian  word,  sonorous  yet  soft  and 
musical ;  the  word  is  thought  by  some  to  be  the  only  word 
left  of  the  language  of  the  Neutral  Indians  who  formerly 
occupied  this  territory.  By  how  many  names  known  since 
—Loyal  Village,  Butlersburg,  West  Niagara,  Newark, 
Niagara,  and  now  Niagara-on-the-Lake — the  unwary  ex- 
plorer of  archives  may  easily  be  led  astray,  for  in  early 
records  Niagara  generally  means  Fort  Niagara,  and  Little 
Niagara,  the  upper  end  of  the  portage  road  near  Fort 
Schlosser  on  the  American  side.  And  now  further  diffi- 
culties await  the  unwary  traveller  from  the  repetition  of 
the  word  as  Niagara  Falls,  Niagara  Falls  South,  Niagara 
Falls  Centre,  Niagara  Falls,  N.Y.,  giving  ample  oppor- 
tunity for  letters  and  baggage  to  go  astray. 

It  is  a  beautiful  spot  with  wonderful  natural  advantages — 
the  broad  lake,  the  blue  river,  forts,  lighthouse,  old  elms, 
linden  trees,  weeping  willows,  broad,  quiet  streets,  and 
almost  every  spot  being  of  historic  interest.  It  has  been 
said  that  to  know  the  history  of  Niagara  is  to  know  much 
of  the  history  of  Upper  Canada.  Niagara  was  at  different 
times  a  legislative,  military,  literary,  commercial,  naval, 
educational  and  social  centre ;  the  centre,  too,  of  the  Indian 
trade  and  the  refuge  of  escaped  slaves.  A  town  that  has 
been  the  scene  of  a  battle,  that  had  the  first  Parliament,  two 
of  the  first  churches,  the  first  library,  the  first  newspaper, 
the  first  agricultural  society  in  Ontario,  may  lay  claim  to 
the  interest  of  the  historian.  Here  lived  for  a  time  two 
2  1 


2  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

governors — Simcoe  and  Brock — who,  if  not  possessed  of  the 
eloquence  or  literary  skill  of  a  Dufferin  or  a  Lome,  showed 
much  zeal,  wisdom,  courage  and  ability  in  the  trying  hour 
of  need.  A  town  that  has  been  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
and  again  a  heap  of  smoking  ruins,  and,  phoenix-like, 
rising  from  its  own  ashes,  and  now  the  quiet  beauty 
of  lake  and  river,  forest  and  plain,  rich  vineyards  and 
orchards  of  luscious  fruit,  may  surely  justify  us,  like  St. 
Paul,  who  boasted  that  he  was  an  inhabitant  of  "no  mean 
city,"  in  rejoicing  that  we  have  a  goodly  heritage  of  which 
we  may  justly  feel  proud. 

Of  the  early  history  of  the  peninsula  there  is  only  known 
that  it  was  the  abode  of  the  Neutral  Indians,  called  so 
because  in  the  wars  between  the  Iroquois  to  the  south  and 
the  Hurons  to  the  north  the  Neutrals  took  no  part,  but 
allowed  both  to  travel  through  their  territory,  not  taking 
sides  with  either.     After  the  fierce  Iroquois  of  New  York 
State  had  annihilated  the  Hurons  they  attacked  and  com- 
pletely destroyed  the  Neutrals,  who  were  a  peaceful  nation 
with  various  villages  in  Western  Ontario,  Niagara  being 
the  last  village  to  the  east.     The  word  Niagara,  meaning 
"'  the  Strait."  had  various  meanings  attached  to  it.     What 
is  now  the  common  and  the  military  reserve  was  a  plain 
devoted  to  raising  corn,  and  again  the  scene  of  an  Indian 
council  and  treaty  making.     The  first  European  visitor  of 
\vhom  we  have  any  record  is  Father  Daillon,  who  is  said  to 
have  celebrated  mass  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  in  162(5 ; 
Ualinee  and  Dollier  came  in  16-10,  and  again  in  166!).     In 
Ihe  Galinee  narrative,  found  in  the  Jesuit  Relations,  they 
mention  passing  the  mouth  of  the  river.     Another  name  for 
the    Neutrals    was   the    Attiwamlarons,  so    called   by    the 
Hurons.     After  the  Neutrals  were  destroyed  the  Missis- 
saugas,  a  branch  of  the  Chippewa  nation,  came  to  the  west 
side,  a  few  of  the  Senecas  being  on  the  east  side.     By  the 
treaty   of    1764,   concluded   by    Sir   William    Johnson    at 
Johnson  Hall,  the  Senecas  ceded  a  tract  of  land  on  both 
sides  of  the  river   of  fourteen  miles  in  length  by  four 
in  breadth.     This  treaty  was  subsequently  confirmed  by  a 
treaty  with  the  Mississaugas,  who  claimed  ownership  in 
the  lands  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 

The  settlement  on  that  side  of  the  river  seems  to  have 


NIAGARA  3 

l)oen  brought  about  by  a  suggestion  of  Haldimand  in  1779, 
that  crops  be  raised  to  supply  the  garrison  at  Fort  Niagara, 
the  soil  of  the  west  side  being  good,  as  the  rations  served 
out  to  the  Indians  and  settlers  were  a  heavy  tax  on 
the  British  Government.  Previous  to  this  all  refugees,  all 
Indian  allies,  came  to  the  fort  for  protection  and  food : 
but  then  began  the  settlement  at  Niagara,  then  called  West 
Niagara  to  distinguish  it  from  the  Fort,  the  only  previous 
attempt  to  cultivate  the  soil  having  been  made  by  La  Salle, 
as  recorded  by  Hennepin :  "  In  1679  the  Sieur  de  la  Salle 
employed  some  of  our  men  in  preparing  some  ground  on 
the  western  side  of  the  Strait  of  Niagara,  where  we  planted 
some  vegetables  for  the  use  of  those  who  should  come  to 
live  at  this  place." 

In  1780  the  proposal  of  Haldimand  was  approved  by  the 
Home  Government;  "'the  vast  expense  and  difficulty  attend- 
ing the  transport  of  provisions  for  His  Majesty's  loyal 
subjects,  driven  from  their  homes  to  take  refuge  at 
Niagara,"  is  spoken  of,  provisions  for  a  year  promised,  seed, 
mills,  ploughs,  and  other  implements  of  husbandry  to  be 
furnished,  the  grain,  etc.,  raised  not  required  by  the  set- 
tlers to  be  sold  to  the  commanding  officer  at  the  Fort.  So 
thus  began  the  cultivation  of  the  land  and  the  settlement 
of  families,  as  in  1781  Colonel  Butler  mentions  that  he  has 
four  or  five  families  settled  who  have  built  themselves 
houses ;  "  they  will  want  sixty  bushels  of  spring  wheat  and 
oats,  twelve  of  buckwheat,  and  a  barrel  of  Indian  corn  for 
planting."  He  mentions  that  Peter  and  James  Secord, 
two  of  the  farmers  already  settled,  were  about  to  build  a 
saw  and  grist  mill.  We  find  that  Butler  took  a  census  in 
1782-3  and  gives  the  names  of  sixteen  families,  numbering 
sixty-eight  persons,  giving  the  number  of  acres  under  cul- 
tivation and  amount  of  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs 
owned. 

What  names  are  called  up  in  a  glance  at  the  past  history 
of  the  town !  La  Salle,  that  man  of  iron ;  Butler  and 
Brant,  the  wise  Simcoe,  the  brave  Brock,  the  Duke  of  Kent ; 
Hamilton,  the  founder  of  Queenston ;  the  Duke  de  Roche- 
foucauld de  Liancourt ;  the  poet  Moore ;  the  French  Count, 
C-eneral  do  Pnisaye:  Addison,  the  first  missionary:  Molly 
Brant,  and  many  others. 


4  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAEA 

Niagara  has  gone  through  many  stages  of  growth  and 
decay  since  the  first  census  was  taken  in  1782.  It  was  the 
abode  of  the  Government  officials  during  the  first  five  years 
of  Parliament;  prospering  till  the  War  of  1812-14;  then  at 
one  fell  swoop  wiped  out  of  existence ;  then  becoming  a  com- 
mercial centre,  its  merchants  supplying  the  then  hamlets 
of  Hamilton  and  St.  Catharines;  its  docks  and  foundries 
with  their  busy  workmen  sending  out  many  of  the  vessels 
for  the  lake  traffic.  The  law  business  for  three  counties — 
Lincoln,  Welland  and  Haldimand — was  transacted  here,  the 
assizes  often  lasting  for  six  weeks,  the  town  full  of  lawyers, 
clients,  witnesses.  Many  regiments  were  quartered  here — 
King's  Dragoon  Guards,  Highlanders,  Eoyal  Engineers, 
King's  Eighth,  Sappers,  and  Miners ;  famous  regiments, 
among  them  the  41st,  49th,  70th  and  79th.  The  town, 
numbering  at  one  time  about  four  thousand  inhabitants, 
sent  a  member  to  Parliament.  Then  came  its  dark  days. 
The  shipbuilding  interest  languished,  the  dockyards  closed, 
the  county  town  was  removed,  the  troops  were  recalled, 
different  industries,  as  car  factory,  tannery,  steel  works, 
and  knitting  factory,  failed,  and  numerous  fires  occurred. 
The  town  seemed  doomed.  A  clever  article  by  a  noted  news- 
paperman described  it  as  "Lotus  Town."  But  since  that 
day  the  retrograde  movement  has  been  arrested.  The  build- 
ing of  the  Queen's  Eoyal  Hotel  on  its  unrivalled  site,  the 
Chautauqua  Hotel,  the  conference  of  Bible  students,  the 
tournaments,  volunteer  camps,  waterworks,  electric  light, 
cement  pavements,  planting  of  shade  trees  on  the  streets, 
the  town  park,  development  of  fruit  farms,  new  residences, 
all  show  a  new  town.  The  streets  had  been  laid  out  in 
1791  with  mathematical  regularity,  and  now  in  summer 
the  maples,  elms  and  lindens  give  ample  shade.  From  the 
hotel  may  be  seen  an  unrivalled  panorama  of  lake,  river, 
forts,  steamers  passing,  the  fisherman's  nets,  rowboats  and 
yachts,  motorboats,  laughing  children  bathing  on  the  safe 
and  sloping  beach.  From  the  fort  is  heard  the  sound  of 
the  bugle,  clear  and  sweet,  or  nearer  the  rhythmical  beat 
of  the  waves  upon  the  shore  or  the  music  of  the  waving 
branches  of  trees.  Seen,  too,  the  lofty  sky  of  ethereal  blue, 
and  in  the  evening,  when  the  sun  seems  to  sink  into  the 
lake,  the  crimson  and  gold,  azure  and  purple,  with  heavenly 


NIAGARA  5 

tints  of  mauve  and  pink,  are  reproduced  in  the  lake  without 
a  ripple,  and  later  the  lights  from  the  officers'  quarters  and 
the  lighthouse,  slanting  across  the  river  almost  to  our 
feet — what  fairer  sight  can  any  country  boast? 

While  Niagara  may  never  be  a  busy  commercial  or  manu- 
facturing town,  it  has  unequalled  advantages  as  a  watering 
place,  and  is  a  centre  for  all  those  open-air  amusements 
now  happily  so  common,  as  golf,  tennis,  bowling,  boating, 
fishing  and  bathing ;  a  visit  to  the  wharf  in  September  will 
show,  with  its  thousands  of  baskets  of  fruit — peaches,  pears, 
plums  and  grapes — that  this  is  indeed  the  garden  of  Can- 
ada. The  points  of  interest  are  numerous.  Besides  the 
three  forts  in  view — Niagara,  Mississauga  and  George— -are 
the  Half  moon  Battery,  Navy  Hall,  Lover's  Lane,  Paradise 
Grove,  Butler's  Barracks,  the  French  Thorns,  the  Parlia- 
ment Oak,  Crookston,  St.  Mark's  graveyard,  the  old  jail 
and  court  house  (now  the  home  of  waifs  and  strays),  the  two 
historic  churches,  St.  Mark's  and  St.  Andrew's,  and  not 
far  distant  Brock's  monument,  the  Devil's  Hole,  Foster's 
Flats,  and  the  Glen.  The  traveller  may  also  visit  the  pub- 
lic library  containing  over  seven  thousand  volumes,  and  the 
historical  building  with  many  articles  of  interest  to  the 
antiquarian  or  the  student  of  Canadian  history,  such  as 
military  relics,  documents,  pictures,  Indian  relics,  china, 
household  articles — six  thousand  in  number.  With  all  this 
the  beauties  of  the  town  have  not  been  exhausted,  and  much 
more  to  be  seen  will  amply  repay  the  visit  of  the  tourist. 

But  who  can  tell  in  adequate  words  the  feeling  with 
which  Niagarians  far  from  the  old  town  think  of  it?  How 
the  heart  warms  at  the  mention  of  the  name ;  how  they  come 
to  visit,  after  what  seem  years  of  exile,  every  spot  endeared 
to  them  since  childhood,  and  which  memory  invests  with 
a  halo  of  beauty.  But  if  their  absence  has  been  long,  how 
few  of  the  old  friends  they  find,  alas !  as  one  sadly  and 
pathetically  said :  "  I  found  more  of  my  old  friends  in  the 
graveyards  than  elsewhere  in  the  town."  But  the  scenery 
has  not  lost  its  beauty.  Where  can  we  find  a  more 
beautiful  vista  than  to  stand  at  the  railway  platform  in 
town  and  look  in  the  direction  of  the  river?  What  com- 
bination of  colors  could  be  more  entrancing — the  green 
trees  on  each  side,  the  blue  river  and  the  white  fort  ?  And 


G 

to  stand  on  any  of  our  streets  in  the  evening  at  sunset  and 
look  north,  the  long  avenue  of  trees  ending  Avith  the  glorious 
crimson  sky,  changing  to  softer  tints — the  blaze  of  glory 
lifts  the  thoughts  to  the  great  Creator  of  all  this  beauty. 
Is  this  a  foretaste  of  the  unknown  hereafter  ?  Or  stand  on 
the  knoll  at  Fort  George  near  the  spot  where  Brock  was 
buried,  and  take  in  the  view  of  fast-flowing  river  with 
banks  of  soft  green,  the  historic  fort  reaching  back  to 
French  occupation,  the  seemingly  boundless  lake  beyond  ; 
or  walk — for  walking  here  is  pleasure — and  sit  on  the  bank 
of  the  river  watching  the  points  and  bays,  and  think  of 
the  ceaseless  flow  coming  from  far  Superior  to  our  own 
Ontario  Lake,  by  rivers — some  flowing  south,  some  north— 
and  finally  making  that  tremendous  leap  following  the 
tumultuous  rapids,  and  then  the  mad  circling  waters  of 
the  whirlpool,  and  flowing  majestically  onward  through  the 
rapids  of  the  noble  8t.  Lawrence,  to  the  vast  ocean  beyond. 
Ts  there  any  wonder  that  we  love  our  town  ?  Oh,  Niagara  ! 
never  can  thv  beauties  be  forgotten. 


CHAPTER  II. 
EARLY  CENSUS  AND  MUNICIPAL  RECORDS. 

ON  August  25th,  1782,  Colonel  Butler  took  the  first 
census  of  the  Settlement  of  Niagara.  The  names  are 
Peter  Secord,  John  Secord,  James  Secord,  Isaac  Dolson, 
George  Stuart,  George  Fields,  John  Depue,  Daniel  Rowe, 
Elijah  Phelps,  Philip  Bender,  Samuel  Lutz,  Michael 
Showers,  Harmonious  House,  Thomas  McMicking,  Adam 
Young,  McGregor  Van  Every,  representing  all  told  238 
acres  cleared,  45  horses,  55  cattle,  88  hogs,  30  sheep,  206 
bushels  of  wheat,  930  bushels  of  corn,  46  bushels  of  oats, 
600  bushels  of  potatoes.  The  enumeration  is  given  thus: 
Peter  Secord,  7  persons,  4  horses,  6  cattle,  14  hogs,  30 
acres  cleared,  80  bushels  of  wheat,  65  bushels  of  Indian 
corn,  100  bushels  of  potatoes,  5  bushels  of  oats.  Thomas 
McMicking  brought  with  him  one  male  slave.  There  were 
16  families  and  83  persons. 

In  1783  another  census  was  taken,  the  settlers  now  num- 
bering 46  families,  having  44  houses  and  20  barns,  owning 
124  horses,  195  cattle,  332  hogs,  713  acres  cleared,  123 
sown  with  winter  wheat,  and  342  ready  for  sowing.  The 
additional  names  are  John  Macdonell,  Peter  Hare,  Bernard 
Frey,  Andrew  Bradt,  Benjamin  Pawling,  Jacob  Ball,  Peter 
Ball,  Robert  Guthrie,  John  Reiley,  John  Coon,  Jacob  Ben- 
ner,  George  Rencier  (Rensselaer),  Ezekiel  Brown,  Joseph 
Robinson,  P.  Thompson,  Brant  Johnson,  John  Burch, 
Thomas  Secord,  Ralph  Johnston,  John  Chisholm,  F.  Els- 
worth,  James  Forsyth,  T.  Millard,  A.  Macdonell,  A. 
Slingerland,  H.  Matthews,  H.  Volleck,  Joseph  Peters,  John 
Secord,  Jr.,  S.  -Sipes.  To  what  distance  the  settlement 
extended  we  know  not. 

From  the  archives  we  learn  that  on  May  3rd,  1783,  rations 
were  given,  and  in  July,  to  258  men,  99  women,  and  263 
children,  of  those  settled  opposite  Fort  Niagara.  In  1784 
there  were  600  rations  per  day  given. 

Although  such  an  old  town,  the  records  go  back  to  only 
1846,  the  date  of  incorporation,  as  previously  the  record 

7 


8  HISTORY  OP  NIAGARA 

book  was  for  the  town  and  township,  and  this  was  retained 
by  the  latter.  The  records,  however,  are  very  meagre, 
chiefly  relating  to  the  rules  for  fencing,  marking  cattle, 
names  of  assessors,  fence-viewers,  etc.  Strange  to  say  the 
presiding  officer  was  the  constable.  On  August  8th,  1793, 
"  A  town  meeting  was  appointed  at  Newark  by  the  petty 
sessions  of  magistrates — Peter  Russell,  Robert  Hamilton, 
Robert  Kerr,  William  Jarvis,  Esqs. — to  be  held  on  August 
17th,  to  elect  town  and  parish  officers/'  The  first  record 
is  dated  August  17th,  signed  William  Mollynox,  con- 
stable; Ralfe  Clench,  clerk. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  inhabitants,  electors  of  the  township 
of  Newark,  by  virtue  of  an  act  of  the  Legislature — an  act  to 
provide  for  appointment  of  parish  and  town  officers,  etc. — 
a  list  is  given  of  assessors,  collectors,  poundkeepers,  fence- 
viewers,  or  overseers  of  highways,  town  or  church  wardens. 
The  meetings  afterwards  were  held  in  March.  The  name 
of  Newark  was  used  till  1799;  but  from  1800  that  of 
Niagara.  The  town  meeting  was  held  on  March  1st, 
1813,  but  no  meeting  is  recorded  during  the  war,  nor 
indeed  till  March  30th,  1817.  The  places  of  meeting  were 
various,  generally  an  inn  in  the  town;  but  in  1836  they 
met  at  Cross  Roads.  In  1837  it  is  called  a  township  meet- 
ing, held  at  George  Cain's,  Four  Mile  Creek,  and  in  1839  at 
St.  Davids,  and  no  mention  is  made  of  the  town,  which 
must  have  had  a  separate  meeting. 

The  following  persons  were  elected  for  the  year  1794: 
Ralfe  Clench,  Esq.,  town  clerk ;  Peter  Ball,  Esq.,  and  Adam 
Vrooman,  assessors;  Arent  Bradt,  collector;  John  Butler 
and  Robert  Hamilton,  town  or  church  wardens;  Peter 
Lampman,  James  Thomas,  and  Arent  Bradt,  as  pound- 
keepers;  William  Vanderlip,  John  Young,  Adam  Crysler, 
Gilbert  Fields,  Stephen  Secord,  and  Cornelius  Lambert, 
overseers  of  highways,  and  fence-viewers.  It  was  resolved 
at  said  meeting  that  hogs  should  be  allowed  to  run  at  large, 
and  that  the  height  of  fences  should  be  five  feet,  to  be 
lawful. 

In  1798  it  was  resolved  that  all  teams,  carriages,  etc., 
coming  to  town  should  keep  the  road,  and  those  going  from 
town  to  turn  out  for  them.  In  1808  this  was  varied  to: 
"  That  carriages  on  meeting  shall  give  half  the  road,  keep- 


CENSUS  AND  MUNICIPAL  RECORDS          9 

ing  to  the  right  hand  side."  On  the  last  two  pages  of  the 
book  is  a  register  of  marks  on  hogs  or  cattle,  which  to  us 
seems  cruel.  The  farmers'  names  are  here  down  to  1835. 
A  few  marks  are  given :  A  slit  in  the  right  ear ;  a  hole 
and  halfpenny  in  the  left  ear;  the  left  ear  cut  off;  a  crop 
off  the  left  ear  and  a  halfmoon  cut  out  of  the  lower  side  of 
the  same  ear ;  a  round  hole  in  each  ear  and  the  tail  cut  off ; 
a  triangle  in  the  left  ear,  etc. 

These  records  of  town  meetings  give  us  the  names  of 
persons  of  standing  selected  from  year  to  year  to  perform 
certain  duties.  In  a  newspaper  of  1802  is  a  list  of  those 
to  do  statute  labor  in  the  town  and  township  of  Niagara, 
which  gives  us  the  names  of  owners  of  property  and  the 
position  of  their  farms  or  lots  in  the  town.  From  Queens- 
ton  to  Niagara — Hon.  R.  Hamilton,  A.  Vrooman,  J.  Dur- 
ham, A.  Cunningham,  J.  Brown,  G.  Fields,  J.  Kemp,  H. 
Johnston,  General  Count  de  Puisaye,  I.  Swayze,  J.  McFar- 
land,  J.  Wilson.  Of  these  on  the  river  road  six  names  are 
still  represented — Hamilton,  Vrooman,  Brown,  Fields, 
Durham,  and  McFarland — by  their  descendants.  Under  the 
charge  of  A.  Heron,  from  Navy  Hall  to  Four  Mile  Creek — 
W.  J.  Chew,  D.  Price,  William  Dickson,  W.  Crooks,  J. 
Crooks,  J.  Dun,  A.  Stewart,  J.  Muirhead,  G.  Drake,  Mrs. 
Lyons,  Herild,  Dorman,  Fields,  Cassady,  Boyd,  Greenfi], 
Edwards,  Bradshaw,  Thompson,  Hurst,  Kinsela,  Purely, 
Wallace,  Forsyth,  Symington,  Johnston,  Coon,  Wenip, 
Butler's  farm.  In  the  remaining  list  we  find  the  familiar 
names  of  Ball,  Butler,  Freel,  Servos,  Secord,  Corus,  Cle- 
ment, Stewart,  and  descendants  of  Addison,  Glaus,  Young, 
still  on  the  same  farms. 

In  1795,  in  the  District  of  Nassau,  the  justices  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  were  John  Butler,  Robert  Hamil- 
ton and  Jesse  Pawling.  The  justices  of  the  peace  were 
John  Warren,  John  Powell,  Jacob  Ball,  John  Burch,  and 
P.  Ten  Broek.  Sheriff,  S.  Street;  Clerk  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas,  Gilbert  Tise;  Clerk  of  the  Peace,  Philip 
Frey;  Coroner,  H.  Nelles. 

The  members  of  the  Land  Board  in  1791  were  Colonel 
Gordon,  Lieut.-Colonel  Butler,  P.  Ten  Broek,  R,  Hamilton, 
B.  Pawling,  J.  Burch,  John  Warren,  John  McNabb,  Lieut. 
Bruyere,  of  Royal  Engineers. 


CHAPTER  III. 
NAVY  HALL  AND  FORT  GEORGE. 

IN  Mrs.  Simcoe's  water-color,  taken  from  near  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  there  may  be  seen  four  buildings,  one  nearly 
at  right  angles  to  the  others;  and  in  the  map  of  1799  of 
Fort  George  appear  the  same  four  buildings,  marked  Navy 
Hall.  A  long,  low  building  still  remains,  and  this  is 
claimed  to  be  one  of  the  four.  From  a  letter  in  the  archives 
it  appears  that  "  Navy  Hall  was  built  in  the  course  of  the 
last  war,  1775-1787,  for  the  use  of  the  officers  of  the  navy 
department  serving  on  Lake  Ontario.  Not  being  wanted 
in  time  of  peace  it  was  not  repaired,  and  is  a  paltry  resi- 
dence for  the  king's  representative,  and  not  fit  for  winter, 
but  Avas  fitted  up  for  Simcoe  and  family."  When  Simcoe 
arrived,  one  of  these,  full  of  sails,  cordage  and  other  naval 
stores,  was  cleared  out  and  fitted  up  for  the  Governor.  In 
a  letter  from  Alured  Clarke  to  Lord  Dundas,  "Repairs 
were  ordered  2(ith  July,  1792,  £500  was  to  be  spent  on 
boards,  lime,  paint  (white,  brown,  blue,  black),  12  locks, 
12  bolts,  18  sashes,"  etc.  The  French  Duke,  entertained 
by  Simcoe  in  1795,  says  the  Governor's  residence  at  Navy 
Hall  "  was  a  miserable  low  wooden  building."  Of  course  it- 
would  so  appear  to  a  nobleman  from  Paris.  In  all  the 
maps  where  the  one  building  left  appears  it  is  at  an  angle 
slanting  to  the  river,  and  doubters  say  the  building  now 
is  more  nearly  facing  the  river  and  cannot  be  the  same. 
But  the  explanation  is  easy.  When  the  late  W.  A.  Thom- 
son made  the  cutting  through  the  oak  grove  for  a  new 
railway  route  it  was  found  this  would  run  right  through 
Navy  Hall.  He  then  obtained  permission  to  move  it  back 
into  Fort  George  enclosure,  which  was  carefully  done,  the 
building  being  placed  more  nearly  facing  the  river  than 
before.  In  maps  of  1816,  1817,  1819,  1831  and  1835  the 
same  building  appears  marked  Navy  Hall,  while  in  a  later 
one  of  1851  it  is  called  Red  Barracks,  it  having  been  used 
for  soldiers  stationed  here.  There  are  two  doors,  each 

10 


NAVY  HALL  AND  FORT  GEORGE     11. 

marked  "  28  men."  The  building  was  at  oue  time  devoted 
to  the  ignoble  use  of  a  stable,  and  finally,  although 
petitions  were  sent  to  the  Government  for  its  restoration,  it 
was  fast  becoming  a  ruin,  part  of  the  roof  falling  in. 
Happily,  however,  the  present  Minister  of  Militia,  the 
Honorable  S.  Hughes,  ordered  a  grant  for  its  restoration, 
which  lias  been  done,  care  being  taken  to  use  all  old  mater- 
ials possible,  and  to  present  the  same  appearance  as  before. 
John  Ross  Eobertson,  who  had  advocated  its  restoration, 
obtained  part  of  an  oak  beam  from  it  and  had  a  handsome 
chair  made  thereof,  which  he  presented  to  the  Convo- 
cation Hall  of  Toronto  University,  in  December,  1912. 
The  building  is  one  hundred  feet  long  by  twenty-four  feet 
in  width.  The  Niagara  Historical  Society  has  placed  on  it 
a  marble  tablet  with  the  following  inscription :  "  One  of 
four  buildings  called  Navy  Hall  in  1787.  One  was  altered 
for  Governor  Simcoe,  1792.  He  had  one,  believed  to  be 
this  one,  prepared  for  Parliament,  1792,  called  Red  Bar- 
racks, 1840,  moved  up,  1864.  Almost  a  ruin,  1911.  Re- 
stored by  Dominion  Government,  1912,  by  petition  of 
Niagara  Historical  Society." 

Quite  near  was  the  King's  Wharf,  which  was  used  till 
the  Harbor  and  Dock  Company,  in  1831,  filled  up  the 
marshy  ground,  and  excavated  for  what  is  now  called  the 
"  slip."  The  tavern  near  the  King's  wharf  was  called,  in 
a  paper  of  1830,  "  Navy  Hall  Tavern." 

There  does  not  seem  to  have  been  much  work  done  at 
Fort  George  before  Simcoe  came  in  1792,  but  when  it  was 
seen  that  Fort  Niagara  would  be  given  up,  extensive  works 
were  set  on  foot  in  1794.  To  this  General  Brock  added 
extensively  in  earthworks,  redoubts  and  bastions.  Many 
buildings  were  in  the  enclosure,  but  of  all  these  scarcely 
anything  remains.  In  Lossing's  "History  of  the  War  of 
1812  "  are  several  pictures,  he  having  taken  sketches.  What 
he  calls  the  new  powder  magazine  in  1860  is  now  a  ruin, 
while  what  he  calls  the  old  French  magazine  is  in  good 
preservation,  buttresses  having  been  added  to  strengthen  it ; 
but  there  is  no  authority  whatever  to  suppose  that  the 
French  left  any  traces  on  this  side  of  the  river.  It  is  now 
difficult  to  trace  the  position  of  former  buildings,  as  the 
hand  of  time  so  soon  alters  the  general  appearance;  the 


12  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

moat  is  gradually  filling  up,  and  as  the  grounds  are  under 
cultivation  many  depressions  have  almost  disappeared. 
Boys  eagerly  search  for  military  buttons,  and  after  heavy 
rains  these  and  other  traces  of  war  are  often  found.  Farther 
up  the  river  may  be  traced  the  Halfmoon  Battery,  and  be- 
yond runs  a  road  through  the  Oak  Grove,  called  Lover's 
Lane,  while  the  grove  around  has  long  been  known  by  the 
name  of  Paradise. 

Early  travellers  describe  Fort  George  as  having  irregular 
fieldwork  with  six  bastions,  framed  timbers  and  plank, 
connected  with  palisades  twelve  feet  high,  and  surrounded 
by  a  shallow,  dry  ditch.  Troops  were  lodged  in  blockhouses, 
with  a  spacious  building  for  officers.  There  was  also  a  maga- 
zine built  of  stone  with  an  arched  roof.  A  more  particular 
statement  is  given  by  Colonel  Gother  Mann,  R.E.,  from 
the  report  in  1803  of  Captain  Bruyere,  R.E.  There 
were  four  blockhouses,  all  of  a  good  size — one  one  hundred 
by  thirty  feet,  the  north  and  south  blockhouses  each  forty- 
four  by  twenty- four  feet;  an  octagon  blockhouse,  twenty- 
eight  i'eet  in  diameter,  for  stores;  another  building  for 
stores,  ninety  by  twenty-six  feet.  Besides  these  the  officers' 
pavilion  was  one  hundred  and  twenty  by  twenty  feet,  with 
wings  twenty  by  twenty  feet;  the  hospital  was  a  good 
building,  seventy  by  twenty-six  feet  in  size;  and  there 
were  kitchens,  detached,  to  the  officers'  and  soldiers'  quar- 
ters. The  fort  was  defended  by  forty-eight  guns  of  dif- 
ferent sizes,  from  three-pounders  to  eighteen-pounders. 
Showing  that  these  buildings  were  here  in  1813,  in  the 
diary  of  Daniel  Glaus,  on  the  27th  of  May,  he  was  one  of 
the  last  to  leave  Fort  George  on  the  retreat  of  Vincent, 
and  says  that  he  marched  out  from  the  octagon  blockhouse 
just  as  the  flag  of  the  American  force  came  in  the  gate. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
FIRST  PARLIAMENT  AND  GOVERNOR  SIMCOE. 

IT  has  for  years  been  one  of  the  vexed  questions  never 
quite  settled  where  the  first  Parliament  met,  each  contest- 
ant scouting  the  statement  of  his  opponent.  Sufficient 
variety  is  given  for  choice — a  marquee  tent  on  the  hill,  the 
Parliament  Oak,  Navy  Hall,  the  Indian  Council  House, 
Butler's  Barracks,  Government  House  and  Port  Niagara. 
Now.  as  our  early  legislators  met  here  for  five  years,  and 
as  Simcoe  found  no  place  ready  either  for  a  residence  for 
himself  or  for  Parliament  to  meet,  it  is  probable,  it  is  indeed 
certain,  that  it  met  in  several  places;  in  each  and  all  may 
our  early  legislators  have  met  on  some  occasion,  for  gener- 
ally these  local  traditions  or  myths,  as  some  irreverently 
call  them,  have  a  certain  substratum  of  fact.  Documents 
in  the  Archives,  early  books  of  travel,  libraries,  local  tradi- 
tions, oral  testimony  of  early  inhabitants,  and  maps,  all 
have  been  consulted  and  lead  to  the  belief  that  for  part  of 
the  time  at  least,  Parliament  met  in  what  is  called  Navy 
Hall,  the  name  given  to  four  buildings  used  by  the  navy, 
partly  for  residence,  for  shelter,  and  partly  for  storage  of 
sails,  cordage,  etc. 

It  is  known  that  there  were  buildings  in  1787,  and  in  i 
map  of  1799  there  are  four  buildings  marked  Navy  Hall, 
at  King's  Wharf,  and  in  the  drawing  of  Mrs.  Simcoe,  1792, 
these  appear.  In  a  map  of  1817  one  building  only  is  seen, 
still  marked  Navy  Hall;  also  in  1819  and  1831  and  1835, 
while  in  that  of  1851  the  same  building  is  called  Eed 
Barracks,  it  having  been  used  for  soldiers,  and  on  the  two 
doors  now  appear  the  words  "  28  men  "  in  faded  colors. 

Some  have  asserted  that  the  present  building  cannot  be 
one  of  the  four  buildings  of  1792,  and  that  they  all  were 
destroyed  in  the  War  of  1812-14;  but  we  know  that  the 
Americans  in  December,  1813,  left  so  hurriedly  that  their 
tents  remained  standing,  and  the  buildings  of  Port  George 
used  by  them  were  not  destroyed,  nor  Butler's  Barracks, 

13 


14  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

showing  that,  though  the  town  was  burned  with  the  excep- 
tion of  two  nouses  and  parts  of  other  houses,  many  mili- 
tary buildings  were  left  on  the  outskirts. 

In  the  "  Makers  of  Canada," — "  The  Life  of  Simcoe," 
by  Duncan  'Campbell  Scott,  F.R.S.C. — the .  statement  is 
made  that  the  first  meeting  of  Parliament  was  held  in  Free- 
masons' Hall,  but  no  authority  is  given.  Since  then  this 
is  believed  to  be  on  the  statement  of  E.  Littlehales,  secre- 
tary, which,  of  course,  is  good  authority.  So  much  for  the 
first  meeting.  Simcoe  himself  states,  in  1793,  "Last  year 
I  fitted  up  the  King's  Barracks  and  storehouses  to  contain 
the  offices  of  Government  and  my  staff  and  to  accommodate 
the  Legislature  of  the  Province.  These  public  buildings 
I  thought  it  a  great  public  saving  to  refit."  Alured  Clarke, 
in  a  letter  to  Lord  Dundas,  refers  to  the  expense  of  fitting 
up  these  buildings  for  the  Governor's  residence,  and  for 
the  Parliament,  ordered  26th  July,  1792,  so  that  it  is  not 
likely  they  could  be  ready  on  17th  September.  The  exact 
price  is  given  in  pounds,  shillings  and  pence,  of  boards, 
shingles,  laths,  brick,  paint,  locks,  etc.  Mrs.  Simcoe  on  the 
same  rlate  says,  "  These  buildings  are  undergoing  repairs 
for  our  residence,  but  are  so  unfinished  that  the  Governor 
has  ordered  three  marquees  to  be  pitched  on  the  hill  above 
the  house." 

In  the  Upper  Canmla  Gazelle.  17!)4,  proclamations  are 
dated  ''Navy  Hall,  Newark,"  as  in  oilier  years,  and  some- 
times signed  "Council  House,  Navy  Hall."  Many  letters 
of  General  Brock  are  dated  "  Navy  Hall."  Proclamations 
of  Governor  Simcoe  arc  frequently  dated  "  Government 
House,  Navy  Hall." 

Great  care  must  be  used  in  examining  early  records,  and 
great  confusion  arises  from  the  interchange  of  names. 
Thus  Niagara  at  first  means  Fort  Niagara.  West  Lauding 
;md  The  Lauding  mean  Queenston.  The  King's  Barracks 
does  not  necessarily  mean  Butler's  Barracks.  Another 
name,  Fort  George,  may  easily  cause  mistakes  to  unwary 
writers  not  familiar  with  the  spot.  In  military  parlance 
the  name  Fort  George  is  used  to  represent  the  town.  Let- 
ters to  soldiers  at  Niagara  were  simply  directed  to  Fort 
George.  One  statement  reads,  "  Engineers'  Quarters,  For! 
George,"  which  would  lead  one  to  believe  that  the  engineers' 


GOVEKNOK  SIMCOE  15 

quarters  were  in  the  enclosure  of  Fort  George,  whereas  they 
were  a  mile  distant,  where  the  Queen's  Hotel  stands.  An- 
other reads  "  Butler's  Barracks,  Fort  George,"  whereas  the 
two  spots  are  a  mile  apart.  All  this  shows  how  easy  it  is 
to  make  mistakes.  The  first  Butler's  Barracks  is  supposed 
by  some  to  have  been  built  on  the  hill  now  occupied  by  a 
peach  orchard,  as  there  the  most  of  Butler's  Bangers'  but- 
tons Avere  found.  In  a  statement  of  Peter  Kussell,  in  1800. 
of  military  buildings,  he  speaks  of  buildings  at  Navy  Hall 
being  occupied  by  the  military,  and  that  the  house  generally 
called  Butler's  Barracks  underwent  a  thorough  repair,  and 
two  wings  were  added  for  the  Legislature  to  meet  in  this 
house,  which  had  later  been  burnt.  This  statement  has 
been  used  to  prove  that  Parliament  did  not  meet  at  Navy 
Hall ;  but  as  no  date  is  given  for  the  burning  of  the  building 
a  wide  margin  is  allowed  for  other  buildings  being  used. 
The  testimony  of  Mrs.  Quade,  the  daughter  of  Dominick 
Henry,  keeper  of  the  lighthouse  at  Mississauga  Point  from 
1803  to  1814,  is  worthy  of  attention.  She  was  born  at  the 
lighthouse-keeper's  house  in  1804,  was  present  at  the  taking 
of  the  town  by  the  Americans  in  1813,  and  when  it  was 
burnt,  December,  1813;  lived  here  till  1831,  and  when 
visiting  the  town  in  after  years  said  to  her  children,  when 
crossing  the  river  landing  at  the  old  ferry,  pointing  to  the 
old  building  still  remaining,  "  There  is  the  old  Parliament 
House."  A  different  statement  is  given  by  Eev.  J.  Mc- 
Ewen,  Itorn  here  in  1811.  who  states  that  he  always  under- 
stood Parliament  met  in  a  building  between  Fort  George 
and  Butler's  Barracks.  Colonel  Clarke,  in  his  diary,  says 
Parliament  first  met  in  a  marquee  tent  near  the  Indian 
Council  House,  between  Butler's  Barracks  and  Navy  Hall. 
Now,  does  he  mean  the  first  Butler's  Barracks  or  the  build- 
ings standing  at  present?  Then  the  myth  of  meeting 
under  the  Parliament  Oak  is  not  easy  to  explain.  Was 
it  nearer  than  the  Oak  Grove,  possibly  a  larger  tree  afford- 
ing better  shade?  In  the  map  of  1835  the  grove  is  called 
''  Young  Oak."  These  different*  opinions  furnish  ground 
for  discussion. 

On  the  17th  September,  1792,  the  first  Parliament  of 
Kpper  Canada  met  at  Newark,  summoned  by  writs  issued 
at  Kingston.  The  members  of  the  Legislative  Council 


16  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

chosen  were:  William  Osgoode,  James  Baby,  E.  Duncan. 
William  Eobertson,  Eobert  Hamilton,  E.  Cartwright,  J. 
Munro,  Alex.  Grant  and  Peter  Eussell;  and  of  the  Assem- 
bly, John  Macdonell,  Speaker;  Nathaniel  Pettitt,  Isaac 
Swayzie,  H.  -Spencer,  E.  Jones,  J.  Booth,  P.  Vanalstane,  B. 
Pawling,  D.  W.  Smith,  John  White,  J.  French,  F.  Baby, 
P.  Terry  and  H.  Macdonell.  P.  Borland,  being  a  Quaker, 
did  not  sit.  E.  B.  Littlehales  was  clerk  of  the  Council,  and 
William  Jarvis  was  secretary.  The  session  lasted  four 
weeks.  As  only  seven  members  of  the  Assembly  were 
present  no  large  hall  was  necessary. 

There  was  much  state  at  the  opening — a  guard  of  honor 
of  the  26th  Eegiment  from  Fort  Niagara,  a  band  of  music 
and  colors.  Butler's  Eangers  and  Queen's  Eangers  formed 
the  military  escort,  some  say,  and  the  guns  of  Fort  Niagara 
gave  a  salute  at  the  hour  of  opening.  The  place,  according 
to  Littlehales,  was  the  Freemasons'  Hall,  a  building 
erected  in  1791,  and  in  which  we  find  that  the  Agricultural 
Society  met,  Indians  met  with  commissioners  and  British 
officers,  and  where  Divine  service  was  held.  The  present 
home  of  the  Freemasons  is  on  the  same  site  on  the  corner 
of  King  and  Prideaux  Street — the  building  called  the  Stone 
Barracks  for  many  years. 

The  principal  acts  fixed  the  establishment  of  English 
law  and  trial  by  jury,  made  share  of  millers  one-twelfth, 
ordered  a  jail  and  courthouse  to  be  built  in  four  districts, 
and  settled  weights  and  measures.  Here  and  there  a  few 
glimpses  are  caught  of  the  procedure,  in  the  Upper  Canada 
Gazette  and  early  books  of  travel;  but,  like  Oliver  Twist, 
we  vainly  ask  for  more.  Official  notices  and  news  from 
Constantinople,  St.  Petersburg,  and  Amsterdam  are  fre- 
quently found,  but  very  little  of  Niagara,  its  people  and 
its  homes ;  there  were  few  advertisements  and  no  personals 
— certainly  a  great  contrast  to  the  papers  of  the  present 
day. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1793,  His  Majesty's  birthday,  says 
the  Upper  Canada  Gazette,  Governor  Simcoe  held  a  levee 
at  Navy  Hall.  The  guns  of  the  garrison  fired  a  salute.  In 
the  evening  a  ball  and  elegant  supper  in  the  council  cham- 
ber were  most  numerously  attended.  Of  this  ball  another 
brief  notice  is  extant.  Three  distinguished  Americans 


PARLIAMENT    OAK. 


GOVERNOR  SIMCOE  17 

were  among  the  guests — Colonel  Pickering,  General  Lin- 
coln and  Mr.  Randolph,  United  States  Commissioners  to 
the  Western  Indians.  The  private  journal  of  General  Lin- 
coln says :  "  The  ball  was  attended  by  about  twenty  well- 
dressed  and  handsome  ladies  and  about  three  times  that 
number  of  gentlemen.  They  danced  from  seven  to  eleven 
o'clock,  when  supper  was  served  with  very  pretty  taste. 
The  music  and  dancing  were  good,  and  everything  was 
conducted  with  propriety." 

The  principal  Acts  passed  in  the  second  session  were  to 
make  valid  certain  marriages,  and,  to  its  honor  be  it 
said,  to  prevent  the  introduction  of  slaves  and  limit  the 
time  of  those  already  here.  In  1795  Simcoe  is  described 
at  the  meeting  of  Parliament  as  "  draped  in  silk.  Simcoe 
entered  the  hall  with  his  hat  on  his  head,  attended  by  his 
adjutant  and  two  secretaries  and  a  retinue  of  fifty  men 
from  the  fort." 

When  Simcoe  built  his  new  residence  on  the  hill  it  is 
said  he  constructed  fishponds,  supplied  with  water  from 
a  spring  above.  Our  first  Governor  dispensed  hospitality 
with  such  an  open  hand  that  the  Indians  gave  him  the 
name  of  Deyonguhokrawen — "  One  whose  door  is  always 
open  " — and  we  find  that — whether  Royal  visitor,  French 
duke,  Indian  chief  or  American  commissioners — all  were 
hospitably  entertained,  and  those  who  were  in  need  were 
assisted.  He  must,  too,  have  been  a  most  energetic  explorer 
of  his  new  domains,  for  we  have  four  excursions  described 
on  a  map,  some  of  these  in  the  depth  of  winter.  First, 
Route  from  Niagara  to  Detroit  on  foot  and  in  canoes,  Feb- 
ruary, 1793,  taking  five  weeks;  second,  York  to  the  Thames, 
Detroit,  Miamis,  April,  1794;  third,  York  to  Kingston  in 
open  boat,  December,  1794;  and  fourth,  Niagara  to  Long 
Point,  1795,  on  foot,  boat  and  portage.  All  this  shows 
that  he  spared  no  labor,  and  must,  in  such  weather  and 
with  the  primitive  means  of  conveyance,  and  the  roads,  or 
rather  want  of  roads,  of  those  days,  have  endured  many 
hardships.  We  know,  too,  that  in  arranging  for  new  set- 
tlers he  was  indefatigable,  and  showed  great  zeal  and  kind- 
ness in  allotting  to  them  their  new  homes,  for  to  every  man, 
woman  and  child  two  hundred  acres  of  land  were  given, 
and  tents  were  put  up  for  the  newcomers  till  better  shelter 
3 


18  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

could  be  provided.  Simcoe  met  his  last  Parliament  on 
16th  May,  1796,  which  he  prorogued  on  30th  June,  being 
ordered  to  the  West  Indies.  Mrs.  Simcoe  ably  seconded 
him ;  she  was  possessed  of  artistic  skill,  and  took  numerous 
sketches  of  scenery  in  the  neighborhood.  These  were 
copied  for  John  Ross  Robertson  in  England — over  forty  in 
number — and  appear  in  "The  Diary  of  Mrs.  Simcoe," 
lately  published,  with  copious  notes  most  industriously 
gathered  from  every  possible  quarter. 


CHAPTER  V. 
THE  UNITED  EMPIRE  LOYALISTS. 

WE  have  no  record  of  settlements  on  the  Canadian  side 
of  the  river  previous  to  1777.  Refugees  who  fled  to  Fort 
Niagara  came  in  gradually,  some  destitute,  some  bringing 
with  them  treasured  articles.  Those  who  stood  for  the 
unity  of  the  empire  received  the  name  of  United  Empire 
Loyalists.  Butler's  Rangers  were  disbanded  in  1784,  and 
the  Militia  Reservation,  by  command  of  Haldimand,  ex- 
tended to  Four  Mile  Creek.  The  Land  Board  met  in  1789. 
We  find  the  names  of  Augustus  Jones,  surveyor  (father 
of  the  late  Peter  Jones,  missionary),  Philip  Frey  and  D.  W. 
Smith.  While  the  settlements  in  Nova  Scotia  and 
Adolphustown  can  give  an  exact  date  for  the  landing,  as 
the  refugees  came  by  boat,  and  we  have  the  certain  date  of 
18th  of  May,  1783,  of  the  landing  at  St.  John  of  seven 
thousand  from  New  York,  and  on  the  16th  of  June,  1786, 
at  Adolphustown,  we  have  no  certain  time  fixed  accurately, 
for  those  who  came  to  Niagara  came  by  devious  ways  by 
land  and  water — some  by  the  Hudson  River  to  Oswego, 
and  crossing  Lake  Ontario ;  others  by  land  to  points  nearly 
opposite  the  Niagara  River.  Some  made  their  way  to 
Fort  Niagara  as  a  place  of  refuge  with  a  British  garrison. 
Few  seem  to  have  kept  any  record  of  the  day  or  month  of 
their  arrival.  In  the  case  of  Niagara  the  records  were 
burnt  in  1813.  In  the  list  of  Loyalists  the  words  "  Niagara 
Stamped  Book  "  occur  frequently,  but  this  book  it  seems 
cannot  now  be  found. 

Commissioners,  five  in  number,  were  appointed  by  the 
British  Government  to  examine  the  claims  of  the  Loyalists, 
and  the  full  report  has  been  published  by  the  Bureau  of 
Archives,  the  material  being  obtained  in  a  rather  singular 
way.  One  copy  is  preserved  in  the  Public  Records  Office, 
in  London,  England,  but  one  of  the  Commissioners,  Colonel 
Thomas  Dundas,  retained  his  manuscript  in  his  home, 
Carron  Hall,  Stirlingshire.  General  Sir  Henry  Lefroy, 

19 


20  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

who  had  charge  of  a  magnetic  survey  in  Toronto,  married 
a  daughter  of  Colonel  Dundas,  in  1864,  and  saw  the  original 
manuscript,  and  being  interested  in  the  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tute, advised  that  the  manuscript  be  placed  there  for  safe- 
keeping. The  Province  of  Ontario  paid  to  have  the  whole 
copied,  and  the  result  when  printed  is  two  thick  volumes 
of  1436  pages,  in  which  may  be  found  many  familiar 
names,  the  witnesses,  the  land  owned,  value  of  horses, 
cattle,  houses,  barns,  when  and  how  obtained,  with  much 
curious  information.  All  the  evidence  was  taken  under 
oath,  but  many  could  not  travel  such  long  distances  to  give 
evidence,  so  that  in  the  list  we  do  not  find  all  the  names 
of  United  Empire  Loyalists ;  but  the  claims  are  fully  given 
of  such  names  as  Ball,  Servos,  Secord,  Crysler,  Field  and 
Clement. 

The  work  of  the  Commissioners  lasted  from  1785  to  1789 
in  Canada;  many  with  large  claims  went  directly  to  Lon- 
don. Britain  acted  with  great  liberality  in  helping  in 
various  ways — temporary  relief,  clothing,  tools,  seed  and 
live  stock.  At  one  time  33,682  rations  were  served  out.  The 
total  outlay  during  the  war  and  after  it  closed  to  Loyalists 
amounted,  counting  the  compensation,  to  not  less  than 
$30,000,000.  Evidence  was  given  at  Halifax,  St.  John, 
Quebec,  and  Montreal,  and  1,401  claims  were  heard,  and 
834,  at  the  time  of  giving  the  report,  were  not  heard.  The 
amounts  given  were  from  $50  to  ,$221,000.  The  latter 
was  granted  to  Sir  John  Johnson. 

In  1783  began  the  great  influx  of  Loyalist  refugees, 
many  of  whom  had  come  hundreds  of  miles  through  the 
wilderness.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  there 
are  Loyalists  and  Loyalists.  Not  all  who  claimed  the  title 
deserved  it.  Simcoe,  to  encourage  immigration,  promised 
land  to  all  who  came;  and  many  who  had  taken  sides 
against  the  Loyalists  came  over  simply  to  obtain  land  on 
such  easy  terms— men  who  came  bringing  their  property, 
having  suffered  nothing  and  who  had  no  sympathy  with  the 
U.  E.  Loyalists.  These  were  they  to  whom  General  Brock- 
referred  when  he  doubted  their  loyalty  in  1812.  But  these 
were  not  they  of  whom  we  speak.  The  history  of  the  exile 
of  the  IT.  E.  Loyalists — an  exile  without  parallel  in  history, 
except,  perhaps,  the  expatriation  of  the  Huguenots  in  the 


THE  UNITED  EMPIRE  LOYALISTS          21. 

time  of  Louis  XIV.,  or  that  of  the  Acadians — has  never 
really  been  told  as  it  deserves  to  be.  Tens  of  thousands 
left  homes  of  plenty  and  came  to  a  wilderness,  an  unbroken 
forest !  And  why  ?  A  poem  by  Rev.  Leroy  Hooker  answers 
this: 

"  But  dearer  to  their  faithful  hearts 

Than  home  or  gold  or  lands, 
Were  Britain's  laws  and  Britain's  crown 
And  Britain's  flag  of  long  renown, 

And  grip  of  British  hands. 
They  looked  their  last  and  got  them  out 
Into  the  wilderness, 
The  stern  old  wilderness; 
But  then — twas  British  wilderness!" 

And  in  Mr.  Kirby's  "  Hungry  Year  '" : 

"  They  who  loved 

The  cause  that  had  been  lost — and  kept  their  faith 
To  England's  crown,  and  scorned  an  alien  name, 
Passed  into  exile;  leaving  all  behind 
Except  their  honor. 

Not  drooping  like  poor  fugitives  they  came 
In  exodus  to  our  Canadian  wilds, 
But  full  of  heart  and  hope,  with  heads  erect, 
And  fearless  eyes,  victorious  in  defeat. 
With  thousand  toils  they  forced  their  devious  way 
Through  the  great  wilderness  of  silent  woods 
That  gloomed  o'er  lake  and  stream,  till  higher  rose 
The  northern  star  above  the  broad  domain 
Of  half  a  continent,   still   theirs  to  hold, 
Defend  and  keep  forever  as  their  own." 

Across  Niagara  River,  says  Bryce,  came  convoys  of  immi- 
grant wagons,  herds  of  cattle,  and  household  goods.  Many 
articles  are  still  to  be  seen  in  the  neighborhood  that  were 
thus  brought  with  much  pains  and  care,  and  which  have 
a  later  history  of  interest,  having  been,  perhaps,  buried  in 
the  earth  to  save  them  from  Indians  or  other  foes — here  a 
brass  kettle  (a  valuable  article  in  those  days),  there  an  old- 
fashioned  chair,  a  few  pieces  of  precious  china  or  treasured 
silverware,  which  had  a  century  before  crossed  the  Atlantic. 
Stores  were  issued  from  the  Fort  for  two  years  to  those 
who  were  in  need.  In  the  Hungry  Year,  1789,  the  settlers 
went  to  the  woods  for  roots,  grains  and  buds  of  trees,  made 


22  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

tea  of  sassafras  and  hemlock,  and  cooked  the  grain  before 
it  was  ripe.  The  Hungry  Year  was  long  remembered  and 
is  thus  described  in  the  Canadian  Idylls: 

"  The  sun  and  moon  alternate  rose  and  set 
Red,  dry  and  fiery  in  a  rainless  sky, 
And  month  succeeded  month  of  parching  drouth 
That  ushered  in  the  gaunt  and  hungry  year, 
The  hungry  year  whose  name  still  haunts  the  land 
With  memories  of  famine  and  of  death. 
Corn  failed,  and  fruit  and  herb;  a  brazen  sky 
Glowed  hot  and  sullen  through  the  pall  of  smoke 
That  rose  from  burning  forests  far  and  near. 
Men  hungered  for  their  bread 
Before  it  grew,  yet  cheerful  bore  the  hard, 
Coarse  fare,  and  russet  garb  of  pioneers." 

In  a  letter  of  Mrs.  Bowman  Spohn,  from  Ancaster,  1861, 
she  tells  of  the  hardships  of  her  father's  family.  The  house 
on  the  Mohawk  (Bowman's  Creek)  was  pillaged  and  the 
men  taken  prisoners.  The  children  with  others  tried  to 
make  their  way  to  safety,  but  they  would  have  perished 
only  for  the  kindness  of  some  Indians.  In  the  fall  of  the 
next  year  the  commander  at  Fort  Niagara,  hearing  of  their 
destitution,  sent  a  party  out  to  bring  them  in,  five  families, 
Nelles,  Secord,  Young,  Buck  and  Bowman — five  women 
and  thirty-one  children,  and  only  one  pair  of  shoes  among 
them.  In  the  spring  of  1777  her  father  joined  Butler's 
Rangers  and  afterwards  settled  on  land,  drew  an  axe  and 
a  hoe  from  the  Government  and  bought  a  yoke  of  oxen ;  her 
mother  had  a  cow,  a  bed,  six  plates,  three  knives,  and  a 
few  other  articles.  In  the  scarce  year  the  only  food  was 
nuts,  herbs,  fish  and  milk.  As  soon  as  the  wheat  was 
large  enough  to  rub  out  they  boiled  it  as  a  great  treat. 

In  D.  W.  Smith's  notebook  is  a  curious  reference  to  the 
method  of  crossing  the  river  for  the  refugees  coming  in 
about  1797.  He  says,  "Nineteen  covered  wagons,  convey- 
ing families,  came  to  settle  in  the  vicinity  of  Lincoln 
county.  The  way  they  cross  the  river  is  remarkable.  The 
body  of  the  wagon  is  made  of  close  boards ;  they  caulk  the 
seams,  and  by  shifting  off  the  body  it  transports  the  wheels 
and  the  family  to  the  other  side  and  the  vehicle  is  then  put 
together  again." 


THE  UNITED  EMPIEE  LOYALISTS          23 

Many  pathetic  stories  could  be  told  of  the  sufferings  of 
those  who  came  to  Niagara,  sometimes  from  Indians,  some- 
times from  those  on  the  side  of  the  Eevolution.  Thus  the 
Whitmore  family  saw  the  father,  mother  and  eldest  son 
killed,  the  children  carried  off  by  Indians  and  the  infant 
afterwards  killed.  John  Whitmore  was  rescued  after  some 
years  by  Daniel  Servos,  who  gave  him  his  daughter  to  wife, 
who  had  seen  the  murder  of  her  grandfather  by  the  enemy. 
Mr.  Whitmore  met  his  sister  after  a  separation  of  seventy 


CHAPTEE  VI. 
GENERAL  SIR  ISAAC  BROCK. 

THOUGH  the  name  of  Brock  is  a  Canadian  possession,  to 
Niagara  it  especially  belongs,  for  this  was  the  headquarters 
of  the  "  Hero  of  Upper  Canada  "  for  years ;  many  letters 
of  his  exist,  some  dated  Niagara,  some  Fort  George,  and 
some  Navy  Hall.  Here  he  quelled  a  mutiny  in  1804,  and 
here  in  the  same  year  he  entertained  the  poet  Moore ;  here 
he  attended  church  services,  and  here  he  was  entertained 
in  many  homes  and  royally  entertained  his  friends.  Hence 
he  marched  out  on  that  dark  morning  to  find  a  hero's  death. 
Here  lay  his  body  for  twelve  years.  His  first  stay  in  Nia- 
gara was  from  1803  to  1805,  and  1810-1812  his  last. 

Major-General  Sir  Isaac  Brock  was  more  than  a  soldier, 
though  as  such  he  has  generally  been  spoken  of.  Not 
then  of  the  man  of  war,  but  of  the  statesman,  the  friend, 
the  brother,  the  student,  the  athlete,  the  man  of  the  world, 
the  Christian,  we  speak,  for  in  all  these  does  he  shine; 
and  never  has  the  slightest  word  appeared  against  his  char- 
acter in  all  his  chequered  career,  whether  in  his  native  isle 
of  Guernsey,  in  Jamaica,  Holland,  Denmark,  England  or 
Canada ;  always  and  everywhere  he  was  brave  and  generous, 
gentle,  stern,  yet  mild,  a  man  of  integrity,  a  thorough  gen- 
tleman. His  letters  and  his  proclamations  as  administrator 
of  the  Government  show  a  high  order  of  intelligence.  We 
read  of  his  order  for  works  of  history,  and  of  his  study 
of  the  classics  while  at  Fort  George. 

The  words  of  that  noble  Indian  chief,  Tecumseh,  when 
meeting  him,  "  Here  is  a  man,"  show  how  his  bearing 
impressed  beholders.  His  rapid  return  after  the  capture  of 
Detroit  need  only  be  mentioned  here,  but  the  remaining 
weeks  of  his  life  were  filled  with  strenuous  work.  A  diffi- 
cult task  was  his — a  long  frontier  to  defend  and  but  a  small 
force  on  which  to  rely.  The  Niagara  frontier  all  through 
the  war  was  a  point  of  attack — Queenston,  Niagara,  Fort 

34 


GENERAL  SIR  ISAAC  BROCK  25 

Erie,  Chippawa,  Lundy's  Lane,  again  and  always  Niagara, 
in  1812,  1813,  1814.  While  Brock  always  gave  full  credit 
to  the  loyalty  and  bravery  of  the  militia  of  Lincoln,  he 
knew  that  many  of  the  inhabitants  who,  attracted  by  the 
generous  offer  of  land  by  Simcoe,  had  come  in  after  the 
Revolution,  having  sacrificed  nothing,  were  often  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  invaders. 

And  at  this  time,  too,  his  mind  was  distressed  with 
family  troubles.  Through  the  failure  of  a  bank  he  was 
heavily  in  debt,  and  through  the  same  cause  an  estrange- 
ment between  two  of  his  brothers  had  taken  place.  One 
of  his  letters  pathetically  urges  that  they  may  be  a  united 
family,  and  he  arranges  honorably  for  the  gradual  payment 
of  the  debt. 

On  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  October,  1812,  heavy 
firing  was  heard  as  Van  Renssalaer  with  a  force  of  four 
thousand  men  was  crossing  at  Lewiston.  Brock,  with  a 
small  force  (his  men  being  scattered,  it  not  being  known 
at  what  place  the  attack  would  be  made),  galloped  from 
Fort  George  to  Queen-ston,  where  the  few  men  on  the 
heights  had  retreated  to  the  village,  the  enemy  having 
gained  the  Heights  by  the  "  fisherman's  path."  Rashly 
exposing  himself  in  an  attempt  with  his  small  force  to 
retake  the  Heights,  he  fell,  but  his  death  was  avenged 
ere  many  hours.  His  adjutant,  the  brave  young  Mac- 
donell,  fell  in  the  second  attempt  to  dislodge  the  enemy, 
and  it  was  not  till  afternoon,  when  fresh  forces  had  arrived 
from  Fort  George  and  Chippawa,  that  General  Sheaffe, 
with  the  help  of  the  Indians,  made  a  detour  round  the 
mountain,  .where  the  enemy  was  conquered  and  nine  hun- 
dred prisoners  taken ;  but  the  victory  was  a  costly  one,  since 
Brock  was  slain. 

His  body  had  been  carried  to  a  stone  house  in  Queenston, 
which  is  still  pointed  out,  and  in  the  evening  was  brought 
to  Niagara  amid  the  tears  of  his  soldiers  and  the  Indians, 
who  all  loved  and  honored  him.  The  body  lay  in  state  at 
Government  House,  a  second  attack  being  hourly  expected, 
for  there  was  still  a  large  force  of  the  enemy  which  had 
not  crossed  over  from  Lewiston.  The  troops  engaged  on 
our  side  were  a  few  companies  of  the  41st,  49th,  1st,  4th 
and  5th  Lincolns,  Royal  Artillery  and  Merritt's  Dragoons, 


26  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAEA 

while  Brown's  Point  was  defended  by  the  York  Volunteers, 
and  a  twenty-four-pounder  did  good  service  at  Vrooman's 
Point. 

All  this  time  a  cannonade  was  going  on  from  Fort 
Niagara  and  Fort  George.  In  a  letter  written  by  Colonel 
Evans,  8th  King's  Eegiment,  he  says,  "  There  was  a  brisk 
cannonade  from  Fort  Niagara  on  the  town  and  fort,  and 
the  gaol  and  courthouse  were  soon  wrapped  in  flames  from 
the  hot  shell.  Other  houses  were  seen  to  be  on  fire,  and 
militiamen  were  sent  round  collecting  all  the  water  buckets 
from  inhabitants,  and  great  zeal  and  energy  was  shown 
in  putting  out  fires;  but  this  was  not  accomplished  till 
many  buildings  were  burnt  to  the  ground,  amongst  them, 
besides  the  gaol  and  courthouse,  the  chief  engineer's  quar- 
ters. The  more  important  ones,  however,  Eoyal  Barracks, 
Block  House  (full  of  prisoners),  King's  stores,  though  re- 
peatedly fired,  were  by  great  efforts  saved."  Soon  after 
every  available  man  had  been  sent  off  to  Queenston  the 
magazine  was  found  to  be  on  fire;  in  it  were  eight  hundred 
barrels  of  powder.  Captain  Vigoreux  and  many  volunteers 
were  soon  on  the  roof  and  the  fire  extinguished — a  daring 
deed.  By  means  of  a  bend  in  the  river  a  battery  of  the 
enemy  had  enfiladed  the  barracks,  magazines  and  stores, 
the  latter  being  partially  consumed. 

The  funeral  of  General  Brock  took  place  on  October 
16th,  the  place  selected  for  burial  being  the  north-east 
bastion  of  Fort  George,  one  which  had  been  constructed 
under  his  orders.  In  the  account  given  of  the  funeral, 
among  the  pallbearers  we  find  the  well-known  names  of 
Surgeon  Muirhead,  Lieutenants  Jarvis  and  Eidout,  Captain 
Crooks,  Mr.  Dickson,  Lieutenant  Eobinson,  Major  Merritt, 
Colonel  Clarke,  Colonel  Butler,  Colonel  Claus,  and  General 
Sheaffe.  On  the  21st  of  November  the  town  was  again 
cannonaded  and  many  houses  set  on  fire  from  red-hot  shot, 
the  mess  house  at  Fort  George  being  burned. 

Around  these  earth-piled  ramparts  wander  visitors,  and 
still  arrowheads  are  found,  and  buttons  bearing  the  names 
of  regiments  stationed  here,  that  of  the  49th,  Brock's 
regiment,  being  specially  valued.  Here  for  twelve  years  lay 
the  bodies  of  Brock  and  Macdonell,  when,  a  monument 
having  been  erected  on  Queenston  Heights,  they  were 


GENERAL  SIR  ISAAC  BROCK  27 

removed  on  the  13th  of  October,  1824,  thousands  of  persons 
being  present.  Alike  were  seen  the  picturesque  dress  of 
the  Highlanders  and  the  no  less  striking  garb  of  the  red 
man,  the  relatives  of  Macdonell  being  in  Highland  costume 
and  young  Brant,  from  Grand  River,  with  other  chiefs, 
being  in  full  Indian  dress.  The  procession  took  three 
hours,  including  stoppages,  to  reach  the  Heights,  and  the 
lengthened  column  winding  slowly  up  the  steep  ascent  was 
a  striking  and  impressive  spectacle.  The  Reverend  John 
McEwan,  who  was  a  boy  of  thirteen  at  the  time,  tells  that 
the  hearse  was  a  large  army  wagon  drawn  by  four  black- 
horses,  driven  by  a  black  driver,  and  four  black  men  walked 
by  the  side  of  the  horses. 

This  monument,  erected  by  the  Government,  was  par- 
tially destroyed  in  1840,  and  at  an  indignation  meeting  held 
in  July  of  that  year  it  was  decided  to  erect  a  larger  and 
finer  monument  by  subscriptions  of  soldiers,  Indians  and 
the  people  generally.  This  was  erected  in  1853,  and  an- 
other grand  funeral  ceremony  took  place.  It  may  be 
questioned  whether  in  any  place  in  the  world  so  grand 
a  monument  stands  on  so  commanding  a  site,  giving  so  fair 
a  view  of  river,  lake,  forest  and  plain,  the  varying  colors 
of  brown  earth,  golden  grain,  sombre  pines,  peach  orchards 
or  "  maple  forests  all  aflame."  Generous  contributions 
reached  the  sum  of  $50,000,  and  the  Park  Commissioners 
now  have  charge  of  the  grounds,  which  are  kept  in  beau- 
tiful order.  From  every  direction  the  beholder  may  gaze 
at  the  figure  of  Brock  with  arm  extended  on  the  column 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet  in  height. 


CHAPTEE  VII. 
BUTLER'S  BARRACKS. 

THE  various  maps  in  the  Niagara  Historical  Society 
Building  copied  from  those  in  the  Archives  at  Ottawa, 
which  are  copies  of  those  in  London,  England,  give  us 
much  information,  but  sometimes  are  puzzling.  The 
Society  has  acquired  almost  all  the  maps  relating 
to  Niagara  and  vicinity  from  1784  to  1851.  In 
a  map  of  Township  Number  One,  meaning  Niagara, 
all  the  farms  are  marked  with  names  of  owners, 
and  one  gives  near  Navy  Hall  a  building  marked 
"  Bangers'  B."  Does  this  mean  Bangers'  Barracks, 
and  which  Bangers,  Butler's  or  Queen's  Bangers? 
In  another  of  1790,  somewhere  near  the  wharf 
and  above  it  is  marked  "  The  Bangers'  Barracks."  In  a 
map  of  1799  are  given  the  four  buildings  of  Navy  Hall 
and  the  position  of  the  Indian  Council  House,  which,  in  a 
map  of  1822,  is  the  site  of  the  Hospital;  but  there  was  a 
Hospital  in  Fort  George  at  an  earlier  date.  In  a  map  of 

1816  Navy  Hall  appears,  also  in  1819,  and  in  a  map  of 

1817  fourteen  buildings  of  Butler's  Barracks  appear  with 
the  same  names  as  on  the  map  of  1851,  where  there  are 
twenty-two  buildings  with  the  same  names  as  those  of 
1817,  and  also  in  1835 — the  commissariat,  barrack-master, 
officers'   quarters,   soldiers'   barracks,   fuel   yard,   quarter- 
master's   office,    stables,    storehouses,    canteen,    ordnance 
store,  gun  shed,  and  barrack-sergeant's  office.     How  many 
regiments  have  been  quartered  here?      In  1819,  in  the 
journal  of   Captain  Langslow,  of  the  East  India  Com- 
pany's  service,   he  mentions  visiting   Fort  George,   Fort 
Mississauga  and  Fort  Niagara,  and  dined  with  the  mess, 
which  must,  from  places  referred  to,  have  been  at  Butler's 
Barracks,  although  he  does  not  mention  it  by  name;  says 
they  have  a  good  mess  room;  the  barracks  infamous  (not 
men  and  officers) ;  speaks  of  Colonel  Grant  and  eating  at 
his  residence  plenty  of  fine  peaches.    In  a  small  map  the 

28 


LIGHTHOUSE    AND   LIGHTHOUSE    KEEPER'S    HOME,    BUILT    1803. 


HOSPITAL,    BUILT    IN    1822,    SHOWING    PALINGS    AROUND 
BUTLER'S  BARRACKS. 


BUTLER'S  BARRACKS  29 

house  of  Colonel  Grant  is  marked  as  south  of  the  hospital 
or  Indian  Council  House.  By  measuring  the  position  of 
the  house  marked  "  the  Rangers'  Barracks,"  in  the  map  of 
1790,  it  must  have  been  almost  in  a  straight  line  from  the 
"  slip  "  at  the  wharf  now,  and  on  a  height,  and  this  would 
confirm  the  statement  that  the  first  Butler's  Barracks  was 
on  the  hill  now  occupied  by  a  peach  orchard,  as  there  the 
buttons  of  Butler's  Rangers  are  found.  As  showing  that 
the  present  buildings,  called  Butler's  Barracks,  were  not 
burned  in  the  war  of  1812,  an  article  in  the  Upper  Canada 
Gazette,  of  March,  1815,  tells  of  a  ball  held  there,  given 
by  Peter  Turquoid,  Deputy  Commissioner  General. 

The  last  British  troops  of  the  regular  army  stationed 
there  were  the  Royal  Canadian  Rifles,  formed  from  old 
soldiers  who  had  filled  in  their  time  and  re-enlisted.  This 
had  been  recommended  by  General  Brock  to  prevent  the 
frequent  desertions  from  frontier  stations,  but  his  sugges- 
tion was  not  carried  out  for  thirty  years.  The  last  regiment 
to  occupy  the  buildings  was  the  Queen's  Own,  in  1865.  A 
picture  is  in  existence  showing  the  men  drawn  up  between 
the  Hospital  and  the  Barracks.  Early  in  1865  Mr.  Charles 
Hunter  tells  of  the  company  of  the  Barrie  Rifles,  to  which 
he  belonged,  being  quartered  in  several  of  the  buildings  of 
Butler's  Barracks.  In  the  picture  just  mentioned  the 
buildings  were  surrounded  by  a  palisade,  but  no  trace  of 
this  remains  at  the  present  day. 

FORT  MISSISSAUGA.* 

Of  this  fort  it  has  been  said  that  from  it  no  gun  has 
been  fired  in  anger.  It  is  believed  that  the  earthworks  were 
marked  out  previously,  though  the  tower  in  the  centre 
was  not  built  till  1814;  but  there  were  several  batteries 

*  From  Handbook  of  American  Indians,  by  Bureau  of  Eth- 
nology, we  find  over  eighty  spellings  of  this  word, — Missis- 
sague,  Misissaque,  Mississaga,  etc.  From  a  letter  of  Mrs. 
Jennoway,  written  from  Hope  Cottage,  Fort  George,  August, 
1814,  it  is  seen  that  Fort  Mississauga  was  constructed  by  her 
husband,  Captain  Jennoway,  R.  E.,  in  1814,  as  also  the  earth- 
works at  Queenston. 


30  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAEA 

in  1812-13.  An  Act  passed  in  1803  refers  to  the  light- 
house at  Mississauga  Point  at  the  entrance  to  the  Niagara 
Eiver.  The  lighthouse-keeper,  Dominick  Henry,  an  old 
Cornwallis  soldier,  was  here  till  1814,  when  the  lighthouse 
was  taken  down  and  the  materials,  with  dehris  from  the 
ruined  town,  used  to  erect  the  tower.  The  broken  bricks 
may  plainly  be  seen  in  the  massive  walls  five  feet  thick. 
In  a  sketch  of  1824  several  buildings  are  seen,  and  also 
in  Lossing's  History  of  18(50 ;  but  these  buildings,  mostly 
of  logs,  were  used  for  the  breakwater  in  front  of  the 
Queen's  Hotel,  and  now  nothing  remains  but  the  tower, 
the  earthworks,  the  brick  magazines  and  traces  of  the 
palisades  worn  away  by  the  encroachment  of  the  lake,  which 
every  year,  it  is  said,  robs  the  military  reserve  of  three  feet 
of  soil.  Many  can  recall  the  former  appearance  of  the 
fort,  with  its  cannons  on  the  wall,  and  in  the  enclosure 
piles  of  cannon  balls  in  the  usual  pyramidal  form.  When 
the  fort  was  dismantled  at  the  recall  of  troops  from  Canada 
it  was  gradually  allowed  to  fall  into  decay,  and  it  was  an 
unwholesome  and  unpleasant  building  to  visit.  Accident- 
ally a  fire  occurred,  and  all  the  woodwork  was  consumed. 
It  was  then  a  ruin  indeed.  A  small  grant  having  been 
given  by  the  Dominion  Government,  a  roof  was  put  on, 
with  dormer  windows,  from  which  a  grand  view  of  river, 
lake  and  plain  may  be  obtained;  but  it  is  to  be  deplored 
that  in  thus  making  it  weatherproof  the  idea  of  a  fort 
seems  to  have  been  lost  sight  of.  A  fort  with  dormer 
windows,  indeed !  Although  the  history  of  this  fort  is 
not  so  romantic  as  that  of  the  stronghold  opposite,  nor  of 
Fort  George,  yet  if  each  particular  brick  in  its  walls  could 
tell  its  tale,  what  a  record  should  we  have  of  that  December 
night,  as  well  as  of  many  incidents  in  the  early  days  of 
Newark ! 

"  The  fragments  of  its  walls  and  hearths  were  built 
Into  that  stern  memorial  of  a  deed  unchivalrous." 

The  engineers'  quarters  stood  where  the  Queen's  Eoyal 
now  stands,  and  the  old  Blue  House  near  the  shore,  the 
Guard  House  at  the  foot  of  King  Street. 


BUTLER'S  BARRACKS  31 

THE  FRENCH  THORNS. 

Between  Butlers  Barracks  and  Navy  Hall  is  an  oak 
grove  skirted  with  hawthorns  to  which  is  attached  a  legend. 
In  the  memory  of  some  now  living  those  trees  were  called 
the  "  French  Thorns,"  and  the  story  is  that  French  officers 
stationed,  at  Fort  Niagara  brought  the  slips  from  France, 
and  thus  we  have  in  June  such  fragrant  snow-white  blos- 
soms. The  tradition  has  been  woven  into  a  ballad  in  one 
of  the  Canadian  Idylls.  It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that 
these  poems,  commemorating  as  they  do  so  many  stirring 
events  of  'Canadian  history,  are  so  little  known.  The  ballad, 
"Spina  Christa,"  in  the ""  Queen's  Birthday,"  gives  the 
story  of  the  thorns.  The  trees  are  of  two  varieties,  called 
by  the  children  early  and  late  "  haws,''  and  give  pleasure 
in  October  with  their  rich  scarlet  fruit.  It  is  said  that 
only  in  the  neighborhood  of  garrison  towns  are  these 
thorns  found.  By  any  curious  explorer  the  thorn  trees 
the  poet,  William  Xirby,  must  have  had  in  his  mind's  eye 
may  be  easily  found  twisted  and  distorted  as  described. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

AMERICAN  OCCUPATION,  MAY  27th  TO 
DECEMBER  10th,  1813. 

FOR  six  months  no  further  attack  was  made  of  any 
importance,  the  American  Government  devoting  itself  to 
preparing  a  large  force  that  would,  this  time  without  fail, 
repair  the  disasters  of  the  past.  After  the  taking  of  York 
on  April  27th,  early  in  May  a  large  force,  military  and 
naval,  of  six  thousand,  crossed  over  under  Chauncey  and 
Dearborn,  but  did  not  attack  the  town  till  May  26th.  The 
guns  from  Fort  Niagara  joined  in  the  attack,  and  many 
buildings  in  Fort  George  were  destroyed,  the  people  in  the 
town  taking  refuge  in  their  cellars.  Fort  Mississauga  was 
not  then  built,  but  batteries  were  placed  at  different  points, 
from  Fort  George  to  the  lighthouse,  where  the  tower  of 
Fort  Mississauga  now  stands.  The  enemy's  force  con- 
sisted of  six  thousand  men,  soldiers  and  sailors,  seventeen 
armed  vessels,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  boats  and 
scows,  each  with  thirty  to  fifty  men. 

To  face  this  array  General  Vincent  had  only  fourteen 
hundred  men  at  different  points  on  the  frontier,  not  half 
of  them  at  Niagara.  A  landing  was  made  by  the  Ameri- 
can forces  on  Crooks'  farm  on  the  morning  of  May 
27th,  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Chautauqua 
grounds.  A  heavy  fog  part  of  the  time  prevented  our 
troops  from  seeing  the  enemy.  The  forces  engaged  on 
our  side  were  less  than  six  hundred,  consisting  of  part  of 
the  King's  8th,  the  Glengarry  Light  Infantry,  Royal  New- 
foundland and  41st  Regiment.  The  attack  was  bravely 
resisted,  the  enemy  repulsed  three  times,  our  forces 
gradually  falling  back  through  the  town.  A  stand  was 
made  at  the  Presbyterian  church,  where  field  guns  had 
been  placed.  Lately  the  remains  of  a  soldier  of  the  King's 
8th  were  found  there,  as  shown  by  the  buttons.  Another 
stand  was  made  near  the  home  of  Hon.  William  Dickson. 

32 


AMERICAN  OCCUPATION  33 

Having  lost  heavily  from  the  much  superior  numbers, 
Vincent  gave  orders  at  noon  to  retreat,  first  to  Queenston 
and  then  to  Burlington.  As  showing  how  our  men  stood 
firm,  of  310  of  the  King's  8th,  196  were  killed  or  wounded, 
73  out  of  108  of  the  Glengarry  Light  Infantry,  and  14  out 
of  40  of  the  Royal  Newfoundland.  During  the  engage- 
ment there  were  on  our  side  567  against  2,300,  but  although 
more  of  the  enemy  landed  no  pursuit  was  made.  The 
enemy  on  entering  Fort  George  found  several  of  our  sol- 
diers taking  down  the  flag  from  the  flagstaff,  who  were 
made  prisoners. 

The  period  of  the  American  occupation  is  the  most 
difficult  to  give  in  the  history  of  the  town.  As  the  men 
were  nearly  all  away,  either  as  prisoners  or  fighting  in  the 
defence  of  their  country,  there  were  not  many  left  but 
women  and  children;  many  had  fled  for  safety  to  other 
parts  of  the  country.  The  real  history  could  only  be 
gleaned  from  diaries  kept  or  letters  written  to  distant 
friends,  and  we  fancy  there  was  not  much  of  either  done; 
the  letters,  if  preserved,  would  be  in  distant  homes,  so  that 
we  have  only  a  few  items  gathered  from  conversations  with 
descendants  of  those  then  living  in  the  town,  and  a  very 
few  letters,  and  documents. 

A  letter  from  the  Hon.  William  Dickson,  at  Albany, 
dated  August  14th,  1813,  complains  of  himself  and  others 
being  taken  prisoners  on  June  19th,  in  violation  of  the 
promise  of  General  Dearborn,  having  been  sent  from  Fort 
Niagara,  travelling  three  hundred  miles  in  fifty-seven  days. 
A  list  dated  December  llth,  1813,  gives  the  names  of 
non-combatants  to  whom  passports  were  given  to  return, 
signed  January  26th,  1814.  The  names  of  those  taken 
prisoners  were :  William  Dickson,  barrister ;  John  Syming- 
ton, Joseph  Edwards,  Andrew  Heron,  John  Grier,  John 
McEwen,  all  merchants;  James  Muirhead,  surgeon;  John 
Crooks,  clerk  to  James  Crooks ;  John  McFarland,  boat- 
builder;  Ralfe  Clench,  clerk  of  the  peace;  John  Powell, 
registrar ;  George  Lane,  usher  to  Legislative  Council ;  Jacob 
Ball,  farmer;  John  Decew,  R.  Kerr,  James  Baldwin,  T. 
Powis,  Alexander  Macdonell,  William  Ross,  John  Jones, 

J.  Williams,  J.  Bradt,  -     -  Baxter, Jones. 

4 


34  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Mrs.  William  Dickson,  when  the  town  was  burnt,  was 
in  in  bed,  and  was  carried  out;  she  lay  on  the  snow  watch- 
ing the  destruction  of  the  house  with  a  fine  library  valued 
at  £fiOO.  Mrs.  McTCee,  whose  husband  was  a  prisoner  at 
the  Fort,  on  the  death  of  a  child,  refused  to  have  it  buried 
till  the  husband  and  father  could  come  to  the  funeral. 
Pie  was  blindfolded  and  brought  over  with  a  guard  and 
returned  the  same  way.  When  the  town  was  destroyed 
by  fire  they  had  seven  buildings  burnt — the  store  with 
valuable  goods  from  Montreal,  a  soap  and  candle  manu- 
factory, two  dwelling-houses,  etc.  They  packed  fifteen 
trunks  with  valuable  goods,  and  their  friend,  the  father 
of  the  late  Doctor  Rolls,  sent  for  them  to  his  home  near 
St.  Catharines.  The  mother,  to  save  her  little  girl  from 
standing  in  the  snow  while  watching  the  conflagration, 
placed  her  on  a  large  tea  tray ;  but  in  spite  of  all,  her  toes 
were  partially  frozen.  On  reaching  the  Eight  Mile  Creek 
the  trunks  were  buried  and  covered  with  brushwood  to  be 
safe  from  marauders.  Mrs.  Follett  remembers  that  her 
mother,  Mrs.  Whitten,  daughter  of  Samuel  Cassady,  told 
her  that  on  the  day  of  the  attack  Mrs.  Cassady  walked  out 
to  Butler's  farm  for  safety,  and  the  daughter,  Jane,  after- 
wards Mrs.  Whitten,  carried  her  little  brother  on  her  back. 
They  stayed  all  night  in  the  barn,  and  the  mother  returned 
to  town  in  the  morning  to  see  how  matters  stood.  The 
house  was  on  Queen  Street  near  Mr.  John  Sandow's,  and 
was  found  to  be  occupied  by  American  officers.  She  had 
left  bread,  recently  baked,  in  the  home,  and  they  offered  to 
let  her  return  on  condition  that  she  would  bake  for  them, 
they  supplying  one  hundred  pounds  of  flour  and  she  giving 
one  hundred  pounds  of  bread,  and  to  have  the  additional 
loaves  for  herself.  This  she  did  all  summer — a  proof,  n« 
doubt,  that  Mrs.  Cassady  made  good  bread.  Mr.  Andrew 
Heron,  the  librarian,  was  a  prisoner  at  Greenbush,  and 
found  on  his  return  that  his  wife  and  infant  child,  after- 
wards Mrs.  Dugdale,  had  been  carried  out  on  the  snow  while 
the  town  was  burning.  The  house  of  Mr.  Ralfe  Clench 
was  not  burnt,  as  shown  in  the  "  Proceedings  of  the  Loyal 
and  Patriotic  Society,"  but  was  burned  accidentally  shortly 
after,  when  seventeen  inmates,  Clench  and  Stewart  families, 
who  were  cousins,  were  made  homeless.  The  late  John 


AMERICAN  OCCUPATION  35 

Rogers  told  me  that  he  was  a  hoy  of  nine,  and  distinctly 
remembers  being  on  the  street  when  a  cannon  ball,  fired 
from  Fort  Niagara,  passed  near  him.  Their  house  could 
have  been  saved,  as  they  had  relatives  among  the  officers, 
but  were  told  this  might  injure  them,  as  they  would  have 
been  thought  disloyal  and  sympathizers  with  the  enemy. 
It  is  said  that  one  of  the  beautiful  mantels  in  the  present 
house  was  saved  by  Mrs.  Rogers,  who  carried  it  out  herself. 
Mrs.  Winterbottom  was  in  a  house  on  Prideaux  Street 
where  American  officers  boarded.  An  Indian  came  in  one 
day  and  demanded  liquor ;  her  child,  the  late  W.  B.  Winter- 
bottom,  ran  screaming  that  his  mother  was  being  killed,  as, 
on  her  refusal,  the  Indian  raised  his  tomahawk  to  strike, 
but  an  officer  fortunately  passing  by  struck  it  down  with  his 
sword.  During  the  bombardment  people  retreated  to  their 
cellars,  some  hung  blankets  over  their  windows,  some  took 
refuge  after  the  burning  in  caves  dug  in  the  side  of  a  hill. 

In  a  letter  from  Alexander  Wood  stating  the  claims  of 
Mrs.  Campbell,  widow  of  Fort-Major  Campbell,  for  war 
losses,  it  is  said  that  she  and  her  three  young  children 
without  the  possibility  of  saving  their  clothing,  were 
exposed  to  the  elements  for  three  days,  and  a  few  valuables 
she  had  saved  were  torn  from  her.  She  had  carried  her 
infant  four  miles  for  baptism,  and  afterwards  had  to  dig 
its  grave  and  cover  its  remains. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  seven  months  the  Ameri- 
can force  was  closely  besieged  and  was  really  shut  in,  the 
British  being  in  a  semicircle  around  them.  Numerous 
engagements  took  place,  one  in  Ball's  field,  the  ladies  look- 
ing on  from  the  windows.  In  one  of  the  engagements  Mrs. 
Lawe  went  and  carried  off  her  boy,  aged  thirteen,  from  the 
field  of  battle,  as  he  had  gone  to  take  his  share  in  the  fight. 
On  August  13th  the  inhabitants  must  have  been  startled 
and  amazed  when  Lieut-Colonel  O'Neil,  with  thirty  Dra- 
goons, covered  the  advance  of  Lieut.-Colonel  Harvey  into 
the  town,  scouring  several  of  the  streets  as  far  as  the 
Presbyterian  church,  recovering  a  box  from  the  former 
quarters  of  Colonel  Harvey,  the  enemy  keeping  up  a  brisk 
fire  from  houses  and  garden  walls,  our  troops  retiring  in 
good  order  and  with  little  loss.  We  find  that  the  Pres- 
byterian church  was  set  on  fire  in  September,  before  the 


36  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGAEA 

town  was  burned.  Meanwhile  the  American  forces,  shut 
in  and  forbidden  to  leave  their  camp  after  their  defeats  at 
Stoney  Creek  and  Beaver  Dams,  were  suffering  from  alarm- 
ing sickness.  Doctor  Mann,  the  United  States  surgeon, 
says  more  than  one-third  were  on  the  sick  list  from  effluvia 
from  sinks.  When  seven  hundred  men  were  in  hospital 
there  were  only  three  surgeons  fit  for  duty.  There  was 
rain  in  June;  great  heat  in  July  and  August;  in  October 
and  November  more  rain.  The  diseases  were  typhus,  diar- 
rhoea and  dysentery.  A  flying  hospital  was  established  at 
Lewiston,  being  higher  ground. 

The  Crooks  family  left  Crookston,  One  Mile  Creek,  for 
Thorold,  at  twelve  at  night,  May  26th,  carrying  a  child  of 
ten,  which  was  helpless.  Old  Jacob  Ball's  wife  also  went 
to  Thorold,  carrying  a  child.  The  log  house  at  Crookston, 
as  told  by  the  late  W.  M.  Ball,  was  swimming  with  blood 
from  the  wounded  carried  in  from  the  battlefield.  The 
Eev.  John  Carroll,  in  "  My  Boy  Life,"  tells  of  a  cannon 
ball  coining  through  the  walls  of  their  house  the  day  of 
the  battle,  and  of  the  mother  and  children  taking  refuge 
at  the  Four  Mile  Creek,  carrying  with  them  a  feather  bed, 
all  they  saved,  as  everything  they  owned  perished  after- 
wards. 

It  is  told  that  there  were,  when  the  town  was  taken, 
three  hundred  prisoners  in  the  jail,  many  of  them  political 
prisoners.  Mrs.  Edgar,  from  the  Eidout  papers,  gives 
some  interesting  particulars  of  the  foraging  of  the  British, 
the  farmers  around  suffering  sometimes  as  much  from  one 
force  as  the  other;  and  after  the  town  was  destroyed  moro 
damage  was  done  the  next  summer  by  order  of  Genera! 
Eiall,  when  in  July,  there  being  a  strong  probability  of 
an  attack  on  Forts  George  and  Mississauga,  orders  were 
given  to  level  all  the  chimneys  and  walls  still  standing  and 
cut  down  all  orchards  in  the  town  which  would  afford 
cover  to  an  enemy  between  the  forts.  In  Win.  Hamilton 
Merritfs  journal  he  speaks  of  seeing  the  glare  from  the 
burning  town,  and  in  the  advance  of  Colonel  Murray  noth- 
ing was  to  be  seen  but  heaps  of  coals  and  streets  'full  of 
furniture. 

The  following  list  gives  houses  burned  in  the  town  and 
near  it,  and  the  supposed  value.  The  first  twelve  and  a 


AMERICAN  OCCUPATION  37 

few  others  lived  in  the  outskirts.  Descendants  of  perhaps 
a  dozen  of  those  mentioned  are  still  found  living  here,  but 
of  others  the  name  is  forgotten : 

Isaac  Swayzie,  house  and  barn £200 

William  Dickson,  brick  house 1,000 

M.  McLellan,  house  and  stable 100 

M.  Bellinger,  barn 125 

Castel  Chorus,  barn 125 

T.  Butler,  house,  stable,  barn 200 

J.  Butler,  stable,  barn 350 

J.  Secord,  house,  stable,  barn 1,200 

P.  Ball,  stable,  barn 800 

J.  Ball,  stable,  barn 1,000 

J.  Crooks,  stable,  barn 625 

G.  Lawe,  stable,  barn 200 

T.  Merritt,  stable,  barn 400 

Rev.  J.  Burns,  house 60 

J.   McKay,   barn 60 

J.  Symington,  house,  barn 400 

J.  Clark,  house 400 

R.  Clench,  house,  stable 150 

J.  McFarlane,  house,  etc 100 

C.  Gesseau,  two  houses 400 

Doctor  Holmes,  house 100 

Doctor  Kerr,  house,  stable 650 

Mrs.  E.  Thompson,  two  houses 500 

A.  McKee,  two  houses 600 

Mrs.  Forsyth,  house,  etc 1,250 

G.  Slingerland 200 

J.  Eggleston,  three  houses 750 

T.  Powis,  two  houses 1,250 

Doctor  Muirhead   500 

Mrs.  Stewart   500 

McKean  &  McEwan 1,000 

A.  Heron  700 

W.  Dorman 150 

D.  Hartman 100 

A.  Rogers   400 

S.  Bunting   100 

P.  De  Jordan 100 

S.  Cassady   150 

Children  of  J.  Kelly 150 

Mrs.  Rose  Fields 750 

J.  Monroe  200 

D.  Secord,  house  of  John 200 

Mrs.  Wright 150 

Estate  of  —  Fitzgerald 100 

J.  Grier 750 


38  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

£  fj 

J.   Crooks    £1,000 

J.  Young  1,000 

W.   Dickson    1,000 

Estate  of  J.  Emery 1,000 

J.  Edwards 500 

Mrs.  Bradshaw    150 

J.  Rogers    250 

Mrs.  Frey   300 

J.  Saunders   100 

J.  -            -  50 

Estate  of  D.  Phelps 100 

Colonel  P 600 

Estate  of  C.  McNabb 50 

K  Vanderlip    1,000 

Mrs.  Hill  500 

A.  Garner   450 

Major  Campbell's   estate 350 

F.  Waddel  estate 350 

J.  Clark  estate 250 

Colonel   Claus    1,000 

J.    Powell    300 

Mrs.  McBride 300 

J.  Adlem   25 

Estate  of  J.  Jones 650 

Joined  the  enemy: — 

W.  W £250 

J.  Wagstaff 250 

J.   Doty    375 

P.  Howell   500 

S.  Thompson    750 

In  Niagara  eighty  houses,  barns,  stables. 

It  was  only  after  many  years  that  a  part  of  this  was 
paid,  coming  in  instalments. 

In  the  "  Report  of  the  Loyal  and  Patriotic  Society v 
formed  at  York,  December,  1812,  are  frequently  found 
names  of  Niagara  people  receiving  help,  also  the  names  of 
those  who  distributed  help.  Large  sums  wtere  raised- in 
England,  Nova  Scotia,  Jamaica,  York,  Kingston, 
Arnherstburg,  Montreal,  Quebec,  etc.,  amounting  to 
about  fifty-two  thousand  dollars.  Contributions  also 
in  kind  were  given.  Money  was  entrusted  to  Rev. 
R.  Addison  and  Thomas  Dickson  to  distribute, 
chiefly  in  Niagara.  Rev.  John  Burns  distributed 
in  Stamford,  Widow  Secord  at  St.  David's,  and  Mr.  S. 
Street  at  the  Falls.  The  money  sent  from  Nova  Scotia 


H  t 

O  < 

tf  f 

O  ( 

H  •: 
O 


AMEKICAN  OCCUPATION  39 

in  1814  was  applied  for  those  whose  houses  had  been 
burned,  and  a  plan  was  arranged  to  favor  those  whose 
property  was  the  least  value,  and  those  whose  houses  were 
more  valuable  had  a  smaller  percentage.  Some  obtained 
the  half,  others  a  fifth  or  sixth — a  sort  of  sliding  scale. 
The  houses  burnt  at  Newark  and  on  the  line  to  Fort  Erie 
were  valued  at  £36,000,  but  of  those  not  supposed  to  be 
in  distress  £22,000  was  not  counted  on,  leaving  £14,000. 
The  amount  sent  from  Nova  Scotia  was  £2,500,  which  was 
apportioned  as  equitably  as  could  be  done.  The  money 
raised  from  other  sources  was  applied  to  those  actually  in 
want — soldiers'  widows,  orphans,  etc. 

The  volume  published  by  the  Society  gives  much  curious 
information.  Eelief  was  given  in  eight  hundred  and  eight 
cases,  and  particulars  are  given  on  the  opposite  pages.  A 
few  extracts  may  be  given.  Bishop  Strachan  was  the 
treasurer,  and  the  accounts  seen  to  have  been  kept  in  the 
most  systematic  manner :  "  To  Mrs.  Law,  £12  10s.,  wife  of 
Captain  Law,  of  the  1st  Eegiment  Lincoln  militia,  who 
was  severely  wounded  May  27th,  and  was  carried  over  the 
river  a  prisoner  with  the  enemy;  his  son  was  killed  by  his 
side  in  the  battle ;  his  house  and  barn  burnt ;  and  Mrs.  Law 
and  two  children  left  without  support.  Dominick  Henry, 
who  kept  the  lighthouse  at  Niagara  and  was  extremely 
meritorious ;  his  wife  was  very  active  in  assisting  the  troops 
on  May  27th,  giving  them  refreshments  during  the  battle — 
quite  a  heroine,  not  to  be  frightened;  £25  given  as  a 
present  in  acknowledgment.  Mrs.  Ida  Hill. — This  lady 
had  an  excellent  property  in  the  town  of  Niagara,  or 
Newark,  consisting  of  two  houses.  Being  a  widow  with 
her  daughter,  she  was  induced  to  remain  after  the  retreat 
of  General  Vincent,  May  27th.  For  some  time  she  was 
treated  with  some  consideration  by  the  American  officers; 
but  matters  changed,  and  she  found  it  necessary  to  depart, 
leaving  all  her  property,  especially  as  General  Boyd  assured 
her  positively  that  they  had  orders  to  burn  the  town  in  case 
of  being  forced  to  retreat.  She  was  given  £50  to  take  her 
to  Jamaica.  Captain  David  Secord  was  very  active  during 
the  war;  was  plundered;  has  twelve  children  and  an  aged 
father  upwards  of  one  hundred  years  old  to  support,  but 
being  still  in  good  circumstances,  though  a  little  pressed 


40  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAEA 

at  the  time,  the  Society  ordered  him  £12  10s.  Mrs.  Frey, 
widow  of  the  late  Captain  Bernard  Frey,  who  was  killed 
by  a  cannon  ball  May  27th.  Her  crops  destroyed,  fences 
and  buildings  at  cross  roads,  likewise  her  house  in  Niagara, 
laid  waste  by  the  enemy.  She  was  given  £12  10s.  Mrs. 
Stewart's  home  was  burnt  and  she  was  reduced  to  great 
distress,  with  a  large  family.  She  was  given  £25."  It  is 
said  of  Rev.  E.  Addison,  that  he  "  was  frequently  employed 
to  distribute  the  benevolence  of  the  Society,  and  he  had 
given  £25,  beyond  the  sums  given  him,  to  various  dis- 
tressed persons  who  came  back  to  Niagara  after  it  was 
burnt  and  lived  in  roothouses  and  cellars,  and  under  a  few 
boards  leaning  upon  the  chimneys  still  standing.  The  £25  is 
now  entered  as  paid  him.  Samuel  Winterbottom. — This  man, 
very  deserving,  was  reduced  through  his  loyalty,  the  enemy 
making  a  point  to  distress  all  the  loyal  inhabitants.  He 
was  ordered  £25.  To  Widow  Secord  was  given  to  dis- 
tribute by  Thomas  Dickson,  £110  to  sufferers  in  St. 
Davids,  and  the  Society  are  convinced  that  it  was  most 
faithfully  and  usefully  distributed." 

When  the  town  was  burnt  one  hour's  notice  was  given 
to  the  inhabitants  to  try  to  save  their  furniture.  The 
scene  cannot  be  described,  and  we  wish  not  to  dwell  on 
the  bitter  feelings  aroused.  The  American  commander, 
McClure,  claimed  that  the  order  left  with  him  in  October 
sustained  him  in  his  action,  but  on  him  rests  the  blame, 
and  bitterly  the  deed  was  avenged. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
FORT  NIAGARA. 

IT  may  be  said,  why  include  this  in  the  story  of  Niagara  ? 
But  considering  the  fact  that,  being  constantly  in  our  view, 
it  furnishes  the  most  picturesque  sight  which  greets  the 
eye,  therefore  without  its  history  our  story  cannot  be  told 
completely,  predating  as  it  does  our  own  by  many  years. 
Here  British  regiments  were  stationed,  often  rescuing  pri- 
soners from  the  Indians,  children  of  Loyalists  as  well  as  of 
their  opponents.  It  was  twice  besieged  and  taken  by  the 
British,  first  from  the  French  in  1759,  and  again  from  the 
United  States  in  1813 ;  twice  it  was  given  back  by  treaty  to 
our  Southern  neighbors.  Here  were  buried  British  officers, 
both  those  who  fell  in  battle  and  those  who  died  a  natural 
death.  Here  a  Masonic  Lodge  was  held  by  the  King's  8th 
Regiment,  and  certificates  granted  there  in  1784  are  held 
by  people  of  our  town. 

The  history  of  this  spot  is  certainly  remarkable.  Held 
at  different  times  by  the  Seneca  Indians;  by  the  French 
for,  say,  fifty  years,  when  the  fleur-de-lis  floated  high ;  then 
over  it  for  nearly  forty  years  the  meteor  flag  of  England 
flew ;  when  it  was  given  up  peacefully  after  the  "  hold-over 
period,"  1783-1796,  by  Jay's  Treaty,  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
waved  to  the  breeze  for  nearly  a  score  of  years;  then,  taken 
by  the  British  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  in  December, 
1813,  for  over  a  year  the  Union  Jack  fluttered  from  the 
flagstaff,  till,  by  the  Treaty  of  Ghent,  the  star-spangled 
banner  floated,  as  it  now  does  after  almost  a  century.  With 
the  name  of  the  fort  comes  to  our  memories  the  thought 
of  the  chivalrous  La  Salle,  that  man  of  iron,  whose  life 
was  so  full  of  vicissitudes,  who  so  often,  when  the  full  cup 
of  success  seemed  about  to  touch  his  lips,  saw  it  dashed  to 
the  ground.  The  story  of  a  life  more  full  of  high  courage, 
of  startling  adventure,  of  many  journeys,  has  never  been 
recorded. 

41 


42  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

On  December  6th,  1678,  a  small  vessel  of  ten  tons,  from 
Fort  Fronteuac,  entered  Niagara  River ;  on  board,  La  Motte 
and  Father  Hennepin  chanted  Te  Deum  Laudamus.  La 
Salle's  vessel  following,  loaded  with  cordage,  anchors,  etc., 
for  his  scheme  of  western  exploration,  was  wrecked  west  of 
Niagara,  but  the  supplies  were  saved  and  taken  to  the  spot, 
(long  a  subject  of  dispute),  above  the  Falls,  where  the  first 
vessel  made  by  the  paleface  which  sailed  Lake  Erie  was 
built.  A  stockade  was  built  at  Fort  Niagara;  the  men,  it 
is  said,  used  hot  water  to  soften  the  ground;  but  then, 
Hennepin  said  also  that  the  height  of  the  Falls  was  five 
hundred  feet!  This  stockade  was  burnt  in  1680.  Denon- 
ville  built  a  fort  in  1687  and  left  one  hundred  men  to 
garrison  it.  These  mostly  perished  from  disease,  starva- 
tion or  attacks  of  the  Senecas,  and  the  fort  was  abandoned 
in  1688;  but  in  1725,  by  permission  of  the  Senecas,  a  stone 
fort  was  built  on  the  spot  where  Fort  Niagara  now  stands, 
and  in  1749,  it  is  believed,  the  present  "  castle  "  was  built, 
it  being  one  of  the  chain  of  forts  in  that  magnificent  plan 
of  the  Gallic  mind  that  was  to  extend  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
and  shut  the  English  in  to  a  narrow  strip  on  the  Atlantic 
seaboard.  But  a  counter-plan,  the  magnificent  idea  of  the 
statesman,  William  Pitt,  was  fortunately  entrusted  to 
strong  and  able  hands,  and  French  power  was  overthrown 
in  this  Continent. 

On  July  1st,  General  Prideaux,  the  British  commander, 
attacked  Fort  Niagara,  with  a  force  of  two  thousand,  and 
one  thousand  Indians.  General  Pouchot  sent  westward 
for  reinforcements,  and  the  upper  river,  it  is  said,  was 
black  with  boats  of  French  and  Indians.  The  fort  was 
strong  and  well  defended,  the  earthworks  covering  eight 
acres;  but  Sir  William  Johnson,  the  second  in  command  of 
the  British  force,  skilfully  intercepted  and  defeated  the 
reinforcements,  and,  hopeless  of  other  help,  the  fort  capitu- 
lated on  July  24th,  nearly  two  months  before  Wolfe  took 
Quebec.  General  Pouchot  marched  out  with  the  honors  of 
war  on  July  25th,  the  soldiers  laying  down  their  arms  on 
the  shore  of  the  lake.  General  Prideaux  had  been  killed 
on  the  20th,  and  Sir  William  Johnson,  in  his  diary,  says 
his  body  was  buried  in  the  chapel  with  that  of  Colonel 
Johnson,  "with  great  form,"  Sir  William  being  chief 


Che  Castle.  Fort  Niagara,  N.  Y. 


FORT     NIAGARA,     ERECTED     1725     AND     1749. 


JOINT     FUNERAL,     JUNE     25,      1911. 


FORT  NIAGARA  43 

mourner.  The  location  of  the  graves  of  these  two  British 
officers  has  lately  been  a  subject  of  discussion.  The  chapel, 
a  Roman  Catholic  one,  was  taken  down,  and  whether  the 
bodies  were  removed  or  not  is  uncertain.  John  Ross  Rob- 
ertson, who  has  been  so  fortunate  in  unearthing  valuable 
records,  discovered  a  map  in  the  British  Museum  showing 
the  position  of  all  the  buildings  in  1759,  and  from  this 
the  chapel  must  have  been  in  the  parade  ground  near  the 
north-eastern  opening  in  the  wall.  But  an  old  lady  who 
died  lately,  Miss  Hosmer,  asserted  that  she  remembered 
seeing,  as  a  schoolgirl,  a  stone  in  the  military  graveyard 
with  the  name  of  General  Prideaux.  In  this  case  the  body 
had  been  removed.  It  is  only  fitting  that  some  kind  of 
memorial  should  be  placed  on  the  spot  where  lie  buried 
two  British  'officers  who  gave  their  lives  for  Britain's  glory. 
Two  streets  in  our  town  are  named  respectively  after  the 
two  generals  in  command — Prideaux  and  Johnson. 

While  in  the  hands  of  the  French,  there  stood  in  the 
centre  of  the  fort  enclosure  a  cross,  eighteen  feet  high,  with 
the  inscription,  "  Regn,  Vine,  Imp.  Chris."  In  a  footnote 
to  one  of  the  Canadian  Idylls  our  poet  says,  "  The  interpre- 
tation of  this  inscription  admits  of  as  much  ambiguity  as 
a  Delphic  oracle,"  but  in  the  ballad  it  is  expressed,  "Regnat, 
Vincit,  Imperat,  Christus," — Christ  reigns,  conquers, 
governs. 

From  Fort  Niagara,  marched,  in  1763,  troops  with 
twenty-five  wagons  and  one  hundred  horses  and  oxen,  to 
accompany  stores  over  the  portage  from  Lewiston  to 
Schlosser.  On  the  return  the  next  day,  laden  with  furs, 
they  met  an  ambuscade  of  Seneca  Indians,  and  of  the 
hundred  only  three  escaped.  Hearing  the  firing,  another 
force  was  sent  to  their  relief,  only  to  meet  the  same  fate ; 
eight  only  reached  Fort  Niagara  to  tell  the  tale,  and  the 
larger  party  sent  found  only  the  mangled  corpses  to  tell 
of  this  plan,  bold  and  skilful  in  formation,  masterly  in 
execution,  gained  as  so  many  Indian  attacks,  by  secret 
and  deadly  ambuscade.  The  spot  has  since  been  called 
the  Devil's  Hole. 

In  1764  Sir  William  Johnson  met  over  two  thousand 
Indians  from  distant  points,  and  a  treaty  was  made  July 
18th.  Stirring  times  followed  during  the  Revolutionary 


44  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

War.  British  regiments  were  stationed  here — Butler's 
Rangers,  the  Queen's  Rangers,  Indians.  A  procession 
tinged  with  red  flits  before  the  eye — tomahawks,  scalps, 
prisoners,  a  sight  softened  by  the  appearance  of  food 
for  the  hungry,  and  British  officers  and  their  wives  buy- 
ing from  the  Indians  white  children  who  had  been  cap- 
tured and  adopted  into  the  tribe.  From  this  fort 
went  out  the  expeditions  to  Wyoming  and  Cherry  Valley 
in  revenge  for  sufferings  inflicted,  and  to  rescue  friends 
in  captivity.  King's  stores  were  served  out  to  starving 
Indians  and  white  fugitives, — an  ever-shifting  scene. 

In  1783  commenced  the  general  movement  to  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  but  this  fort  was,  with  others,  not  to  be 
given  up  till  the  terms  of  the  treaty  to  recompense  United 
Empire  Loyalists,  whose  property  had  been  confiscated, 
were  carried  out  (which  was  never  done).  In  1796,  after 
thirteen  years,  called  the  "  hold-over  period,"  the  fort  was 
given  up  and  soldiers  and  stores  removed  to  Fort  George. 

