The early political and military history of Burford. --

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QUE.EC.

NORTH YORK PU BLIC LIBRARY
MAIH

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For a large part of the material dealing with the early l\Iilitary
History of Oxford County, ,,'e are indebted to Dr. ..\. G. Doughty, C.
I.
G. L. L. D. and his e,'cr efficient. courteous and obliging staff of the
Dominion .. \rchi,'es, Ottawa. Also to 1\1 r. Pardoe, Librarian Ontario
Legislature. To Colonel E. Cruikshank, F. R. S. C. To Lt. Col. C. S.
Jones and staff of Crown Lands Departmcnt, Toronto. To L. lIomfray
In'ing, Esq, Parliament Buildings, Toronto.

To Dr. N. E. Dionne, F. R. S. C.. Quebec Legislature, to ReL 1\lr.
(;.arneêlu. Lihrarian. La,'al Cni,-ersity Quebec. and to all those relath'es
of thc principle characters mentioncd in this work who willingly supplied
us with such information as they possessed. ()ur thanks are particularly
duc to Dr. Charles E. B. Duncombe of St. Thomas, Onto a ncphew of the
late Dr. Charlcs Duncombe, of Burford.

QuebcC', January 4th 1913.

l.t CUTllBEl{TSOr\
lUIR.

T.-\BLE OF l'OKTEXTS.

PAGE

CH.-\PTER I.-The first DiscO\ eries.-Settlement.-Original Inhabitants of
Southern Untario.-How the lands were acquired and
disposed of.-The first attempts at cultivation. . .

CH.-\PTER II.-Cpper Canada's first Government.-Officials appointed hy
Lieut. Governor Simcoe.-!\Iemhers of the Legislatin
As-
sembly. 1792-IÎ96-1800-1
O.L 12
CH \PTER IlL-The naming of the To\\nship.-Its early attractions.-
Uurford, England.-Its early history. 19
CH.-\PTER IV.- The first sun"eys.-Land grants in Burford Township.-
Parliaments from 1792. 22

CH -\PTER V.-C1crgy Reserves.- The Canada Company.-Early Marriages.
-Rnenue of Upper Canada. . 49

CH.\PTER YI.-The Territorial di\,is:nns of "Cprer Canada.-District" and
Counties. 59

CH \PTER VII.-The formation. growth and development of Durford
Township. (A

CH. \PTER VII 1.- Tht.' tìr
t roads and hridges and first Railway.-Urock
-District cnuncil.-1842.-0xford County Council.-18
O..-
Burford Township Council.-1850. . 75
CIL\PTF R IX.-Person.ll Histories.-The Claus' Family.-Henry Lester.-
The \\ hitehead Family.-Thc Fmdt'r Family.- The Yeigh
Family.-Col. Henry Taylor.-The Perley Family.-Tllc
lIuir Family
I

CH.\!' fER X.-Burford's Parliamentar} Representati\'cs.-Sir Franci...
Hinks.-Hon. Edmund Burke \\'not! -Hun. \\ illiam P.lt-
terson.- Hon. .\rthur Sturgus Hardy. 100

CH.\PTER XL-The Cnion of Cl'per amI I.o\\er Canada.-Post Officl'S and
the
Iails.-Education.- The Kings Representatives.-IJ.
X. K 1'. 1:. I<y.-
lcmher" of Parliament l'l'per Canacla.-
lKH. 106

('H.\P fER XII.-IR3ï.-The Ri
ing in Burford.-Dr Charles rJuncomhc.
.\lemIJl:r
House of \s!>emhh", IR37.- TIlt' .\rresb-, Trials
.mll Sentences, I:urford and other prisnncr
.-Rehdlion
I.US
l'S Claims. Brock District. 117

P\RT II

CH \PTFR I. -1798-181 I.-The Fir!>t
lilitia.-The Fir
t ClIladi,lJ}
lilitia. _
Burford's Fir
t
rilitia Company.-Colonel \\ïIIiam 0;1\ it!
Smith.-Colond \\ïl1iam Claus. his com111is
ion as Lieute-
nant of Uxfurd County.-First Regiment Oxford Militia.-
The Hudon!. Blenheim .lnd Oxford Companies.-List of
Officers and
lcn.-.\nnl1al Returns.-The appoIntment uf
Deputy Lieutenant.-Captain Mallory's Resignation. . " 169

- Y1-

CIL\PTER lI.-1812-14.-Dcclaration of \Var.-1st Regiment Oxfurd Militia
Senice Roll.-1st Flank (Burford) Company.-Burford
during the vVar.- The invasion of Burford.- The Battle of
)'IaIcolm's )'fiIIs.-The Further Career of Denajah )'Iallory. 215
CH \PTER III.-)'luster Rolls and Pay Lists. Burford. I;1enheim and O)."ford
Companies.-Pay of Xew York State ),Iilitla.-J)etach-
ments at Long Point.-Sustenance.- Pensioneers. Brant
2nd Oxford Counties. 236

PAct

('H.\PTER IV.-.\fter the \VaL-Confiscations of Lands.-\\ ar Claims_ 263

C'H.-\PTER V.-The Further History of the First ())."ford.-OHicers in
1817.- The reorganization in 1,1322.- Th0mas Horner ap-
pointed Colonel.- The Middlesex and Gore )'lilitia.-List
of Officers 1st Oxford, 1829-36.- The five Regiments
formed in 1838. their Officers.-Reorganization in 18-t6.-
The Burford and Oakland Battalion. 267

CH.\PTER "I.-Brant County Formed.-Five Militia Battalions authorized.
-The fifth (Burford and Oakland) Battalion.-List of
Officers.-Capt. Rohert C. Muir's Company 18óO.-Strength
of the Upper Canadian Sedentary Militia.-Rel'ort of
1862.-The Sen-ice and Resencs Militia. ,.... 281

ClI.\PTER VII.- The Regular .\rm,}".- The Canadian Regnlars.-The First
Canadian Ca\alrv.- The Burford Cavaln-o lnfantn and
Rifles.-South .-\-frica.-Captain _ \Ilan \Vallace ËlIis,-
The 38th Brant Battali(ìn. "Duffcrin Rifles".-)'Iinisters of

Iilitia.. . . . . . . . . .. ............ 297

ILLCSTR.\TIOXS.

The Oldest Church in Quebec. .
The Old French Castle. Fort Kiagara.
Fort Niagara. 1812. . . . .
The Oldest Church in Ontario. .. . . . .

t. Mark's Church,
iagara-on-the-Lake.
r\avy Hall,
iagara-on-the-Lake. .
:\fain Street, Burford. England. ..
Burford, England. From the Hill.
The Burford (England) Bridge. . . .
The Grammar School. Burford. England.
'fhe Episcopal Church, Burford, England.
King Street. Burford, Ontario.
'fhe Old Mill. Burford. Ont. . . .
Jail and Court House. Erected 1817. .
The Old
1i1l Dam. Durford, Ontario.
The Congregational Church. . ..
'fhe Church of England. Erected 1850.
'fhe Methodist Church. . .
The Claus' Residence.
Bishop Chas. H. Fowler.
Revd. Thomas \Vhitehead.
! lenry Lester..
Jacob Yeigh. . . .. ...
Robert C. Muir. ]. P......
Lt. Col. Henry Taylor..
The Burford School..
The Burford School ...
Dr. Chas. Duncombe.. .. .. . .. . .....
Old Powder Magazine. Erected 1796.
General Drown.. .... ...

ergt. Rohert I
alkwill.
Two (>II!
I ilitia
h'n. . .
Lieut. Col. Charles S. Perle\'
Capt. \\ïllard
1. \\'hitehealÍ.
Dr. Chas. Duncomhe... ..
Major R. C.
luir... .... ...
Officers 2nd. Regt. Cavalry, 1875.
2nd. Regt. of Cavalr), 1883. . . .
The Burford Cavalry Lines, 1883.
. \n N. C. O. of the Burford Cavalry.
Burford Ca\'alry Troop, 1885.
Scrgt.
Iajor W. K.
Iuir. ..

fajor \V. K.
Iuir.. .., .. '"
C. Squadron. Camp Niagara. 11)()().
Officers 2nd Dragoons. }l)02.
C. Squadron \rmour)
Capt. Edmund Yeigh.. ... ...
Capt.
tephen \\'etmore. .
Lieut. Rory J ohnst()J1.
Capt. . \lIan D. 1\1 ui r. ... ... '..... ... .
Capt. .\Ilen \\'allace Ellis. . . . .. .
Lieut. Charles L. Danid. . . . . . . . . .

PAGE
3
4-
4'
7
9
15
lY
21
23
23
?

...:1
27
29
59
71
73
75
77
81
87
87
88
88
95
95
109
111
123
209
229
221)
277
281
281
281
3Ul)
323
325
327
32<J
3311
335
335
3.1<J
J..B
3-t5
363
363
363
365
,,67
367

ERRATA.

Page 8.--t'tlt line fn,m top-for "Subjests" read SlIhjpcts."
Page 9.-14th line from hottom-for "pnripa]" read "principaL"
Page 1O.-22nd line from top for "thereof" read "tllnf'of"
Page 13.-For "Eneas Shaw" read" \t>neas Shaw."
Page 13.-lOth line from bottom. for "boundry" rearl "boundary".
Pagt' 14.-For "John Monroe," read "John
funroe."
Page 16.-For "!\.lemhers of the secoonrI" read "l\lemhers of the Second."
Page 31.- 4th line from bottom, for "sixpense" read "s:x pence."
Page 48.-First line de]t>te. "Hon. \Y. D. Smith," 2nd line Insert "Hon. W. D. Smith."
Page 48.-Foot note. for "from to House" read "from the House."
Page 52,-lst line for "Padfied" read "Padtie]d."
Page 55.-13th line from top for "desiriol1s" read "desirous."
Page 69.-3rd paragraph. 2nd ]inc for "Cemetary" read "Cemetery."
Page 76.-4th paragraph. 2nd line for "or merchandise" read "or merchandise"
Page 8J.-3rd. line from top for "cnohlerl" read "ennc-bled."
Page 84.-3rd line from bottom for" provinding" read "providing."
Page H
.-r:or :'5t. .C
,therin
;"
e
d "St. Catharines."
Page 8':>.-hJr 'Bahff read Datllff.
Pa!!;e 9O.--{)th line from bottom for "retarted" read retarded."
Page <)3.-6th ]inc f rom top for "Brunskick" read .' Brunswick."
Pagc <)3,-18th line from top for "removeI" read "removaL"
Page Y4.-7h line from top for "cenetary" read "cemetery."
Page 94.--6th line f rom bottom for "wtih" read "with.'
Page 112.-For 'Louis de Bonde" read "Louis de Uuade."
Page 227.-3rd line from top for "]on]y" read "]onely."
Page 235.-For "communiacte" read "communicate."
Page 2i6.-For "Staff Officers 1837" read "Staff Officers 1851."
Page 284.-For "appointmnet" read "appointment."
Page 284.-For "Russel n. Gage" read "Russell O. Gage."
Page 2R5.-Delcte figure "9" hefore October 23.
Page 2<ì8.-2nd line from hottom for "In 1835. the cl1mhersone hand guns" read
"In 1.185. the cumhersome hand guns."
Page 302.-6th Jine from top for "periodiacIly" read "periodically."
Page 302.--7th line, delete word "taken" suhstitute "then."
Page 302.-After last line insert "as text books in a]' the Military Academies in
Europe, the} are a]so."
Page 303.-1nsert "The .\ctive
ilitia \'olunteer Corps were organized by the."
Page 303.-9th line from hottom for "comprehensihle" read "comprehensi\'e."
Page 31.
.-<)th line from bottom for "cnro]ment" read "enrollment."
P,lge 32<J.-For "K (
. .\. Laurd" read "K G. .\. Luard."
I'agt' 329.- .hlt paragraph for "During the year" read "During the year 188<1."
Page 330.-7th line from hottom for "It was hrought" read "It was thought."
Page 333.-8th line from top for "
1ajor Ba]dwin has asked" read "
fajor Balch\in
had asked."
Pag-e 333.--4th line from hottnm after "to" insert "an."

age 334.-3nl paragraph fourth line f\Jr "sore])" read "sole1y_"
Page 336.-5th lint' f r<Jf1I top for ''till'' read "of."
I'n
e :!ïl --Hr., .í:h allli fith lines from "ottom rOl' "R{'gi
ter' rt-Ilri "Hl'gi:--tnn'
I'Il
ð ::1:t -Photo - for" t'alnn Niagnl'a ., rcad .. Cllmp Xi:lglll"ll,".

The Early Political and Mi]itary History of
Burford.

Introduction.

The township of Bnrford, the oldest municipality in the County of
Brant, ha,'ing long passed the first century of its existence, it is fitting
that some authentic history or record be compiled before many of thc inte-
rcsting accounts of the first struggle of the early pionecrs, and the political,
military and other events connected with thc early settlemcnt of the town-
ship, have been cntirely forgotten; or only occasionally spokcn of, or
rcmembercd as misty traditions of the past, and finally pass into oblivion.
I t is with a "iew to presen'c for future readers of this work who
may rcside in thc township, and othcrs, who may take an intcrcst in the-
llistorical e\'cnts, occurring during the lives of their Ancestors, that the-
writer has undertaken to sct forth in this form, the various accounts

statemcnts and descriptions, gathered from old, rare and valuable docu-
ments relating to the early political di,.isions of thc Province, the first

ur\'eys, the first scttlement and to the first settlcrs of the Township.
.:\Iany able and distinguished public men and prominent characters, whose
names appear in our acconnt of the early settlement days, and others
connected in one way or another with the history of this municipality at
subsequent periods, will be refcrred to as fully as space will permit.
Thc writcr Jays claim to no literary ability, and has no intcntion of
resorting to a verhosc and tedious flow of intricate and complcx synonyms,
to describc, relate or place on record, events and occurrences which can
bc as well undcrstood by a plain and unexaggerated statement of facts.
Before taking up the 10caJ History and rccords connectcd with Bur-
ford Township, wc will first gJance at the early discoveries on the Eastern
part of this Continent, the first attcmpts to form settlemcnts in New
France, and rcfer bricfly to thc Indian inhabitants of thic; part of the
Province, who were found in possession when first visited by thc French
Missionaries.

Burford's Early Political History.

Chapter I.

THE FIRST DISCOVERIES - SETTLEMENT - ORIGIXAL
INHABITANTS OF SOUTHFRN O
TARIO - HOW THE
LANDS "'ERE ACQUIRED AND DISPOSED OF - THE
}'IH.ST ATTE
IPS OF CULTIVATION. .... ..

\VilO first discovered this Continent is an event which has often been
disputed by the most ledrncd of historians. To Christophcr Columbus
and to the bold navigator who
e name the double Continent bears, the
credit has often been given, but to Biarne Bardson, a hardy Norse sea
king, must be conceeded the claim of being the first European who set
foot upon the Eastern Shores of North America.
In the ycar 9
6. Bardson was onc of a number of Icelandic immi-
grants who hall formed a settlemcnt in Greenland, and during the summer
of 993, he sailed or was carried by the ice and strong currents far to thc
South, and constantly in sight of land, which provcd to be thc coast of
Labrador.
Emboldened and encouragcrl by the reports of HarrIson on his return
to Greenland, Leif, another hold northern sca rover, set sail in the ycar
1000 with a crew of some thirty men, determined to proceed South as far
as it was possible to disco\ er new countries in that direction.
l\fter a voyage of many weeks duration, having lande(i and passcd
scveral differcnt appearing countrics, to which they gave names, Lcif
arrived off the coast of a bcautiful land, where vegetation appeared to
be most luxuriant. Here he decided to remain, and having becn well re-
ceivcd by the natives, hc madc some arrangements with a view of forming
a settlement.
A fcw years latcr, three ships with 160 men, conveying all sorts of
(lomestic animals, pro\"Îsions, secds, etc, sailed from Grecnland to streng-
then this scttlemcnt in thc far South and lay the foundation of a colony,
which later events have proved was foundcd at a point along thc southern
part of thc prcscnt New England coast. Subsequent to this time, they

2

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

continued their voyages in a southerly direction, and penetrated as far
South as Florida. The ultimate fate of these first settlers is unknown,
but it is believed that when abandoned by their kinsfolk in the frozen
North, they finally became incorporated with their Indian neighbors, or
wandered into the far interior, as not a vestige of their settlement was
visible to the first of that wave of European Home seekers and fortune
hunters which has continued at flood tide for several hundred years and
has remorselessly swept away the original inhabitants of a vast, beautiful
and productive country, from the shores of the turbulent Atlantic to thc
calm waters of the great Facific.
In the re-discovery of this Continent, England, the 1Iother of future
nations, was already alive to the advantage to be gained for the spread of
her commerce to new countries.
In the month of 11ay 1497, three ships under Capt. John Cabot, a
successful navigator, sailed from the Port of Bristol, under the patronage
of King Henry VII. to discover new lands, and if possible a western pas-
sage to the Eastern shores of the Asiatic Countries. Cabot shaped his
course straight \Vest and after a passage of some five weeks duration, he
found in his path a large Island which he named St. J ol111s (now
ew-
foundland). On July 3rd the coast of Labrador was reached and here,
more than a year in advance of the date on which Columbus first saw the
mainland of America, Cabot and his officers went ashore and planted the
ensign which was eventually to float oycr the larger half of the Continent.
No settlements followed Cabot's discoveries, and no immediate benefit ac-
crued to England as a result of the voyage. The British Nation had yet to
be wielded together by the inclusion of Scotland and Ireland, before the
commencement of that period of peaceful acquisition and military conquest
combined, which was eventually to make the Anglo-Saxon Celtic races
a world wide power and the greatest Empire that has yet been seen. III
1508 the French under Aubert, first visited the St Lawrence Riyer, up
which they sailed for a considerable distance. Twenty-seven years later
the expedition under] acques-Cartier entered the mouth of the great River
of the north on the festival of St Lawrence, a circumstance which has
made the name of this Saint famous.
Cartier penetrated several hundred miles to the Indian town of Ho-
chelaga, reports of which he had heard from the natives at e\'ery point
along the River where his men had landed.
It was not until some years later that any real attempt was made by
the French to effect a permanent settlemcnt in the Country now called
New France. One of the first of the French Settlers was Abraham :l\1ar-
til1, over whos
lands passed the victorious army of \Volfe at a subsequent
period. Eustache l\lartin, son of Abraham "Martin and his wife Marga-

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The oldest Church in Quebec,
Erected 1688.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

3

ret L'Anglas, was the first white child born in Quebec, :May 24th 1621,
and about this period wheat was first sown in the new colony.
The first system of settlement along the St. Lawrence River was by
granting Seigniories to certain adventurous and enterprising characters,
many of them of good but impoverished families. These Seigniors erec-
ted comfortable and well Luilt stone 11anoir houses which dotted the banks
of the great Ri,'er, and becamc the centre of settlement on their large
estates. 'Cnder the feudal system, some 10,000,000. acres of land, extend-
ing from the Gulf to a point some 30 miles west of
lontreal, was granted,
anterior to the conquest in lï59.
Under the British Rule, but three similar grants of any importance
were made, viz : 11urray Bay, 110unt 1Iurray and Shoalbred. By the
old lavçs, the lands were held immediately from the King "en fief" on con-
dition of rendering fealty and homage on accession, and these lords of
the 11anor were bound to concede their possessions in lots of about 200
acres to such of the peasantry as were known to be of good character and
respectability. The lots all fronted on the River and were 38 rods wide
and about 1000 deep.
The tenancier or censetaires were bound to become actual settlers, to
clear, within a certain period, a specific portion of land, to open and
keep in condition the public road, to pay a nominal rental annually and
present to the Seignior some article of provision.
To the Scignior was delegated the power of holding courts and pre-
siding as Judges thereon with jurisdiction over all matters except murder
or treason.
The Frcnch laws rclating to Succession and inheritance, gave to the
eldest son, on the death of his father, one half of his father's landed esta-
tes, the other half of these estates were divided equally amongst the other
children.
The Seigniors were mostly men of good family, but of impoverished
means, who hoped to better their fortunes in the New \\'orld. .\ good
many discharged soldiers, timc expircd men from the Rcgular Rcgiments.
wcre pre\'ailed upon to settle undcr these conditions, and reccived lots of
240 acres with a frontage on the River of about three acres by eighty in
depth. A great thoroughfare was laid out along the Banks of the stream,
upon which their domiciles were erccted, and as population increased and
the country grew older, subdivisions were made in the original lots, but
always lengthwa) s, as all wantcd to live along the Road and near to the
water. Thcre also e:-..isted a
trong communal feeling, and to-day the trJ.-
yeller along the St. Lawrence Routc is surprised to see upon both banks
of the River, an almost continuous village of neat and comfortable homes,

4

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

crowned at regular intervals by the lofty spires and towers of 1!1lpOSlI1g
houses of worship.
The total number of Seigniories granted was 175, in addition to which
there were 33 grants called Fiefs, estates held on condition of fealty and
homage, and certain rights payable by the grantee to the Lord of whom
the fief is held.
As already stated 10,000,000 acres of land were grantcd to these
influential and favoured individuals, who at once assumed the position
of a distinct class, with all the patronage of the colony at their command.
Thus was created in New France, an established heriditary aristocracy
of petty nobles, who hoped to perpetuate the same system of European
vassalage from which many of the settlers had expected to escape from, in
a country so vast, so new and so uninhabited.
The French Government also granted to the various religious insti-
tutions over 2,000.000 acres of land and many special privileges.
The first settlers of New France, as the country was then called,
were largely Huguenots and up to the year ló27 the Government of the
colony was vested in these French Protestants. After the advent of
Cardinal Richelieu to power, and his assumption of office as Prime I\li-
nister of France, the Huguenots were removed from their positions,
amI all Legislative Authority placed in the hands of an irresponsible body
called the "Company of One Hundred Associates".
Two years later, that bold bucceneer, David Kerth, sailed up the St.
Lawrence, under commission from Charles I, of England, to conquer the
country. :K 0 effective opposition was offered by the settlers, and Quebec
soon surrendered. From 1629 until 1632 the British flag waved over
the Great Citadel. The treaty of St. Gcrmains restored the country to
France. One hundred and twenty seven years later came \Volfe and a
second time, thc Union Jack replaced the Fleur de Lis from the Citadel
flagstaff, and here for more than one hundred and fifty years it has never
ceased to wave, as the emblem of freedom and protection to all British
subjects.
The same year, an expedition, destined for the capture of Fort Nia-
gara, set sail from Osulega under the command of Gen. Prideaux, his
forcé consisting of
egulars and Provincial Corps numbered 2200 men.
At Niagara he was joined by Sir \Yilliam Johnson with 1000 Indian \Var-
riors. During the seige Gen. Prideaux was killed by the premature burs-
ting of a defective shell. -
The French made a determined resistance, but after a seige of some
three weeks surrendered to Sir. \Villiam Johnston, who had succeeded
to the command on the death of General Prideaux. The survivors of
the French Garrison consisted of 607 men and 11 officers.

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The Old French Castle. Fort Niagara,
Erected, 1726. Captured by the British, 1759,

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

5

From the 25th. July lï59, until lï96, when the British evacuated the
post, its possession gave the undisputed command of the carrying trade.

The Original Inhabitants of Ontario.

\\110 were the original inhabitants of this part of Ontario? Nothing
IS known of their history previous to the arrival of the Recollet :l\Iis-
siunary, Rev. Father Joseph Le Caron, in 1615. .At this period, all thc
territory I) ing between the l\iagara and the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers,
was in the possession of an industrious and peaceable tribc of Indians:
one of the principal branches of the great Huron family. Lying between
the Hurons on the ::'-Jorth and the fierce and warlike Iroquois on the
South and East, they kept the peace and traded for long with both nation
.
On this account they became known to the whites as the Neutrals.
I n the Neutral country were several large towns, and many vill

es.
containing a population estimated to have numbered
ome sixty th:msanJ
souls. One of the largest of these towns was situated in ,,',hat is no\"! the
township of Brantford, the cxact site of which is supposed to have been
located in the vicinity of the farm on the west bank uf the River occupied
by the late Lieut. Col. Hiram Dickie.
After a prolonged and bluody struggle with the Iroquois, during
which the Hurons had been almost annihilated, the remnant of the latter
tribe migrated to the Korth, and the Iroquois now resolved to make war
on the peaceablc K eutrals. .An cxcuse was soon found to invade the
country, and for two years, war, famine and pestilence raged throughout
the length and breath of what is now Southern Ontario.
The Iroquois had arrived to such a degree of powcr, by their num-
bers and their political and warlike qualities. as to hold all other tribes
1n perpetual dread of their inrods. This cruel an(l wanton destruction
of the
\ttiwandaronk people occurred during' the years ló51-2. The
whole country was desolatcd and depopulated, towns and villagcs were
burned and destruyed, women and children carried away into captivity.
Thc once populous town of i\ngclorum, situated ncar the landing place,
a couplc of miles above the double fords of the rivcr, prcsented a scene of
ruin and desolation, naught remaincd but the charred and blackencd ruins
of the Council House and many circles of what had bcen substantial
ludges.
The great Trail which ran from .\ngcloru111, along the base of the
high hill and up the small valley to the highcr table-land
, and entcrcd the
open country, across which it led, was now silent and deserted.
The peaceful
\ttiwandarons who were notcd for the manufacture
of beautifully made flint arro" and spear heads, an indu...try carricd on

6

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

almost exclusively by this nation, existed no more as a scparate people.
For years to follow only wandering bands of the savage Iroquois were
to be met with, who found that the game and wild animals had increased
in proportion to the decrease of population. There was no permancnt
occupation, of the country, but temporary hunting camps were formed-a
favorite spot being on the sandy ridge west of Burford village, lying bet-
ween the trail and the stream. In 1687 the French erected a small fort at
the mouth of the Niagara River and the Iroquois withdrew entirely from
French Territory, and in course of time the 11issassaugas a clan of the
Huron stock and some of the western tribes, took possession of the de-
serted country, and from the date of the conquest they lived together in
peace and amity.
\\'here once the smoke of the IndiaIU8' wigwam rose peacefully from
every river bank and every hillside in Southern Ontario, a new people and
another race are to be found. An Indian of unmixed blood is now diffi-
cult to find in this Province. \Vhole nations have disappeared before the
advance of what is called civilization. 1Iany once powerful races and
tribes are reduced to a miserable remnant driven ever further into the
frozen North. All that remains to remind us of the primeval dwellers
of the land, is the designation given by them to our great rivers and lakes:
The lordly Ottawa, the mighty Kiagara, the Erie, Huron and Ontario.
"Still roll as they rolled that ùay
But the Red 11en, where arc they ? "
The time will soon come when, the Indian, like the countless hcrds
of Buffalo, which as the 'waves of the Ocean, once covered the great plains
of the \ Vest, shall as a race, have become extinct, and no living specimen
of a pure Indian will be found.

How the Lands were acquired.

The first acquisition of lands in this Province from the Indians,
appears to have taken place on the 3rd of _\prillí64, when the Seneca Na-
tion, who held the lands along the east side of the River Nia-
gara, and also claimed jurisdiction upon a strip two miles in width, lying
along the west side, from the mouth of the River to the great cataract, a
distance of some 14 miles, through their principal chiefs assembled at
Johnson Hall, concluded an agn:
ment with the Superintendent of Indian
Affairs, to cede to His Majesty, and his successors forever, all their right
and title to said lands, the 11issassaugas however, claimed ownership ovcr
all lands lying on the west side, and it was found necessary in justice to
this title, to arrange a further treaty which confirmed His Majesty's do-
minion.

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On the 23rd of :March 1784, Sir John Johnson was directed to purcha-
se from the l\lissassaugas the whole ttrritory lying between Lakes Huron
and Ontario. On May 22nd a meeting of the
Iassassaugas and the chiefs
and warriors of the Six Nations and Delawares was held at Niagara,
when Chi@f Pokquan, a Missassauga, informed the assembly that his na-
tion did not own all the land between the Three lakes, as that part lying
south of the River La Trench (Thames) and west of Cat Fish Creek,
which included all that territory within what is no"v the township of Sand-
wich of the west, and Yarmouth on the east, belonged to the \ V estern tri-
bes, the remainder however, which consisted of some 2,842,480 acres, the
}Vlissassaugas were willing to dispose of, and for the sum of elevcn hun-
dred and eighty pounds, seven shillings, and four pence, they surrendered
all their right and title to this vast tract of country.
By the year 1790 more lands were wanted for prospective settlers
and on the 19th day of
Iay of that year, the aforesaid tract, about two
million acres of land, bounded on the South by Lake Erie, on the \ Vest
by the Detroit River, on the North by River La Trench, and on the
East by Cat Fish Creek, was ceded to the Crown by the Ottawas, Chip-
pewas, Pottawatomies and Hurons, for a consideration of 1,200 pounds.
In the year 1818 the Ivlissassaugas of the River Credit and of Rice
and l\I ud Lakes, surrendered some 2,600,000 acres for annuities of 522
pounds to the former, and 740 pounds to the latter. This was followed
by another surrender of 2,748,000 acres in 1819 by the l\iissassaugas of
Alinwick, for which they were to receive an annuity of 642 pounds.
In 1818, 1820 and 1825, the Chippewas of Lakes Huron and St.
Clair, Chencel Ecarte and :River Thames, signed away 2,800,000 acres
of their hunting grounds, for annuities of 1,200, 1,100 and 150 pounds
respectively.
The first attempt to clear and cultivate the lands commenced in the
Niagara District in 1781, when a number of Butlcr's Rangers were given
permission, under certain restrictions, to settle on certain lots which
they were to hold by permission from year to year, rent free, they were
to receivc sccd grains and farming implements, but the produce of their
farms, over and abo\'e their own consumption, was to be disposed of only
to the officer commanding the fort, for the usc of the troops. Among the
earliest of these settlers wcre the Seconls, Peter, James and John. In
the year 17
Q Pcter and James sct about preparing for the erection of a
Grist l\Iill, to be located on thc stream passing throug-h the farm of Petcr,
the estimated cost was 500 pounds, a large sum in thosc days. \nother
of these early settlers was Michael Showcrs, a man \\ hose namc is wcll
known in Burford, he, like tht: Secords, had come from Pcnnsylvania whc-
re they had located prior to thc brcaking out of thc Revolutionary war.

8

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

The uncertain tenure by which these settlers held their lands and
improvements caused great discontent and uneasiness.
On the 16th July 1783, instructions for the survey and grants to the
loyalists had been apprO\Ted and signed by the King. The surveyor Gene-
ral was directed to survey and layout such lands as the GO\Ternor and
Council should deem necessary and convenient for loyal subjests
and disbanded soldiers, such lands were to be divided into seigniories or
fiefs, in each seigniory a glebe was to be reserved and laid out to contain
from 300 to 500 acres, the propriety of such seigniorie or fiefs to remain
vested in the crown, the lands to be allotted as follows

To every head of a family
To every single man
To every N. C. Co. of forces reduced in the Province
To every Private ""
To every Person in their family

150 Acres
50
200 "
100
50

All such lands to be held upon the same terms, å,cknowledgments
and services as lands were held in the Province under the respective sei-
gniors holding and possessing seigniories or feifs therein, reserving from
and after the expiration of ten years, from the admission of the respec-
tive tenants, a quit rent of one half penny per acre.
Further instructions dated August 7th authorized the Governor Gene-
ral to allot to

tvery Field Officer
Captain
Subaltern, Staff or \Varrant Officer

1 000 Acre

700
500 "

On Oct, 20th 1787, new regulations were established. These per-
mitted the Governor General to grant lands in free and common soccage.
Provision was made for a reserve of five thousand acres in each township
of 30,000.
On 29th December an order in council was passcd appointing Lieut.
Col. Hunter, or other officers commanding the garrison at Fort Niagara,
Lt. Col. Butler, Peter Ten Brock, Robert Hamilton, Benjamin Pawling,
and Nathaniel Pettit a land board for the District of Nassau.
On Feb. 17th 1ï89, rules and regulations for the conduct of the Land
Office Dept. were adopted by the Executive Council, by which the dimen-
sions of an inland township were to be ten miles square, and those of a
township, situated upon a navigable river of water, nine miles in front
by twelve in dcpth. In an inland township the town was to be in the
centre, one mile square, with town lots containing one acrc each, parsona-
ge, jail and court house, work house, church yard, hospital, public squares,

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

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market place, town park for a schoolmaster, and a town park for a Minis-
ter, the open area of half a mile aroünd a town was to be reserved, the
town parks were to join this rcserve, all round, each containing twenty
five acres. In other townships the town was to be laid out upon the lake
or river with a similar reserye adjoining.
These regulations were subsequently modified by an order in council
of August 25th. It was directed that each board should observe the
following order for providing spaces for the general convenience of the
township.

1st.
2nd.
3rd.
4th.
5th.
{)th.
7th.
8th.
9th.
10th.
11th.
12th.

One or more place or places for the public worship of God.
A common burying ground,
One parsonage house,
.\ common School house,
A town park for one minister,
A town park for one schoolmaster, common to the town,
A glebe for one minister,
A glebe for one schoolmaster, common to the town
The court or town house,
The prison,
The poor or work house,
A Market place.

The Original Boundaries of Upper Canada.

\Yhen the British Parliament passed the Act dividing the Province
of Quebec into the provinces of Uppcr and Lower Canada, it was deci-
ded to cntirely do away with the old french feudal system of granting
seigniories, but it was found that several grants had been in existence
for some years \Yest of the Uttawa, the pricipal ones being New Longueuil
(25,000 acres) and Vaudreuil, in consequcnce of this, these grants re-
mained a part of Lowcr Canada prcventing the full extension of the
Ottawa River as the natural and geographical dividing line.
\Y. Fadden, Gcographer, to His ::\lajesty King George Third and
to His Royal Highness the Prince of \Yales, writing in the year 1i99,
give us what is probably the most authentic dcscriptiun of the boumla...
rics of the new Province of Uppcr Canada.
The PrQ\ inces of C pper and Lowcr Canada, separated according to
the following line of di,'isions, as set forth in Uis 11ajcsty's Proclamation
of the l
th. Day of
o\'ember 1i91.
To commence at a stone boundary on the Xorth bank of thc Lake
St Francis, at thc covc west of Pointc .Au Dodd in tlte limit between
thc Township of Lancaster amI thc
cigl1ion' of :\ cw LongncniL run-

10

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

ning along the said limit in the direction of North, 34 degrees west to the
\Vestermost angle of said Seigniory of new Longueuil ; then along the
North \Yestern boundary of the Seignory of Yaudreuil, running north
25 degrees East, until it strikes the Ottawa River ; to ascend the said
river into the Lake Temiskaming, and from the head of the said lake by
a line drawn due North, until it strikes the boundary line of Hudson's
Bay, including all the Territory to the westward and southward of the
said line, to the utmost extent of the country commonly called or known
by the name of Canada.
The Province of Upper Canada is bounded to the Eastward by the
United States of America; that is, by a line from the -t-5th degree of
North Latitude, along the middle of the river Iroquois or Cataraqui,
into Lake Ontario, through the middle thereof, until it strikes the commu-
nication by water between that lake and Lake Erie, thence along the
middle of the communication unto Lake Erie; through the middle of
that lake, until it arrives at the water communication between it and
Lake Huron, thence through the middle of Lake Huron, to the water
communication between it and Lake Superior ; thence through Lake
Superior northward, of the Isles Royale and Philipeaux, to the Long
Lake, and the water communication between it and the Lake of the
\V oods ; thence through that Lake to the most North \\T estern point
thereor ; and from thence a due west line to the River Mississippi. To
the westward, and to the northward, \Vest of the Mississippi, its boun-
daries are indefinite the northern limits of Louisiana not being well known.
To the northward, it is bounded by Hudsons Bay, as settled by the
Treaty of Utrecht, in the 49th parallel of North Latitude extending due
west indefinitely.

How the Lands were disposed of.

"

ACRES
$2,407,687
225,944.
63,642.
258,330.
2,484,413.
3,200,000.
694,910.
730,000.
450,000.
225.999.
136,000.

For support of Clergy
" King's College Toronto
" Upper Canada College
" " "Grammar Schools
To the Canada Company
U. E Loyalists
Six :N' ations Indians
11ilitia men
Discharged soldiers and sailors
l\1agistrates and Barristers
Executive Councillors & their friends

"

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Five Lcgislati\"e Councillors
Clergyman as private property
Persons contracting to make surveys
Officers of the army and navy
Colonel Talbot
Heirs of General Brock
Dr. :Mountain, a former Bishop at Quebec

11

50,000.
36,900.
264-,000.
92,526.
48,520.
12,000.
12,000.

11,39i,R72.

CHA,PTER II

Upp
r Canada"s First Government.

EXECUTIVE

Lieut. Governor.- John Graves Simcoe
Executive Councillors.-\\'m. Osgoode, appointed Chief Justice
Peter Russell,
.Alexander Grant,
James Baby,
\Vm. Robertson, who neglected his duties and
in lï93 was replaced by Aeneas Shaw.
Legislative Councillors.-In addition to above
Robert Hamilton,
Richard Cartwright,
John Munroe,
Thomas F raser,
Richard Duncan,

Osgoode, Russell, Grant and Robertson were nominated by the
Imperial Government.-Baby and Shaw, by Lieu1, Governor Simcoe.
The Legislative Councillors were sel
cted on the 17th July 1792, at a
meeting of the Executive Council held at Kingston.

William Osgoode.

\\Those name is commcmorated in this Province by being conferred
upon a township in Dundas county, and given to the seats of law at the
Provincial Capital-was born in England in 1754. At the age of 15
he entered Oxford College where he continued his stuùies until 17ï7.
Haying thor0ughly mastered the English and International laws, he beca-
me an authority, and was appointed in lï91. Chief Justice in the New
Colony of Upper Canada, His ability and integrity were so marked, that in
1794 he was advanced to the same office in Lower Canada where he com-
,
manded uni,'ersal esteem and respect. In 1801 he resigned ,his office and
returned to England whcre he died in 1
24.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

13

Members Simcoe's Government.

Eneas Shaw.

A Highland Scotchman of good family, entered the army at an
early age as Ensign. Had commanded a company of the Queen's Ran-
gers, under Lieut. Col. Simcoe, during the Revolutionary war. \Vhen
this famous corpà was disbanded in 1783, Captain Shaw retired to
ew-
Brunswick, where he rec
ivell a land grant for his service::).
He joined Col. Simcoe in Quebec on the 4th March 1792, having
made the entire journey overland on snow-shoes. The Lieut. Gov. of the
New Province had invited Capt. Shaw to accompany him to Xiagara and
assist in completing the organization of the new corps of Queen's Ran-
gers. This was the first military body raised for service exclusively in the
new Province. After their disbandment, Capt. Shaw was appointed
Brigade-Major, U. C. i\Iilitia, promoted Colonel in 180X, i\Iajor Gen. 4th
June 1811, Adjutant General of l\lilitia 1812-15. Died in Toronto, 1815.

James Baby.

Eldest son of the lIon. Jacques D. Baby, a member of one of the
most ancient and distinguished French Canadian families of Canada,
was born in Dctroit in 1763, where his father had becn established for
some years engaged in the fur trade, which then as now was a most profi-
tablc business. James was educated at the Seminary at Quebec, the
oldest seat of learning in Canada. After a trip to Europe, he joined his
father and assistcd in building up an extensive commercial business.
Their strong adherence and attachmcnt to British institutions made
it nccessary for them to remove to the Canadian sidc of the rivcr, aftcr
the peace of 1783, and when the next war broke out, it resulted in their
losing all thcir lands and propcrty within the boundry of the
Iichigan
territory, and an entire ccssation of their great fur trade.
James Baby, now 49 ycars of age, was appointed Colonel of the 1st
Regiment of Kent
lilitia, and during the war of lRI2-14, commanded
all the militia in the \Vcstcrn District. Shortly after the close of the war
was appointed Inspector General. He also hel<l thc position of President
of the Legislati\ e Council. From lX16 he rcsided in Toronto, wherc his
moral virtues won thc rcspect and esteem of all clas=,cs. I lis integrity and
honor were unquestioned. His dcath in 1833 at the age of 70, was a
decided loss to the Province.

14

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Alexander Grant.

Second son of the Seventh Laird of Grant, In\"erness-shire, Scotland,
was born in li34 and was the oldest member of the Exe('utive Council.
Upon the death of Lieut Governor Hunter, on the 21st August 1805, the
Honorable Alexander Grant became administrator until the arrival of
Lt. Governor Gore.
Col. Jasper Gilkinson of Brantford was a grandson, his mother being
thc 7th daughter of Alexander Grant.

Richard Duncan.

\Yho had been appointed Judge of the Lunenburg District, by
Lord Dorchester on the 2-i-th July 1i
, was extensively engaged in com-
mercial pursuits, bùt having met with serious reverses, he found it expe-
dient to leave the country without having assumed the duties of his last
appointment.

John Monroe.

Born in Scotland in 1731, came to America in 1756 and settled in
N ew York State. Commissioned Captain in a Loyalist Corps, and took
an active part in the Revolutionary \\Tar. His property was confiscated
in 1779.

t-loDorable Peter Russell.

The Honorable Peter Russell was born in England and came to
America after the breaking out of the Revolutionary \Var. From 1778 to
1782 he acted as Secretary to the Commander-in-chief of the BritL;h
Army in North America. He landed in Quebec 2nd. ] une 1 i92, succee-
ded Governor Simcoe as President of the Council from 1796 until li9).
He became possessed of large tracts of land in the Province, in addi-
tion to other properties he located some four thousand acres in the town-
ship of Norwich. He died in Toronto in 1808.

Robert Hamilton.

\\'as a son of the Rev. John Hamilton, and a relative of Col Archi-
bald Hamilton, commandant of the Queen's County, N ew York, l\Iilitia.
About the year 1780 he established himself as a merchant at Niagara and
Queenston.

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

15

In 1ï88 an order in council was passed appointing him one of the
la!1d board for the District of Kassau. He was also appointed the First
Judge for this District. He became one of the largest and most success-
ful merchants in the Province, and developed an un satiable appetite for
land. His holdings in Burford township amounted to several thousand
acres.

Officials appointed by Lieut. Governor Simcoe.

Receivcr General
Surveyor General
Asst. Surveyor General

Attorney General
Solicitor General
Clerk Executive Council
Civil Secretary
Clerk Legislative Council
Supt. of Indian Affairs
Usher Black Rod
l\1ilitary Secretary
Provincial Aide-de-Camp

Peter Russell
\ \' m. D. Smith
'rhos. Ridout
\ \" m. Chewit

] ohn \\Thite
R. 1. D. Gray
John Small
\ Y m. JarvIs
Peter Clark
Col. John Butler
J olm l\IcGee
Major Littlehales'
Col. Thomas Talbot

Members of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada.

The Proclamation issued from Kingston on the 16th of ] uly divided
thc Province into ninetecn counties, from which sixteen members of the
Legislative Assembly were to be elected by the people. The General
Election for the Legislati\'e Assembly was held in August 1ï92. and
Parliament met on the lith Septcmber at Newark. (Niagara).

Counties

1ï92 to 1ï96

Glcngary 1st Riding
., 2nd"
Stormont
Dundas
Grenville
Lecds and Frontenac
Addington & Ontario
rrin:c Edward & . \dolphusto\\'JI
Lenno"\: F ê..stings & :i'JorthumherlalHl

Names of l\lemhers

I I ugh 1Iacdonell
John l\lacdonell-spcaker
Jcrcmiah French
Alcxander Campbell
Ephraim Jones
John \n1Ïte
Joshua Booth
* Philip Dorland
I- T an'lton Spctll','r

]6

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Durham Yor}.;: and 1 st Lincoln
2nd Lincoln
Durham York and 3rd Lincoln
4th Lincoln & Norfolk
Suffolk & Essex
.Kent (two mcmbcrs)

Nathaniel Pettit
Benjamin Pawling
Isaac Swayzie
Parshall Terry
David \\"m. Smith
\\"m. 1:1accomb & Francis
Baby.

* Philip Dorland being a Quaker refused to take the oath, and Pcter
\
analstine was electcd to fill his place.
The above distribution of Seats indicates what parts of the Province
was most thickly populated by the 23,000. inhabitants, which it was esti-
matcd to contain at this period.

Members of the secoond Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada

1796 to 1800

Prince Edward &. Adolphus-
town
Lennox. 1 Ia
ting
&
orthum-
berland
Durham & 1st Lincoln
2nd Lincoln
3rd Lincoln
4th Lincoln & Esscx
Sutrolk & Essex
Kent (two members)

lï98
lï99 .. 1800
lï96 .. 1
00

Richard \ \ïlkinson
John 1Iaccloncll
H,obert I. D. Gray
Thomas Fraser
Ed ward Jessup
Solomon Jones
Christopher Robinson
\\"m. Fairfield
David 11cGregor Rogers

Glengarry 1st Riding
2nd
Stormont
Dundas
Grenville
Leeds & Frontcnac
Addi
1gton & Untario

Timothy Thompson

Richard Beasley
David \Ym. Smith
Samuel Strcet
Benjamin Hardison
John Cornwall
Thomas Smith and Thomlts
:McKee

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

17

Members of the third Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada.

Return of the names of the
le111bers chosen to serve. in the House
of Assembly in the Provincial Parliament for this Province, called to
meet on May 28th 1801 by virtue of \Vrits of Election, issued by the
order of His Excellency Peter Hunter, Esquire, Lieutenant-Governor,
bearing date the 9th day of July 1800, as appears by the said \Vrits duly
returned into the office of Enrolments by the Returning Officers of the
several Counties and Ridings, respectively as commanded.

COUNTIES & RDGS

Glengarry and Prescott.

Stormont & RU
sell
Dundas
Grenville
Leeds
Frontenac
Prince Edward, Lennox,
and Addington
Northumberland, Dur-
ham Simcoe and East
Riding York
\Vest York 1st Riding
Lincoln and IIaldimand
2nd 3rd & 4th Riding
Lincoln
Norfolk Oxford & 1\lid-
dlcsex
Kent
Essex

1800 to 1804

RETURNING OFFI.
CERS

Cornelius
I unro.

J as. Anderson
Cornelius 1\1 unro
Thomas Fraser
Jas. Brad.enridge
\\ïlliam Coffin
Alex. Fisher

\ \ïlliam Chewett

Abraham Nelles

Jas. Clark

Thomas \ \" elsh

Abraham Trcdell
_'\ngus !\lcIntosh

REPRESENTATIVES

Alex'r l\Iacdoncll and
Angus l\Iacdonell
Robt. I. D. Gray
Jacob \ V eager
Samuel Sherwood
\\.m. Buell
John Ferguson
Timothy Thompson

Henry Allcock

Robert Nelles and Ri-
chard Beaslcy
Isaac S wa yzie

Hon. D. \\.. Smith

Thomas !\lcCrae
1\Iatthew Elliott and
Thomas l\IcKee

18

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Members of the fourth Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada.

ELECTIO
1804 RETURNS CO
lPLETE 4th AUGUST

1804 to 1808

COUNTIES & RIDI
GS

REPRESE
TATIVES

,\lexander 1\1 acdonell and 11. B.
, \ïlkinson
Stormont and Russell I
oht. 1. D. Gray
Dundas John Chrysler
Grenville Samuel Sherwood
Leeds Peter Ho\\'a rd
Frontenac ..\llan l\1cLean
Lennox & .L \ddington Thomas Dorland
Prince Edward Ebenezer \\'ashburn
Hastings & i-Jorthumh
rland David :McGregor Rogers
Durham, Simcoe, East Riding. andAngus .l\Iacdonell
York
'Vest Riding of York, 1st LincolnSolomon Hill & Robert Kclles
and Halidimand
2nd 3rd 4th Riding of Lincoln
1\ orfolk Oxford and 1Iiddlesex
Kent
Essex

Glengarry and Pre
cott

Isaac Swayzie & Ralph Clench
Uenajah l\Iallory
J 01111 l\IcGregor
Matthew Elliott and David Cowan

Members of the sixth Legislative Assembly of Uprer CanaC'a.

l\IcDonell, l\Icl\Iartin, Cameron, Jones, Howard, Casey, Robinson,
1'\ ellis, Secord, Nichol, Burwell (Norfolk, Oxford and l\tliddlesex) Mc-
Cormack, Cornwall, Van Koughnet, Crysler, Fraser, Cotter, l\tIcNab,
Swayzie, Clench.

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CHAPTER III

The Naming of the Township. 1793.

Its early attractions. Burford, England. Its carl}' IJistor)'.

The origin of the name of the township and village of Burford has
been long forgotten, in fact it is doubtful if any of the first settlers ever
knew or cared how it originated. \\'hen the township was first sur-
veyed, it was like many others given a number, but when replaced by a
name, it was called after the old town of Burford in Oxfordshire, En-
gland. Established under the Saxon regime, it was first known as Beor-
ford, and after the Norman conqucst, as Burgfonl. On olù papers and
on old trade tokens, the name is spelt Burgford.
Burford, Oxon is situatcd in a beautiful section of country on the
River \\ïndousk, the waters of which have peculiar chemical propcrties,
which has made the well known \ \Tibney Blankets world famous. The
Ford is now spanned by a substantial stonc bridge of 14th Century time.
Historical records state that in the year ó
5, an ecclesiastical synod was
helù by the Kings Ethelred and Bertwold. In ïS2 a battle was fought
near the town beh\'een Ethclbald, King of 1Iercia, and Cuthbert, King
of the \Vest Saxons. After thc conqucst, the Hou
e of Kormandy besto-
wcd Burford on Rohert, Earl of Gloucester, natural son of Henry I.
John \\ïlmont, Earl of Rochester, rccei\'cd his education at Burford frce
school, foundcd in 1571.
Burford Priory was restored a few years ago. Passing through seve- .
ral hands, the orig-inal building, which included a church, camc into those
of Sir Lawrence Tanficld, created Chief Baron of the Exchequer by James
J. who honored him by a \'isit.
Charles II. and \\ïlliaJ1l III. wcre also guests within its walls.
In a garden housc, no longer in cxistance, was discovered the body
of J olm Prior, Gent, murdered and found hidden in the Priory garden.
The crime was credited hy somc, to the Fifth Earl of Abercorn, hut he
was acquitted by his peers and a gardcner was hanged.
Burford Grammar School, a picture of which is incJudcd in this work,
is situated on Church Green, right oppo
ite a row of almshouses founded
by Richard, Earl of \\'arwick.

20

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

The first name signed on the American Declaration of Independence,
John Hancock, was a decendant of a family (Quakers) who left Burford
through refusing to pay certain dues-this latter fact is recorded in the
town records. In 1649, owing to some real grievances, a 1iunity broke
out in Cromwell's troops, a Cornet and a Corporal were shot before the
eyes of their comrades against the walls of Burford Church, and discipline
was again restored. This ancient Saxon town, around which clusters me-
mories of many interesting events, of which we have not space to deal,
may now regard with feelings of pride, her \Vestern namesake in the
New "VVorld. To-day the Plains of Burford, famous since the days of
the neutral nation, dotted with comfortable and beautiful homes, occu-
pied by a contented and prosperous community, who are the absolute
owners of its broad and fertile acres, cannot now be exceIled in any part
of the world for healthfulness, productiveness and general prosperity.
To the first settlers the "Plains of Burford" presented a most invi-
ting and attractive aspect, but many of them estimated the value of these
lands, as a farming proposition, from the quantity and variety of the tim-
ber found growing thereon. Sections of country thickly wooded with
the Hard .l\-1aple, Beech and Hickory, appeared to them to contain the
richest soil, an open country, dotted here and there with groves of the
inferior black oak, and the softer woods, but mostly covered with short
grass and bushes, must necessarily be of inferior value for the raising of
grain and other crops, and the wise ones passed on, and laboured for the
remainder of their lives in strenuous toil and daily battle with the huge
giants of the forest, while men of more practical views and better judg-
ment as to the value of the soil, located on the Plains, and with very little
labour in clearing, were soon the possessors of large fields of cultivated
lands, which to-day, after more than one hundred years of continuous
cropping, are as productive, with proper care and attention, as they proved
to be to the first settlers.
One Hundred and twenty years ago, the broad and fertile acres, now
called the Township of Burford, was part of a vast wilderness, for the
most part densely w09ded with sugar 11aple, beech, white pine, white,
black, and red oak, chestnut, white and black ash, basswood, butternut,
white and black ash, hickory, cedar, etc. The exception to the wooded
tracts being the beautiful plains along the Eastern part of the Township.
In the open spaces wild fruits, grapes, and berries grcw in abundance,
the forest teemed with the Canadian fur and other wild animals, the
streams, which were then much larger than they are to-day, and remained
at almost uniform depth throughout the year, were filled with fish, beaver,
otter etc.
The early settlers of Burford undoubtedly were obliged to undergo
great hardships, as viewed from to-days standards of life; but they had

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

21

much to compensate them, in their isolation and in the absence of mod
rn
comforts and luxuries.
This wilderness was then a game paradise; wild turkey, often figu-
red on the daily menu ; venison was a staple article of diet, while splendid
black bear robes and coon skin caps and coats were obtainable, or at
least material to make them, at the expenditure of a few cents for powder
and ball.
To-day how changed,. the vast wilderness once undisturbed by the
noise and bustle of modern civilization, is covered ycarly with waving
fields of grain; the forests have almost entirely disappeared, the wild ani-
mals, the game, entirely so, but in place of the former are found highly
cultivated, and thrifty farms, beautiful homes with all modern conve-
niences, thriving villages, and what always indicates a prosperous commu-
nity, wealthy monetary institutions.
'''e believe however, that there is to-day in this year of Grace 1912,
many weary workers in our large towns and over crowded cities, where
thc increased cost of li,.ing has made life
lch a serious problem to many,
who could gladly exchange their present position, for just what Burford
could offcr the settler, one hundred years ago.
It is customary for the present generation of writers to express gre:1.t
sympathy for the early settlers of this country, but for our part we arC"
inclined to think, that if it were possible for the early pioncers to appear
again on this earth, and remain long enough to study present conditione:;
of life, not forgetting their old friend the tax collector, many of them
would be disposed to sympathize with their descendants, whose cares and
burdens had increased so enormously, and whose freedom had become
so restricted. The old time simplicity of life and manners has given place
to much that is extravagant and unnecessary in both private and public
affairs, conditions as they exist to-day have a tcndenq to keep thc poor
man poor and in a state of practical bondagc, and helps to make thc rich
man still richer.

CHA.PTER IV

The first surveys, land grants In Burford Township. .

The first surveys of land in this Province was made by order of
General Alured Clarke, !\1ilitary Commander at Quebec and acting Go-
vernor, in 1781. \Vork commenced at the extreme western point of
French settlement, the Seigniory of New Longueuil. Only base lines
were run and temporary marks placed to indicate the corners of each
Township. Three years later l\lajor Samuel Holland, Surveyor Gene-
ral, who had fought under \Yolfe on the Plains of Abraham, received
instructions from Sir Frederic Haldimand, Governor of the Province of
Quebec, to layout additional townships along the St Lawrence River and
the Shores of Lake Ontario, in preparations for the arrival of the Ameri-
can Loyalists and time expired men of several military corps.
A great many of the assistants on 1Iajor Holland's staff were either
ignorant or incompetent men, as most of the work was found by subse-
quent surveyors to have been done in such a careless and indifferent man-
ner as to require a great deal of labor to correct the errors.
The dates on which the survey of the first Townships were completed
are as follows :-In 1783 Kingston, 1784 Elizabethtown, Earnestown,
Fredericksburg, Adolphustown, Bertie. 1785 Leeds, 1786 Y onge, Rich-
mond, Marysburg, 1787 Landcaster, Charlottenburg, Cornwall Osna-
bruck, "'7i1liamsburg, 1fatilda, Edwardsburg, Augusta, Pitts burg, Cam-
den East, Ameliasburg, Sidney, Thurlow, Humberstown, \\ïlloughby.
1788 Roxborough, Landsdowne, Sophiasburg, Thorold, Crowland. 1790,
Pelham.
The first official act affecting the new Province of Upper Canada
was the Proclamation of Lt. Col. John Graves Simcoe, issued from the
Government House, Kingston, on July 16th 1792, forming the Province
into 19 counties, all fronting along the St. Lawrence River, and the Lakes
Erie and Ontario. All of thcse counties, with some alterations in their
boundries, are in existance to-day, excepting the County of Suffolk,
which was located between the Counties of Kent and Norfolk. In those

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The Grammar School. Burford, England.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

23

days, the Lakes and Rivers were the natural if not the only highways, and
byways of travel' and commerce. Up to the year 1783, the entire Euro-
pean population of \Vestern Canada was not more than 2000, the country
was a mere wilderness with only a fringe of settlers along the Niagara and
Detroit Rivers.
Soon after Col. Simcoe had established the seat of Government at
the mouth of the Niagara, he set to work energetically to encourage set-
tlers and to open up the interior of the Country. His Surveyor, Gen. D. \y.
Smith, Asst, Surveyor. Generals, Thos Ridout, and \Ym. Chewitt. were
instructed to layout a great military highway, running from the head of
Lake Ontario, to a na vigahle point on the River De La Trench-this he
called Dundas Street, and the first surveys done on this line were the
first surveys in connection with the Township of Burford. The line
behveen Burford and Blenheim Township, being run by Deputy Surveyor
Augustus Jones in 1793. lIe then penetrated along the \Vestern Bound-
ary of the Indian Country. lying along the River Ouse, to the centre of
the township, where thc old "Indian Trail" ran through, between Lake
Ontario and the head waters of the La Trenche, and here he ran the 7th
and 8th concession lines, and no others. In 1793 this old Indian Trail
was the only by-way approaching the nature of a road in the interior of
the country, and when the present stonc road was laid out in 1842, it
followed very closely the old trail through the township. Anyone ac-
quainted with the local topography of this locality, can understand th;1t
the original inhabitants of the country, who knew every foot of the ground
made a wise choice when establishing their trail between the great Lakes.
The almost continuous swamp which traversed the lower part of the
township from end to end, was until the last fifty or sixty years, frequently
as impassable as a shallow lake, only at one point was it penetrated by
land high and dry at all seasons of the year, and divided only by a small
brook-this was the sandy ridge which leaves the 7th Concession line at
the west end of the present Village of Burford, and carried the trail \Vest
by North until at thc \Yest-town line, the 5th Concession line was reached.
The surveyors ran the two concessions in 1793, as the dircct result of Go-
vernor Simcoe's passage along the Indian Trail a few months previously.
No further surveys were made in Burford until the year 1798. In that
year, an act was passed by the Provincial Parliamcnt, which now met at
York, to establish the boundry lines of the different township of the Pro-
vince, and stone monuments were to be sct up to mark the corners of lots.
For wilfully defacing or removing such, the stern leguislatures of those
days considered that the only punishment to fit the crimc, was thc death pe-
nalty, and it was ordained that the condemned was to suffcr death with01

the benefit of the clergy, truly an appalling fate for what to-day wouJd
scarcely be considcred a crime, but alrcady in the oldcr parts of thc Pro-

'24

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

vince, the most bitter feuds had arisen over boundary disputes, ending
in more than one instance, with fatal results.
Also many of the Legislators and their friends who had received
large tracts of lands as free gifts, which they held solely on speculation,
did not propose to be deprived of a single foot of their holdings. It was
however mostly owing to the 'faults and errors of the first sUr\'eyors, who
in their wisdom thought it would be hundreds of years before the wilder-
ness would be inhabited or cleared, and that a few roads either way
would not matter much.

One of Col. John By's assistant engineers in the construction of the
Rideau Canal, writing in 1829, makes the following reference to the work
of these first surveyors :

" All manner of people in Canada but the lawyers, lament the manner
in which the Townships have been laid out and sUr\'eyed, the Surveyors
have become perfectly ashamed of themselves. Let a law be passed as
soon as possible, that the Townships be laid out according to their natural
boundries-let all concession lines be run according to the order of na-
ture ; and give all settlers deeds of their lands, that their descendants
may know them thousands of years hence. How simple is this, and how
willing would the proprietors of the lands in Canada be to pay fOr this
survey.
Contession lines-what are they ? blazed marks now as the term goes,
but in a few years, they will be ideal lines by fancy drawn.
In yain then for the farmer to cry out, where is my boundary, the
trees are cut down or consumed by the fires of the forest-his property
falls into chancery, and the lawyers, fatten on the clearing that took manf
a day of hard chopping. No river, no marsh, nor mountain bounds the
property or the Townships, either at the East or the '''est or any other
part of the compass. Instead of a tract of land laid out artificially, with-
out attending in any respect to the laws of nature, where the settler might
build himself a hut on the banks of cooling strcam or beneath the brow
of a mountain, he is compelled to go to the wilds, to become food for mos-
quitoes, and when a father dies he leaves his' family behind him to the
mercy of the lawyers of Canada-Can this be science? Can this be
surveying ?"
Another Act passed in 1i98 was for the better division of the Pro-
vince, and it was now divided into Eight districts, 23 Counties, and 158
Townships. One of the new districts was London and one of the nc\;
Counties was Oxford. Burford was to become a part of the new
County of Oxford, and eventually London the headquarters for all mat-
ters pertaining to the :Militia and to the affairs of law. Instructions were

" to

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

25

now given to John Stegman, Deputy Surveyor, to sun-ey out the balance
of the Township, He was informed in his instructions, that as !\Ir. Jones
had run one or two concession lines, they must not be interfered with by
:Mr. Stegman. 'Vith a complete staff of assistants he now completed the
survey of Burford Township, running through from. end to end, the 2nd,
3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th concession lines.
The lots were laid out 29 chains 80 links wide, with an allowance for roads
of one chain wide, between lots 6 and 7, 12 and 13, 18 and 19. Those
were the days for obtaining large grands of land, somewhat like it is to-
day in our Great North-'Vest-every effort is made to hurry the settlement
of the Country, some of the offers made out and accepted appear ridicu-
lous in this age-whole Townships were granted to individuals who had
agreed to opportionate the land out to "bona fide" settlers, or to sUr\'ey
out certain parts of it. \mong the rest, one Dayton recei,'ed a grant of
the TO\vnship of Burford, on conditions of settlemcnt, which he was
unable to fulfil and the title was again vested in the Government.
'Vhen settlement duties were not perfomed by the actual settler a
d
in some cases by the absentee landholders, the lands granted hy govern-
ment in consideration of such duties, were occasionally confiscated at
cl
title was again vested in the Crown. l\Iany of the first settlcrs, ea!;t'f to
secure as many acres as possible, acquired more of the soil than they werc
able to take care of, and through want of means Or assistance failed to
make the neccssary clearings and build the specified amount of roadways.
A few others abandoned their holdings and removed to other parts.
All such lands were again regranted or sold at later dates. It would
appear however that the estates, large and smalL held by political favo-
rites, and others close to the Executive, were exempt from any regulation,
restriction, or taxation of any nature whatsoevcr, and for ,-ery many
years the actual owners were entirely unknown to the first Burford set-
tlers.
At this period information of any kind rcgarding the doings of the
Land Boarù was difficult to obtain. The bona fiùe settlcrs who came into
Burford after the year 1799, was obligcd to
elect a grant, sandwiched in
between a Clergy or Crown Reserve and the lands of some absentec lanù
speculator held from sale for an appreciation in value, which he expccted
would be brought about through the industrious excrtions, of those who
had to hew thcir homes out of the wilderness to clcar thc forcst, and
plant and raise thc commodities on which himself and his family dcpcnded
upon for their food and clothing.

Land grants in Burford Township.

The system of granting large tracts of land to favorites of the Exe-

26

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

LLJ.tive for real or imaginary services, which prevailed in its most extra-
vagant form, during the first twenty years of the history of this Province,
was one that has always flourished in countries where the blessings of
responsible government are unknown. For many years after the opening
of the township for settlement, its development was retarded by the utter
impossibility of the newly arrived immigrant, after he had made a selec-
tion, to secure any Land \Varrant, any title or any authority to continue
in possession of the wild lands, which he was ready to clear and improve.
In many cases the owners were unknown, and it was impossible to ascer-
tain who they were Or where they resided. The most prominent of the
e
latter individuals was the Hon. Robert Hamilton, member of the Legis-
lative Council. On the 15th June 1ï99, he had presented a petition in
person before the Hon. John Emsly, Chief Justice, and Hon. Aeneas Shaw
in the Council Chamber at York, praying that Deeds might issue in 111S
own name, for 3,700 acres in the Township of Burford, 6.150 acres in the
township of Blenheim and 5,650 acres in the township of Oxfonl. It
was recommended by the Committee that deeùs he' :
su('ð to qlC petitio-
ner for the lands mentioned in the schedule, but from th{' reco;-d
, it does
not appear that the transfers were completed and registered before the
month of December, 1802, when he became absolute owner of nearly 4,000
acres in Burford, which with some, 9,650 acres of Crown Lands, an equal
quantity of Clergy Reserves, 2000 acres to the Heirs of Tonadine Lawc,
1200 to Jeremiah Powell, 800 acres to Mrs, Clench, 1000 acres to the
Rev. Thomas Raddish and some smaller grants, ncver contributed a cent
in taxes, until they finally passed into the hands of bona fide settlers, 1600
acres of the Crown Reserves was granted to Kings College, th'e balance
to the Canada Company. The Clergy Reserves were gradually disposed
of to the highest bidder up to the year 1865.
George Lawe J r, who inherited 2000 acres in Burford, as part of the
Tonadine Lawe estate, belonged to a family of surveyors, who willingly
accepted large tracts of country for their services in laying out new town-
ships. Thomas Powell was a member of this well known family of the
early days. The Rev. Robert Raddish accepted generous land grants with
all the avidity of a modern Real Estate Agent. His interest in the new
Province of Upper Canada was more of a financial than a spiritual one.
The life of a Missionary held no charms for one accustomed to the ease
and emoluments of a well regulated Parish, and after acquiring title to a
large estate in Upper Canada, he returned to live in the Old Country,
much to the disappointment of those who had confidently counted upon
his aid and assistance in uplifting the moral and intellectual tone of socie-
ty, such as is always found at first in new countries, not yet under the ju-
risdiction or influence of well regulated religious societies.
A considerable part of the lands granted to George Lawe, Jr., and to

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C

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

27

Jeremiah Powell, appear to have been considered of so little value to
these individuals, that having taken no steps to perform any settlement
duties, or make any effective move towards taking possession, the govern-
ment at later dates regranted certain lots to other clairmants. Charles
Burch was another individual who was granted large tracts in the North-
ern part of the township as well as in the Gore of Burford ; he however
neglected the most of his holdings in Burford, and finally lost title to
such lots,
The "Burford Gore" surveyed in 1796 by Thomas \Valsh, as a part
of the Township of Townsend, was transferred to Burford on Jan. 1st
I ROO.- The first patents were granted in the year 1797.---the first Grantee
being Robert Pilkington, who secured 800 acres. In 1802 Finlay :Mal-
colm and Edin Bebee located large tracts in both the "Gore" and the
township proper.
The first land Patents issued to any individual within the territory
which now comprises the county of Brant, was therefore in the present
Township of Oakland. As early as 1794 however, Location Tickets
had been awarded to prospective settlers in the 1st, 7th and 8th Conces-
sions of Burford.
Abraham Dayton, who received a grant of the township of Burford
from Governor Simcoe, had been a resident of the State of K ew York,
and was one of a religious sect, which through the influence of its leader,
Jemima \\'ilkinson, had drawn together a considerable body of free thin-
kers, undecided characters, and disgruntled members of other christian
bodies. These followers of Jemima \\Tilkinson, were looked upon by the
inhabitants who surroundered them, as a set of religious fanatics, and
they decided at last, like the followers of Joseph Smith at a latter date,
to seek out a "
ew Canaan", under the flag where all manner of religious
beliefs are tolerated.
The choice of an emis
ary was left to their leader, who deputed .\bra-
ham Dayton, a man of considerable ability, to procecd to Canada, and in-
terview the Governor of the new Province, and propose the emigration
of the wholc body of worshippers, who desired to settlc altogcther and by
themselves, somcwhere in the interior of the country.
Gov. Simcoe believing thcm to be Quakcrs, a society well known to
him in the old country, as quiet, law ahiding and peacabIc citizcns, gave
his asscnt to the proposition, and Dayton was authorized to procced to the
country lying west of the Indian lands along the River Ouse (Grand
Rivcr) .
The promised land was found, in what is now the township of Bur-
ford. The beautiful open park likc plains which met his eye appcaled to
Dayton so strongly, that he wiscly decidcd, after the grant had been made

28

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

-----
--

under certain conditions, to cut loose from his old associates, and take
up land in the township on tJis own account.
He received Location Tickets for the lands he selected but did not live
long to enjoy life in the country of his adoption. Abraham Dayton was
an intelligent and estimable citizen, and his connection with the peculiar
religious society, the infliction of whose presence Burford narrowly esca-
ped, which first brought him to Burford, was doubtless brought about by
force of circumstances and the nature of his local surroundings.
Dayton was the father-in-law of Benajah l\Iallory, the latter having
married before coming to Burford, and through his wife, he acquired title
in 1798, to the lots selected by Dayton.

Notes of the Originals Land grants.

The following will give some explanation regarding the first land
grants, sales, etc and also some idea as to land values at the different pe-
riods when the lots were obtained from the Crown.

CONCESSION 1.

One of the last Crown lots to be sold was the north half of lot No.
S, to Thomas ].Horner, on the 18th. October 1871, for the sum of eighy-
seven pounds, ten shillings, or seventeen shillings six pence per acre.
Lot numbers 12 and 13 \Vas first granted to John Smith, Jr., on 21st De-
çember 1902.

Lot No. 15 to Janet Stenhofl, 25 Nov. 1802.
" .' 7 \Yilliam Slawson 17 l\'lay 1802.
H. 3 Jane Carles 17 l\lay 1802.
H 8 Bowes Slawson 17 l\lay 1802.
" " 10 Charles Burch 17 May 1802.

CO
CESSION 2.

Lots Numbers 10 and 12 first granted to Charles Burch, 17th. May
1802. Lot No.9 re-granted to John Secord 17th. May 1802, Lot No.
14, First granted to George Lawe, J r., 24t
1 Oct, 1798.

On the 1st. August 1846, James Eakins paid Fifteen shillings per
acre for East half of Lot. No.2

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD 29
CONCESSION 3.
Lot No. 3 First granted to l\1argaret Hurst, 10 Aug, 1801.
" 7 Re-granted to Daniel Hazen, J r. 24th. Dec. 1806.
" " 6 First granted to John ,Huff, 28th, l\lar. 1807.
" 8 First granted to Finlay 11alcolm, and Edin Bebee
17th. l\lay 1808.
CONCESSION
o. 4.
Lot No. 7 Re-granted to :Mary Gates, 26th, January 1802.
" 8 Re-granted to Finlay 1lalcom, 17th.
lay 1802.
" 9 Re-granted to Daniel Secord, ith, :March 1804.

1835. John and James :Muir paid Fifteen shillings per acre for Lot 22 in
the Second Concession, and G. \V. \Yhitehead, 15 shillings per acre,
for one half of lot No.9 in the Fifth Concession.
Thomas \\'right, paid Sixteen shillings pcr acre, for Lot No. 17
Tenth Concession, and Andrew Roswell, 22 shillings per acre, for
Lot 10, 14 Concession.
1837. Charles S. Perley, secured Lot No, 3 in the Fourth Concession,
for Seven Shillings sixpence per acre, Eliakim :Malcolm, Lot No,
2 in the Fourteenth Conccssion, for Fifteen shillings per acre, and
Gideon R, Inglis, Onc half of Lot 15, 13th Concession, for Eight
shillings per acre.

CO
CESSIO

o. 5.

"

6 First granted to Ralph Clench 23rd. Feb. 1803.
9 First grantcd to Joseph Smith, 25th. Kov. 1802.
16 In 1835 it appcars that James Trimble and Nicholas
Dowling, received title.

Lot No

CONCESSION No.6.

On the 19th. Fcbruary, lx34 thc South half of Lot
No 12, was re-granted to Jacob Patrick.
Lots No. 17 and 22, was first granted to Thomas Smith, in 1834-35
and rcsold on J ul)' 18th, 1856, for the sum of Fif-
tecn shillings per acre.

30

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

CONCESSIO
No.7.

Lot No.2 purchased by John Haywood, 23rd, April 1856, brought
Fifteen shillings per acre, and Lot No. 9 sold 6t
.
September, 1837 to \\"m. :\lc\\ïl1iams, Fifteen shil-
lings per acre.

CONCESSION No.8.

On 13th. January 1829, a portion of Lot No. 10
was first granted to Hannah Long.
Lot No. 17, first granted to l'vlichael Baron, 10th June 1801.
Lot K o. 21. first granted George Lawe, J r, 24th. Oct. 1798.
East Half of Lot No.3, sold \\'111. l\Ic\Yilliams 7th. :March 1846,
costing Sixteen shillings per acre.

CONCESSION No.9.

Lot No.9, a Clergy Reserve, was first leased to Jacob Yeigh for å
term of years, and the sale of the north half to Bap-
tist Johnston, on 8th, February 1875, closed out the
last acre of these lands in the township.

CONCESSION No. 10.

Lot No.3, a Clergy Reserve, sold to Charles Eddy, 9th l\iay, 1830
for Twelve shillings Six pence per acre.
Lot No. 17, also a Clergy Reserve, was sold 8th. l'vlay 1862, to \Villiam
Thompson for Sixteen shillings per acre.

The North half of Lot No. 22, anothcr Clergy Reserve, sold June
25th. 1850, to J. \V. \ Vilsie, for Eleven Shillings
and Three pence.
Lot
o. 24. to James Moore, 12th. February 1850, price Fifteen shil-
lings per acre.

COXCESSIO
No. 11.

The Hon. Robert Hamilton's title to the north half of Lot 15, appears
to have lapsed, as it was re-granted by the govern-
meut to the Canada Company, 2nd. Nm"ember 1832.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

31

COXCESSIO:"J No. 12.

l.ot !\ o. 3, first granted to \ \ïlliam Smith, Junior, in 1831, became a
clergy reserve, and was sold to Philip Flock July
13th. 18-1--1-, for Twelve shillings Six pence per acre.

COXCESSION No. 13.

Lot X o. 2, a Clergy Reserve, brought Twelve shillings Six pcnce pcr
acre, the North half being sold to Joseph l\loore,
22nd, l\lay It;31, and the south half to Alonzo Fos-
ter, lïth. Dec. 18-1-0.

CO
CESSION No. 14.

Lot Xo. 2, sold 4th, Deccmber 1840, for Fifteen shillings per acre,
Fifty acres of lot No.3, sold 5th. July 1853 for Se-
venteen Shillings sixpence per acre.
Lot No. 10, a Clergy Reserve, was
old to \\ïlliam Anderson, lïth.
December 18ÓX, for Twenty-two shillings per acre.
Other land sales made by the Cro\\'n were as follows :-
1830. \Ye::t half of Lot 1'0. 2, Seventh Concession to Daniel Southwick,
price 15 shillings pcr acre.
183-1-. Part of Lot :\0. 3 in the Seventh concession, sold to Jacob Yeigh
pricc Sen:nteen shillings Sixpcno;;;e per acre., the ,';hole of lot .N'o. 22--
in the Sixth concession, Thomas Smith, price 15 shillings per acre.
The East half of Lot .:\0. 2 Tenth Concession, to James Eakins, 1st.
.. \ugust l
-I-ó, price Fiftcen shillings per acre.

32 THE HISTORY OF BURFORD
Township of Burford.
The first Individual owners.
Concession K o. 1
Lot. No. I Name of Patentee I I DeSCpt.1 Acre
I Date of Patent.
1 I Peter Martin, i S.0 100 IJune, 30, 180l.
1 lAnd. Westbrook, N.0 100 Feb. 26, 1812.
2 John T ohnson, 200 N'ov. 6, 1857.
3 Sarah Ruggles, \V.0 100 Jan. 22, 1833.
3 Elizabeth Clench, E. 0 100 Aug. 9, 1838.
4 John Smith, Sr. 200 Dec. 31, 1806.
5 Solomon Lane, 200 IApril 19, 1805.
6 John Eaton, 200 Oct. 31, 1810.
7 Jacob McKay, 200 I Sept. 15, 1803.
8 Th. J. Horner, Crown Reserve, N.
100 Oct. 18, 187l.
8 Th. J. Horner, " " S.
100 Nov. 6, 1857.
9 Samuel Baker, 200 rar. 13, 1805.
10 Comfort Davis, 200 Apr. 2, 1806.
11 James Smiley, 200 Dec. 1, 1798.
12 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, 200 May,S, 1836.
13 Sarah Follick, " ,. 200 Mar. 13, 1805.
14 James Mills, 200 Dec. 13, 1805.
15 Jacob Decou, 200 Mar. 6, 1805.
16 Fr. H. Pulham, S.0 100 Feb. 27, 1857.
16 J. G. Lindsay, N.0 100 Feb. 27, 1860.
17 Jane Losee, , 200 Sept. 16, 1808.
18 Robert Fawcett, Crown Reserve, I N . E .% 50 July, 26, 1852.
18 William Fawcett, .. ,. N.W.%\ 50 July, 26, 1852.
18 T ohn Thompson, ,. j S.
I 100 JApr. 15, 1852.
19 Levy Atwell, I 200 Nov. 17, 1801.
20 Ch. Burtch, Jr. I 200 Oct. 1. 1803.
21 Canada Company, I " W.0 100 Feb. 27, 1837.
21 Canada Company, ,. E. 0 100 Apr. 24, 1833.
22 Adrien Marlet, 200 Nov. 26, 1803.
23 Canada Company, I N.0 100 Nov. 2, 1832.
23 Canada Company, I S.0 100 Oct. 24, 1836.
24 Samuel Martin, I 200 Sept. 5, 1801.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD 33
Township of Burford.
The first Individual Owners.
Concession No.

Lot No.1 Name of l'atentee.1 I D..cpt.1 Acres. I Date of Patent.

I R. J os. Kerr, I I I 200 121st, June 1806.
2 R. J os. Kerr, I 200 ,21st, June, 1806.
3 Chas. S: Perley, ICrown Reserve, I Pt. of E.
I 25 !24th. June, 1853.
3 /D. D. Prosser. I 1840.
3 J olm Knill, " II N. E.% 50 13th, Sept. 1865.
3 Hon. G, Goodhue, " II W.
100 5th, Aug. 1863.
4 I\Villiam Rose, N.
100 9th, May, 1840.
4 John Crawford, S.
100 16th, June, 1840.
5 I Canada Company, " 200 27th, Nov. 1835.
6 Sarah Johnson, I 200 30th, Tune, 1801.
7 i Sarall Johnson, I 200 20th, June, 1801.
8 \lary Lafferty, I 200 30th, June 1801.
I
9 Mary Lafferty, I, I E.
I 200 30th, June, 1801.
10 J ames Eakins, Clergy Reserve, 100 1st, Aug. 1846.
10 I ames Eakins, ., IE,
of w.
50 16th, Mar. 1850.
10 Man. Freeman, ., : \\".
ofw
I 50 14th, July, 1854.
11 George La we, J r. i 200 24th, Oct. 1798.
12
usana \Volfe, 200 30th, Oct. 1806.
13 1_\. \ \' alterhouse, I 200 17th. Oct. 1826.
14 Joshua Ferris, 200 17th, May, 1802.
15 Kings College, Crown Reserve, 200 13rd, Jan. 1828.
16 Hon. R. Hamilton, I 200 lIst' Dec. 1802.
17 Ed. Harhin, Cle
gy Reserve, \V.0 I 100 4th, .\pr. 1864.
17 Le. T. Hewitt, 'I E.0 100 26th, Jan. 1863.
18 :George Lawe, Jr, 200 24th, Oct. 1798.
19 George La we, J r, I 200 124th, Oct. 1798.
20 ICanada Company, (rown Reserve, K.
I 100 126th, Oct. 183ó.
20 Canada Company, " " I S.
100 27th, Nov. 1835.
21 Hon. R. Hamilton, 200 1st, Dec. 1802.
22 John :\Iuir. Clergy Reserve, IS.E.
50 8th, Nov. 1835.
22 Ijames Muir, I" I, S. \V. % 50 8th, June, 1835.
22 Danid Kipp, " I, N.0 100 14th, Nov. 1860.
23 Rev. T. Raddish, 200 31st, Dec. 1798.
24 Rev. T. Raddish, I S. % 50 31st, Dec. 1798.
24 IJolm Garner, I N.7,í 50 17th, :\lay, 1802.
24 John Lewis, I C. pt. 76 8th,
Iay, 1840.

3!

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Township of Burford.

The first Individual Owners-

Concession No. 3

Lot No.1 Name of Patentee. I
--y- I John D. Decou, I
2 S. Spencer Day, I
2 Charles Day, 1
2 George Bray, I
3 John Fowler, I
4 Canada Company, ,Crown
5 Peter Trickey, !
6 Gideon Day, I
7 T er. Powell,
8 ) er. Powell, I
9 IDaniel Perley, I Crown
9 I William {jow.
Cr
'wn
10 IGeorge Law, Jr, I
/ Estate T. Lawe, !
11 Canada Company,; Crown
12 I Henr y Beamer, I
13 T ohn Mann,
13 Garrett Egbert, I
14 Joshua Ferris, !
1j Joshua Ferris, !
16 John Gibson, I
16 Daniel Davis, \
16 Pat. Mac Gee, \
17 M. Eliz. Clench,
]8 .. " "
19
20
21
22
23
23
24

I
I
Canada Company,
Crown
A. \Vinterml1te,
Canada Company, I Crown
Canada Company. I "
Be. \Vintermute, I "

I ])escpt.1 AC'es.\ Date of
atent

I I
I w . p.! of s. \
Iw.p.
ofs.
\ N.
\
Reserve, I
i
I
s.
I
N.
I

I
Reserve, I
Reserve,
I
I
'Kesc.rye, '1

S. End.
N. End
'1
N.
I
s. w. Ý-Í !
I S. E. Ý-Í
I
i
I
I
Reserve, .

I
Reserve, I N.
I
., I S.
I
I I

200
50
50
100
200
200
200
200
200
200
100
100
200

1 '8th, Aug.
1st, Sept.
1st, Feb.
3rd July,
30th, Jan.
27th, Nov.
23th, Sept.
l Ist Mar.
9th, Jan.
9th, Jan.
1 18th, Oct.
10th, Oct.
24th, Oct.
17th, Feb.
13th, May,
7th, Nov.
25th, Jan.
17th, May,
17th, May,
14th, Nov.
15th, July,
15th, May,
10th, July,
" "

200
200
1ïO
30
200
200
100
50
50
200
200
200
200
200
200
100
100
200

24th, Dec.
30th, Tune,
1 st, Oct.
17th, Feh.
130th, June,

1799.
1862.
1854.
1860.
1803.
1835.
1839
1808:
1798.
1798.
1856.
1856.
1798,
1837.
1805.
1821.
1842.
1802.
1802.
1853.
1860.
1855.
1801.
"

.,

.,

1834.
1801.
1835.
1837.
1801.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD 35
Township of Burford.
ThO! first Individual Own
ra.
Concession No. :1
J..ot No.1 Nume of putentee.1 J Descpt.1 Acres. I Date of Patent.
,w. Reynolds, the I I 200 22nd, Oct. 180j.
younger,
2 Ben. Mallory, 200 16th, Oct. 1798.
3 Joseph Martin, , Clergy Reserve, I 200 14th Feb. 18j4.
4 Char. Perley, ICrown Lands I 1838.
4 Nath. Pettit, 200 10th, June, 1801
5 Canada Company, CroWn Reserve, I N.
100 112th, Oct. 1841:
5 Canada Company, " " I s. % 100 '21st, ..\ug. 1835.
6 IGeorge Lawe, Jr, 200 /24th, Oct, 1798.
7 J er. Powell, 200 1 9th , Tan. 1798.
8 per. Powell 200 9th, Tan. 1798.
9 George Lawe, Jr, 200 124th, Oct. 1798.
10 Ch. Blanquière & 200 8th, Nov. 1850.
10 R. 1. Carey, Clergy Reserve,
11 M. Hopkins, 200 5th, Apr. 1804.
12 Levi Lawrence, 200 24th, Apr. 1805.
13 Nathan Lawrence, 200 26th, Sept. 1805.
14 George Lawe, J r, 200 24th, Oct. 1798.
15 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, 2UO 15th NO\". I

:
.
16 George Lawe, Jr, I 200 24th, Oct. 1798.
17 Rohert \Viggins, I Clergy Re,
erve, S. 0 100 16th, Dec. 1848.
17 John Muir, " S. 0 100 23rd Feb. 1852.
18 Est. Silverthorn, 200 18th, Mar. 1828.
18 Richard Fletcher,
19 Richard Fletcher, 200 18th, Mar. 1828.
.Anne Spencer,
H. Hixon and
Et. SHverthom as I
tenants in common
20 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, 200 21th, Aug. 1835.
21 George Lawe, Jr, 200 24th, Oct. 1798.
22 Allen Muir, E.
100 7th, Nov. 1846.
22 Roht. C. Muir, Clergy Reserve, W.
100 21st May, 1840.
23 Hannah Smith. 200 30th, June, lRO!.
24 IN ancy Handy, I S. Pt. 46 115th, June, 1836.
24 Ben. Wintermute, I N. Pt. 50 1 10th, July, 1801.

36 THE HISTORY OF BURFORD
Township of Burford.
The first Individual Owners.
Concession No. 5
Lot. No.1 Name of pateotee.: I Descpt I Acres. I Date of Patent.
I IJohn Evans I I 200 l20th. Jan. 1812.
2 I Ben. Mallory, i I 200 16th, Oct. 1798.
3 lJ ustus Stevens, I 200 28th, Feb. 1805.
4 Kings College, I Crown Reserve, 200 3rd Jan. 1828.
5 Anne Dugan, I 200 17th May, 1802.
6 Canada Company, N.
100 19th Sept. 1838.
6 Canada Company, S. 0 100 12th Oct. 1841.
7 Jer. Powell, 200 1 9th Jan. 1798.
8 IJ er. Powell, 200 9th Jan. 1798.
8 \Villiam Bennett I N.
100 24th Mar. 1848.
9 Th. Bennett, 1 Clergy Reserve, S.
100 !6th Nov. 1857.
9 G. W. Whitehead, I 100 I 1835.
10 Peter Hopkin, the 200 1 5th Apr. 1804.
younger.
11 H. Graham, T. RI I 200 113th May, 1803.
12 Art. Rogers, 200 10th Feb. 1806.
13 Cyrus Sovereign, I N.
100 27th May, 1856.
13 Samuel Carter, Clergy Reserve, I S.
100 1st .May, 1851.
14 Samuel Hamel, \ N.
JOO 17th May, 1802.
14 Isaac Gilbert, S.
100 17th May, 1802.
15 I Issac Gllht"rt. I 200 117th May, 1802.
16 Peter & David I N.
100 11th Nov, 1858.
Warboys, Reserve, I i
16 Thomas Hill, Clergy S. 0 100 l11th Sept. 1861.
17 William Bowen, 200 17th May, 1802.
18 Rubin Dayton, I 200 17th May, 1802.
19 Lewes Scribner, 200 17th May, 1802.
20 Ehez. Henry, 200 15th Oct. 1805.
21 Kings College, Crown Reserve, i 200 3rd Jan. 1828.
22 IAhia Mallory. 200 16th Oct. 1798.
23 Canada Company, Reserve, I N. I
100 8th Mar 1832.
23 Canada Company, I Crown S. 0 100 124th Apr: 1833.
24 Ben. Mallory, I I 200 16th Oct. 1798.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

37

Township of Burford.

The first Individual Owners,

Concession No. G
Lot No.1 Kame of pateutee.1 I Dose!'t.1 Acres. I Date of Patent.
IW' Douglas, now I
Elizab. Reynolds, 200 2nd Mar. 1807.
2 Kings College, Crown Reserve, I 200 3rd Jan. 1828.
3 I T acob Patrick, Cleo
gy Reserve, S. % 100 19th Feb. 1834.
3 Thorn. Fraser, cO N. W.ý.Í 50 4th Dec. 1848.
3 WiI. Daniel, N.E ý.Í 50 2nd June, 1860.
4 N ath. Landon, 200 26th Sept. 1805.
5 Ben. Mallory, 200 16th Oct. 1798.
6 Ben. Mallory, I 200 16th Oct. 1798.
7 Den. Mallory, I I 200 16th Oct. 1798.
8 David Palmer, 200
14th, Mar, 1803.
9 Joseph Smith, I Reserve" S. E. Y<í I 200 25th Nov. 1802.
10 James Carter, Clergy 50 27th Sept. 1858.
10 James Crysler, Clergy Reserve, S. Vv. % I 50 5th July, 1860.
10 I Ceo. W. Holder, c C N. W.
I 50 5th Dec. 1859.
10 IJ. Henderson, CO N. E. ý.Í! 50 29th Jan. 1864.
11 I Samuel Kenny, I 200 18th Oct. 1798.
12 lAse! Bearfs, 1 200 13th May, 1807.
13 /EPhr. Bearfs, I 200 13th Mar. 1829,
14 Sam. Carpenter, I E. % I 100 20th May, 1801.
14 \ Sebine Lake, 'N.W.
I 50 3rd Nov. 1835.
14 Eve Durham, S.W.
I 50 7th Mar. 1812
15 ICanada Company, E. % 100 17th Feb. 183i
15 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, W.
I 100 11 st Oct. 1835.
16 Edward Kerr, 200 17th May, 1802.
17 L. T. Sovreeen, Clergy Reserve, N. % 100 22nd, Oct. 1860.
18 Mich. Huffman, \ W. % 100 4th Apr. 1825.
18 Margaret Acre, E. % 100 10th Apr. 1831.
19 Rob. S. Hughsnn l 200 16th Dec. 1828.
20 Canada Company, N.
100 26th Oct. 1833.
20 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, S. % 100 121st Aug. 1835.
21 Justus Mallory, 200 9th May. 1812.
22 Mal. Mclntyre, 1 w.
100 18th July, 1856.
22 John Stevenson, Clergy Reserve, . E.0 100 18th July, 1856,
23 Eleanor Smith, I 200 30th Tune, 1801.
24 Eliz. Smith, 200 30th Tune, 1801.

18 THE HISTORY OF BURFORD
- ---- -
Township of Burford.
The first Individual Owners.
Concession "X o. 7
Lot. No,l
ame of Patentee. J I DéSCPt.1 Acreb. I Date of Patent.
1 IAnna Smith, I I 200 /25th Nov. 1802.
2 John Heywood, I E. % 100 23rd Apr. 1856.
2 Daniel Southwick, I Clergy Reserve, I \V. 0 100 \ 12th Dec. 1845.
I Richard Griffin, I I 200 .17th :May, 1802.
J r, Impound, I
3 James, S. Boss, I I 50 1834
3 Jacob Yeigh, I I 50 1834.
4 King s College, I Crown Reserve, I 200 3rd Jan. 1828.
5 John Fowler, I 200 ,30th Jan. 1803.
6 John Eaton, I 200 110th Mar. 1812,
7 Abraham Luce, I I 200 7th Dec. 1801.
8 . \ViI. Proudfoot, I I S.
I )(0 J 29th June, IMl'
8 Sto. Springsteen, I I N. 0 I 100 6th Mar. 1804.
9 "V. McWilliam, !Cler gy Reserve, I I 200 6th Sept. 1837.
Trusteeto D. Bo- I I
wen, I
10 John Fowler, Jr, I I 200 1 18th Jan. 1816.
11 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, I I 200 28th May, 1830.
12 IJacob Near, I I 200 17th Feb. 1812.
13 IHenry Near, Jr, I I I 200 j 7th Feb. 1812.
14 Eve Durham, I 200 7th Mars, 1802.
15 Eve Durham, I i 200 7th Mar. 1802.
16 Tim. Coakley, Reserve, I vV.0 100 27th July, 1864.
16 Alex. Anderson,
Clcrgy E.0 I 100 3rd Apr. 1865.
17 IJoseph Smith, I I I 200 17th May, 1802.
IS T acob Hainer, I S.
I 100 14th May, 1803.
18 Martin Moore, I N. 74 I 50 !29th July, 1841.
18 Stephen Secord, I N. 74 I 50 110th Aug. 1801.
19 Stephen Secord, I I 200 10th Aug, 1801.
20 Ann Secord, I 1 200 3rd June, 1808.
21 Canada Company, N. % I 100 12th Oct. 1841.
21 Canada Company, I Crown Reserve, I S. % I 100 7th June, 1838.
22 Rev. T. Raddish, I ,) 200 31st Dec. 1798.
23 Canada Company, S.
J 100 10th Oct. 1836
23 Canada Company ,I Crown Reserve, I N. 7
I 100 19th Sept, 1838.
24 IElizaheth Smith, j 200 30th June, 1801.
24 Samuel Osmond, 200 20th Mar. 1807.
24 Benj. Thorton, 200 20th Mar. 1807.
24 IStephen Cook 200 20th Mar. 1807.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD 39
- --
Township of Burford.
The firs t Individual Owners.
Concession No. 8
Lot No.1 Name of pateotee.1 I Desc p t.1 Acre
. \ Date of Pateut.
1 /Mar y Mar. Kerr,' I 200- 21st June, 1806.
2 Mary Mar. Kerr.1 I 200 21st June, 1806.
3 I \Vit.
lc Williams, E.
I 100 7th Mar. 1846.
3 I \Villam Fowler, I Crown Reserve, W.
I SO 6th Nov. 1857.
3 Thomas Perrin, \V.
SO 19th June, 1859.
4 Rev. T. Raddish, I I 200 31st Dec. 179R
5 King's College, Crown Reserve, I I 200 3rd Tan. 182B.
I
6 George Ryerson, \ I 200 10th Dec. 1822.
7 George Lawe, Jr, I 200 24th Oct. lï98.
8 Henry Bowen, I I 200 : 17th
lay, 1802.
9 Sam. Carpenter, S.
I 100 120th
lay, 1801.
<) Stoa. Springsteen, I N.
I 100 16th Mar. 1804.
10 Arch. Harley, lC1e
gy Reserve, i S.
100 4th Dec. 1858.
10 Frederic Brown, " Is.
of \\'1 SO 116th Jan. 1861.
10 I Edward B. Myers, I " Is.
of w 50 15th Aug. 1861.
11 I Hannah Long, I I \Y.
I SO 13th Jan. 1829.
11 I Sebine Lake, E.
150 3rd Nov. 1835.
12 Hannah Long, , 200 13th Jan. 1829.
13 Hannah Long, E. ý.Í I 50 13th Jan. 1829.
13 Henry Near, S.W.
150 11th Jan. 1816.
14 Henry Near, Sr. 200 11th Jan, 1816.
15 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, 200 12th Oct. 1841.
16 Ira Bissell, I S.
100 24th Oct. 1798.
16 jWil. VanderlIp, N.
100 24th Oct. 1798.
17 Alex. McLish, IClergy Reserve, 200 6th Sept, 1848.
18 Da vid Serord, I S.
100 17th June, 1838.
18 Geo. Wintermute, N.
100 13th May, 1801.
19 Geo. Wintermute, 200 13th May, 1801.
20 Icanada Company, Crown Reserve, S.
100 27th Dec. 1834.
21 Michael Baron, 200 IlOth June, 180 1.
22 INoxon Cornwall, E.
100 4th Feb. 1847.
22 Edm. \Voodrow, Clergy Reserve, W.0 100 8th Apr. 1852.
23 And. Hansell, 200 19th Apr. 1805.
24 INanc y Handy. N. 0 100 l20th May, 1840.
24 George Hansell, Crown Lands S.
100 6th Apr. 1805.

40

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Township of Burford.

Concession No.9

The first Individual Owner..

Lot No.
Nome of Patentee. r

Cath. Lampman, I
2 Mattias Smith,
2 Adbell Eady, Clergy
3 John Widener,
4 Canada Company, Crown
5 Elijah Philps,
6 Elijah Philps,
7 Hon. R. Hamil-
ton, Transfer,
7 Peter Lampman,
7 George Keefer,
8 Peter Lampman,
9 Jacob Yeigh, Lea-
sed from Clergy,
9 Will. Clement, Cle.
gy
9 Bapt. J ohnsotn,
10 Hon. R. Hamil-
ton, Transfer, I
11 King's College, Crown
12 Hon. R. Hamil-
ton,
13 Fr. Williams,
14 Jon. Smith,
15 J. Smith of Bertie,
16 ] esse Taylor, . Clergy
16 Robert Hoy, I "
16 Robert Hoy, "
17 ,Pas. Terry, I
18 Hanna Sypes,
18 Jonas Sypes, I
19 Hen. Powling, Sr,
19 Hen. Pow ling,
19 Peter Fero,
20 Hen. Powling, Sr,
21 Canada Company,
21 Canada companY' l crown
22 Hon. R. Hamil-
ton,
23 Canada Company, I ' Crown
24 George Hansell,
24 Martin Moore,

[ Descvt.1
I I
IN. W'%: I
Reserve, I N. E. %: I
Reserve, !
I
S. E. 741
I
IS. w. %:1

N.0 I
, /
R

erve'l
.
I
Reserve. I I
I
,
!
Reserve, S E.. % 1 "
,. I S. W. 74
" N.W. 74
I I
N. 0
S. % I
N. 0
c. 74
s- 74
S.

N. 0

Reserve,

Reserve, I
I

N. 0
S.0

I Date of Patellte.
17th May, 1802.
19th June, 1865.
12th Feb. 1869.
29th Feb. 1804.
18th July, 1831.
30th Apr. 1804.
30th Apr. 180
.
1st Dec. 1802.

Acres.

200
SO
SO
200
200
200
200
SO
SO
100
200
200
100
100
200
200
200
200
200
200
SO
SO
SO
200
100
100
100
SO
SO
200
100
100
200
200
100
100

7th Jan.
6th Mar.
7th Jan.

16th June.
8th Feb.
1 st Dec.

3rd Jan.
1 st Dec.

10th Aug.
10th Aug.
10th Aug.
15th Dec.
5th Mar.
8th Apr.
10th June,
10th Aug.
10th Aug.
3rd Nov.
24th June,
10th Aug.
3rd Nov.
26th Dec.
24th Dec.
1st Dec.

8th Mar.
\ 6th Apr.
7th May,

1804.
1804.
1804.
1830.
1870.
1875.
1802.
1828-
1802.
1801.
1801.
1801.
1838.
1859.
1859.
1801.
1801.
1801.
1830.
1831.
1801.
1830.
1829.
1834.
1802.
1832.
1805.
1842.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Township of Burford.

Concession No. 10

The first Individual Owners.

Lot No. ] Name of Patentee. I
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

11
12
13
14
15
15
16
17
17
18
18
19
20
21
22
22
23
24

John Hill, Sr, I
T ohn Hill, Sr,
Charles Eddy, Clergy Reserves,
Rev. T. Raddish,
Canada Company, Crown Reserves,
Elij ah Philps,
Hon. R. Hamilton.
I Annie Collard,
Hon. R. Hamilton,
Mary Clement, Clergy ßeserves,
Margaret Clement,
and :Mary Jane
Biggar, I
Hon. R. Hamilton, I
Hon. R. Hamilton,
Transfer,
Peter W ea ver, I
Hon. R. Hamilton,
Canada Company, Crown Reserves, I
Canada Company, I " .. I
Hon. R. Hamilton, I '
IWit. Thompson, Clergy Reserves,
I Thomas Wright,
Peter Fero,
'David Bearis, !
Peter Fero, I
Canada Company, Crown Reserves,
Hon. R. Hamilton, I
J. W. Wilsie, Clergy Reserve
Jeremiah Moore, I .. .. j
Hon. R. Hamilton,
J aI1)es Moore. i

I D
,"Pt.1
I
I
I
I
I

N.

S.0

\
:

E. !

N.

S.
,;

200
200
200
200
100
100
200
200
200
I 100
I 100
I 200
200
200
I 100
r 100
1200
f 150

41

I Date of Patent.
17th May, 1802.
17th May, 1802.
8th May, 1830.
31st Dec. 1798.
28th Dec. 1830.
30th Apr. 1804.
1 st Dec. 1802.
18th May. 1831.
1st Dec. 1802.
10th Oct. 1856.

Acres

200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200

1 st Dee
1st Dee:

9th Oct.
1 st Dec.
2nd Nov.
21st Aug.
1 st Dec.
8th May,
10th Au,,".
110th Aug.
1 10th Aug
8th July,'
lst Dec.
125th June,
1 23rd Feb.
1 st Dec.
12th Feb.

180.2.
1802.
1816.
180':.
1832.
1835.
1802.
1862.
1835.
1801.
1801.
1801.
1829
1802.
1853.
1852.
1802.
1850.

42 THF HISTORY OF BURFORD
Township of Burford.
fhe first Individual Owners.
Concession K 0 11.
Lot No. I Name of patentee.j I Descpt 1 Acres. I Date of Patent.

/Eliz. Hayens, I I 200 122nd June, 1
'''''
J.
2 Elias Zimmerman, Reserve, I S % 100 10th June, 1862.
2 1 R. Zimmerman, &: Clergy N. 0 100 10th Oct. 1856.
lothers, 1 I
3 Albert Ryckman, I Reserve, I 200 11th Feb. 1812.
4 I Canada Company, CrQwn 200 18th July, 1830.
5 IFranc;s Goring, I I 200 8th Sept. 1828.
6 Francis Goring, 200 8th Sept. 1828.
7 Hon. R. Hamilton, 200 26th 11ar. 1804.
8 IGeorge Keefer, I 200 6th Mar. 1804.

\Villiam Johnson &
9 Bapt. Johnson. Jr,IClergy Reserve, 200
10 Hon. R. Hamilton, I 200 26th Mar. 1804
11 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, I 200 12th Oct. 1841.
12 Marg. Detrick, I 200 21st Nov. 1817.
13 Jacob Detrick, J r" 200 21st Nov. 1817.
14 (aCOh Detrick, 200 7th May, 1822.
15 Philip Shaver, co 0 100 18th Mars. 1816.
.;).
15 Hon. R. Hamilton, N.
;:; 100 1 st Dec. 1802.
16 George Ward, 100 1837.
16 IJohn Fidlin, N.
100 18th Dec. 1860.
16 \Stephen Coombe, /Cler gy Reserve, S. % 100 5th July, 1860.
17 Thomas Lane & 200 16th Mar. 1804.
18 lothers, I 114th May,
T acob Hainer, I W.
100 1803.
18 IThomas Hainer, I E.0 100 6th Mar. 1804.
19 George Hainer, 200 13th May, 1803.
20 I Stephen Hainer, I 200 22nd June, 1816.
21 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, 200 17th June, 1840
22 I Hon. R. Hamilton, 200 1st Dec. 1802.
23 Canada Company, Crown
eserve, i 200 5th Nov. 1833.
24 IHon. R. Hamilton, I 200 lIst Dec. 1802.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

43

Township of Burfor-:l.

The Firat Individual Ownela.

Conces
ion :IS" o. 12

ot N o.ll'ame of Patentee. I I Descpt.1 Acres. I Date of Patent.
1 I Sarah Eddy, I I I LUU 122nd Aug. 1806.
2 I Phoebe Lee, Reserve, I 200 lIst Aug. 1809.
3 Philip Flock, I Clergy 200 13th July, 1844.
3 vVm. Smith, I I 200 1831.
4 Thomas Powell, 200 9th Tan. 1798.
5 Canada Company, I Crown Reserve, I I 200 9th July, 1829.
6 Francis Goring, ! 2UO 8th Sept. 1828.
7 ,R. Launshury. I 200 6th Apr. 1804.
8 Thomas Powell, 200 9th Jan. 1798
9 Thomas Powell, 200 9th Jan. 1798:
10 Daniel Smith, Clergy Reserve, 200
11 Catherine Long, 200 1.hh May, 1803.
12 Elias Long, I 200 13t.h May, 1803.
13 Margaret
Iay, 200 lith May, 1802.
14 Nancy :\lay, 2UO lith 11ay, 1802.
15 Canada Company, Crown Reserve'l 200 12th Oct. 1
41.
16 Mary Shaver, 200 18th :\Iar, 1816.
17 '\lex. Douglas, Cle,
gy R
,serve, N. 0 100 16th June, 1854.
17 John T. Muir, S. % 100 18th Jan. 187
.
18 Abraham Nellis, I 200 22nd, July, 1803.
19 IFelter Coyle, I 200 26th Feb. 1808
20 Canada Company. Crown Reserve, I 200 12th Oct. 1841:
21 Thomas Powell, I Reserve, I 200 9th Jan. 1798.
22 'David Ghent, Clergy S. 0 100
5th June, 1858.
22 /Jam. Robinson, " " I N. I,
WO 15th .Mar. 1864.
23 Ar. Cunningham, I I 200 13th June, 1801.
24 I Hon. R. Hamilton, 200 1st Dec. 1802.

4( THE HISTORY OF BURFORD
Township of Burford.
The first IndividualOwnera.
Concession :IS" o. 13
Lot No.1 Kame of Patentee. I I Descps.1 Acres. I Date of Patent.
1 ITry. Chapman, II Reserve. I I 200 22nd Aug. 1806.
2 Joseph Moore, N.
100 22nd May, 1831.
2 Alonzo Foster, ICler gy S.
100 17th Dec. 1840.
3 Hanna Armstead, I 200 8th Nov. 1806.
4 Canada Company, Crown Reserve'l I 200 9th July, 1829.
5 Andrew Herron, I 200 10th Aug. 1801.
6 Andrew Herron, I 200 10th Aug. 1801.
7 Hon. R. Hamilton, Reserve, I I 200 1st Dec. 1802_
8 John Wees, 200 13th May, 1803.
9 J. H. Bowman, Clergy W.0 100 127th Sept. 1860.
9 Wit. A. Whitney, E.0 I 100 26th Nov. 1860.
10 Isaac Fairchild, I 200 7th Feb. 1807.
11 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, I 200 28th Jan. 1841.
12 Robert Berrie, 200 16th Aug. 1835_
13 ]. Honsinger, Sr. . W.0 I 100 17th May, 1802.
13 Robert Berrie, E. % I 100 16th Aug. 1845_
14 Juliana Fick, E.

I 100 I 13th Feb. 1830.
14 Robert Marsh, W.0 100 18th Jan. 1850.
15 Rob. Hughson, W.0 I 100 116th Dec. 1828.
15 G. R. Ingles, E.
I 100 14th Dec. 1840.
16 J. B. Willits, N. 0 I 100 6th Aug. 1863.
16 T. B. Willits, S.
100 6th Nov. 1860.
16 C. Winegardner, 100 1837_
17 Thomas Powell, 200 9th Jan. 1798.
18 Abraham Nellis, 200 22nd July, 1803.
19 Daniel La wrence, 200 14th May, 1803.
20 ]. Honsigner, J r, 200 17th May, 1802.
21 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, 200 12th Oct. 1841.
22 Arc. Cunningham, 200 13th June, 1801.
23 Canada Company, S.
100 24th Dec. 1834.
23 Canada Company, Crown Reserve, N.
100 12th Oct. 1841.
24 Ach. Cunningham, I 200 13th June, 1801.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD 45
---
Township of Burford,
The firat Individual Ownera.
Concession No. 14
Lot No.1 Name of Patente<, ] De,cPt.1 Acres. I Date of Patent,
1 IWilliam Hare, I 200 14th Feb. 1810.
2 jFind. Malcolm, / 200 4th Dec. 1840.
3 John :Moore, S. 74 50 1839.
3 A. B. Kent, C. 74 l 50 5th July, 1853.
3 J. Roswell, s.
I' 100 26th May, 1860.
3 iP. T. Smith, I N. 74 50 24th Jan. 1854.
4 J olm Bowman. I 200 28th :May, 1817.
5 Canada CompanY'ICrown Reserve, 200 26th Dec. 1821).
6 Ruben Green, I 200 11th May, 1811.
7 Gil. Storms, I I E.
100
7 Henry Davy, W.
100 3rd ðIay. 1803.
8 IJohn \Vees, Reserve, I 200 13th May, 180.i

I A. Manwell, 200 12th :Mar. 180.3-
10 \Vil. Anderson, Clergy 200 17th Dec. 1868.
10 \n. Roswell, 200 1835.
11 Ele. Thompson, 200 17th May, 1802.
12 :Mary Smith, 200 30th June, 1801.
13 John Kelley, ZOO 9th Oct. 1811.
14 Mary Durham, 200 15th Sept. 1803.
15 King's College. Crown Reserve, ZOO 3rd Jan. 1828.
16 Thomas Powell, 200 9th Jan. 1798.
17 Thomas \Vard, S. \V. Y-í 50 26th Dec. 1863.
17 H. Coonkrite, N. \V.74 50 2Znd Apr. 1863.
17 Char. Hedgers, Clergy Heserve, E.
100 14th Nov. 1853.
18 <\bra. Nellis, 200 22nd July, 1803.
19 \V. Reed, Sr. 200 13th May, 1803.
20 Canada Company, 200 11th May, 1837.
21 Ar. Cunningham, I 200 3rd June, 1801.
22 Ellen Kenney, Clergy Reserve, I 200 16th Nov. 1838.
23 Ar. Cunningham, 200 23rd June, 1801.
24 Ar. Cunningham, I 200 23rd June, 1801.

46 THE HISTORY OF BURFORD
---- -- -
-
Township of Burford.
The Firat Individual Owner..
Burford Gore. (Oakland)
Concession No. 1
Lot No.1 Name of Grant.,... I I DescpL I Acres. [ Date of Patent.
1 Finlay Malcolm, Reserve, I I 20P 117th May, 1802-
2 Elia. Malcolm, /Cler gy 200 13th Apr. 1860.
3 Jane Codis, I I 200 17th May, 1802.
4 T. Fowler, King's\Crown Reserve. I 200 3rd Jan. 1828.
College, I
5 Mord. Sayles, i 200 2nd Aug. 1806.
6 Mord. Sayles, I I 200 2nd Aug. 1806.
8 Bow. Slawson, 200 17th :May, 1802.
7 I\Vm. Slawson, I 200 13th May, 1802.
9 Daniel Secord, 100 ,16th Nov. 1858.
9 I David Secord, Clergy Reserve, I 100 116th Nov. 1858.
10 \Char. Burch, 200 17th May, 1802.
11 N. Bodine, King's Crown Reserve, I 200 3rd Jan. 1828.
I College, 1
12 IJohn Smith, Jr, 200 21st Dec. 1802.
13 John Smith, Jr, 200 21st Dec. 1802.
14 IJohn Smith, Jr, I Reserve. I W.
100 21st Dec. 1802.
14 \wm. Lotteridge, !C1ergy E.
100 27th May, 1809.
15 Janet Stenhoof, 200 /25th Nov. 1802.
16 John Heaton, 119 15th Dee . 1856.
Concession No.2
1 IFindla y Malcolm, 200 17th May, 1802.
2 ,Robert Pilkington, 200 22nd May, 1797.
3 IMatt. Messecar, E.
100 30th Apr. 1840.
3 Israel. W. Powell, \V.
100 5th Dec. 1843.
4 Mord. Sayles, 200 2nd Aug. 1806.
5 King's College, 200 3rd Jan. 1828.
6 Edin Bebee, 200 17th May, 1802.
7 Edin Bebee, 200 17th May, 1802.
8 Edin Bebee, 200 17th May, 1802.
9 John Secord, 200 17th May, 1802,
10 Tho. Robinson, E.
100 1st May, 1845.
10 \Vm .Darby, W.0 100 19th Jan. 1852.
11 Charles Burch,
12 Charles Burch, 117th May,
13 Charles Burch,
14 Charles Burch, 550 1802.
Concession No. 3
1 R. Pilkington, Reserve, I 200 22nd 1Iay, 1797.
2 Abdel Eddy, Clergy 200 12th Jan. 1844.
3 Margaret Hurst, 200 12th Aug. 1801.
4 King's College, 200 3rd Jan. 1833.
Leased to W. 124th Feh.
I Green,
ó G. McMullen, I E.
100 1843.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD 47
Lot Ko.1 Name of Grantee. I I Descpt.1 Acres. I Date of Patent.
5 I::VIoses Baldwill, I W.
I 100 18th Apr. 1839.
6 IJohn Huffe, I 200 28th l\Iar. 1807.
7 I D. Haze, 1 r, I I 200 24th Dec. 1806.
8 Eden Bebee, S.
I 100 17th May, 1802.
8 IFinIay 1IalcoIm, N.
100 17th
ay, 1802.
9 Ar. McEwen, I 200 10th Mar 1869.
10 Daniel Secord, 154 7th Mar. 1804.
11 I King's College, Crown Reserve, 84 3rd Jan. 1828.
12 I Daniel Secord, I I I 16 7th :May , 1804.
Concession No. 4:
1 R. Pilkington, I I 200 22nd May, 1797
2 R. Pilkington, 200 22nd May, 1797"
3 1Ia1colm Brown, Reserve, I N.
100 3rd June. 1856:
3 Char. Chapin, Clergy S.
100 16th Dec. 1864.
4 Bulah Millard, I 200 22nd May, 1797
I
5 King's College, Crown Reserve, I 200 13rd Jan. 1828:
6 Deborah Sayles, I 200 120th June, 1807.
7 Mary Gates, I 170 26th Jan. 1802.
8 Finlay Malcolm, I 100 7th :May , 1802.
9 Daniel Secord, I All 14 17th May, 1804.
Concession No.5
1 M. A. Myers, I I 200 22nd May 1797.
2 Charles Perley,
2 J acoh Mott, I Clergy Reserve, I
3 John \Vray, I 200 22nd May 1797.
4 King's College, Crown Reserve, I 188 13th June , 1852.
5 Bulah Millard, I 100 22nd May, 1797.
6 Ralph Clench, I ALL 12 23rd Feb. 1803.
Concession No. ü
1 & 2 1M. A. :Myers, f ALL I 300 122nd May, 1797.
3 & 4 Joseph Smith, 65 8th Jan. 1858.

48

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Provincial Parliaments, from Sept. 1 st, 1792 until the Act of Union

No. Commencing.

Ending.

Burf.'rd's Representative.

1. Sept. 17th. 1792 to June 1st. 1797. Hon. \V.D. Smith,
2. June 1st. 1797 " May 28th 1801. .
3. May 28th. 1801 .. Feb. 1st. 1805. Hon. W.D. Smith,
4. Feb. 1st. 1805 .. Feb. 2nd 1809 Benajah Mallory.
5. Feb. 2nd. 1809 .. July 27th. 1812. Benajah Mallory.
6. July 27th. 1812 .. Feb. 4th. 1817. Malhon Burwell.
7. Feb. 21st. 1817 .. Jan. 31st. 1821 11alhon Burwell.
8. Jan. 31st. 1821 .. Jan. 13th. 1825. Thomas Horner.
9. Jan. 13th. 1825 " Jan. 8th. 1829. Thomas Horner. Chs. Ingersoll.
10. J an. 8th 1829 " Jan. 7th. 1831. Thomas Horner, Finlay Malcolm.
11. Jan. 7th. 1831 .. Jan. 15th. 1835. Chas. Duncombe. Thomas Horner
12. Jan. 15th 1835 " Nov. 8th. 1836. Chas. Duncombe. Robert Alway.
13. Nov. 8th, 1836 " Act of Uni. 1841. Chas. Duncombe
1. 1st. April, 1841 " Dec. 9th. 1843. Francis Hinks
2. Dec. 9th. 1844 " July 28th. 1847. Robt. Riddell.
3. J an. 24th. 1848 " Aug. 30th. 1851. Francis Hinks.
4. Dec. 24th. 1851 .. June 22nd. 1854. Herbert Biggar.
5. Aug. 10th. 1854 " June 10th, 1857. Herhert Biggar.
6. J an. 13th. 1858 "
fay 18th. 1861 David Christie.
7. July 15th. 1861 " May 12th. 1863. Da "id Christie.
8. July 3rd. 1863 " July 1st. 1867. E. B. \\Tood.

*When Charles Duncombe was expelled from to House, R. H. Hunter was
elected to fill his place.
Confederation Act passed July 1st, 1867.

Dominion Parliaments.

1. Nov. 1st
2. March 5th.
3. March 26th.
4. Feb. 13th.
5. Feb. 18th.
6. Apr. 13th.
7. Apr. 29th.

1867 to July 8th.
Ib/J ., Jan. 2nd.
1874 .. Aug. 17th.
1879 " May 18th.
1883 .. Jan. 15th.
1887 .. Feb 3rd.
1891 " Apr: 4th.

1872
1874:
1878.
1882.
1887.
1891.
1896.

Majority.
Hon. E. B. \Vood........ 167.
\Vm. Patterson........... 262.
\Vm. Patterson........... 444.
\Vm. Patterson........... 1%.
Archihald Harley......... 777.
Hon. Sir R. Cartwright.. .. 1122.
Hon. Sir R. Cartwright. . . . 734.

Provincial Parliaments, Province of Ontario from Confederation.
1. 1867 to 1871 Hon. E. B. VV ood.
2. 1872 1874 A. S. Hardy.
3. 18iS 18i9 Hon.
\. S. Hardy.
4. 1880 1883 "
S. 1884 1886 .' "
6. 1887 1890
7. 1891 1894 "
8. 1895 " 1898
9. 1899 " 1902 " "

CHAPTER V.

Clergy Reserves.

THE CA
ADA CO
IPAXY -EARLY )IARRIAGES-REYE.

UE OF UPI?ER CAKADA. .. .. .. ..