The  next  exciting  period  in  the  history  of  the  fort  was 
during  the  War  of  1812.  During  the  Battle  of  Queenston 
Heights,  Fort  Niagara  and  Fort  George  bombarded  each 
other,  and  again  on  the  27th  of  May,  1813.  When,  after 
seven  months'  occupation  of  Niagara,  the  Americans  aban- 
doned it,  after  setting  fire  to  the  town  on  the  10th  of 
December,  and  the  British  marched  in,  a  plan  was  speedily 
formed  to  take  possession  of  the  Fort.  A  small  force,  con- 
sisting of  portions  of  the  100th  and  41st  Regiments,  under 
Colonel  Murray,  started  from  a  point  four  miles  up  the 
river,  piloted  by  Daniel  Fields  and  James  McFarland, 
landed  at  Youngstown,  and  marched  in  silence  to  the  fort, 
which  was  taken,  with  considerable  bloodshed.  Partisan 
accounts  tell  that  our  forces  bayoneted  those  in  the  hospital, 
but  this  is  disproved,  the  only  reason  for  the  tale  being 
told,  being  that  one  account  says  that  some  of  the  men  in 
the  hospital  rose  from  their  beds  and  went  out  to  fight.  In 
such  a  case  they  met  as  combatants  in  war,  and  on  equal 
terms.  Three  hundred  prisoners  were  taken,  three  thousand 
stands  of  arms  and  an  immense  quantity  of  stores  captured. 
The  commander,  Leonard,  absent  for  the  night,  returned 
to  find  himself  a  prisoner.  For  a  year,  till  the  close  of  the 
war  early  in  1815,  the  fort  was  in  the  hands  of  the  British. 


FORT  NIAGAEA  45 

The  buildings  arc,  besides  the  castle,  the  two  blockhouses, 
the  long,  low  French  soldiers'  barracks,  the  bakehouse,  the 
hot  shot  furnace,  and  the  life-saving  station. 

A  more  gruesome  tale  than  that  of  open  and  honorable 
warfare  is  that  in  this  stronghold  was  confined  Morgan, 
the  betrayer  of  the  secrets  of  Masonry,  and  the  building  is 
still  shown  from  which,  in  1826,  it  is  said  he  was  taken 
to  be  drowned  in  the  waters  of  blue  Ontario. 

During  the  years  since  the  war  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment has  spent  large  sums  in  improving  and  keeping 
up  the  fortifications.  A  wall  has  been  built,  buildings  of 
brick  erected  under  the  earthworks,  which  would  shelter  a 
large  force,  officers'  quarters  and  barracks  have  been  built, 
a  life-saving  station  established,  and  a  new  lighthouse  built 
(the  light  was  formerly  on  the  top  of  the  castle).  Early 
inhabitants  of  Youngstown  remember  that  the  land  ex- 
tended quite  a  distance  out  from  the  fort,  and  that  an 
orchard  of  peach  and  apple  trees  has  disappeared  with  the 
force  of  the  relentless  waves.  The  point  is  a  famous  spot 
for  black  bass  fishing. 

In  July,  1911,  a  remarkable  ceremony  took  place.  The 
remains  of  soldiers  of  the  King's  8th  Eegiment  had  been 
found  and  a  joint  funeral  of  Canadian  and  United  States 
soldiers  was  held.  An  interesting  photograph  shows  Ameri- 
can soldiers  carrying  the  coffin  with  the  remains  of  British 
soldiers  covered  with  the  Union  Jack.  A  similar  friendly 
act  had  taken  place  at  Lundy's  Lane  some  years  before, 
when  the  remains  of  United  States  soldiers  of  1814  were 
interred  by  our  soldiers  and  those  of  New  York  State. 


CHAPTER    X. 
NIAGARA  LIBRARY,  1800-1820. 

SEVERAL  places  have  claimed  the  honor  of  having  had 
the  first  lihrary  in  Ontario,  but  by  Niagara  facile  princeps 
the  right  is  claimed,  no  one  now  contradicting.  Like  the 
old  yellow  book  found  by  Robert  Browning  in  Florence, 
"  my  find,"  by  the  merest  chance,  of  the  old  brown  leather- 
covered  record  book  of  this  library,  proved  a  rich  and  unex- 
pected treat.  To  my  astonishment,  by  dint  of  much  study 
of  its  thick  yellow  pages  covered  with  writing  which  though 
large  is  yet  very  difficult  to  read,  it  was  shown  that  in  this 
old  town  of  Niagara,  in  those  early  days,  there  was  a  most 
valuable  public  library,  well  supported,  the  accounts  show- 
ing regular  payments  and  much  interest  as  evinced  by 
the  sums  contributed  and  the  regular  records.  The  varied 
information  gleaned  from  the  old  book  may  be  thus  classi- 
fied:  (1),  the  list  of  proprietors;  (2),  list  of  their  pay- 
ments, and  also  those  of  non-subscribers;  (3)  catalogue  of 
library  with  prices  of  books;  (4),  money  expended;  (5), 
rules  and  regulations;  (6),  minutes  of  annual  meetings, 
contingent  meetings,  etc. ;  (7),  list  of  books  taken  out  and 
date  of  return;  (8),  alphabetical  list  of  subscribers,  with 
separate  pages  for  entries  for  each  during  these  years. 

It  says  much  for  the  members  of  any  community  when 
we  find  them  providing  reading  of  a  high  literary  order, 
and  especially  would  this  be  the  case  at  the  beginning  of 
the  last  century  among  a  band  of  refugees  just  emerged 
from  a  great  struggle  with  the  forest  around  them,  and 
everything  speaking  of  a  new  country  and  all  that  is 
implied  in  this ;  but  when  we  think  of  the  vicissitudes  of 
the  years  1812,  1813,  1814,  and  of  the  stirring  events  which 
took  place  here,  military  occupation  by  friend  and  foe,  of 
fire  and  sword  alternately  doing  their  cruel  work,  we 
wonder  how  this  library  was  preserved;  for  preserved  in 
part  it  was,  as  the  issue  of  books  goes  on,  a  new  catalogue 
appearing,  with  spaces  left,  perhaps  for  books  missing; 
and  in  the  accounts  it  is  seen  that  sums  are  paid  to  replace 
particular  books.  It  is  interesting  to  follow  up  the  work 

46 


NIAGARA  LIBRARY,  1800-1820  47 

during  the  war  and  note  the  latest  entry;  then  an  interval 
of  two  years,  and,  without  the  break  of  a  line  left  as  space 
between  such  events  as  the  death  of  Brock,  the  rattle  of 
guns  and  roar  of  cannon,  the  flight  over  frozen  plains,  the 
smoking  ruins  of  happy  homes,  it  still  goes  on  in  the  same 
handwriting,  with  items  on  payments  of  money,  purchase 
of  books,  the  annual  meetings,  etc.  It  may  be  doubted  if 
in  this  day  of  boasted  enlightenment  we  are  willing  to  pay 
as  much  for  our  reading.  One  thing  at  least  is  certain— 
against  the  proprietors  of  this  library  cannot  be  made  the 
charge  of  light  reading  now  brought  so  justly  against  the 
frequenters  of  modern  libraries.  Nothing  light  or  trashy 
can  be  found  on  the  list  of  theology,  history,  travel,  biogra- 
phy, agriculture,  a  little  poetry,  and  later,  a  small  amount 
of  fiction.  We  in  these  days  can  almost  envy  the  people 
of  that  time  for  the  delight  they  must  have  experienced 
when  "  "Waverley  "  or  "  Guy  Mannering  "  appeared,  for  they 
knew  that  the  "  Great  Magician  of  the  North "  was  still 
alive  and  sending  out  regularly  those  delightful  stories, 
while  we  can  never  again  hope  for  such  pleasure  as  the 
first  reading  of  these  stories  evoked. 

Tn  glancing  over  the  list  of  subscribers  we  meet  with 
names  of  many  who  played  no  insignificant  part — the 
church,  the  army,  the  civil  service,  the  yeomanry,  are  all 
represented.  There  are  names  from  Fort  Niagara  (N.Y.). 
Grimsby,  Stamford,  Thorold,  etc.,  and  several  names  of 
women.  It  seems  strange  that  we  can  take  the  name  of 
a  noted  man,  tell  what  style  of  reading  he  preferred,  when 
a  particular  book  was  taken  out,  when  returned,  and  how  he 
paid  his  fees,  or  attended  meetings. 
^  The,  first  entry  is:  "Niagara  Library,  8th  June,  1800. 
Sensible  how  much  we  are  at  a  loss  in  this  new  and  remote 
country  for  every  kind  of  useful  knowledge,  and  convinced 
that  nothing  would  be  of  more  use  to  diffuse  knowledge 
amongst  us  and  our  offspring  than  a  library  supported  by 
subscription  in  this  town;  we  whose  names  are  hereunto 
subscribed  hereby  associate  ourselves  together  for  that  pur- 
pose, and  promise  to  pay  annually  a  sum  not  exceeding  four 
dollars,  to  be  laid  out  on  books  as  agreed  upon  by  a  major- 
ity of  votes  at  a  yearly  meeting  to  be  held  by  us  at  this 
town  on  the  15th  of  August  annually,  when  everything 


48  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

respecting  the  library  will  be  regulated  by  the  majority  of 
votes."  Here  follow  the  names,  "  41  subscribers  at  24s. 
each;  £49  4s.  carried  to  account  current,  page  B,  15th 
August,  1801." 

Of  the  original  forty-one  the  names  of  only  three  can 
now  be  found  in  the  vicinity,  though  descendants  of  three 
others  may  be  found  under  other  names.  The  first  on  the 
list,  Andrew  Heron,  was  the  secretary  and  treasurer  for 
nearly  all  the  period  of  twenty  years.  Robert  Addison  was 
the  first  minister  of  St.  Mark's ;  Silvester  Tiffany  was  the 
printer  of  The  Upper  Canada  Gazette  at  one  time.  There 
is  another  list  of  thirty-four,  making  seventy-five  in  all. 
The  familiar  names  of  Dickson,  Butler,  Glaus,  Hamilton, 
and  Clement  occur.  That  of  Swayzie  has  been  made 
familiar  in  the  name  of  a  delicious  russet  apple  grown  on 
the  farm  of  this  member  of  the  library.  At  the  first  annual 
meeting,  Andrew  Heron  and  Martin  McLellan  were  made 
commissioners  to  arrange  the  business  of  the  society.  Five 
rules  were  drawn  up  as  follows: 

"  Rule  I. — To  receive  from  every  subscriber,  three  dol- 
lars and  no  more. 

"  Rule  II. — As  soon  as  thirty  dollars  is  collected,  to  lay 
it  out  on  books,  none  of  which  shall  be  irreligious  or 
immoral. 

"  Rule  III. — Every  member  may,  if  he  chooses,  when  he 
pays  his  subscription,  make  the  choice  of  a  book,  which 
shall  be  procured  for  him  with  all  convenient  speed. 

"  Rule  IV. — As  soon  as  a  number  of  books  can  be  pro- 
cured (not  less  than  fifty  volumes),  every  subscriber  shall 
be  entitled  to  receive  any  book  that  remains  in  the  library 
that  he  chooses,  which  he  shall  return  in  one  month  in  good 
order. 

"  Rule  V. — No  book  shall  be  allowed  to  any  of  the  sub- 
scribers unless  they  have  first  paid  their  subscription.", 

Here  follows  a  list  of  books,  Nos.  1  to  80,  received  into 
the  library  to  March,  180] . 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  first  thirty  volumes  are  all  of 
a  religious  nature,  volumes  1,  2  and  3  being  Blair's  Ser- 
mons. The  names  of  Watts,  Bunyan,  Boston,  Newton, 
Doddridge,  Wilberforce,  Watson,  Owen  and  Willison  are 
seen.  An  attempt  is  even  made  to  give  guidance  to  young 


NIAGARA  LIBEAEY,  1800-1820  49 

people  in  an  important  crisis  of  life,  as  No.  28  is  "Eeligious 
Courtship."  It  is  not  till  we  reach  No.  34  that  any  history, 
travel,  or  poetry  appears.  The  first  purchase  of  eighty 
volumes,  costing  £31  17s.,  furnished  the  young  people  of 
these  forty-one  homes  in  poetry,  only  Ossian,  Cowper's 
"  Task,"  Campbell's  "  Pleasures  of  Hope" ;  but  they  might 
revel  in  the  "  Citizen  of  the  World  "  and  the  "  Bambler," 
Brace's  "Travels,"  or  Robertson's  "  History  of  Charles  V.," 
and  if  "Eeligious  Courtship"  pleased  them  not  as  No.  28, 
No.  70  is  simply  "  Letters  on  Courtship."  The  only  work 
of  a  less  specific  gravity  is  No.  73,  "  The  Story  Teller," 
which  we  hope  was  pleasing  to  the  children  of  these  house- 
holds. 

The  record  of  annual  meetings,  always  spelled  "annual!," 
goes  on  till  1813,  when  the  town  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Americans,  and  1814,  when  heaps  of  ruins  replaced  happy 
homes;  also  in  1819  there  was  no  meeting.  The  question 
as  to  how  many  of  the  books  were  preserved  and  how  they 
were  saved  is  an  unsolved  problem.  Of  course,  a  large 
number  were  in  circulation  in  the  town  arid  township,  and 
while  some  were  burnt  others  would  be  saved,  but  it  is  cer- 
tain that  a  great  many  of  the  books  of  the  library  were 
saved,  as  afterwards,  from  the  issue  of  books  given  out 
and  returned  day  after  day,  it  may  be  seen  what  books 
were  not  destroyed;  and  that  many  were  lost  or  destroyed 
is  also  certain,  as  in  the  accounts  for  next  year  the  names 
of  books  are  given  "  to  replace  those  missing."  There  is  a 
new  catalogue  with  spaces  left. 

There  were  six  trustees,  "  two  fresh  ones  "  to  be  chosen 
each  year.  Old  members  to  pay  two  dollars  and  new  mem- 
bers four  dollars.  Those  out  of  town  could  take  two  books 
at  once,  and  keep  them  six  weeks,  and  if  out  of  the  town- 
ship, two  months.  If  not  returned  in  time,  a  fine  of  six- 
pence currency  per  week  was  imposed  for  every  week  of 
detention.  Any  member  withdrawing  could  give  his  right 
to  any  other  person  approved  by  the  trustees. 

In  1801  there  were  150  books,  and  George  Young  was 
to  make  a  case  for  a  reasonable  price,  which  proved  to  be 
£5  2s. 

In  1802  Mr.  Tiffany  was  to  print  the  laws  of  the  society 
and  be  allowed  three  dollars  for  not  less  than  seventy  copies, 
6 


50  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGARA 

one  to  be  given  to  each  subscriber,  and  the  librarian  is  to 
enforce  the  law  as  to  fines  for  detention  of  books.  New 
members  were  to  pay  five  dollars,  and  next  year  this  was 
raised  to  six. 

In  1804  appears  the  first  payment  to  the  librarian,  cer- 
tainly a  modest  allowance.  This  library  seems  to  have 
solved  the  difficulty  of  keeping  down  expenses,  as  through 
all  these  years  there  is  no  outlay  for  firewood,  for  rent,  or 
for  light,  the  allowance  to  the  librarian  being  a  percentage 
on  money  paid  by  what  are  called  non-subscribers: 

"Resolved,  that  Andrew  Heron  be  librarian  for  the 
ensuing  year,  and  be  allowed  twelve  and  one-half  per  cent, 
of  all  the  moneys  collected  for  the  last  twelve  months  from 
non -subscribers,  and  the  same  for  the  year  to  come,  and 
shall  be  obliged  to  make  good  all  the  books  that  may  be 
lost  by  non-subscribers." 

This  seems  very  hard  on  the  librarian;  but  he  must  have 
been  a  book-lover,  for  through  all  these  years  he  remained 
faithful  to  his  trust,  the  emolument  sometimes  being 
£1  17s.  fid. ;  once  £2  12s.  fid. ;  for  the  year  1817  it  was  only 
£5  7s. :  and  the  largest  amount  was  £6,  which  must,  in  these 
days,  have  seemed  munificent.  The  original  members  are 
sometimes  called  proprietors  and  sometimes  subscribers. 

Tn  1805  an  addition  was  made  to  the  library  as  well 
as  to  the  members  of  the  society,  as  fifty  valuable  books 
were  received  from  the  Agricultural  Society.  For  this  the 
fees  were  remitted  to  five  members  who  had  also  been 
members  of  the  Agricultural  Society,  and  five  others  were 
given  a  share  in  the  library. 

Tn  180fi  each  proprietor  paid  only  one  dollar  a  year, 
and  new  members  $fi.50.  Jacob  A.  Ball  and  Lewis  Clement 
were  admitted  in  right  of  their  fathers  as  members  of  the 
Agricultural  Society,  and  Jane  Crooks,  eldest  daughter  of 
the  late  Francis  Crooks,  was  admitted  in  the  same  way. 
Thus  history  repeats  itself — as  the  daughters  of  Zelophehad 
demanded  that  the  inheritance  of  their  father  should 
pass  to  them,  so  Miss  Crooks,  over  three  thousand  years 
after,  makes  the  same  claim,  and  is  as  successful  in 
obtaining  her  share  of  current  literature  as  they  in  obtain- 
ing their  share  of  land.  This  is  not  the  only  woman's 
name  on  the  list,  as  in  1815  the  name  of  Miss  Hill  appears 


NIAGARA  LIBRARY,  1800-1820  51 

in  place  of  her  father;  also  in  list  of  payments  the  names 
of  Mrs.  Sluny,  Fort  Niagara,  N.Y.,  6s.;  Mrs.  Stuart,  one 
year,  15s. 

In  the  next  few  years  several  changes  were  made.  Mem- 
bers in  town  were  allowed  to  take  out  two  books  at  once ; 
five  hundred  tickets  were  to  be  procured  with  all  convenient 
speed,  and  the  number  pasted  on  each  book ;  shares  to  be 
sold  at  seven  dollars  each;  one  hundred  copies  of  cata- 
logue to  be  printed  and  one  copy  given  to  each  proprietor. 

In  1807  Ralfe  Clench  offers  to  take  charge  of  the  library 
on  the  same  terms,  he  to  keep  the  library  open  from  ten  to 
twelve  o'clock  every  day  except  Sunday.  Another  bookcase, 
the  same  as  the  first,  was  ordered  for  twelve  dollars.  Since 
the  first  was  £5  2s.,  prices  must  have  lowered. 

In  1808  Andrew  Heron  has  prepared  a  room  for  the 
library,  and  offers  to  perform  the  duties  of  librarian  as 
before.  His  offer  was  cheerfully  accepted,  but  there  was 
evidently  some  friction,  as  an  N.B.  states  that  as  Mr. 
Clench  refuses  to  give  up  the  kay  to  the  library,  Andrew 
Heron  will  not  be  responsible  for  the  books  that  may  be 
missing.  Members  out  of  town  were  this  year  to  be  entitled 
to  three  books  at  a  time. 

In  1809  Eev.  John  Burns  became  the  new  trustee  in 
place  of  Hon.  R.  Hamilton,  deceased;  this  year  the  librar- 
ian received  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  money  collected  as 
before;  he  is  now  styled  librarian,  treasurer  and  clerk. 
The  library  was  to  be  open  one  hour,  from  eleven  to  twelve, 
on  Tuesdays,  Thursdays  and  Saturdays,  instead  of  every 
day. 

In  November,  1812,  after  the  burial  of  Brock,  about  fifty 
books  were  added,  making  the  total  number  827. 

The  next  entry  is  August  15th,  1815.  What  a  different 
state  of  affairs  from  the  annual  meeting  of  1812,  when 
Brock  was  marching  to  Detroit.  But  with  intrepid  courage 
our  trustees  met  and  made  arrangements  for  the  work  of 
the  library  to  go  on  as  usual.  Notwithstanding  the  losses 
to  townspeople  the  charges  are  made  somewhat  higher ;  each 
proprietor  is  called  on  to  pay  $2.50,  and  shares  were  sold 
at  nine  dollars;  non-proprietors  paid  four  dollars  a  year. 
In  1817  shares  were  sold  at  ten  dollars.  In  1818,  the  meet- 
ing being  thin,  no  new  trustees  were  chosen. 


52  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

The  record  of  the  last  meeting  of  the  trustees  of  the 
library  reads  thus : 

"  Whereas  the  Niagara  Library  has  been  greatly  wasted, 
first  by  being  plundered  by  the  army  of  the  United  States, 
and  has  since  been  greatly  neglected,  very  few  of  the  pro- 
prietors having  paid  their  quota  to  support  the  same,  we, 
whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,  hereby  relinquish 
our  claims  on  the  same  to  Andrew  Heron  (who  has  now 
opened  a  library  of  his  own  for  the  use  of  the  public),  in 
consideration  of  his  'allowing  us  the  use  of  his  library  for 
three  years.  This  he  engages  to  do  to  all  those  who  have 
paid  up  their  yearly  contributions  to  the  year  1817  inclu- 
sive. To  those  who  have  not  paid  to  that  period  he  will 
allow  according  to  their  deficiency  in  those  payments.  We 
consider  those  propositions  as  quite  fair,  and  do  thereto 
assent : — 

"  James  Crooks,  John  McEwan, 

"  J.  Muirhead,  J.  Butler, 

"  John  Symington,  George  Young, 

"  John  Wagstaff ,  John  Grier, 

"John  Powell." 

On  examining  the  account  of  moneys  received  and  ex- 
pended from  1801  to  1818,  we  find  that  about  £500  was 
spent  on  books,  the  sums  varying  from  £46  in  1801  to 
£15  in  1816,  and  the  money  received  from  £49  in  1801  to 
£5  in  1818.  In  reading  the  rather  monotonous  account  a 
pleasing  variety  is  sometimes  found,  as  "  books  sold  by 
vendue,"  spelled  "  vandue,"  "  fine  for  detain  of  books," 
"  money  to  replace  a  book  lost,"  "  books  and  tracts  pre- 
sented," "  a  book  of  sermons  sold,"  etc. 

It  is  not  known  what  became  of  the  books  after  they 
came  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  Heron,  to  whom  a  balance 
was  due  in  1818  of  £11  9s.  9d.  He  must  have  been  a  man 
of  means,  as  in  the  record  book  of  St.  Andrew's  Church, 
of  which  he  was  treasurer,  a  balance  was  due  him  at  one 
time  of  £1 76. 

In  the  period  of  the  W^ar  of  1812-14  it  is  interesting  to 
notice  the  few  items  given.  Books  were  taken  out  till  May 
24th,  1813,  three  days  before  the  town  was  taken.  A  few 
records  are  made  while  in  the  possession  of  United  States 
troops.  On  June  18th,  Captain  Dorman,  United  States, 


NIAGARA  LIBRARY,  1800-1820  53 

made  a  payment  for  three  months,  5s.  In  1814  several 
names  of  British  officers  are  given  as  taking  out  books, 
aiid  in  1815  Colonel  Freddy,  Colonel  Harvey,  Deputy 
Assistant  Commissioner-General  Lane,  Major  Campbell, 
and  several  officers  from  Fort  Niagara,  New  York,  then  in 
possession  of  our  troops.  The  same  years,  among  the 
books  bought  to  replace  those  missing,  are  mentioned  "  The 
Spectator,"  "  Don  Quixote,"  "  Joseph  Andrews,"  "  Chil- 
dren of  the  Abbey,"  "  Josephus,"  and  Burns'  poems.  In 
1816  books  were  sold  at  vandue,  £27  New  York  currency, 
or  £17.  In  1817,  for  damage  to  "Life  of  Wellington," 
17s.  6d.  is  paid.  In  1804  Private  Nicklon  paid  a  fine  of 
14s.  4d.  for  keeping  a  book  eighteen  weeks,  at  6d.  sterling. 
Poor  private,  the  law  said  6d.  currency,  but  from  his  scanty 
pay  he  is  compelled  to  disburse  this  heavy  tax.  One  entry 
defeated  every  effort  to  decipher  till  a  happy  guess  makes 
it  read,  "  November  12th,  1815.  To  a  gownd  to  Mrs.  Nulin, 
for  taking  care  of  books,  15s.  6d."  Happy  Mrs.  Nulin, 
were  she  fond  of  reading,  for  not  only  might  she  gratify 
her  inclination,  but  she  also  receives  a  "  gownd "  as  a 
reward. 

A  strange  coincidence  occurred  while  making  inquiries 
of  old  residents  regarding  the  library.  So  far  no  one  had 
been  met  who  had  ever  heard  of  its  existence,  but  on  calling 
on  an  old  lady,  a  resident  of  the  town,  a  postal  card  re- 
ceived that  day  was  produced.  "  Can  you  tell  me  anything 
of  a  public  library  in  Niagara  when  the  town  was  burnt, 
as  I  have  a  book  which  was  the  only  one  saved  from  the 
fire."  The  book  is  remembered  by  the  owner  as  charred 
by  fire,  but  these  charred  leaves  have  been  torn  away,  and 
on  an  inner  page  is  written,  "  This  book  was  saved  by  my 
father,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  British  army  when  the 
town  was  burnt,  December,  1813.  The  only  book  saved 
from  the  library.  Thomas  Taylor."  The  book  is  "  Blos- 
soms of  Morality/'  No.  51  in  the  catalogue.  As  a  matter 
of  fact  it  was  the  only  book  then  known  to  exist  which 
belonged  to  the  library,  but  since  then  a  book  has  been  pre- 
sented to  the  Historical  Society  with  the  label,  "  No.  80, 
Niagara  Library,  1801.  Matthew  Henry's  '  Communicant's 
Companion,' "  and  since  then  two  volumes  of  history  have 
been  seen  in  a  farm  house  in  the  township,  with  the  label. 


54  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Mauy  of  the  books  in  the  catalogue  were  quite  expensive. 
Hume's  "  History  of  England,"  twenty-one  volumes,  £7  4s. 
"  The  British  Theatre,"  twenty-five  volumes,  £11,  might 
cause  some  of  our  book  committees  to  hesitate  in  these  days, 
though  it  staggered  not  our  brave  proprietors  of  those 
early  times.  The  library  was  especially  rich  in  works  of 
travel  and  in  magazines,  as  European  Magazine,  Edinburgh 
Review,  British  Critic,  Annual  Register,  etc. 

Altogether  we  have  much  reason  to  congratulate  these 
pioneers  of  civilization  in  this  peninsula  that  such  a  taste 
was  shown  for  reading  of  a  high  order,  and  we  express  the 
hope  that  the  libraries  of  the  future  may  be  as  well  selected, 
that  the  public  may  make  as  great  sacrifices.,  and  support 
as  liberally  these  aids  to  culture,  and  that  many  such 
secretaries  and  treasurers  may  be  found,  willing  to  give 
time  and  faithful  service  to  secure  good  literature,  not  only 
for  the  present,  but  to  hand  down  to  those  to  come. 

It  is  fitting  that  a  few  words  should  be  said  in  relation  to 
another  library  in  the  town.  A  most  interesting  and  valu- 
able collection  of  books  is  to  be  found  in  the  Rectory  of 
St.  Mark's  Church,  consisting  also  of  about  a  thousand 
volumes,  with  many  folio  editions  quite  rare.  These  were 
formerly  the  property  of  Rev.  Robert  Addison,  sent  out 
probably  by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel. 
Days,  nay  weeks,  might  be  pleasantly  spent  in  loving 
examination  of  these  rare  editions  from  Leyden,  Oxford 
and  Geneva.  Well  was  it  that  they  were  not  in  any  house 
in  town  in  December,  1813,  but  being  at  Lake  Lodge 
(about  three  miles  out,  part  of  which  may  yet  be  seen), 
they  were  saved.  They  were  lately  in  possession  of  Dr. 
Stevenson,  a  grandson,  but  by  the  zeal  of  the  Venerable 
Archdeacon  McMurray  they  were  procured  and  placed  in 
the  Rectory.  Every  book  has  placed  in  it  this  inscription, 
"  Presented  to  St.  Mark's  Church  by  the  heirs  of  Rev.  R. 
Addison,  to  be  the  property  of  that  church  in  perpetuity." 
One  of  the  fifty-three  folios  is  "  The  Complete  Works  of 
George  Buchanan,  1715 — poems,  Latin  works";  "History 
of  Scotland,"  "Satyr  on  Laird  of  Lydington,"  printed  1570 
in  one  volume.  Another  folio  is  "  Historical,  Geographical, 
Poetical  Dictionary,"  1694.  On  the  first  leaf  these  words 
show  that  there  were  in  those  days  restrictions  on  the  pub- 


NIAGAKA  LIBRAEY,  1800-1820  55 

lication  of  books  (these  were  not  removed  till  the  time  of 
William  III.)  :  "Whitehall,  28th  January,  1691-2.  I  do 
allow  this  work  to  be  printed.  Sydney."  Another  volume 
is  "  Historical  Collection,"  Eushworth,  1659,  with  a  strange 
picture  of  James  I.,  and  the  awe-inspiring  legend  "  Touch 
not  mine  anointed,"  bringing  up  thoughts  of  the  length 
to  which  this  doctrine  was  carried  by  that  unhappy  or  un- 
fortunate race.  There  is  a  prayer  book,  in  black  letter, 
a  Breeches  Bible,  1599,  and  Psalms,  version  of  Stern- 
hold  and  John  Hopkins,  bound  together.  In  the 
prayer  book  is  the  prayer  offered,  "That  it  may  please 
Thee  to  bless  and  preserve  Our  Most  Gracious  Sovereign 
Queen  Mary,  Prince  Charles,  and  the  rest  of  the  Eoyal 
Progenie."  "  This  book  has  been  rebound  in  vellum. 

Another  library,  that  of  St.  Andrew's  Church,  singu- 
larly enough  also  numbering  about  one  thousand  volumes, 
came  into  existence  August  26th,  1833,  and  here  again  we 
see  the  name  of  Andrew  Heron  in  the  issue  of  books.  There 
was  a  catalogue  co-sting  T^d.  in  1835,  numbering  919  books. 

When  we  think  of  the  influences  on  any  community  of 
a  good  library  we  remember  the  words  of  Euskin,  "  We 
may  have  in  our  bookcases  the  company  of  the  good,  the 
noble,  the  wise.  Here  is  an  entree  to  the  best  society.  Do 
you  ask  to  be  the  companions  of  nobles;  make  yourselves 
noble.  You  must  rise  to  the  level  of  their  thoughts  to 
enter  this  court  with  its  society,  wide  as  the  world,  multi- 
tudinous as  its  days;  the  chosen  and  the  mighty  of  every 
place  and  time.  Here  you  may  -always  enter.  Into  this 
select  company  no  wealth  will  bribe,  no  name  overawe. 
You  must  fit  yourself  by  labor  and  merit  to  understand 
the  thoughts  of  these  great  minds.  You  must  love  them 
and  become  like  them."  Judge,  then,  how  much  the  people 
of  this  vicinity  owe  to  the  proprietors  of  the  Niagara 
public  library,  furnishing  to  the  young  of  so  many  house- 
holds reading  of  so  high  an  order,  fitting  them  to  fight 
manfully  the  great  battle  of  life. 

Besides  the  names  which  are  mentioned  on  page  52  we 
find  in  the  list  John  Kemp,  John  Young,  John  Willson, 
George  Keefer,  Peter  McMicking,  G.  Drake,  Alex.  Stuart, 
J.  McFarland,  Eobert  Nelles,  Daniel  Servos,  Geo.  Forsyth, 
Alex.  McKee,  John  Powell,  Dr.  West,  Jas.  Secord,  E.  C. 
Cockrell,  William  Glaus,  J.  P.  Clement,  Jacob  Ball,  etc. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
8T.  MARK'S  CHURCH. 

IN  attempting  to  sketch  the  history  of  St.  Mark's  we 
find  an  ample  store  of  different  materials — St.  Mark's  is 
a  picturesque  grey  stone  church  covered  with  clinging  ivy, 
with  projecting  buttresses  and  square  tower  peeping  through 
the  branches  of  magnificent  old  trees;  there  are  many 
tablets  inside  and  out,  the  tombstones  hacked  and  defaced 
by  the  rude  hand  of  war;  there  is  an  old  register  dating 
back  to  1792,  kept  with  scrupulous  neatness,  its  pages 
giving  an  ever-shifting  kaleidoscopic  view  of  different 
nationalities,  of  pioneer  life,  of  military  occupation,  of  the 
red  man,  Britain's  faithful  ally,  of  the  poor  slave  here 
freed  by  legal  enactment,  of  waifs  and  strays  from  all 
lands,  while  the  vicinity  tells  of  French  occupation  two 
hundred  years  ago,  and  of  booming  cannons  and  blazing 
roof-trees  a  century  ago.  • 

It  has  been  commonly  supposed  that  the  church  was 
built  in  1792,  since  the  Register  has  that  date;  but  recent 
investigations  have  fixed  the  date  ten  years  later — 1804- 
1809. 

Rev.  R.  Addison  did  not  come  as  the  minister  of  Niagara, 
but  as  a  missionary  to  the  adjacent  country,  his  parish 
being  a  very  extensive  one.  He  was  appointed  to  Newark 
in  1797.  Investigation  at  the  Archives  and  in  early  books 
of  travel  brought  to  light  many  references  showing,  first, 
that  £100  was  granted  to  each  of  four  places  to  build  a 
church  as  soon  as  wardens  were  appointed  and  subscrip- 
tions made,  but  in  1798  no  part  of  this  money  had  been 
applied  for,  except  in  Kingston.  But  in  1802  in  Niagara, 
Sandwich,  York  and  Cornwall,  the  people  were  building 
or  preparing  to  build.  In  Mrs.  Simcoe's  Diary,  July  29th, 
1792,  she  says,  "  There  is  no  church  here,  but  we  met  for 
Divine  service  in  the  Free  Mason's  Lodge."  In  1795  the 
Duke  de  la  Rochefoucauld-Liancourt  says,  "  No  church  has 
been  built."  Colonel  Clark's  diary  says  that  liberal  sub- 

56 


ST.  MARK'S  CHURCH  57 

scriptions  were  given  in  1802  and  the  Episcopal  Church 
built  in  1804.  A  report  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  G-ospel  gives  an  extract  from  the  report  of  Mr. 
Addison  in  1810,  in  which  he  says,  "  The  church  at  Niagara, 
the  best  in  the  Province,  was  finished  in  1810."  But  by 
the  kindness  of  Rev.  Cyril  de  M.  Rudolf,  London,  England, 
copious  extracts  have  been  sent  to  us  from  the  records  of 
the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  containing 
the  yearly  reports  of  Mr.  Addison.  Somewhat  similar 
extracts  have  been  sent  us  also  by  the  courtesy  of  Professor 
Young,  Trinity  College,  Toronto.  In  1805,  the  report 
says,  "  The  church  is  begun  and  half  up."  In  1808, 
"  The  church  advances  slowly."  In  January,  1810,  "  Divine 
service  has  been  performed  in  the  church  since  last  August. 
They  began  upon  too  large  a  scale  for  their  means,  but 
have  entered  into  a  fresh  subscription." 

Now  that  the  modern  tourist  has  invaded  our  quiet  town 
and  learned  of  the  beauties  with  which  we  are  so  familiar 
I  am  always  pleased  to  remember,  that  though  not  my  own 
church,  I  always  loved  and  admired  St.  Mark's,  that  it 
was  my  ideal  of  an  old  English  parish  church  and  church- 
yard, and  in  those  early  days  the  tourist  had  not  come  to 
oracularly  tell  us  what  to  admire.  When  the  late  lamented 
Dean  Stanley  visited  St.  Mark's  he  said,  "  This  is  a  piece 
of  old  England ;  do  not  allow  it  to  be  altered."  The  register 
of  St.  Mark's  is  unique  in  this  particular,  that  in  the  cen- 
tury there  have  been  only  three  incumbents — one  with  a 
record  of  thirty-seven  years,  another  twenty-seven,  and 
Archdeacon  McMurray,  of  thirty-six  years.  The  Rev.  R. 
Addison  must  have  had  a  vein  of  quiet  humor,  as  shown 
from  the  quaint  remarks  interpolated  here  and  there  alike 
at  baptism,  wedding  or  burial.  He  was  evidently  a  scholar 
and  a  lover  of  books.  His  library,  now  stored  in  the 
rectory,  has  many  rare  and  curious  old  books  to  rejoice  the 
heart  of  the  bibliomaniac.  The  first  entries  in  the  register 
are,  "August  23rd,  1792 — Henry  Warren,  bachelor,  to 
Catherine  Aglow,  spinster;  August  24th — Capt.  James 
Hamilton  to  Louisa  Mitchell,  his  wife.  They  had  been 
previously  married  by  some  commanding  officer  or  magis- 
trate and  thought  it  more  decent  to  have  the  office  repeated/' 
"  April  12th,  1794— William  Dixon,  bachelor,  to  Charlotte 


58  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Adlem,  spinster."  This  should  be  spelled  Dickson.  "  May 
15th — Buried  Colonel  John  Butler,  of  the  Rangers  (my 
patron).''  Here  is  a  pathetic  entry,  followed  by  a  strange 
statement :  "  July,  1794 — Buried  a  child  of  a  poor  stranger 
called  Chambers.  September  9th — Buried  a  soldier  sur- 
feited by  drinking  cold  water " — another  never  to  be 
explained  tragedy.  "  Alas !  he  was  starved."  "  Baptisms, 
September  3rd,  Cloe,  a  mulatto."  "Married,  John  Jacks 
and  Rose  Moore,  negroes."  These  must  have  come  as 
slaves,  but  by  the  Act  of  1793,  passed  in  Navy  Hall,  free- 
dom was  to  be  given  to  children  at  a  certain  age,  while 
all  born  in  the  country  were  free,  and  also  all  who  came 
after  the  Act  passed- — this  long  before  England,  after  a 
hard-fought  struggle,  made  her  chattels  free,  and  long 
before  our  southern  neighbors,  by  an  unstinted  pouring 
out  of  millions  of  money  and  a  more  costly  treasure  of 
tears  and  blood,  did  the  same.  Mr.  Addison  must  have 
been  indefatigable  in  his  exertions,  as  we  find  him  baptiz- 
ing at  Twelve  Mile  Creek,  Forty  Mile  Creek,  Anoaster, 
Fort  Erie,  Chippawa,  York  and  Long  Point.  Many  of 
these  were  "  of  riper  years,"  as  saith  the  record.  "Buried 
Master  Taylor  of  100th  Regiment,  killed  by  lightning." 
June  24th,  1799,  occurs  a  well-known  name:  "Baptism, 
Allan  Napier  McNabb,  from  York,"  as  also  are  found  the 
names  of  Ridout,  Givens  and  Maoaulay  from  the  same 
place.  "  Buried  old  Mr.  Dowdle — Poor  old  Trumper,  Capt. 
Pilkington's  gardener.  Buried,  -  — ,  worn  out  by  excess 
at  the  age  of  fifty-nine,  Cut-Nose  Johnson,  a  Mohawk 
Indian.  Baptized,  1801,  David,  son  of  Isaac,  a  Mohawk 
chief."  These  slight  descriptive  terms  show  a  human 
interest,  a  kind  heart,  a  humorous  vein.  In  the  early 
records  there  is  no  reference  to  godfathers  or  godmothers, 
but  in  later  years  these  abound.  Here  is  the  name 
of  one  who,  whether  justly  or  unjustly,  received  much 
blame  in  the  War  of  1812-14:  "Baptism,  Novem- 
ber 20th,  1808,  Augusta  Margaret  Firth,  daughter  of 
Colonel  Henry  Procter,  Commandant  of  the  41st  Regt., 
and  Elizabeth.  Married,  December  llth,  1807,  Lieutenant 
William  Procter,  brother  of  Colonel  Henry  Procter,  com- 
manding at  Fort  George,  to  Joan  Crooks.  Married  Thomas 
McConnick,  bachelor,  to  Augusta  Jarvis,  spinster."  This 


ST.  MARK'S  CHUECH  59 

was  the  daughter  of  William  Jarvis,  Secretary  in  the  time 
of  Governor  Simcoe. 

Here  is  the  brief  record  of  the  burial  of  Sir  Isaac  Brock, 
"  October  16th,  1812.  Burials  of  General  Sir  Isaac  Brock, 
Colonel  John  McDonald.  They  fell  together  at  Queenston 
and  they  were  buried  together  in  the  north-east  bastion 
of  Fort  George."  Of  course,  the  spelling  should  be  Mac- 
donell.  During  the  time  of  the  American  occupation  of 
the  town,  from  May  to  December,  1813,  the  notices  go  on, 
but  apparently  there  are  no  marriages,  except  of  two 
Indian  chiefs,  "  Mohawk  chief  Capt.  Norton,  to  his  wife, 
Catherine,  I  think  on  July  27th,  when  she  was  baptized, 
and  Jacob  Johnson,  -another  Mohawk  chief,  to  his  wife, 
Mary,  on  the  21st  August  this  year."  Capt.  Norton  was 
a  white  man,  a  Scot.  "Buried,  July  17th,  Col.  C.  Bishop; 
died  of  his  wounds."  As  this  brave  young  soldier  was 
buried  at  Lundy's  Lane,  Mr.  Addison  must  have  ridden 
all  these  miles  to  perform  this  service.  "  Married,  1817, 
Eev.  William  Samson,  minister  of  Grimsby,  to  Maria 
Nelles."  "  Buried,  September  23rd,  1822,  Poor  old  Hope." 
"  February  23rd,  baptized  Agnes  Strachan,  daughter  of 
Hon.  Dr.  J.  Strachan,  Hector  of  York,  and  Ann,  his  wife." 
Rev.  R.  Addison  was  military  chaplain  for  many  years,  and 
also  chaplain  to  the  Freemasons.  During  the  American 
occupation  he  conducted  Divine  service  for  both  parties. 
The  tablet  in  the  church  to  his  memory  reads  thus: 
"  In  memory  of  Rev.  Robert  Addison,  first  missionary 
in  this  district  of  the  Venerable  the  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel  in  foreign  parts.  He  commenced  his 
labors  in  1792,  which,  by  the  blessing  of  Divine  Providence, 
he  was  enabled  to  continue  for  thirty-seven  years.  Besides 
his  stated  services  as  minister  of  St.  Mark's  in  the  town, 
he  visited  and  officiated  in  different  parts  of  this  and 
adjoining  districts  until  other  missionaries  arrived.  He 
was  born  in  Westmoreland,  England.  '  Remember  them 
which  have  the  rule  over  you.' '' 

The  church  was  consecrated  in  1828,  on  Sunday,  August 
30th,  by  the  Honorable  and  Right  Reverend  Charles  James, 
brother  of  the  Earl  of  Galloway  and  Bishop  of  Quebec,  in 
the  presence  of  His  Excellency  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland, 
K.C.B.,  his  staff  and  other  dignitaries.  Morning  prayer 


60  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGARA 

tvas  read  by  Rev.  Robert  Addison,  the  lesson  and  litany  by 
Rev.  Thomas  Green,  the  assistant  minister,  the  Bishop 
preaching. 

A  letter  from  Colonel  William  Claus  to  Rev.  Dr.  Stuart, 
asking  assistance  from  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Gospel,  shows  the  condition  of  the  church  after  the 
ivar.  The  congregation  had  met  in  different  places — the 
Court  House,  the  Indian  Council  House,  Butler's  Bar 
racks,  etc. 

"Niagara,  U.C.,  January  18th,  1818. 
"  Anxious  that  something  should  be  done  towards  rebuild- 
ing our  church  which,  in  the  winter  of  1813,  was  unfor- 
tunately destroyed  by  the  enemy  at  the  time  our  town 
was,  burnt,  I  would  not  take  this  freedom  if  there  appeared 
the  most  distant  prospect  or  steps  taken  to  make  it  even 
in  a  state  that  we  could  attend  Divine  service ;  but  during 
this  season  it  is  hardly  possible  to  attend.  It  remains  in 
the  state  the  Commissariat  put  it  in  for  the  purpose  of 
storing  provisions,  after  we  repossessed  ourselves  of  the 
frontier,  with  the  trifling  addition  of  a  temporary  reading 
desk  and  gallery  for  the  troops.  Your  Lordship  saw  the 
state  it  was  in  last  summer.  Nothing  whatever  has  been 
done  or  likely  to  be  done.  It  is  not  even  weatherproof. 
The  church  was  made  use  of  in  1812  as  a  hospital  for  the 
wounded.  We  were  deprived  of  our  all  and  have  barely 
the  means  of  covering  for  ourselves  and  families,  to  which 
war  must  be  attributed  the  melancholy  state  the  church 
remains  in." 

The  next  letter  is  dated  Niagara,  September  20th,  1820, 
and  states  that  the  small  congregation  previous  to  the  War 
of  1812  erected  the  church  at  their  own  expense,  which 
cost  £1,200  currency.  "  After  its  destruction  by  fire,  appli- 
cation was  made  in  1816  to  His  Majesty's  Government  for 
aid;  £500  sterling  had  been  received,  which  falls  short  of 
accomplishing  our  wish.  Our  congregation  are  too  poor 
to  expect  much  from  them.  From  their  living  within  gun- 
shot of  the  enemy's  lines  they  suffered  the  loss  of  all  they 
possessed,  burnt  out  and  plundered  of  everything,  and 
they  had  really  not  yet  recovered  their  misfortunes  from 
the  late  unhappy  events." 


ST.  MARK'S  CHURCH  61 

The  Canadian  Government  had  refused  any  compensa- 
tion, as  the  church  had  been  used  by  the  British  for  war 
purposes.  What  an  eventful  history — used  by  both  armies, 
as,  after  the  Battle  of  Queenston  Heights,  the  wounded 
were  brought  here  and  the  church  became  a  hospital ;  then 
by  the  Americans  as  a  barracks,  and  here  on  the  flat  stones 
may  be  seen  the  marks  of  hatchets  and  cleavers  used  in 
cutting  meat.  Could  the  stones  of  the  church  speak  (and 
do  they  not  speak  eloquently  of  the  past),  what  disputed 
points  in  our  history  might  be  cleared  up. 

The  oldest  record  is  placed  inside  the  eastern  door, 
having  been  found  partly  covered  up  in  the  graveyard  and 
placed  here  for  safety.  It  is  rudely  carved  and  imperfectly 
spelled  by  some  hand  unskilled  in,  or  all  unused  to,  such 
work : 

"  LENEED  BLANCK 

"  DESeaCED 

"  5  AUG 

"  1782  " 

It  is  believed  that  there  was  a  graveyard  here  long  before 
the  church  was  built. 

In  the  porch  at  the  north  door  of  the  older  part  of  the 
church  is  a  tablet,  which  brings  back  to  us  the  rattle  of 
musketry  and  rush  of  foemen  the  day  Niagara  was  cap- 
tured. 

"  In  memory  of  Captain  M.  McLellan,  aged  43 ;  Charles 
Wright  and  William  Cameron,  in  the  25th  year  of  their 
age,  of  the  1st  Regiment  of  Lincoln  Militia,  who  glori- 
ously fell  on  the  27th  day  of  May,  1813;  also  Adjutant 
Lloyd,  of  the  8th  King's  Regiment  of  Infantry. 

"  '  As  lurid  lightnings  dart  their  vivid  light, 

So  poured  they  forth  their  fires  in  bloody  fight; 
They  bravely  fell  and  saved  their  country's  cause; 
They  loved  their  Constitution,  King  and  Laws.' " 

The  last  three  words,  it  is  needless  to  remark,  are  in 
capital  letters.  In  excuse  for  the  absence  of  poetry  in 
these  lines,  it  may  be  said  the  people  of  those  days  were 
too  busy  writing  history  with  their  swords  to  trouble  about 
elaborating  musical  couplets  or  quatrains. 


62  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGAEA 

On  the  eastern  wall  is  the  story  of  one  whose  tragic  fate 
has  been  fondly  remembered :  "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of 
Captain  Copeland  Eadcliffe,  of  his  Britannic  Majesty's 
Navy,  who  fell  while  leading  on  his  men  to  board  one  of 
the  enemy's  schooners  at  anchor  off  Fort  Erie  on  the  night 
of  the  17th  August,  1814.  One  tablet  is  erected  by  his 
nephew  at  the  request  of  brothers  and  sisters,  the  other 
by  Captain  Dawes,  E.N.,  at  the  request  of  his  mother." 
We  cannot  but  drop  a  tear  to  the  memory  of  a  brave  young 
sailor.  Another  tablet  reads,  "  Donald  Campbell,  Islay, 
Argyllshire,  Fort  Major  of  Fort  George,  died  1st  December, 
1812.  Interred  on  west  side  of  Garrison  Gate  at  Fort 
George."  Another  records  that  Lieutenant-Colonel  Elliot, 
K.C.B.,  fought  in  the  Peninsular  War.  In  the  church 
altogether  are  twenty-four  tablets  or  memorial  windows; 
of  these,  eight  are  to  military,  five  to  clergy,  five  to  women, 
and  six  to  the  Kingsmill  family. 

The  leader  of  the  irregular  force  called  Butler's  Eangers 
is  in  certain  histories  held  up  to  obloquy,  but  as  time 
rolls  on  the  partizan  spirit  will  die  out  and  late  justice  will 
be  done  to  many  who  have  received  unmerited  blame. 

"Fear  God  and  honor  the  King.  In  memory  of  Colonel 
John  Butler,  His  Majesty's  Commissioner  for  Indian 
Affairs,  born  in  New  London,  Connecticut,  1728.  His  life 
was  spent  honorably  in  the  service  of  the  Crown.  In  the 
war  with  France,  for  the  conquest  of  Canada,  he  was 
distinguished  at  the  Battle  of  Lake  George,  September, 
1755;  at  the  Siege  of  Fort  Niagara  and  its  capitulation, 
July  25th,  1759.  In  the  War  of  1776  he  took  up  arms  in 
defence  of  the  unity  of  the  empire  and  raised  and  com- 
manded the  Eoyal  American  Eegiment  of  Butler's  Eangers. 
A  sincere  Christian  as  well  as  a  brave  soldier,  he  was  one 
of  the  founders  and  the  first  patron  of  this  parish.  He 
died  at  Niagara,  May,  1796,  and  is  interred  in  the  family 
burying  ground  near  this  town.  Erected  1880." 

Another  inscription  reads :  "  In  memory  of  Colonel 
William  Kingsmill,  son  of  the  late  Major  Kingsmill,  of 
1st  Eoyals,  died  in  Toronto,  6th  May,  1876,  aged  82. 
Colonel  Kingsmill  served  in  H.  M.  66th  Eegiment  in  the 
Peninsular  War,  and  afterwards  at  St.  Helena,  during 
Napoleon's  captivity.  Subsequently  in  command  of  3rd 


ST.  MAEK'S  CHUKCH  63 

Infantry  Corps  Battalion  of  Upper  Canadian  Militia  and 
was  Sheriff  of  the  Niagara  District.  He  was  a  gallant 
soldier." 

Colonel  Kingsmill  is  also  remembered  as  Superintendent 
of  Schools  in  the  toAvns.  The  military  instinct  must  have 
been  strong,  as  there  are  tablets  to  two  sons  in  far-distant 
places,  one,  Captain  Kingsmill,  born  at  St.  Helena,  and 
Lieutenant  Kingsmill,  died  at  Hong  Kong. 

Two  beautiful  mural  tablets  in  the  transept  read  thus : 

"  In  memory  of  the  Hon.  Eobert  Dickson,  of  Woodlawn, 
Niagara;  member  of  the  Legislative  Council  of  Canada, 
who  died  at  Leghorn,  Italy,  1846,  aged  50.  This  tablet 
is  erected  by  her  who  fondly  cherishes  the  recollections  of 
those  endearing  qualities  which  were  so  long  the  solace  of 
her  life,  and  who  mourns  her  loss  with  a  hope  full  of 
consolation." 

The  mourning  widow,  dying,  like  her  husband,  far  from 
home,  is  commemorated  in  fewer  words : 

"  In  memory  of  Jane  Jones,  relict  of  the  Hon.  Eobert 
Dickson,  of  Woodlawn,  Niagara,  who  died  at  Montreal, 
1854,  aged  60  years." 

A  large  tablet  near  the  north  door  commemorates  the 
second  rector: 

"In  memory  of  "Rev.  Thomas  Creen,  late  Eector  of 
Niagara.  Born  in  Eathfriland,  Ireland,  November  20th, 
1799 ;  died  at  Niagara  January  6th,  1864.  '  How  beautiful 
upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good 
tidings,  that  publish eth  peace.'  (Isaiah  52:7.)" 

The  tablet  was  erected  by  old  pupils,  members  of  a 
private  class. 

A  beloved  physician  is  thus  remembered : 

"In  loving  memory  of  Eobert  M.  Wilson,  M.D.,  who 
died  in  Simcoe,  May  31st,  1875.  'Their  eves  shall  behold 
the  king  in  his  beauty,  they  shall  behold  the  land  that  is 
very  far  off.' " 

Another  is  in  memory  of  Amelia  Baxter,  second  wife  of 
Archdeacon  McMurray,  and  has  this  well-deserved  praise: 
"  This  woman  was  full  of  good  works  and  almsdeeds  which 
she  did." — Acts  9 :  36. 

Another  has  the  name  of  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Senator 
Plumb,  and  sister  of  Thos.  C.  Street. 


64  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

A  handsome  brass  tablet  commemorates  the  centenary 
of  the  church,  thus : 

"  To  the  glory  of  God !  This  tablet  is  erected  by  the 
congregation  of  St.  Mark's  Church  in  grateful  commemor- 
ation of  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  foundation 
of  this  parish  on  the  9th  July,  1792.  The  nave  of  the 
church  was  built  about  1807,  and  burned  during  the  War 
of  1812,  the  walls  only  remaining.  It  was  restored  in  1820, 
and  enlarged  to  the  present  dimensions  in  1843.  During 
the  century  the  living  has  been  held  by  the  following 
incumbents :  the  Rev.  Robert  Addison,  1792  to  1829 ;  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Green,  1829  to  1857;  the  Rev.  William  Mc- 
Murray,  D.D.,  D.C.L.,  Archdeacon  of  Niagara,  to  the 
present  time,  assisted  since  1888  by  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Garrett 
as  curate  in  charge." 

There  are  also  tablets  to  the  Rev.  H.  Cottingham  and 
Rev.  Romaine  Rolph. 

Three  beautiful  memorial  stained  glass  windows  have 
lately  been  placed  in  the  church — that  to  John  Lees  Alma, 
189Q,  by  his  wife  and  daughters;  that  to  Archdeacon 
McMurray,  and  to  Mrs.  Fell,  of  Buffalo,  who,  visiting 
and  admiring  the  graveyard,  expressed  a  Avish  to  be  buried 
here,  and  dying  shortly  after,  her  wish  was  complied  with, 
and  this  beautiful  window,  "  The  Resurrection  Morn," 
from  a  painting  in  Italy,  placed  in  memory.  The  stained 
glass  window  in  the  chancel  is  believed  to  be  the  earliest 
stained  glass  window  in  an  Ontario  church.  Its  soft 
colors,  its  chaste  simplicity,  and  yet  its  rich  gold,  purple 
and  dark  blue,  move  the  admiration  of  visitors. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Green,  a  native  of  Ireland,  but  edu- 
cated at  Glasgow  University,  became  the  assistant  of  Rev. 
R.  Addison,  and  succeeded  him  in  1829.  He  was  a  fine 
speaker,  a  modest,  benevolent  man,  scholarly  and  a  good 
classic  scholar.  During  his  incumbency  the  transept  was 
added  to  the  nave,  galleries  added,  and  the  two  pulpits 
built,  the  church  reseated,  and  many  munificent  gifts  were 
made  to  St.  Mark's,  showing  what  loving  hearts  wor- 
shipped within  its  walls.  The  beautiful  tablets  in  the 
chancel,  with  the  Commandments,  Creed  and  Lord's 
Prayer,  were  brought  from  England,  the  money  to  provide 
them  being  given  by  the  widow  of  the  Hon.  Robert  Dick- 


ST.   MARK'S   CHURCH. 


HOUSE  OP  J.   POWELL,    1826. 
Afterwards   owned   bv  Jas.    Boulton   and   Dr.    Morson. 


ST.  MARK'S  CHURCH  65 

son.  The -silver  communion  plate  was  given  by  Mrs.  Downs, 
and  the  Bishop's  chair  by  the  Hon.  Win.  Dickson;  the  font 
by  Mrs.  Hall  and  Mrs.  Melville.  The  small  crimson  arm- 
chair was  presented  to  the  sexton,  John  Wray,  when  a 
feeble  old  man,  by  the  Sunday  school  children,  who  also 
erected  the  stone  in  the  graveyard  to  his  memory.  The 
money  to  build  the  rectory  was  partly  collected  in  this 
incumbency  by  two  sisters,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Dickson  and  Mrs. 
Woodruff. 

A  watercolor,  by  an  artist  called  D'Almaine,  shows  the 
church  in  1834,  quite  different  from  its  present  appear- 
ance. What  is  the  nave  of  the  church,  or  the  north  end, 
was  the  original  church.  There  was  a  steeple  instead  of 
the  square  tower  with  the  four  points.  The  chancel  was 
built  in  1843,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  date  on  the  curiously 
carved  pulpits. 

The  missionary  work  of  the  first  incumbent  has  been 
referred  to,  extending  over  so  many  miles,  baptizing  alike 
the  dusky  children  of  Africa  and  the  red  men  of  America. 
It  is  remarkable  that  the  third  rector,  the  Rev.  Archdeacon 
McMurray,  labored  when  a  young  man  among  the  Indians 
at  'Sault  Ste  Marie:  his  first  wife  (the  daughter  of  John 
Johnson  and  his  wife,  an  Indian  maiden),  was  of  great 
use  as  an  interpreter  in  his  ministrations.  In  1891  he  paid 
a  visit  to  the  scene  of  his  labors  almost  sixty  years  before, 
and  met  at  the  Shingwauk  Home  several  whom  he  had 
baptized.  In  1853  he  was  delegated  to  visit  the  neighbor- 
ing republic  to  ask  assistance  for  Trinity  College.  In 
1854  he  visited  Quebec  with  regard  to  the  settlement  of 
the  Clergy  Reserves,  and  in  1864  visited  Great  Britain  in 
the  interests  of  Trinity  College.  Many  improvements  have 
been  made  in  this  period.  The  handsome  rectory  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $6,000,  a  large  and  full-toned  organ 
was  largely  due  to  the  liberal  contribution  of  Geale  Dick- 
son,  and  the  beautiful  chime  of  bells  was  a  memorial  gift 
from  the  same  gentleman  arid  his  brother,  Walter  A. 
Dickson.  Also,  during  this  incumbency,  several  curates 
have  given  their  assistance:  in  the  time  of  Mr.  Creen,  the 
Rev.  Edw.  Baldwin,  Rev.  Dr.  Lundy,  Rev.  W.  Reynolds, 
and  Rev.  T.  B.  McKenzie ;  and  in  that  of  Dr.  McMurray, 
the  Rev.  E.  Stewart  Jones,  whose  untimely  death  was  so 
6 


66  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGAEA 

much  regretted.  He  had  taken  much  interest  in  the  young 
men  of  the  congregation,  and  helped  to  form  the  Order  of 
United  Workmen  and  a  temperance  society.  His  successors 
were  the  Eev.  J.  B.  Meade  and  the  Eev.  J.  C.  Garrett. 
On  the  death  of  Archdeacon  McMurray  he  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  J.  0.  Garrett,  who  for  some  time  had  been 
Curate-in-charge,  now  Eev.  Canon  Garrett. 

As  the  completion  of  the  hundred  years  of  the  existence 
of  the  congregation  approached,  the  question  of  holding  a 
centennial  was  mooted,  and  also  that  of  alterations  in  the 
church.  AVith  regard  to  the  latter  there  was  a  difference 
of  opinion,  as  some  preferred  the  air  of  antiquity,  the  high 
straight-backed  box  pews;  but  it  was  finally  decided  to 
take  out  the  galleries,  put  in  new  windows,  new  oak  seats, 
and  paint  the  walls  ornamentally,  but  leave  untouched  the 
quaint  carved  pulpits  and  the  chancel. 

Services  were  held  on  the  Oth,  10th  and  llth  of  July, 
and  large  congregations  filled  the  church.  Eighteen 
clergymen  were  present  at  morning  service,  July  9th. 
Addresses  were  given  during  the  day  by  Eev.  E.  A.  Bald- 
win, Eov.  W.  Fessenden,  Archdeacon  McMurray  and  the 
Eev.  E.  Ker.  The  Archdeacon  gave  a  comprehensive 
resume  of  the  work  done  in  the  hundred  years.  In  the 
evening  the  Eev.  E.  Ker,  of  St.  Catharines,  read  a  well- 
prepared  paper,  eloquent  and  reminiscent  of  the  past, 
closing  with  the  words,  "And  now  the  forms  of  soldiers, 
of  statesmen,  of  patriots,  and  of  citizens,  that  have  to-night 
lent  their  mystic  presence  to  this  congregation,  vanish." 
He  bade  them  return  to  their  peaceful  rest. 

" '  For  us  will  dawn  no  new  centennial  day.' " 

On  Sunday  morning  the  Eight  Eev.  Cleveland  Coxe, 
Bishop  of  New  York,  preached,  closing  with  the  words. 
"  T  thank  God  for  the  history  of  this  venerable  parish,  and 
rejoice  that  I  am  here  to  take  part  in  this  centennial." 
The  surpliced  choir,  numbering  thirty,  of  St.  Mary's-on- 
the-Hill,  Buffalo,  sang  an  anthem.  In  the  evening  the 
sermon  was  given  by  Archdeacon  Dickson.  At  the  morn- 
ing service  there  were  present  children  and  grandchildren 
of  the  three  incumbents,  there  being  two  grandchildren 
and  ten  great-grandchildren  of  the  first  rector,  Eev.  K. 


ST.  MAEK'S  CHUECH  67 

Addisou.  There  were  also  descendants  of  Colonel  John 
Butler.  An  item  of  interest  in  connection  with  the  cele- 
bration of  the  communion  was  that  the  combined  ages  of 
three  of  the  officiating  clergymen  reached  two  hundred 
and  fifty-four  years — Archdeacon  McMurray,  eighty-three 
years;  Canon  Arnold,  eighty-six  years;  and  Canon  Head, 
eighty-five  years. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Monday  a  paper  written  by  the  Eev. 
Dr.  Scadding,  "  Church  Annals  at  Niagara,"  was  read, 
in  which  was  a  personal  reminiscence  of  the  first  minister 
of  St.  Mark's.  "I  myself  remember  Mr.  Addison  very 
well,  having,  when  a  boy,  heard  him  officiate  in  St.  James' 
Church  at  York.  His  oval  and  intellectual  countenance 
and  finished  style  of  reading  made  a  strong  impression. 
I  particularly  remember  his  walking  arrayed  in  his  aca- 
demic gown,  bands  and  clerical  hat  down  King  Street 
to  the  Quetton  St.  George  mansion.  He  was  chaplain  to 
the  House  of  Assembly." 

In  the  evening  a  social  reunion  was  held  in  the  school- 
house,  the  chief  feature  of  which  was  the  presentation  of 
a  handsome  onyx  clock,  vases  and  lamp  to  the  Archdeacon 
and  Mrs.  McMurray. 

The  whole  proceedings  had  been  carried  out  very  success- 
fully, the  weather  was  delightful  and  friends  met  here  who 
had  not  seen  each  other  for  years,  many  coming  from  far- 
distant  points,  and  all  rejoiced  over  this  pleas-ant  gathering. 
During  the  incumbency  of  the  Eev.  J.  C.  Garrett,  now 
Canon,  many  costly  and  beautiful  gifts  have  been  given 
by  present  and  former  members,  showing  the  love  and 
generosity  of  the  givers.  A  beautiful  black  walnut 
communion  table  is  in  memory  of  the  late  John  W.  Ball, 
made  from  a  tree  grown  on  the  farm  of  him  whose  memory 
is  thus  commemorated:  "John  W.  Ball,  who  with  faithful 
devotion  filled  the  office  of  Church  "Warden  of  this  parish 
for  twenty-one  consecutive  years.  Born  1813 ;  died  1890. 
Erected  1909."  Another  memorial  is  a  handsome  pulpit  in 
golden  oak  to  the  memory  of  James  and  Amelia  Kennedy 
and  their  deceased  children,  also  George  Goff,  their  son-in- 
law,  erected  by  Charles  Kennedy  and  his  sister,  Amelia 
Goff,  July,  1909.  A  memorial  lectern  of  bronze  and  brass 
has  come  from  Detroit,  sent  in  memory  of  her  father  from 


68 

Mrs.  Austin,  a  daughter  of  Captain  Winnett  Lockhart 
Melville,  who  formerly  worshipped  in  St.  Mark's.  The 
lectern  was  first  placed  in  Grace  Church,  Detroit.  An 
angel  with  outstretched  -arms  supports  the  reading  desk. 
The  church  has  been  further  beautified  by  the  placing  of 
two  beautiful  memorial  windows  of  stained  glass  in  memory 
of  her  parents  by  Mrs.  Dorothy  Carnathaii  Baur,  also  of 
her  husband,  the  late  Charles  Baur,  of  Terre  Haute,  Ind. 

The  last  improvement  in  the  church  is  the  excavation 
to  form  a  room  for  the  choir,  now  a  surpliced  choir.  Much 
of  the  expense  of  all  the  late  improvements  to  the  church, 
school  house  and  rectory  has  been  paid  by  the  efforts  of  the 
Women's  Guild  and  the  Willing  Workers,  while  the  help 
sent  to  the  Shingwauk  Home  is  due  to  the  Missionary 
Auxiliary,  to  which  the  Misses  Beavcn  have  given  their 
time,  their  inspiration,  their  money  and  their  prayers. 

The  words  of  George  Macdonald  in  describing  an  old 
church  in  the  Sea  Board  Parish  seem  appropriate  in  con- 
cluding this  sketch : 

"And  when  I  saw  it  I  rejoiced  to  think  that  once  more 
I  was  favored  with  a  church  that  had  a  history;  that  it 
was  one  in  Avhich  the  hopes  and  fears,  the  cares  and  con- 
solations, the  loves  and  desires  of  our  forefathers  should 
have  been  roofed ;  where  the  hearts  of  those  through  whom 
our  country  has  become  that  which  it  is — from  which  not 
merely  the  life-blood  of  our  bodies,  but  the  life-blood  of 
our  spirits  has  come  down  to  us — whose  existence  and 
whose  efforts  have  made  it  possible  for  us  to  be  that  which 
we  are.  Therefore,  I  would  rather,  \vhen  I  may,  worship 
in  an  old  church  whose  very  stones  are  a  history  of  how 
men  strove  to  realize  the  infinite,  compelling  even  the 
powers  of  nature  into  the  task." 


CHAPTER  XII. 
NEWSPAPERS. 

PERHAPS  by  some  it  will  hardly  be  believed  that  in  our 
town  at  least  twenty-three  newspapers  have  been  printed, 
"  have  had  their  day  and  ceased  to  be."  What  a  contrast 
to  papers  of  the  present  day  were  these  early  newspapers 
as  exemplified  in  The  Upper  Canada  Gazette — no  edi- 
torials, no  personals,  no  poetry,  no  stories,  no  telegraphic 
despatches,  no  births,  deaths  or  marriages,  no  illustrations, 
few  'advertisements,  but  chiefly  copies  of  official  documents, 
while  exasperatingly  silent  on  the  points  of  which  we  desire 
knowledge — the  news  of  the  town.  Columns  are  given  of 
news  six  or  eight  weeks  old  from  Constantinople,  Peters- 
burgh,  Baltimore,  Amsterdam,  Frankfort,  Valenciennes, 
Tournay,  Rotterdam,  Paris,  Bergen-op-Zoom  (wherever 
that  may  be).  Even  when  we  come  down  to  the  times  of 
The  Chronicle  and  The  Mail,  in  one  of  these  is  this  notice- 
able; but  there  is  generally  a  striking  contrast.  The 
Chronicle  was  the  organ  of  the  dominant  party  in  the  town 
at  that  date.  It  had  all  the  official  notices,  sheriff's  sales, 
reports  of  county  proceedings,  etc.,  dignified  in  tone,  but 
insufferably  dull;  but  Tlte  Mail,  of  the  same  date,  edited 
by  Davidson,  was  lively,  had  amusing  letters,  sharp  criti- 
cisms of  those  in  power,  and  spicy  articles,  and  was,  in 
fact,  a  "  free  lance."'  When  there  were  three  weekly  papers 
in  town  (1833),  there  was  often  a  good  deal  of  sparring  at 
one  another,  but  we  cannot  imagine  The  Chronicle  con- 
descending to  notice  its  opponent. 

1.  The  Upper  Canada  Gazette  or  American  Oracle  seems 
to  have  been  the  official  organ  of  the  Government.  The 
first  number  appeared  April  18th,  1793,  with  Louis  Roy 
as  publisher,  and  afterwards  G.  Tiffany;  the  price  was 
three  dollars;  in  size  it  was  a  four-page  paper,  each  page 
being  lJU/2  by  O1/^  inches.  Dr.  Neilson,  of  Ottawa,  when 
visiting  the  Historical  Building,  wrote  in  the  visitors'  book : 
"  My  grandfather,  John  Xeilson,  of  Quebec,  sent  his  fore- 
man, Louis  Roy,  to  start  this  paper  at  Newark." 

69 


70 

As  an  example  of  the  verbiage  of  the  day  we  quote  from 
the  proclamation  railing  Parliament  to  assemble: 

"  George  the  Third  by  the  grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britain, 
etc.  To  our  beloved  and  faithful  counsellors  of  our  Pro- 
vince of  Upper  Canada,  our  faithful  knights,  citizens  and 
burgesses,  of  our  said  Province,  for  the  Assembly  at  our 
town  of  Newark Greeting Com- 
manding and  by  the  tenor  of  these  presents  firmly  enjoin- 
ing you  and  every  one  of  you  and  all  others  in  this  behalf 
interested  that  on  the  22nd  day  of  September  next,  at  our 
said  town  of  Newark,  personally,  you  and  every  one  of 
you  be  and  appear  to  treat,  do,  act  and  conclude  upon 
those  things  which  in  our  said  Assembly,  by  the  Common 
Council  of  our  said  Province,  by  the  favor  of  God,  may  be 
ordained.  In  testimony  whereof  these  our  letters  we  have 
caused  to  be  made  patent  and  the  great  seal  of  our  said 
Province  to  be  hereunto  affixed.  Witness  our  Trusty  and 
Well  Beloved  John  Graves  Simeoe,  Esquire,  Lieutenant- 
Governor  and  Colonel  Commanding  our  Forces  in  our  said 
Province,  at  our  Government  House,  Navy  Hall,  this  tenth 
day  of  August  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  ninety-four,  and  in  the  thirty-fourth  year  of 
our  reign. 

"  Wm.  Jarvis,  Secretary."  "  J'  G'  S> 

An  advertisement  in  large  capitals  has  a  martial  ring: 

"To  all  Loyal  and  Gallant  Subjects.  Eecruits  wanted 
for  His  Majesty's  American  Regiment  of  Queen's  Rangers, 
of  which  His  Excellency  Lieu  tenant-Governor  Simeoe  is 
Colonel  Commandant.  Fifty  active  young  men,  gentle- 
men, volunteers,  shall  receive  Ten  Guineas  Bounty  Money 
each  on  their  approval " 

In  another  issue  is  a  list  of  certificates  of  land  lying  at 
the  office  of  Win.  Jarvis.  There  occur  the  familiar  names 
of  G.  Fields,  J.  Brown,  J.  Turney,  S.  VanEvery,  B.  Frey, 
D.  Secord,  P.  Hare,  C.  Corus,  J.  Durham,  J.  Butler,  A. 
Vrooman,  J.  Young,  D.  Servos,  W.  Vanderlip,  J.  Castle- 
man,  A.  Bradt,  J.  Chisholm,  A.  Chrysler,  J.  Comfort, 
W.  B.  Sheehan,  C.  Lambert,  etc. 


NEWSPAPERS  71 

In  the  first  issue,  April  18th,  1793,  appear  the  names  of 
gentlemen  arriving  in  the  river  in  H.  M.  Schooner  Onon- 
daga,  after  an  agreeable  passage  of'  tliirty-six  hours:  ,1. 
Small,  Esquire.,  'Clerk  to  Executive  Council;  Lieutenant 
McCan,  of  the  60th  Regiment;  Captain  T.  Frazer,  J.  Deni- 
son,  Mr.  Jos.  Forsyth,  Merchant,  Mr.  P.  Smith,  Merchant, 
Mr.  L.  Crawford,  Captain  A.  McDonnell,  --  Hatheway. 

The  Upper  Canada  Gazette  was  published  here  till  1798, 
when  it  was  removed  to  York.  No  complete  file  is  known 
to  exist. 

2.  The  Constellation  was  begun  June,  1799,  and  is  known 
with  certainty  to  have  lasted  till  the  end  of  1800 ;  and  was 
published  by  Silvester  Tiffany  at  the  price  of  four  dollars 
a  year.  In  the  Niagara  Mail,  August  22nd,  1855,  is  an 
article  on  the  Constellation,  no  doubt  written  by  Mr.  Kirby, 
with  the  heading,  "  A  Canadian  Newspaper  Relic.  This 
was  placed  in  our  hands  a  few  days  ago  by  the  kindness  of 
F.  Tiffany,  of  Toronto."  The  article  is  on  the  paper  of  June 
21st,  1800.  The  Constellation  is  stated  to  be  published 
weekly  by  S.  and  G.  Tiffany.  "  The  British  news  is  almost 
three  months,  that  of  New  York  almost  a  month,  old.  In 
the  local  news  is  the  account  of  Miss  Ann  Cain  having 
been  killed  by  blows  and  kicks  inflicted  by  a  fellow  servant 
in  the  home  of  Mr.  (T.  Forsyth,  Niagara.  The  editor  warns 
men  not  to  give  way  to  gusts  of  passion  with  regard  to  com- 
mercial matters.  The  Province  being  on  the  eve  of  an 
election,  the  evils  of  bribing  and  treating  are  referred  to, 
but  the  electors  of  the  second  riding  of  this  county  are 
declared  to  be  an  enlightened,  independent  people,  and  will 
think  for  themselves. 

"  From  an  advertisement  we  learn  that  the  whole  town 
plot  of  Hamilton  was  for  sale — 975  acres  well  timbered  with 
150  acres  cleared;  an  excellent  stand  for  business,  with  a 
wharf  and  storehouse.  For  particulars  readers  are  told  to 
apply  to  the  printers  of  Niagara/'  This  will  move  the 
astonishment  of  the  residents  of  the  Ambitious  Little 
City." 

3.  The  Herald  was  published  1801  to  1802 ;  its  subscrip- 
tion price  was  four  dollars.  In  the  Niagara  Herald,  August 
7th,  1802,  is  the  advertisement  of  the  "  New  Store  at  the 


72  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

house  of  the  French  General,  between  Niagara  and  Queens- 
ton  " ;  signed  Quetton  St.  George  and  Co. 

4.  The   Upper  Canada  Gazette,  or  Freeman's  Journal, 
1809-1810,  was  published  by  Joseph  Wilcocks.    This  paper 
was  first  printed  in  York,  1807,  but  brought  to  Niagara  in 
1809.    Wilcocks  was  a  member  of  parliament  and  fought  at 
Queenston  Heights,  but  joined  the  enemy  and  was  killed 
while  fighting  at  Fort  Erie.     From  his  knowledge  of  the 
neighbourhood  he  gave  information  to  the  enemy  in  1813, 
and  thus  the  loyal  inhabitants  were  distressed  and  their 
property  seized  and  they  themselves  arrested.    He  formed  a 
force  called  Canadian  Volunteers  of  those  who  were  disloyal 
like  himself.    This  is  to  be  distinguished  from  a  force  called 
the  Royal  Canadian  Volunteers.     The  paper  was  discon- 
tinued at  the  beginning  of  the  War  of  1812.    A  photograph 
of  the  issue  of  the  paper  of  April  14th,  1810,  is  in  the 
possession  of  the  Historical  Society. 

5.  The  Bee.     Of  this  paper  we  only  know  of  a  copy  in 
July,  1812,  and  one  of  October  24th.     It  was  published  by 
James  Durand  at  the  price  of  four  dollars.     The  October 
number,  or  rather  a  reproduction   of   part   of   it,  was   a 
remarkable  find. 

In  strange  places  are  found  bits  of  valuable  historical 
information,  as  a  copy  of  the  Niagara  Chronicle,  of  August 
22nd,  1838,  was  discovered  doing  service  as  a  trunk  lining; 
it  was  removed  carefully,  but  several  lines  were  missing. 
In  two  places  was  found  reproduced  therein  an  article 
from  the  Niagara  Bee  of  October  24th,  1812,  which  con- 
tained an  account  of  the  Battle  of  Queenston  Heights, 
differing  in  some  respects  from  other  accounts.  An  explan- 
atory article  by  the  late  lamented  Mrs.  S.  A.  Curzon  in 
The  Week,  October  23rd,  1891,  precedes  the  extract,  and 
tells  that  the  paper  was  removed  by  the  hands  of  two  sym- 
pathetic young  Canadian  ladies. 

6.  The  Spectator;  March  17th,  1817.     This  was  pub- 
lished by  Amos  McKenney,  and  afterwards  Pawling  and 
Ferguson;  issued  next  door  to  Alex.  Rogers'  Hotel.      The 
price  was  four  dollars.    This  paper  is  dignified  by  a  motto 
"  Nugas  egit  unusquisque  invicem."     The  motto,  perhaps 
wisely,  is  omitted  in  the  later  years.      In  the  issue  for 
1818   are  long  letters  from  Robert  Gourlay  and  "  The 


NEWSPAPERS  73 

Traveller."  Two  columns  are  taken  up  with  rules  of 
schools,  notices  to  teachers,  etc.  There  is  an  advertise- 
ment of  Timothy  Street,  at  St.  Davids,  and  an  advertise- 
ment of  a  pamphlet,  "  Principles  and  Proceedings  of  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  District  of  Niagara  for  addressing  His 
Royal  Highness  the  Prince  Regent,  respecting  the  claims 
of  sufferers  in  the  War,  Lands  to  Militia  Men,  and  the 
General  Benefit  of  Upper  Canada.  Price,  one  shilling, 
Halifax;  at  this  office."  There  is  also  a  long  letter  from 
James  Durand  and  a  notice  of  the  Agricultural  Society  of 
Upper  Canada. 

7.  The  Gleaner;  December  4th,  1817;  published  by 
Andrew  Heron,  and  afterwards  by  Samuel  Heron;  the  price 
is  three  dollars;  it  was  printed  at  the  foot  of  King  Street, 
at  another  time  near  Market.  This  veteran  paper  was 
published  till  1837.  Its  editor  was  a  noted  man,  a  book- 
seller, and  the  founder  of  the  Niagara  Library  in  1800; 
also  its  secretary,  treasurer  and  librarian;  he  was  the  sec- 
retary and  treasurer  of  St.  Andrew's  Church  from  1794. 
He  must  have  been  a  man  of  means,  as  he  advanced  money 
to  both  of  those  institutions  when  a  deficit  occurred. 

The  editorials  of  The  Gleaner  are  eminently  sane,  moder- 
ate, and  always  on  the  side  of  morality  and  right  thinking. 
Many  correspondents  air  their  views,  as  in  The  Spectator, 
Sir  Oliver  Mowat,  when  at  St.  Andrew's  Centennial,  1894, 
is  quoted  as  saying  that  The  Gleaner  was  taken  in  his 
father's  house  and  diligently  read.  He  wondered  if  there 
were  any  copies  of  it  now  to  be  found.  "  My  first  knowledge 
of  Niagara,  so  far  as  I  can  recollect,  I  got  when  a  very 
small  boy  from  The  Gleaner.  I  knew  nothing  of  its  poli- 
tics. If  it  had  any  politics,  I  am  afraid,  judging  by  my 
experience  of  the  old  town  since  I  became  a  public  man, 
that  its  politics  are  not  likely  to  have  been  as  good,  accord- 
ing to  the  judgment  of  my  mature  age,  as  its  stories  and 
selections  were  according  to  the  judgment  of  my  early  boy- 
hood. I  hope  if  anyone  has  a  file  he  will  deposit  it  in  the 
Legislative  Library  or  other  safe  place  for  preservation  and 
public  references." 

The  newspapers  of  those  days  seem  to  have  suffered 
much  from  non-payment  of  subscribers.  A  notice  in  Novem- 
ber, 1826,  shows  that  a  generous  choice  was  allowed  as 


74  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

to  the  method  of  payment :  "  Notice  to  all  who  feel  desir- 
ous that  this  paper  should  continue  its  useful  labors  to 
come  forward  with  the  needful — pork,  beef,  mutton,  flou7', 
peas,  or  anything  that  is  lit  for  food  for  man  or  beast 
thankfully  received  at  this  office/'  Ready  money  must  have 
been  scarce,  as  in  a  collecting  trip  by  the  editor  as  far  as 
Chippawa  and  DeCew's  only  four  dollars  had  been  received. 
In  an  issue  of  1830  is  stated:  "We  are  greatly  averse  to 
dunning  of  every  description/1  He  goes  on  to  speak  of 
the  hardship  of  prepaying  postage  on  newspapers  and  of 
the  difficulty  of  collecting  payment,  ending  with  the  state- 
ment that  papers  will  be  stopped  of  those  in  arrears,  and 
ends  with  the  significant  threat,  "  Steps  will  be  taken 
stronger  than  argument  to  compel  payment." 

In  all  that  troublous  time  preceding  the  Rebellion,  while 
upholding  the  constitution  he  acknowledged  that  there  were 
wrongs  that  should  be  redressed.  Though  a  Scot  himself 
he  is  rather  hard  on  those  of  that  nationality,  although  he 
fearlessly  defended  their  church  rights  when  attacked  by 
Bishop  Strachan.  In  January  28th,  1832,  he  says:  "  The 
Gleaner,  since  its  commencement  fourteen  years  ago,  has 
had  to  record  two  great  excitements  in  this  Province, 
brought  about  by  two  Scotch  adventurers,  neither  of  whom 
had  any  interest  in  the  prosperity  of  the  Province — (Jour- 
lay  and  Mackenzie."  In  the  issue  for  December,  1833,  it 
is  stated  that  this  number  completes  sixteen  years  of  The 
Gleaner,  the  longest  period  that  any  paper  in  the  Province 
has  attained.  In  1844  The  Gleaner  printing  press  and  all 
appurtenances  were  offered  for  sale  by  A.  Heron,  the 
nephew  of  the  editor. 

8.  The  Canadian  Argus  and  Niagara  Spectator;  April 
19th,  1820;  Vol.  I.,  No.  1;  by  Wm.  B.  Peters,  Barrister; 
motto,  "  Sal  us  Populi  Suprema  Lex"  (The  safety  of  the 
people  is  the  supreme  law) . 

9.  The  Canadian;  August  llth,  1824;  L.  O.  Beardsley; 
£1  per  annum;  next  R.  M.  Chrysler's  store;  Motto,  "Let 
it  be  impressed  upon  your  minds,  let  it  be  instilled  into 
your  children,  that  the  liberty  of  the  press  is  the  palladium 
of  all  civil,  political  and  religious  rights." — Junius. 

10.  The  Niagara  Herald;  January,  1828,  to  1830;  Jas. 
Gedd  for  Jas.  Crooks;  four  dollars  per  year.     This  publi- 


NEWSPAPERS  75 

cation  seems  to  have  judicious  selections  and  copious  Par- 
liamentary news.    We  do  not  know  how  long  it  lasted. 

11.  The  Spirit  of  the  Times;  June  17th,  1830;  W.  L. 
Daly;  issued  from  The  Gleaner  office;  price  17s.  fid.    Only 
one  copy  is  in  our  possession. 

12.  The  Niagara  Literary  Miscellany;  1832.     This  was 
to  be  published  fortnightly  and  to   consist  of   anecdotes 
ancient  and  modern,  to  combine  instruction  with  amuse- 
ment, by  Mr.  Delves,  a  student  of  the  University  of  Cam- 
bridge. 

13.  The    News.      The    prospectus    published    by    The 
Gleaner,  June  23rd,  1832,  appears  as  late  as  October,  and 
states  that  the  paper  was  to  be  on  a  different  plan  from 
any  now  printed  in  the  Province.  It  was  to  be  a  hebdomadal 
(just  a  common  weekly)   paper.      The  new  venture  was 
not  to  be  filled  with  the  ephemeral  trash  of  the  day,  but 
by  leaving  this  out  roflm  would  be   found  for  valuable 
articles.     It  was  to  be  published  by  Sewell  and  Gladman. 
How  this  bold  venture  succeeded   we  have  no  means  of 
knowing. 

14.  The  Reporter;  May  IGth,   1833-42;   Thos.   Sewell, 
afterwards  J.  J.  Masten;  the  price  was  fifteen  shillings; 
motto,  "The  liberty  of  the  press  is  indeed  essential  to  the 
nature  of  a  free  state." — Blackstone.    The  office  was  in  the 
Market    Square    and    afterwards    opposite    Harrington's 
Hotel. 

At  this  time  there  were  three  weekly  papers  in  town.  In 
the  long  advertisement  published  in  The  Gleaner,  in  the 
previous  December,  The  Reporter  in  politics  was  to  be 
independent.  It  mentions  that  "within  the  last  eight  years 
several  papers  had  been  established — The  Canadian,  the 
Niagara  Herald,  The  Spirit  of  the  Times,  and  the  Niagara 
Literary  Miscellany.  They  are  all  defunct,  most  of  them 
in  their  infancy." 

The  Reporter  commenced  by  slashing  articles  on  the 
steady-going  Gleaner,  which  replied  with  spirit  and  dig- 
nity; but  on  the  whole  the  Reporter  was  a  well-conducted 
paper. 

15.  The  Ark;  a  literary  paper,  1835;  by  John  McEwen. 
Called  so  because  it  was  to  consist  of  selected  articles  from 
the  best  publications  of  the  day.    Whether  like  the  ark  of 


7(5  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

old  it  reached  solid  ground  after  its  weeks  and  months  of 
trial  we  know  not. 

16.  The     Telegraph;    November    16th,     1836;    L.     C. 
Kearney.     It  contradicts  the  statement  that  the  journal  is 
published  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  Charles  Richard- 
son.   As  a  prophet  The  Telegraph  will  not  take  high  rank, 
as  its  editor  states  in  his  editorial  that  the  Province  has 
been  rescued  from  all  the  horrors  of  civil  war  by  the  manly 
frankness  of  Sir  Francis  Bond  Head  (  !   !). 

17.  The    Chronicle;    July,    1837-54;    John    Simpson, 
Queen  Street;  price,  three  dollars.    This  has  been  referred 
to  in  the  opening  lines  of  this  chapter  as  the  official  organ. 
The  editor  also  had  a  book  store  and  published  an  almanac 
for  a  number  of  years;  also  published  the  "  Forget-Me-Not,'" 
and  many  books  were  printed  at  the  office  of  The  Chronicle. 
The  editor  became  member  of  Parliament  and  afterwards 
Deputy  Auditor-General.     A  stanza  in  a  witty  description 
of  the  notabilities  of  the  town  describes  him  Avell : 

"  Next   comes   John   Simpson,   fair  and   bland, 
His  acts  you  all  can  understand, 
His  aim  is  high,  his  effort  strong, 
And  seldom  he  is  in  the  wrong. 

The  Chronicle  has  its  columns  full  of  advertisements, 
official  accounts  of  meetings,  news  of  every  place  except 
Niagara;  always  dignified,  but  nothing  spicy  is  found  in 
its  pages.  In  its  favor  it  must  be  said  it  never  indulge.- 
in  personalities,  but  it  is  very  dull.  Three  papers  have 
had  a  longer  existence  than  the  others  in  Niagara,  The 
Gleaner,  The  Chronicle  and  The  Mail.  The  Chronicle, 
like  The  Gleaner,  suffered  from  bad  debts,  as  the  issue  for 
February  7th,  1845,  shows:  "The  accounts  of  this  office 
will  forthwith  be  presented.  It  is  necessary  to  observe  that 
this  ceremony  is  not  a  mere  matter  of  form,  but  in  order 
that  we  may  obtain  payment  of  what  is  due." 

18.  The   Argus;  April,   1844-46;   George   Hodgkinson  ; 
price,  two  dollars;  motto,   "While  we  sing  '  God  Save  the 
King7    we'll  not  forget  the  people." — Burns,  Queen  St. 
The  Argus  is  full  of  life  and  vigor,  has  letters  from  cor- 
respondents, short  editorials;  its  literary  column  is  well 
selected. 


NEWSPAPEKS  77 

19.  The  Mail;   March,   1846-1870;  price  two   dollars; 
editor,  first,  Alex.  Davidson,  then  Jas.  A.  Davidson,  then 
Wra.  Kirby,  Kirby  &  Walsh,  S.  C.  Smith.    Vol.  L,  No.  1, 
contains  a  long  editorial  giving  the  political  views,  aims 
and  objects.    The  following  paragraph  might  be  looked  on 
in  the  present  day  as  somewhat  flowery :  "  Literature  and 
light  reading  shall  also  find  a  corner  in  the  pages  of  The 
Mail,  that,  while  we  furnish  food  for  the  mind  in  its  more 
solid  and  sober  moments,  those  hours  of  relaxation  neces- 
sary to  our  existence  may  be  soothed  by  the  moral  essay 
or  enlivened  by  the  sparkling  repartee.     And  in  wander- 
ing through  the  bowers  of  literature  we  shall  always  strive 
to  cull  for  our  fair  readers  a  bouquet  of  the  gayest  and 
fairest   flowers — an   amulet  of  beauty   and    novelty,   deli- 
cate and   chaste  but  by  no  means   a   rival  to  their  own 
charms."    The  Mail,  when  edited  by  Mr.  Davidson,  assisted 
by  his  son,  Jas.  A.  Davidson,  was  marked  by  wit,  vivacity, 
originality,  literary  ability,  and  a  soupgon,  sometimes,  of 
recklessness.     A  verse  from  the  lines  quoted  before  give  a 
picture  of  the  editor,  probably  written  by  his  son  : 

"  Next  comes  the  worthy  of  The  Mail, 
Who  does  his  duty  without  fail; 
A  modest  and  a  careless  air 
Conceals  a  power  which  cries  beware." 

As  might  be  expected  when  edited  by  Mr.  Kirby,  place 
is  given  to  historical  articles,  particularly  relating  to 
United  Empire  Loyalists.  The  literary  selections  were 
marked  by  good  taste,  but  the  political  utterances  were 
bitter.'  A  noted  article  appeared  in  1849,  signed  "Britan- 
nicus,"  which  was  spread  abroad  by  request.  Considerable 
discussion  ensued  as  to  the  authorship,  which  is  referred 
to  in  "Sixty  Years  in  Canada,"  by  Weir,  and  its  ability 
acknowledged  as  well  as  its  vituperative  power.  It  was 
written  by  Mr.  Kirby,  then  a  young  man,  in  the  excite- 
ment caused  by  the  Eebellion  Losses  Bill.  When  Mr.  Kirby 
became  Customs  Collector,  the  paper  was  edited  for  a 
time  by  S.  C.  Smith. 

20.  The  Fountain:  March  12th,  1847;  Vol.  I.,  No.  2; 
price,  one  dollar:  a  fortnightly  temperance  paper  by  Jas. 
A.  Davidson  and  F.  M.  Whitelaw;  motto,  "  Aqua  est  vitalis 


78  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

alcohol  peruiciosum."    As  we  have  only  one  copy  we  know 
not  how  long  it  was  published. 

21.  The  News;   November,   1870;   by   Jos.   T.    Kerby; 
motto,  "We  observe,  we  think,  we  reason.     The  noblest 
motive  is  the  public  good  " ;  price,  one  dollar.    This  was  a 
small  sheet  and  very  short-lived.     It  is  interesting  as  con- 
taining part  of  the  journal  of  Colonel  Clark,  giving  valu- 
able glimpses  into  the  early  years  of  the  century. 

22.  The  Echo;  May  17th,  1884;  by  AVilliam  MacDougal 
Newton ;    motto,    "  We  will  sell  to  no  man ;   we  will  not 
delay  to   any   man   justice   or   right.       (Magna   Charta.) 
Free  be  our  aim,  independent  our  right  and  the  sword  that 
we  brandish  our  own."     This  was  published  by  a  clever 
young  gentleman,  but  its  existence  was  short. 

Some  of  these  short-lived  papers  seem  to  make  up  for 
their  brief  lives  by  the  length  of  the  motto  from  Junius, 
Magna  Charta  or  Blackstone;  or,  rather,  they  were  so 
weighted  down  by  these  ponderous  utterances  that  they 
sank  overwhelmed. 

23.  The  Times;  August,   1894  to  present  time;  price, 
one  dollar ;  Pickwell  Bros.,  for  first  years,  then  Rev.  J.  S. 
Clarke,  Mrs.   Clarke,  Jas.   Skelton   and   R.   Mosher.     For 
some  years  there  was  no  paper  published  in  Niagara.   The 
Youngstown  News,  containing  a  Niagara  column,  in  part 
supplied  this  want.     It  was  called  The  Niagara  Count;/ 
News,  and  lasted  from  1880  to  1890. 

The  newspapers  of  1830-1850  frequently  had  original 
verses  signed  by  initials,  thus,  "  Lines  on  the  Death  of 
Julia  M.  Geale,"  by  «  W.  M.  R."  Lines  signed  "  Egmet," 
Cross  Roads,  1835,  in  The  Reporter,  mention  "  My  Mary." 
Stanzas  signed  "  (T.  S.  R.,"  evidently  a  rejected  lover,  speak 
of  his  successful  rival : 

"  And  never,  never  must  we  meet, 

Howe'er  our  thoughts  rebel; 
We  have  the  bitter,  had  the  sweet; 
Farewell,  farewell,  farewell." 

There  are  also  lines  by  "  H.  C."  on  the  death  by  fire  of 
a  mother  and  three  children. 


NEWSPAPERS  79 

Besides  these  papers  there  were  several  published  in 
early  years  in  the  vicinity: 

The  St.  David*  Spectator,  1.816,  by  Eichard  Cockerell; 
price,  four  dollars  a  year. 

The  Upper  Canada  Phoenix,  1818,  also  by  Richard 
Cockerell.,  at  Dundas,  U.C.  The  editor  would  be  the 
Niagara  teacher  spoken  of  in  such  high  terms. 

The  Farmer's  Journal  and  Well  and  Canal  Intelligencer, 
St.  Catharines,  1826. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH. 

ALTHOUGH  in  this  comparatively  new  land  we  have  no 
romantic  ruins  where  "each  shafted  oriel  glitters  white," 
no  fanes  where  "through  the  long  drawn  aisle  and  fretted 
vault  the  pealing  anthem  swells  the  note  of  praise,"  it  is 
fitting  that  we  should  strive  to  preserve  what  we  can  of  our 
early  churches,  primitive  as  they  might  be.  In  all  ages 
man  has  been  a  worshipping  being,  in  buildings  as  different 
as  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem,  St.  Peter's  at  Rome,  Melrose 
Abbey,  or  the  Mosque  of  St.  Sophia  at  Constantinople,  or 
as  when  "the  groves  were  God's  first  temples."  While 
this  church  cannot  boast  of  romantic  surroundings,  still 
the  history  of  St.  Andrew's,  with  its  solid,  uncompromis- 
ing structure,  with  its  solemn  row  of  dark  pines,  will  be 
found  interesting,  its  record  touching  many  points  in  the 
history  of  our  country,  showing  the  sterling  nature  of  its 
people,  telling  of  bright  days  and  dark  days;  of  prosperity 
and  adversity;  of  lightning  stroke  and  tornado  as  well  as 
of  "conflagration  pale ;"  of  patient  and  strenuous  efforts  by 
appeal  to  Governor  and  Queen  from  this  almost  the  first 
Presbyterian  church  in  Upper  Canada,  as  previous  to 
this  the  church  at  Williamstown  under  Rev.  John  Bethune, 
was  built  in  1787,  and  a  Presbyterian  church  was  built  at 
Stamford  in  17!>J.  It  is  believed  that  the  first  church 
built  in  Ontario  was  the  Mohawk  Church,  near  Brantford, 
in  1786. 

The  old  record  book  of  which  we  are  >so  proud  is  dated 
September  23rd,  1704,  but  in  the  Archives  of  Canada  for 
1891,  is  a  letter  dated  Newark,  1792,  from  Hon  Richard 
Cartwright,  the  grandfather  of  of  Sir  Richard  Gartwright, 
referring  to  the  state  of  the  Church  of  England,  in  Canada, 
which  goes  on  to  say,  "The  Scots  Presbyterians,  who  are 
pretty  numerous  here,  and  to  which  sect  the  most  respect- 
able of  the  inhabitants  belong,  have  built  a  meeting-house 
and  raised  a  subscription  for  a  minister  of  their  own,  who 
is  shortly  expected  among  them." 

80 


ST.  ANDKEW'S  CHUKCH  81 

The  agreement  between  the  congregation  and  the  Eev. 
John  Dun,  the  first  minister,  reads  thus  : 

"  Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that  we,  the  under- 
signed subscribers,  are  held  and  firmly  bound,  our  heirs, 
etc.,  in  the  sum  of  three  hundred  pounds  of  New  York  cur- 
rency, with  house  room  for  three  years.  The  condition  of 
the  above  obligation  is  such  that  the  undersigned  do  jointly 
and  severally  obligate  themselves  to  pay  to  the  Eev.  John 
Dun  the  above  sum,  his  salary  as  a  Presbyterian  clergyman, 
he  obligating  himself  to  officiate  as  such  to  the  Presbyterian 
congregation  of  Newark,  commencing  on  the  13th  June, 
1794. 

"  (Signed)     JOHN  YOUNG. 

"  I?  ALEE  CLENCH. 
"Witness,  SAMUEL  SHEPHERD. 

DUNBAR." 


It  is  evident  from  this  that  the  congregation  was  in 
existence  before  the  date  of  this  agreement.  The  earliest 
date  in  the  old  record  book  is  the  copy  of  the  agreement, 
September  23rd,  1794:  "We,  the  undersigned,  do  severally 
promise  to  pav  the  sums  opposite  our  names  for  the  pur- 
pose of  building  a  Presbvterian  church  in  the  town  of 
Newark,"  there  being  eighty  names  affixed  with  sums 
varying  from  eight  shillings  to  £10,  while  the  amounts 
promised  for  the  support  of  the  clergyman  are  about  the 
same  per  year.  The  whole  amount  subscribed  was  £215. 
John  Young,  Andrew  Heron  and  A.  Gardiner  gave  £10 
each,  and  Samuel  Street  £8.  A  deed  was  granted  for  four 
acres,  being  lots  157,  158,  183,  184,  for  a  Presbyterian 
church  and  schoolhouse,  the  statement  being  made  that 
this  land  cannot  be  purchased,  donated,  or  otherwise  dis- 
posed of  on  any  pretext  whatever  without  the  permission 
of  the  Executive  Council.  We  find  from  The  Gleaner  of 
1831  that  the  present  church  was  erected  on  the  site  of 
the  church  of  1794.  The  old  leather-covered  book  with 
thick  yellow  paper  has  this  record  for  September  30th, 
1794:  "A  number  of  people  met  this  day  at  Hind's  hotel 
and  resolved  that  'as  religion  is  the  foundation  of  all 
societies,  and  which  cannot  be  so  strictly  adhered  to  with- 
out having  a  place  dedicated  solely  to  Divine  purposes, 
that  a  Presbvterian  church  should  be  erected  in  the  town 
7 


82  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

of  Newark,  and  that  subscriptions  for  that  purpose  he 
immediately  sot  on  foot  as  well  for  the  support  of  a  clergy- 
man of  the  same  persuasion."  r  The  committee  consisted 
of  John  Young,  Four  Mile  Creek,  chairman;  Ralfe  Clench, 
Andrew  Heron,  Roht.  Kerr,  Alexander  Gardiner,  William 
McLellan  and  Alexander  Hemphill.  Here  follows  the  lull 
of  the  lumber.  The  sixe  of  the  timbers  would  astonish 
our  modern  builders  (X  by  12  inches  and  6  by  9  inches). 
The  sixe  of  the  building  was  40  by  32  feet.  "  While  St. 
Mark's  was  built  of  solid  stone  ten  years  after,  these 
church  pioneers  built  of  less  enduring  material,  and  the 
size  of  the  timbers  only  helped  to  feed  the  flame  more 
fiercely  in  LSI.'].  Tt  may  easily  be  seen  that  St.  Mark's 
had  an  immense  advantage  with  a  salary  of  £200  granted 
by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  while 
St.  Andrew's,  struggling  under  a  load  of  debt,  with  many 
breaks  from  the  confusion  and  distress  caused  by  the  war, 
could  only  have  been  kept  alive  by  the  strenuous  exertions 
of  its  members.  \Ve  find  many  of  the  same  names  on  the 
records  of  both  churches.  Some  were  baptixed  in  'St. 
Mark's  in  the  breaks  in  the  history  of  St.  Andrew's.  Mam1 
of  the  residents  had  pews  in  both  churches. 

The  seats  and  pews  were  put  in  in  1795,  a  sexton 
employed  in  1796,  and  pews  let  for  £3  and  £o  each,  one 
for  £10,  among  the  names  of  buyers  being  Colonel  But- 
ler, Peter  Ball,  Daniel  Servos  and  Andrew  Heron.  The 
twenty-one  seats  let  amounted  to  £150.  Mr.  Dun,  at  the 
end  of  three  years,  engaged  in  trade;  but  we  find  his  name 
as  a  pew-holder.  We  learn  that  he  was  drowned  in  1803 
by  the  loss  of  the  barque  Lady  Washington,  sailing  from 
Oswego  to  Niagara. 

The  Rev.  John  Young  came  from  Montreal  in  1802  as 
minister,  and  also  taught  a  school  of  thirteen  scholars — 
Latin,  Greek  and  mathematics.  An  interesting  circum- 
stance has  lately  been  gleaned  in  which  his  name  occurs, 
showing  that  in  spite  of  denominational  differences,  acts 
of  kindness  and  courtesy  had  been  extended  by  Protestants 
and  Catholics  alike.  While  Mr.  Young  was  minister  in 
Montreal,  in  1791,  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
was  administered  by  him  to  his  congregation  in  the  Recol- 
let  Roman  Catholic  Church,  the  use  of  which  had  been 


PULPIT    OF    ST.    ANDREW'S    CHURCH. 


ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH  83 

kindly  allowed  while  their  own  was  heing  built.  The 
Recollet  Fathers  politely  refused  any  compensation,  but 
accepted  a  present  of  two  hogsheads  of  Spanish  wine  and 
a  box  of  candles,  and,  the  manuscript  quaintly  says,  "were 
quite  thankful  for  the  same."  In  1802  the  thanks  of  the 
meeting  were  given  to  Mr.  John  McFarland  for  a  bell 
which  he  has  been  pleased  to  present  to  the  church.  In 
the  accounts  are  lists  of  payments  for  glass,  putty,  stoves, 
stovepipes,  rum  for  glaziers,  rum  for  raising  (two  gal- 
lons), interesting  as  showing  the  prices  then;  rope  for 
bell, — "rope  wetted,"  whatever  that  may  mean  I  leave  for 
other  heads :  covering  and  foundation  for  steeple,  so  that 
we  see  the  first  church  had  a  spire  as  well  as  the  present : 
charge  for  ringing  the  bell — all  this  in  a  peculiar  large 
hand  almost  filling  the  line,  and  although  so  large  exceed- 
ingly difficult  to  read. 

A  few  baptisms  are  recorded  in  the  book  from  1705- 
1802,  and  again  1809  and  1814,  the  latter  a  year  after  the 
burning  of  the  church.  Rev.  Mr.  Mars,  a  visiting  clergy- 
man, in  1801,  baptized  several. 

Here  are  notices  which  show  some  friction  :  "Resolved, 
that  this  church  is  under  the  direction  and  control  of  the 
majority  of  the  trustees  and  not  subject  to  the  direction 
of  the  clergyman.  Resolved,  that  the  pulpit,  being  part  of 
the  church,  is  subject  to  the  majority  of  the  trustees." 

Mr.  Heron  was  the  treasurer,  and  seems  to  have 
advanced  money  when  required,  and  in  1804  presented  an 
account  of  £17fi  8Js.  3d.,  which  was  inspected  and  approved. 
Of  this  account  we  shall  see  more  as  the  years  roll  on. 
In  1805  the  Rev.  John  Burns  came  and  preached  alter- 
nately here  and  at  Stamford.  We  find  his  name  at  inter- 
vals till  1.817.  He  came  from  New  York  State  and 
belonged  to  the  Secession  Church  of  Scotland.  He  was 
also  the  first  teacher  of  the  grammar  school  founded  in 
1808.  The  Lundy's  Lane  Historical  Society  has  published 
a  sermon  preached  by  him  in  Stamford  Church,  January, 
1814,  the  text  being  Prov.  24:21,  and  he  quotes  the  words 
of  Nehemiah  to  the  Israelites,  which  were  equally  appro- 
priate to  Canadians  in  the  presence  of  an  armed  and 
numerous  enemy.  "  Be  not  ye  afraid  of  them :  remember 
the  Lord,  which  is  great  and  terrible,  and  fight  for  your 


84  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

brethren,  your  sons,  and  your  daughters,  your  wives,  and 
your  houses."  And  they  did  remember  when,  a  few 
mouths  after,  on  that  sultry  day  of  July,  the  farmers  left 
their  wheat-fields  to  fight  till  midnight,  hand  to  hand, 
for  the  possession  of  the  hill  close  to  the  old  church — the 
most  closely  contested  and  most  sanguinary  of  any  battle 
of  that  war;  and  for  their  bravery  on  that  field  four  British 
regiments — the  King's  8th,  the  Eoyal  Scots,  the  41st  and 
tho  89th,  bear  the  word  "Niagara"  on  their  colors. 

During  the  war  Mr  Heron,  the  secretary  and  treasurer, 
and  several  other  members  of  the  church,  were  sent  pris- 
oners to  Greenbush  after  the  capture  of  Niagara,  May 
27th,  1813,  and  in  September,  we  find  the  church  was 
s-et  on  fire  by  the  enemy  some  months  before  the  town  was 
burned.  Different  efforts  were  marie  to  obtain  a  minister 
of  the  Established  Church  of  Scotland  in  1806,  and  the 
expenses  of  the  Rev.  Jas.  McLean,  of  Scotland,  were  paid. 
He  preached  during  June,  July  and  August,  the  church  to 
be  open  to  the  Rev.  John  Burns  when  it  did  not  interfere 
with  any  other  engagement  of  the  trustees. 

From  1812  to  1816  there  are  no  records.  No  doubt 
the  war  scattered  the  people  and  broke  up  the  congrega- 
tion. In  1818  we  read  of  a  meeting  in  the  schoolhonse, 
now  the  sexton's  house,  and  of  a  collection  made  to  repair 
the  windows  and  the  biiilding.  Here  services  were  held 
till  1831.  In  1819  there  was  a  petition  to  the  Earl  of  Dal- 
housie  for  money  to  build  a  church  to  replace  that 
destroved  in  consequence  of  being  occupied  by  His 
Majesty's  army  during  the  late  war.  This  reminds  us 
that  somewhere  it  was  stated  that  compensation  was 
refused  because  "the  spire  of  the  church  was  used  for 
taking  observations  of  the  enemy."  In  1820  there  is  a 
letter  asking  for  the  services  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Green, 
who  had  preached  for  them  a  few  weeks  and  with  whom 
they  were  pleased.  In  1821,  at  a  meeting  in  the  school- 
house,  they  resolved  to  put  themselves  under  the  Presby- 
terv,  and  six  elders  were  chosen — Andrew  Heron,  W.  D. 
Miller,  John  Crooks,  John  "Wagstaff,  John  Grier  and  John 
MunrO'. 