\Yhat were the Clergy Reserves? \Yhen did they originate? \Yhat
was the final disposition made of them? and why were they the cause of
the bitterest political and sectarian strife. They are but few men living
to-day in Burford who is able to supply this information, the majority of
the present inhabitants have probably never heard the subject alluded to;
yet for nearly half a century it ,vas a burning question with the tax-payers
of the township. They were the cause of great hardship and injustice to
many industrious settlers, they hindered the growth of the province and
the development of its resources, and was the chief cause of the irritation
and di!;icontent which led up to the events of Ig37.
The thirty-six secti
n of the Act of 1791, madc provision for reser-
ying out of all grants of public lands, past as well as future, and emolu-
ments arising from the lands so appropriated were to be applicable solely,
to the maintcnance and suppurt of a Protestant Clergy. The endowment
of Rectories were also provided for.
These Reservcs instead of being located in large blocks wcre scat-
tered all through the townships, in lots of 200 acrcs lyillg between and
surrounded by the lots of actual settlers, who by their labors in clearing
and de,'eloping the country enchanced the ,'alue of these rcsen"cs without
any outlay by the interested parties. They greatly increased the difficul-
ties of the early settlers in road making, preventing direct communication
and intercourse.
The Provisions of the Act were intended to establish and make perma-
nent in Upper Canada a State endowed and Statc supported church, with-
out any consideration whatever as to the religious beliefs of the majority
of the future inhabitants of the Province.
The words "Protestant Clergy" was interpreted by those in power to
mean, "Clergy of the Church of England", and in carr) ing out the provi-
sions of the Act the benefits obtained were applied solely to the Clergy of
that body.

50

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

This soon led to a strong protest from the adherents of the Church
of Scotland, who claimed that the term "Protestant Clergy" was appli--
cable to their Clergy as the State Church of Scotland, which had h

n
acknowledged as such since 1707, it \Vas urged on the other hand that the
term "Clergy", was commonly used in reference to Ministers of the esta-
blished Church of England only, and had never been officially applied to-
designate ministers of the 'Church of Scotland. For many years the
claims of the Church of Scotland remained unsettled, in 1819 the question
was submitted by Earl Bathurst to the law Officers of the Crown in
England which \Vas given out on the 15th. November 1819, as follows:
" \\T e are of opinion that through the provisions made by 31 Geo. III,.
chap. 31, for the support of maintaining of a Protestant Clergy, are not
confined solely to the clergy of the Church of England, but may be exten--
ded also to the clergy of the Church of Scotland, if there be any such
settled in Canada (as appears to have been admitted in the debate upon the
passing of the Act) yet they do not extend to the Dissenting ministers,_
since, we think, the term "Protestant clergy" can apply only to Protestant
clergy recognized and established by law."
It was not until the following year that this authoriti,-e opinion of
the crown officials was communicated to Lieut. Governor Maitland, but
it was suppressed and concealed and was not known in Canada for many
years thereafter.
In 1823 petitions addressed to the King, Lords and Commons by
Doctor. Strachan, on behalf of the Upper Canada Clergy Reserves corpo-
ration, \Vas transmitted to Earl Bathurst. The Petitioners professed to
be seriously alarmed, not only for the rights of the Church of England,
but for the cause of religion itself, they claimed that the powers and pri-
vileges of an Established Church in Canada belonged only to the Church
of England and could not include the Church of Scotland, they conside-
red that the setting up of new and rival establishments in Canada would
result in disloyalty and would effect the stability of the State.
It has always been a favored method of attack against their oppo-
nents, by those enjoying exclusive privileges at the expense of the State.
to hint at disloyalty, there was not the slightest foundation or the shadow
of an excuse, for any such an insinuation regarding the conduct or bea-
ring of the dissenting bodies at that period.
In 1826, another petition was forwarded. to the King but it produced
no immediate results. The Imperial Government however, at last deci-
ded that some pecuniary aid be granted to other societies than that of the
Church of England, but from other sources than the proceeds of the Clergy
Reserves. An annual allowance of t750. each, to be taken from the monie

received from the Canada Company, were granted to the Church of Scot-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

51

land and the Roman Catholic Church. Thesc payments were first made
in 1827.
Kings College chartered in 1827 with an endowment of 223,000 acrés
of land, a part of ,vhich was locatcd in the township of Burford, was
dcsigned to place the higher branches of education in the Province under
the control of one religious body, the president was to be a clergyman of
the Church of England; the council consisting of the Chancellor, Presi-
dent and seven other members were to be membcrs of the Church of
England and none were to receiye the degrees of D. D. but members of
that body.
According to a return presented in the year 1833, llGO acres had
been set apart for the clergy of thc Church of Scotland, 400 acres for the
Roman Catholic Church, 22345 for the Clergy of the Church of England
and none for any other denomination.
An event occured in 1836 which caused the most intense surprise and
indignation, the Governor in Council created and endowed Forty-fJ I:
rcctories, to each was assigned an average of nearly 3iG acres, this Act
aroused the other religious bodies as nothing in the past had done, ancl
they joined together to try by a united protest to prevent any further such
grants, and to bring about the entire separation of Church from State.
The Imperial Act of 1841 gave Three fourths of the further pro-
cceds of the Clergy Reserves, to the Clergy of the Churches of England,
Scotland, and nothing to any other Church, the remaining one fourth \'Tas
left at the disposal of the Executiye for religious purposes. It" a<:: ar..
ranged that small allowances should be made to other churches. .
In 1853 another Act was passed by the Imperial Parliament permit-
ting the Canadian authoritics to make a final settlement of the question, but
pro,'ision was made that the Legislature should not cancel, suspend or
reduce any of the yearly salaries Or allowances which had already been
givcn to the clergy of the two denominations recognized by law as esta-
blished churches, or to any other reÍÏgious denominations of Christians to
which the faith of the crown was pledged, during the natural li,'es of the
parties now receiving thc same.
The Act which finally alienated the Clergy Reserves from religious
to secular purposes, was passed by the Canadian Parliament in the year
lX34-. The sum of $1,1l3,7iO, was sct aside for the clcrgy of thc Church
of England, ncarly half a million to those of the Church of Scotland, and
about $100,000. to the Roman Catholic Clergy. The l\lethodist Church
reccived $39,083 in settlement of all of its claims.
The Clergy of the Church of England dccided to gi\'e their money
to the Church, in exchange for an annuity during their lives. The final
arrangements were made in the year 1855, at which period, the Revd Jame.;;

52

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Padfied, of Burford, was 32 years of age, his annual stipend of 1:121,
, 13S, 4d was figured to be worth $6,678., based on an a,oerage calculation
of expectation of life for a continuation to nineteen years.
In consideration of the said commutation money to be paid to the
said Church Society, the said Church Society cOvenanted and agreed with
the said Clergymen to pay them the annual stun of 100 Ibs, by equal pay-
ments, on the first days of January and July in each and every year, so
long as they continued to do duty in Holy Orders from the Diocese.

The Canada Company.

This huge land monopoly, so well known to the early settlers of Bur-
ford Township, as well as to those in many other parts of this Pro,'ince,
was incorporated by Royal Chartcr in the year 1826. It was formed for
the purpose of acquiring extensi,'e tracts of crO\vn lands and clergy reser-
ves, and by contract with His 1lajesty's Government, they secured various
blocks of lands, mostly situated in the \ V estern parts of Upper Canada, to
the extent of 2,484,313 acres-the largest block known as the Huron tråct,
consisting of 1,000,000 acres of Virgin forest, fronted for fifty to sixty
miles along the shores of Lake Huron, the remaining 1,484, 313. acres
was held in scattered tracts of from 200 to 40,000 acres. For this enor-
mous territory this association of land speculators was to pay to the Pro-
vincial Government, in sixtcen annual payments, a total sum of 295,000.
pounds, or about 2s. 5d. per acre.
N early two and one half million acres of the public domain was thus
locked up in the hands of a greedy clique of absentecs, who posed as a
paternal and beneficient institution, that offered the pOOr settler greater
a(hOantage than he could procure from the government of the day.
In the Spring of 1827, the company commenced operations at Guelph
Their exertions being mainly directed to a settlcment of their holdings in
the Huron tract. Their lands in Burford, the first of which they received
Patents for in 1836,-and the last in 18-.n, amounting to some 5000 acres,
were located in every concession in the municipality except the second
conceSSIOn.
The company. it was soon evident, were in no hurry to dispose of
their valuable lots in Burford, they paid no taxes, the improvements being
made by resident settlers, the increased demand for homesteads from the
large influx of new settlers, the steady appreciation in value of lands, and
the prospect of the opening of a great highway by the government through
the centre of the township was sufficient reason in the minds of the
management for the exorbitant prices which they at first demanded, and
when sales did commence, the delays and difficulties encountered, was

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

53

the cause of much worry and dissatisfaction. It was a day of rejoicing
when the last foot of land held by the Canada Company in Burford Town-
ship, passed into the hands of a "bona fide" settler.

The following f0rm of conveyance was in use by the Company.

\ Y e, the Canada Company, incorporated under and by yirtue of an
act made and passed in the sixth year of the reign of His :ì\Iajesty King
George the Fourth, entitled an act to enable His 11ajesty to grant, to a
company to be incorporated by charter, to be called "The Canada Com-
pany" certain lands in the Province of Upper Canada, and to invest the
said company with certain powers and priyileges, and for other purposes
relating thereon. In consideration of the sum of-to us paid, the hereby
grant and release to-all our right, title and interest to and in the same
and every part thereof to have and to hold unto the said-and his heirs
forever.
From the annual payments made by the Canada Company, the fol-
lowing sums were paid to the Executivc :

To the Lieutenant-Governor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000. pounds.
" Chief Justice. . . . . . . 1,500
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
., Two Pusine Judges. . . . . 1,800.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
" " Five Executive Councillors. . 500. "
Surveyor General. . . . . . . . . 300.
ReceiYer-
enera1. . . . . 300. ..
. . . . . . , .
" " Secy, and Register. . . . . 300.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
" II Attorney-General. 300. II
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
" II Clerk of Crown & Council. . 200.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Solicitor-General. . . 100. "
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The annual report of the Canada Company for the year 1850 repor-
ted sales of 274,997 acres, for a sum of $166,167. It would appear also
that no less than 87,000 acres were leased on the twelve year instalment
plan, and some 429,000 acres on tcn years leases. The revenue derived
from these leases was the principal source of profit to thc company, as
many of the lessees received very little consideration when they werc bc-
hindhand in pa
ments, through circumstances beyond their control.
Up to this period, over 50,000. acres of leased land had been resu-
mcd by the company, nearly all of which had been rc-disposecl of at a
greatly enchanced value. Of course all the improvemcnts made by thc
settler during his term was lost to him completely. The following is a
copy of thc notice sent to thesc unfortunate settlers :

54

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Notice to Canada Company's lessees.

"The Canada Company take this opportunity to again call your serious
attention to the condition of the lease issued to you, particularly to
the convenant which requires after all others are fulfilled, that you
should on or before the expiration of the term of ten years, pay the
amount of purchase money mentioned in the lease, If you desire to
exercise the right reserved to you. If you do not punctually do this,
all your rights, and interests in the property will become absolutely
terminated. If you cannot yourself furnish the requisite money, we
would urge you to find some person who would advance the required
money or purchase your improvements, so that you may receive the
benefit of them; but you must take care that no transfer is attempted
without the Company's consent, and that it must be completed before
the expiration of the term of lease."

Early Marriages.

Preyious to the year 1ï93, the grcat majority of marriages hereto-
fore contracted in the Province of Upper Canada were, according to the
law of the land illegal; and the children of such marriages illegitimate,
only such marriages as had been perfomed by a clergyman of the Church
of England was held to be in accordance with the statutes then in force.
The children from all other marriages, most of which had been conducted
by rvlilitary Officers and civil Officials, could not legally inherit the pro-
perty of thcir parents. For the relief of such partics, to makc valid all
marriages heretofore irrcgularly contracted, and to proyide for the future
solemnization of marriage, a Bill was introducted during the second ses-
sion of the first Parliament of Upper Canada which met at Newark, on
Friday June 14th, 1793. After the usual procedure and discussions his
Excellency, Lieutenant Gü\'ernor Simcoe accented to the Bill, The prin-
ciple features of this important measure were as follows :
"\Vhereas many marriages have been contracted in this Province at
a time when it was impossible to observe the forms prescribed by law for
the solemnization thereof, by reason that there was no Protestant parson
or minister duly ordained, residing, in any part of the said Province, nor
any consecrated Protestant church or chapel within the same, and whereas
the parties having contracted such marriages, and their issue may there-
fore be subjected to various disabilities, in order to quiet the minds of
such persons and to provide for the future solemnization of marriage
within this Province, be it enacted and declared by the King's :Most Excel-
lent J\iajesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Coun-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

55

cil and Assembly of the Province of Upper Canada, that the marriage
and marriages of the persons, not being under any canonical disqualifica-
tion to contract matrimony, that have been publicly contracted before any
magistrate or commanding officer of a post, or adjutant, or surgeon of a
regiment, acting as chaplain, or any other person, in any public office or
employment, before the passing of this Act, shall be confirmed and consi-
dered to all intents and purposes as good and valid in law, and that the
parties who have contracted such marriages, and the issue thereof, may
become severally entitlcd to all the rights and benefits, and subject to
all the obligations arising from marriage and consanguinity in as full
and ample a manner as if the said marriages had respectively bcen solem-
nized according to law."
"And be further enacted, that in order to enable those persons who
may be desirious of preser\'Ïng the testimony of such marriage, and of
the birth of their children, it shall and may be lawful at any time, within
three years from the passing of this Act, contracting matrimony as afo-
resaid, shall reside, at the request of either of said parties, to adminster
to each an oath that they were married on a certain day, and that there is
now living issue of the marriage. This attestation to be subscribed to
by the parties and certified by the magistrate. The Clerk of the Peacc
recorded these certificates in a register for the purpose, which thereafter
was considered sufficicnt evidence of such matters."
It was further enacted, "That until there shall be five parsons or
ministers of the Church of England, doing duty in their respective parishes
in anyone district," persons "desirous of intermarrying with each other,
.and ncither of them living within the distance of cighteen miles of any
minister of the Church of England, may apply to any ncighbouring J us-
tice of the Peace", who should affix in some public place, a notice, for
which he should received one shilling and no more. The purport of the
notice was that A. B. and C. D. were dcsirous of getting married, and
there being no parson within eightcen miles, if any person knew any just
rcason why they should not be married, should give notice thereof to
uch
magistrate. After which a form of the Church of England was to be fol-
luwed, but should a minister reside within eighteen miles of cither parties,
the marriage was null and void.
The exclusive position which it was intcnded the English Church
should occupy, as the state endowed Church of Upper Canada, was diffi-
cult to maintain, as bcfore long, the majority of the inhabitants wcre mem-
bers of other religious societies. In the ycar lï98 there wcre but three
clergymcn of the Church of England in the Province and most of the mar

riages contracted by Protestants were pcrformed by ::\Iagistrates. \mong
the Scotch Roman Catholics scttled in the Eastcrn part of the Province

56

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

there does not appear to have ever been any questions raised, as to the
rights of Bishop 1\IcDonell and his Clergy to unite the members of their
congregations in marriage, according to the rules and regulations of their
Church.

In the year lï98 an amendment to the marriage Act was passed.
which prm'ided that, it should be lawful for the ministers of any congre-
gation or religious community of persons, professing to be members of
the Church of Scotland, or Lutherans, or Calvanists to marry according
to the rights of such church, and it was necessary that one of the persons
to be married should have been a member of the particular church six
months before the marriage.
This privilege was grudgingly granted by the Legislative Council
under certain vexations and annoying conditions. The clergyman must
prove his ordination, and was obliged to appear at quarter sessions before
an assembly of six magistrates, with certain members of his congregation,
as witnesses of his standing ; and it was optional with the bench of M3.-
gistrate whether they should grant or refuse him a certificate of his office
entitling him to perform the marriage ceremony. Having received the
necessary permission, he was obliged to publicly notify his congregation
of the intended marriage, upon three Sundays preceding the consumma-
tion of same.

On the 2ïth June, lï99, during the third session of the second PI, .
liament, held at York, Mr. Thompson member for Lennox, Hastings, and
Northumberland, seconded by 1\1r. Rogers, member for Prince Edward,
moved for leave to bring in the following day a Bill for the relief of the
persons commonly called Methodists, and the question being put, was
carried in the negative, the JYlover and Seconder being the only members
voting, yea.
In the year 1818 an Act was passed, making valid the marriages of
those who had neglected to preserve the testimony of their marriage.
In 1814 the Government had appointed an Official at York authorized to
issue marriage licenses, previous to this a few had been issued direct by
the Government.

In the year 1823 the l\.lethodist body made another attempt to secure
recognition, and the house passed a Bill permitting Ministers of that deno-
mination to solemnize marriage, but the Bill was thrown out by the Le-
gislative Council. A great authority has said "The only just motive for
imposing any restraint upon men on account of their religious beliefs is
the safety of the state, but experience teaches that the public safety is
more often in danger than benefited by these restraints.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

57

In the year 1828 an Act was passed permitting dissentient bodies
for the first time to hold land upon which to build a place of worship, but
they were not permitted to hold more than five acres.
In 1831 there was further legislation to confirm marriages contracted
before any Justice of the Peace, :Magistrate or commanding officer of a
post, minister or clergyman. It was also enacted that it should be lawful
for Ministers of the Church of Scotland, Lutherans, Congregationalists,
Baptists, Independents, 1Iethodists, lVIenonists, Tunkers, or 1Ioravians,
to solemnize matrimony.
In 1810 the Six ministers of the Church of England stationed in
Upper Canada each received One Hundred pounds per annum from the
Government, and 50 pounds from the society for propagating the Gospel
in foreign parts. In 1819 the number of clergymen had increased to ten
and in 1823 to Sixteen. The nearest to Burford at this period was the
Revd. R. Leeming, stationed at Ancaster.

Revenue of Upper Canada.

During the first year of Lieut. Gov. Simcoe's administration, there
was practically no revenue to meet the current expenditure. After con-
siderable correspondence with the Home Government, Commissioners
were appointed, who met at 110ntreal on the 18th. day of February 1795,
when an agreement was made which was to continue and be in force until
the end of the year lï96. By this agreemcnt the Province of Lower Ca-
nada \\'as to settle all claims and demands of Upper Canada, which the
latter had on account of duties levied upon \ Vines during
he two prece-
ding years, to the amount of i333,4,2.
The Province of Upper Canada agreed not to impose any duties on
goods imported into Lower Canada, and passing into Upper Canada and
was to allow Lower Canada to impose such duties as was reasonable and
necessary. The Province of Upper Canada to receive annually one-eight
of the net proceeds of such re\'enues. For the year 1795 Upper Cana-
da's share amounted to iI205,2,10. In 1796 the amount received appears
to have been only il040.
At this period no taxes were collccted, but a re\'enue was raised from
licenses issued to tavern and shop keepers, who sold \Vines and spit ituous
liquors, peddlars and auctioneers. A tavern liccnse cost 16s, per year,
increased in 1793 to 20s.
In the year 1831 thcre were 3
0 Inn h.eepcn; who paid for their license
Three to Tcn Pounds or a total of i3,643. Shop kcepers licensed to sell spi-
rituous liquors paid a total of il,50S, Hawkers and peddlers on foot paid
Five Pounds annually, those who travelled with onc horse Ten pounds

58

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

two horses fifteen pounds, total amount received from this source iS20,
collectors allowance i26, net i494, this was levied on 41 foot peddlers, 30
one horse peddler, and one two horse peddler.
There were 23 auctioneers who paid is annually for a license, toge-
ther with a duty on sales.
Lands were now taxed at the rate of One penny in the Pound, ac-
cording to the assessed value fixed by law. Every acre of arable, pastu-
re or meadow land was valued at iI, uncultivated land 4s, town lots i50.

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CHAPTER VI.

The Territorial Divisions of Upper Canada.

Districts and Counties

To provide for the proper administration of justice, and the preser-
vation of law and order, in that part of the Province of Quebec lying \\" est
of the Ottawa River and the last Seigniorial grants, Lord Dorchester,
Governor General, issued a proclamation, dated at the Government House,
Quebec, July 24th 1788 dividing this Territory into four Districts as
follows :-Lunenburg, lying between the Ottawa and Gananoque Rhers,
-lYlecklenburg, between the Gananoque and the Trent-Nassau, from the
Trent to a line extcnding from Long Point in a northerly direction, and
Hesse which embraced the rcmaining part of Canadian Territory, extend-
ing westerly to the headwatcrs of the :\lississippi. To each district was
appointed a Judge and a Sheriff. _ \t this period there were no commissio-
ners of the law, no members of the bench, or civil officials for local selÎ
government.
Four of the most prominent merchants residing in the new Districts
were selected as Judges, in the persons of Richard Duncan, who was
appointed Judge of Lunenburg, Richard Cartwright, Judge of
Iecklen-
burg-Robert Hamilton, Judge of Nassau-\\ïlliam Robertson, Judge
of Hesse. Previous to this date, 17

, the country had been ruled by
l\lilitary law. The power of the Judges was practically absolute in hi,:;
own district. From his dccisions there was no appeal, cxcept at a cost far
beyond the means of thc most wealthy litigant.
It appears to have been customary after the accession of the House
of Hanover to frequently apply Dutch names to various places in the new
Colonies. Later on, they were mostly abolished, and replaccd by gooù
old English names. After the division of the Province of Quebec, in the
year 1791, into the Provinces of Cpper and Lower Canada. onc of thc
first acts of Licutenant Governor Simcoe was to abolish the foreign names
of the four districts and replace them by the Eastern, the l\lidland, the
Home and the \Vestern. On the same date, July 16th 1792, these dis-
tricts were dividcd into 19 counties.

60

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

List of Coùntiea established by Proclamatiou dated July 16th. 1792.

Glengarry
Stormont
Dundas
Grenville
Leeds
Frontenac
Ontario

Addington
Lennox
Prince Edward
Hastings
Northumberland
Durham

Lincoln
York
Norfolk
Suffolk *
Kent
Essex

.

* Suffolk county was abolished in 1796 and the territory which it co-
vered formed a part of the county of :Middlesex, established in that year.
Ontario county was also abolished, but in the year lR49, when a new
county was formed from the Eastern part of the county of York, the
name was revived.
No alteration was made in the Limits of the four Districts. In the
year 1796 the District of Johnston was formed from parts of the Eastern
and :Midland. By the year 1798 the population of Upper Canada had
increased to about 50,000 souls, and Parliament made several alterations
anù additions in the territorial divisions of the Province, providing for
the establishment of eight Districts, twenty-three counties and one hun-
dred and fifty-eight townships. The Districts were the Eastern, J ohn-
ston, Midland, Newcastle, Home, Kiagara, London, \Yestern. The divi-
sions of the London District was not practically completed however, until
the year 1801.
The system of Districts was one well suited to the wants of a new
country like Upper Canada. The population of the counties were too
small to warrant the erection of jails and courthouses. There were Dis-
trict courts, but no County Courts. The Court House and jails belonged
to the Districts, the l\.Iagistrates had jurisdiction throughout the whole
District.

Composition of Districts,

Eastern District was composed of Five Counties viz :-Glengarry, Stor-
mont, Prescott, Dundas, Russell.
Johnston District, Counties of Grenville, Leeds, Carleton.
:Midland District, Counties of Lennox & Addington, Hastings, Prince
Ed ward.
Newcastle District, Counties of Northumberland, Durham.
Home District, Counties of York, Simcoe.
Niagara District, Counties of Lincoln, Haldimand.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

61

District of London, Counties of Norfolk, Oxford (Townships of Burford,
Blenheim, Blandford, Dereham, Norwich, Oxford) :i\1iddlesex.
\ \- estern District, Kent, Essex.
By the year 1816 population in the Home and Niagara Districts had
increased to such numbers as warranted the formation of a new District,
composed of a portion of each of the Districts mentioned. The new District
was named after Lieut. Governor Gore, and Hamilton became the District
town. In the same year the Ottawa District was formed from the North-
crn part of the Eastern District. Two new Counties were also formc.J
this year, \ iz ;-\Ventworth and Halton.
In 1821 the District of Bathurst was formed, and the County of La-
nark in 1825.
The Districts now numbered Eleven, their composition being as f.->I-
lows :-

Eastern, Counties of Glengarry, Stormont, Dundas.
Ottawa, Counties of Prescott & Russell.
Johnston, Counties of Leeds & Grcnvillc.
Bathurst, Counties of Carleton & Lanark.
l\1idland, Counties of Frontenac, Addington, Prince Edward & I fasting.,.
Home, Counties of York, Simcoe.
N cwcastle, Counties of .:--J orthumberland, Durham.
(
ore. Counties of Halton, \Yentworth.
ì\ iagara, County of Lincoln.
London, Counties of Norfolk, Oxford, l\liddlesex.
\ Y estern, Counties of Esscx, Kent.

During the second session of the 13th and last Provincial Parliament
of Upper Canada, an Act was passed providing that as soon as a good and
sufficient jail and Court Hous.. should be erected in the town of \V ood-
stock for the security of prisoners, and accommodation of the courts, it
should be lawful for the Governor General to declarc by proclamation,
the Township of, Burford, Blandford, Blenheim, Dereham, Ni
souri,
Norwich, Oakland, Oxford, Zorra and the town of \Voodstock, a sepc.1r'J!"c
and distinct District by the name of the District of Brock.
The abovc conditions having been complied with, such proclamation
was issued and became effective from November 30th. 1839.
As population increased and the country became more settlcd
further divisions were made. In 18..1-2 the Province was divided
into Twenty Districts, the addition to the last list were as follows :

62

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Brock, Colborne, Dalhousie, Huron, Prince Edward, Simcoe, Talbot,
Yictoria, \Vellington. The County of Huron had been formed in
1841, the County of Perth in 1847 ; and the counties of Peterboro,
Ontario, Peel, \Vaterloo and \Velland in 1849. In the year last
mentioned, Districts, in many cases hm"ing practically the same
boundaries as the single county of which they then consisted, were
abolished, and from that date all Officials have been known as ser-
yants of the Counties instead of officials of the Districts.

The Act substituting Counties for Districts was passed on the
30th of l\Iay 1849, and came into force on and after the 1st. day of
January 1850. In 1850 the county of Lambton was formed and in
1851 the Counties of Victoria, \ Y ellington, and Elgin. On the 2nd
of August 1851 an Act was passed to make certain alterations in the
Territorial divisions of Upper Canada, for Judicial, l\lunicipal and
other purposes. By this Act it was provided that on and after the
1st January 1852, a new county, to be known as the county of Brant,
should be formed, consisting of the Townships of Brantford, Onon-
daga, Tuscarora, Oakland, South Dumfries and Burford, the Yillage
of Paris, and the Town of Brantford.

District Town

\ Yhen \ Y oodstock became the District town it contained some-
1,000 inhabitants and Burford township about 2300. The town site
was first marked out by Lieut. Go,-. Simcoe in 179-1- and called Ox-
ford. \Voodstock was surveyed and laid out in 1833.
The Township of Oakland was first surveyed in 1796 by Deputy
Surveyor, Thomas \Valsh and was known as the "Townsend Gore".
In 1798 it was transferred to the township of Burford and was call-
ed the "Gore of Burford" until the year 1821, when the Provincial
Parliament passed an Act on the 14th of April, forming the Gore
into a separate Township, to be known as the Township of Oakland,
and it was further proyided that the said Township of Oaklanù, and
Townships of Nissouri and Zora, be aùded to the County of Oxford,
and that a gore of land on the east side of the Township of Norwich
be attached to that township.

..
\\"hen Brantford became the capital of the new county of Brant,
it contained about 4,000 souls, the population of Burford numbered
4433. The original town site of Brantford consisted of 807 acres,

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

63

which was surrended by the Indians on April 19th, 1830. As soon
as the survey was completed the lots were sold by auction at an upset
price of Ten pounds per lot, and as much more as the purchaser saw
fit to bid. In 1833 the population numbered 3-1-7, in 1835, 8iS, in
1836, 1100. By the year 1850 the population had increased to 3200.
In 1847 Brantford was incorporated as a town.
Brant County was formed from parts of Three counties, South
Dumfries from Halton County, Brantford, Tuscarora and Onon-
òaga from \tVentworth County, and Burford and Oakland from Ox-
ford County.

CHAPTER vn

THE FORMATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
OF BURFORD TO'YXSHIP. .. .. '.

On the afternoon of February 10th, lï93, Colonel John Graves
Simcoe, Lieutenant Governor of the new Province of Upper Canada,
with several of his officers, crossed the \\" estern boundary line of
the Indian country and entered the plains of what is now a part of
Burford Township. They were accompanied by chief Joseph Brant
and a number of his warriors, as escort, who had conducted the party
from "Brant's Ford" along the old "Indian Trail". which ran to the
Thames and thence on to Delaware Village.
Goyernor Simcoe was on his 'way to Detroit, then a British Post,
and ha,'ing reached the camp of some Indian hunters, situated at
the \Vestcrn end of the present village of Burford, thc night of 110n-
day February 10th was passed comfortably by the distinguished
trayellers. The Lieutenant Governor and his Surveyor General,
\Villiam David Smith, one of his most trusted lieutenants, were
much impressed with the appearance of this part of the country
and earnestly discussed the necessity of making improyements to
the trail, for the passage of immigrants, and their effects, who were
expected soon to arrive in large numbers, to settle in the \Vestern
District.
After the return of the Lieutenant Governor to Newark, plans
were prepared for the immediate construction of the great l\1ilitary
higlnvay, called after Sir Henry Dundas, Secretary of State for
the Colonies, to bc extended from the \Vestern extremity of Lake
Ontario, in a strélight line \Vest, and early in the Spring Augustus
Jones, Deputy Surveyor, was directed to run the line and layout the
work. anfl also to mark the corners of townships.
The first Township blocked out \Vest of the Indian country and
South of this highway was called Burford. During the Summer a
considerable body of the "Queen Rangers" were busily engaged
felling the trees, levelling the ground, filling up ravines and build-
ing small bridges, by the Fall most of the work, as far as the Grand
River was completed. . Augustus Jones had also ran the Seventh

THE HISTORY OF BUFORD

65

and Eight Concession lines, which permitted settlers to locate with
some degree of certaintly as to the lots they ,vould receiye, it hap-
ened thus that settlemcnt along the Dtil1Jas line and the lower part
of the Seventh line, began about the same time, and also in the South
East corner of the township, which was comparatively easy of access
from the landing on the River Ouse, up which boats were able to
navigate for forty to fifty miles.
\Yhen !vIr. John Stegman completed the survey of the Town-
ship in lï98, the population numbered about One hundred souls,
and the deeds for the lands, for which some of them had waited for
several years, were at last issued.
For many years after this period the increase in population con-
tinued at a very slow rate and the development of the township at a
still slower pace. The large quantity of land granted by the Exe-
cutive, after the departure of Governor Simcoe, to favorites of the
Government and apparently many generous grants to themselves,
in addition to thc clergy reserves and Crown lands, had locked up
fro.m settlemcnt, thousands of acres of desirable lånds.
Before proceeding further it will not be out of place to refer
here to the men who first surveyed out the Township. Augustus
Jones was among the first arrivals at Niagara and was engaged in
:;urveying in that locality several years previous to the creation of
this Province. He was of \Velsh descent, his grandfather having
immigrated to Amcrica previous to the American Reyolution and
settled on the Hudson River. He studied civil engineering in New-
York City, where he received his credentials as a competent land
surveyor. He was engaged for many years in laying out new ton n-
ships and employed many Indians in the work, he became proficient
in the Indian tongue and very friendly with the Indian Chiefs.
In 1798 he married a young Indian lady, daughter of the famous
!vlohawk warrior Terrihoga. Peter Jones the Indian \Vesleyan
missionary, born at Burlington in 1802, was the issue of this mar-
riage.
J olm Stegman had been an Officer in a Hessian Rcgiment, com-
manded by !vlajor Gencral DcLoos, his corps was one of the first to
arrive in America on thc breaking out of thc Revolutionarv \Var
and he served during the whole period of thc contest, when tile dis-
bandment was carried out in 1783, he removed to Canada, whcre he
was granted land and received his appointment as a ProYincial land
Surveyor.
The first authentic census of the population of Burford was
furnished by Thomas \Velsh, Clcrk of the Pcace, from his office

66

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Charlottsyille. in the year 1803. Burford and Blenheim was group-
ed together and contained 179 Males, and 157 Females, Total 336-
According to the figures which gives the population of each Town-
shipship separately a few years later, Burford's proportion in 1803
would be about 250. The following year (1804) the two townships
had increased their population to 202 11ales and 172 Females, Total
374, of this number there were six Males and five Females over
60 years, 10 Males and 8 Females over Fifty and under Sixty, 86
Males (rvlilitia Men) and 72 Females over 16 and under Fifty, 25
Males and 27 Females over Ten and under Sixteen, and 75 Males
and 60 Females under 10 years of age. In the year 1805 there was
a further increase in the population, the figures being 396 Males and
300 Females,. At this period Burford and Blenheim contributed in
taxes ill,16,3. No measure of "Self government was permitted to
the municipalities for many years to come, after the year 1801 when
Burford was transferred from the home to the.. London district, all
the work of assessment, collection of taxes, and distribution of
funds was carried out by the district Officers. One of the first
appointments was that of Thomas Horner as Register of the County.
Among the first magistrates appointed for the London District, were
George C. Salmon, James Mitchell, and Thomas Bowlby. George
C. Salmon, was also a Commissioner of Customs for the District, as
well as Francis L. \ V elsh, and George B. Askin. George Ryerson
was collector of customs at Turkey point and also Inspector of Li-
censes. J ames Mitchell appointed Judge of the District Court and
John B. Askin, Clerk of the District Court and Clerk of the Peace,
John Harris Treasurer. Judge James 1fitchell was also Inspector
of shops, stills and tavern licenses, Henry Van Allen Inspector of
Beef, Pork, etc. Board of Education John Rolph, J. B. Askin,
J ames Mitchell, and George C. Salmon.
Trustees of Schools, the Archdeacon of York, Ex. Officio,
(was a Trustee in all Districts) l\lalhon Burwell, John Bostwick,
Joseph Ryerson, James Mitchell, John Rolph, John Harris.
\Vith the Advent of the war with the United States in 1812,
and during its continuation, the population of Burford decreased
nearly 100 souls, settlement and development was at a stand-still,
money, was plentiful, and for the first time cash was paid for all
and every commodity furnished for the use of the troops. At the
close of the conflict however, the township found itself swept clean
of supplies and a great scarcity of stock prevailed. The farmers
could not obtain sufficient secd to supply their requirements, money
soon became scarce, in fact, disappeared entirely and for many years

t....1
!5nlf:' ,u'//"7 J/";:.H.I,',UIJ:

A .
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-"':'.. --'" C
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Ancient Implement used in the
Eighteenth Century.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

67

after, trade was carried on by barter or exchange of goods, invaria-
bly the most unsatisfactory manner of transacting business.
vVheat was the first crop put on new lands followed by Indian
Corn, Rye, Oats, Peas, Flax, etc. Plaster of Paris was being used
already at this period on the plains for clover. The ordinary crop
was Three tons per acre. New land on the plains was let out for the
halfs, the person taking it to be at half the expense of clearing, fen-
cing, ploughing, and harvesting. The crop was divided in the sheaf.
On improved lands, if the owner found teams, implements, board
and lodgings, the workmen received one third of the crop divided
in the sheaf.

Burford in 1817

By the year of 1817 Burford Township contained about Hxf
dwellings, and the white population then consisted of some 550 souls,
As yet there were no churches, but two Itinerant 11ethodist preach-
ers made regular Sunday rounds, and religious services were held
in thfi homes of the settlers. One medical practitioner attended to
the call of the few who required his assistance. Two primitive log
schools completed the Township's educational establishments, and
the school boy of those days frequently carried a gun to and from his
studies for protection from the wild animals, which were abundant.
There were but two Inns in the Township, three Grist 11ills and four
Saw Mills were in full operation, and must have proved of inestima-
ble advantage to the early settlers.
The first public meeting of the inhabitants of the Township of
Burford and its Gore, of which we have any record, was held in
the village of Burford on the 5th of December 1817, and was pre-
sided over by Lt. Co1. \Villiam D. Bowcn, one of the first military
mcn who had settled in Burford. This meeting was called to ga-
ther information regarding the resources of the Township, and to
submit reasons which in their opinion, affected its prosperity, and
growth. The unanimous opinion arrived at, was that these were
greatly retarded from the quantities of land granted to non-residcnts,
and thc great number of reservcd lots, these rcserves being scat-
tered all over the Township, not only precluded the compact settle-
ment of the same, but materially affectcd the settlement in general,
as the purchaser of a lot, if he is not so fortunate as to procure one
handy to the roads alrcady made, is under the necessity of making
them through perhaps scveral Reserves, and the lands belonging to

68

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

people that reside in other parts of the world, thereby enchancing
their value at a great individual expense. They considered that good
English farmers, mechanics and labourers, if they could obtain
lands in the Township, and all the Crown and a proportion of the
clergy reserves, sold or given to actual settlers, it would be an object
of great importance to the further improvement and growth of this
Township. The quantity of land for sale within the Township was
unknown, and the owners of the soil generally unknown.
On improved lands, if the owner found teams, implements

board and lodgings, the workman received one third of the crop divi-
ded in the Sheaf. Horses were valued at $100. cows $30. to $35.,
sheep $3. to $4.
There were four blacksmiths in the Township who manufactu-
red axes, hoes, forks and many other useful articles. Their charge
for shoeing a hors
was twelve shillings and six pence. An axe
cost the same price, a scythe eight shillings and nine pence. In
Burford Village were two tailors, who charged twenty seven shillings
and six pence for making a coat, and ten shillings for pantaloons,
Two shoe-mak
rs, who charged three shillings and nine pence for
making a pair of shoes, where the leather was furnished, and five
skilled carpenters who received ten shillings per day, and board.
Common labourers received thirty five pounds per annum, or for
the \Vinter month, two pounds per month, and during the Summer,.
three pounds, fifteen shillings per month, during Harvest, the rate
was five shillings per day. The cost of clearing and fencing five
acres of wild land, was estimated at eighteen pounds and fifteen
shillings. The average yield of wheat per acre was twenty-two
bushels-Price of wool per pound, two shillings and six pence, Price
of butter, one shilling, price of cheese, one shilling.
The best lands at this period, were valued, in the vicinity of
Burford Village at from five to ten shillings per acre.
The Government Regulations governing the granting of land,.
to new settlers, in the year 1817, provided for a free gift of SO acres,.
If he desired larger quantities, it was procurable under certain res-
trictions and upon payment of certain fees up to 1200 acres. He
was obliged to clear five acres on each hundred granted to him, open
a road in front of his lot, and build a log house of certain dimen-
sions, and these duties, if perfomed within eighteen months, after
his location ticket had been issued, entitled him to a deed from the
Government. The fees exacted, were as follows :- For

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Acres

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

69

100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200

:l 1 1 1 0
8-8--9
12-13-10
16-17--6
21- 1-100
25- 6- 3
29-10--110
33-15- 0
37- 9-40
42- 3- 9
46- 8- 10
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.

These sums were payable in three equal instalments, the first on
the receipt of the location ticket, which was always obtained as soon
as the Government had determined on the quantity of land to which
the applicant was entitled. The second on filing a certificate of
settlement duty, and a third, on receipt of the fiat for a patent.
There were but few villages between York and Amherstburg, a
distance of 326 miles, Dundas, Burford and Ancaster. were the only
places which from the multitude of their inhabitants were consi-
dered as villages, and the wh?le population of the three together did
not exceed 600 souls.
The first houses erected in Burford village were located in the
\Vest cnd, between the old Cemetary and its present \ Vestern boun-
dary. The townships educational establishments numbered two,
one of which was located in the village of Burford and was opened
in the year 1807. There were two stores, two taverns, three grist
mills, four saw mills, one fulling mill, one carding machine, the
cost of carding was Six pcnce per pound.

Early Hotels.

The accommodation providcd for guests at the public houses in
Upper Canada was of the most meager description. An early tra-
veller who made the journey from London to York on foot, passing
through Burford in the year 1820 has left the following account of
the accommodation furnished him at this period.
"At Eight o'clock in the evening, I arrived at Dogge's tavern,
. where I put up for the night. Taverns in the country parts of

70

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Upper Canada consist for the most part of small log houses, with
three apartments, a kitchen, a bed-chamber and a bar room. The
bar room is alike the coffee room, the dram shop and the counting-
house. The kitchen is the scullery, the dining-room, and drawing-
room, and the bed-chamber commonly contains four or five beds,
clean and plain, with cotton sheets and linsey-woolsey coverlets, but
having neither posts nor curtains. The other accoutrements of this
apartment are two or three chairs, and a portable looking-glass, so
small that a Lilliputian might put it in his waistcoat pocket ; and,
so far from returning a correct representation of the objects which
it reflects, that if you look at yourself in it length-wise, it will double
the longitude of your visage, and if breadthwise, it will equally aug-
ment the latitude. Such is the furniture of a Canadian bed-room."
In this sort of apartment do men, women, and children indiscrima-
tely seek repose from the fatigue of travelling.
On entering one of these taverns and asking for a single bed,
you are told that your chance of getting one depends entirely on the
number of travellers who way want accommodations for the night ;
and if you obtain possession of a bed by promising to receive a com-
panion when required, it is impossible to say what sort of a compa-
nion may come: So that, instead of hoping for the best, one is led
into the commission of a sort of practical bull,-to which, however
who regard their own personal convenience are equally liable, whe-
ther they be English or lrish,-by kéeping awake for the purpose
of receiving an intruder while no intruder comes to be received;
and thus we are sometimes deprived of a night's rest, without any
advantage.
I remember once being compelled to take a bed on these condi-
tions, because I could not otherwise procure it. I retired early
to rest; and after contending a short time with my apprehensions
of some ineligible bed-fellow, I dropped asleep. About midnight,
I was awakened by the chattering of five buxom girls, who had just
entered the room and were beginning to undress themselves. Per-
ceiving that there were only four beds in the apartment,-a double-
bedded room I-each of which was already occupied by one person,
I set it down as certain that I should have one, if .}lot two, of these
ladies. Under this impression, I raised up my head, and desired to
be informed which of them intended me the honour of her company.
"Don't be alarmed, Sir !" cried one of them. "\Ve shall not
trouble you nor your bed. "A look is quite sufficient !"
I suppose I must have discovered signs of fear, and probably
looked horribly enough ; for the idea of three in a bed was rather a

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

71

formidable affair. This, however, was the first time in my life
that lowed the luxury of a single-bed, or any other luxury, to my
looks. Until then I had always conceived, that my face was one of
those every-day faces which neither excite admiration nor create
alarm, but which,-like the crow that is vainly set up in a corn-field,
in the judicial capacity of a terror to evil doers,-is only observed
by the passing world as adding one to the number of its species. l\ly
prospect of good fortune was speedily confirmed, by the sight of a
large bed arranged on the floor, in which the five young ladies com-
posed themsekes to rest. In the course of my short life, I had
witnessed much of the delightful loquacity of the fair sex ; but I
was greatly astonished, when, after a brief interyal of silence, these
females resumed their conversation with redoubled energy. The
tone of their voices indeed was less clear than before, and their
sentences rather short and abrupt. They spoke principally in mo-
nosyllablcs ; and from the great stress which they laid on particular
words, I was led to suppose they were engaged on the discussion of
some topic of vital importance. But I could derive no benefit from
their conversation; for it was carried on in a language which I did
not understand ; but which, from thc abundance of gutturals that
it contained, was most probably German. I was kept awake for a
considerable time by their interesting confab, but arose in the mor-
ning too early to hear the termination of the debate,-yet early
enough to discover, that ladies speak German when they snore aloud.
I have already said, that, in the bed-chambers of Canadian
hotels, you are not supplied with wash stand or any of the para-
phernalia of the dressing-table. But, lest I should be hereafter ac-
cused of disseminating erroneous or garbled statements, it may be
as well to inform you, that, on descending from your bed-room and
walking outside the door, you will find something in the shape of a
pig-trough, supplied with water, in this you may wash if you please,
after you have dressed, or beforc, if you have any disposition to walk
out in your morning-gown.
In addition to these comforts of a Canadian hotel, and as an
example of others too numerous to mention. I may bc allowed to
say, if you have a horse, you are obliged, not merely to see him fed
and cleaned, but to feed him and clean him yourself, or else allow
him to remain hungry and dirty; and this, too, must be done with a
good grace, or you will be assailed by the combined anathemas of
the landlord and the windy c1amour of his lady.
It is vain to expect any sort of attention from the proprietors
of hotels in the country parts of either Canada or the United States.

72

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

If you ask the landlord ever so politely for any accommodation to
which you may feel yourself inclined, he will sullenly desire you
to have patience and wait till he is more at leisure: ; and as to the
young girls, who are usually found in these situations, they are, to
use the language of Lieut. Hall, a shade sulkier than the men. Do
you enquire of the damsels for refreshment? The odds are, that you
wiII be answered by a monosyllabic grunt, or some such delicate
phrase as, "Mother, the man wants to eat 1"

Crops.

Prices.

The growing of hemp was strongly advocated, flax was culti-
vated by nearly every farmer for domestic use, as they were obliged
to manufacture nearly all their own clothing, there being scarcely
any market for their produce, They were unable to export any of
thier crops at this period owing to the duties imposed in England,
and having no money to pay for the necessities of life, they were
compelled to get along with what they could furnish from their own
labours. It is on record that not enough could be obtained from the
distillers for a bushel of whcat to pay for the cost of production. The
Hessian Fly was much in evidence and added to the difficulties ex-
perienced by the agriculturalists. The orchards produced abundant
crops of apples which sold for Is, 3d, per Sixty pounds, and when
manufactured into cider Ten Shillings per barrel of Thirty-two gal-
lons. Ordinary labourers were paid Thirty-five pounds per annum, if
engaged for the Summer months only i3,15,0 per month, during Har-
vest Five Shillings per day. The cost of clearing and fencing an
acre of wild land was reckoned at 13,15,0, a horse was worth from
Fifteen to Twenty pounds, a cow Six pounds, an Ox Ten pounds,
Sheep iO,12,6d.
In 1833 the population of the township numbered 1302, 150 of
whom resided in the village. The London District contained 33,
225 souls and the population of the province had grown to the num-
ber of 256,544. Hamilton had now become an important market
where "Cash for \Vheat", and other products of the soil was the in-
ducement which caused the Burford farmer to team his produce to
that enterprising village. The current prices were, fOr Wheat, per 60
pounds, Seven shillings. Flour, per 100 pounds, Three dollars.
Oats per Bushels, lO,2,6d. Beef per One hundred pounds, Five Dol-
lars. Pork per One hundred pounds, Four to Five Dollars. Butter per

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Erected 1839.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

73

pound, One shilling, to One shilling Four pence, all payable in Uni-
ted States currency.
In 1836, the population of the township had increased to 141
,
London District to 41,130, and the Province to 346,165. Burford
had of cultivated acres 7,480, the total assessment was 20,640
Pounds.
\\Then \Voodstock became the district Capital in 1840, Burford
township contained
ome 2300 souls, there was in operation one
grist and nine saw mills, the rateable property had an assessed value
of $180,000. There are probably still living in Burford some
few who can remember the magnificient pine forests which thickly
covered a good part of the first five Northern concessions, and a
large tract of the centre of the Township. Growing timber in
those days had practically no value, the bare cost of cutting, hau-
lage and manufacture, was alone, considered as the basis of apprai-
sal. Four Dollars per thousand was a fair price for the best grades
of pine lumber, of a quality which it is now impossible to obtain in
more northerly latitudes.
As the country continued to develop and expand, Hamilton on
the East and London in the West became flourishing towns, while
prosperous villages like Brantford and \ V oodstock had out grown
Burford and were fast becoming centres of manufacturing industry,
Numerous hamlets had sprung up along the Ancient Indian trail,
over which passed to and fro, all the heavy traffic of trade and com-
merce, so necessary to the advance of modern civilization. Large
strings of heavily laden wagons, transporting all that a country im-
ports and exports, travellers on horse back, on foot, and in all sorts
or crude conveyances, was a daily sight, which the inhabitants of
Burford and Sydenham greatly enjoyed. The arrival and departure
of the semi-weekly stage coach with Her Majesty's mail, and a
varied assortment of foreign travellers, created more excitement
and more interest, than do to-day the Express trains, which ha,'e
replaced the old methods of travel.
In the year 1835 the Revd. James Hall, a missionary of the
English Congregational Church arrived in Burford, where he found
a number who had been connected with that Society in the Old
Country. lIe decided to locate in the village, and continued his la-
bors for several years. In 1839 a handsome church was erected under
his auspices, which at first was opened to the members of all reli-
gious bodies, this was the first Church erected in the township. The
Reverend James Hall resigned the pastorate in 18+-1- and was suc-
ceeded by the Revd. \V. F. Clark.

74

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

It was at this period that some new arrivals in the village at-
tempted to change the name by which it had been known since the
beginning of the century. Like many other fussy individuals affected
with over-officiousness and chronic unrest of mind, who are con-
tinually trying to change the names of the old streets and land marks.
These new residents introduced the name Claremont and for several
,
years the village existed under the burden of both the old and the
new designations, which was a continual source of worry to Bur-
ford's Post Master. In addition to Burfords one church, the Village
contained two stores, one Inn, one cabinet-maker, one waggon-maker,
two blacksmiths, one tailor, one shoemaker and one Physici
n.
In the year 1833, Eliakim Malcolm was appointed magistrate,
and in 1835, the first magistrates residing in the township of Burford,
in the persons of George \V. Whitehead, and John Weir, were
commissioned Justices of the Peace on June 12th. After the for-
mation of the Brock District, commissions were re-issued to the two
Burford Magistrates already mentioned.
In 1842, when the second commissions, were issued the name of
John \Veir was omitted, and those of Lawrence Daniels, Ransford
Rounds, John Eddy and Henry Horner were added. These changes
signified a change of government, and when the third commission
for the District of Brock appeared on February 14th, 1846, after the
Tories had been returned to power, the name of Henry Horner was
omitted and that of Charles. Perley added. In 1849, Henry Horner
Was again appointed as well as George \V. vVhitehead, Ransford
Rounds, Francis Malcolm, Charles Perley, John Eddy, Lawrence
Daniel, Alonzo Foster, and Robert C. 11uir.

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CHAPTER VIII

The first Roads and Bridges, and first Railway.

During the second session of the First Provincial Parliament, which
met at Niagara 31st. 11ay 1793, the Fourth Act passed was to regulate
the laying out and keeping in repair the public highways and roads. Roads
were not to be less than thirty, nor more than si!\:ty feet wide.
In 1808, Parliament granted i1600 towards the construction of roads
and bridges. In 1809, i250 was appropriated for a bridge across the
Grand River. During the next session, which met at York on 1st. Fe-
bruary 1810, i2,OOO was granted for roads and bridges, and i250 addi-
tional for a Bridge across the Grand River. Further grants were made
by Government, but nothing had been done for many years towards the
improvement of the roaù through "the centre of the township.
After the introduction of the stage coach and when the traffic between
the East and vVest had grown to enormous proportions, it was found ne-
cessary to make some improvement in the road from Sydenham \ Vest in
order to encourage a continuation of throught traffic, which had become
very remunerative to the stores and taverns along the line of travel. To
avoid the long steep hill at Paris, the freighters much preferred the south-
ern trail, to Dundas street, and to such dimensions had tra,'el and transpor-
tation grown, that there were at this period no less than tweh.e taverns on
the highways between the two town lines. A road had been laid out along
the centre of the fifth concession from Sydenham West, which became
known as the stage road, but after the construction of the plank road it lost
its importance and became a mere byway of the township.
The Plank Road when completed was one of the best highways ever
constructed in Canada and has always continued to be one of the most im-
portant in the Province. Operations commenced in 1842, under thc direc-
tion of the Provincial Board of \Vorks. Colonel Gzowski. the famou

Polish Refugee, was Engineer-in-Chief. His Deputies were authorizeù to
provide for a first class roadway, graded up to a width of thirty-two fcet.
Material to grade the road-bed, where it ran through level country, was
taken from the sides, leaving shallow ditches eight feet wide and two
feet in depth, and for the high grades across the low spots, the heavy
cuttings furnished an abundant supply of soil and gravel.

;6

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

The late Robert C. 11uir received the contract for constructing the
road through Burford and across Oxford to its intersection with Dundas
Street.
After the grading was completed preparations were made to cover
the centre of the road-bed to a width of sixteen feet with three inch Pine
plank, resting on six 3 x 8 pine sleepers, which were imbedded in the earth
to a depth of six inches. Heavy wrought iron six and seven inch spikes, of
the very best quality, were used to secure the planks to the sleepers.
The driving of the last spike opened to traffic, what was probably the
finest piece of road ever constructed in Canada. Immediately there was
an enormous increase in travel. The first railway between Hamilton
and London, was yet ten years away and all the trade, commerCe and traf-
fic between the two cities flowed backwards and forward through the
centre of the township, adding much to the growth and general prosperity
of the village in particular and the township in general, and to the satis-
faction of the twelve inn-keepers located along the line.
Two of the most prominent teamsters were Foote and Rowland, who
transported large quantities or merchandise over the new road. The wear
and tear caused by the immense loads continually passing up and down,
soon made it necessary to effect repairs, and in the course of a couple of
years it became evident to the government, that as a permanent road-bed,
wood was a failure.
It was then found necessary to commence removing the plank and
replace them by a heavy coat of gravel and broken stone, extending when
passing through the villages, to the full width of road way. In some spots
both sleepers and the partly worn planks were cO\"ered over, and up to a
recent period some of these were visible a short distance west of Cath-
cart, still in a good state of preservation.
A telegraph line had been erected adding to the importance of the
"Stone Road" as it was now called, and Burford village had become a
prosperous place, with an energetic and progressive community. Prosperity
continued until the opening of the Great \Vestern Railway in 1853, when
traffic almost entirely ceased and travel gradually fell off.

The Great Western Railway.

This line was first called the London and Gore Railway and was
chartered in 1834. It was capitalized at :l150.000, divided into Six thou-
sand shares of :l25 each. The County of Oxford having subscribed for
stock to the extent of i25,OOO, the \Varden of the county became, Ex-
Officio, one of the directors.

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

77

The surveys were not completed t1Tltil the year 18..1-7, when construc-
tion work commenced, but owing to financial difficulties, the work was
suspended until the year 1850 when construction was resumed.
The length of the London and Brantford Stone Road was 57.0 miles

and the total cost i49360, 12,9. A return in 1849 gave the gross re-
venue as 2873 pounds, and the expense for collection and repairs 1056
pounds; leaving a net revenue of 1817 pounds.
On the 15th. October 1850, this road, within the limits of the county
of Oxford, was sold to the Ingersoll and Brantford Joint Stock Com-
pany, for $24,000, but in consequence of the failure of the Company, was
resumed by the Government, and on the 1st. September 1859, was resold
to the Ingersoll and \Voodstock Gravel Road Company, for $800.00 which
was paid in full.
The Hamilton and Brantford roaù, including the Brantford bridge,.
was sold 15th. October 1850, to the Brantford Road Company for $108,
400. Up to October 1853, the Company paid the Government, on ac-
count of principal and interest, $26,849, and then ceased paying altogether.
\Vhen the plank road was opened through Burford, Paris Village
was deprived of a great deal of traffic, and in 1849 great exertions were
made towards turning the tide of trade back again along the Dundas lil'e.
A company was formed with a capital of $50,000, for the purpose of gra-
velling and planking this road from Dundas to \Voodstock, but without
the aid of this, Paris secured the new railway, and with it the hope of be-
coming a more important trade centre than Brantford. Their hopes
were justified when an excellent grain market was established with the
opening of the railway. After thc construction of thc Canal at Brantford,
the lattcr place had also become a good grain market, while Burford expe-
rienced a serious set back, which continued for some years.
After the Government had disposed of the Stone Road ; the new
owners established two Tolls in the township, one just ".cst of Burford
village and the other half a mile East of Sydenham. In lRóO the toll road,
as it was now designated, was purchased by Robcrt C. 1\luir, who opencd a
gravel pit on his estate East of the \ïllage, where the English Church
Parsonage now stands. In 1
()3, the roaù again changed owners when
11r. 11uir disposed of his interests to .1\1r. Lovejoy, Proprietor of the Stone
Road through Brantford township, outside of Brantford town limits.
By the year 1875, great improvements had been maùe in the town-
ships side roads and concession lines, this haù resulted in a continuous
falling off in travel along the Toll roaù, and the owner at last ccased enti-
rely to make any repairs or improvements. It soon showed signs of ne-

lect and certain parts became so bad, it was found necessary to call on the

78

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

proper authorities to inspect its condition, this resulted in the road being
condemned, when it passed into the hands of the Township Council. Ex-
cepting the bridges, it has since been kept up by statute labor and in the
village by direct taxation.

Brock District Council.

For fifty years following the creation of the Province of Upper Cana-
da, no municipality was permitted any voice in the regulation or control
if its local affairs. From 1792 up to the year 1842, officials ap-
pointed by the Government, assessed the land owners, levied taxes, collec-
ted the licenses, and through this mediaeval system the Executive con-
trolled the expenditure of all monies down to the last cent. This con-
tinuous sapping of the resources of municipalities like Burford, resulted
in a state of affairs entirely opposed to the progress and developement of
the township.
In 1842, the first measure of relief was put in operation by permitting
the districts to form an elective body to be called UDistrict Councils".
The Governor however, still retained the power to appoint the \Varden,
Treasurer and Clerk, the Officers, we may call them, of the elective bodies.
Council meetings were not to exceed six days.
Each Township having not more than three hundred Freeholders
were entitled to one representative at the Council Board, if more than three
hundred they were entitled to elect two Councillors. The Brock District
Council lasted for eight years. Burford's two an Oakland's one Repre
sentative during this period were as follows:

B urf ord Ransford Rounds 1842 to 1849.
U John Kelley 1842 " 1843.
U George C. \Vard 1844 " 1846.
" George Vl. \ Vhitehead 1847 " 1848.
Lawrence Dé!niel 1849.
Oakland John Eddy 1842 " 1843.
I' Eliakim Malcolm 1844 " 1849.
County Officials 1849.
\Varden : Benjamin VanNorman
. Treasurer : H. C. Barwick
Clerk : Thomas S. Shenston

In 1849, Districts were abolished and the first Oxford County Coun,
cil was formed in 1850.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

79

Oxford County Council.

The Act which abolished Districts and substituted Counties therefore,
did not alter the Territorial limits over which the District Council had
previously governed. The new County Councils however were composed
of the Reeves and Deputy Reeves from the various Townships, Burford
being represented by Ransford Rounds and Charles S. Perley, who were
elected in 1850. The same year Burford's share of taxes, to be collected
towards the support, and to be under the sole control of the council, was
i280,14,8.

Burford Township Council.

The first meeting of Burford's First Township Council, under the
Municipal Act of 1849, was held at the Inn of Henry Dorman (later
known as Vanderlips) Syden.ham, on the 21st. day of June 1850, when
the following members answered to their names :-Ransford Rounds,
Charles S. Perley, Robert C. Muir.' Isaac Brock Henry and Charles Hed-
gers.
The Council first proceeded to elect a Reeve and Deputy Reere
in the persons of Ransford Rounds and Charles S. Perley respectively.
George, G. \Vard, who had represented Burford in the District Council
during the years 1844-5-6, was appointed Clerk, he was soon succeeded
by Douglas Stevenson. In 1854, Robert Hunter was appointed, the lat-
ter served for one year and was succeeded by Alonzo Foster, who for
many years, was Burford's well known and respected township clerk.
The late John Catton was appointed Treasurer and served for many
years as the Custodian of the Townships money chest. In 1852, Joseph
D. Clement was elected the first \\r arden of the new county of Brant he
was succeeded by Eliakim l\lalcolm, who served during the years 1853-4.

A List of Burford Families who were Landowners in 1859.
A B B C
Allen Bonney Burtis CoJIins
Armstrong Brooks Beckham Charles
Brown Barker Cokeley
B Bal1anl Burch Clement
Bennett Bloodsworth Coon
Beemer Boyd Conkwright
Bailey Bowman Carter

80 THE HISTORY OF BURFORD
C H M S
Chrysler Hearn Merritt Showers
Catton Hess l\lessecar Siple
Haney l\1ilmine Skinner
D Henry Murray Stuart
Hixon Monatt Sebbick
Day Hersee Meadows Silverthorn
Dutcher l\loore Secord
Darnley J l\lcIrvine Smith
Doran Shellington
Daniels Jull N Sims
Johnson Shaver
E Neil Swayze
K Neff Stephenson
Eakins
Eaton Kipp T
Eddy Kennedy 0
Enwhistle Kelley Oliver Thompson
Elliot Trimble
L Oles Taylor
F Terryberry
Lee P Tansley
Ferguson La wrence Townsend
Force Landon Perley
Farrington Latimore Peffers V
Fowler Lloyd- Jones Parnell
Freeland Lester Pow Ie Virtue
Flock Lumsden Pottruff VanHorn
Foreman Lymburner Patterson
Lewis Poole \V
G Potter
M 'VVeir
Glover R Warbois
Griffiths Moritt Winskell
Gage l\1uir Reid 'Y,Vilson
McConnell Russel Watson
H Millar Rutherford Willis
:MacIntyre Ross Winegarden
Howey lYlc\Yilliams Reade
Harris 1vlarshall Rixon y
Hunt Morris Rathburn
Henderson l\lalcolm Ryder :Young
Harley McInally Robinson
Hainer Miles Rand
Hanmer Morrey Roswell
Howell Metcalf Rush

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CHAPTER
X

Personal Histories.

THE CLAUS FAMILY.

\ Y e are indebted to a grand daughter of CoI. \Villiam Claus, now re-
siding with her husband, ,Major \Villiam Evans, in the ancestral home of
her grandfather, at Niagara-on-the-Lake, for a copy of his commission as
Lieutenant of Oxford County. The extensive grounds covered with the
shade of enormous trees, are full of historical interest. :l\1any of these
trees were of large dimensions as long ago as one hundred years, today
the grounds are practically the same in appearance, and when viewing the
place, one can easily imagine many of the interesting events which hap-
pened here in the early days of this Province. The "Treaty Tree", a huge
oak, situated on the slope at the back of the grounds, under which the
Indians annually pitched their tents, to receive the payments and provi-
sions due them, is still in a healthy state of preservation. l\leasurements
made by the writer, gave a circumference of twenty-one fcet, at a point
six feet above the ground. Under its spreading branches a Regiment of
Horse might find shade and shelter.
In the shallow ravine stands a giant Balm of Gilead, the largest to be
found in the Province. N ear the entrance stands the "Guardian Tree",
a branch of which remorselessly swept from his horse, an American Of-
ficer who, immediately aftcr the landing at old Fort George in the Fall of
1813, had started at break neck speed across the common, with the inten-
tion of seizing Col. Claus' military chest, which generally containcù a large
amount of specie. The fall dislocatecl his neck, and his remains were
interred beneath this tree.
N ear the North East Corner there stood, up to a few years ago, the
famous Execution tree, about which clustered many gruesome tales of
retribution sternly and relentlessly meeted out to marauding individuals,
by the ex-members of Col. Jolm Butler's Rangers.
Hundreds of lcaù bullets were found embedded in the remains L f
this tree, against which prisoners condemned to be shot had been bound.
In the centre of the grounds stands the substantial old house erected
by Col. \\ïlliam Claus in 1817, to rcplace the onc destroyed by the Ameri-

82

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

cans in 1812. Here Col. Claus frequently entertained the leading men
of the Province, and lived in princely style. Many of the prominent In-
dian chiefs residing in the United States, who had in their youth, known
his Grandfather, Sir \YiUiam Johnson, and also his father Col. Daniel
Claus, were often received as visitors, and given advice and council in
their own tongue.
In rear of the residence, on the slope of the ravine, is still to be seen
the old Root house or "Pitt". Stories of the use to which this spot was
put, during the occupation of Niagara by the .L\merican invaders, after
the burning of the town, rival in atrocity those of the black hole of Cal-
cutta.
\Ve had hoped to present our readers with a photo of Co!. \Villiam
Claus, but owing to the natural reluctance of his relatives to part with so
valuable and precious a souvenir, even for a short time, and to the fact
that it is the only one in exisfance, the writer was content to inspect the
features of Oxford's first Lieutenant of the County, and also of his fa-
ther Col. Daniel Claus.
These beautifully executed hand painted miniatures are richly mounted

and never fade like the ordinary card photograph, every detail is there-
fore as clear and distinct as when executed 125 years ago. The photo of
\ViUiam Claus, was taken just after his appointment as a Lieutenant in
the 60th Rifles. A handsome youth of fair complexion, he appears to have
inherited all the good looks of his distinguished mother, his long curling
hair falling to his shoulders in the fashion of those days, gave him rather
an effeminate appearance, but the calm clear look of the eye and the lofty
bearing is one to inspire confidence. His scarlet coat is of frock pattern,
unbottoned at the top to show the high stand up linen coUar and long
flowing voluminous cravat. The photo of Co!. Daniel Claus is that of a
man about forty-fiye years of age, of medium stature, his features are
of a severe and determined cast and somewhat sharply cut, long dark
hair parted in the centre and turned up in rolls over his ears in curious-
fashion. His whole appearance indicates a man of very methodical ha-
bits, and one who would exact obedience and promptitude from his su-
bordinates.
No native of Canada can claim more distinguished decent than 11a-
dame \\ïlliam Evans, daughter of \ Y arren Claus, and grand-daughter
of Co!. \\"illiam Claus. In the year 1494 the Claus, or Klaus, family were
established in Klausenberg, Hungary, as Lords of the Manor, and pro-
prieters of large estates in the surrounding country. At the time of the
RefonnatÌon they sided with the Lutherans, and between the Roman Ca-
tholics on one hand and the Turks on the other, they gradually lost all
their property and were compelled to leave the Country. The two elder

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

83

brothers, John and George, removed to Austria where they settled, while
the two younger brothers settled in Germany.
John and Georges were enobled by the Austrian Emperor for dis-
tinguished sen"ices to the Empire, and their direct male descendants are
entitled to use the title "VON" before their names.
The Patent of Nobility (now in the possession of l\ladame Evans)
is beautifully engraved on thick parchment, still in a wonderful state of
preservation, considering its great age, size 2
x 36 inches. In the centre,
in orange and blue, the Claus colors, is the coat of arms, size 4.0 x 5.0
inches.
This Patent of Austrian Nobility, after reciting the high esteem in
which the recipients are held, and their merit and great services, conclu-
des as folIows :
"Given and Done at Vienna, Austria, on the twenty-seventh day of
January, in the Sixteen Hundred and Eighth year after the Nativity of
Christ, our only ,Moderator, Redeemer and dear Lord and Saviour."
In course of time the elder brother removed to Germany. Col. Daniel
Claus was the eldest son of this branch of the family. In 1747, Daniel
was sent by his father, an extensive manufacturer of \\ïnes, to America,
with a view to establishing stations for the exchange of his wines, for
Cotton and tobacco. In Albany he met Sir \\ïlliam Johnson, the great
Colonial magnate and overlord of the :l\Iohawk Valley. Accepting the invi-
tation of the latter to accompany him on his return to Johnson Hall, he
was introduced to Sir \\ïlliam's accomplished daughters, and immediately
formed an attachment for the elder, Nancy. After their marriage, he be-
came a British subject, and one of his father-in-law's chief assistants.
Having settled on a portion of the great Johnson estate, Daniel Claus soon
became active in thc life of the colony, and was Colonel in the l\Iilitia of
what ,:as then "New-York Province", and also received from the British
\Var Office a commission as Captain in the 60th or "Royal Americans."
Colonel D. Claus was in England on the breaking out of the Revolu-
tionary \Var, and returned to America intending to go to Jamaica to re-
join his Regiment. On his arrival in N ew- York City he found instruc-
tions awaiting him from Lord George Germaine, to remain in America
and help to organize a corps of Loyal Americans. He did as he was
ordered, and on this account he lost his lands.
In 1777 he was appointed by Sir Frederick Haldimand, at thc urgent
request of the Indians, an additional superintendant of affairs for Canada.
From 1777 to lï
9, he resided in the City of
Iol1trca1. In lï
Q he had
tendered his resignation in order to proceed to England, and personalIy
lay his claims for compensation, to co,'er his losses during the Revolutio-
nary \Var, before the Government. His resignation was not accepted

84

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

until 1784, as no suitable person could be found to take his place. Col.
Claus remained in England until the time of his death, which occured at
Cardiff, "Vales, in November 1787.
His remains were interred beneath the altar of the Cathedral in that
City, with great impressiveness and solemnity.

Memorial of Catherine Claus.

To the Right Hon. Carl Bathurst Knight of the Garter, one of His
Majesty's principal Secretarys of the State for the Colonies, etc, etc.,
The memorial of Catherine Claus, \Yidow of the late Honorable
\Villiam Claus.
Humbly Sheweth that your memoralists husband, the late \V m. Claus
was the son of a Loyalist who at the sacrifice of very valuable property,
adhered to the Royal Standard in the American \Var and that after ser-
ving His l\lajesty 17 years in the Royal York Regiment and the 60th Royal
American Regiment of Foot, he was appointed in 1799 Deputy Supt.
General and Deputy Inspector General of the Indian affairs in North Ame-
rica, and subsequently a member of the Legislative and Executive Councils
of Upper Canada. The duties of which offices he discharged until the pe-
riod of his decease, which event took place on the 11 Nov. 1826, that
although the Indian Department is accounted a military department and
is under the control of the Commander of the Forces, and that the Garri-
son allowances assigned to the situation held by your Memorialists late
Husband are those of a Lt. Col., yet there is no regular scale of Pensions
appointed to \ \ïdows of Officers services therein, although several such
have received special relief from His l\1ajesty's bounty.
Your memorialist therefore begs to submit to your Lordship'i consi-
deration her present situation and the great losses sustained by her late
Husband and his family, from their adherence to the British Standard as
before recited.
Your :Memorialist further begs leave to submit to your Lordship's,
that her late Husband's daughter Catherine Geale is the widow of an Of-
ficer who served His l\1:ajesty 6 years in the 41st Regiment, and subse-
quently 5 years in the Government Office of this Province, and that she
also, by the decease of your l\lemorialists late Husband, is left with a
family of 4 children entirely destitute. \Vherefore your Memorialist
relying on your Lordship's humane consideration and on the liberality
which so pre-eminently distinguish the British Government in provinding
for the families of her departed servants, ventures to hope your Lordship
'yill hring her case under the favourable notice of His Majesty, in order

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

85

that some relief can be extended to her, and further to pray that whatever
allowance it may graciously please His l\lajesty to assign her, may after
your :rvlemorialists death, be allowed to decend to th,e said Catherine Geale,
in consideration of the services of her late Husband and Father.
And your l\lem?rialist as in duty bound will e'"er pray, etc.

iagara, Upper Canada.
April 1827.

(Signed) Catherine CLAUS,

Henry Lester.

Quartermaster Sergt. Henry Lester, born in Bennington, Vermont,
Sept. 30th 1787, was the eldest son of Guy Lester by his wife Cynitha
Lawrence, the former was a native of X ew London, and the latter of
Lisbon, Connecticut. At the age of 15 years, Hcnry was bound out to a
certain Fuller for a term of seven years.
Having acquired a good knowledge of the manufacture of cloths,
but a decided dislike against his employer, who was a harsh master, and
being of too independent and enterprising a disposition to remain longer
in what he considered a state of bondage, Hcnry made up his mind to
immigrate to Canada, and left without the formality of bidding adieu to
the Fuller, who doubtless vented his rage on the remaining apprentices.
Having made his way to the place then called "Shipmans Corners",
which is now St. Cathcrines, he started there the first woolen mill
in Upper Canada.
In 1810, he disposed of his interests in the woolen mill, removed to
thc Village of Burford and located on lot Number Four, Sixth concession,
now known as the Andrew :\iiller Farm.
In 1811, he married Selena Fowler, and in the same year enlisted in
the 1st Regiment, Oxford l\Iilitia, and at the commencement of the war,
in 1812, was appointed Quårtermaster Sergeant. During that conflict
his services werc invaluable in securing supplies, not only for the Oxford
Militia, but for other troops cngaged from time to time in the London
District.
Although one of the non-combatant staff, Sergeant Lester took part
in more than onc engagement, and at the memorable battle of "Lundy's
Lane", thc commanding Officer of one of the companies being unfit for
duty, he took charge, and led his men during the fight.
After the war he was appointed Baliff and High Constable for the
Township, and held that position up to the year 1850.
His death on 1Iarch 27th, 1876, removed one of the last of the old
veterans of 1
12, of whom it may be written, "There were men in those

86

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

days". The late John Lester was the only son of Henry Lester, the
former also left an only son, Mr. Henry A. Lester, who is the present ow-
ner of the Homestead known as "Veteran Farm", and is one of Burford's
most successful and enterprising farmers and stockmen.

The Whitehead Family.

One of the most prominent and best known of Burford's First Fa-
milies, the Whiteheads were distinguished for half a century for their
leadership in all Religious, Military and Civil matters connected with the
Township. Of English descent, several members of the family were
settled in the American colonies previous to the Revolutionary \tVar. Ben-
jamin, a Captain in the N ew York Militia and another of the same name
a Magistrate, James emigrated to New Brunswick in 1783 and received
a grant of land for his adherence to the King's cause.
The Rev. Thomas \Vhitehead, born 1763, with his three sons, George
W., \Villard IV!. and Thomas C. emigrated from New Brunswick to Bur-
ford a short time previous to the \Var of 1812. First as an Itinerant l\le-
thodist preacher, for many years before the erection of the first house of
worship, Thomas \Vhitehead travelled regularly through the district mi-
nistering to the spiritual wants of the early settlers of all denominations.
Meetings were held in the homes of those having the largest rooms, and
during the warm season in the open air, whence arosc those good old
devout institutions, "Camp Meetings." é
One of the fathers of the 11ethodist denomination, the Rev. Thomas
Whitehead watched and assisted in its growth, from a few scattered fol-
lowers, to one of the largest and most influential religious bodies in the
Province, and in the year 1840, when nearly 80 years of age, he was elec-
ted first President of the Conference. His death occurred at the home of
his son in Burford in January 1846, at the venerable age of 83.
George M. the eldest son, inherited all the military instincts of his
ancestors, and during the better part of his life was connected with the
Canadian Militia, his first appointment having been made in 1812 as En-
sign in the Lincoln Militia. George 1\1. was Superintendent of the Town-
ship Public Schools during the years 1844-5-6 and member of the District
Council for the years 1847-8-9, appointed Commissioner of the Peace for
Brock District February 27th. 1840-9, and one of the first Justices of the
Peace in 1850 for the County of Oxford, and \Varden for one term.
In 1824, he was appointed Postmaster and opened his Office in the
\tVest end of the village, he appears to have been the first individual offi-
cially appointed to this position in the Township, but since the year 1819
there had been a Post Office in Burford Village.

..-

"-f,

iJ

"41
J':>:

"\

r

Rt. Rev. Bi.hop Charles H. Fowler

..
.... -
' .

Rev. Thomas Whitehead,
First President,
Methodist Conference.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

87

After his removal to Woodstock in 1850, he took an active part irt
all the Civil, Municipal and Commercial matters relating to the growth
of that enterprising town. He died in 1868. The particulars of his mi-
litary career will be found in the second part of this work, as well as that
of his brother \Villard 1\1. The latter, Burford's Second Postmaster,
and Clerk of the Division Court, also the first official authorized to issue
Marriage Licenses, was appointed to these positions in the year 1844, and
during his thirteen years term of office, his services to the public gave
universal satisfaction, and his position as Captain of the Burford 1\lilitia,
made him one of the most prominent residents in the active life of the
village and municipality. Having resigned his appointments, he removed
to Brantford in 1862, and from there to Chicago in 1879 He died in the
latter city in the year 1879.
A magnificent oil painting of \Villard !vI. \Vhitehead now in the pos-
session of his daughter, !virs. Ceo. A. Chrysler of Brantford, was the
first work done in Canada by the gifted English artist, Robert \Vhale,
and this portrait was awarded the first prize at the Provincial Exhibition
held in Toronto in 1857.
Thomas C, the third son, died in Sept. 1837, at the early age of 24.
His remains were interred in the old Burford cemetary, and lie near those
of the "First President".

The Fowler Family.

Among the first to acquire lands and settle in the ncw township of
Burford were the Fowlers, John and \\ïlliam, with their families who
emigrated from K ew Brunswick in the year 1798. Of English descent,
the Fowlers had first settled in the central part of the colony of N ew York,
about the year 1770, and during the Revolutionary \Var the family sided
with the Royalists. Caleb was ån officer in the Loyal American Regi-
ment, anothcr Caleb of \Vcstchester County, N. Y. was a captain in a
Loyalists Corps. The lands of both were confiscated by thc American
Congress, and at the close of the war they retired to New Brunswick on
half pay, and received grants in that provincc to compensate thcm for
their losses. George, another mcmbcr of this family was a noted Loya-
list, and \\ïlliam, father of \Villiam first mentioncd was also a Captain,
in the Loyal Americans.
John Sr. and John Jr. wcre among the first to be enrollcd as member

of Captain 1\Iallory's :Militia Company in the ycar 1798. At the Election
for the return of members to rcpresent the County of Oxford in the 12th
Provincial ParlÜ.\ncnt, held in the Village of Ingersoll on the 6th day of
October 1834, Charles Duncombe, one of the successful candidates was

88

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

seconded by Oraha Fowler, one of his staunchest supporters, and in all
the events leading up to the insurrection of 1837, Horatio Fowler was a
prominent character. In 1856 ,when most of the grievances complained
of had been removed, another member of this family, the late Caleb Po-
well Fowler, was gazetted Ensign in the 5th Brant Battalion, promotcd
Lieutenant April 2nd 1857 and Captain October 23rd, 1862. One of the
most prominent members of this family was the Right Rev. Chas. H. Fow-
ler, Bishop of the 1Ylethodist Episcopal Church, who was born in Burford
in 1837, and died at his home in N ew York City on :March 20th, 1910, in
the 77th year of his age. Bishop Fowler, who was an authority on all theo-
logical matters, was noted for his ready replies and witty sayings. On
one occasion, during an important meeting of the Clergy and laity, one of
the latter, who was displeased with a ruling of the Bishop who presided,
suddenly sprang to his feet and shouted :-"Deliver me from the snare
of the Fowler", before he had time to go further, the Bishop smilingly
completed the Psalm, "and from the noisome pestilence."
The present head of the family is Giles H., well known throughout
the Province as one of Burford's most successful business men. He
represents a family whose name appears frequently and prominently in
these records, and one whose members have resided continuously in the
municipality since the very beginning of its history.
For the photo of Bishop Fowler we are indebted to Mr. James P.
Fowler, one of the efficient, obliging and courteous staff of the Buffalo
Historical Society. This gentleman is also a well known officer of the
N ew York State 11ilitia.

The Yeigh Family.

The name of Yeigh is written largely across the pages of the old re-
cords in the Government Archives, detailing the stirring times and memo-
rable events occurring during the first sixty years of the last century. No
family in the Township occupy a more prominent position in its early
military and political history.
In the early part of the year 1800, John Yeigh with his wife Mary
Magdalene, his four sons, Jacob, John, Adam and Henry and daughter
Eve, set out from their old home in Pennsylvania for the wilds of Upper
Canada, the journey was made by wagon drawn by four fine horses. After
a period of some thirty days journey the travellers arrived in Burford, the
Yeighs like nearly all of the other first settlers came in from the East and
like them passed over the fertile plains of Burford, as being too poor to
be worthy of consideration.
John Yeigh and his family settled on Lot No.8, Con. six, which he
purchased shortly afterwards from Ensign David Parmer. After erect-

Q. M. Sergt. Henry Lester.
A veteran of 1812.

)

Jacob Yeigh,
A veteran of 1812.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

89

ing a home, and a partial clearing had been made, J olm Yeigh, who had
learned the trade of a potter, started the first manufactury, for furnishing
household utensils, in the County, his customers coming from far and near
to supply their wants. The remains of this primitive industry are stilI
visible on the north side of the stone road about a mile west of the village.
Jacob Yeigh, whose portrait appears at the head of this sketch, with
his father and brother John, immediately became members of Captain
Mallory's Ivlilitia Company.
Jacob who was born in 1784, was just 16 years of age when he became
a member of Burford's first ..Militia Company, and as soon as Adam
reached this age he was also enrolled, and was one of the first men who
voluteered for service in Captain' \Yhite's Flank Company, in which he
was appointed Sergeant. He served throughout the war and took part in
several engagements, notably the capture of "Detroit" and "Lundys Lane",
he was one of the few who was rewarded by a medal. Jacob Yeigh had
been commissioned Lieutenant in the First Oxford, and also took part in
the "Var, he was prescnt under Colonel Bostwick at the engagement of
Malcolm's Mill.
Considering the active part taken by Jacob and Adam Yeigh during
the "Var 1812-15 and their services in assisting the regular troops parti-
cipating in that conflict, who were occasionally stationed in Burford, it can-
not be asserted that they were Rebels at heart, when in 1837 they orga-
nized a Company and followed Doctor Duncombe to Scotland, they were
certainly Rebels against the abuses which then prevailed in the Province,
but in those day, all, who were not humble anfl obedient followers of
the political hierarchy, were suspected of heresies at variance with the op-
pressive system then in vogue.
Jacob Yeigh was twice married, first to l\lary Lossing, daughter of
Peter Lossing, who settled in the Township of Norwich in the year 1809
After her death he married Isabella Daniels (sister of the Yate Lawrence
Daniels, Esquire) and widow of Jonathan Stevens, who was a son of
J ustl1S Stevens, one of the first settlcrs in Burford. Jacob Yeigh died in
the year 1863, he had lived to see his only son Edmund commissioned an
Officer of the Queen's 1lilitia, when he was appointed Ensign to the 5th
Brant Battalion in 1856, Edmund Yeigh's part in the organization of the
Burford Infantry Company in 1866 will be found in another part of this
work.
Under Captain Edmund Yeigh, the Burford Infantry Company, in
their splendid Scarlet uniforms, reached a very high state of effiency, the
rank and file were of just the right material to produce the best class of
Infantry men and at that period thcrc was plenty of such material in
Burford.

1:10

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

The Yeigh family are at present represented by Mr. Henry Yeigh, a
well known business man of Brantford who is also prominent in Chuuch
work and Mr. Frank Yeigh of Toronto, the well known and talented Ca-
nadian writer, whose many works are read from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The latter was for many years private Secretary to the Hono-
rable A. S. Hardy, he is an Ex. President of Toronto Young Liberal As-
sociation, and some years ago was proposed by several leading journals to
succeed W. T. R. Preston as Reform Organizer.

Col. Henry Taylor.

Born in the City of Dublin, Ireland, on the 4th day of November,
1818, the late Henry Taylor, when but a youth vi 16 years, immigrated
to America, and finally arrived in Burford, when it contained a population
of some iOO souls:
In 1834 he settlcd on lot No. 21, concession 5, which has remained in
possession of the family from that date to the present day.
This lot was one of those originally granted to the Chancellor, Pre-
sident, and scholars of Kings College, and it had remained in its original
state, until acquired by the young settler from Ireland.
The lands in that part of the Township were densely wooded with
giant sugar maples and other hardwoods, and to clear the forest and pre-
pare the ground for cultivation, required not only determination and
great energy, but a robust constitution. Henry Taylor like the great ma-
jority of Burford's first settlers was blessed with unfailmg good health,
and to an eminent degree, possesed all the characteristics necessary to
encounter difficulties successfully, and succeed where weaker
men have failed.
Three years after his arrival, the dissatisfaction with the Executives
tyrannous methods of ruling the province culminated in the rising of 1837.
In the following year when certain of the leaders who had escaped to
the United States and idcntified themselves with American Filibusters,
had lost the sympathy of the great majority of the Reformers, who were as
much opposed to separation from the 110ther country and to interference
from foreign aggressors, as they were to the blighting system which had
so long retarted the growth of the country.
The Burford Militia were being re-organized as the 4th Oxford, and
the subject of this sketch having now attained the age of Twenty, and his
name being returned on the Militia Rolls, was one of the first to voluteer,
when Lt. Col. Ceo. M. \Vhitehead ordered a part of the Regiment on
duty. From this time until the practical abolition of the Sedentary 11i-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

91

lita in 1863, Henry Taylor was closely identified with the 1filitary His-
tory of the Township and always took the greatest interest in his Company
and his Regiment.
In 1856, on the organization of the 5th Brant Militia, he was appoint-
ed Lieutenant and the following year promoted Captain. \Vhen the forma-
tion of a Service Battalion was dropped, Captain Taylor was promoted
l'vlajor in the new Reserve 1filitia, January 29th, 1869, and in 1882 he
succeeded Charles S. Perley in the command, with the rank of Lieut. Co!.
Since the latter date no further appointments have been made to the Se-
dentary 1Iilitia in Burford.
Lieut. Col. Taylor served for a number of years as a member of the
Council, \Vas Deputy Reeve from 1857 to 1860.
After the formation of the County of Brant he was commissioned a
Justice of the Peace.
He married in 1849, his union being blessed by two sons, David H.
who died in 1893, and Fred \\T., Burford's present popular Ree\ e and
the head of the family since the death of his father, which occurred on
January 3rd, 1900.

A Partial List of Captain Taylor's Militia
Company, in 1860.

Oliver Treanor
John Dorman
Thomas Anson
Henry Reed
Stephen Rambo
Christopher Fear
Alanson \Vooden
Peter Thompson
Hamilton Sha vcr
Da vid Conkwright
\Villiam Poole
\-\ïlliam Foreman
Thomas \ \ïlson
John Hanmer

Jonah Howey
Timothy Cockley
Stephen Sullivan
John \Vetheral
Henry Bennett
George Cope
Thomas Carruthers
J 01111 Lunnon
John \Vallace
\\ïlliam Blair
Joseph Poole
Alex Poole
Samuel Osmond

92

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

./

-..
.
. 1''11.\1.,
. J
SO'l\

<o.,

:p 'P
tt
c!r

The Perley Family.

The members of this family trace their descent back to that Allan Ap.
Perley, whose crest appears at the head of this article, and who left his
native vVales in the year 1630 and settled in Boxford in the state of i\Ias-
sachusetts. where many of the name still reside.
In the year 1760, Israel Perley left 11assachusetts and settled at 1Iau-
gerville on the St. John River, and was the founder of the New Bruns-
wick branch of the family. Since their settlement in that Province the
Perleys have filled many positions of trust and responsibility.
The subject of this sketch, Charles Strange Perley was born at 1Iau-
gerville, in the Province of New Brunswick, April 11th, 1796.His mater-
nal grandfather was Ephraim Tisdale of Freetown, 11ass., who left his
home in 1775 and went to New York. During the war, while on a voyage
to St. Augustine, he abandoned his vessel at sea, to avoid capture, and

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

93

gained the shore in safety. Nearly destitute of money he accomplished
an over land journey to New York, a distance by the route which he travel-
led of 1500 miles. In 1783 he embarked at New York, with other Loya-
lists, for New Brunswick, in the ship "Brothers" commanded by Captain
\Valker, and on the passage his wife gave birth to a son, who was named
after the master of the ship. During his residence in New Brunskick,
Ephraim Tisdale was prominent in Civil and l\Iilitary affairs, he died in
1816 leaving a family of Eight sons and Four daughters.
In the year 1801, Charles S. Perley, then a child of seven years of
age, with his mother and uncle Joseph Tisdale, came to Upper Canada and
settled at Vittoria in the county of Norfolk. During the war of 1812, as a
youth of but Sixteen years of age, he was present at several engagements,
and was one of the very few taking any part in that great conflict, who
lived long enough to enjoy the pension finally granted to survivors by
the Government.
After his marriage to the daughter of Colonel :McCall of Norfolk, he
settled in Ancaster where he resided fOr seven years.
On his removel to Burford, Charles Strange Perley acquired exten-
sive tracts of land and soon became prominent in the political and military
life of the township. Surrounded by his family of five sons 'and five daugh-
ters, his beautifully situated homc estate was for long one of the social
ccnters of the county. A staunch supporter of the constitued order of Go-
,'ernment, with inherited convictions of the strongest kind against what
he considered the revolutionary tendency of the majority of his neigh-
bours, and a firm belief in the political doctrine, held at this period by
many of the desccndants of the loyalists, that they were entitled to more
consideration than the ordinary settler, had caused many hot argumcnts,
prior to the events of 1837. Charles S. Perley was the first resident of
Burford who learned of 11ackcnzie's defeat. He had been summoned to
Hamilton to report on the political situation in Burford, and while there
hc mct Colonel Allan :McN abb, just rcturned from Toronto, who vcrbally
authorized him to raise a company of :\Iilitia and oppose the Rebels. He
was first commissioned captain 23rd April, 1838, and was one of the mem-
bers of the Court ,Martial which met in London during the month of
January 1839, and which sentenced the unfortunate Joshua Guillam Doan
to suffer the extremc penalty of thc law.
In 1840, he was appointed 1\Iagistratc for the District of Brock and
for many years he balanccd the scales of justice cvcnly between thc nume-
rous litigants of those days.
Charles S. Perley, was Burford's first Reeve, aftcr it became part of
the County of Brant he acted in that capacity until the year 1855, the fol-
lowing year he was elected Dcputy Recvc. He lived to see the sons

94

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

of those he called Rebels and others who were friends and sympathizers
of Dr. Duncombe, gazetted valued Officers of his own corps, the old 5th.
Brant.
Colonel Perley was twice married, his second wife, who survived
him was the daughter of Sheriff Rapelgie of Norfolk County. He died
on Sunday the 19th January 1879, at the ripe old age of 82 years nine
months and eight days. His remains were interred in the Cemetary atta-
ched to Trinity Church, Burford.

The Muir Family. (C01l1rilmted)

This family claim kin to the house of of Colstoun, Dumfrieshire,
Scotland, founded in the reign of l\lalcolm (Ceanmohr), by Charles
LeBrun, a famous French '-tVarrior noble, who arrived in Scotland to visit
relatives sometime during the latter part of the Eleventh Century. Ha-
ving entered the service of the Scottish King, he was granted estates in
Dumfrieshire, and established his seat at Colstoun Park. His son \Val-
terus LeBrun flourished during the early part of the Twelfth Century.
In 1296, Sir David LeBrun was one of the Scottish Barons who swore
fealty at Berwick. Richard, another prominent member of the family,
was one of the principle Noblemen who headed a conspiracy connected
with the Charters.
During the fifteenth century the prefix to the name was dropped and
gradually the remainder was changed to Broun, and this way of spelling
it finally adopted.
Sir \Villiam Broun in the reign of James the First, was \Varder of
the \Vest Border and commanded the Scots in a battle fought against the
English. A younger brother of the last named, for services rendered at
this engagement, was granted considerable tracts of waste lands, called
Moors or Muir's.
In course of time the descendants of George the younger brother
became known as the people of the Muir's and the name originated thus.
John 1\:Iuir, founder of the Canadian branch of the family, was born
in Ayshire, Scotland, 1770. Having received the benefit of several years
education at one of the excellent schools, which already existed in Sco-.
tland, he entered the employ of a rich manufacturer of cloth goods and the
famous Paisley shawls in the town of that name. Haying thoroughly
learned the process of manufacturer, he now established himself in bu-
siness on his own account, and at the age of 28, married Anna \Vinnett,
daughter of :Major \\ïnnett of H. 1\1. 13th. Regiment of Foot, an officer
who fought with distinction during the early \Vars of the Nineteenth
Century.

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

95

After the cessation of the Napoleonic \Yars, trade was in a very
depressed state, money became scarce, and a great deal of discontent exis-
ted throughout Scotland, many were immigrating to the Colonies in the
hope of improving their fortunes in new countries, where every man was
welcomed.
In the month of ,April, 1818, John :Muir, with his family of five sons
and two daughters, took passage in a large sailing ship bound for the port
of Quebec, Canada. Aftcr a stormy passage of forty days they reached
their destination and transhipped to a small steamboat, running between
Quebec and 110ntreal.
early three days was consumed in the passage
to the latter city, as the boat proceeded on her way only during daylight.
From :\Iontreal passengers and freight were transferred overland by
wagons to Lachine, here flat bottom scows known as Durham boats were
taken. These crafts were propelled up stream by stalwart rowers.
Having arrived at Brod,.\'ille, the party disembarked and were trans-
ported overland by ox teams to their final destination. Perth, then a small,
village. which two years previously had been set apart as the Capital of
the new Bathurst District.
..\t this period a large number of Scotch families had commenced
settlcment in Lanark Township, and after looking over the ground, J 01111
::\Iuir with his elder sons and son-in-law :\Iatthew Virtue, who had ac-
companied them from Scotland, secured a large tract of land in the town-
ship mentioned, and here they located for a period of some twelve years.
Finding this section of country unsuitable for successful agriculture,
the
Iuirs and their relatives removed to Burford in lX30, and settled in
the North \\.estern part of the township, when that section was an almost
unbroken forest, with bears and wolves as frequent visitors.
The casual visitor in viewing this part of the country at the present
time, can scarcely realize that these lands were once covercd by a thick
g-rowth of enormous trees ; to remove them root and branch entailed an
immcnse amount of laborious toil.
The late Robert C.
Iuir, fourth son of John :\luir, turned his at-
tention to the acquisition and disposal of the new lands, and during the
next twenty years following his arrival in Burford, he dealt extensively
in Crown Reserves, Canada Company an(l other lands. In 1842, when
the Provincial Board of \\'orks commenced the construction of the Lon-
don and Hamilton Plank road, he secured the contract for a large section,
and had associated with him in the direction of the undcrtaking, his bro-
ther, the late Allan :\[uir, father of
Ir. John
[uir, of Brantfon!. Un
the successful completion of this important highway, hc was pressed by
the department to undertake similar contracts in distant parts of the Pro-
vince, but declincd in order to take part in the construction of the new

96

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Hamilton and London Railway, which at that period was expected to run
through the township. He built the section of Railway between Paris
and \Voodstock, he also erected a bridge over the Grand River at Brant-
ford, when the previous one has been swept away by one of the periodical
Spring floods. .
Mr. Muir was one of the first to propose the construction of the Rail-
way, from Brantford to Tillsonburg, and with Henry Cox and the late
Edmund Yeigh, formed the Burford Committee, who carried the granting
of a bonus in aid of the enterprise to a successful issue.
When the first Burford Township Council was organized in 1850,
he was elected a member, and in 1852, was appointed 1-1agistrate, being
one of the first appointed in the new county of Brant. He was an exten-
sive traveller, having crossed the Atlantic thirteen times, and also the Paci-
fic and Indian Oceans, in a Tour around the world.
In 1870, when proceeding to the Port of London in the large clipper
ship "Blue Jacket", on which he had secured passage from the Port of
Lyttleton, New Zealand, when 1,000 miles from Cape Horn, the vessel
caught fire, the crew and passengers were forced to take to the boats.
The boat, twenty-seven feet in length, in which Mr. lVluir was in, headed
for the Falkland Islands seven hundred miles distant. After a perilous
voyage of 500 miles towards the Islands, they were picked up by the Dutch
bark "Prymont" and finally landed in Cork, Ireland.
:Mr. lVluir was always intensely loyal and patriotic and inherited all
the Military instincts of his ancestors.
He was a life long Reformer, but one of independent views. Al-
though a friend and supporter of Dr. Charles Duncombe, during the lat-
ters term as Oxford's representative in the Prü\,incial House of Assem-
bly, he was strongly opposed to armed insurrection, and refused to consi-
der such a course as the only remedy left to remove the abuses from
which the country was suffering.
Neither :Mr. 11uir nOr any other member of the Burford 11ilitia was
ever called upon to take any prominent part in the suppression of the
revolt, the few who were called out, performed a certain amount of patrol
and escort duty, but when Duncombe's force dispersed and dissolved,
the Rebellion in this section of the Province was ended for good.
The chief incident in Mr. lVluir's connection with the Rebellion
period, occured during the month of January 1838. In company wtih one
of his brothers they had left their home in the western part of the town-
ship, and were proceeding to Brantford to transact some business, both
being mounted on horseback. \Vhen descending the long hill known as
11cKnights, about three miles west of the town, they met a sleigh load of
armed men under command of a regular officer, who ordered the two

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

97

travellers from Burford to halt and g;ve an account of themselves. Ha-
ving satisfied the officer's curiosity as to their undoubted loyalty to the
Queen (nothing being said about loyalty to the Government), 1Ir. Muir
and his brothcr were requested to turn about and accompany the part)'
to assist in the capture of a number of desperate Rebels, who were stated
to be concealed in a house on the road running towards Paris.
The day was bitterly cold, the side road was filled with drifted snow
from a recent storm, making progrcss extremely slow. Late in the after-
noon the detachment arrived in the vicinity of the expected capture, when
the officer halted and sent forward an unarmed scout, as an ordinary way-
fdrer, as it was thought that if the supposed part of Rebels caught s;ght
cf a body of armed men, they would either disperse rapidly or have time
to make an effective resistance. A code of signals being arranged, the
scout approached the house, where everything appeared quiet and peaceful,
a dog in the yard wagged a cordial welcome, the front door open cd and
the woman of the house invited the supposed traveller to enter. Finding
a comfortable fire he proceeded to warm himself and appears to have
forgotten all about his signal duties. The officer at last became impa-
tient and decided to advance without further delay. Arms were prepared
and the house surrounded without any hostile demonstration from the
interior or any appearance of the scout. The men were now ordered to
rush the fort, rescue the scout and capture the rebels, but they found
hospitality where they had expected to meet with resistance. The man of
the house however, who was the only man to be found on the premises,
was taken prisoner and carried to Brantford.
On their return journey, which was made after dark, the two mounted
men were ordered to act as front and rear guards, but no rescue was
atttempted and the officer with his armed party and his prisoner arrived
safely at Brantford.
.Mr, 1Iuir and his brother were detained on duty until after the ap-
pearance of thc prisoner before the Magistratcs, who sentenced him to the
jail in Hamilton, whcre he was confined for a space of time and then
liberated.
During the year 1838, a detachment of troops were stationcd for a
short time in Sydenham, and a number of residents wcre unjustly arrested
and brought before the Commanding Officer, who made his Head-quar-
ters in the red brick house on the north side of the stonc road, about a
mile west of the village. :Mr.
ll1ir, knowing that the accused wcre enti-
rety innocent of the charges which had been made through personal spite
and prejudice, appeared on their behalf and succeeded in having these
innocent men discharged, the officer being a man of discernment and
intclligence.

98

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

In 1856, when the Fifth Brant Battalion was organized, under Lieut.
Colonel Charles S. Perley, Robert C. Muir accepted a commission as Lieu-
tenant, the following year he was promoted Captain and organized No.3
Company, which became one of the most efficient in the regiment.
During one of 11r. l\luir's trips to Scotland he met and married Mar-
garet E. Thwaites, daughter of Captain Adjutant Thwaites of the Ayr-
shire Regiment, who predeceased him some six years. Mr. Muir who
was born in the year 1807 was at his death, on 10th. 11arch 1905, the oldest
Justice of the Peace in the county of Brant.
Their five sons have all been prominently connected with the active
Militia. John T. the eldest (now deceased) was for two years, from
1873, a Non-commissioned Officer of the Burford Infantry Company, and
became a member of the Burford Cavalry in 1875. Three years later,
he entered the Civil service, as Ontario Immigration Agent at Toronto,
when that office was abolished he was promoted BurseI' of the Govern-
ment Asylum at Orillia.
\Villiam Kelso, now ,Major commanding the Burford squadron of
the 25th. Brant Dragoons, is now the oldest Cavalryman in Brant Coun-
ty, and one of the oldest in the Province, still on the active list, he has
served continuously since the year 18ï7, and carries the Long Service
Medal and Decoration. 1-Iajor :Muir, is next in line for the command of
the Regiment.
Robert Cuthbertson, joined N. 5 (Burford) Company 38th. Battalion,
in 1874, and attended the Camp of instruction held during the month of
September of that year on the Fair Grounds, Brantford, also the large
camp at Niagara, which included the Queen's Own Rifles, and 10th Royals,
the following June.
In 1877, transferred to the Burford Troop of Cavalry, under Captain
1larshall, appointed Sergeant 1883, attached to Royal Schòol of Gunnery,
Kingston, granted first class Grade B. Certificate, June 1st 1884.
Commissioned Lieutenant July 1884, promoted Captain 4th. l\Iay
1898, :Major 6th. February 1902, Toronto Cavalry School First class Cer-
tificate IVlarch 1898, Long Service Decoration 1902, R. O. 18th. Sep-
tember 1902, Retired 1907.
Matthew Ford, member of the University Company, Queen's Own
Rifles during the early eighties. Graduated 1888 B. A., Captain Dufferin
Rifles of Canada, 1896, transferred to 2nd. Dragoons 28th. January 1899,
with rank of Second Lieutenant, promoted Lieutenant 21st. December
1899, Captain "C" Squadron, 18th. September 1902, 1Iajor commanding
"C" Squadron 1911, Lieutenant Colonel commanding 25th., Brant Dra-
goons 1912.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

99

Allan D. 11uir, joined Burford Troop of Cavalry 1881, appointed
Trumpeter, 1883, Trumpet Major 2nd. Regiment of Cavalry, resigned
in 1892. Commissioned Second Lieutenant No.3 Company, 22nd. Batta-
lion, February 1896. Promoted Captain June 15th. 1896, resigned 1901.
Appointed Paymaster 25th. Brant Dragoons, from 5th. April 1909.

CHAPTER X

Burford's Parliamentary Representatives.

SIR FRANCIS HINCKS

Sir Francis Hincks was born in the City of Cork, in the year 1807.
He was the fifth and youngest son of Dr. Hincks, of the family of Hincks,
of Breckenbrough, in Yorkshire, which traces its origin to \Villiam Hincks,
an Alderman of Chester in 1341. Dr. Hincks settled in Cork in the
year 1791, as rvlinister of a Presbyterian Congregation.
He published a number of educational works and was distinguished
for his success in the instruction of youth. In 1815, he bccame connected
with the classical school of Fermoy and in 1821 removed to Bedfast, ha-
ving been appointed head classical master of the Royal Institution in that
city. Francis received a first class education, as it was intended that he
should take up a professional career, but in 1823 he became connected
with a large commercial how;;e which sent him to the \Vest Indies in the
year 1830.
After visiting the principal islands he came to Canada and was so
favourably impressed with the country, that he decided to make it his futu-
re home. He returned to Ireland in lR31, and the following year having
married, he sailed again for America and settled in Toronto, where a few
years later he commenced publication of the "Examiner" N ewspaper

which at one time had a large circulation throughout Oxford County.
Through his writings l\lr. I [incks became well known to the readers
of his paper, and his strong and able advocacy of the reforms so ardently
desired by the electors, had made him popular before he was personally
known to the Liberals of Oxford.
At the Convention held in \Voodstock, during the \Vinter of 1841, to
select a candidate to represent the county in the new Parliament of the
two Canadas, several names were proposed, but eventually all withdrew
in favor of l\Ir. Hincks, who was strongly supported by the Burford dele-
gation.
The election was held in Woodstock, from the 15th. March 1841. The
Poll was opened all week for the accommodation of the voters, who were

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

101

obliged to come {rom all parts of the county, Hincks was returned by
the narrow majority of 31 over his opponent, Peter Carrol, Surveyor
of Oxford. who was a son-in-law of Admiral Vansittart.
After Parliament met, 11r. Hincks was selected to fill the position of
Inspector General, an appointment somewhat similiar to that of Finance
Minister, this neecessitated a new election, which was held 14th. July 1842.
In this contest the Honorable Francis Hincks was opposed by John Arms-
trong of Zora, on the third day, the votes being overwhelmnly in favor of
the Inspector General, 1fr. Armstrong withdrew.
This the first Parliament of the United Provinces of Upper and Lo-
wer Canada, passed a new Election Law, which contained provisions that
had long been sought for by the Electors, instead of as heretofore, only one
Poll for the whole county, there would be one opened in each Township.
Nomination for the second Parliament was held in \\.Y oodstock, on
the 18th. day of October 1844, Hincks was opposed by Robert Riddell, one
of the strongest and most popular men of his party. Riddell, was elected
by a majority of 22 votes. Burford township Polled 204 votes, 104 of
which were for Hincks. Of Oaklands total of 48 votes, 34 were for
Hincks.
Nominations for the third Parliament was held in \Voodstock on
21st. December 1848, Sir Francis Hincks was again the candidate of the
Reformers and Peter Carrol of the Tories, 11r. Hincks carried this elec-
tion with the handsome majority of 335 votes. The total vote of Burford
Township was 225, of which 123 were for Hincks. Of Oakland 60 votes,
40 were for Hinks.
On the 15th. day of :t\oycmber 1851, nominations to elect a member
for the fourth Parliament, was again held at \ V oodstock. The candida-
tes selected were the Honorable Francis Hincks and John G. Vansittart,
son of Admiral Vansittart. The total vote polled was 2519, of which
Hincks received 1299, Burford's vote was 350, or 192 for lIincks, and 158
for Carrol. Oakland gave 67 votes for Hincks and 15 for Vansittart.
In 1851, 1Ir. Hincks was named Prime 11inister by the Governor
General. In 1852 he visited England in the interest of the proposed Grand
Trunk Railway, his proposition to the Canadian Parliament to spend
$16,000,000 in furtherance of this project was considered by many to be
beyond the financial powers of the country.
lIe retired from political life in 1855, when he was appointed Gover-
nor of the \Vindward Islands. After his return to Canada, having
resigned his post, he re-entered Parliament in 1866, as member for Ren-
frew.
In 1873, when Sir Francis Hincks offered himself as candidate of the
Conservative party, for the South Riding of Brant, for the second Domi-
nion election, he made a personal call on many of the 01<1 and prominent

102

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Liberals in the Township of Burford, who had supported him during the
days of his early political career, soliciting their support on account of
his past services to the country. After his defeat, by the rising young po-
litician, William Patterson, he was elected for Vancouver, but did not
remain long in Parliament, having many other important matters to occu-
py his time. He was President of the Confederation Life Insurance Com-
pany, and a Member of the Council of the Royal Colonial Institute. His
greatest Canadian work was the construction of the Grand Trunk Rail-
way. He was created C. B. and K. C. M. G. During the smallpox epi-
demic, Sir Francis, one of the most able and brilliant of Canada's public
men, fell a victim to the scourge.

Hon. Edmund Burke Wood. (Big ThlmdtY 1.)

Burford township, as part of the counties of Oxford and Brant, has
at different periods been represented in Parliament by some extraordinary
men, among the best known öf these was the original-"Big Thunder",
one of the most powerful debators that has ever appeared in the political
arena of Canada.-His advent into public life was the result of an acci-
dent. Having lost the lower part of his left arm while engaged in thresh-
ing at an early age, he entered college and proved to be an apt and bril-
liant scholar.
He now studied law, and established himself in Brantford, where for
long, he was the leading Council. When the first Executive of the new
Province of Ontario was formed in 1867, with John Sandfield Macdonald
as Premier, E. B. \Vood became one of his colleagues, in what was called
the coalition or Patent combination Government. At the general and lo-
cal elections held that year. "Vote for Wood. In both houses H was the
motto of his supporters. He was opposed by 1Iessrs. Leeming and
Biggar, the George Brown Liberal Candidates, but was triumphantly elec-
ted over both his opponents, having received the solid Conservative vote,
as well as the support of a large section of Reformers.
The Hon. E. B. \V ood thus had the unique distinction, of not only
representing the South Riding of Brant, in both the Federal and Local
Houses of Parliament, but of being the first of the Ridings representa-
tives in the new Dominion and Provincial Legislatures.
His first great speech in the House of Commons created a sensation,
his thunderous voice, leonine appearance and dominant personality, swayed
his audience to a remarkable degree. It was after this occasion that a
prominent Toronto Journal-formerly a supporter, but now an opponent,
in a special editorial referred to E. B. Wood as UBig Thunder", the great
chief from the wilds of South Brant, who comes roaring, ramping, raging
down to the great Council House, on the Banks of the Ottawa.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

103

The last appearance of the Hon. E. B. \Vood on the public platform
in Burford Township, was in the village of Harley, where he had been in-
vited by the committee, having the matter in charge, to address the voters,
on the question of granting an adequate bonus in aid of the proposed
Brantford, Norfolk and Port Burwell Railway. His convincing argu-
ments were listened to with the greatest of attention, and helped to carry
the vote in favor of the grant of $30,000, which the Township subscribed
to this enterprise.
Subsequently appointed Chief Justice of .Manitoba, not as important
a position then as now, his great abilities and services to his Country
would have entitled him to a better post in his native Province.

The Hon. William Patterson. (t:ig Thunder 11.)

This gifted son or South Brant, previous to the year 1872, was prac-
tically unknown to the Burford Electorate. The unanimous choice of
the Reform cOtH'ention, met to choose a candidate for the
eneral Elec-
tions held that year, \\ïlliam Patterson, then a young man of great busi-
ness ability, entered into the contest with a vim and determination that
could only mean success. His first address in the township was deli-
vered in the large public Hall, then standing at the corner of King and
\\ïlliam Streets. One of the most fluent and rapid speakers who had ever
addressed a .Burford audience, in powerful tones, with a clear and concise
statement of the new Dominion's Pulitical situation, he presented his views
in such a sincere and convincing manner, and submitted to the electors
such an astonishing array of facts and figures, and displayed so great a
grasp and so clcar a view, of all the important political questions of the
day, as to inspire his followers with more energy and vigor, than they had
shown for some years.
The same evcning, l\lr. Alfred \Vatts, thc Conservative candidate, a
well known and respected commen:ial man of Brantford, supported by
some ablc speakcrs, addressed his fricnds in the schoolhouse. This gen-
tleman shortly afterwards rctired in favor of Sir Francis Hinks, the able
Finance
linister, who after a lung period, again besought the support of
his old fricnds in Burford. I lis past services to the Refurm party and to
the Province, and his distinguished career, did appeal to a few, but lhe
great mass of the Reformers were for Patterson. They felt the swing of
victory in the air, and wtih a large majority, \\ïlliam Patterson gaineå
his first, and one of the greatest victories of the contest.
Sir Francis Hinks, who had succeedcd Sir John Ro
(' as Finance

fir.i
ter in 1870, on his retircment from the governorshir of the \Vind-
ward Isles, secured a seat in Vancouver, B. C., but shortly afterwards re-

igned from the l\linistry.

104

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

At this period members received as indemnity the princely SHill of
six hundred dollars ($600.), but in 1873, the allowance was increased to
one thousand dollars ( 1,000. ), with this amount, the members were,
for the time being, well satisfied. From the year 1872, until the end of
1911, a period of nearly forty years, \Villiam Patterson has been 3. ph"o'er
in the House of Commons, and from 1896 he stood high in the Councils
of the Nation. His services to his country have been invaluable, and the
handsome and commodious Armory in Burford, is a lasting monument to
his willingness and ability to serve his constitutents.

Hon. Arthur Sturgus Hardy. (Little Thunder.)

The name of Arthur Sturgus Hardy (Little Thunder) will long be
remembered, not only in his native county, but throughout the Province
of Ontario. Political meetings were never dull when A. S. Hardy was
on the list of speakers.-His audiences, friends and opponents alike were
kept in good humor by frequent witty sparkling allusions, .which' never
failed to have the desired effect upon the minds of his hearers.
Gifted with a wonderful voice of great penetration and power, an
unrivaled delivery and enunciation and great personal magnetism, his
equal at repartee, and when necessary stinging replies, which always
found their mark, has never been known in the County of Brant.
A brilliant, able and learned jtlrist, he gave up a large and lucrative
practice, to serve his Province, for a fraction of the yearly income he could
have secured in the pursuit of his personal affairs. From beginning to end,
Arthur S. Hardy had an absolutely clean record. No political leader of
the past generation laboured a greater length of time, Or with greater
energy, for the benefit and to the advantage of this Province. He sacri-
ficed the accumulation of a fortune, had he followed the pursuit of his pro-
fession, to give the best part of his life towards the upbuilding of a grow-
ing country.
One of the most memorable of his many Burford meetings, was
that held in Barnea Hall, during the season that a certain shortlived
society, contrived to struggle out a precarious existance of a few months.
The most ridiculous stories and pernicious insinuations had been indus-
triously and persistantly circulated throughout the rural districts. l\lore
than one life long Reformer had apparently grown lukewarm supporters
of their party, and on this occasion, when the Hon. A. S. Hardy opened
his address, he faced the most serious looking audience he had yet seen,
outside the four walls of a church.
The speaker lost no time in approaching the subject, which he instinct-
ively knew was uppermost in the minds of his hearers. In tones almost

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

105

dramatic, he alluded to "Strange whisperings up and down the back con-
cession lines" and then proceeded to expose the silly and preposterous
tales, which like the mists had floated over the country side, the dark
hints of dangerous conspiracies, and foul plots of the G. Fawkes' Order,
were shown to have originated only in the shallow pate and befuddled
brain of the circulating medium. The fog of doubt and suspicion was
Ii fted and peace again settled over the land.
The retirement of the Honorable A. S. Hardy, from public life, has-
tened by the precarious state of his health, was greatly regretted by his
colleagues and his thousands of friends in Brant County. He possessed
to a remarquable degree, that rare quality, so often found wanting in pu-
blic men, of not only creating, but holding the life long support of his
friends and admirers. He was a man who never forgot his friends, what
more need be said.

CHAPTER XI

"rhe Union of Upper and Lower Canada.

BROCK DISTRICT AND OXFORD COUNTY COUNCILS-
POST OFFICES AND THE MAILS.

The Act of Union, sanctioned by the Queen, July 23rd. 1840, become
effective February 10th. 1841, and was entitled, an Act to re-unite the
Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada. The third Clause provided,
that for the United Province, there be one Legislative Council and one
Assembly. That in the U
ited Legislative Assembly the Provinces before
called Upper and Lower Canada, should be represented by an equal num-
ber of members.
Provision was further made, that the Counties of Halton, N orthum-
berland and Lincoln should be divided into two ridings, each to have one
member. That every other county Or riding in Upper Canada, entitlcd
to, representation, after the passing of the Act, should have one member.
That the City of Toronto should have two members, and the Towns of
Kingston, Brockville, Hamilton, Cornwall, Niagara, London and By town,
each one.
The First Parliament of United Canada met at Kingston, June 14th,
1841, and was restricted to eighty-four members, equally divided between
the two former Provinces, this gave Canada \Vest, as the former Province
of Upper Canada was now called, forty-two members, in place of the fifty-
eight previously elected.
At this period the population of Lower Canada was 661,380 and
Upper Canada 465,357.
When Lord Sydenham organized the first government, after the
Union, Kingston was selected as the capital, but, excepting the views of
the inhabitants of the town and its neighbourhood, this location was found
to be unsatisfactory. On November 23rd, 1843, it was moved by Robert
Baldwin and seconded by Louis Lafontaine, the two reform leaders of the
day, that the seat of Government be removed to Montreal. The Gover-
nor General, Sir Charles Metcalf, was in favor of the proposal, but is was
opposed in both houses by the Upper Canadian Tories, the resolution ho-
wever was adopted, and acted upon as soon as practicable.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

107

In the Spring of 1&+4, when 110ntreal had a population of 40,000
souls until the Fall of 1849 it was the seat of the Government of United
.Canada, which existed fro
February 10th, 1841, to July 1st. 1867.

Post Offices and the Mails.