For  several  years  we  have  no  record  of  any  settled  minis- 
ter, but  to  St.  Andrew's  Church  belongs  the  honor  of  .hav- 


ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH  85 

ing  had  the  first  Sunday  School  in  the  town.  The  super- 
intendent was  Mr.  John  Crooks,  and  lately  there  was  found 
in  a  crevice  of  the  wall  of  Lake  Lodge,  the  former  resi- 
dence of  Rev.  R.  Addison,  the  names  of  the  first  class. 
Children  of  different  denominations  belonged,  as  also  the 
teachers,  for  Rev.  Thomas  Creen,  who  afterwards  became 
rector  of  St.  Mark's,  taught.  Mr.  Crooks  often  conducted 
Divine  worship  at  2.30  directly  after  Sunday  school. 
Among  the  teachers  were  Mrs.  and  Dr.  Miller,  Miss 
Young,  Mr.  Heron  and  his  daughters.  A  curious  reminis- 
cence was  given  of  another  superintendent,  Dr.  Miller, 
who  had  the  children  commit  to  memory  a  sort  of  acrostic 
of  the  names  of  Christ,  a  text  for  each  letter  of  the  alphabet, 
and  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Comer,  an  old  lady  of  eighty-four 
years,  recited  this  to  me  in  her  sweet  quavering  voice. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  church  people  in  1819,  presided 
over  by  Rev.  Charles  James  Cook,  several  resolutions  were 
passed:  "The  committee,  notwithstanding  the  magnitude 
of  their  own  personal  and  individual  losses,  sincerely  regret 
that  they  have  so  long  neglected  the  first  and  greatest 
and  most  important  of  all  duties,  the  raising  again  the 
house  and  dwelling-place  of  their  G-od,  fully  assured  that 
they  can  expect  but  little  prosperity  or  happiness  in  their 
own  while  the  habitation  of  heaven  remains  trodden  under 
feet."  "That  the  meeting  feels  it  to  be  their  duty  to 
exert  their  utmost  ability  in  supplying  money  to  erect 
again  the  temple  of  holiness  and  to  build  a  house  again 
for  Him  who  in  ages  past  was  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  but 
whom  now,  with  mingled  emotions  of  gratitude  and 
delight,  they  are  enabled  to  name  the  Lord  God  of  Niagara, 
the  Lord  God  of  the  Canadas,  the  Lord  God  of  the  Chris- 
tian World."  The  last  two  lines  are  printed  in  capital 
letters.  While  the  sentiment  expressed  is  proper,  a  less 
magniloquent  style  and  less  tautology  might  improve  the 
resolutions.  A  building  committee  was  formed  for  the 
immediate  erection  of  a  church,  but  probably  from  delay 
in  obtaining  compensation  ten  years  elapsed  ere  this  was 
done,  £400  being  finally  granted  in  1824,  but  paid  in 
instalments  at  long  intervals.  The  account  of  £176  was 
presented,  with  interest  for  twenty  years,  making  the 
amount  £317 — nearly  the  whole  sum  allowed.  This  seems 


86  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

not  to  have  been  settled  till  1833.,  when,  in  the  small, 
clear  writing  of  W.  D.  Miller,  interest  is  allowed  for  nine 
years  four  and  two-thirds  months,  till  the  church  was 
burned,  the  commissioners  not  allowing  interest  after  that. 
The  Rev.  Thomas  Fraser  came  in  1827  for  two  years, 
and  in  1829  a  call  was  sent  to  the  Presbytery  of  Glasgow, 
to  the  Rev.  Robert  McGill,  who  came  in  October  in  the 
steamboat  Canada  from  Kingston,  accompanied  by  the 
Rev.  John  Machar. 

Many  of  the  documents  copied  in  the  record  book  may 
be  said  to  be  a  part  of  the  history  of  Canada,  as  letters 
bearing  on  the  vexed  question  of  the  Clergy  Reserves,  the 
status  of  Presbyterian  ministers,  the  share  of  money  allotted 
to  ministers  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  petitions  to  the 
Queen  and  to  the  Governor-General,  all  showing  the  deter- 
mination of  this  people  to  have  their  rights,  not  by  violence, 
but  by  strictly  constitutional  means.      A    curt    letter    of 
Dr.   McGill  to  the   Quarter   Sessions  with   regard   to  the 
right  to  perform  the  marriage  ceremony  shows  the  feeling 
of  a  dignified  minister  of  the  Established  Church  of  Scot- 
land at  finding  permission  to  be  necessary:  "Sir, — I  under- 
stand it  to  be  required  by  a  law  of  the  Province  that  a 
minister  in   connection   with   the   Established   Church  of 
Scotland  must  yet  submit  to  request  of  the  General  Quar- 
ter Sessions  authority  to  celebrate  marriage,  even  among 
members  of  his  own  congregation.    Although  I  regard  this 
law   as   an   infringement   of  those   rights   secured  to   the 
Established  Clmrch  of  Scotland  by  Acts  of  the  Imperial 
Parliament  of  Great  Britain,   it  seems  expedient  that  I 
should  conform  to  it  until  that  church  to  which  I  belong 
shall  procure  its  abrogation  as  an  illegal  violation  of  its 
rights.    I  request,  therefore,  that  you  will  give  notice  to  all 
concerned  that  I  intend,"  etc.     Next  comes  the  petition  to 
Sir  John  Colborne,  complaining  of  their  rights  being  in- 
fringed by  the  establishment  of  a  rectory,  which  is  "  incom- 
patible   with    privileges    granted    by    the    Act    of    Union 
between  England  and  Scotland,  privileges  belonging  in- 
alienably in  a  British  colony  to  subjects  of  Scotland  as  well 
as  of  England."   To  this  petition  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  names  are  signed. 


ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH  87 

In  1830  subscriptions  were  started  for  a  new  church,  the 
congregation  having  worshipped  for  seventeen  years  in  the 
schoolhouse;  one  old  resident  says  part  of  the  time  the 
services  were  held  in  old  Navy  Hall.  The  whole  sum  sub- 
scribed was  £760;  the  church  was  to  seat  six  hundred. 
Among  the  names  of  those  giving  from  £10  to  £50,  are 
Robert  Dickson,  W.  H.  Dickson,  Lewis  Clement,  Andrew 
Heron,  Thomas  Creen,  Edward  C.  Campbell,  Robert  Ham- 
ilton, Daniel  McDougall,  Robert  Melville,  James  Crooks, 
John  Claus,  John  Rogers  and  John  Wagstaff.  The  name 
St.  Andrew's  seems  to  appear  now  for  the  first  time,  and 
to  this  period  belong  the  communion  tokens  bearing  this 
inscription,  "St.  Andrew's  Church,  1831 ;  R.  MoGill,  U.C.," 
which  are  now  in  demand  by  numismatists.  In  1831  was 
also  taken  the  subscription  for  sacramental  silver  vessels, 
which  cost  £20.  The  salary  of  the  clergyman  was  to  be 
£1 75  with  the  Government  allowance  and  the  promise  of  a 
manse.  An  acre  of  land  was  obtained  from  the  Government 
in  1831  for  this.  Next  in  the  old  record-book  is  the  plan 
of  the  church,  the  incorporation  and  items  on  the  sale  of 
seats. 

From  an  old  Gleaner  lately  found  we  have  a  description 
of  laying  the  foundation-stone  of  the  church :  "  On  May 
31st,  1831,  the  foundation-stone  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
was  laid  on  the  same  spot  on  which  the  former  church 
stood,  which  the  Americans  burnt  during  the  war.  A  large 
assemblage,  including  the  79th  Highlanders,  was  present,  at 
four  o'clock,  and  national  music  was  played.  A  sealed 
bottle  containing  a  scroll  of  parchment  written  as  follows : 
'The  foundation-stone  of  St.  Andrew's  Church  (at  Nia- 
gara, in  the  District  of  Niagara,  the  Province  of  Upper 
Canada),  in  communion  with  the  Established  Church  of 
Scotland,  was  laid  31st  clay  of  May  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
1831,  in  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  His  Majesty  King 
William  4th  of  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  etc.,  Sir  John  Colborne,  Lieut.-Governor  of  the 
Province.'  Signed  by  the  minister,  elders,  trustees  of 
land  in  trust  for  the  congregation,  members  of  the  congre- 
gation, contractors  for  the  building  of  the  church,  also  the 
officers  commanding  and  the  sergeants  of  detachment  of 
79th  Highlanders  or  Cameronian  Highlanders.  Various 


88  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

foreign  coins,  British  copper,  silver,  gold,  coinage  of  George 
3rd  and  George  4th,  Gleaner  newspaper,  a  Scotch  news- 
paper (Ayr  Advertiser]." 

The  dedicatory  prayer  of  the  Rev.  R.  McGill  is  given  in 
full :  "  Almighty  and  Eternal  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth, 
be  pleased  to  prosper  by  Thy  gracious  providence  this  under- 
taking, and  enable  us  happily  to  complete  what  we  have 
piously  begun.  Preserve  this  building  from  fire,  flood, 
storms,  and  all  accidents,  that  it  may  be  a  sanctuary  to  Thy 
sincere  worshippers  to  remote  times.  May  those  by  whose 
Christian  liberality  it  is  erected  long  enjoy  within  its  walls 
the  blessings  of  a  pure  gospel  faithfully  administered,  and 
bequeath  it  to  their  posterity,  an  evidence  of  their  own  true 
piety  and  of  their  concern  for  the  real  and  immortal  wel- 
fare of  their  children  and  their  country.  And  may  a  seed 
arise  up  to  serve  and  praise  Thee  when  we  are  joined  to 
our  Father  in  the  temple  above.  Now  unto  the  King 
Eternal,  Immortal  and  Invisible,  the  only  true  God,  the 
Supreme  Architect  and  Ruler  of  heaven  and  earth,  be 
honor  and  glory  forever,  Amen." 

The  following  address  was  made  by  the  pastor:  "  Ladies 
and  gentlemen, — We  shall  regard  this  as  a  memorable  and 
auspicious  day  from  which  we  date  the  erection  of  a  church 
which  shall,  I  trust,  not  only  be  a  blessing  to  ourselves,  but 

to  those  who  shall  come  after  us For  myself, 

ladies  and  gentlemen,  may  I  be  permitted  to  say  that,  much 
as  we  are  interested  in  the  present  work,  we  are  more  deeply 
concerned  in  the  great  design  of  which  this  building  is  only 
one  of  the  external  means  of  promoting — the  leading  men 
to  the  chief  Corner-stone  laid  in  Zion,  elect  and  precious, 
upon  which  all  true  Christians  are  built,  a  spiritual  house, 
an  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices  accept- 
able to  God  by  Christ  Jesus.  .  .  .  May  it  be  our  task 
and  our  pleasure  to  complete  what  we  have  now  begun. 
And  when  time,  at  some  period  far  remote,  shall  have 
crumbled  the  structure  we  are  about  to  erect,  -and  when 
other  hands  shall  raise  from  this  stone  the  memorials  of 
our  day  which  we  have  now  deposited  in  it,  I  trust  it  will 
only  be  to  erect  a  more  magnificent  and  durable  structure 
to  be  the  house  of  prayer  to  a  numerous  population  more 
distinguished  for  wisdom  and  zeal  and  piety  than  we  are, 


ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH  89 

who  shall  then  be  sleeping  in  the  dust— perhaps  unknown, 
but  assuredly  not  unrewarded." 

In  the  pastorate  of  Doctor  McGill  occurred  the  Disrup- 
tion in  Scotland,  when,  out  of  sympathy  with  their  brethren 
there,  although  there  was  no  similar  reason  in  Canada, 
many  left  the  Established  Church  and  formed  what  was 
called  the  Free  Church.  In  the  old  record-book  there  is  no 
reference  to  the  loss  sustained  in  St.  Andrew's,  but  in  the 
session  book  are  the  names  of  several  families  whose  names 
are  dropped  from  the  roll. 

In  1838  we  have  a  glimpse  of  the  Rebellion,  as  the 
annual  meeting  was  unavoidably  deferred  "  on  account  of 
the  disturbed  state  of  the  country  from  the  late  insurrec- 
tionary movement  and  piratical  invasion  from  the  frontiers 
of  the  United  States,  the  members  being  engaged  in  mili- 
tary duty."  In  the  same  year  comes  the  appointment  of 
John  Rogers  as  treasurer,  which  position  he  honorably  held 
till  his  death  in  1883,  forty-six  years.  It  is  worthy  of 
notice  that  St.  Andrew's  has  had  the  benefit  of  three  faith- 
ful and  efficient  officers,  whose  term  of  office,  if  taken 
continuously,  reaches  one  hundred  and  twenty  years,  viz., 
Andrew  Heron,  thirty-two  years;  W.  D.  Miller,  forty-two 
years,  and  John  Rogers,  forty-six  years;  in  later  times 
George  Dawson  was  elder  for  forty-three  years;  Robert 
Ball,  forty-three  years  as  elder  and  Sunday  School  superin- 
tendent (this  last  at  Virgil),  and  James  McFarland,  forty- 
four  years,  making  another  period  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty  years,  or  six  office-holders  with  a  period  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years.  It  may  be  questioned  if  any  other 
church  can  produce  such  a  record.  It  may  also  be  men- 
tioned that  a  present  teacher  in  the  Sunday  School  has  held 
the  position  for  over  forty  years. 

A  petition  to  the  Queen  in  1842  from  St.  Andrew's  com- 
plains that  the  Presbyterians  had  not  obtained  their  share 
in  the  settlement  of  the  Clergy  Reserves  in  1840,  by  the 
mistakes  in  the  census  of  1839.  There  were  then  in  the 
congregation  one  hundred  and  forty- two  families ;  the  num- 
ber is  given  in  each  family,  making  six  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  altogether.  This  was  in  the  palmy  days  of  Niagara, 
when  the  church  was  filled  above  and  below  during  ship- 
building, and  when  British  troops  were  stationed  here,  and 


90  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGAKA 

Niagara  was  the  county  town  for  three  counties.  Only  one 
pew  and  two  half  pews  were  not  taken.  To  this  period 
belongs  the  formation  of  the  library  of  St.  Andrew's 
Church,  1833.  A  catalogue  shows  that  there  were  one 
thousand  books. 

Belonging  to  the  days  of  Doctor  McGill  is  a  sermon, 
"  The  Love  of  Country,"  preached  at  the  time  of  the  Eebel- 
lion,  and  printed  in  pamphlet  form;  also  a  book  of  devo- 
tion, printed  for  the  use  of  his  people ;  and  later  a  book  of 
sermons,  printed  in  Montreal;  the  two  first  mentioned 
were  printed  in  Niagara.  The  stately  periods  and  classical 
language  form  a  contrast  to  many  present-day  sermons. 
A  few  still  living  remember  the  stately,  commanding  pres- 
ence, the  rich,  full  voice,  the  dignified  bearing,  of  this 
distinguished  divine.  A  magazine,  The  Christian  Exam- 
iner, was  published  here  for  many  years,  of  which  he  was 
the  editor.  Doctor  McGill  removed  to  Montreal  in  1845. 
It  is  singular  that  while  Montreal  gave  a  minister  to 
Niagara  in  1802 — Eev.  John  Young — that  the  chief  city 
of  Canada  should  be  indebted  to  Niagara  for  an  able 
preacher  gracing  the  pulpit  of  St.  Paul's  for  many  years. 

In  this  period  a  legacy  of  £750  was  left  by  John  Young 
"  for  the  perpetual  maintenance  of  divine  ordinances  in 
this  church,"  and  with  this  sum  the  present  manse,  built 
by  Doctor  McGill,  was  bought  from  him  by  the  congrega- 
tion. The  handsome  pulpit  was  also  the  gift  of  Mr.  Young. 

In  the  vestibule  is  a  mural  tablet,  "  Sacred  to  the  memory 
of  John  Young,  Esq.,  long  a  merchant  of  Niagara.  Keturn- 
ing  home  in  pain  and  infirmity,  he  was  drowned  in  Lake 
Ontario,  where  his  body  rests  awaiting  the  hour  when  the 
sea  shall  give  up  its  dead.  In  his  last  illness,  concerned  for 
the  welfare  of  coming  generations,  he  ordained  a  bequest 
for  the  perpetual  maintenance  of  divine  ordinances  in  this 
church.  He  met  death  July  29th,  1840,  aged  73.  <  Pray 
for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem/  '  Because  of  the  house  of  the 
Lord  our  God  I  will  seek  thy  good.' " 

The  Eev.  John  Cruikshank  was  inducted  October,  1845, 
btit  going  on  a  visit  to  Scotland  for  his  health  he  accepted 
a  charge  in  Banffshire.  Before  coming  to  Niagara  he  had 
been  tutor  to  Sir  Oliver  Mowat,  who  visited  him  in  Scot- 
land, where  he  was  still  preaching  at  the  age  of  eighty-four. 


ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH  91 

A  call  was  given  to  Rev.  J.  B.  Mowat,  M.A.,  in  1849. 
Of  him  it  may  be  said  that  he  loved  his  people  and  his 
people  loved  and  revered  their  pastor.  To  his  faithful 
preaching  many  date  the  first  promptings  to  the  higher 
life.  Besides  his  own  congregation,  he  preached,  at  one 
time,  to  the  colored  people,  and  at  another  he  drove  to 
Queen ston  to  preach  in  the  old  church. 

In  1852  was  purchased  a  bell.  Having  enjoyed  the  use 
of  one  for  nine  years,  1804  to  1813,  they  were  without  one 
for  forty  years,  and  now,  after  sixty  years,  the  same  deep, 
full,  rich  note  is  calling— calling  to  the  house  of  prayer. 

In  1854  a  glebe  was  purchased  with  £150  offered  by  the 
Clergy  Reserve  Commissioners  ;  the  people  afterwards  raised 
£50  to  complete  the  purchase.  In  this  period  the  church 
twice  sustained  serious  injury  by  lightning-stroke  and 
tornado,  necessitating  large  sums  to  be  raised  for  repairs. 

It  is  one  of  the  strange  coincidences  of  life  that  the 
daughter  of  the  manse,  Miss  McGill,  born  there,  should 
return  as  the  pastor's  wife,  and  that  there  her  life  should 
close  after  one  short  year  of  married  life.  Her  husband, 
the  late  Rev.  J.  B.  Mowat,  accepted  the  position  of  Profes- 
sor of  Oriental  Languages  in  Queen's  University,  which  he 
held  for  over  forty  years. 

The  Rev.  Charles  Campbell,  'a  graduate  of  Glasgow  and 
Edinburgh,  came  in  1858.  During  the  twenty  years'  pas- 
torate of  this  divine,  who  preached  such  scholarly  sermons, 
and  whose  kind  heart  constantly  prompted  him  to  help  the 
poor  and  those  in  trouble,  occurred  the  union  of  the  two 
great  Presbyterian  bodies  in  1875.  Mr.  Campbell  said, 
"  This  is  not  a  question  for  us  to  settle  now ;  to  all  intents 
and  purposes  it  is  a  union  long  since  consummated,  for 
we  have  been  united  and  need  no  ordinance  of  union." 
Like  his  predecessors,  Mr.  Campbell  took  a  deep  interest  in 
education,  and  was  for  many  years  chairman  of  the  public 
school  as  well  as  the  high  school  board.  In  this  pastorate 
occurs  the  introduction  of  an  organ  as  a  help  in  the  musical 
services.  Among  the  faithful  elders  were  James  Lockhart, 
John  McFarland,  Andrew  Martin,  Robert  Dawson  and 
Thomas  P.  Blain.  In  the  minutes  in  stately  periods  the 
decease  of  Mr.  W.  D.  Miller  is  recorded  thus :  "  Who  for 
the  long  period  of  half  a  century  had  been  a  most  valuable 


92  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

member,  taking  on  all  occasions  a  deep  interest  and  acting 
a  faithful  part  in  the  temporal  and  spiritual  affairs  of  the 
church,  being  one  of  that  little  company  of  excellent  Chris- 
tian men  (himself  the  last  survivor)  that  during  a  length- 
ened probation  of  trial  and  suffering,  arising  chiefly  from 
the  want  of  regular  ministerial  services,  managed  and  kept 
together  the  Presbyterian  congregation  of  Niagara  when 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
twenty-nine  their  laudable  efforts  were  at  last  rewarded  by 
the  Church  of  Scotland's  ordaining  and  inducting  a  minis- 
ter to  the  pastorate ;  the  deceased  the  following  year  on  the 
completion  of  the  ecclesiastical  organization  of  the  congre- 
gation to  church  ordinances  was  ordained  to  the  eldership, 
which  office  he  worthily  and  actively  filled  to  the  day  he 
rested  from  his  labors.'' 

When  the  Rev.  Charles  Campbell  resigned  and  removed 
to  Toronto,  the  Rev.  Wm.  Cleland  was  called  by  the  con- 
gregation. He  had  received  a  sound  education  in  Belfast 
College,  and  wrote  a  history  of  Presbyterianism  in  Ireland. 
In  connection  with  the  purchase  of  the  organ  in 
this  incumbency,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  frequent 
references  are  made  to  the  psalmody,  precentor  and  choir; 
sometimes  a  salary  is  given  and  again  thanks  recorded  to 
those  who  gave  their  help  gratuitously  in  conducting  the 
singing.  Thus  at  one  time  Mr.  Doig  was  precentor,  with 
salary,  then  thanks  are  given  to  Mr.  Harkness  for  instruct- 
ing the  choir.  Two  sacred  concerts  in  the  church  were 
conducted  by  Mr.  Harkness,  an  enthusiast  in  music.  Again 
thanks  are  given  to  Mr.  Joseph  Barr,  Mr.  James  Car- 
nochan,  Mr.  Smither  and  Mr.  William  P.  Blain,  each  of 
them  having  led  the  singing  of  the  congregation. 

The  Rev.  J.  W.  Bell,  M.A.,  a  graduate  of  Knox  College, 
became  in  1884  the  next  pastor,  whose  pure  gospel  ser- 
mons are  not  forgotten.  In  this  pastorate  was  formed  the 
Ladies'  Aid  Society;  also,  by  the  zeal  of  Mrs.  Bell,  the 
Auxiliary  of  the  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society;  and 
the  Young  People's  Christian  Union,  formed  by  Miss 
Blake  and  kept  alive  by  her  untiring  zeal,  still  exists  and 
has  done  much  good  work,  conducted  now  by  Miss  G. 
Blake.  The  lamented  death  of  Mr.  John  Rogers,  for 
almost  fifty  years  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  church, 


ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH  93 

occurred  just  previously.  For  three-quarters  of  a  century 
attending  St.  Andrew's,  sitting  first  in  the  old  church  as 
a  boy,  then  in  the  old  meeting-house,  and  then  for  fifty 
years  in  the  same  pew,  his  gentle,  amiable  spirit,  serene 
face  and  dignity  of  manner  are  still  remembered.  Another 
loss  was  sustained  in  the  death  of  Mr.  E.  N.  Ball,  long 
an  elder  in  the  Canada  Presbyterian  Church,  and  after- 
wards in  St.  Andrew's.  He  did  noble  work  as  Sabbath 
school  teacher  and  superintendent  at  Virgil  for  forty 
years. 

Mr.  Bell  was  succeeded  in  1889  by  Rev.  N.  Smith,  during 
whose  incumbency  the  church  was  thoroughly  renovated. 
In  this  connection  the  name  of  Mrs.  Milloy  deserves  special 
mention.  In  this  pastorate  the  congregation  and  the  Sun- 
day school  increased  in  numbers.  The  name  of  Mr.  F.  B. 
Curtis  should  be  remembered  as  Sunday  school  superin- 
tendent. Mr.  Smith  remained  pastor  for  over  fourteen 
years,  and  a  very  important  event  occurred,  viz.,  the  cele- 
bration of  the  centenary  of  the  congregation.  At  the 
annual  meeting,  1894,  this  was  decided  on.  The  first 
committee  consisted  of  Mr.  James  McFarland,  Mr.  John 
Carnochan,  and  Miss  Carnochan  as  secretary,  and  added 
to  the  number  Messrs.  Campbell,  Niven,  Mclntyre,  Acton 
and  Seymour.  The  celebration  was  on  the  18th,  19th  and 
20th  of  August,  and  as  a  Toronto  newspaper  stated,  was 
reallv  a  national  event.  Invitations  had  been  sent  abroad 
to  all  former  members  whose  addresses  could  be  found, 
and  these  came  from  far  and  near.  The  attendance  was 
large,  the  programme  was  carried  out  almost  to  the  letter, 
the  weather  was  propitious — everything  united  for  the  suc- 
cess of  the  celebration.  The  old  church,  looking  quaint  and 
old-fashioned  with  its  Doric  pillars,  graceful  steeple,  lofty, 
handsome  pulpit,  and  square  family  pews,  was  beautifully 
decorated  with  flowers.  Among  those  present  were  Sir 
Oliver  Mowat,  with  his  brother,  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Mowat; 
Hon.  Beverley  Robinson.  Rev.  Charles  Campbell,  Rev.  J.  W. 
Bell,  Rev.  W.  Gregg,  D.D.,  Rev.  J.  Young,  Rev.  J.  C.  Gar- 
rett,  Rev.  Canon  Arnold,  Rev.  J.  W.  Orme,  Miss  Rye  and 
Miss  Green.  Among  former  attendants  may  be  mentioned 
Hon.  J.  G.  Currie,  St.  Catharines ;  A.  R.  Christie,  Toronto ; 
Mrs.  Hamilton,  daughter  of  Mr.  John  Crooks ;  Miss  Camp- 


94:  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

hell,  grand-daughter  of  Rev.  John  Burns;  Mrs.  Colquhoun, 
daughter  of  a  former  treasurer,  Wm.  Clarke ;  Mrs.  Wilson, 
daughter  of  the  late  W.  I).  Miller;  the  Misses  Cleland  and 
Bell,  daughters  of  former  pastors ;  and  Mr.  Herbert  Mowat, 
son  of  Prof.  Mowat.  It  was  generally  regretted  that  Mrs. 
Urquhart,  daughter  of  Dr.  McGill,  was  unable  to  he  pres- 
ent. The  ceremony  of  unveiling  the  commemorative  tablet 
was  performed  by  Rev.  Prof.  Mowat,  the  inscription  being: 

"1794— 1894." 

"  In  grateful  commemoration  of  the  one  hundredth  anni- 
versary of  the  organization  of  this  congregation,  this  tablet 
is  erected  by  the  members  of  St.  Andrew's  Church,  Niagara. 
The  first  building,  begun  in  October,  1794,  and  erected 
on  this  spot,  was  burnt  in  the  War  of  1812-14.  The  con- 
gregation met  in  St.  Andrew's  schoolroom,  on  the  north 
corner  of  this  block,  for  some  years.  The  present  church 
was  built  in  1831.  The  ministers  have  been:  Rev.  John 
Dun,  Rev.  John  Young,  Rev.  John  Burns,  Rev.  Thomas 
Fraser,  Rev.  Robert  McGill,  D.D.,  Rev.  Charles  Campbell, 
Rev.  William  Cleland,  Rev.  J.  W.  Bell,  M.A.,  and  the 
present  pastor,  Rev.  N.  Smith." 

After  this  ceremony  an  historical  paper,  prepared  by 
the  present  writer,  was  read  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Bell,  brief 
reminiscent  addresses  were  given  by  former  pastors,  and 
the  address  of  the  evening  was  given  by  Sir  Oliver  Mowat. 
It  was  no  surprise  that  the  address  was  interesting,  but  it 
was  a  surprise  that  the  Premier  could  supply  so  many 
links  in  the  history  of  the  congregation.  The  pastor,  in 
introducing  him,  said  Sir  Oliver  had  been  Premier  the 
longest  continuous  term  of  years  known  in  the  British 
Empire.  The  Premier,  among  other  reminiscences,  said : 
"  My  first  knowledge  of  Niagara,  so  far  as  I  can  recollect, 
I  got  when  a  small  boy  from  the  Niagara  Gleaner.  One 
of  the  ministers  of  Niagara  was  the  father  of  my  friend 
and  first  partner  in  business,  Mr.  Robert  E.  Burns,  born 
in  Niagara,  1805.  An  early  teacher  of  Niagara,  Dr.  John 
Whitelaw,  I  personally  knew  in  my  boyhood,  a  very  learned 
man.  I  attended  his  lectures  in  chemistry.  Dr.  McGill 
I  heard  preach  when  I  was  ten  years  old,  and  I  recollect 


REV.    R.    McGILL,    D.D. 


ST.  ANDREW'S  CHUKCH  95 

my  boyish  admiration  for  him.  Dr.  Cruikshank,  your 
next  minister,  was  my  teacher  for  some  time  in  Kingston, 
in  which  grammar  school  girls  were  also  admitted — the 
first  grammar  school  in  the  country  in  which  co-education 
was  tried." 

^Seated,  beside  Sir  Oliver  was  the  lion.  Beverley  Eobin- 
son,  who  had  not  expected  to  be  present,  but  explained 
that  going  to  Queenston  that  morning  to  see  the  condition 
of  Brock's  monument,  he  had  induced  his  friend  Sir  Oliver 
to  go  with  him,  and  now,  to  show  his  sympathy,  accom- 
panied his  friend  to  the  church.  He  recalled  the  fact  that 
his  father,  Chief  Justice  Eobinson,  had  fought  with  Brock 
at  the  Battle  of  Queenston  Heights. 

The  service  on  Sunday  morning  was  conducted  entirely 
by  Prof.  Mowat,  wearing  the  gown  as  in  days  of  old ; 
ascending  the  lofty  pulpit  unused  for  years,  he  preached  a 
pure  gospel  sermon,  simple  and  yet  profound. 

In  the  evening  Dr.  Gregg,  of  Knox  College,  gave  a 
sketch  of  Presbyterianism  in  Canada.  Madame  Gramm,  of 
New  York,  sang  a  solo, — "Calvary." 

On  Monday  afternoon  a  congregational  reunion  was 
held  in  the  open  air  in  front  of  the  church,  and  in  the 
evening  Dr.  Laing,  of  Dundas,  read  a  paper,  followed  by 
a  delightful  reminiscent  address  from  Rev.  William  Ball, 
sparkling  with  wit  and  pathos.  Addresses  were  given  by 
resident  clergy. 

The  people  of  St.  Andrew's  felt  thankful  to  Almighty 
God  that  they  had  been  permitted  to  hold  this  commemor- 
ative service  and  offer  their  thanksgivings  for  so  many 
blessings  during  the  course  of  the  century. 

Another  celebration  was  held  in  1911 — the  one  hundred 
and  seventeenth  anniversary  of  the  first  church  and  the 
eightieth  of  the  present  church,  during  the  pastorate  of 
the  Rev.  A.  F.  MacGregor,  B.A.,  a  profound  and  original 
thinker,  as  well  as  a  student  whose  eloquent  and  some- 
times fiery  sermons  rouse  to  action.  Rev.  1).  E.  Fletcher, 
of  Hamilton,  gave  the  chief  address.  A  paper  was  read 
by  the  present  writer,  in  which  it  was  mentioned  that  the 
Christian  Endeavor  Society  had  last  year  celebrated  their 
twenty-fifth  anniversary,  had  purchased  a  new  organ,  and 
that  by  the  exertions  of  the  choir  of  the  church,  this  year 


96  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

a  new  Esty  organ  had  been  placed  in  the  church.  It  was 
also  mentioned  that  from  these  walls  had  gone  forth  four 
to  proclaim  the  tidings  of  the  cross — Rev.  John  Barr, 
Rev.  David  Niven,  Rev.  Alexander  Dawson  and  Rev. 
William  Ball,  and  one,  a  former  president  of  the  Christian 
Endeavor,  Miss  Minnie  Smith,  now  Mrs.  Robertson,  is  at 
the  present  time  a  missionary  in  China,  and  her  brother, 
a  son  of  the  manse,  is  now  preparing  for  the  ministry. 
Of  the  thirteen  pastors  during  the  hundred  and  seventeen 
years  whose  nationality  is  known,  seven  have  belonged  to 
Scotland,  one  to  England,  one  to  Ireland,  and  four  to 
our  loved  Ontario.  In  the  north  outside  wall  of  the  church 
a  small  tablet  has  the  words,  "  The  Ministers'  Burying- 
Ground."  It  is  remarkable  that  in  all  those  years  no 
minister  of  the  church  died  here,  so  that,  but  for  an  infant 
of  a  day,  this  square  is  unoccupied.  They  rest  in  far  dif- 
ferent graves — one  in  the  depths  of  Lake  Ontario,  one  in 
Montreal,  one  in  Scotland,  one  in  Kingston,  another  in 
Toronto,  and  one  of  the  earliest  in  Stamford.  The  solemn 
pines  bounding  the  graveyard  sing  a  requiem  over  the 
city  of  the  dead  of  different  lands  and  colors. 

The  closing  words  of  the  centennial  volume,  those  of 
George  MacDonald,  may  be  quoted:  "I  delighted  to  think- 
that  even  by  the  temples  made  by  hands,  outlasting  these 
bodies  of  ours,  we  were  in  a  sense  united  to  those  who  in 
them  had  before  us  lifted  up  prayerful  hands  without 
wrath  or  doubting.  And  T  thought  how  many  witnesses 
to  the  truth  had  sat  in  these  pews.  I  honored  the  place, 
I  rejoiced  in  its  history.  It  soothed  me  and  turned  me  to 
a  holy  mood.  Therefore,  I  would  far  rather,  when  I  may, 
worship  in  an  old  church." 


CHAPTEE   XIV. 
STREETS  AND  MAPS  OF  THE  TOWN. 

THE  town  was  laid  out  in  1791  by  D.  W.  Smith,  Deputy 
Surveyor-General — laid  out  with  mathematical  regularity 
and  wide  streets,  hut  some  wider  than  others.  The  first  sur- 
vey extended  only  to  King  Street,  eight  hundred  yards 
front  to  the  river;  but  permission  was  given  to  extend  it 
in  the  direction  of  Navy  Hall.  There  are  several  maps, 
one  of  1791  showing  the  property  of  D.  W.  Smith.  The  four 
acres  now  called  the  Market  Square,  and  his  fine  house 
on  it,  was  offered  by  him  for  a  fixed  price  for  a  grammar 
school,  but  rejected  because  it  was  just  in  the  range  of 
guns  from  Fort  Niagara.  In  1816  the  boundaries  were 
extended,  and  in  1822,  a  map  was  made  by  Captain  Vava- 
sour, R.E.,  taking  in  the  common  to  Fort  George,  the 
additional  lots  again  commencing  at  No.  1,  and  when  the 
dock  was  surveyed  the  lots  also  began  at  No.  1.  In  the 
letter  of  John  Small,  May  llth,  1795,  a  list  is  given  of 
lots  granted  in  1794,  and  a  fuller  one  in  1795.  The 
numbers  are  from  1  to  412,  and  are  the  same  as  those  now, 
and  agree  with  a  map  used  by  a  noted  lawyer  of  the  town, 
C.  L.  Hall,  about  1830.  There  were  nine  squares  of  four 
acres  reserved,  and  half  an  acre  for  jail  and  courthouse.  At 
Mississauga  Point  there  is  a  military  reserve  of  12  chains 
60  links  from  the  river,  south  36°  45'.  west  from  thence 
to  the  river  parallel  with  the  first  line. 

After  the  town  was  burnt  there  was  a  proposal  to  leave 
the  old  site.  There  is  a  letter  to  General  Drummond 
recommending  this,  and  that  Fort  George  be  abandoned 
and  Fort  Mississauga  be  the  only  fort;  but  the  inhabi- 
tants would  not  agree  to  change  the  site  of  the  town.  In 
the  list  of  1794,  the  statement  is  made  in  the  letter  of 
J.  Small  that  many  of  the  lots  are  forfeited.  In  that  of  1795, 
there  are  one  hundred  and  fifty  names.  Of  these  the  only 
lot  known  to  be  in  possession  of  a  descendant  is  lot  35, 
Jame?  Muirhead,  still  OAvned  by  Mr.  Richards,  Pittsburgh. 
8  97 


1)8  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

The.  name  of  Wm.  Mollyneux  is  given,  mentioned  in  the 
town  records  as  constable.  The  only  names  known  to  us 
now  in  the  memory  of  the  townspeople  as  owning  their 
lots  are  D.  Cassady,  54,  57;  J.  Fitzgerald,  C.  Field,  53, 
where  the  Masons  met;  J.  Crooks,  03;  P.  W.  Smith,  104; 
Ralfe  Clench,  114;  H.  Waters,  325;  and  George  Forsyth. 
Lot  32  is  left  vacant,  the  site  of  the  first  jail.  The  lots 
157,  158,  183,  and  184  are  marked  "  Presbyterian  Church," 
that  built  in  1794,  and  on  the  same  spot  stands  St. 
Andrew's,  built  in  1831,  to.  replace  that  burnt  in  the  War 
of  1812. 

The  survey  of  Passmore,  in  1853,  was  made  to  decide 
on  the  boundaries  of  the  town.  It  quotes  38  George  III. — 
"in  1798,  the  town  and  township  of  Newark,  generally 
called  West  Niagara,  to  be  called  the  town  and  township 
of  Niagara."  Then  56  George  III.,  of  1816,  is  quoted, 
which  extends  the  limits  of  the  town  to  Crookston  and 
McLellari's,  and  Win.  Dicksorrs,  thus  taking  in  the  mili- 
tary reserve,  oak  bush  and  to  the  river,  then  to  Mississauga 
Point.  Other  subsequent  Acts  are  referred  to.  Then  12 
Victoria,  1849,  gives  the  boundaries  of  the  town:  "Mis- 
sissauga Point,  westerlv  alonir  Lake  Ontario  to  Crookston, 
thence  to  Black  Swamp  Road,  thence  along  eastern  limit 
of  lands  of  late  Thomas  Rutler  and  Garrett  Slingerland 
to  north-west  angle  of  John  Kccleston,  thence  easterly  to 
where  the  lands  of  Win.  Dickson  and  late  Martin  Mc- 
Lellan come  in  contact,  thence  east  along  northern  boun- 
dary of  lands  of  said  M.  McLellan  to  Niagara  River,  thence 
northerly  down  said  river  to  place  of  beginning."  The 
point  of  dispute  which  this  survey  was  to  settle  was  to 
find  the  exact  point  at  which  the  lands  of  William  Dick- 
son  and  Martin  McLellan  met. 

A  map  of  1802,  by  Gother  Mann,  shows  lots  for  mer- 
chants and  traders  in  King's  rescued  lands,  the  river. 
Fort  George,  Navy  Hall — four  buildings  there — King's 
wharf,  storehouse,  etc.,  and  the  lots  of  Crooks,  Thompson 
and  Welsh,  in  one  block,  and  in  another  those  of  A.  Heron, 
John  Grier  and  W.  Wallace. 

The  last  map  of  the  town  is  that  from  the  survey  of 
Alexander  Niven,  P.L.S.,  in  1910.  Trouble  had  arisen 
from  the  fact  that  in  laying  down  cement  walks  it  was 


STREETS  AND  ]VL\PS  99 

•found  that  several  fences,  porches,  etc.,  encroached  on  the 
streets.  One  of  these  was  taken  down  by  orders  of  the 
town  council,  and  the  litigation  that  ensued  caused  council 
to  agree  to  have  a  new  survey  made,  and  this  again  was 
the  cause  of  much  heartburning. 

The  map  of  1817,  made  by  H.  H.  Wilson,  R.E.,  is  very 
interesting,  as  it  shows  what  buildings  or  parts  of  build- 
ings, houses  or  barns  were  to  be  seen  then.  These  would 
either  be  new  houses,  erected  in  1816  or  1817,  or  else  frag- 
ments left.  An  interesting  thing  about  this  map  is  that  the 
buildings  at  Butler's  Barracks  are  just  as  they  appear 
now.  There  are  fourteen,  and  to  the  south  the  hospital, 
which  was  first  the  Indian  Council  House,  as  shown  on  a 
map  of  1822,  and  mentioned  by  name  in  that  of  1799. 
Farther  on  in  the  map  of  1817  is  the  Commandant's 
house,  which  some  of  us  remember  as  the  Colonel's  house, 
burned  down  some  years  ago,  as  was  the  hospital. 

It  is  often  wondered  why  the  same  street  has  different 
names,  but  when  it  is  remembered  that  King  Street  was 
the  boundary  of  the  town,  this  is  explained,  depending 
on  being  north  or  south.  It  is  often  interesting  to  know 
how  and  why  the  names  were  given.  In  some  cases  it  is 
quite  easy,  in  others  more  difficult.  Thus  for  King  and 
Queen  there  is  no  doubt — these  in  a  monarchical  country 
9 re  quite  in  keeping.  Prideaux  and  Johnson  are  easily 
explained — Prideaux.  the  general  who  was  killed  in  con- 
ducting the  siege  of  Fort  Niagara;  Johnson,  from  Sir 
William  Johnson,  who  successfully  carried  on  the  siege. 
Front  Street,  also,  is  suitably  named.  Gage  Street  is 
named  from  General  Gage,  Governor  of  Montreal  in  1760. 
The  remaining  streets  west  of  Gage  are  simply  Centre, 
William,  Mary,  John  and  Anne,  whether  from  William  II F. 
and  his  Queen  Mary  and  her  sister  Anne,  or  from  some 
magnate  in  the  town,  or  simply  from  no  reason,  a  dearth 
of  ideas.  John,  though  so  common  a  name,  has  never 
been  a  popular  name  for  a  king  of  England. 

The  continuation  of  the  streets  south  of  King,  given 
after  the  Battle  of  Waterloo,  have  all,  or  nearly  all,  a 
martial  sound.  Thus  the  continuation  of  Queen  is  Picton, 
from  the  heroic  general  who  fell  at  the  battle  at  the  close 


100  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

of  that  titanic  struggle,  when  Britain  was  even  more  than 
of  late  in  a  state  of  splendid  isolation;  the  continuation  of 
Johnson  Street  is  Platoff,  from  the  Russian  general  who 
defeated  Napoleon,  while  Prideaux  receives  the  name  of 
the  poet  Byron,  then  in  the  heyday  of  his  fame;  and  Gage 
becomes  Castlereagh,  from  the  British  statesman  whose 
fate  was  so  tragic.  One  street,  Davy,  is  named  from  a 
scientist,  Sir  Humphrey  Davy,  who  had  in  1819  invented 
the  safety  lamp.  Next  comes  Wellington  Street,  from  the 
Iron  Duke:  Alava,  from  a  Spanish  general  who  served  on 
the  staff  of  Wellington ;  next,  Nelson,  the  great  sea- 
admiral,  of  whom  Tennyson  says,  "  Mighty  seaman,  this 
is  he,  was  great  by  land  as  thou  by  sea,"  in  his  grand  ode 
to  Wellington.  It  is  fitting  that  next  to  Nelson  Street 
comes  'Collingwood,  who  assumed  the  command  after  the 
death  of  Nelson.  Another  military  commander  gives  the 
name  to  the  next  street,  Blucher,  showing  how  men's  minds 
at  that  time  were  full  of  the  great  contest  carried  on 
against  such  odds  by  Britain.  Why  the  name  Lichen  was 
given  to  the  next  street  we  know  not,  except  that  here  one 
of  the  numerous  springs  found  in  the  bank  causes  moss 
and  lichen  to  abound.  On  one  map  another  name  is  given 
Trivene. 

The  street  north  of  King  is  Regent,  probably  from  the 
Prince  Regent,  although  another  reason  has  been  given, 
namely,  that  a  tailor  from  Regent  Street,  London,  estab- 
lished himself  with  this  sign,  and  gradually  the  name  was 
adopted.  But  why  Victoria  was  so  called  seems  strange,  as 
Victoria  was  not  then  born ;  but  the  explanation  is  that  at 
first  these  streets  were  called" First,  Second,  Third,  Fourth, 
etc.,  and  on  the  birth  of  Princess  Victoria  the  name  was 
given.  The  next,  Gate  Street,  is  as  yet  an  unsolved  mys- 
tery, except  that  possibly  it  led  to  a  gate  into  the  engin- 
eers' quarters  or  some  buildings  near.  Simcoe  deserves 
that  his  name  should  be  remembered,  and  so  the  next 
street  is  thus  named ;  while  Mississauga  is  the  only  street 
with  an  Indian  name,  also  given  to  the  fort  built  in  1814 
at  Mississauga  Point,  where  the  lighthouse  stood  from 
1803  to  1814.  Our  street  namers  seem  to  have  exhausted 
their  ideas,  as  the  remaining  streets  are  simply  called 
Sixth,  Seventh,  Eighth,  Ninth  and  Tenth. 


HOTSE     OF     CEORGE     FIELD,     BUILT     1802. 


HOUSE    OF    JAS.     McFARLAND,     BUILT     1800. 


STREETS  AND  MAPS  101 

The  land  given  to  the  "  Harbour  and  Dock  Company  "  in 
1831  was  surveyed  and  the  streets  received  names  from 
the  officials  connected  with  the  company.  Delatre  is  from 
Colonel  Delatre,  whose  tragic  death  on  the  Toronto  steamer 
is  recorded  in  the  papers  of  1848.  His  house  is  still  called 
Delatre  Lodge,  at  the  corner  of  Victoria  and  Front.  Delatre 
Street  is  often  called  Spring  Street,  the  reason  being  obvi- 
ous. Lockhart  Street  is  from  the  secretary  of  the  com- 
pany, .Tames  Lockhart,  who  was  also  a  merchant,  banker 
and  shipowner;  Melville  Street,  from  Captain  Melville, 
one  of  the  chief  projectors,  and  Ball  Street,  from  George 
Ball,  a  large  shareholder  and  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in 
Niagara,  corning  in  1784.  Front  Street,  south  of  King 
Street,  is  named  from  neither  a  military  nor  naval  hero, 
nor  yet  from  a  royal  personage  or  great  statesman,  but 
from  a  writer  on  political  economy  and  taxation,  in  1817, 
David  Ricardo. 

When  Simcoe  came  the  country  was  divided  into  nine- 
teen counties,  all  named  from  counties  in  England,  and 
the  townships,  towns  and  villages  were  named  from  places 
in  these  counties  in  the  mother  country.  Thus  we  have 
Newark,  Grantham,  Stamford,  Grimsby,  Louth  and  Gains- 
borough ;  but  other  names  have  been  given  for  local  reasons. 
Thus  Queenston  was  named  from  the  Queen's  Rangers 
hutted  there,  some  say,  but  more  probably  from  the  Queen, 
as  the  name  was  often  written  Queen's  Town.  What  is 
now  Virgil  was  Lawrenceville,  from  George  Lawrence,  a 
Methodist  class-leader  living  there;  at  one  time  also 
Four  Mile  Creek  and  Cross  Roads.  Drummondville  was 
so  called  from  the  general  who  fought  such  a  brave  fight 
there  on  July  25th,  LSI  4;  St.  Catharines,  from  Catharine 
Hamilton,  the  wife  of  Hon.  Robert  Hamilton,  who  owned 
five  hundred  acres  there,  and  who  ffave  land  for  the  first 
church  in  1809.  Homer  was  called' "  The  Ten,"  from  the 
Creek;  while  the  Twelve  Mile  Creek  was  called  Shipmarfs 
Corners,  from  Paul  Shipman.  who  had  a  tavern  there,  and 
whose  name  also  appears  in  St.  Paul's  Street,  Another 
city  owes  its  name  to  the  Hamilton  family,  as  George 
Hamilton  and  his  brother  Peter  Hunter  Hamilton  settled 
there  and  owned  much  land.  Merritton  takes  its  name 
from  Hon.  William  Hamilton  Merritt,  the  projector  of  the 


102  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Welland  Canal,  Allanburg  from  Sir  Allan  MacNab,  aud 
Port  Robinson  from  John  Beverley  Robinson.  Chippawa 
and  Niagara  are  the  only  places  which  have  retained  Indian 
names.  St.  David's  was  named  from  Major  David  Secord ; 
Beams ville  from  Jacob  Beam,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers, 
and  who  gave  the  land  for  the  Baptist  church;  Smith- 
ville,  from  Smith  Griffin,  the  first  merchant  there,  coming 
in  1787.  Dundas  was  named  from  Lord  Dundas,  the  Sec- 
retary of  State  in  Simcoe's  time;  Port  Colborne,  from  the 
stern  military  'governor  during  the  Rebellion;  Stamford 
was  first  called  Mount  Dorchester,  from  Lord  Dorchester : 
sometimes  Township  No.  2,  as  Niagara  was  Township 
No.  1.  From  all  this  it  may  he  seen  there  is  something 
in  a  name. 

MAP  OF  1817,  BY  H.  H.  WILSON,  R.E. 

This  map  is  interesting  to  us  as  showing  what  houses  or 
parts  of  houses  were  to  be  seen.  Some  had  been  built  up, 
and  some  remains  of  houses  or  barns  are  seen. 

On  Front  Street,  on  the  square  of  four  acres  opposite 
the  hotel  grounds,  there  is  a  house  at  the  corner  of  Front 
and  King  Streets.  Then  there  are  two  barns  or  small 
houses  opposite  Miss  Alma's,  and  another  on  Regent 
Street  about  where  Mr.  Michael  Green's  house  stands. 
These  would  be  the  property  of  Mr.  McKee.  On  the  next 
square,  still  opposite  the  hotel  on  Front  Street,  where 
Howard's  hotel  was,  now  Mrs.  Waters',  there  is  a  rounded 
corner,  and  there  is  a  house  about  where  Miss  Winter- 
bottom's  cottage  now  is.  On  the  next  square  on  Victoria 
Street,  there  is  a  house  at  the  corner  of  Mr.  WinthroyTs 
lot,  about  where  Roddy's  Hotel  was.  Farther  on  in  the 
next  square  there  is  a  house,  but  no  road  to  the  next  street. 
From  Prideaux  Street  to  Queen  Street,  on  King  Street, 
three  houses  are  marked  about  where  are  those  of  Mrs. 
Thair  and  Mr.  Shepherd,  and  Mr.  Randall's  store.  One 
of  these  was  probably  the  blockhouse,  which  we  are  told 
was  used  for  a  school.  On  Prideaux  Street  are  houses 
where  Miss  McKee's  cottage  and  Miss  Alma's  house  stand 
now;  the  latter  was  the  Stewart  house.  In  the  far  corner 
on  Queen  Street  is  a  house  where  now  is  Mr.  Healey's 


STEEETS  A^D  MAPS  103 

store.  In  the  next  square,  on  Prideaux  Street,  are  two 
houses  about  where  is  Mr.  Armstrong's  house,  formerly 
Dobie's;  there  is  a  barn  on  Victoria  Street,  back  of  Dr. 
Crysler's,  and  one  farther  on,  where  Mr.  W.  J.  Campbell's 
house  is,  and  one  on  Regent  Street  near  where  Mr.  Row- 
land's store  is.  In  the  next  square  on  Prideaux  Street,  one 
where  Mrs.  Ken  lev's  house  is,  formerly  Kearins'  hotel ;  and 
on  Regent  Street  two  small  houses  near  where  Mr.  Curtis 
lives.  On  Queen  Street  in  the  same  square,  there  are  three 
houses  about  where  Mr.  May  lives,  one  on  each  side,  about 
where  Mrs.  Cassady  lived  before  the  war.  In  the  next 
block  on  Gate  Street,  between  Queen  and  Prideaux  'Streets, 
is  a  large  house  where  the  Harrington  hotel  was,  probably 
the  house  of  A.  Rogers,  now  the  house  of  Mrs.  J.  I).  Servos. 
Three  other  houses  are  shown  up  to  what  was  Rogers'  brick 
building.  In  the  far  corner  on  Queen  Street,  there  is  a  large 
corner  building,  past  Dr.  Anderson's,  where  the  Charles 
Hall  house  stood,  and  two  small  ones  on  Simcoe  Street.  In 
the  next  block,  beginning  at  King  Street,  now  the  Town 
Square,  formerly  owned  by  D.  W.  Smith,  nothing  at  all 
is  marked.  In  next  square,  a  lot  is  marked  and  two  houses 
where  the  old  Bishop  bouse  stands,  and  one  on  Victoria 
Street,  about  where  the  Methodist  church  is  no\v,  and  one 
at  the  corner  where  Miss  P>oehme  lives,  formerly  II.  Paf- 
fard's.  In  the  next  square,  evidently  open,  a  road  runs, 
starting  from  McClelland's  corner  to  Mrs.  Curtis' ;  there  is 
a  small  house  about  where  Miss  Creed  lives,  and  a  large  lot 
marked  Avhere  W.  Lansing  lives,  with  a  house  where  his 
side  entrance  is,  and  one  farther  on.  In  the  next  square 
only  one  house  is  marked  opposite,  and  two  small  ones 
about  opposite  Mr.  H.  Ruthven's.  On  the  first  square  on 
Johnson  Street,  next  to  King  Street,  nothing  is  marked 
but  a  small  house  about  back  of  Mrs.  Miles'  on  Gage 
Street.  On  the  next  square,  between  Johnson  and  Gage 
Streets,  a  large  lot  appears  Avith  two  houses  about  where 
Miss  Evans  lives,  and  one  opposite  Mrs.  Mason's.  In  the 
next  block  on  Johnson  Street  is  a  house  at  the  corner 
where  the  old  Swinton  house  was.  It  is  a  tradition  that 
this  house  was  one  of  the  two  not  burnt  down  in  1813. 
Another  is  marked  about  where  Mr.  Lyall  lives,  and  a 
small  one,  or  a  barn,  behind  it,  about  the  middle  of  the 


104  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

square.  In  the  next  block  on  Johnson  Street  is  a  lot  with 
a  house  about  where  Mr.  Rut  liven  lives,  but  there  is  no 
street  marked  as  the  continuation  of  Gate  Street.  A  road 
slants  from  half  way  from  Johnson  Street  to  Gage  Street 
through  Mr.  Gray's,  the  old  Kingsmill  property  to  King 
Street,  and  then  to  Butler's  Barracks.  In  the  square  at 
the  corner  of  Centre  Street,  opposite  Captain  Geale's,  now 
Mr.  Maurer's,  is  a  lot  marked  off;  and  back  of  what  was 
Judge  Campbell's,  and  afterward  Hon.  J.  B.  Plumb's, 
is  a  small  house  or  barn.  In  the  Wilderness  the  Glaus  pro- 
perty appears  to  be  an  orchard  at  the  farthest  end,  and 
opposite  that  on  Mary  Street  a  house  at  the  corner  and  a 
lot  with  two  houses  behind  the  orchard  on  Regent  Street. 
A  large  square  in  a  vacant  space  is  not  marked  off  in 
streets;  there  seem  to  be  a  number  of  buildings  between 
Regent  and  Victoria  Streets,  but  no  streets  are  marked. 
There  is  an  orchard  also  between  Gate  and  Simcoe  Streets 
and  Gage  and  Centre  Streets. 

The  Indian  Council  House  is  marked  as  a  long  house  in 
the  middle  and  a  small  one  at  each  side.  This  became  the 
hospital  in  1822,  as  shown  on  another  map.  An  enclosure 
back  of  it  is  marked  with  trees  and  a  house  as  the  Com- 
mandant's quarters,  two  buildings  and  a  square,  laid  out 
at  the  far  corner  next  the  Oak  Grove.  At  Butler's  Bar- 
racks there  are  fourteen  buildings  and  various  enclosures, 
with  no  names  given  except  the  long  building  marked 
Butler's  Barracks  and  Fuel  Yard.  There  are  two  build- 
ings as  now  which  were  the  commissariat  and  the  barrack 
master's,  now  used  as  headquarters  during  the  camp.  There 
are  various  roads  running  across  the  common — one  from 
Fort  George  to  Butler's  Barracks ;  another  from  Prideaux 
Street  and  Queen  Street  to  the  Oak  Grove;  another  from 
Fort  'George  to  Prideaux  Street,  near  the  road  on  the 
common,  is  marked  by  a  design  representing  American 
work.  In  Fort  George  in  the  first  star  are  nine  buildings, 
and  outside  in  the  second  star  are  four  buildings,  marked 
as  part  of  old  fort.  The  wharf  is  marked  King's  Wharf, 
and  one  building  near  it  Navy  Hall.  Across  the  common 
are  marked  "  American  lines  in  ruins,"  extending  to  the 
church  and  down  to  Front  Street.  At  the  foot  of  King 
Street  is  marked  the  Guard  House  and  Ferry,  and  where 


STREETS  AND  MAPS  105 

now  is  the  Queen's  Hotel,  "  Engineers'  Yard  and  Engin- 
eers' Quarters/'  eight  houses.  At  Fort  Mississauga  there 
are  six  buildings,  besides  the  square  tower.  Between  Navy 
Hall  and  the  Guard  House  are  two  buildings,  marked  2 
and  3,  about  where  the  present  wharf  is.  There  are  TWO 
batteries  between  Fort  George  and  the  town  and  one  be- 
tween the  Engineers'  Quarters  and  Fort  Mississauga. 

It  may  be  thought  that  so  much  space  need  not  have 
been  given  here  to  this  map,  but  it  has  always  been  to  me 
a  very  interesting  subject,  the  condition  of  affairs  in  Niagara 
during  the  American  occupation  and  how  soon  building 
was  beffun  after  the  town  was  burnt. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
EARLY   nUILDINCS   AND   EARLY   MERCHANTS 

ALTHOUGH  we  have  an  account  of  many  early  buildings, 
very  few  of  these  are  now  in  existence,  from  the  havoc 
made  by  the  rude  hand  of  war,  the  touch  of  time,  or  the 
vandalism  of  some  who  rejoice  in  the  destruction  of  the 
old  to  make  room  for  newer  and  more  fashionable  struc- 
tures. Besides  Navy  Hall  and  the  buildings  in  Fort 
George,  we  have  accounts  of  the  houses  of  D.  W.  Smith, 
of  that  of  Secretary  Jarvis,  Hon.  Robert  Hamilton,  and 
Hon.  William  Dickson.  In  1798  Captain  Pilkington,  R.E.. 
gives  us  a  description  of  the  house  of  Hon.  I).  W.  Smith, 
in  size  eighty  feet  long  by  forty  feet  wide,  hall  in  the 
middle,  a  room  on  each  side  twenty  feet  square,  and  a 
room  off  each,  twenty  by  fourteen  feet;  stair  at  the  end  of 
the  hall,  one  turn  in  the  circle,  four  fireplaces,  a  vault, 
large  kitchen,  pantry,  baking-place  off  fireplace;  upstairs 
sixty-five  feet,  four  rooms,  and  probably  two  bedrooms. 

In  the  Jarvis  letters  the  secretary  tells  of  his  search  for 
a  house.  "  I  was  ten  days  in  search  of  a  hut  to  place  my 
wife  and  lambs  in,  without  success.  At  length  I  was 
obliged  to  pay  £140  for  a  log  hut  with  three  rooms,  with 
half  an  acre  of  ground.  1  have  purchased  logs  to  make  an 
addition  to  my  hut,  which  will  add  a  decent  room  to  my 
purchase.  Neither  age  nor  youth  are  exempt  from  fever 
and  ague  in  Niagara."  This  was  in  1792,  but  later,  on 
November  22nd,  1793,  we  have  a  description  of  a  house 
well  stocked  with  provisions  for  the  winter,  which  shows 
that  the  secretary  knew  how  to  provide  for  all  contingen- 
cies. "  I  shall  have  my  family  well  provided  for  this 
winter.  I  have  a  yoke  of  fattened  oxen  to  come  down  ; 
twelve  small  shoats  to  put  in  a  barrel  occasionally,  which 
I  expect  to  weigh  from  forty  to  sixty  pounds;  about  sixty 
head  of  dunghill  fowl ;  sixteen  fine  turkeys  and  a  dozen 
ducks;  two  sows,  and  a  milch  cow  which  will  give  a  good 
supply  of  milk  through  the  winter.  In  the  root-house  I 

106 


EAKLY  BUILDINGS   AND   MERCHANTS     107 

have  four  hundred  head  of  good  cabbage,  about  sixty 
bushels  of  potatoes,  and  a  sufficiency  of  very  excellent  tur- 
nips. My  cellar  is  stored  with  three  barrels  of  wine,  two 
of  cider,  two  of  apples,  and  a  good  stock  of  butter.  My 
cock  loft  contains  some  of  the  finest  maple  sugar  I  ever 
beheld — one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  it — also  plenty 
of  flour,  cheese,  coffee,  loaf  sugar,  etc.  In  the  stable  I  have 
the  ponies  and  a  good  sleigh,  and  the  snuggest  and  warmest 
cottage  in  the  province."  Query,  Where  was  the  house  ? 

Mrs.  Jarvis  says,  u  What  little  I  have  seen  of  the  place, 
were  it  well  cleared,  would  make  some  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful spots  in  the  world.  The  Niagara  River  affords  a 
delightful  prospect.  The  Four  Mile  Creek  meanders  in  a 
manner  superior  to  any  stream  I  ever  saw,  and  was  it  in 
England  would  be  a  place  worthy  of  the  King's  notice. 
There  is  a  great  mill  upon  it,  and  the  family  that  it  belongs 
to  are  Dutch.  We  have  received  more  notice  from  them 
than  could  be  expected.  Mrs.  Servos,  as  soon  as  she  knew 
I  was  an  American,  sent  me  lard,  sausages,  pumpkins, 
Indian  meal,  squashes,  carrots,  etc.  I  had  them  here  to 
dinner  on  the  27th." 

Probably  the  first  fine  residence  built  in  Niagara  was 
that  owned  by  1).  W.  Smith,  Deputy  Surveyor-General,  on 
Market  Square.  A  picture  of  this  is  in  the  Reference  Lib- 
rary, Toronto,  and  is  thus  described  by  Duke  do  la  Roche- 
foucauld de  Liancourt :  "  The  house  of  Colonel  Smith,  lieu- 
tenant-colonel in  the  5th  Regiment,  is  much  distinguished 
from  the  rest.  It  is  constructed,  embellished  and  painted 
in  the  best  style;  the  yard,  garden  and  court  surrounded 
with  railings,  as  in  England ;  a  large  garden,  like  a  French 
kitchen-garden,  is  in  good  order."  This  was  offered  for  sale 
in  1799,  when  the  Government  was  removed,  for  a  grammar 
school,  but  rejected  as  being  directly  in  range  of  guns  from 
Fort  Niagara. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Land  Board  in  1791  the  town  limits 
were  enlarged  and  permission  given  to  build  a  public-house 
at  the  east  end  of  the  town  next  the  river  and  Mason's 
lodge  next  it.  This  we  believe  to  have  been  the  spot  where 
Masonic  Hall  now  stands,  formerly  Stone  Barracks,  in  the 
list  of  lots,  1794,  marked  33,  "  The  Lodge,"  and  in  an- 
other document,  "  Free  Mason's  Lodge."  From  the  Land 


108  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Board  Meeting,  1791,  it  was  supposed  to  be  close  to  the 
river,  but  later  investigation  points  to  lot  33,  singularly 
enough  to  the  site  of  the  present  Masonic  Lodge.  The 
building  of  1792  was  used  for  church  service,  for  meetings 
of  the  agricultural  society,  and  for  Simcoe's  meetings  with 
the  Indians. 

The  memorial  of  William  Dickson,  to  Simcoe,  about 
1795,  asking  for  more  land,  states  that  he  erected  the  first 
brick  house  in  the  Province.  The  house  built  by  the  French 
General,  Count  cle  Puisaye,  about  three  miles  from  Niagara, 
in  1799,  still  stands  in  part — half  of  it  was  taken  down 
and  the  rest  repaired. 

The  brick  house  of  Mrs.  McFarland,  built  in  1800,  is  in 
good  preservation  yet,  and  that  of  the  Fields  family  was 
built  a  little  later.  Both  were  used  as  hospitals  in  the 
War  of  1812. 

In  1795  there  is  an  advertisement  of  Ralfe  Clench  for 
materials  for  a  jail  and  court  house.  This  was  on  Prideaux 
Street,  corner  King  Street,  and  farther  north  on  Prideaux 
Street.  On  the  same  street  at  the  corner  of  Regent  Street 
was  the  residence  of  Captain  Stewart,  where  it  is  said 
Brock  had  been  entertained,  and  the  brick  house  now  stand- 
ing there  belonging  to  Miss  Alma  was  built  by  his  son, 
Alexander  Stewart,  also  a  lawyer.  The  father  had  belonged 
to  the  Law  Society  formed  in  1797. 

The  house  of  Miss  Mary  Servos,  on  the  Lake  Road,  called 
Palatine  Hill,  was  part  of  it  in  '  existence  in  178:5 
as  a  Government  store,  while  that  of  Mr.  John  C.  Ball, 
near  Virgil,  still  stands,  though  much  altered;  and 
another  of  Joseph  Clement,  built  in  1804,  with  its 
quaint  staircase.  The  Government  House  was  in  the 
Market  Square.  The  house  of  Hon.  R.  Hamilton,  at 
Queenston,  is  described  by  Mrs.  Simcoe,  who  was  enter- 
tained there  in  1792,  as  "a  very  good  stone  house,  the 
back  rooms  looking  on  the  river;  a  gallery  the  length  of 
the  house  is  a  delightful  covered  walk  both  below  and 
above  in  all  weather."  The  Indian  Council  House,  near 
Butler's  Barracks,  was  afterwards  part  of  the  Military 
Hospital,  now  marked  by  a  stone  marker  and  old  willows. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  locate  the  early  stores  and  dwelling 
places  before  the  War  of  1812,  but  since  the  town  was 
rebuilt  it  is  not  so  difficult,  for,  as  we  find  particular  stars 


SS-* 

LOCUST     GROVE,     RESIDEXCE     OF     MRS.     J.     W.     BALL. 


RESIDENCE     OP     MISS     MARY     SERVOS. 


EAELY  BUILDINGS  AND  MEKCHANTS     109 

in  the  heavens,  and  by  the  system  of  alignment  we  find 
other  stars  and  constellations,  so,  knowing  the  position  of 
a  few  houses,  by  studying  the  old  advertisements,  and 
finding  a  store  mentioned  as  opposite  one  that  we  do  know, 
we  gain  a  little  light ;  but  some  places  elude  us  still.  Where 
was  Hind's  hotel  ?  Where  was  the  Lion  Inn  ?  or  the  Ex- 
change? or  the  Yellow  House?  or  the  Medical  Hall?  The 
Market  Square  had  four  corners,  as  well  as  the  four  out- 
side corners,  as  a  lane  ran  through  the  Square,  and  there 
was  an  open  space  on  each  side  of  the  Market  and  in  front 
of  it.  We  know  where  were  the  Government  House,  the 
Gleaner  printing  office,  the  first  jail  and  court  house,  the 
Navy  Hall,  the  Angel  Inn,  the  Promenade  House,  the  Har- 
rington Hotel,  Niagara  Coffee  House,  John  Young's  store 
and  dwelling-house,  E.  M.  Crysler's  store  and  A.  Eogers' 
hotel.  In  179(5  we  read  of  Thomas  Hind's  King's  Arms 
Hotel;  in  1797,  "To  let,  the  Yellow  House,  on  Lot  1, 
occupied  by  Mr.  T.  Hind,  signed  by  W.  J.  Crooks."  Was 
the  King's  Arms  on  the  same  lot?  In  the  plans  of  the 
town,  1794,  and  now  in  1912,  Lot  1  is  the  corner  of  King 
and  Front  Streets.  In  1791  there  is  a  deed  of  land  from 
John  Fleck  to  Thomas  Hind  for  £62,  and  next  to  S.  Tiffany 
(notary  public,  Thos.  Eidout).  This  was  the  corner  of 
Prideaux  and  Victoria  Streets.  In  1799  G.  S.  Tiffany 
was  opposite  the  Lion  Tavern  and  €.  Field  has  taken  the 
noted  house  called  Weir's  Sign  of  the  Lyon,  and  in  1798 
Mrs.  Weir  was  at  the  corner  of  Prideaux  and  Gate  Streets. 
In  1816  we  find  an  advertisement  of  E.  Clench  for  material 
— stone,  brick,  lime,  oak  and  pine  timber — to  build  a  jail 
and  court  house.  In  1821  a  deed  was  given  by  the  Crown, 
under  Peregrine  Maitland,  to  trustees  for  the  town,  of  two 
acres  for  market  buildings.  The  trustees  are  William 
Dicksou,  James  Muirhead  and  William  Clans.  In  1819 
John  Brown  advertises  Niagara  Mansion  House,  on  Pri- 
deaux Street,  commanding  a  view  of  the  lake,  "  a  large, 
commodious  house."  This  is  supposed  to  be  what  was 
afterwards  called  the  Promenade  House,  afterwards  kept 
by  Howard.  In  1820  the  Duke  of  Eichmond  Coffee  House, 
kept  by  C.  Koune,  formerly  occupied  by  James  Eogers' 
Coffee  House.  D.  Botsford,  in  1830,  advertises  the  Prome- 
nade Tavern.  The  Niagara  Hotel,  Adam  Crysler,  in  1830 


110  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

gave  "a  fair  view  of  the  lake,  river,  i'ort  and  Brock's  monu- 
ment, and  is  in  the  centre  of  the  town."  This  is  believed 
to  he  the  house  in  the  market  square  long  occupied  by  R. 
Reid,  ihe  chief  constable.  The  British  Hotel,  corner  of 
Queen  and  Gate  Streets,  burned  in  184!),  had  a  large  hall 
where  public  meetings  were  held.  The  Court  met  here 
for  a  year  previous  to  1847,  and  it  is  believed  to  have  been 
Wilson's  Hotel  and  called  the  Exchange. 

The  Angel  Inn  was  in  the  Market  Square  and  was  kept 
from  182(5  to  1846  by  R.  Howard,  and  next  by  John  Fraser 
us  the  Mansion  House.  Mr.  Howard,  in  1846,  went  to 
the  Promenade  House,  corner  of  Prideaux  and  Regent 
Streets.  The  frequent  change  of  name  of  hotels  is  very 
confusing.  As  fixing  the  position  of  the  Exchange,  an 
advertisement  in  The  Gleaner,  1832,  says,  "  For  sale,  a 
small  dwelling-house  on  Gage  Street,  in  rear  of  the  Ex- 
change," and  the  same  year  Francis  Baby,  dry  goods,  is  on 
Main  (Queen)  Street,  at  the  corner  opposite  the  Exchange, 
find  IT.  Chapman,  auctioneer,  opposite  the  British  Hotel, 
Queen  Street.  1833.  The  names  given  to  taverns  are  some- 
limes  remarkable,  as  the  Golden  Ball,  the  Rising  Sun.  the 
Royal  Oak,  the  Black  Swan,  Sign  of  the  Ball,  Sign  of  the 
Crown,  the  Black  I  Torse  Tavern.  The  Golden  Mortal- 
was  an  apothecary's  store,  as  was  the  Medical  Hall.  The 
names  Exchange,  Mansion  House.  Lyon's  Inn,  King's 
Arms,  Angel  Inn.  Yellow  House,  Navy  Hall  Inn,  and  the 
Caledonia  Hotel  frequently  occur.  There  must  have  been 
two  houses  called  the  Yellow  House,  as  one  we  know  was 
at  the  corner  of  King  and  PVont  Streets;  another  is  adver- 
tised as  near  the  Windmill.  It  depends  on  the  meaning  of 
the  word  near. 

John  Young's  store  was  on  Queen  Street,  nearly  oppo- 
site the  Court  House,  and  his  dwelling-house  farther 
north,  afterwards  altered  to  become  a  store,  called  the 
Warden  Block,  and  it  next  became  Harrison's  warehouse. 
James  Lockhart,  shipowner,  banker,  merchant,  had  first 
his  store  opposite  John  Young,  then  the  corner  of  Queen 
and  Regent  Streets,  afterwards  the  Rogers'  brick  building. 
W.  D.  Miller's  store  was  the  brick  building  on  Queen 
Street  next  the  Court  House.  In  1832  John  Alma's  wine 
store  was  at  the  corner  of  Queen  and  Regent  Streets,  a 


EARLY  BUILDINGS   AND   MERCHANTS     111 

fall,  narrow  brick  .store,  since  enlarged.  Alexander  McKee, 
at  the  time  of  the  War  of  1812,  had  several  buildings, 
among  them  a  store  at  the  corner  of  Prideaux  and  Regent 
Streets.  When  the  town  was  burned  some  of  the  valuable 
contents  were  packed  in  trunks  and  sent  to  Twelve  Mile 
Creek. 

In  1822  there  is  a  petition  of  the  inhabitants,  which 
recounts  that  the  four  acres  granted  to  Mr.  Smith  in  1793 
were  purchased  in  1802  from  his  heirs  for  officers'  bar- 
racks for  £2,250  sterling.  The  buildings  were  destroyed 
in  war,  and  two  acres  were  granted  to  the  magistrates  for 
a  market  in  1820.  Lots  103.  104,  contiguous,  are  military 
property  and  unoccupied.  These  four  acres  are  now  town 
property,  and  all  owning  houses  on  them  pay  ground  rent. 
The  memorial  of  William  Crooks  asks  for  an  enlargement 
for  the  office  for  the  clerk  of  the  peace,  hay-weighing 
machine,  and  a  shed  for  the  fire  engine. 

The  court  house  and  jail  built  in  1817,  now  the  Western 
Home,  was  used  for  both  purposes  till  1847,  when  the 
present  court  house  was  built,  and  the  building  of  3817 
was  used  as  a  jail  till  St.  Catharines  became  the  county 
town,  or  really  later,  as  Fenian  prisoners  were  confined 
here  for  a  short  time  in  180(1  before  being  sent  to  Toronto. 

In  the  diary  of  John  0 oldie,  an  accomplished  botanist, 
who  travelled  on  foot  through  a  great  part  of  Ontario  in 
1819,  arid  who  made  three  collections  of  flowers  pressed. 
to  send  to  Scotland,  but  unfortunately  none  of  which 
reached  their  destination,  we  obtain  a  reference  to  the  jail 
and  court  house  in  Niagara,  built  in  1817.  He  says,  "The 
only  building  worthy  of  particular  notice  is  the  jail,  which 
stands  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  out  of  the  town.  It  is  a 
large  two-story  house,  of  brick,  very  handsome,  and  it  is 
<-onsidered  to  be  the  finest  building  in  Canada.  At  present 
it  holds  within  its  walls  the  celebrated  Gourlay.  I  suspect 
his  greatest  fault  is  speaking  too  many  truths."  This  was 
on  the  10th  July. 

The  present  Masonic  Hall  was  built  about  1818  by  John 
Eaglesum,  partly  out  of  the  ruins  of  the  town,  as  he  is 
said  to  have  gathered  up  the  stones  of  foundations  of 
houses.  It  was  used  as  a  store  by  him,  part  of  it  as  a 
private  school  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKee,  then  by  James 


112  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Miller  as  the  Niagara  Coffee  House,  corner  of  King  and 
Prideaux  Streets.  It  is  next  called  Miller's  Ballroom,  then 
the  Stone  Barracks  during  and  after  the  Rebellion  and  in 
the  Fenian  Raid.  For  a  long  time  it  was  used  for  the 
public  school,  at  one  time  the  Grammar  School,  and  finally 
was  bought  by  the  Masonic  body  and  fitted  up  at  much 
expense. 

The  Harrington  Hotel,  corner  of  Gate  and  Prideaux 
Streets,  was  kept  by  Alexander  Rogers.  James  Rogers 
also  kept  a  hotel  near  Jared  Stocking  and  C.  Koune.  In 
1817  Rogers  and  Stocking  were  near  Alexander  Rogers' 
hotel  and  in  1819  James  Rogers  advertises  the  Niagara 
Coffee  House.  In  1828  the  Niagara  House,  built  and  occu- 
pied as  a  hotel  by  "  the  late  Mr.  Jas.  Rogers,  was  pleasantly 
situated  on  Main  Street,  and  from  its  galleries  has  a  com- 
manding view  of  the  beautiful  scenery  surrounding  the 
town.  Fort  Mississauga  and  Fort  George  can  be  distinctly 
seen,  and  the  noble  river  Niagara  is  seen  emptying  the 
waters  of  the  great  western  lakes  into  the  bosom  of 
Ontario."  This  is  certainly  a  sufficiently  grandiloquent 
description,  and  the  advertisement  goes  on  to  describe  the 
fitting-up,  attendants,  larder,  stables,  yards  and  sheds,  and 
is  signed  by  Robert  Gray.  Was  this  the  site  of  the  Rogers' 
brick  building,  or  was  it  the  building  called,  at  one  time,  the 
Exchange  or  British  Hotel,  slanting  across  the  corner 
of  Main  and  Gate  Streets?  In  1830  the  Exchange  House, 
Whittemore,  advertises  a  spacious  building  formerly  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  Robert  Gray,  with  view  of  Lake  Ontario.  In 
1832  is  advertised  Medical  Store,  opposite  the  Exchange 
— M.  Miller  (the  wife  of  Dr.  Miller).  Whether  this  is  the 
same  building  advertised  in  1821  by  R.  Starkweather,  Sign 
of  the  Golden  Mortar,  Queen  Street,  at  Niagara,  apothe- 
cary store,  we  know  not.  The  same  year  John  Milton 
advertises  the  Caledonian  Hotel  on  Prideaux  Street.  In 
1824  John  Graham  advertises  his  wagon-making  shop 
in  the  yard  of  the  inn,  Sign  of  the  Royal  Oak.  He  after- 
wards had  a  tavern  on  corner  of  Prideaux  Street  and 
King  Street,  with  the  sign  of  the  Black  Swan.  The 
Rising  Sun,  still  standing  on  Mississauga  Street,  was  kept 
at  one  time  bv  Noble  Keith,  as  was  also  the  Royal  Oak 
on  the  Lake  Road. 


EARLY  BUILDINGS  AND  MERCHANTS     113 

The  Ferry  was  formerly  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  but 
a  petition  from  Andrew  Heron,  in  1823,  asked  to  have  it 
at  Navy  Hall,-  the  sand  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  being 
pleaded  as  an  objection.  He  had  petitioned  in  1819  for 
more  land  at  Navy  Hall,  where  was  an  Inn,  advertised  as 
late  as  1847  as  Navy  Hall  Inn,  at  the  Ferry.  This  inn 
was  afterwards  kept  by  Ralfe  Clench.  In  the  Niagara 
paper  for  July  30th,  1833,  occurs  the  following  notice: 
"The  Messrs.  Rogers  are  far  on  the  way  with  a  three- 
story  brick  building,  which  will  be  the  largest  structure 
in  this  town.  Many  other  buildings  are  being  erected.  The 
Dock  is  progressing  rapidly,  owing  to  the  exertions  of  Cap- 
tain Melville,  to  whom  Niagara  is  largely  indebted."  In 
this  building  an  immense  wholesale  and  retail  business 
was  done,  and  teams  conveyed  goods  to  all  the  towns  and 
villages  around.  It  was  said  that  the  sales  often  amounted 
to  an  average  of  one  thousand  dollars  per  day.  At  this 
time  there  were  five  wholesale  groceries  in  the  town.  The 
Rogers'  brick  building  served  many  purposes,  as  for  stores, 
schools,  both  public  and  grammar,  band  quarters,  roller 
skating  rink,  Young  People's  room,  and  kindergarten.  It 
was  finally  taken  down,  as  it  had  been  long  vacant. 

In  1838  William  Moffatt  advertises  his  tavern,  sign  of 
the  Crown,  as  a  two-story  stand  opposite  Mr.  Lewis  Don- 
ally — eight  bedrooms,  two  dining  rooms,  stabling,  fruit 
trees,  and  a  well.  This  building  is  on  Johnson  Street,  and 
is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Lyall,  the  town  clerk.  Mr.  Camidge 
conducted  here  for  years  the  York  Academy,  before  his 
tragic  death. 

In  1847  the  court  house  was  so  far  finished  that  the 
court  was  held  in  September.  His  Honor  Mr.  Justice 
Jones  opened  the  court,  assisted  by  E.  C.  Campbell  (after- 
wards 'County  Judge)  and  Thomas  Butler.  His  Honor 
alluded,  in  very  complimentary  terms,  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Niagara  generally,  and  the  Board  of  Police  in  particu- 
lar, in  the  creation  of  the  noble  and  elegant  edifice  in  which 
the  court  was  assembled.  It  was  capacious,  well  adapted  for 
the  purposes  for  which  it  was  designed,  and  would  reflect 
honor  on  any  locality.  He  was  decidedly  of  the  opinion 
that  it  was  superior  to  any  other  building  in  the  Province. 
9 


114  HISTORY  OF  NIAGABA 

We  learn  elsewhere  that  the  first  cost  was  $30,000,  but 
much  more  was  spent  afterwards. 

Among  the  earliest  merchants  in  town,  the  name  of 
George  Forsyth  is  frequently  mentioned.  His  tombstone 
speaks  of  his  integrity.  Land  was  granted  to  George  For- 
syth, so  many  feet  from  the  commissariat  store  at  Navy 
Hall.  The  name  of  John  Grier  occurs  in  a  lengthy  corres- 
pondence with  the  Government.  Tt  appears  he  had  a  tan- 
nery, and  during  the  War  of  1812  the  tanpits  were  filled 
up  by  order  of  'Captain  Vavasour.  Grier  complained  to 
the  Governor  at  Quebec.  Vavasour  is  reprimanded  and 
writes  to  defend  himself.  Another  site  is  offered  to  Grier, 
which  is  refused.  Finally,  in  1819,  the  matter 'is  settled. 
Tt  is  interesting  to  us,  as  the  small  map  sent,  1818,  has 
been  preserved,  showing  the  same  building,  which  may  be 
seen  yet,  and  marked  Navy  Hall. 

Thomas  Dickson,  of  Queenston,  was  an  extensive  mer- 
chant. A  bill,  dated  1805,  states  that  he  sent  to  Navy 
Hall  534  bushels  of  buckwheat,  543  of  corn  at  60  cents,  8 
barrels  of  superfine  flour  at  $7.00  per  barrel. 

Andrew  Heron  was  a  bookseller,  and  his  advertisements 
show  a  fine  selection  of  classical,  religious,  historical  and 
poetical  works.  He  must  have  been  a  man  of  means,  as 
mentioned  before. 

James  Lockhart  did  an  extensive  business  as  a  dry 
goods  merchant  at  the  corner  of  Queen  and  Eegent  Streets. 
His  fair,  rosy-cheeked,  genial  face  is  yet  remembered.  A 
receipt  lately  was  found,  given  doubtless  to  some  one  who 
had  asked  for  a  receipt  in  full:  "This  is  to  certify  that 
P.  Clement  has  paid  all  he  owed  me  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world  to  the  present  time."  This,  of  course,  must 
have  been  given  jocularly. 

William  Barr's  portly  form  is  yet  remembered,  and  his 
large  snuff  mull.  He  advertises  at  the  Arcade,  corner  of 
Queen  and  King  Streets,  where  O'Neil's  hotel  now  stands. 
His  advertisement  takes  up  a  whole  column  in  verse. 

An  old  bank  book  has  been  found  of  a  noted  merchant, 
John  McCulloch.  The  extensive  business  done  by  him 
was  shown  by  the  teams  in  the  early  morning  heavily  laden 
to  supply  the  stores  of  Queenston,  Stamford,  Drummond- 
ville,  Chippawa,  St.  Catharines,  Thorold,  and  many  other 


EARLY  BUILDINGS   AND   MERCHANTS     115 

places.  The  date  of  the  book  is  I860'  to  1869.  The 
amounts  deposited  totalled  $15,000  per  month,  and  those 
paid  out  were  heavy,  too,  but  there  was  always  a  comfort- 
able balance  in  the  bank.  The  store  was  that  now  owned 
by  Mrs.  Bottomley,  and  many  remember  how  well  stocked 
the  shelves  were,  and  the  proprietor,  a  tall,  upright.,  slight 
and  somewhat  stern  man,  honorable  in  his  dealings,  whose 
word  was  as  good  as  his  bond. 

In  the  Niagara  Herald,  August  7th,  1828,  we  see  that 
the  town  suffered  by  fires.  "  We  feel  the  loss  of  the  Man- 
sion House  and  Merchants'  Exchange,  which  was 
so  recently  consumed  by  fire,  but  the  more  ample  accom- 
modation of  the  new  Niagara  House  in  a  measure  supplies 
their  absence." 

An  old  house  on  the  road  leading  to  the  Western  Home 
was  used  as  a  school  by  Miss  Young  in  1825,  and  is  said 
by  some  to  have  been  built  before  the  war,  but  later  infor- 
mation fixes  the  date  as  1816.  There  are  five  fireplaces, 
and  the  chimneys  show  that  they  were  built  many  years 
ago. 

One  of  the  oldest  houses  is  that  occupied  by  Miss  Painter, 
in  which  lived  some  of  the  officials  of  the  Government,  and 
here  Indians  came  at  one  time  to  receive  their  allowance^. 
Tradition  points  to  the  corner  opposite,  where  Governor 
Simcoe  lived  for  a  short  time — a  long,  low  house,  one  of 
the  two  spared  from  the  fire,  Merritt  says  Gordon's  house, 
the  other  one  was  that  of  Ralfe  Clench;  but,  unfortunately, 
it  was  burned  accidentally  a  few  months  after,  seventeen 
persons  occupying  it,  the  families  of  Clench  and  Stewart 
being  cousins.  The  present  house,  still  called  the  Clench 
house,  was  built  in  1826,  and  here  may  be  seen  a  number  of 
beautiful  mantels  of  hand-made  workmanship.  A  house 
nearly  opposite  the  Queen's  Royal  was  built  between  1820 
and  1826  by  'Captain  Dates,  who  commanded  the  packet 
Dulfe  of  Richmond,  and  built  here  so  that  his  wife  might 
see  his  vessel  on  approaching  from  Toronto.  The  brick 
house  occupied  by  G.  Bernard,  at  the  corner  of  Centre  and 
Mississauga  'Streets,  was  the  residence  of  John  Breaken- 
ridge,  while  that  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Silverthorn  was  long 
the  residence  of  James  Loekhart,  and  first  that  of  Charles 
Richardson,  while  that  opposite  was  the  residence  of  Charles 


116  HISTOKY  OF  N1AGAEA 

L.  Hall,  called  frequently  Lawyer  Hall,  but  was  first  occu- 
pied by  E.  M.  Crysler.  The  brick  residence  was  the  post 
office  and  that  next  of  A.  Gilkison,  now  occupied  by 
Dr.  Anderson.  The  present  McClelland  store  was  long 
occupied  by  Peter  and  Alexander  Christie,  but  in  earlier 
days  was  the  store  of  Lewis  Clement.  The  store  of  E.  M. 
Crysler  was  opposite  the  Eogers'  brick  building,  after- 
wards the  furniture  warehouse  of  Hamilton  Gibson.  The 
upper  story  was  the  meeting-place  of  the  Freemasons,  and 
when  the  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1859,  they  lost 
their  minute  books,  regalia,  etc.  The  drug  store  of  J.  de  W. 
Randall,  and  long  that  of  Henry  Paffard,  was  the  law  office 
of  E.  C.  Campbell,  and  near  it  was  the  store  of  James 
Harvey,  druggist  and  chemist ;  farther  on  were  Culver  and 
Cameron's  store  and  the  residence  of  John  Young  and  his 
large  store.  The  present  brick  store  of  F.  Eowland  was 
formerly  that  of  A.  Martin,  who  succeeded  Whan  and 
McLean.  The  store  was  built  in  1846. 

The  whereabouts  of  the  Yellow  House  was  long  a  mys- 
tery, but  a  deed  contributed  by  Miss  Gilkison,  of  Brant- 
ford,  shows  conclusively  that  it  was  'No.  1,  the  corner  of 
Xing  and  Front  Streets,  sold  by  Auldjo  in  1802  to  Thomas 
McCormick  for  £(-:i)0.  first  demand,  £1,000.  The  building 
now  standing  was  long  occupied  by  Thomas  McCormick, 
the  manager  of  the  Bank  of  Upper  Canada,  and  the  vaults 
mav  yet  be  seen. 

In  the  maps  of  the  town  may  be  seen  marked  the  Engin- 
eers' Quarters,  where  the  Queen's  Eoyal  stands.  The  Elliot 
House  was  built  in  1838 ;  at  the  foot  of  the  street  was  the 
Guard  House,  close  to  the  water,  and  right  in  the  middle 
of  the  street.  Opposite  the  Elliot  House,  so  deservedly 
popular,  was  the  Gleaner  printing  office  of  Andrew  Heron. 
At  the  south  corner  of  the  town  are  three  beautiful  resi- 
dences, known  as  Eose  Lawn,  Pine  Hurst  and  Eowan  Wood. 
These  were  the  houses  of  Hon.  William  Dickson.  Dr.  Mel- 
ville and  Eobert  Dickson — spacious  lawns,  magnificent  old 
trees  and  stately  mansions,  now  owned  by  J.  H.  Lewis, 
C.  S.  Greiner  and  G.  H.  Eand.  The  last,  the  residence 
for  a  long  time  of  Hon.  W.  H.  Dickson,  was  then  bought 
by  General  Lansing  and  afterwards  by  Livingstone.  Lans- 


EAELY  BUILDINGS  AND  MERCHANTS     117 

ing  is  now  called  Randwood,  from  the  present  owner,  who 
has  made  extensive  additions. 

The  house  commonly  known  as  the  Morson  house  was 
built,  about  1826,  by  Mr.  John  Powell,  son  of  Chief 
Justice  William  Dummer  Powell.  It  was  sold  to  Mr. 
James  Boulton  and  was  then  a  square  house  with  a  large 
room  at  the  right  for  a  ball-room.  A  large  room  was  then 
built  for  a  supper  room,  and  a  verandah  was  also  added. 
It  has  been  occupied  or  owned  since  by  William  Gayley, 
Captain  Milloy,  Mr.  Benedict,  Mr.  McPhail  and  Dr.  Mor- 
son. The  grounds  are  extensive,  with  beautiful  trees,  and 
the  outlook  is  fine,  embracing  the  Military  Reserve,  the 
Oak  Grove,  French  Thorns,  Fort  George,  and  the  Military 
Quarters. 

The  house  of  Rev.  R.  Addison,  three  miles  from  Niagara, 
was  thus  described  by  Mr.  William  Kirby  as  he  saw  it 
first  about  1850 :  "  Only  one  room  remains  as  before,  as  so 
many  alterations  have  been  made.  It  was  then  much 
farther  from  the  shore,  as  there  was  a  large  garden  in 
front  sloping  down  to  the  lake,  but  the  encroachments  of 
the  waves  have  carried  away  much  soil.  It  was,  of  course, 
built  long  before  the  war,  was  a  large  house,  part  of  it 
log,  with  large  fireplaces  for  wood,  and  a  large  porch  in 
front  with  pillars." 

Mr.  Kirby  also  tells  that  the  Military  Hospital  was,  part 
of  it,  originally  the  Indian  Council  House.  This  is  con- 
firmed by  the  statement  on  a  map  obtained  from  the 
Archives,  which  shows  the  plan  in  1822,  and  that  it  had 
been  the  Indian  Council  House.  Mr.  Kirby  stated  that 
there  was  one  long  room  with  a  large  fireplace,  with  fine 
woodwork  and  carving.  The  deadhouse  attached  to  the 
hospital  had  supports  which  might  then  be  seen.  The 
foundation  of  the  hospital  after  it  was  burnt,  about  1880, 
was  sold  or  given  to  a  Niagara  man,  who  spent  a  month 
in  digging  out  the  stones. 

Mrs.  Roe  described  Locust  Grove,  the  residence  of  her 
father,  Mr.  George  Ball.  "  Built  about  1820,  the  woodwork 
inside — stairs  and  balusters,  wainscot  and  panels  on  each 
side  of  the  large  fireplace,  with  fluting  on  the  mantel — was 
mostly  of  black  walnut.  The  bricks  of  the  building  were 
made  on  the  place,  in  the  sheep  meadows.  Metal  to  cover  the 


118  nTSTOHY  OF  NIAGARA 

roof  was  brought  from  Montreal.  There  was  a  large  draw- 
ing-room, both  upstairs  and  downstairs.  Eleven  children 
were  brought  up  here.  For  dinner,  at  one  time,  there  were 
sixty  peach  dumplings.  A  black  servant  made  Johnny 
cake,  which  required  sixty-four  eggs.  Most  of  the  black 
servants  had  been  slaves.  Everything  full  and  plenty — 
tubs  of  sausages,  barrels  of  corned  beef,  etc." 

The  house  of  Peter  Ball,  built  in  1816,  a  photo  of  which 
we  have,  was  taken  down  or  moved  to  be  used  as  a  packing 
house  for  fruit  when  the  new  house,  long  occupied  by 
Robert  N.  Ball,  was  built.  The  Engineers'  Quarters,  where 
at  one  time  Captain  Baxter  lived,  was  where  the  hotel 
kitchen  now  is.  There  Avas  a  long  low  building  with  a 
passage  through  it  with  thick  brick  walls,  inside  clap- 
boarded;  a  bomb-proof  roof  and  a  vault  for  wine,  or 
powder,  with  arched  stables  near.  Captain  Vavasour,  who 
at  one  time  lived  here,  called  his  residence  Tcneriffe  Cot- 
tage. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  houses,  and  perhaps  the 
oldest  in  town,  is  that  situated  in  what  is  called  "The 
Wilderness/'  part  of  it  having  been  left  in  a  state  of 
nature.  Here  are  some  of  the  grandest  trees  to  be  found, 
perhaps,  in  the  Province — a  row  of  sycamores,  beautiful 
acacias  and  weeping  willows;  a  Balm  of  Gilead  tree,  said 
to  be  two  hundred  feet  high,  and  its  trunk  in  circumfer- 
ence sixteen  feet;  an  old  oak,  in  girth  nearly  twenty  feet. 
The  house  was  built  shortly  after  the  war,  and  in  shape 
is  said  to  resemble  "Longwood,"  occupied  by  Napoleon  in 
St.  Helena.  In  1799  the  land  became  the  property  of  Mrs. 
Ann  Glaus,  the  wife  of  Daniel  Claus,  and  daughter  of  Sir 
William  Johnson.  Here  met  bands  of  Indians  to  receive 
their  presents,  as  Colonel  Daniel  'Claus  and  his  son  were 
Superintendents  of  Indian  Affairs.  After  the  first  house 
was  burnt,  in  1813,  Mrs.  Taylor,  wife  of  Fort  Major 
Taylor,  took  refuge,  with  her  children,  in  an  old  root- 
house,  known  then  and  since  as  "  The  Pit,"  and  in  a  large 
dug-out,  or  cave,  in  the  bank,  it  is  said  forty  wounded 
men  lived  during  the  winter  following.  The  property 
remained  in  the  Claus  family  for  many  years,  and  now 
again  a  member  of  the  Claus  family  is  in  possession — the 
wife  of  Major  Evans.  It  is  probable  that  the  house  was  built 


HOUSE   USED   AS   A    SCHOOI,   BY   MISS   YOUXG   IN   1825. 
BUILT    IN    1816. 


JAMES    BUTLER'S   HOUSE    BEFORE    1812. 


EARLY  BUILDINGS  AND   MERCHANTS     11.9 

in  1816,  as  it  is  told  that  Richard  Miller,  Q.C.,  was  born 
there  in  1817,  when  the  house  of  his  father,  W.  D.  Miller, 
was  being  built,  so  that  this  residence,  now  owned  by  Mr. 
James  Robinson,  must  be  one  of  the  oldest  houses  in  town. 
But  perhaps  older  than  any  is  that  now  occupied  by  Mr.  N. 
Bissell,  always  called  the  James  Butler  house,  as  reliable 
evidence  shows  that  it  was  there  on  the  day  of  the  Battle 
of  Queenston  Heights.  The  walls  of  the  square  hall  and 
of  the  parlor  were  decorated  with  grape  leaves,  and  grapes 
artistically  painted,  and  two  alcoves  or  closets  of  solid 
walnut  may  yet  be  seen. 

One  fine  brick  residence  on  the  river  road  must  not  be 
forgotten,  that  built  by  John  Wilson,  the  owner  of  the 
Exchange,  in  town,  who  must  have  been  a  very  wealthy 
man,  owning  several  thousand  acres  of  land.  His  will, 
made  in  1837,  is  a  remarkable  document,  covering  fifteen 
pages  of  foolscap;  it  has  twenty  divisions  and  leaves  pro- 
perty to  his  wife  and  eleven  children  and  two  step-daugh- 
ters. The  house  is  approached  by  the  finest  avenue  of 
trees  in  the  neighborhood.  It  was  long  the  residence  of 
R.  M.  Warren,  who  planted  valuable  fruit  trees,  and  it 
is  now  owned  by  E.  J.  Maclntyre,  who  has  greatly  im- 
proved it. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
FREEMASONS. 

To  give  a  connected  and  complete  history  of  Free- 
masonry in  Niagara  is  a  difficult  task.  Records  and  build- 
ings were  destroyed  by  fire,  but  remarkable  finds  have  also 
been  made,  of  documents  hidden  away  with  a  century's 
dust  upon  them.  The  sources  from  which  this  sketch  is 
made  are  various — advertisements  in  the  old  newspapers 
of  the  town,  local  traditions  gleaned  from  old  members, 
references  in  diaries  or  books  of  early  travel,  the  minutes 
of  the  Lodge,  documents  happily  unearthed — but  much 
has  been  gleaned  by  conning  the  pages  of  the  history  of 
Freemasonry  by  that  indefatigable  collector  of  engravings, 
prints,  miniatures  and  historical  documents,  John  Ross 
Robertson,  journalist,  philanthropist,  historian. 

On  the  corner  of  King  and  Prideaux  Streets,  on  a  square, 
massive  building  opposite  the  park,  may  be  seen  a  tablet 
with  the  words: 

"  Niagara  Lodge  No.  2, 
A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  1792." 

But  the  first  reference  we  find  to  Masonry  near  Niagara 
goes  back  to  1780,  when  the  King's  8th  Regiment  was 
stationed  at  Fort  Niagara.  The  certificates  of  membership 
are  in  existence  of  Brother  Joseph  Clement,  Henry  Nelles, 
and  H.  W.  Nelles,  1780,  and  are  carefully  preserved  by  their 
descendants.  That  of  Brother  D.  Servos  is  dated  1784. 
These  were  issued  in  Canada.  There  was  also  a  lodge  at 
Queenston  in  1782,  as  shown  by  the  petition  of  Joseph 
Brown.  The  lodge  met  at  the  house  of  Joseph  Brown,  on 
the  river  road,  and  among  the  members  were  James  Cooper 
and  Charles  Field,  the  latter  of  Niagara.  This,  it  is  evident, 
was  united  with  Lodge  2,  of  Niagara,  1792.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  Land  Board  in  Niagara  in  1791,  permission  was 
given  to  build  a  public-house  at  the  east  end  of  the  town, 

120 


FREEMASONS  121 

next  the  river,  and  a  Masonic  lodge  next  to  it.  King 
Street  was  then  the  boundary  of  the  town.  In  Mrs.  Sim- 
coe's  diary,  recently  published,  occur  these  words :  "  29th 
July,  we  met  for  divine  service  in  the  Freemasons'  hall,  as 
there  is  no  church  here."  On  June  27th,  1793,  members  of 
the  Agricultural  Society  met  at  the  Freemasons'  hall.  In 
December,  1792,  we  find  from  records  that  William  Jarvis, 
Provincial  Secretary,  was  present  at  the  celebration  of  St. 
John's  day,  at  Freemasons'  hall,  as  Provincial  Grand 
Master.  From  The  Upper  Canada  Gazette  or  American 
Oracle,  published  at  Niagara,  we  obtain  notices  of  the  meet- 
ings of  Masons,  as  on  14th  of  July,  1794,  and  again  on 
August  29th  meetings  are  called,  signed  by  Ealfe  Clench. 

The  first  notice  of  a  meeting  of  the  Provincial  Grand 
Lodge  is  in  July,  1795,  when  five  lodges  met  at  Newark. 
From  the  vicissitudes  through  which  the  town  has  passed, 
from  the  red  hand  of  war  and  conflagration  pale,  it  is  no 
easy  task  to  trace  the  history  of  this  lodge,  and  particu- 
larly from  the  different  names  and  numbers  as  occurring 
in  the  British  records  and  those  of  Quebec,  as  well  as  of  our 
own  province.  But  if  much  has  been  lost  and  exasperating 
breaks  occur  in  the  record,  there  have  been  wonderful  finds 
when  all  hope  of  success  was  abandoned.  Witness  the  find- 
ing of  the  petitions  for  admission  from  1782  to  1790,  those 
from  St.  John's  Lodge  of  Friendship,  1796-1810,  the  find 
made  by  that  never-tiring  investigator,  John  Ross  Robert- 
son, of  the  minutes  of  the  Grand  Lodge  from  1816  to 
1822,  in  an  old  trunk,  and  still  more  wonderful,  the 
finding  of  the  first  manuscript  draft  of  the  Charter  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  given  to  William  Jarvis,  in  1792,  and  now, 
after  106  years,  found  in  1898,  in  an  envelope  with  other 
papers,  in  London,  England.  The  charter,  given  in  1795, 
was  presented  to  the  lodge  in  1907,  by  R.  W.  A.  Freed, 
Deputy  Grand  Master,  of  Hamilton. 

In  The  Upper  Canada  Gazette  the  following  notices  are 
found:  In  1796  "St.  John's  Lodge  of  Friendship,  No.  2, 
will  meet  at  Wilson's  tavern,  on  the  Festival  of  St.  John. 
By  order  of  the  lodge,  Ralfe  Clench";  December  12th, 
"  The  members  of  the  Grand  Master's  Lodge  will  meet  at 
Thompson's  hotel,  to  celebrate  the  Festival.  J.  McKay, 
Secretary  ";  January  4th,  1797,  "The  lodges,  No.  2  and  4, 


.122  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  clothed  in  badges,  and  pre- 
ceded by  a  band  of  music  playing  Masonic  airs,  walked  in 
procession  to  the  Presbyterian  Meeting  House,  when  Mr. 
Dun  delivered  an  excellent  and  philanthropic  discourse, 
with  deep  attention  from  a  crowded  audience.  The  thanks 
of  the  lodges  are  given  for  this  excellent  and  liberal  dis- 
course. Thomas  Clark,  Secretary  of  Lodge  No.  2,  Eichard 
Cockrell,  Secretary  of  Lodge  No.  4."  (Lodge  No.  4  was 
warranted  in  1794).  In  1796  it  is  reported  that  in  Philan- 
thropy Lodge,  No.  4,  at  a  meeting  in  their  room,  in  New- 
ark, it  was  "  resolved  to  establish  a  fund  for  the  benefit  of 
Freemasons'  widows  and  orphans  and  indigent  brothers' 
children."  Whether  this  laudable  resolution  was  carried 
out  we  have  no  means  of  knowing.  In  1798  "  Freemasons 
No.  2  met  at  Queenston  at  the  new  lodge  room,  and  the 
Grand  Lodge  and  other  lodges  in  town  walked  to  Wilson's 
hotel  to  meet  their  brethren  from  Queenston  and  the 
mountain  (Stamford).  About  one  o'clock  a  procession  was 
formed  of  Grand  Master's  Lodge  and  lodges  Nos.  2,  4,  12. 
They  walked  to  Hind's  hotel,  and  after  business,  sat  down 
to  an  elegant  dinner  with  loyal  and  Masonic  toasts,  till 
eight  o'clock." 

In  1799  "  the  Grand  Lodge  and  others  met  at  Brother 
Fields'  at  twelve  noon.  Procession  to  church,  and  sermon 
by  Rev.  Brother  Addison,  Grand  Chaplain."  It  is  known 
that  the  house  of  Brother  Fields  was  in  Niagara,  near  the 
corner  of  Queen  and  Gate  Street,  and  a  curious  little  story 
has  come  down  to  us  of  the  American  occupation  of  the 
town  in  1813.  After  the  place  was  taken,  most  of  the 
inhabitants  having  fled,  soldiers  were  ransacking  the 
house  of  Charles  Fields  and  the  Masonic  regalia  being 
found  in  a  chest,  as  this  was  the  place  of  meeting  of  one 
lodge,  an  officer  present  ordered  the  search  to  be  stopped 
and  the  house  to  be  protected,  he  being  evidently  a  Mason. 

We  have  very  few  records  of  the  period  during  the  war, 
but  in  1818  we  find  that  "the  Grand  Lodge  of  Upper 
Canada  and  the  lodges  in  the  country  formed  a  procession 
from  the  house  of  James  Rogers  to  the  church,  and  heard 
an  excellent  sermon  by  Rev.  R.  Addison,  Grand  Chaplain, 
and  then  returned  and  sat  down  to  an  excellent  dinner  at 
five  o'clock.  Colonel  Grant  favored  them  with  the  excellent 


MASONIC   HALL. 


QUEENSTON   IN   1840. 


FREEMASONS  123 

band  of  the  70th  Regiment  for  the  procession."  In  1823 
"  the  Masonic  Brethren  No.  4  dined  at  the  lodge  room  in 
Mrs.  A.  Rogers'  hotel,  on  St.  John's  day,  December  27th, 
at  eight  p.m.  Signed,  Robert  Emery." 

In  1826  the  newspapers  were  full  of  the  disappearance 
of  Morgan,  who  was  believed  to  have  been  drowned.  Many 
boats  were  dragging  for  the  body,  and  one  found  forty 
miles  below  the  fort  was  supposed  to  be  his.  In  one  issue 
of  The  Gleaner  are  letters  from  Edward  McBride,  M.P.P., 
Jared  Stocking,  B.  Cook  and  A.  Locker,  all  bearing  on  the 
subject.  The  story  is  that  Morgan  had  written  a  book 
betraying  the  secrets  of  Masonry.  For  this  it  is  alleged 
he  was  abducted,  placed  in  one  of  the  blockhouses  at  Fort 
Niagara  as  a  prisoner,  from  thence  taken  in  a  boat  and 
thrown  into  the  river.  The  accounts,  however,  are  very  con- 
tradictory. -One  is  that  five  men,  three  from  the  United 
States  and  two  from  Canada,  were  selected  to  do  the  deed. 
The  confession  of  Samuel  Chubbuck,  the  veteran  mail 
carrier  of  Youngstown,  aged  88,  does  not  mention  the 
Canadians,  but  that  the  men  were  chosen  by  lot,  met,  car- 
ried out  "a  parcel"  from  the  fort,  and  went  out  on  the 
river.  When  they  returned  the  "  parcel "  was  missing. 
The  chief  point  was  the  injury  done  to  the  cause.  In  the 
words  of  an  old  Niagara  Mason :  "  Every  pulpit  was 
preaching  against  us,  and  we  met  anywhere  we  could." 
One  lodge  became  dormant  from  1824  to  1845,  as  is  shown 
by  a  document  signed  by  four  of  the  members  agreeing  to 
close  the  meetings  from  want  of  funds,  "  till  more  advan- 
tageous circumstances  arise."  Signed,  R.  II.  Dee,  W.  J. 
Kerr,  J.  A.  Stevenson,  J.  McGlashen. 

In  The  Gleaner  of  February  10th,  1827,  is  an  article 
opposing  Masonry.  The  ladies  had  meetings  in  some  places, 
and  resolved  "  not  to  receive  the  addresses  of  Masons  nor 
allow  their  daughters  to  receive  such  or  become  the  wives 
of  Masons."  It  is  not  likely  these  very  drastic  measures 
were  carried  out  for  any  length  of  time.  In  1827  "  Masonic 
Lodge  No.  557,  Provincial  No.  4,  is  removed  from  the 
house  of  Brother  A.  Crysler  to  the  house  of  Brother  R. 
Howard,  Market  Square."  In  1828,  "  For  sale  at  The 
Gleaner  office,  Narrative  of  Facts  as  to  the  Kidnapping 
and  Presumed  Murder  of  William  Morgan;  also  Anti- 


124  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Masonic  Almanac,  48  pages ;  Giddin's  Almanac,  price  12]/<> 
cents." 

In  1847  a  sermon  was  preached  by  Dr.  Lundy  to  Masons, 
and  dinner  was  at  Howard's.  The  different  numbers  used 
in  referring  to  the  two  Niagara  lodges  cause  great  con- 
fusion. Thus  No.  2  is  also  known  as  No.  19,  the  seal  being 
St.  John's  Lodge  No.  19,  Niagara,  the  number  19  being 
given  by  Quebec  Grand  Lodge;  again  the  numbers  given 
by  England  were  775,  440,  and  488,  490,  430  and  521,  and 
at  one  time  Dalhousie  Lodge,  all  this  being  very  con- 
fusing. 

By  the  fire  of  1869  the  documents  and  regalia  were  all 
destroyed  when  the  frame  building  in  which  the  Free- 
masons met  was  burned  to  the  ground  and  nothing  saved. 

When  the  first  building  erected  by  the  Freemasons  in 
1792  was  destroyed  is  not  known.  It  is  remarkable  that 
after  all  the  wanderings  of  the  brethren  they  should  now 
be  located  on  the  site  of  the  first  building.  Much  labor 
has  been  devoted  by  the  present  writer  in  the  search  of 
documents  to  prove  this. 