In the year 1851, the Honorable James 110rris, a member of the
Tache :MacDonald Government, was appointed the first Canadian Post-
:Master General. For many years after the formation of this Province
the service was administered by the British Post Office Department, and
the net proceeds, after defraying the expenses in the conveyance of the
mails, etc, were remitted to the General Post Office, London.
The first Post Office established in the County of Oxford, was opened
at the village of Burford, in the year 1819. Colonel \V. D. Bowen consen-
ted to act as Postmaster, but there was no official appointment. It was
necessary however that the monthly mail should be received by someone
in the village having the confidence of the community, and where the let-
ters and papers, addressed to parties throughout all the London District,
could be found, when a journey was made to Burford for that purpose.
On the death of Colonel Bowen in the year UQ1, he was succeeded as
Postmaster by \\'m. VanAllen, his son-in-law, the duties of the Burford
Postmaster however at this period was extremely light. In the year 1822
the whole amount of prepaid letters was 8s, 10;/zd, and for his services
during that year, the Postmaster received iI, 10s.
At this period there were no postage stamps used in C pper Canada,
the letters being marked or initialed with pen and ink by the official in
charge.
In 1824, George \V. \Vhitehead was appointed Postmaster, this is the
first official appointment, effecting the Burford Post Office, which can
now be found in the Dominion Archives. In 1844, G. \V. \Vhitehead was
succeeded by his brother, \\ïlliard 11.
Burford continued to be the only Post Office in the Township until
the year 1851, when a Post Office was established at New Durham on
,
6th. June, and Jessie Schooley appointed Post-11istress.
The next in the Township was opened at Kelvin on 1st. October
1854, John Kelly, Postmaster.
On January 1st. 1856, the Sydenham (Cathcart) P. O. was establish-
ed with Isaac L. Lawrence as Postmaster. The Harley Post Office was
opened in April 1859, J. C. :McClellan, Postmaster.
The first Post Office established in Oxford Township was opened
originally under the name "Oxford", apparently in 1822, the name was
subsequently changed in 1852 to Ingersoll. Other Post Offices in this
Township were established as follows :-\Voodstock 1835, T. S. Shortt,

lOB

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Postmaster. Beachville 1836, \V. Merigold Postmaster. Oxford Centre
1853, James F. Chapman Postmaster. Sweaburg 1857, re-opened 1st
June 1862 with J. H. Hill as Postmaster. Eastwood 1st. February 1855,
H. Vansittart as Postmaster. Vandecar 1st. June 1863, Thomas H.
Arnell Postmaster.
The oldest Post Office in the County of Brant, excluding Burford,
was opened at "Brant's Ford" in the year 1825, following this the Mohawk
Post Office was established in 1836, A. Cook Postmaster.
In 1853, Cainsville and Newport, J. D. Dresser and Thaddeus Smith
Postmasters. The Mount Venron Post Office was established 6th. Octo-
ber 1851, Thomas Perrin Postmaster. Falkland 1st. June 1862, Martin
Stally Postmaster.
In the year 1831, the Post Office receipts in Upper Canada were, for
letters, i9870, Newspapers etc, [,790, Rates of Postage were exceedingly
high compared to those of the present day.
For any distance under and not exceeding 60 miles
AbO\"e 60 and not over 100 miles
Above 100 and not over 200 miles
And 2 pence for each additional 100 miles.
Letters fOr United States were to be prepaid to the line.
Letters for Europe, to go by way of Quebec, to be prepaid to that
place, and those to go by the Halifax route were to be prepaid to
Halifax.
In 1837, there were 152 Post Offices in Upper Canada. In 1851
Postage was reduced to 5 cents per half ounce on letters, and postage
stamps adopted tor the first time.
Postage Stamps were first produced in England in 1837, after every
possible obstacle had been thrown in the \vay of the inventur, Sir Rowland
Hill. Previous to their introduction and use, letters were frequently
mailed "collect", transport charges, which in some cases were as high as
50cents, was collected from the recipient.
From 1824, until 1857, when \Villard 11. \Vhitehead resigned his
position as Postmaster, the office was located in a small building on the
northeast corner of the \Vhitehead farm, which consisted of the north
half of Lot 6 in the Seventh Concession.
In 1857, when Adjutant John Catton was appointed Postmaster, he
remove the office to a small frame building adjoining the hotel, then
situated on King Street East, just below the general store of Lowney and
Kirkland.
About the year 1870, the Burford Post Office was again moved to
King Street vVest, and located in the small frame shop, formerly occupied
by :Mr. Jones .as a shoe store. \Vhen Mr. John Catton retired after a

4
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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

109

period of some thirty years service, the present incumbent, Henry Cox,
Esquire, was appointed Postmaster, and the Office was moved to the Gene-
ral store, operated by that successful merchant fOr malty years, on the
corner of King Street and l\Iaple Avenue.

Education.

In the year 1806, an Act was passed to establish Public Schools in
every District of the Province. The sum of t800. was appropriated to
provide for the payment of a salary of tl00, to each of the eight School-
masters, to be appointed in the eight Districts. In the London District
the appointment was given to James :Mitchell, a native of England and a
man of good education.
In 1816, the Government of Sir Francis Gore passed an Act, granting
t6000 for the support of common Schools. This grant was divided up
between the ten existing Districts, according to population. The :Midland
District receiving the largest share, a sum of tl000, and Ottawa, the smal-
lest, t200. London Disrtict's proportion was t600.
In 1844, the 20 Districts, into which the Province was then divided,
received a total grant of t19999,19,5. The Home District, now the most
populous, received t2952,9,3. and Huron, the most sparsely populated
t257,3,8, London District's share was t1325,6,4.
James .:\IitchelJ was succeeded as District Schoolmaster, about 1820,
by E. Chadwick. The first London District School Board consisted of
the following members :-JOhl1 Rolph, J. B. Askin, James :Mitchell and
George C. Salmon, Trustees Archdeacon of York, ex officio, l\lalhon Bur-
well, John Bostwick, Joseph Ryerson, James :Mitchell, John Rolph and
John Harris.
Burfords first school was opened in the year 1808, :Marvel \Vhite,
Schoolmaster, eight years later another school was established in the
township.
George \V. vYhitehead was the first Superintendant of Township
Schools. Appointed in 18-t-t, and re-appointed in 1845-6. lIe was suc-
ceeded by Rev. \Vm. Hay. This position was abolished in 1852.
In 1849, Burfords scventeen schools received from the Legislative
School Grant t998,,6. The total annual salary of Burfords teachers
was t702.
In 1850, Upper Canadas 34ïG common School teachers, received an
averagc salary of t52,4., with board. In 1851, t55,12, for males, and for
fcmalcs, t3l, 10 in 1850, and t33,.10. in 1851.. During the latter year,
37X first, 1,272 second, and 1, 547 third class certificates were given to can-
didates.

110

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

District Common Schools, J 81 O.

SCHOOL RULES

I. The :Master to commence the labors of the day by a short prayer.
II. School to commence each day at 9 o'clock of forenoon, and five
hours at least to be taught during the day except on Saturday.
III. Diligence and civility to be cherished and encouraged by rewards
judiciously distributed, to consist of little pictures and books, accord-
ing to the age of the scholars.
IV. Cleanliness and good order to be indispensible, and corporal pu-
nishment seldom necessary except for bad habits learned at home-
lieing, disobedience, obstinancy and perverseness. These sometimes
require chastisement. Gentleness even in these cases would do better
with most children.
V. All other offences in children arising chiefly from liveliness and
ueattention are better corrected by shame, such as gaudy caps, pla-
cing culprits by themselves, not admitting any to play with them for
a day or days, detaining after school hours, or permitted to pIa} in thc
afternoon, and by ridicule.
VI. The master must keep a regular catalogue of his scholars, and mark
any day they are absent.
VII. The forenoon of \Vednesday and Saturday to be set apart for reli-
gious instruction, to render it agreeable, the scholars to be furnished
with at least ten copies Barrows questions in the New Testament, and
the teacher to have one copy of the Key to these questions for his
own use.
The teacher should likewise have a copy of 1Iurrays Power of
Religion on the mind, \Vatkin's Scripture Biography, and Blair's
Class Book, the said lessons of which are well calculated to improve
Religious feeling. These books are confined to no religious denomi-
nation and do not prevent the :Master from teaching such catechism
as the children may adopt.
VII. Evcry day to clo
e with reading publicly a few verses from the
New Testament, proceeding regularly through the gospels.
IX. The afternoon of \Vednesday and of Saturday to be allowed for
play.
X. A copy of the Rules to be affixed in a conspicuous place in the
school-room, and to be read publicly to the scholars every Monday
morning by the teacher.

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

111

A literal copy of the Rules and Regulations adopted by the School
Trustees of School Section No. 14, in the Township of Nissouri, Oxford
in the year 1852.
"Thou shalt not lie thou shalt not swear thou shalt not speak a smut-
ty or blagard talk thou shalt not steal thy neighbour's dinner his ink or
handle his books or anything that is his.
No whispering no laughing no leaving seats with liberty nor meed Ie
with books slates pens nor ink without liberty no quareling no lying no
fitting no swearing stealing nor telling tales out of School no disputing
no bad language no pushing each other in the mud or in the dich on the
road home.
Any children coming without proper books their parents to be no to
fyed by a letter if not punctually attended to shall be liable to be dismiss
l1
from School.

YEAR

1540
1598
1599
1602
1604
1612
1616

1625
1629

(Signed) HENRY B. NICHOLS,
JOHN BROOK.

The Kings Representatives, New F ranee.

LIST OF FRENCH GO\ERXORS

N.<\1IES

Jean François de la Rocque, Sieur de Roberval.
Le l\larquis de la Rocque
Chauvin of Rouen
Commander DeChastes, Governor of Dieppe
Pierre de Gua, Sieur DeMonts Genê of Pons.
Charles Dc Bourbon Count De Soissons.
The Prince Dc Conde, who had been appointed, sold the office
for
1,000 crowns to The Duke De l\lontmorency, High
Adnllral of thc Fleet who delcgated all the duties of the
office to Samuel De Champlain.
Henry De Levy, Duc De Yentedour.
Louis Kirkt, Installcd himself as English Governor, he treated
the citizens with kindness and supplied the pressing wants
of the people.
In 1632 Kirkt resigned Quebec into the hands of the French
a Treaty of Peace having bccn effccted. '

112

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

1632
1635
1647
1651
1658
1661
1663
1665
1667
1672
1682
1685
1689
1698
1703
1726
1746
1747
1749

1752

1755

Samuel De Champlain (appointed Governor).
M. De Montigny, Knight of Malta.
Louis D' Ailleboust.
M. De Lauzon
Viscount D' Argenson.
Baron D' A vaugour.
The Chevalier De Saffray Mesey
Le Marquis De Tracy.
Daniel De Remi, Seigneur De Courcelles.
Louis De Bonde Count De Frontenac.
M. Lefebvre De'La Barre.
Marquis De Dennonville (A Colonel of Dragoons).
The Count De Frontenac resumed office.
Le Chevalier De Cillieres.
The Marquis D.e Vaudreuil.
The Marquis De Beauharnais.
The Marquis De La J onquiere.
Count De La Galissonniere.
The 11arquis De La Jonquiere, who had been a prisoner since
1746.

Baron De Longueuil, administered the Province until the arrival
of the new Governor, The 11arquis Du Quesne De 11ame-
ville, a Captain of the Royal Marines.
The 11arquis De Vaudreuil De Cavagnal, General of Louisiana,
son of former General of that name, surrendered Canada
to the English, Sept. 8th. 1760. \Vhen quitting the country
Vaudreuil said, "With these beautiful and vast countries,
France loses 70,000 inhabitants of a rare quality, a race of
people unequalled for their docility, bravery and loyalty."

Qyebec.

LIST OF ENGLISH GOVERNORS.

1760 General Sir Jeffery Amherst.
1763 General 11urray.
1766 Brigadier General Sir. Guy Carleton.
1778 General Haldimand.
1785 Lieut. General Hamilton, Pro Tern.
1786 Colonel Hope.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

113

with the title and functions of Governor General of all the
British Porvinces in North America.
1792 Lord Dorchester having obtained leave to visit England tran[,-
ferred his functions for the time to
Iajor General Alured
Clarke.
1793 Lord Dorchester again resumes office.
1795 General Prescott.

Upper Canada.

LIST OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS.

1ï92 Colonel John Graves Simcoe.
1796 The Honorable Peter Russell, appointed President.
1799 Lieut. General Peter Hunter.
1805 The Honorable A. Grant, President.
1806 Francis Gore.
1811 l\lajor General Sir Isaac Brock, President.
1812
lajor General Sir R. H. Sheaffe, President.
1813 :Major General Baron, de Rottenbury, President.
1813 Lieut. General Sir. Gordon Drummond, K. C. H.
1815 Lieut. General Sir. George l\lurray, Bart.
1815 l\lajor General F. P. Robinson, K. C. B.
1815 Sir. Francis Gore resumes office, Sept. 25th. 1815.
1817 Hon. Samuel Smith, Administrator.
1818 l\lajor General Sir. p.
laintland K. C. B.
1820 Honorable Samuel Smith, Administrator.
1820 11ajor Gcneral Sir P. 1laitland, K. C. B. resumes offire, J lllle
30th.
1828 l\lajor General Sir. John Colborne
1834 Sir. Francis Bond Head, B:lrt.
1838 Sir. George Arthur.
1839 Lord Sydenham.

Canada West

1841 Sir. Charles Bagot.
1843 Sir. Charles l\letcalf
1845 The Earl of Cathcart.
1847 The Earl of Elgin
1854 Sir. Edmond Head.
1861 Yiscount l\Ionk.

114

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Province of Ontario.

1867 :Major General H. \V. Stisted.
1868 Hon. W. P. Howland.
1873 Hon. John \V. Crawford.
1875 Hon. D. A. MacDonald.
1880 Hon. John B. Robinson.
1888 Sir. Alexander Cambell.
1892 Hon. George A. Kirkpatrick.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

B., N. & P. B. RAilWAY

THE NEW SHORT ROUTE.

Shortest- U uickest-
Cheapest.
FOR SHIPPERS.
For all Freight going East over the CA-
NAD:\. SONTHERN, for all point
on this
Line,and for Hamilton, TorontoaDd the East

Mark and get receipt Via 8.,
N. & P. 8. Railway.

Order all Goods from East.

Via 8RANTFORD and 8" N. & P. 8, Ry,
Send fora List of MO
TREAL. QUEBEC,
LIVERPOOL, (
LASGO\V, LOX DON
NEW-YORK & BOSTON RATES

Cï:i? \Ve make connection at Brantford
with the GRAND TRUNK and GREAT
\VESTER1\' RAILW A YS, and with Water
Route from Hamilton. At Norwich with
P. D & L. H. RAILWAYS or all points
North and South, and Water Route from
MOlltreal. Addre
,.,.
(over) 1. T. TORREY, Gen Fr't.Agcnt-

115

WEST

nrnntford., Xorfolk and Port
Bur"
II:RR
h'KY.
TUIE TABLa

EAST

I\'03 Xo 2

STATIOr\S

I
No.1 No3

P. M.
5.30
5. .i0
I 6.15
I 6.40
fi. ;,.)
7.15
7.:20
7.3U
7.4.)
8.10
8.20

Dept Brantford.Arr.
*)Iount Plea!"ant
Hurford
Harley
*Kew Durham
NORWICH
P.D &'L.H.Ry.Croøøfng
Mid.Town line Norwich
*Springford
C. S. Ry. Crossing
Arr TILSONBURGDep

A.M.
9.25
Rno
H.40
8.) .,
8.00
7.40
7.;
5
7.1.3
7.0.)
6.40
6.3U

· Train!'! stop only when signalled, or to
let off passengers
Train No.1 makes close connections with
the Grent 'Yel'tern Railway for Hamilton.
Toronto Suspetsior Bridg-e. and the East,
and with Grand Trunk Railway both East
and \Vest,
Train No 2 leaves Brantford immedia-
tely on arrï"val of 5.10 p. m. Express on
Great \Vestern, and trains from both east
and we[,t on Grand Trunk Railways.
This arrangement give!3 passengers the
priuilegeof flpending nearly8houn.in Brant-
ford, returning to TilsollLurg the same eve-
ning.
At TilsonLurg making a connection with
Canada Southern Railway for the transfer
of passengers and Freight, Loth east and
west.
(over) I. T. TORREY, Ticket Agent.

Fac-simile first Time Table B. N. & I?_ B. Ry.
Issued 1879.

H6

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Members of Parliament of Upper Canada - 1831.

GLENGARY.-Alex. Mdvlartin and Alexander Fraser.
STOR110NT.-Archd. McLean and P. Vankoughnet.
DUNDAS.- John Cook and Peter Shaver.
GRENVILLE.-Richard D. Fraser & Edward Jessup.
LEEDS.-\\'illiam Buell, jr. and Matt. M. Howard.
BROCKVILLE.-Henry Jones
CARLETON.-John Bower Lewis.
LANARK.-\Villiam 110rris.
FRONTENAC.-Hugh. C. Thompson and John Campbell.
KINGSTON, (Town).-Christopher A. Hagerman.
OXFORD.-Chas. Ingersoll and Chas. Duncombe.
KENT.-\Villiam Berczy.
ESSEX.-\Villiam Elliott and Jean B. 1Iacon.
\VENT\VORTH.-John \Villson and Allan N. :McNab.
HASTINGS.-Reuben \Yhite and Jas. H. Samson.
LEK
ON & ADDINGTON.-Marshall S. Bidwell and Peter Perry.
NORTHUIVIBERLAND.- James Lyon and Archibald 11cDonald.
DURHA1L- John Brown and George S. Boulton.
YORK, (Town).-\\ïlliam Bostford Jarvis.
YORK, (County).- Jesse Ketchum & \Villiam L. 11ackenzie.
SIl\ICOE.-vVilliam B. Robinson.
1IIDDLESEX.-lVlahlon Burwell and Roswell Mount.
NORFOLK.-Duncan 1IcCall and \\Tm. \Villson.
HALTON.-\Vm. Chisholm and James Crooks.
NIAGARA, (Town).-Henry J. Boulton.
LI
COLN.-Robt. Randal, John Clark, \Villiam Crooks, and Bar-
tholomew C. Beardsley.
HALDIl\IAKD.-John Brant.

CHAPTER XII

1837.

"\Vhen all the people in any country, unanimously repudiate a bad law, there is no
"possibility of executing it," "therefore, I say, "The laws in question are
"already abrogated." PAPIKEAU.
"_\ Nation never can Rebel, those only are Rebels who resist the will of the people"
DUNCOMBE.

The year 1837 will e,'er be memorablc in the History of Burford
Township. After long years of fruitless and hopeless struggle against
the arbitrary and oppressive system of Government, centered in the hands
of a small clique of imperious Plutocrats, a political hierarchy, who con-
trolled all and cvery appointment, from thc Executive office down to the
smallest local position, who continually and systematically blocked every
effort of the peoplc to secure some amelioration from the burdensome and
tyrannical exactions, to which they had so long been obliged to submit.
the fighting leaùcr of the Rcformers had at last decided, that the only pos-
sible way, to shake of these "Old men of the Sea", was to make a display
of armed resistance, as every means had at last been completely exhausted,
no concessions whatever could be gaincù by peaceful and constitutional
methods.
In 182g the Reformcrs had swept the Province and Twenty-one Bills
passed by the House had been thrown out by the Legislative council, who
still controlled both thc Executivc and Legislative Council, although,
in a dccided miniority in the Assembly.
1IacKenzie had hoped to accomplish by a " coup de maitre", the com-
plete ovcrthrow of his opponents. He had gradually pcrsuaded, by plau-
siblc and forcible arguments, his more careful lieutenants, to assist him in
carrying out his plans.
For a long time they had peacefully agitated for a constitutional over-
throw of the persons in control of the Government. They were denied
the right of free speech, a free press, and the right to organize to bring
about political changes.
Dr. Charles Duncombe was serving his Sccond term as Oxford's Re-
prcsentative in the Asscmbly, he was a man who was popular with all

118

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

classes of the community, even with the few in his Riding po1itically oppo-
sed to him, he was looked upon socially as a friend to all ,his benevolence
and generosity were often extended unasked, to the needy and destitute,
his disposition was kindly and friendly, a gentleman by birth and breeding,
as well as by inclination, such a man was by instinct naturally opposed to
war and bloodshed, but having passed his word to his leader, and in the
belief that the "Rising" would be so overwhelmnly against the existing
state of affairs, as to effect a bloodless Revolution and a consequent chan-
ge in the system of Government against which, on behalf of the people
who had elected him, he had so long and faithfully worked, Dr. Duncombe
at last reluctantly began to prepare for any eventualities which might arise.
The Township was seething with unrest and discontent, the great majo-
rity of the taxpayers had become exasperated and greatly enbittered
against the autocratic rule, of a small body of men, who were determined
to maintain, strengthen, and perpetuate an hereditary caste of absolute
rulers. Dr. Duncombe might have entered, he would have been welcomed,
into the sacred fold of this exclusive coterie, who had grown to believe,
that the high seats and all the emoluments of office were theirs by Divine
right, and not by the will of the people. He was not to be influenced by
the Shibboleth of his opponents, the word "Treason", an ancient word, a
fetish, used in all ages to daunt and terrify the Reformers, who might seek
to introduce some religious tol'eration, or some political improvements in
the old order of things, which would result in a measure of responsible
government whereby the condition of the masses would be bettered.
Dr. Duncombe never preached separation from the :Mother country
to his constituents, the Reformers of Burford in 1837 did not want sepa-
ration, they had no desire to set up a government that would cut loose
from the countries which gave most of them birth, or to identify themsel-
ves with foreign aggressors.
The Township's Representative at this period was also their medical
adviser, for long he was the only physician in this part of the country.
Dr. Duncombe was not only immensely popular in the community where
he lived, but had many influential friends throughout the Province and
was looked up to and highly respected by his fellow members. Consi-
dering all these facts, it can be understood what an influence this popular
physician exercised, among the farmers of Burford.
\Vhile the great majority of the Electors of Burford were a unit, in
their bitter hostility to the Executive, they were not now in accord, as to
the means by which the aims and enùs they had in dew were to be accom-
plished, they were however, united in their determination to secure a larger
measure of liberty, but the more moderate inclined were opposed to armed
insurrection. \\'hile they deeply resented the airs of superiority assumed
by the improvished gentlemen, who filled every small office in the coun-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

119

try, who hoped to perpetuate a system (If office inheritance succession;
they could not stamp out that deep seated feeling of loyalty to the Crown,
inherited from their ancestors, and which had clung to them in the back-
woods of Canada. As is always the case, when movements of great im-
portance are contemplated, there were divided councils. These moderates
deicded to remain passive if an insurrection was precipitated by the most
violent and impetuous of the leaders, none of whom were military men.,
their loyalty and their peaceful attitude however, did not save them from
the unjust suspicious of certain officials, who after the dispersal of Dun-
combe's army, vented their personal animosity upon the heads of some
of their innocent neighbors.
Means of communication in 1837, were only to be made by Courier,
the news of MacKenzie's engagement near Toronto did not reach Burford
for five or six days, heavy rains had fallen making the roads almost im-
passable, light frosts succeeded the rain, which formed a thin crust over
the deep mud and made travelling on the highway a most difficult matter.
As soon however, as the news was received by General Duncombe, he
intructed Captain Yeigh to call out his men, secure all arms they could
find and march to Scotland, the place previously selected for concentra-
tion, he then hastened to Norwich, when express riders were sent out to
call together his followers, and here, as previously arranged, he was
joined by two bodies from Yarmouth and Bayham, under the command
of Robert Anderson, Joshua Doan and Henry Fisher. From Norwich
they marched to Scotland and encamped on a piece of ground suitable for
defence. Immediately after this, rumors of MacKenzie's defeat and
the approach of ColoneI11c
abb, with a large body of men, were received,
news also arrived of the march of Colonel Askins and Bostwick from Lon-
don with 250 men, and of another detachment coming upon them from
Simcoe.
Had General Duncombe acted promptly in this emergency, instead of
permitting time to be wasted by useless discussions, he could easily have
met and defeated either of the two latter detachments and thus delayed
the inevitable end, which however would have happened sooner or later.
I t was at last decided, that as they were posscssed of no equipment
or matcrial for an extended campaign, and were but badly armed, the most
servicable wcapons being flint-lock muskets, shot guns, and in many cases
pikes and swords of ancient pattern, it would be bctter for them to disperse
and return to their homes.
Cajtain Jacob Yeigh's contingent had left Burford late in the after-
non of Decembcr 13th, and this decision was arrived at twenty-four
hours latcr, thcy thcreforc immcdiately sought their homes where they re-
mained quietly until brought before the :l\1agistrates. General Duncombc

120

THE HISTORY OF BY
FORD

accompanied the main body of his troops on their retreat to Norwich,
where the remnant of his army soon dissolved.
Colonel McNabb reached Scotland on the 15th, when the first arrests
in the London Districts were made, many who, if not implicated, were
at least in strong sympathy with the Rebels, now came forward, hoping
to escape suspicion, and offered to join MacNabb's force in pursuit of the
retreating Rebels, large numbers however, were arrested and brought
before the great 1'IcN abb, who appeared to feel some pity for these unfor-
tunate men. After a severe admonishment, most of them were by his
orders, liberated on Parole, the only protest coming, sad to say, from a
few of their own neighbours. The most prominent cases however, could
not be passed over so lightly and the list of prisoners, copied from the
original documents, will give our readers the names of those who suffered
long months of dreary imprisonment, mental pain and distress of mind,
owing of the uncertainly of their fate. On the 16th, l\lcNabb marched his
force to Norwich, where he found everything quiet, further arrests were
made but General Duncombe had vanished, emissaries of the authorities
were however on his track and every avenUe of escape was patrolled
and carefully watched; to aid in his capture hand-bills were struck off,
offering a reward of 500 pounds for his seizure and sown broad-cast
through the London and \Vestern Districts, Duncombe however found
friends in his adversity and succeeded in making good his escape, as set
forth in the valuable and interesting account, given us by his daughter l\frs
Tufford.
A copy of the hand bill offering a reward for the capture of Dr. Dun-
combe and others, is an exact duplicate, being photographed from one of
the original bills, the only one known to be in existence, now deposited in
the Dominion Archives.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

121

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PROCLAMATION.

REW ARD.

By Oommand 0.1 His Excellency the
Lieutenant Governor.

A
Five

REJV AllD is hereby o.ffered, oj
Hundted Pounds,

fo anyone 'who 'will apprehend and deliver up to Justice

CHARLES DUNCOMBE;

And a Re,,-ard of Tzco Hundred and Fif!!! Pounds to finy
one 'who ,viII apprehend and deliver up to Justice, ELIAKIM
:MALCOLM; or FINLAY MALCOLM; or ROBERT AL'VAY;
and a Heward of One HU7ldred Pounds. to anyone 'who" ill
apprehend and delÏ\
er up to Justice, -- ANDEHSON, (Raid to
be a Captain in the Rebel Forees); or .JOSHUA DOAX.
All the above persons are known to have been traitorously
in arms against their
overeign; and to entitle the partyappre-
hending either of them to the Reward, he must be delÏ\
ered to
the Civil Power, At Hamilton, Niagara, London, or Toronto.

GOD SA TT}) TIlE QUEEN.

lUth December, I
:J7.

R. STANTON, Printer to the QUEEN'S Most Excellent Majesty.

122

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Burford's fifth Parliamentary Representative,

Dr. Charles Duncombe.

Dr. Charles Duncombe, of distinguished English descent, was born
in Stratford, Connecticut, on the 28th. July 1791, and came to St. Thomas,
Upper Canada, in the year 1820. His grandfather had immigrated from
England to Boston about the year 1730. Charles graduated at Fairfield
l\1edical College, Philadelphia. After he located in St. Thomas, his aged
father Thomas Duncombe, his mother Rhoda Trees Duncombe, and his
youngest brother Dr. David Duncombe followed him to Canada and they
were joined, upon the death of the father in 1822, by the second brother
also a Doctor.
In 1828, Dr. Charles removed to Burford, and Dr. David to \Vater-
ford. Dr. Charles was already well known in Burford in his professio-
nal capacity, his practice extended throughout the whole \Vestern District,
he had charge of nearly all the important cases, and soon began to invest
in lands, large tracts of which he acquired in the Eastern part of the
Township. He was prominent in all movements for the general impro-
vement of his adopted country.
Our present system of education in Ontario was recommended to
Parliament by him, also the Banking system, the first charter for a Medical
School in Canada was granted to him and the late Dr. Rolph, he founded
the l\lasonic Lodge, "Old.44", and was the first in Canada to go to En-
gland and get the 32nd degree in Masonry.
Dr. Duncombe was first elected to parliament in 1830, and again in
1834 for Oxford. His brother, the late Dr. David Duncombe, the represen-
ted Norfolk during the same period.
Dr. Charles has been described by those who knew him well as a
tall, handsome man, of dignified appearance, his photograph at the .head
of this article was taken in Sacramento, where he had located after the
close of the Rebellion. After his death in that city a handsome l\lonu-
ment was erected by his friends over his grave, on the back of which is
engraved in Capitals, C. D. "A Friend of Liberty."
.ðlrs. E. J. Tufford, in her interesting harrative, mentions the death of
her only brother who was killed by an accident. His remains were in-
terred in the North west corner of the old burying ground on King Street,
\ Vest.
'rhe stone erected to his memory, by his sorrowing father, gives the
date of his death, August 18th, 1836, and his age 14 years, 2 months.
Thc present head of the family in Canada is Charles E. B. Duncombe,
a pr9minent and well known physician of the City of St. Thomas, Ontario,
who is a son of the late Dr. D. Duncombe above mentioned.

Dr Charles Duncombe.
M. P. P. for Oxford, 1830-7.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

123

Dr. Duncombe' s corrëspond
nce with Lord Glenelg.

At a meeting of influential Reformers, held at Thos. Elliott's tavern
in the City of Toronto, on the evening of \Vednesday, the 30th day of
X ovember, 1836.
James E. Small, Esq. in the Chair.
11r. ). H. Price seconded by i\lr. F. Hincks moves that it be resol-
ved : That the thanks of the Reformers be tendered to Dr. Charles Dun-
combe for the readiness with which he accepted, and the fidelity with
'which he has executed the trust of representing in their behalf, to the
Right Honorable Lord Glenelg the condition of this country Carried.
l\Ir. .James Lesslie, seconded by Dr. O'Grady, moves that it be resol-
ved secondly, that Dr. Duncombe be requested to furnish the meeting for
the information of their fellow Reformers in the Province with an ac-
t:ount of his proceedings in England.-Carried.
1Ir. Dool seconded by 1Ir. Ketchum moves that whereas Dr. Dun-
combe having afforded full informatoin on his proceedings in England,
and read his correspondence with Lord Glenelg and others, be it resolved
that this meeting do highly approve of the course pursued by Dr. Dun-
combe as the agent of the Reformers of this Province in England, and
that the manner in which he conducted his correspondence with the Colò-
nial Secretary is equally creditable to his zeal an ability and satisfactory
to this 11eeting : Carried.
l\1r. J. I L Price seconde(l by
1r. Aldcrman Harper moyes, that a
public dinner be given to Dr. C. Duncombe by the Reformers of this city
as a mark of their esteem and respect and of the unqualified approbation
of his exertions while on a mission to London to protect the rights and
priviliges of the inhabitants of Vpper Canada, and that l\lessrs. IIincks
and Lesslie be a Committee to make the necessary arrangements. Carried.

(Signed) ) .\
IES E. S
L\LL.

Chairman.

(A true copy)
)m. ELLIOTT,

Secretary.

124

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

_ Sketch of the life of Dr. Chas. E. Duncombe, by his eldest
daughter Mrs. E. J. Tufford. Paris, Ontario.

N ew- York, August 24th. 1909.

The following History was written by JYlrs. E. J. Tufford at Paris,
Onto when she was over eighty years of age, and in the year 1898 or 1899.
The manuscript has been copied word for word as faithfully as pos-
sible, but in a few instances it was so irregular and feeble, it was very
difficult to make out the correct spelling of names and places. The
abrupt ending is no doubt due to her great age and increasing feebleness.
Copy made in the office of :Mr. H. K. T. \Vright, No, 428 Lexington
Ave., N. Y. City.-Grandson of Mrs E. J. Tufford and great-grandson of
Dr. Chas. E. Duncombe.

A short sketch of the life and times of Dr. Charles Duncombe,
by his eldest daughter, Eliza J , Tufford.

Just before the Revolutionary \Var closed, !VIr. Duncombe,. gral1ll-
father of Dr. Chas. Duncombe, and near relative of the late Lord Fever-
sham, came from London, Eng. with four sons and two daughters, and
settled in Stratford, Ct. his eldest son Thomas marrIed Rhoda Tyrill,
daughter oi Sir Roger Tyrill and grand daughter of Jas, 2nd of Eng.
May 19th lï71. Her father came to America before the Revolutionary
\Var, and was engaged in the war on the side of the patriots, but after a
hard fought battle, he, with other tired men laid down in the fort to rest,
when a spent cannon ball came through a port hole and took off his head.
The eldest son of Thos. and Rhoda Duncombe, Charles, the subject of
this sketch was born in Stratford, Ct.. 28th of July 1792. At that time
the United States was in such an unsettled state the opportunities for get-
ting an education were very limited. There were very few school books,
and everything necessary for school work was scarce. I have heard my
father say that he and his brothers often practiced arithmetic and studied
in the evening by the light from the pine knots. My grandmother being
highly elucated, as she was born and educated in Scotland, she educated
her family of three sons and two daughters. Her two eldest sons Charles
and Elijah E. taught school, as soon as they by patience and perseverance
were thought competent by my grand-mother. My grand-father's time

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

125

was fully occupied in loooking after the wants of the family, as provisions
were scarce and had to be brought from long distances and no other way
but to shoulder the load and he had to carry it himself. I recollect hearing
my Uncle Elijah E. Duncombe say he never could bear to eat mutton, as
when a child he saw his father carrying a black sheep. \Ye realize that
there must have been a scarcity of horses and oxen after a struggle of
seven years war. :My father studied medicine while teaching school. At
the age of twenty-one he married a daughter of a wealthy German far-
mer who was opposed very much to the school-master, as the hanly far-
mer thought every man should labor with his hands, as mind labor by those
farmers was not considered work. As soon as my father, Chas. Dun-
combe finished the study of medicine and received his diploma from the
city of K ew York he came to Canada in 1820. He stopped in Burford
and made many friends who were anxious for him to settle there, but he
. was anxious to prospect further west before settling. He-then returned
to l\.1iddleburgh, Schorie Co., for his wife and family of three daughtters.
His eldest sister Huldah and youngest brother, David, came to Canada
with him, they stopped to rest in Burford, as travelling by wagons was
very tiresome, as soon as rested, they proceeded as far west as near where
London now stands. They stopped for a short time with a farmer, a
,vidower, who not long after married nlY _\unt Huldah. :\Iy father sett-
led for a couple of years a mile from the forest where London is now.
He then moved to St. Thomas ; his father came to visit us and being
pleased with that part of the country, taught school for a couple of years
when he was suddenly taken ill, and died in spasms, while my father was
away attending patients, which he had all the way from Burford to St.
Thomas. His brothcr David had been studying medicine with him for
some time, but was not experienced enough to relieve his father Or save
his life. There was no othcr physician near, He died in the Autumn of
1823. The next year my father Dr. C. Duncombe and his brother-in-law
Shenick with his wife, drove by sleigh back to Delaware Co., N. y. for
my grand mother 1\lrs. Rhoda Duncombe and her youngest daughter
Rhoda Eliza. They had sleighing and good roads all that distance about
500 miles. They were glad when they arrived at home again. Both
of my uncles Elijah E. and David studied medicine with my father who
was the only surgeon and thorough practioner in the country from IIa-
milton to \\ïndsor. l\ly uncles had to go to Geneva, X. Y. to finish thcir
college course and get their diplomas. 1\ly uncle Elijah settled in St. Tho-
mas for life and was successful in his practice. His genial disposition
won for him a host of friends. 1\ly uncle David settled near \Vaterford,
where he was very successful in his profession. Since his death his
eldest son Dr. ..\. C. Duncombe is st1ccessf111y representing his father in
Waterford, and two other sons Trueman and Charles are practising in

126

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

St. Thomas. My father's practice kept his time fully occupied, his
scientific surgery and practice was eulogized far and near.
I recollect one case in particular, he was sent for from Oxford to
attend a child of Mr. Niles suffering from a piece of egg shell lodged in
her throat, he succeeded by inserting a tube in the childs throat in loca-
ting the shell and removing it. The child soon recovered. At 'Ingersoll
at a training of the military and cavalry, by a sudden start of a horse, a
rider's neck was dislocated. 11y father tried an experiment by giving
the man's neck a sudden jar the contrary way, which proved successful in
saving the man's life. l\ly father's practice was very laborious on ac-
count of the terrible state of the roads, especially in the Spring and Au-
tumn. There was not any public conveyance, except stages without
springs and often without covering. The mode of travel was mostly on
horse-back. In 1828 I accompanied my father on horse-back from St.
Thomas to where my Aunt Shenick lived. After resting there we started
on our journey east, the most unpleasant part of the journey was our
being obliged to ride through seven miles of pine woods after dark. I
begged my father to stay over night and not attempt to go through, as it
was getting dark, but he was anxious to get through to :Mr. Niles to see
his child patient. He said that as my horse was accustomed to the road,
and that was the first trip his horse had made, I must go ahead and not
only go ahead but sing. I thought how can I sing in such a place. I pre-
sume I made a poor attempt as I was in constant fear. l\Iy father had to
dismount to feel for the road, as there was a road that led down to Tnt
River Thames quite out of the way. Frequently our hor
es were fright-
ened by the wild animals running through the woods and cracking the
limbs of the trees. \Ve arrived safely at our destination and I can assure
you that the lights from the houses was a welcome harbinger as we emer-
ged from the dense woods, and we were soon welcomed by OUr friends.
The next day we started from Norwich and it being a long ride we dis-
mounted on the way to rest and let our horses eat the grass that was so
tempting to them. The man, lYlr. Stover who sent to St. Thomas for my
father had a sick wife who was suffering from carbuncles and ,\'as in great
distress. \Ve remained there three days when the lady was relieved and
recovering. From Norwich we rode to Burford and visited Col .Geo. W.
Whitehead, an old friend of my father's, where I remained while my
father returned for the remainder of his family and settled in Burford.
In 1831 election was held at :Martin's old stand. l\ly father and Chas.
Ingersoll were elected 1\.1. P. They were opposed by Esqs. Thos. Horner
and As both of the newly elected members of par-
liament's Christian names were Charles, the Scotch with the bag pipes,
played ""Vho'll be king but Charlie" while the sturdy yeoman were parad
ing the two elected me:mbers on their shoulders in chairs up and down thp

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

127

streets. I think they had more pleasant times at elections those days than
they do now. In 1832 my father was sent by the government to Cleveland

Ohio to examine the working of the steam dredge in use ; then he re-
turned with a model which was approved for the benefit of the 'Yelland
Canal, of which my father, in company with "". H. 1\lerrit and others were
commissioners. Soon after my father entered parliament, he saw that a
large portion of Canada's lands were set apart for the benefit of the En-
glish Church,which he thought too one sided, and that other denomina-
tions should share equally with them, but when the schcme was spoken
of to other denominations, they refused state aid. They said as the labo-
rer is worthy of his hire according the Bible, they could only accept vo-
luntary contributions. The Reformers then passed a law secularizing the
clergy resenres fOr the benefit of education. The 12th Parliament: The
Election was held at Ingersoll on the 6th day of October 1834. when my
father and Thos. Horner ,,,,ere elected. This parliament only held two
Sessions and was disssolved by Sir Francis Bond head. The thirteenth
Parliament held in 1\Iartin's old stand in the fall of 1836, when my father
and Robt. Alway were elected. In the summer of 1836 my father was
sent by the Reformers to the home Government to explain the grievances
of the Reformers, as the family compact had gotten so unscrupulous in
their management of affairs and robbing Reformers, where there was a
chance, for instance my father bought the Indian's right and improve-
ments to 1000 acres of land, and expected to pay the go\"ernment and get
the patent, but as my father could not conscienciously vote for a Tory
speaker, the government took the land from him and gave it to a favorite

11r. Shade. This was one of the grievances he complained of. He re-
ceived a letter from Lord Glenelg deprecating such conduct by any go-
vernment. The Reformers in Toronto showed their appreciation of his
succcssful mission in their behalf by giving him a complimentary dinner.
His mission was so successful that on his return, an open rupture took
place the 7th day of December 1
37. 1\ly only brother, fourteen years of
age was killecl by the fall off a horse he was riding and breaking his neck.
It seemend so sad as my father was in England and we were ignorant of
his whereabouts, but "God moves in a mysterious way." "" e could soon
understand why he was takcn, as it was only necessary to know a man
was a Reformer to arrcst him and lock him up. :My husband was arrested
as he was Duncombe's son-in-law. He had gone over to Burford, to see
if he could be of any scrvice to my mother, as my fathcr had been com-
pelled by his fricnds to leave here in the night. A\ friend knew that my
husband was trying to comfort my mother, so he called at the house, and
told him hc had bctter lca ve or hc would bc arrested, as .:\Ic
abb was
cnroute, and would make short work of offenders. He said he was not
afraid as he had done nothing. He and a young man Statts were tied

128

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

and put in a wagon on the 17th day of Dec
mber without an overcoat or
any comfort. \Vhat had they done? \Vhy they were Reformers. They
were taken to Scotland and sat all night in a bar room on a bench. The
next day he was taken to Brantford, had another night on a bench and
from there was taken to Hamilton where they were kept in close confine-
ment for nine months. They had plenty of company for it was only
necessary to be known to be a Reformer, then you would be arrested.
There was a conservative gentleman who told me that if my father had met
1-1cNab's army at Scotland instead of retreating to Norwich, that half
of his army would have turned over to my father, as they knew if they
were discovered they would be arrested, as many of their friends had
een,
but they to save themselves joined 1-1cNab. lVly father retreated to Nor-
. wich where they assembled in the Quaker meeting house. He told his
friends to disperse and he would do the best he could for himself. Many
of them called him a coward and he said in that instance cowardice was
the better part of valor. Though many of them rebelled he said it would
be rashness to act otherwise. How could they cope with regular soldiers
those farmers who hardly ever fired a gun. As they had not been guilty
of any offense against t
e government, they would not be molested, but
many of the farmers were arrested and sent to Hamilton Jail, as I can
testify for I drove there nearly every week with provisions for my hus-
band. In the meantime my father escaped from Norwich in Quaker
dress he tied his horse to a tree and he tried to cross the millpond, but the
ice broke and let him in and he got wet. He then made his way to the
nearest house not knowing but it was his foes, but they took him and he
slept between the man and his wife. He met a company of the faithful
going out to meet him, but thanks to a loving Father he went along re-
joicing. He proceeded to Dorchester to a l\lr. Putman's hotel, an old
and tried friend. He had not been long in his room upstairs when he
heard a company of Indians invading the house, saying they were in
search of Duncombe and would have him-(They wanted the $1800.
reward offered by the government for him) little thinking he was in the
house. From there my father went to a friend, (Douglas's) and stayed
over night, the next night the house was burned. From this place he
went to his sister's, which appeared like a miracle, as the roads, especially
cross roads, were guarded by one or two companies of soldiers. He
stayed with his sister until she dressed him in woman's attire, then a friend
of his took his sister in a comfortable sleigh, and called for my father with
his knitting, the child calling him Aunt Nancy. Strange to say they
were not stopped on their way to \Vindso r where the gentleman drove in
the face of the soldiers and guards to a hotel and asked to stay over night.
The hotel-keeper said it would be impossible to keep them as court was
sitting. A company of soldiers was guarding the lines, so he drove to

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

129

the different hotels but received the same answer. "\\" ell, he said, if you
cannot keep us perhaps you could send a boy to show us across the ice
as the other side is our destination." He soon found a boy who piloted
them partly across. He then told the boy he could tell the Loyal Cana-
dians that he had piloted Duncombe across to C'ncle Sam's land. As my
father was known far and near as well by his political standing as by the
profession of medicine, he found friends on the other side of the line
ready and willing to render him all the assistance necessary. In the mean-
time, the iron hearted Geo. Arthur was carrying everything with a high
hand especially in the murder of Lount and :l\Iatthews. After my fa-
ther disbanded his army of friends, and telling them they could not be
arrested, as they had done nothing more than meeting, they had not bur-
ned or destroyed property or injured any person, but the family compact
had everything their own way, as they had in bringing about the rebellion
of-37, and in the same or similar way, the conservative Government
ùrought about the north-west rebellion. Anyone who is not prejudiced
can see and know that if the Indians and half breeds had been fairly deéllt
with and not starved for the gain of officials there would not have he en
any trouble then. The prisoners were kept in Hamilton until Court sat
in the Spring when they were tried. In the meantime Lord Durham had
been sent out by the Home Government to investigate matters and arrived
about this time. As soon as Court was over, I went to Sir Allen l'vlcNabb
to find out the intention of the government with regard to the prisoners.
\ V e sat on his verandah, and he said, "You go to the jail and make out a
statement of what your husband has done," I said, all they proved against
him was that he was going over to try and help my mother. He asked
a neighbor who had always been friendly to lend him his gun, ""ell, Sir
Allen said, "Go and bring me a statement in the morning and if they
could catch Duncombe and l\lcKenzie they would string them up and let
the rest go. I went the next morning and found him very polite, inviting
me into his library, hc said, """hat a pity Dr. Duncombe was on the wrong
side in politics, he would or could have been one of the first men in the
country. I'll give you a letter to the officials at Toronto." I went to To-
ronto and presented the letters without any benefit. I went to see Sir.
Geo. Arthur, the Governor and all I could get him to say ,\"as, "you had
ought to have taught your husband ùetter". ,\s Lord Durham was en-
camped on the lawn not far from the Governmcnt House, I tried to see
him but he was just embarking for Kiagara. I proceedecl to Lockport.
where I knew my father was. He wrote a petition for the magistrates
to sign, if they would, and not one of them hcsitated to sign it. I wrote
to Lord Durham as soon as I could the situation. I received an answer
by return mail tclling me to go and bring my husband home which I was
not long in doing. In the beginning of the fuss, Capt. Graham of \Yood-

13(.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

stock with a party called at our place to search the house. I told him I
had no objections. He searched but he was so upholstered with pistols
that nearly every move he made he'd drop one. I suppose he was well
paid for his time and trouble. -He took two horses from OUr stable, one he
had kept until my husband wås released and went for it. The other
horse belonged to my husband's brother and through the kindness of Mr.
\V. F. Coleman it was returned. I shall never forget 1\1r. Coleman for
his disinterested kindness at that time. He got his brother-in-law to stay
with me and my family every night until my husband's brother came and
stayed until my husband returned.

Members of the House of Assembly.
1837.

4 Ridings of York, J\iorrison, 1vlc.
lntosh, Gibson Thompson.
Toronto, Draper.
Simcoe, Robinson, \ Vickins.
Niagara, Richardson.
4 Ridings of Lincoln, \Voodruff,Ry.
kert, l\Icl\licking, Thorburn.
Hamilton, Ferrie.
\Ventworth. McNab, Aikman.
Halton, ChishoJm Shade.
Norfolk, Rolph, Duncombe.
Haldimal1d, J\lerritt.
Oxford, Duncombe, Alway.
J\Iiddlesex, Parke, :\loore.
London BurweJI.
Kent, .i\IcCrae, Cornwall.
Essex, Priuce, Caldwell.
Huron, Dunlop.

Glengary, l'vlcDonell, Chisholm.
Stormont :McLean l\1cDonell.
Cornwall: Jarvis. '
Prescott, Hotham, Kearnes.
Russell, McKay,
Carleton, Lewis, lvlallock.
Lanark, Powell, Cameron.
Dnudas, Cook, Shaver.
Grenville, Norton, \Yells.
Leeds, Gowan. Jones.
Brockville, Sher\vood.
Kingston, Hagerman.
Frontenac,
Iattewson,
Iarks.
Prince Edward. Bockus, Armstrong
Lenox & Addington, Cartwright
Detlor.
Hastings, l\Ianahan, l\1urney.
N orthumberlancl, Ruttan, J\icDonell
Durham, Elliott. Boulton.
Analysis.-22 counties return 2 members each,.. .... ..... .......
3" 1 ..... ..... ........
8 Ridings, 1" . . . . . . . . .. ..
1 City, 1" . . . .. ... .. .
6 To,vns, 1 ,r . .. ... ... .... .,

44
3
8
1
6
62

On December 15th, 1837, the day following the dispersal of the forces
under Dr. Duncombe at Scotland, the following arrests were made :-
Henry vVinegarden, Yeoman.
Abraham Vanduzen Surgeon in the Insurrectionary Forces.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

131

J oh..1 Tufford
Petcr Coon
Alonzo Foster
John C. Dline
and Charles P. \Valbrith

Yeoman.
BlacksnlÍth.
Yeoman.
Tanner.
Labourer.

The first name petitioned, under provisions of the act in first Victoria,
(C. 10) and was pardoned on finding security to keep the peace and be of
gooJ behaviour for three years, and was released on June 6th, 1838.
Dr. Vanduzen, described in the charge as a :Medical Quack, was re-
lea
ed on l\larch 20th, 1838, without any bill having been found against
him.
John Tufford was tried by Ci,'il Court, found guilty, and sentenced
to death, afterwards pardoned, on finding security to keep the peace for
tlu(;e years.
Peter Coon and Alonzo Foster were released on l\larch 21st 1838,
witllOut trial, no bill having bcen found against them.
J 01111 C. Uline, tried by Civil Court and acquitted ; verdict, not guilty,
rckascd l\larch 31st, 1838.
Charles P .\Valbraith, tried by Civil Court, found guilty, and senten-
ced to death, afterwards commuted to transportation for life. He escaped
from jail, and fled to the United States.
Un the 1óth Deccmber 1837, the above arrests were followed by
th03e of Peter Landon and Joseph Beemer. The former was rclcased on
f\1arch l:;th, 1838, no hill being found against him.
Joseph Beemer was released l\1arch 20th, 1838, without trial, beÜ,Ç.'
adInittecl to bail to keep the peacc for one year.
Adam \-rinegarden, arrested Deccmber 17th, 1837, petitioned, pardo-
ned on finding security to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for
three years. Released June 6th, 1838.
\Yilliam an(l Lord \Vcllington \\ïnegardcn arrested Dec. 21st, 1837,
were released on June 6th, 1838, without trial, being both pardoncd on
finding security to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three
ycars.
John Vanorman, inn-keepcr, arrestcd Dec. 23rd, 1837, was released
on bail Fcb. 20th, 1838 and absconded.
On the same day, December 23rd, the following arrests were made:

J oÞn ßfa1colm, and Isaac B. :Malcolm, yeomen
Finlay l\Ialcolm latc 1\1. p. P.
Solomon Lossing 1\Iagi
trate
Ephraim Cook Physician
EH'}s Snidcr and Adam Y eigh Yeomen

132

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

John Malcolm was released lYIarch 10th, 1838, not tried, the bilì
against him being ignored.
Isaac B. lYIalcolm, released June 6th, 1838, petitioned, and pardoned
on finding security to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three
years.
Finlay Malcolm and Norman :Malcolm were released lYIarch 3
st,
1838, under trial by Civil Court, were found not guilty of charP.'
s pn:-
ferred and acquitted.
S
lomon Lossing, released' April 3rd, 1838, was also acquitted aft
'['
trial by Civil Court.
Elias Snider was found guilty after trial by Civil Court, but pardoned
on finding security to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three
years. Released October 1838.
Robert Alway, one of the sitting members for the County of Oxford
arrested December 25th, 1837, was released on lYIarch 28th, 1838, the
charges against him were insufficient for trial, and he was discharged on
bail.
Michael Showers, arrested January 2nd, 1838, was releascd J\larch
17th, 1838, the bill against him being ignored, and the case discharged by
proclamation.
George Rouse, arrested January 2nd, 1838, tried by.Civil Court, no
bill found, released from jail 1\.larch 31st, 1838.
Peter .Malcolm, arrested January 3rd, 1838, was found guilty after
trial by Civil Court. but pardoned on finding security to keep the peace
and be of good beha vionr for three years.
John Kelly, arrested in December 1837, also petitioned and was par-
doned.
Paul Bedford, arrestecl December 1837, petitioned, but was found
guilty, and transported for life to Van Diemans Land.
The bill against Robert Kelly was ignored by the Grand Jury and
he was discharged on bail.
Caleb Kipp, Stephen H. Secord, Abraham Sackrider and Jacob
Lester, yeomen, who werc arrested on December 21st, 1837, were dis-
charged on April 6th, 1838, and the last mentioned on July 15th 1838.
Adam Yeigh, Yeoman, Dec. 23rd. 1837, March 31st. 183
, civil court ac-
quitted. .
Robert Alway, 1\.1. P. P. Dec. 25th. 1837, J\larch 28th, not tried, discharged
on bail.
1Ialcolm, Laborer, July 23rd. 1838, July31st. 1838, not tried
dismissed by lYIagistrate.
Ephraim Cook, Physician, Dec. 23rd. 1837, Civil Court, guilty, banished
from the ProYÍnce for life.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

133

N ames of persons against ,vhom indictments were found for High
Treason, but who left the Province :

Charles Duncombe, 1\.1. p. p.
J ames Dennis
Eliakim 11alcolm
Peter Delong
James 1\.lalcolm
Elisha Hall
John Van Norman

Yeoman

"

"

"

Inn-keeper.

Persons arrested.

Home District
Kiagara
Gore
London
\Vestern
Persons who have absconded

422
43
90
163
11
61

Recapitulation.

Indictments against parties who absconded 7.
Petitioners under the statute admitting their guilt. 14.
Acquitted 17.
Con victed 10.
Bills ignored 3. Total 51.

Toronto 31st Aug. 1388.

The Case of Horatio Fowler,

Information of Pctcr Carrol agaillst Horatio FOLd cr.

Feb. 5th, 1838.

London District,

to wit.

Peter Carrol of Oxford in said District, Esq. maketh oath and saith,
that Horatio Fowler of Burford, Yeoman, acknowledges before this
Deponcnt as a 11agistrate, that he had been in arms with Doctor Dun-

134

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

combe at Oakland, that he went backwards and forwards several times to
give people information, and induce them to raise, and this Deponent
further saith that he has reason to believe that the said H. Fowler has
been an influential and leading character among the rebels, during the late
disturbances.

(Signed) Peter Carrol.

Sworn before me at London in said London District this 5th day of
Feb. 1838. L. LAURASON, J. P.

Horatio Fowler's Examination.

Horatio Fowler examined says :-
He resides in Burford, that he went and joined Duncombe's party,
was backwards and forwards several times to give people information.
\Vas induced by Dr. Duncombe to go. Last saw Dr. Duncombe in Oak-
land, which place he left for home, this was the night Duncombe retreated
on to Norwich, prisoner stayed at home that night, the next day went into
Norwich but was surprised to find Duncombe's party an dispersed. Stop-
ped in Norwich until after Col. McNabb arrived, returned to Burford and
was arrested at, his mothers. He took a pistol with him, but when he
found an had left Norwich, he threw it away.
Taken and acknowledged before me this 22nd day of December 1837.

( Signed)
(Signed)

Peter Carrol, J. P.
James Ingerson, J. P.

The complaint which caus
d the arrest of Adam Yeigh.
District of Gore.

To Wit :-

The information of John Finlay of the Township of Brantford in
the said District, Yeoman, made upon oath before \Vm. Holmes, Esq,
one of Her JvIajesty's Justices assigned to keep the peace within the said
District. vVho saith, that yesterday the 13th, day of present month,
Adam Yeigh of the Township of Burford in the London District, Yeoman,
and George Rouse of the same place, Yeoman, came to the dwel1inghouse
of him, the said John Finlay, at the township of Brantford aforesaid, and

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

135

then and there demanded of him that he should deliver up to them the pos-
session of any 'Fire Arms he might have in his possession, and the said
Adam Yeigh ánd Geo. Rouse were armed with guns, and were attended
by several other arined men, to said John Finlay unknown, and that the
said parties took possession of a bayonet and scabbard, which were depo-
sited in his shoemaker's shop, and carried the same away without the con-
sent of him, the said John Finlay-who prayeth that the said Adam Yeigh
and George Rouse, with such others of the said party, may be apprehen-
ded and required to answer the above complaint.

(Signed) John Finlay.

Sworn before me at Brantford, the fourtcenth day of December 1837.

(Signed) \V .:\1. Holmes, J. P.

The trials for treason, Gore district.

The Queen against Adam Yeigh.

Adam Yeigh-committed by James Racey and \Vm. Holmes Esqrs.,
charged with unlawfully taking fire arms and bcing in arms against the
Goverpmcnt, no witnesses names on that charge were on oath.
\\ïtncss :
Gco. Palmer,
John Finlay,
\\'illiam Crammer,
] 01111 Adams.

Evidence of John Finlay.

On the afternoon that Col. :fI.lcKabb's army was at Brantford, a party
of eight persons, armed, came to witness housc, as\..ed for his gun-
Yeigh, Rouse and :\Iarlott were of the party. They did not particularly
state what the gun was wanted for, but as witness was well satisfied that
they belonged to Duncombe's party, he did not ask any questions. 11arlott
said they could protect him, and he must give up his gun, he refuscd and
they threatened, and at last they found an old musket and bayonct. The
musket was a bad one, so they only took away the bayonet.

(1) Samuel Marlott of Dumfries, sworn by John Finlay as Leing one of the
party, is now in prison at Hamilton on this complaint.

136

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Evidence of Ceo. Palmer.

Y eigh- Rouse-and I believe with another person, on the day last
named, came to witness's house, and asked for his gun. He refused to
lend it to them, they threatened to take it, but as he placed himself in the
doorway and refused to permit them to enter, they desisted from attemp-
ting to use force-believe them to belong to Duncombe"s party, but 11(.,t
leaving home much cannot positively state that they do.

Ev!dence of William Crammer.

\Vas present at Finlay's house \-\Then the party of eight camc there
and corroborates the statement of Finlay.

Evidence of John Adams.

1fet a party of 11 or 14 persons on the road near Vanorman's Tavern
--Adam Yeigh and Uline were with them, Uline had a gun-witne-;s con-
'.-t:'rsed with them and they said they were going to collect arms to take
to Duncombe's army-\Vitness gave warning to \Y. Palmer and 'Y\'. Hoaf-
fe and l(;COlllmended them to secure their guns, if they had any.

Gore District.

Evidence of John Adams of the Township of Brantford in the said
District, Tanner and Cur:-ier.
States that he has been for sometime residing, say since the latter part
of September, at the Inn of John M.asury, that on one day last week he
saw several persons come from Dumfries to Vanorman's Inn, understood
that they were going to join the assembled persons at Scotland or Oak-
land. I saw at the Inn, _\. Yeigh, Uline and Vanalstine, and understood
from them they were going to Oakland to take up arms and muster
against the Government-Understood from John Vanorman that he want-
ed to go over to Scotland, does not know whether Vanorman conveyed
the news of the approach of Col. l\IcN abb's army, does not \..now.whether
Vanorman went over on that morning to Scotland, heard Vanorman say,

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

137

upon his asking the question, by witness, that he has not been over to
Scotland but cannot say whether it was before or after :McN abb's army
had marched up to Scotland, Uline was the only one of the party who had
a gun.

(Signed) John Adams.

Sworn before me at Brantford on the twenty first day of December,
1837.

( Signed)
( Signed)

James Racey, J. P.
Robt. Richardson, J. P.

The Information of Ceo. Palmer.

Geo. Palmer of the Township of Brantford, 11iller being duly sworn
deposeth and saith, that the day before Duncombe's army begun to collect
at Scotland, a party of four men came to deponent's house, consisting of
Adam Yeigh, Jacob Yeigh, George Rouse and Leonard Uline, and asked
to borrow deponent's firearms, deponent said he would not lend them to
anybody, they replied they would take them by force, deponent said that
would be impossible as he had concealed them. The party then left the
:Mill, where deponent was, and walked towards his dwelling house with
the intention of entering and searching it for arms. Deponent placed
himself before them in the doorway and said, "The first man that attempts
to enter the house he would knock him down, the party then went away
some distance when two of them returned and said, that they had been
instructed to examine deponent's house peaceably, therefore requested
to be permitted to enter to look in, on deponents letting them do so and
forebearing to touch anything belonging to him. They did so and went
away without obtaining any guns. Rouse, one of the party, said depo-
nent was right in refusing to give up any guns, and he would have done
the same thing himself.

( Signed) Georg-e Palmer.

Sworn before me at Brantford, this 6th day of 1Iarch, 1838.

(Signed) \Vm. Holmes, J. P.

138

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Brantford magistrates to the Vice Chancellor,

Brantford 25th Dec. 1837.

Sir:

\Ve beg to inform you in accordance with his Excellency's notice of
the 11 th in st. that we have as magistrates of the Gore District committed
to prison at Hamilton, a number of persons who have been in arms and
been otherwise concerned in the late Insurrection in the London District.
\\' e have in our possession various documents, relating to the charges.
against the persons above mentioned, and should be glad to know how
they are to be disposed of. \Ve are sir,

To His Honor,

Your most obedient servants,

Vice Chancellor, .

(Signed) Jam. \VI
NETT, J. P.
(Signed) J AJ\IES RACEY, J. P-

Robt. S. JA
IESO
,_

1'oronto.

(Signed) \\Tm. HOLMES, J. P.

Deposition of Chas. S. Perley about Duncombe.

Charles S. Perley of the Township of Burford, London District, says,
that there is a body of men under arms, under the command of Doctor
Duncombe, in Norwich, supposed to be in number of from 100 to 200 men,
and that there is also another body in Oakland, in the village of Scotland,
under the command of Eliakim 1Ialcolm, in number of from 60 to 70
men. Abisha Rand of the Township of Burford saw aU the men under
Malcolm, he thinks, young Case was among them. Joseph Smith of
Oakland, told Perley, that he, Smith, had joined Malcolm's party, John
Kelly, one of J\1alcolm's party, is an officer in the J\1ilitia, and a commis-
sioner of the Court of Request.
Dated at Hamilton 10th. December, 1837.

( Signed)
(Signed)

CHARLES PERLEY,
J. N. DERNIE, J. P.

Taken in presence of :
Edmond Ritchie, J. p.
Elijah Secord, J. P.
Col. Lord,
J\1ajor Lord, and \Vm. B. Vanevry, J. P.

THE HISTORY OF DURFORD

139

The deposition of Peter Coon

Gore District.

To wit.

Peter Coon of the Township of Burford, in the London District

Blacksmith, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, th:lt for about a fort-
night past frequent meetings have taken place in the neighbourhood of
his residence. Isaac 11alcolm and Eliakim 1lalcolm, of the Township of
Oakland, were particularly active and industrious in calling these mee-
tings, and inducing people to attend them, that at some of these meetings

violent speeches were made by Eliakim 1-1alcolm and Doctor Chas. Dun-
combe, and one 11cGuire a School1laster, who advised the people to arm
themselves and fight against the Government, and said they would lead
and assist them.
lIas seen Doctor Charles Duncombe armed with a sword, and the
said 11cGuire armed with a gun. He also has frequently seen these three,
so armed, drilling and training men, some armed and some without arms.
He has also seen George Case, of the Town ùf Hamilton, armed, and he
appeared to be acting in concert with the lcaders before mentioned, has
heard the lVlalcolms say, that Geo. Casc was of their party, and that they
considered him a very efficient pcrson, who would do them good service.
Has also understood, that a person of the name of .Matthews, an auctioneer
from Brantford, was in company with Case, aiding and assisting the
rebels.
Deponent further swears, that on Sunday last, :\IcGuire, the school
master, and James l\lalcolm came to him and required him to manufacture
a lot of Pikes, for the purpose of arming some of the rebels who had no
other arms. He objected to doing so, and they returned on 1Ionday last
and insisted on his making pikes for them, and threatened if he did not
do so, they would put their martial law in force against him. They re

qui red fifty, and he was compelled to proceed to work and made upwards
of 20. On Tuesday evening following Doctor Duncombc came to his
neighbourhood with about 180 men, Duncombe and the principal part of
his men bcing armed, Duncombe sent a message to him, that he must make
pikes or do any other work they requircd him to do, and charge the same
to the party. George Case was in company with Duncombe and his party
at that time he was told. James l\lalcolm gave orders, that everyone
should throw his house opcn and give lodging to the men under arms.
Some of thcmlodged in Dcponent's house. Eliakim :\Ialcolm and l\lcGui-
re told dcsponent, that thcy would plunder everyone who would not turn
out with thcm, in ordcr to procure provisions, arms and other necessities

140

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

he knows, that they did take a quantity of arms from a person or persons
at \Vaterford. He has heard Eliakinl Malcolm and others of the party,
say, that they had pills for the Lieut., Gov., Sir F. B. Head, and that they
would shoot him if they could get a chance. Has heard Eliakim and
James 11alcolm and McGuire state, that if they could succeed they wO'.1M
establish an independant Government, without any connection with the
Queen or the Mother Country, Great Britain. After it was known that
a battle had taken place near Toronto, he had heard Eliakim 1ialcolm and
McGuire say, that :MacKenzie was doing well, and that they had acted
and would act in concert with them, or words to that effect.
The Rebels heard on Tuesday that Col. :Mc1\ abb was coming up with
a body of armed men to oppose them. On Tuesday morning George Case
and :Matthews came in from Norwich, and when they heard that an army
was coming against them, they went back to Norwich and returned again
(he same evening with Duncombe and his men. On \Vednesday evening
the Rebels forces in his neighborhood amounted in all to about 200 men.
On \ Yednesday evening the Rebels, amounting in all to about 400, left
deponent's neighborhood in a body and in tolerably good order. On Thurs-
day morning Col. 1IcNabb's men came to his neighborhood. He was
called out to take care of Capt. Servos' horse, which had been shot.
Shortly after that deponent \-vas taken prisoner, as he was toId for making
the pikes already referred to.

his
PETER + COON.
mark.

Sworn before us at Hamilton this 17th day of Dec. 1837.

(Signed) Colin C. FERRIE, J. P.

(Signed) \V. B. V A
YERY, J. P.

The case of Abraham Sackrider.

\;Vitness 1. \V. Tallant.
Taken voluntary before
me this 16th day of Dec.
1837. Andrew Drew. J. P.

Lewis Jacques of the Township of Norwich, said District of London,
Y coman, who bcing duly sworn upon the holy Evangelists, deposeth and

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

141

saith, that on Saturday and :Monday last the deponent saw _\braham Sack-
rided armed, in company with about two hundred armed men, under the
command of James Dennis and Paul Beford, that he has heard Sackrider
several times shout for "Jackson" and "damn the King", has heard him
say "damn the Tories", we will make an end of them" meaning the loyal
subjects of the Queen, that said Sackrider has often threatened deponent
if he, deponent, did not keep a civil tongue in his head, that he would
put deponent out of the way meaning as he, deponent firmly believes, that
he will put him, deponent, to death.

(Signed) LE\VIS J
\CQUES.

Sworn at the Township of Norwich in the London District, 16th day
Dec. U:\37, before me, Andrew Drew, J. P.
The admission of Abraham Sackrider of the Township of
orwich
charged with High Treason.
I admit that I did join the rebels under Chas. Duncombe, and that I
suffered myself to be persuaded to join them by Chas. Duncombe, and
James Dennis, my brother-in-law, who was a captain of the rebels. Chas.
Duncombe told me that he was going to take the country and make it
independent-The officers held council at the house of David Hagerman,
in the village of Sodol11, and elected Chas. Duncombe as their General. . .
Hagerman is still in town, heard Calvin Austin say so this morning and
was afraid he would be taken. I am sorry for what I have done, and as
I have a large family I hope my error will be pardoned.

(Signed) ABRAHA11 SACKRIDER.

\Yitness, 1. \V. Tallant,
taken voluntary before me
this .16th day of Dec. 1837.
Andrew Drew, J. P.

Abraham Sackrider"s side of the story.

London District,

To wit)

The deposition of Abraham Sackridcr, late of \Yarwick in said Dis-
trict, Yeoman, taken on oath by Lawrence Lal1rason, Esq., who dcposeth
and saith, that he had business at London and went down there found
Duncombe's mcn collected at the meeting-house near Sodom. '

. 142

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

He was told that a ìVlethodist preacher of the name of Bird was going
to preach to Duncombe's men; this was on a :Monday, as deponent believes
and between the 10th and 20th of December. Deponent went to the l\ie-
thodist meeting-house and heard Bird preach, cannot recollect what Bird
said exactly, but the chief object of his sermon appeared to be to encoura-
ge the people to take up arms and fight for their freedom.
Deponent never saw this preacher before, has heard that he had
preached at Sodom, once or twice before.
After meeting, Dr. Duncombe came to deponent and endeavoured to
persuade him to go along. Deponent's brother-in-law, James Dennis, who
\-vas a Captain in Duncombe's army, also endeavoured to persuade him.
They took him to the Inn and gave him something to drink and when
deponent was in liquor, they got him into a baggage waggon and took him
to Oaklanù.
Duncombe threatened to lay waste deponent's property, if he did not go.
After deponent got to Oakland, he was put under guard until the men
were formed, when he was so plcaed that he could not get away. He
afterwards conccrteù a plan to escape, with John Hughes, to the British
at Simcoe, but ,vas prevented carrying it into effect, in consequence of the
retreat to
orwich.
Deponent also states that David \Yilson, who is brother to Dr. vVil-
son, came to deponent a day or so before he went to Sodom and told de-
ponent, that then was the time for the people to turn out and take arms,
said \ Yilson wcnt round through the neighbourhood urging the people to
take up arms.
Said \\ïlson has since told deponent that the reason of his not going
to Oakland, was in consequence of his having cut his foot with an axe.,
David \Vilson was in Norwich when deponent left. Dr. Duncombe and a
man of the name of Fowler put up at David \Vilson's, at the time he went
round to urge the people to turn out.
Deponent further saith, that \Yilliam Childers furnished a rifle to a
coloured man of the name of \Yilliam Taylor, and urged him to go
join Duncombe.
Deponent also saith, that he has lately heard, that James Dennis and
Hiram Brentley, who was an Ensign in Duncombe's army. are now con-
cealed, not far from his place.
Deponent saith, that when the party ,vere assembIed at Norwich,
before they started for Oakland, he saw Solomon Lossing, Esq. on the
ground talking to Duncombe and his men, who were armed. Lossing
seemed in good spirits and was talking and joking with them. At this
time Duncombe was armed with a sword, pistols and deponent thinks, a
dirk. Deponent is acquainted with John Kelly. On their way to Oakland,
Dr Duncombe, Matthews, J ames Dennis and others, stopped at

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

143

Kelly's and took tea. Kelly was favourable to the party and \vished them
success. He supplied them with somc apples, heard him say that he
would not go himself but that his two sons should go. Deponent has since
heard John Kelly say, that he considered his living under the laws of this
country as being in a bad state of bondage and that he wished himself
free.

(Signed) ABRAHA
I SACKRIDER.

Sworn before me at London
in said District, this 27th day
of January, 183K
LA \YREl':CE LAURASON, J. P.

Evidence of Francis Glover taken 16th March, 1838.

_\bout the 10th. Dec. last he saw Dr. Charles Duncombe at Oakland
in the London District, mahing a specch to about 300 persons (he thinks)
and they ,\ ere mostly armed. Eliakim
la1colm acted as an officer among
them, also Jamcs l\lalcolm, whom thcy called a Lieut., also Finlay l\lal-
colm of Bayham was called a Lieut., J olm Kelly of Burford was also
therc. This complainant does not remember that John Kelly was under
arms, but the following persons were, Thomas Sih'erthoin of 'Vindham,
Yeoman, Richard Sih'crthorn of Burford, Yeoman, Lewis Stenhoff of
Oaklånd, Yeoman. Jacob Beemcr of Oakland, deponent docs not remem-
ber his bearing arms, Finlay
Iakolm. the eldcr, was there encouraging
the men into thc ranks as volunteers.

Extract of the deposition of James Boyle of Oakland, carpenter,
taken 9th March 1838 before Wm. Holmes Esq., J. P.

That at the times the Rebels were assembled at Scotland, he was
employed the wholc time there building a black
mith shop for Peter Coon.
In the course of that timc deponent saw thcre under-mentioncd persons,
who were of the Rebel party, viz :
Philip Henry, who acted as an officer, Abraham Vanduzen, who is a
doctor and actcd as surgeon to thc Rebel forces. as deponent was informed.
Joseph Smith, who was therc frequently, Pcter Coon, a blacksmith and
Thomas \\'halon, his journeyman, who were employed making pikcs for
Rebels, kncw them to make 28 pikes :

144

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Alonzo Foster was there, who resided at that place, with Geo. :Mal-
çolm, John Heap was seen there frequently, but not taking an active part,
Chas. P. \Valbraith, (or \Valbrod), was seen there very often, was an
officer and acted as drill Sergt. of the Oakland Company. Peter Landon
was often seen under drill, Oliver Edmonds of \Vindham was frequently
there, but never saw him take any active part. Joseph Beemer, who kept
the tavern at Scotland, was very active all the time, was Landlord with his
son Jacob Beemer.

(Signed) \V. H. DRAPER, Solicitor Gen.

The meeting in Oakland, Dec. 7th 1837.

(Organisation of the Oakland Compal1::Y).

Deposition of John Kelly.
Extract from the deposition of John Kelly of Burford, in the District
of London, on the 18th of Dec. 183Î, before Richard Richardson and
others, Justices of the Peace.
On Thurstday the Îth day of Dec. inst. a public meeting was held at
Joseph Beemer's Inn in Oakland.
l'vlalcolm and I\lcGuire asked for Volunteers to join :Malcolm's com-
pany, to assist I\icKenzie's party at Toronto. About half the persons pre-
sent voluteered. They were generally armed. James 1ialcolm was cho-
sen captain, Eliakim I\lalcolm, Lieut., and \Villiam :McGuire Ensign. The
names of those volunteered, as far as deponent recollects, were : James
Oswald, John Kelly, Jr. Granville Kelly, Jacob Beemer, etc. etc. etc. etc.
they remained under arms, and kept their headquarters there and were
on duty as soldiers.

Evidence of James Glover.

Extract of the deposition of James Glover of Burford, in the Dis-
trict of London, Yeoman, taken on the 16th. :March, 1838, before James
Racey, Esq. J. P.
That, in the early part of the month of December last past, he was at
Scotland in the Township of Oakland in the London District, that he was
there several times, that he saw the following persons under arms and
drilling: Jacob Beemer of Oakland. Inn Keeper, John Kelly, Jr. Gran-
ville Kelly, James Oswald, \Villiam I\lcGuire, Oliver Edmunds, Peter
Landon, etc. etc.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

145

Some particulars of the the Norwich Company.

Caleb Tompkins of Norwich, says the foIlowing were leading persons
at the declaration of Duncombe's Independence.

Paul Bedford (Capt.)
Hart (Lieut.) Lives in what they call Dutch Settlement.
J ames Dennis (Capt ( North \Vest Part of Norwich.
Elias Snider (Lieut.) \Vas Lieut. sent messenger to Yarmouth.
Daniel Bedford (Lieut.)
King Emigh.-Gave the Rebels 14 or 15 fat hogs.
O. B. Clark.-vVas commissary and pressed Caleb Tompkins waggon
and took their names down.
Peter Delong.-Duncombe was quartered at his house, and had a
strong guard over himself.
Albert Delong.-Son of David, was sent on express by Duncombe.
David \\Tilson.-\Vas sent to the North of Norwich on Express.
Luke Peasely.-Leading man.
Jacob Kelley.-\Vent with his team to Scotland to convey DUncom-
bes men and provisions.
O. B. Clarke.-Gave powder and lead to the Rebels and put it in the
waggon.
James Clarke.-Did the same.
Garret Delaney.-Inn Keeper at London, wanted Caleb to take alI
the provisions he could to the Rebels.

Burford prisoners sent to London Jail.

RoIl of the state prisoners in custody of \Vm. Higgins, June 9th. 1838.
Nathaniel Doe.
Horatio Fowler
Finlay Malcolm etc. etc. etc. etc.
Received from \\Tm. Higgins thc above named prisoners this 11th.
June, 1838.

(Signed) A LLA
1fACDONELL,
Sheriff London Dist.

146

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Petition of the Burfor-:l Prisoners in London Jail.

London, 1Iay 26th. 1838.

The petitions of certain prisoners confined in the London jail under
the charge of Treason, most humbly showeth, that your petitioners have
lain in this place of confinement, many of them for the space of five
months, during which time sickness had carried off one of our number,
and brought many so low that their lives were despaired of, and on their
convalescence they are left in that state of weakness, as to make it appre-
hensive, that they never will attain that health they once enjoyed, that
many of them have large families, varying from nine children downwards,
who have during the above space of time been suffering for the want of
necessary assistance and support of their fathers and husbands-
(Signed) Nathaniel Doe, Horatio Fowler, etc. etc. etc. etc.

Let it be done.

Fiat Proclamation calling upon certain persons indicted for High
Treason in the London District, who have absconded, to surrender or be
outlawed.

Attorney General's Office,

Toronto, 22nd Oct. 1838.

Let a proclamation issue (in the same form as in the Home District)
calling for the return of the following persons indicated for High Trea-
son, at the special session of the Oyer and Terminer, held at the town of
London in the District of London, on the 9th day of April in the year of
Her :Majesty's Reign, and who have fled from this Province or remain
concealed therein, that is to say :
Charles Duncombe, late of the Township of Burford, in the District
of London, Esq.
J ames Dennis, late of the Township of Norwich, in the District of
London, Yeoman.
Eliakim Malcolm, late of the Township of Oakland, in the District
of London, Yeoman.
Peter Delong, late of the TQwnship of Norwich, in the District of
London, Yeoman.
Orsimus B. Clarke, late of the Township of Norwich, in the District
of I:ondon.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

147

Lyman Davis, late of the Township of :\Ialahide, in the District of
London.
Henry Fisher, late of the Township of Bayham, in the District of
London, Yeoman.
James :Malcolm, late of the Township of Oakland, in the District
of London, Yeoman.
Pelham C. Teeple, late of the Township of Oxford \\T est, in the Dis-
trict of London, Yeoman.
Norris Humphrey, late of the Township of Bayham, in the District
of London, l\lerchant. .
J esse Pauling, late of the Township of Bayham, in the District of
London, Innkeeper.
Joel P. Doan, late of the Township of Yarmouth, in the District of
London, Tanner.
Joshua G. Doan, late of the Township of Yarmouth, in the District,
of London, Tanner.
John Talbot, late of the Township of Yarmouth, in the District
of London, Centlem.an.
Samuel Edison, the youngest, late of the Township of Bayham, in
the District of London, Inn Keeper.
Abraham Sutton, late of the Township of Norwich, in the District
of London, Yeoman.
:Moses Chapman 1\ickerson, late of the Township of \Yoodhouse, in
the District of Talbot, Yeoman.
Ceo. Lauton, late of the Township of Yarmouth, in the District of
London Yeoman.
J ol;n 1lassacre, late of the Township of 'l"ownsend, in the District of
Talbot, Yeoman.
Elisha Hall, late of the Township of Oxford \Vest, in the District
of London, Yeoman.
Solomon H
wes, late of the Township of Yarmouth, in the District
of London, Yeoman.

(Signed) \V. II. IL\CGER:\
AN,

To the Sec'y of the Province. Atty. General.

148

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

List of Prisoners received into the Goal of the district of Gore
upon charges of insurrection and treason, from the
J 5th December, 1837 to the 8th August, 1838.

John Tufford.-(Dr. Duncombe's son-in-law) from United States, recei-
ved in goal Dec. 16th 1837-Civil Court, Sentenced, to be han-
ged, respited until her Majesty's pleasures are known.
Alonzo Foster.-From United States, from 15th Dec. 1837 to .l\Iarch 20th
1838, no bill found, discharged by proclamation.
John P. Uline.-Tanner and Currier, Dec. 15th 1837 to .March 31st 1838,
Civil Court, Verdict, Not Guilty.
Peter Landon.-16th Dec. 1837, to :l\1arch 15th 1838, no bill found, dis-
charged by proclamation.
John Malcolm.- Yeoman, 23rd Dec. 1837 to l\larch 10th 1838, no bill
found, discharged by proclamation.
Isaac B. l\lalcolm.-Yeoman, 23td Dec. 1837 to June 6th 1838-Petitioned
Bailed to keep the peace three years.
Norman l\lalcolm.-23rd Dec. 1
37 to l\Iarch 31st 1838.-
ot Guilty
Acquitted.
Adam Yeigh.-Yeoman, 23rd Dec. 1837 to l\Iarch 31st 1838.-No Bill
found, discharged by the court.
l\1ichae1 Showers.--Yeoman, 23rd 1838 to l\larch 17th 1838.-No Bill
found, discharged by Proclamation.
George Rouse.-Labourer, Jan. 2nd 1838 to March 31st 1838.-No Bill
found, discharged by the court.
Peter l\'[alcolm.- Yeoman, Jan. 3rd 1838, to be hanged, respited until Her
:Majesty's pleasure be known.
Horatio Fowler.-June 11th 1838 to June 21st 1838.-Petitioned, taken
to Toronto.
Finlay l\lalcolm.-Jan 11th 1838 to June 21st 1838, Petitioned, taken to
to Toronto. .
Charles l\lalcolm.- July 12th 1838-taken to Kiagara.
George l\lalcolm.- July 12th 1838-taken to Niagara.

Memo::ar.dum.

Names and quality or station of several persons arrested in Upper
Canada and placed in confinement, in the prison in Toronto and other
placed in the Province, on a charge of Insurrection and High Treason.
Caleb Kipp, arrested 17th Dec. 1837, banished from the Province for
life.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

149

Jacob Lester, arrested 1st July 1837, discharged by the Magistrate,
15th July 1837.
Isaac L. Smith, arrested 13th July 1838, discharged by l\lagistrate
20th July 1838.

Persons against whom indictments were found for the crime of High
Treason, but who abscomled and are called upon to surrender themselves
by the 17th day of February next or be outlawed.

Char les Duncombe.
Eliakim l\lalcolm.
J ames Malcolm.

Prisoners in the district of Gore who have petitioned.

Adam, \\ïlliam and Henry \ Yinegarden
Isaac Brock lYIalcolm
Peter l\lalcolm
John Tufford

Pardoned.
Pardoned.
To be transported for life.
- To be transported for Ii \ e.

Charged with having been in arms in open rebellion.

\Vitnesses :

\V. II. Pringle
Calvin Lyons
Peter Coon
Elisha Raines
J ames Church
Benjamin Baily Jr.
V. R. Douglass
\Vm. Kingston.

Prisoners.

John l\Ialcolm
Isaacl\lalcolm
Finlay l\lalcolm
Norman l\Ialcolm
Peter Malcolm
l\Iichael
howers

Committed by \ V. Richardson J. P.

"

" " " "
" " " u
u u " "

u

u

. ,

" \V. Holmes J. P. and J. Racey J.P.
" Jamcs Racey, J. p.

150

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Adam Yeigh
John Tufford

Comitted by J. Racey J. P. and \Y. Holmes J.P.
., .. James \Vinnett, James Racey and
\Vm. Holmes, Justice of the Peace.

Horatio FO'lr.rler was first arrested on the 21st December 1837, and
brought before Magistrates James Ingersoll and Peter Carrol, at \Vood-
stock, on the following day, who committed him to London Jail. After
Petitioning he was transferred to Hamilton in the month of June 1838,
and in October "vas pardoned, on giving security to keep the peace and be
of good behavior for three years.
JFinla)' Malcolm Jr. was first arrested Dec. 15th 1837 and sent to tbe
Toronto Jail for trial in the month of June 1838, he having been confined
in the meantime in the Jail at London. In October 1838 he petitioned,
under 1st Vict. Chap. 10, but was found guilty of High Treason and was
sentenced to be transported to Van Dieman's Land and banished for a
period of fourten years.

Copy of Panel of Petit Jurors summoneù to serve at the Court of Oyer
and Terminer and Goal ùelivery, in and for the District of Gore, com-
mencing Tuesday 8th, March, 1838.

NAMES.

Edward Battersly
Thos. Coleman
Wm. CRoss
Geo. 1f Richardson
Abraham K. Smith
\\lm. Kirby
Robert Sproul
Albert Buckwell
'\lm. Ewing
Francis Hunter
James Muirhead
Rollo Badger
James Henry

RESIDENCE.

Erantford
"

u

OCCCPATION.

Gentleman
"

Merchant

Gentleman
Yeoman
Merchant

Yeoman
Gentleman
Merchant

Names of persons against whom indictments have been found for
High. Treason at Hamilton, in the Gore District.

Duncan McPhederain
Robt. Laing
Charles Chapin
Adam Yeigh
J ames Benham
Stephen Smith
Wm. Armstrong
Robt. E11iott
Hiram Dowlan
Nathan Town
Norman Malcolm
Lord Well. Winegarden

Ephraim Cook
\V. M. Thompson
Wm. Lyons
Philip Henry
Samuel Marlett
J ames Burchard
George Roberts
J ames Peters
Horatio Hills
Isaac Brock Malcolm
\Vm. Winegarden

Elias Snider
Chas. P. Walbraith
Malcolm Brown
John Leonard Uline
Calvin Syman
Oliver Smith
James Parkinson
T ohn Tufford
Finlay Malcolm
Adam Winegarden
Peter Malcolm

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

151

Schedule of indictmens against persons charged with state offences,
in the District of London, at the special commission 9th. April 1838.

NAMES.

OFFENCE

Charles Duncombe
J ames Dennis
Eliakim Malcolm
Peter Delong
Orismies B. Clark
Edward Carmen
Andrew W. Clure
Robert Cavanagh
Uriah Emmons
J ames Coleman
Ben Page
Jonathan Steete
John D. Brown
John Moore
Caleb Kipp
Isaac Moore
Dennis Cavanagh
Lyman Davis
Robt. Franey
Stephen 13runger
Patrick Milady
Lewis Morton
James Colville
Amos Bradshawe
W. M. Toaltes
Charles Lawrence
Alex. Milady
Harvey Bryant
Samuel Sands
Andrew Connors
Moses Cook
Losee Denon
Wm Cheeseman
John Medcalf
Nelson Leach
James Bell
Joseph Bowers, Jr.
Robt. Cook
Elias Moore

H

h Tre
.son

Finlay Malcolm
Ezekiel Mumes
N ath. Doe
Henry Fisher
N ath. Down
\Vm. Webb
T ohn Hammill
Henry Winegarden
\Villard Sherman
Solomon Lossing
RoLt. Armstrong.

Treason
"

ee

High Treason
.. "

Bill Ignored

RESULT

Absconded
..

Petitioned

Acquitted
Convicted
Petitioned
Absconded
Petitioned
Absconded
Petitioned
..

Convicted
Petitioned
..

Not tried, put off
in consequence 0:
witness absconded.
Petitioned
..

Absconded
Convicted

"

Petitioned
Acq1;1}tted

REMARKS

Recommended to
.Mercy

Recommended to
Mercy.

152

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

The Oxford Militia.

Adjutant Generals Office,
Toronto, 2nd Jan., 1838.

Sir:

I have to request you will select 50 men ready at hand, of the Regi-
ment under your command, to hold themselves at a momenfs warning, on
service.
This force (then in readiness to move) will defer making any move-
ment until further instructions are received from this Office, unless upon
an emergency, as would render such a measure absolutely imperative.

I have etc. etc.

(Signed) RICHARD BULLOCK, A. G.
To the Officer Commanding Oxford Regiment.

Ad j utant Generals Office,
Toronto, 16th March, 1838.

Sir:

With reference to your letter dated the 8th inst. and its enclosures,
I beg to acquaint you that no further supply of arms can be spared at
present for the use of the militia in the county of Oxford.

I have etc. etc.

Col. 1. Chisholm,
A. Q. 11. General,
Hamilton.

(Signed) RICHARD BULLOCK, A. G.

Sir:

Adjutant Generals Office,
Toronto, 21st April, 1838.

Your letter of 10th ult., has been referred to the Barrack Master, 111
whose charge the arms were, previous to their last consignment, I now

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

153

send you a copy of his last reply, requesting that the matter may be further
investigated and thc result made known to this Uffice.
The investigation of the matter should proceed in combination witf]
the other Officers who have received defective supplies.

I have etc. etc.

(Signed) RICHARD BULLO.
K, A. G.

Lt. Col. \Vhitehead,
Com. 4th Oxford.

W. H. Draper, Sol. Genera], further writes to J. Joseph, Esq.
Secty. Governor General,

Toronto 24th March 1838.

I take the liberty of offering here observation on the general charac-
ter of the cases against different individuals.
The case of Sol. Lossing is peculiar, he was a magistrate, was in re-
peated conversation with Duncombe and other rebel leaders while actually
in arms. From his own declaration, he furnished them with provisions.
The evidence is very strong to show that he was cognizant of their plans
before they took up arms. He received a letter from Duncombe inviting
him to come to their meeting and he replied that he would attend if he
could, he held communication with the Rebels after this. The Jury
had before them a bill of High Treason and misprision and found the
former.
I have only to remark that the following are the names of those im-
plicated and from among whom (if convicted) a selection should be
made for capital punishment. Horatio Hills, \Vm. Lyons, Findlay l\lal-
colm, Peter 1lalcolm, Elias Snider, John Tufford, (a son-in-law of Chas.
Duncombe) and Chas. P. \Valbraith.
Perhaps at London within the District where he lived, his conduct
may be more thoroughly scrutinized.
The only witnesses who ardently deposeth against him have, as I
am informed by the magistrate, left the county. I have, etc. etc. etc.

(Signed) \Vl\1. H. DRAPER.

Solicitor General.

154

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Wm. Draper to J. Joseph.

Hamilton 19th March 1838.

Sir

I have the honor to transmit to you herewith, a list of prisoners
against whom indictments for high treason have been found, and have
to request that you will submit the same to the consideration of His Ex-
cellency, the Lieut. Governor, that the necessary order in council may
be transmitted authorizing the trial of these prisoners or such of them as
His Excellency may think fit.
The Court will sit on Monday the 29th inst. for the trial of the pri-
soners, and it is therefore necessary, that the Order in Council should be
made in sufficient time to enable thc court to proceed. There may be
possibly thrce or four more cases but certainly not more than that number.
I regret to say that many prisoners have been confined on charges so
indifferently supported by evidence, as to make it appear a hardship that
they have not been much sooner relased. I have among others dischar-
ged from custody Abraham Vanduzen, mentioned in my letter of the 11th
inst. to Lieut. Col. Strachan, not finding evidence to warrant any indict-
ment. Nor have I been able to collect sufficient evidence to enable me
to prepare an indictment against Robert _\1 way, for wich reason I re-
commend his being bailed. Perhaps at London within the District where
he lived, his conduct may be more thoroughly scrutinized.
The only witnesses who ardently deposeth against him, have, as I
am informed by the magistrate, left the county. I have etc. etc.

(Signed) Wm. H. DRAPER.

J. R. Riddle J. P. to J. Joseph, Secretary.

Woodstock, 12th January 1838.

Sir:

From the tenor of the Papers and correspondence of Elisha Hall,
forwarded to Col. McNabb by the Hon. P. B. De Blanqulere, by whom
they were seized and examined, I am told by him that they were of such
a nature as could prove him to have been the very chief of conspiracy in
this part of the Province (not ever inferior to Dr. Duncombe himself)
while they exhibited sentiments of so brutal and malignant a nature as to
make it highly desirable that he should be secured if possible. I have
every reason to believe from the state of illness in which EIisha Hall was,

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

155

when he escaped from custody at Ingersoll about a fortnight ago, that he
is still in hiding in or about the Township of X orwich, and that it would
be highly expedient, that a reward equal to that offered for Dr. Duncombe
be offered also for Elisha Hall. Embodying also in the proclamation the
announcement of punishment that awaits all those who fnay harbour or
know of his concealment. A sufficient number of copies should be sent
up here for circulation, in thc disaffected townships of Duncombe's coun-
ty, and not pressing this upon his Excellency. I would hope that the
recapture of the individual would be ensured, from the operation at one
and the same time, of the reward and the fear of punishment, I have the
honour to be, dear Sir',

Your obedient servant,

(Signed) J. R. RIDDLE, J. P.

London, District.

P. S.-If the reward were allowed to those whose information should
lead to the apprehension, as well as to the actual apprehension, it would
make the matter sure.

R. R.

To J. Joseph, Esq.,

Secretary to the Lieut. Gov.

Elisha Hall to Dr. Duncombe.

Oxford Dec. 6th. 1837.

Dear Doctor.

I saw a letter of yours which stated that the Reformers had takcn
Toronto, but can learn no particulars. James Ingcrsolllooks a little down,
but C. :Marygold shows fright, times win soon grow squally, I very much
fear. I wish my wife was a healthy woman, I would leave the country
to-morrow, J have seen one war and do not want to see another. I fcel
no inclination to lift a finger and hope you will not. The Torics asked
me if I would fight, I toM them uNo". I think I will rcnt the place that I
live on and go out of the Province if the times come as troublesome as
I anticipate. I think it is a premature squall of little l\Ir. l\1cKenzic's,
who is like Philip Graham, Esq, of \Voodstock, they both do any causc
which they espouse more harm than ten more do it g'Ood, if you should

156

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

pass this way I wish you to call as my wife is sometimes out of health.
N ow do you think the Clergy Reserve question will be settled if they
go fighting. I ha\-e got a sawmill myself begun and hope I will be able
to rent it before the times become too rough, as I shall be able to rent to
better adyantage, if I should conclude to quit the sod, which I am deter-
mined to do if a Civil \Yar commences for a Civil \Yar is dreadful of all
,
wars I think the Indians will be encouraged by the Government, and I
now have too much trouble raising my family to have them scalped. The
old women are frightened out of their wits on this account. I dare not
go a mile from home for fear of news of Toronto, and I may not be pre-
sent to hear it first. Mr. Ingersoll tells that he can get no private letters
at all, which is certainly very singular. I should think he would get lots
of them.

So no more at present, I remain,

Yours respectfully,

(Signed) ELISHA HALL.

Recommending a n
w Postmaster at Norwich.
Col. John Askin to.

London, 25th Dec. 1837.

l\fy dear Sir:
\Vhilst I was in Norwich with Col. l\IcNabb on the 17 inst., having
heard that Ephraim Cook, Postmaster at that place, had decamped with
Dr. Duncombe, under the apprehension of being punished for having joi-
ned the Rebels, I took upon myself to write Col. lYIcNabb, requesting that
he would take upon himself the appointment of a person to take charge
of the Post Office there, subject to the approval of the Post l\faster Gene-
ral, and recommended the appointment of Mr. \Vallace, a merchant at
London, as that office must necessarily be left exposed to the management
of persons who might be doing mischief. Ephraim is taken and now in
goal here.
This breakout of the Rebels has shown that many persons have pro-
ved themselves unworthy the confidence of the Government, as in the
case of Eliakim Malcolm and John Kelly, commissioners of the Court of
Request, Division N o,-who were amongst the Rebels, Kelly is taken.
There also is the case of Solomon Lossing, a :Magistrate, who must have
known all their proceedings and gave no information to the Executive
of the subject :

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

157

Amongst the prisoners here are :

Elias 1ioore, 11. P. P. in the County of :l\1iddlesex.
Elias Snider, Lieut. in Capt. James Dennis' Co.
Finlay :Malcolm, son of Daniel 1la1colm of Bayham-Capt. in the Rebel
Army.
Paul Bedford of
orwich, also a Capt. in Duncombe's Army.
Edward Carman, Adjt., with a party of riflemen from Yarmouth, who
joined the Rebel Army.
Ephraim Cook, Surgeon, accompanying Duncombe's army, late Post-
master in Norwich.

I am my dear Sir,

Very faithfully yours,

(Signed) J. B. ASKIN.

Charles Duncombe to,

Burford Oct. 24th 1837.

1\ly dear Sir:

Your favor of the 17th inst., has this moment come to nand, in which
you say that the time has come when reformers ought to 'be on the alcrt
in forming political unions and in arranging for our common safety. I
heartily concur with you, that it is high time for the reformers to be up
and doing. \Vhen Sir Francis Head declares, that the British Govern-
ment never intendetl. any such absurdity, as giving us the British consti-
tution, (of course we are to continue to be governed by the Oligarchy at
Toronto) and when the doors of the colonial office are closed against re-
formers, or republicans as Sir Francis (tauntingly styles us) because we
are guilty of the crime of appearing to Her l\lajesty's government with
our complaints, and when we sce this Province under the dynasty of a
foreign governor and an Orange Oligarcy, retrograding In one year as
much as it has advanced in five. The only intcrest our oppressors have in
the Province being the plundcr they can amass and carry away with them.
I think anyone not wilfully blind, not interestcd in the continuance of the
abuses, must see that while this baneful denomination continues, we have
not the slightest chance for prosperity, and that if we will be governed
we must govern ourselves. Our oppressors have shown us more clearly
than ever before, that their great object is to make thc rich richer and

158

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

the poor poorer, for if the people should become wealthy they would be-
come intelligent and unwilling slaves, my maxim has always been, educate
the people, this can be done only upon a few matters upon politics, we
may do much by the assembling ourselves together and having political
lectures, by the forming of young political unions, publishing periodicals
and encouraging the circulation of reform newspapers, this can best be
done by union, and by one devoting the few pence we save from our grog
bills to the purchase of correct information upon the subject of our own
affairs, and the time formerly spent in drinking, to readiug and reflecting.
I shall be most happy to meet with you at any time after next week, as I
have heard that there is to be a reform meeting in Oakland one day next
week, but have not heard what day, and I must (God willing) be there.
I have just received a note from our trusty friend Hall, upon the same
subject and he mentions no time. I hope when you appoint the time you
will let me know, as the time has come when we are to decide whether we
will be bondsmen or slaves. The reformers of \Yestminster have done
nobly, your name I see amongst the immortal patriots who fear the op-
pressors' iron rod, thank God we are strong in the justice of our cause and
although we may suffer for a time we shall assuredly in the end prevail.
"A Nation never can rebel" those only are rebels who resist the will of
the people, from them, the people, emanates all legitimate Constitutional
Government. I highly approve the plan both you and rvlr. Hall propose,
and shall be much obliged by your letting me know when the meeting is to
be, and I shall endeavor to be with you. God prosper the right and every
man come prepared to defend himself."

I am dear Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(Signed) CHARLES DUNC01tIBE.

Sir Allan McNab to Capt. Kerr.

Hamilton, 2nd July 1838

l\1y Dear Sir:

Having received the commands of his Excellency the l\fajor General
commanding, to call out the Militia immediately, I have the honor to re-
quest that you will forthwith call out the force of Indian Warriors under
your cG'-nmand to proceed to the London District.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

159

Your are authorized to keep any number of teams for their conveyan-
ce that you may find necessary.
The present emergency appears to be greater than any which has
previously taken place and in the event of your passing through Hamilton
on your way, I will inform you of some of the particulars.

I remain, my dear Sir,

Yours faithfully,

(Signed) ALLAN N. 1:1cN AB

Co!. Com. Gore District

His Excellency particularly requires that the warriors should proceed
with you at their head. The Governor will be here today at 11 o'clock.

(Signed) A. N. :Mc
.

Hamilton, July 6th 1838.

District order-

Co!. Sir Allan N apier l\.Ic
abb has great pleasure in announcing to
the :Militia of the Gore District that he has received the commands of his
Excellency the :Major General commanding, to express to both Officers
and men, the high estimation, which his Excellency entertains of their
zeal and activity in answering their country's call, and to tender to them
his thanks for the services they have so promptly rendered in assisting to
supress the late Rebellion. His Excellency knowing how very important
their attendance upon their domestic concerns must be, permits them at
once to return to their farms.
In taking leave of his brother militiamen, the Co!. only desires further
to cxpress his own feelings of pride and gratification in finding that on a
few hours notice, and at the present inconvenient season of the year, a
small section of the Gore District has furnished a body of nearly 1200
men, ready and anxious to mm-e to any part of the Province where their
services might be required.

160

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Col. C, Foster A. A. G. to his excellency Sir. G. Arthur.

Toronto, 1fay 28th. 1838.

Sir:

As the proceedings of the Refugee Rebels from this Province, and of
their sympathizing friends in the United States, having assumed a more
serious character, I consider it my duty to lay before your Excellency,
such information on the subject as has reached me during your recent
tour of Inspection at Kingston.
Your Excellency was well aware before your departure from To-
ronto, of the Meetings of those persons at Lockport, Buffalo, etc. These
meetings continue to be held nightly, and not one is permitted to be pre-
sent at any of them, except such as have previously enrolled and sworn
in as associates of the cause. There is a committe formed, whose duty
it is to provide employment for strangers coming from a distance, who,
as they arrive are attached to Companies, and are furnished it is said, with
a portion of black crepe, to be worn when required, round the hat and one
arm, as a distinguishing badge of their party. They still arrogate to
themselves the denomination of "Patriots" and under such misnomer,
declare their determination to possess themselves of Upper Canada in
spite of every effort of their Government.
From the exclusive privacy of their l\leetings, it is almost impossible
to procure proper intelligence of the intentions, yet it seems suff}ciently
well understood that they propose to make a series of simultaneous attacks
on this Province, along its whole lines of the Frontier from Fort Gratiot
to Ogdensburgh. These views, it is supposed, cannot be carried into effect
until their organization is more complete, but as :Meetings and trainings
have sometime since been resumed at Detroit, Toledo, :Monroe, Cle,-eland,
etc, to the \Vestward, at Buffalo, Lockport etc, on the Niagara Frontier,
at Rochester etc, on Lake Ontario, and at Ogdensburg, French Creek etc,
on the River St. Lawrence, it is calculated that their evil designs may be
commenced in the beginning of the next month if not at any earlier period.
It is stated that there are already not less than 5,000 distributed about
Cleveland and the other places before mentioned in that neighborhood,
that there are at Buffalo, Lockport and the surrounding country, at least
14,000, On the borders of Lake Ontario, with Rochester as their point of
assembly, 5000, At French Creek, on the line of the St. Lawrence, the
numbers have not been stated. As Dr. Duncombe is with them, Port
Stanley, Port Dover, and other harbors on Lake Erie, in the neighborhood
of which a vast number of disaffected inhabitants reside, will no doubt be
early attacked, but their principal object appears at present, to be Toron-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

161

to. There will be no difficulty in their procuring abundance of transport
on Lake Erie, as there are fi fty Steamers that sail from the Port of De-
troit alone and at least a dozen pass .L\lllherstburg daily. On Lake On-
tario, it is
tated that they have alrcady engaged two of their four stea-
mers for their purposes. A few days since, at a very early hour in the
morning, it is said that 4-00 or 500 men cmbarked on board a large steam-
boat at Detroit and proceeded towards Lake Huron. Should this party
fuake a successful attack on Penetanguishene, there is but a subaltern

detachment at that place to dispute their endeavour to join their disa-ITcr:-
ted friends in the neighborhood of New-l\larket, Lloyd-Town etc.
As the Incorporated Corps of .Militia Volunteers have already becn
very much reduced in numbers, and as the services of them all will expire
at the end of the ensuing month, I must not omit drawing to your Excel
lency's observation, how ill prepared the Province will be to resist any
serious attempts against it. I declare that I never felt the Ieast particle
of uneasiness concerning the result of the late invasion of the country,
I felt confident in a successful termination of our endeavours to maintain
the integrity of this portion of Her l\lajesty's Dominion's I now however,
candidly confess that I feel much apprehension for its peace and security,
arising out of the extended scale to which the projects of the Refugees
and their associates have been carried, and this, too, not through the means
of the dregs of Society alone, but through the extensive countenance and
ample pecuniary assistance, of what may be termed the better orders of
the community and also the total inability of the American Government to
restrain the outrageous conduct of its citizens.
Under all these circumstances, I trust I shall not be considered pre-
sumptuous, in placing before your Excellency's notice, the inadequacy of
thc small number of the Queen's Troops which will be kft in the Province
for its protection, if a sufficient force cannot be spared from Lower Ca-
nada, that a considerable number, a corps of l\Iilitia Volunteers, be imme-
diately enlisted and brought into a state of discipline, so as to enable them
to act with efficiency in concert with the Queen's Troops, in the event of
affairs assuming the scrious character expccted.

I have the honor to bc Sir,
Your Excellcncy's most obedient humble Servant
,
(Signed) C. FOSTER.
Asst. Adjt. GenI.

His Excellcncy !\'lajor Gencral Sir. George Arthur K. C. H. etc.

162

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

One of the most pathetic looking documents to be found =.I.møng the
vah.tahle and interesting collection in the Dominion ArcIlives., is !;Ie Jri-
ginal of the following, it was written on plain foolscap paper, and bears
every appearance of having been hastily prepared, and fon'\'arded to the
Executive, as t last appeal to save the lives of the unfortunate prisoners.
The !Jocument was folded twice and bound with narrow tape, which like
the paper is now faded and yellow with age, it still adheres to the large
and nude daub of red sealing wax, which held it in place and secured the
contents, the whole appearance of this old petition is suggesti'Tc úf the
sighs and tears of the despairing wives and families, praying for the re-
leasc
nd return of their natural protectors.

On business Involving Life and Death.

To His Excellency,
Sir. Geo. Arthur K. C. B.,

Lieut. Gov. of the Province of Upper Canada.
Toronto.

Brantford, April 10th. 1838.

It may be necessary for the information of His Excellency the Lieut.
Gov. to remark, that those signatures on the right hand column, on both
sides on the first sheets of the enclosed petition, above the Red 1\Iark, are,
with the exception of 1. K. Smith, G. \V. \Yhitehead and A. Cameron,
Jurors, and those marked with an astrick namely, A. K. Smith, John
Thorner, John Layton, John Ruckman, John Fuller, Frederick Ashbo-
rough, James Henry, \Villiam Kirby, and Francis Hunter, sat as Jurors
on the trial of the prisoners.
1\1r. Brockman of this town, another of the Jurors, not being at home,
signature could not be obtained, and the other two Jurors lived to remotely
from here, to render an appointment with them practicable, within a short
time. Almost the whole of the names on both sides of the other sheets
are signatures of individuals of good standing and respectability, six
being Clcrgymen, two of which are Church of England and six 1fagis-
trates namely, William Holmes, G. W. Whitehead, Wm. Richardson,
Thomas Coleman, S. W. Muirhead, and it is believed Hiram Capron, Esq,
and it is thought that the whole of those signatures which are affixed to
the enc10sed petition, are men who are noted for their 10yalty, and steady
adherents of the laws and constitutions of the Empire, and many of them
took a very active part in the suppression of the late Rebellion.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

163

Rebellion Losses Claims, Brock District.

In 1849, during the second Session of the Third Parliament, an Act
was passed, to idemnify Canadians for losses, sustained by them during the
insurrection of 1837-8.
The provisions of the Bill authorized the payment of a sum, not
exceeding 400,000 dollars, being the amount recommended by the Com-
missioner, who had investigated the claims, payment to be made only to
those who had not participated. The bill was sanctioned by Lord Elgin
on the 26th. April, and was productive of riots and outrages, which cul-
minated in the burning of the Parliament Buildings in 1fontreal.
In 1845, John Harris, Robert Arnold, and Roger RvUo Hunter, had
been appointed Commissioners for the purpose of in,.estigating all claims
and demands against the Government for losses, injuries or otherwise,
arising out of the late Rebellion. They met in the Court House, \V ood-
stock, on Friday 5th December, 1845.
All interested parties had been summoned to attend with papers and
witnesses, to prove and substantiate their claims.
The following is a list of persons, to whom sums were awarded, as
idemnification for losses, in the insurrection and invasion of the Western
part of the Province.

NAMES. /. s d
Lewis Charles 11. 5. O.
Nathan B. Fowler 17. 10. O.
Joseph N. Smith 7. 10. O.
John Weir 10. 14. 8.
John Milmine 3. O. o.
Joseph Smith 3. O. O.
\Villiam Wilson 3. 15. O.
Eliakim Malcolm 10. O. o.
Joseph Beemer 15. O. O.
Francis Glover 6. 16. 3.
Horace Foster 10. O. O.
Alonzo Foster 10. O. O.
Geo. Malcolm 16. 3 O.
John
Ialcolm 12. i 6.
J ames Malcolm 13. O. O.
Peter Malcolm 8. 18. 1.
Chas. Eddv. hy his Attorney Cons-
tant Eddy. R lR 1.
Levi Nelson Dutcher 2. 10. O.
\Vil1iam Doyle 19. 11. 3.
Bradford G. Tisdale 13. 17. O.
W. H. Serpel1 3. O. O.
Chas. Strange Perley 27. O. O.
Jacob Yeigh 10. O. O.
Lewis Mott 1. O. O.
\Vm. B. Long 10. o. O.
Comf ort Sage 2. 10. O.
\Vm. n. Smith 3. O. O.
Israel L. Smith 2. O. O.
Henry Smith 1. 5. O.

PART II
The First One Hundred Years.

of

BURFORDtS MILITARY HISTORY

I 798 - 1898

Introduction to Military Records.

History informs us that the life of all States, Commonwealths or
Nations, begins and ends with and by :Military Conquest. \Vhen the
defensive forces of any country, however small or however large, are
permitted to become disorganized and ineffective, through the neglect
and indifference of those who as the governing power are responsible
for their strength and efficiency, their further existance as a separate
state, or as an integral part of a nation, becomes imperilled, na-
tional credit is affected and that assurance of stability, r-equired to give
confidence to the manufacturing commercial and agricultural classes, so
necessary in the minds of the inhabitants, which is absolutely essential to
its further growth and development, is gradually lost and brings about a
feeling of unrest, dissatisfaction and loss of national pride, which makes
them an easy prey to the grasping, selfish demands of better armed and
better preparcd neighbors.
The Spirit of Conquest, that unsatisfied desire for the lands and ter-
ritory occupied by others, that determination to secure the trade and com-
merce controlled by competitors, with all the primitive, combative and ac-
quisitive instincts of man, are just as strong and unquenchable to-day as
for ages past.
This part of Canada was acquired by Force of Arms, notwithstanding
the determined resistance of the French Canadian l\lilitia, and by Force
of Arms this country has, at two different periods, kept the Flag flying
and compelled the invaders to retire.
Canada is so situated, there can be but two kinds of .l\lilitary Force
available for defence, a militia and an organization of Volunteers. In
the event of an Invasion the first is the force on which, as in the past we
must rely in case of any prolonged struggle. ()ur V oluneters are able
to meet and check the first rush of a numerally stronger army, but a na-
tional militia is essentially necessary to the gro\\ ing reqUIrements of the
Dominion. A small forcc of regulars are requisite amI needful, but
nothing approaching a standing army, however employed, should under
present conditions be tolerated.
Since the advent of the Y olunteers the Canadian Sedentary l\Iilitia
have become almost forgotten, through the neglect and indifference of

168

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

the I\.lilitia Department as well as the people. To-day they are entirely
unknown to the present generation, yet they ha,-e a history to be proud
of, and one in which the first l\Iilitia men of Burford acted a braye and
honorable part. It was owing to the prolonged and determined resis-
tance offered by the Canadian Sedentary and Emboided l\Iilitia, during
the war of 1812-14, that this Colony was saved to the Crown.
In all countries, where no attempt is made to maintain a large stand-
ing army, the I\.Iilitia men in time of \\-ar, has invariably prm'ed their
superiority over the paid hirelings of the aggressor, if properly armed
and taught how to shoot straight. The importance of such a body cannot
be over estimated, as the man who fights for his home, and in defence of
his family, will suffer greater hardships and carryon a more prolonged
and determined resistance, than any force of professional soldiers.
After the year 1863, the Canadian Sedentary :\Iilítia practically
ceased to exist, and since that date, the personal consciousness of indiyi-
dual responsibility, to provide for the safety of the state, has become
greatly weakened and gradually replaced by a feeling of apathy and indif-
ference, which the longer it exists is the more difficult to overcome.
A nation like Canada which is rich and defenceless, might speedily fall a
victim to the greed of powerful and warlike countries, excuses are never
found wanting for an attack upon countries so situatecl.
\Ve are strongly of the opinion that the time has arrived, when a
"National :Militia" composed of all the able bodied men in Canada, from
IH to 50 years of age, should be organized, armed, taught how to shoot,
and drilled periodically for six days at their Company's Headquarters.
This force might be divided into four classes. the first class to be available
to provide the full quota of men wanted, to bring the Volunteer units up
to full strength, if not enough men offered their services voluntary.
Some such regulations as proposed, was enacted in 1867, and is still
on the statute books, but certain sections of this act may be classed with
the dead languages, as they appear to haye become entirelv obsolete and
unoperative. Just why the Active Force should not be recruited up to
full strength, either by ,-oluntary enlistment or the ballot, as proyided for
in the Act mentioned, we are at a loss to undcrstand.

CH
-\PTER 1.

1 798 - 1811.

THE FIRST MILITIA. TH.E FIRST CANADIAN )IILITIA,
BURFOHD'S FIRST MILITIA CO)IPANY. COLO
EL
'VILLlA:\1 DA VIr> SMITH. COLOr\'EL 'YILLIAM CLAUS,
HIS C01\HlISSION AS LIEUTENANT OF OXFORD COUNTY.
FIRST REGIME!\'T OXFORD :MILITIA, THE BURFORD,
BLENHEIM AND OXFORD COMPAr\'IES. LIST OF
OFFICERS A-::.. D MEN. ANNUAL RETURNS. THE AP-
POINT
IENT OF DEPUTY LIEUTENANT, CAPTAIN
l\IALLORY'S RESIGNATION.

The ::\Iilitia dates its origin long before there is any trace to be found
()f a standing army.
The Saxon Fyrd, or National :l\Iilitia, was established by King Alfred,
about the year S78, they fought brayely against the Danes and other

orthern Sea Rovers.
Before the Norman conquest established the feudal system, the stull-
mons of the Saxon Kings, to attend thc "General
I uster", was obeyed
without question by all Freeholders in England. This force was muste-
red by the principal men of the counties, under the
uprcme command
of the King. The obligation to render military and Cidl
ervicc rested
on all land owning freemen, between the ages of Ih and GO. Failure to
appear was punishahlc by fine and forfeiture of land. .
As a :\lilitary force, their (luties werc to repel invasion and defend
the realm, as a civil force, to aid in the suppression of riot and the appre-
hension of criminals.
Sen.icc could not be required beyond the limits of the county for cidl
purposes, or beyond thc limits of the kingdom for any purpose. In l1Xl
additional regulations were enacted, and in 12X3 prodsion was made for
the organization of a
trong body of cavalry, to be called the "Feudal Le-
vy", which continue(l to exist up to the year 1()()1, when it was rcplaccd by
the establishment of a rcgular force. Preyious to this (late, expeditio-
nary forces, required for the purpose of warfare, were ohtained by the
hiring of l\Iercenaries, and troops raised by cuntract with the Feudatory
Nobles.

170

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

In the days of the Armada, the celebrated Train Bands, in the towns
and cities, reached a high state of efficiency, they were an important factor
in the success of the Parlimentary forces during the Civil \Var. These
latter organizations are better known to present readers, through a peru-
sal of the exploits of that famous Ancient London citizen, Capt. John
Gilpin.
Train Bands of the City of London continued to exist until the year
1794, when they were organized into a Militia Force.
Lord Lieutenants appear to have been first mentioned about the year
1550. Their powers were considerable. The chief Commapd over the
lvlilitia \vas delegated to them. The Act of 1662, gave power to the Lieu-
tenants, to summons, arm, and lead the Militia, and for this purpose to
form it into companies and regiments. The Lieutenants could inflict a
fine of five shillings or twenty days imprisonment for neglect of minor
duties, or a fine of twenty pounds and in default three months imprison-
ment.
The Lieutenants were appointed by the Crown, and to them were
delegated -the power to grant commissions, subject to a right of appoint-
ment and dismissal, reserved to the Crown.
During the Reign of Charles II, the first Scotch l\1ilitia Act was
passed, but more than one hundred years elapsed before it was acted upon,
In 1797, after some alterations had been made in the Bill, Militia Corps
throughout Scotland were organized.
In 1715, the Irish :Militia were first established, only Protestants
were eligible, in 1802, this unjust disability was removed. The Lord-
Lieutenants continue to exist until the present day, but in 1870, their
powers and privileges were greatly curtailed. In the year 1793 all the
Militia acts were consolidated.
During the campaign in Holland, under Sir Ralph Abercrombie,
15,712 Militia men volunteered and served throughout the war.
During the reign of George II, the British l\1ilitié1. were suffering
from one of those periods of disintegration and disorganization, which
marks at regular intervals, the history of all armed bodies of men, whose
efficiency as a fighting force is subject, to the caprice and vacillating
policy, of weak men and weaker governments, which frequently jeopar-
dize the safety of the state by criminal negligence, the result of indiffe-
rence and a fallacious belief in the advent of a new era of prolonged
peace and good-will, engendered by the valiant and warlike deeds of a
past generation.
In the year 1757, for the good of the Empire, stronger men were in
power, and a thorough reorganization of the militia was determined on.
The act passed in that year reads as follows :-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

171

"\Vhereas a well ordered and well disciplined militia is essentially
necessary to the safety, peace and prosperitj" of this kingdom, and whereas
the laws now in being for the regulation of the militia are defective and
ineffectual, etc. That on and after the 1st :\Iay 1757, the Kink will appoint
Lord Lieutenants, who are enlpowered to assemble and arm the :r-.Iilitia,
appoint Deputies and grant commissions in their respective counties, to
the proper number of officers, submitting their names to the King, within
one month after appointment. The Lord Lieutenants to have the chief
command in their respective counties, and all those already appointed
including Deputy Lieutenants were to stand good."
In 1759 the British :r-.Iilitia were armed as follows :-
Short .:\Iusquets, with Bayonets, scabbards, wood rammers and tan-
ned leather slings. Cartouche boxes with belts and frogs, small hangers
with brass hilts, scabbards and tanned leather waist belts, brushes and
wires, iron wiping rods.

Pay of Militia. - 1760.

Lieut. Col.. .... ... ..... ... ... ... .......
l\lajor... ... ..... .... ... ... ... ... .....
Captain. . .. ... .... ... ... .. .... ....... .,
Lieutenant.. ...... ...... '" ... ... .... ....
Ensign. .. ... ... ... ..... ... ... ... ... .,
Sergts . .. .... ...... ... ..... ... .... .... .
Corporals. .. ... ... ... ... .. ... . .....
Privates . . . .. .... ... ... ... '" ..... ... ..

per diem
7/0
5/0
8/4
412
310
110
018
0/6

\,"cre also allowed about same amount for sustenance.
It is quite evident from the above schedule of pay, that the Captains
renumeration, was in accordance with the work preformed, and not accor-
ding to rank
The l\Iilitia, since its reorganization in 1757, has been embodied on
numerous occasions, notably during the war with America, from 1778 to
1783. In 1854, during the Crimcan \Var, and the Indian :\Iutiny in 1857,
the last occasion being during the late war in South Africa.

Form of Officers Commissions in 1759.

George the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain,
France, Ireland, Defender of the Faith etc.,
To our Trusty and well-beloved.

172

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Greeting; \Ye do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you to be
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to the l\lilitia Battalion of Foot, for our City of York,
and County of our same city, commanded by our Trusty and well-beloved
\ Yilliam Thornton, Esq.
You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by doing all, and every manner of things thereinto
belonging.
And you are to observe and follow such orders and directions from
time to time, as you shall received from our Lieutenant of the \Yest Ri-
ding, of our said county of York, or any other your superior officer,
according to the acts of Parliaments, in this case made and provided.
Given at our Court at St. James, the thirteenth day of February 17.39,
in thc thirty second year of our reign. "By His l\lajesty's command."