From  the  statement  of  the  meeting  of  the  Land  Board, 
1791,  it  was  believed  that  the  first  Masonic  hall  was  at  the 
foot  of  King  Street,  next  to  the  old  Gleaner  printing  office, 
and  the  Historical  Society  placed  a  stone  marker  there 
with  an  inscription  to  that  effect,  but  later  investigation 
modified  that  view.  In  a  list  of  lots  in  town  in  1794,  num- 
ber 33,  which  is  the  corner  of  King  and  Prideaux  Street, 
one  block  above  the  spot  marked,  is  labelled  "  The  Lodge," 
and  on  examining  manuscripts  in  the  Parliament  Build- 
ings, lot  33  is  again  marked  "  Freemasons'  Lodge."  The 
apparent  contradiction  may  be  explained  in  different  ways. 
Although  permission  was  given  to  erect  the  building  at 
the  corner  next  the  tavern,  it  may  mean  the  corner  of  the 
next  square,  or  the  Masons  may  have  had  the  plot  changed 
for  another.  It  is  certainly  a  wonderful  coincidence  that 
the  Masonic  Lodge  of  1913  should  be  on  the  site  granted 
in  1791,  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  years  before.  The 
places  of  meeting  have  been  numerous — the  original  Free- 
masons' hall,  Charles  Fields,  Alexander  Rogers',  store  of 
R.  J.  Crysler,  Angel  Inn,  Rogers'  brick  building,  Howard's 
hotel,  and  Stone  Barracks.  The  latter  building  was  finally 


FREEMASONS  125 

bought  by  the  fraternity  and  fitted  up  at  considerable 
expense.  In  itself  it  is  an  historic  building,  as  it  was 
built  about  1816,  partly  from  stones  gathered  from  the 
ruins  of  the  town  by  John  Eaglesum,  and  used  as  a  store, 
as  a  school,  as  a  hotel,  as  a  barracks,  and  long  known  as  the 
"  Stone  Barracks." 

The  history  of  the  lodge  is  a  most  remarkable  one,  the  dis- 
pute between  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Niagara  and  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  York,  memorable  and  lasting  for  years,  being 
settled  only  by  great  skill,  firmness  and  forbearance.  When 
William  Jarvis,  Secretary  to  Governor  Simcoe,  removed  to 
York,  it  being  made  the  capital,  he  wished  to  remove  the 
Grand  Lodge,  his  theory  being  that  of  Napoleon:  "The 
Empire !  I  am  the  Empire !"  But  Niagara  insisted  that 
it  and  it  alone  was  still  the  seat  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and 
went  on  forming  new  lodges,  being  much  more  active  than 
that  at  York.  However,  some  lodges  refused  to  acknowledge 
the  authority  of  Niagara,  and  Niagara  and  its  lodges  re- 
fused to  submit  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  York.  "  Each  spake 
words  of  high  disdain."  The  dispute  went  on  for  years, 
conducted  sometimes  with  grand  and  ceremonious  courtesy, 
sometimes  with  great  acrimony.  The  matter  was  referred 
to  England,  and  was  finally  settled  by  a  compromise,  York- 
being  declared  the  Grand  Lodge,  but  the  work  done  by 
Niagara  Grand  Lodge  being  acknowledged. 

t  From  1797  Jarvis  took  little  interest  and  did  little  except 
in  signing  documents.  He  was  not  well  up  in  Masonic  lore, 
and  was  ruled  by  Brother  Dauby.  Niagara  Grand  Lodge 
was  active  and  formed  several  new  lodges,  indeed,  did  far 
more  than  York.  Some  lodges  acknowledged  the  authority 
of  Niagara,  others  did  not,  being  warned  not  to  do  so. 
In  1803  Niagara  had  the  courage  to  appoint  a  Grand 
Master,  George  Forsyth,  instead  of  Jarvis,  and  wrote  to 
him  by  S.  Tiffany,  to  return  the  jewels  to  the  lodge  at 
Niagara.  Danby  was  the  moving  spirit.  At  the  meeting 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  at  York  the  conduct  of  the  Niagara 
brethren  was  considered  ''  unwarrantable."  Eight  lodges 
did  not  attend,  eight  did,  and  two  concurred.  Sedition 
was  to  be  stamped  out,  and  a  long  statement  was  sent  to 
England,  from  George  Forsyth,  detailing  the  circumstances. 
No  satisfactory  reply  was  received.  However,  Grand  Master 


126  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Jarvis  had  been  reproved  for  his  inertness.  The  period  of 
the  war  put  an  end  to  the  dispute  for  the  time,  and,  in  fact, 
to  all  Masonic  endeavor,  as  there  were  no  meetings  from 
1812  to  1817,  when  a  convention  at  Kingston  took  steps 
to  straighten  out  matters ;  but  little  attention  was  paid  to 
the  request  for  settlement,  which  strengthened  the  position 
of  Niagara.  Some  lodges  were  in  doubt  whether  to  give 
allegiance  to  York  or  Niagara.  On  the  death  of  Jarvis,  iu 
1817,  the  warrant  was  returned  to  "Niagara  by  his  family, 
and  as  a  copy  could  not  be  found  in  England,  there  were 
grave  doubts  how  far  his  power  extended.  Strange  to  say, 
this  copy  was  not  found  in  England  till  1898,  having  lain 
nearly  one  hundred  years,  and  the  real  warrant  was  found 
with  Niagara  records  the  next  year,  1890,  by  John  Ross 
Robertson. 

Brother  Simon  McGillivray  was  sent  out  from  England, 
and  visited  the  Ontario  lodges.  He  wrote  letters  from 
Niagara,  August,  1822,  and  treated  Niagara  Lodge  tenderly 
but  firmly.  He  put  much  blame  upon  Jarvis  for  neglect, 
and  as  was  shown  by  the  warrant,  for  exceeding  his  powers, 
which  were  ill-defined,  and  this  justified  Niagara  in  its 
course.  Tn  McGillivray's  report  to  England,  he  shows  great 
impartiality,  and  thinks  both  parties  had  been  to  blame. 
He  would  not  allow  the  Kingston  party  to  attach  blame  to 
the  Niagara  Lodge.  Several  of  his  letters  are  dated  from 
Niagara,  three  on  August  27th,  and  after  visiting  other 
lodges  he  returned  to  Niagara  before  crossing  to  Y'ork.  lie 
was  determined  to  antagonize  neither  party.  In  a  letter 
he  had  stated  rather  unwillingly  that  since  Jarvis  left 
Niagara  there  had  been  no  regular  Grand  Lodge  in  the 
District,  but  he  had  felt  tenderness  in  referring  to  the 
Niagara  brethren.  In  the  final  settlement  he  showed  great 
tact  in  his  appointments,  confirming  Kerr  as  Past  Grand 
Master  and  making  his  son  P.S.G.W.,  and  similarly  with 
others  in  the  East.  One  reason,  perhaps,  for  the  success  of 
Brother  McGillivray  was  that  he  could  look  at  the  matter 
from  both  sides,  and  not  with  the  insularity  of  an  English- 
man. Born  in  Scotland,  he  had  been  in  the  fur  trade  in 
Canada  and  helped  to  unite  the  Hudson's  Bay  and  North- 
West  Companies.  Established  in  business  in  Montreal  and 
London,  England,  he  visited  Canada  every  year  and  thus 


FREEMASONS  127 

brought  a  knowledge  of  and  sympathy  with  the  'Canadian 
brethren  which,  added  to  his  ability  and  integrity,  helped 
to  secure  his  success  in  the  settlement  of  this  vexed  ques- 
tion. 

Among  the  names  of  early  Niagara  Masons  are  many 
noted  people.  The  Grand  Chaplain  was  Rev.  Robert 
Addison,  the  first  missionary  to  Upper  Canada;  Hon. 
Robert  Hamilton,  Deputy  Grand  Master,  was  the  lieutenant 
of  the  county,  and  judge,  dispensing  hospitality  from  his 
fine  mansion  at  Queenston.  Grand  Master  Kerr  was  a 
military  surgeon,  whose  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Sir  Wil- 
liam Johnson  and  Molly  Brant.  Colonel  John  Butler  was 
Superintendent  of  the  Indians  and  Commander  of  Butler's 
Rangers.  Richard  Cockerel  was  a  noted  teacher,  George 
Forsyth  was  a  merchant,  and  Sylvester  Tiffany  was  the 
editor  of  The  Upper  Canada  Gazette.  John  Clement  is 
called,  in  Mr.  Kirby's  poem,  "  The  II.  E.,"  "  Ranger  John." 
Alexander  Stewart,  a  member  of  the  Law  Society  of  1797, 
was  a  captain  in  the  Royal  American  Dragoons.  Rall'e 
Clench  occupied  many  positions  of  trust. 

In  later  times  among  the  Past  Masters  have  been  W.  G.  F. 
Downs,  R.  M.  Wilson,  S.  J.  J.  Brown,  A.  Servos,  G.  A. 
Clement,  H.  J.  Brown,  J.  M.  Clement,  R.  Best,  D.  Servos, 
8.  H.  Follett,  J.  Knox,  H.  L.  Anderson,  T.  F.  Best,  J.  de  W. 
Randall,  J.  H.  Brown,  F.  J.  Rowland,  C.  E.  Brown, 
T.  Stewart. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
SCHOOLS,  PUBLIC  AND  PRIVATE. 

To  go  back  a  period  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  years 
would  not  seem  so  difficult  a  task,  but  to  piece  out  the 
history  of  the  early  schools  of  Niagara  we  find  the  difficul- 
ties are  almost  insuperable — so  many  records  burned  in 
the  war,  so  shifting  the  population  from  the  many  vicissi- 
tudes of  the  town ;  but  by  dint  of  newspaper  items,  some 
valuable  old  letters  and  documents,  account  books,  extracts 
from  the  Archives  of  Canada,  and  the  tales  of  the  oldest 
inhabitants,  we  are  able  to  piece  out  a  tolerably  correct 
sketch  of  our  "  Schools  and  Schoolmasters,"  it  must  be 
confessed  with  gaps  here  and  there  which  it  is  hoped  may 
yet  be  filled.  There  were  private  'Schools,  garrison  schools, 
the  District  Grammar  School  and  the  District  School, 
Church  schools,  Separate  schools,  Ladies'  schools,  Classical 
schools,  Night  schools,  Boarding  schools,  schools  for  col- 
ored children,  dames'  schools,  the  Fort  school,  and  many 
others.  In  the  diary  of  Colonel  Clarke,  father  of  the  late 
Doctor  Clarke,  of  St.  Catharines,  he  speaks  of  attending 
the  garrison  school  at,  Fort  Niagara  in  1787;  the  fort  was 
not  given  up  to  the  Americans  till  1796.  When  he  came 
to  the  British  side  of  the  river  the  best  teacher  he  went  to 
was  Richard  Cockerel],  an  Englishman,  who,  we  read, 
opened  a  school  at  Niagara  in  1797.  In  The  Upper  Canada 
Gazette  of  that  date,  he  advertises  an  "  Evening  school, 
writing,  arithmetic,  bookkeeping  taught  at  four  shillings 
a  week ;  for  teaching  any  branch  of  practical  or  speculative 
mathematics,  eight  dollars,  from  six  to  eight  in  the  even- 
ing." In  1799  he  removed  to  Ancaster,  and  in  thanking 
the  public  for  their  support  recommends  the  Rev.  Arthur, 
"  who  teaches  Latin  and  Greek  and  will  take  a  few  young 
gentlemen  to  board." 

All  honor  should  be  given  to  Governor  Simcoe  for  his 
strenuous  efforts  to  provide  educational  advantages  for 
this  province,  as  shown  by  letters  to  Secretary  Dundas,  in 

128 


SCHOOLS,   PUBLIC   AND   PEIVATE        129 

1793,  and  to  the  Bishop  of  Quebec  in  1793,  and  in  1795 
to  the  Duke  of  Portland  for  a  school  in  Niagara. 

In  1797  Mr.  James  Blayney  advertises  a  school  in  the 
town,  and  in  1802  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyler,  between  Niagara 
and  Queenston,  advertise  a  regular  day  and  night  school, 
"  children  from  four,  both  sexes,  price  in  proportion  to  the 
kind  of  instruction,  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic  taught, 
for  young  ladies  all  that  is  necessary  for  their  sex,  to 
appear  decently  and  be  useful  in  the  world  and  in  all 
that  concerns  housekeeping.  Mrs.  Tyler  having  been  bred 
in  the  line  of  mantua  making,  will  receive  and  do  her 
endeavors  to  execute  her  work  in  the  neatest  manner  " — an 
advertisement  really  more  comprehensive  than  at  first  sight 
it  appears. 

In  the  record  book  of  St.  Andrew's  Church,  commencing 
30th  'September,  1794,  there  are  frequent  references  to 
teachers  in  connection  with  the  church,  thus :  "  Septem- 
ber 2nd,  1802,  the  Rev.  John  Young,  from  the  city  of 
Montreal,  was  engaged  at  one  hundred  pounds,  Halifax 
currency,  and  a  dwelling  house ;  also  to  have  the  teaching 
of  a  school  exclusive  of  his  salary  as  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel.'''  And  on  13th  of  April,  1805,  a  salary  is  offered 
to  a  minister  ''  who  will  be  induced  to  teach  thirteen 
scholars  in  the  Latin,  Greek  and  mathematics."  Why  thir- 
teen, we  do  not  know. 

Now  comes  almost  a  Idank,  as  might  be  expected,  for 
during  the  period  of  the  war  the  schools  were  closed.  Jt 
is  easy  to  see  that  in  1812  while  the  town  was  in  danger; 
in  1813  in  the  hands  of  the  Americans,  the  British  around 
in  a  semi-circle,  skirmishes  occurring  frequently;  in  1814 
the  people  scattered  in  all  directions,  and  a  heap  of  ruins 
representing  the  homes  from  which  had  gone  forth  the 
children  to  the  schools  referred  to,  the  records  lost;  some 
years  would  elapse  before  schools  were  again  in  opera- 
tion. In  18-20  the  Rev.  Thomas  Green  taught  a  private 
school,  and  in  the  Niagara  Spectator,  1817,  is  a  circular 
signed  by  Ralfe  Clench,  containing  what  we  would  now 
consider  a  work  of  supererogation,  namely,  a  system  of 
Bible  distribution  by  the  teachers  of  the  Niagara  District, 
a  number  of  directions  so  paternal  that  they  would  be 
opposed  now,  to  inquire,  by  going  from  house  to  house,  if 
10 


130  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

the  settlers  possessed  a  Bible,  and  in  what  condition  it  was. 
.If  not  able  to  pay  for  one  the  name  was  to  be  sent  to 
Samuel  Street,  at  Falls  Mills,  Secretary  of  Niagara  Bible 
Society.  Also  a  form  of  report  of  Trustees'  and  Teachers' 
Certificate  to  receive  salary,  merely  that  he  has  taught  the 
school  for  six  months,  is  a  British  subject,  had  not  less  than 
twenty  scholars  and  has  demeaned  himself  to  their  satis- 
faction. There  are  also  rules  for  the  government  of  com- 
mon schools,  ten  in  number;  as  succinctly  said  by  Doctor 
Hodgins,  "  Compared  with  the  comprehensiveness  and 
elaborateness  of  to-day  those  of  ninety  years  ago  make  up 
for  their  lack  in  this  respect,  by  their  clearness  and 
brevity." 

"  No.  1. — The  master  to  commence  the  labors  of  the  day 
by  a  short  prayer. 

"  No.  4. — Corporal  punishment  is  seldom  necessary, 
except  for  bad  habits  learned  at  home.  Lying,  disobedi- 
ence, obstinacy,  these  sometimes  require  chastisement,  but 
gentleness  even  in  these  cases  would  do  better  with  most 
children. 

"No.  5. — All  other  offences  arising  chiefly  from  live- 
liness and  inattention  are  better  corrected  by  shame,  such 
as  gaudy  caps,  placing  the  culprits  by  themselves,  not  ad- 
mitting anyone  to  play  with  them  for  a  day  or  days,  de- 
taining them  after  school  hours  or  during  a  play  afternoon 
and  by  ridicule. 

"  No.  7. — The  forenoon  of  Wednesday  and  Saturday  to 
be  set  apart  for  Religious  Instruction  ;  to  render  it  agree- 
able the  school  should  be  furnished  with  at  least  ten  copies 
of  Barrow's  Questions  on  the  New  Testament.  The  teacher 
to  have  one  copy  of  the  Key  to  these  questions  for  his  own 
use. 

"  No.  8.— The  afternoon  of  Wednesday  and  Saturday 
to  be  allowed  for  play. 

"  No.  9. — Every  day  to  close  with  reading  publicly  a 
few  verses  of  the  New  Testament,  proceeding  regularly 
through  the  gospels." 

The  framers  of  the  rules  do  not  seem  to  have  had  much 
faith  in  the  Scriptural  knowledge  of  their  teachers. 

The  ladies'  schools  must  not  be  forgotten.  One  narra- 
tor tells  of  a  Mrs.  Radcliffe  in  1820,  who  taught  the  harp 


SCHOOLS,   PUBLIC   AXT)   PEIVATE         131 

and  piano.  Mr.  George  Keefer,  the  founder  of  Thorold, 
sent  four  daughters  to  this  school,  and  one  of  them,  the  late 
Mrs.  McFarland,  tells  us  that  girls  were  sent  from  all 
parts  of  the  district,  aged  from  six  to  twenty-two.  A  regi- 
ment of  soldiers  marched  past  every  Sunday  morning, 
their  hand  playing.  The  girls  were  dressed  alike  and  ready 
to  march  two  by  two  following,  keeping  step  with  the 
music.  They  were  sometimes  called  Mrs.  Eadcliffe's  regi- 
ment, and  many  of  them  retained  their  love  for  martial 
music. 

The  oldest  building  now  standing  which  served  as  a 
schoolhouse  is  that  near  the  Western  Home,  built  in  1816 
by  George  Young.  Here,  in  1827,  Miss  Young  taught  a 
large  private  school.  The  old-fashioned  fireplaces,  five  in 
number,  may  yet  be  seen,  in  one  of  them  the  crane  and 
oven  in  the  brickwork.  In  The  Niagara  Herald  is  the 
advertisement  in  1830  of  the  Niagara  Seminary  for  young 
ladies,  taught  by  Mrs.  Fen  wick  and  Mrs.  Breakenridge, 
for  day  scholars  and  boarders,  and  in  1833  in  The  Niagara 
Gleaner  Mrs.  Breakenridge  appeals  to  the  public  and 
"  hopes  for  a  continuance  of  public  favor,"  and  suggests 
"  the  additional  claims  of  a  long  residence  in  the  town, 
heavy  misfortunes,  a  large  family  to  maintain,  and  her 
experience  for  four  years  with  Mrs.  Fenwick."  Some  of 
the  girls  of  that  period  had  a  knowledge  of  more  than 
English,  as  it  is  mentioned  somewhere  that  a  Miss  Birds- 
ley  was  a  good  Latin  scholar,  having  been  taught  by  a  Mr. 
McPberson.  There  was  a  private  school  taught  by  Mr.  A. 
McKee,  who  was  a  good  classical  scholar.  Mrs.  McKee,  his 
wife,  taught  fancy-work.  This  was  after  the  War  of  1812 
and  it  is  believed  it  was  held  in  the  Stone  Barracks,  now  the 
Masonic  Hall.  There  was  also  a  school  taught  by  a  Mr. 
John  Wray,  who  is  described  by  one  who  remembered  him 
as  "  a  little,  old  man."  He  died  in  1846,  having  been 
clerk  of  St.  Mark's  Church  for  fifty  years.  There  are 
frequent  references  to  a  school  under  the  charge  of  St. 
Andrew's  Church,  taught  in  what  is  now  the  Sexton's 
house;  thus  in  1840  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  congre- 
gation, for  instance,  it  is,  "  Eesolved,  that  the  trustees  and 
members  of  the  kirk  session  be  the  committee  for  the 
management  of  the  school  kept  by  Mr.  James  "Webster  in 


132  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

the  schoolhouse  on  the  church  lots."  It  is  seen  in  the 
story  of  St.  Andrew's  that  this  building,  part  of  which 
remains,  was  called  the  schoolhouse  in  1818  and  was  fitted 
up  for  Divine  worship.  In  1842,  when  some  change  took 
place  in  the  school  laws,  efforts  were  made  to  comply  with 
the  law  and  yet  be  under  the  church  trustees. 

A  reminiscence  of  her  school  life,  given  by  a  colored 
woman,  must  not  be  forgotten.  "  The  first  school  I  went 
to  was  to  a  yellow  man  called  Herbert  Holmes — c  Hubbard 
Holmes  '  our  people  called  him.  Oh,  he  was  severe.  They 
were  then,  you  know.  But  he  was  a  fine  man  and  had  been 
educated  by  a  gentleman  in  Nova  Scotia.  He  used  to 
drill  the  boys  and  when  holiday  time  came  he  would  inarch 
us  all  to  a  grocery  kept  by  a  black  woman  and  treat  us 
all  to  bull's-eyes  and  gingerbread.  I  went  to  a  black  man 
upstairs  in  the  schoolhouse  of  St.  Andrew's  Church.  The 
room  was  full,  full  of  children.  The  benches  were  slabs 
with  the  flat  side  up  and  the  bark  of  the  tree  down,  with 
round  sticks  put  in  slanting  for  legs.  The  children  all 
studied  aloud  and  the  one  that  made  the  most  noise  was 
the  l>est  scholar  in  those  days.  Then  I  went  to  a  Miss 
Brooks,  from  Oberlin  College,  in  1838-!).  She  was  sickly 
and  died  of  consumption.  Oh,  what  hard  times  she  had  with 
some  of  the  boys,  bad,  rough  ones.  But  Herbert  Holmes 
was  a  hero.  He  died  in  trying  to  save  a  black  man  from 
slavery/' 

"Mrs.  J.  (}.  ("'urne,,  born  in  Niagara  in  182!),  tells  of 
attending  a  private  school  in  1834,  taught  by  Mrs.  Butler 
and  Miss  Christie.  There  was  a  Separate  school  at  the 
north  corner  of  the  four  acres  on  which  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic church  stands.  This  was  closed  in  1871  and  all  have 
attended  the  Public  School  since  then.  There  were  many 
good  teachers,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned  Messrs. 
O'Leary,  Carney,  O'Halloran. 

And  now  we  turn  to  what  we  can  find  of  the  backbone 
of  our  educational  system,  called  first  the  Common  School, 
now  the  Public  School.  The  rules  governing  the  Common 
School,  1817,  have  been  quoted;  and  in  The  Gleaner  for 
1826  a  letter  strongly  advocates  the  erection  of  a  public 
schoolhouse,  as  the  population  of  the  town  then  was  1,200, 
and  they  had  an  able  teacher  in  Mr.  Thompson.  In  1837 


SCHOOLS,   PUBLIC   AND   PEIVATE         133 

a  law  had  been  passed  for  a  school  in  each  township.  A 
certificate  signed  by  Thomas  'Green  and  Thomas  Han- 
cock, A.B.,  appears  in  The  Gleaner :  "  We  have  great 
pleasure  in  testifying  to  the  ability  and  fitness  of  the 
teacher  of  the  Niagara  Common  School,  Mr.  David  Thomp- 
son. These  arc  the  classes :  writing,  arithmetic,  grammar, 
four;  orthography,  reading,  writing,  eight;  orthography, 
reading,  six;  bookkeeping,  two;  total,  twenty-five;  and  that 
Messrs.  Heron,  Ivay  and  Varey  have  been  duly  elected 
trustees  of  the  District  Common  School.''  The  fees  were 
after  March  28th,  reading  and  orthography  2s.  6d.  (or  50 
cents),  with  writing  62l/2  cents,  and  with  arithmetic  75 
cents  per  month.  A  sparkle  of  color  is  given  to  these  dry 
records,  which  pleases  us  much,  when  on  February  23rd, 
1827,  an  account  is  given  of  a  collection  that  had  been 
taken  up  from  the  pupils  of  Mr.  Thompson's  school  in  aid 
of  the  distressed  Greeks;  amount  raised  lls.  l^d.  This, 
it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  year  of  the  battle  of  Nava- 
rino,  and  now  after  eighty-five  years  the  generous  deed  of 
these  Niagara  school  children  is  recalled  as  at  a  later  day 
our  contributions  were  sent  to  help  the  Armenians,  barbar- 
ously treated  by  the  same  unspeakable  Turk.  The  teacher 
referred  to  was  the  same  David  Thompson  who  wrote  the 
history  of  the  War  of  1812 — Captain  Thompson,  of  the 
Royal  Scots,  who  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Queenston 
Heights.  He  taught  for  many  years  in  Niagara.  In  the 
Niagara  Chronicle,  January,  1847,  it  is  told  that  "  the 
census  just  taken  gives  a  population  of  3,058;  there  are 
792  children  between  5  and  15;  of  these,  300  attend  the 
five  common  schools,  respectively  conducted  by  Mr.  Shaw, 
Mr.  Thompson,  Miss  Eedson,  Miss  M.  A.  Eedson  and  Mrs. 
Wilson.  There  is  a  dissenting  common  school  established 
by  our  fellow-townsmen  of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  the 
attendance  of  which  must  be  large.  In  addition  to  these 
there  are  three  institutions  for  a  higher  order  of  learning, 
namely,  the  District  Grammar  School,  conducted  by  Dr. 
Whitelaw,  assisted  by  Mr.  Logan,  and  the  classical  school 
of  Dr.  Lundy,  and  the  Ladies'  School  of  the  Misses  Bur- 
gess. Mr.  James  Dunn  is  now  engaged  as  assistant  to  Mr. 
Shaw."  He  afterwards  became  principal.  In  later  days 
the  teachers  of  the  public  school  have  been,  Messrs.  Connor, 


134  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Thompson,  Cork,  Lyall,  and  the  Misses  Healey,  Eedson, 
Tobias,  Carnochan,  Winterbottom,  Lockwood,  Hunter, 
Barren,  Creed,  and  among  the  teachers  of  private  schools, 
the  Misses  Crooks,  Millard,  Whitelaw,  S.  Eedson,  Nesbitt, 
Clement,  Servos. 

Many  quaint,  curious  and  amusing  stories  could  be  told 
of  schoolday  life,  of  the  snow-balling  matches  between  the 
Public  and  Separate  Schools,  not  quite  so  exciting  or  so 
bloody  as  that  described  so  graphically  by  Sir  Walter  Scott 
as  taking  place  in  the  streets  of  Edinburgh  with  "  Green 
Breeks."  There  were  other  contests  between  the  town  boys 
and  the  dock  boys.  It  is  recalled  of  one  of  the  dock  boys 
that  when  some  town  boys  were  sent  out  to  bring  him  into 
school  as  a  truant,  the  report  came  back  to  the  master  and 
the  horrified  pupils  that  lie  was  standing  in  defiance  of 
monitors  and  masters  with  a  pile  of  brickbats  to  do  execu- 
tion on  any  assailing  force.  An  account  of  some  of  the 
punishments  of  those  days  would  make  present  pupils  stare 
in  wonder  and  amaze.  It  is  recorded  of  one  teacher  of  the 
town  that  he  struck  a  boy  on  the  head  with  a  round  ruler 
one  inch  in  diameter.  The  boy  fell  to  the  floor  insensible 
and  was  carried  out  to  the  snow  to  revive.  It  is  pleasing 
to  know  that  the  big  boys  of  the  school  did  what  so  re- 
joiced the  heart  of  the  honest  Yorkshireman  when  Nicho- 
las Nickleby  so  effectually  ''  bate  the  schoolmeaster."  The 
teacher  then  removed  to  Stamford,  where  his  next  feat  us 
a  punishment  was  to  shut  up  a  little  girl  in  the  oven,  and 
lie  was  sent  away  in  consequence.  As  a  contrast  to  this  in 
another  school  a  boy  on  returning  home  was  asked  the 
question  so  frequent  in  those  days:  "Were  you  whipped 
to-day?"  "  Yes,  I  was  whipped  but  sister  was  kissed,"  was 
the  answer.  The  teacher  had  left  the  room,  and  names 
being  given  of  those  who  had  spoken,  instead  of  the 
dreaded  tawse,  lie  stooped  down  and  kissed  the  rosy  cheek 
of  the  astonished  child. 

Although  there  were  different  attempts  to  provide  a 
schoolhouse  no  permanent  house  was  built  till  1859,  the 
schools  having  met  in  the  Stone  Barracks,  in  Rogers'  brick 
building,  in  the  old  post-office,  corner  of  Johnson  and  Gate 
Streets,  and  many  other  places.  The  present  brick  school- 
house  was  built  in  1859. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
THE  BOATS  AND  HARBOR  AND  DOCK  COMPANY. 

THE  present  boat  landing  is  not  the  spot  where  vessels 
set  sail  or  landed  in  the  old  days.  This  was  at  King's 
Wharf,  near  Navy  Hall,  or  the  old  Ferry.  Many  vessels 
were  built  there  and  still  more  at  the  present  dock,  and 
many  vessels  have  been  launched,  watched  by  thousands 
of  spectators.  Sometimes  the  watch  was  protracted,  and, 
indeed,  the  launch  was  put  off  till  the  next  day.  But 
many  still  remember  the  feeling  of  excitement  when  the 
vessel  began  to  move  and  the  prolonged  cheer  which  greeted 
her  leaving  one  element  for  another,  and  the  words  of 
Longfellow  are  recalled : 

"  But  see,  she  stirs,  she  starts,  she  moves. 
She  seems  to  feel  the  thrill  of  life  along  her  keel ; 
And  spurning  with  her  foot  the  ground 
With  one  exulting,  joyous  bound, 
She  leaps  into  the  ocean's  arms." 

The  following  list  of  vessels  built  at  Niagara,  with  dates, 
is  found  in  that  comprehensive  work,  John  Ross  Robert- 
son's "Landmarks  of  Toronto":  Charily,  1770,  of  70  tons, 
merchant  vessel;  Yuri-,  1792,  wrecked  1808;  Lord  Nelson, 
1811,  belonged  to  Jas.  and  W.  Crooks;  May  Flower,  1819; 
AJciope,  1828,  of  150  tons,  owned  by  Hamilton  and  Heron; 
Traveller,  1835,  of  350  tons;  Queen  Victoria,  1837, 
wrecked;  Gore,  1838;  Sovereign,  1841;  City  of  Toronto 
(first),  1840';  Princess  Royal,  1841;  America  (first), 
1840;  Chief  Justice  Robinson,  1842,  of  400  tons;  Queen 
City,  1843,  burned;  Eclipse,  1843;  Admiral,  1843;  Pass- 
port and  Magnet,  1847 ;  Arabian,  1851 ;  Zimmerman, 
1854;  Canada  and  America,  1854,  of  700  tons;  City  of 
Toronto  (second),  1855.  Several  pathetic  stories  cluster 
around  some  of  these  vessels.  Some  were  wrecked,  others 
burned  and  many  noted  persons  lost  their  lives  in  conse- 
quence. The  Ontario,,  in  1780,  sailing  from  Niagara  to 

135 


136  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Oswego,  Captain  Andrews,  R.N.,  having  on  board  two  com- 
panies of  the  8th  King's  Regiment,  was  lost,  and  in  all 
172  persons  perished.  In  1803  the  sloop  Lady  Washing- 
ton, built  near  Erie,  Pa.,  in  1797,  was  brought  on  immense 
runners  over  the  portage  from  Chippawa  to  Queenston 
and  afterwards  was  lost  on  passage  from  Oswego  to 
Niagara.  Messrs.  Dun  and  Boyd,  of  Niagara,  were  on 
board.  Mr.  Dun  was  the  first  minister  of  St.  Andrew's, 
1794-1797,  and  afterwards  became  a  merchant.  The 
Speedy  furnishes  another  disaster — being  lost  in  October, 
1804,  with  twenty  on  board,  among  them  Mr.  Justice 
Cochrane,  R,  J.  Gray,  Solicitor-General,  and  Angus  Mac- 
donell,  Advocate. 

The  first  steamboat  on  Lake  Ontario  was  the  Frontenac, 
of  Kingston,  1815,  owned  by  R.  Hamilton,  which  was 
burnt  on  the  lake  near  Niagara.  The  Queenston  was  built 
at  Queenston  by  Hon.  R.  Hamilton  in  1824.  From  an 
advertisement  in  1821  we  learn  that  the  "Richmond 
Packet  runs  between  York  and  Niagara,  Edward  Oates, 
commodious  apartments  for  ladies  and  gentlemen.  A  gun 
to  be  fired  one  hour  before  sailing,  and  on  arrival." 

In  1828  there  was  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  launch  the 
Alciope.  It  was  a  cold  day,  but  many  spectators  came,  some 
from  York.  Next  day  the  attempt  was  still  unsuccessful. 
"  She  moved  to  the  water's  edge,  but  lies  fastened  to  the 
bank."  In  contrast  to  the  above  a  successful  launch  seems 
to  have  given  rise  to  lofty  flights  on  the  part  of  the  reporter. 
For  instance,  the  "  Launch  of  the  George  Canning  at  4 
o'clock.  She  glided  most  majestically  from  the  stocks  to 
the  noble  waters  of  Niagara  and  floated  proudly  on  its 
bosom.  She  is  an  elegant  vessel,  well  worthy  to  bear  a 
name  dear  to  Canada  and  imperishable  in  the  annals  of 
British  history."  In  1830  there  were  four  steamers  run- 
ning from  Niagara,  namely,  the  Canada,  Niagara,  Queens- 
ton  and  Alciope. 

The  Niagara  Harbor  and  Dock  Company  was  formed 
in  1831,  as  is  shown  by  a  map.  The  marsh  in  front  of 
the  town  was  to  be  filled  in,  excavations  made  for  the 
"  slip,"  a  foundry  built,  and  wharf  constructed.  From 
different  travellers  who  visited  Niagara  at  this  time  and 
by  the  aid  of  old  newspapers  we  obtain  information: 


THE  BOATS  AND  HAEBOE       137 

"  November,  1832,  the  Dock  Company  is  proceeding  with 
great  spirit  and  employing  all  hands  that  offer.  A  part  of 
the  marsh  has  been  surrounded  with  a  bank  of  clay  from 
the  high  ground  and  the  water  pumped  out  with  a  steam 
engine;  a  basin  is  thus  formed  to  contain  a  number  of 
vessels  and  is  already  excavated  several  feet  below  the 
water  in  the  river  and  will  be  a  safe  place  for  vessels  in 
the  winter.  This  will  be  a  benefit  to  this  delightful  town. 
The  marsh,  which  was  a  nuisance,  will  be  made  useful,  the 
remainder,  a  fine  dry  plain,  being  used  to  build  on." 
"  1833,  The  Niagara  H.  &  D.  Co.  pays  out  £300  weekly." 
July  27th,  1833 :  "The  Union  Jack  was  displayed  on  the 
engine  house  flagstaff,  a  number  of  guns  fired  in  com- 
memorating the  lower  end  of  the  ways  for  hauling  up 
vessels  being  laid  down.  The  depth  of  excavation  is 
eighteen  feet  lower  than  the  water  in  the  river.  Men  are 
employed  in  planking  up  its  sides."  On  April  23rd,  1831, 
the  Directors  of  the  Harbor  and  Dock  Company  were 
Eobt.  Dickson,  Thomas  McCormick,  E.  Melville,  Samuel 
Street,  James  Lockhart,  L.  Clement  and  J.  Wagstaff. 
The  president  was  Eobert  Dickson. 

The  names  of  those  who  petitioned  to  form  a  joint  stock 
company  are  given  in  the  Act  as  James  Muirhead,  Eobert 
Dickson,  Thomas  Butler,  Daniel  MacDougal,  Ealph  Mor- 
den  Crysler,  William  Duff  Miller,  Lewis  Clement,  John 
Crooks,  Thomas  McCormick,  James  Lockhart,  Eobert  Kay 
and  others  of  the  town  and  neighborhood. 

In  1833  an  address  was  presented  to  II.  J.  Boulton  on 
going  to  England  thanking  him  for  his  exertions  in  pro- 
curing the  charter  for  the  Harbor  and  Dock  Company, 
the  Bill  for  the  Lateral  Cut,  and  an  Act  for  payment  oi' 
war  losses.  The  deputation  met  at  Navy  Hall  on  the 
arrival  of  the  Canada  from  York.  The  Dock  Company 
hoisted  the  Union  Jack  011  the  engine-house  and  fired  a 
salute  of  cannon.  They  then  walked  up  to  Miller's  Coffee 
House,  where  a  collation  was  served.  The  address  was  read 
by  T.  Butler. 

The  Honorable  John  Hamilton,  honorable  by  name 
arid  by  nature,  has  been  called  the  father  of  the  marine 
of  Lake  Ontario,  and  owned  many  vessels,  among  them 
the  Great  Britain,  built  at  Prescott  in  1828,  and  the 


138  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Queensloii,  built  at  Queenston  in  1824.  The  steamer  United 
Kingdom,  his  property,  left  Niagara  on  her  first  trip  in 
May,  1833.  On  December  21st,  1833,  the  advertisement 
of  the  Harbor  and  Dock  Company,  signed  James  Lock- 
hart,  Secretary,  says  they  have,  at  considerable  ex- 
pense, constructed  a  railway  for  hauling  up  steam 
vessels  and  others  for  repair,  and  gives  charges 
per  day  for  stay.  The  steamer  Canada  was  hauled  up  for 
repairs;  forty  acres  have  been  reclaimed  by  the  company. 

Mrs.  Jameson,  in  her  "Summer  Rambles,''  in  1838,  says: 
"  The  chief  proprietor  at  the  dockyards  is  Captain  Mel- 
ville, a  public-spirited,  good-natured  gentleman.  Twenty 
thousand  pounds  has  been  expended  on  the  works,  and  there 
are  now  fifty  workmen.  A  steamer  was  building,  the  brass 
work  and  castings  all  being  of  the  first  order."  W.  H. 
Smith,  gazetteer,  tells  in  1848,  that  150  to  350  hands  are 
employed,  and  gives  a  list  of  vessels  built  here  between 
1832  and  1845,  namely,  the  steamboats  Traveller,  Experi- 
ment, Queen,  Gore,  City  of  Toronto,  Princess  Royal, 
America,  Chief  Justice  Robinson,  Admiral,  Eclipse;  pro- 
pellers Adventure,  Beagle,  Traveller;  schooners  Jessie 
Woods,  Princess,  Fanny,  Toronto,  Sovereign,  Minos,  Emer- 
ald, London,  Dart,  Oak,  (lent,  Shamrock,  Ann,  Wm.  Cay- 
lei/,  Shannon,  Clyde,  $  ham-rock,  and  eighteen  barges,  all 
of  which  gives  u.s  a  picture  of  growth  in  the  town.  In 
September,  1833,  a  launch  is  described,  interesting  to  us  as 
bringing  up  the  name  of  our  late  beloved  queen  :  "Launched 
on  this  river  to-day,  a  line  ne\v  schooner,  built  by  a  Com- 
pany, .las.  Lockhart  agent,  75  feet  long,  22  feet  beam, 
depth  8  feet.  She  glided  beautifully  into  her  native  ele- 
ment and  was  christened  by  Miss  Louisa  Fisher,  of  Mont- 
real, and  received  the  name  of  the  Prince w  Victoria,  the 
presumptive  heiress  of  (he  British  throne.  A  very  hand- 
some figure-head  on  the  bow,  it  is  said,  resembles  the  young 
princess.  She  was  taken  into  the  dock  to  be  rigged,  the 
first  vessel  that  has  entered  this  work." 

An  old  account  book,  which  some  would  think  unpromis- 
ing material  for  historical  information,  throws  additional 
light.  It  is  that  of  John  Fraser,  a  sail  maker,  who  seems 
to  have  done  an  extensive  business  in  making  and  mending 
sails  from  1839  to  1851.  The  names  of  Captains  Richard- 


THE  BOATS  AXD  HAT? ROT?  139 

son,  Gordon  and  Dick  occur,  as  also  Andrew  Heron  and 
Jas.  Lockhart,  The  names  of  some  vessels  occur  frequently ; 
these  must  have  met  with  storms  to  destroy  their  sails: 
Princess,  Sovereign,  Canada,  Gore,  Perseverance,  Transit, 
Ontario,  Burlington,  Superior,  Niagara,  Princess  Royal, 
America,  City  of  Toronto,  Chief  Justice,  Admiral,  Indus- 
try, Arabian,  Massachusetts,  Ploughboy,  and  Fanny.  The 
Chief  Justice  Robinson  had  a  bow  of  peculiar  construc- 
tion, an  enormous  cutwater  like  a  double  furrowed  plough 
to  cut  through  the  ice,  as  she  ran  all  winter.  In  a  bill  of 
that  date  which  has  been  preserved,  is  an  advertisement 
of  .a  temperance  excursion,  presenting  a  woodcut  of  the 
City  of  Toronto,  1846,  Captain  Dick,  and  the  model  of 
the  hull  is  in  existence,  long  used  as  a  clock  bracket  by 
Edward  Dixon.  July  6th,  1847.  "  On  Saturday  last  Cap- 
tain Sutherland's  new  iron  steamer  was  launched  in  fine 
style  and  was  christened  the  Magnet.  The  large  number 
of  spectators  had  the  opportunity  of  viewing  Her  Majesty's 
war  steamer,  Cherokee,  which  was  lying  at  anchor.  The 
steamers  Admiral  and  Telegraph  were  at  the  wharf  also." 
There  are  some  stories  which  float  about  still  of  the  cap- 
tains of  these  vessels,  many  of  them  genial,  whole-souled 
men  and  able  seamen.  The  captain  of  the  Magnet  was 
chief  officer  of  the  Roi/al  William,  the  first  vessel  which 
crossed  the  Atlantic  with  steam  all  the  way.  The  honor 
has  been  claimed  for  other  vessels,  but  is  justly  due  to 
our  Canadian  steamer,  which  made  the  trip  in  1833  in 
nineteen  days.  A  speech  of  Captain  IT.  Kichardson  is 
recorded  regarding  Governor  Peregrine  Maitland  :  "  As 
long  as  1  command  the  Canada  and  have  a  rag  of  color  to 
hoist,  my  proudest  day  will  be  when  it  floats  at  her  mast- 
head indicative  of:  the  presence  and  commands  of  the  repre- 
sentative of  my  king/'  Of  him  also  it  is  told  that  when 
the  slave  Moseby  was  to  be  returned  to  the  United  States, 
he  said,  "  Never  shall  the  vessel  I  command  be  used  to 
return  a  fugitive  to  slavery."  Captain  Dick  was  another 
fine  example  of  a  commander,  and  Captain  Milloy  was  the 
beau  ideal  of  a  sailor,  a  kind,  genial  gentleman.  Of  later 
vessels  many  still  remember  the  night  of  the  21st  of 
August,  1863,  when  the  Zimmerman  was  burned  at  the 
wharf,  and  the  weird  sound  of  the  steam  escaping,  which 


140  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Dr.  Scadding  has  compared  to  the  wail  of  a  lost  spirit. 
Poor  Patrick  Lawless,  the  watchman,  perished  in  the 
flames.  The  Cibola,  burnt  at  Lewiston  wharf,  furnishes 
another  tragedy,  as  a  fireman  sleeping  on  board  found  his 
way  of  escape  cut  off  by  the  flames  and  the  horrified  spec- 
tators saw  him  looking  out  from  a  porthole,  crying  vainly 
for  help. 

The  Chicora,  that  staunch  and  tried  old  steamer,  was 
built  at  Liverpool  for  a  Confederate  blockade  runner  in 
1864.  After  she  had  been  used  in  this  capacity,  at  the 
close  of  the  war  she  was  taken  to  Lake  Superior,  and  to 
get  through  the  locks  of  the  Welland  Canal,  was  cut  in 
two,  thirty  feet  taken  out,  then  was  joined  together.  Since 
she  was  returned  to  Lake  Ontario  she  has  sailed  between 
Toronto  and  Niagara  till  1913.  A  curious  relic  of  her  early 
history  may  yet  be  seen  on  her  bell,  which  is  stamped  with 
the  motto  "  Letter  B  "  (Let  her  be). 

The  Peerless,  built  on  the  Clyde,  and  the  work  finished 
at  Niagara,  which  sailed  between  Toronto  and  Queenston, 
afterwards  became  an  ocean  steamer  and  her  name  was 
changed  to  the  America.  'She  was  wrecked  off  Cape  Hat- 
teras.  The  City  of  Toronto,  built  for  Capt.  Milloy  imme- 
diately after  the  burning  of  the  Zimmerman,  was  burned 
at  Port  Dalhousie. 

The  present  vessels  of  the  Niagara  Navigation  Com- 
pany are  peculiar  in  this,  that  the  names  all  end  in  the 
letter  "A,"  as  Chicora,  Corona,  Chippewa,  Cayuga,  and 
also  the  Cibola,  which  was  burned  at  Lewiston. 

On  the  large  warehouse  still  standing  at  the  dock  may 
be  seen  a  reminder  of  the  vessels  in  early  years,  as  on  the 
doors  appear  in  faded  letters  the  words  Great  Britain  ; 
William  IV.;  St.  George;  United  Kingdom;  Colourg: 
Commodore  Barrie;  Canada;  Schooners;  showing  the  place 
allotted  for  storage  for  each  of  these  vessels. 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 

ASSEMBLIES,  BALLS  AND  CELEBRATIONS. 

Ox  the  4th  of  June,  1793,  Simcoe  held  a  levee  at  Navy 
Hall  and  in  the  evening  gave  a  ball.  Dancing  took  place 
from  7  to  11  o'clock,  then  supper  followed.  Twenty 
handsome  ladies  and  sixty  gentlemen  were  present.  In 
1797,  a  ball  and  supper  was  given  by  volunteers  to  Mrs. 
Miles  Macdonell,to  which  all  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  with- 
in thirty  miles  were  invited,  as  we  find  stated  in  a  letter  of 
Elmsley.  An  advertisement  in  1797  tells  of  a  dancing 
assembly  held  on  St.  Andrew's  Night.  In  1799  Hon.  E. 
Hamilton  gave  a  most  elegant  dinner,  to  which  thirty  Scot- 
tish gentlemen  and  twelve  others  sat  down.  "No  dinner 
given  in  Canada  has  been  equal." 

In  the  papers  of  these  days  are  found  the  following 
notices : 

1800. — Next  Newark  Assembly,  January  18th,  at  the 
Yellow  House ;  subscribers  to  pay  $2. 

1801. — First  Niagara  Assembly  at  the  Yellow  House. 
Tickets  may  be  had  from  Markle  and  Hamilton,  or  the 
managers. 

1802. — A  ball  at  Eobert  Hamilton's  on  the  Queen's 
birthday. 

1807. — "  The  Lieutenant-Governor  will  hold  a  levee  at 
the  Commissariat  Officers'  Quarters  at  Niagara  on  the  4th 
of  June.  There  will  be  a  ball  and  supper  at  the  Council 
House  for  such  ladies  and  gentlemen  as  have  been  pre- 
sented to  the  Lieut. -Governor  and  Mrs.  Gore."  In  a  letter 
in  the  Upper  Canada  Gazette  of  June  13th,  the  ball  is 
described,  "Sixteen  hundred  militia  were  in  a  line  on  the 
plains.  The  ball  commenced  at  8  p.m.  in  the  Council 
House.  A  temporary  building  was  connected  with  this  for 
supper.  Two  hundred  sat  down  in  a  room  eighty  feet 
long.  Mrs.  Gore  and  the  Hon.  E.  Hamilton  led  off  the 
dance.  Fifty  couples  were  on  the  floor  till  one  o'clock, 
then  supper  was  served.  Everything  rare  and  good  was 

141 


142  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

there,  and  good  champagne  and  burgundy,  etc.  Dancing 
was  kept  up  till  daylight.  Governor  Gore  dined  afterwards 
with  the  Agricultural  Society  at  the  Hon.  R.  Hamilton's, 
where  a  sumptuous  banquet  was  provided."  "  In  1817  the 
officers  of  the  70th  Regiment  gave  a  dinner,  ball  and  supper 
to  a  large  party  in  their  mess  room.  Dancing  was  kept 
up  till  five  in  the  morning."  In  1830,  a  Dancing  Academy 
was  conducted  at  J.  Miller's  Ball  Room.  This  was  called 
the  Stone  Barracks,  now  the  Masonic  Hall.  In  1832, 
an  advertisement  in  The  Gleaner  says:  "The  next  Assem- 
bly will  take  place  at  Crysler's  Hotel  on  Monday  evening, 
March  10th.  Signed,  Robert  Dickson,  Chas.  R'iehardson, 
John  'Claus,  Esqs.,  Managers."  In  1811,  a  letter  to  Gen- 
eral Brock  from  Colonel  Kempt,  Quebec,  says :  "  I  have 
just  received  a  long  letter  from  Mrs.  Murray,  giving  me 
an  account  of  a  splendid  ball  given  by  you  to  the  beau 
monde  of  Niagara  and  its  vicinity,  and  the  manner  in 
which  she  speaks  of  your  liberality  and  hospitality  reminds 
me  of  the  many  pleasant  hours  I  have  passed  under  your 
roof.  We  have  no  such  parties  now."  In  a  private  journal 
of  General  Lincoln,  who  with  Beverley  Randolph  and  Tim- 
othy Pickering,  Commissioners,  came  to  treat  with  Indians 
at  Niagara,  where  they  were  detained  some  time,  he  writes 
of  the  ball  of  the  4th  of  June,  1793,  the  King's  birthday: 
"  The  music  and  dancing  was  good,  everything  was  con- 
ducted with  propriety.  What  excited  the  best  feelings  of 
the  heart  was  the  ease  and  affection  with  which  the  ladies 
met  each  other,  although  there  were  a  number  present  whose 
mothers  sprang  from  the  aborigines  of  the  country.  They 
appeared  as  well  dressed  as  the  company  in  general  and 
intermixed  with  them  in  a  manner  which  evinced  at  once 
the  dignity  of  their  own  minds  and  the  good  sense  of 
others.  These  ladies  possessed  great  ingenuity  and  indus- 
try and  deserve  great  merit  for  the  education  they  have 
received,  owing  principally  to  their  own  industry,  as  their 
father,  Sir  Wm.  Johnson,  was  dead.  Their  mother  was  the 
noted  Mohawk  princess,  Molly  Brant,  sister  of  Captain 
Joseph  Brant." 

In  The  Gleaner  for  1826  is  described  the  Burns'  celebra- 
tion, "  at  which  forty  sat  down  to  a  sumptuous  banquet." 
James  Muirhead  and  Doctor  Hamilton  did  the  honors. 


ASSEMBLIES,  BALLS  AND  CELEBKATIONS     1415 

After  the  cloth  was  removed  the  following  toasts 
were  drunk,  the  music  being  furnished  by  the  band 
of  the  76th  Begiment:  (1)  To  the  memory  of  Robert 
Burns,  Tune,  "I'm  wearin'  awa',  Jean";  (2)  The  King, 
Four  Times  Four,"  "'God  Save  the  King";  (3)  The  Land 
of  Cakes,  "Kail  Brose  " ;  (4)  Rose,  Shamrock  and  Thistle, 
"All  who  of  Britain  bear  the  name";  (5)  Earl  of  Dal- 
housie,  "British  Grenadiers";  (6)  Sir  Peregrine  Mait- 
land, "British  Grenadiers";  (7)  Scotch  bairns,  Scotch 
wives  and  all  who  lie  in  Scotchmen's  arms,  "Come  under 
my  plaidie";  (8)  Wooden  walls  of  Great  Britain,  "  Rule 
Britannia  " ;  (9 )  Duke  of  York  and  the  Army,  "  Duke  of 
York";  (10)  Lady  Sarah  Maitland  and  Canadian  Fair, 
"Green  grow  the  rashes,  0";  (11)  The  Great  Unknown, 
"A  man's  a  man  for  a'  that";  (12)  Washington  Irving, 
"White  Cockade";  (13)  The  Greek  Cause,  "Scots  wha 
liae  wi'  Wallace  bled."  Some  of  the  true  sons  of  Cale- 
donia continued  till  an  early  hour  next  morning.  It  is 
not  at  all  likely  that  these  toasts  were  drunk  in  water  as 
would  probably  be  the  case  at  the  present  day.  The  three 
last  toasts,  particularly,  are  suggestive  of  that  part  of  the 
century.  The  authorship  of  the  Waverley  novels  was  openly 
acknowledged  a  few  months  later  at  a  public  dinner,  when 
Scott  found  himself  under  a  load  of  debt  which  he  nobly 
strove  to  discharge  by  herculean  exertions.  Washing- 
ton Irving  was  his  friend  and  Lord  Byron  had  died  in 
Greece  helping  those  who  were  striving  for  independence, 
not  gained  till  the  battle  of  Navarino  in  1827.  Sir  Pere- 
grine Maitland  and  Lady  Sarah  Maitland  had  their  resi- 
dence nearby. 

There  have  been  several  remarkable  meetings,-  celebra- 
tions and  gatherings  both  in  early  times  and  down  to 
present  days.  At  a  procession  from  Government  House 
across  the  Common  on  the  16th  of  October,  1812,  at  the 
first  funeral  of  General  Brock,  soldiers  of  the  41st,  the 
militia,  and  two  hundred  Indians,  formed  a  street  through 
which  the  cortege  with  the  bodies  of  the  two  heroes  who 
had  given  their  lives  for  their  country  passed.  This  ex- 
tended all  the  way  to  Fort  George,  where  they  were  buried. 

In  1820,  on  May  18th,  when  George  TV.  came  to  the 
throne,  a  procession  was  formed  at  the  Court  House  (now 


'44  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

the  Western  Home)  at  twelve  o'clock.  "The  garrison  had 
commenced  firing  minute  guns  at  10.30.  The  High  Sher- 
iff proclaimed  George  IV.  King,  which  was  greeted  by 
six  cheers  from  militia  and  civilians.  The  procession  then 
moved  in  regular  formation  through  the  town  in  the  fol- 
lowing order:  Two  trumpeters  on  horseback,  'Colonel  John- 
son, military  commandant,  staff  officers,  band  of  music, 
guard  of  the  68th  Regiment,  Deputy  Sheriff  on  horseback 
(R.  Leonard),  councillors,  magistrates,  officers  of  the  court, 
constables,  and  others.  Proclamation  was  made  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  town,  and  a  royal  salute  was  fired  from  the 
Garrison,  and  the  day  ended  with  the  greatest  joy  and 
harmony." 

Four  years  after  this  another  procession  of  a  different 
kind  left  the  town.  On  October  13th,  1824,  the  rein- 
terment of  General  Brock  took  place  at  Queenston 
Heights,  a  monument  having  been  erected  there.  The 
weather  was  fine  and  a  large  concourse  of  people  had 
assembled  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  The  hearse, 
covered  by  black  cloth,  was  drawn  by  four  black  horses 
with  black  coachmen.  The  First  and  Fourth  Regiments 
of  Lincoln  Militia,  76th  Regiment,  and  Royal  Artillery, 
Indian  chiefs,  citizens,  with  a  long  cavalcade  of  horsemen 
and  carriages,  throe  hundred  vehicles,  five  persons  in  each, 
made  up  the  procession,  this  taking  three  hours  to  reach 
the  Heights.  There  were  2.400  troops  and  8,000  civilians 
present  at  the  monument.  A  solemn  pause  occurred  when 
the  spot  was  readied  where  Brock  fell.  From  the  Heights 
the  lengthened  column  winding  slowly  up  the  steep  ascent 
gave-  a  fine  effect,  especially  when  surrounded  by  such 
romantic  scenery. 

The  political  meeting  in  1832  at  the  Court  House  with 
the  rival  meetings  in  the  open  air  and  in  the  building 
with  all  the  ill-feeling  thus  roused,  must  have  been  an 
exciting  scene. 

The  30th  of  July,  1840,  saw  another  gathering.  This 
time  the  procession  was  on  the  water  as  well  as  the  land. 
The  monument  of  1824  having  been  shattered  by  the  deed 
of  the  miscreant  Lett,  a  monster  meeting  was  held  at 
Queenston  Heights.  Steam  vessels  left  Kingston,  Cobourg, 
Hamilton  and  Toronto,  and  reaching  the  mouth  of  the 


ASSEMBLIES,  BALLS  AND  CELEBRATIONS     145 

river  about  ten  o'clock,  formed  a  line  and  ascended  the 
river  with  the  Government  steamer,  containing  -Sir  George 
Arthur  and  staff,  leading  the  way.  A  long  procession 
of  Royal  Artillery,  1st  Dragoon  Guards,  with  their  glitter- 
ing helmets,  93rd  Highlanders  in  full  costume,  old  vet- 
erans, Indians,  and  a  vast  concourse  of  people  proceeded 
on  shore.  The  cheers  of  those  on  the  ships  were  replied 
to  by  cheers  from  land.  Eleven  resolutions  were  passed, 
and  as  this  gave  opportunity  to  the  mover  and  seconder  to 
speak,  it  may  be  imagined  that  it  was  evening  before  the 
twenty-two  speeches  were  made,  all  showing  the  intense 
love  and  admiration  felt  for  General  Brock. 

Of  a  very  different  nature  was  the  next  celebration,  that 
of  the  taking  of  Sebastopol,  October  3rd,  1853.  The  news 
came  at  six  o'clock:  extras  were  sent  out  from  The  Mail 
office  to  eager  crowds,  while  the  church  bells  were  ringing 
and  the  Niagara  band  hastily  turned  out  and  an  impromptu 
bonfire  was  lit  on  the  common.  The  next  day  flags  were 
raised  on  the  court  house,  churches  and  the  vessels  in  the 
harbor.  A  subscription  was  taken  up  for  a  celebration  in 
the  evening,  which  included  a  bonfire,  fireworks,  torchlight 
processions,  three  cheers  at  the  court  house,  and  three 
times  three  for  the  Queen,  Emperor  and  allied  army. 
Many  of  the  crowd  remained  till  morning,  singing,  danc- 
ing and  firing  cannon. 

In  the  year  1860  a  game  of  lacrosse,  or,  as  called 
by  the  Indians  themselves  "bagataway,"  was  played  on  the 
common  between  the  Mohawks  and  Senecas,  the  former  of 
Grand  River,  the  latter  from  New  York  State.  An  im- 
mense number  of  Indians,  men,  women  and  children,  accom- 
panied them.  The  game  lasted  for  many  hours,  thousands 
of  spectators  eagerly  watching  the  contest,  which  was  fin- 
ally Avon  by  the  Senecas.  Many  grim  memories  are  evoked 
by  this  game,  for  when  Pontiac  formed  the  plan  of  driving 
out  the  British,  the  first  step  was  the  taking  of  ten  forts, 
seven  of  which  were  actually  gained.  At  Michillimackinac 
the  Indians  gained  entrance  by  playing  a  game  of  lacrosse, 
throwing  the  ball  purposely  over  the  wall,  and  the  senti- 
nels, who  were  eagerly  watching  the  game,  gave  entrance. 
The  Indian  women  stood  near  with  tomahawks  under 
their  blankets,  which  they  handed  to  the  horde  of  enter- 
11 


146  HTSTOEY  OF  NIAGAKA 

ing  players,  and  a  fearful  massacre  ensued.  The  same 
plan  was  tried  at  Detroit  and  only  failed  from  an  Indian 
girl  disclosing  it  to  Gladwyn,  the  young  commander. 

In  the  last  twenty  years  Niagara  has  been  the  scene 
of  no  less  than  six  centennials — that  of  the  landing  of  the 
United  Empire  Loyalists,  1784,  the  formation  of  the 
Province  and  the  first  Parliament,  1792,  the  organization 
of  St  Mark's  congregation,  1792,  the  building  of  St. 
Andrew's  Church,  1794,  the  centennial  of  the  High  School, 
then  called  the  Grammar  School,  the  fourth  in  date  in  the 
Province,  1808,  and  lastly,  the  formation  of  the  Niagara 
Light  Dragoons,  1812. 

On  August  llth,  1884,  the  commemoration  of  the  com- 
ing of  the  United  Empire  Loyalists  was  held.  A  platform 
was  erected  on  the  'Common,  and  many  descendants  of  the 
Loyalists  were  present.  Thirty  chiefs  from  Grand  Eiver, 
with  their  flags  and  band  of  music,  and  others  from  the 
Bay  of  Quinte  also  came.  Eloquent  speeches  were  made 
by  Lieutenant-Governor  Robinson,  Colonel  Denison,  Sena- 
tor Plumb,  Wm.  Kirby,  Chief  Hill,  Chief  Smith,  Wm. 
Hamilton  Merritt,  Bishop  Fuller,  and  others.  Eobert  N. 
Ball  was  chairman,  being  a  descendant  of  Jacob  Ball,  who 
came  in  1780.  A  war  dance  was  performed  by  the  Indians 
at  the  close  of  the  meeting. 

At  the  celebration  in  1892,  held  at  Fort  George  and  in 
the  town  park,  Lieutenant-Governor  Fitzpatrick  spoke,  as 
also  did  Sir  Oliver  Mowat,  the  Premier  of  Ontario.  The 
other  centennials  arc  mentioned  on  other  pages. 


HON.  JOHN  SIMPSON. 


JUDGE  CAMPBELL. 


RALFE    CLENCH. 


JA.S.  M.  DI-XN,  LL.B. 
Principal,    High   School. 


REPRESENTATIVE    MEN. 
An   Editor  and   M.P.,   a  Judge,   a  Judge  and   Man   of  Affairs,   a   Teacher. 


CHAPTER  XX. 
GROWTH  OF  THE  TOWN  AND  CHANGES. 

EARLY  travellers  speak  of  the  town  as  having,  in  its  first 
decade,  five  hundred  inhabitants.  When  it  was  burned  in 
1813  it  is  said  there  were  five  hundred  people  left  home- 
less. This  might  perhaps  represent  800,  counting  the  men 
serving  in  the  militia,  those  made  prisoners  and  sent  away, 
and  those  who  had  removed  to  safer  quarters  before  or 
after  the  Americans  took  possession.  In  1822  there  was 
a  population  of  1,086.  From  1832  to  1848  was  the  period 
of  greatest  growth  and  population,  from  the  Harbor  and 
Dock  'Company  employing  so  many  men  in  boat  building. 
We  find  in  descriptive  works  that  Niagara  is  credited  with 
a  population  of  4,000,  but  in  the  census  return  taken  in 
the  town  in  1847  there  was  shown  a  population  of  3,058, 
the  school  population  being  792 ;  but  this  may  or  may  not 
include  the  militia  stationed  here.  In  an  address  presented 
to  Doctor  McMurray,  and  the  reply,  there  is  a  slight  sketch 
of  changes  in  the  town  since  his  coming  in  1857.  "The 
town  was  then  in  a  prosperous  condition,  several  manufac- 
tories employed  hundreds  of  artisans.  Niagara  was  then 
the  county  town,  but  now,  in  1873,  the  manufactories  have 
collapsed,  fires  have  devastated  the  business  localities,  Nia- 
gara has  ceased  to  be  the  county  town,  hundreds  of  the 
population  have  migrated,  but  the  prospects  of  summer 
visitors  taking  up  their  residence  and  the  steel  factory 
being  opened,  gives  hopes  of  employment  to  many." 

It  is  indeed  remarkable  how  many  industries  have  closed 
their  doors,  involving  many  in  loss.  The  failure  of 
the  ship-building  company,  car  factory,  knitting  factory, 
tannery,  steel  works,  with  the  removal  of  troops,  and  the 
fact  of  Niagara  ceasing  to  be  the  county  town  and  the  con- 
sequent removal  of  the  officials,  had  an  effect  in  checking 
advancement. 

From  old  papers  are  gleaned  many  curious  items  during 
the  twenties.  In  1822  Robert  Gourlay  states  that  peaches 

147 


148  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

flourish  in  Niagara,  but  this,  of  course,  must  have  been  in 
1818  and  1819  while  he  was  there.  In  1825  J.  Breaken- 
ridge  writes  to  Doctor  Baldwin  that  he  has  agreed  to  buy 
a  pianoforte  from  Mrs.  Ross,  for  £67  15s.  8d.,  and  music 
of  the  value  of  £7  10s.  In  1826  the  schooner  Michigan 
was  sent  over  the  falls  with  different  animals  on  board. 
Thirty  'thousand  people  were  present  as  spectators.  Strange 
to  say,  the  court  adjourned  at  Niagara  to  see  the  sight. 
On  October  13th,  14th,  and  15th  of  that  year  there  was 
surprisingly  hot  weather,  when  the  thermometer  stood  at 
04,  85,  and  93  degrees. 

In  1830  John  Graham  and  John  Martindale,  of  Niagara 
brewery,  advertised  for  twenty  thousand  bushels  of  barley. 
The  Gleaner,  in  1832,  in  speaking  of  the  growth  of  the 
town,  says  :  "  The  settlement  began  in  1784.  The  town 
and  frontier  was  desolated  in  1812,  yet  now,  where  all  was 
a  wilderness  forty  years  ago,  the  town  contains  1,500  souls, 
has  many  retail  stores  and  eight  wholesale  stores." 

In  1830  a  board  of  directors  was  appointed  from  the 
Bank  of  Upper  Canada  in  town,  with  Thomas  McCormick 
as  banker.  At  the  same  time  the  Commercial  Bank  had 
an  office  in  town,  with  James  Lockhart  agent.  In  1833 
there  was  a  meeting  of  inhabitants  to  take  necessary  steps 
to  construct  a  railway  between  Niagara  and  Lake  Erie. 
James  Muirhead  was  chairman,  and  the  resolutions  were 
moved  and  seconded  by  the  following  gentlemen :  E.  C. 
Campbell,  Dr.  Telfer,  T.  McCormick,  D.  McDougal,  R. 
Melville,  James  Lockhart,  W.  D.  Miller,  William  Clarke, 
J.  Stocking  and  L.  Clement. 

Frequent  references  are  made  to  the  abundance  of  fish 
caught.  In  December,  1833,  eighteen  seines  were  going, 
and  each  haul  brought  in  from  two  hundred  to  five  hun- 
dred fine  whitefish. 

In  1847  reference  is  made  to  the  typhus  fever  brought 
by  emigrants  from  Ireland.  Fortunately  there  were  few 
cases  in  the  town,  but  we  to-day  know  from  other  sources 
that  there  were  forty  deaths  among  the  fever-stricken  in  the 
hospital  provided.  The  telegraph  was  established  to  Queens- 
ton  and  a  letter  shows  the  amount  paid  out  personally  by 
Judge  Campbell  to  keep  the  office  open.  In  1849  there  is 
an  account  of  a  bear  killed  at  John  W.  Ball's. 


GROWTH  OF  THE  TOWN  149 

On  April  18th,  1855,  a  remarkable  tornado  at  seven  in 
the  morning  did  considerable  damage,  but  going  in  a  slant- 
ing line,  left  un touched  everything  else  but  the  places 
mentioned.  The  roof  was  taken  off  St.  Andrew's  Church, 
and  the  next  thing  struck  was  a  daguerreotype  car,  standing 
in  what  is  now  the  park,  which  had  its  contents  scattered 
as  far  as  the  common.  The  next  leap  made  was  to  the 
car  works  at  the  dock,  two  of  the  buildings  being  levelled 
to  the  ground.  The  buildings  were  two  hundred  feet  by 
seventy  feet  in  size  and  the  loss  £10,000.  This  happened 
on  a  fast-day  proclaimed  by  the  Government,  or  one 
hundred  workmen  would  probably  have  been  killed. 

In  1847  and  1848  we  are  told  of  flocks  of  pigeons  in  such 
numbers  that  the  light  was  obscured.  On  a  Sunday  in 
March  a  flock  described  as  a  mile  wide  and  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  miles  long,  took  over  four  hours,  from  7.30 
to  12  o'clock  noon,  to  fly  over  the  town.  Sometimes  they 
flew  so  low  that  they  were  killed  by  the  boys  with  clubs. 
Remarkable  tales  are  told  of  the  number  killed  with  one 
shot,  ranging  from  seven  to  forty.  At  a  luncheon  at  the 
launch  of  the  Canada  in  July,  1854,  pigeon  pie  was  much 
in  evidence.  For  many  }rears  these  flights  of  pigeons  have 
not  been  seen. 


CHAPTEE  XXI. 

THE  MAYORS  OF  NIAGARA  AND  THE  TOWN 
RECORDS. 

As  mentioned  previously,  the  town  and  township  held 
their  meetings  together  from  1793  to  1837,  but  in  1845 
the  town  was  set  apart  as  a  municipality  on  May  6th,  and 
the  record  of  1846  calls  it  the  second  year  of  incorporation. 
Instead  of  Mayor  and  Council  as  now,  there  was  a  Board 
of  Police  of  five  members;  at  the  meeting  on  May  6th, 
1845,  the  members  were  Andrew  Heron,  Jr.,  Alex.  C.  Ham- 
ilton, James  Harvey,  Eichard  Wagstaff  and  Eichard  Miller, 
Esqs.  The  meeting  was  held  in  the  council  room;  after 
taking  the  oath  of  office  they  elected  Eichard  Miller  as 
president.  Afterwards  Isaac  H.  Johnson  was  chosen  town 
clerk;  the  treasurer  was  Thomas  McCormick;  the  bailiffs 
and  constables  were  Nicholas  Wall,  John  Nesbit,  Thomas 
Whitten,  George  Foley  and  Patrick  Finn;  the  assessors 
were  James  Blain,  John  Swinton  and  Lewis  Clement. 

In  1846  A.  C.  Hamilton  was  president,  John  Simpson 
held  the  office  in  1847  and  1848,  and  Alexander  Davidson 
in  1849;  in  1850  he  became  the  first  mayor.  In  1847  the 
Board  of  Police  was  asked  by  the  Government  to  form  itself 
into  a  Board  of  Health,  to  provide  for  the  wants  of  the 
fever-stricken  immigrants.  The  members  that  year  were 
John  Simpson,  Andrew  Heron,  Thomas  McCormick,  James 
Boulton  and  A.  Davidson. 

The  meetings  of  the  Board  of  Police  seem  to  have  been 
very  frequent.  The  arrangements  made  for  providing  plank 
sidewalks  seem  very  economical  and  bring  up  names  and 
residences  almost  forgotten :  "  On  June  12th,  ordered 
that  the  planking  and  crossways  mentioned  be  done  as  soon 
as  convenient:  From  Whan's  corner  to  Howard's,  from 
Vary's  to  Christie's,  from  Clench's  corner  to  Burk's,  from 
the  British  Hotel  to  George  Winterbottom's,  from  Harring- 
ton's hotel  to  Mr.  Cameron's,  from  Dr.  WhitelaVs  to 
Downs  &  Co.  The  above  planking  to  be  four  feet  wide; 

150 


THE   OLD   JAIL   AND   COURT   HOUSE. 


THE  WESTERN  HOME,  FORMERLY  THE  OLD  JAIL 
AND   COURT   HOUSE. 


THE  MAYOES  OP  NIAGARA  151 

crossings  from  McCormick's  to  the  dock,  a  plank  walk 
from  Wagstaff 's  corner  to  Miller  and  Boomer's  office ;  from 
Down's  corner  to  Whan  &  McLean's,  from  Christie's  corner 
to  Cook's,  from  British  Hotel  to  Shillitoe's  corner,  from 
McMullen's  corner  to  Dr.  Whitelaw's,  from  David  Lock- 
hart's  corner  to  Miss  Eedson's  school  Planking  two  feet 
wide  to  be  done  in  Irishtown,  and  two  feet  in  width  from 
James  Boulton's  to  corner  opposite  John  Hall's,  with  a 
sidewalk  the  same  in  width  past  Mr.  Green's  to  the 
Scotch  church,  crossing  from  Morley's  corner  to  Mrs. 
Clench's,  planking  from  that  leading  to  the  Methodist 
church,  to  Thompson's  schoolhouse,  four  feet  in  width." 

At  a  later  meeting  it  was  moved  that  B.  Bonner  be 
appointed  market  clerk,  high  bailiff,  bell  ringer,  inspector 
of  chimneys  and  poundkeeper,  at  a  salary  of  £75  a  year. 
One  of  the  council  objected  to  this  munificent  salary  as 
an  unnecessary  expenditure  of  the  public  funds. 

In  1846  Alexander  Chetwood  Hamilton  was  chosen  pre- 
sident of  the  Board,  and  they  proceeded  to  advertise  for 
plans,  etc.,  for  a  court  house  and  market  house,  the  cost 
not  to  exceed  £3,000;  but  we  find  that  the  building  cost 
twice  that  modest  sum.  Mr.  John  Simpson  was  the  third 
president  of  the  Board  and  held  the  office  the  next  year 
also,  and  Alexander  Davidson  the  following  year;  this 
paved  the  way  for  his  being  chosen  the  first  mayor  in 
January,  1850. 

Niagara  was  regularly  incorporated  as  a  town  with  five 
wards — St.  Lawrence,  St.  George,  St.  David,  St.  Patrick 
and  St.  Andrew — each  returning  three  councillors,  the 
mayor  being  selected  from  among  themselves;  but  since 
1860  there  are  but  three  wards — Eastern,  Centre,  and 
Western — each  returning  two  councillors,  the  mayor  and 
reeve  being  elected  by  the  vote  of  the  people.  In  1847  a 
census  of  the  town  gave  a  population  of  3,058. 

An  item  in  a  Niagara  newspaper  of  1848  recalls  days  of 
excitement  in  the  town,  in  which  a  reward  of  fifty  dollars 
is  offered  by  the  council  for  the  discovery  of  the  body  of 
John  McClymont,  stolen  from  St.  Andrew's  graveyard. 
This  was  supposed  to  be  done  by  two  young  medical  stu- 
dents. The  town  was  searched  and  excitement  rose  high, 


152  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

which  was  only  allayed  by  finding  that  the  body  had  been 
returned  over  the  graveyard  fence  at  night. 

From  the  records  many  well-nigh  forgotten  incidents 
are  gleaned.  The  first  reference  to  the  park  occurs  in  1851 ; 
and  it  is  referred  to  again  in  1852,  when  the  four  acres 
belonging  to  the  Ordnance  Department  in  front  of  Barr's 
Arcade  are  asked  for. 

A  poster  of  1851  is  in  existence  containing  eighteen  regu- 
lations for  the  good  of  the  town,  signed  by  George  Boomer, 
mayor,  being  a  by-law  of  the  town  council,  commencing, 
"  Whereas  it  is  expedient  to  make  certain  by-laws  for  the 
regulation  and  good  government  of  the  town  of  Niagara, 
be  it  therefore  enacted  that  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any 
person  to  be  seen  in  the  streets  of  Niagara  in  a  state  of 
drunkenness,  neither  shall  it  be  lawful  for  any  person  to 
swear  or  use  obscene  language,  neither  shall  it  be  lawful 
to  abuse  or  ill-treat  any  animal  on  the  public  streets, 
neither  shall  it  be  lawful  to  fire  a  gun  or  set  off  any  squibs 
or  firecrackers  within  the  said  town,"  etc.  The  observance 
of  some  of  these  regulations  at  the  present  time  would  be 
conducive  to  law,  order  and  humanity. 

The  first  mayor  was  Alexander  Davidson,  mentioned  in 
other  papers  as  postmaster,  editor  of  the  Mail,  and  author 
of  the  Canada  Spelling  Book.  This  was  in  1850.  His 
successor  was  Geo.  Boomer,  in  1851,  and  the  next,  1852-6, 
John  Simpson,  editor  of  the  Chronicle,  afterwards  member 
of  Parliament  and  Deputy  Assistant  Auditor-General.  His 
name  appears  in  1847  as  president  of  the  Board  of  Police 
and  Board  of  Health.  J.  M.  Lawder  became  mayor  in 
1857;  he  afterwards  was  made  judge  of  the  county  of  Lin- 
coln. L.  M.  Mercer  followed  in  1858;  F.  A.  B.  Clench, 
1859-60;  Dr.  R.  M.  Wilson,  1861-2;  Henry  Paffard,  1863- 
74;  John  Bishop,  1875;  H.  Paffard,  1876-80;  S.  H.  Fol- 
lett,  1881-2;  W.  Winterbottom,  1883  (perhaps  the  youngest 
mayor  ever  elected) ;  H.  A.  Garrett,  1884-5;  W.  A.  Milloy, 
another  youthful  mayor,  1886-7;  H.  Paffard,  1888-96; 
T.  F.  Best,  1897-1901;  James  Aikens,  1902-3;  William 
Miller,  1904-5;  Dr.  Anderson,  1906;  J.  de  W.  Randall, 
190-7-9;  James  Aikins,  1910-11;  J.  de  W.  Randall,  1912-3. 

Mr.  H.  Paffard  has  enjoyed  the  unique  honor  of  being 
mayor  of  the  town  for  twenty-six  years.  To  his  energy, 


THE  MAYORS  OF  NIAGARA  153 

good  taste  and  persistence  is  due  our  beautiful  town  park, 
and  also  the  shady  streets,  with  their  beautiful  elms, 
maples  and  lindens,  which  add  so  much  to  the  beauty  of  the 
town.  It  was  not  without  opposition  that  this  was  done. 
I  remember  his  telling  me  that  the  first  grant  given  for 
purchasing  trees  was  only  twenty-five  dollars.  His  skill 
as  a  horticulturist,  as  exemplified  in  his  garden,  with  its 
choice  grapes  and  peaches,  and  even  figs  grown  in  the  open 
air,  was  a  warrant  for  this  matter  being  entrusted  to  his 
good  taste. 

The  court  house  was  built  in  1847 ;  a  statement  in  1852 
gives  the  money  expended  on  it  as  £6,000,  and  £1,000  on 
the  Ten  Mile  Creek  road,  £600  on  macadamizing  the  roads 
and  placing  eight  miles  of  plank  walks  in  the  town.  A 
reference  to  the  Erie  and  Ontario  Railway  occurs  in  1852. 
Sir  Francis  Hincks  was  then  the  member  of  Parliament 
for  Niagara. 

From  1845  to  1856  the  records  are  in  the  clear,  almost 
copperplate,  writing  of  I.  H.  Johnson,  evidently  done  with 
a  quill  peri.  This  period  of  eleven  years  is  surpassed  by 
that  from  1856  to  1880',  the  records  being  in  the  distinct 
writing  of  John  Rogers.  The  next  town  clerk  was  Daniel 
Servos,  from  1880  to  1889  (the  records  also  well  kept), 
who  was  succeeded  by  Russell  Wilkinson,  1889  to  1898. 
Mr.  Wilkinson  was  a  skilled  draughtsman,  and  the  records 
in  his  handwriting  are  remarkably  clear.  The  next  town 
clerk  was  J.  H.  Burns,  1898  to  1910,  who  was  succeeded 
by  W.  E.  Lyall. 

The  office  of  reeve  has  been  held  by  L.  W.  Mercer,  Wil- 
liam Kirby,  S.  H.  Follett,  Thomas  Rowland,  T.  P.  Blain, 
John  Bishop,  W.  H.  J.  Evans,  J.  F.  Greene,  James  Aikins, 
and  that  of  chief  constable  by  Bever  Bonner,  1845  to  1865 ; 
Robert  Fizette,  1866  to  1875;  William  Curtis,  1875-86; 
and  R.  Reid  for  a  period  of  twenty-six  years,  from  1886 
to  1912. 

The  price  of  bread  was  at  first  regulated  by  the  Council ; 
very  often  it  was  sixpence  the  four-pound  loaf,  but  in  1855 
it  was  tenpence,  as  the  price  of  flour  was  eight  dollars  a 
barrel.  In  1847  there  is  a  reference  to  sick  immigrants; 
Dr.  Rolls  and  Dr.  Melville  waited  on  them;  the  money  of 


154:  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

deceased  immigrants  was  returned  to  the  Inspector- 
General. 

In  1854,  when  the  Clergy  Eeserve  question  was  settled, 
a  statement  is  given  that  £297,324:  was  to  be  divided  for 
educational  purposes  among  the  municipalities.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  town  was  then  3,340  by  the  last  census;  that 
of  Upper  €anada  being  952,004,  the  proportion  to  the  town 
being  £1,040.  This  statement  is  signed  by  John  Simp- 
son, L.  W.  Mercer,  John  Powell  and  Andrew  Heron. 

In  1856  the  lamented  decease  of  the  town  clerk,  I.  H. 
Johnson,  is  referred  to,  and  in  1857  a  complimentary 
resolution  appears  to  John  Simpson  on  his  retirement. 
In  this  year  the  question  of  the  change  of  county  town  to 
St.  Catharines  came  up,  opposed  by  J.  C.  Morrison,  the 
member  for  Niagara,  and  the  question  loomed  up  of  the 
debt  of  the  town ;  from  this  ensued  a  very  troublous  period 
for  the  Town  Council,  and  this  fills  numerous  pages  of  the 
minutes  for  many  years,  all  resulting  from  the  liberality 
of  the  Consolidated  Municipal  Loan  Fund  in  lending 
money,  many  municipalities  being  in  the  same  position, 
and  causing  much  discussion  in  the  Legislature  before  relief 
was  granted.  A  memorial  was  sent  to  the  Legislative  Coun- 
cil re  the  Erie  and  Ontario  Railroad.  The  subscribed  stock 
was  £15,000,  and  there  was  lent  to  the  company  £55,000 ; 
the  whole,  now  £70,000,  was  borrowed  from  the  Consoli- 
dated Municipal  Loan  Fund.  The  memorial  prays  for 
relief,  as  the  railroad  is  unproductive. 

In  1860  there  is  a  resolution  of  sympathy  on  the  deatli 
of  Judge  Campbell,  and  on  August  14th  an  address  to  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  afterwards  Edward  VII.,  on  his  visit  to 
Niagara;  a  reference  was  made  in  it  to  the  visit  of  his 
grandfather  the  Duke  of  Kent  sixty-eight  years  ago.  In 
the  minutes  was  also  a  reference  to  the  ladies  and  gentle- 
men who  had  helped  in  the  erection  and  decoration  of  the 
arches. 

These  were  troublous  times,  as  through  the  loss  from 
the  change  of  the  county  town,  the  difficulty  with  the  rail- 
road, the  arrears  due  the  Government,  the  different  agree- 
ments with  W.  A.  Thomson,  lawyers'  opinions,  and  appeals 
to  Legislature,  the  town  officials  had  no  sinecure. 


COL.  MACDOUGAL. 


CAPT.   D.  MiLLOVf. 


HENRY  PAFFARD, 
Mayor. 


MAJOR  HISCOTT,  M.P.P. 


REPRESENTATIVE   MEN. 
A  Soldier,  a  Sailor,  a  Mayor,   a  Fruit-Grower   and   M.P.P. 


THE  MAYORS  OF  NIAGARA  155 

In  1863,  Mr.  Henry  Paffard  became  mayor,  which  office 
he  held  at  that  time  consecutively  for  twelve  years. 

In  1865  an  attempt  was  made  to  obtain  compensation 
for  the  outlay  for  the  court  house,  on  which  $50,000  had 
been  expended.  Eventually  as  we  follow  the  minutes  dur- 
ing the  following  years  we  find  the  sum  of  $8,000  was 
granted,  and  of  this  $5,000  was  to  be  invested  in  the 
Queen's  Royal  Hotel  should  $20,000  be  subscribed,  and  fin- 
ally there  was  presented  to  'Captain  Dick,  the  proprietor, 
the  whole  $8,000.  In  the  same  year,  1865,  Mr.  Kirby,  the 
reeve,  went  to  Quebec  to  present  a  petition  to  the  Legis- 
lative Assembly  regarding  the  claim  of  the  town  for  com- 
pensation. 

An  entirely  different  subject  gives  relief  to  these  diffi- 
cult matters,  as  reference  is  made  to  two  hundred  orna- 
mental trees  being  planted  on  the  streets,  and  in  1866 
a  plan  was  drawn  up  for  planting  the  park  with  trees,  the 
committee  being  the  mayor,  Messrs.  Follett,  Kirby,  Daly 
and  Cathline.  An  effort  was  made  in  1867  to  obtain  the 
Engineers'  quarters  as  the  site  for  a  hotel.  Thanks  are 
rendered  to  Angus  Morrison,  W.  Kirby  and  H.  Paffard 
for  help  given  in  the  late  county  town  arbitration.  Vari- 
ous proposals  seem  to  have  been  made  with  regard  to  the 
old  jail  and  the  present  court  house;  the  first  was  offered 
for  sale  to  the  Freemasons,  and  the  court  house  and  three 
acres  of  land  to  Trinity  College.  In  1869  the  jail  was 
bought  by  Miss  Rye,  and  has  since  then  been  called  the 
Western  Home;  it  sheltered  over  five  thousand  of  the  waifs 
and  strays  of  the  old  land,  for  whom  homes  have  later 
been  provided. 

In  1870,  and  at  different  later  dates,  applications  were 
made  to  the  Government  for  the  strip  of  land  from  the 
Hotel  to  Fort  Mississauga  for  park  purposes. 

A  statement  drawn  up  by  the  mayor,  in  1876,  of  the 
settlement  with  the  Government,  gives  a  clear  idea  of  the 
state  of  affairs  concerning  the  loan.  Many  municipalities 
were  heavily  in  debt  to  the  Government,  having  borrowed 
for  purposes  which  turned  out  disastrously,  and  the  interest 
accumulating,  the  debt  became  enormously  increased ;  fears 
were  expressed  by  the  property-holders  that  a  forced  sale 
might  be  held.  One  municipality  had  borrowed  $280,000 


156  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAEA 

in  1854;  iii  1873  the  principal  and  interest  amounted  to 
$619,000.  In  the  case  of  Niagara,  money  had  been  bor- 
rowed to  invest  in  the  Erie  and  Ontario  Eailway,  which 
became  insolvent.,  and  the  railway  was  sold  to  W.  A.  Thom- 
son for  $15,000  cash  and  a  mortgage  of  $45,000.  An  Act 
had  been  passed  in  1874  to  relieve  Niagara  on  payment  of 
$14,000. 

The  whole  difficulty  takes  tip  many  pages  of  the  recordvS ; 
the  statement  of  the  mayor,  the  opinion  of  Hon.  Stephen 
Eichards,  the  speeches  at  public  meetings  of  Hon.  W.  IT. 
Dickson  and  Hon.  J.  B.  Plumb  are  referred  to,  and  the 
opposition  of  Mr.  Jos.  Kerby,  but  the  matter  was  happily 
settled.  In  1878  the  railroad  was  transferred  to  the  Canada 
Southern,  to  be  extended  to  Fort  Erie. 

Tn  1880  five  hundred  trees  were  planted  to  make  an 
avenue  across  the  common.  In  1885  a  bonus  was  granted 
to  the  Fort  George  Assembly  or  Ohautauqua  or  Niagara 
Assembly  and  electric  lights  were  installed,  supplied  by 
the  Assembly.  Fort  Mississauga  was  repaired  by  the  Gov- 
ernment and  a  caretaker's  house  built,  the  town  under- 
taking to  supply  a  caretaker.  In  1889  the  question  of 
waterworks  for  the  town  was  discussed  and  $30,000  was 
ordered  to  be  borrowed  and  electric  lights  to  be  supplied 
to  the  camp.  Tn  1893  the  Heisler  system  of  electric  lights 
was  adopted.  Mr.  W.  H.  J.  Evans,  then  reeve,  took  great 
interest  in  the  question  and  strongly  advocated  the  instal- 
lation. The  mayor  at  that  time  was  Henry  Paffard. 

The  placing  of  cement  pavements  through  the  town  was 
carried  out  during  the  mayoralty  of  J.  de  W.  Eandall, 
in  1910-11,  J.  F.  Greene  being  reeve,  and  also  the  second 
electric  light  system  from  Niagara  Falls  power. 

It  was  remarked  at  the  time  of  the  death  of  T.  F.  "Best 
in  1912  that  never  during  the  period  of  sixty-two  years 
had  a  mayor  died  in  office.  His  long  service  in  the  Council 
and  as  mavor  had  given  him  great  skill  in  municipal 
affairs,  and  his  loss  wa3  severely  felt  in  the  Council. 


CHAPTER  XXIT. 
THE  JAIL  AND  THE  COURT  HOUSE. 

THERE  have  been  in  Niagara  three  different  buildings 
erected  for  a  court  house  and  two  for  jails.  In  1795  an 
advertisement  appears,  signed  by  Ralfe  Clench,  for 
materials  for  a  jail  and  court  house.  It  is  believed,  indeed, 
it  is  certain,  that  the  corner  of  King  and  Prideaux  Streets 
is  in  a  plan  of  the  town  reserved  for  a  jail,  with  the  Court 
House  near  it,  either  on  Prideaux  or  King  Street.  These 
buildings  were  destroyed  in  the  War  of  1812-4.  There 
were  confined  in  the  jail  at  that  time  three  hundred 
prisoners,  most  of  them  political  offenders  and  disloyal 
citizens. 

The  first  execution  of  which  we  have  any  trace  is  that  of 
Geo.  Newnes  (  ?)  and  Mary  Lowdon  for  murder  by  poison 
of  Earth  Lowdon,  of  Saltfleet.  The  execution  was  ordered 
to  take  place  on  the  Monday  following  the  giving  of  the 
verdict.  In  those  days  punishment  was  swift  and  sudden. 

In  1816  appears  an  advertisement,  again  signed  by  Ralfe 
Clench,  for  materials  for  a  jail  and  court  house,  asking  for 
brick,  stone,  timber,  shingles,  etc.  In  a  letter  signed  C. 
D.  K,  in  The  Gleaner,  March  26th,  1818,  reference  is 
made  to  the  new  jail  and  court  house  as  a  handsome  build- 
ing which  must  have  cost  a  great  sum  of  money  and  does 
credit  to  the  builders  and  founders,  but  the  writer  can- 
not conceive  why  it  was  set  in  "  that  swamp."  In  the  issue 
for  April  23rd  is  an  acknowledgment  from  Josiah  Cush- 
man  of  the  honorable  treatment  he  has  received  in  his  con- 
tract and  completion  of  the  jail  and  court  house,  and  he 
thanks  the  committee  and  magistrate  for  arranging  the 
payment  of  the  same. 

A  few  extracts  from  the  papers  of  those  days  bring  home 
to  us  the  severe  laws  of  the  time.  In  the  1825  Midsummer 
Assizes  in  Niagara  District,  one  Cole  was  ordered  to  stand 
one  hour  in  the  pillory:  John  Hight,  for  highway  robbery, 
was  condemned  to  death.  Banishment,  pillory  and  whip- 

157 


158  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

ping  are  frequent  punishments.  Jas.  Fleming,  for  steal- 
ing goods,  was  sentenced  to  be  twice  publicly  whipped  and 
imprisoned  for  two  months;  Robert  Anderson,  for  passing 
a  three-dollar  counterfeit  bill,  was  given  seven  years'  ban- 
ishment and  one  month's  imprisonment;  another,  one  and 
a  half  hours  in  the  pillory,  and  three  mouths  in  prison  for 
keeping  a  disorderly  house. 

In  October  three  prisoners  escaped,  and  ."John  Spcnce 
stabbed  the  jailer  and  escaped. 

In  182(i  the  assizes  Avere  held  by  Judge  Sherwood  and 
proved  a  long-protracted  court;  they  sat  till  9  p.m.  Three 
were  found  guilty  of  horse-stealing  and  sheep-stealing,  and 
Wm.  Corbin  and  Adam  Grass  were  sentenced  to  be  hanged 
on  25th  October.  The  paper  for  October  28th  shows  this 
sentence  was  not  carried  out.  "  Great  disappointment — 
great  numbers  came  from  the  United  States  into  town  to 
see  the  execution  but  His  Excellency  had  suspended  the 
sentence.  A  waggon-load  of  cakes  and  gingerbread  had 
to  be  sold  at  reduced  rates."  What  a  mingling  of  the  sad 
and  the  ludicrous  does  this  gruesome  item  give  us. 

What  stories  could  these  walls  tell  us  of  grief,  of  remorse, 
of  despair,  sometimes  against  injustice.  Several  memor- 
able trials  have  taken  place,  several  remarkable  prisoners 
have  here  spent  sad  days  and  nights — debtors,  criminals, 
political  prisoners :  the  trial  of  Gourlay,  the  imprisonment 
of  the  escaped  slave  Moseby,  the  thirteen  condemned  to 
death  for  their  share  in  the  Rebellion,  the  innocent  man 
suffering  death  for  the  crime  of  another  man,  and  as  a 
contrast  the  services  of  the  Episcopal  Church  performed 
here  in  1843,  when  the  chancel  was  built  in  St.  Mark's. 
What  varying  scenes ! 

An  enthusiastic  botanist  who  visited  Canada  in  1819, 
John  Goldie,  collecting  flowers  all  the  way  from  Montreal 
to  Hamilton,  but  whose  three  collections  never  reached 
Scotland,  describes  the  jail  and  court  house  at  Niagara  as 
the  "finest  building  in  -Canada."  If  this  building  could 
tell  only  a  part  of  what  has  been  enacted  within  its  walls 
what  a  tragic  tale  should  we  have.  The  memorable  trial 
of  Robert  Gourlay  took  place  here,  so  graphically  described 
in  Dent's  "  History  of  the  Rebellion,"  in  which  is  portrayed 
the  court  room,  the  lawyers,  the  judge,  the  prisoner,  the 


HON.    ROBERT   HAMILTON. 


THE  JAIL  AND  COURT  HOUSE  159 

witnesses,  much  in  the  style  of  Macaulay's  trial  of  Warren 
Hastings,  commencing  thus :  "  In  the  afternoon  of  a  warm 
and  sultry  day  towards  the  close  of  one  of  the  warmest 
and  most  sultry  summers  which  Upper  Canada  has  ever 
known,  an  extraordinary  trial  took  place  at  the  Court 
House  in  the  old  town  of  Niagara.  .  .  .  The  date 
was  Friday  the  20th  of  August,  1819.  The  court  room, 
the  largest  in  the  Province,  was  packed  to  the  doors,  and 
though  every  window  was  thrown  open  the  atmosphere 
was  almost  stifling." 

Bobert  Gourlay,  a  British  subject,  was  banished  as  an 
alien  by  false  oaths,  his  crime  that  of  protesting  against 
the  Government  of  that  period.  His  treatment  was  so 
harsh  that  his  reason  gave  way  for  a  time.  He  is  caller! 
the  "Banished  Briton."  A  letter  of  his  had  appeared  in 
the  Niagara  Spectator  unknown  to  the  editor,  Bartemus 
Ferguson,  and  for  this  the  unfortunate  printer  was  tried 
for  sedition,  sentenced  to  stand  in  the  pillory,  fined  fifty 
pounds  and  to  remain  in  jail  till  the  fine  was  paid.  These 
"  good  old  days  "  do  not  appeal  to  us. 

In  1831,  January  8th,  is  mentioned  the  Debtors  prayer 
on  the  walls  of  the  prison.  In  1832  a  letter  in  The  Gleaner 
from  a  debtor  in  jail,  speaks  of  the  kindness  of  Mrs. 
Stephenson  and  Mrs.  'Capt.  Mosier  in  sending  food;  and 
the  angel,  Mary  Stephenson,  is  spoken  of.  A  remarkable 
record  of  this  event  may  be  seen  in  the  city  of  Ottawa.  A 
prisoner  confined  for  debt  must  have  been  als.o  an  artist 
of  no  mean  merit,  as  is  shown  by  an  oil  painting  allegori- 
cal in  its  nature.  It  depicts  a  beautiful  girl  of  perhaps 
thirteen  years  of  age,  feeding  a  bird  in  a  cage.  This  is 
little  Mary  Stephenson  holding  a  basket  in  her  hand  in 
which  provisions  have  been  brought  to  the  prisoner.  The 
oil  painting  is  owned  by  a  niece  of  the  maiden.  In  the 
same  letter  the  kindness  of  John  Crooks,  Postmaster,  is 
spoken  of  in  sending  wood,  and  a  visitor  speaks  of  the 
prisoners  enduring  the  severity  of  a  Canadian  winter  with- 
out a  fire. 

In  1832  a  large  political  meeting  was  held  at  the  Court 
House,  called  by  the  sheriff  to  discuss  the  affairs  of  the 
country.  The  accounts  are  very  confused,  one  meeting 
going  on  inside  with  Jas.  Cooper  as  chairman,  another 


160  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

going  on  outside  with  AVm.  Ball  as  chairman.  Each  party 
declared  his  the  only  legal  meeting,  both  declared  their 
loyalty  to  the  King,  each  passed  an  address,  one  declaring 
themselves  quite  contented  with  present  conditions,  the 
other  speaking  of  the  grievances  that  existed  in  war  losses 
not  being  paid  or  grants  of  land  given.  Eleven  resolutions 
were  passed  by  each.  It  must  have  been  an  exciting  time 
and  a  difficult  one  for  a  supposed-to-be  non-partisan  paper 
to  report. 

In  1837  occurred  what  is  called  the  "  Slave  Rescue"  'by 
some:  by  others  the  "Riot."  A  slave  named  Moseby  who 
escaped  from  Kentucky,  was  followed  to  Niagara,  and  his 
master  asked  that  he  be  given  up  for  having  taken  his 
master's  horse  in  his  escape.  He  was  imprisoned  for  some 
time  in  the  jail.  His  colored  brethren  surrounded  the 
building  for  a  fortnight  or  more,  determined  to  prevent  his 
return  to  slavery.  Sir  Francis  Bond  Head  at  last  ordered 
his  return  to  the  United  States.  Soldiers  were  on  hand 
with  constables  and  the  sheriff,  the  Riot  Act  was  read,  the 
slave  escaped,  but  two  black  men  were  killed  and  others 
wounded.  The  leader  of  the  rescue  party  was  Herbert 
Holmes,  an  educated  African,  a  teacher  and  exhorter.  He 
was  buried  in  the  graveyard  of  the  Baptist  church. 

On  Juty  30th  Jas.  Morreau  was  hanged  for  his  share  in 
the  Rebellion,  and  on  August  25th,  thirteen  others  were 
also  to  be  executed,  but  were  all  reprieved  except  three,  one 
of  them  being  Benjamin  Waite,  whose  wife  made  hercu- 
lean exertions  to  save  her  husband,  travelling  to  Toronto 
and  Quebec,  the  reprieve  only  arriving  half  an  hour  before 
the  time  fixed  for  the  execution.  She  afterwards  went  to 
England  to  intercede  for  him  and  was  ready  to  follow  him 
to  Van  Dieman's  Land  to  be  with  him.  Another  pathetic 
story  is  that  of  the  execution  of  an  innocent  man,  Seely,  as 
was  afterwards  known  by  the  confession  of  the  real  mur- 
derer; and  another  story  still  reads  to  us  as  almost  impos- 
sible to  believe.  In  those  days  when  any  unfortunate  was 
confined  for  debt,  the  creditor  was  obliged  to  send  weekly 
a  certain  sum  to  provide  food — we  may  be  sure  it  would 
be  of  the  scantiest;  failing  the  arrival  weekly  of  this  the 
prisoner  was  allowed  to  go.  A  story  by  E.  W.  Thomson, 
"  The  Jail  Limits,"  in  "  Old  Man  Savarin,"  gives  an  ex- 


161 

ample  of  this,  but  not  of  the  cruel  nature  of  the  Niagara 
victim.  A  debtor  had  been  confined  for  some  time  when 
the  death  of  the  creditor  occurred.  All  supposed  that  the 
prisoner  would  be  released,  but  no,  with  fiendish  cunning 
a  provision  in  the  will  arranged  for  the  continued  payment 
of  the  weekly  dole,  and  thus  from  the  grave  full  punish- 
ment was  provided  for.  The  executors  of  the  will  thought 
this  cruel,  but  at  first  felt  powerless  and  still  the  prisoner 
languished  in  jail.  But  a  way  of  escape  was  thought  of; 
the  money  was  to  be  delivered  at  the  hour  of  noon  and  it 
was  arranged  that  the  messenger  should  linger  on  the  way 
or  be  detained  so  as  to  be  a  few  minutes  late,  and  the  jailer, 
nothing  loath,  allowed  the  prisoner  to  depart.  In  the 
amusing  story  of  the  "  Jail  Limits,"  the  way  of  escape 
was  by  arranging  that  one  of  the  coins  should  be  a  bank 
token,  not  a  legal  payment,  and  so  the  prisoner  was  freed. 

Here  wero  confined  several  of  the  blacks  who  had  taken 
part  in  the  slave  rescue;  they  were  liberated  to  form  a  com- 
pany of  soldiers  in  the  Eebellion.  In  1866  several  of  the 
Fenian  prisoners  were  confined  here  before  being  trans- 
ferred to  Toronto  for  trial.  In  1843  while  the  transept  of 
St.  Mark's  was  being  built  the  congregation  worshipped 
here.  In  1869  the  building  was  purchased  for  Miss  Eye's 
waifs  and  strays  from  the  Motherland,  and  here  over  five 
thousand  have  been  sen!  out  as  servants  or  adopted;  many 
of  th«se  have  taken  good  positions,  and  hundreds  of  letters 
and  photographs  are  received  at  the  Home,  telling  of  their 
progress,  sometimes  now  in  a  home  of  their  own  and  send 
in.rr  for  3  servant  from  the  present  inmates. 

Miss  Eve  made  many  changes  in  the  building;  the  two 
stone  rolls  for  prisoners  condemned  to  death  were  taken 
down,  the  stones  being  used  for  culverts  in  the  town.  What 
\vas  the  court  room  is  now  the  dormitory  and  what  was  the 
gallery  for  spectators  has  been  altered.  An  interesting 
story  is  told  of  the  fine  coat  of  arms  which  hung  above  the 
ludfffvs  chair  and  recalls  the  story  of  how  the  Eegalia  of 
Scotland,  which  may  now  be  seen  in  the  Crown  Eoom  in 
Edinburgh  Castle,  was  hidden  away  for  over  a  century 
lest  it  should  be  taken  to  England,  till  discovered  by  the 
antiquarian  research  of  Sir  Walter  Scott.  When  St.  Cathar- 
ines was  made  the  county  town  it  was  feared  that  this  fin,e 
12 


162  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

oil  painting  of  the  coat  of  arms  would  be  transferred,  and 
it  is  told  that  it  was  hidden  away  for  years  and  found  in 
the  lock-up  in  the  basement  carefully  covered  up;  it  has 
now  for  many  years  graced  the  walls  of  what  is  called  the 
Music  Hall,  but  which  was  from  1847  the  Court  Boom. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
THE  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

THIS  organization  dates  back  a  hundred  years,  but  un- 
fortunately no  early  records  have  been  preserved,  but  from 
Carrol's  "  Case,"  Playter  and  Dr.  Cornish,  items  are 
Cleaned  which  throw  light  on  the  distant  past,  showing  that 
services  were  held  here.  In  1786,  Major  Geo.  Neale,  an 
Irishman,  crossed  the  river  at  Queenston,  Oct.  7th,  and  was 
the  first  Methodist  Avho  preached  in  Canada.  He  took  up 
an  officer's  portion  of  land,  formed  a  class  near  Niagara, 
supposed  to  have  been  between  Queenston  and  St.  Davids. 
In  1795  the  Niagara  Circuit  was  formed,  extending  in  1.805 
over  the  Niagara  penirisula  as  far  as  Ancaster.  The  church 
which  stood  on  Gate  Street  was  built  in  1823  and  was 
opened  by  the  Rev.  John  Ryerson.  Wra.  Ryerson  was  at 
Fort  George  and  Queenston,  which  included  Cross  Roads, 
in  1824-5.  All  the  early  references  are  to  Warner's,  near 
St.  Davids,  and  the  first  class  was  formed  at  the  home  of 
Christian  Warner,  and  the  first  Methodist  church  built  in 
the.  district  was  Warner's  Church  in  1801.  It  was  un- 
finished for  many  years;  and  after  the  war  a  coat  of  plaster 
was  put  on,  but  it  was  never  painted  inside  or  out.  In 
the  graveyard  the  name  Warner  occurs  again  and  again ; 
many  United  Empire  Loyalists  were  buried  here,  the  name 
most  frequently  occurring  being  that  of  Secord.  A  later 
building  still  stands,  but  is  not  used.  The  name  Niagara 
Circuit  does  not  always  stand  for  the  same,  at  one  time 
embracing  the  town  of  Niagara  and  the  village  of  Queens- 
ton,  when  the  Rev.  D.  You  mans  and  R.  Heyland  in  1827 
were  stationed  here.  In  1829  it  was  called  Niagara  and 
Fort  George  Circuit,  comprehending  part  of  the  Niagara 
district,  its  true  head  then  being  St.  Catharines. 
Fort  George  Circuit  next  embraced  all  the  villages  along 
the  bank  of  the  Niagara  River  to  Fort  Erie.  A  pleasing 
incident  may  be  told  here.  Mr.  Green,  who  says  it  was 
the  first  circuit  in  which  he  could  ride  in  a  carriage,  was 

163 


164  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

married  by  Rev.  Ralph  Leeming,  of  Ancaster,  the  Episco- 
pal minister,  who,  when  offered  a  fee,  which  was  a  large 
one  (for  those  days),  said,  "I  would  rather  be  considered 
as  a  brother  than  a  hireling."  Methodist  ministers  were 
not  then  allowed  to  perform  the  ceremony.  Mr.  Green 
records  this  as  an  act  of  catholicity  and  brotherly  kindness. 
Fort  George  and  Niagara  Circuit  were  rearranged  in  1831, 
Niagara  Circuit  comprehending  Niagara  town  and  a  strip 
along  the  lake  to  the  "  Fifty."  ' 

Dr.  Cornish  states  that  Niagara  Circuit  was  formed  in 
1795,  embracing  York  and  Long  Point,  and  that  Darius 
Dunham  preached  at  that  date;  Jas.  Coleman  in  1799; 
Michael  Coate  and  Jos.  Sawyer  in  1800;  John  Ryerson 
in  1822  and  Wm.  Ryerson  in  1823-25. 

Tn  the  early  papers  of  the  town  frequent  notices  are 
given  of  temperance  meetings  in  the  "Meeting  House"; 
this  means  the  Methodist  church,  showing  that  the  Metho- 
dists of  that  day  were  as  prominent  in  Temperance  work 
as  they  have  been  ever  since. 

The  musical  part  of  the  service  was  good  and  some  still 
remember  the  bass  viol  as  played  by  old  Mr.  Varey  before 
the  days  of  organs.  Father  Brady  is  yet  remembered  as  a 
class  leader,  and  Sister  Whitten's  sweet  face,  she  teaching 
a  class  of  colored  children,  others  helping.  The  old  frame 
building  of  1823  was  abandoned  and  the  Canada  Presby- 
terian Church  was  bought  for  $1,600  in  1875.  The  choir 
played  an  important  part  in  the  church  services;  the  gallery 
across  the  church  extended  nearly  half  way.  Mr.  George. 
Vary  played  the  flute.  Mrs.  Whitelaw  played  the  first 
melodeon  used.  Mr.  Thos.  McKee  was  an  early  leader  of 
the  choir,  also  T.  R.  Watts.  Miss  Burns  afterwards  played 
the  organ,  and  Mr.  R.  C.  Burns  was  leader  of  the  choir. 
Among  the  singers  were  Mrs.  Watts,  Mrs.  Follett,  Mrs. 
Warren,  the  Misses  Manifold,  Mrs.  Whitelaw,  Miss  Fisher. 
Mr.  F.  M.  Whitelaw  also  did  much  for  the  musical  service, 
us  did  Mrs.  Devp.mi  and  Mrs.  Burns.  Among  the  early 
teachers  of  the  Sunday  school  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Varey, 
Mrs.  Whitten,  Mrs.  Powell,  the  Misses  Shaw,  and,  in  later 
days,  Mr.  John  Nisbett,  as  superintendent.  Mr.  Robert 
Warren  wns  a  member  of  the  church  for  sixty  years 
and  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school,  class  leader  and  sup- 


METHODIST  CHURCH  105 

erintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  for  many  years.  Mr. 
Albert  Andrews  also  was  superintendent  for  several  years. 
Miss  Lockwood  was  also  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school. 
Since  occupying  the  new  building  many  improvements  have 
been  made,  a  fine  pipe  organ  purchased,  and  a  school  room 
built  adjoining  and  communicating  with  the  church,  a 
commodious  and  in  every  way  suitable  room.  This  was 
greatly  due  to  the  exertions  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  of 
the  church  and  the  help  given  by  two  aged  men,  Mr.  J. 
McCarthy  and  Mr.  John  Boyd.  Mr.  Warren  also  was  a 
liberal  helper.  Many  who  afterwards  became  noted  Metho- 
dist ministers  labored  here  first,  as  Eev.  Dr.  Young,  Dr. 
Sutherland,  Dr.  Wakefield,  Dr.  Withrow,  Dr.  Cleaver. 
Among  other  ministers  here  were  Mr.  Mills,  an  eloquent 
preacher,  Mr.  Masson,  Mr.  Sylvester,  Rev.  G.  N.  A.  F.  T. 
Dickson,  Dr.  Orme.  In  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Fields  the 
Jubilee  was  held  in  1873  and  in  that  of  Mr.  Masson  and 
Mr.  Sylvester  occurred  revivals.  Dr.  Withrow  is  remem- 
bered for  the  interest  he  took  in  the  public  library,  ho 
being  the  principal  one  in  its  revival  when  it  was  almost 
defunct.  He  afterwards  became  editor  of  the  Methodic/ 
Magazine  and  the  Sunday  school  papers  and  quarterlies. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 
MILITARY. 