(Signed) HOLDERNESS.

The Canadian Militia.

The first
lilitia Company raised in Canada, is said to have been
organized in 16-1-9, in the City founded by Champlain, when the white
inhabitants numbered about 1000. The French, having become brothers
of the Hurons. naturally were looked upon as enemies by the Iroquois,
and to defend their Colony against the sudden attacks of the latter, a
body of 50 men were enrolled, and on many occasions they saved the
inhabitants fr
.)ln annihilation.
By an edict published in the year 1663, the King of Prance establish-
ed a superior council at Quebec, to whom he delegated the power to orga-
nize and keep up a body of sedentary militia, administer justice, maintain
order and regulate commerce.
The members of this body were the Bishop, the Governor, and the
Royal Intendant who acted as presiding officer at all regular meetings of
the council. To aid and assist these functionaries in the discharge of
their duties, they appointed an Attorney General, a chief clerk and five
councillors. This council regulated all the public affairs of the colony up
to the time of the conquest.
The first French Regulars to arrive in Quebec were the Regiment de
Carrigan, who landed in June 1665.
As the population of the Colony continued to grow, there was a cor-
responding increase in the l\filitia.
In the year 1674, when the British threatened an invasion, the Count
de Frontenac thoroughly reorganized the sedentary militia, forming them
into fairly well equipped Battalions, with full compliments of Staff Offi-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

]73

cers. So well was this work carried out, that no further changes were
made, until the Capitulation of :\lontreal, on the l
th Sept. 1760. \\'hen
their serYÌces were required, each :\Iilitia man, under an escort, was
brought before an Officer, called the Town :Major, who furnished him
with a Flint Lock l\Iusket, a Cloak, a breach clout, a cotton shirt, a cap,
a pair of leggings, a pair of moccasins and a heavy blanket.
Of 7520 effectives, the total strength of the French Army at Quebec,
on the 13th
cpt. 1759, 3900 were Canadian :\Iilitia, 1200 Colony troops
and but 2-1-20 French Regulars. It will thus be seen that scarcely a third
of the defensive force, which so long held the army of \Yolfe at bay, were
professional soldiers, and to the repulse of the British at the Beauport
Shoals, the credit must be conceeded, to the desperate rcsistance, and the
unerring marksmanship, of the :\lilitia-men.
It was only a few years later, ill 1764, or one year after the cession
of Canada to the British CrO\\'tl, that this same :Militia, in answer to an
aplJeal from the new authorities, promptly organized and furnished a
splendid body of 600 men, who helped to resist the Indian invasion under
Pontiac.
After Canada became a part of the King's Dominions, the first act
for regulating the Militia, under the changed conditions, was ordained and
enacted, on the 23rd of April, 17
7, at the City of Quebec, by the Gover-
nor, Sir Guy Carleton and Legislative Council of the Province, consti-
tuted and appointed by His
Iajesty, under the 12th Clause of an Act,
passed by the Imperial Parliament in 1774, for making more effectual
provision for the Government of the Province of Quebec, which .\ct ves-
ted said Council with power to make ordinances for the peace, welfare,
and good Government of the PrO\'ince, with the consent of His l\lajesty's
Governor. ",\nother ordinance, to explain and amend the foregoing, was
added on the 30th April, 1787.
By the 33rd. Section of another _ \ct of the Parliament of Great Bri-
tain, commonly called the Constitutionel Act. passed in the year 1791, for
repealing certain parts of the afores
id Act of 1774, and establishing a
new Legislati,'e authority in the Canadas. All Laws, statutes, and ordi-
nances, in forcc, on the day fixcd for commencement of said act, wcre
continued in force, except in so far as same are expressly varied Or re-
pealed by this .Act, or in so far as the same shall or may hercafter be re-
pealcd or varied, under the new Lcgislati,'e authority thcreby established
in the Province.
Here we have the ba "is of all the.. \cts and Ordinances relating to the
Sedentary :l\1ilitia in the new Province of Upper Canada, formed out of
the \\' estern part of His .:\lajesty's Provincc of Quehec.
It was in conformity to this Act of 1787, that the First l\lilitia were
organized the following ycar, in thc ne'.\' district of X assau. The first

174

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

townships laid out by surveyor Rockwell Frey and his assistant, Augustus
Jones, now contained a sufficient population, to provide six hundred men,
who came within the requirements of the Militia Act. On Oct. 12th 1789,
a general muster was held at the twelve mile creek in Humberstone, and
further annual and semi-annual parades were held ; under the supervi-
sion of the Military Authorities at Quebec, up to the year 1792. From
this date, Col. John Graves Simcoe, assumed the sole control and direc-
tion of the New Provincial ,Militia, provision for the reorganization of
which was provided for, by an act passe? during the second session, of
the first Provincial Parliament of Upper Canada.
.At the first Session of the first Provincial Parliament of this Pro-
vince, but eight statues were passed, none of which referred to the Militia.
The first act, of the thirteen passed during the second Session, was for
the better regulation of the :Militia.
On Thursday, June 6th, 1793 l\Ir. Hazelton Spencer, member for
Lennox, introducted a Bill for the better regulation of the l\Iilitia of this
Province. On \Vednesday, June 12th} the Bill was read a second time,
on Friday June 14th, the House in Committee went into the consideration
of the said Bill. On l\Ionday June 17th, the House in Committee resumed
the consideration of the Bill, and the speaker in due tim
announced that
the Committee had agreed to the same, with amendments, and the Bill
being read as amended was ordered to be engrossed.
This the first l\1ilitia Act, passed by the first Provincial Parliament,
made provision for the appointment, by the Lieut. Gm"ernor, of officers
to be designated, "Lieutenants of the County," to whom he delegated the
authority to appoint a resident Deputy, and all officers and lVIagistrates in
the County.
It was further provided, that every male inhabitant, from the age of
16 to 50, was considered a l\lilitia man, he was liable to a fine of $4.00, if
he did not enlist at the proper time, and Officers and Non-C. O. who did
not join the regiments at the time the militia assembled paid a fine, the
former of eight dollars and the latter of two dc;>llars. In time of peace
Quakers, l\lenonists and Tunkers paid, for exemption from service,
twenty shillings per year, and during the war five pounas.
Out of these fines and ransoms the Adjutant General of the Militia
received his pay. In 1794, an additional act was passed by which, in time
of war, obligation to carry arms in defence of the country did not cease
before the age of sixty, and that in consequence Quakers and other sects,
who enjoyed an exemption from Military service, should pay for their
immunity up to that age.
To assist the Lieut. Governor in the organization and framing of sui-
table rules and regulations, for the enlistment, service, and disciplining of
the Force, he appointed an Adjutant General, in the person of Capt. Hugh

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

175

lVlacdonell, one of tbe famous four l\.lacdonell brothers of Glengarry.
Formerly a Lieutenant in the King's Royal Regiment of the Colony of
New York, he had served in that Corps, ùuring all the Revolutionary \Yar
period, and was a thoroughly efficient, capable and experienced soldier.
The l\lilitia system, founded by Upper Canada first Adjutant Gene-
ral, is the basis of that at present in use. The fund appointed by law for
the payment of his salary of eighty pounds per annum, not proving suffi-
cient, he made petition to the House on June 13th, 1799, for payment of
t\\'enty-one months salary, due him in June 1797, but it was not until
thc 1 st July 1800, that the House voted the amount in arrears on the date
mentioned, from which we infer, that at this period the Provincial Exche-
quer was not overburdened with specie.
Hazleton
pet1('er was a man well qualified to take charge of the
passing of C'pper Canada's First 1\lilitia Act.-Like Hugh :Macdonell, he
had sen'ed for a number of years as Lieutenant in the Kings Royal Re-
giment. In 1794 he was appointed :\.Iajor in the 2nd. Batt. Royal Cana-
dian Y olunteers, and from 1793 until his death on 6th Feb. 1813, he held
the office of "Lieutenant" of the County of Lennox.-Also Colonel of the
1st Regiment Lennox :\Iilitia from the year 179-t This corps was one
of the first in the New province to complete their organization, and like
several others, consisted of both Horse and Foot-provision having been
made for one company of mounted men, called "Dragoons", but which
werc practically "110unted Infantry".
The most important of these .:\Iilitia Acts was passed at York in
] anuary 180
, when provision was made to raise and train the l\.1ilitia and
a salary of .t200 per annum was granted to an Adjt. General of l\lilitia.
In the following year provision was made for quartering and billeting
the :Militia, as well as Imperial Troops when necessary. Householders
were to furnish them with house room, fire, and cooking utensils. In case
of invasion 1Iagistrates were empowered, on the request of an officer, to
issue a warrant giving them power to impress Carriages, Horses and
Oxen.
Every male inhabitant from 16 to 50, excepting those physically unfit
and members of those Sects known as Quakers, Tunkers and
Ienonists,
were enrolled and obliged to assemble at the Call of the Captain, at least
twice a year. Each man was obliged to provide himself with a servicea-
ble musket fusil or gun, and at least six rounds of ammunition but as the
returns sh
w us, thc latter provision was not strictly carried
ut.
The Militia of each County was commanded by an Officer, called the
Lieutenant, in imitation of the Lord Lieutenants of the English Shires.
These Officials, first appointed by Lieut. Governor Simcoe, were active
in the discharge of their duties up to the year 1812, after the \Var the
titlc became obsolete, as most of thc County Lieutenants, at that date,

li6

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

received other appointments at the breaking out of the cuntiict, and local
.
men were appointed to command the l\Iilitia Regiment, with the title of
Lieut. Colonel.
In the year 1795, Arms were for the first time issued to the Upper
Canadian :ì\Iilitia, seyeral thousand muskets being distributed, by order
of Lt. Governor Simcoe, to the various Militia Captains. There arms
were mostly left in the hands of the :Militia men and by the year 1812
scarcely one could be found.

Burford's First Militia Company.

The existence of this ancient and honorable body of :\Iilitia men has
long been forgotten. Other companies of l\Iilitia and \. olunteers have
succeeded them, as the townships representati\"es in the defensive forces
of the Country, but none of the long list are more worthy of remembrance,
than the men, who first met together on the -l-th day of June, 1799,
and under Captain Benajah l\lallory, paraded on the" Village Green It,
to honor the King and incidentally acquire some knowiedge of the du-
ties of a soldier, as set forth in Upper Canada's first Drill Book.
Elijah l\Iudge, the Drummer, and Samuel Kenny, Fifer, the latter
a famous musician of the first settlement days, headed the company,
sixty-four strong, on their marches and counter marches across the
Common (or as Captain Mallory in his official despatches dearly loved
to call it, "The Common Parade Ground"). '1 his ground was situated
in the \\' estern part of the village, near the old Cemetery but on the op-
posite side of the road, and here, from the four quarters of the Town-
ship, there met annually 011 the King's Birthday, June 4th, and at such
other times as the Commanding officer saw fit to assemble his men, all
the male inhabitants, between the ages of eighteen and fifty, not medi-
cally unfit, to perform the duties imposed on them by the l\Iilitia Acts
then in force.
Capt. Benajah Mallory, one of the most extraordinary characters
connected with. the early history of this province, was one of the first
settlers in the Township of Burford, and one of the first to receive
land Patents. The owner of some 1400 acres, in different sections of
the Township, he resided in a commodious log dwelling, erected on the
south east corner of his home state of 600 acres, on a portion of which
now stands many of the modern homes belonging to the Village of
Burford.
l\Iallory had early cultivated a good understanding with the Indian
Chiefs and hunters, located on the Banks of the River Ouse, and these
friendships were of lasting benefit to him in various ways and on many
occasions. He had also not negleded to bring himself before the no-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

177

tice of the Executive and Legislative Councillors at
1wark, and from
all we can learn with favorable results to himself. At this period Be-
l1ajah l\lallory was known far and wide, as the wealthiest anc. most
prominent resident of this township, and he stood well in the estimation
of those who held the direction and control of all public affairs in their
hands. For these reasons when Benajah
lallory received a commis-
sion as Captain, from the hands of Colonel \\-illiam Dadd Smith, Lieut,
for the County of York, in the year lï98, he was considered as a good
friend of the existing order of things and one on whom the Govern-
ment could count in all future emergencies. How far these hopes were
justified, and what were some of the principle reasons, which caused
Captain .:\Iallory to forswear his allegiance to the King, and to his
adopted Country, will be seen as we proceed with these records.
:Mallory had followed his father-in-law, Abraham Dayton, to Bur-
ford. After the death of the latter his mother-in-law met and married
,
Colonel Stone, of Gananoque and removed to that place, where she lived
to an old age.
\Villiam David Smith, formerly an oflicer in H. J\t1. 5th. Regiment
of Foot, had just been appointed to command the new
Iilitia corps,
established in the year lï98, with Headquarters at York, to be designa-
ted the First York Regiment of l\Iilitia. Burford was still a part of
the Home District, and was to furnish a company for this corps.
\ \"heeler Douglas, a name probably remembered by a few of the
oldest inhabitants, was commissioned Lieutenant, and shortly afterwards
David Parmer received the appointment of Ensign.
\ \'heeler Douglas was born in N ew York State, 1750, and came to
Cpper Canada in the year 179K Brought up to the milling trade, he
selected a mill site on \\'hitemans Creek, lying within the Indian Reser-
vation. lIc succeeded in securing a lcase, through the friendship of
Joseph Brant, for a tract of 300 acres, and here he erected one of the
first mills in the district. He removed from this locality in 1 R02, died
in 1829, aged 79 years.
David Parmer was the owner of Lot Ko. 10, in the Sixth Concession.
On 17th June 1803, he, having his domicile in Blenheim township, dis-
posed of all his right, title and interest in the said Lot, to John Yeigh,
for thc St1m of 250 pounds
10 shillings.
The Service Roll of Burford's First
Iilitia company, is one of the
most interesting and valuable presented in this work, not only is it one
of the oldest in the PrO\'ince, in existence to-day, but it contains the
names of mcn who acted a prominent part in the war if 1812, and during
thc Rebellion period.
:\Iany years have passed away, since these citizen soldiers of Bur-
ford Township answered the last Roll Call, thc names of many are long

8

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

forgotten, the Fl1!ils and Flint-lock l\lusquets with which they were
armed, and the homemade Cniforms, are now only to be found in the
possession of a very few, as family heirlooms, or as valued curiosities,
but it is to be hoped the :Military men of to-day and of future genera-
tIons, may profit by the example and self denial, displayed on many
occasions, by the township's first l\Iilitia.
It is worthy of note to mention here, that the descendants of two
of the families, appearing on Burford's First Service Ron; have always
been identified with the Township's l\1ilitia and Volunteer Companies,
Troops and Squadrons. For a period of One hundred and fourteen
years, the Secords and Edys have been prominent members of these
Và.f10"S 1:l1ilitary bodies, which would indicate, that the military instinct
is largely an inherited one. \.Jthers of Burford's first families, such
as the Fowlers, Yeighs :Muir's and
Ialcolms have at various periods
been closely identified with the Burford :Militia, while the descendants
of others, residing in different parts of the country, have been known
for generations as :ì\Iilitary men.

Service roll of Burford's first militia company,
completed in the year 1800.

R.'\NK

K.\
IES

R.'\N K

NAMES

Capt.
Lieut,
Ensign.
Orderly Sergt
Sergt.
"

"

Henaj ah :\1allory
\\"heeler Douglass
Da\'id Parmer
Tames Smilev
1\ athaniel S
lUnùers
Ephraim :\Iunson
Tohn Fmder. Tr.
(
eorge Reynolds
Charles
urch
Elijah 11udge
Samuel Kennedy
\\ïlliam Landon
\ Villiam Reynolds, Jr.
C. Saunders
John Reynolds
John Galbraith
Samuel Martin
Silas .:\Iartin
Samuel Baker
Joseph Raker
Josiah F. Dean
Josiah Dean
Artemus Rogers
Thomas \\'atso,1
Benjamin Doyle
Henry Doyle
John Doyle

"

Tohn \Vells.
] ames Rounds.
Joseph \\' ells.
.-\hram Rounds.
Rul)en Dayton.
Isaac \\Tilll"ts.
Ju<;tus Stevens.
Ord Allen
Dayid Lord.
John E\'ans.
Ahner Matthews.
John Fowler, Sr.
John Yeigh, Jr.
John Yeigh. Sr.
Jacob Yeigh.
Willard Sage.
Findlay Malcolm, Sr.
Findlay Malcolm, Jr.
J olm Malcolm.
Thomas Sayless.
Hagai \Vestbrooke
Charles Burch, Sr.
John Secord.
Charles Matthews.

Cor

ral

Drummer
Fifer
Private
"

..

THE HISTOR\ OF BURFORD

1';9

Julm Moore
Juhn Eaton, Sr.
Dan:el Eaton
E!am Eaton
Jacob Decou
John Galloway
Levi Lawrence
Sihbens Gardner

John \Voodley.
Neal Brown.
Stephen Butler.
Charles Eddy.
John Ball.
A hram Decou.
Henry Gaits.
}{oswell Stephens.

The First Lieutenant of York County.

\ \ïlliam David Smith, appointed the first Lieutenant of York Coun-
ty, was one of the most capable, clevcr and best qualified of Simcoe's
men, and was closely associated with the first Lieutenant Governor in
all his projects and undertakings. for the early settlement and develope-
ment of the new Province of Upper Canada.
I [e was the son of Lieut.-Cot. John Smith, commander of the Fifth
Regiment of Foot, and was born in England, in the year 1764. At the
age of fifteen he received an appointment as Ensign in his father's
Regiment.
In 178i the Fifth Foot were ordered to Canada, and for a time were
quartered at Quebec and 110ntreal. In 1790, the regiment ,\ as stationed
in Fort Detroit; and here Ensign Smith displayed great zeal and ability
in many civil as well as military duties. In the month of June, 1792,
the Fifth Foot were ordered to Fort Niagara. This strong military
Post at the mouth of the
iagara Ri,'er was still in possession of the
British Government.
\ Yhen Commanùer Simcoe arrived at his new capital, on the 20th
July, 1792, among the first to welcome him was the commander of the
Post across the river. and his !'on, Lieut. D. \ V. Smith, who had their
residence in Newark Lieut.
mith soon became a great fa,'orite of
the King's representative, and at the early age of twenty-cight was ap-
pointed Uppcr Canada's first Surveyor General. ] Ie becamc a mcmber
of he executive Council and of the fir
t three Upper Canadian Parlia-
ments. Speaker of the House from 7th. June 1797.
The Fifth Foot e,'acuatecl Fort
iagara in 1796, whcn the Fortress
was handed O\'er to the United States Covernment. The Regiment pro-
ceeded to Qucbec and in the following year rcturned to England. Sur-
veyor Genera]
mith, who had in the meantime hcen promoted Captain,
2nd. September 1795, resigned from the Corps, having decided to make
his permanent home in Canada, his father having died in 1793.
In 1796 he bccame Deputy Licutenant for the County of Lincoln,
amI Colonel of the Lincoln Militia on the 7th June 1797, Lieutenant of
the County of York, and Colonel 1st. York Rcgimcnt of :Militia li9S.

180

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

From this on he had a most distinguished career. He studied law and
became Deputy Judge Advocate, was appointed one of the Trustees for
the Six Kations, and speaker of the House of _\ssembly during the
second and third Parliaments. I [is public serYÏces were rewarded by the
British Government, when by order of the King, he recei\red the honor
of a Baronetcy in 1821.
Upon his death in IS37, uni,'ersal regret was expressed by all par.-
ties in Upper Canada. Colonel Simcoe with that great sagacity and keen
penetration of character, more often evidenced by cleycr men at the
head of great commercial and industrial enterprises. in the choice of
their subordinates, had early recognized in \ Yilliam David Smith, those
great abilities, which were to be of so nmch assistance '[0 him, as well
as to successsive Lieutenant Governors of this ProYÍnce. A galiant
soldier, an able administrator, a learned jurist, and an accomplis'led
gentleman. The County of York has reason to he proud of its 5rst
commander of :Militia, and the County of Oxford of its first represen-
tative in the ProYÏncial Parliament.

The First Regiment Oxford Militia.

By the ..\ct passed in 1798 to prO\'ide for altering the Territorial
DiYÏsions of Upper Canada, Burford was to become part of the new
County of Oxford. The provisions of this Act however, as regard

Burford, ,,'ere not carried out until the year 1801, when the Township
was officially transfcrred from the immense county of York, in the
Home District, to Oxford County in the London District. London at
this period was hut a name, many years were still to elapse before it
was to hecome the District Capital.
The Burford 1\Iilitia Company were now severed from the First
York, and until the following year were the only :\lilitia Company,
which had so far heen organized in the County of Oxford.
To arrange for an increase in the force, and provide for its orga-
nization and control, Lieut. Governor Peter Hunter, aftcr some delay,
selected an Ex. Officer of H. 1\.1. GOth Rcgiment of Foot, Colonel \Vil-
liam Claus of Niagara; D. S. G. and D. I. G. of Indian affairs, to
command the new corps, with the title of "Lieutenant of the County
of Oxford." Colonel Clause was authorized to raise Four Companies,
to be formed into a Regiment, to be designated the "First Regiment
Oxford :Militia."
For a copy of Col. Claus Commission we are indebted to his grand
daughter, l\Iaclam Evans, who with her husband, l\lajor 'VV. H. Evans,

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

181

occupy the ancestral Canadian home of the Claus' family at Niagara-
on-the-Lake.
Major Eyans is now a grey haired \'eteran of the Fenian Raid, and
is the "beau ideal" of an old soldier. As a youth he first saw activt::
service in the Italian \Yars, under the famous General, "Garibaldi",
taking part in many fierce engagements during that memorable cam-
paign. For many years he was in charge of the Government stores
dnd property at Niagara, and no more careful, efficient or faithful offi-
cial has eyer sen"cd his country, in this or any other capacity.

CoI. William Claus.

Col. \\ïlliam Claus, appointed Lieutcnant of the county of Oxford
111 1802, was the eldest so
of Col. Daniel Claus, a promi
ent Loyalist
of Tyron County New York.
In July, 1762 Daniel Claus, then a captain in the militia, had mar-
ried Nancy the eldest daughter of Sir \\ïlliam JohnsotJ. The ceremo-
ny was performed with great pomp and display at Johnson Hall, the
great Baronial seat of the Johnson family, erected on the banks of the
Mohawk, in a beautiful and commanding situation.
Sir \\ïlliam Johnson the clecendent of an ancient and honorable
family öf County Down Ireland, came to America in the year 1738,
when but 23 years of age, at the invitation of his uncle Sir Peter \\"ar-
ren, and extensive land owner in the
Iohawk Valley. To these lands
young Johnson was sent, to act as his uncle's overseer and manager.
I Ie was soon on intimate terms with his Indian neighbours, and in
course of time he succeeded, beyond all other men, in winning their
confidence amI affections, and ha,-ing learned to speak the
Ioha\\'k
tongue fluently: he was in 17-1-6, adopted into the l\Iohawk tribc and
made a war chief of the Confederacy.
The same year Gen. Clinton appointed him to the rank of Colone1.
In 1755, hc was promoted ,Major General, and also appointed by Gen.
Braddock. Superintendant of Indian affairs.
I Ie was created a Baronet in 1755, anfl in the following Year :-t"-
ceived a commission, direct from the Imperial Goyernruent, appointin;
him Colonial agent and sole superintendent of all the afT"airs of the
ix
X ations, and other Northern I ndians. The remuneration mentioned
was an annual payment of six hundred pounds.
Sir \\ïlliam Johnson bccame immensely wealthy, and the owner
of over one hundred thousand acres of the choicest lands in the :U 0-
hawk VaJJey. He dispensed fayors with a la,'ish han(l. and his prin-
cely hospitality was constantly extended to hath \\"hites and Indians.

182

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Col. Daniel Clau'::i resided nearby. on a part of the Johnson estate, and
was closely assocJated with his father-in-law in the administration of
all ::\Iilitary and Indian affairs.
In this environment, young \Villiam Claus, born ïth. Sept. lï65,
grew up and early de,'eloped a taste for a military life. The death of
his grandfather, with whom he was a great favorite, occurred in 1774.
Col. Daniel Claus, who had acted as his father-in-law's Deputy for many
years ; previous to the death of Sir. \ \ïlliam Johnson, was bequeathed
se\Teral valuable properties in Albany, as well as some five thousand
acres of the Johnson e3tate.
Through the influence of hi;::; family, \\ïlliam Claus was at the age
of 22, appointed Lieutenant in the 60th. Regiment of Foot, promoted
Captain in 1793. Lieut. Colonel in lï9().
Un 2nd. July 1796, Col. \\-111. Clau::: appointment as Deputy Supe-
rintedent-General. and Deputy-Inspector General, in the Indian Depart-
ment of Upper Canada, was confirmed, he had for long held office in
this Department, his thorough knowledge of the "t\Iohawk tongue, and
his perfect acquaintace from boyhood with the Indian nation '. their
traits and habits, and his close 'association with those pastmasters in the
successfu,l management of Indian affairs, Sir John Johnson and Colo-
nel Daniel Claus, had easily led to his perferment and promotion to
this important position.
At the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, Col. Daniel Claus,
like many of his neighbours, had remO\-ed his family to Niagara where
the} werre under the protection of the guns of that Fortress, their
lands and the great Johnson estate in Tyron County, were confiscated
by the Provincial Congress of N ew York, and in due time sold under
the direction of the committee of that body having such matters in
charge.
In addition to his duties as Lieutenant of the County of Oxford.
Col. \ \ïlliam Claus continued very active in the affairs of the Indians,
particularly as to any changes in the holdings of the lands granted to
the 1'lohawks along the Grand RÏ\'er.
Thayendanegea, who since the grcat Council held at Os""ego in
July 1777, was thc acknowledged head-war-chief of tht= Iroquois Con-
federacy, became greatly embittenl against the Deputy Superintendent
General, on account of some pecuniary affairs, connected with the sale
or transfer of certain Indian lands.
\n attempt was made, stated to
have been connived at by the Superintendent, by some member:, of the
Confederacy residing in the United States to depose Thayendanegea from
his Chieftainship. This illegal movemcnt was easily frustrated. but
Brant's hostility towaTds Colonel Claus continued to increase, and re-
sulted in considerable friction between the two.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

183

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184

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

In 1801, Col. Claus suffered a se,-ere loss through the death of his
mother, who as already stated was the eldest daughter of Sir \\ïlliam
Johnson. In 1812 he was appointed Colonel in the 1st, Regiment Lin-
coln, :Militia. District General Order, Niagara, 2ïth. June, 1812,-The
Hon'ble Col. Claus ,vill conunand the
1ilitia, stationed between Niaga-
ra and Queenston, and Lieut. Col. Clarke from Queenston to Fort Erie.
Officiated as one of the Pall Bearers at the Funeral of :l\Iajor Gene-
ral Brock. :l\Iember of the Executive Council in 1818. Died at Nia-
gara 11th. November, 1826.

First Regiment Oxford Militia.

Co!. Claus was a Military man of considerable experience and as
such he determined to proceed immediately with the organization of three
new companies of :Militia, which had been authorized by the Government
some time previouslY, and also the formation of these four companies into
a Regiment, to be designated the

"FIRST REGIl\IENT OXFORD MILITIA".

On the 24th. July, 1802, immediately after his appointment, he
wrote to Captain Mallory, for full information regarding the local si-
tuation, at the sametime transmitting certain orders and instructions,
which he desired should be promptly carried out.
At this early period, His l\Iajesty's l\lail did not travel so speedily,
as in the present age, seven or eight days was considered a reasonable
allowance of time; for a letter from York or Niagara to reach the
Township of Burford it was therefore, not until the beginning of the
month of August that the first Official communication from Col.
Claus was delivered into the hands of Capt. .Mallory, the latter with
commendable energy at once hastened to carry out the instructions re-
ceived.
Captain Mallory had for long looked forward to the organization of
a Regiment in the County of Oxford, and the day on which he hoped
and expected to be promoted to the position of Deputy Lieut, of the
county. As commanding Officer of the First :Militia Company, more-
over, as repr
sentatÌ\'e of the County of Oxford in the Provincial Le-
gislature and as a man in the prime of life, who had already gained
some practical knowledge and experience of the real duties of a soldier,
his ambitious desires, cannot be depreciated, in fact, had he always re-
mained a faithful subject of the King, we could only praise his energy
and commend his persistance, he might however have gained much
more in the end if he had used different methods. It is not always

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

185

well for the l\Elitary man to be too self asserti, e, to thrust himself too
frequently to the front, or to offer advice unsolicited to his superior
officers. It is not always the best man wins or the more efficient or
deserving receives the appointment, political consideration as well as
the personal likes and dislikes of those in whom vests the power of
effecting promotion in the Canadian l\Iilitia. ha,'e always been more or
less in evidence.
The appointment of his Deputy, finally made by Col. Claus, was
a good one, but his appointee was fated to feel, at a later date, that it
was not only necessary to carry out military orders and instructions,
but in matters politic to follow in the steps of his superiors and think
as they thought.
Captain :Mallory having arranged matters in his mind to his entire
satisfaction, forwarded the following reply to Col. Claus.

Capt. Mallory to Col. Claus.

Burford Aug. IRth. 1802.

Sir

Agreeable to your order of 24th ,-uly last, I havc lost no time in
attending to your commands respecting the di,'isions of the l\Iilitia for
the County of Oxford, in particular the company, I now command, I
enclosc to you the Officers commissions amI those to be Commissioned,
and the body of the mcn and names, etc., and as ther
are now four
companies in the County of Oxford, by the return of tile Registry last
month, it is likely part of my Company will fall within the limits of
Capt. IIorners Company. Agrceable to that arrang-ement my Ensign
(David Parmer) will fall within his limits also, but as there is a va-
cancy now in my Company, of a Lieutenant, J wish him to have the post,
as my Lieut (\ Yheeler Douglass) is remo,'ecl out of the district and
county, and is not expectcd here anymore to scn'e, I shall recommend
Ensig-n for Lieut, in my Company, as he wishes to serve with me and is
a capablc man. I think he is worthy of promotion and havc returned
him accordingly, as the Post comcs to him by Seniority, and as thcre is
one Lieut, that was recommended to bc Commissioned, t1lO\'ed out
of the l'rovince, by the name of Kellogg, I rccommend Christopher
Heartsoug-h as Lieut. in his place, and one for Ensign that was returned
lclst month, by the name of Canfield, he is eight or ten milcs out of thc
way. I wish, if your Honor can be expcdient to ha\'
a man by the
namc of Elisha Harkins commissioned in his place, as he is a capable
man, and li,.es central, both of which I have rcturned these names in

186

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

the list of Officers, which I hope may meet with your approbation.
It will be impossible to make a division of the County of Oxford,
that is to give the boundaries of every Captains Company, unless you
were on the ground yourself, to see the local situations of the county
yourself, or a Deputy in the County, as the captains will make confu-
sion about it if they undertake to make the divisions themselves, as one
may interfere on the other, and your letter did not authorize me to make
any arrangements beyond the limits of myoId company, I have pro-
ceeded accordingly, notwithstanding I have taken the liberty to make
a better arrangement of the officers, and when the commissions are sent
on 1 will if it is your request, make the divisions for the four compa-
nies, or sooner if you think it expedient.
1 have enclosed the names of all the subalterns officers in the C0U11-
ty, which ",ill make it a little different from the other returns, on ac-
count of some officers being out of he District and out of the P
ovince;
but I come to recommend some characters as not to be ashamed of them,
-:vhen our Lord Lieut. of the county shall see fit to visit and meet on tl':e
"Grand Parade." I should think more fit to make the returns of every

aptain's Company, when they are all commissioned, but I submit that
to your hetter judgment. If you should see it expedient to givp m

the appointment of your Deputy, in the County of Oxford, and CG111-
mand me accordingly, I shall endcavour to take the whole work upon
myself. of the business respecting the Militia measures, sUbject to your
orders.
I wi:-,h to see 'the four companies together and have some opportu-
nity of gathering them for the manual exercise, and get them discipli,
Ded in some measure before YOU meet with us, for I fear you will find
some illiterate.
.Any further command that you may have for me, I shall be in
readiness to attend to, I shall be ,-ery happy to hear from you after the
reception of these returns, and have he honour to submit myself.
Yours Humble Servant,

To Col. Claus,
Lieut. Co. of Oxford.

(Signed) BEN AJ AH 1IALLORY.

Copy of documents enclosed with above letter.

_-\ list of Officers commissioned by the Honourable D. Smith, Esq.,
Benajah Mallory, Captain,
\\'heeler Douglass, Lieutenant.
David Parmer, Ensign.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

187

Officers I wish cOl1ul1issioned, In place of Kellogg, 1 can recom-
mend for Lieuts. Christopher Heartsough, and Elisha Harkins Jr. for
Ensign, in place of Canfield, as the latter not being within a great dis-
tance of the Company I have named Elisha Harkins., amI as my Lieu-
tenant is not exepected in the District again, I wish mY Ensign to be
commissioned for my Lieutenant, and J oh!1 Eaton, Ensign, as he has a
commission he wishes to serve as Ensign in m
Company, which will
arrange my Company as follows :-
Benajah 1lallory, Captain.
Da vid Parmer, Lieutenant.
John Eaton, Ensign,
.and there will be an Ensign lacking in Horners Company, for which
I can with propriety recommend James Smiley for Ensign, on condition
the above are commissioned, it will make the whole complete in the
County of Oxford.
If the within return meets with your approbation, the Officers 'viI!
be completely arranged 111 the County of Oxford as follows :--

CAPTAINS

LIEUTEN ANTS

ENSIGNS

Denajah
fanory
Thomas Horner,
Thomas Ingersoll,
Hammond Lawrence.

Christopher Heartsough
Seth Putnam
H ugh Graham.
David Parmer.

John Eaton,
James Smiley.
Samuel Burdick.
E]isha Harkins, J r.

\nd the several divisions for the companies can be ascertained any
time when your Honor will appoint the Deputy in the County, which
I do think will vest in your power by the act of the Legislature, without
recommending to Lieutenant Governor, but you can better determine
by obsrving the act in 2nd. Parliament, if 1 n:.istakc not.

Your humble servant,

(Signcd) BEX.\j.\H .:\L\LLORY, Capt.

.\ careful perusal of these (lonunents would indicate, that Captain
:Mallory had already as
umed the office of Deputy Lieutenant of the
County of Oxford, or at least felt assured that his appointmcnt would
soon folIo\\', it would appear however that Col. Claus did not want as
his representative a man, who in addition to sending the abo,-e list of
names, went so far as to state that he wished thcm commissioned. lIe
did not want a Deputy, whu would presume to act as the read Licute-
nant of the County, and expect him to issue coml11is...ion
to subalterns,
without having con",ultcd thc differcnt Captains in the matter. I lis

188

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Deputy must be a man, who would simply carry out instructions from
time to time, and offer suggestions only when asked for them, and then
only in the humble and apologdic manner, so dear to the heart of mili-
tary superiors.
Captain l\lallor}, like many company officers, even unto the pre-
sent day, knew infinitely, more of local conditions, than did the "Lieu-
tenant of the County", but this knowledge he failed to use discreetly,
and in the end the dearest wish of his heart was frustrated, for he had
hoped eventually to succeed Colonel Claus in the command of the mi
i-
tia in his county. The suggestions and requests made by Captain .lVbl-
lory were almost completely ignored, four years later David Parmer was
still an Ensign, and the name of \Vheeler Douglass, as Lieutenant of
the Burford 11ilitia Company, was annually being forwarded to heéld.
quarters by Colonel Claus, notwithstanding the fact, that the latter had
during this interval, been a resident in another part of the Pro .;Ïncc,
and had in consequence never attended any of the lVluster Parades in
the County. For a period of three years Colonel Claus appears to ha\oe
hesitated and remained undecided, in the choice of his Deputy, while
favouring Captain Thomas Horner of Blenheim, he did not wish to
antagonize the counties' representative in the house of Assembly, and
he delayed an appointment, which in the best interests ot the Regimellt,
should have been made when he assumed the control of the County's
1Iilitia. It is difficult howe,'er to conceive any reason for his neglect
to promote David Parmer to the LieutenancY of the Burford Company,
unless it \\Tas owing to the fact that both Captain :Mallory and Captain
Horner desired as their third officer-Ensign John Eaton.
A statement of the population of Burford and Blenheim in the Dis-
trict of London, for the year ending 1st. l\Iarch, 1803, gives us a
return of 179 males and 157 females.
The Organization of the 1st. Regiment Oxford 1iilìtia having l"'een
finally completed, the following gives its composition and the appoint-
ments made and confirmed by Colonel Claus.

COMPANY

CAPT AINS

LIEUTEN ANTS

ENSIGNS

Burford Benajah Mallory \Vheeler Douglass Sam. Canfield
Blenheim Thomas Horner Hugh Graham David Parmer
2nd. Oxford Thomas Ingersoll Seth Putnam John Eaton
1st. Oxford Hammond Lawrence Sykes Tousley Samuel Burdick
Burford Company limits, concessions 4 to I-t- inclusive.
Blenheim Company limits, Blenheim Township and the first three
concessions of Burford.
After the organization of the Blenheim Compa"ny. Captain l\Ial!ory
lost a number of his best men, as the following compositions of the t\vo
companies will show.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD 189
Burford Company.
Captain Benajah Mallory Private John Reynolds
Lieut. \Vheeler Douglas ,- John \\'ells
Ensign. David Parmer " Joseph \Vells
Se

t. Ephraim Munson " Abram Rounds
John Fowler, Jr. ., Reuben Daytou
George Reynolds " Isaac \\'illct
Co
poral Charles Burch " Justus Stephens
\ \'i lli am Reynolds, Jr. " .\aron Allen
James Rounds " Neil, Brown
Fifer Samuel Kenney Da\'id Lord
Private J olm Evans " Hagai \Vestbrook
" Ahner Matthews " Charles Burch
John Fowler, Sr " John Secord
John Yeigh, Sr " Thomas Matthews
John Yeigh, Jr " John Woodley
Jacob Yeigh '. Stephen Tuttle
\Villard Sage " Charles Eddy
Finlay Malcolm, Sr " John Galloway
Finlay Malcolm, Jr. " Henry Gates
J olm Malcolm ., Thomas Sayles

Captain
Liel1Ler.;mt
En
ign
Ser,
t

Corporal

Private
II
II

II

"
"

Blenheim Company,

Thomas Horner
Hugh Graham
John Eaton
J ames Smiley
Ahraham Mudge
John Galhraith
Samuel Martin
Samuel Baker
Josiah F. Dean
Silas Martin
Joseph Baker
Thomas \Vatson
Henry Doyle
John Eaton, Sr
Elam Eaton
.\braham Decou

Private
"

II
"

II
"

Abner Decou
Sibbens Gardner
Roswell Stevens
Levi Lawrence
Nathaniel Landon
Ehenezer Landon
\Villiam Landon
Comfort Davis
Daniel Davis
Josiah Dean
A rtemus Rogers
Benjamin Doyle
John Doyle
Daniel Eaton
Osborne
Gordon
Cole

\Vhereas in Captain :Mallory's first returns he was able to show the
strength of his Company clS 64 N. C. O. and men, it was now reduccd to
a strength of 37, the Burford Company however was still the strongest in
the Regimcnt, its members were physically speaking a superior class of
mcn, hardy pioneers inured to toil and hardship, these early settlers of
Burford could bc relied upon to give a good account of themselvcs in
the event of their services being requircd in actual warfare. The lands
they owned and the place of residence of many of thcm can be found in
the first part of this work.
The further correspondcnce of thc officers of the 1st. Rcgiment of
Oxford J\Iilitia, would indicate, that the men of onc hundred ycars ago

190

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

were pretty much the same as they are to-day, where their personal inte-
rests are concerned, and that the Lieutenant of Oxford County
ncoun-
tered certain difficulties with his 'white Captains, a
well as ,vith his Indian
Chief s.

Service Roll Captain Hammond Lawrence. s Company, J 803.

RANK NAMES

Captain
Lieut .
Ensign.
Sergt.
.,

Co
poral

Private
"

Hammond Lawrence
Sykes Tousley
Samuel Canfield
Isaac Burdick
Robert \V. Sweet
.-\ hram Canfield
John McHames
.-\rchibald Burch
Johnathan Wright
Horatio Lewis
Chester Rogers
Asa Lewis
Ahner Lewis

am Hall
Caleb Piper
,'\nthony Kilbourn
David Curtis
Emil Tousley
Elisha Harkins, Sr.

Priyate
"
"

"

J oshua Youngs
Christopher Kerns
Kerns
Isaac A. Tufford
Isaac Carrol
Abram Carrol
John Carrol. Sr
John Carrol, J r
Jacob Carrol
James Fuller
Nicholas Brink
Levi Babbit
Levi Luddington
Chas. Tousley
Varnum Mather
John B. Tree
Zachariah Burch
Daniel Lick
Elisha Harkins, J r

Oxford, Sept. 5th. 1803.

Muster .Rolls of Captain Thomas Ingersoll.s Company
Oxford Militia.

Capt.
Lieut.
Ensign
Ser.?t.

Corporal
"

Private
"

Thomas Ingersoll.
Seth, Putnam.
Sam, .Burdick.
Enoch Burdick.
)Jathan Lawrence.
.-\sa Putnam.
Nehimiah Arnold
Solomon Nicholas.
Chris. Hartsough.
Edward Logan.
Joel. Piper,
Julius HimcocT{.
Joseph Frost.
J ames Graham.
James Graham Jr.
Benjamin Loomis.
Ichabod Hall.

Private
"

\Vm. Herrick.
--\Iex. Hoves.
Eleazer Scott.
Toshua
loier.
Erice Harris.
Pierce Dean.
Fred. Strafford.
Dute Cnderwood.
Barton Sweet.
Eli Danforth.
Ehenezer Cook.
Freedom Burdick.
Isaac Burdick.
Caleb Burdick.
Peter Taylor.
.\dolphus Taylor.
Abel Kendal.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

191

Captain Horner to Colonel Claus.

Blenheim, Co. of Oxford,

Sir

June 28th. 1
03.

Your orders of 10th. l\lay last come to hand too late for a general
meeting of the 1Iilitia on the 4th. .:\Iay inst. The Captains called out
their Companies on their own ground, in consequence of which I have
not been able to procure the returns of the different companies until
this day.
I ,viII luse no time in forwarding the same to l\lr. St John, Cap-
tain Ingersoll informs me, that Lieut. Putnam has mO\'ed from the
County into the \\ esterly District, his place in consequently ,'acant.

I am Sir Your most obedient seryant.
,

(Signed) TH( ßL\S HORXER. Capt.

Oxford l\Iilitia.

\s indicated in the above letter, Co1. Claus ,,,as now apparcntly
asking Captain J Iorner to do the work of a Deputy, in requesting him
to arrage for a concentration of the Regiment on the King's Birthday,
and to forward him returns of the different companies. it is quite certain
however, that if the communication which left
iagara un the l$th ::\[ay
had reached Captain Horner in time, his brother officer, Capt. Ì\[allory,
woul(r ha\'e quietly ignored any orders coming through onc. whom we
fully believe he rightly considered his junior. Capt. :\Iallory. ho\\'c,
r.
had not yet lost hope of securing the co\'eted appointmcnt of Deputy
Lieut. of the County, as his further corre
pondcnce will indicate. \\'hilc
he strongly res
nt
d any channel of communication. ,'ia the commander
of thc Blenheim Company, hc was careful not tu shuw his real feelings
towards Col. Claus. and what he rcgardcd as gross injustice on the
part of that Officer.
\\l1ile the first l\lilitia men seldom paraded morc than oncc a
ear,
and that on the 4-th. June, "The King's Birthday", the Captains had thc
authority to call them out morc frequently, if they con
idered it neces-
sary. Capt.
Iallory had been left destitute of
Lieut. alHl now Capt.
] Iorner claimcd his Ensign, Da\"Íd Parmer, on the ground that he had
his (lomicile in Blenheim, and in conscquence should helong to this Cum-

192

THE HISTORY OF BUI
FORD

pany, we fail howevcr to see any good reason for this contention, inas-
much as a good number of Burford men were members of the Blen-
heim Company, were in fact necessary to give sufficient strength to
complete a Company, it was only reasonable that Ensign Parmer should
remain with his old Commander. Notwithstanding these discourag..-
ments Capt. :\lallory decided that as long as there was any hope of
receiving promotion, he would not fail to keep himself and his Com-
pany to thc front, and as an earnest of his zeal and efficiency, he lldd
made a journey to Niagara, to interview the Lieut. of the County; but
apparently no definite or satisfactory answer had been given him, he
now decided to again address Col. Claus.

Burford Feb. 28th. 1804.

Dear Sir :

1 have it in contemplation to call my company out soon on the Com-
mon Parade, for review exercises and other duties as the law directs,
etc., etc. I gave Your Honor information when I had the the pleasure
of seeing you last, that I was destitute of an Ensign, I would wish that
Ensign Parmer might be posted to my Company, to serve me in it as
he is even 2nd, in my Company. fIe would wish to continue, which
will be much more convenient for him, although he was listed for Hor-
ners Company, yet he never served in it, nOr I do not think he ever
will, and as there must be a new Ensign appointed, perhaps it may be
as well to commission one for Horner, as for me he has served under
me now six years past, I will esteem it as a favour if you will please
to let him continue, your honor will please to give me information the
first opportunity, I wish to have an answer before I call the Company
out. Y 011 must not send my lettcrs to Horner, for I shall not get them
if you do. .

I am your humble and most obedient servant,

To \Ym. Claus,

( Signed) B. MALLORY, Capt.

Lieut. of Oxford.

The Burford 1\1ilitia men were not to be called upon at this period
as Capt. Mallory had intimated. Co!. Claus vouched safed no reply. It
is inter
sting to know just what Ensign Parmer's views were, regardin 6

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

193

tÍ1is controversy, as one of the most interested parties, as one who
e
services were sought after by both Ca
ts. and as an efficient officer ;
his views and desires were worthy of some consideration, and we think
that his adherance to his old Commander was the proper course to take.
He now addressed himself direct. to Col. Claus as follows.

Blenheim l\Iarch 2
th. 1804.

Dear Sir :

I take the liberty of wntmg you, wishing your decision concerning
my situation in office, that is at present, I neither belong to Capt. Mallo-
ry or Capt. Horners' company of 1\Iilitia. One of them said I belong
to his company, and the other says his best. It is my desire to continue
with the company (l\1allory) which I have formerly served with. I
wish therefore you would writc whether and which company I shall
an!1ex myself to as Ensign.

I remain Your most obedient servant

To Cc,l. Claus,

(Signed) DA YID PARMEl{.

iagara.

ote (by Col. Claus) Parmer, Ensign, requests to be transfercd
to Capt. 1\lallorys Co.

Capt. Horner's Lieut. Hugh Graham, had bccome practically unfit
for duty and this doubtless was one re3.son why the former was so
anxious to have Ensign Parmer p08ted to his Company.

Lieut. Hugh Graham to Col. Claus.

Burford !vlay 31st. 1804.

Dear Sir :

1 am one of those who hold a commission under you as Licutcnant
of a companv of militia but a lame knee occasioned by a hurt I
reccÍ\'ed somc years ago, make it impossible for me to do the duty COI1-

194

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

joined on me by that commission, it is, therefore my wish that JOu
would accept my resignation and give the appointment to one more fit
for serYÏce, as I am really unfit.

I am dear Sir,

Your humble servant

\Vm. Claus, Esq,

(Signed) HUGH GR
\HA
L

Lt. Co. of Oxford.

During the Summer of 1P,Q.t l\Iilitary matters remained quiet. The
settlers were busily engaged clearing their lands and gathering their
scanty crop. Capt.
lallory's time was mostly employed in directing
the labours of a number of Indians, employed by him in the improve-
ment of his home estate, a portion of which is now included in Burford
village. The annual returns for the year, which should have been made
immediately after the 4th. June, had not been received by Col. Claus.
Capt. :\lallory had decided, after his experience of the previous year,
to aWé-.it some recognition from the Licutenant of the County, and du-
ring the month of _ \ugust he was pleased to receive a letter from Fort
George, elated 10th of that month, asking for his returns, and requesting
him to attend to some other matters. On receipt of this conmumica-
tion. Capt. l\lallory expressed himself as follows :-

Captain Mallory to Col. Claus.

Burford _\ugust 23rd. ISO+'

3ir .

I was favoured with yours of the 10th. inst, and shall immediately
attend to make mv rdurns of the 4th. June last, though I hardly know
in what manner to make them out. There is a great number of Hor-
ner's Company trained in mine the last general muster, which I did not
call upon, it seemed to be their choice as I ""as informed by them, he
never called them together until the 4th. of June last, and then gave
them but one cia) s notice; which I know to be the first time he ever
called them out. I do understand he is about to resign, and intends to

THE HISTORY OF l3URFORD

195

recommend in his place one Edward \\-atson, who 1
a \ ery worthles3
person. The truth of the matter is, he is not in friendship with any
othcr person about him, Oi any of he neighbours, but this \\-atson, and
his men, neither officers nor Pri, ates, will not sen'e under him, they
are determined to pay their fines before they "ouM e'xpose and were
you as much acquainted with his proceedings as his Company is, you
would not blame them in the least, I shall attend to the other bu
iness
without loss of time.

J ha \'e the honor to be,

and remain your most htijnble and obedient sen ant.

Col. Claus, Esq,

(Signed) B. :MALLURY.

Lieut. Co. of Oxford.

Returns of my Company of Militia 4th June 1804.

('apt.
I

Lieut. Ensign.
o

Sergts. Corps.
3 3

Ðrummer5.

Fifer. Rank & File. Arms.
52x 17

fo \tVm. Claus, Esq,

(
igned) BEX.\]AH .MALLORY, Captain.

Lieut. County of Oxford.

A Return of Capt. Horner's Company of Militia in the
County of Oxford, 4th June 1804.

('apt. Licut. Ens:gn.
I

Sergt, Corp!.
3 3

Privatt's.

34

SERGTS.

CORPOR\LS
\Han Dccou.
James BaJ..er
Everett :\Iuùr:-e.

J ames Smiley
Benj. Peak
J ,lines Fuller.

( Signed)

'rnOl\1 \S TTORXER, Captain,!

196

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

A Field Return of Captain Lawrence. s Company of Militia
of the Township of Oxford for 1804.

Captains, Lieuts. Ensigns, Sergts. Corps. Drummer. Fifer. Privates.
1 1 1 3 3 1 1 27

Signc(l) ROBERT \\". S\\'EET.

.... Orderly Sergt.

Return of the 1 st Regiment Oxford Militia for J 804.
Cot. Captains. Lieuts. Ensigns. Sergts. Corp. Drummer. .Fifers. Privates.
1 -I- 4 4 12 12 4 2 141

A Return of Captain Thomas Ingersoll's Company of Oxford
Militia, June 4th, 1804.

Captains. Lieuts. Ensign. Sergts. Corps. Drummers. Pri\'ates.

1

1

3

J

2

28

()xford _ \ug. 20th. 18Q.1-.

Honored Sir,

I received yours informing me that you had not recei,'ed the return"
of my company, which I supposed had come to hand, soon after the 4th
June last and this may certify, that the within is a true return of the ccm-
pany that I ha\'c the honor to command. \\'ith due respects I remain,

Your humble sen'ant,

To \\' tn.Claus, Esq,

THOMAS INGERSOLL, Capt.

In the month of December 1804 Benajah Mallory left Burford to
pass Christmass with friends in the United States, returning by way of
Niagara to interview Col. Claus, but was unable to meet that officer,
and therefore addressed him by mail.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

197

Xiagara Dec. 29th. Ism.

Dear Sir,

I have not recei,'ed any direct command from you smce last June.
respecting my company of 1lilitia.
I made regular returns to you on the -I-th June last, hut I am
sensible you did not receive them as they fell into bad hands and wcrc de-
tained which I found somctimc after, and on the 19th )Jo,'. last I drew
out my company on thc Common Parade ground and
hould have made
rcgular returns of the same, but I came from homc sooner than [ calcu-
lated, which rendcred it incon, enient. At present our ,count) is in a
disorganized situation. Capt. Inger
olrs Licut. had moved from there,
and othcrs is about applying for rc
ignation.
As it is now situated we have not authority to cmnmand our men
no regular enrollmcnt has ever takcn place, I hape your honor will consiùer
us and gi,'e directions accordingly I shall call at your home if possi-
blc before I lea,'e town, which ] expect will be Sunday e\ cning or
l\Ionday morning, any command that you may have I shall attend to.

I have thc honor to be your most obedient and humble servant.

To Col. Claus.

(Signed) B. l\L\LLORY.

This letter wa:; pcnned amI mailed on a Saturday morning, his
time thercfore in Kiagara was limited, and he hoped before leaving to
havc the matter of the appointment of a' Dcputy cleared up, he was
however still to be left in doubt, and dcparted for home without having
been ablc to inten'iew the Lord Lieut. .A few days pre\ ious to this,
Ensign Partner, who was al
o ,en nmch dissastified with the military
situation of this period. agam wrote to Col. Claus.

David Parmer to Col. Claus.

Blenheim, Dcc. 24th, 190-1-.

Sir,

It is with hte utmost ditIidcncc [ prcsume to trouble you with the.
following letter, but I hope your honour will o,'erlook my pre'\ent pre-:-

umption, Sir ,,'e ha\"e been tau
ht in this part of the Countr
, that the
militia law has not energy to compel thc militia to do their duty, unle
s

198

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

they are enrolled by the commanding officer, or his deputy. It is my
earnest wish that YOU would employ some person to enroll the l\lilitia,
as some of the men absolutely refuse to train, until they are enrolled.
Capt Horner has not called his Company together but once, since the
new regulations took place, and he has frequently told the m.en, the law
will not oblige them to do duty unless enrolled.

I am with every sentiment of respect,

Your very humble servant,

To Col. Claus,

( Signed ) DAVID PARMER.

Lieut. County of Oxford.

Captain Ingersoll to Col. Claus,

Oxford April 13th, 1803.

Dear Sir,

I received yours for picture of my Company, there is thirty three
(33) men, including the non commissioned officers, there is no man il

this town but is willing to bear arms.

\Yith due respect, I remam,

Your humble sçrvant,

\Villiam Claus, Esq, (Signed) CH:\RLES H\GERSOLL, Capt.
Lieut. County of Oxford.

Captain Mallory to C01. Claus.

Burford, June 18th. 1805.

Dear Sir:

I enclose to you a picture of my company 4th June, which should
ha, e been to have waited on our Lord Lieut. on that day in the
County of Oxford, but we haye arranged the bu"iness as accurate as pos-
sihle.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

199

Hoping your honor will overlook all errors, etc, I have the honor
to be

Your most obedient and humble senant,

C01. Claus.

(Signed) B. 1L\LLORY.

Fort George.

True Return of Capt. Mallory's Company of Oxford Militia
on the 4th June 1805.

Captain.
1

Lieut. Ensign.
1 1

Sergts. Corps.
3 3

Drummer. Fifer. Rank & File.
1 1 56

On the 4th inst., I drew out my company of militia on the common
parade, they generally appeared and gave attention to orders and per-
formed their duties as the law requires, and as good soldiers,
Given under my hand at Burford in the County of Oxford this
18th day of June, ]805.

(Signed) BE
.\JAH 1L\LLORY,Capt.

To the Hon. \\Tm. Claus,

Lieut. of Oxford.

Return of Capt. Hammond Lawrence's Company of Oxford
Militia 4th June 1805.

Capts. Lieuts. Ensigns.
1 1

Sergts. Corporols.
3 3

Drummers. Fifers.

1 1

Privates.
42

CAPTS.

LIEUTS.

ENSIGNS.

Hammond Lawrence.

Sykes TOl1!->
l'Y.

Samuel Canfield.

SERGTS.

CORPOR.\T.S.

I saac Burdick.
\hram Canfield
Jonathan \\'1 ight.

John McHames.
. \rchihald Burell.
Danit.: :...- ick.

200

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

ABSENT WITH LEAVE.

ABSENT vnTH LE.\ VEo

Archibald Burch.
Robert Sweet.
John McGill
Isaac Carroll.
J aIm Carroll, Sr.

Amos McHame's.
.-\ braham CarrolL
.Mordacai Gates.

( Signed)

SIKES TOUSLEY LIE"C'I'

Return of Capt. Thomas Ingersoll's Co. June 4th, J805.

Capts. Lieuts. Ensign. Sergts. Corps. Privates.
1 1 1 3 3 35 ·
A Return of the Company of Oxford MiIit1a Commanded by
Captain T. Horner, June 4th, 1805.

Capts. Lieuts. Ensign, Sergts. Corps. Drummer. Pri"at
s.
1 0 0 3 3 1 30

ABSENT without LEAVE.

James Smiley
Abra. Mudge.
Roswell Stevens.
Silas Dean.
Josiah T. Dean.
Enoch Lester.
Comfort Davis.
Daniel Davis.
Henry Doyle.
Daniel \Vithorn.
Elam Eaton.

Ephias L. PheIpps.
Benj. Peak.
Samuel Martin.
Silas Martin.
Calvin Martin.
Josiah Dean.
Isaac Kipp.
Artcmus Rogers.
Nathan Buck.
Nathan Buck, J r.
Archabald Burch.

( Signed)

THOl\IAS HOR
ER, Capt.

The first Oxford In 1805.

Annual return of the lVlilitia of the County of Oxford, in the London
District, Province of Upper Canada 4th June 1803.

Captains Capts Lieuts. Ensigns Sgts. Corps , Pri vates Drmrs Fifers
Horner 1 3 3 30 1
Mallory 1 1 I 3 3 34 1 1
Ingersoll I 1 1 3 3 35
Lawrence I I 1 3 3 42 1 1
Totals 4 3 3 12
I 141 4 2

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

201

Name and rank of Officers.

CAPT AINS.

LIEUTENANTS.

EXSIG
S.

Thomas Horncr
Benaj ah Mallory
Thomas Ingersoll
Hammond Lawrence

\Vheelcr Douglas
Scth Putman
Sykes Tousley

Da \'id Parmer
Samuel Burdick
Samuel Canfield

(Signed) \\-m. CL.\CS,

Lieut. County of Oxford.