Tins  (loo?  not  refer  to  the  battles  fought  here,  but  rather 
to  what  we  can  find  of  the  militia  of  our  town  and  town- 
ship and  the  different  British  regiments  that  have  been 
stationed  here  at  different  times,  No.  1  Lincoln  Regiment 
of  early  years,  and  No.  1  Company  Niagara  Volunteers  of 
a  later  date.  Traces  of  the  regiments  of  a  hundred  years 
ago  are  found  in  the  form  of  buttons,  buckles,  etc.,  at  Fort 
George,  Fort  Mississauga,  Butler's  Barracks,  and  many 
other  places  in  the  town,  bullets,  cannon  balls,  the  latter 
coming  in  the  bombardment  of  the  town,  13th  October, 
1812,  May  27th,  1813,  etc.  A  fine  collection  of  buttons 
was  owned  at  one  time  by  Richard  Taylor,  which  contained 
buttons  of  almost  every  regiment  which  had  been  stationed 
here,  British,  Canadian  or  United  States,  the  latter  from 
their  seven  months'  occupation  of  this  town  in  1813.  When 
heavy  rains  wash  down  the  soil  the  boys  of  the  town  are 
on  the  lookout  for  buttons,  and  we  are  afraid  think  more 
of  their  commercial  value  to  dispose  of  to  the  summer  visi- 
tors than  from  a  sentimental  or  historical  point  of  view. 
Col.  Cruikshank,  who  saw  the  collection  above  referred  to 
and  who,  there  is  no  doubt,  knows  more  of  the  history  of 
this  peninsula  and  of  the  War  of  1812  than  anyone  living 
or  dead,  said,  when  viewing  it,  that  almost  every  regiment 
was  represented.  The  buttons  most  frequently  found  are  the 
41st  and  100th,  as  these  were  here  a  longer  time  than  any 
other  regiment.  Those  of  Brock's  Regiment,  the  49th,  are 
not  so  frequently  found;  Butler's  Rangers  are  more  rare 
still.  We  read  that  when  Simcoe  was  here  in  1792  men  of 
the  5th  formed  his  guard.  In  1804  Brock's  regiment  was 

166 


MILITARY  167 

hern  and  we  have  the  story  of  the  mutiny  which  he  quelled. 
In  an  old  account  book  of  Lieut.  J.  D.  Servos  there  are 
references  to  the  1st  Lincoln  Regiment  of  Militia  from 
1810  to  1838,  with  names  of  officers  and  men,  also  of  all 
males  in  the  limits  over  age  and  of  half-pay  officers.  A 
note  written  three  days  after  the  Battle  of  Queenston 
Heights  and  another  later  gives  the  names  of  those  killed 
at  the  Battle  of  Fort  George  and  at  Lundy's  Lane  belong- 
ing to  his  company. 

The  following  British  Regiments  are  known  to  have 
been  stationed  here:  5th  Regiment,  King's  8th,  Fusiliers, 
Royal  Newfoundland,  Royal  Scots,  Royal  Artillery,  Royal 
Engineers,  Glenga.rry  Light  Infantry,  De  Watteville,  Sap- 
pers and  Miners,  King's  Dragoon  Guards,  37th,  68th,  70th 
Surrey,  71st,  76th,  79th,  82nd,  89th,  99th,  100th,  104th, 
and  Royal  Canadian  Rifles  formed  from  regulars  who  had 
•served  their  time  and  re-enlisted.  It  has  been  discovered 
that  the  word  "  Niagara  "  is  borne  on  the  colors  of  the  six 
following  British  regiments:  1st  Royal  Scots,  King's  8th, 
41st  Welsh  Regiment,  49th  Princess  Charlotte  of  Wales, 
82nd  Prince  of  Wales,  89th  Princess  Victoria. 

A  remembrance  of  those  who  had  fought  at  Queenston 
Heights,  or  had  served  in  some  capacity  in  the  War  of 
1812,  is  preserved  in  a  photograph  taken  at  Queenston 
Heights  in  1869  of  eight  veterans  whether  as  soldiers  or 
powder  boys,  the  oldest  aged  89,  the  youngest  67,  the  names 
being  Daniel  Field,  Solomon  Vrooman,  Seneca  Palmer, 
John  P.  Clement,  Duncan  McFarland,  John  Whitten, 
Lewis  Clement,  Daniel  Cooper.  No  doubt  these  old  vet- 
erans in  conversation  fought  their  battles  over  again,  if 
they  did  not  "  shoulder  their  crutch  and  show  how  fields 
were  won." 

In  the  home  of  Miss  Mary  Servos  are  many  military 
documents,  the  family  from  1778  having  been  military. 
One  room  in  the  house  dates  back  to  1784.  The  situation 
is  ideal  on  "Palatine  Hill/'  The  account  book  on  one  page 
records  2,494  barrels  of  potash  sold,  Oct.,  1799.  The  docu- 
ments, some  of  them  on  parchment,  are  commissions  of  sev- 


168 


TITSTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 


eral  generations  of  the  name  as  ensign,  lieutenant,  captain, 
major,  colonel,  signed  by  different  officials,  as  Haldimand, 
Colonel  Butler,  Lord  Dorchester,  Francis  Gore,  Peregrine 
Maitland,  Hon.  Eobert  Hamilton.  The  oldest  is  dated 
1779,  December  24th,  from  Haldimand,  appointing  Daniel 
Servos  lieutenant  in  Colonel  Johnson's  corps  of  North 
American  Indians.  A  relic  of  the  retreat  of  the  United 
States  forces  from  Stoney  Creek  is  an  ammunition  box 
ten  feet  long,  two  feet  square,  with  the  letters,  U.  S.  No.  1, 
6  Ib. ;  there  is  an  old  saddle  on  which  the  grandmother  Frey 
swam  across  the  Susquehanna  Eiver  carrying  despatches ;  a 
document  shows  the  size  of  the  farm  to  have  been  394 
acres  in  1794. 

In  an  old  account  book  of  Captain  J.  D.  Servos  are  the 
names  of  his  company  10th  July,  1812,  returns  also  20th 
July,  1  captain,  1  lieutenant,  1  ensign,  3  sergeants  and  36 
privates  thus, — 

J.  D.  Servos,  Captain. 
Elijah  Secord,  Lieutenant. 
Joseph  Clement,  Ensign. 
Joseph  Haun, 

Jacob  Spamback      Sergeants. 
John  Fox. 


Privates. 


1.  David  Cudney. 

2.  Geo.  Cockill. 

3.  Wm.  Pickard. 

4.  Wm.  Eobbins. 

5.  Abra  Secord. 

6.  John  Bissell. 

7.  Wm.  Kip. 

8.  Peter  Cockell. 

9.  Wm.  Allen. 

10.  Wm.  Fane. 

11.  Dan.  McFerson. 


12.  Jas.  Bennett. 

13.  John  Cain. 

14.  Alex.  Allen  Sr. 

15.  Matt.  Smith. 

16.  Jas.  Cudney. 

17.  Sam.  Clement. 

18.  Wm.  James. 

19.  Francis  Martelle. 

20.  <Sam.  Tomkins. 

21.  A.  Frisman. 

22.  Eich.  Slingerland. 


MILITARY  .IfiO 

23.  Alox.  Allen,  Jr.  30.  John  Laval. 

24.  Wm.  Parker.  31.  F.  Powers. 

25.  L.  Ferrish.  32.  S.  Pri chard. 

26.  Mich.  Deptly.  33.  Alex.  Young. 

27.  John  Frisman.  34.  John  Braffit. 

28.  John  Wilson.  35.  Dan.  McFerson. 

29.  John  Camp.  36.  - 

On  7th  September  the  company  with  38  privates  was 
reviewed  by  General  Sheaffe,  and 'on  13th  October,  1812, 
a  list  of  arms  and  accoutrements  with  18  rounds  of  ball 
from  Fort  George  by  John  D.  Servos;  next  is  given  a  list 
with  the  names  of  seven  volunteers,  among  them  Geo. 
Lawrence,  John  'Clement,  Aaron  Stevens,  Adam  Crysler, 
and  on  13th  February,  1813,  a  list  of  44  rank  and  flit-- 
required 50'  blankets,  and  signatures  of  those  who  received 
beds,  blankets,  accoutrements,  and  ammunition,  showing 
they  were  on  active  service.  On  21st  April,  there  are  50 
privates,  3  sergeants,  3  corporals;  Cortlandt  Secord  is  en- 
sign, then  a  statement,  "I  certify  that  I  lost  three-fourths 
of  my  personal  baggage  at  Fort  George  in  consequence  of 
the  retreat  by  order  of  Major-General  Vincent,  27th  May, 
1813.— John  D.  Servos,  Captain  1st  Eegiment.  L.  M." 
and  -a  letter  to  Col.  Claus,  January,  1815,  tells  that  Geo. 
Cockell  was  killed  at  Lundy's  Lane  and  recommends  his 
widow  with  a  large  family  for  an  allowance  (Caughill  is 
meant).  The  next  page  gives  a  return  of  those  killed  in  his 
company  with  the  number,  names  and  ages  of  the  children 
of  Martin  McLellan,  \Vm.  Cameron,  Charles  Wright  and 
Geo.  Cockell;  also  Capt.  Jones  died  while  a  prisoner  in 
the  United  States,  and  Jacob  Spamback,  sergeant,  died 
while  on  active  service.  Then  comes  a  list  of  all  the  officers 
in  the  ten  companies  of  the  1st  Lincoln  Militia  in  1827. 

In  the  history  of  the  War  of  1812-14  by  David  Thompson 
of  the  Royal  Scots  several  names  of  the  Lincoln  regiments 
are  mentioned  by  General  Sheaffe  as  having  distinguished 
themselves  by  their  bravery  at  the  Battle  of  Queenston 
Heights.  Two  flags  of  the  2nd  Lincoln,  with  the  words 


170  HTSTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

G.E.  TV.  showing  the  dale  to  be  between  1820  and  1830, 
are  in  our  Historical  Building,  and  two  flags  of  the  Lincoln 
Militia  are  exhibited  in  the  Log  Cabin  Museum  in  Toronto, 
while  one  is  in  possession  of  the  19th  Battalion  in  St. 
Catharines,  and  another  one  is  known  to  be  in  private 
hands. 

In  a  list  of  "Headquarters,  Fort  George,  July  8th,  1814, 
Weekly  Distribution,  Gen.  Riall,"  we  find  the  troops  were 
stationed  as  follows : 

Fort  Niagara — Col.  Tucker, — 

41st  Regiment,  'Staff  21  officers. 
Eoyal  Marine  Artillery,  62  rank  and  file. 
41st  Regiment,  25  officers,  466  rank  and  file. 
100th  Eegiment,  one  hundred. 

Fort  George — Col.  Gordon, — 
Eoyal  Scots. 

Fort  Mississauga, — Major  Evans, — 

8th  Eegiment. 

19th  Light  Dragoons,  3  officers,  64  rank  and  file,  4  sick. 

Provincial  Light  Dragoons,  2  officers,  15  rank  and  file. 

Eoyal  Engineers,  2  officers. 

Sappers  and  Miners,  6  rank  and  file. 

Eoyal  Artillery,  8  officers,  162  rank  and  file. 

Incorporated  Militia  Artillery,  1  officer,  10  rank  and  file. 

Eoyal  Artillery  Drivers,  1  officer,  28  rank  and  file. 

1st  Eoyal  Scots,  29  officers,  726  rank  and  file,  153  sick 
and  wounded. 

8th  Eegiment,  27  officers,  515  rank  and  file,  11  sick  and 
wounded. 

1'OOth  Eegiment,  5  officers,  266  rank  and  file,  121  sick 
and  wounded. 

Incorporated  Militia,  33  officers,  309  rank  and  file. 

Colored  corps,  1  officer,  22  rank  and  file,  4  sick." 

The  officers  of  the  1st  Lincoln  in  1812  were:  No.  1, 
Andrew  Heron,  Wm.  Powis,  Elijah  Secord;  No.  2,  Geo. 


MILTTABY  171 

Lawe,  Geo.  A.  Ball,  Henry  Pawling;  No.  3,  Win.  Robertson, 
John  Ball,  Adam  Brown;  No.  4,  Geo.  Lawrence,  John 
Servos;  No.  5,  Geo.  Reed,  Wm.  Servos,  Geo.  Darby;  No.  6, 
Geo.  Hamilton,  Thos.  McCormick,  John  May;  No.  7,  John 
Jones,  John  Record,  Simcoe  Stevenson ;  Flank  'Companies, 
Jas.  Crooks,  Capt.,  Martin  McLellan,  Lt.,  A.  Foster,  John 
McEwan,  R.  Rankin,  Geo.  Adams,  396  present. 

Of  Niagara  militia  -after  the  town  was  taken,  although 
many  were  paroled,  several  were  taken  prisoners  and  sent 
to  the  United  States,  as  Ralfe  Clench,  John  Powell,  Geo. 
Lane,  John  McEwan,  J.  Ball.  At  the  taking  of  Fort 
Niagara  three  militiamen  were  killed  and  Capt.  Servos  and 
five  were  wounded.  Several  distinguished  themselves,  as 
Ball,  Hamilton,  Servos,  Kirby.  The  Lincoln  Militia  did 
their  duty  during  the  War  of  1812  and  were  complimented 
by  Brock  and  Sheaffe.  John  C.  Ball  had  charge  of  cannon 
at  Queenston  Heights,  James  Crooks  and  John  McEwan's 
companies  marched  from  Niagara  and  Robert  Hamilton's 
from  Chippawa.  Of  those  killed  we  know  few  names, — 
Capt.  Martin  McLellan,  Charles  Wright  and  Wm.  Cam- 
eron at  Niagara,  and  Geo.  Grass,  27th  May,  1813,  and 
Geo.  Caughill  at  Lundy's  Lane.  Lieuts.  Ball,  Hamilton 
and  Servos  distinguished  themselves  at  the  storming  of 
Fort  Niagara,  and  Col.  Thos.  Dickson  at  Chippawa,  where 
he  was  wounded.  David  Thompson's  "  History  of  the  War 
of  1812  "  says  that  "  Major  David  Secord  then  took  com- 
mand, and  the  Second  Lincoln  distinguished  themselves 
by  feats  of  genuine  bravery  stimulated  by  the  example  of 
their  gallant  leader."  At  Stamford  when  General  Brock 
reviewed  two  companies  of  militia  before  the  war  began 
and  asked  how  many  would  volunteer,  they  all  marched 
to  the  front  except  one.  In  David  Thompson's  History 
of  the  War  of  1812-14  are  given  the  names  of  officers  of 
the  militia  in  this  vicinity,  whom  General  Sheaffe  reported 
as  '^having  particularly  signalized  themselves  for  the  gallant 
and  steady  manner  in  which  they  led  troops  under  their 
command  into  action  and  for  a  length  of  time  sustained  the 
conflict  with  an  overwhelming  enemy,  viz.,  Lieutenant- 


172  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Colonels  Butler  and  Clark,  Captains  Hatt,  Durand,  Rowe, 
Applegarth,  Jas.  Crooks,  Jas.  Cooper,  Eobert  Hamilton, 
John  McEwan  and  Duncan  Cameron;  and  Lieut.  Thomas 
Butler  commanding  a  flank  company  of  Lincoln  Militia, 
Lieut.  Richardson  commanding  a  flank  company  of  York- 
Militia;  Captain  A.  Hamilton  is  likewise  highly  spoken  of 
for  his  usefulness  and  activity  at  the  guns  under  Capt. 
Holcroft,  to  whose  company  he  had  attached  himself  after 
being  disabled  from  accompanying  his  troop  in  the  Niagara 
Dragoons,  to  which  he  then  belonged.  The  guns  at  Fort 
George  were  under  the  direction  of  Captains  Powell  and 
Cameron,  of  the  Militia  Artillery,  during  October  13th." 

The  presentation  of  two  flags  in  1818  to  the  4th  Regi- 
ment of  Lincoln  Militia  is  recorded  in  the  Niagara  Spec- 
tator, Juno  18th.  A  set  of  colors,  consecrated  by  Rev,.  W. 
Sampson,  was  presented  by  the.  two  Misses  Nelles;  the 
words  used  by  each  of  the  ladies  are  worth  preservation. 
Miss  E.  Nelles  said:  "These  colors  are  presented  under  a 
fixed  conviction  that  you  will  do  honor  to  them  on  every 
occasion,  and  should  you  again  be  called  on  to  defend  your 
country  from  an  invading  foe,  may  your  united  endeavors 
as  heretofore  be  crowned  with  success  by  the  God  of  jus- 
tice ;  and  may  these  banners  sanctified  by  divine  benediction 
remain  unsullied  as  symbols  of  your  loyalty  to  succeeding 
generations."  Miss  M.  Nelles  said,  "  My  friend  has  left 
nothing  for  me  to  add  to  the  brave  officers  and  men  of  the 
4th  Lincoln  Militia,  except  that  to  say  that  there  is  any 
doubt  of  their  voluntarily  defending  with  their  lives  these 
colors  now  confided  to  their  charge  would  be  to  contradict 
the  many  proofs  they  have  publicly  given  of  their  loyalty 
and  bravery.  May  your  arms  always  prosper  against  tho 
enemies  of  your  country."  The  evening  closed  with  a 
dance  at  the  home  of  Lieut-Colonel  Robert  Nelles. 

Sometimes  there  seems  to  have  been  friction  between  the 
military  and  civilian  elements,  as  in  1817  an  arrangement 
was  made  between  the  magistrates  and  Colonel  Grant,  by 
which  Mondays,  Wednesdays  and  Fridays  are  allowed  to 
inhabitants  of  the  town  to  fish,  and  the  other  three  days 
are  for  the  military.  "  After  this  it  is  hoped  no  misunder- 
standing will  take  place/' 


MILITAEY  173 

In  1828,  June  9th,  the  1st  Eegiment  Lincoln  Militia 
formed  a  hollow  square  on  the  plains  of  Fort  George ;  En- 
signs Muirhead  and  Fields  marched  in  full  uniform  bear- 
ing elegant  new  colors  guarded  by  Major  Dobie,  Quarter- 
Master-Sergeant  Miller,  Ensigns  j.  Whitteii  and  T.  Whit- 
ten,  the  colors  were  unfurled  and  the  Regiment  addressed 
by  Co].  Leonard,  congratulating  them  on  the  brave  stand 
made  by  the  Eegiment  in  defence  of  the  country  invaded 
by  a  ruthless  enemy.  Evolutions  were  performed  and  din- 
ner to  thirty  of  the  Eegiment  at  Wilson's,  the  non-coms. 
at  Howard's. 

In  1829  six  companies  of  the  1st  Lincoln  Militia  met 
on  the  plains;  also  a  troop  of  horse  in  uniform  under  Lt. 
Eobert  Dickson  and  Cornet  W.  H.  Dickson. 

In  1830,  May  Hth,  the  71st  Eegiment  left  Niagara 
and  the  79th  arrived.  In  1831  a  long  complimentary 
address  was  presented  by  the  town  to  Capt.  Hanson  of  the 
71st,  which  speaks  highly  of  the  good  conduct  of  the 
soldiers  who  have  been  here  two  years.  In  1835  a  map  was 
made,  signed  by  G.  Nieholls,  Colonel  commanding  Eoyal 
Engineers,  Quebec,  of  the  Military  Eeserve  here,  showing 
the  buildings  at  Fort  George,  Butler's  Barracks  and  Fort 
Mississanga.  The  Eeserve  on  the  Common  had  been  laid 
out  bv  Lieut.  Pilkinfton  in  1796.  A  map  also  exists  made 
in  1822  by  Captain  Vavasour,  showing  the  Common  laid 
out  in  streets. 

In  1835  "Delinquents  of  1st  Lincoln  who  attended 
without  arms  nreviouslv  will  assemble  with  arms  at  twelve 
noon.  J.  TV.  Ball  is  appointed  Ensign." 

During  the  Eebellion,  on  December  9th,  1837,  one  hun- 
dred volunteers  went  across  to  Toronto.  "Mr.  Lockhart  had 
fitted  ur>  in  twelve  hours  the  dismantled  Brifannrca,  provi- 
sioned her,  etc.  Warning  had  been  given  at  St.  Catharines; 
some  walked  through  mud  and  mire,  fifty  cavalry  formed 
at  oncp,  nil  went  through  in  three  and  a  half  hours;  as  they 
passed  every  window  flew  open,  handkerchiefs  waved:  at 
six  the  boat  left  witb  cheers,  but  there  was  such  a  wind 
that  it  returned  in  three  hours.  Indians  came  in  under 
^hief  Col.  Kerr.  of  Wellington  Square,  Niagara  was  filled, 
but  none  were  allowed  to  leave."  The  Niagara  troop  was 
under  Capt.  Dickson. 


174  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGARA 

During  the  American  'Civil  War  the  Niagara  volunteer 
company  was  sent  to  Philipsburg,  Que.,  to  defend  the  fron- 
tier and  prevent  Southerners  in  Canada  from  attacking 
banks  in  United  States,  and  a  French  company  and  the 
Queen's  Own  were  sent  here.  At  the  time  of  the  Fenian 
Raid  a  Home  Guard  was  formed,  and  many  were  the  false 
alarms  of  the  crossing  of  an  invading  force  by  practical 
jokers  of  that  day  now  dead  and  gone.  The  names  of 
No.  1  Company  at  the  time  of  the  Fenian  Raid  are  fur- 
nished to  us  in  a  statement  presenting  the  silver  bugle, 
given  by  the  ladies  of  the  town,  to  the  company  on  their 
return  from  Philipsburg,  1865,  to  the  historical  collection. 
They  are  as  then  given  by  their  own  signatures : 

Johnson  B.  Clench,  Lt.  George  Ellison. 

R.  Currie,  Ensign.  Robt.  Fizette. 

Joseph  Masters,  Sergeant.  Thos.  Holohan. 

Richard  Wynn.  A.  Sherlock. 

J.  H.  Willson.  Stephen  Todd. 

,1.  G.  Thornton.  John  Bishop. 

John  Clockenburg.  Jas.  B.  McMilleu. 

John  Raynor.  William  Long. 

W.  J.   Campbell.  William  Elliot. 

James  Hartley.  James  Holohan. 

A.  Davey.  Wm.  H.  Smith. 

Thos.  Robertson.  Patrick  Lynch. 

Henry  Ellison.  John  Nishet. 

John  Thompson.  Albert   Sherlock. 

In  1866  No.  1  Company  was  sent  to  Fort  Erie  in  the 
Fenian  Raid.  This  company  had  been  formed  in  1861  : 
meetings  had  been  held  at  which  Hon.  J.  G.  Currie  and 
John  Powell  spoke,  and  the  first  captain  was  Mr.  John 
Powell.  The  active  service  was  in  1861-2.  during  the 
excitement  of  the  Trent  affair.  When  the  19th  Battalion 
was  formed  in  1863  our  company  joined,  but  retained  its 
number.  The  next  'service  was  in  1865  at  the  time  of  the 
St.  Alban's  Raid.  A  band  was  formed,  three  of  its  mem- 
bers being  the  Ellison  brothers,  George,  John  and  Henry. 
Tn  April.  1865,  No.  1  Comr>anv  was  sent  to  Philipsburg 
and  in  1866  they  went  with  the  19th  Battalion  to  Fort 


MILITAEY  175 

Erie;  although  too  late  to  engage  in  the  fight,  they  helped 
to  take  care  of  the  wounded,  guarded  the  prisoners  taken 
and  even  helped  to  bury  some  of  the  dead  Fenians.  The 
last  active  service  of  the  company  was  in  1870,  when  a 
second  Fenian  invasion  was  threatened. 

Three  members  served  over  25  years  and  were  awarded 
the  long  service  medal — John  Clockenburg,  who  had  been 
in  the  Prussian  Army,  James  Hartley  and  Joseph  Masters. 
The  chief  officers  have  been  Capt.  John  Powell,  Johnson 
Clench,  Edward  Thompson  and  Eobert  Currie. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
THE  BAPTIST  CHURCJf. 

MUCH  relating  to  the  organization  of  this  church  and 
the  erection  of  the  building  may  be  learned  from  the  journal 
of  Rev.  John  Oakley,  who  came  to  Niagara  in  1814,  and 
was  employed  in  a  military  capacity  at  Fort  George,  as 
keeper  of  the  stores.  He  retired  on  half  pay  and  became 
a  teacher  and  a  preacher,  and  was,  no  doubt,  the  principal 
factor  in  procuring  funds  for  the  building.  He  says, 
"Before  I  left  Niagara  the  Lord  enabled  me  to  obtain 
means  of  building  a  chapel  in  the  western  part  of  the 
town.  It  is  a  plain,  substantial  building,  30  x  40  feet,  and 
is  now  occupied  principally  by  the  black  race,  they  being 
the  most  numerous  members  in  the  church."  The  white 
members,  when  a  Baptist  chapel  was  built  at  the  cross 
roads.  Four  Mile  Creek  (now  Virgil),  united  with  the 
church  there. 

"July  5th,  1830.  1  am  much  encouraged  with  the 
liberality  of  the  brethren  and  friends  in  subscribing  to- 
wards the  building  or  meeting-house.  The  Lord  bless  our 
undertaking." 

In  a  Niagara  paper  of  July  .'31st,  1830,  appears  an  adver- 
tisement asking  for  tenders,  signed,  J,  Oakley,  D.  B.  Groat, 
J.  Pickard,and  naming  those,  who  were  to  collect,  as  Deacon 
George  Havens,  Ten  Mile  Creek,  Deacon  J.  Van  Loon, 
Louth,  near  Twenty  Mile  Creek,  and  Deacon  J.  Beam, 
Beamsville.  The  size  to  'be  exactly  upon  the  plan  of  the 
Methodist  meeting-house,  42  x  32  x  20,  the  porch  10  x  7. 
Deacon  Beam  gave  two  acres  of  land  for  the  church  at 
Beamsville,  the  village  taking  its  name  from  him. 

The  diary  goes  on  :  "  September  1st.  Have  been  busily 
engaged  in  getting  timber  hauled  to  Niagara  for  building 
the  meeting-house. 

"  October.  Have  been  travelling  for  two  weeks  soliciting 
money  from  the  brethren  of  other  churches  and  others  to 
assist  us  in  building  the  meeting-house.  The  Lord  gave  us 

176 


THE  BAPTIST  CHURCH  177 

favor  in  the  sight  of  the  people,  so  that  many  who  were 
opposed  to  us  subscribed  liberally.  I  have  been  greatly 
grieved  with  the  consideration  that  most  of  our  brethren 
who  are  able,  and  from  whom  we  might  naturally  have 
expected  the  greatest  encouragement  and  assistance,  have 
done  less  for  us  than  many  who  do  not  profess  to  have 
experienced  a  change  of  heart.  Out  of  220  subscribers,  and 
several  of  these  Catholics,  there  are  not  at  present  more 
than  thirty  brethren  and  sisters  from  our  own  denomina- 
tion. Through  the  goodness  of  God,  who  has  the  hearts 
of  all  men  in  His  hands,  we  have  been  enabled  to  raise  the 
frame  of  the  building  that  we  intend  (the  Lord  permitting 
us)  to  consecrate  entirely  to  the  service  of  our  (rod,  with- 
out the  customary  use  of  ardent  spirits,  and  oh !  that  it 
may  be  the  birthplace  of  many  souls. 

"  June  28th,  1831.  Meeting-house  opened.  First  sermon 
at  nine.  Prayer-meeting  at  six  a.m." 

Elder  Winchel,  who  had  been  instrumental  in  organizing 
a  church  at  Queenston,  preached  once  a  fortnight  for  a 
year  in  Niagara,  and  Elder  ISTeill  once  a  month.  "  Deacon 
Beam  and  Brother  Pickard  helped  us  to  determine  on  the 
plan  and  size  of  the  meeting-house."  The  church  thus  re- 
ferred to  was  used  for  many  years  by  the  colored  people  of 
the  towiv,  of  whom  there  were  several  hundred,  principally 
escaped  slaves.  Eev.  J.  B.  Mowat  preached  to  them  while 
here  in  1854-6.  The  building  has  been  removed  to  the  farm 
of  Miss  Oliver,  and  the  foundation  stones  may  yet  be  seen. 

In  speaking  of  the  church  in  after  years,  Mrs.  Guillean, 
a  fine-looking  mulatto  woman,  said,  "  The  white  Baptis' 
and  the  black  Baptis'  disputed  for  the  church,  but  the 
black  Baptis'  won."  She  recalled  the  fact  that  baptisms 
(of  course  by  immersion)  sometimes  took  place  in  the 
creek  running  through  a  field  in  town,  and  sometimes  they 
preferred  the  waters  of  Lake  Ontario,  going  down  to  the 
lake  shore  near  Fort  Mississauga. 


IS 


CHAPTEK  XXVI. 
GRAVEYARDS  OF  NIAGARA  AND  VICINITY. 

WHILE  it  was  natural  that  the  early  settlers  should  bury 
their  dead  on  their  own  farms,  it  is  much  to  be  regretted 
that  when  regular  cemeteries  were  provided  these  were  not 
used  by  all,  as  in  many  cases  farms  have  changed  owners, 
and  the  family  burial  plot  has  been  neglected,  given  over 
to  the  plough  or  to  briars  and  weeds,  cattle  browsing  over 
the  graves  of  those  whose  memory  should  be  kept  green 
and  their  graves  treated  with  tender  care. 

Butler  Family  Graveyard. — This  was  originally  a  part 
of  the  farm  of  Colonel  John  Butler,  situated  about  a  mile 
from  town,  at  the  west  end,  half  an  acre  of  land  in  the 
centre  of  the  farm.  The  will  of  Colonel  Butler  directed 
that  his  body  should  be  buried  in  the  family  burying- 
ground.  A  deed  is  in  existence  by  which  it  became  the  pro- 
perty of  Warren  Glaus,  John  Glaus,  Kalfe  Clench,  James 
Muirhead,  Thomas  Butler,  Hugh  Freel.  The  farm  has 
since  been  sold,  and  the  boundary  line  between  the  two 
owners  runs  exactly  through  the  middle  of  the  burial  plot. 
A  fence  formerly  surrounded  it,  but  this  no  longer  exists ; 
by  the  fall  of  an  immense  tree,  which  was  cut  down,  most 
of  the  stones  have  been  broken;  the  vault  had  fallen  in 
and  the  remains  were  exposed  to  view.  It  is  remarkable 
that  although  there  are  inscriptions  to  other  members  of  the 
family  there  is  none  to  the  doughty  colonel  himself;  but 
this  has  been  atoned  for  in  St.  Mark's  Church.  The  high- 
sounding  periods  of  those  days  are  well  exemplified  in  the 
following : 

"  Here  reposes  Maria  'Caroline,  the  generous-hearted, 
high-souled,  talented  and  deeply  lamented  wife  of  Major 
Eichardson,  Knight  of  the  Military  Order  of  St.  Ferdinand 
of  the  First  Class,  and  Superintendent  of  Police  on  the 
Welland  Canal,  during  the  administration  of  Lord  Met- 
calfe.  This  matchless  woman  died  of  apoplexy,  and  to  the 
exceeding  grief  of  her  faithfully  attached  husband,  after 

178 


179 

a  few  days'  illness  in  St.  Catharines,  on  the  16th  day  of 
August,,  1845,  at  the  age  of  37  years." 

Peculiar  punctuation  and  orthography  appear  in  the 
next: 

"  Deborah  Freel :  died  1816  aged  70.  My  dere :  children  : 
Think  on  God :  And  His  Commandments :  An  he  wil  Think 
on  yo :  Ohserv  your  youth :  don't  lose  no  time :  Least  God 
should  take  you  in  your  prime :  Serve  God  above :  And  on 
this  world :  fix  not  your  lov." 

Another  stone  chronicles  "  Samuel  Cox,  who  was  born 
on  the  ocean  between  'Germany  and  New  York,  1759;  died 
1822." 

There  were  also  stones  to  Butler  Muirhead,  barrister, 
and  James  Muirhead,  surgeon,  to  Mary,  wife  of  John 
Gustavus  Stevenson,  and  daughter  of  James  and  Jane 
Butler,  also  one  to  Eliza,  wife  of  Charles  Richardson. 

A  large  flat  stone  mentions  that  it  was  erected  as  a  family 
monument,  by  Charles  Richardson,  A.D.  1835,  and  reads 
thus :  "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Ralfe  Clench,  died  Janu- 
ary, 1828,  aged  66  years.  Eliza  Euretta  Richardson,  wife 
of  'Charles  Richardson,  died  September,  1833,  aged  25 
years.  Jane,  wife  of  Robert  Rist,  late  Captain  of  37th 
Regiment,  and  eldest  sister  of  Charles  Richardson,  died 
1831." 

The  body  of  Ralfe  Clench  was  afterwards  removed  to  St. 
Mark's  cemetery.  He  was  one  of  the  Rangers,  judge,  mem- 
ber of  Parliament,  and  town  clerk ;  he  fought  at  Queenston 
Heights.  A  small  enclosure  has  flat  stones  to  two  sons  of 
Colonel  Butler,  Thomas  and  Johnson,  who  died  in  Decem- 
ber, 1812,  and  their  wives  also,  and  Judge  Butler,  son  of 
Thomas  Butler. 

In  the  vault  were  interred  various  members  of  the  Claus 
family.  Ann,  relict  of  Colonel  Daniel  Claus,  daughter  of 
Sir  William  Johnson  and  his  German  wife,  and  mother  of 
Colonel  William  Claus  lies  here.  The  last  one  buried  here 
was  John  Claus,  son  of  Colonel  William  Claus.  The  park 
commissioners  have  lately  put  a  strong  fence  around  the 
enclosure,  and  it  is  hoped  a  right  of  way  will  be  arranged 
for,  and  a  cairn  with  the  names  of  all  sleeping  here. 

Ball  Family  Bury  ing-Ground. — This  graveyard  has  sev- 
eral generations  buried  in  its  enclosure.  The  Jacob  Ball 


180  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

who  came  with  his  three  sons,  bringing  forty  men  to  enlist 
in  Butler's  Rangers,  in  1780,  lies  here  with  his  three  sons, 
Peter,  John  and  George;  the  other  son,  Jacob,  is  buried 
at  the  Ten  Mile  Creek.  The  inscriptions  are  brief :  "  In 
memory  of  Jacob  Ball,  born  1733,  died  1810.  He  had 
fought  in  the  Queen's  Rangers  through  the  Revolutionary 
War."  "  Mary  Ball,  wife  of  Jacob  Ball,  died  in  1814,  aged 
78,"  and  "EH/abeth  Showers,  wife  of  Peter  Ball,  born 
1764,  died  1844."  The  last  interred  here  was  John  W.  Ball, 
for  fifty  years  an  office-bearer  in  St.  Mark's. 

Bellenger  Family  Graveyard. — This  is  an  almost  forgotten 
burying-plot  on  the  Cox  farm,  and  having  passed  through 
many  hands,  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  the  fragments 
were  scattered  which  we  tried  to  piece  together.  But  this 
work  was  repaid,  for  some  unique  inscriptions  were  dis- 
covered. A  quotation  from  the  Apocrypha  was  the  first 
found,  and  fuller  particulars  than  are  generally  given  as  to 
moment  of  birth  and  death. 

"  In  memory  of  Philip  Bellenger,  who  was  born  —  20th, 
1725,  between  four  and  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and 
died  February  16th,  1799,  between  four  and  five  o'clock 
in  the  morning." 

"  Here  rests  the  body  of  Hanna  Pawling,  wife  of  G.  A. 
Pawling,  who  was  born  in  August,  1802,  at  —  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  and  died  June  —  at  —  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing. '  She  being  made  perfect  in  a  short  time  fulfilled  a 
long  time.  For  her  soul  pleased  the  Lord,  therefore  He 
hastened  to  take  her  away  from  among  the  wicked. — 
Eccles.  chap.  4,  verses  13  and  14.' '; 

In  vain  Ecclesiastes  was  explored  for  this  verse;  then 
Ecclesiasticus  with  the  same  result,  but  finally  it  was  found 
in  the  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  but  with  the  word  "  he  "  instead 
of  "  she,"  and  "  his  "  instead  of  "  her."  Since  finding 
this  inscription  placed  here  nearly  a  century  ago,  a  pathetic 
interest  attaches  to  it,  as  we  find  that  these  are  the  verses 
selected  by  the  Princess  Alice  for  her  father's  tomb,  Albert 
the  Good,  and  they  certainly  seemed  appropriate  in  his 
case. 

Servos  Family  Burial  Ground. — Here  on  the  farm  of 
Miss  Mary  Servos  there  are  five  generations  buried.  A 
large  monument  is  to  Colonel  John  D.  Servos,  born  in 


GRAVEYARDS  OF  NIAGARA  181 

Niagara  1784;  died  1847.  He  was  captain  of  Lincoln 
Militia  in  1812-14  and  commanded  the  Militia  at  Chip- 
pawa  in  1837-8.  Another  is  to  Captain  Daniel  Servos,  of 
Butler's  Rangers,  who  died  March  26th,  1808,  aged  65. 
Here  also  is  the  grave  of  the  widow  of  Colonel  Johnson 
who  was  killed  at  the  time  of  the  taking  of  Fort  Niagara, 
1759 :  "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Elizabeth  Johnson,  who 
died  November,  1811,  aged  104  years."  Her  daughter,  Eliza- 
beth, wife  of  Daniel  Servos,  died  in  1821,  aged  72  years. 
Here  also  is  buried  Magdalene  Servos,  wife  of  John  AYhit- 
more,  who  as  a  little  girl  witnessed  the  killing  of  her  grand- 
father in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  afterwards  married 
John  Whitmore,  who  had  witnessed  a  similar  sight;  their 
daughter  married  our  distinguished  litterateur,  William 
Kirby,  F.R.S.C.  Another,  referred  to  in  St.  Mark's  regis- 
ter, "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Elizabeth,  relict  of  Colin 
McNabb,  Esq.,  of  -  — ,  near  Niagara,  who  departed  this 
life,  Sept.  26th,  1813,  aged  44;  also  of  their  son,  Colin 
Alexander,  Lieutenant  in  H.  M.  late  Nova  Scotia  Fencibles 
Regiment,  who  departed  this  life  November  10th,  1820." 
Other  names  are  found  here,  as  Tannahill,  Fuller,  Lowe. 
Several  Indians  here  found  sepulture. 

Field,  Brown,  Vrooman. — Near  the  residence  of  Mr. 
George  Field,  an  historic  house,  is  a  graveyard,  in  which 
are  interred  members  of  three  families.  A  tombstone  tells 
us  that  Gilbert  Field  died  in  1815,  aged  50,  while  his  son 
Daniel  Field,  who  fought  at  Detroit,  Queenston  and 
Lundy's  Lane,  died  in  1873.  In  another  division  of  the 
plot  is  an  inscription : 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Solomon  S.  Vrooman,  born 
December  5th,  1783,  died  August  21st,  1874;"  also  to  his 
wife,  Mary  Brown.  The  position  of  Vrooman's  battery  is 
yet  pointed  out.  A  thick  grey  stone  with  a  perpendicular 
division  and  angels'  faces  carved  above  has  these  words: 

"  In  memory  of  Joseph  Brown,  died  1821,  aged  65,  and 
his  consort,  Rebecca  Johnson,  9th  March,  ISO'S." 

"  Remember,  men,  when  you  pass  by, 

As  you  are  now,  so  once  was  I; 
As  we  are  now,  so  you  must  be — 
Remember,  men,  that  all  must  die." 


182  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Two  others  of  the  date  1808  also  have  angels'  faces: 
"  In  memory  of  Nancy  Vrooman,  daughter  of  Solomon 
and  Mary  Vrooman,  died  April,  1808,  in  the  16th  year  of 
her  age.  Erected  1824."  Also  Phebe  Brown,  died  1808, 
showing  the  early  possession  of  the  farm,  still,  till  last 
year,  in  the  same  name. 

Hamilton  Family  Graveyard. — The  Hon.  Robert  Hamil- 
ton, born  in  Scotland,  who  may  be  called  the  founder  of 
Queenston,  is  buried  here,  dying  in  1809.  To  his  son, 
"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Robert  Hamilton,  born  at  Fort 
Niagara,  1787,  died  1856.  Mary  Bigger,  his  wife,  born  at 
Dumfries,  Scotland,  1790."  A  large  altar  tomb  commem- 
orates a  member  of  the  well-known  Dickson  family,  related 
to  the  Hamiltons.  He  was  a  merchant  in  Queenston. 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Thomas  Dickson,  born  in 
Dumfries,  Scotland,  who  died  1825,  aged  50;  also  Eliza, 
his  wife,  died  1802," 

Another  important  name  in  the  history  of  the  country 
— "Hannah,  wife  of  William  Jarvis,  Secretary  of  the  Pro- 
vince of  Upper  Canada,  died  1845,  aged  84. 

"  Shed  not  for  her  the  bitter  tear, 

Nor  give  the  heart  to  vain  regret, 
Tis  but  the  casket  that  lies  here, 
The  gem  that  filled  it  sparkles  yet." 

As  the  family  connection  was  large,  there  are  many 
names  here  from  intermarriage,  as  Tench,  Carruthers, 
Townsend,  Duff,  Durand,  Mewburn,  Gourlay. 

Clement  Family  Burying-Ground. — Here  are  found 
many  well-known  names. 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  James  Clement,  born  15th 
July,  1764,  died  8th  March,  1813,  aged  49." 

The  commission  of  James  Clement,  signed  by  Dorches- 
ter, is  dated  1788. 

"  In  memory  of  Sarah  Clement,  daughter  of  John  C. 
Pettitt,  and  consort  of  Joseph  Clement,  who  departed  this 
life  9th  June,  1824,  aged  34." 

"  Eliza  Matilda  Ball,  daughter  of  Jacob  H.  and  Kath- 
arine Ball,  died  1823,  aged  11." 

In  the  Stevens'  graveyard,  very  near,  is  buried  George 
Caughill,  killed  at  Lundy's  Lane.  It  is  said  that  he  was 


GRAVEYARDS  OF  NIAGARA  183 

carried  from  the  field  by  Barney  Cain,  who  was  buried  at 
Virgil. 

Virgil  Burial  Place. — In  the  small  graveyard  of  the 
Methodist  Church  is  a  stone  to  one  from  whom  the  village 
was  first  named  and  who  was  long  a  class-leader : 

"'George  Lawrence,  born  March  26th,  1757,  died  August 
5th,  3848,  aged  91  years/' 

The  names  of  Casselman,  Cassaday,  Caughill,  Cushman, 
Cain  are  found  on  the  Corus  farm,  near  Virgil. 

"  To  the  memory  of  Casper  Corus,  died  November  24th, 
1835,  aged  96  years." 

"  In  memory  of  William  Casselman,  who  departed  this 
life  January  llth,  1847,  aged  53  years." 

We  now  turn  to  the  graveyards  of  the  town,  and  preced- 
ence must  be  given  to  that  of  St.  Mark's  as  being  the 
oldest  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  most  interesting  and  most 
historic.  Here  rest  peacefully  together  different  nation- 
alities and  denominations,  for  as  this  was  the  first  burial 
place  it  was  used  by  all  at  least  forty  years  before  separate 
graveyards  were  provided.  The  oldest  stone,  dated  1782, 
is  placed  in  the  east  vestibule  of  the  church.  Perhaps  the 
next  in  date  is  the  following,  but  clear-cut  as  if  done  quite 
lately:  "Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Elizabeth  Kerr,  wife 
of  Robert  Kerr,  who  departed  this  life  at  Niagara,  24th 
January,  1794,  aged  32  years."  Mrs.  Kerr  was  a  daughter 
of  Sir  William  Johnson  and  Molly  Brant.  Mr.  J.  R. 
Robertson  paid  to  have  the  inscription  re-cut. 

A  large,  flat  stone,  hacked  and  marred  so  as  to  be 
almost  indecipherable,  having  been  used  as  a  butcher's 
block  during  the  war,  while  the  town  was  in  the  hands  of 
the  Americans,  has  this  inscription : 

"To  the  memory  of  Charles  Morrison,  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, who  resided  many  years  at  Michilimackinac  as  a 
merchant  and  magistrate,  and  since  the  cession  of  that 
post  to  the  United  States  became  a  British  subject  by  elec- 
tion; for  loyalty  to  his  Sovereign  and  integrity  in  his 
dealings  he  was  ever  remarkable.  He  died  here  on  his  way 
to  Montreal  on  the  5th  day  of  September,  1802,  aged  65 
years." 

In  the  first  poem  published  by  Mr.  Kirby,  called  "  The 
U.  E."  is  a  character  called  by  him  Ranger  John. 


184  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

Here  in  the  south-eastern  side  of  the  graveyard  is  a  simple 
inscription  to  the  old  United  Empire  Loyalist  from  whom 
the  character  in  the  poem  was  drawn: 

"John  Clement,  Esq.,  died  February  llth,  1845,  aged 
87." 

Near  the  north  corner  of  the  cemetery  is  a  monument 
to  "€olonel  Ralfe  Clench,  died  January  19th,  1828,  aged 
66  years;  also  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  who  died  August  loth, 
1850,  aged  78."  His  wife,  Elizabeth  Johnson,  was  the 
granddaughter  of  Sir  William  Johnson  and  Molly  Brant. 
Not  far  from  the  church  are  the  graves  of  two  worthies 
yet  unmarked, — Dominic  Henry,  an  old  soldier  of  the  army 
of  Cornwallis,  who  afterwards  was  the  lighthouse-keeper, 
and  his  wife,  who  served  out  refreshments  to  our  soldiers 
on  27th  May,  1813.  Many  soldiers  lie  here,  in  one  spot 
those  of  the  Royal  Canadian  Eifles,  in  another  of  the  76th 
Regiment,  and  still  another  of  the  King's  Dragoon  Guards. 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Thomas  Easton,  late  trum- 
peter H.  M.  Royal  Artillery  Drivers,  who  departed  this  life 
February  24th/ 1832,  aged  56  years." 

"  Here  lies  within  this  silent  grave 
A  Royal  soldier,  brisk  and  brave, 
Who  suddenly  was  called  away 
From  off  this  sodden  foot  of  clay." 

He  was  trumpeter  to  Brock  at  the  Battle  of  Queenston 
Heights. 

The  father  of  Major  Hiscott,  M.P.P.  for  many  years,  is 
thus  commemorated: 

"  In  memory  of  Richard  Hiscott,  born  in  Wiltshire, 
England,  1790,  died  at  Niagara,  Canada,  1874.  Deservedly 
esteemed  both  as  a  citizen  and  a  soldier.  In  early  life 
he  served  with  honor  in  H.  M.  76th  Regiment  of  foot,  and 
was  in  many  battles  of  the  Peninsular  War  and  in  Canada. 
He  settled  in  Niagara,  where  a  large  family  of  his  descend- 
ants and  numerous  friends  lament  his  death." 

Not  far  from  this, — 

"  In  memory  of  the  Hon.  William  Dickson,  of  Wood- 
lawn,  Niagara,  born  in  Dumfries,  Scotland,  1769,  died  at 
Niagara  January  1st,  1846 ;  and  of  Charlotte  Adlem,  wife 


GEAVEYAEDS  OF  NIAGAEA  185 

of  Hon.  William  Dickson,  born  in  London,  England,  1771, 
died  at  Niagara  January  1st,  1826." 

Under  a  weeping  willow,  on  a  small  stone, — "  To  the 
memory  of  John  Wray,  50  years  Parish  Clerk  of  St. 
Mark's,  who  died  at  an  advanced  age,  October  6th,  1846." 

A  trace  of  the  rude  hand  of  war  is  here  recorded, — • 
"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  John  McFarland,  a  native  of 
Paisley,  Scotland.  Pie  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  capture 
of  Fort  George  and  escaped  from  Green  Bush  near  the 
close  of  the  war,  1815.  He  returned  to  his  place,  Niagara, 
and  finding  his  property  burnt  up  and  destroyed,  it  ener- 
vated him  so  much  that  he  died  in  a  few  months  after,  in 
the  64th  year  of  his  age." 

On  a  tombstone  near  the  north  corner  is  a  unique  epi- 
taph, as  describing  one  who  had  gained  all  the  wealth  he 
desired, — 

"An  honest  man's  the  noblest  work  of  God.  In  memory 
of  Archibald  Cunningham,  who  was  born  in  Scotland  and 
resided  nearly  thirty  years  in  Canada.  Having,  during 
half  of  that  time,  by  Strict  Integrity  and  Persevering  In- 
dustry in  the  Paths  of  Commerce  acquired  a  Competency 
equal  to  his  Wishes,  he  retired  to  his  Farm  and  there,  by 
a  life  of  Frugal  Simplicity  and  disinterested  Benevolence, 
he  retained  the  affection  of  all  his  friends  and  procured  the 
respect  of  all  his  Neighbors.  These  sentiments,  evincing 
the  Esteem  of  those  who  accompanied  him  through  Life, 
Have  by  them  been  engraven  on  this  Monument.  Erected 
by  a  grateful  and  effectionate  Friend.  Ob.  21st  August, 
1804." 

It  is  remarkable  that  a  grandniece,  Miss  Fanny  Sibbald, 
was  buried  beside  him  in  1902  (by  her  own  request). 

"  Andrew  Brady,  born  at  Queenston  Heights  August 
15th,  1789,  died  1875."  Many  remember  him — familiarly 
known  as  Father  Brady,  a  Methodist  class  leader. 

A  fine  granite  monument  has  these  inscriptions :  "  To 
the  glory  of  God  and  in  memory  of  William  McMurray, 
D.D.,  D.C.L.,  Archdeacon  of  Niagara  and  Eector  of  St. 
Mark's  Parish  for  37  years.  Born  September  19th,  1810, 
died  May  19th,  1894.  'Lord,  I  have  loved  the  habitation 
of  Thy  home,  and  the  place  where  Thine  honor  dwelleth/ 


186  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Charlotte  Johnson,  wife  of 
Rev.  William  McMurray,  died  1871,  aged  71."  This,  the 
first  wife  of  Dr.  McMurray,  was  the  sister  of  Mrs.  School  - 
craft  and  daughter  of  Chief  Johnson,  an  Irish  gentleman 
of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and  an  Indian  maiden. 

One  of  the  earliest  teachers  of  Niagara,  the  Rev.  John 
Burns,  is  buried  at  Stamford.  Capt.  David  Thompson,  of 
the  Royal  Scots,  who  wrote  a  history  of  the  War  of  1812 
and  taught  for  many  years,  is  buried  here,  also  another  edu- 
cator, Andrew  Heron,  editor  of  The  Gleaner,  lies  with  his 
four  wives  beside  him  in  an  enclosure  between  the  two 
defaced  stones ;  Jean  Baptiste  Rousseaux,  a  native  of  Paris 
and  interpreter  to  Brant;  Captain  Alexander  Garrett,  of 
the  Grenadiers,  who  fought  with  Brock  at  Queenston,  all  lie 
here,  their  graves  as  yet  unmarked.  Many  quaint  and 
curious  lines  may  be  found  on  the  old  stones.  The  exigen- 
cies of  rhyme,  rhythm  and  syntax  are  boldly  met  and  con- 
quered ;  metaphors  and  similes,  appropriate  or  not,  abound. 

To  a  child : 

"  Ann  Graham,  who  died  in  1802  aged  four. 

"My  time  is  short;  the  longer  my  rest 
God  called  me  heare  because  he  thought  it  best 
So  weep  not;  drie  up  your  tears 
Heare  must  I  lie  till  Christ  Apears." 

Another  reads  thus: 

"  Dear  as  thou  didst  in  modest  worth  excell 
More  dear  than  in  a  daughter's  name  farewell 
Farewell,  dear  Maria;  but  the  hour  is  nigh 
When  if  I'm  worthy  we  shall  meet  on  high 
Then  shall  I  say  triumphant  from  the  tomb 
Come  to  thy  mother's  arms  dear  Maria,  come." 

"  Filial  affection  stronger  than  the  grave 
From  Time's  obliterating  hand  to  save 
Erects  this  humble  monument  of  stone 
Over  a  father's  and  a  mother's  bones." 

"Here  lies  as  much  virtue  as  could  live." 


GRAVEYARDS  OF  NIAGARA  187 

These  are  all  in  the  first  decade  of  the  century  and  form 
a  contrast  with  the  brief  lines  on  two  monuments  of  late 
years — 

"  The  memory  of  a  life  nobly  rendered  is  immortal." 

"Laid  here  in  faith,  hope  and  love,  all  that  is  mortal 
of 

A  sad  story  is  told  on  a  cross  in  an  enclosure  with  seven 
graves  of  young  men  snatched  from  life  suddenly: 

"  In  affectionate  remembrance  of  Robert  C.  Henderson, 
J.  H.  Murray,  C.  E.  Anderson,  Weir  Anderson,  Philips 
Braddon,  C.  V.  W.  Vernon,  Vincent  H.  Taylor,  who  were 
lost  on  llth  July,  1874,  by  the  foundering  of  the  Yacht 
Foam." 

St.  Andrew's  Cemetery. — In  this  enclosure,  where  the 
first  church  was  erected  in  the  town  in  1794,  none  were 
buried  till  1833,  the  first  to  be  interred,  he  who  conducted 
the  first  Sunday  school  in  the  town,  mentioned  in  few 
words : 

"'Sacred  to  the  memory  of  John  Crooks,  died  March 
31st,  1833,  aged  36.  A  native  of  Greenock,  Scotland." 

A  few  military  heroes  and  several  United  Empire  Loyal- 
ists found  here  their  last  resting-place. 

"Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Donald  McDonald,  of  the 
79th  Highlanders,  died  1846." 

"  Thomas  Ferguson,  Royal  Canadian  Rifle  Regiment, 
born  in  the  parish  of  Pithenwin,  Fifeshire,  Scotland,  died 
1852." 

One  United  Empire  Loyalist  buried  here  was,  when  a 
child,  a  captive  among  the  Indians  for  several  years. 

"In  memory  of  James  Cooper,  born  in  Scotland  1770, 
emigrated  to  America  in  1774,  died  1856,  in  his  86th  year. 
Elizabeth  Hixon,  his  wife,  born  in  the  Province  of  New 
Jersey  in  1773,  emigrated  to  Canada  in  1788,  died  1855, 
aged  82." 

Descendants  of  Captain  Jacob  Ball,  of  Butler's  Rangers, 
are  buried  here — William  M.  Ball  and  his  son,  Robert  N. 
Ball,  both  office-bearers  in  St.  Andrew's  Church. 

A  skilful  physician  and  surgeon  who,  dying  in  Toronto, 
wished  to  be  buried  near  old  St.  Andrew's,  is  thus  com- 
memorated : 


188 

"  In  memory  of  Duncan  Campbell,  M.D.,  of  Edinburgh, 
died  February  4th,  1879,  aged  68  years." 

A  benefactor  of  the  church  who  left  a  legacy  of  £750  is 
thus  mentioned : 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Catharine  Young,  who  died 
in  1841,  aged  67.  This  tribute  of  regard  is  erected  by  the 
relatives  of  her  husband,  John  Young,  who  was  drowned 
in  Lake  Ontario,  July  30th,  1840." 

One  of  the  fathers  of  the  church,  who  for  fifty  years 
was  connected  with  it  as  an  office-bearer,  and  was  also  an 
officer  in  the  Lincoln  Militia  in  1812:  "William  Duff 
Miller,  1786—1859." 

A  later  grave  is  that  of  "  John  Majoribanks  Lawder,  for 
many  years  Judge  of  the  County  of  Lincoln." 

Dr.  White!  aw,  a  distinguished  scholar,  who  taught  the 
Grammar  School  both  in  Niagara  and  Kingston,  lies  here, 
dying  in  1851. 

Several  show  great  age,  as  "John  Eglesum,  died  1851, 
aged  93,"  and  Lachlan  McPherson,who  had  almost  attained 
the  century  limit. 

Next  the  church  is  an  enclosure  covered  with  fragrant 
lilies  of  the  valley ;  a  small  tablet  on  the  wall  above  it  has 
these  words:  "The  Ministers'  Burying  Place."  Strange 
to  say,  in  the  120  years  of  its  existence  no  minister  of  the 
church  has  been  buried  here;  only  a  small  mound,  that  of 
an  infant  of  a  day,  may  be  seen  in  the  plot. 

Many  names  show  nationality,  as  McFarland,  McPherson, 
Davidson,  Dawson,  Logan,  Swinton,  Forbes,  Carnochan. 

St.  Vincent  de  Paul. — In  early  days  those  of  the  Eoman 
Catholic  faith  were  buried  in  St.  Mark's,  then  the  only 
cemetery  in  the  town.  Near  the  church  a  military  man  with 
a  well-known  name  is  buried  :  "  To  the  memory  of  Lieuten- 
ant Adjutant  Eeginald  McDonnell,  Eoyal  Canadian  Bine 
Regiment,  who  died  at  Niagara,  C.  W.,  on  the  20th  Decem- 
ber, 1851,  aged  39  years." 

In  the  enclosure  of  the  MacDougal  family  is  the  grave 
of  Colonel  Daniel  MacDougal,  Treasurer  of  the  United 
Counties  of  Lincoln,  Welland  and  Haldimand  for  many 
years.  He  fought  at  Lundy's  Lane  and  lay  on  the  field  all 


GRAVEYARDS  OF  NIAGARA  189 

night,  being  reported  as  mortally  wounded,  but  recovered, 
carrying  in  his  body  a  bullet  to  his  grave.  His  wife  and 
her  mother  lie  buried  here,  the  inscriptions  showing  the 
Scottish  origin,  McNabb  and  McDonell. 

Mrs,  Stephenson,  a  benevolent  lady  of  the  town,  whose 
kind  face  and  ready  smile  are  not  forgotten,  lies  buried 
here.  In  a  distant  corner  is  a  monument  to  mark  the 
grave  of  Patrick  Lawless,  the  fireman  of  the  steamer 
Zimmerman,  burnt  to  death  on  board,  the  night  of  August 
21st,  1863. 

Near  this  is  a  mark  of  filial  affection.  Father  John 
Kennedy  has  placed  this  inscription  to  the  memory  of  his 
father : 

"  In  memoriam  Bernardi  Kennedy  cujus  anima  ut  Re- 
quiescat  in  pace  desiderantur  fidelium  suffragia  mortuus 
est  IV  Kal  Decembris  A.D.  1857,  Anno  ^Etatis  suse  53. 
Grato  animo  films  ejus  Reverendus  Joannes  P.  Kennedy, 
Presbyter,  Hoc,  eregi  curavit." 

Here,  in  the  east  corner  of  the  graveyard,  unmarked  and 
forgotten,  lie  the  victims  of  the  ship  fever  of  1847,  and 
somewhere,  unknown  now,  was  buried  James  Morreau,  who 
was  executed  in  1838  for  his  share  in  the  Rebellion. 

Baptist  (Colored)  Graveyard. — A  white  child,  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  John  Oakley,  was  buried  here  along  with 
many  dusky  Africans  who  had  escaped  from  slavery  by  the 
underground  railway  or  otherwise.  Here,  too,  is  buried  a 
hero  whose  name  should  not  be  forgotten,  though  it  is 
unrecorded  in  granite  or  marble — Herbert  Holmes,  a 
teacher  and  exhorter  who  organized  a  band  of  several  hun- 
dred to  surround  the  jail  to  prevent  the  return  of  Moseby, 
an  escaped  slave,  to  bondage.  Holmes  and  Green  were  shot 
and  buried  here,  having  given  their  lives  to  save  their 
brother  from  slavery. 

Methodist  Graveyard. — Here  is  found  a  monument  to 
John  Boyd  who  died  here  in  1885,  aged  85.  He  had  been 
a  teacher  in  Toronto,  and  was  the  father  of  Sir  John  Boyd, 
whose  son  has  given  his  life  in  South  Africa.  Here  are 
buried  John  Eedson  and  Salome  Crane,  his  wife,  of  United 
Empire  Loyalist  birth,  from  Nova  Scotia;  and  George 
Varey,  who  played  the  bass  viol  in  the  church. 


190  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAKA 

Two  old  grey  stones  show  burials  in  early  days, — 
"Sarah  Laurence,  died  1825,  aged  64;" 

"  Gideon  Ho  well,  died  1827,  aged  22." 

"  Here  in  the  silent  tomb  beneath  this  miry  sod, 
Lies  one  who  bore  the  cross  and  trusted  in  his  God. 
Farewell,  dear  wife  and  friends  and  my  dear  little  son, 
My  work  is  finished  and  the  prize  is  won." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

INDIANS,  THEIR  TREATIES  AND  COUNCIL 
MEETINGS. 

How  few  of  us,  while  standing  on  the  soil  trodden  in 
former  days  by  the  red  man  dispossessed  of  his  hunting- 
grounds,  ever  think  of  what  strange  scenes  were  enacted 
here  before  our  town  became  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada. 
It  is  rather  remarkable  that  in  visiting  the  Archaeological 
Museum  we  find  so  few  Indian  relics  from  this  region  to 
illustrate  the  history  of  the  aborigines,  while  from  other 
places,  as  Orillia,  Essex,  Peterboro,  etc.,  there  are  so  many. 
Two  reasons  may  explain  this.  While  Erics,  Hurons  and, 
finally,  the  Neutrals  or  Attiwandarons  were  exterminated 
by  the  fierce  Iroquois,  the  land  of  the  Neutrals  was  left  for 
a  time  almost  unoccupied,  and  so,  few  relics  of  Indian  occu- 
pation were  left ;  or  because  this  region  was  earlier  occu- 
pied by  the  British  than  was  the  rest  of  Ontario,  so  that 
Indian  remains  would  be  destroyed  or  covered  up  by  the 
formation  of  new  soil.  What  is  called  Niagara  Plains,  it 
is  believed,  formed  the  cornfields  of  the  Indians,  and  here 
no  doubt  the  Indian  woman  planted  and  hoed  and  ground 
the  grain  in  the  mealing-stones,  while  her  mate  hunted 
or  fished  or  went  on  a  war  quest. 

There  is  a  very  interesting  reference  to  two  little  Indian 
girls  in  1771  in  the  life  of  Mrs.  Isabella  Marshall  Graham, 
tbe  wife  of  Dr.  Graham,  60th  Royal  American  Regiment 
stationed  at  Fort  Niagara. 

In  the  publications  of  the  Michigan  Historical  Society 
are  found  many  references  to  meetings  of  the  Indians  at 
Niagara.  These  are  copied  from  manuscripts  in  the  Ar- 
chives at  Ottawa.  Proceedings  of  a  Council  held  at 
Niagara  with  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations,  24th  May,  1791, 
"present  Colonel  Gordon,  26th  Regiment,  commanding 
Upper  Posts;  Lieutenant- Colonel  Butler,  Deputy  Agent  of 
Indians;  Major  Duff,  Captain  Duke,  Captain  Bygrave, 

191 


192  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Captain  Dacres,  Lieutenant  Green,  Lieutenant  Sir  William 
Erskine,  Lieutenant  Duke,  all  of  the  26th  Regiment ;  and 
Lieutenant  Gillespic,  Goth  Regiment;  Lieutenant  Bruy- 
eres,  Royal  Engineers;  Lieutenant  Suckling,  Royal  Regi- 
ment of  Artillery.  Speeches  were  made  by  the  Fish  Car- 
rier, a  Cayuga  chief.  Farmer's  Brother  and  also  Corn- 
killer.  A  reply  was  made  by  Colonel  Gordon,  commending 
them  for  their  'practice  of  not  transacting  any  business 
with  the  States  of  America  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
King,  your  Father.' ':  In  the  speech  of  Farmer's  Brother 
is  a  reference  showing  the  influence  of  the  Indian  women  : 
he  says,  "  When  our  chief  women  requested  of  us  in  Coun- 
cil to  give  Colonel  Procter  assistance.  .  .  .  this  had  great 
weight  with  us."  It  is  likely  that  this  meeting  took  place 
at  Fort  Niagara,  as  there  the  troops  were  stationed, 
but  it  is  certain  that  the  next  meeting  took  place  in 
the  town  and  the  exact  spot  can  be  pointed  out, — Free- 
masons' Hall,  sometimes  called  Agricultural  Hall. 

In  1793,  we  learn  from  the  Archives  that  Simcoe  sent  a 
request  for  two  hundred  silver  medals  with  the  arms  of 
LTpper  Canada  for  the  Indians,  also  flags  and  communion 
p]  ate. 

The  minutes  of  a  Council  held  at  "  Freemasons'  Hall, 
Niagara,  Sunday,  ?th  July,  1793,  present  His  Excellency 
Colonel  Simcoe,  commanding  the  King's  Troops  in  Upper 
Canada;  Major  Smith,  Commandant  of  the  Garrison  of 
Niagara;  Captain  Shank,  Queen's  Rangers,  commanding 
at  Queenston;  E.  B.  Littlehales;  Lieutenant  Talbot,  24th 
Regiment;  also  several  officers,  some  of  the  members  of 
the  Executive  and  Legislative  Councils  and  House  of  As- 
sembly, magistrates  and  respectable  inhabitants  of  the 
Province,  Captain  Joseph  Brant  and  about  fifty  Indians. 
Joseph  Brant  spoke  in  the  name  of  the  deputation  a  few 
words  of  greeting,  responded  to  by  Governor  Simcoe.  The 
Commissioners  from  the  United  States  then  entered  the 
Hall  and  took  their  seats,  viz.,  General  Lincoln,  General 
Randolph,  and  Colonel  Pickering,  attended  by  their  secre- 
tary and  several  interpreters." 

The  next  meeting  was  also  in  Freemasons'  Hall,  Mon- 
day, July  8th.  Colonel  Pickering  read  a  long  speech,  giv- 


TEEATTES  AND  COUNCIL  MEETINGS      193 

ing  explanations,  and  Cats'  Eyes,  a  Shawnee  chief,  pro- 
mised an  answer  the  next  day,  and  at  the  third  meeting  in 
the  same  place,  on  Tuesday,  July  9th,  Joseph  Brant  replied 
that  a  further  meeting  would  take  place  at  Sandusky, 
where  many  Indians  were  waiting.  In  a  letter  of  Governor 
Simcoe,  Navy  Hall,  July  10th,  he  says,  "two  hundred 
and  eighty  Indians  arrived  here  from  Kingston  and  are 
to  be  sent  on  to  the  place  of  meeting/' 

The  Upper  Canada  Gazette,  July  llth,  1793,  printed  at 
Niagara,  mentions  these  three  meetings  and  that  the  three 
commissioners  were  entertained  by  Simcoe.  The  name 
given  him  hy  the  Indians,  "  Deyonguhokrawen "  (One 
whose  door  is  always  open),  was  well  earned. 

At  a  meeting  held  at  Newark,  30th  March,  1795,  were 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Butler,  Dep.  A. I. A. ;  Major  Bumhury, 
5th  Regiment;  Mr.  William  Johnson,  interpreter,  and  three 
principal  Sineca  chiefs  from  Buffaloe  Creek,  viz.,  Farmer's 
Brother,  Red  Jacket,  Shentioghquatigh.  The  first-men- 
tioned chief  explained  what  was  done  at  the  treaty  held 
last  fall  with  the  United  States,  correcting  wrong  impres- 
sions. They  had  given  the  right  of  making  a  wagon  road 
from  Fort  Schlosser  to  Black  Rock.  Colonel  Butler  replies, 
promising  to  have  the  papers  they  had  brought  copied  and 
returned  to  them  the  next  day,  and  says  he  has  ordered  a 
few  necessary  articles  to  be  given  them  as  a  token  of  his 
approbation.  Signed  "  Newark,  31st  March,  1795,  John 
Butler,  Agent." 

When  Fort  Niagara  was  given  up,  llth  August,  1796, 
Simcoe  sent  word  to  the  United  States  officer  that  there 
were  three  thousand  Indians  at  the  Fort  to  be  victualled. 

In  1802  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  chiefs  in  the  Coun- 
cil House  and  the  signatures  of  chiefs,  British  officers  and 
civilians  are  preserved.  The  interest  on  £12,863,  the  price 
of  79,160  acres  at  3s.  6d.  per  acre,  from  1797  to  1802  at 
six  per  cent,  was  to  be  paid.  The  signatures  of  chiefs  are 
all  by  "  his  X  mark,"  except  that  of  Joseph  Brant,  which  is 
a  fine  signature.  The  other  signatures  are  R.  Addison. 
R.  Kerr,  W.  J.  Chew,  A.  Stewart,  A.  Macdonell,  R.  Beas- 
ley.  By  the  treaty  of  1805  Brant  was  empowered  to  go  to 
England  to  treat  with  the  king  on  their  behalf ;  the  signa- 
14 


]J)4  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

tures  are  seen  of  Jean  Baptiste  Rousseaux  and  William 
Johnson  Chew. 

After  the  death  of  General  Brock  there  was  a  meeting  of 
Indians  at  the  Council  House,  6th  November,  1812,  and  the 
references  to  the  beloved  general  are  most  pathetic.  There 
were  present  representatives  of  the  Six  Nation  Indians, 
Hurons,  Chippewas,  Pottawattomies,  etc.,  also  Colonel 
William  Clans,  Deputy  Superintendent-General,  Captain 
Norton,  Captain  J.  B.  Rousseaux,  and  several  other  officers 
of  the  Indian  Department.  Little  Cayuga  was  the  chief 
speaker — "  Brothers,  we,  therefore,  now  seeing  you  dark- 
ened with  grief,  your  eyes  dim  with  tears  and  your  throats 
stopped  with  the  force  of  your  affection,  with  these  strings 
of  wampum  we  wipe  away  your  tears  that  you  may  see 
clearly  the  surrounding  objects,  we  clear  the  passage  in 
your  throats  that  you  may  have  free  utterance  for  your 
thoughts,  and  we  wipe  clear  from  blood  the  place  of  your 
abode,  that  you  may  sit  there  in  comfort  without  having 
renewed  the  remembrance  of  your  loss  by  the  remaining 
stains  of  blood.  That  the  remains  of  your  late  beloved 
friend  and  commander,  General  Brock,  shall  receive  no 
injury  we  cover  it  with  this  belt  of  wampum,  which  we 
do  from  the  grateful  sensations  which  his  friendship  to- 
wards us  inspired  tis  with,  also  in  conformity  to  the  customs 
of  our  ancestors."  With  the  address  were  presented  eight 
strings  of  white  wampum  and  a  large  white  belt;  and  five 
strings  of  white  wampum  were  placed  over  his  grave  that 
it  might  receive  no  injury. 

On  the  13th  August  and  1st  September,  1815,  was  a 
Council  meeting  of  the  following  Indian  tribes,  viz., 
ITurons,  Mohawks,  Oneidas,  Onondagas,  Cayugas,  Senecas, 
Tuscaroras,  Tutulies,  Delawares.  A  letter  from  William 
Claus,  Deputy  Superintendent-General  of  Indian  Affairs, 
mentions  that  there  were  present  forty  of  their  leading 
men  from  Grand  River  and  the  same  number  from  Buf- 
falo, but  about  four  hundred  of  their  young  people  also  came 
down ;  the  meeting  was  very  orderly.  There  were  also 
present  Lieutenant-Colonel  Robertson,  commanding, 
Major  De  Haren,  officers  of  the  Garrison  and  several 
gentlemen  of  the  town.  The  Deputy 


TKEATIES  AND  COUNCIL  MEETINGS      195 

General  uncovered  the  King's  Council  Fire  by  presenting  a 
belt  of  white  wampum ;  speeches  were  made  by  Tekarihoya, 
a  Mohawk  chief,  Echo  and  Old  Eel,  two  Onondaga  chiefs, 
Bed  Jacket,  a  Seneca  chief,  and  the  Deputy  Superin- 
tendent-General. Much  ceremony  was  observed  and  those 
from  opposite  sides  of  the  river  shook  hands  and  the  usual 
figurative  language  was  used,  as  "  to  make  our  friendship 
lasting  we  put  the  tomahawk  the  depth  of  a  pine  tree  under 
the  ground.  We  condole  with  you  for  the  loss  of  your 
friends  and  wipe  the  tears  from  your  eyes,  we  open  your 
throats  that  you  may  speak  your  minds  freely.  We  rejoice 
that  the  Great  Spirit  has  brought  us  together  to  unite  and 
be  friends.  Many  have  been  the  meetings  at  this  place 
between  the  King  and  our  ancestors.  I  am  an  old  man 
and  have  .been  present  at  many  of  these  meetings,  when 
your  grandfather  spoke  to  us  (Sir  William  Johnson).  We 
will  always  remember  his  words.  They  are  buried  deep 
in  our  hearts." 

By  a  document  granting  15,360  acres  in  1826  we  see 
the  feelings  of  the  Indians  to  Colonel  Glaus,  the  land  given 
being  part  of  that  granted  by  Haldimand  in  1784  to  the 
Six  Nation  Indians. 

"  Whereas  the  Hon  William  Glaus,  of  the  town  of 
Niagara,  has  for  the  last  thirty  years  been  our  trustee 
and  managed  our  affairs  with  great  advantage  to  our 
interests  and  made  profitably  available  our  money  with- 
out any  compensation  from  us  whatever.  And  we,  the  said 
Sachems  and  Chief  Warriors,  willing  to  attribute  such 
disinterested  conduct  to  feelings  which  have  characterized 
his  ancestor,  Sir  William  Johnson,  towards  our  nation, 
besides  his  father  who  served  with  us  during  the  whole  of 
the  French  War,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Rebellion,  and  being 
more  particularly  able  to  be  our  friend  from  speaking  our 
languages,  and  who,  together  with  himself,  have  resided 
with  ^nd  amongst  us  and  guarded  our  interests  with  par- 
ental solicitude,  therefore,  having  taken  into  consideration 
the  long,  arduous  and  faithful  service  of  our  trustee  and 
to  pay  and  satisfy  his  just  claims  upon  us  and  as  a  mark 
of  our  esteem  and  gratitude,  determine  to  surrender  to  the 
said  William  Glaus,"  etc. 


]96  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

This  is  signed  by  forty-nine  "Sachems  and  Chief  War- 
riors of  the  Six  Nation  Indians,  who  gave  lands  on  the 
Grand  or  Ouse  River." 

The  expense  incurred  by  the  British  in  maintaining  the 
Indians  was  enormous.  In  a  letter  to  Colonel  Bouquet,  6th 
August,  1764,  "  the  Indians  consume  here  every  day  3,000 
rations;  one  day  they  had  4,000."  In  1777,  when  the 
Council  was  held  on  the  plains,  29th  May,  Chief  David 
Hill  says  "six  miles  on  the  banks  of  Grand  River  was  given 
by  Mississaugas  to  the  Six  Nations,  when  there  was  a  great 
feast  and  the  smoking  of  the  pipe  of  peace." 

At  the  meeting  in  December  there  was  spent  £14,000 
and  £2,000  in  presents.  Butler  drew  a  bill  on  a  merchant 
for  £14,759  for  sundries  for  Indians. 

The  story  of  the  Gilbert  captivity  may  be  told  here, 
particularly  as  it  confirms  the  date  of  one  of  the  early 
families  settled  at  Niagara  and  as  it  shows  the  different 
methods  of  the  Indians  in  their  treatment  of  captives,  and 
also  shows  the  kindness  extended  by  British  officers  and 
their  wives  in  ransoming  these  captives.  The  book  which 
contains  their  story  is  most  interesting,  and  was  printed 
in  London  in  1790.  Benjamin  Gilbert  and  his  family, 
seventeen  in  all,  living  on  the  confines  of  Pennsylvania,  of 
ages  from  an  infant  to  the  father  69  years  of  age,  were 
surprised  and  carried  off  on  the  25th  April,  1780,  by  eleven 
Indians  who  had  fled  from  the  approach  of  Sullivan's  army 
into  Canada  and  were  now  making  reprisals  on  the  whites. 
Benjamin  Gilbert  and  family  were  adopted.  During  all 
their  adventures  and  hardships  they  must  have  kept  some 
record.  Thev  were  separated  and  wandered  about  with  the 
Indians  in  different  places.  Some  of  them  reached  Fort 
Niagara  on  24th  May,  1781.  The  names  of  officers  are 
given,  among  them  Colonel  Guy  Johnson  and  Colonel  But- 
ler, and  three  were  surrendered  to  them.  Another  officer, 
Lieutenant  Hi! yard,  bought  back  with  £30  and  presents 
another.  Clothing  was  obtained  from  the  king's  stores. 
Word  came  from  Montreal  to  send  them  on  there  and 
Brant's  assistance  was  asked.  Colonel  Glaus  wrote  from 
Montreal  to  intercede  for  the  freedom  of  the  rest  of  the 
party.  Some  of  their  captors  came  one  hundred  and  fifty 


TEEATIES  AND  COUNCIL  MEETINGS      197 

miles  to  Fort  Niagara  in  five  days  for  clothing  and  food 
from  the  king's  stores.  '  A  vessel  was  sent  for  them  and 
they  crossed  the  river  to  go  on  board — thus  five  were  sent 
away.  Abner  Gilbert  and  Elizabeth  were  with  Indians 
near  the  Falls  and  came  down  to  what  they  called  Butlers- 
burg,  a  small  village  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  to 
Fort  Niagara, — thus  we  gain  one  of  the  names  of  the  town 
—they  went  to  the  house  of  an  Englishman,  one  John 
Secord,  who  was  styled  brother  to  the  chief,  having  lived 
with  him  some  time,  and  in  July,  1781,  Colonel  Butler 
tried  to  free  Abner,  \vho  now  found  his  sister  and  stayed 
uvo  weeks  in  the  house  of  John  Secord  and  drew  clothing 
from  the  king's  stores.  Elizabeth  was  very  comfortable 
here  with  John  Secord's  wife,  and  Captain  Frey's  wife 
went  to  see  the  child  of  Elizabeth  Peart,  over  a  year  old. 
with  the  Indians.  Mrs.  Frey  purchased  it  for  thirteen 
dollars.  Elizabeth  Gilbert  lived  more  than  a  year  in  John 
Secord's  house  and  became  fondly  attached  to  them,  calling- 
Mrs.  Secord  her  mamma.  John  Secord  took  her  one  day 
to  Fort  Niagara,  where  she  met  six  of  her  relations.  John 
Secord  and  Colonel  Butler  procured  her  release  from  the 
Indian  who  claimed  her,  by  presents.  She  then  stayed 
two  weeks  more  with  the  Secord  family.  General  Haldi- 
rnand,  at  Quebec,  now  sent  orders  for  liberty  to  be  given 
to  the  remainder  of  the  family,  and  at  a  Council  Fire  it 
was  agreed  to  surrender  them  after  valuable  presents  were 
given  by  Colonel  Butler.  On  the  3rd  June,  1782,  they 
sailed  for  Montreal,  and  the  whole  party,  except  one,  finally 
reached  home  by  boat  and  wagon,  September,  1782.  The 
father  had  died  from  hardship,  but  all  the  rest  met  after 
their  adventures  since  they  had  been  separated;  some  had 
run  the  gauntlet,  others  were  painted  black  for  death,  but 
were  finally  adopted  into  Indian  families.  The  whole  story 
gives  valuable  sidelights,  the  names  of  officers,  the  habits  of 
Indians,  the  kindness  of  the  garrison,  etc.  The  original 
book  is  rare,  but  it  has,  I  believe,  been  reprinted. 

The  late  Captain  Geale  used  to  tell  of  his  remembrance 
as  a  boy  of  meetings  at  the  "  Wilderness,"  belonging  to  his 
grandfather,  Colonel  William  Claus,  now  owned  by  Mr. 
W.  H.  J.  Evans.  He  had  seen  the  spacious  ground  around 


198  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

the  house  full  of  Indians  who  had  come  for  their  presents 
received  annually. 

Some  of  the  oldest  inhabitants  of  the  town  may  remem- 
ber the  lacrosse  matches  which  were  held  on  the  common 
at  the  time  of  the  Annual  Fair,  the  last  one  held  being  in- 
1859.  The  competing  parties  were  the  Mohawks,  from  the 
Indian  Reserve  near  Brantford,  and  the  Tuscaroras,  from 
near  Niagara  Falls,  N.Y.  The  Mohawks  had  generally 
been  the  winners,  but  this  year  the  game  broke  up  without 
a  decision,  as  the  Tuscaroras  were  accused  of  unfairness. 
At  different  times  there  had  been  a  War  Dance,  which 
attracted  great  attention,  as  the  Indians  were  in  full  cos- 
tume of  feathers  and  paint,  the  dance  ending  with  the 
frightful  war  whoop.  A  ceremonial  visit  was  always  paid 
to  the  Clench  homestead,  as  the  family  claims  descent  from 
Sir  William  Johnson  and  Molly  Brant. 

In  St.  Mark's  graveyard  are  buried  a  daughter,  Mrs. 
R.  Kerr,  who  died  in  1794,  and  Mrs.  Ralfe  Clench,  a  grand- 
daughter of  Sir  William  and  the  sister  of  Chief  Brant. 
Many  remember  the  meeting  on  the  Common  in  1884,  the 
centennial  of  the  landing  of  the  United  Empire  Loyalists, 
when  there  were  forty-eight  chiefs  and  warriors  from  the 
Grand  Eiver  Reserve.  Two  of  these  were  survivors  of  the 
War  of  1812.  The  Tuscarora  Indian  band  was  also  pres- 
ent, Captain  Smoke  Johnson,  in  his  93rd  year,  and  Chief 
John  Tutu  tie,  in  his  91st  year,  and  a  ceremonial  war 
dance  was  performed.  Several  of  the  chiefs  were  enter- 
tained by  the  late  Senator  Plumb. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Ontario  Historical  Society  in 
Niagara,  1897,  a  deputation  of  sixteen  chiefs  from  Ohs- 
weken,  near  Brantford,  attended,  and  in  the  evening  con- 
ducted a  meeting  in  the  Court  House  around  the  Council 
Fire.  The  Superintendent,  E.  D.  Cameron,  presided,  with 
the  Interpreter  and  Secretary,  one  on  each  side,  and  the 
chiefs  ranged  on  opposite  sides.  There  were  two  Fire- 
keepers,  Onondagas,  who  kindled  the  fire  (metaphorically). 
On  one  side  sat  the  Mohawks  and  Senecas,  and  on  the  other 
the  Oneidas,  Cayugas  and  Senecas.  The  subject  of  dis- 
cussion was  the  advisability  of  forming  an  Historical 
Society  on  the  Reserve.  This  was  argued  pro  and  con  with 


TREATIES  AND  COUNCIL  MEETINGS      199 

great  eloquence  and  volubility,  as  well  as  with  dignity  and 
deliberation.  The  speakers  spoke,  some  in  their  own  lan- 
guage, some  in  very  good  English.  The  ritual  was  care- 
fully observed,  and  the  rules  of  debate.  The  chief  inter- 
preter explained  the  arguments  on  each  side  to  the  audi- 
ence when  the  Indian  language  was  used.  All  was  con- 
ducted with  dignity  and  the  utmost  decorum  and  no  doubt 
good  argumentative  powers  were  displayed  both  by  those 
who  favored  the  formation  of  an  Historical  Society  and 
those  who  were  opposed  to  it. 

As  showing  the  close  reasoning  and  readiness  in  debate 
of  the  Indian  orator,  it  is  told  in  the  New  York  Missionary 
Magazine,  1801,  that  the  famous  Eed  Jacket  made  a  speech 
to  the  Missionary  Holmes,  characteristic  and  full  of  irony : 
"  Father,  we  Indians  are  astonished  at  you  whites  that 
when  Jesus  Christ  was  among  you  and  went  about  doing 
good,  speaking  the  good  word,  healing  the  sick,  that  you 
white  people  did  not  pay  attention  to  Him  and  believe 
Him,  and  that  you  put  Him  to  death  when  you  had  the 
Good  Book  in  your  possession.  Father,  we  are  astonished 
that  the  white  people  who  have  the  good  book  called  the 
Bible,  that  tells  them  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit,  that 
they  are  so  bad  and  do  so  many  wicked  things." 

We  do  not  know  that  Tecumseh  was  ever  in  Niagara, 
but  we  have  a  description  of  him  and  a  fragment  of  one 
of  his  speeches  made  near  West  Flamboro.  Mrs.  Van- 
Every,  in  giving  reminiscences  to  the  family,  says,  "  He 
swayed  his  hearers  like  reeds,  his  words  were  like  an  elec- 
tric charge.  My  brother,  at  sixteen,  would  dress  up  like 
an  Indian  and  repeat  the  speeches  of  Tecumseh,  which 
seemed  to  have  fixed  themselves  in  the  minds  of  my  mother 
and  brother.  Some  sentences  I  remember.  '  The  pale 
faces  who  fight  against  our  father  the  British  king,  are  our 
enemies.  They  came  to  us  hungry  and  they  cut  off  the 
hands  of  our  brothers  who  gave  them  corn.  We  gave  them 
rivers  full  of  fish  and  they  poisoned  our  fountains.  We 
gave  them  mountains  and  valleys  full  of  game  and  in 
return  they  gave  our  great  warriors  rum  and  trinkets  and 
a  grave.  The  shades  of  our  slaughtered  fathers  can  find 
no  rest,  their  eyes  can  see  no  herds  in  the  hills  of  light  in 


XJOO  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAEA 

the  hunting-grounds  of  the  dead.  Until  our  enemies  are  no 
more  we  must  be  as  one  man  under  one  chief  whose  name 
is  Death.  I  have  spoken/  "  She  proceeds  to  say :  "He  often 
warned  his  people  against  fire-water/'  and  goes  on  to  give 
a  description  of  him,  and  of  his  powers  as  an  orator,  "  He 
went  off  about  five  miles  from  West  Flamboro  village,  near 
the  great  burial  ground  where  your  father  and  the  late 
Hon.  James  Crooks  dug  up  the  big  copper  kettle,  pipes, 
beads,  clay  crocks  and  tomahawks  without  number.  He 
was  dark  copper  color,  tall,  six  feet  in  height,  broad 
shoulders,  deep  chested,  had  long  large  arms,  prominent 
brows  and  chin,  a.  Eoman  nose,  piercing  eyes,  black  hair. 
He  wore  a  toque  of  eagle  plumes,  silver  half-moon  orna- 
ments in  his  fine  robe  and  had  beads  on  his  moccasins  and 
leggings.  Quiet,  lonesome,  proud.  His  wigwam  was  north 
of  our  house;  he  harangued  thousands  of  Indians  who 
were  as  still  as  statues  of  stone.  When  he  raised  his  arm 
they  said  Hough !  meaning  attention.  He  was  a  man  no 
one  could  forget.  A  perfect  Demosthenes  in  eloquence,  he 
swayed  his  hearers  like  reeds,  his  words  were  like  an  elec- 
tric charge." 


FATHER     GORDON. 


ST.    YIXCEXT    DE    PAUL    CHURCH. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
ST.  VINCENT  DE  PAUL  CHURCH. 

THE  register  of  this  church  begins  in  1833,  but  there  are 
several  loose  sheets  dated  1827,  and  other  documents  show 
that  the  service  for  those  of  this  faith  was  not  neglected, 
as  in  the  time  of  Governor  Simcoe  a  French  refugee  Domi- 
nican priest  drew  rations  in  1793,  but  was  dismissed  in 
1794,  Britain  and  France  being  then  at  war.  At  this  time 
the  English  Church  service  was  performed  in  the  Indian 
Council  House  on  one  Sunday  for  the  Protestant  soldiers, 
and  Mass  on  the  next  Sunday  for  Catholics.  The  next 
military  chaplain  was  Edmund  Burke,  a  tall,  handsome 
man,  much  liked,  whose  appointment  came  about  in  this 
way.  In  September,  1798,  complaints  were  made  by  the 
townspeople  about  the  Catholic  soldiers  in  taverns,  while 
the  Protestant  soldiers  were  in  church.  Orders  were  given 
that  all  should  attend  the  Protestant  service,  but  as  many 
of  the  soldiers  in  the  regiment  were  Catholics,  Father 
Burke,  who  was  travelling,  offered  his  services  and  became 
the  military  chaplain. 

One  of  the  earliest  settlers  after  the  war  was  Patrick 
McArdle,  and  in  his  house,  that  now  occupied  by  Mrs. 
Curtis,  divine  service  was  held,  and  later  in  Miss  Cathline's 
house.  The  first  name  on  the  loose  sheets  in  the  register 
is  James  W.  Campion  from  1826  to  1830.  In  1830  came 
Father  Gordon,  and  in  1831  subscription  lists  were  opened 
for  building  a  church,  which  was  the  first  Catholic  church 
in  the  peninsula.  It  was  finished  in  1834,  and  opened  for 
service  Nov.  9th,  but  a  marriage  took  place  in  it  July 
23rd.  The  priest's  house  was  built  in  1835  at  a  cost  of 
£253  14s.  4}/2 d.  Father  Lynch,  who  was  so  popular  with 
Catholics  and  Protestants,  allowed  the  writer  to  take  some 
extracts  from  the  Register.  Much  information  is  also 
gleaned  from  the  "  Catholic  Church  in  the  Niagara  Penin- 
sula" by  Dean  Harris,  who  has  written  several  interesting 
books. 

201 


202  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

In  the  register  are  recorded  several  visits  of  Bishop  Mac- 
donell,  who  did  such  arduous  missionary  service  for  his 
church  in  Canada,  He  was  entertained  by  Colonel  Mac- 
Dougal,  who  was  for  many  years  the  most  liberal  supporter 
of  his  church  in  Niagara, 

"12th  August,  1827.— By  the  Eight  Rev.  Alexander 
Macdonell  has  been  baptized  Mary  Harris,  born  llth  July, 
1827,  of  the  lawful  marriage  of  John  Harris  and  Margaret 
Grey,  who  is  not  a  Roman  Catholic,  the  sponsors  being 
Patrick  McArdle  and  Mary  Fegan,  also  McArdle. — Alex. 
Macdonell,  R.  Ep." 

Another  extract  shows  a  very  careful  marriage  notice : 

"8th  October,  18-27.— -Cornelius  Calahan  and  Mary  Car- 
rol both  from  Ireland,  having  solemnly  declared  and  given 
a  certificate  of  their  not  being  married  or  contracted  before 
with  any  person  and  not  being  able  to  discover  any  impedi- 
ment to  prevent  them  from  getting  married,  T,  the  under- 
signed Roman  Catholic  missionary  for  Niagara,  Dundas, 
etc.,  have  received  their  mutual  consent  of  marriage,  and 
have  given  the  benediction  according  to  the  rules  of  the 
Holy  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  presence  of  Patrick  Cul- 
len,  Patrick  Handy,  Andrew  Boylan,  Patrick  Flynn  and 
Mary  Kelly.  (Sgd.)  James  W.  Campion,  M.  Pt."' 

The  letters  following  the  name  stand  for  Missionary 
Priest,  and  his  field  of  labor  extended  to  St.  Thomas  and 
London,  as  at  this  time  there  were  only  three  priests  in 
north-western  Ontario.  The  successor  was  Rev.  Michael 
Lalor,  and  the  next,  Edward  Gordon,  a  man  of  strong 
physical  powers  and  indomitable  will.  Four  acres  of 
ground,  taken  from  the  Military  Reserve,  were  deeded  to 
Bishop  Macdonell  for  the  church.  Although  built  in  1834, 
the  pews  were  not  put  in  till  1844,  at  an  expense  of  £29, 
paid  in  1846.  Father  Gordon  stayed  from  1834  to  1846, 
and  Rev.  John  Carrol  from  1846'  to  1849.  Dean  Mulli- 
gan, who  did  such  good  work  in  'St.  Catharines  after- 
wards, was  here  from  1857  to  1860,  and  Father  Hobin,  a 
very  learned  man,  from  1861  to  1868.  Father  Harold 
was  stationed  here  twice,  first  from  1879  to  1889,  and 
again  from  1890  to  1894.  Many  remember  the  genial 
Father  Lynch,  whose  early  death  was  so  lamented  and 
whose  grave  is  kept  covered  with  flowers  by  loving  hands. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 
AFRICANS  IN  NIAGARA. 

IT  is  generally  supposed  that  the  Act  passed  in  1793  in 
Newark  completely  abolished  slavery,  but  this  is  a  mis- 
conception. It  only  provided  for  the  gradiial  abolition  of 
slavery.  All  slaves  henceforward  entering  Upper  Canada 
were  to  be  free,  as  the  sweet  singer  of  Olney  had  said, 
"  that  moment  when  they  touch  our  soil  that  moment  they 
are  free";  all  children  of  slaves  were  to  be  free  at  twenty- 
five  years  of  age,  and  any  born  after  the  Act  of  1793  were, 
of  course,  free.  The  advertisement  of  the  sale  of  slaves 
after  this  date  is  thus  explained.  That  the  bill  was  not 
passed  without  opposition  we  learn  from  a  letter  of  Simcoe 
to  Dundas,  September,  1793,  some  wishing  to  bring  in 
slaves  for  two  years  more,  but,  as  usual,  a  compromise  was 
made,  property  secured  and  abolition  was  gradual.  In 
the  census  of  1783,  taken  by  Colonel  Butler,  there  is  men- 
tioned one  male  slave,  the  property  of  Mr.  McMicking.  In 
the  will  of  Colonel  Butler  slaves  were  left  to  his  heirs.  On 
3rd  July,  1793, — this  was  before  the  Act  was  passed, — there 
is  an  advertisement  of  Thomas  Butler  of  "  five  dollars 
reward ;  ran  away,  a  negro  man-servant  named  John.  All 
forbid  harboring  him  at  their  peril."  In  1795 — "  For  sale, 
for  three  years  by  the  year  or  the  month,  a  negro  wench 
named  Cloe,  23  years  old,  understands  washing,  cooking." 
Signed  Eobert  Franklin,  at  the  Receiver-General's.  Cloe 
would  evidently  be  free  in  less  than  three  years.  January 
25th,  1795 — "  Wanted,  a  negro  girl  about  12.  A  generous 
price  will  be  given.  Apply  to  printers."  And  again,  Octo- 
ber 4th — "  Wanted  to  purchase  a  negro  girl  from  7  to  12,  of 
good  disposition;  W.  J.  Crooks."  In  1801 — "For  sale, 
a  negro  man  slave,  18  years  old,  has  had  the  smallpox." 
In  1802 — "All  persons  are  forbidden  harboring  my  Indian 
slave  Sal,  as  I  am  determined  to  prosecute  any  offenders 
to  the  utmost  extent  of  the  law  and  persons  who  suffer 

203 


204  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

her  to  remain  on  their  premises  for  the  space  of  half  an 
hour  without  my  written  consent  will  be  taken  as  offending 
and  dealt  with  accordingly.  Charles  Field."  This  adver- 
tisement sounds  sufficiently  imperious.  We  know  that 
some  of  the  United  Empire  Loyalists  brought  slaves  with 
them,  as  McMicking,  of  Stamford,  and  on  the  Servos  farm 
was  one  called  Bob  Jupiter.  An  advertisement,  November 
28th,  1802,  reads:  "•  For  sale,  a  negro  slave,  18  years  of 
age,  stout  and  healthy,  has  had  smallpox,  and  is  capable 
of  service  either  in  the  house  or  outdoors.  Cash  in  pay- 
ment. Inquire  of  printer."  As  all  children  born  in 
slavery  would  be  free  at  the  latest  in  1818,  we  find  no  ad- 
vertisements in  later  papers,  but  in  182(1,  Ralfe  Clench 
advertises,  "  Sixpence  reward  for  an  indented  black  ser- 
vant girl,  named  Maria  Breckenridge,  who,  with  her  black 
stepfather,  stole  blankets,  etc.,  which  were  received  at 
Lewiston."  Several  strange  stories  are  told  of  slaves  who 
had  escaped  from  the  far  south,  following  the  north  star 
to  liberty,  crossing  the  Niagara  River,  one  being  so  con- 
fused that  when  he  landed  on  the  Canadian  side  he  thought 
he  was  wrong  and  went  back,  fortunately  finding  out  his 
mistake  before  it  was  too  late.  One  who  afterwards  became 
a  useful  and  trusted  servant  attempted  to  cross  on  a 
heavy  door,  but  was  carried  out  to  the  lake  and  only 
picked  up  by  the  steamer  from  Toronto  the  next  day. 

A  strange  story  is  told  in  an  1828  paper :  "  Kidnapping : 
A  black  man  by  the  name  of  James  Smith,  in  the  employ 
of  R.  M.  Long,  of  Clinton,  was  seized  a  few  nights  ago 
in  bed  by  a  band  of  slave-holding  ruffians  from  the  south 
and  conveyed  across  the  Niagara  River,  gagged  and  pin- 
ioned. He  was  kept  concealed  near  Lewiston,  in  some  old 
barracks,  and  while  his  old  Virginian  master,  whom  lie 
recognized,  was  arranging  for  proceeding  onward,  ho 
escaped,  lay  concealed  for  forty-eight  hours  without  fire 
or  food  and  actually  swam  the  river  in  the  night.  The 
poor  fellow  landed  on  the  fishing  ground  and  was  first 
discovered  by  a  party  of  fishermen  buffeting  the  chilly 
element  and  nearly  exhausted." 

In  the  year  1837,  a  most  remarkable  occurrence  is 
recorded,  showing  the  firm  loyalty  to  their  brother  in 


AFRICANS  IN  NIAGARA  205 

distress,  of  the  escaped  slaves  living  in  Niagara  and  vicin- 
ity, three  hundred  or  four  hundred  in  number,  showing 
also  the  kindness  and  sympathy  of  the  white  population. 
A  slave  named  Moseby,  who,  to  expedite  his  escape  from 
Kentucky,  had  taken  his  master's  horse  for  the  first  part 
of  his  flight,  had  reached  Niagara  and  was  working  for  a 
farmer  near  the  town.  His  master  followed  and  demanded 
his  return  to  the  United  States  on  the  charge  of  horse- 
stealing.  Some  such  charge  was  often  trumped  up,  true 
or  false.  Meanwhile,  pending  the  decision  of  the  magis- 
trate, Moseby  was  lodged  in  Niagara  jail,  and  the  excite- 
ment was  intense  among  his  black  brothers.  Messages  were 
sent  out  in  all  directions  and  soon  several  hundred  blacks 
assembled  round  the  jail,  which  they  guarded  for  a  fort- 
night or  more,  to  prevent  the  giving  up  of  the  prisoner. 
Great  sympathy  was  shown  by  the  townspeople,  as  food 
and  shelter  had  to  be  provided.  Meanwhile  Sir  Francis 
Bond  Head,  the  Governor,  gave  his  consent;  constables, 
bombardiers,  sheriff,  all  were  assembled,  the  wagon  con- 
taining the  prisoner  and  guards  was  driven  out,  the  crowd 
of  blacks,  women  as  well  as  men,  surrounded  it,  Moseby 
jumped  out,  and  in  some  way  his  handcuffs  were  freed  and 
lie  escaped  into  a  cornfield.  However,  the  Riot  Act  had 
been  read,  the  order  to  fire  given  and  the  leader  of  the 
movement,  an  educated  mulatto  teacher  and  exhorter 
named  Herbert  Holmes,  was  shot,  and  another,  named 
Green,  stabbed.  At  the  inquest  the  verdict  of  "  homicide, 
whether  justifiable  or  not,"  was  given  after  seventeen  hours' 
debate.  The  papers  of  the  day  variously  described  the 
event  as  mob  law  or  a  brave  deed.  The  two  heroes,  for 
so  we  must  call  them,  are  buried  in  the  Baptist  graveyard, 
but  no  stone  marks  their  grave.  Many  were  arrested  and 
lodged  in  jail  till,  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  a 
colored  company  was  formed  and  the  black  prisoners  were 
allowed  to  enlist.  The  colored  company  did  good  service 
under  Johnson  Clench  as  captain,  whom  they  adored. 

A  pathetic  little  story  was  told  lately  by  a  sergeant  in 
the  Volunteer  Camp  here:  "I  was  a  little  boy  living  in 
the  Red  Barracks  (Navy  Hall)  about  fifty  years  ago,  my 
father  being  a  soldier,  and  I  saw  one  day  a  party  of  eleven 
black  people  land  at  King's  Wharf.  They  were  all  escaped 


206  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

slaves,  men,  women  and  children,  and  their  action  in 
landing  was  indelibly  impressed  on  my  memory.  I  shall 
never  forget  how  they  all  knelt  down,  and,  kissing  the 
ground,  fervently  thanked  God,  the  tears  streaming  from 
their  faces,  that  they  were  now  in  a  free  country." 

In  the  Chronicle  of  1844  is  an  advertisement:  "Anni- 
versary of  African  Emancipation  to  meet  at  public  dinner, 
1st  August,  on  the  battleground  of  Drummond  Hill. 
Tickets,  $1.00  for  lady  and  gentleman.  Committee,  Isaac 
Thomas,  II.  Brooks.  S.  Scott,  Menry  Garritt,  President.'' 
In  the  Chronicle  for  1847:  "Died  at,  Port  Robinson  on 
New  Year's  morn,  after  a  lingering  illness,  borne  with 
Christian  fortitude,  George  Magill,  Sergeant  in  Colored 
Company,  Inc.  Militia.  This  exemplary  young  man  turned 
out  at  a  tender  age  in  the  cause  of  his  country  on  the 
eruption  of  the  late  Rebellion,  and  has  ever  since  been  in 
the  service  of  the  Government.  His  funeral  was  attended 
by  the  principal  people  of  the  place,  all  of  whom  deplored 
his  early  fate." 

Mr.  James  Davidson,  the  former  editor  of  the  Mail,  has 
given  a  list  of  the  principal  colored  people  seventy  years 
ago.  They  were  Henry  Garritt,  William  Primus,  Alex. 
Smithers,  James  Johnson.  John  Blight,  Andrew  Jackson, 
Hope  Bullett,  "William  Freeman,  William  Riley,  James 
Munro,  Leonard  Hicks,  Charles  Green,  George  Washing- 
ton, John  Richardson.  John  Mills,  J.  Harvey,  and  Barber 
Thompson,  who  was  quite  a  character.  Of  a  later  day  were 
David  Talbot,  J.  Scott,  W.  War  field,  G.  Wesley  and  A. 
Warrs.  Of  later  years  the  colored  families  have  decreased 
so  that  there  are  now  but  a  few  left  in  the  town.  In  another 
chapter  is  told  of  the  school  for  colored  children,  but, 
afterwards  they  attended  the  public  school. 

In  The  Gleaner,  for  October  30th,  1830,  is  mentioned  a 
meeting  of  the  people  of  color  at  the  house  of  D.  Trippet, 
to  commemorate  the  election  of  H.  J.  Boulton.  Mr.  Primus 
took  the  chair,  Mr.  Carter  asked  a  blessing,  and  the  follow- 
ing toasts  were  drunk  in  flowing  bumpers :  The  King,  Sir 
John  Colborne,  Magistrates,  Canada  and  the  United 
States,  and  then  God  Save  the  King  was  gang.  (Signed) 
Joshua  Strothers,  Secretary. 


AFRICANS  IN  NIAGARA  207 

In  the  Niagara  Mail,  August  10th,  1853,  is  found  the 
following  account  of  another  slave  reaching  Niagara  by 
a  perilous  land  and  lake  journey.  The  steamer  Chief 
Justice  Rolrinson  picked  up  a  colored  man  about  twelve 
miles  from  Niagara,  floating  on  a  raft  made  of  a  gate. 
He  escaped  from  Tennessee  and  came  to  Lewis  ton,  but 
was  afraid  to  go  on  one  of  the  steamers  to  cross  and  tried 
to  cross  the  river  on  the  gate,  but  the  current  being  strong, 
he  was  drifted  out  into  the  lake.  He  said,  "  Thank  the 
Lord,  Massa,  I  am  a  free  man  now."  The  poor  fellow  must 
have  been  carried  on  his  precarious  support  a  distance  of 
twenty  miles.  What  must  have  been  his  thoughts  on  that 
broad  and  lonely  field  of  waters? 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

ODD  ADVERTISEMENTS  AND  ITEMS  FOUND  IN 
NIAGARA  PAPERS. 

IN  the  Upper  Canada  Gazette,  May,  1793— "  Ten 
guineas  reward  for  the  prosecution  to  conviction  of  the 
thief  or  thieves  of  a  grind-stone  stolen  from  King's  Wharf, 
Navy  Hall."  This  seems  a  large  reward,  but  perhaps  be- 
cause the  Government  prosecutes. 

June  5th,  1793 — "Married  by  Eev.  E.  Addison,  Ensign 
Le  Moine,  of  the  24th  Regiment,  to  Miss  Susan  Johnson, 
of  Kingston."  She  was  the  4th  daughter  of  Sir  William 
Johnson  and  Molly  Brant. 

August  10th,  1796— "The  long  and  tedious  illness  of 
the  printer  and  that  of  his  family  is  humbly  tendered  as 
excuse  for  the  suspension  of  the  Gazette  for  a  time." 

1801 — "Ran  away,  a  female  indented  apprentice,  blue 
callimanco  petty-coat,  and  what  is  remarkable  a  great  coat 
of  Grey  Bath  coating  made  in  the  form  of  a  long  gown." 

January  8th,  1803,  Upper  Canada  Gazette — "  Owing  to 
the  present  scarcity  of  news  we  have  unavoidably  been 
obliged  to  supply  it's  place  with  useful  miscellaneous  mat- 
ter and  hope  it  will  be  found  acceptable  to  our  readers." 

1818 — "Married  at  Youngstown  by  E.  Doty,  Esq.,  Mr. 
Thomas  McQuarters  to  Miss  Ann  Suure,  both  of  Niagara, 
TJ.C. 

"  Not  all  the  dangers  of  the  deep, 
Nor  evening  blasts  that  blow, 
Can  make  the  lover's  passions  sleep, 

Or  proffered  vows  forego; 
But  they  with  joy  before  the  altar  kneel, 
Secure  each  bliss  and  every  promise  seal." 

1819 — "  Six  cents  reward  for  a  runaway  indented  ap- 
prentice named  Charles  Straw.  Had  on  a  blue  coat,  brown 
vest,  butternut-colored  coat,  drab  pantaloons  and  a  wool 
hat." 

208 


ODD  ADVERTISEMENTS  AND  ITEMS      209 

\ 

1821—"  Elopement :  My  wife,  Eve,  having  left  my  bed 
and  board,  not  having  the  fear  of  God  before  her  eyes,  but 
being  instigated  by  the  Devil,  has  given  herself  to  vice  and 
immorality,  etc.  Joshua  Conrad." 

In  The  Gleaner,  August  7th,  1824— "Stolen  or  strayed 
from  the  premises  of  the  subscriber  2  vols.  of  Peter  Finder's 
works.  They  were  in  very  bad  order,  the  covers  being  alto- 
gether gone  and  can  be  of  little  use  to  any  person  who  has 
not  the  rest  of  the  volumes.  One  dollar,  however,  will  be 
given  by  the  subscriber  without  asking  any  questions  to 
any  person  who  may  return  them.  A.  Heron." 

1830—"  Fountain  of  Health.  Good  Beer  versus  Ardent 
Spirits.  John  Martindale  has  best  of  Canadian  Ale  which 
may  be  drank  freely  by  the  most  determined  enemies  of 
Intemperance  without  injury  to  body  or  soul." 

1832 — "Prospectus  of  a  Hebdomadal  publication  at  the 
town  of  Niagara,  U.C.,  upon  a  different  plan  from  any 
now  printed  in  this  Province,  entitled  '  The  News.'  To 
afford  room  it  will  be  necessary  to  exclude  the  greater 
part  of  the  ephemeral  trash  with  which  the  columns  of  so 
many  newspapers  are  encumbered.  Sewell  and  Gladwin." 
This  is  the  beginning  of  a  long  advertisement  in  The 
Gleaner. 

1833 — "  Whereas  me  and  my  wife  Mary  having  parted 
by  mutual  consent  this  is  to  forbid  any  person  trusting  her 
on  my  account  after  this  date.  Robert  Cole,  Niagara." 

1833 — "  Whereas  my  wife  Anna  has  left  my  bed  without 
any  just  cause,  this  is  to  forbid  any  one  trusting  her  as  I 
shall  pay  no  debts  of  her  contracting.  Henry  Dell,  Sr., 
Willoughby." 

"Married  after  a  short  courtship  of  38  years,  Ralph 
Garreth  to  Ann  Jackson." 

"  At  Pittsburg,  by  the  Rev.  Francis  Heron,  William  Silk 
to  Lucinda  Tow. 

"What  strange  fantastic  whims  do  dwell 

In  both  high  and  low, 
She  likes  to  handle  silk  full  well 
While  he  prefers  the  tow." 

15 


210  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

"  In  Charleston,  Robert  Canada  to  Lucinda  Parks.  This 
woman  has  accomplished  what  General  Hull  and  his  army 
could  not.  She  has  taken  Canada." 

"At  New  York,  26th  June,  John  Tyler,  Esq.,  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  to  Miss  Gardiner,  of  Long 
Island.  The  fair  bride  is  very  beautiful.  (It  is  hoped 
that  the  annexation  will  console  for  the  failures  of  his 
Texan  scheme.)" 

1846 — "  Richard  Howard  returns  thanks  for  liberal  pat- 
ronage for  more  than  20  years.  Finding  the  accommoda- 
tion of  his  old  -stand  tbe  '  Angel  Inn'  too  limited  and  at 
the  suggestion  of  many  influential  friends,  he  has  fitted  up 
the  Promenade  House." 

1847 — In  an  advertisement  in  the  Chronicle — "Daguer- 
reotype likenesses.  Who  would  not  wish  to  preserve  the 
likenesses  of  his  loved  ones  who  are  so  liable  to  be  snatched 
away  from  his  fond  embrace  and  leave  not  a  wreck  behind 
to  show  that  they  once  were.  Or  who  but  would  like  to 
leave  a  correct  likeness  of  himself  as  a  solemn  memento 
to  his  posterity  that  he  once  lived,  moved,  walked  and 
talked  on  this  green  earth?  Those  blessed  advantages  can 
be  secured  by  calling  in  time.  Milne  &  Co." 

The  following  notice  refers  to  the  house  of  William 
Jarvis,  which  he  describes  as  so  well  provided  for  the 
winter  with  provisions : 

In  the  Upper  Canada  Gazette,  Dec.  7th,  1796 :  "  About 
eight  o'clock  on  Saturday  evening  last  the  dwelling-house 
of  William  Jarvis,  Esq.,  of  this  town,  was  discovered  to 
be  on  fire,  which  had  made  such  progress  as  to  render  all 
attempts  to  extinguish  it  almost  abortive,  notwithstanding 
which  the  assembling  of  the  people  was  so  speedy  and 
their  exertions  so  well  directed  that  the  province  records, 
the  most  valuable  house  furniture,  and  the  right  wing  of 
the  buildings  are  saved.  The  conduct  of  several,  of  Miss 
Vanderlip  in  particular,  in  rescuing  two  of  Mr.  Jarvis' 
children,  is  spoken  of  with  much  applause.  We  are  author- 
ized to  mention  with  gratitude  the  friendly  exertions  of  the 
officers  of  the  United  States  garrison,  and  other  strangers 
who  rendered  essential  service.  Mr.  Jarvis  takes  the 
earliest  opportunity  of  returning  in  this  public  manner 


ODD  ADVERTISEMENTS  AND  ITEMS      211 

his  sincere  thanks  to  the  gentlemen  and  others  who  so  gal- 
lantly exerted  themselves  in  the  preservation  of  his  family 
and  property  at  the  fire  on  Saturday  evening  last.  He 
assures  everyone  that  the  uncommon  solicitude  shown  on 
the  occasion  has  made  the  most  lasting  impression  on  his 
feelings.  He  will  thank  those  whose  goodness  induced 
them  to  carry  articles  to  their  houses  to  inform  where  to 
send  for  them."  Newark,  5th  December. 

This  is  certainly  a  most  polite  and  diplomatic  way  of 
asking  for  what  evidently  had  been  stolen,  for  in  the  paper 
of  December  14th,  appeared  the  following :  "  Five  guineas 
reward.  Taken  away  on  Saturday  evening,  the  3rd  inst., 
from  the  subscriber,  during  the  fire,  two  beaver  blankets — 
one  very  large,  the  other  small.  Whoever  will  bring  the 
said  blankets  shall  receive  the  above  reward ;  or  one  guinea 
reward  for  such  information  that  they  may  be  procured 
on  prosecution  of  the  offender  on  conviction." 

On  December  21st  appears  another  notice  of  a  different 
and  milder  kind.  "  In  the  loss  sustained  by  Mr.  Jarvis 
was  also  a  buffalo  skin,  which,  if  returned  with  or  without 
the  beaver  blankets,  will  be  thankfully  received,  and  no 
questions  asked." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 
CANADA  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

This  was  for  a  long  time  called  the  "  Free  Church,"  and 
arose  from  the  Disruption  in  Scotland,  1843-4.  While  it 
must  he  acknowledged  that  in  Scotland  there  were  many 
and  serious  evils  from  the  system  of  patronage,  etc.,  which 
caused  the  separation,  in  Canada,  as  there  was  no  State 
Church,  the  same  conditions  did  not  prevail,  and  there 
need  have  been  no  separation.  It  was  a  clear  case  of 
sympathy.  Those  in  Canada  who  sympathized  with  the 
movement  in  the  Mother  Land  left  the  Established  Church 
of  Scotland,  the  "  Kirk,"  and  formed  a  new  organization 
in  1845.  The  history  of  this  church  in  Niagara  is  a 
remarkable  example  of  courage  and  zeal  in  supporting  a 
minister  and  building  a  church.  This  was  not  done  without 
much  self-denial,  and  the  exercise  of  great  liberality  on  the 
part  of  a  small  congregation. 

In  the  old  Eecord  book  of  St.  Andrew's  Church  there  is 
not  a  word  of  the  defection,  but  in  the  Session  book  there 
are  several  references.  A  gallant  battle,  which  we  cannot 
but  admire,  they  fought,  through  many  discouragements 
to  support  the  views  they  held.  They  met  for  a  time  in 
what  was  called  the  "  Temperance  Hall,"  and  afterwards 
built  a  substantial  brick  edifice  in  the  centre  of  the  town. 
The  advertisement  of  March  4th,  1852,  is  signed  by  Alex. 
R.  Christie,  and  is  for  "  a  Presbyterian  brick  church, 
according  to  specifications  to  be  seen  in  town  or  at  the 
office  of  Mr.  Thomas,  architect,  Toronto."  The  pastors 
were  the  Rev.  Joseph  Harris,  Rev.  John  Alexander,  Rev. 
James  Pirie,  Rev.  F.  McCuaig,  in  the  intervals  supplied 
by  students  from  Knox  College.  The  last  minister  who 
preached  was  Rev.  J.  McCaul,  of  Lewiston,  N".Y.  The 
first  elders  were  Mr.  William  Servos  and  Mr.  James 
Monroe,  afterwards  George  Blain,  Peter  Christie  and  James 
Robinson;  still  later,  Robert  N.  Ball  and  John  Fulton. 
For  a  number  of  years  there  was  a  very  good  congregation, 

212 


CANADA  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH        213 

but  the  changes  in  the  town  from  the  failure  of  different 
enterprises  decreased  the  population  considerably  and  this 
church  suffered  as  did  others. 

In  .St.  Andrew's  Session  book,  3rd  May,  1845,  is  a  list 
of  names  of  those  who  had  withdrawn.  Two  elders  were 
appointed  to  call  on  those  who  it  was  rumored  had  con- 
nected themselves  with  a  "  secession  body  of  Presbyterians 
about  to  be  organized  in  the  town."  The  report  given  in 
was  that  "  it  was  their  wish  no  longer  to  be  regarded  as 
in  connection  Avith  this  church."  Among  the  supporters 
of  the  church  besides  those  named  were  Alex.  Christie, 
Duncan  Forbes,  Richard  Wagstaff,  John  Swinton,  and  in 
later  days  John  McCulloch.  Owing  to  many  removals  from 
the  town,  the  church  was  closed  in  1869,  and  when  the 
union  of  the  Presbyterian  churches  took  place  in  1875  the 
Rev.  C.  Campbell,  pastor  of  St.  Andrew's,  said :  "  This 
is  not  a  question  for  us  to  settle  now,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes  it  is  a  union  long  since  consummated,  for  we 
have  been  united  for  some  time,  and  need  no  ordinance  of 
union."  The  church  was  sold  to  the  Methodist  Church  for 
$1,600,  the  money  being  used  for  the  renovating  of  the 
present  St.  Andrew's  Church,  with  the  co-operation  of  Mr. 
R.  N.  Ball,  who,  having  been  an  elder  of  the  Canada  Pres- 
byterian Church,  became  a  zealous  member  and  elder  of 
St.  Andrew's.  Mr.  John  Fulton,  also  an  elder  of  the  Free 
Church,  joined  heartily  in  the  union,  as  did  others. 


CHAPTEK  XXXII. 
NIAGARA  PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 

THE  history  of  this  library  for  sixty-five  years  touches, 
in  many  points,  the  history  of  the  country,  and  brings  refer- 
ences to  many  noted  men  of  our  country,  and  to  Acts  of 
Parliament  and  to  improvements  or  alterations  in  manners 
and  customs.  The  materials  from  which  the  history  of  the 
library  is  drawn  are  the  books  of  the  secretary  and  treas- 
urer, letters,  printed  documents,  acts,  petitions,  by-laws, 
catalogues,  newspaper  cuttings,  etc. 

At  a  public  meeting  in  the  town  hall,  Niagara,  24th  of 
October,  1848,  it  was  moved  by  Judge  Campbell,  seconded 
by  Dr.  Whitelaw,  "  That  it  is  desirable  to  form  an  associa- 
tion in  this  town  for  the  formation  of  scientific  pursuits, 
the  advancement  of  knowledge  and  the  acquisition  of  a 
library  and  necessary  apparatus."  This  was  to  be  called 
the  Niagara  Mechanics'  Institute,  the  entrance  fee  to  be 
one  dollar,  and  the  monthly  dues  7^d.,  which  entitled 
to  the  privilege  of  the  library  and  apparatus,  and  the  family 
to  attend  the  lectures.  The  first  president  was  the  Hon. 
W.  H.  Dickson,  with  Judge  Campbell  as  vice-president. 
The  latter,  however,  seems  to  have  been  the  ruling  spirit, 
and  was  president  from  1850  to  1860.  One  hundred  mem- 
bers joined,  as  shown  in  the  printed  list.  Of  these  only  one 
is  now  living.  Payments  were  prompt,  as  by  November 
21st,  £26  had  been  received  in  fees.  Early  in  1849  a  cheque 
was  sent  to  Harper  Bros.,  New  York,  for  £20  for  books, 
also  four  Eeviews — Blackwood,  Scientific  American,  Art 
Journal,  and,  in  1852,  the  London  Illustrated  News.  These 
were  ambitious  citizens,  as  there  were  to  be  lectures  fort- 
nightly. What  society  would  venture  on  such  a  course 
now?  In  the  letters  carefully  preserved,  sidelights  are 
given  on  our  progress.  There  is  an  order  to  purchase 
candlesticks,  snuffers  and  tray  of  Britannia  metal.  A  letter 
from  Professor  Hind  states  that  he  will  come  to  lecture  in 

214 


NIAGARA  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  215 

December  if  the  weather  permits  the  boat  to  make  her 
regular  trips.  Dr.  Egerton  Ryerson,  too,  will  lecture  when 
his  office  engagements  will  permit  him.  The  methodical 
and  rather  stern  manner  of  Judge  Campbell,  a  gentleman 
of  the  old  school,  is  shown  in  a  resolution  passed,  that 
"members  are  requested  to  be  punctual  at  lectures,  doors 
to  be  closed  at  eight  o'clock,  as  the  lecturer  and  audience 
were  much  disturbed  by  the  interruption  of  members 
coming  late."  As  a  contrast  to  this  stern  mood  we  have 
a  spice  of  pleasantry  fixing  for  us  the  date  of  the  introduc- 
tion of  coal  oil  lamps.  In  1858  Judge  Campbell  apologizes 
for  his  absence  from  a  lecture,  "as  he  is  prevented  from 
giving  the  light  of  his  countenance,  but  begs  to  present  a 
good  coal  oil  lamp,  cleaned,  filled  and  trimmed,  to  com- 
plete the  set."  In  1895  coal  oil  was  replaced  by  electric 
light. 

In  1857  there  were  922  volumes  in  the  library.  A  reso- 
lution the  same  year  shows  strained  relations  with  the 
great  American  publishing  house ;  Harper  s  Magazine  is  to 
be  discontinued  on  account  of  a  "  scurrilous  and  disgrace- 
ful article  in  the  November  number  on  the  character  of 
Queen  Victoria."  In  1859  occurred  a  deficit  nobly  met 
by  subscriptions.  Other  libraries  were  requested  to  co- 
operate with  Niagara  in  a  petition  to  Parliament  for  larger 
grants,  so  we  see  our  library  doing  its  part  in  trying  to 
raise  the  status  of  these  institutions.  In  1856  each  insti- 
tute paid  a  percentage  to  the  Board  of  Arts  and  Manu- 
factures, and  next,  reports  are  sent  to  the  Bureau  of  Agri- 
culture. In  1860  the  library  met  with  a  great  loss  in  the 
death  of  Judge  Campbell,  who  had  been  president  for  ten 
years.  As  a  mark  of  respect  the  members  attended  the 
funeral  in  a  body.  For  some  years  the  affairs  of  the  library 
languished,  the  grant  was  withdrawn,  and  low  water  was 
reached  in  1869  and  1870,  as  the  payment  of  members  was 
only  $26  for  one  year.  Petitions  are  sent  from  libraries, 
complaining  of  the  small  grants,  and  we  in  Niagara  are 
proud  to  know  that  when  the  Act  was  amended  in  1871-2, 
much  credit  was  due  to  the  Hon.  S.  Richards,  then  the 
member  for  Niagara,  who,  at  the  instance  of  his  constitu- 
ents procured  such  changes  in  the  act  as  to  materially 
benefit  struggling  libraries.  In  this  period  of  stress  and 


216  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

strain  all  honor  is  due  to  the  librarian,  Mr.  T.  Eedson,  who 
gave  his  services  for  some  time  gratuitously.  In  1871-2  Dr. 
Withrow,  then  a  young  clergyman  in  Niagara,  did  much 
to  revive  the  library,  and  various  means  were  devised  to 
help,  as  lectures,  tableaux  vivants,  excursions,  contribu- 
tions in  money,  concerts,  even  on  one  occasion  a  dance,  etc. 
Miss  Allinson  gave  much  assistance  with  her  Choral  Soci- 
ety. The  number  of  members  was  about  sixty,  but  in  1894 
was  increased  to  one  hundred  to  comply  with  a  new  regu- 
lation. 

In  1882  a  classification  of  the  library  was  made  by  the 
present  writer;  before  this  the  books  were  marked,  placed 
on  the  shelves  and  numbered  consecutively  as  they  arrived, 
without  any  classification — fiction,  history,  science  placed 
indiscriminately.  A  catalogue  was  made  and  printed,  the 
books  numbering  2,500 ;  at  the  present  day  there  are  nearly 
8,000. 

In  early  days  lectures  on  scientific  subjects  were  much 
in  vogue,  as  Geology,  Optics,  Chemistry,  also  Literature. 
Dr.  Whitelaw,  Rev.  George  Bell,  Dr.  Campbell,  Rev.  T. 
Green,  Rev.  J.  B.  Mowat,  Dr.  Ryerson,  Dr.  Withrow  all 
lectured.  For  many  years  only  a  rented  building  had 
been  the  home  of  the  library,  but  in  1895  a  large  room 
in  the  Court  House  was  fitted  up  at  considerable  expense. 
The  lofty,  spacious  room,  once  the  Market  Building,  with 
its  Doric  pillars,  formerly  marking  the  position  of  the 
stalls,  gives  now  an  air  of  Grecian  architecture.  Much 
credit  is  due  to  the  three  members  of  the  committee,  Mr. 
Paffard,  Dr.  Anderson  and  Mr.  R.  C.  Burns. 

It  was  resolved  in  1898  to  hold  a  celebration  of  the 
fiftieth  anniversary  and  a  very  pleasant  reunion  took 
place.  Letters  of  congratulation  were  received  from  Dr. 
May,  Dr.  Bain,  Dr.  Withrow  and  others.  Papers  were 
read  by  the  President,  Mr.  Kirby,  and  the  Secretary,  the 
present  writer.  The  latter  had  discovered  by  an  examina- 
tion of  the  records  carefully  kept  through  all  these  years, 
a  fact,  unique  perhaps  in  the  history  of  libraries,  that  the 
president,  Mr.  W.  Kirby,  had  held  that  office  for  twenty- 
five  years  and  the  treasurer,  Mr.  H.  Paffard,  for  thirty- 
three  years,  part  of  that  time  acting  also  as  secretary. 
Several  addresses  were  given  and  musical  selections,  both 


NIAGARA  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

vocal  and  instrumental;  all  taking  part  were  members  of 
the  library. 

The  occasion  of  removing  to  the  new  room  was  a  memor- 
able night,  the  removal  of  the  books  and  arranging  them  on 
the  shelves  in  their  proper  places  being  accomplished  in 
three  hours,  a  dozen  gentlemen  belonging  to  the  library  and 
the  same  number  of  friendly  'and  stalwart  firemen  carrying, 
in  a  long,  winding  procession,  bushel  baskets  and  boxes  of 
books  from  the  Grand  Jury  Room,  in  the  third  story  of 
the  Court  House,  down  the  stairs  and  through  the  Court 
Room,  a  dozen  lady  members  receiving  these  and  putting 
them  in  their  places  on  the  shelves — all  this  costing 
nothing. 

The  library  now  numbers  nearly  8,000  volumes,  con- 
taining many  books  now  difficult  to  procure.  Summer 
visitors  compliment  us  much  on  the  selection  of  books. 
Efforts  are  being  made  to  obtain  early  Canadian  works,  as 
well  as  anything  of  value  now  appearing,  arid  it  is  con- 
sidered important  to  keep  out,  as  well  as  to  bring  in. 

The  librarians  have  been  Mr.  Thomas  Eedson,  Mr.  John 
McKenzie,  Miss  Follett,  Miss  Blake  and  Miss  Winter- 
bottom,  all  of  whom  gave  zealous  service.  A  re-classifica- 
tion was  made  in  1903,  when  the  books  numbered  4,500. 

The  presidents  succeeding  Mr.  Kirby  have  been  Rev. 
J.  'C.  Garrett,  Mr.  Joseph  Greene  and,  at  the  present  time, 
Rev.  A.  F.  MacGregor,  the  present  librarian  being  Mr. 
Alfred  Ball.  Portraits  of  Messrs.  Kirby  and  Paffard  adorn 
the  walls,  as  well  as  that  of  Judge  Campbell.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  library  now  number  140.  Many  generous  dona- 
tions of  books  have  been  received.  Mr.  W.  T.  Gray  pre- 
sented many  well-bound  and  rare  books.  Miss  Alma  gave 
a  valuable  collection,  as  did  also  Mrs.  Parsons,  Mrs.  Fol- 
lett, Miss  Purkis,  Mrs.  H.  Garrett,  Mrs.  Lansing  and  many 
others. 

In  1912  the  spacious  room  was  made  still  more  com- 
modious, as  the  part  occupied  by  the  firemen  has  been 
added,  an  archway  being  cut  through,  the  additional  space 
to  be  used  as  a  reading  room,  the  more  solid  reading 
brought  in,  as  History,  Science,  Reference  and  General 
Literature.  The  committee  which  took  charge  of  the  alter- 
ations in  the  building  were  Mayor  Randall,  E.  H.  Shepherd 


218  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

and  John  Eckersly,  while  the  moving  of  the  books  was 
done  by  the  members  of  the  Book  Committee,  Misses  Cle- 
ment, Creed,  Oliver  and  Carnochan,  assisted  by  others. 
The  secretary  for  many  years  has  been  Miss  Carnochan, 
who  at  the  present  time  is  also  treasurer.  A  loss  has 
been  sustained  by  the  Book  Committee  in  the  removal  of 
Mrs.  F.  J.  Rowland,  who  had  rendered  valuable  assistance 
in  the  selection  of  books.  The  Inspector  of  Libraries  has, 
at  different  times,  made  complimentary  reference  to  the 
value  of  the  library  and  the  careful  selection  of  books. 

On  two  occasions  a  deficit  has  caused  uneasiness,  twice 
from  a  defaulting  Treasurer,  but  in  each  case  the  money 
was  regained.  At  different  times  a  deficit  has  been  met 
by  subscriptions. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
NIAGARA  HIGH  SCHOOL. 

IT  is  remarkable  that,  though  this  school  has  existed  for 
over  a  hundred  years,  no  registers  were  found  previous 
to  1872  and  no  Secretary's  book  with  minutes  earlier  than 
1868,  except  a  few  pages  found  by  chance,  so  that  from 
old  newspapers,  early  books  of  travel,  local  tradition,  stories 
of  "old  hoys,"  Dominion  and  Provincial  Archives,  frag- 
ments have  been  gathered.  To  Governor  Simcoe  the  country 
is  indebted  for  the  deep  interest  he  took  in  education. 
Before  he  reached  Niagara  in  1792  he  had  written  to 
Secretary  Dundas,  proposing  two  schools,  one  to  be  at 
Kingston,  the  other  at  Niagara,  £100'  to  be  given  to  each, 
and  in  a  letter  from  Navy  Hall  on  his  arrival  here  he 
refers  to  the  subject,  and  again  in  1795  speaks  of  the 
necessity  of  a  first-class  school  for  Niagara.  In  the  reply 
of  the  Duke  of  Portland,  fancy  the  feelings  of  those  wish- 
ing an  education  for  their  children  on  being  told  that 
those  wishing  to  study  Greek  and  Latin  may  go  to  Mont- 
real, Quebec  or  Nova  Scotia,  he  probably  having  very  hazy 
ideas  as  to  distances.  In  1797,  a  request  was  sent  to 
George  III.  to  appropriate  land  for  a  Grammar  School  in 
each  of  four  districts,  and  in  1798  it  was  recommended  that 
£300  be  set  apart  for  a  schoolhouse  in  Kingston  and 
Niagara  to  serve  for  one  hundred  boys,  with  apartments 
for  the  master  and  family,  large  enough  for  ten  to  twenty 
boys  as  boarders.  In  1799  the  Executive  Council  recom- 
mended that  the  house  of  D.  W.  Smith,  Surveyor-General, 
at  Newark,  should  be  purchased  for  a  schoolhouse,  with 
four  acres  of  land,  and  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  adjoining  the  town  as  endowment  for  the  Free  Gram- 
mar School  of  the  Home  District,  but  in  1800  this  pur- 
chase was  objected  to  the  house  being  within  reach  of  the 
guns  from  the  American  fort  just  opposite.  A  memorial 
from  D.  W.  Smith  complains  of  this  and  he  is  willing  to 
take  $4,0  00  less  than  the  valuation  previously  made.  A 

219 


220  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

picture  of  the  building  is  in  existence,  it  being  spoken  of  as 
the  finest  building  then  in  Niagara.  The  four  acres  referred 
to  are  what  we  call  the  Court  House  Square. 

The  Act  passed  in  March,  1807,  established  a  school 
in  each  of  the  eight  districts,  £800  being  set  aside,  £100 
for  each.  Kingston,  Cornwall  and  York,  in  1807,  were 
the  three  first  Grammar  Schools.  Niagara  dates  from 
1808.  It  was  expressly  stated  that  the  school  for  the 
District  of  Niagara  should  be  in  the  town  of  Niagara.  The 
following  trustees  were  appointed  by  the  Lieutenant- 
Governor :  Hon.  Robert  Hamilton,  Colonel  Clarke,  William 
Dickson,  Robert  Kerr,  Thomas  Cummings,  James  Muir- 
head  and  John  Symington.  Of  these,  four  lived  in  the 
town,  the  remaining  three  in  Queenston,  the  Falls  and 
Chippawa  respectively.  The  school  has  been  known  by 
many  names,  sometimes  called  the  Niagara  District  School, 
the  District  Grammar  School,  the  Grammar  School,  the 
Senior  County  Grammar  School,  the  High  School. 

It  appears  conclusive  that  the  Rev.  John  Burns  was 
the  first  teacher,  although  sometimes  it  is  stated  that  Rev. 
Robert  Addison  was  such.  The  only  authority  I  have 
found  is  that  in  1795  Governor  Simcoe  states  that  "the 
Rev.  Addison  is  willing  to  undertake  a  school  on  the  same 
terms  as  Mr.  Stuart  in  Kingston,"  but  no  further  refer- 
ence to  this  appears,  and  in  M.  Smith's  "Geographical  View 
of  the  British  Possessions,"  published  in  Baltimore  in  1814, 
but  written  some  time  previously  and  not  published  on 
account  of  the  war,  he  mentions  that  there  were  three  good 
schools  teaching  Latin  and  Greek,  that  at  York  taught  by 
Mr.  Strachan,  one  on  the  Bay  of  Quinte,  the  Ernestown 
Academy  at  Bath,  1811,  by  Mr.  Barnabas  Bidwell,  and  the 
other  in  Niagara  village  by  Rev.  John  Burns.  Previous 
to  the  formation  of  the  Grammar  School  several  good 
classical  and  mathematical  schools  existed  in  Niagara;  in 
1797  Richard  Cockerell  taught,  and  is  ranked  with  Rev. 
John  Strachan — no  slight  praise ;  in  a  book  of  travels  they 
are  called  "  the  best  teachers  in  the  country." 

We  find  from  the  Record  book  of  St.  Andrew's  Church 
that  the  minister  in  1805,  1808-11,  1816-8,  was  the  Rev. 
John  Burns,  sometimes  preaching  every  second  Sunday, 
sometimes  at  Stamford,  and  a  fine  patriotic  sermon 


NIAGARA  HIGH  SCHOOL  221 

preached  in  January,  1814,  in  Stamford  Church  has 
been  reprinted,  showing  a  sturdy  loyalty,  sound  scholar- 
ship and  deep  Christian  feeling;  the  text  was  in 
Proverbs,  and  the  words  of  Nehemiah  are  quoted, 
"  Be  not  afraid  of  them,  remember  the  Lord  who  is  great 
and  terrible,  and  fight  for  your  brethren,  your  sons  and 
your  daughters,  your  wives  and  your  houses."  This  being 
short!  v  before  the  Battle  of  Lundy's  Lane  must  have  in- 
spired many  on  fTiat  hot  July  day  to  fight  manfully,  when 
men  left  the  harvest  field  to  join  the  regulars  in  driving 
back  the  foe.  Unti]  lately  there  were  several  living  who 
were  his  pupils,  among  them  the  late  "W.  B.  Winterbottom. 
During  the  war  the  schools  of  Niagara  were  closed,  and 
we  have  no  record  of  any  teacher  till  1820,  when  the  Eev. 
Thomas  Green,  an  excellent  classical  scholar,  educated  in 
Glasgow  University,  came  from  Ireland.  He  at  one  time 
had  a  private  school,  at  another  the  District  Gram- 
mar School,  then  became  assistant  to  Rev.  Robert  Addi- 
son,  and,  finally,  rector  of  St.  Mark's.  In  the  Niagara 
Gleaner,  June  23rd,  1823,  appeared  the  following  item: 
"  Niagara  District  Grammar  School  Examination.  The 
following  trustees  were  present  and  expressed  their  approval 
of  the  work,  the  increasing  number  of  pupils  and  the  pro- 
gress made:  William  Dickson,  Rev.  R.  Addison,  Rev.  W. 
Leeming,  Robert  Kerr,  James  Muirhead,  Ralfe  Clench." 
The  school  was  to  re-open  7th  July,  so  that  the  holidays 
lasted  little  more  than  two  weeks,  and  through  the  sultry 
days  of  July  and  August,  while  teachers  and  scholars  now 
are  free,  the  school  work  went  on.  In  1823  an  advertise- 
ment states  "  Mr.  Green,  District  School,  is  about  to  employ 
an  assistant  teacher.  Latin,  Greek,  Hebrew,  English  Gram- 
mar, Geography,  Mathematics  taught.  A  few  pupils  gen- 
teelly accommodated  with  board."  Again,  a  report  of  1823 
hopes,  in  rather  grandiloquent  style,  that  "  literature,  at 
once  the  blessing  and  ornament  of  society,  will  flourish 
here  with  increasing  bloom  and  shine  in  its  generous 
lustre."  In  July,  1824,  another  examination  is  recorded 
in  the  Gleaner,  at  which  the  same  trustees  are  mentioned, 
with  the  addition  of  Rev.  Turney  (Army  Chaplain)  and 
Hon.  William  Glaus.  "  The  number  of  pupils  was  forty, 
of  whom  five  were  in  Xenophon,  five  Horace  and  Cicero, 


222  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

three  Virgil  and  Sallust,  eighteen  history  and  geography, 
twelve  grammar  and  arithmetic,  and  three  reading  and 
writing.  The  Latin  classes  were  put  through  their  drill 
hy  the  Rev.  R.  Addison.  who  seemed  quite  at  home  in  the 
work."  He  must  then  have  heen  an  old  man.  In  1826 
we  find  three  schools  advertised,  all  studying  classics — 
Rev.  Thomas  Creen;  Rev.  Mr.  Hancock.  A.B.,  Trin.  Coll., 
Dublin,  who  had  an  Academy  in  Butler's  Barracks,  and  was 
assistant  chaplain  to  the  military  forces;  and  the  Rev. 
James  Fraser,  minister  of  St.  Andrew's,  who  had  opened 
"  a  school  for  the  various  branches  pertaining  to  the  literary 
professions." 

The  next  record  is  that  of  1832-3,  found  accidentally 
in  the  chest  in  St.  Andrew's  Manse,  where  the  communion 
silver  is  kept.  This  was  a  most  fortunate  find,  as  between 
1826  and  1850  there  were  few  other  references  found.  The 
sheets  of  foolscap  were  evidently  the  minutes  kept  by 
Dr.  McGill  as  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  It 
appeared  that  the  teacher  had  been  found  lacking  in  classi- 
cal attainments,  had  promised  to  improve  by  study,  but 
failed  to  do  so.  The  trustees  had  applied  to  the  Governor, 
Sir  John  Colborne,  for  permission  to  appoint  another 
teacher ;  the  reply  is  that  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  go 
to  the  mother  country  for  a  teacher,  as  they  propose  to  do, 
but  that  "  a  competent  teacher  can  be  found  in  Canada." 
The  trustees  were  Rev.  Thomas  Creen,  Rev.  R.  McGill, 
James  Muirhead,  Robert  Melville,  Robert  Dickson,  William 
Clarke,  W.  D.  Miller  and  George  Ball.  It  is  told  here  that 
at  a  meeting  nineteen  resolutions  had  been  passed  with 
regard  to  building  a  seminary  large  enough  for  masters 
and  a  large  number  of  boarders,  £500  had  been  offered 
by  the  trustees  of  the  Market  Square,  and  £250  additional 
subscribed.  The  teacher  was  to  be  selected  for  "  literary 
and  moral  qualifications  without  regard  to  denomination." 
The  governor  had  granted  five  acres  near  Fort  Mississauga. 
It  is  singular  that,  though  such  ambitious  plans  were  made 
in  1798  and  again  in  1832,  no  permanent  building  was 
erected  till  1875. 

Of  all  the  teachers  of  the  Grammar  School  perhaps  the 
most  striking  personality  was  he  who  was  selected  in  1833, 
Dr.  John  Wnitelaw,  whose  term  of  office  lasted  till  1851, 


223 

whose  attainments  were  varied,  he  being  what  we  would 
now  call  a  specialist  in  Science,  Classics  and  Mathematics, 
and  above  all  a  Christian  gentleman.  From  an  obituary 
notice  in  the  Niagara  Chronicle,  supposed  to  have  been 
written  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Mowat,  we  learn  that  he  had  taught  in 
Quebec  and  Kingston,  and  practised  medicine  in  Kingston. 
"  He  was  a  man  of  great  erudition  and  extremely  modest. 
He  has  been  translated  to  that  place,  where  he  will  clearly 
understand  those  mysteries  of  Providence  and  grace  which 
here  he  eagerly  sought  to  explore,  but  was  unable  to 
fathom."  In  a  letter  in  the  Kingston  Gazette,  in  1814,  he 
is  spoken  of  as  giving  a  course  of  lectures,  the  admission 
fee  three  guineas,  subjects  Chemistry,  Mineralogy,  Geology. 
In  Dr.  Hodgins'  Documentary  History  of  Education, 
there  are  different  references  to  Niagara  Grammar  School. 
In  December,  1839,  the  Rev.  R,  McGill  says,  "  The  Master 
of  the  District  Grammar  School  receives  £100'  from  the 
public  fund;  out  of  this  he  pays  £30  for  house  and  school 
rent,  and  to  an  assistant  £40,  which  reduces  his  allowance 
from  Government  to  an  inconsiderable  amount.  This 
obliges  the  fees  to  be  very  high  in  our  District;  they  are 
£4  for  each  pupil."  The  report  for  1838  by  Mr.  Creen 
and  Mr.  McGill  says  that  "  the  progress  in  Latin  and  Geom- 
etry has  called  forth  our  particular  approbation,  and  we 
attest  with  pleasure  the  ability  and  success  of  Dr.  White- 
law."  His  assistants  were  his  son  John,  Mr.  George  Mal- 
colmson  and  Mr.  Logan.  The  son  must  have  inherited  the 
father's  love  of  science,  as  he  gave  lectures  on  Chemistry 
in  the  Town  Hall  here,  one  of  my  earliest  recollections 
being  on  his  administering  nitrous  oxide,  or  laughing  gas, 
arid  the  disastrous  results  in  one  case,  when  the  long  table 
with  its  glass  tubes,  retorts,  etc.,  was  upset  and  the  audi- 
ence scattered  in  terror  by  the  young  man  rushing  wildly 
forward.  By  an  Act  of  Parliament  provision  was  made 
for  scholarships  to  be  given  to  the  best  scholars  in  the  pub- 
lic schools,  and  from  the  minutes  of  the  Common  School 
in  1844,  it  appears  that  the  pupils  recommended  were 
James  M.  Dunn,  George  Malcolmson,  Richard  Howard, 
Walter  Meneilley,  Alfred  Burns,  John  Burgess,  and  in 
1848  Samuel  Malcolmson,  Andrew  Carnochan  and  Robert 
Christie,  and  from  the  Separate  School,  James  McGann, 


224  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

William  Anderson,  John  Simon,  John  Kennedy.  One  of 
these  scholars,  now  living,  tells  that  there  were  about 
forty  scholars,  many  of  them  from  the  regiment  stationed 
here,  and  that  Dr.  Whitelaw  was  very  particular  in,  as 
he  called  it,  giving  "  a  thorough  grounding  "  in  Latin  and 
Greek,  sometimes  obtained  by  very  painful  methods. 

Another  teacher  with  a  long  term  of  office  was  the  Rev. 
H.  N.  Phillipps,  who  taught  from  1853  to  1866  and  had  a 
large  boarding  school.  We  still  remember  the  long  pro- 
cession of  lads  marching  to  St.  Mark's  Church  on  Sunday. 
His  assistant  was  T.  D.  Phillipps,  the  famous  interna- 
tional cricket  player;  lately  the  minute  book  of  the  club 
for  1861-2  was  found,  with  the  result  of  games  with  Stam- 
ford and  St.  Catharines  Clubs.  Mr.  Phillipps'  pupils  were 
very  successful  in  passing  university  examinations,  their 
teacher  being  a  good  classical  scholar.  In  the  Niagara 
Mail  for  1857  is  a  letter  telling  of  the  proficiency  of  the 
boys  in  Latin,  Greek,  Euclid,  giving  the  names  of  those 
receiving  prizes,  among  them  Daniel  Servos  and  Richard 
Scores.  The  trustees  present  were  Colonel  Kingsmill  and 
Rev.  J.  B.  Mowat.  A  lunch  was  provided  for  the  visitors 
and  a  bountiful  dinner  for  the  scholars.  A  pupil  of  that 
period  tells  of  a  sergeant  of  the  Royal  Canadian  Rifles 
coming  twice  a  week  to  teach  the  boys  fencing,  single- 
stick, etc.  Mr.  Phillipps  insisted  that  the  boys  should 
sign  their  exercises  "  Senior  County  Grammar  School." 
It  had  been  decided  by  the  Government  that  the  first 
school  founded  in  the  county  should  have  that  title.  These 
schools  received  an  extra  grant  of  £100  as  meteorological 
stations  taking  the  observations  required  by  law. 

In  1866  the  Rev.  A.  G.  L.  Trew,  now  an  archdeacon  in 
California,  and  who  had  been  a  pupil  of  the  school  in  the 
time  of  Dr.  Whitelaw,  became  the  Head  Master.  There 
is  a  record  of  what  was  called  "Speech  Day"  in  this  period 
with  the  names  of  the  reciters  very  much  in  the  style  of 
an  account  given  of  Speech  Day  under  the  regime  of  Rev. 
J.  Strachan  in  Toronto.  The  list  reads,  "  Quarrel  of 
Brutus  and  Cassius,  by  H.  C.  Secord  and  F.  Servos;  Charge 
of  the  Light  Brigade,  George  Harvey:  The  Fall  of  D'Assis, 
by  W.  Newton;  Brutus  on  the  Death  of  Caesar,  by  H. 
Secord."  In  1868  the  name  of  Rev.  P.  C.  Mulvaney  appears 


NIAGARA  HIGH  SCHOOL  225 

as  teacher,  who,  although  a  poet  and  good  classical  scholar, 
was  not  a  brilliant  success  in  more  abstruse  subjects,  as 
the  pupils  had  to  come  on  certain  days  to  the  public  school 
for  Mathematics. 

In  1 869  Mr.  Chirles  Camidge  became  Head  Master,  and 
in  this  year  girls  were  first  admitted  to  the  Grammar 
School,  and  we  gladly  record  the  names  of  the  trustees, 
William  Kirby  and  Henry  Paffard,  who  moved  and  sec- 
onded the  resolution.  A  newspaner  record  in  1870  tells 
of  an  examination,  when  John  Kirby  was  Dux  and  the 
standing-  of  twenty-eight  pupils  is  given.  In  1866  there 
were  onlv  seventeen  pupils.  This  year  the  very  peculiar 
terms  of  navment  were  renewed,  Mr.  Camidge  to  receive 
all  fees,  Government  and  municipal  grants,  less  $40  re- 
served by  the  trustees,  the  teacher  to  pay  all  expenses,  rent, 
fuel,  cleaning1,  etc.  This  strange  arrangement  was  changed 
the  next  year.  In  1871  Mr.  Camidge  founded  the  York 
Academy  in  town,  which  existed  for  many  years,  having 
manv  boarders  besides  day  scholars.  His  tragic  fate  we 
deplore. 

P.  C.  McGregor  became  Head  Master  in  1873,  who  is 
remembered  bv  his  pupils  with  very  kindlv  feelings.  He 
became  Head  Master  of  Almonte  High  School,  retiring 
with  honor  after  twenty-five  years,  his  pupils  from  distant 
places  coming  to  do  him  honor,  and  his  Alma  Mater, 
Queen's  University,  conferring:  on  him  the  title  of  LL.D. 
In  1874  came  Mr.  Andrews,  who  remained  till  1892.  Dur- 
ing1 this  period  the  Departmental  Examinations  were  in- 
augurated, and  the  honor  of  being  the  first  to  pass  belongs 
to  one  of  the  girls,  Miss  McCammon,  now  Mrs.  Ross,  of 
Manitoba.  Mr.  Andrews'  specialtv  was  the  Commercial 
course.  In  bookkeeping,  penmanship  and  stenography  he 
was  an  expert,  and  many  owe  their  success  in  business  to 
him  in  this  respect.  During  his  term  the  Musical  and 
Literary  Society  was  formed,  which  has  been  an  interest- 
ing feature  of  the  school  ever  since.  The  school  has  passed 
through  manv  vicissitudes  and  to  Rev.  Charles  Campbell, 
who  was  chairman  of  both  the  Public  and  High  School, 
it  owes  much,  perhaps  its  existence  now,  as  an  Act  was 
introduced  into  the  Legislature  requiring  a  certain  aver- 
age attendance,  which  might  harp  endangered  its  existence, 


HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

the  introduction  of  Entrance  Examinations  having  re- 
duced the  attendance.  Mr.  Campbell  made  a  strong  state- 
ment to  Hon.  Stephen  Richards,  then  the  member  for 
Niagara,  by  whose  influence  such  modifications  were  made 
in  the  Act  as  to  save  Niagara  and  several  other  small 
schools  from  extinction.  In  this  period  also  the  present 
schoolhouse  was  built,  and  a  difficulty  arose  with  the  town- 
ship as  to  their  share  in  the  payment.  Mr.  Campbell 
fought  vigorously ;  it  is  remembered  that  at  the  opening 
of  the  building  Mr.  John  Clement,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Board,  in  speaking  of  the  struggle  the  trustees  had  had 
to  obtain  the  building,  against  much  opposition,  very 
graphically  expressed  it  thus,  "  As  the  apostle  said,  so  we 
may  say,  '  We  have  fought  with  beasts  at  Ephesus/ '' 

Mr.  W.  F.  Seymour  became  Head  Master  in  1893,  under 
whom  the  school,  which  had  been  low  in  numbers,  in- 
creased rapidly.  As  a  teacher  he  spared  no  pains  and  had 
much  administrative  ability.  Both  he  and  Mr.  Andrews 
were  very  musical,  and  thus  entertainments  were  given 
which  added  to  the  equipment  of  the  school.  In  1897  came 
Mr.  W.  W.  Ireland,  M.A.,  now  Inspector  of  Public  Schools 
in  Lincoln,  whose  regime  is  remembered  with  pleasure. 
Mr.  R.  A.  Barron.  a  thorough  scholar,  taught  from  1901 
to  1904.  succeeded  by  W.  J.  Wright,  M.A.  'The  assistants 
have  been  Mr.  J.  Mills,  succeeded  by  the  present  writer 
for  twenty-three  years,  during  the  administration  of  Messrs. 
Andrews,  Seymour  and  Ireland;  retiring  in  1901. 

Two  reunions  were  held,  one  to  celebrate  the  eighty- 
sixth  anniversary  and  the  other  the  ninety-second.  Since 
the  day  of  Departmental  Examinations  in  pass  work,  honor 
work,  Matriculation  and  First  Year  University  work,  the 
school,  though  small,  has  done  its  full  share. 

To  the  trustees  of  the  school  we  must  not  fail  to  award 
their  true  meed  of  praise,  who,  through  many  difficulties 
and  discouragements,  discharged  their  onerous  and  respon- 
sible duties  without  fee  or  reward,  though  sometimes  sub- 
jected to  blame,  and  thus  secured  for  the  boys  and  girls  the 
means  of  obtaining  a  higher  education  to  enable  them  to 
take  their  place  in  the  world's  work. 

The  buildings  in  which  the  scholars  have  met  have  been 
various, — a  blockhouse,  the  brick  house  now  owned  by  Miss 


NIAGARA  HIGH  SCHOOL  227 

Purkis,  part  of  the  frame  house  owned  by  Mr.  Thompson, 
the  Stone  Barracks  (now  the  Masonic  Hall),  the  Rogers 
brick  building,  the 'frame  building  behind  St.  Andrew's 
Church  owned  by  Mr.  Sabin,  the  Public  School,  and,  since 
1875,  the  present  building. 

The  seal  of  the  school  has  also  had  its  adventures,  as  it 
was  lost  for  some  years  and  obtained  by  a  fortunate  coinci- 
dence. It  is  circular,  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter,  the 
inscription  in  outer  circle,  "The  Niagara  County  Gram- 
mar School,"  in  the  inside  circle,  "Established  1808,  In- 
corporated 1853,"  and  the  centre,  the  figure  of  a  telescope 
supported  on  one  side  by  a  globe  and  on  the  other  by  an 
inkstand  and  quill  pen. 

High   School   Centenary,   1908. — The   thought  of  cele- 
brating the  centenary  of  the  school  had  been  in  the  minds 
of  manv  for  some  time,  and  a  meeting  was  called  of  pupils, 
ex-pupils,   and  others  interested  early  in   1908,  when  it 
was  decided  that  such  a  meeting  should  be  held ;  a  large 
committee  was  named,  and  the  date  fixed  for  August  28th. 
Special   committees  were  named  for   printing,   entertain- 
ment, invitations,  etc. :  the  seal  of  the  school  was  used  for 
the  invitations  and  badges.     Four  hundred  and  fifty  invi- 
tations were  sent  out  to  all  the  old  pupils  and  teachers 
whose  addresses  could  be  obtained.     Replies  were  received 
from  many,  and  it  is  believed  that  about  three  hundred 
attended.     The  town  was  decorated  with  banners,  and  the 
school  yard  and  building  with  flags.     In  the  morning  the 
register  was  signed  and  greetings  exchanged  between  those 
who  had  not  met  for  years.    In  the  town  hall  an  excellent 
lunch   was   provided,   seven  long  tables   being   filled   and 
hilarity  prevailing.     In  the  afternoon  the  meeting  was  in 
the  open  air  in  the  school  grounds,  where  a  platform  had 
been  erected  and  seats  provided.     Mr.  W.  .1.  "Wright,  the 
Head  Master,  presided,  addresses  Avere  given  by  the  clergy 
of  the  town,  ex-head  masters  and  trustees.      Two  pupils 
of   Dr.   Whitelaw  were   present,    Solomon   Vrooman   and 
Stewart  Glaus,  both  old  men;  besides  these  were  William 
Forbes,  Grimsbv;  Andrew  Carnochan,  St.  Catharines,  and 
Pedro   Alma,   Toronto.      Brief   speeches   were   made   by 
nld  pupils,  one  of  them  quoting  from  Virgil  and  another 
from  an  oration  given  by  him  many  years  ago.     In  $hc 


228  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

evening  a  large  gathering  assembled  in  the  Music  Hall. 
Addresses  were  given  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Board,  the 
Mavor,  Professor  Lavell,  Dr.  Miller,  Dr.  Colquhoun,  Rev. 
J.  W.  Bell,  Rev.  P.  J.  Bench,  and  Dr.  P.  C.  McGregor. 
A  paper  was  read  by  Miss  Carnochan,  who  had  been  the 
assistant  teacher  for  twenty-three  years,  giving  the  history 
of  the  school  as  far  as  it  could  be  learned  for  a  hundred 
rears  of  its  existence.  It  was  a  matter  of  congratulation 
that  so  many  assembled  from  such  distant  points  to  show 
their  loyaltv  to  the  school,  as  there  were  old  pupils  from 
Savannah,  Philadelphia,  Toronto,  Hamilton,  Essex,  Buf- 
falo, Cleveland,  Grimsby,  St.  Catharines,  Dunnville,  Penn- 
svlvania,  Ohio,  etc.  Letters  were  read  from  Rev.  A.  G.  L. 
Trew,  San  Francisco;  Rev.  T.  D.  Phillipps.  Chicago;  Alex. 
Niven,  D.L.S.,  and  telegrams  from  old  pupils  in  Oregon 
and  Idaho.  The  paper  read  gave  the  names  of  many 
pupils  who  have  occupied,  or  are  now  occupying,  important 
positions  in  the  world's  work.  Of  the  first  teachers,  Jud^e 
Burns  and  Mr.  Winterbottom  were  pupils  of  Mr.  Creen : 
also  Bishop  Fuller,  Judge  O'Reillev,  Judsre  Miller  and 
Thomas  C.  Street;  of  the  pupils  of  Dr.  Whitelaw,  Sheriff 
McKellar,  Hon.  J.  G.  Currie.  Archdeacon  Trew,  Alex. 
Niven,  D.L.S. ;  of  the  pupils  of  Rev.  H.  N.  Phillipps.  Dr. 
Mack,  Rev.  A.  Dawson,  Rev.  D.  Niven,  Rev.  T.  D.  Phil- 
lipps, James  Flanieran;  of  Mr.  Camidsre,  Judge  Morson, 
Edward  Ball,  D.L.S. 

Of  a  later  date  many  have  become  successful  business 
men.  clerarvmen,  phvsicians,  lawyers,  teachers  and  agricul- 
turists, who  have  shown  that  the  teaching  of  the  Niagara 
Hi<rh  School  has  not  been  inefficient. 

From  the  walls  of  the  present  building  have  .graduated : 
as  clergymen.  Rev.  C.  Masters,  M.A.  and  B.D.,  Rev.  W. 
Masson,  Rev.  W.  Brown  ;  as  physicians,  Dr.  E.  Wilson,  with 
degrees  from  Toronto,  Montreal,  Johns  Hopkins,  London, 
Fnsrland,  and  Vienna;  as  lawyers,  F.  Geddes,  W.  Wilson. 
E.  Cleaver  and  P.  Rowland ;  as  successful  teachers,  Mrs. 
Ross,  the  Misses  Walsh,  Barron,  Hunter,  Rankin,  Manning. 
Gillies,  Creed,  Clement.  G.  Carnochan,  and  Niven;  in 
Science,  W.  Clement,  C.E.,  H.  Seymour,  D.L.S.,  F.  Clem- 
ent, B.Sc.,  T.  K.  Thomson.  C.E.,  D.Sc. :  as  members  of  the 
press,  F.  P.  L.  Smith,  of  the  Toronto  Nwx,  R.  Smith,  of 


NIAGARA  HIGH  SCHOOL  229 

the  Globe;  in  stenography  and  bookkeeping,  the  Misses 
Fizette,  Stevenson,  Gilmour,  Waters,  L.  Carnochan,  Hut- 
chinson,  Best,  Long,  Ibson,  and  Campbell;  as  successful 
business  men,  A.  and  E.  Andrews,  A.  Paffard,  W.  H.  Har- 
rison, J.  Masson,  C.  Prest,  C.  J.  Campbell,  W.  and  S. 
Cork,  A.  and  F.  Rowland,  J.  Healey,  W.  and  F.  McClel- 
land, W.  J.  Campbell,  A.  Gillies,  S.  -Campbell,  «T.  Skelton, 
W.  Quinn  and  G.  Ball;  as  agriculturists,  II.  Bradley,  R. 
Dawson,  II.  Ball,  J.  Hiscott  and  J.  Craise;  as  nurses  in 
New  York,  the  Misses  Long,  Evans,  Blain,  Fisher  and 
Oliver;  as  musicians,  the  Misses  Servos,  Niven,  Blake 
and  Gillies.  One  has  become  a  missionary  in  China,  Mrs. 
Robertson  (nee  Smith).  Many  other  names  could  be  men- 
tioned, but  space  forbids. 

As  a  result  of  the  Centennial  in  1908  an  effort  was  made 
to  mark  it  in  some  permanent  form.  Two  methods  were 
suggested,  either  to  raise  money  for  a  scholarship,  or  to 
build  a  gymnasium,  and  in  1911  a  fine  building  was  erected 
on  the  school  premises  with  a  complete  outfit,  costing 
$1,500,  a  great  part  of  the  money  having  been  contributed 
by  ex-pupils. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

STATUTES  PASSED  IN  PARLIAMENT  RELATING 
TO  NIAGARA  FROM  1792   TO   1840. 

To  find  that  so  many  statutes  passed  in  early  years 
related  to  Niagara  was  somewhat  of  a  surprise,  hut  on 
looking  over  the  old  volume  containing  the  Statutes  of 
Upper  Canada,  it  was  found  that  at  least  a  score  related 
in  some  way  to  Niagara  and  vicinity : 

In  1792 — A  Gaol  and  Court  House  was  to  he  built  in  the 
Home  District,  formerly  Nassau,  and  this  was  built  in 
Niagara,  then  called  Newark. 

In  1797— An  Act  was  passed  to  form  a  Law  Society 
at  Newark  on  17th  July,  1797,  to  adopt  rules  and  regu- 
lations. 

In  1798 — The  Town  and  Township  of  Newark  to  be 
called  Town  and  Township  of  Niagara,  respectively. 

In  1807— The  Public  School  for  the  District  of  Niagara 
to  be  in  the  Town  of  Niagara. 

In  1815— The  sum  of  £2,000  additional  to  be  granted 
for  the  Gaol  and  Court  House. 

In  1816— An  Act  to  extend  the  limits  of  the  Town  of 
Niagara. 

1817 — To  establish  a  market,  to  appoint  the  place  and 
make  rules  and  regulations. 

1819 — To  establish  police  for  regulating  market,  weights, 
measures,  firemen  and  place  of  market. 

1823 — The  Police  Act  amended  so  as  to  raise  by  assess- 
ment fifty  pounds  a  year  for  keeping  in  repair  market 
house  and  fire  engines,  etc. 

1829 — A  Niagara  Canal  Co.,  for  a  Lateral  Cut  from 
Welknd  Canal  to  Town  of  Niagara. 

1830 — With  regard  to  roads. 

1831 — To  incorporate  the  Harbour  and  Dock  Company, 
the  names  given  being  James  Muirhead,  Robert  Dickson, 
Thomas  Butler,  D.  MacDougal,  Ralph  Morden  Crysler, 

230 


STATUTES  PASSED  IN  PARLIAMENT      231 

W.  D.  Miller,  Lewis  Clement,  John  Crooks,  Thomas  Mc- 
Cormick,  James  Lockhart,  Eobert  Kay,  and  others. 

1834 — A  Branch  Canal  for  schooners  from  Welland 
Canal  to  Niagara. 

1835 — Erie  and  Ontario  Railway  Co.  (Horse  K.R.). 

1836 — Suspension  bridge  over  river  at  Queenston.  The 
names  given  are  Alexander  Hamilton,  Joseph  Hamilton, 
Joseph  Wynn,  Robert  Grant,  Robert  Hamilton,  Daniel 
Secord,  Richard  Woodruff,  William  Wynn,  William  Wood- 
ruff, Malcolm  Lang,  Adam  Brown,  William  McMicking, 
who  applied  for  charter.  The  Commissioners  appointed 
Avere  David  Thorburn,  R.  Grant,  W.  Wynn,  A.  Hamilton 
and  Gilbert  McMicking.  If  not  constructed  in  ten  years 
the  Corporation  to  cease  (which  happened). 

1836 — Niagara  and  Detroit  Railroad  Company  (incor- 
porated). 

1837 — Power  to  borrow  money,  £5,000,  for  communica- 
tion from  Welland  River  to  Queenston. 

1839 — To  allow  Trustees  of  Market  Reserve  to  borrow 
£1,500  to  build  a  better  Market  House  on  lots  65  and  66, 
and  for  other  purposes.  The  Trustees  of  the  Market  Re- 
serve, Robert  Dickson,  John  Claus,  Lewis  Clement;  for 
the  Town  of  Niagara,  E.  €.  Campbell.  Several  Acts  to 
amend  Acts  previously  passed  have  been  omitted.  The  idea 
of  a  bridge  at  Queenston  in  1836  was  not  carried  out  till 
1852. 

Members  of  Parliament. — Although  it  was  not  till  1825 
that  the  town  of  Niagara  became  a  constituency,  entitled 
to  a  member  in  Parliament,  it  was  generally  represented 
there  by  Niagara  residents,  such  as  Ralfe  'Clench,  D.  W. 
Smith  and  Isaac  Swayzie  in  the  Assembly,  and  Hon. 
William  Dickson  and  Hon.  William  Claus  in  the  Legis- 
lative Council.  From  1825  to  1874  it  was  a  separate  con- 
stituency, and  before  it  lost  this  privilege  many  were  the 
discussions,  remonstrances,  and  arguments  pro  and  con 
thereanent.  The  fi  rst  member  was  Edward  McBride,  editor 
of  a  Niagara  paper.  In  a  rather  warm  article  he  claims 
that  unfair  means  were  used  to  prevent  his  re-election 
in  1828,  as  he  found  himself  in  jail  as  a  debtor;  having 
become  security  for  a  friend,  he  was  called  on  to  pay  the 
amount  and  not  given  time  to  raise  the  sum  required,  so 


232  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAEA 

that  he  lost  the  election.  We  see  that  even  in  these  days 
strong  measures  were  used  to  gain  a  point. 

In  1828  Eobert  Dickson  was  elected,  and  in  1829  Henry 
John  Boulton,  Attorney-General.  In  1834  Charles  Eich- 
ardson,  the  brother  of  Major  Eichardson,  the  author  of 
"  Wacousta,"  was  elected  by  a  majority  over  E.  Dickson  and 
E.  Melville,  as  shown  by  a  Poll  Book  giving  the  votes  for 
each  candidate,  with  curious  notes  added,  as  "  voter  sworn," 
"  no  deed  of  property,"  "  not  on  the  list,"  etc.  At  one  time 
the  period  was  three  years,  at  another  seven,  afterwards 
four.  In  18-il,  the  vote  proved  to  be  a  tie  between  Edward 
C.  Campbell  and  Henry  John  Boulton,  and  the  matter  was 
settled  by  appointing  E.  C.  Campbell  as  Judge,  Mr.  Boul- 
ton retaining  the  seat.  There  is  a  broad  blue  ribbon  in 
existence  with  the  words,  "  Edward  C.  Campbell.  The 
Sovereign's  Privileges.  The  People's  Eights." 

In  an  article  on  "  Electioneering  in  Niagara,"  1852,  pre- 
sumably in  a  St.  Catharines  paper,  much  ridicule  is 
bestowed  on  the  proceedings  of  the  meeting  in  the  Court 
House  to  appoint  a  representative  for  Niagara.  "  The 
Mayor  was  called  to  the  chair  and  it  was  moved  by  Andrew 
Heron,  seconded  by  A.  E.  Christie,  that  the  Hon.  Francis 
Hincks  be  a  candidate.  This  was  ably  supported  by  Gilbert 
McMicken  and  Mr.  John  Simpson,  of  the  Chronicle;  the 
latter  pronounced  a  high  eulogy  upon  the  Inspector-Gen- 
eral, and  pleasant  it  was  to  see  the  formal  and  conscienti- 
ous Tory — the  great  champion  of  Church  and  State — bend- 
ing his  broad  shoulders  like  Issachar  to  the  heavy  burden 
of  Hincks'  Eadicalism — the  vicar  of  Bray  himself  could 
not  have  done  it  handsomer." 

In  1844  Walter  H.  Dickson  was  elected,  and  again  in 
1847.  An  article  in  a  Niagara  paper  gives  an  account 
of  his  speech  after  representing  the  town  for  seven  years. 
Hon.  Francis  Hincks  was  elected  in  1851,  but,  being  also 
elected  for  North  Oxford,  the  seat  was  held  by  J.  C.  Mor- 
rison for  town  and  township,  as  to  save  the  town  from 
losing  its  member  the  township  of  Niagara  was  added. 
Mr.  Morrison  remained  the  member  till  1857,  having  been 
re-elected  in  1854.  For  three  terms  John  Simpson  was 
elected,  1858,  1861  and  1863,  but  becoming  Deputy  Assist- 
ant Audi  tor- General,  Angus  Morrison  was  the  next  repre- 


SEAL  OF  THE  GRAMMAR  SCHOOL. 


HIGH   SCHOOL  CENTENARY,    1908. 


STATUTES  PASSED  IN  PARLIAMENT       233 

sentative,  and  in  1867  Hon.  S.  Richards  became  the  mem- 
ber, and  again  in  1.871,  when  the  constituency  was  abol- 
ished and  added  to  Lincoln,  but  the  name  Niagara  was 
retained,  thus,  Lincoln  and  Niagara.  In  1867  Angus 
Morrison  was  elected  for  the  Dominion  and  again  in  1872. 
In  1874  J.  B.  Plumb  became  the  member,  and  again  in 
1878,  and  the  constituency  was  abolished  in  1882  and  called 
Lincoln  and  Niagara,  and  finally  Lincoln  in  1904.  First, 
then,  the  town  alone  sent  a  member,  then  town  and  town- 
ship, then  Lincoln  County  and  Niagara,  and  finally  the 
name  Niagara  disappears  from  the  constituency.  How- 
ever, for  many  years  the  representative  in  the  Provincial 
House  was  a  native  of  Niagara,  Major  Hiscott,  a  success- 
ful fruit-grower,  being  elected  for  three  terms,  in  1890, 
1894,  and  again  in  1898.  Niagara  has  no  need  to  be 
ashamed  of  the  members  representing  it,  as  they  were 
men  of  ability  and  sterHng  worth,  who  took  their  share  in 
advancing  the  interests  of  the  country,  as  well  as  of  their 
own  constituency.  A  very  great  change  has  taken  place 
in  the  politics  of  the  voters,  as  during  many  years  the  vote 
was  overwhelmingly  Conservative,  but  now  is  very  evenly 
divided  between  Conservative  and  Liberal. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 
PHYSICIANS  AND  LAWYERS. 

NIAGAKA  has  had  several  skilful  physicians.  Among 
the  first  of  whom  we  have  any  record  are  Dr.  Kerr  and 
Dr.  Muirhead.  From  the  presence  of  the  military  there 
were  always  army  surgeons.  Of  some  of  the  medical  men 
there  are  traditions  floating  about,  of  others  we  learn 
many  particulars  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day  and  of 
others  we  only  know  from  the  advertisement  card  in  the 
local  paper.  "  Newark,  January  25th,  1797.  As  the  inocu- 
lation for  smallpox  is  this  day  commenced  at  Queeiiston 
and  the  season  of  the  year  is  favorable  the  subscribers  pro- 
pose inoculating  at  Newark  and  in  the  county  of  Lincoln 
on  most  reasonable  terms.  The  poor  gratis.  Robert  Kerr. 
James  Muirhead." 

In  the  Report  of  the  Loyal  and  Patriotic  Society,  1817, 
it  is  mentioned  that  Dr.  Muirhead  was  very  active  in  assist- 
ing the  distressed  and,  though  he  lost  almost  all  at  the 
burning  of  Niagara,  would  receive  nothing  from  the  Soci- 
ety, but  attended  patients  gratis.  Dr.  Muirhead  was  a 
native  of  Scotland  and  came  with  the  16th  Rifles  about 
J790.  He  is  described  as  stout,  fine  looking,  with  ruddy 
complexion.  He  died  March  24th,  1834,  aged  69,  and 
was  buried  in  Butler's  graveyard,  his  wife  being  Deborah 
Butler,  daughter  of  Colonel  John  Butler.  Sir  W.  B. 
Richards,  'Chief  Justice,  is  his  descendant.  He  may  be 
called  the  pioneer  doctor  of  Niagara,  and  held  many  re- 
sponsible positions.  He  was  a  Commissioner  of  the  Peace, 
and  was  appointed  Trustee  by  the  Lieutenant-Governor  in 
1807.  He  was  one  of  those  taken  prisoner  in  the  War 
of  1812. 

In  the  Upper  Canada  Gazette  of  December,  1802,  is  a 
reference  to  his  skill.  "  Justus "  writes  of  the  recovery 
of  Mr.  Laselles,  dangerously  wounded  in  a  duel  at  Fort 
Erie,  by  Mr.  Williams.  "  It  is  but  justice  to  observe  that 
this  very  extraordinary  cure  is  principally  owing  to  the 

234 


PHYSICIANS  AND  LAWYEES  235 

skill  and  attention  of  James  Muirhead,  Surgeon,  of 
Niagara.  When  we  consider  the  nature  of  the  wounds,  one 
of  which  was  five  inches  deep  under  the  arm,  and  the  other 
quite  through  to  the  lungs,  so  that  their  action  in  respira- 
tion could  be  distinctly  perceived,  we  must  own  the  value 
and  merit  of  the  surgeon." 

Dr.  Kerr  may  also  be  called  one  of  the  pioneer  physi- 
cians of  the  place.  The  obituary  notice  in  another  chap- 
ter shows  the  honor  in  which  he  was  held.  His  wife  was 
a  daughter  of  Sir  William  Johnson  and  Molly  Brant.  She 
died  in  1794  and  was  buried  in  St.  Mark's.  Dr.  Kerr 
survived  her  thirty  years  and  died  in  Albany.  An  adver- 
tisement in  1824  of  his  surgical  instruments  and  valuable 
library,  probably  shows  the  time  of  his  departure  from 
Niagara. 

Dr.  Grant  Powell  was  surgeon  on  the  Niagara  frontier 
and  had  the  oversight  of  the  hospital  by  Brock's  recom- 
mendation. In  Montreal  he  had  been  called  "  the  little 
doctor  with  the  gold  spectacles." 

Dr.  Telfer,  a  graduate  of  Edinburgh,  was  in  Niagara 
in  1828  and  vaccinated  the  poor  gratis.  A  letter  in  1832 
from  Drs.  Muirhead,  Telfer  and  Porter  complains  of 
quacks  and  those  practising  without  a  license.  In  1835 
Dr.  Telfer  removed  to  Toronto,  where  he  had  a  large  prac- 
tice, and  his  name  occurs  frequently  in  the  Medical  Board. 

Dr.  Porter,  from  Edinburgh,  was  an  army  surgeon, 
who  settled  in  Niagara,  and  had  a  large  practice.  The 
Niagara  Chronicle,  of  1840,  says,  "  He  was  endeared  to 
both  rich  and  poor  by  his  kindness  of  heart  and  professional 
skill.  The  beauty  of  his  only  daughter  was  often  spoken 
of." 

Dr.  Thorn,  of  the  41st  Eegiment,  was  in  Niagara  in 
1806  to  1812,  and  is  remarkable  as  having  fought  a  duel. 

Dr.  Hodder,  another  able  man,  was  highly  educated  in 
London,  Paris,  Edinburgh,  settled  in  Niagara  in  1838, 
remained  five  years  and  removed  to  Toronto,  where  he 
achieved  a  great  reputation. 

Dr.  Miller  is  mentioned  in  another  chapter  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday  school  in  St.  Andrew's.  His  wife, 
after  his  death,  was  frequently  called  in  for  medical  advice 
and  was  called  Dr.  Miller.  She  kept  a  drug  store,  adver- 


236  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

tised  as  "  Medical  Hall,"  on  Queen  Street.  A  reference  in 
Radcliffe's  letters  to  McGrath  in  1832  no  doubt  refers  to 
her  in  rather  slighting  terms  often  used  by  the  passing 
traveller.  "  There  is  a  drug  store  kept  by  a  woman  who 
compounds  medicines  and  puddings  with  equal  celerity, 
but  not  with  equal  skill."  This  may  be  a  touch  of  mascu- 
line jealousy,  as  it  is  believed  Mrs.  Miller  was  quite  skil- 
ful, having  learned  much  from  her  husband. 

In  1844,  Dr.  Rolls  advertises  as  next  Mr.  Hall's  office, 
Queen  Street,  near  the  old  post  office,  and  Dr.  Lowe  is  in 
the  residence  of  Mr.  Koune,  near  the  Harrington  Hotel. 
Dr.  Melville  succeeded  Dr.  Rolls  in  the  brick  house  of 
Mr.  A.  Davidson,  Queen  Street,  and  Dr.  MacDougal,  at 
his  father's  residence  (Colonel  MacDougal).  From  a 
Niagara  paper,  we  learn  that  "  On  the  31st  May,  1848. 
Dr.  Campbell,  of  Port  Robinson,  performed  a  very  serious 
operation  on  Mrs.  Andrews,  of  this  town,  without  the 
slightest  pain  through  the  influence  of  chloroform,"  and 
the  article  goes  on  to  give  the  quantity  of  chloroform  and 
the  time  occupied,  telling  the  complete  success  of  the 
operation.  (Mrs.  Andrews  lived  to  old  age.)  Dr.  Camp- 
bell soon  after  came  to  Niagara  and  was  a  successful  prac- 
titioner for  many  years.  Dying  in  Toronto,  he  showed  his 
love  for  the  town  by  expressing  a  wish  to  be  buried  as  near 
St.  Andrew's  Church  as  possible,  which  wish  was  carried 
out.  Dr.  Campbell  was  a  graduate  of  Edinburgh  Univer- 
sity, went  to  Toronto  in  1858,  and  became  President  of 
the  Homoeopathic  Medical  Board.  The  Canadian  Lancet 
describes  him  as  "  a  man  of  good  education,  of  great  intel- 
lectual power,  somewhat  imperious,  but  of  a  genial  nature.'' 

Other  items  from  Niagara  papers  show  the  skill  of 
several  physicians :  "  November  22nd,  1848.  Strabismus 
or  squinting.  We  understand  that  Dr.  Lowe,  of  this  town, 
M.R.C.S.L.,  L.A.C.L.,  recently  performed  several  success- 
ful operations  where  the  obliquity  of  the  eyes  was  con- 
cerned. One  of  the  individuals  was  formerly  a  workman 
in  our  office.  We  believe  the  doctor  uses  chloroform  in 
cases  susceptible  to  its  influence.  Niagara  is  favored  with 
a  fair  or  rather  an  unusual  proportion  of  medical  talent 
and  skill.  Dr.  Lowe,  Dr.  Melville  and  Dr.  Maitland,  of 
the  Royal  Canadian  Rifles,  are  all  above  mediocrity  in 


PHYSICIAN'S  AND  LAWYERS  237 

their  profession.  A  few  days  ago  Dr.  Maitland  amputated 
the  leg  of  a  soldier,  \vho  refused  to  avail  himself  of  the  aid 
of  chloroform,  saying  he  would  rather  be  shot  than  use  it." 

The  Doctor's  name  occurs  again  thus,  and  in  an  entirely 
new  capacity :  "  On  Wednesday  last  Dr.  Maitland  and 
Lieutenant  Friend,  R.C.R.,  were  out  fowling  about  two 
miles  from  town,  when  their  dogs  started  an  enormous  lynx, 
which  took  up  a  tree.  Although  loaded  with  shot  only, 
both  firing,  shot  it  in  the  head,  killing  it  instantly."  And 
again  thus,  "  Mechanics'  Institute,  Dr.  Melville  last  even- 
ing delivered  the  introductory  lecture  in  a  masterly  man- 
ner, illustrating  by  experiments  in  Electricity,  Magnetism, 
Chemistrv.  The  Town  Hall,  which  is  very  spacious,  did 
not  afford  accommodation  for  all  who  attended,  and  the 
learned  lecturer  received  frequent  marks  of  applause." 
These  seem  to  have  been  men  of  manv  gifts  as  surgeons, 
sportsmen  and  scientific  lecturers.  Besides  those  named 
there  have  been  Dr.  N"elles  and  Dr.  Wilson,  a  graduate  of 
Mcftill  College.  Both  went  to  the  West  Indies  for  their 
health,  hut  died  comparatively  young  men. 

Of  a  later  dav  was  Dr.  Morson,  a  skilful  armv  surgeon, 
of  Aberdeen  and  London,  who  was  staff  surgeon  in  Holland 
in  1833.  He  lived  Ion?  in  the  beautiful  mansion  formerly 
owned  by  James  Boulton  and  first  by  John  Powell. 

Length  of  service  seems  to  be  a  characteristic  of  the 
medical  men  of  the  town.  Dr.  Anderson,  the  present  "be- 
loved physician,"  has  ministered  to  the  wants  of  our 
people  for  over  thirty  vears,  not  only  curing  their  ail- 
ments, but,  in  the  case  of  the  poor,  giving  them  clothing, 
food  and  medicine  without  receiving  any  equivalent,  but 
the  treasure  of  which  we  read  "laid  up."  It  is  told  that 
four  different  physicians  have  settled  here  during  Dr. 
Anderson's  period  but  all  have  left,  finding  little  to  do, 
some  staying  a  longer,  some  a  shorter  time,  two  reasons 
heing  given,  the  healthiness  of  Niagara  and  the  popu- 
larity of  Dr.  Anderson. 

Though  not  a  Niagara  doctor  the  experience  of  Dr.  Dun- 
lop,  commonly  called  "  Tiger  Dunlop,"  for  a  short  time  in 
Niagara  after  the  Battle  of  Lundy's  Lane,  described  most 
graphically  by  himself,  may  be  given,  both  for  its  military 
and  medical  vain*  as  a  Fcene  in  Niagara  in  1814.  He 


238  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

arrived  at  Niagara  by  a  gun  brig  from  Toronto,  was  at 
once  taken  to  Butler's  Barracks  full  of  wounded  men,  many 
lying  on  straw  on  the  floor,  others  put  in  berths  one  above 
another,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  round  them  to 
dress  their  wounds.  "  Wagon  after  wagon  arrived  and 
before  midday  I  found  myself  in  charge  of  two  hundred 
and  twenty  wounded,  including  my  own  regiment,  pris- 
oners and  militia,  with  no  one  to  assist  me  but  my  hospital 
sergeant  who,  luckily  for  me,  was  a  man  of  sound  sense 
and  great  experience,  who  made  a  most  able  second.  I 
never  underwent  such  fatigue  as  I  did  for  the  first  week 
at  Butler's  Barracks.  The  weather  was  intensely  hot,  the 
flies  were  in  myriads  and,  lighting  on  the  wounds,  depos- 
ited their  eggs,  producing  in  a  few  hours  dreadful  irri- 
tation, so  that  long  before  I  could  go  round  dressing  the 
wounds  it  was  necessary  to  begin  again,  and  our  toil  was 
incessant.  For  two  days  and  two  nights  I  never  sat  down. 
When  fatigued  T  sent  my  servant  for  a  change  of  linen  and, 
having  dined  and  dressed,  went  back  to  my  work  quite 
refreshed.  On  the  morning  of  the  third  day,  however,  1 
fell  asleep  on  my  feet  with  my  arm  embracing  the  post  of 
one  of  the  berths.  It  was  found  impossible  to  awaken 
me,  so  a  truss  of  clean  straw  was  laid  on  the  floor,  on 
which  1  was  deposited  and  a  hospital  rug  thrown  over  me, 
and  there  I  slept  soundly  for  five  hours  without  ever  turn- 
ing. My  instructions  were,  as  soon  as  a  man  could  be 
safely  removed,  to  ship  him  to  York,  and  as  there  were 
ships  of  war  always  in  readiness  and  as  my  men  were  emi- 
nently uncomfortable  where  they  were,  I  very  soon  thinned 
my  hospital  and  the  few  that  remained  over  were  sent  to 
a  temporary  general  hospital. 

"  It  would  be  a  useful  lesson  to  cold-blooded  physicians  to 
witness  the  sorrow  and  the  horror  of  a  hospital  after  n 
battle.  The  exclamation  of  a  poor  woman  while  I  was  at 
work  among  the  wounded  illustrates  this.  Among  the 
wounded  was  an  American  farmer  who  had  been  on  the 
field,  either  as  a  militiaman  or  a  camp  follower.  He  was 
nearly  sixty  years  of  age  but  of  a  most  herculean  frame. 
One  ball  had  shattered  his  thigh-bone  and  another,  obvi- 
ously mortal,  had  lodged  in  his  body.  His  wife,  a  respect- 
able, elderly-looking  woman,  came  over  under  a  flag  of 


PHYSICIANS  AND  LAWYERS  239 

truce  and  found  her  husband  lying  on  a  truss  of  straw, 
writhing  in  agony.  She  seemed  at  first  stunned  and  sat 
on  the  ground,  ceased  her  wailing,  taking  her  husband's 
head  in  her  lap,  while  the  tears  flowed  fast  down  her  face. 
She  clasped  her  hands,  and  looking  wildly  around,  ex- 
claimed, '  Oh,  that  the  King  and  the  President  were  both 
here  this  moment  to  see  the  misery  their  quarrels  lead  to 
— they  surely  never  would  go  to  war  again  without  a  cause 
that  they  could  give  to  God  at  the  last  day  for  thus  destroy- 
ing the  creatures  that  He  hath  made  in  His  own  image.' 
In  half  an  hour  the  poor  fellow  ceased  to  suffer." 

The  Law  Society  of  Upper  Canada  met  on  the  17th  July, 
1797,  at  Wilson's  Hotel,  Newark,  in  obedience  to  an  Act 
passed  in  Parliament.  Those  present  were  John  White, 
Angus  Macdonell,  Christopher  Robinson,  W.  D.  Powell, 
Nicholas  Hagarman,  Robert  D.  Grav,  James  Clark,  Allan 
McLean,  Alexander  Stewart,  and  R.  C.  Beardsley.  An 
Act  had  been  passed,  9th  July,  1794,  by  which  "the 
Lieutenant-Governor  might  license  such  as  he  shall  deem 
from  their  probity,  education  and  condition  in  life,  best 
qualified  to  act  as  Advocates  and  Attorneys  in  the  conduct 
of  legal  proceedings."  From  this  we  may  suppose  that 
some  were  appointed  who  had  no  legal  education.  We 
know  that  Alexander  Stewart  was  a  captain  in  the  army. 

In  1803,  several  were  admitted  by  license  of  Lieutenant- 
Governor  Hunter,  viz.,  William  Dickson,  D'Arcy  Boulton, 
John  Powell,  William  Elliot,  and  W.  "Baldwin.  These 
names  are  given,  as  several  of  them  belong  to  Niagara. 
W.  D.  Powell,  Jr.,  belonged  to  Qneenston,  as  shown  by  a 
letter  written  in  1801,  thanking  Robert  Nelles,  of  Grimsby 
(Forty-Mile  Creek),  for  helping  his  elopement  with  Miss 
Sarah  Stevenson  to  Niagara,  where  they  were  married  by 
Rev.  R.  Addison.  His  death  is  recorded  in  St.  Mark's 
Register  in  1803.  Alexander  Stewart  was  the  father  of 
another  lawyer,  Alexander  Stewart,  who  is  remembered  by 
many.  At  the  family  residence,  corner  Regent  and  Pri- 
deaux  Streets,  General  Brock,  it  is  said,  was  often  enter- 
tained. William  Dickson,  whose  obituary  notice  may  be 
found  in  these  pages,  built  the  first  brick  house  in  Niagara 
arid  became  very  wealthy.  His  son,  Robert  Dickson/  be- 


240  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

came  a  barrister  in  Niagara,  and  the  late  Judge  Campbell 
was  a  student  of  law  with  him.  A  letter  from  Mr.  Dickson 
to  Mrs.  Campbell,  in  1824,  throws  some  light,  on  the 
customs  of  the  law  as  to  terms  of  apprenticeship.  Mrs. 
Campbell  was  the  widow  of  Fort  Major  Campbell,  who 
was  buried  at  Fort  George,  December,  1812.  Mr.  Dick- 
son  states  that  he  had  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  James 
Crooks  respecting  her  wish  to  place  her  son  under  articles 
of  apprenticeship  with  him.  The  letter  may  be  quoted,  as 
it  does  honor  to  all  concerned.  After  referring  to  early 
years  of  law  in  Niagara  he  says : 

"  When  I  entered  on  the  study  seven  years  ago  my 
master  exacted  a  fee  of  £100  currency.  I  am  resolved 
to  take  no  young  gentleman,  but  one  well  principled 
and  who  at  the  expiration  of  his  apprenticeship  will 
do  me  some  credit.  The  high  recommendation  of  the 
voting  man  together  with  the  former  acquaintance  of 
the  families  inclines  me  to  make  the  following  proposi- 
tion. Instead  of  requiring  a  fee  I  will  receive  the  young 
gentleman  for  five  years,  take  him  with  my  own  family 
and  make  him  an  inmate  of  the  same  for  the  sum  of  £60 
per  annum.  I  am  married  and  lately  built  on  the  old  site 
of  my  father's  brick  house,  out  of  town,  where  everything 
is  comfortable  and  pleasant,  as  if  he  were  a  son  of  my  own. 
T  make  this  offer  from  the  high  recommendation  you  give, 
for  I  can  assure  you  I  would  not  extend  any  such  offer  to 
any  but  a  discreet,  modest  and  deserving  lad.  I  mentioned 
my  intended  proposition  to  my  father  and  he  approved  it 
from  a  partial  recollection  of  your  son  and  his  acquaint- 
ance with  you 

"  I  remain,  yours  respectfully, 

"  ROBERT  DICKSON/' 

The  first  mention  of  a  court  being  held  in  Niagara  is 
in  December,  1793,  presided  over  by  Chief  Justice  Osgoode. 
the  Hon.  Robert  Hamilton  and  Peter  Russell,  Justices  of 
the  Peace,  being  associates.  A  grand  jury  of  seventeen 
was  sworn  in,  among  the  jurors  being  John  McNabb, 
Peter  Ball,  William  Jarvis,  A.  Macdonell,  Francis  Crooks, 
Ralfe  Clench,  William  Dickson  and  Thomas  Butler,  all 


PHYSICIANS  AND  LAWYERS  241 

well-known  names.  It  was  Chief  Justice  Osgoode  who 
suggested  in  his  charge  to  a  grand  jury  that  slavery  ought 
not  to  exist  in  Canada,  and  thus  the  Act  of  9th  July, 
1793,  "to  prevent  the  further  introduction  of  slaves  and 
to  limit  the  terms  of  contracts  for  service  within  the  pro- 
vince," was  passed — an  Act  so  honorable  to  our  early 
legislators  before  Britain  by  paying  £20,000,000  freed  her 
slaves  and  long  before  our  neighbors  by  a  more  costly  sacri- 
fice of  human  lives,  of  tears  and  blood,  as  well  as  millions 
of  money,  did  the  same. 

From  old  Niagara  papers  we  learn  the  names  of  many  of 
the  legal  fraternity.  James  Boulton,  whose  residence  was 
that  on  King  Street  lately  occupied  by  Dr.  Morson,  was 
a  noted  pleader.  A  verse  from  the  description  of  Niagara 
notabilities  already  referred  to,  emphasizes  this, — 

"  James  Boulton,  as  we  understand, 
Addressed  the  folk  in  Haldimand; 
If  he  can't  talk  a  man  to  sleep, 
Before  a  jury  he  can  weep." 

This  is  said  to  have  actually  occurred,  and  by  it  he  won 
his  case. 

In  1830,  in  the  Gleaner,  is  the  business  card  of  "Robert 
Dickson,  Barrister,  and  in  1831,  that  of  his  pupil,  Edward 
C.  Campbell,  Attorney,  opposite  Mr.  John  WagstafFs,  but 
in  1841  E.  C.  Campbell  states  that  from  his  official  armoint- 
ment  he  has  placed  his  accounts  in  the  hands  of  Messrs. 
Miller  and  Boomer.  This  probably  refers  to  his  appoint- 
ment as  judge,  which  position  he  held  till  his  death  in 
18fiO.  Juda:e  Campbell,  the  son  of  Fort  Major  Campbell, 
took  great  interest  in  many  ways  in  the  prosperity  of  the 
town.  A  successful  horticulturist,  his  name  is  found  in 
all  the  lists  of  prizes  at  the  exhibitions  for  fruit,  flowers 
and  vegetables.  The  President  of  the  Mechanics'  Insti- 
tute for  ten  years,  he  did  much  for  that  institution.  His 
tall,  stately  form  is  yet  remembered. 

On  22nd  June,  1830,  William  Bowers  Winterbottom 
and  Warren  Claus,  Esqs.,  were  called  to  the  Bar  as  Bar- 
risters of  all  His  Majestv^s  Courts  in  Upper  Canada.  At 
the  death  of  Mr.  Winterbottom  in  1895  he  was  the  oldest 
17 


242  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGARA 

Bencher  in  the  Province.  Judge  Lawder,  who  had  prac- 
tised as  a  lawyer  iu  Niagara,  succeeded  Judge  Campbell 
and  held  the  position  for  many  years.  The  names  of  many 
of  whom  little  is  now  known  are  found  in  the  advertising 
columns.  John  Powell,  Barrister  and  Attorney,  opposite 
the  Harrington  Hotel  on  Gate  Street,  kept  there  the  Regis- 
try Office;  D'Arcy  Boulton,  in  1847,  at  the  office  formerly 
occupied  by  James  Boulton ;  A.  0.  Hamilton,  Barrister, 
opposite  the  British  Hotel.  Messrs.  Miller  and  Boomer 
flourished  in  1845,  and  in  1852  the  firm  still  existed,  but 
Richard  Miller  in  St.  Catharines  and  George  Boomer  in 
Niagara.  John  Lyons,  barrister  and  attorney,  who  was, 
if  we  mistake  not,  one  of  the  young  men  who  threw 
Mackenzie's  type  into  Toronto  Bay,  was  now  Regis- 
trar in  Niagara,  opposite  John  Young's  dwelling- 
house;  also  Charles  L.  Hall,  Queen  Street,  in 
1838,  and  Charles  Richardson  and  A.  Gilkison,  also  in 
Queen  Street,  in  1838.  In  1870  George  Boyle  practised, 
but  for  many  years  no  lawyer  has  made  his  home  in 
Niagara,  whether  because  there  is  less  litigation  or  from 
the  decrease  in  the  population  of  the  town.  In  1838,  in 
one  copy  of  the  Chronicle,  there  are  seventeen  advertise- 
ments of  the  sale  of  lands  for  debt,  signed  Alexander 
Hamilton,  Sheriff,  and  Alex.  McLeod,  Deputy  Sheriff. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
POST-OFFICES  AND  POSTMASTERS. 

THE  first  reference  I  have  found  with  regard  to  a  post- 
office  is  in  1798,  and  this  shows  Niagara  was  the  depot  for 
letters  for  many  points.  The  notice  in  the  Upper  Canada 
Gazette  reads  thus:  "List  of  letters  remaining  with  J. 
Edwards,  Esq.,  at  Newark,  TJ.'C.  For  accommodation  of 
persons  to  whom  the}7  are  addressed.  Niagara,  Niagara 
Falls,  York,  Thorold,  Chippawa  Creek.  Fort  Erie,  Grand 
River,  Oxford,  River  la  Tranche,  and  other  places."  This 
was  a  post  that  arrived  every  second  Wednesday  and  letters 
for  Upper  Canada  were  sent  to  Mr.  Edwards,  Niagara. 
"  When  the  post  does  not  get  in  too  late  in  the  evening  he 
will  go  back  after  the  mail  is  made  tip,  which  generally 
takes  an  hour  and  a  half.  All  letters  intended  for  the 
mail  should  he  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Edwards  by  Wednes- 
day morning.  J.  G.  Coffin,  P.M." 

But  from  a  line  above  this  notice  thus,  "  Post  Office,  Fort 
Niagara,  April  2nd,  1798,"  it  is  evident  that  letters  came 
first  to  Fort  Niagara,  which,  of  course,  was  British  till 
]796,  and  many  not  knowing  the  change  still  thus  ad- 
dressed their  letters  to  Fort  Niagara.  We  will  suppose 
that  J.  G.  Coffin  was  the  postmaster  there  and  J.  Edwards 
in  Newark.  It  was  in  this  year,  1798,  that  an  Act  of 
Parliament  was  obtained  to  change  the  name  back  to 
Niagara.  Below  this  notice  we  read,  "  Stage  between 
Newark  and  Chippawa,  7  a.m.  Monday,  Wednesday,  Fri- 
day. Letters  fourpence  each." 

In  the  Upper  Canada  Gazette,  October  1797,  it  appears 
that  a  subscription  had  been  proposed  for  the  mail  between 
Canandaigua  and  Fort  Niagara,  but  a  later  notice  says 
that  the  subscription  has  been  withdrawn  and  the  expense 
will  be  wholly  borne  by  the  United  States,  and  the  state- 
ment is  made  that  "  the  United  States  mail  has  commenced 
running  from  Canandaigua;  it  will  arrive  every  other 
Wednesday.  Mr.  McClellan  has  taken  charge  of  the  post 

243 


244  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

office  until  a  postmaster  shall  have  been  appointed.  To 
accommodate  the  gentlemen  of  "Upper  Canada  the  letters 
for  the  Province  will  be  left  with  Mr.  Edwards,  West 
Niagara. — J.  J.  TJlrich  Revardi,  Major  Artillery  and  Eng. 
Commanding." 

In  the  issue  for  October  llth,  "The  United  States  mail 
for  the  first  time  arrived  at  Fort  Niagara." 

We  find  in  a  paper  of  1800,  Fort  Niagara,  a  list  of 
letters  left  with  S.  Tiffany  at  the  printing  office, 
Niagara,  and  in  1801  a  list  of  letters  in  the  post-office 
of  J.  Edwards,  in  Niagara,  U.C.,  signed  David 
Thompson,  P.M.,  and  an  N.B.  notice  reads,  "  If  persons 
will  remember  that  Mr.  Edwards  has  all  this  trouble  with- 
out any  emolument  to  please  take  up  letters,  to  prevent 
them  being  returned  to  dead  letter  office  every  six  months." 

John  'Crooks  was  postmaster  for  several  years,  and  we 
read  of  his  kindness  in  sending  wood  to  the  jail,  to  relieve 
the  sufferings  of  prisoners  from  the  cold  in  winter.  On 
the  death  of  Mr.  Crooks,  in  1833,  Alexander  Davidson 
became  postmaster.  He  was  the  editor  of  the  Niagara  Mail 
in  1847,  afterwards  assisted  by  his  son,  James  A.  David- 
son. Mr.  Davidson  was  succeeded  by  Robert  Connor,  who 
held  the  position  till  1861,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
Robert  M.  Warren,  who  held  the  office  for  over  forty  years, 
to  1902.  He  was  a  noted  fruit  grower  and  an  earnest  tem- 
perance worker ;  with  the  exception  of  the  late  Mr.  Michael 
Teefy,  of  Richmond  Hill,  it  is  believed  that  Mr.  Warren 
held  the  position  of  postmaster  longer  than  any  other 
official  of  the  department. 


CHAPTEE  XXXVTI. 
OBITUARY  NOTICES. 

THIS  does  not  pretend  to  cover  the  obituary  notices  of 
all  the  important  people  in  early  times  which  should  be 
recorded,  but  merely  those  found  in  old  papers.  Much  to 
be  desired  are  notices  of  many  not  here  to  be  found. 

These  obituary  notices,  gathered  from  many  sources,  are 
in  general  quoted  exactly,  but  in  a  few  cases  for  brevity 
contractions  have  been  made. 

29th  May,  1793.  "  Died,  Catharine  Butler,  wife  of  John 
Butler,  Esq.,  first  Judge  of  'Common  Pleas,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  of  old  Rangers  and  chief  agent  for  the  Indians. 
Few  in  her  station  have  been  more  useful,  none  more 
humble.  She  lived  58  years  in  the  world  without  provoking 
envy  or  resentment  and  left  the  world  as  a  weary  traveller 
leaves  an  inn  to  go  to  the  land  of  his  nativity." 

Why  do  these  old  notices  not  give  the  maiden  name  of 
the  wife?  Mrs.  Butler's  life  was  not  free  from  trouble, 
as  she  was  kept  a  prisoner  in  Albany  solely  because  she 
was  the  wife  of  Colonel  Butler,  and  was  finally  released 
by  exchange.  Such  vicissitudes  frequently  occurred  in  the 
Revolutionary  War,  according  to  the  cruel  custom  of  the 
period.  It  has  been  lately  learned  that  Mrs.  Butler's 
maiden  name  was  Pollock. 

In  a  paper  of  1794  is  recorded  the  death  of  Elizabeth, 
wife  of  Dr.  Kerr,  January  25th,  1794,  daughter  of  Sir 
William  Johnson  and  Molly  Brant. 

Perhaps  the  earliest  merchant  of  the  town  was  George 
Forsyth;  on  an  altar  tombstone,  hacked  in  the  war,  we 
find  this  information: 

"  In  memory  of  George  Forsytli,  who,  in  his  long  resi- 
dence as  a  merchant  and  magistrate  in  the  town,  was 
beloved  for  his  mild  manners  and  great  worth;  died  Sep- 
tember 5th,  1803;  aged  52  years." 

In  the  Upper  Canada  Gazette,  Niagara,  December  14th, 
1796 :  "  With  sorrow  we  announce  the  affecting  news  that 

245 


246  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

on  Saturday  last  departed  this  life,  much  lamented,  the 
amiable  Mrs.  Hamilton,  consort  of  the  Honorable  Robert 
Hamilton,  Esq.,  of  Queenston,  and  this  day  her  remains 
were  interred  by  a  large  concourse  of  relatives  and  friends 
deeply  impressed  with  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion.  Mrs. 
Hamilton  possessed  those  virtues  that  adorn  humanity, 
rendering  her  a  pattern  to  her  sex,  endearing  her  as  a 
mother,  daughter,  sister,  friend ;  and  all  to  whom  she  was 
thus  related  knew  well  the  diligence  with  which  she  dis- 
charged their  several  duties  and  now  sympathize  with  each 
other  in  the  irreparable  loss." 

Hon.  R.  Hamilton's  first  wife  was  Catharine  Askin,  the 
widow  of  John  Robertson.  His  second  wife  was  Mary 
Herkimer,  the  widow  of  Neil  McLean. 

In  York  Gazette,  March  22nd,  1809,  appears  this  notice: 

"  Died  at  his  house  in  Queenston  on  8th  inst.,  lion. 
Robert  Hamilton;  while  living  his  public  ability,  benevo- 
lence and  conciliating  disposition  will  render  his  death 
long  and  feelingly  regretted."  Of  him  Bishop  Strachan 
said,  "  He  was  remarkable  for  varied  information,  engag- 
ing manners,  princely  hospitality,  magnanimous  liberality 
in  rescuing  many  from  famine."  Canniff  says,  "  He  left 
an  estate  of  £200,000."  He  was  at  Carleton  Island  in 
1779,  and  became  a  partner  of  Hon.  Richard  Cartwright. 

"May  24th,  1818.  Death  of  Peter  Secord,  aged"  103. 
His  longevity  is  ascribed  to  his  remarkable  temperance. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  settlers.  Last  year  he  killed  four 
wolves  and  walked  twenty  miles  to  make  affidavit  to  obtain 
the  wolf  bounty." 

"  1823.  Died  at  Drummond  Island,  Colonel  Robert  Dick- 
son,  late  Superintendent  of  Western  Indian  nation.  He 
saved  many  lives  of  prisoners  among  the  Indians.  Was  a 
native  of  Dumfries,  Scotland."  (American  Buffalo 
Patriot}. 

"  1824.  Died  at  Albany,  Robert  Kerr,  of  Niagara,  U.C., 
aged  69.  Surgeon  in  the  Indian  Department.  The  funeral 
was  attended  by  a  large  concourse  of  citizens  and  members 
of  the  Legislature.  Being  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Upper  Canada,  the  Masonic  brethren  attended 
and  agreed  to  wear  crape  on  the  left  arm  for  thirty 
days."  York  Gazette :  Dr.  Kerr  lived  in  the  hospital  from 


OBITUAEY  NOTICES  247 

1822,  and  at  one  time  on  Prideaux  Street.  He  came  to 
Niagara  in  1789.  His  wife  was  the  daughter  of  Sir 
William  Johnson  and  Molly  Brant,  and  was  buried  in 
St.  Mark's,  1794.  Albany  people  spoke  of  his  liberal 
hospitality,  arid  his  uniform  kindness  to  the  American 
army  is  gratefully  remembered  by  many  in  Albany.  He 
was  for  forty-five  years  surgeon  to  His  Majesty's  forces, 
Indian  Department,  and  Judge  of  the  Surrogate." 

"  1826.  Died,  Hon  William  Glaus,  aged  61.  A  eulogy 
on  his  character  was  given  at  the  Garrison  Service." 

"  1828.  Died,  John  Bredkenridge,  Esq.,  Barrister,  etc. 
In  the  death  of  Mr.  Breakenridge,  Niagara  has  lost  one  of 
its  best  friends.  He  settled  here  shortly  after  the  war  and 
built  several  of  the  most  elegant  and  tasty  houses  in  town. 
He  was  charitable,  hospitable,  and  had  numerous  friends." 

"  January,  1828.  Died  on  the  19th,  Ralfe  Clench,  of 
paralytic  affection,  a  native  of  Schenectady,  joined  the 
Royal  Standard  in  1775,  at  the  time  of  the  Eevolution  as 
cadet  of  the  42nd  Regiment;  he  next  had  a  commission  in 
the  8th  or  King's  Regiment;  then  Lieutenant  in  Butler's 
Rangers,  till  1783 ;  then  Clerk  of  the  Peace  in  Quebec  and 
this  district.  He  was  a  Judge,  Registrar  of  Surrogate,  Col- 
onel of  Militia,  and  several  times  member  of  the  House  of 
Assembly." 

"  1828.  Died,  Isaac  Swayzie,  near  town;  of  New  Jersey, 
aged  77.  He  suffered  imprisonment  for  being  loyal  to  his 
king  and  country,  escaped  to  the  British  lines,  and  has 
been  the  representative  in  Parliament  for  several  years." 

"  Died,  October,  1829,  Rev.  R.  Addison.  As  a  gentleman, 
a  scholar,  a  divine,  he  was  distinguished  for  liberality  of 
sentiments,  unostentatious  life,  integrity  of  conduct,  char- 
ity, benevolence,  and  urbanity  of  manner,  and  was  a  faithful 
friend.  There  was  a  large  funeral  with  Masonic  honors; 
the  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Archdeacon  of  York." 

"  Died,  Peter  Thompson,  of  Stamford,  on  Feb.  23rd, 
1829,  aged  80.  He  came  to  America  from  Scotland  before 
the  Revolutionary  War;  then  to  Canada  in  1783  and  settled 
in  Stamford,  on  land  granted.  Was  an  elder  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church  for  more  than  thirty  years.  He  has  not 
left  an  enemy.  The  editor  of  this  paper  knew  him  for 


248  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAKA 

more  than  forty  years,  and  can  witness  from  personal 
knowledge  to  his  amiable  disposition." 

"June  16th,  1828.  Death  of  Mrs.  Mary  Rogers,  aged 
78.  She  came  to  Niagara  twenty-two  years  ago,  has  left 
forty  descendants." 

"  1833.  Death  of  John  Grier.  Born  in  1761,  in  Gallo- 
way, Scotland.  He  resided  in  town  for  forty  years,  and  was 
in  the  Presbyterian  church  since  its  formation.  He  leaves 
a  widow,  one  son  and  grandson,  all  in  comfortable  circum- 
stances." 

"  Died,  February  20th,  1830,  Thomas  McMicking,  Stam- 
ford. Came  from  Galloway,  Scotland,  to  New  York,  fought 
in  the  war,  received  a  grant  of  land  in  1783,  and  was  an 
elder  in  the  Presbyterian  church  for  30  years." 

"  September  4th,  1830.  Died,  John  Secord,  on  the  3rd 
instant,  aged,  we  believe,  about  eighty  years.  He  was  one 
of  the  oldest  settlers  in  the  Province,  and,  we  believe,  the 
very  first  in  this  District.  He  has  left  a  numerous  progeny, 
many  of  whom  have  been  respectably  settled  in  the 
country." 

"  Died,  October  25th,  1831,  Jacob  Servos,  in  Louth, 
aged  80.  He  was  one  of  those  who  left  their  all  in  the  now 
U.S.,  and  joined  the  British  standard;  bore  a  lieutenant's 
commission,  received  half  pay  to  the  day  of  his  death, 
besides  bounty  of  land  given  him." 

"  In  Stamford,  aged  80,  Mrs.  Thompson,  relict  of  late 
Peter  Thompson,  on  March  5th,  1832.  Mrs.  Thompson  is 
nearly  the  last  head  of  a  family  of  those  loyal,  respectable 
emigrants  from  Scotland,  who  were  persecuted  by  the 
rebels  in  New  York  State,  and  took  refuge  in  the  British 
lines  on  this  frontier,  and  who  settled  on  lands  granted 
them  by  the  Government  48  years  ago." 

"  Died  at  Brighton,  England,  1832,  Lieut. -General  John 
Murray,  formerly  of  100th  Eegiment,  late  99th,  who  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  Canada  during  the  late  war  with 
the  United  States,  particularly  at  the  storming  and  capture 
of  Fort  Niagara,  on  19th  December,  1813,  for  which  he 
received  the  thanks  of  the  Provincial  Legislature,  and  a 
present  of  a  valuable  sword." 

"1833.  On  31st  March,  died  of  scarlet  fever,  John 
Crooks,  Esq.,  P.M.,  aged  38.  As  a  magistrate  he  was  firm 


OBITUAKY  NOTICES  249 

and  conscientious;  as  a  Christian,  sincere,  steadfast,  exem- 
plary ;  for  fourteen  years  conducted  a  Sunday  school  in  the 
midst  of  many  discouragements,  but  the  fruit  of  his  labors 
remains.  He  was  an  elder  in  St.  Andrew's  Church,  and  has 
left  a  family  of  five  daughters,  the  eldest  eight,  the  youngest 
an  infant,  presented  by  her  sorrowing  mother  to  receive 
baptism  in  the  church  immediately  after  the  father  was 
committed  to  the  dust;  a  scene  of  melancholy  interest 
which  will  not  soon  be  forgotten.  '  Leave  thy  fatherless 
children,  I  will  preserve  them,  and  let  thy  widows  trust 
in  me.'" 

In  July,  1837,  "Died,  John  Wilson.  The  Vestry  of 
St.  Mark's  express  sympathy  with  the  family  of  deceased 
churchwarden." 

1841,  June  25th,  in  Reporter.  "  Died,  in  this  town,  on 
Friday,  25th,  after  a  lingering  illness,  Mr.  Thomas  Sewell, 
printer  and  publisher  of  this  paper,  aged  35.  He  was  a 
native  of  Appleby,  in  Westmoreland,  England,  and  came 
here  in  1831,  and  has  left  a  widow  and  three  small  children 
to  mourn  his  loss." 

In  the  Argus,  March,  1846,  is  a  long  obituary  of  Hon. 
William  Dickson,  of  which  this  is  a  short  summary: 
"  Deceased  was  a  native  of  Dumfries,  born  in  1769, 
came  here  at  the  age  of  sixteen  and  entered  in  the 
employment  of  Hon.  E.  Hamilton,  then  in  partnership 
with  Hon.  E.  Cartwright,  at  Carleton  Island,  then  at  Fort 
Niagara  and 'Twelve  Mile  Creek.  He  built  the  first  brick 
house  at  Niagara  about  1790,  and  later  was  admitted  to 
practice  law  by  special  Act  of  Parliament;  was  J.P.  and 
Clerk  of  the  Peace,  Judge  of  District  Court.  In  1816  in 
the  Legislative  Council;  made  settlement  of  Township  of 
Dumfries  of  one  hundred  thousand  acres,  and  laid  the 
foundation  of  fortunes  of  the  family.  Eetired  in  1835  to 
this  town.  Suffered  much  from  severe  bodily  disease.  At 
the  funeral  on  Sunday  an  assemblage  of  inhabitants  of  the 
town  and  country  (amidst  the  inclemency  of  the  weather) 
that  assembled,  gratified  both  his  friends  and  family."  In 
the  sermon  that  was  preached  by  Eev.  T.  Green,  it  is  men- 
tioned that  he  was  one  who  had  helped  in  procuring  the 
first  missionary  and  in  the  erection  of  the  church.  "  Waiv- 
ing the  predilection  which  he  naturally  entertained  for  the 


250  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

Established  Church  of  his  native  land,  he  united  with  us 
in  an  application  to  the  Venerable  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Gospel  for  a  missionary  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. He  was  ever  to  the  settlers  a  kind  adviser  and 
generous  friend,  never  pressing  payments '  due  to  him." 

In  the  Dumfries  paper  is  found  another  notice  referring 
to  the  settlement  of  the  township. 

From  Dumfries  Courier.,  Feb.  21st,  1846:  "We  have 
to-day  to  record  the  melancholy  intelligence  of  the  death 
of  the  Hon.  William  Dickson,  the  liberal-minded  and 
revered  founder  of  this  township,  which  sad  event  took 
place  at  Niagara  on  Thursday  last,  18th  instant.  The 
Township  of  Dumfries,  which,  under  his  fostering  care, 
has,  in  an  incredibly  short  period,  been  converted  from  a 
wilderness  into  one  of  the  most  nourishing  and  prosperous 
parts  of  the  Province,  bears  witness  to  the  wisdom  and 
benevolence  of  the  late  lamented  gentleman,  whose  memory 
will  be  long  cherished  in  the  hearts  of  thousands  to  whom 
he  has  been  indeed  a  benefactor  and  a  friend." 

"  Death  of  Andrew  Heron.  On  May  13th,  1848,  of  decay 
of  nature,  Mr.  Andrew  Heron,  aged  83  years.  He  was  a 
native  of  Kircudbrightshire,  Scotland,  and  came  to  Amer- 
ica sixty-three  years  ago.  For  sixty  years  he  resided  in 
Canada.  In  the  earlier  part  of  his  life  he  was  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits,  which  he  relinquished  in  1817,  and 
that  year  commenced  the  publication  of  the  Niagara 
Gleaner,  which  he  continued  for  upwards  of  twenty  years." 

March  4th,  1841,  in  the  Argux  in  a  notice  of  the  death 
of  John  Young,  previously  referred  to,  is  a  reward  offered 
for  the  recovery  of  the  body  (he  was  drowned  in  Lake 
Ontario)  ;  a  full  description  of  clothes  is  given. 

"  Died  in  this  town,  26th  January,  1853,  Dr.  John 
Whitelaw,  in  his  79th  year.  He  was  a  man  of  great  erudi- 
tion, distinguished  in  classics  and  science ;  since  ISO'S,  with 
little  intermission  has  conducted  a  classical  school  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  Province,  first  at  Quebec,  then  at  Kingston, 
and  latterly  at  Niagara.  Various  distinguished  persons 
now  living  received  their  education  from  him.  His  great 
modesty  and  retiring  habits  kept  him  from  being  as  con- 
spicuous as  many  of  inferior  abilities.  He  was  born  in 
Bothwell,  near  Glasgow,  Scotland.  Arrived  in  this  country 


OBITUARY  NOTICES  251 

in  1805,  and  was  for  two  years  associated  with  the  late 
Daniel  Wilkie,  in  a  classical  school  in  Quebec,  so  that  he 
was  one  of  the  oldest  classical  teachers  in  the  Province. 
In  1807  he  was  appointed  to  Kingston  grammar  school.  In 
1818  he  resigned,  went  to  Scotland,  and  at  Glasgow  and 
Edinburgh  obtained  the  degrees  of  M.A.,  and  M.D.  He 
came  to  Canada  again  in  1825  and  practised  medicine  in 
Kingston.  In  1833  came  to  Niagara  grammar  school.  He 
was  one  of  the  few  persons  of  whom  an  ill  word  was  never 
heard.  Respected  by  all  and  beloved  by  his  friends  and 
relatives,  he  has  gone  to  the  grave  at  a  ripe  age.  He  read 
a  portion  of  the  New  Testament  in  the  original  language 
the  day  he  died.  He  has  been  translated  to  that  place 
where  he  will  clearly  understand  those  mysteries  of  Provi- 
dence and  Grace  which  here  he  eagerly  sought  to  explore, 
but  was  unable  to  fathom." 

"  Died,  Col.  De  Lalce,  suddenly,  in  1848,  on  the  steam- 
boat from  Niagara  to  Toronto,  of  the  Ceylon  Regiment, 
1818.  The  deceased  lived  at  Lundy's  Lane  from  1832, 
became  President  of  the  Niagara  Harbor  and  Dock  Com- 
pany, and  lived  at  Niagara  over  a  year  in  De  Latre  Lodge. 
He  was  a  great  student  of  classics  and  science,  and  was 
buried  at  Lundy's  Lane." 

"  Charles  Richardson,  born  ISO'S,  died  1848,  was  member 
for  Niagara  from  1834-1836." 

October  19th,  1853.  "Died,  John  Whitmore,  aged  79. 
In  1776  the  Indians  murdered  all  the  family  except  him- 
self, a  brother  and  two  sisters.  One  of  them  is  Mrs.  Hoople, 
of  New  York.  He  was  carried  off  captive'  and  lived  with 
Indians,  adopted  by  Delawares,  afterwards  settled  in  Nia- 
gara township,  and  was  loved  and  respected,  a  noble  speci- 
men of  a  Canadian  farmer  of  the  old  school."  This  is  a 
long  notice,  here  abbreviated. 

1850,  August  21st.  "  Died,  Elizabeth  Clench,  relict  of 
the  late  Colonel  Ralfe  Clench,  aged  77.  Deceased  was 
born  near  Johnstown  and  came  to  Canada  during  the 
Revolutionary  War.  She  was  the  daughter  of  the  late 
Captain  Brant  Johnson  and  granddaughter  of  the  late  Sir 
William  Johnson,  Baronet." 

May,  1852.  "  Died,  Abraham  W.  Secord,  youngest  son 
of  John  Secord,  Niagara,  where  he  was  born  April  3rd, 


252  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGAKA 

1795.  He  joined  the  volunteer  force  in  1812,  when  seven- 
teen, under  Captain  Hatt,  was  next  made  sergeant,  and 
was  given  a  commission  by  Sir  Isaac  Brock,  under  circum- 
stances highly  creditable  to  both.  All  that  constituted  the 
soldier  and  the  patriot  was  found  in  him,  and  he  had  the 
esteem  of  all  who  knew  him." 

Mrs.  Hoople,  sister  of  John  Whitmore.  "  Near  Dickin- 
son's Landing,  on  2nd  October,  1858,  aged  93,  Mrs.  Mary 
Hoople,  last  surviving  sister  of  the  late  John  Whitmore. 
She  shared  in  the  Indian  captivity  of  her  brother,  having 
been  carried  off  in  their  childhood  by  a  band  of  Indians 
(Delawares).  She  was  with  her  brother  released  by  Gover- 
nor Simcoe,  and  she  settled  near  Cornwall.  Nine  years 
ago  she  and  her  brother,  Mr.  Whitmore,  met  for  the  first 
time  after  a  separation  of  nearly  seventy  years." 

"  James  Cooper,  on  24th  of  March,  1860,  at  his  residence, 
Queenston  Eoad,  Niagara  Township,  died,  aged  86  years. 
He  was  one  of  the  few  surviving  original  settlers  of  U.C., 
having  been  brought  to  this  Province  as  a  prisoner  by  the 
Indians  in  1776.  Mr.  Cooper  was  one  of  the  sterling  men 
of  the  olden  time,  full  of  truthfulness,  honesty  and  loyalty. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  and  in  every 
relation  of  life  a  man  greatly  esteemed." 

"Hon.  James  Creoles  died  at  his  residence,  Flamboro' 
West,  in  March,  1860,  aged  82.  He  was  a  resident  of 
Niagara  from  1794,  having  emigrated  from  Scotland  when 
quite  young.  Was  a  merchant  here  many  years,  shipped 
the  first  wheat  and  first  flour  from  Niagara  to  Montreal, 
built  the  first  paper  mills  in  Flamboro',  was  a  member  of 
the  Legislative  Council  for  twenty-five  years,  was  a  captain 
in  the  1st  Lincoln  Militia  and  fought  bravely  at  Queenston 
Heights.  He  was  highly  esteemed  as  a  straightforward, 
reliable  man." 

"Judge  Edward  C.  Campbell  died  in  January,  1860, 
aged  54.  He  was  the  son  of  Fort-Major  Campbell,  from 
Islay,  Argyllshire,  Scotland,  studied  law  with  the  Hon. 
Robert  Dickson,  became  finally  his  partner,  was  elected 
member  of  Parliament  by  a  majority  of  one  over  H.  J. 
Boulton,  and  the  next  year  was  made  judge,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  for  twenty  years,  and  displayed  sound  judg- 
ment, strict  impartiality  and  great  dignity  of  manner." 


OBITUARY  NOTICES  253 

"  William  Duff  Miller.  Died  Feb.  18th,  1859,  Inspector 
and  Deputy  'Clerk  of  the  Crown  and  Pleas,  aged  73.  The 
deceased  had  been  a  resident  of  this  frontier  for  57  years, 
and  a  resident  of  Niagara  for  fifty  years,  had  held  his  posi- 
tion of  Deputy  Clerk  for  over  thirty  years,  and  discharged 
his  duties,  both  civil  and  military,  with  peculiar  care  and 
zeal.  In  military  affairs  he  could  recite  viva  voce  the 
Egyptian  visit  of  the  great  Napoleon,  over  half  a  century 
ago — his  warm  reception  there  and  his  hasty  departure. 
Loyalty  was  his  guiding  star ;  to  his  church,  the  Auld  Kirk, 
he  had  been  a  .pillar  for  many  years.  Urbane  in  his  man- 
ner, an  efficient  public  officer,  a  firm  friend,  his  memory 
will  not  soon  fade  in  this  community.  He  leaves  a  large 
family  of  sons  and  daughters,  brought  up  in  strict  business 
habits,  like  himself." 

"  Colonel  Daniel  MacDougal  died  December  26th,  1866, 
aged  84.  The  deceased  came  from  Scotland  in  1786.  He 
fought  at  Ogdensburgh  and  Lundy's  Lane.  At  the  latter 
place  received  seven  wounds.  He  was  Lieutenant  in  the 
Glengarry  Light  Infantry,  then  Colonel  in  Incorporated 
Militia,  and  became  Treasurer  of  the  United  Counties  of 
Lincoln,  Welland,  and  Haldimand,  which  position  he  filled 
with  integrity  for  many  years." 

"  Mrs.  Prickett  died  August  23,  1865,  a  native  of  Eng- 
land. She  had  been  a  nurse  in  Niagara  for  over  forty  years, 
having  assisted  at  least  in  bringing  into  the  world  many 
of  Niagara's  noted  inhabitants.  After  the  death  of  her 
husband  she  supported  herself  in  a  respectable  manner  for 
many  years  in  her  chosen  profession." 

"  January  9th,  1867.  Died,  Colonel  Joseph  Clement, 
aged  76.  He  was  one  of  the  oldest,  most  wealthy  and 
respectable  residents  of  the  township,  one  of  the  old  stock 
of  United  Empire  Loyalists,  who  first  settled  this  part  of 
Upper  Canada.  He  was  one  of  the  veterans  of  1812,  and 
during  the  Trent  affair,  sick  and  feeble  in  strength,  turned 
out  to  take  command  of  the  1st  Battalion  of  Lincoln 
Militia,  ready  to  die  in  harness." 

Though  not  of  Niagara,  the  following  obituary  gives  us 
important  historic  information  as  to  the  early  settlers  and 
their  faithfulness  to  the  British  flag: 


254  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

"  Died  at  Glengarry,  1827,  Allan  McDonald,  aged  79,  a 
native  of  Inverness-shire,  the  last  survivor  of  three  hundred 
Highland  emigrants  in  1784,  with  whom  he  sailed  from 
Greenock,  for  Quebec.  After  a  passage  of  seventeen  weeks 
they  were  driven  by  stress  of  weather  into  Philadelphia. 
Although  urged  to  settle  in  the  United  States,  his  influence 
prevailed,  so  that  not  one  remained,  and  all  reached  their 
destination  and  maintained  their  allegiance  to  Britain. 
After  great  privations  and  expense  they  settled  in  Glen- 
garry. He  was,  for  thirty  years,  Commissioner  of  Peace." 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

SOCIETIES  AND  CLUBS. 

MANY  different  societies  and  clubs  have  existed  in 
Niagara,  some  lasting  to  the  present  day,  others  "  have  had 
their  day  and  ceased  to  be."  Of  only  a  few  are  there  any 
minutes  preserved,  except  in  the  newspapers  of  the  time, 
or  perhaps  a  printed  circular  found  in  an  old  garret.  Of 
these,  perhaps,  next  to  the  Agricultural  Society  comes 
the  Turf  Club,  or  Niagara  races,  but  we  have  at  different 
periods  the  Debating  Society,  the  Bible  Society,  the  St. 
Andrew's  and  St.  Patrick's  Society,  the  Temperance  Soci- 
ety, the  Choral  Society,  the  Cricket  Club,  the  Fire  Com- 
pany, the  Golf  Club,  the  Curling  Club,  the  Oddfellows, 
the  Free  and  Easy  Club,  the  Society  for  the  Promotion 
of  Christian  Knowledge,  the  Union  Sunday  School  Soci- 
ety, the  Orange  Society,  Sleigh  Club,  etc. 

TUBF  CLUB. — In  all  garrison  towns  we  find  that  the 
amusement  of  racing  has  had  enthusiastic  supporters  and 
Niagara  has  been  no  exception  to  the  rule.  In  distant 
ages,  too,  feats  of  skill  have  demanded  and  received  the 
enthusiastic  applause  of  the  multitude.  In  the  Isthmian 
games,  with  the  victor  merely  rewarded  with  a  crown  of 
laurel  or  parsley,  in  the  chariot  race  of  Ben  Hur,  in  the 
contest  where  Douglas  threw  a  rood  beyond  the  farthest 
mark,  in  the  Derby  where  for  so  many  years  contestants 
strive  for  the  Blue  Eibbon  of  the  Turf,  always  and  every- 
where men  eagerly  watch  contests  which  show  strength 
and  skill. 

Many  of  the  old  inhabitants  tell  of  the  three-days'  races 
attended  by  crowds  of  visitors,  and  old  Niagara  papers 
contain  advertisements.  Not  all  places  have  such  an  ex- 
tensive grass-grown  plain  for  a  race  course,  nor  such  a 
vantage-ground  for  a  view  as  is  afforded  by  the  ramparts 
of  Fort  George.  On  May  31st,  1797,  Amicus  writes  advo- 
cating a  race  course,  and  the  issue  for  June  27th,  Upper 
Canada  Gazette,  Niagara,  reads:  "Races  will  be  run  for 

255 


256  HISTOBY  OF  NIAGARA 

over  the  new  course  on  the  plains  of  Niagara.  A  purse  of 
20  guineas,  10  guineas,"  etc.,  signed  Ealfe  Clench,  Alex- 
ander Stewart,  Peter  Talman.  In  a  later  paper  we  learn 
that  the  races  took  place  on  July  6th,  7th,  8th :  "  No  one 
is  to  ride  except  in  a  short,  round  jacket.  If  caps  are 
not  to  he  had  a  hlack  handkerchief  to  be  worn  as  a  substi- 
tute." The  letter  of  Amicus  had  recommended  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Turf  Club  "  to  promote  an  intercourse  of 
commerce,  friendship  and  sociability  between  the  people 
of  this  province  and  those  of  the  neighboring  parts  of  the 
United  States." 

In  1817,  "the  following  matches  and  sweepstakes  were 
run  over  the  course  near  Fort  George.  The  charming  music 
of  the  band  of  the  70th  Regiment  was  heard.  The  officers 
of  the  70th  gave  a  dinner,  ball  and  supper  to  a  large  party 
in  their  messroom.  Dancing  was  kept  up  till  five  in  the 
morning." 

In  the  Gleaner,  April  14th,  "  At  a  meeting  of  the  Niagara 
Turf  €lub  at  Mrs.  A.  Rogers,  only  one  subscription  to  be 
called  for  this  year  of  four  dollars  from  each  member  to 
create  a  fund  for  purses.  Stewards  elected,  Colonel  John- 
son, Colonel  Clarke,  Captain  Montressor,  P.  Robinson, 
D.  S.  Skene,  E.  Pilkington,  William  Kerr,  S.  P.  Jarvis, 
William  Mendham,  John  Ross,  Treasurer." 

In  1824  there  is  a  meeting  and  in  1825  the  new  names 
are  R.  Hamilton,  Lafferty,  Breakenridge.  On  27th  May 
three  days'  races  started,  many  people,  horses,  carriages, 
the  76th  Regiment  furnishing  the  band.  In  1826  there  is  a 
description  given  of  horses,  dress  of  jockeys,  etc.,  which 
gives  a  little  local  color  to  our  idea  of  these  days.  The  races 
were  to  start  at  12  o'clock  precisely.  When  they  did  start 
we  know  not,  but  we  all  know  something  of  the  delay  of  a 
procession,  a  launch,  etc.,  and  it  is  probable  these  races 
did  not  start  at  12  o'clock  precisely.  No  dogs  were  allowed 
on  the  track.  "  Persons  riding  about  are  warned  to  keep 
wide  of  the  bushes  which  mark  the  track.  May  22nd — 
$20  and  $100  from  the  fund,  3  mile  heats.  Mr.  Mend- 
ham's  horse  The  Dandy,  jockey,  blue  body,  scarlet  sleeves, 
black  cap;  Mr.  Whitmore's  bay  horse  Peter  Pindar,  scar- 
let body  and  cap;  Mr.  Williamson's  gray  mare  Highland 
Mary,  blue  jacket  and  scarlet  cap.  Tuesday,  23rd — Stakes 


SOCIETIES  AND  CLUBS  257 

$10  and  $60  from  the  fund,  two  mile  heats,  Mr.  Mend- 
ham's  The  Dandy ;  Mr.  Hamilton's  strawberry  mare  Blind 
Hooky,  yellow  body  and  blue  cap;  Mr.  Stevenson's  gray 
mare  Kate  Kearney,  tartan  jacket  and  cap.  Stewards — 
Colonel  Hill,  E,  Clench,  J.  Wickens,  Thomas  Merritt,  W. 
J.  Kerr,  John  Ross,  Treasurer." 

In  1829,  "  the  planting  of  oak  trees  round  the  common 
is  recommended  to  replace  posts  and  to  be  an  ornament  to 
our  beautiful  race  course." 

In  1832,  the  Niagara  Turf  Club  Eaces.  There  are  a 
few  new  names,  as  Captain  Forbes,  Alex.  Garrett,  John 
Glaus,  Edward  Campbell. 

In  1835,  a  meeting  is  called  at  the  British  Hotel  to  form 
a  Turf  Club,  by  order  of  Niagara  Eaces. 

In  1837  there  is  another  meeting  at  the  same  hotel. 
"  Stewards  for  spring  races — Alex.  Hamilton,  Alex.  Y. 
MacDonell,  E.  Dickson,  W.  W.  Eaincock,  Arch.  Gilkison, 
W.  H.  Dickson,  James  McFarland,  Andrew  Heron,  Jr., 
Treasurer." 

In  1844,  "The  Fall  Meeting— President,  Colonel  Elliott, 
B.C.E. ;  Vice-President,  Hon.  E.  Dickson ;  Stewards,  Cap- 
tain C.  Bentley,  Dr.  Maitland,  E.C.E.,  Dr.  Hume,  82nd 
Eegiment,  William  Cayley,  A.  W.  Strachan;  W.  H.  Dick- 
son,  Treasurer ;  F.  Tench,  Secretary.  Eaces,  18th  to  20th 
September.  Three  matches  for  $100  each  between  horses 
named.  Besides  these,  Dickson  Plate  of  40  sovereigns, 
St.  Catharines  Purse  of  £20,  Inn  Keepers'  Purse  of  £20. 
To  start  at  12  each  day.  Eules,  St.  Leger's  Course, 
Toronto." 

1847,  Niagara  Races,  15th  and  16th  October.  H.,  M. 
Mason,  Secretary;  F.  Tench,  Treasurer. 

FREE  AND  EASY  CLUB. — 1839,  Advertisement  in 
Reporter — "  The  members  of  the  Niagara  Free  and  Easy 
Club  are  requested  to  meet  at  Mr.  John  Graham's  Tavern 
on  Saturday  evening.  The  chair  will  be  taken  at  7  o'clock 
precisely.  George  Simpson,  Secretary." 

What  the  members  of  the  Free  and  Easy  Club  did,  how 
long  the  club  lasted,  how  late  their  meetings  were  pro- 
tracted, we  know  not. 
18 


258  HISTOEY  OP  NIAGARA 

CKICKET  CLUB. — This  distinctively  English  game  has  had 
many  votaries  in  Niagara  and  some  of  the  best  players  in 
the  province  have  here  lived.  There  is,  however,  com- 
paratively little  to  he  found  in  the  prints  of  the  day.  An 
advertisement  in  1837  gives  the  list  of  officers  as,  "  W.  W. 
Raiucock,  President;  James  Boulton,  Vice-President ; 
James  Harvey,  Treasurer;  John  Simpson,  Secretary.  Days 
of  play,  Wednesday  and  Saturday.  Fines  to  be  levied  if 
not  present  at  4  o'clock.  A  meeting  of  the  club  at  Graham's 
Hotel." 

Dr.  Lundy's  Classical  School  had  a  cricket  club,  with 
very  good  players,  about  1846.  The  Grammar  School  Club 
also  existed  about  1850,  of  which  John  Whitelaw,  the 
assistant  teacher,  was  one  of  the  principal  players. 

The  record  book  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Grammar  School 
Cricket  Club,  while  Eev.  H.  N.  Phillipps  was  Head  Master, 
and  his  son,  T.  D.  Phillipps,  assistant,  who  was  perhaps  the 
best  all-round  cricket  player  in  the  Dominion,  was  found 
lately.  The  record  reads,  "  Reorganization  of  Niagara 
Grammar  School  Cricket  Club.  Mr.  H.  Phillipps  in  the 
chair."  In  the  list  of  subscriptions  of  $1.00  each  are  the 
names  of  Major  Grange,  P.  A.  B.  Clench,  John  Powell, 
H.  Paffard,  J.  M.  Lawder,  Rev.  Dr.  McMurray,  A.  Mont- 
morenci.  Priendly  games  arc  recorded  with  Stamford  and 
Chippawa.  On  29th  April,  1861,  the  President,  P.  A.  B. 
Clench;  Vice-President,  P.  H.  Phillipps.  At  a  committee 
meeting  in  May,  Rev.  T.  D.  Phillipps  was  made  an  honor- 
ary member,  fn  games  with  St.  Catharines  and  Stamford, 
Niagara  Avon.  Among  the  town  players  were  C.  Baxter, 
James  Flanigan,  W.  Paffard,  P.  Paffard,  C.  Torres,  J. 
Phillipps,  C.  Praser,  J.  Clench,  P.  Long,  R.  Conner. 

Another  cricket  club  was  formed  in  town.  The  meeting 
was  in  the  office  of  E.  C.  Campbell,  27th  June,  1862,  and 
it  was  called  the  Niagara  Cricket  Club.  J.  B.  Plumb  was 
elected  President  and  E.  C.  Campbell,  Secretary.  Regular 
meetings  for  play,  Thursday  at  1.30.  Among  those  pres- 
ent were  H.  Phillipps  and  A.  Montmorenci. 

The  Rev.  T.  D.  Phillipps,  famed  in  so  many  cricket 
fields,  maintained  his  skill  for  many  years,  even  to  old 
age,  and  had  even  acquired  an  international  fame. 


SOCIETIES  AND  CLUBS  259 

CURLING  CLUB. — While  so  many  societies  are  mentioned 
in  the  papers  of  those  days,  there  is  no  record  of  curling, 
although  it  is  known  that  the  "roaring  game"  of  Scot- 
land was  here  practised.  In  those  early  times  there  were 
no  enclosed  and  covered  rinks  and  the  game,  dependent 
on  such  varving  conditions  as  cold  enough  to  provide  ice 
and  no  deterring  snow-storms  or  sudden  thaws,  must 
Tiecessa.rily  have  been  of  an  uncertain  nature.  The  "slip" 
at  the  Dock  was  the  chief  battlefield,  but  there  were  vari- 
ous ponds,  one  on  the  common  near  Fort  Mississauga, 
another  on  the  common  at  the  south  of  the  town.  Among 
the  earlv  and  enthusiastic  players  were  David  and  William 
Lockhart,  William  Barr  and,  at  a  somewhat  later  date, 
Judge  T-awder  and  Rev.  Charles  Campbell.  A  favorite 
jest  of  the  Judge,  when  followed  by  his  ministerial  oppon- 
ent was,  "  Here  is  the  law  and  now  we  have  the  Gospel." 

In  more  modern  times  a  rink  was  built, — among  the 
promoters  were  the  late  Colonel  E.  Thompson  and  Rev. 
Stewart  Jones,  the  latter  an  ardent  advocate  of  muscular 
Christianity.  Many  games  Avere  played  with  St.  Catharines, 
Thorold,  Niagara  Falls.  Hamilton,  and  medals  gained  in 
matches  are  still  exhibited.  One  held  by  John  Carnochan 
was  given  by  Mr.  Geale  Dickson.  Before  the  present  rink 
was  built,  one  of  the  large  car  factory  buildings  was  used 
and  many  stones  were  destroyed  when  one  of  these  build- 
ings was  burnt  down.  A  pair  of  stones  sent  out  from 
Tulmarnoek,  Scotland,  is  remembered  chiefly  by  the  writer 
for  the  store  of  reading  matter  furnished  in  the  periodi- 
cals packed  in  the  box  which  conveyed  them  across  the 
Atlantic  to  her  father.  We  are  sorry  to  say  there  is  now 
no  club,  the  building  used  for  curling,  skating  and  hockey 
having  been  taken  down  some  years  ago. 

THE  GOLF  CLUB. — So  much  of  what  has  been  written 
may  be  said  to  be  "ancient  history,"  but  this  is,  although 
an  ancient  game,  comparatively  modern  here.  In  a  glow- 
ing account  in  the  Mail  and  Empire,  1896,  is  a  plan  of 
the  golf  grounds  and  pictures,  it  must  be  confessed  poor 
enough,  of  the  officers  and  some  of  the  players.  Surely 
never  had  the  players  of  a  game  such  historic  surround- 
ings. The  very  names  of  the  holes  are  suggestive  oi  those 


260  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

days  when,  instead  of  the  white  sphere,  the  leaden  bullet 
sped  on  its  way  of  death  or  the  deadly  shell  burst  in  frag- 
ments to  kill  and  destroy.  The  terms  used  in  describing 
the  course — Rifle  Pit,  Magazine,  Half  Moon  Battery,  Fort 
George,  Hawthorns,  Oaks,  Officers'  Quarters,  Barracks — 
tell  the  tale.  In  1877  the  club  was  organized  chiefly  by  the 
exertions  of  Mr.  Charles  Hunter,  who  ever  since  has  been 
its  strongest  supporter;  Mr.  Geale  Dickson,  Mr.  Walter 
Cassels,  Captain  Robert  Dickson,  and  many  others  lent 
their  aid.  The  course  was  laid  out  first  on  the  Fort  Mis- 
sissauga  Common,  next  on  both,  but  finally  the  full  course 
of  eighteen  holes  was  laid  out  on  the  Fort  George  Com- 
mon and  afforded  all  sorts  of  hazards,  bunkers  and  diffi- 
cult spots,  which  try  the  skill  and  the  temper  of  the  un- 
wary, as  well  as  the  skilful  player.  The  ladies  generally 
played  over  the  nine-hole  course,  the  full  course  present- 
ing too  many  difficulties,  such  as  a  railway  cutting  to 
cross,  a  dry  moat,  cutting  with  water,  tree  right  in  the 
way,  while  the  first  nine  holes  bristle  quite  enough  with 
hazards,  a  dyke,  numerous  roads,  trails,  rifle  pits,  long 
grass,  exasperating  enough  sometimes  and  yet  yielding  a 
keen  delight  which  none  but  the  golf  player  knows. 

In  the  contest  in  1896  Mr.  Charles  B.  McDonald  won 
the  trophy.  Although  living  in  the  United  States,  he  was 
a  Canadian  by  birth  and  had  learned  the  game  at  the 
famous  St.  Andrews  links  in  Scotland.  Among  the  ladies 
Miss  Madeleine  Geale  was  easily  first,  and  in  the  Mail  and 
Empire  of  1896,  where  her  picture  appeared,  she  was 
described  as  having  the  prettiest  golf  stroke  among  women 
players  at  that  time.  For  many  years  Mr.  Charles  Hunter 
\vas  President:  a  first-class  player  himself,  ready  for  any 
emergency  in  the  management  of  the  players  (sometimes 
a  difficult  task),  kind,  genial  and  witty,  he  has  always  won 
golden  opinions.  The  golf  course  presented  a  picturesque 
appearance — the  black  man  with  roller,  shears  and  cart,  the 
caddies  lazily  or  eagerly  searching  for  a  lost  ball,  the 
scarlet  coats,  white  shirt  waists,  the  graceful  swinging 
movement  in  a  long  drive,  and  the  intent  gaze  forward 
as  the  ball  rises,  and  flies  true  to  aim  to  the  destined  spot. 
Some  of  the  best  golfers  have  played  on  the  Niagara  links, 
such  as  George  Lyons,  R.  FitzMartiu.  D.  Laird,  Park 


SOCIETIES  AND  CLUBS  261 

Wright,  etc.,  and  among  the  ladies,  Mrs.  and  Miss  Dick, 
Miss  Harvey  and  Miss  Phippoe. 

In  the  fall  of  1901  the  Prince  of  Wales,  then  the  Duke 
of  Cornwall  and  York,  now  King  George  V.,  was  presented 
with  a  beautiful  souvenir  of  Niagara  and  its  scenery  by  the 
Golf  Club,  and  was  made  an  honorary  member,  and  it  was 
much  regretted  that  he  could  not  spare  time  to  drive  from 
the  tee  as  he  passed  the  links  after  his  short  visit  here. 

The  Club  was  incorporated  in  1902,  the  names  signed 
being  J.  Geale  Dickson,  Captain  E.  G.  Dickson^  Charles 
Hunter,  E.  W.  Syer,  Livingstone  Lansing,  Nicol  Kings- 
mill,  E.  Byron  Hostitter,  George  Gibson,  Gustave  Fleisch- 
man,  Ernest  Lansing,  Watts  Lansing,  Henry  Winnett, 
Captain  Anderson,  Joseph  H.  Burns,  R.  E.  Denison  and  E. 
Taylour  English. 

A  second  golf  club  was  formed  in  190*5,  in  connection 
with  the  Queen's  Hotel,  using  the  Mississauga  Common, 
which  presents  at  least  one  beautiful  hazard,  as  balls  reach- 
ing the  low  ground  around  the  square  tower  are  often 
driven  up  the  ascent  only  after  many  futile  attempts,  and 
sometimes  unseemly  objurgations. 

During  the  last  years,  as  the  Fort  George  Links  have 
been  used  by  the  Military  Camp,  the  two  clubs  have  been 
united  and,  although  many  regret  the  course  of  eighteen 
holes  as  this  is  only  one  of  nine  holes,  the  game  is  still 
enjoyed. 

Another  hazard  is  the  lake,  as  a  long  drive  often  lands 
the  ball  at  the  foot  of  the  bank,  or  even  out  in  the  lake. 
Frequent  matches  are  played  with  Toronto  and  St.  Cath- 
arines Clubs,  not  always  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  latter. 
Among  the  Niagara  players  have  been  Mrs.  C.  Hunter. 
Mrs.  Herring,  Mrs.  Lewis,  Miss  Colquhoun,  Mr.  J.  H. 
Burns,  Mr.  G.  Bernard,  Mr.  Herring,  and  the  Misses  Mc- 
Gaw.  In  1913  the  championship  was  won  by  a  young 
Niagara  player,  Miss  Moss  Crysler,  winning  the  challenge 
cup  over  Miss  Harvey,  the  champion  of  Ontario,  and 
other  good  players. 

FIRE  COMPANY. — The  Rules  and  Regulations  of  the 
Niagara  Fire  Co.,  No.  1,  printed  at  the  Gleaner  Office  in 
1830,  chartered  by  Act  of  Parliament,  gives  the  Act  of 


HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

1826  in  full  for  the  several  Police  Towns  of  this  province. 
This  expression  may  explain  why  what  we  now  call  our 
Town  Council  was  then  called  the  Board  of  Police.  The 
Captain  was  John  Barker;  Lieutenant,  Edward  C.  ('amp- 
bell;  Treasurer,  John  Y.  Crooks;  and  Secretary,  John 
Rogers.  There  were  two  divisions  of  seventeen  each.  The 
names  occur  of  three  Wagstaffs,  brothers,  Richard,  John 
and  James;  three  Clements,  John,  Ralfe.  and  Joseph;  two 
Rogers,  John  and  James;  Andrew  Heron,  Jr.,  TTrsin  Har- 
vey, etc. 

We  find  that  Captain  Barker  was  complimented  after 
the  Rebellion  for  the  readiness  with  which  he  and  his  com- 
pany took  their  share  in  helping  to  suppress  the  rising. 

Two  boys'  fire  companies  will  be  remembered;  an  ancient 
lantern  worn  in  the  belt  may  yet  be  seen. 

Some  in  town  still  remember  an  antiquated  fire  engine 
and  the  exhausting  work  of  keeping  it  in  motion,  and  the 
reward  of  five  dollars  for  the  first  puncheon  of  water 
brought  from  the  lake,  the  row  of  men  passing  buckets  of 
water  drawn  from  some  well  near.  The  firemen  of  those 
days  would  be  astonished  at  the  later  outfit,  the  comfort- 
able bedrooms  provided  for  those  on  duty  at  the  fire  hall 
and  the  ease  with  which  many  fires  have  been  extinguished 
by  prompt  use  of  the  abundant  supply  from  the  water- 
works. 

There  is  still  to  be  seen  a  patent  portable  house  fire 
engine,  made  by  William  Armstrong  in  1846;  price,  $12: 
weighing  48  Ibs.  A  newspaper  article  gives  a  glowing 
account  of  its  value  as  shown  by  patting  out  what  might 
have  been  a  dangerous  fire  in  the  brass  foundry  of  the 
Harbor  and  Dock  Company. 

The  bell  which  we  call  the  town  bell,  was  the  fire  bell 
and  procured  for  the  fire  company,  as  shown  by  a  docu- 
ment, "  Niagara  Fire  Co.  bought  of  PI.  R.  WagstafF,  fire- 
bell,  weight  700  Ibs.,  cost  £71  11s.  3d.  The  bell  was  put 
in  place  and  rung  for  the  first  time  on  Monday,  27th 
March,  1839.  Committee:  W.  D.  Miller,  James  Monroe, 
H.  Charles,  W.  Press,  John  Andrews,  James  Harvey."  It 
must  have  been  placed  in  the  Market  House,  as  the  present 
building  was  not  erected  till  1847.  The  firemen  now  have 
a  fine,  new  building,  erected  in  1911,  which  has  every 


SOCIETIES  AND  CLUBS  263 

modern  adjunct.  The  firemen  themselves  gave  gener- 
ously, the  ladies  of  the  town  held  a  bazaar,  and  many 
contributions  have  been  sent  by  former  Niagarians  who 
always  are  loyal  to  the  place  of  birth.  For  many  years  the 
Captain  was  Robert  Reid,  the  Chief  -Constable  of  the  town. 
Since  writing  the  above,  the  Secretary's  book  of  a  boys' 
company,  formed  in  1860,  has  been  found,  which,  though 
it  existed  little  over  a  year,  seems  to  have  started  with 
vigor  and  was  conducted  according  to  rule,  as  they  wrote 
out  a  constitution,  made  by-laws,  arranged  for  uniforms, 
had  a  system  of  fines,  and  took  the  small  engine  to  the 
spring  for  practice.  There  were  at  first  twenty-five  members 
but  these  dwindled  down  to  eight,  when  they  disbanded 
by  mutual  consent,  dividing  the  money  on  hand  equally, 
amounting  to  two  dollars  each.  The  name  selected  was 
"  Enterprise  Co.,  No.  1,"  which  was  painted  on  the  belts. 
Among  the  officers  were  'Captain  Edward  Thompson,  from 
the  Senior  Fire  Company;  Charles  Long,  First  Lieuten- 
ant; James  Finn,  Second  Lieutenant;  James  Carnochan, 
Secretary ;  Alex.  Doritty  and  S.  Smith,  Branchmen ;  Joseph 
Crouch  and  Robert  Daly,  Hoseboys.  Other  officers  later 
were :  Thomas  Robertson,  John  Bishop  and  John  Best. 

ODDFELLOWS. — In  December,  1847,  the  Oddfellows'  Ball 
is  described  as  "by  far  the  most  splendid  thing  of  the 
kind  we  ever  witnessed  in  this  vicinity.  The  room  (called 
the  Town  Hall)  was  beautifully  decorated  with  evergreens, 
transparencies,  pictures  and  emblems,  the  whole  designed 
and  in  great  part  executed  by  Mr.  Alexander  Swinton, 
whose  taste  in  such  matters  can  hardly  be  surpassed.  About 
half  past  eight,  the  Lady  Patroness,  Mrs.  Charles  L.  Hall, 
arrived,  and  was  escorted  to  her  seat  by  the  N.  G.  and 
V.  G.  of  the  Niagara  Lodge.  The  presentations  succeeded 
and  a  procession  of  Oddfellows,  followed  by  three  hearty 
cheers.  It  is  almost  superfluous  to  say  that  the  duties  of 
Lady  Patroness  were  discharged  with  characteristic  affa- 
bility and  grace  and  with  a  dignity  and  self-possession 
which  charmed  all  beholders.  The  room  was  crowded  and 
it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  more  brilliant  assemblage  of 
'  fair  women  and  brave  men.'  The  dancing  commenced 
a  little  after  nine,  with  a  country  dance,  led  off  by  the 


264  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Lady  Patroness  and  the  V.  G.,  the  N.  G.,  we  presume, 
yielding  the  precedence  in  consequence  of  some  well- 
founded  doubt  of  his  own  dancing  capability.  To  this 
succeeded  quadrilles,  cotillons,  waltzes,  and  polkas,  to  the 
music  of  Palmer's  Quadrille  Band.  The  ladies  sat  down 
to  supper  about  midnight.  The  tables  were  placed  at  the 
length  of  the  large  entrance  hall.  After  the  appetites  of 
the  gentler  sex  were  satisfied  they  were  escorted  to  the  ball- 
room and  then  the  gentlemen  applied  themselves  to  the  sup- 
per, which  was  provided  by  Mr.  Charles  Bowen.  The 
health  of  the  Lady  Patroness  was  proposed  by  E.  C.  Camp- 
bell, C.  L.  Hall  returning  the  thanks.  Dr.  Melville  then 
proposed  the  health  of  the  ladies  not  connected  with  the 
order,  coupling  with  it  the  names  of  Mrs.  W.  H.  Dickson 
and  Mrs.  Campbell.  W.  H.  Dickson  and  E.  C.  Campbell 
returned  thanks,  proposing  Oddfellows  all  over  the  world. 
Mr.  Simpson  returned  thanks  and  proposed  the  Ladies  of 
the  Niagara  District.  The  Lady  Patroness  did  not  retire 
till  after  four  o'clock  and  the  last  lingerers  had  not  disap- 
peared till  eight  in  the  morning." 

In  1847  also  was  a  procession  of  Oddfellows,  with  em- 
blems and  badges. 

An  invitation  card  of  1854  to  a  Ball  shows  the  patron- 
esses to  have  been  Mrs.  W.  H.  Dickson  and  Mrs.  Lawder; 
Stewards,  F.  A.  B.  Clench,  John  M.  Lawder,  Dr.  Nelles, 
Gage  Miller,  H.  Carlisle,  G.  E.  McMullen,  R.  Fizette,  M. 
Cairns,  R  Walsh,  J.  Malcolmson.  Tickets,  15  shillings 
currency. 

SLEIGH  CLUB. — This  seems  to  have  been  a  club  formed 
of  officers  of  the  43rd  Regiment  at  Niagara  Falls  and 
officers  of  the  King's  Dragoon  Guards,  along  with  gentle- 
men of  Niagara  Town.  A  minute  book  gives  the  records 
for  1839  and  1840,  the  chief  points  mentioned  being  the 
annual  ball,  names  of  members,  regulations,  expenses. 
Some  of  the  rules  seem  strange  to  us.  The  initial  meeting 
was  held  at  Drummondville,  December  20th,  1838,  when 
it  was  resolved  to  form  a  Sleigh  Club  to  be  called  the 
"  Niagara  Sleigh  Club/'  They  were  to  meet  Tuesdays  and 
Fridays  in  each  week  at  11  o'clock.  A  President  and 
Vice-President  were  to  be  appointed  daily,  the  Vice-Presi- 


SOCIETIES  AND  CLUBS  265 

dent  of  the  preceding  day  becoming  the  President  of  the 
following  one,  each  member  of  the  Club  taking  office  in 
succession.  Mr.  Robert  Dickson  was  to  be  the  President 
for  New  Year's  Day.  The  colors  of  the  Club  were  to  be 
blue  rosettes  and  red  neckcloth,  each  member  to  drive  with 
them.  A  committee  of  three  for  Niagara  and  three  for 
the  Falls  was  to  be  appointed  monthly  to  arrange  the 
programme  for  the  day.  For  the  month  of  January, 
1839,  the  committee  consisted  of  Robert  Dickson,  W.  H. 
Dickson  and  M.  Pipon,  K.D.G.,  for  Niagara,  and  Lord 
N.  Hill,  43rd  Regiment,  J.  Coate  and  W.  H.  Campbell  for 
the  Falls.  Tuesday  to  be  a  Ladies'  Day.  Members  to  be 
balloted  for.  Assemblies  to  be  held  once  a  month.  J.  T. 
Gilkison  to  be  Secretary. 

Among  the  thirty  names  at  the  first  meeting,  besides 
those  mentioned,  are  Colonel  Kingsmill,  3rd  Battalion 
I.  M. ;  Hon.  C.  H.  Lindsay;  Hon.  F.  G.  Cholmondeley, 
43rd  Regiment;  Capt.  Sands,  K.D.G.;  S.  Westmacott, 
R.G. ;  Captain  Melville,  Captain  Butler,  James  Boulton, 
W.  Cayley,  James  Lockhart,  Fred  Tench,  etc. 

The  first  ball  was  held  at  Harrington's  Hotel  on  1st 
January,  1839,  and  a  fee  of  five  shillings  was  to  be  paid 
monthly.  The  second  ball  was  to  be  on  1st  February. 
The  price  of  tickets  was  20  shillings.  The  expenses  are 
given  of  supper  for  sixty-six  persons,  8s.  9d.  each;  supper 
for  band,  and  paid  to  band  besides  lodging  for  band  of 
43rd  Regiment;  the  wine  bill  was  £8  16s;  the  whole  ex- 
pense being  £44;  while  for  February  it  had  increased  to 
£52,  as  there  was  supper  for  eighty-one  persons. 

How  much  longer  the  Sleigh  Club  existed  we  know  not. 
A  statement  of  3rd  January,  1840,  shows  a  deficit  owing 
to  the  Treasurer. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
SOCIETIES. 

AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY  AND  FAIRS. — It  has  been  pre- 
viously hinted  that  the  first  Agricultural  Society  was 
formed  here,  it  was  stated  first  in  1793,  but  Dr.  C.  C. 
James  has  found  in  the  papers  in  the  Reference  Library 
that  D.  W.  Smith,  along  with  his  many  other  offices,  was 
Vice-President,  27th  October,  1792.  It  is  probable  that 
Governor  Simcoe  was  the  President.  He  gave  ten  guineas 
annually.  We  find  from  the  journal  of  Colonel  Clarke 
that  the  Society  was  patronized  by  Governor  Simcoe.  "My 
father  was  a  member.  I  remember  the  monthly  dinners 
given  by  the  members  and  the  great  silver  snuff-box  orna- 
mented with  the  horn  of  plenty  on  the  lid.  I  wonder  what 
has  become  of  that  box ;  it  most  deservedly  ought  to  be  kept 
among  the  Archives  of  Canada  West.  It  always  remained 
with  the  housekeeper  who  had  to  supply  the  next  monthly 
dinner.  It  was  the  property  pro  tern,  of  the  President 
for  the  year  and  at  the  annual  meeting,  when  a  new  one 
was  chosen,  it  passed  into  his  hands.  It  was  a  fine  piece 
of  workmanship  and  I  trust  it  will  yet  turn  up  and  be 
handed  down  to  the  present  Society  to  tell  posterity  at 
what  an  early  age  agriculture  was  followed  up." 

In  the  Upper  Canada  Gazette,  July  4th,  1793,  it  is 
mentioned  that  "  the  Society  met  and  dined  together  at 
the  Free  Masons'  Hall,  Niagara.  Several  gentlemen  were 
invited,  which,  with  the  members  of  this  laudable  institu- 
tion assembled,  formed  a  very  numerous  party.  The  utmost 
cheerfulness  and  conviviality  prevailed  on  this  occasion.'' 
It  is  to  be  hoped  the  conviviality  did  not  pass  the  bounds 
of  cheerfulness. 

On  March  9th,  1794,  Hon.  Robert  Hamilton  wrote  to 
John  Porteous,  Little  Falls,  N.Y. :  "  I  have  this  day  sent 
a  small  sum  of  money  to  our  friend  Mr.  A.  McComb,  of 
New  York,  to  be  laid  out  in  fruit  trees  from  the  nursery 
of  Mr.  Prince  on  Long  Island,  on  account  of  a  society 

266 


SOCIETIES  267 

established  here  for  the  purpose  of  agriculture.  I  have 
taken  the  liberty  to  have  them  directed  to  you  at  Schenec- 
tady.  As  it  is  of  much  consequence  to  have  them  early, 
will  you  have  the  goodness  to  direct  Mr.  Miller  to  oblig- 
ingly forward  them  by  the  very  first  boat." 

But  the  Society  was  also  active  in  providing  the  best 
books  on  the  subject.  It  may  be  questioned  whether  soci- 
eties now  purchase  such  expensive  works.  This  is  learned 
from  the  old  Eecord  Book  of  the  Niagara  Library,  1800- 
1820,  as  in  1805  fifty  volumes  of  the  Agricultural  Society 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Library  and  the  arrears  of 
certain  members  of  the  Library  were  remitted  in  conse- 
quence, as  they  were  also  members  of  the  Agricultural 
Society,  arid  it  may  be  interesting  to  give  the  names  of 
those  whose  fees  were  remitted  and  of  those  who  were 
afterwards  admitted  as  members  of  the  Library,  either 
because  they  or  their  fathers  were  or  had  been  members 
of  the  Agricultural  Society:  Eobert  Kerr,  Robert  Addi- 
son,  George  Forsyth,  Colin  McNab,  Robert  Hamilton,  and 
afterwards  William  Dickson,  James  Muirhead,  Thomas 
Butler,  John  Symington,  Joseph  Edwards,  John  McNab, 
Ralfe  Clench,  and  in  virtue  of  their  fathers  having  been 
members,  Jacob  A.  Ball,  Louis  Clement,  Miss  Crooks;  so 
here  we  have  thus  the  names  of  fifteen  members  of  the 
first  Agricultural  Society,  which,  with  those  of  the  Presi- 
dent, Vice-President  and  Colonel  Clark's  father,  make 
eighteen  names. 

The  list  of  books  is:  348  to  361,  Young's  Agriculturist, 
£10;  362  to  366,  Museum  Rusticus,  £3  4s.;  367-8,  Young's 
Tour  in  Ireland,  £1  8s.;  369-374,  Wright's  Husbandry, 
£3  12s. ;  375-6,  Marshal's  Midland  County,  £1  8s. ;  377-8, 
Adam's  Agriculturist,  £1  8s. ;  379-81,  Douglas,  Agricul- 
turist, £2 ;  382-3,  Dickson's  Husbandry ;  384,  Hart's  Hus- 
bandry, £1  2s. :  385-6,  Anderson's  Agriculturist,  £1  8s. ; 
387,  Gentleman  Farmer,  14s.;  388-392,  Bath  Papers,  £3 
10s.;  393-4,  Dickson's  Agriculturist,  £1  4s.;  395,  Dublin 
Society,  16s.;  396,  Small  &  Barron,  9s.;  397,  Hume  on 
Agriculture,  6s. ;  making  £32  7s.  for  the  fifty  volumes.  It 
may  be  questioned  if  any  small  society  could  to-day  make 
a  better  showing,  although  books  have  so  multiplied  since 
that  day. 


268  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

By  an  advertisement  we  learn  that  the  Agricultural  Soci- 
ety was  to  meet  in  1797  at  Thomson's  Tavern,  Newark,  to 
dispose  of  their  funds.  Those  who  have  books  out  belong- 
ing to  the  Society  are  to  send  them  to  D.  W.  Smith,  who 
has  prepared  a  place  for  them.  Dinner  at  four.  In  1799, 
annual  fair  at  Queenston,  9th  November.  A  park  pro- 
vided to  show  the  animals.  R.  Hamilton,  formerly  Presi- 
dent. Anything  else  known  is  gleaned  from  advertise- 
ments in  the  Niagara  papers.  In  1801,  in  October,  a  fair 
was  held  in  this  town,  and  14th  November,  Annual  Fair 
at  Queenston,  races,  amusements,  park  for  show  of  cattle. 
In  1807  Governor  Gore  dined  with  the  Society,  June  5th, 
at  the  Hon.  R,  Hamilton's,  where  a  sumptuous  banquet 
was  provided. 

1831 — Niagara  District  Fair  held  at  Chippawa. 

1849 — Niagara  town  and  township  fair  at  Lawrence- 
ville;  list  of  prizes  given. 

1850— September  18th,  19th,  20th.  The  Provincial 
Agricultural  Exhibition  was  held  at  Niagara.  In  the 
Mail  of  August  14th,  ten  regulations  are  given  with  regard 
to  membership,  entries,  etc.  "  Fourteen  acres  were  en- 
closed on  the  common  by  a  substantial  octagonal  fence. 
The  Floral  Hall  was  140  x  42  feet,  Agriculturists'  Hall 
and  Mechanics'  Hall,  each  100  x  24  feet.  The  premium 
list  amounted  to  £1,200.  Prof.  Croft  was  to  lecture.  Steam- 
boats to  be  half  rate,  and  hotel -keepers  the  usual  rates." 
Badges  of  judges  and  members  can  still  be  seen. 

In  a  pamphlet  referring  to  a  colonization  scheme  by 
Mr.  FitzGerald,  he  explains  that  it  was  by  his  recommen- 
dation that  Niagara  was  selected.  He  was  supported  in 
this  by  Mr.  Boulton,  a  barrister,  from  Niagara,  and  the 
people  of  the  town  contributed  £300  to  the  funds  of  the 
Society. 

1855 — Niagara  town  and  township  Agricultural  Society 
meeting  held  at  Queenston.  County  of  Lincoln  Fair  at 
Niagara,  October,  1856.  Meetings  seem  to  have  been  held 
at  St.  David's,  Queenston,  St.  Catharines,  Chippawa, 
Niagara.  Annual  meeting  of  the  Agricultural  Society  of 
the  District  of  Niagara  at  the  inn  of  W.  Dittrick,  in  the 
village  of  St.  Catharines. 


SOCIETIES  269 

In  1856  was  formed  the  Horticultural  and  Mechanical 
Society  of  Lincoln  and  Welland.  Judge  Campbell,  who 
was  a  noted  and  successful  horticulturist,  was  President 
and  C.  A.  F.  Ball,  Secretary.  Since  then  the  Society  has 
gone  on  improving.  At  the  Annual  Fair  the  exhibition  of 
fruit  is  so  superior  that  it  is  acknowledged  it  is  not  sur- 
passed by  the  Provincial  or  Dominion  exhibit,  and  the 
Niagara  Fair,  held  every  year,  may  be  called  the  lineal 
descendant  of  the  Agricultural  Society  of  1792  and  is  now 
in  its  121st  year. 

LITERARY  AND  DEBATING  SOCIETY. — The  period  from 
1820'  to  1840-  seems,  in  Niagara,  to  have  been  very  produc- 
tive of  societies  of  different  kinds.  The  Rules  and  Regu- 
lations of  the  Niagara  Literary  Society  of  1835,  as  printed 
at  the  Reporter  Office,  gives  us  all  we  know  of  this  society. 
The  names  of.  about  sixty  young  men  of  that  day  who  met 
on  alternate  Saturdays  at  the,  to  us,  unusual  hour  of  six 
in  the  evening  are  given.  Twenty-six  rules  were  drawn 
up.  The  fees  were  Is.  3d.  monthly  and  if  left  unpaid  for 
one  month  the  membership  lapsed,  which  seems  to  us  a 
very  drastic  measure.  What  they  accomplished  we  know 
not,  nor  whether  the  "  benefit  and  general  utility "  they 
expected  was  realized.  Several  noted  names  occur  in  the 
list,  others  whose  names  are  forgotten.  The  President 
was  Hugh  Eccles;  Vice-President,  James  Butler;  Secre- 
tary, A.  C.  Hamilton. 

In  the  list  of  members  appear  Alexander  McLeod, 
Richard  Miller,  E.  C.  Campbell,  Francis  Baby,  John  Lyons, 
John  Grrier,  James  Lockhart,  R.  Melville  and  John  White- 
law,  which  list  furnishes  to  us  the  names  of  one  blamed  in 
tne  Caroline  affair,  a  noted  Q.C.,  a  judge,  an  eminent 
horticulturist,  a  member  of  a  noted  family  of  French 
origin,  one  of  the  fiery  young  men  who  threw  Mackenzie's 
type  into  the  bay,  a  noted  merchant,  a  banker,  a  captain, 
a  grammar  school  teacher.  We  hope  that  their  debates  were 
marked  by  good  sense,  humor  and  good  temper,  and  that 
they  enjoyed  their  meetings.  Twenty-six  rules  were  drawn 
up — of  whether  they  were  observed  or  not  we  are  in  ignor- 
ance. The  statement  of  aims  reads  as  follows :  "  We,  the 
undersigned,  feeling  deeply  impressed  with  a  sense  of  the 


270  HISTOKY  OF  NIAGAEA 

benefit  and  general  utility  likely  to  result,  from  the  organi- 
zation of  a  Debating  Society  at  Niagara,  propose  to  meet 
at  Mr.  Cain's  Hotel  on  Thursday  next  at  seven  o'clock 
p.m.,  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  by  every  means  in  our 
power  the  establishment  on  a  permanent  basis  of  so  desir- 
able an  institution."  To  this  are  attached  forty  names, 
but  on  the  last  page  are  twenty  additional  names. 

UNION  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  SOCIETY. — From  various  sources 
we  learn  of  the  existence  of  this  Society,  early  news- 
papers, old  documents,  oral  traditions,  some  giving  events 
for  1822,  1823,  and  from  one  source  the  year  1818  is 
referred  to.  On  December  21st,  1822,  at  a  meeting  of 
the  superintendent  and  teachers  of  the  Union  Sunday 
School,  Dr.  Miller  being  •chairman,  a  motion  was  passed 
against  dissolving  the  Union.  This  is  signed  by  J.  A. 
Stevenson,  Secretary,  George  Miller,  Thomas  Creen  and 
J.  B.  Muirhead.  In  1823  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  Dis- 
trict School,  12  o'clock,  E.  Addison,  President.  The  sale 
and  distribution  of  books  seems  to  have  been  one  feature 
of  the  Union,  as  in  1824  John  Crooks  was  Secretary 
and  the  branches  were  called  on  to  report:  the  Society 
ordered  books  to  the  value  of  £50.  In  1825,  tracts  were 
to  be  distributed.  The  report  of  the  meeting  was  signed 
by  John  Crooks. 

In  1826  a  parish  Sunday  school  is  mentioned.  In  1828 
W.  D.  Miller  advertises  the  Sunday  school  and  a  state- 
ment is  given  by  John  Crooks  with  a  list  of  contributors. 
In  1830  Mr.  Miller  has  received  a  number  of  Sunday 
school  books  from  the  Depository  at  Montreal  to  be  sold 
at  prime  cost.  It  is  known  that  the  Union  Sunday  School 
met  in  the  schoolhou.se  of  St.  Andrew's  Church  (now  the 
sexton's  house).  In  the  obituary  notice  of  John  Crooks 
in  1833  the  fact  is  mentioned  that  for  fifteen  years  he  had 
conducted  a  Sunday  school  in  the  midst  of  many  discour- 
agements. This  would  give  the  date  1818. 

In  some  old  papers  found  in  the  wall  of  the  house  of 
A.  Onslow,  which  was  the  residence  of  Eev.  E.  Addison 
and  called  Lake  Lodge,  there  was  found  a  list  of  the 
scholars  of  the  first  class  in  1822.  Some  of  the  names 
are  quite  familiar  to  us  yet.  A  few  are  illegible.  Among 


SOCIETIES  271 

them  are  William  Miller,  John  Miller,  Thomas  Burgess, 
Alex.  Burgess,  John  Eogers,  James  Eogers,  Sherman  Bos- 
worth,  Walter  Biggar,  Richard  Wagstaff,  John  McEwan, 
Wm.  Lyons,  John  Crooks,  John  Hull,  Daniel  Plaice  and 
Robert  Pointer.  The  first  two  names  were  the  sons  of 
W.  I).  Miller,  one  of  whom  became  Judge  Miller,  of  Gait, 
the  other  a  noted  lawyer  of  the  same  place.  John  Eogers 
was  afterwards  an  elder  of  St.  Andrew's  for  many  years. 
John  McEwan,  when  an  old  man,  sent  a  letter  of  reminis- 
cences from  Missouri  in  1898,  where  he  was  a  clergyman. 
Mr.  Crooks  was  the  first  to  be  buried  in  St.  Andrew's 
cemetery.  The  spot  close  behind  the  church  is,  in  spring, 
covered  with  the  white  lily  of  the  valley  peeping  out  from 
the  broad  green  leaves.  Of  Dr.  Miller,  another  superin- 
tendent, a  curious  reminiscence  has  been  found,  printed  in 
1822,  giving  verses  with  names  of  Christ,  composed  by 
him  and  given  to  the  children  of  the  Sunday  school  to 
commit  to  memory.  Whether  all  of  the  Sunday  school 
did  so  or  not  we  cannot  say,  but  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Comer, 
when  an  old  lady,  in  her  sweet,  quavering  voice,  repeated 
it,  a  line  for  every  letter  of  the  alphabet  and  a  text  of 
Scripture,  each  one  representing  a  name  of  our  Saviour. 
It  commences  thus, — 

"  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last.  Eev.  1:11. 

A  was  an  Angel  came  down  from  the  sky.  Isa.  63  :9. 
B  is  the  Branch  was  exalted  on  high.  Zech.  3  :8. 
C  was  the  Counsellor,  good  Counsel  who  gave.  Isa.  9  :6. 
D,  the  Deliverer  from  death  and  the  grave.  Eom.  11 :26." 

In  the  Spirit  of  the  Times,  published  in  Niagara  in  1830, 
there  is  an  account  of  a  Sabbath  School  Society  at  the 
Pine  Grove.  They  adopted  a  constitution  and  the  follow- 
ing officers  were  elected:  Solomon  Vrooinan,  President; 
Joseph  Brown,  Vice-President;  George  Field,  Secretary: 
H.  Brown,  Treasurer;  Managers,  Daniel  Field,  David 
Kemp,  Daniel  Cooper,  James  Durham,  J.  E.  Ferry.  The 
Constitution  of  St.  Mark's  Sunday  School  was  printed  in 
1852  and  the  list  of  teachers  is  given. 

BIBLE  SOCIETY.— That  there  was  a  Bible  Society  in 
Niagara  as  early  as  1819  is  shown  by  an  address  given 


272  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

in  York  at  that  time,  in  which  reference  is  made  to  it, 
but  in  the  Spectator  for  April,  1818,  in  the  rules  and  regu- 
lations for  the  District  Common  Schools,  we  see  that  it 
was  in  existence  before  this.  "  Teachers  are  requested  to 
go  from  house  to  house  inquiring  who  possess  a  copy  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and,  if  without  it,  those  desirous  of 
possessing  it  may  pay  a  quarter  of  a  dollar  a  month  to 
secure  a  copy,  but  if  not  able  to  do  this  they  may  have  it 
gratis  on  applying  to  Samuel  Street,  Esq.,  at  the  Falls 
Mills,  Secretary  of  Niagara  Bible  Society." 

A  meeting  in  1822  is  mentioned  in  the  Gleaner,  and  in 
1824  one  is  held  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  G.  Connolly, 
Secretary. 

For  a  number  of  years  we  seem  to  have  little  definite  in- 
formation, but  in  the  period  in  the  recollection  of  many 
of  us,  the  names  of  different  members  of  the  Ball  family 
occur  as  liberal  supporters  of  the  Niagara  Branch  of  the 
Bible  Society.  Miss  Margaret  Ball  was  for  many  years  a 
collector  and  became  a  life  member.  Her  brother,  John 
W.  Ball,  was  also  a  life  member,  as  were  other  members 
of  the  family.  Many  remember  the  eloquent  addresses  of 
the  Rev.  Lachlan  Taylor,  when  agent  of  the  Upper  Canada 
Bible  Society,  and  his  touching  reference  to  the  little 
Welsh  girl  whose  effort  to  obtain  a  Bible  was  a  potent 
cause  for  the  formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society.  At  the  present  time  there  is  one  collector  with 
a  record  of  forty  years  as  a  collector,  and  three  others  of 
twenty-five  years. 

ST.  ANDREW'S  SOCIETY. — In  1817  St.  Andrew's  Night 
was  celebrated  at  Queenston.  Robert  Hamilton  in  the  chair 
as  President,  dressed  in  Highland  garb.  Dinner  was  at 
Mr.  Pointer's.  Some  of  the  toasts  were :  Memory  of  Robbie 
Burns,  Wee]  turned  daffin',  Memory  of  General  Brock,  May 
sons  of  Caledonia  ne'er  feel  want  and  ne'er  want  feeling. 

Oh  numerous  other  occasions  a  St.  Andrew's  Night  has 
been  observed,  but  no  regular  record  seems  to  have  been 
kept. 

ST.  PATRICK'S  SOCIETY. — In  the  Gleaner  for  March  31st, 
1832,  is  described  an  enthusiastic  meeting  of  St.  Patrick's 


SOCIETIES  273 

Society.,  signed  Erinaugh.  "  Over  forty  met  at  Crysler's 
Hotel.  The  gentlemen  exceeded  in  numbers  and  respecta- 
bility any  former  company  in  this  district  on  any  similar 
occasion.  The  dinner  of  amplitude  and  variety  of  abun- 
dance at  half  past  five.  The  spacious  room,  one  of  the 
most  extensive  apartments  in  Niagara,  was  adorned  with 
transparencies.  George  Adams,  Chairman ;  Messrs.  Gar- 
rett,  Fitzgerald,  McCan,  Lyons,  Captain  Forbes  of  79th 
Cameronian  Highlanders,  Dr.  Muirhead,  Thomas  Butler, 
with  Eobert  Dickson  and  Charles  Eichardson,  two  of  the 
most  eminent  members  of  the  Niagara  Bar."  The  writer 
very  naively  says  that  the  toasts  after  the  removal  of  the 
cloth  have  escaped  his  memory.  "  Every  bosom  contributed 
a  touch  of  hilarity  and  cordially  offered  the  incense  of  its 
gratitude  to  the  memory  of  Erin's  tutelar  saint,"  which 
seems  to  us  a  plethora  of  metaphor. 

SOCIETY  FOR  PROMOTING  CHRISTIAN  KNOWLEDGE. — We 
sometimes  see  the  letters  S.  P.  C.  K.  and  wonder  what  they 
represent,  A  meeting  was  held  in  1826  at  the  Hospital 
to  establish  a  Society  in  connection  with  the  S.  P.  C.  K. 
The  Lord  Bishop  of  Toronto  and  Sir  Peregrine  Mait- 
land  were  present  and  were  afterwards  entertained  at  Cap- 
tain Phillpotts.  The  second  report,  printed  at  the  Herald 
office  in  1828,  shows  that  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland  was  the 
Patron,  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Quebec  the  President,  and 
there  were  seventeen  Vice-Presidents  in  Niagara,  Grimsby, 
Chippawa  and  Grand  River.  The  Treasurer  was  Thomas 
McCormick,  the  Secretary  Rev.  Thomas  Green,  Depositary, 
W.  D.  Miller.  The  subscription  fee  was  12s.  6d.  annually, 
but  many  gave  £1  5s.  The  sum  reported  as  collected  dur- 
ing the  year  was  £157.  The  books  reported  as  distributed 
were  Bibles  68,  Testaments  57,  Prayer  Books  362,  other 
books  223,  unbound  and  tracts  1,364.  The  names  of  John 
Brant,  Grand  River;  Captain  Phillpotts,  Royal  Engineers; 
George  Ball,  Charles  Richardson,  Robert  Nelles,  George 
Keefer,  W.  H.  Merritt,  R.  Addison,  and  Rev.  William 
Leeming  are  recorded  as  members. 

TEMPERANCE  SOCIETY. — We  are  not  sure  when  the  first 
Temperance  Society  was  started  in  town.     The  wave  set 
19 


274  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGAEA 

advancing  by  Father  Mathow  in  1838  reached  Canada. 
An  old  book  found  in  the  cellar  of  a  store  in  town  gives 
us  various  records  from  1841  to  1864.  The  lists  of  men 
and  women  who  signed  the  total  abstinence  pledge  amounts 
to  1,000,  but,  alas,  many  are  crossed  out  and  the  words 
removed,  expelled,  relapsed,  disowned,  apostate,  bad,  no 
(food,  are  found.  The  words,  signed  at  public  meeting, 
signed  at  soiree,  signed  at  lecture,  show  the  activity  of  the 
Society.  At  one  time  there  were  public  meetings  and 
addresses  every  three  months.  The  first  names  are  Eev. 
John  Oakley,  Chester  Culver,  E.  Connor,  A.  Brady,  A.  E. 
Christie,  J.  Nisbet  and  John  Burns. 

A  curious  line  in  minute  writing  follows  one  name, 
"  Requested  his  name  to  be  taken  off  because  he  is  to  be 
married  this  day." 

October  20th,  1843.  The  papers  record  many  meetings 
and  temperance  lectures.  In  the  Gleaner  for  1830  is  adver- 
tised a  meeting  of  the  Temperance  Society  in  the  Metho- 
dist meeting-house,  E.  B.  Grout,  Secretary,  and  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Temperance  Society  is  to  be  held 
at  the  Meeting  House  at  6  o'clock,  December  16th,  1830. 

In  1841  an  address  was  given  at  the  annual  meeting  by 
Dr.  T.  Raymond,  President  of  the  Society.  Over  two 
columns  are  devoted  to  the  reasons  advanced,  religious, 
moral  and  utilitarian,  and  statistics  are  given.  In  this  year 
the  names  of  John  Oakley,  John  Mencilley  and  John 
Brodie  appear. 

In  1844,  on  17th  June,  as  appears  from  a  poster,  a  tem- 
perance excursion  is  advertised  by  the  Steamer  City  of 
Toronto,  Captain  Dick.  "  The  Niagara  Temperance  Band 
will  be  on  board,  the  boat  has  splendid  cabins  and  prome- 
nades and  will  be  decorated  with  evergreens  and  banners. 
The  excursion  will  be  conducted  on  the  picnic  plan,  parties 
to  provide  their  own  refreshment,  but  refreshments  will 
be  sold  to  those  who  wish.  Tickets,  one  dollar;  children, 
half  price ;  to  be  had  at  all  the  towns  and  villages  near." 
The  names  occur  of  Messrs.  Copeland,  St.  Catharines; 
Keefer,  Thorold ;  Harvey,  St.  Davids ;  Prest,  Queenston ; 
Cook,  Lewiston,  etc.  Committee  of  management:  W.  T. 
Cameron,  B.  Wagstaff,  A.  E.  Christie,  F.  M.  Whitelaw, 
J.  H.  Oakley,  and  C.  Culver. 


SOCIETIES  275 

In  1847  a  temperance  newspaper,  called  The  Fountain, 
was  started,  edited  by  James  A.  Davidson  and  F.  M. 
White] aw,  to  be  issued  fortnightly;  one  copy  only  can  be 
found,  No.  1. 

In  1846,  Rev.  E.  B.  Harper  gave  a  lecture,  and  in 
1850  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Hunt  did  the  same  and  there  was 
a  meeting  to  reorganize.  On  November  1.3th,  1850, 
three  columns  of  the  paper  are  devoted  to  the 
lecture  of  the  celebrated  orator,  John  B.  Gough. 
Two  lectures  were  given  in  St.  Andrew's  Church. 
The  first  night  five  hundred  were  present;  on  the  second 
eight  hundred.  The  lecture,  as  reported,  shows  none  of 
the  eloquence  for  which  the  orator  was  famed,  but  it  may 
have  lost  in  the  reporting.  The  first  evening  the  lecturer 
labored  under  unfavorable  circumstances.  The  evening 
was  depressing,  it  having  rained  all  day,  and  few  people 
from  the  country  could  attend.  He  had  had  no  rest  the 
night  before  in  Hamilton,  from  an  after-meeting,  and  he 
was  not  accustomed  to  speaking  from  a  high  pulpit. 

In  1852,  at  a  public  meeting,  when  the  Eev.  J.  B.  Mowat 
presided,  a  resolution  was  passed,  "  That  the  prevalence 
of  intemperance,  the  many  sudden  deaths  in  our  town 
and  vicinity  last  year  in  consequence  of  alcoholic  drinks, 
the  general  apathy,  all  call  loudly  for  energetic  action." 
Among  those  who  took  part  in  the  discussion  are  S.  H. 
Follett,  John  Barr  and  R.  Warren. 

In  1853,  there  was  a  grand  temperance  soiree  in  the 
Temperance  Hall  of  the  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Temper- 
ance, in  which  also  the  Temperance  Cadets  took  part.  The 
instrumental  music  was  presided  over  by  Mr.  Hark- 
ness,  the  bandmaster  of  the  Royal  Canadian  Rifles. 
An  old  poster  gives  the  rules  of  the  R.C.R.  Regiment 
Temperance  Society  at  St.  Helen's  Island,  January  17th, 
1842,  and  submitted  afterwards  to  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Elliot,  commanding  at  Niagara,  signed  William  Archer, 
Color  Sergeant,  President;  J.  Clarke,  Sergeant,  Vice- 
President;  J.  Raymond,  Corporal,  Secretary.  The  rules 
are  eleven  in  number.  Colonel  Elliot  died  at  Niagara, 
1846. 

The  lecture  of  James  A.  Davidson  is  remembered  by 
many  for  its  fearful  revelations  of  a  reformed  drunkard. 


276  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

As  showing  the  different  opinions  held  now  and  then  with 
regard  to  the  use  of  liquor,  in  the  Gleaner  of  March,  1833, 
is  a  letter  signed  G.  F.,  commenting  severely  on  the  char- 
acter of  a  gentleman  here  called  Stoicus,  well-known  in 
Niagara  and  Kingston.  "  A  man  of  profound  learning  and 
solid  judgment,  but  of  stern  moroseness :  one  day  when 
invited  to  dinner  with  friends  and,  either  from  a  ridicu- 
lous supposition  that  three  or  four  glasses  would  impair 
his  faculties,  or  from  a  still  more  ridiculous  cause,  the 
desire  of  being  called  an  abstemious  man,  was  observed  to 
have  filled  his  glass  not  more  than  twice.  When  he  with- 
drew for  some  minutes  it  was  remarked  how  strange  it 
was  that  a  man  of  such  superior  understanding  should 
labor  under  so  great  a  foible.  That  when  we  are  invited 
to  the  table  of  our  friends  we  should  drink  with  modera- 
tion and  that  he  who  cannot  do  this  should  never  enter 
into  company,  but  retire  to  his  own  roof  and  pass  his  life 
in  gloomy  solitude." 

It  is  well  that  a  little  more  liberty  of  opinion  is  allowed 
now  so  that  those  may  escape  comment  who  prefer  not  to 
take  even  one  glass. 

A  curious  temperance  medal  of  unknown  date  found 
here  by  George  Goff  and  presented  by  him  to  the  Historical 
Society,  has  the  following  inscription :  "  We  agree  to 
abstain  from  all  intoxicating  liquors,  except  for  medical 
purposes  and  religious  observances." 

In  1851  petitions  were  sent  in  from  the  five  wards  of 
the  town,  signed  by  the  "  Inn-keepers,  Householders,  Free- 
holders and  Municipal  Electors  of  the  Town,"  complaining 
that  the  license  which  had  been  increased  "  is  oppressive, 
and  that  in  the  present  depressed  state  of  business  this  will 
reduce  the  income  of  the  town,  families  will  be  reduced 
to  want  or  driven  to  seek  subsistence  elsewhere,  houses  will 
be  left  untenanted  and  anarchy,  confusion  and  bad  feeling 
exist  throughout  the  community." 

This  frightful  state  of  things  to  result  from  there  being 
fewer  places  where  liquor  could  be  obtained,  shows  us  how 
easy  it  is  to  bolster  up  a  bad  cause,  "to  make  the  worse 
appear  the  better  reason."  Each  of  these  five  petitions  is 
signed  by  about  twenty  persons,  of  whom  three-fourths 
were  engaged  in  the  traffic.  There  are  now  four  instead  of 


SOCIETIES  277 

say,  seventy-five  places  in  town  in  which  liquor  is  sold, 
which  shows  the  change  in  public  opinion,  and  that  tem- 
perance societies  have  done  good,  that  legislation  is  in  a 
measure  prohibitive.  In  the  township  we  are  glad  to  say 
no  liquor  is  sold. 

The  contra  petition  of  the  inhabitants  is  numerously 
signed.  Of  the  140  whose  names  are  signed,  there  were,  in 
1905,  only  two  living — William  Kirby  and  Eobert  Warren. 
Both  now  have  joined  the  silent  majority. 

BENEVOLENT  SOCIETY,  OR  SOCIETY  FOR  RELIEF  OF  THE 
POOR. — The  Niagara  papers  give  two  remarkable  instances 
of  the  readiness  of  the  inhabitants  to  come  to  the  help  of 
those  in  distress,  proving  them  to  have  been  both  wealthy 
and  generous.  In  the  Gleaner  for  March  9th,  1833,  the 
following  notice  appeared  :  "  Whereas  much  distress  and 
destitution  have  prevailed  in  the  town  and  neighborhood 
during  the  summer,  and  still  more  since  the  severity  of 
winter  set  in,  and  the  unfortunate  poor  have  been  left  in 
a  great  measure  to  depend  on  the  charity  of  a  few,  a  com- 
mittee is  to  be  formed  to  visit  the  destitute  and  solicit  pub- 
lic contributions  from  the  benevolent/'  A  public  meeting 
was  held  at  Miller's  Coffee  House,  the  committee  to  consist 
of  Thomas  Green,  Robert  McGill,  D.  McDougall,  Captain 
Melville,  James  Lockhart,  C.  Culver,  John  Crooks,  C.  Rich- 
ardson, J.  Stocking.  At  the  meeting  Rev.  Thomas  Green 
was  chairman,  Dr.  Porter,  secretary.  Rev.  R.  McGill  moved 
several  resolutions.  The  Society  was  to  be  called  the 
"  Niagara  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Vagrancy  and 
Common  Begging,  and  for  the  Relief  of  the  Sick  and 
Destitute."  It  seems  as  if  a  shorter  name  might  have 
been  given.  No  help  was  to  be  given  without  a  visit  of 
inspection.  The  town  and  township  were  to  be  divided  into 
ten  divisions,  with  a  visitor  and  collector  for  each.  A  care- 
ful and  comprehensive  plan  was  formed,  so  that  all  deserv- 
ing and  necessitous  poor  could  be  relieved,  and  at  the  same 
time  fraud  prevented.  A  constitution  having  eleven  articles 
was  decided  on.  The  visitors  were  Wm.  Clarke,  Dr.  Muir- 
head,  John  Oakley,  D.  Thorburn,  R.  Woodruff,  James 
Cooper,  William  Ball,  George  Connolly,  John  Ball,  A. 
Heron;  and  the  collectors  William  Winterbottom,  John 


278  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Rogers,  W.  Glaus,  W.  Wynn,  W.  Woodruff,  G.  Stevenson, 
W.  Servos,  J.  Whitmore,  P.  Clement.  The  treasurer  was 
John  Wagstaff.  For  medical  aid  the  gratuitous  attendance 
of  medical  gentlemen  in  town  was  to  be  asked  in  rotation. 
The  town  and  township  were  thus  divided  for  visiting  and 
collecting:  No.  1,  Prideaux  Street  to  the  river;  2,  Pri- 
deaux to  Queen;  3,  Queen  to  Johnson;  4,  Johnson  Street 
south,  to  limit  of  the  town ;  5,  Queenston ;  6,  St.  Davids ; 
7,  adjacent  to  Queenston ;  8,  adjacent  to  Black  Swamp ; 
9,  adjacent  to  lake;  10,  Cross  Roads  to  St.  Davids.  Par- 
ticular stress  seems  to  have  been  laid  upon  the  necessity  of 
giving  no  help  without  due  inquiry,  much  in  the  line  of 
societies  in  Toronto  and  other  cities,  so  as  to  prevent  some 
being  neglected  altogether  and  others  getting  more  than 
their  share  by  misrepresentation. 

In  1847  when  news  came  of  the  suffering  in  Ireland 
from  famine  and  fever,  most  generous  collections  were 
made.  Two  columns  in  the  Mail  of  September  22nd 
are  filled  with  the  names  of  the  contributors.  The 
sum  of  £1,776  was  given  in  the  town  and  township;  1,500 
barrels  of  flour  from  the  mills  of  the  neighborhood — George 
Keefer's  mill  at  Thorold  gave  25  barrels;  G.  P.  M.  Ball, 
Louth,  16,  Fort  Erie,  51  barrels;  T.  C.  Street  at  the  Falls 
and  Phelps  at  St.  Catharines,  also  gave.  Clothing  also  was 
sent.  Rev.  Dr.  Lundy  collected  £2  in  his  school;  Presby- 
terian church,  £12 ;  Andrew  Heron  collected,  in  town,  £33 ; 
James  Blain  and  A.  Swinton,  £28 ;  Geo.  Boomer,  £37 ;  Rev. 
Mr.  Carrol  and  Catholic  Church,  £50;  Dr.  Campbell  gave 
£2;  Mrs.  Addison,  £2;  Mrs.  Stevenson,  £1;  Mrs.  Connolly, 
£1 ;  and  in  the  township,  Richard  Woodruff,  himself,  £25 ; 
William  Woodruff,  in  township,  £10,  and  himself,  £10; 
Lachlan  Currie,  £17;  J.  C.  Ball,  in  township,  £6;  William 
Ball,  in  township,  £6 ;  Sheriff  Kingsmill,  £20 ;  James  Blain 
and  John  McBride,  in  town,  £27;  James  Goslin,  in  town, 
£14;  John  Simpson,  in  town,  £11;  John  M.  Lawder,  in 
town,  £60;  J.  Wynn,  in  township,  £9;  George  Boomer,  in 
town,  £37;  W.  H.  Dickson,  his  own  subscription,  £50; 
J.  Burns,  for  Methodist  church,  £6. 

A  large  poster  gives  information  of  a  soiree  to  be  given 
on  March  9th,  1847,  W.  H.  Dickson,  chairman,  for  the 
relief  of  those  in  Ireland  and  the  islands  near  the  north 


HISTORICAL      IH'ILDINd. 


NAVY     HALL. 


SOCIETIES  279 

of  Scotland.  Colonel  Newton  allowed  the  band  of  the  Eoyal 
Canadian  Rifles  to  play,  songs  were  volunteered,  speeches 
made.  The  band  played  popular  airs,  English,  Scottish, 
Irish  and  French.  Refreshments  were  served;  the  price 
was  2s.  fid.  and  a  goodly  sum  was  raised. 

Of  the  whole  amount  of  £1,796  raised,  £410  was  given 
in  the  town;  and  of  the  1,500  barrels  of  flour  given  in  the 
vicinity,  290  were  from  the  town.  William  Sewell,  in 
Stamford,  £217 ;  William  Hope,  proceeds  of  corn  sold,  £19. 

Information  has  lately  been  obtained  through  a  little 
minute  book  hidden  away  in  a  dark  cupboard,  of  this  sad 
episode  of  1847,  when,  from  the  failure  of  the  potato  crop 
in  Ireland  for  two  years,  such  appalling  distress  ensued 
from  the  death  on  shipboard,  at  Grosse  Isle  and  in  many 
cities  and  towns  to  which  the  immigrants  suffering  from 
ship  fever  came.  The  Board  of  Police  was  asked 
by  the  Canadian  Government  to  form  itself  into 
a  board  of  health  and  make  arrangements  for 
the  care  of  the  immigrants;  buildings  were  rented 
for  hospitals;  doctors  and  nurses  employed;  care- 
ful records  were  kept  and  transmitted  to  Kingston,  of 
the  number  sick  and  well  who  were  helped.  The  story  is 
a  most  pathetic  one.  Of  the  hundred  and  fifty  there  were 
forty  deaths,  sometimes  the  father,  sometimes  the  mother, 
or  perchance  the  little  children.  In  one  case  the  mother  of 
eight  children  was  stricken  and  died.  The  records  give  the 
full  account  of  purchases,  beds,  dishes,  butter,  milk,  meat, 
bread,  tables,  medicine,  doctors'  fees.  The  names  are  given 
in  full,  and  the  letters  which  were  sent  to  the  Inspector  at 
Kingston  and  to  Government  officials.  The  expense  was 
nearly  £1,000,  which  was  finally  paid  by  the  Government. 
The  correspondence  which  ensued  was  conducted  on  the 
part  of  the  Board  of  Health  by  John  Simpson,  and  is 
remarkable  for  the  clear  statement  as  well  as  the  courteous 
and  diplomatic  manner  of  stating  the  case  and  the 
firm  tone  used.  The  names  of  the  members  of  the  Board  of 
Health  were:  Andrew  Heron,  John  Simpson,  Thomas 
McOormick,  James  Boulton,  Alexander  Davidson. 

CHORAL  SOCIETY. — The  'Choral  Society,  of 'which  Miss 
Victorine  Allinson,  the  organist  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul's 


280  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Church,  was  the  leader,  must  not  be  forgotten,  neither  for 
the  pleasure  nor  the  profit  derived,  the  pleasure  gained  by 
the  audience  and  the  profit  gained  by  those  taking  part, 
from  the  excellent  training  given  by  the  conductor,  a  bril- 
liant and  accomplished  musician.  In  the  programme  of 
the  first  concert,  March  16th,  1880,  a  sacred  concert,  the 
music  was  all  classical  and  of  a  high  order — Haydn,  Men- 
delssohn and  Mozart, — while  in  that  of  1881,  also  of  a  high 
order,  the  Pirates  of  Penzance,  by  Sullivan,  gave  variety. 

The  officers  were  Miss  Allinson,  conductor;  Mr.  H.  Paf- 
fard,  president;  Mr.  Geddes  and  Mr.  J.  G.  Dickson,  vice- 
presidents;  Mr.  W.  S.  Winterbottom,  secretary;  and  Mr. 
R.  C.  Burns,  treasurer. 

The  principal  singers  were  Miss  B.  J.  Flanigau  (first 
soprano),  Mrs.  Sage,  Miss  Follett;  altos,  Miss  Blake,  Miss 
F.  Ball,  Miss  McDougal ;  tenors,  W.  S.  Winterbottom, 
W.  McClelland,  G.  Cork,  E.  Coxwell,  Joseph  Burns; 
basses,  R.  C.  Burns,  W.  P.  Blain,  F.  Varey.  Pianist,  Miss 
S.  Burns.  Miss  Allin-son  herself  was  accompanist 
for  the  soloists,  Miss  Flanigan,  Mrs.  Sage,  Miss  Ball, 
Miss  McDougal  and  Messrs.  Blain  and  Burns.  Some- 
times the  concerts  were  given  for  the  benefit  of  the  library. 
The  skill  and  tact  in  managing  the  Society  showed  that 
the  leader  possessed  administrative  ability  of  a  high  order, 
and  many  of  those  still  remember,  with  pleasure,  the  hours 
spent  in  practice.  Several  of  these  sweet  singers  are  no 
longer  with  us  in  life ;  some  are  far  distant,  but  all  living 
now  remember  the  patient  and  painstaking  leader. 

HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. — Although  a  somewhat  personal 
matter,  it  is  felt  that  some  account  should  be  given  of  this 
Society,  although  it  cannot  boast  of  a  century's  existence, 
as  do  many  of  the  other  organizations  of  the  town.  But  it 
must  be  acknowledged  that  it  has  done  its  share  in  telling 
the  story  of  those  years.  It  having  been  announced  that 
a  meeting  would  be  held  to  organize  an  Historical  Society, 
about  a  dozen  persons  met  in  the  library  room  on  the  5th 
of  December,  1895.  Officers  were  appointed,  arrangements 
made  to  draw  up  a  constitution,  and  ever  since  regular 
monthly  meetings  have  been  held  during  the  winter, 
when  historical  papers  have  been  read.  Several  public 


SOCIETIES  281 

meetings  have  been  held  and  addresses  given  bv  prominent 
speakers.  The  card  of  membership  states  the  objects  thus, 
the  motto  selected  being  "Due-it  amor  patriae."  "The  objects 
of  the  Society  are  the  encouragement  of  the  study  of  Cana- 
dian history  and  literature,  the  collection  and  safe  preserva- 
tion of  Canadian  historical  records  and  relics,  and  the 
building  up  of  Canadian  loyalty  and  patriotism.  Each 
member  is  asked  to  give  or  loan  to  the  Society  documents 
or  relics  to  add  to  the  collection  in  the  historical  room,  or 
aid  in  any  other  way  the  aims  of  the  Society.  The  anni- 
versary is  on  the  17th  of  September,  to  celebrate  the  meet- 
ing of  the  first  Parliament  of  Upper  Canada,  held  at 
Niagara  in  1792.  The  annual  meeting  is  on  October  13th." 
A  room  was  granted  in  the  third  story  of  the  court  house, 
and  here  the  meetings  were  held  at  first.  A  public  meet- 
ing was  held  in  the  park  on  17th  September,  1896,  and 
an  exhibit  of  military  and  other  relics  collected,  chiefly  by 
the  efforts  of  John  D.  Servos.  The  speakers  were  Hon.  J.  G. 
Currie,  Canon  Bull,  Colonel  Cruikshank  and  Miss  FitzGib- 
bon.  Soon  after,  the  collection  of  articles  began,  great  assist- 
ance being  given  by  Mr.  C.  A.  F.  Ball,  in  valuable  docu- 
ments, pictures,  etc.  A  paper  read  by  Colonel  Cruikshank 
was  published ;  as  the  funds  of  the  Society  were  almost  nil, 
the  fee  being  very  small,  this  was  considered  quite  a  risk, 
but  enough  were  sold  to  pay  the  printer's  bill,  and  assistance 
was  asked  from  the  Provincial  Government  to  print  other 
papers  and  a  grant  of  $100  was  given.  This,  given  annually, 
has  enabled  the  Society  to  carry  on  the  work,  and  no  less 
than  twenty-five  publications  have  been  sent  out  to  mem- 
bers, historical  friends,  societies,  etc.  Eighteen  annual  re- 
ports have  been  printed,  besides  various  circulars.  Mr. 
William  Kirby,  the  honorary  president,  was  anxious  that 
there  should  be  a  monument  erected  to  commemorate  the 
landing  of  the  United  Empire  Loyalists,  but  the  Society 
decided  that  since  the  collection  was  increasing  and 
already  crowding  the  long,  narrow  room,  that  a  building, 
which  should  be  useful  as  well  as  ornamental,  would  be 
more  suitable.  A  public  meeting  was  called  for  Sept.  17th, 
1903,  to  which  several  friends  from  Toronto,  were  invited. 
C.  C.  James,  Dr.  Boyle,  Wm.  Kirby,  Eev.  J.  S.  Clarke  and 
Mrs.  Thompson  spoke.  A.  W.  Wright  was  chairman.  The 


282  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Mayor,  James  Aikins,  also  spoke.  The  advice  of  Toronto 
friends  was  not  to  appeal  to  the  Government  for  assistance 
at  first,  but  see  what  we  could  do  ourselves,  and  then  the 
Government  would  be  more  likely  to  help  us.  This  advice 
was  followed  and  a  circular  was  drawn  up  and  sent  to  old 
Niagarians  in  different  parts  of  the  continent;  our  own 
members  contributed  first;  the  townspeople  generally,  and 
friends  from  a  distance,  contributed  generously,  till,  in 
sums  large  and  small,  one  thousand  dollars  was  raised. 
Then  a  personal  appeal  was  made  to  the  then  Premier, 
Hon.  G.  W.  Eoss,  and  a  grant  of  five  hundred  dollars  was 
given.  The  next  year  our  appeal  was  made  to  the  Dominion 
G-overnment  and  one  thousand  dollars  was  obtained,  and 
the  next  year  an  additional  grant  of  five  hundred  dollars 
was  given  by  the  Government  of  Sir  James  P.  Whitney. 
Finally,  an  old  Niagara  boy  in  New  York  sent  a  cheque  for 
five  hundred  dollars,  and  it  was  now  felt  that  a  building  was 
really  feasible.  Laud  for  a  site  was  given  by  the  President 
of  the  Society,  plans  and  specifications  made  by  the  archi- 
tect, W.  B.  Allan.  The  first  tenders  were  found  to  be  beyond 
our  power  (about  seven  thousand  dollars),  The  tenders, 
when  the  revised  specifications  were  made,  were  four  thou- 
sand dollars ;  work  was  begun  in  April,  1906,  and  the 
present  substantial  brick  building  finished  in  September, 
all  except  the  portico.  The  day  of  opening  was  fixed  for 
the  4th  of  June,  1907.  Invitations  were  issued  to  all 
members  and  all  who  had  contributed  to  the  building  fund. 
Lieutenant-Governor  Sir  Mortimer  Clark  consented  to 
open  the  building.  The  speakers  of  the  day,  afternoon 
and  evening  were,  besides  the  Lieutenant-Governor,  C.  C. 
James,  F.R.S.C.,  Deputy  Minister  of  Agriculture;  A.  H.  U. 
Colquhoun,  M.A.,  Deputy  Minister  of  Education;  Colonel 
Cruikshank,  F.R.S.C.;  Rev.  J.  C.  Garrett;  Rev.  A.  F. 
MacGregor,  Johnson  Clench,  Esq.,  and  Colonel  Galloway, 
who  sang  with  great  effect,  "  0  Canada." 

It  was  announced  that  the  Society  had  had  many  good 
friends,  among  others,  John  Ross  Robertson,  who 
has  printed  one  thousand  copies  of  a  catalogue 
as  a  present.  The  collection  of  articles  was  largely 
increased  on  obtaining  the  new  building,  the  donors 
feeling  that  a  safe  place  was  provided.  Another  kind 


HIGH    POST    BEDSTEAD    IN    HISTORICAL    BUILDING. 


TABLETS    TO    EARLY    SETTLERS    IN    HISTORICAL    BUILDING. 


SOCIETIES  283 

friend  was  the  late  Dr.  David  Boyle,  also  Canon  Bull.  The 
contributors  to  the  publications  have  been  many:  Colonel 
Cruikshank,  to  whom  we  are  greatly  indebted  for  reliable 
unpartisan  history ;  William  Kirby,  Dr.  J.  H.  Coyne,  Dr.  D. 
Boyle,  Canon  Bull,  Rev.  Canon  Garrett,  Mrs.  J.  G.  Currie, 
Rev.  A.  F.  MacGregor,  Charles  Hunter,  Mrs.  J.  F.  Greene, 
Hon.  J.  G.  Currie,  Dr.  C.  C.  James,  Miss  FitzGibbon,  D. 
K.  Goodfellow,  E.  Green,  C.  A.  F.  Ball,  Rev.  Cyril  de  M. 
Rudolf,  Mrs.  Curzon,  A.  Servos,  A.  J.  Clark,  Mrs.  E.  ,T. 
Thompson,  Mrs.  Ascher,  J.  S.  Carstairs. 

The  Society  now  numbers  240  members.  Of  these  eight 
are  Life  Members,  and  there  are  also  thirteen  Honorary 
Members.  The  first  vice-president  was  Henry  Paffard,  who 
held  the  position  for  many  years,  till  his  removal  to  British 
Columbia.  The  present  writer  has  had  the  honor  of  hold- 
ing the  position  of  president  since  the  formation,  December, 
1895. 

Markers  have  been  placed  on  eight  historic  sites,  viz. : 
Site  of  first  Parliament,  1792;  place  where  Brock  was 
buried  in  1812;  house  of  Count  de  Puisaye,  1799;  site  of 
Government  Hoiise,  Indian  Council  House  and  Military 
Hospital;  Gleaner  printing  office,  1817;  and  Masonic  Hall, 
1792;  court  house,  1847;  the  spot  where  bodies  of  British 
soldiers  were  found,  killed  the  27th  May,  1813. 

The  building  is  of  brick,  with  metal  roof,  30  by  70  feet  in 
size,  and  situated  facing  the  military  quarters,  with  a  fine 
outlook.  Over  five  thousand  articles  have  been  collected, 
labelled  and  catalogued.  The  divisions  are  Military,  Naval, 
Portraits,  Original  Documents,  Household  Articles,  Rare 
Books,  China,  Woman's  Handiwork,  Old  Furniture,  Coins, 
Brass  and  Pewter,  Indian  Relics,  Niagara  Publications, 
Family  Relics.  Tablets  have  been  placed  on  the  wall  to 
early  settlers  and  regiments  which  fought  here  or  were 
on  duty. 

The  cost  of  the  building  and  furnishing,  over  five  thou- 
sand dollars,  has  been  paid  in  full.  The  room  is  open 
generally  on  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays,  in  camp  time 
opened  every  afternoon.  The  president  acts  as  curator  and 
editor,  from  love  of  the  work.  The  papers  and  documents 
enable  her  to  give  information  to  the  writers  of  many  let- 
ters of  inquiry,  and  it  is  felt  that  a  valuable  historical 


284  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

collection  has  been  formed  which  will  increase  in  value  and 
give  pleasure  to  many  visitors. 

The  members  of  the  Society  are  scattered  over  the  broad 
Dominion,  in  the  United  States  and  even  in  England, 
while  the  articles,  though  mostly  relating  to  Niagara  and 
vicinity,  have  come  from  as  distant  places  as  Britisli 
Columbia,  South  Africa,  Scotland,  England,  India  and 
China. 

One  great  object  of  the  Society,  the  restoration  of  Navy 
Hall,  has  been  accomplished.  Many  petitions  had  been 
sent,  seemingly  without  avail.  At  last  a  grant  of  four 
hundred  dollars  was  given,  which  was  quite  inadequate. 
The  philanthropist,  John  Ross  Robertson,  interested  him- 
self, and  the  grant  was  made  one  thousand  dollars,  so  that 
the  building,  which  was  almost  a  complete  ruin,  has  been 
restored,  the  idea  being  to  use  as  much  of  the  old  timbers 
as  possible,  not  altering  the  appearance.  A  marble  tablet 
has  been  placed  on  the  building  with  the  inscription  given 
previously. 


CHAPTEE  XL. 
BOOKS  PRINTED  OR  WRITTEN  HERE. 

THE  Count  de  Puisaye,  the  French  General  who  built  the 
house  in  1799,  half  of  which  still  stands,  and  who  lived  here 
till  1802,  wrote  a  work,  afterwards  printed  in  England,  of 
which  he  thus  speaks  in  a  letter  from  Niagara,  May,  1801 : 
"  My  plan  is  to  leave  toward  the  end  of  autumn  for  Eng- 
land. I  will  be  occupied  till  then  with  the  composition  of 
a  work  of  some  extent,  which  should  be  made  public"- 
supposed  to  be  a  history  of  the  French  Eoyalist  party  dur- 
ing the  Revolution. 

Dr.  Brymner  says :  "  The  only  work  I  can  find  traces 
of  is  one  in  six  volumes,  published  in  London,  from  1803 
to  1808,  entitled  Memoires  qui  pourront  servir  a  I'histoire 
du  parti  royaliste  Frangais  durant  la  derniere  Revolution. 

We  can  picture  to  ourselves  the  Royalist  exile  who  had 
failed  at  Quiberon,  and  failed  now  with  his  French  military 
colony  in  Canada,  sitting  at  one  of  the  dormer  windows 
of  the  long,  low  house,  now  and  then  glancing  out  at  the 
beautiful,  broad,  blue  river,  or  perchance  at  his  young 
fruit  trees,  writing  sadly  his  defence  to  the  charges 
made  against  him. 

In  1799  a  pamphlet  was  published  by  S.  and  G.  Tiffany, 
printers  to  the  Province,  Communication  between  Lake 
Erie  and  Ontario  by  Land  and  Water.  It  mentions  that 
Robert  Hamilton,  Queenston;  George  Forsyth,  Newark, 
and  Thomas  Clark,  Queenston,  have  kept  in  repair  the 
roads  for  twenty-one  years,  which  would  take  us  back  to 
the  year  1778. 

In  1802,  S.  Tiffany  published  an  almanac,  which  gives 
the  names  of  the  ten  members  of  the  Law  Society  formed 
in  1797. 

In  1819,  Andrew  Heron  reprinted  Magna  Charta  and 
the  Bill  of  Rights,  with  notes  by  B.  Curwen.  In  1821  the 
same  Andrew  Heron  printed  the  Introduction  to  the  Eng- 
lish Reader.  In  1823  he  also  printed  the  Christian 

285 


286  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

Almanac.  In  1824  the  Niagara  Almanac  was  published. 
In  1824  he  reprinted  Mavor's  Spelling  Book. 

In  1831  is  a  reprint  of  four  works,  by  Henry  Chapman 
and  Samuel  Heron,  printer — a  strange  medley,  being  Gait's 
Life  of  Lord  Byron;  Southey's  Life  of  Lord  Nelson;  Bush's 
Life  of  Mohammed;  William's  Life  of  Alexander  the  Great; 
the  whole  forming  a  solid  leather-bound  book  of  652  pages. 
These  were  also  published  separately. 

In  1832  The  History  of  the  War  of  1812,  by  David 
Thompson,  was  printed  by  Thomas  Sewell.  Captain 
Thompson  belonged  to  the  Eoyal  Scots,  and  fought  at 
Queenston  Heights,  aftenvards  teaching  for  many  years  at 
Niagara.  Like  many  other  writers  he  did  not  find  his 
work  as  an  author  remunerative,  for  we  find  that  he  was 
confined  in  the  debtor's  prison  in  the  jail  for  some  time  in 
consequence  of  his  indebtedness  to  the  printer. 

In  1837  John  Simpson  published  the  Canadian  Forget- 
me-not. 

In  1835  (no  date  attached),  a  Catalogue  of  St.  Andrew's 
Church  Library  was  printed  at  the  Gleaner  office. 

In  1838  a  Sermon  on  Love  of  Country,  preached  by  Eev. 
E.  McGill,  after  the  Rebellion,  was  printed  by  T.  Sewell. 

In  the  same  year,  1838,  a  Sermon,  preached  by  Eev. 
Thomas  Green,  after  the  Eebellion,  was  printed  by  John 
Simpson. 

In  1838  T.  Sewell  printed  The  Farmer's  Almanac. 

In  1838  Major  Eichardson  was  living  in  Niagara,  and, 
no  doubt,  wrote  here  some  of  his  works,  probably  The 
Brothers,  although  not  printed  in  Niagara. 

In  1840  The  Canada  Spelling  Book  was  prepared  and 
printed,  by  Alexander  Davidson,  who  was  one  of  the  first 
trustees  of  Victoria  University,  Cobourg,  afterwards  editor 
of  the  Niagara  Mail,  and  subsequently  postmaster. 

In  1842  a  second  edition  was  printed.  A  long  recom- 
mendation, as  an  advertisement,  is  signed  by  Eev.  R. 
McGill,  Rev.  T.  Creen,  Eev.  A.  Bethune. 

In  1846  The  Progressive  Primer,  as  an  introduction  to 
the  spelling  book. 

In  1846  Cook  Book  by  a  Niagara  lady.  This  was  by 
Miss  Davidson,  afterwards  Mrs.  Sanderson,  daughter  of 
Alexander  Davidson. 


AUTHORS  AND  BOOKS  287 

In  1845  The  Agricultural  Reader,  by  a  vice-president  of 
the  Agricultural  Society,  supposed  to  be  Bishop  Fuller. 
We  pity  the  scholars  condemned  to  its  use,  but  perhaps  it 
never  was  used  in  the  schools.  The  chief  contents  were 
discussions  of  mangold-wurzels,  manure,  sheep,  etc.,  but 
relieved  in  one  place  by  verse,  as  "The  Farmer's  Boy;" 
it  was  printed  by  John  Simpson. 

In  1842  Prayers  and  Meditations,  by  Rev.  R.  McGill, 
printed  by  John  Simpson. 

In  1845  The  Mercantile  Almanac,  was  printed  by  John 
Simpson,  at  the  Chronicle  office.  Ten  thousand  copies  were 
sold.  It  was  continued  for  many  years — 1846,  '47,  '48,  '49  : 
and  no  doubt  was  the  precursor  of  the  Canadian  Almanac, 
by  the  Copp,  Clark  Company,  Toronto. 

In  1859  The  U.  E.,  a  poem  by  William  Kirby,  in  twelve 
cantos.  A  peculiarity  of  this  is  that  the  work  of 
typesetting,  printing  and  correcting  proofs  was  done  almost 
altogether  by  the  author,  he  being  then  the  editor  of  the 
Niagara  Mail. 

In  1877  Le  Chien  d'Or  was  written,  in  Niagara,  by  Mr. 
Kirby,  while  holding  the  position  of  Customs  House  officer. 
This  fine  historical  romance  had  a  remarkable  history  as 
regards  publication — it  lay  three  years  in  the  Toronto  bag- 
gage-room, while  it  was  vainly  hunted  for  in  Canada  and 
England.  When  finally  printed,  it  was  pirated,  translated 
into  French,  and  for  years  yielded  no  returns  to  the  author, 
although  it  has  had  a  large  circulation.  His  Annals  of 
Niagara  and  Canadian  Idylls  were  also  written  here. 

Dr.  Wi throw  here  wrote  his  most  remarkable  work,  The 
Catacombs  of  Rome:  remarkable  in  that  although  an  ex- 
haustive work  and  the  Edinburgh  Review  pronounced  it 
to  be  the  best  English  work  on  the  subject  extant,  the  writer 
had  not  then  visited  the  Catacombs.  The  volume  has 
reached  many  editions.  Dr.  Withrow,  then  a  young  Metho- 
dist minister,  in  1874,  here  gathered  material  for  two  of 
his  stories,  Neville  Trueman  and  The  King's  Messenger, 
which  are  founded  on  stories  of  the  early  settlers  on  the 
Niagara  River. 

The  Centennial  of  St.  Mark's  was  written  by  the  present 
writer  in  1892,  and  the  Centennial  of  St.  Andrew's  in  1894, 
the  first  being  published  by  James  Bain,  and  the  second  by 


288  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

William  Briggs.  The  publications  of  the  Historical  Society 
are  twenty-five  in  number ;  most  of  them  have  been  printed 
here  from  1896  to  the  present  time.  Numbers  1,  2,  4,  5,  6, 
7,  8,  10,  11,  13,  14,  15,  16,  18,  20,  21,  23  and  25,  were 
printed  in  the  town,  and  the  following  numbers  were 
written  by  the  present  writer :  Slave  Rescue,  Palatine  Hill, 
Evolution  of  an  Historical  Room,  Niagara  Library,  Early 
Schools,  Historical  Buildings,  Churches,  Inscriptions  and 
Graves,  Reminiscences  of  Niagara,  Sir  Isaac  Brock,  Count 
de  Puisaye;  Report  of  Opening,  4th  June,  1907;  Robert 
Gourlay,  Fort  Niagara,  Colonel  MacDougal,  Queenston ; 
Published  elsewhere  in  verse — Has  Canada  a  History? 
Golden  Rod,  Laura  Secord,  several  Sonnets,  Words  of 
Jesus  to  Women ;  and  in  prose — The  Maple  Leaf  the 
Emblem  of  Canada.  "  Niagara  One  Hundred  Years  Ago," 
was  written  for  the  Lundy's  Lane  Historical  Societv  in 
1892. 

Also  written  here  "  Reminiscences  "  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Gar- 
rett,  "  Canadian  Confederation,"  by  Rev.  A.  F.  MacGregor, 
"  Soldier  Pensioners,"  by  Miss  Creed,  and  "  St.  Vincent  de 
Paul."  by  Mrs.  Greene. 


COUNT     DE     PUISAYE. 


CHAPTEE  XLI. 
POEMS  RELATING   TO  NIAGARA. 

HERE  precedence  must  be  given  to  the  veteran  lit- 
terateur. William  Kirby,  the  author  of  "  The  Canadian 
Idylls,"  "Le  Chien  d'Or,"  and  "Annals  of  Niagara," 
poet,  novelist  and  historian.  In  "  The  Queen's  Birthday/' 
containing  the  ballad  "  Spina  Christi,"  with  its  lilting 
measure,  and  "  The  Sparrows,"  are  many  references  to 
Niagara,  the  river,  common,  oak  grove,  French  thorns,  etc. 

"  And  now  the  sun  was  up 

And  shining  on  the  grey  square  tower  that  stands 
Above  the  place  of  landing  nets — its  walls 
Thick  as  a  feudal  keep,  with  loopholes  slashed, 
Contain  the  wreck  and  ruin  of  a  town; 
Fair  Newark,  once  gay,  rich  and  beautiful, 
By  ruthless  foes — when  flying  to  retreat, 
Burned  down  to  blackened  heaps  of  bricks  and  stone; 
The  fragments  of  its  walls  and  hearths  were  built 
Into  that  stern  memorial  of  a  deed 
Unchivalrous  in  days  of  war  gone  by." 

As  a  contrast  to  this  description  of  the  square  grey 
tower  of  Mississauga,  take  the  "Queen's  Birthday,"  con- 
taining the  ballad  "Spina  Christi,"  with  its  lilting  measure : 

"  Oh,  fair,  in  summer  time,  it  is  Niagara's  plain  to  see, 
Half  belted  round  with  oaken  woods  and  green  as  grass  can 

be; 
Its  levels  broad  in  sunshine  lie  with  flowerets  gemmed  and 

set 
With  dainty  stars,  and  red  as  Mars, 

The  tiny  sanguinette. 
The  trefoil  with  its  drops  of  gold-white  clover  heads,  and 

yet, 

The  sweet  grass,  commonest  of  all  God's  goodnesses,  we  get; 
The  dent  de  lion's  downy  globes  a  puff  will  blow  away, 
Which  children  pluck  to  try  good  luck 
Or  tell  the  time  of  day." 

The  fanciful  origin  of  the  French  thorns  which  skirt 
the  oak  grove  south  of  the  common  in  its  poetic  form  is 
20  289 


290  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

that  Bois  le  Grand  brings  from  France  a  branch  of  the 
holy  thorn,  brought  by  Pope  Clement  from  Palestine,  that 
which  supplied  the  Saviour's  crown  of  thorns,  and  plants 
it  at  Niagara,  and  from  this  have  come  all  the  thorn 
trees  which  supply  the  fragrant  white  blossoms  in  spring 
and  the  scarlet  haws  in  October.  As  a  matter  of  fact  there 
are  two  varieties  with  differently  shaped  leaves,  one  with 
fruit  delightful  to  children  and  the  other  hard  and  uneat- 
able; the  shape  of  the  trees  is  different  in  appearance,  but 
in  one  kind  we  can  almost  feel  sure  that  we  see  the  very 
trees  described  in  the  line : 

"  Contorted,  twisted,  writhing,  as  with  human  pain  to  tell." 

In  "  The  Sparrows,"  the  winter  scene  on  plain  and  lake, 
as  viewed  from  his  window  is  well  described  in  a  few  words, 
every  one  of  which  tells — 

"  I  sat  within  my  window  and  looked  forth 
Upon  a  scene  of  cold  magnificence; 
My  garden  lately  full  of  summer  bloom 
Lay  'neath  a  sheet  of  snow — 

Knee-deep  the  sombre  trees  stood,  gaunt  and  bare, 
A  plain  the  threshing-floor  for  winter's  flails, 
Wind-blown  and  swept,  lay  just  beyond  the  lawn 
Where  drifts  of  winnowed  snow  heaped  high. 
Beyond  the  plain,  'neath  banks  precipitous 
Stretched  the  vast  lake  covered  with  floating  ice; 
Its  billows  striving  vainly  to  lift  up 
Their  angry  crests  above  the  icy  mass 
That  overlay  the  struggling,  groaning  sea." 

Miss  Geale,  in  a  few  beautiful  lines,  gives  us  a  different 
picture  of  the  river  and  the  old  town — 

"  No  tumult  here, 

No  ceaseless  tramp  of  hurrying  toiler's  feet, 
Only  a  hush  above  the  wide  old  street, 

Or  loud  and  clear 

Up  from  the  long,  low  line  that  bounds  the  lake 
The  noisy  crash  of  waves  that  rise  and  break, 

And  over  all, 

Lost  in  the  hush  and  mingling  with  the  roar 
Of  sullen  waters  breaking  on  the  shore, 

The  bugle  call 

Drifts  from  the  Fort  that  nestles  Quaint  and  low 
Beyond  the  river's  frozen  fields  of  snow." 


POEMS  KELATING  TO  NIAGAKA          291 

James  Strachan,  the  brother  of  Bishop  Strachan,  in  1819 
wrote  a  sonnet  on  Fort  George,  then  the  burial-place  of 
General  Brock  and  his  Adjutant,  Macdonell: 

"Why  calls  the  bastion  forth  the  patriot's  sigh, 
And  starts  the  tear  from  beauty's  swelling  eye? 
Within  its  breach  intrepid  Brock  is  laid, 
A  tomb  according  with  the  mighty  dead; 
Whose  soul  devoted  to  his  country's  cause, 
In  deeds  of  glory  sought  his  first  applause; 
Enrolled  with  Abercrombie,  Wolfe  and  Moore, 
No  lapse  of  time  his  merits  shall  obscure; 
Fresh  shall  they  burn  in  each  Canadian  heart, 
And  all  their  pure  and  living  fires  impart; 
A  youthful  friend  rests  by  the  hero's  side, 
Their  mutual  love  Death  sought  not  to  divide; 
The  muse  that  gives  her  Brock  to  deathless  fame 
Shall  in  the  wreath  entwine  Macdoriell's  name." 

As  far  as  known  the  first  poem  published  in  Upper 
Canada  was  Wonders  of  the  West,  or  A  Day  at  the  Falls 
of  Niagara,  printed  at  York,  1825,  simply  signed,  "A  Cana- 
dian," but  now  known  to  have  been  written  by  J.  L.  Alex- 
ander, a  teacher  in  York  Grammar  School,  afterwards 
incumbent  of  Saltfleet  and  Binbrook,  and  teacher  in  Wood- 
burn.  It  is  more  interesting  to  us  for  its  reference  to  the 
scenery  of  Niagara,  etc.,  than  for  its  poetic  merit,  as  it  cer- 
tainly does  not  reach  a  high  level. 

"  The  boat  had  stemmed  Ontario's  tide 
And  anchored  on  the  southern  side; 
Upon  this  river's  eastern  side 
A  fortress  stands  in  warlike  pride; 
Ontario's  surges  lash  its  base, 
And  gradually  its  walls  deface; 
And  from  its  topmost  tower  displayed 
A  flag  with  stripes  and  stars  portrayed; 
Upon  the  west  an  ancient  mound, 
The  Union  Jack  and  British  ground, 
Nor  distant  far  another  stands 
Which  the  whole  river's  mouth  commands. 
Between  the  two  lay  Newark  village, 
Which  yet  they  let  its  neighbors  pillage — 
Not  only  so,  but  burn  it  down 
And  from  its  ashes  there  has  grown 
Another  town,  but  lovelier  far, 
Which  they  have  named  Niagara." 


292  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Goldsmith's  rhythm  makes  us  say  Ne-a-ga-ra,  but  this 
pronunciation  is  stranger  still.  The  passengers  are  de- 
scribed as  landing  and  sauntering  over  the  green,  enrap- 
tured with  the  scene.  Brock's  monument,  erected  the 
preceding  year,  is  referred  to,  an  Indian  is  brought  in  as 
a  character.  They  drove  to  the  falls  and  we  find  that  even 
then  there  were  many  fruit  trees  seen  from  the  road: — 

"  Some  gazed  along  the  fertile  fields 
The  various  fruits  the  orchard  yields: 
Plum,  cherry,  apple,  pear  and  peach, 
And  some  the  pendant  branches  reach ; 
But  most  admire  that  noble  stream 
That  glides  the  rural  realms  between." 

Eev.  J.  C.  Garrett,  now  Canon  Garrett,  wrote  the  "  Cen- 
tennial of  St.  Mark's,"  from  which  the  following  extracts 
are  made: 

"Grand  old  St  Mark's!     He  treads  on  hallowed  ground 
Who  over  thy  gates'  threshold  sets  his  foot; 
For  all  around  thy  witnesses,  though  mute, 
By  life  and  death  its  sacredness  profound 
Proclaim.    Blended  in  thee  is  found  the  dust 
Of  soldier  brave  and  sailor  bold,  the  wise, 
Poet  and  patriot  and  humbler  just, 
Waiting  the  day  and  call  again  to  rise. 
Rest  they  together  in  a  peace  most  true, 
In  hidden  spot  or  place  more  clear  to  view; 
'Neath  Christian  sign  or  heathen  urn  or  crust 
Of  marble  pale,  which  tastes  of  times  devise. 


If  there  be  place  within  our  earth's  confines 
Than  other  place  more  sacred,  sweet  and  pure 
(No  others  more  of  love  and  honor  sure, 
How  far  soever  we  may  stretch  the  lines), 
It  is  this  place  where  from  turmoil  secure 
Our  simple  praises  rise,  on  upward  stream, 
Till  glows  the  heart  as  when  the  captives  dream 
Of  lands  where  freedom's  sun  forever  shines; 
And  when  the  heavenly  mysteries  are  spread, 
Age  by  the  aged  to  God's  board  is  led — 
Most  saintly  men,  whose  earthly  duty  done, 
Look  towards  the  land  of  never-setting  sun — 
In  verity  it  makes  thee  sweetly  seem 
The  gate  of  heaven  and  pathway  to  our  Head; 
While  all  around  us  lie,  in  peaceful  sleep, 
Our  best  beloved,  who  used  with  us  to  keep 


POEMS  DELATING  TO  NIAGARA          293 

Sad  vigil  and  the  joyful  holy-day, 
Whose  souls  o'er  Jordan  winged  from  us  away, 
That  they  some  foretaste  of  that  joy  may  reap 
Which  we  with  them  to  share  both  hope  and  pray." 

The  remaining  verses  and  sonnets  are  by  Janet  Carno- 
ehan.* 

FORT  GEORGE'S  LONELY  SYCAMORE. 

A  Reminiscence  of  Niagara. 

The  story  of  a  tree  that  rears 
Its  form  o'er  an  historic  plain, 

The  sights  it  sees,  the  sounds  it  hears, 
That  story's  gay  or  sad  refrain. 

O  lone  tree  on  the  rampart's  height! 

What  hast  thou  seen,  what  canst  thou  tell, 
Of  peaceful  watch  or  desperate  fight, 

O  lonely,  lonely  sentinel? 
But  tell  me  first,  what  sweet,  fair  sight, 

Extending  far  and  wide  before, 
Thou  seest  from  thy  vantage  height, 

O  lonely,  lonely  sycamore. 

Afar,  the  lake  spreads  like  a  sea, 

And  near,  the  river,  broad,  blue,  deep, 
Its  waters  flowing  silently, 

As  resting  from  their  frantic  leap. 
Nor  distant  far,  the  mountain  crowned 

With  column  pointing  to  the  sky. 
While  all  forgot  the  humbler  mound 

Where  other  heroes  mouldering  lie. 

A  skirt  of  oak  in  nearer  view, 

And  hawthorn,  white  with  fragrant  bloom, 
And  tall  sweet-briar,  wet  with  dew, 

Wild  flowers  with  many  a  nodding  plume, 
Beneath  the  hill  the  children  bring 

Their  little   cups,  and  eager  press 
To  drink  the  water  at  the  spring, 

Where  grows  the  tender  water-cress. 

In  front,  a  plain  of  changing  hue, 

In  winter  white,  now  bare  and  brown, 
Or  grassy  green,  with  herds  in  view, 

And  to  the  west,  the  quiet  town. 
Beyond,  the  fort  and  beacon  light, 

Old  Mississauga's  square  grey  tower, 
On  either  side  church  spires  rise  bright, 

O'er  stately  home  or  humble  bower. 

*  These  selections  of  my  own  would  not  have  been  given  so  fully  but 
that  they  have  been  asked  for,  and  I  selpcted  those  relating  to  the  town. 


29-1  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Beneath,  the  crumbling  ruins  old, 

Where  first  our  hero  Brock  was  laid. 
With  funeral  pomp  in  death-sleep  cold, 

And  tears  were  shed  and  mourning  made 
For  him,  who,  with  the  morning  sun 

Went  from  these  walls,  erect  and  brave ; 
The  evening  saw  Ms  victory  won, 

A  hero's  fame — a  soldier's  grave. 

Here,  where  the  bank  falls  sheer  and  steep, 

The  Half-Moon  Battery  may  be  traced, 
Alike  commanding  shore  and  deep, 

A  scar  of  war  not  yet  effaced. 
A  path  o'er-arched  with  trees  we  gain, 

Nor  did  it  all  their  dreams  suffice 
To  call  that  path  the  "  Lover's  Lane," 

The  grove  around  was  "  Paradise." 

Nay,  call  it  not  their  partial  pride, 

Where  can  ye  find  a  spot  so  fair? 
Italian  suns  have  scarce  supplied 

Such  sky,  such  stream,  such  beauty  rare. 
Tell  us  the  sounds  that  come  to  thee, 

Borne  by  the  breezes  as  they  fly, 
The  shout  of  schoolboy  wild  set  free, 

The  sportsman's  gun,  or  plover's  cry, 

Or  lover's  fondly-whispered  vows, 

The  roar  of  guns  in  mimic  strife, 
The  rustling  of  the  forest  boughs, 

Or  varying  sounds  of  human  life, 
The  bugle's  call,  so  clear  and  sweet, 

From  neighbouring  fort  by  breezes  blown, 
Gay  laughter  when  picknickers  meet, 

Or  on  the  beech  the  wave's  wild  moan. 


The  quiet  dip  of  idler's  oar, 

The  sweetly  solemn  Sabbath  bell, 
The  distant  cataract's  softened  roar, 

All  these,  O  lonely  sentinel. 
Or  wilt  thou  tell  of  nations  four, 

Alternate  owning  this  fair  spot? 
Thou  knowest  much  historic  lore, 

Then  tell  thy  tale;   refuse  us  not. 

Or  is  it  far  beyond  thy  ken 

When  Indian  wigwams  here  were  seen, 
And  red  men  roamed  o'er  fell  and  fen, 

And  trail  or  war-path  followed  keen? 


POEMS  DELATING  TO  NIAGARA          295 

Didst  see  the  brave  La  Salle  pass  on 

To  seek  the  Mississippi's  wave, 
And  how,  ere  Abram's  heights  were  won, 

Yon  fort  was  won — won  many  a  grave? 

Ere  gallant  Frenchmen  yielded  here 

To  Britain's  power  their  heritage, 
Johnson,  the  red  man's  friend  held  dear, 

Thou  saw'st  successful  warfare  wage. 
The  loyal  refugees  here  press, 

Leaving  their  lands,  their  homes,  their  all, 
Deep  in  the  solemn  wilderness, 

To  hew  new  homes  at  duty's  call. 

And  here  our  country's  fathers  met 

In  humble  legislative  hall; 
But  soon  arose  day  darker  yet, 

When  foeman  held  these  ramparts  all. 
Then  came  a  day  of  fear  and  dread, 

When  winter  snow  robed  dale  and  down; 
And  mothers  with  their  children  fled 

In  terror  from  the  burning  town. 

But  soon  returning  peace  brought  round 

More  prosperous,  happy,  golden  days, 
And  from  the  shipyard  came  the  soiind 

Of  hammers  beating  songs  of  praise. 
Those  days  are  gone;  gone,  too,  we  fear, 

The  busy  mart  the  live-long  day, 
Nor  sound  of  vulgar  trade  is  here, 

And  "  Lotos  Town  "  they  sneering  say. 

But  no — thy  life's  a  shorter  span; 

Thou  canst  not  all  the  secrets  tell 
Of  brave,  or  rash,  or  erring  man, 

O  lonely,  lonely  sentinel. 
Where  once  the  pagan  rite  was  seen, 

Or  French  or  Indian  warlike  bands, 
Where  fratricidal  strife  had  been, 

Two  Christian  nations  now  clasp  hands. 

Long  mayst  thou  stand,  O  stately  tree, 

Outlined  as  boldly  'gainst  the  sky; 
As  thou  hast  often  gladdened  me, 

Cheer  other  hearts  as  years  pass  by. 
As  from  my  window  now  I  gaze. 

Thinking  of  many  a  ramble  wild, 
With  friends  of  other,  earlier  days, 

Far  past  thy  fort  with  walls  earth-piled, 


296  HTSTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

I  send  a  wish  and  prayer  that  thou 

Mayst  live  to  see  and  live  to  tell 
Of  brighter  days  than  even  now, 

O   solitary   sentinel. 
May  other  schoolgirls  love  thee  well, 

They  surely  cannot  love  thee  more, 
And  be  thou  long  their  sentinel, 

O  lonely,  lonely  sycamore. 


FORT   MISSISSAUGA. 

DESERTED,  drear,  and  mouldering  to  decay, 

A  square,  low  tower  stands  grim  and  grey  and  lone, 

From  Newark's  ruins  built  its  walls,  storm-blown 

When  sword  and  flame  alternate  seized  their  prey. 

Ontario's  waves  in  rage  or  idle  play 

Sap  palisade  and  fort  with  ceaseless  moan, 

Shall  we  historic  relics  see  o'erthrown, 

And  not  a  voice  be  raised  to  answer  nay? 

Four  races  here  for  empire  sternly  fought, 

And  brightly  gleamed  the  red  man's  council-fire, 

The  beacon  lights  the  dancing  wave  ana  lea, 

Where  brave  La  Salle  both  fame  and  fortune  sought; 

In  fratricidal  strife  fell  son  and  sire, 

Where  friends  stretch  hands  across  a  narrow  sea. 


FORT  GEORGE. 

WHAT  memories  cluster  round  thy  earth-piled  wall 

Of  daring  deeds  and  calm  endurance  here, 

What  sad,  sad  records  of  the  Hungry  Year, 

Relieved  by  tale  of  dance  in  Navy  Hall, 

The  French  thorns,  planted  close  in  sight,  recall 

The  Fleur-de-Lis,  triumphant,  far  and  near, 

But  chief,  three  days  in  bold  relief  appear, 

October's  leaves  their  crimson  tears  let  fall 

At  glorious  victory  gained  at  cost  so  dire — 

A  fragrant,  smiling  morn  in  May  whose  e'en 

Slowly  our  force  outnumbered  saw  retire — 

And  sunny  slopes  and  mouldering  magazine, 

Sing  bleak  December's  night  of  flame  and  fire, 

Lake,  stream,  and  sky  now  give,  what  sweet,  fair  scene. 


LAURA  SECORD'S  MONUMENT,  1901. 

Too  late,  too  late,  the  bards  have  struck  the  lyre 
To  her  within  whose  breast  the  patriot  fire 

Beat  high  that  morn  in  June — a  noble  dame 
Long  leagues  her  devious  way  she  wound  through  mire 


POEMS  RELATING  TO  NIAGARA          297 

And  lonely  woods  to  warn  of  dangers  dire, 

And  gained,  although  unsought,  enduring  fame. 
Who  knows  not  Laura  Secord's  honored  name? 

To  save  her  country  was  her  heart's  desire. 

A  woman,  wife  and  mother,  tender,  true, 
We  meet  to  place  above  her  dust  to-day 
This  wreath  of  laurel  ever  to  abide, 
Throughout  this  century's  lingering  year  long  due. 
We  consecrate  with  happy  tears;  nay,  nay, 
We  consecrate,  we  consecrate  with  pride. 


CHAUTAUQUA   HYMN. 

(Opening  Hymn  for  Niagara  Assembly,  the  Canadian 
Chautauqua,  1888.) 

O  FATHER,  patient,  loving,  kind, 
As  Thou  art  merciful  and  wise, 

Comfort  and  aid  we  come  to  find, 
Above,  beyond  ourselves  to  rise. 

In  this  our  meeting,  Lord,  we  pray 
For  grace  and  help  from  Thee  alone, 

That  we,  in  all  we  do  and  say, 
And  think,  may  be  in  truth  Thine  own. 

Our  intellect  we  bring  to  Thee, 
To  quicken,  strengthen  and  refine; 

While  Nature's  solemn  mystery, 

Slowly,  from  height  to  height,  we  climb. 

Our  hearts  to  cleanse,  our  wills  subdue, 
Our  lives  direct,  Master  divine; 

Ourselves  to  Thee  we  bring  anew, 
Our  bodies,  Saviour,  all  are  Thine. 

While  these  Thy  glorious  works  we  trace, 
This  broad,  blue  lake,  this  sunset  sky, 

Through  leafy  arches  see  Thy  face, 
And  "  Father,  Father,"  humbly  cry. 

Or  gaze  at  midnight's  solemn  hour 
On  planet  pale  or  brilliant  star, 

In  each,  and  all,  we  see  Thy  power 
Alike  to  us  or  worlds  afar. 

And  now,  dear  Lord,  we  may  not  go 
Unless  with  us  thou  wilt  abide; 

In  joy  or  grief,  in  weal  or  woe, 

In  life,  in  death,  be  Thou  our  guide. 


2!)8  HISTORY  OF  NIAUAHA 

GOLDEN  ROD. 

When  autumn  fields  have  radiant  grown 
With  starry  flowers  that  beck  and  nod, 

One  flower  I  love,  though  not  alone, 
As  shown  in  plumes  of  Golden  Rod. 

Talk  not  of  rich  exotics  rare, 
Forgetting,  while  their  grace  you  laud, 

The  beauty  common  plants  may  wear 
As  shown  in  plumes  of  Golden  Rod. 

For  when  the  sun  his  glory  flings, 
Upon  this  garden  of  our  God, 

We  see  what  beauteous  common  things 
Are  pennons  bright  of  Golden  Rod. 

In  many  a  lonely  eerie  spot, 
By  foot  of  wandering  man  untrod, 

Or  by  the  peasant's  lowly  cot, 
Is  seen  the  gleaming  Golden  Rod. 

Not  for  the  rich  alone,  this  flower 
Its  grace  and  beauty  sheds  abroad; 

God's  poor  may  claim  in  sun  and  shower 
Their  portion  in  the  Golden  Rod. 

The  ploughman  'neath  the  autumn  sky, 
Who  carefully  upturns  the  sod 

Along  the  fence  may  glad  his  eye 
With  gleaming,  glowing  Golden  Rod. 

Erect  and  tall  its  beauty  lends 
A  grace  to  roadsides  oft  untrod, 

With  proud  humility  it  bends 

Its  head,  our  shining  Golden  Rod. 

And  when  life's  paths  have  stormy  grown, 
As  on  our  weary  way  we  plod, 

The  message  mute  will  hush  our  moan, 
Sent  by  the  cheerful  Golden  Rod. 

When  come  the  various  autumn  dyes, 
Of  crimson  maples  stretching  broad, 

Rich  brown  to  purple  quick  replies, 
Nor  silent  is  the  Golden  Rod. 


POEMS  RELATING-  TO  NIAGARA          299 

Then,  reverent,  let  us  humbly  seek, 

To  learn  these  lessons  from  our  God, 
Each  flower,  each  blade  of  grass  may  speak 

As  does  the  humble  Golden  Bod. 

If  He  so  deck  the  earth  and  sky, 

The  circling  spheres,  the  grassy  clod, 
Shall  He  not  all  things  else  supply? 

Thus  gently  saith  the  Golden  Rod. 

All  down  the  ages,  hear  may  we 

"  If  thus  so  clothe  the  grass  our  God, 

Then  how  much  better  then  are  ye," 
Than  sparrow,  grass  or  Golden  Rod? 

And  when  in  grief,  we  know  not  how 

To  pass  beneath  the  bitter  rod, 
With  mute  humility,  we  bow, 

As  bends  its  head,  the  Golden  Rod. 

Nor  need  we  seek  occasions  great, 
Unsought  they  come,  at  home,  abroad, 

"  They  also  serve  who  stand  and  wait," 
Best  lesson,  from  the  Golden  Rod. 


HAS  CANADA  A  HISTORY? 

"  Your  Country  has  no  history,  you  must  own," 

They  coldly  say,  with  calm,  superior  tone. 

Thus  even  spoke  a  statesman,  good  and  wise, 

Seven  decades  since,  whose  memory  much  we  prize; 

For  now  to  his  advice  in  part  we  owe, 

We  stand  "  four-square  to  all  the  winds  that  blow." 

The  plan  was  his,  though  others  wisely  wrought, 

Their  toil  we  see  to  full  fruition  brought; 

For  now  from  wild  Atlantic's  stormy  seas, 

To  far  Pacific's  calms  and  balmy  breeze, 

From  Arctic's  ice-bound  seas  so  vast  and  lone 

Its  arms  our  country  spreads  from  zone  to  zone. 

No  history,  forsooth — consult  the  tomes 

Which  tell  of  those  who  left  their  fair  French  homes, 

Their  sunny  vines  and  "  pleasant  land  of  France," 

For  rude  stockade  exchanged  the  merry  dance, 

For  glittering  court  the  red  man's  scalping  knife, 

For  college  halls  a  rude,  laborious  life, 

Consult  the  mouldering  records  of  the  past 

In  Ville  Marie  and  old  Quebec  amassed, 


300  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Of  France's  chosen  chivalry,  which  tell 

In  this  new  land  of  Prance,  then  La  Nouvelle, 

Which  tell  of  chivalrous  La  Salle's  essay, 

Long  marches  from  Quebec  to  Mexique's  Bay 

Thousands  of  miles  not  once  alone  nor  twice, 

Hunger  and  cold  and  death  the  bitter  price, 

Which  tell,  too,  of  her  missionary  band — 

Of  hero  martyrs  in  the  red  man's  land, 

Whose  mission  was  not  gold,  but  souls  to  save, 

Of  gentle  Lalement  and  Brebeuf,  who  gave 

Their  lives  through  nameless  tortures  for  the  truth, 

To  bear  tne  cross  to  men,  who  knew  nor  fear  nor  ruth. 


Go,  ask  the  veterans  of  Hudson's  Bay 

To  tell  of  years  of  hardship  as  they  may, 

Or  Selkirk  vainly  battling  in  the  North, 

When  fortune  sent  her  bitter  arrows  forth, 

'Gainst  freshets,  famines  and  the  north  wind's  breath, 

And  rival  hostile  bands,  disease  and  death. 

Go,  ask  the  unwritten  history  of  those  days, 

As  told  by  those  fast  fading  from  our  gaze; 

Go,  ask  the  veterans  of  the  war  to  tell 

One-half  alone  of  all  that  then  befell; 

Go,  ask  the  ancient  white-haired  dames  to  speak 

Of  sad,  sad  moments,  when  they  came  to  seek 

New  homes,  new  hearthstones — ah,  the  bitter  pain 

Of  finding  that,  instead,  they  ofttimes  gain 

Lone  graves  for  tender  little  ones,  alas! 

They  may  not  stay,  but  onward,  onward  pass. 


And  have  the  walls  of  Louisburg  no  tale? 

Is  there  no  history  carried  by  the  gale, 

Of  crumbling,  blackened  walls,  scarred  and  defaced, 

Which  England  there  and  France  alternate  traced? 

In  Acadie,  St.  John's  long  siege  may  tell, 

How  woman  can  her  country's  foe  repel. 

A  humbler  heroine's  long  march  by  night, 

To  Beaver  Dams  shall  make  the  page  more  bright. 

And  Queenston  Heights  and  hard-fought  Lundy's  Lane, 

Detroit  and  Newark  swell  the  loud  refrain. 


No  history — then  tell  me  ye  who  can, 

As  chronicles  of  brave  and  good  ye  scan, 

A  higher,  nobler,  more  unselfish  deed, 

And  more  deserving  laurel  crown  and  meed; 

To  leave  broad  fields,  and  fruitful  orchards  fair, 

Or  happy  smiling,  prosperous  homes,  and  dare 


OFFICERS'  QUARTERS,  BUTLER'S  MARRACKS. 


FRENCH  THORN  TREES. 


POEMS  RELATING  TO  NIAGAKA          301 

To  face  wild  beasts,  and  still  more  savage  men, 

And  venture  far  beyond  the  white  man's  ken — 

To  leave  the  graves  of  those  they  loved  so  well, 

More  loved  than  these  perhaps,  the  sweet  church  bell, 

And  all  for  what?   for  an  idea?   No — 

Ten  thousand  times  we  say  again — not  so; 

The  right  to  say  aloud — God  save  the  King, 

To  British  laws,  and  British  homes  to  cling. 

For  love  of  what  they  deemed  good  government, 

Nor  less  than  these  demands  will  them  content; 

To  face  reproach,  abuse,  nor  weakly  yield, 

Even  when  the  contest  with  their  blood  they  sealed, 

When  specious  pleading  made  the  worse  appear 

The  better  reason,  oft  through  force  or  fear. 

These  are  the  things  that  test  and  try  men's  souls, 

And  show  what  leading  principle  controls; 

And  not  the  men  alone  thus  did  and  dared, 

But  women  fair  and  young,  and  old  and  silvery-haired. 


If,  then,  they  claim  the  sifting  of  the  Old  Land, 

To  form  the  Pilgrim  Fathers'  chosen  band, 

We  claim  a  second  sifting  more  severe, 

To  make  the  finest  of  the  wheat  appear. 

No  history!    when  half  a  continent 

From  France  by  British  swords  was  rudely  rent, 

And  all  the  land  changed  masters  in  a  day, 

What  time  Montcalm  met  Wolfe  in  bloody  fray. 

No  history,  when  each  morn  they  proudly  say 

In  Pitt's  strong  reign,  "What  conquest  new  to-day?" 

When  crippled  by  that  Titan  struggle  long 

Against  a  foe  ambitious,  selfish,  strong, 

England  sent  scanty  help  across  the  sea, 

To  her  fair  daughter  struggling  desperately. 

Through  sore  distress,  alternate  loss  and  gain, 

The  unequal  contest  nobly  they  maintain 

To  keep  their  soil  a  sacred  heritage, 

Those  heroes  all  unknown  to  history's  page. 

A  baptism  of  fire  and  tears  and  blood, 

Our  country  gained  and  stemmed  the  swelling  flood. 

Again  was  seen  as  has  been  seen  before, 

On  many  a  bloody  field  in  days  of  yore, 

Not  always  is  the  battle  to  the  strong, 

Nor  to  the  swift  aye  must  the  race  belong; 

For  to  the  arms  though  weak  of  those  who  fight, 

For  hearth  and  home,  a  freeman's  sacred  right, 

There  comes  through  all  that  dark  and  dreadful  hour, 

An  energy  before  unknown,  a  sacred  power, 

The  invading  foe  grows  weak  and  melts  away 

As  snow,  before  the  sunny  smiles  of  May. 


I  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

While  Puritan  and  Pilgrim  loud  they  praise, 

And  Loyalists  are  lauded  in  our  days, 

For  those  brave  Pioneers  who  crossed  the  foam, 

And  left  th'  Old  World  to  hew  them  out  a  home, 

Where  all  was  new,  and  strange,  and  wild,  and  rude, 

Who  struggled  on,  with  courage  unsubdued, 

Where  hardihood  and  honest  toil  combine, 

Shall  we  forget    a  generous  wreath  to  twine? 

No  history,  forsooth — we  claim  the  past, 

Not  only  of  this  land,  from  first  till  last. 

The  Motherland  shall  ope  for  us  the  page, 

And  who  could  ask  a  nobler  heritage? 

Her  history  is  ours,  her  heroes  grand 

In  war  or  peace,  a  proud,  illustrious  band, 

We  claim  them  all,  in  letters,  art  or  song, 

To  us  and  to  our  sons,  these  sires  belong. 

In  this  new  land  of  lakes  and  fertile  meads 

We  claim  besides,  our  other  later  deeds 

In  freer,  purer,  more  untainted  air, 

Where  plenty  leaves  no  vantage  for  despair. 

We  boast  of  freedom  real — to  black  and  red, 

Nor  foot  of  serf  our  sacred  soil  may  tread, 

That  long  ere  Britain's  dusky  slaves  were  free, 

While  Wilberforce  was  battling  generously, 

Ere  Southern  neighbors  dreamt  the  slave  a  man, 

And  not  a  chattel,  under  bonds  and  ban; 

Our  legislators  'neath  fair  Newark's  trees, 

Declared  our  slaves  were  free  on  land  or  seas. 

Our  treaties  with  the  red  man  in  his  need 

Have  all  been  straitly  kept  in  word  and  deed, 

And  still  they  show  with  pardonable  pride, 

The  silver  service  by  Queen  Anne  supplied, 

The  medals  handed  down  from  sire  to  son 

Which  tell  of  treaties  made  or  battles  won. 

For  years  our  statesmen  nobly  sought  to  gain 

The  rights  their  sons  enjoy  and  now  maintain, 

Nor  England's  nor  Columbia's  power  so  great 

Freedom  to  give  to  all  in  Church  and  State, 

A  hard  and  bitter  battle  long  they  fought, 

Nor  was  our  sires'  unselfish  toil  for  nought. 


Then  for  our  land  unflinchingly  we  claim 
That  on  a  broad,  firm  basis  rests  its  fame. 
Be  ours  the  willing  task  to  help  to  build 
A  long-enduring,  glorious  record,  filled 
With  all  brave  acts,  of  pure  unselfish  love, 
Of  gentle,  knightly  deeds,  inspired  above, 
That  our  fair  country  justly  may  be  famed, 
That  never  may  its  children  be  ashamed. 


POEMS  EELATING  TO  NIAGAEA          303 

Let  each  his  part  build,  strong,  and  true,  and  sure, 

Then  shall  we  have  a  history  to  endure, 

And  Canada — our  Canada — shall  be 

A  noble,  Christian  nation,  great  and  free. 


CANADA. 

Our  glorious  heritage  shall  we  forego 

In  that  far  land?    Forbids  the  loud  refrain 
Alike  from  mountain  peak  and  smiling  plain, 

Our  oceans  three  with  wild  waves  echo — No. 

To  gain  our  varied  wealth  as  friend  or  foe. 
Our  wily  neighbour  stretches  wide  in  vain 
Her  arms.    For  twice  have  we  of  this  domain 

Thrown  back  her  hostile  bands  with  forceful  blow 
From  crimsoned  heights,  from  eastern  citadel. 

Our  north  wind's  breath  has  fostered  son  and  sire, 
No  weakling  race;  has  kissed  the  maiden  fair 

And  given  her  cheek  its  wild  rose  hue;  here  dwell 

With  freedom,  hope,  just  laws,  their  heart's  desire, 
True  British  sons.    To  break  that  tie  beware. 


JAMBS    MURISON    DUNN,    M.A.,    LL.B. 

My  humble  wreath  I,  too,  would  sadly  twine, 
Thy  pupil  and  thy  friend,  upon  thy  bier, 
In  tender  grief  for  one  to  many  dear. 

Alas!  how  poor,  how  weak  these  words  of  mine 
To  tell  thy  worth!    Where  find  'mongst  men  thy  peer 
Who  saw  what  tasks  in  ardent  youth  were  thine, 

Yet  knew  thee  e'er  in  word  or  look  repine, 
Or  fail  in  filial  care  from  year  to  year? 
"  Whose  life  was  work,"  even  to  the  better  end. 

Perfect  by  suffering,  through  a  blameless  life, 
Thy  gift  unto  thy  sons  a  spotless  name, 
That  coming  years  a  well-earned  rest  might  lend 

We  hoped;  the  Master  gave  to  close  the  strife 
His  rest,  to  tired  brain  and  weary  frame. 


CENTENNIAL  HYMN— ST.  ANDREW'S  CENTENNIAL,  1892. 
(Written  for  the  Occasion.) 

With  grateful  hearts  we  come  to  Thee, 

Our  fathers'  God  to  praise  in  song, 
Who,  through  a  century's  slow  course 

Hast  watched  and  guarded  us  so  long. 


304  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGARA 

Through  fire  and  sword,  through  grief  and  fear 
A  sure  defence,  a  firm  strong  tower 

For  days  of  gloom,  and  days  of  cheer 

Have  proved  thy  love,  have  proved  thy  power. 

Pardon  we  ask  with  contrite  hearts 
Humbly  from  Thee  who  ne'er  denied; 

Assured  of  those  whose  prayers  here  rose, 
One  Lord,  for  them,  for  us,  has  died. 

As  for  of  old  thy  people  dear, 

The  cloudy  pillar  glided  slow, 
Or  fiery  column  lit  their  path, 

So  be  our  guide  while  here  below. 

As  thro'  the  mist  of  tears  we  see 

The  forms  of  loved  ones  gone  before; 

Who  now  thro'  Christ  are  safe  with  Thee, 
Help  us  to  meet  them  on  that  shore. 

Accept,  O  Lord,  the  homage  meet, 
Grant  that  we  greater  heights  attain; 

With  glad  thanksgivings  at  Thy  feet 
Anew  we  consecrate  this  fane. 

And  now  we  ask  that  as  of  yore, 
Thro'  paths  to  us  unknown,  untrod, 

Do  Thou  direct,  protect  and  guide, 
God  of  our  Fathers,  be  our  God. 


LAURA  SECORD,  1911. 

We  come  a  name  to  place  on  this  grand  height, 
Not  to  a  general,  king  or  statesman  wise, 

Poet  or  peer,  author  or  man  of  might, 

But  to  a  woman  good,  whose  name  we  prize. 

Who  here  sought  painfully  among  the  slain, 
In  grief  to  find  her  husband  wounded  sore, 

And  saved  his  life  mid  watches  long  of  pain, 
With  prayers  to  the  All  Father  to  restore. 

Who  on  another  day  a  daring  deed 

Performed  to  save  her  country  and  our  land, 

So  that  this  Canada  of  ours  be  freed 
To  us  a  heritage  from  stranger's  hand. 


WILLIAM    KIRBY,    F.R.S.C. 


POEMS  RELATING  TO  NIAGARA          305 

Mid  dangers  dire  o'er  miry  toilsome  ways. 

From  floods,  wild  beasts  and  still  more  cruel  man. 
And  now  we  twine  her  brows  with  fragrant  bays, 

Deserved  long  ere  these  modern  days  began. 

Never  did  noble  shaft  survey  such  scene. 

Such  wealth  of  fruitful  trees,  rich  fields  of  grain, 
Of  river  blue,  broad  lake,  never  I  ween, 

Far  as  the  eye  can  reach  such  smiling  plain. 

Upon  this  height  made  sacred  with  the  blood 
Of  men  of  different  race  of  whom  we  boast, 

Who  gave  their  lives  in  an  unstinted  flood, 
A  little  patriot  band  against  a  host. 

Upon  this  height  where  once  nor  twice  alone, 
Have  vast  processions  wended  slow  their  way, 

In  memory  of  our  dead,  their  dust  here  strewn, 
Who  nobly  fell  or  held  the  foe  at  bay. 

To  place  of  noble  Brock  on  high  the  name, 
And  when  that  shaft  was  marred  by  miscreant  hand, 

Indignant  friends  in  thousands  trooping  came, 
And  generous  treasure  flowed  from  all  the  land. 

The  red  man,  with  his  stately  stride,  here  came. 

The  steadfast  Gael  in  striking  garb  arrayed. 
Then  the  young  Prince,  Peace  Maker,  well  earned  name, 

And  rulers  of  our  land  their  tribute  paid. 

These  scrolls  to  those  who  did  and  dared  have  told, 

And  still  shall  tell  to  all  in  future  years, 
Such  names  are  not  forgotten,  but  enrolled, 

Enrolled  with  sympathetic  pride  and  tears. 

And  when  in  future  days  the  tale  is  told 

To  whom  this  stone?     they  ask  in  tones  subdued. 

To  one  who,  as  the  Master  said  of  old, 

In  words  of  praise,  "  She  hath  done  what  she  could." 

A  few  lines  from  "  The  II.  E.,"  by  Win.  Kirby,  written 
in  1846  but  not  printed  till  1859,  must  be  given  here. 
"  The  U.  E."  is  a  story  of  the  days  of  the  United  Empire 
Loyalists — their  persecutions  and  hardships,  their  coming 
in  1780-1784,  the  War  of  1812,  the  struggle  in  1837.  The 
poem  consists  of  twelve  cantos,  and  two  of  the  early  settlers 
— John  Clement  and  John  Whitmore — are  described  under 
21 


306  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

the  names  of  Ranger  John  and  Walwyn.  The  lines  quoted 
describe  the  gathering  of  the  neighbors  to  erect  a  log  house 
for  the  stranger,  under  the  orders  of  "  Ranger  John." 

"  To-day  we  come  to  take  you  by  the  hand, 
And  make  an  opening  on  your  timbered  land, 
And  raise  a  house  wherein  by  fall  of  night 
Your  own  free  hearth  may  welcome  you  aright. 
Then  to  their  task  the  young  men  gaily  sprang, 
And  sharp  and  quick  the  biting  axes  rang; 
And  soon  the  reeling  forest  bowed  its  head, 
And  crashing  trees  their  lofty  honors  shed, 
While  toiling  oxen  drag  the  spoils  away 
And  bare  an  ample  circle  to  the  day. 
Old  John  walked  through  the  midst,  the  soul  of  all, 
Who  worked  obedient  to  his  boisterous  call; 
Some  hewed  the  logs,  some  shaped  with  nicer  eye, 
While  some,  strong-handed,  raised  them  up  on  high, 
Notch  fitting  notch,  till  pleasant  in  the  wood 
An  ample  cabin  in  the  clearing  stood." 

Yet  another  author  whose  works,  if  not  printed  in 
Niagara,  were  no  doubt  partly  written  there.  The  three 
volumes  by  Robert  Gourlay,  "  The  Statistical  Account  of 
Upper  Canada,  with  a  View  to  a  Grand  System  of  Emigra- 
tion," printed  in  England,  1822,  give  us  much  light  on 
early  days,  mingled  here  and  there  with  a  passionate  state- 
ment of  his  wrongs.  With  a  view  to  encourage  emigration 
he  had  sent  out  a.  list  of  thirty-one  questions,  harmless 
enough  (referring  to  soil,  wages,  roads,  schools,  churches, 
population),  except  the  thirty-first,  which  asked,  "What, 
in  your  opinion,  retards  the  progress  of  the  country?"  To 
prevent  the  answer  to  this  being  given,  which  would  prob- 
ably be  and  was  in  many  cases,  "  The  large  grants  of  land 
held  by  non-residents  on  which  no  taxes  were  paid,  no  roads 
made,  the  failure  to  pay  war  losses,  or  to  obtain  deeds  for 
their  land,"  the  powers  that  were  used  their  influence  so 
that  this  question  in  many  cases  remained  unanswered,  and 
some  townships  sent  no  reply  whatever,  as  was  the  case  with 
Niagara,  and  thus  this  volume  lacks  much  information 
which  otherwise  might  have  been  given.  Stamford, 
Grimsby,  Grantham,  Willoughby,  in  the  vicinity,  sent  inter- 


POEMS  RELATING  TO  NIAGARA  307 

esting  replies  from  John  Garner,  William  Crooks  and 
Andrew  Petti tt,  W.  H.  Merritt  and  James  Cummings, 
respectively. 

It  is  remarkable  that  in  the  document  prepared  for  Lord 
Brougham,  an  Act  relating  to  Canada  to  come  before 
the  British  Parliament  in  1824,  nearly  all  the  improve- 
ments which  took  fifty  years  of  struggle  on  the  part  of 
Canadians  to  accomplish  were  outlined  by  Gourlay,  who, 
though  sometimes  acting  unwisely,  his  mind  being 
unhinged  by  cruel  treatment,  yet  worked  for  the  better- 
ment of  Canada  and  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of 
the  poor  in  Britain.  The  recommendations  were,  a  that 
the  provinces  be  united,  but  each  to  have  its  own  local  gov- 
ernment, that  legislators  be  chosen  by  the  people,  that 
Canada  should  have  representation  in  the  Imperial  Par- 
liament, that  the  St.  Lawrence  navigation  be  improved, 
that  the  Clergy  Reserve  land  be  secularized,  that  the  British 
troops  be  removed  and  Canada  defend  herself,  that  there 
he  no  duties  between  the  United  States  and  Canada." 
Gourlay's  far  vision  into  the  future  has  been  verified  in 
almost  every  point,  though  through  many  a  hard  struggle 
of  wordy  warfare  and  even  sterner  measures. 


CHAPTEE  XLII. 
FRUIT  IN  THE  NIAGARA  PENINSULA. 

VARIOUS  statements  have  been  made  lately  in  the  public 
papers,  different  persons  claiming  the  honor  of  being  the 
first  who  planted  fruit  trees,  but  from  early  records  a  much 
earlier  date  can  be  given  for  good  and  plentiful  fruit  at 
Niagara  and  its  vicinity.  From  the  diary  of  Mrs.  Simcoe, 
July  2nd,  1793,  she  says,  in  speaking  of  two  Indian  visi- 
tors :  "  We  treated  them  with  cherries,  we  having  thirty 
large  May  Duke  cherry  trees  behind  the  house  and  three 
standard  peach  trees  which  supplied  us  last  autumn  for 
tarts  and  desserts  during  six  weeks,  besides  the  number  the 
young  men  ate.  My  share  was  trifling  compared  with 
theirs,  and  I  ate  thirty  in  a  day.  They  were  very  small 
and  high-flavored.  When  tired  of  eating  them  raw  Mr. 
Talbot  roasted  them,  and  they  were  very  good."  Again,  on 
December  2nd,  she  says :  "  Francis  handed  plates  of  apples 
to  Indian  visitors." 

Of  course  the  cherry  and  peach  trees  must  have  been 
planted  some  years  before  these  dates,  doubtless  for  the  use 
of  the  officers  sheltering  at  Navy  Hall,  built  there  in  1787. 
In  an  article  of  the  Buffalo  Historical  Society,  a  letter  of 
the  Hon.  Robert  Hamilton,  dated  March  7th,  1794,  says: 
"  I  have  sent  money  to  a  friend  in  New  York  for  fruit 
trees,  from  a  nursery  in  Long  Island,  for  an  Agricultural 
Society  established  here,"  and  urges  that  they  be  forwarded 
by  the  first  boat  to  come  to  this  place.  Secretary  William 
Jarvis,  in  describing  the  well-stocked  cellar  of  his  house 
in  Niagara,  on  November  22nd,  1793,  mentions  two  barrels 
of  apples.  In  letters  of  the  Count  de  Puisaye  to  Hon. 
Richard  Cartwright,  grandfather  of  the  late  Sir  Richard 
Cartwright,  there  are  references  to  fruit  and  importing 
shrubs  and  trees,  and  Hon.  R.  Cartwright,  in  a  letter  from 
Kingston,  thanks  De  Puisaye  for  a  present  of  peaches,  which 
were  excellent,  and  which  Madame  Cartwright  pronounced 
delicious.  In  connection  with  this,  Mr.  R.  M.  Warren,  who 

308 


FRUIT  IN  NIAGARA  309 

owned  the  property  many  years  after,  tells  that  there  were 
old  pear  trees  with  most  delicious  fruit.  Although  skilled 
in  fruit-culture,  he  had  never  seen  similar  varieties.  Prob- 
ably these  were  brought  from  France  to  the  Count  de 
Puisaye.  The  farm  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  W.  K.  Jackson, 
and  is  nearly  three  miles  from  Niagara. 

In  the  Journal  of  Captain  Langslow,  who  visited  Niagara 
in  September,  1817,  he  tells  of  peaches  being  plentiful. 
Old  residents  used  to  tell  of  the  apples  being  picked  on  the 
13th  of  October,  before  the  battle  of  Queenston  Heights. 
All  these  show  how  early  fruit  trees  were  grown  in  Niagara. 
In  the  newspapers  of  1817  it  is  mentioned  that  "a  poor  man 
Avho  settled  on  land  ten  miles  out  of  town,  about  twenty 
years  ago,  has  an  apple  tree  in  his  orchard  which  produced 
this  season  thirty  bushels  of  apples,  which  would  make 
three  barrels  of  cider  that  is  worth  five  dollars  a  barrel  on 
the  spot;  this  one  tree  will  produce,  with  a  little  labor, 
fifteen  dollars."  In  1833  Radcliffe  or  McGrath  tells  of 
peaches  sold  for  a  shilling  a  bushel.  Gourlay,  who  was  here 
in  1818-19,  mentions,  in  his  work  published  in  1822  in 
England,  that  peaches  were  plentiful. 

In  the  first  poem  published  in  Upper  Canada,  at  York, 
1825,  is  stated  that  between  Niagara  and  Queenston  they 
saw 

"  Plum,  cherry,  apple,  pear  and  peach, 
And  some  their  pendant  branches  reach." 

In  1828,  in  Horticultural  News,  it  is  mentioned  that 
"  Magnum  Bonum  and  egg  plums  have  suffered,  peaches 
are  in  plenty,  early  apples  and  pears  are  coming  into  the 
market."  In  a  late  article  by  A.  M.  Smith,  in  speaking  of 
the  first  peaches  for  commercial  purposes  he  mentions  sev- 
eral names :  "The  first  peaches  of  which  we  have  any  record 
were  planted  along  the  Niagara  River,  below  Queenston, 
by  James  Durham,  in  1825.  Another  was  planted  by 
George  Stevens,  a  retired  army  officer,  about  1830."  But 
we  have  seen  mention  of  peaches  thirty  years  before  this. 
He  goes  on  to  say  that  "  the  first  real  commercial  orchard 
was  planted  by  Joseph  and  John  Brown,  about  fifty  years 
ago."  But  it  must  have  been  before  that,  as  on  the  menu 
card  at  the  Queen's  Hotel,  Toronto,  where  the  Prince  of 


310  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Wales  was  entertained  in  1860,  occur  the  words,  "  Brown's 
peaches/'  showing  that  they  must  at  that  time  have  had 
quite  a  reputation,  which  would  put  back  the  date  consider- 
ably before  that  date. 

The  first  apples  sent  commercially  to  Britain  were  sent 
by  R.  N.  Ball,  from  Niagara,  and  had  the  "  Beaver  "  brand. 

A  noted  horticulturist  was  Judge  'Campbell,  who  died  in 
1860.  F.  G.  Nash  was  the  first  to  raise  figs  in  the  open 
air,  followed  by  Mr.  Henry  Paffard,  an  enthusiastic  and 
successful  horticulturist.  It  is  told  that  when  our  present 
King  George  V.,  then  Duke  of  Cornwall,  was  entertained 
at  the  Queen's  Royal,  Niagara,  in  October,  1901,  that 
figs  were  sent  by  Mr.  Paffard,  and  on  the  Duchess  asking 
for  them  the  next  evening,  word  was  sent,  and  Mr.  Paffard 
gathered  them  by  the  light  of  a  lantern.  Mr.  Charles 
Hunter  also  succeeded  in  raising  figs  in  the  open  air. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 
REFERENCES  TO  EARLY  BOOKS  OF  TRAVEL. 

THESE  references  have  been  collected  from  seventy  dif- 
ferent sources.  Some,  alas,  can  no  longer  be  consulted, 
having  gone  up  in  smoke  and  flame  on  that  doleful  day 
when,  by  the  grossest  carelessness,  the  Parliamentary  library 
was  almost  totally  destroyed  by  fire.  Many  happy  hours 
of  many  days  had  been  spent  there  examining  and  taking 
notes  from  early  newspapers  and  early  books  of  travel. 
Copies  of  many  have  since  been  donated,  but  others  can 
never  be  replaced.  The  earliest  record  of  this  neighbor- 
hood is  that  of  Father  Daillon,  1626,  and  Galinee,  in 
1640,  and  we  all  know  of  La  Salle  in  1679.  In  1759,  in 
the  General  Lee  papers,  there  is  a  glowing  description  of 
the  newly-acquired  British  possessions  at  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  the  beauty  of  which  beggars  all  description. 
Captain  P.  Campbell,  in  1791,  tells  of  being  entertained 
both  in  Niagara  and  Queenston. 

The  Duke  de  la  Rochefoucauld  Liancourt  spent  nine- 
teen days  here  in  1795,  and  Miss  Ann  Powell  came  in  1789. 
A  letter,  or  rather  a  diary,  of  a  visitor  to  Niagara  in  1793 
gives  many  particulars  of  Rev.  R.  Addison,  Hon.  R.  Hamil- 
ton, Governor  Simcoe,  etc.  Another  traveller  was  here  in 
1797,  and  Maude  in  1800,  Mellish  in  1806-11,  Heriot  in 
1806,  Schultz  in  1807;  all  in  that  decade  give  us  details 
more  or  less  interesting  referring  to  the  people,  buildings, 
game,  soldiers,  fish  caught,  unhealthiness  from  swamps. 
Captain  Campbell  speaks  of  seeing  one  thousand  fish  caught 
in  a  seine  net,  mostly  whitefish;  sometimes  six  thousand 
were  caught  in  one  day.  Mellish  speaks  of  twenty  dry  goods 
stores  where  articles  might  be  bought  as  well  as  at  Mont- 
real. Heriot  has  a  picture  showing  Fort  George,  Navy 
Hall,  St.  Mark's  Church,  and  a  few  other  buildings. 

In  the  next  decade  we  have  Michael  Smith,  who  defends 
the  British  from  the  charge  of  paying  the  Indians  for 
scalps,  and  tells  that  many  of  the  stories  so  told  were 

311 


312  HISTOEY  OF  .NIAGARA 

false.  Duncan  describes  the  jail  in  1818,  and  Howison, 
who  spent  some  time  here,  gives  a  curious  reference  to  the 
high  water  that  year,  and  discusses  its  causes ;  the  water 
that  year  being  seven  feet  higher  than  usual.  Hodgson,  in 
1819-20,  seems  to  have  been  in  a  bad  humor,  and  gives  a 
gruesome  story  of  a  soldier  being  flogged  at  Fort  Missis- 
sauga.  Goldie,  who  was  a  skilled  botanist,  and  travelled 
much  of  the  way  from  Montreal  on  foot,  gathering  flowers, 
sent  three  collections  home  to  Scotland,  but  all  were  lost  on 
the  way  by  shipwreck  or  otherwise.  He,  like  others,  lays 
particular  stress  on  the  fine  building  just  erected  for  the 
jail  and  courthouse,  as  being  the  finest  in  the  Province. 
He  also  refers  to  the  imprisonment  of  Gourlay  there,  and 
seems  to  think  he  was  treated  unjustly. 

Frequent  references  are  made  by  travellers  to  regiments 
here,  to  the  hospitality  shown  by  officers,  to  the  streets 
being  at  right  angles,  to  the  wide  streets  and  the  town 
being  well  laid  out;  also  many  refer  to  the  prevalence  of 
fever  and  ague,  and  one  tells  that  the  people  were  called 
Yellowheads.  The  forts  are  described,  and  sometimes  the 
services  in  the  churches;  also  the  inns  or  taverns,  some  of 
which  we  can  locate;  others  elude  our  search.  Langslow, 
in  1817,  stayed  at  the  hotel  of  A.  Eogers,  and  was  roy- 
ally entertained  by  officers.  He  gives  an  interesting 
reference  to  Sir  Walter  Scott,  as  his  brother,  Pay- 
master Scott,  of  the  70th  Surrey,  was  here  and  was 
commonly  supposed  by  the  officers  to  be  the  author  of 
the  Waverley  Novels.  We  all  know  how  carefully  the 
secret  was  kept,  and  it  was  not  till  the  Crash  of  1826  that 
Sir  Walter  acknowledged  the  authorship,  and  the  mystery 
of  the  "  Great  Unknown  "  was  solved.  Many  references 
are  made  to  the  abundance  of  fruit — peaches,  cherries,  etc. 

In  the  next  score  of  years  we  have  E.  A.  Talbot  in  1824, 
Pickering  in  1826,  J.  L.  Alexander  in  1825,  who  wrote  the 
first  poem  we  know  of  in  Upper  Canada  (some  lines  have 
been  quoted  referring  to  the  scenery),  Fidler  in  1832,  Rad- 
cliffe  in  1833,  Mrs.  Jameson  in  1837-8,  who  refers  to  the 
slave  rescue,  sometimes  called  a  slave  riot.  In  1837  we 
read  of  Francis  Bond  Head  giving  an  address  to  431  of 
the  colored  population.  John  Gait,  too,  has  a  reference  to 
Niagara.  Langslow  mentions  Forsyth's  Inn,  at  Niagara 


EARLY  BOOKS  OF  TRAVEL       313 

Falls.  "  Stayed  at  A.  Rogers',  Sept.  23rd ;  dined  at  the 
mess  of  the  70th;  walked  to  inn  at  ten  to  eleven  o'clock, 
rain  pouring,  water  up  to  the  knees,  nearly  a  mile 
to  go.  They  live  well,  good  mess-room,  but  barracks  in- 
famous. Visited  Mississauga,  then  Fort  George,  which 
had  been  curtailed  one-half;  walked  over  the  grave  of 
Brock,  next  the  flagstaff  on  highest  bastion.  On  the  25th 
visited  Fort  Niagara ;  went  by  stage  to  Queenston ;  a  tall 
pole  like  a  flagstaff  on  the  spot  where  Brock  fell.  On  re- 
turn for  the  thermometer,  on  September  29th,  at  Colonel 
Grant's,  ate  plenty  of  his  fine  peaches.  Saw  Captain  Vava- 
sour, of  the  Engineers." 


CHAPTEK  XLIV. 
VISITORS  AT  NIAGARA. 

IN  a  paper  read  before  Historical  Societies  entitled 
"Canadian  History  as  Exemplified  by  Visitors  at  Niagara," 
it  was  shown  that  almost  every  important  event  in  the 
history  of  Ontario  at  least  is  brought  up  by  the  name  of 
a  visitor  at  Niagara,  thus,  the  first  settlement  at  Fort 
Niagara,  1679;  the  conquest  from  the  French  in  1759; 
the  Revolutionary  War,  1775-1783;  the  formation  of  the 
Province  of  Upper  Canada,  1792;  the  War  of  1812;  the 
struggle  for  Representative  Government,  1818-1840 ;  the 
Welland  Canal,  1826;  the  Rebellion,  1837-38;  the  Rebel- 
lion Losses  Bill,  and  the  efforts  for  Annexation,  1849 ;  the 
American  Civil  War,  1861-64;  the  Fenian  Raid,  1866;  the 
Boer  War,  1899-1902,  and  many  other  events  in  the  his- 
tory of  our  country. 

It  is  a  long  roll  call  from  La  Salle  the  indomitable,  in 
1678,  to  the  perhaps  no  less  indomitable  little  Premier,  Sir 
Oliver  Mowat,  in  1892  and  1894,  a  long  roll  of  soldier  and 
priest,  Royal  Duke  and  Indian  chief,  general  and  bishop, 
poet  and  rebel,  French  count  and  American  envoy,  prince 
and  slave,  famine-stricken  emigrants  and  naval  officers, 
confederate  ex-president  and  French  duke,  prisoner  in  the 
condemned  cell  and  Ontario  Premier,  early  legislators, 
Lords  and  Commons,  governor  and  midshipman,  Indian 
captives  and  rangers,  temperance  orators  and  opera  singers, 
literati  and  refugees,  presenting  an  ever-shifting  kaleido- 
scopic effect,  each  name  recalling  some  remarkable  epoch 
in  the  history  of  our  land. 

Besides  the  presence  of  three  Lieutenant-Governors,  Sim- 
coe,  Brock  and  Maitland,  two  Governors,  Dufferin  and 
Elgin,  several  royal  visitors  who  spent  here  a  longer  or 
shorter  time — the  Duke  of  Kent,  the  Prince  of  Wales  our 
late  King,  and  the  Duke  of  Cornwall  our  present  King,  the 
Duke  of  Edinburgh,  Prince  Arthur,  the  French  Duke  de  la 
Rochefoucauld  Liancourt,  the  French  Count  General  de 

314 


VISITORS  AT  NIAGARA  315 

Puisaye,  the  Bishop  of  Quebec  and  Bishop  Macdonell,  Pre- 
sident Harrison  and  ex-President  Davis,  the  poet  Thomas 
Moore  and  Mrs.  Jameson  the  art  critic,  another  writer, 
Major  Richardson.  D'Arcy  McGee  and  J.  B.  Gough. 

In  1626  it  is  said  mass  was  said  by  Daillon,  and  again 
in  1687  by  Father  Hennepin,  under  La  Salle.  In  1783 
and  1784  many  United  Empire  Loyalists  settled  here; 
indeed,  even  earlier,  as  we  know  that  one  of  the  Gilbert 
family  of  Indian  captives  was  living  on  the  farm  of  John 
Secord  in  1781.  Governor  Simcoe  came  in  1792,  as  also 
the  Duke  of  Kent  came  in  the  King's  ship  Mohawk  to 
Navy  Hall,  and  was  entertained  by  the  Governor,  was 
taken  to  the  Falls,  where  was  one  small  log  hut  for  visitors, 
went  down  from  Table  Eock  by  the  "  rude,  rickety  Indian 
ladder."  At  Queenston  he  was  entertained  by  the  Hon.  E. 
Hamilton,  and  at  Fort  Niagara  met  Brant,  where  foot-races 
and  Indian  games  were  given  for  his  amusement.  It  is 
told  that  on  the  complaint  of  some  of  the  settlers  that  pay- 
ment was  being  exacted  for  food  given  out  from  the  stores 
sent  out  for  their  relief  in  the  "  Hungry  Year,"  he  indig- 
nantly ordered  this  to  be  stopped.  The  Bishop  of  Quebec 
(Bishop  Mountain)  visited  Niagara  in  1794  and  an  address 
was  presented  by  the  inhabitants,  August  14th,  to  which 
he  made  a  suitable  reply.  The  address  was  signed  by 
Ralfe  Clench,  Clerk  of  the  Peace.  It  begins,  "  To  the  Eight 
Eev.  Father  in  God  Jacob."  His  Lordship  arrived  in  His 
Majesty's  armed  vessel  Mississauga,  and  he  confirmed  a 
number  of  young  persons.  In  1795  three  American  Com- 
missioners came  to  make  a  treaty  with  the  Indians.  In 
1795  the  Duke  de  la  Eochefoucauld  Liancourt  spent  nine- 
teen days  here,  entertained  hospitably  by  the  Governor.  In 

1798  arrived  the  French  Count  de  Puisaye,  also  recalling 
to  us  the  horrors  of  the  French  Revolution.     In  1795,  the 
great  explorer  Alexander  Mackenzie  visited  here  after  he 
had  traced  the  Mackenzie  Eiver  and  afterwards  reached 
the  Pacific  Ocean  through  almost  incredible  difficulties.  In 

1799  arrived    His    Excellency    E.    Lister,    Ambassador 
from  His  Britannic  Majesty  to  the  United  States,  accom- 
panied   by    Lord    H.    Stewart,    Mr.    Erskine    and    Mr. 
Thornton;  after  a  short  stay  they  left  for  Philadelphia. 
In  1804,  the  poet  Moore  was  entertained  ten  days  at 


316  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

Fort  George  by  General  Brock  (then  Colonel  Brock),  and 
a  legend  exists  of  the  oak  tree  in  the  middle  of  the  road 
to  Queenston  under  which  the  poet  sat  when  composing 
one  of  his  songs.  In  November,  1812,  a  number  of  Indian 
chiefs  of  different  tribes  met  in  the  Council  House  to  offer 
their  condolence  for  the  death  of  Brock.  The  nine  hundred 
taken  prisoners  at  Queenston  Heights  may  be  classed 
among  the  unwilling  visitors  to  Niagara,  being  sent  to 
Toronto  and  then  to  Quebec,  and  we  must  not  forget  the  six 
thousand,  who,  in  May  1813,  took  possession  of  the  town. 

A  visitor  during  the  American  occupation  was  General 
Harrison,  afterwards  President  of  the  United  States.  It 
is  told  that  he  talked  one  day  with  Dominick  Henry,  the 
lighthouse-keeper,  and  a  Cornwallis  veteran,  who,  not 
recognizing  him,  being  in  plain  clothes,  recalled  many  deeds 
of  British  valor  and  showed  some  embarrassment  in  find- 
ing it  was  an  American  officer  to  whom  he  had  been  holding 
forth,  but  was  much  relieved  to  find  he  was  not  blamed. 
Another  very  different  visitor  was  Robert  Gourlay,  called 
the  Banished  Briton,  imprisoned,  in  1819,  six  months  in 
the  jail  and  court  house  built  in  1817.  In  1822  came 
Simon  McGillivray  from  England  to  settle  the  vexed  ques- 
tion as  to  which  was  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Freemasons, 
Niagara  or  York. 

In  1824,  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  Lieutenant-Governor, 
attended  a  meeting  for  the  formation  of  a  S.P.C.K.  branch. 
The  name  of  Lady  Sarah  Maitland  recalls  the  tragic  fate  of 
her  father,  another  Governor-General,  the  Duke  of  Rich- 
mond. In  1825  the  local  paper  records  an  illustrious  visi- 
tor at  Fort  George,  the  Duke  of  Saxe- Weimar,  and  in  1827 
Bishop  Macdonell,  who  so  nobly  pioneered  the  country  for 
those  of  his  faith,  visited  Niagara  and  was  entertained  by 
Colonel  MacDougal.  In  the  register  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic Church  it  is  recorded  that  he  baptized  several  infants. 
Another  visitor  was  Hon.  William  Hamilton  Merritt,  who, 
in  1824-25-26,  did  such  strenuous  work  visiting  many  cities 
in  Canada,  the  United  States  and  Britain  for  the  Welland 
Canal,  so  that  in  1829  vessels  reached  Buffalo  and  the 
almost  insuperable  barrier  between  the  lakes  had  been  over- 
come. The  next  visitor  was  an  escaped  slave  from  Kentucky, 
Moseby  by  name,  who  was  followed  by  his  master;  to 


VJSITOES  AT  NIAGAEA  317 

prevent  his  return  to  slavery  hundreds  of  his  dusky  friends 
combined,  and  lives  were  lost,  but  he  escaped.  This  episode 
gives  us  a  glimpse  at  the  Eebellion,  as  some  of  those  con- 
fined in  the  jail  on  account  of  this  were  released  to  form  a 
company  of  blacks.  In  1837,  and  again  in  1838,  a  brilliant 
star  in  the  literary  horizon  of  that  day,  Mrs.  Jameson,  the 
wife  of  the  Eeceiver-General,  was  entertained  by  Mr.  John 
Alma,  and  gives  her  impressions  of  life  in  Canada  in  her 
"  Summer  Rambles  and  Winter  Studies,"  lively  descrip- 
tions, roseate  or  gloomy  as  the  weather  on  her  mood  dic- 
tated. This  gifted  writer  gives  us  some  curious  particulars 
of  her  visit  to  that  remarkable  man,  Colonel  Talbot,  who 
was  at  one  time  a  visitor  to  Niagara,  being  private  secretary 
to  Simcoe;  he  renounced  his  military  career  to  live  a  soli- 
tary life,  and  founded  the  Talbot  Settlement  in  1803,  the 
centenary  of  which  was  lately  held. 

David  Thompson,  a  member  of  the  Eoyal  Scots,  taught 
here  and  wrote  the  first  history  of  the  War  of  1812,  and 
Major  Richardson  wrote  here  some  of  his  novels. 

Morreau,  a  leader  in  the  affair  of  the  Short  Hills,  was 
imprisoned  in  the  jail  and  executed.  Then  comes  the 
heroic  deed  of  Maria  Wait,  who,  to  save  the  life  of  her  hus- 
band, also  condemned  to  death,  travelled  to  Quebec  to 
interview  Lord  Durham,  next  to  England  to  intercede  for 
him. 

In  1849,  Lord  Elgin,  after  the  rioting  in  Montreal  and 
the  burning  of  the  Parliament  Buildings,  following  his 
signing  the  Eebellion  Losses  Bill  (which  brings  up  the 
attempt  at  Annexation),  called  at  Niagara  on  his  way  to 
the  Falls  and  would  have  met  with  a  rough  reception  had 
not  better  counsel  prevailed,  and  he  was  actually  burned 
in  effigy  in  what  is  now  the  Niagara  Park. 

The  visit  of  the  noted  temperance  lecturer,  J.  B.  Gough, 
points  the  beginning  of  the  temperance  wave  and  recalls 
the  efforts  of  the  devoted  Father  Mathew,  and  a  lecture 
by  the  eloquent  D'Arcy  McGee  calls  up  the  Fenian  move- 
ment, and  the  fact  that  he  was  a  martyr  to  his  loyalty  to 
the  Government  which  he  had  once  opposed. 

The  visit  of  our  late  King,  then  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
recalls  the  memory  of  various  ceremonies,  as  the  opening 
of  the  Victoria  Bridge,  and  the  unveiling  of  the  obelisk  at 


318  HISTOEY  OF  NIAGABA 

Queenston,  marking  the  spot  where  Brock  fell.  The 
Prince  was  staying  at  the  Zimmerman  House  at 
the  Falls  when  a  deputation  consisting  of  Hon.  W.  H. 
Merritt,  John  Simpson  and  William  Kirby  invited 
him  to  visit  Niagara  and  St.  Catharines.  Blondin  per- 
formed his  wonderful  feat  of  walking  on  a  rope  over 
the  river,  carrying  a  man.  Laura  Secord  had  an  interview 
with  the  Prince,  which  brings  up  the  thought  of  her  walk 
of  nearly  twenty  miles  in  1813  to  warn  our  forces  at 
Beaver  Dam,  which  averted  a  great  calamity.  The  Prince 
on  his  return  to  England  sent  her  a  present  of  £100.  This 
visit  recalls  several  interesting  events.  The  steamer  Peer- 
less, Captain  Dick,  had  left  Toronto  at  five  in  the  morning 
for  Queenston,  calling  at  Port  Dalhousie  and  Niagara. 
Many  veterans  of  1812  were  on  hoard,  and  at  Queenston  an 
address  was  presented  by  one  hundred  and  sixty  survivors 
of  the  war,  many  of  whom  were  waiting  on  the  Heights. 
Hon.  J.  B.  Eobinson  presented  the  address.  Among  those 
present  from  Niagara  and  vicinity  were  Hon.  W.  H.  Dick- 
son,  Colonel  Kingsmill,  Colonel  MacDougal,  Mr.  J.  C.  Ball, 
Mr.  E.  Woodruff.  The  Prince,  after  going  to  the  top  of 
the  monument,  went  on  board  the  Zimmerman,  Captain 
Milloy,  at  eleven  o'clock,  calling  at  Niagara,  where  arches 
and  flags  greeted  the  Eoyal  visitor.  Two  addresses  were 
presented,  one  by  Mayor  Clench  from  the  Council,  the 
other  by  Judge  Lawder  from  the  Magistrates.  Mr.  Eobert 
Miller  presented  a  basket  of  fruit,  and  his  niece,  Miss  Mar- 
jory McMullen,  a  bouquet  of  flowers.  She  was  then  a  child 
of  three  or  four  and  is  now  living  in  Niagara  and  remem- 
bers the  kiss  of  the  Prince  in  acknowledgment.  An 
amusing  story  is  told  of  a  Niagara  belle  who  danced  with 
the  Prince  in  three  different  cities  and  who,  with  her 
mother,  surreptitiously  came  on  board  the  Zimmerman  at 
Queenston  to  the  intense  disgust  of  that  stern  guardian, 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  but  as  the  steamer  was  now  in  the 
river  before  it  was  discovered  that  the  Prince  was  talking 
to  the  young  lady,  the  Duke  contented  himself  with  order- 
ing the  ladies  to  be  landed  at  the  first  stopping-place. 

In  1867,  ex-President  Davis  visited  J.  W.  Mason,  who 
with  many  Southern  families  was  living  here,  and  made 
a  speech  to  a  vast  concourse  of  people  when  serenaded  by 


VISITORS  AT  NIAGARA  319 

the  town  band.  The  house  was  that  now  occupied  by  Miss 
Fell.  Many  gentlemen  called,  among  them  Ven.  Arch- 
deacon Fuller,  Dr.  McMurray,  Canon  Dixon,  Rev.  C.  Camp- 
bell and  the  Roman  Catholic  clergy.  Mr.  Davis  made  a 
speech,  closing  with  the  words,  "  May  peace  and  prosperity 
ever  be  the  blessing  of  Canada,  for  she  has  been  the  asylum 
of  many  of  my  friends,  as  she  is  now  an  asylum  for  myself. 
I  hope  that  'Canada  may  forever  remain  a  part  of  the 
British  Empire  and  may  God  bless  you  all,  and  may  the 
British  flag  never  cease  to  wave  over  you/' 

The  St.  Alban's  raid  and  the  expense  we  were  put  to  in 
defending  our  frontier  is  recalled  by  the  presence  with  us 
for  some  time  of  Bennet  Young,  Spur  and  other  young 
Southerners.  General  Mason  was  one  of  the  envoys  (Mason 
and  Slidell)  sent  to  Britain  by  the  Southern  States,  whose 
forcible  removal  from  a  British  steamer  by  a  United  States 
man-of-war  threatened  to  involve  the  two  nations  in  a 
frightful  war.  All  this  serves  to  connect  us  with  the 
American  Civil  War. 

In  1866  the  presence  in  our  jail  till  their  removal  to 
Toronto  of  prisoners  who  had  surrendered  to  our  forces, 
brings  back  to  us  the  memory  of  the  Fenian  Raid. 

In  1884  the  centenary  of  the  landing  of  the  United 
Empire  Loyalists  and  the  presence  of  Indians  recall  the 
sufferings  of  1784  and  the  faithfulness  of  the  red  man  as 
our  ally.  The  chiefs  and  warriors,  some  of  them  survivors 
of  the  War  of  1812,  reminded  us  of  treaties  faithfully 
observed  alike  by  white  and  red  man. 

In  1892,  the  centenary  of  the  formation  of  the  Province, 
we  heard  a  speech  of  Sir  Oliver  Mowat,  celebrated  for  the 
strong  terms  used  in  opposition  to  the  Annexation  schemes 
of  a  few  dissatisfied,  a  speech  tuned  to  the  words  of  Sir 
John  Macdonald,  when  he  said,  "  I  will  live  and  die  a 
British  subject."  Sir  Oliver  said,  in  speaking  of  our 
southern  neighbors,  "  They  are  our  brothers,  I  like  them, 
but  I  do  not  want  to  belong  to  them." 

Dean  Stanley,  in  1890,  visited  us  and  said,  when  view- 
ing St.  Mark's,  "  Do  not  allow  it  to  be  touched  "  (in  altera- 
tion) .  "  This  is  a  piece  of  old  England." 

In  1884  Niagara  was  visited  by  our  present  King,  then 
Prince  George  and  a  midshipman,  and  an  amusing  cir- 


320  HISTORY  OF  NIAGARA 

cumstance  is  related  in  connection  with  this  and  his  later 
visit  in  1901,  when  Duke  of  Cornwall.  Prince  George  was 
entertained  by  Senator  Plumb,  it  being  the  day  of  the 
annual  Town  and  Township  Fair,  where  the  exhibit  in 
fruit  always  rivals,  if  it  does  not  surpass,  that  of  the  Exhi- 
bition in  Toronto.  The  Prince,  having  no  doubt  never 
seen  such  fruit  before,  was  curious  enough  to  reach  out 
his  hand  and  lift  from  the  plate  a  peach  to  examine  it, 
when  one  of  the  attendants  promptly  rapped  his  knuckles, 
saying,  "  Hands  off,"  quite  unaware  that  this  was  his  future 
king,  who  quite  meekly  received  the  reprimand.  Years 
after  when,  in  1901  with  the  Duchess,  the  Duke  spent  a 
day  of  rest  at  Niagara  at  the  Queen's  Royal;  the  same 
attendant  was  on  duty,  having  now  become  the  Chief  Con- 
stable of  the  town.  The  Prince,  being  told  of  this,  said  he 
had  forgiven  but  had  not  forgotten  it.  It  is  told  also 
that  on  his  first  visit,  being  taken  out  to  view  a  model  peach 
orchard,  the  bluff  fruit  farmer  unceremoniously  asked  him 
"How  is  the  old  lady?"  meaning  our  august  sovereign 
Queen  Victoria. 

Lord  Dufferin,  too,  in  his  speech  at  Niagara,  referred, 
with  his  silver  tongue  and  eloquent  words,  to  the  wealth  of 
this  fruit  region,  then  lately  developed. 

And  last,  but  not  least,  must  not  be  forgotten  another 
visitor,  or  rather  two,  Lord  Dundonald  and  the  horse  he 
rode  into  Ladysmith,  recalling  those  days  of  anxiety  when 
we  heard  news  of  disaster  after  disaster  and  our  hearts  sank 
within  us,  till  finally  Ladysmith  and  Maf eking  were  re- 
lieved, Pretoria  taken,  and  we  watched  with  pride  the 
deeds  of  our  own  volunteers  and  saw  that  they  nobly  sus- 
tained the  honor  of  the  Maple  Leaf  and  did  more  to  win 
appreciation  for  Canada  than  had  ever  been  done  before. 
They  seemed  to  possess  an  adaptability  unknown  to  some 
of  the  regiments  and  were  fortunate  in  this,  that  the  white 
flag  was  not  raised  by  them  nor  were  they  taken  prisoners. 
They  died  for  the  honor  of  Britain,  many  homes  in  Canada 
losing  their  noblest  and  best,  who  now  lie  on  the  African 
veldt. 

And  the  literary  life  of  Canada  is  exemplified  by  the 
presence  of  the  veteran  litterateur,  William  Kirby,  who 
came  as  a  visitor  from  Kentucky  in  1838,  he  says,  with  a 


VISITORS  AT  NIAGARA  321 

rifle  and  a  box  of  books.  His  work  "  Le  Chien  D'Or  "  is 
perhaps  the  best  Canadian  historical  romance  that  has  been 
written,  giving  that  fearful  story  of  revenge  recalled  by 
the  legend  on  the  building  in  Quebec,  where  still  may  be 
seen  the  Golden  Dog.  His  "TJ.  E."  gives  many  stories 
of  pioneer  life,  and  his  Canadian  Idylls,  too  little  known, 
give  the  story  of  many  of  the  engagements  in  the  War  of 
1812  and  previous  to  that  date. 

The  love  of  music  of  the  Niagarian  is  shown  by  the 
presence  here  on  October  26th,  1853,  of  Le  Petit  Ole  Bull, 
who  played  on  the  violin  before  a  Niagara  audience,  and 
in  November,  Madame  Anna  Bishop  sang;  also  Brochsa, 
the  harpist,  played  the  Grand  March  composed  by  him  for 
Napoleon.  Tickets  were  $1.00.  A  little  later  a  sacred 
oratorio,  Mendelssohn's  Elijah,  was  performed  in  St. 
Andrew's  Church  under  the  leadership  of  Bandmaster 
Harkness,  of  the  R.C.R.  In  1880  the  opera  Queen  Esther 
was  brought  out  by  Professor  Lane,  who  skilfully  gathered 
together  to  help  him  about  a  hundred  singers  of  all  denomi- 
nations. The  Queen  was  Miss  Belle  Flanigan,  the  chief 
soprano.  Among  those  who  took  part  were  the  Misses 
Follett,  Ball,  Paffard,  and  Messrs.  Blain,  Milloy,  Varey, 
McClelland,  Cork,  Geale,  Masson,  etc.  In  1884  Schiller's 
Song  of  the  Bell  was  performed  for  the  organ  fund  of 
St.  Mark's.  Miss  Ada  Blake  was  the  able  pianist,  and 
Messrs.  Geddes  and  Warren  gave  much  assistance, 


22 


CLOSING    WORDS. 


IN  speaking  of  points  of  interest,  no  doubt  numerous 
omissions  have  been  made.  One  particularly  may  be  men- 
tioned— the  beautiful  grounds  of  the  Chautauqua  Park. 
This  was  formerly  the  Crooks  property  and  called  Crooks- 
ton.  It  was  bought  in  1887  for  the  summer  meetings  of  the 
Chautauqua  Assembly.  Tents  were  erected,  two  hotels  built, 
a  large  amphitheatre  constructed,  cottages  built,  and  for 
several  years  summer  meetings  were  held,  lectures  given, 
classes  conducted,  religious,  educational;  physical  culture, 
• — as  club  swinging,  swimming;  also  music,  drawing,  kin- 
dergarten, botany  classes,  but  unfortunately  the  plan  failed, 
though  much  thought  and  labor  were  bestowed  upon  it. 
The  indomitable  perseverance  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Warren,  who 
worked  early  and  late,  must  be  mentioned,  also  the  mana- 
ger, L.  C.  Peake.  The  cottages  are  still  occupied  in  sum- 
mer by  the  owners  and  visitors,  who  enjoy  the  facilities 
for  fishing,  bathing,  and  the  shade  of  the  magnificent  oaks 
which  abound.  The  One-Mile  Creek  and  Two-Mile  Pond 
are  famous  resorts  for  the  Boy  Scouts,  and  the  grounds 
form  a  paradise  for  the  botanist.  Here  and  in  the  neigh- 
borhood are  found  many  rare  flowers.  The  yam,  which 
Spotton  says  is  only  found  at  Hamilton,  was  found  here. 
Among  trees  the  Tulip  tree,  the  Sassafras,  the  Catalpa, 
Dogwood  and  Papaw.  Birds  abound, — the  blue-jay,  oriole, 
humming  bird,  scarlet  tanager;  the  English  pheasant  has 
lately  been  introduced.  Nor  on  the  common  must  be  for- 
gotten the  Sweet  Briar,  though  lately  a  fungus  has  been 
very  injurious;  in  September  mushrooms  abound  on  the 
common  and  in  meadows — not  soon  will  be  forgotten  the 
pleasures  of  mushroom  gathering.  At  Niagara  Glen  many 
orchids  are  found,  and  in  the  woods  and  on  the  lake  shore 
what  profusion  of  fruit  and  flower  and  fern — water  lily, 
potentilla  anserina,  marsh  marigold,  celandine,  blue-eyed 
grass,  Jack-in-the-pulpit  or  Indian  turnip,  fringed  gentian, 

322 


CLOSING  WORDS  323 

as  well  as  the  closed  gentian,  Indian  pipe  or  corpse  plant, 
golden  rod,  teasel,  anemone,  maiden-hair  fern,  and  many 
other  varieties,  moth  mullein,  always  remembered  as  the 
first  flower  examined  botanically  and  discovered  to  be 
Scrophulariacea?,  Verbascum  Blattaria. 

Memories  still  linger  of  the  lectures  given,  of  the  enter- 
tainments of  Sauahbrah  from  Burmah,  of  the  elocution  of 
Professor  Clark,  particularly  one  night  when  giving  the 
magnificent  chariot  race  in  Ben  Hur,  his  voice  competing 
with  the  loud  tooting  of  the  train,  the  closing  words  "  and 
the  race  was  won;"  the  reporter  the  next  day  felicitously 
phrased  it  "  and  the  professaire  won." 

Here  must  close  our  story  of  Niagara.  Imperfect  as  it  is 
it  may  induce  others  to  give  reminiscences  of  our  beloved 
town. 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Act  to  Establish  Jail,  Law 

Society  and  Public  School.   230 

Addison,  Rev.  R.  3,  38,  40,  54,  57, 

117,    122,    127,    208,    247,    270 

Advertisements 208 

Africans 203-206 

Agricultural  Reader 287 

Agricultural   Society..  50,   266-8 

Aikins.   J 152-3,   216 

Alexander,   Rev.   J 212 

Alexander,  Rev.  J.  L...212,   291 

Allan,  W.  B 282 

Allinson,   Miss 216,   279,   280 

Alma,  J.  L 317 

American    Occupation 32 

Anderson,    Dr.    H.    L 

152,  216,   237 

Andrews,  A 225,   226 

Angel   Inn 124 

Archives,   The    19,     28 

Argus,  The 74,     76 

Ark,   The    75 

Arrivals  by  Boat  in  1793.  .      71 

Askin,  C 246 

Assemblies.  t 141 

Assessors 150 

Authors 285 


Baby,   F.   and  J 16,   269 

Bain,  Dr 216 

Ball    Family    Graveyard...    179 

Ball,   Geo 101,   117 

Ball,   G.    P.    M 278 

Ball  in   1792 17 

Ball,   Jacob 33,     36 

Ball,   J.   C 9,    108,   171 

Ball,   J.  W 173 

Ball,   Miss  M 272 

Ball,  P 8,   82,   180 

Ball,  R.  N.  93,  187,  146,  213,  310 

Ball,   Rev.  W 95,     96 

Ball,  W.  M 36,   187 

Bank  of   Upper   Canada.  .  .    148 

Baptist  Church 176 

Baptist   Graveyard    189 

Barker,  J 262 

Barr,   Rev.   J 96 

Barr,  Jos 92 

Barracks,   Butler's 

14,   15,  28,  189,   238 


PAQB 

Barracks,   Red 11 

Barron,   Miss 133 

Barren,   R.  A 226 

Baur,  Mrs.  D.  C 68 

Baxter,   A 

Beam,  Deacon 176 

Beardsley,   L.   G 74 

Beardsley,   R.   C 39 

•Bee,  The 72 

Bell,   Rev.  G 216 

Bell,  Rev.    J.    W 92,   228 

Bellenger   Graveyard 180 

Bench,   Rev.  P.   J 228 

Benevolent  Society 277-8 

Best,   R • 127 

Best,   T.    F 127,    152,   156 

Bible    Society 271-2 

Bishop,   Madame  A 322 

Bishop,   Col.  C 59 

Bishop,  J 152 

Blain,  T.  P 91,   153 

Blain,  W.  P 92 

Blake,  Miss  A 

Blanck,   L 61 

Blayney,  J 129 

Boats,  Names  of.. 135,  139,   140 

Bonner,  B 151 

Book  Committee 218 

Books  Printed  Here 286 

Boomer,  G 151,   242 

Boulton,  H.  J 232 

Boulton,   J 150,   241 

Bouquet,  Col 196 

Bowman  Family 22 

Boyd,  J 165,   189 

Boyle,   Dr.   D 282 

Bradt,  A.  and  J 8,      33 

Brady,  A 164,   185 

Brant,   Capt.    Jos 3,    27,   192 

Brant,   Molly 3,   142 

Breakenridge,   Mrs 131 

Breakenridge,    J.  ..115,    148,   247 

Britannicus    77 

British  Hotel 109 

Brochsa 322 

Brock,   Gen 24,   59,   142 

Brown  Family   Graveyard.    181 

Brown,  J 120 

Brown's  Peaches 310 

Bruyere,  Lt 9,     12 

Brymner,  Dr 285 

Buck    Family 22 

Buildings,   Early 106 


325 


INDEX 


Bull,  Canon.  . 
Burke,  Rev.  G 
Burns'   Celebration 
Burns,  J 
Burns,   Rev.   J... 


281 
201 
14o 


Burns,  Miss  S  ...........    g»« 

Butler,  C  .......  •  .......    |45 

Butler,  D  ..............    •"* 

^tS™-,   B8;-62,-82;i2V,   119 
Butler,  T.  and  J  ..........  178-9 


Butler's  Graveyard  .......    178 

By-laws  of  Town  .........    lo« 


Cameron,   Supt.    G.    D .  .    198 

Cameron,  W 61,   1 

Camidge,  C 225 

Campbell,   Rev.  C....91,  92,   226 

Campbell,  Dr.  D 236 

Campbell,  Major  D.  62,  188,    235 

Campbell,   Mrs.  D 240 

Campbell,   Judge    G.    C 

154,   214,   215,   240,   269 

Campion,  Rev.  J.   W 201 

Canada       Presbyterian 

Church 212 

Canadian   Idylls 287,   289 

Canadian,  The 74 

Carnochan,   Miss  G 134 

Carnochan,    Miss    J 

218,    259,    288,   293 

Carnochan,   John 259 

Carrol,    Rev.    J 36 

Cartwright,   Madame 309 

Cartwright,   Hon.  R.  16,  80,   308 

Cassady,   Mrs 34 

Cassady,   S 34 

Casselman,  W 183 

Caughill,    G 182 

Census,  Early 7 

Centennial  of  St.  Andrew's  93-5 
Centennial   of  St.   Mark's..      66 

Centennials 146 

Ceremonies 141 

Certificates    of    L,and 70 

Chautauqua    Assembly    .  . . 

32,   156,   322 

Chew,   W.   J 194 

Chicora 140 

Chief    Justice    Robinson...    139 

Choral  Society 279-280 

Christie,  A.  R.  and  P 

116,  213-4 

Chronicle,  The 76 

Chrysler,  A 8 

Chrysler,  R.  M 137,   230 

Chubbuck,  S 123 


PAGE 

Clark,  Alured 10 

Clark,  Col 15,  26,  57,  78,  128 

Clark,  Rev.  J.  S 77 

Clark,  Sir  Mortimer 282 

Clarke,  W 277 

Claus,  Mrs.  A 179 

Claus,  D 12,  118 

Claus,  W 178,  241 

Claus,  Col.  W 

26,  60,  194,  195,  221,  241,  246-7 

Cleaver,  Dr 165 

Clench,  Mrs 198,  251 

Clench,  F.  A.  B 152,  264 

Clench,  J 175 

Clench,  R 

8,  33,  34,  57,  157,  179,  184,  247 

Clement  Family  Graveyard  182 

Clement,  Miss 134 

Clement,  J 127,  182,  184 

Clement,  J.  M 226 

Clement,  Jos 108,  253 

Clockenburg,  J 175 

Clubs 255 

Cockerell,  R 79,  128 

Colborne,  Sir  J 86 

Colored  People 206 

Colquhoun,  Dr 228,  282 

Colquhoun,  Mrs 93 

Comer,  Mrs 271 

Commissioners 19 

Communion  Tokens 87 

Company  No.  1 166,  174 

Connor,  R.  .  .  : 244,  274 

Constable,  Chief 153 

Constables  in  1845 150 

Constellation,  The 71 

Cook,  Rev.  C.  J 85 

Cooper,  D 159 

Cooper,  J.  .  .  120,  159,  187,  252 

Cork,  G 134 

Cornish,  Dr 163-4 

Corus,  C 183 

Council  House 13 

Court  House 113 

Cox,  S 179 

Coxe,  Right  Rev.  C 66 

Crane,  S 189 

Creed,  Miss 134,  218 

Green,  Rev.  T 

63,  64,  84,  129,  221,  273 

Cricket  Club 258 

Criminals,  First,  in  Jail  ..157-8 

Croft,  Prof 268 

Crooks'  Farm  32 

Crooks,  J 

26,  33,  85,  159,  187,  244,  248 

Crooks,  Hon.  J 200,  252 

Crooks,  Jane  or  Joan 50 

Crooks,  Misses 134 

Crooks,  W.  and  J 9 

Crooksiton 36 

Cruikshank,  Col 281 

Cruikshank,  Rev.  J 90 

Culver,  C 274 

Cunningham,  A 185 


INDEX 


327 


PAGE 

Curling  Club 259 

Currie,   Hon.    J.    G 174 

Currie,    Mrs.    J.    G 132 

Currie,   R 175 

Curtis,    P.    B 93 

Curzon,  Mrs 72 


D'Almaine 65 

Daillon,  Father 2,  315 

Davidson,  A 77,  244 

Davidson,  J.  A 77,  275 

Davidson,  Miss 286 

Davis,  Jefferson 320 

Dawson,  G.  and  R 89,  91 

De  Cew,  J 33 

DeLatre,  Col 101,  251 

DePuisaye,  Count 285,  308 

Dearborn,  Gen 33 

Debating  Society 269 

Dee,  R.  H 123 

Denison,  Col 146 

Denison,  J 70 

Deveau,  Mrs 164 

Devil's  Hole 43 

Dick,  Capt 139,  155 

Dickson,  Rev.  G.  N.  A.  P.  T.  165 

Dickson,  Hon.  R 

63,  173,  239,  240,  246 

Dickson,  Mrs.  R 63 

Dickson,  T 38,  40,  182 

Dickson,  Hon.  W 32, 

33,  95,  168,  184,  239,  249,  250 

Dickson,  Mrs.  W 34 

Dickson,  W.  A.  and  G.  ..65,  259 

Dickson,  Hon.  W.  H 

173,  214,  232,  278 

Dickson,  Mrs.  W.  H 264 

Directors  of  Dock  Co 137 

Dobie,  Major 172 

Doig,  J 92 

Downs,  W.  G.  T 127 

Drake,  G 55 

Drummond,  Gen 97 

Dufferin,  Lord 2,  320 

Dugdale,  Mrs 34 

Duke  of  Cornwall 261,  320 

Dun,  Rev.  J 81 

Dunbar,  W 81 

Dundas,  Lord 10 

Dundas,  Col.  T 19,  20 

Dundonald,  Lord 321 

Dunham,  D 164 

Dunlop,  Dr 237 

Dunn,  J.  M 138 

Durham,  J 309 


Eaglesum,  J Ill,   188 

Early  Books  of  Travel.  .311-313 

Early    Buildings 106 

Early    Settlers v 

Eastham,   or  Easton 7,   184 


Ferguson,   B. 
Ferguson,   T. 
Ferry,  The. 
Fessenden,   Rev. 


PAGE 

Eccles,  H 269 

Echo,  The 195 

Eckersley,  J 218 

Edgar,   Lady 36 

Edwards,  J 33,   243-4 

Eedson,   Miss   M.   A 133 

Eedson,  Miss  S 134 

Eedson,   T 215,   217 

Elders   of   St.   Andrew's.  84,     91 

Elgin,  Lord 317 

Elliott,  Col 62,   257,   275 

Elliott  House 116 

Ellison  Brothers 174 

Emigrants   in   1847 278 

Engineers'  Quarters  14,  108,  118 

Erie  &   Ontario   R.R 231 

Evans,  W.  H.  J 153,   156 

Exchange,     The 

110,    112,    114,   119 


Farmer's  Brother 192 

Farmer's  Journal 79 

Fell,    Mrs 64 

Fenwick,  Mrs 138 

159 

187 

113 

W 66 

Field    Family    Burying- 

Ground 181 

Fields,    G.    D.    and    C 

8,    44,    120,   181 

Fields,   Rev 16b 

Fire  Bell 262 

Fire  Company 261,   262 

Fire  Co.,  Junior 263 

Fitzgerald,   J 98,   268 

Fitzpatrick,  Gov 146 

Flanigan,    Miss 280-3 

Follett,   Miss 217 

Follett,    Mrs 34 

Follett,    S.  H 275 

Forbes,  D 213 

Forbes,   W 127 

Forsyth,   G.   71,  114,  125,  127,  245 

Fort  George 10 

Fort  George   Regiments...    170 

Fort  Niagara 211 

Foundation    Stone    Laid.  .  .      87 

Fountain,  The 77,   275 

Fraser,   J 138 

Fraser,  Rev.   J.  and  T 

86,  110,   186 

Free  and   Easy   Club 257 

Free   Church    212-3 

Freeman's  Journal 72 

Free  Masons 120 

Free  Masons'   Hall 266 

Freed,   R.   W.    A 121 

Freel,    H.    and   D 178,   179 

French,  Thorns,    ...31,   289,   290 

Frey,  P.  and  B 9,   19,     40 

Frontenac,  Steamer 136 


328 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Fuller,   Bishop 286 

Fulton,  J 213 

Funerals,  First  and  Second, 

of  Brock 26,  27 


Galinee 2,  311 

Galloway,  Col 282 

Gardiner,  A 81 

Garner,  A 288 

Garrett,  Capt.  A 185 

Garrett,  Rev.  Canon 

64,  67,  217,  293 

Garrett,  H.  A 152 

Geale,  Capt 127,  197 

Geale,  Miss  M 290 

George  IV.  Proclaimed 

King 144 

Giddin's  Almanac  124 

Gifts  lo  St.  Mark's 67-8 

Gilbert  Captivity 196-7 

Gilkison,  A 116,  242 

Gilkison,  J.  T 265 

Gilkison,  Miss 115 

Gleaner,  The 73 

Glengarry  Light  Infantry.  32 

Goldie,  J Ill,  158,  310 

Golf  Club 259,  260,  261 

Gordon,  Col 9 

Gordon,  Father 202 

Gore,  Gov.  F 141 

Gore,  Mrs 141 

Gough,  J.  B 275 

Gourlay,  R 72,  158,  316 

Graham,  Dr.  and  Mrs 191 

Gramm,  Madame  95 

Grant,  A 16 

Grant,  Col 28,  29 

Green,  E 283 

Greene,  J.  F 153,  156,  217 

Greene,  Mrs 283 

Gregg,  Rev.  W 95 

Grier,  J 33,  84,  114,  248 

Growth  of  Town 147 

Graveyards 178 

Guard  House 30,  104 

Guillean,  Mrs 177 


Haldimand,  Gen 3,  19 

Hall,  C.  L 97,  242 

Hall,  Mrs.  C.  L 65,  263 

Halt,  Capt 252 

Hamilton,  A.  C.  150-1,  242,  269 
Hamilton,  Capt 

101,  231,  242,  246 

Hamilton,  Dr 142 

Hamilton  Family  Burying- 

Ground 182 

Hamilton.  Hon.  J 137 

Hamilton,  Hon.  R 8,  16,  51 

101,    106,    109,    127,    141,    182, 

220,  240,  246,  249,  288,  308 
Hamilton,  Mrs 246 


PAGE 

Hancock,  Rev.  T 133,   221 

Harbour  and  Dock  Co 135 

Hare,  P 7 

Harkness,  Jos 92,   275 

Harold,  Father 202 

Harper,  Rev.  G.  B 275 

Harrington   Hotel.  103,    112,   265 

Harris,    Rev.    J 212 

Harrison,  Gen 316 

Hartley,  J 175 

Harvey,  Gen 35 

Harvey,  J 116,  150,   258 

Harvey,  U 262 

Havens,  Deacon 176 

Head,  Sir  F.  B.    ...160,  205,   314 

Healey,  Miss 134 

Hemphill,  A 82 

Hennepin,  Father 3,     42 

Henry,  D 30,   39,   184,   316 

Herald,  The 71,     74 

Heron,  A 33-4,   48,    84, 

89,    150,    160,    185,    205-6,   250 

High  School 219 

High  School  Centenary.  .  .  227 
High  School  Graduates.  .  .  229 
High  School  Pupils  223-4,  228 

High  School   Seal 227 

Hight,  J 159 

Hill,  Chief  D 196 

Hills,    Mrs.    1 39,     50 

Hincks,   Sir  F 152,   232 

Hind's  Hotel 81 

Hiscott,  Major 233 

Hiscott,    R 184 

Historical  Society 280 

Historical  Society,   Writers 

for    283 

Hobin,    Father 202 

Hodder,    Dr 235 

Hodgins,    Dr 130 

Hodgkinson,  G 76 

Holmes,    H 132,   189 

Hoople,  Mrs 252 

Horticultural    Society 269 

Hosmer,  Miss 43 

Hospital as,  117 

Hotels 109-112 

Houses  Burnt 37-8 

Houses,  Early 117-8 

Houses  in  Map  of  1817 102 

Howard,    R 110,   123 

Howell,     G 189 

Howison,  Dr 312 

Hughes,   Hon.    S 11 

Hungry  Year 21-2 

Hunter,   C 29,   260,   310 

Hunter,   Miss 134 


Indian    Council 

39,    192-3,    198,   199 

Indian  Council  House 

15,    28,    29,    104,    108,   117 


INDEX 


329 


PAGE 

Indian  Treaties  and  Chiefs  191-2 
Indians  Present  at  Celebra- 
tion of   1884 146 

Indignation    Meeting 145 

Ireland,  W.  W 126 


Jackson,   W.  K 309 

Jail  and  Court  House 157 

James,   C.   C 281-2 

Jameson,    Mrs 138,   313,  317 

Jarvis,   Lieut 26 

Jarvis,   Mrs 109,  182 

Jarvis,   Wm 8,    16,    106,  210 

Jay's  Treaty 41 

Jennoway,  Mrs 29 

Johnson,   Sir  J 20 

Johnson,   S 208 

Johnson,  Capt.  Smoke 198 

Johnson,  Sir  W 2,    42-3 

Jones,   Rev.   E.    S 259 

Jones,  Jane 63 

Jones,  Justice 113 

Jones,  P.  and  A 19 

Jury  in  1793 240 

Justices  of  Peace 9 


Kearney,  L.  C 75 

Keefer,  G 55,  130,  278 

Kemp,  D.  and  J 55 

Kempt,  Col 142 

Kennedy,  B.  and  J 189 

Ker,  Rev.  R 66 

Kerby,  J 78 

Kerr,  Dr.  R...5,  8,  127,  234,  246 

Kerr,  Mrs 183,  198,  245 

Kerr,  W.  J 123 

King's  Barracks 14 

King's  Dragoon  Guards...  264 

King's  Eighth 41,  45 

King's  Wharf  11,  104,  135 

Kingsmill,  Col 

62,  224,  265,  278 

Kirby,  Wm 

.  .  .21,  31,  77,  155,  216-7,  289 

Knox,  J 127 

Koune,  C 112 


La  Motte 42 

La  Salle 3 

Lacrosse,  Game  of 145 

Laing,  Dr 96 

Lalor,  Rev.  M 202 

Lampman,   P 8 

Land  Board 9,  19 

Land  Owners  in  1802 9 

Lane,  Dep.,  A.C.G 53 

Lane,  G 33 


PAGE 

Langslow,  Capt 28,  309 

Lansing,  Gen.  and  L 116 

Law  Society  230,  239 

Lawder,  Judge 

188,  241,  259,  278 

Lawder,  Mrs 264 

Lawe,  Mrs 35,  39 

Lawless,  P 140,  189 

Lawrence,  S 189 

Lawrence,  G 101,  183 

Lawyers 239 

Lectures  of  M.  1 216 

Lee,  General 311 

Leeming,  Rev 164,  221 

Lefroy,  General 19,  20 

Lett  144 

Levees 141 

Library,  Public 214 

Library,  Gifts  to 217 

Library  of  St.  Andrew's.  .  .  55 

Library  of  1800-1820 

46,  52,  55 

Lighthouse  15 

Lincoln  Flags 170 

Lincoln,  General 17,  192 

Lincoln  Militia.  .  .  25,  169,  171 

Lincoln  1st  Regt 168,  173 

Lincoln  5th 26 

Literary  Miscellany  75 

Littlehales,  E.  B 14,  16 

Loan  Fund 154 

Lockhart,  J.  ..101,  115,  139,  173 

Lockhart,  W.  and  D 259 

Lockwood,  Miss 134 

Locust  Grove 117 

Lowe,  Dr 236 

Loyalists,  U.  E 19,  20 

Loyal  Patriotic  Society.  .  .  34 

Loyal  Village 1 

Lundy,  Dr 123 

Lyall,  W.  G 134,  269 

Lynch,  Rev.  P.  J 202 

Lyons,  J 242,  269 

M 

McArdle,  P 201-2 

McBride,  E 123,  231 

McCammon,  M 225 

McCarthy,  J 165 

McCaul,  Rev.  J 212 

McClellan,  M 48 

McClure 40 

McClymont,  J 151 

McCormick,  T 116,  148 

McCuaig,   Rev.   F 212 

McCulloch,  J 114,  213 

McDonald,  D 187 

McDonell,  A 33,  188 

McEwan,  Rev.  J..15,  27,  33,  271 

McFarland,  J.  and  D 

.  .33,    44,    83,    85,    89,    108,  185 

McFarland,  Mrs 131 

McGee,  D 317 

McGill,  Miss 91 


330 


INDEX 


McGill,    Rev.    R 

86,  88,  222,  287 

McGillivray,  S 126,  316 

McGregor,  P.  C 225,  228 

McKee,  A 113 

McKee,  Mrs 34,  131 

McKellar,  Sheriff  228 

McKenzie,  J 217 

McLean,  Rev.  J 284 

McLellan,  M 61,  82,  98,  16!) 

McLeod,  A 242,  269 

McMicking,  J 204 

McMicking,  G 232 

McMicking,  T 7,  248 

McMullen,  M 317 

McMurray,  Dr...54.  65,  147,  185 

McNab,  J.  and  C 9,  181 

McPherson,  L 188 

McQuarters,  T 208 

MacDougall,  Col.  ..188,  202,  253 

MacDougall,  Dr 236 

MacGregor,  Rev.  A.  P.  ..95,  217 

Maclntyre,  E 119 

MacNab,  Sir  A 58,  102 

Macdonell,  Bishop 202 

Macdonell,  A 136,  193 

Macdonell,  J 7 

Macdonell,  R 188 

Machar,  Rev.  J 86 

Mackenzie,  A 315 

Magill,  G 206 

Magnet,  The 139 

Mail,  The 69,  77 

Malcolmson,  G 223 

Maitland,  Dr 236-7 

Maitland,  Sir  P 59,  143,  273 

Maitland,  Lady  S 143 

Manifold,  Misses 164 

Mann,  Dr 36 

Mann,  Col.  Gother 12,  98 

Maps  in  Historical  Room.  2b 
Maps  of  the  Town....  10,  97-9 

Markers  Placed 28o 

Market  Building 109 

Marriage  Law 86 

Martindale,  J 209 

Mason,  J.  W 320 

Masonic  Hall 41,  108 

Masonic  Past  Masters.  .  .  .  127 

Masson,  Rev 165 

Masters,  Rev.  C 228 

Mayors 150,  152-3 

Melville,  Capt..68,  101,  113,  138 

Melville,  Dr 154,  236-7 

Melville,  Mrs 65 

Members  of  parliament.  .  .  231 

Mercer,  L.  M 152-3 

Merchants,  Early 114 

Merritt,  Moair  T 26 

Merritt,  Hon.  W.  H 

36,  101,  146,  316 

Merritt's  Dragoons 26 

Methodist  Choir 164 

Methodist  Church 163 


PAGE 

Methodist  Graveyard 189 

Military 166 

Millard,  Misses 134 

Miller,   Dr.   G 85,  235,   271 

Miller,   Judge 150 

Miller,   Mrs.   M 236 

Miller,   R.  and  J 150 

Miller,  W 152 

Miller,   W.   D 

89,    91,    119,    188,    253,   274 

Milloy,   Capt 139 

Milloy,   W.  A 152 

Mills,  Rev.  J 165 

Mississauga,  Fort 29,     30 

Mitchell,  L 59 

Mollynox,  W 8,     98 

Monroe,    J 212,    262 

Montmorenci,  A 258 

Moore,  T 316 

Morgan,  W 45,   123 

Morreau,  J 160,   189 

Morrison,  A 223 

Morrison,   C 183 

Morrison,   J.  C 232 

Morson,   Dr 117,   237 

Morson,  Judge 229 

Moseby 160,   205 

Mosher,  R 77 

Mountain,  Bishop 315 

Mowat,  Rev.  J.  B.   ..91,  177,   275 
Mowat,  Sir  O 

73,   93,   94,   146,   320 

Muirhead,  Dr.  .9,   10,  26,  33,   234 

Muirhead,  J.  B 179,   270 

Mulvaney,  P.  C 

Murray,    General 44,   248 

Music  in  Niagara 322 


Names  of  Stores..  110,  112,  116 

!    Names  of   Streets.  .  99,   100,  102 

I    Names  of     Taverns 

109,  110,  112 

j    Names,  No.  1  Company.  .  .  .  174 

!    Names,  Railway  Committee  148 

Nash,  F.  G 310 

Navy  Hall :  284 

I    Navy  Hall  Tavern 11 

Neale,    Major 163 

Neill,  Elder 177 

Neilson,    Dr 69 

Nelles,  Dr 237 

Nelles,  H 120 

Nelles,   Misses 172 

Nelles,   Col.   R 172 

Newspapers 

News,    The    75,  78 

Nicholls,   Col.    G 173 

Nisbet,  J 164,  274 

Nisbet,   Miss 134 

Niven,  A 

Niven,  Rev.  D 76 

Norton,    Capt 59,  194 


INDEX 


331 


PAGE 

O'Halloran I32 

O'Leary lj>£ 

O'Neil,   Col 35 

Oakley,  Rev.   J....176,  189,  274 

Gates,    Capt 115 

Obituary    Notices <J45 

Odd   Fellows    263-4 

Officers   of   1st  Lincoln 171 

Orme,   Rev.   J.  W 165 

Osgoode,   J 240 

Osgoode,  W 1° 


Paffard,  H 152,   156 

Palatine  Hill    108,   167 

Pallbearers  of  Brock 26 

Palmer,   S 167 

Parliament,    iviernoers    of.  . 

...2,    13,    15,    16,   231 

Parliament  Oak 15 

Pawling,   B.    and    J..9,    16,   1 

Pawling,  H.  and  N 1 

Peerless 1|« 

Peters,  W.  B 74 

Pettitt,   S.  and  N 16 

Phillipps,    H.    N...224,   228,   258 

Phillipps,   T.  D 228,   258 

Phoenix,    The    79 

Physicians 2 

Pickard,  Bro.  J.  E 177 

Pickering,    Col 17,   192 

Pickwell    Bros 78 

Pigeons,   Plight   of 149 

Pilkington,  Capt.  E 106 

Pine   Grove,    S.S 271 

Pirie,  Rev.  J 212-3 

Planking  in  Town    150-1 

Plumb,  Hon.  J.  B.  .156,   213,   321 
Poems  Relating  to  Niagara  289 

Police  Act   230 

Police,  Board  of 150 

Porter,    Dr 235 

Postmasters 243 

Powell,  Dr.  G 235 

Powell,    J 33,    174-5 

Powis,   W 33 

Precentors  of  St.  Andrew's     92 

Presbyterian  Church 

32,  35,     98 

Presbyterian        Meeting 

House 122 

Presidents  of  Library 217 

Prickett,    Mrs 253 

Prideaux,  General 42,     43 

Primus,   W 206 

Prince   George    321 

Prince  of  Wales 31 

Procter,    General    42,     58 

Promenade  House 109 

Property  Owners,   1802....        9 
Pupils     Sent     to    Grammar 
School 223 


Q 


Quade,     Miss     15 

Queen's  Own 72 

Queen's  Royal 15 

Queenston   Earthworks....  29 
Queenston    Suspension 

Bridge 231 

Queenston,   Steamboat    ....  1 

Queenston  Veterans 167 

Quetton  St.  George 72 


Radcliffe,    Capt 62 

Radcliffe,    Mrs 130-1 

Raincock,  W.  W 257-8 

Rand,    G.    H 116 

Rand,   Wood    1 

Randall,   J.    de  W 152,   156 

Randolph,    General    17 

Rangers'    Barracks    ^» 

Red   Jacket 193,   195,   199 

Reeves   of  Town 153 

Regiments       Stationed       in 

Niagara    167 

Reid,  R 153,   263 

Reporter,    The    <» 

Revardi,  J.  J.  U 244 

Reynolds,    Rev.    W 65 

Richards,  Hon.  S 215,   226 

Richards,   Sir  W.  B 234 

Richardson  C 

115,    142,    257,   273 

Richardson,      Major   .... 

139,  178,   286 

Ri'st,'  Capt 179 

Robertson,  J.  R...43,  183,  283-4 

Robinson,  Hon.  B 95,   102 

Robinson,   Sir   J.    B 319 

Robinson,  Chief   Justice...      95 

Robinson,  Lt.-Gov 146 

Roe,  Mrs 117 

Rogers,   J....35,   89,   92,   93,   153 

Rogers,   Messrs 113 

Rogers,  Mrs 35,   248 

Rolls,  Dr 34,   236 

Ross,  Hon.   G.  W 282 

Ross,   J 256 

Rousseaux,  J.  B...154,  185,   194 

Rowland,   T 153 

Rudolf,   Rev.    C.    de   M 57 

Rules   for   Early   Schools..    130 

Russell,    P 8,    15,    16,   240 

Rye,  Miss   155,   161 

Ryerson,  Dr.  E 215 

Ryerson,  Rev.  J.  and  W. ..163-4 


Sampson,  Rev.  W 171 

Sanderson,    Mrs 286 

Scadding,  Dr 67 

Schools,  Early    128 

Scott,  J.   (Paymaster) 313 

Secord,  D 102,  171 


332 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Secord,   J 197,  248 

Secord,  P 246 

Secord,  Laura    Ingersoll.  .  318-9 

Secord,  Mrs 38,  40,   197 

Secord,   Widow 39,     40 

Servos,  D...39,  82,  120,  164,    181 

Servos,   J 3,   67,   248 

Servos,  J.  D.,  Company  of  168-9 

Servos,   Miss  M 167 

Servos,   Miss   W 134 

Servos,   Mrs 107,   181 

Servos  Family  Commissions  168 
Servos  Family  Graveyards  180 

Separate  School 132 

Settlers,  First 7 

Sewell,  T 75,   249 

Seymour,  H 229 

Seymour,   W.    T 226 

Shaw,   Misses    164 

Shaw,  P 133 

Sheaffe,   General    26,   1B9 

Sheehan,    E 180 

Sheehan,   W.   B 70 

Sherwood,  Judge 1,58 

Shipman,   P 101 

Sibbald,  Miss    185 

Simcoe,  J.  G 13,      17 

Simcoe,  Mrs 10,     18 

Simpson,   George    257 

Simpson,    Hon.    J 

76,    151,    232,   279 

Skelton,  J 77 

Slaves  for  Sale 203 

Sleigh  Club    264-5 

Slingerland,    H 98 

Small,    J 97 

Smith,  Chief 146 

Smith,  D.  W...16,   22,    106-7,  119 

Smith,  Miss  M 96,   229 

Smith,  Rev.  N 93 

Smither,   J 92 

Societies 255,   266 

S.P.C.K 273 

Spectator,    The    72,     79 

Speech  Day 224 

Spirit  of  the  Times 75 

Spohn,  Mrs 22 

S.  S.   Scholars  in  1822 271 

St.  Andrew's  Cemetery  ....  187 
St.  Andrew's  Centennial  .  .  93-5 
St.  Andrew's  Church.  79,  80,  87 

St.  Andrew's  Minutes    94 

St.  Andrew's  Society 272 

St.  Mark's  Cemetery    183 

St.   Mark's  Centennial    ....      66 

St.  Mark's  Church    56 

St.  Mark's  Church,  Gifts  to. 

64,     67 

St.  Patrick  Society 272-3 

St.Vincent  de  Paul    188,201    ! 

StVincent  de  Paul  Cemetery  188    | 

Stanley,  Dean 320 

Statutes  Relating  to  Niagara  230    ! 
Stephenson,  Mrs. . .  .89,   159,   189 
Stevenson,  Dr 54    , 


PAGE 

Stevenson,  J.  A 270 

Stewart,  A 108,   127,  229 

Stewart,  Rev.  Dr 60 

Stewart,    Mrs 34,  40 

Stocking,   J 112,  123 

Stone  Barracks    125 

Stores    110-1 

Strachan,  Rev.  J 39,  59 

Strachan,  Jas 291 

Street,  S 9,   38,   81,  130 

Street,   T.   C 278 

Streets  of  Town  ...  .97,   99,  100 

Sutherland,    Capt 139 

Sutherland,   Dr 165 

Swayzie,  I.    ...16,   213,   232,  247 

Swinton,  A 263 

Swinton,   J 213 

Sylvester,    Rev 165 

Symington,  J 33 

T. 

Talbot,   Col 308,   317 

Taverns 109,   110 

Taylor,  R 166 

Taylor,  Major    T 53 

Taylor,   Mrs.   T 118 

Teachers   in   Niagara 133-4 

Tecumseh    24,   199 

Telegraph,    The    76 

Telfer,    Dr 235 

Temperance   Society    273-5 

Ten  Broeck,  P 9 

Tench,  F 257 

Terry,   P 15 

Thompson,  D 133,   185,   286 

Thompson,   Capt.   E 

175,   259,   263 

Thompson,  Mrs.  E.  J 282 

Thompson,  P 247 

Thompson,   Mrs.   P 248 

Thomson,  T.  K 229 

Thomson,    W.    A.  ..10,   154,   156 

Thorburn,   D 231,   277 

Thorn,  Dr 235 

Tiffany,   G.  and  S.  .48-9,   71,   127 

Times,   The    78 

Tise,  G 9 

Tobias,  Miss 134 

Tornado    .  .  . 149 

Town  Clerks 153 

Townships   101 

Travel,  Early  Books  of...  311 
Trew,  Rev.  A.  G.  L.  ...224,  228 
Troops  at  Fort  George....  170 
Trustees  of  High  School.  .220-2 

Turf   Club    255-7 

Turquoid,  P 29 

Tyler,   Mrs 129 

U. 

U.  E.,  The   287 

Upper   Canada   Gazette.... 
14,   16,   29,     69 


INDEX 


333 


PAGE 

Union  S.   S 270 

United  Empire  Loyalists.  .      19 
United     Empire     Loyalists' 
Celebration    146 


\ 

Vanderlip,  Miss 210 

VanEvery,  Mrs 199 

Van   Rensselaer,    Gen 25 

Varey,    G 164,  189 

Vigoreux,    Capt 26 

Vincent,   Gen 32 

Virgil    Graveyard    183 

Visitors  at  Niagara 314 

Vrooman,   A 8,  182 

Vrooman,   S 181,  227 

Vrooman    Family    Burying 

Ground   .  181 


W. 

Wagstaff,  R.  and  J.  .  .  .150,  213 

Waite,  Mrs 160,  317 

Wakefleld,  Rev.  J 165 

Wards  in  Town 151 

Warehouse  Names  140 

Warner,  C 163 

Warren,  R.  M.  ...119,  164, 

244,  277,  307 

Waters,  H 98 

Watts,  T.  R 164 

Webster,  J 131 

Western  Home 116 

White,  J 16 

Whitelaw.  F.  M 77,  275 

Whitelaw,  Dr.  J 

...  94,  188,  214,  223,  250,  251 

Whitelaw,  Misses  134 

Whitmore,  J 23,  81,  251 

Whitney,  Sir  J.  P 282 


PAGE 

Whitten,  J.  and  T 152,  172 

Whitten,   Mrs 34,  164 

Wilcocks,    J 72 

Wilderness,  The 118 

Wilkinson,  R 153 

Wilson,  Dr.  E 229 

Wilson,    J 119,  249 

Wilson,   Dr.  R.  M 63,  237 

Wilson's  Hotel 121 

Winchell,  Elder   287 

Winnett,    H 65 

Winterbottom,   Miss  ...133,  217 

Winterbottom,   Mrs 35 

Winterbottom,   S 40 

Winterbottom,  W.    B.    ..35,  241 

Winterbottom,  W.  S.  ..152,  279 

Withrow,  Dr.  W.  H 165,  216 

Woodruff,   Mrs 65 

Woodruff.  R.  and  W 278 

Wray,   J 65,  131,  185 

Wright,  A.   W 282 

Wright,  C 169 

Wright,  W.    J 267 

Y. 

Yacht  Foam  Victims 187 

Yellow    House    116 

York  Academy 113 

York  Volunteers    26 

Youmans,  Rev.  D 163 

Young,   J 8,   81,   90,  250 

Young,  Rev.   J 82,   90 

Young,  Dr 165 

Young,    Miss.. 85,   115,   131,  188 

Young,   Mrs 188 

Young,    Prof 57 

Z. 

Zimmerman,    The    

139,    140,    318,  319 


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