The Regimental or commanding Officcrs returns are, or should be,
made up and compiled from the rcturns of the Officers commanding
companies, by refcrcnce to thc returns sent in by Col. Claus for the
year 1803, it will he noted that he has credited Burford \\,ith only 3+
Privates while Capt. :r--lallorys return gi,'es us 56, fit for duty and who
answered at Roll Call on the +th June. Another peculiar fact is that
Lieut. ""heeler Douglas and Seth Putnam, who had removed from the
District several ycars previously, were still returned )s bcing on the
strcngth of the Regiment.
The Blenheim Company appears to have hecome badly disorganized
at this pcriod, with only one officer, there J11U
t ccrtainly ha,'e been
something seriously wrong with its interior economy, wilen out of a
total strength of 3ï 110n commissioned Officers and men, there were
reported "
\bsent without lea,'c, twenty two, such good men and true,
as James Smiley, Comfort Sage, the :r--Iartins, Eatons and Burches, etc.
Burford at thc heginning of thc last century, having more settlcrs
than any other township in thc county, furni
hed more mcn for thc first
Regiment Oxford :Militia, in fact most of the rank and file of Cart.
Horner's commalHl were recruited from the Northern concession lines
of this township, and thc namcs of many appearcd, sometimes in l\!al-
lory's, and somctimes in 110rner's returns, this was another source cf
irritation to Capt. ::\Iallory, and in onc of his numcrous comn1t1nications
to Col. Claus, he urgently dcsircd him to dcsignate without delay, dtc
exact limits of his recruiting grounds, but the Lieutenant of the Connty,
,,,ho rcsidell mostly at Fort George, appcars to have had little timc to
make a personal investigation along thc back Conccssion lines and across
the unclcarcd forest lots, as long as all the male inhabitants, between
the ages of IX and .30, were on the
en'ice rolls
f thc First ()xiord, it
mattered littlc to him in which company they werc enrolled, however,
in diplomatic fashion, hc expressed a dcsire to receivc a picture of the
diffcrcnt commands. This was rathcr an astute J1]O\'C on the part of
Col. Clau
, it changed the current of his Officers thoughts, ga"e thc

202

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

men a new interest in their corps, and for a time there was a great
brushing and scrubbing up of old fusils and flint locks. Col. Claus had
expressed his intention of hanging these pictures in his quarters at Fort
George, and they probably did hang there for some years, as the Compa-
nies were duly called together and lined up in front of a travelling pho-
tographic artist, who subjested these first militia men to the most trying
ûrdeal they had yet undergone.
Doubtless Col. Claus shrewdly calculated, that these photos would
give him a nmch more correct and accurate idea of the actual strength
and composition of each company, than the annual returns received
from the Captains. This Photo of the Burford 1lilitia, taken on the
4th day of June 1803, would have shown Col. Claus quite clearly two
officers in semi military Uniform. armed with swords. and 64 .Kon-com-
missiolled Officers and men. \ V e suspect, howe,-er, that some of the
militia men, reported absent by Capt. Horner, and who had been charter
members of the Burford Company, were anxious to appear in this
photo, and on this occasion at least, had determined to perform the
annual drill with their old comrades.
The militia law in force at this period. had made provisions for the
appointment of a resident deputy Lieutenant in each County, to assist
the Lieutenant and carry out the rules and regulations, as applied to
the organization and disciplining of a Regiment, and to represent such of
the Lieutenants as did not reside within the limits of their counties.
I t would appear also that the militia men of a Regiment, should
be enrollerl in the presence of the Lieutenant or his Deptlty, this regula-
tion it haù so far been impossible to carry out.
Had Col. Claus appointed, without delay, after he assumed office,
a strong man as his deputy, it would have greatly added to the efficiency
of the bt Uxford :\Iilitia, and prevented all the petty jealousy, between
two good officers, which resulted in a state of affairs that should never
I a ve existed.
Col. Claus had at first given Capt. .Mallory some right to expect tl:e
much coveter! appointment of deputy, by requesting him to furnish in-
-:ormation and perform duties, out-side of his own Company, and b!f'r
on u
ed the same course with Capt. Horner.

otwithstanding the fact that Capt. :\lallory afterwards pron-cl
himself a bitter enemy to the country of his adoption, it cannot be denied,
that he was a man well qualified for the position of deputy Lieutenant,
or that he was not justified in thinking, that his seniority. his military
knowledge, his wide acquaintance and his prominent standing in the
community, did not entitle him to the appointment. .Mallory was a man
of considerable ability, a man of great dete.:mi:.ation. and as after events
l'ro,'ed, a most dcsperate al111
k1l1f111 fighter. but lil-"e most every other

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

203

clever man of prominence, "ho mixes in affairs public, he had his enemies,
In the early part of the year 1805, an event occurred in Burford, of
such an outrageous character, that we would gladly pass o\'er it, but we
believe it is necessary to give as full and complete a reconI as possible, of
every e,'ent and occurrence that influenced the motives and actions of Be-
najah :\Iallory, in his after career.
In the early midnight hours of a :\Ionday morning in the month
of January, 180:;' the :\Iallory household were suddenly awakened by
the reports of fire arms. discharged through the windows of the house,
upon investigation ball
. slugs, and shot, were found imbedded in the
walls, at different points within range of the windows. :\Iallory was
no coward and ha,'ing hastily dressed, and seized such weapons as he
found convenient sallied forth to defend his life and home but need-
, ,
less to say his murderous enemies had quickly decamped.
This was too serious a matter to pass over, and as soon as the
affair was brought to the attention of the Lieut. Governor, that func-
tionary took action.

Council Chamber at York.

9th. Feh., I
OS,

Present.

The Hon. James Baby. Presiding Councillor
Peter Russell
Aneas Shaw
J 01111 :\lcGill
Read the following Idter and draft of a proclamation.

Lieut. CO\ ernor
(>ffice.

Xth Feb., tHOS.

Sir:

I am directc<1 hy thc Lieut. Governor, to tran
ll1it to you the endor-
scd draft of a proclamation, rc:,pecting an attack lately made upon the
house and per
on of Benajah .:\lallory. pf the to\\'l1:,híp of Burford,
in the District of London. and to :,ig-nify to
ou, the Lieut. GO\-ernors
orders, to summon the Exenüi, e COt1IlC;\ to meet to-tnorrow. at such

204

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

an hour as may as little as possible interfere with the duties of the Legis-
lati,"e Council, to take the said proclamation into consicteration and re-
port their opinion upon that subject to the Lieut. Go,"ernor, without loss
of time.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient and humble Servant,

(Signed) JA1IES GREEN, Secretary.

Draft.

Peter Hunter, Esq., Lieut. GO\"ernor of the Province of Upper
Canada and Lieut. General commanding His 1Iajestys Forces in the
Provinces of C pper and Lower Canada.

\VHEREAS.

The 28th day of Jan. last past, a most daring and wicked attac!.
was made upon the house and person of Benajah l\Iallory of the TowIl-
ship of Burford. in the District of London, Esq., by certain evil and
wicked disposed person or persons, as yet unknown, in discharging fire-
arms through the windows of the said house, loaded with shot and ball,
whereby the life of the said Benajah l\Iallory, then being therein, ,va;;
in imminent hassard and danger.

York, 9th Feb., 1805.

In promoting the ends of public justice, the security of individuals
and that such enormous crimes may not go unpunished.
I, Peter Hunter, Esq., Lieut. Go\"ernor of the said Province, do by
and with the advise and consent of the Executive Council thereof, here-
by offer a reward of four hundred dollars, to any person or person5 j
who shall make such discovery, and gi\"e such information, so that the
perpetrator or perpetrators, of the said crime, shall be convicted of the
same, and I do hereby further offer His l\Iajesty's most gracious pardon
to such person or persons as may be accessory or accessorys to the com-
mission of the said crime, and shall honestly and without fraud disco\"er
the principle, or principles, who hath, or ha\"e committed the same.

THE HISTORY OF DURFORD

205

Given under my hand and seal at arms at York, this 9th day of
February, in the year of Our Lord lR05, and the 45th ycar of His 11a.-
jestys reign.
The Board ha\ ing duly consented to the foregoing reference, repOl t
as f0 1 10ws.

Report,

York, 9th Feb., 1805.

To His Excellency Peter Hunter, Esq., Lieut. Go\'
rnor of Cppcr
Canada, and Lieut. General commanding His l\tlajestys Forces in the
Province of Upper and Lower Canada.

:May it please your Excellency.
The committee of the Executive Council, in accordance with your
Excellency's order of reference, dated the 8th inst., has taken into its
consideration the report of the attack, said to have been lately made upon
the home and person of Benajah :Mallory, Esq., and concurs in opirlÌon,
that so atrocious and wicked an attack, against the life of one of His
11ajestys subjects, calls for the interposition of the Government to en-
courage the discovery of the perpetrators and bring them to J ustÌC'e,
and is of the opinion that the Draft of the Proclamation laid befor'
it,
is proper to answer that end.

\ll of which is humbly submitted.

(Signed) J. B.\BY, President Councj
,

.\pproved (Signed) PETER] IUNTER, Lt. Gov.

So far as can be learned, the rcward offered was nevcr earned.
Capt. 11allory had his suspicious rcgarding the identity of the guilty
parties, but the authors of such a dastardly outrage had taken good
care to cover up their movemcnts, and maintain secrccy rcgarding tlleir
murderous attack against tIle County's reprcscntative.

The Resignation of Samuel and the Appointment of
Enoch Burdick.

On the 20th Feb., 1805, Ensign Samuel Burdick, of Capt. Inger-
solIs' Company, had writtcn to Col. Claus, asking to be rctieved of his
appointmcnt as his physical condition was such he fdt himsclf incapa-

206

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

ble of filling any place in the military line. His reqlì.est having been
granted, his place was filled by the promotion of Sergt. Enoch Burdick.
\Ye present here a copy of the latter's commission, ,,,hich should prove
interesting to our military readers, as a speciman of tile wording and
style of militia commissions issued oyer one hundred years ago, as com-
pared with their own.

Officers Commission.

By \\'m. Claus, Esq., constituted and appointed by commission from
his Excellency Peter Hunter, Lieut. Goyernor of the Prm'ince of Up
Jer
Canada, and Lieut. General commanding Lowcr Canada, Lieutenant of
the County of Oxford.
To .Mr. Enoch Burdick, By virtue and in pursuance of an Act of
the Legislatiye of the Province of Upper C<'.n
da. relating to r.,Ü;:ing
and training of the militia within the said Province, 1 bave constituted
and appointed, and hy these presents do constitute and appoint you, to
be an Ensign in the
lilitia, raised in and ,,-ithin the said County of
Oxford, and you are hereby commanded, to train and discipline. the
persons armed and arranged, by virtue of said act, and ) ou are to ob-
serve, and follow such orders and directions, from time to time as you
,hall recei\ e from the Governor, Lieut. Covernor, your Colonel, or any
other superior Officer, in persuance of the trust hereby reposed in you.
Ciyen under my hand and seal at Niagara, this 1st day of June, in
the year of Our Lord, Eighteen hundred and five, aud in the Forty
Fifth year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lord, George III, by the
Grace of God, in the United Kingdom of Creat Britain and Ireland,
King Defender of the Faith, etc. etc.

(Signed) \\-ILLIA:\l CLADS,

Lieut. of the County of Oxford.

The following letter throws some further light upon the military
affairs of the 1st Regiment Oxford :\Iilitia. During the year 1805, the
constant friction between the commanding Officers of the Burford and
Blenheim Companies ,vas becoming more pronounced. Col. Claus was
now directing Capt. Horner to perform duties, which the latter had no
real authority to carry out. So far there had been no Regimental Parade.
Col. Claus had instructed Capt. Horner to arrange for one on the 4tb

THE HISTORY OF Dt:RFORD

:!07

Junc, but as the former was not to be prf2sent, it is easy to understand
what would have happened, had the iour companies l1iet together and
Capt. Horner assumed command, we think under the circumstances.
that Capt.
Iallory perused the right course, in exerci
ing his company
011 their own Parade Ground.

Capt Horner to Co!. Claus.

Sir

-\greeable to your instructions of the 2
th of \pril last, J ga\"e im-
mediate orders to the commanding officers of militia in this count), to
meet at the house of Samuel Canfield, of the TownshilJ of Oxford (on
the 4th June then next ensuing) it being near the centre of the County.
The t\\'o companies in that town"hip \\ere gencrally pröent. but am
sorry to say that thc chief part of my Company, ,,'ith the Company of
Burford, \\ ere kept back through the persuasion and earne"t entreaty
of Capt.
lallory and Ensign Panner.
I r.
Iallory al"o ,\ rote to a

Ir. Christopher Ilartsough of OÀford, urging him to use his influence
\\'ith the people of that township, to persuade them from attending, he
e, en (in se\"eral instcll1ces) promised to pa
their fines if any was im-
posed, alleging, that as the militia were not enrolled and the Lieut. of
thc County not present, they were under no obligatiun to obey the ordcrs
of any persons in the County, so say' Sikes Tuusley. ..\rtemus Rogers
in my company says,-I f the Lieutenant of the Count} prosecutes the
people for non attendancc at the militia meeting. thcy arc determined
to join together and prosecute him. the Lieut., for non attendance.
(
Ir. \\'atson i... my informant).

I am Sir,

Your mo:,t ol)edient and humblc
en ant.

\rm. Claus,

q.,

(Signet!) rII()
I \
1 H >I
X ER, Capt.

Lieut. Co. of Oxforù.

Oxford
lilitia.

\\'e ha\"e here Capt. llorncr accu"ing Capt. :\fallor) of m<lhin
the
same statemcnts to the mcn, as he, Capt. ] lorner, had bcen a('Cltse<1 of
hy Ensign Partner. The report against Pri,'ate \rtcl1ms J
oger
. whkh
was rather a serious charge, doe" not appcar to h,1 \'(' injured thi, militia

208

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

man in the estimation of Col. Claus, as a couple of years later, when the
strength of the Regiment was increased by the addition of another com-
pany, the Lieutenant of the Country appointed him to the position of
_\djutant.

1806.

The returns of the 1st ()xford
Iilitia for the yar 1806 were not
fon,'arded until the l
th 1 \ugt1st, and were sent in by Capt. Horner, who
had recently been appointed Deputy Lieut. of the County. The militia
Inen, having been duly notified of the appointment, were ordered to
muster on the 14th at Capt. Horner's Headquarters, for tile purpose of
being enrolled. From this it would appear that after the formation of
a Regiment of l\Iilitia, the Captains had not the power, as under the pre-
sent regulations, to legally enroll their men and to have effect it should
Le carried out by the Lieut. or his regular Deputy. That the men were
well aware of these facts is quite certain, but Capt. :\Iallorys popularity
and the strong military spirit existing among the early ..ettlers of Bur-
ford, was sufficient to cause the cheerful attendance of every member
of the Burford Company at the annual Parades.
After the promotion of Capt. Horner, Capt, .l\1allory ceased to take
any further interest in the
Iilitia and he requested to be relieved from
the command of the Burford Company, Ensign Parmer also asked to
he retired, and they were followed by Capts. Ingersoll and Lawrence.
At the same time Col. Claus found it expedient to drop from his returns,
the names of Lieuts. \ Yheeler Douglas and Seth Putnam., two officers
who had. as already stated. removed from the district several years
pre\'iot1
ly.
The annual returns, compiled 3.nd returned hy the newly appoint-
ment Deputy, show a considerable failing off in {)fficers, l\Iusicians
and more particularly in the rank and file.
Col. Claus now determined to reorganize the Regimt:nt and increase
its strength by the addition of another Company. The population was
slowly growing, by the influx of new settlers, particularly into Oxford
Township, and by the ycar U
07 the 1st Oxford consisted of five com-
panIes.

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

209

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Return of the :Militia of the County of Oxford, i!1 the London
District, Province of Upper Canada, 14th August, 1806.-Commanded
by Co!. W m. Claus.

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CAPT S.- Horner-Mallory- lngersoll- Lawrence.
LIEUTS.-Sykes Tousley.-ENSIGN.-Sam Canfield.

Recommended to be :-

CAPTAINS.

LIEUTENANTS.

ENSIGNS.

James Smiley
Enoch Burdick
Ichabod Hall
John Secord
Caleb Stafford
11arvel \Vhite, the first master of Burford's first Public School,
was a half pay officer, who had recently come to reside in the Village.
The Settlers were beginning to consider the advantages of some sort
of an education for the new generation which were now growing up.
In those carly days, qualified teachers ,;ere unknown. The appointment
of a School-11astcr rested with the Governmcnt and these positions
were usually given to cducated men, such as 11arvcl \ Vhite, strict disci-
plinarians, if not brilliant teachers. Capt. 1lan"el \Vhite's 1Iilitary know-
ledge was so much appreciated, that after the retirement of Capt. 1Ial-
lory, he was offcred and accepted the command of the Burford Com-
pany- John Secord being appointed Lieutenant, and Jacob Yeigh En-
sIgn.
The name of Secord figures prominently in the early military annals
of this Province, no lcss than ten membcrs of this family took a promi-
nent part as officers in the \Var of 1812, as well as others who fought
in the ranks, and at the present time rhey have a representative in the
Burford Cavalry In the person of Lieut. David Secord.
The Yeighs are one of the vcry few "First Families" who to-day
have direct reprcscntatives residing within the County of Brant. Coming
from Pennsylvania in the early spring of the ycar 1800.-John Yeigh

Edward \Vatson
Sykes Tousley
Sam. Canfield, Jr.
Marvel White

J as. Carrol, Jr.
Julius Hitchcock
Luther Hoskin
Jacob Yeigh

210

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Sr. and his Three sons, John Jr., Jacob, and Adam, were immediately en-
rolled by Capt. Mallory. The military know ledge soon to be gained
by Lt. Jacob and Sergt. Adam Yeigh, in assisting to defend the country
of their adoption against the unprovoked attacks, and aggressive ac-
tions of their former countrymen, was to bring them mto prominence
and make them two of the principal figures during the troublesome times
of 1837.

Annual Return of the :l\Iilitia of the County of Oxford, 111 the
London District, Province of Upper Canada.
4th June, 1807.

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Names and Rank of Officers.

CAPTAI
S.

LIEUTEN ANTS.

ENSIGNS.

Edward vVatson
Hammond Lawrence
Sykes Tousley
Samuel Canfield, Jr.
Marvel White

James Smiley
Ichabod Hall
Enoch Burdick
Caleb Stafford
John Secord

Joseph Baker
Luther Hoskin
Jules Hitchcock
John Carroll, Jr.
Jacob Yeigh

ADJUTANT

QUARTER-MASTER

Artemus Rogers

Ruben Dayton

These were the official returns, made up after the annual training
day for the year 1807 and forwarded by the Deputy-Lieut. It is noticea-
ble that in the list of Officers, as now entered in the returns, the names
of those of the Blenheim Company headed the list, and those of Bur-
ford, which properly belonged there, were placed at the bottom, but as a
matter of fact, this return was quite incorrect, the names of the three
Burford Officers mentioned had not yet been officially recognized. Capt.
1'Iallory's resignation had been forwarded to the Lieut. Governor who
appeared reluctant to grant it. The United States had already begun
to manifest a most aggressive spirit towards Canada, and every man,.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Il

particularly every man who would make a good officer, was wanted
for the defence of the country,-that Capt. .Mallory possessed both
ability and leadership, was evident by his ascendancy over his fellow
settlers, in their election of him to the Legislature. After events pro-
ved also, that although he fought in a bad cause, he rather sought than
avoided the fighting line and was a leader in many dangerous expedi-
tions.
As already intimated, the American Government were acting in a
manner which if persisted in, would threaten the peace of this Pro-
;ince. 'Governor Tompkins of N cw York State was most active in
equipping and reorganizing his tens of thousands of State 11ilitia. The
government of His Excellency Fr:mcis Gore took steps to ascertain to
what extent the :l\Iilitia men of Upper Canada could be depended upon,
in case of invasion. The Lieutenants were dirccted to make a personal
appeal, through their Officers, to every member of their Corps, and
advise the result. In the month of September, It;07, Co1. Claus for-
wardcd orders to his Deputy, by Express rider, to call out the Oxford
11ilitia and establish with certainty, what their attitude would be, in
case the Republic should decide to fight Great Britain by invading Ca-
nada.
I t must not bc forgotten this procedure was deemed advisable,
on account of the large proportion of the settlers who had immigrated
from the United States, many of whom were known to entertain sen-
timents more favourable to Republican Institutions, than to the LIWS
of this Provincc, as administered by the Executive at that pcriod. After
events proved, that a considerable number acted the part of spies and
informers, and joined the ranks of the cncmy when they thought the
invaders would be succe"sful in crushing the Canadians, the majority
however, of those residing in Oxford county, remained loyal to their
adopted country and fought bravely in its defence.
Thc Deputy Lieutenant, Capt. Horner, no,,, instructed the Captains
to assemble their men at Company Headquarters, on dates specified by
him, at the
ame time advising them, that he would attend the must
rs
and inspcct the companies.
His report to Co1. Claus gi,'es the result of the spirit manifestcd
by the Oxford ,Militia on this occasion.

jr

Blenheim, Nov. 10th, 1807.

On receip
of your letter, I immediately gave or(]ers to call out
the 1Iilitia by companies, I attendcd myself at the Parade of four of

12

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

the companies. They unanimously turned out, and offered their ser-
vices to the Governor, to combat with any enemy that shall disturb the
repose of the Province. Capt. Watson's company also offered their
services to a man.
Capt. Mallory being very ill, I am verbally informed of their ser-
vices generally, but no return..
It is the request of the Militia personally, that you as their lawful offi-
cer, make this known to his Excellency the Governor, as soon as may be.
Have had no opportunity to reply, or to forward this information to
you before this. ·
The l\lilitia of the County are generally young and active, and
might be of considerable adyantage in case of emergency, but a great
want of arms and ammunition prevail amongst them.

I have the honour to be,

Sir, your humble and obedient servant,

To \Ym. Claus Esq.,

(Signed) THOl'vIAS HORNER.

Lieut. Col. of Oxford.

This communication which was over a week in reaching Niagara,
was at once forwarded to Lt. Governor Gore at York, with the follow-
ing note

Fort George, 19th November, 1807.

Sir

1 received 'a letter this morning from Thomas Horner, Esq., Deputy
Lieut. of the County of Oxford, which I herewith t:nc1ose for your
Excellency's information, and beg leave that it is with infinite pleasure
that I have it in my power an offer of the Linemen of the Oxford
l'vlilitia to your Excellency, although small, as will appear by the en-
closed list.

I have the honour to be,

with the highest respects,

Your most humble servant,

His Excellency Frances Gore,

(Sgd.) Wm. CLAUS.

Lieut. Governor.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

213

Seventeen Officers and one hundred and sixty-five non-comrrission-
ed officers and men, was the numbLr, whose services the Government
was informed they could count on in Oxford County, in the eve
t of an
Invasion.
Soon after this Capt. 1Iallory's resignation was accepted. as the
outlook was more peaceful, and Capt. l\larvel \ Yhite assumed commanù
of the Burford l\Iilitia.
The 1st Oxford again preformed their annual training on the tuh
June, lX08. During the summer, matters remained quiet, but as v\ïn-
ter approached (here were persistant rumours that trouble was likely
to ensue at any moment, and many of the settlers were seriously alarmed.
Col. Claus had written his Deputy from Fort George on the 29th
day of November, 1807, pointing out, that in case of any sudden call
to arms, the eastern boundary of Burford was the most eligible point
to arrange for as the rendez-vous. Capt. Horner appears to have thought
it better to assemble parts of the corps at two separate points in the
County, and this is what was done one year later, when in the month
of December, 1808, another hurry call was sent out for the Militia to
concentrate. The report of the Deputy-Lieutenant gives us the result
of this gathering.

Sir,

Blenheim, January 1 st, 1809.

I received your letter of the 29th
ovember on a sick bed, but
immediately gave orders to asscmble the :\Iilitia in two detachments,
one in Oxford, and one in Burford, as being most convenient for the
inhabitants. Those for Oxford met agreeablc to the order and a por-
tion of one fourth volunteered their services. In Burford, they also
met and the whole voll1ntcerc(l their sen'ices, heing urlwilling to sepa-
rate or sen e under other officers than thcir own. I [ow far this will
meet with your approbation, I know not.
I have thought best to let them remain in this way, until I receive
your furthcr orders. Some families, alarmed at the news of war have
quit the province, which has reduced our numbers, our portion
f one
fourth is now ..n. ..\lthough very unwell at the time I attended both
places.

I am YOUr most obedient and humble servant,

\Ym. Claus, Esq.,

(Sgd.) THO
I:\S HORNER.

Lieutcnant, County of Oxford.

214

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Commanding Officers of Militia Regiments in Upper Canada
In 1813.

REGIMENT

NAMES

1st Reg!:. Glengarry - Lt. Col. Alexander McMillan
2nd Regt. Glengarry - Lt. Col. Alexander MacDonald
1st Regt. Stormont - Lt. Col. Hon. Neil McLean
1st Regt. Grenville - Col. Wm. Fraser
2nd Regt. Grenville - Lt. Col. Stephen Burritt
1st Regt. Dundas - Lt. Col. Hon. Thomas Fraser
2nd Regt. Leeds - Lt. Col. L. P. Sherwood
1st Regt. Leeds - Col. Joel Stone
1st Regt. Frontenac - Col. Hon. Richard Cartwright
1st Regt. Addington - Col. Wm. Johnston
1st Regt. Prince Edward - Col. Arch'd McDonell
1st Regt. Lennox - Lt. Col. Wm. Crawford
1st Regt. Hastings - Col. John Ferguson
1st Regt. Northumberland - Lt. Col. John Peters
1st Regt. Durham - Lt. Col. Robert Baldwin
1st Regt. York - Lt. Col. \Villiam Graham
2nd Regt. York - Lt. Col. Richard Beasley
3rd Regt. York - Lt. Col. William Chewett
1st Regt. Lincoln - Col. Hon. \Vm. Claus
2nd Regt. Lincoln - Lt. Col. Thomas Clark
3rd Regt. Lincoln - Lt. Col. John Warren
4th Regt. Lincoln - Major Jacob Tenbrock
5th Regt. Lincoln - Lt. Col. Andrew Bradt
1st Regt. Norfolk - Lt. Col. Joseph Ryerson
2nd Regt. Norfolk - Lt. Col. Robert Nichol
1st Regt. Oxford - Lt. Col. Henry Bostwick
1st Regt. Kent - Col. Hon. Jacques Baby
1st Regt. Essex - Col. Matthew Elliott
2nd Regt. Essex - Lt. Col. Baptiste Baby
1st Regt. Middlesex - Col. Hon. Thos. Talbot

DATE OF COM.
2nd Jan., 1809.

5th June, 1813.

29th May. 1813.
1st Nov. 1804.
20th .Tune, ] 810.

2nd Jan., 1809.

16th April, 1813.

11th Feb., 1812.
12th Feb. 1812.
27th June, 1812.

CHAPTER II

1812-14.

\Vhen the United States declared \Var against Great Britain on the
18th June, 1812, the Regular troops in Upper Canada numbered but
1658, of which not more than 1500 were available for active service.
These Troops were distributed as follows :-Fort George, Royal Artil-
lery, 80. Kingston 10th Royal Veteran Battalion 196, Royal Newfound-
land Regiment 368, Amherstburg 41st. Regiment 1014.
In 1810 the Governor had declared, that in case of hostilities a
force of Regulars, adequate for the defence of Canada, would co-operate
with the :Militia.
At the commencement of July, 1812, when it became apparent that
thc Americans would attempt the invasion of Upper Canada, the Regu-
lar troops stationed in Lower Canada were moved to the \ Yest and the
embodied 1Iilitia replaced them in the Garrisons of 110ntreal, Three
Rivers and Quebec.
During the month of 1lay, before war was openly declared, Lower
Canada had raised and equipped four Battalions of _\ctive 11ilitia, later
increased to six battalions, composed of men who enlisted for service
during the continuation of the war. But one similar corps was raised
in Upper Canada namely, the Volunteer Incorporated 11ilitia Battalion,
commanded by Lt. Col. \Villiam Robinson, formerly Captain in the 8th.
Rcgiment. The company officers of this corps were nearly all from
the Se(lentary Ï\lilitia, Norfolk County having furnished three.
Opposed to this small force was an effective an(l well equipped ar-
my of 175.000 men.
From the 17th. June, 1812, a state of war existed betwecn the
Unitcd States and Great Britain and her dcpendenciLs, but it was some
days later before this news was known in Burford.
:\[ajor Gencral Isaac Brock, now acting as Lieut. Governor and
Commander of His Majesty's Forces in this part of Uppcr Ca.'nada,
decided to au'gment his small army by calling out a portion of each
l\lilitia Rcgiment.
Residing in Norfolk County was a man of education and great
ability, Robert Nichol who on the 12th February, 1812 ha(l hcen appoint

216

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

ed Lt-Co1. commanding 2nd Regiment Norfolk :Militia. ßrock's sym-
pathies had been enlisted in his behalf, when four months previously
the former had been hastily and forcibly brought before the Bar of
the House to answer to some frivolous charges. One of the first ap-
pointments made by General Brock was the promotion of Lt-Co1. Nichol
to be Quartermaster General of 11ilitia.
The Fourth Session of the Fifth Provincial Parliament under the
Presidency of General Brock, which met at York on the 3rd day of
February, had passed an act to explain, amend and reduce to one Act
of Parliament, the several laws, then in being, for the raising and trai-
ning of the Militia of this Province. By virtue of this Act, power was
vested in the person administrating the Government for forming Flank
Companies, to be taken indiscriminately from the Battalions, but this
organization was limited to the end of the ensuing season. Gen. Brock
however was not altogether satisfied with this arrangement and hesita-
ted at first to expend money upon a system, which would cease to ope-
rate before its utility and efficiency could be ascertained. However
in the month of April a commencement was made, in the organization of
the Flank Companies, so often mentioned in the operations on the Nia-
gara Frontier. .
On the 8th day of April, 1812, the General addressed a communi-
cation, dated from York, to the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Nor-
folk, which explains the procedure for the organization and equipment
of this force, which he had estimated would number from 1800 to 2000
men.
"Being anxious at this important crisis to organize an armed force,
with a view of meeting future exigencies, and to demonstrate by prac-
tical experiences the degree of facility with which the l\Iilitia may be
trained for service, I have to request you to adopt immediate measures,
for forming and completing among such men as voluntarily offer to
serve, two companies, not to exceed one captain, two subalterns, two
sergeants, one drummer and thirty five rank and file each, in the regi-
ment under your command.
You will have the goodness to recommend two captains, whom you
conceive the best qualified, to undertake this important duty ; the nomi-
nating of subalterns is left to your discretion.
Such other regiments, as are conveniently situated to receive mili-
tary instructions, shall have an opportunity afforded them of showing
their ardour in the public service, which cannot fail ot creating a lau-
dable emulation among the different corps.
Assisted by your zeal, prudence and intelligence, I entertain the
pleasing hope of meeting with very considerable success, and of being
able to establish the sound policy of rendering permanent to the end of

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

217

the present war, a mode of military instructions little burdensome to
individuals, and every way calculated to secure a powerful internal
defence against hostile aggression.
Printed rules and regulations for your future guidance are herewith
forwarded. The most simple and at the same time the most useful
movements have been selected for the practice of the :l\Iilitia.
Experience has shown the absolute necessity of adopting every pos-
sible precaution, to preserve in a proper state, the arms issued to the
:i\Iilitia, and of guarding against the hea,'y defalcations which have
heretofore occurred.
You will make application to the Officer commanding at Fort
Erie, for the number of arms and accoutrements wanting to complete
the men actually engaged to serve in the flank companies, and that Offi-
cer will be instructed to comply with your requisition, upon your trans-
mitting to him duplicate receipts, one of which is to be forwarded to
Headquarters, that you become responsible for the articles delivered to
your order, at the same time the most liberal construction will be given
to any representation accounting for such contingencies as are incidental
to the service."

Colonel Claus severs his connection with the 1 st Oxford.

On the 27th day of June, 1812, a District General Order was issued
by authority of Gen. Brock, appointing the Hon. Co!. Claus to command
the 11ilitia stationed between Kiagara and Queenston. The same order
promoted Lt-Col. Nichol, 2nd Norfolk :\Iilìtia, to be Q. :\1. General.
Col. Claus was also appointed Col. of the 1st Regiment of Lincoln l\lili-
tia, and to succeed him in command of the 1 st Oxford, Gen. Brock had
selected a clever young lawyer residing at Dover, Norfolk County.
Henry Bostwick, appointed Lt-Col. in UH2, displayed great prudence,
talent and energy in the discharge of his duties, and became conspi-
cuous on various occasions. Instructions, similar to those received by
Lt-Col. Nichol, were given to Col. Bostwick and immediately upon his
assuming command of the Oxford 11ilitia he proceeded to thoroughly
reorganize the Regiment and to place the fighting Flank Companies in
such a state of efficiency, as would enable them to tale the field at a
moment's notice.
\Ve should state here, that the Deputy Lieut. had some time pre-
viously been compelled to resign his position, owing to differences with
the Governement, so that neither Capt. Horner or his aspiring rival,
Capt. 11allory, had any connection with the Regiment when the hour
of trial came.

218

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

As now constituted, the 1st Regiment Oxford Militia, consisted of
SIX Companies and twenty five Officers, as follows

War Establisment.

1st Regiment Oxford Militia 1812-13-14.

Engagements

Detroit, Aug. 12th, 1812.
Fort Erie, Nov. 28th, 1812.
Lundy's Lane, July 25th, 1814.
Malcolm Mills, 6th Nov., 1814.

RANK NAMES DA TE of COMMISSION.
Lieut. Col. Henry Bostwick 27th. June, 1812.
Major Sykes Tousley 19th. May. 1812.
Adjutant John Eakins
Quartermaster Ensign Wm. McCarthy
1st Flank Company.
Captain Marvel White 5th. Sept., 1807.
Lieutenant Joseph Baker
" John Williams
2nd Flank Company.
Captain John Carrol
Lieutenant Bla Brewster Brigham
" William Botsford
Rifle Company.
Captain Bla Brewster Brigham 5th. Nov., 1812.
Lieutenant Abner Owen
Battalion Companies
Cap

ins John Secord 11 July, 1812.
John Malcolm
Da vid Curtis
Edward Watson
Ichahod Hall
Lieutenants Jacob Yeigh
.. J ames Harris 14th. July, 1812.
\ViIIiam Teeple
Finlay Malcolm
Ensi,?"ns Abner Decou
Henry Carroll 13th. July, 1812.
J saac Burdick 11th July, 1812
Francis Carron 14th. July, 1812.
Daniel Brown

Sykes Tousley, an able and distinguished soldier of the \Var, was
promoted l\1ajor on the 19th ::\Iay, IS12. Commanded the Flank Com-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

219

pames In the London District. His first commission was as Lieut.
in 1803, Capt. 1807. Received Prince Regent's Land Grant.
Lt-Col. Bostwick was but 30 years of age, when appointed to the
command of the 1st Oxford. He was placed on duty by a direct order
f rom General Brock to Col. Talbot, and served throughout the \ Var with
both the Flank and Battalion CompanieS'. After the \Var, he was one
of the Permanent Board on Militia Pensions, created 24th 11ay, 1816.
He did not live long to enjoy this howevcr, having died at \Yoodhouse
on 27th July, 1816.
Adjutant John Eakins fought at Detroit, with a detachment of the
Oxford 11ilitia, for which he received medal and clasp, also Prince Re-
gent's Land Grant. He was ordered on duty by Col. Talbot.
Lieuts. Joseph Baker and John \Villiams, were afterwards trans-
ferred to Capt. John Carrol's Company, but Lieut. \Yilliams served
again in the Burford Company. Lieut. \\ïlliams Botsford also served
under Capt. \ Yhite. Later on both Baker and Botsford deserted and
joined the enemy.
According to the records, Capt. J olm Carrol was taken prisoner by
the enemy and while held as such was killed by the fire of the Cana-
dian :Militia.
Lieut. Bla Brewster Brigham, was promoted Captain 5th Nov.,
1812. lIe had received permission to organize a Rifle Company, the
members of which were composed of sharp-shooters, taken from the
Oxford and 1Iiddlese x Regiments. Capt. Brigham was present at
Detroit with his Riflemen, and at the close of thc \Yar receive medal
and clasp and Prince Regent's Land Grant. In lR34, Bla Brewster
Brigham was placed in command of the 1st Oxford, with rank of
Lieut. Col. and appointed a :i\Iagistrate. Promoted Col. Feb. 8th, 1838.

The call for active service.

In Sunday July 19th, Capt. \\Thite rcceived onlers from Headquar-
ters, to call out his men for active service. The Sergeants were obliged
to warn the members, by calling on each one personally, no small labour
in these early days of bad roads an(l a scattered population, the whole
township at this period did not contain over 400 souls.
Capt. l\Iarvcl \\'hite's Flank Company, was first assembled at Bur-
ford Village on the morning of Tuesday, July 21st 1.nd on that datc
faced thc stern realities of a soldier's life. \\'e present here thc names
of this, the first purely V oluntccr Company organized in Burford. It
must be rcmembered, that these men had come forward voluntarih r
and offercd to sen c against the encmy in any part of the Province. Th

220

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

names of this war time 1lilitia Company, and the renumeration allowed
for their service, should prove interesting to present and future Mili-
tary readers of this work.
Service Roll of the 1st. Flank Company of the 1st. Regiment of
Oxford 1filitia, Burford, July 21st, 1812.

RANK NAMES
Captain Marvel White
Lieutenant Joseph Baker
" J olm Williams
Ser.
eant Peter Martin
Adam Yeigh
Private Abram Rounds
u George Rouse
Samuel Winkin
.. Herman Barns
" Sam. Chapple
II George Lane
.. Joseph Davis
" Isaac Kipp
" Ethan Burch
Alanson Rease
.. John David
.. John Woodley
Jolm Green
John V ollock
John Emmons

RANK

Private
..

..

cc
..

..

II

NAMES

Henry Pelton, Jr.
Josiah Rouse
Nathaniel Landon
Gordon Chapple
John Graham
Elijah Mudge
Jonathan Kipp
Samuel Doyle
Abraham Decou
Robert Greason
Jacob Stephen
Josiah Brown
Isaac tJptergrove
Peter Shorfrith
Henry Willsey.

Before continuing the records of the further history of the 1st Regi-
'ment Oxford 1\.1ilitia, some account, however short, of the services
of the Officers and men of this famous old corps, during the vVar with
the United States, will help us to remember that they were soldiers, not
only in name but in reality.
As already stated, Capt. \Vhite and his Company of two Lieuts. two
Sergts, and 31 rank and file, commenced active service on the 21st. day of
July, 1812. They remained in Burford until the 25th, and then set out on
their march to Oxford, where they met Col. Bostwick, :Major Tousley
and Capt. Carrol with his 2nd. Flank Company.
Co1. Bostwick had received information, that a party of Americans
had started trouble in Delaware town and he now only awaited the arrival
of Lieut. W. H. lVlerritt, with a detachment of Niagara Dragoons, who had
left the frontier on 28th July, passed through Burford on the 30th. and
reached Oxford on the 31st.
It is interesting to note here, that these Dragoons were the first
mounted Militia men ever seen in Oxford County. During the war
they, also Capt. Coleman's Troop of Provincial Dragoons, were the
only bodies of Militia Calvalry which performed efficient active servi-
ce, a Mounted men, in the whole of Upper Canada.
The Niagara Dragoons under 1\.1ajor Merritt, and their successors,

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

221

the Provincial Dragoons under Capt. \V. H. 11erritt, performed most
distinguished service during the great conflict. At the time of their
first meeting with the Burford Militia, Lieut. :Merritt was but 19 years
of age, a mere lad, but one endowed with the wisdom and foresight of
an experienced soldier.
Some sixty years later, the successors of 1\lerritt's Niagara Dra-
goons and the first Burford Cavalry, were to form part of one of the
first Cavalry Regiments organized in Canada and continue to be closely
associated together for a period of some 37 years.
To return to the movements of the Oxford
1ilitia on the 31st July,
1812. On the following day the Dragoons set out for Delaware and
were followed at a slower pace by Col. Bostwick's :Militia.
ArriYing at their destination, a number of prisoners were secured;
the whole party then returned to Oxford. Lieut. l\ierritt with his
mounted men now conveyed the prisoners to Burford, where he met
1Iajor r. L. Chambers, 41st Reg., Dep. Asst. Q. :\1. General, who had
with him 40 regulars and 100 l\Iilitia. This Officer directed Lieut.
1\.lerritt to carry his prisoners to Fort George and deliver them to the
Officer in charge of the .l\Iilitary Prisons. :\Iajor Chambers also re-
quested Lieut. ::\lerritt to rejoin him again, as soon as possible, with as
many of his Troop as could be spared. He was back in Burford with
18 troopers within a few days.
On the 9th August, they left Burford for Dover to meet General
Brock. On the 10th. a detachment of the 1st Oxford started for Am-
herstburg, to join the troops under General Brock. On Aug 14th. a
District General Order was issued from Brock's Headquarters, Fort
Amherstburg, forming the troops in the \\Testern District into three
Brigades. The first under Lt-CoI. St. George, to consist of detach-
ments of the Royal 1\ewfoundland Regiment and of the l(ent and fir
t
and second Regiments Essex l\Iilitia. The second, under the cOnU1mnd
of l\1ajor Chambers, consisting of fifty men of the 41st Regiment, an 1
the whole of the detachments of York, Lincoln, Oxford and Norfo
k
1Iilitia. The third Brigade, under the command of l\fajor Tallon, to
consist of the remainder of the 41st Regiment. At 3 o'clock A. 1\1. on
the morning of the 16th August, 1812, l\Iajor Chambers Brigade cros-
sed the River, his Militia men being clothed in the cast off uniforms
of the 41st Regiment which had been distributed to the former the pre-
vious day. This not only helped to deceive the enemy, as to the numbe!"
of Regular soldiers opposed to them, but gave the l\1ilitia that feeling of
"Esprit de corps" and pride in the service, which cannot be felt by the
citizen soldier, unless properly clothed and equipped.
In the attack on Fort Detroit, which followed the crossing of the
British and Canadian troops to l\lichigan territory, the 1\.Iilitia mcn were

222

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

well to the front and gave a good account of themselves, some of the
1st. Oxford being among the first to enter the Fort on the 17th, after
the capitulation of General Hull and his entire army. The following
day they were ordered to return to Oxford, and for a short period
were given leave of absence, to attend to the gathering of their crops.
The next engagement of note, in which the 1st Oxford took part,
was that at Fort Erie, Nov. 2
th, 1812. .A detachment was also pre-
sent, at that most famous battle of the \Var, "Lundys Lane," and were
among those who were warmly thanked by Lieut. General Drummond
for their services in that sanguinary struggle. Their part in the fight
at Malcolms Mills will be found in a separate chapter.

lVIilitia General Order

Headquarters Fort George

26 August, 1812.

l\1ajor General Brock has ever felt anxious to stuùy the comforts
and convenience of the :Militia, but the conduct of the detachments
which lately accompanied him to Detroit has, if possible, increased his.
anxiety on this subject. The present cessation of hostilities, enables
him to dispense with the services of a large proportion of them, for a
short period. Officers commanding, will grant permission to any num-
ber of the flank companies now doing duty, not excet:aing four fifths
of the whole, to return to their homes, but the men will be particularly
directed to hold themselves in readiness to return at a moment's notice.
The Major General is pleased to direct, that a general inspection
of the Regiments in the Home, Niagara and London Districts be imme-
diately made. Col. Talbot will inspect the different regiments in the
London District. At these Inspections, every man liable to serve i:.
expected to be present, and such as are absent are to bt:: accounted for,
under the following heads :-
First. Age and infirmity.
Second. Quakers.
Third. Absentees, distinguishing from what cause.
It is expected that every individual, residing within the limits of a
regiment, shall be accounted for.
A regular roll of each Company will be prepared by the respective-
Captains and countersigned by the Officer commanding the Regiment.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

223

On the night of the 12th
ovember, 1813, Lt-Col. Bostwick, being
on a visit to his family in Dover, led a party of the Norfolk :Militia on an
expedition down the Lake, for the purpose of intercepting and if possi-
ble capturing a party of armed marauders from BuffaIo, who were
reported to be plundering and making prisoners of the inhabitants. On
the 13th they came in contact with the invaders and succeeded in sur-
rounding and making prisoners of most of the party, when it was
founù that a number of them were men who resiùed, or had formerly
resided, in Norfolk. The prisoners were conveyed to Burlington, tried
for high treason, convicted and eight of them were hanged on the 20th
July, 181-1-.
In the month of May, 1914, while on the march with his regiment
to protcct the magazines at Burlington, Col. Bostwick's house at Dover
and all his moveable property, were destroyed by a party of the enemy,.
who had landed for the purpose of committing such depredations.

Burford During the War.

During the war, Burford was a place of much importance, situated
like Oxford on the great military highway betwecn the Niagara and
Detroit frontiers, these two villages were the only points of any impor-
tance in the interior of the \ Vestern part of the Province, detachments
of various corps were frequently directed to concentìate at Burford,.
or to advance or retire to Burford. From here reinforcements could
be dispatched to the \Vest, to the East or to the South. To the North
was one unbroken wilderness.
I Iere on a Sunday morning a few clays after thc shameful and di-

astrous defcat of Cen. Procter by the American \rmy under Harri-
son, thcre came a largc and motlcy asscmblage of \\' estern Indians,
\Vyandote<;, Delawares, .:\Iaravians, l\Iunsies, Chippewa
, Hurons. San-
kes and l\lusquakies, Shawanes and Ilurons, with their wives and fa-
milics, in all ahout 1300 souls. The warriors to thc number of one
thousand fighting men had been induced by Gcn. Procter to follow him
in his retrcat from Detroit, on thc assud.nce that once undcr the guns
of a mythical fort, which
'.as
t1pposed to cxist somcwhere on the banks
of the Thamcs, thcir families would be in safety and a sure rctreat for
themseh es would be at hand.
Lt-Col. l\latthew Elliott, a brave and distinguished officer, super-
intendant of Indian Dept. Amhersuurg, was in command of the refu-
gees. On arriving in Burford the Indians made camp on the North
side of the King's Highway, in what is now the \\.cstern part of the
Village and adjacent to the l\lill Stream. Col. Elliott now sent \\ï1liam
Elliott, Lieut. in the Indian Dept. and Capt. 2nd Flam..:: Company, 1st

224

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Essex Regiment, back to Delaware to meet the remainder of the In-
dians, some 700 in number, and on the 22nd Oct., HH3, he rejoined
Col. Elliott, when the whole party, now numbering some 2000 souls,
continued their retreat to Burlington.
It is much to the credit of these Indians to state, that during their
stay in Burford, no depredations or no excesses of any kind were com-
mitted by them upon the peaceable inhabitants or their property. Mat-
thew Elliott was also Col. of the 1st Regiment Essex Militia and repre-
sented Essex in the Provincial Legislature 1801-12.
1fost of the Military correspondence, sent out from Burford du-
ring the vVar, was dated from the home of Lieut. Jacob and Sergt.
Adam Yeigh. Here the many Officers of His Majesty's regular army
or the l\Iilitia Officers on duty, were always sure of a warm welcome,
when passing through or when stationed in Burford, and no members
of the Burford Militia rendered more efficient or more effective service,
nor did the members of any of the old families extend more cheerful
aid or more generous hospitality than those of this family. It is well to
remember these facts, when perusing the political records of this Town-
ship, during that period in its history when there was no political free-
dom in the land.
In the month of March, 1814, Lt-General Drummond sent se':.'ret
and confidential instructions to 11ajor Gen. Riall, for directing t
,;
operations of his Division. In case of certain eventualities, he was
advised to move the troops from Burlington and take a position at
Burford, when the detachments, then at Long Point and Oxford, couJd
fall back on them and the whole, with the Indians and Ivlilitia, form a
corps of observation sufficient to keep the enemy's force in check and
cover his rear.
In any case he was instructed to station an officer and twenty men
at Burford, to watch the road from Detroit and also to give notice of
any advance from that direction to the Officer Commanding at Long
Point, that his retreat might not be cut off by the enemy reaching the
Grand River before him.
In the month of April, 1814, a detachment of Capt. vV. H. Merritt's
Provincial Dragoons, under Lieut. Charles Ingersoll, were stationed in
Burford. Forage was so scarce, it was with the greatest difficulty that
a sufficient quantity could be procured for the Horses. Lieut. Inger-
soll's Headquarters were at the Yeigh Home. \Vhile here he received
word that Major Tousley had been made prisoner while at his home in
Oxford, by a party of the enemy led by one Westbrook, a former resi-
dent of Delaware. This \Vestbrook was very active auring the \Var
in leading raiding parties to attack and plunder through aU that part of
the country \Vest of Burford, in which he was well acquainted.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

225

On the 30th Aug., 1814. \Vestbrook, with a following of nearly
100 men, suddenly made their appearance at the homes of Capts. Hall,
Carrol and Curtis, of the Oxford :Militia, and carried them off in their
retreat as prisoners of \Var ; a most outrageous proceeding contrary to
all the usages of civilized warfare. Not content with that, the marau-
ders arrested all of the settlers they could find and threatened to carry
them off also, unless they made oath not to serve against the invaders.
It is satisfactory to know, that these Officers of the 1st Oxford did
not long remain in the hands of their captors. Lieut. Rapelje of the
Norfolk l\lilitia, had learned of their raid into Oxford and :L\Iiddlesex
and with a party of his men lay in wait for them near Delaware.
\Vith their prisoners and their plunder, the robbers were leisure-
ly persuing their way towards Detroit, not expecting any pursuit or
attack from the harrassed Canadians and congratulating themselves on
the success of their nefarious work, when without warning, their re-
treat was cut short by a well directed volley from Lieut'. Rapelje's men.
\Vithout waiting to see what was the strength of the party opposed to
them, the enemy at once hastily retreated towards Oxford leaving se.
,-eral dead upon the field and all their plunder, consisting of Horses,
Cattle and pruvisions of various kinds.
Capts. Hall and Curtis, after their rescue, returned to Oxford
escorted by their friends. Capt. Carrol most unfortunately received a
vall in the breast, fired by his rescuers at the first discharge of their
muskets and shortly afterwards cxpircd, greatly regretted for his many
exccllent qualities. By his untimely end, the 1st Oxford lost one of
its best and most efficient officers and his country, a brave and gallant
dcfender.

The Invasion of Burford.

It was on the 22nd of October, HH4-, that a large party of mounted
men set out from Dctroit fur the purposc of making an extended raid
into the Province of Uppcr Canada, thcir mall objcct was to devastate
the country by dcstroying its rcsourccs and ultimately to paralyze any
efforts which might be made against that place during the winter. This
forcc which numbcred ovcr one thousand, was composcd for the most
part of an undisciplined hordc of adventures from the frontiers of
Kcntucky and Ohio, who individually looked forward to a period of
unliccnsed rapine and plunder. Thcrc was also a party of .. \mcrican
ImEans and a few
Iichigan 1lilitia, vut the lattcr, to their honor bc it
said, on finding out the nature of the frcc-booting raid, all rcturned to
thcir homes.

226

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

They were under the command of an officer who had been one of
Gen. Hull's Staff, at the surrender of Fort Detroit in 1812, viz : Co!.
1IcArthur, who now held the rank of Brigadier Gen., with him were
Majors Todd and Dudley, Capts. Bradford and Rutland, and a Dr.
Turner. At this period, all the country adjacent to :Malden and Sand-
wich was practically dominated by the American Army, congregated at
Fort Detroit, but to prevent any news of the intended raid leaking out,
the expedition was led north, and having circled Lake St. Claire, they
reached Moravian Town on the 8th day out. They were all well moun-
ted and from here they swept eastward, reaching Oxford three days
later.
On their march the peaceable inhabitants were plundered of their
stock and valuables, and on the slightest resistance their houses and
barns were given to the flames, 1Ieantime the Oxford :Militia under
Col. Bostwick
ad assembled at Burford Village and awaited the next
move of the enemy. McArthur having arrived at Oxford, and finding
no force to oppose his further advance, or to protect the inoffensÎ\re
Canadians from the assaults and outrages of his ruthless band of bri-
gands and robbers, decided to make for Burlington, which his spies
informed him was but weakly garrisoned.
Learning of his intentions, and that the route of the raiders would
be to the Grand River Ferry, through the Village of Burford, two men,
residents of Oxford, named Jacob \Yood and George Nichol, started
at 3 a. m., on the morning of the 5th ).Jovember, and truee hours later
they were in Burford and at once notified Col. Bostwick, who after
consulting with his Officers, among whom were, Jacob Yeigh, John
Secord, J 01111 and Findlay 1\Ialcolm, decided, that with the small force
at his command, about 150 men, it was impossible to oftcr any effective
resistance to the approaching troops of ruffianly bandits and they at
once marched to 11a1colm's l\Iills. to effect a junction with the Norfolk
.Militia under Col. Ryerson and there await further orders.
Before leaving Oxford on the morning of the 5th Nov., 11cArthur
learned of the departure of \Vood and Nichol and what their object \\'2.S.
This information was imparted to him by a villainous informer and
traitor named Bazely, who imagined that the province was now forever
lost to Britain, and in addition to his betrayal of \Yooò and :Kichol, he
gave the names of many of the loyal officers and prominent men, who
were ender arms and had served or were then serving in the Oxford
-:\Iili1:a. On securing this information, detachments were at orice sent
out to burn and destroy the homes and bclongings of the two patriots and
of the.Ee men who were but fighting for their homes a'lc.1. for their coun-
try. Such acts of barbarity and oppression were c.-:ntrary to all the
acts of civilized warfare and would never have been perpetrated hy the

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

227

reguh. 1 .j s01diers of the U. S. Army. On lea\"Îng O\:ford this h.ìnle oÍ
undiscip!ined partisans spread out oye;:- the country like it t1ight of lo-
custs, to pillage and devour the lonly settler along the ::Stde roads and
Lad: :..:opcessions. .Kearing Burford the invaders l
arn.
d that Henry
Lester, Quarter l\Iaster Se;:-gt. of the Oxford
Iilitia, was absent with
Lis corps and a large body made an unwelcome visit at his home and
despoiled him of all his grain, roots and stock, but app<:ar to haye spa-
red Iris buildings. .
\Vhen the advance scouts of the raiders reached Burford Yillage,
early in the afternoon of the 5th Kovember, it can be imagined that
the good people, hearing of the atrocities already perpetrated on the
inhabitants, were in considerable fear and trepidation, this was the
first time and was to be the last that the in,'ader had planted his foot
on the free soil of loyal Burford, their yaliant defend
rs were absent,
their homes unprotected, they were now at the mercy of this motley
assembly of mounted raiders, who had left in their COlh se, a trail of
pillage and devastation. The enemy were all mounted, mostly on Ca-
nadian horses, stolen from the inhabitants during their passage, their
worn out and useless mounts having been discarded. There were many
led horses, loaded with plunder of every description.
The settlers of Burford had during the two proceeding years grown
accustomed to the passage and the presence of l\.lilitary bodies. The
road from Brant's Ford to Oxford had, in anticipation of trouble with
the U. S., and previous to the declaration of war, been greatly improved
by the Government, with a view to its use as a military highway between
the Detroit and Niagara frontiers. The frequent passage of uodies of
British Cavalry and Infantry, and the proximity of the Oxford
Iili-
tia, had givcn the inhabitants such a feeling of security, that the pre-
sence of any armed force of the enemy so far in the interior, ,'..-as but
a remote possibility. McArthur, had seized the opportunity when the
bulk of thc British army were hotly engaged on the Niagara Frontier,
in repelling the last desperate efforts of the .American Army under
General Brown to conquer the Province of Upper CanacIa. lIe deman-
ded to know the whcreabouts of the \Iilitia, \\'ho he knew had been but
a few hours previously stationed in Burford. On learning that they
had gone south alld after his men had seized all the obtainable stock
and provisions, not secrcted in the adjoining swamps by the thrifty house-
holders, l\.IcArthur gathered in his noisy, threatening, thei,.ing rab-
ble, most of whom were dressed in their hunting outfits and equipped
with scalping knives, tomahawks and long rifles, and startcd for the
river, which was reached early on the folIowing day.
It had been IVlcArthur's intention to cross the Grand River immedia-
tely and without regarding the 1\filitia at
[alcolm's
rills, but on his

228

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

arrival at the river, he learned of the retreat of General Brown and
the American Army, who had re-crossecl the Niagara, he also found on
the opposite shore an old acquaintance of his, I\lajor A. C. Muir of the
41st Regiment, with about 50 Militia and 50 Indians, the latter under
Tyoninhakarawen, posted ready to dispute his passage.
A scow used as a Ferry had, by the orders of Major Muir, been
sunk to prevent its use by the enemy. This officer, who had prefor-
mcd many meritorious acts on the Detroit frontier during the two pro-
ceeding years, immediately opened fire on the Kentuckey Riflemen.;
Lt-Col. Smelt of the 103rd Regiment was on the way with 200 men of
his corps to re-inforce Major !VIuir, also Lieut. Charlton with two six
pounders, but did not arrive in time to take any part in the engagement.
After a number of shots had been exchanged, !VlcArthur decicled not
to attempt a crossing. He gave as an excuse that the River was in
flood, and that there was nothing available out of which to construct
rafts.
This seems but a poor excuse when we consider that in the early
days, the \Vestern cowboy, with his string of led horses and thousands
upon thousands of cattle, yearly traversed the long trail {rom 11exico
to the middle vVest, successfully swimming his herds of stock across
the Rio Grande and all interveening rivers and streams, many of which
werc larger, deeper and swifter than our northern Grande. Had Brown's
army been still on the Canadian side of the Niagara rIver, and no
force prepared to oppose his crossing, the absence of the scow ferry
or the heigth of the water, would not have prevented the raiders from
attempting and completing a safe and successful passage.
Having destroyed all the mills in the \"Ícinity of the river, Mc-
Arthur now decided to mo,'e the main body of his force towards Oak-
land and engage the 11ilitia concentrated at :Malcolm's "Mills. Leaving
a part of his riflemen to engage the attention of the l\1ilitia and Indians
and prevent them following after and harrassing his retreat, he sent
another detachment down the river, to gÎ\-e the _ impression that he in-
tended to make a crossing at a lower point.

The Battle of Malcolm's Mills.

Scarcely any of the Historical writers of the war of 1812-14, ever
mention - this engagement, and those who do give us little or no infor-
mation regarding it. It has been referred to as the "Races of 11al-
colm's :rvlills", and some have tried to throw ridicule 011 the actions of
the militia and deride the efforts of the small band of undrilled, badly
equipped Militia men, who boldly planted themselves in the path of the

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

29

invaders, resolved to dispute the further passage of the most ruthless
horde of devastating ruffians that ever entered a civilized country.
fc-
Arthur hoped to surprise them, but through their scouts they were \n:
:
aware of his approach.
Entrenchments had been made on a slight elevation, on the west
side of the creck and breast-works thrown up. Behind these, the .l\lili-
tia quietly awaited the approach of the enemy. Thc first attack came
from their rear and was made by the Indian allies of the American Ge-
neral, who had been ordered to make a circuit and draw the fire of the
Canadians in that direction, while thc main body would make a direct
assault across the Creek and capture thc garrison. The Canadian's
made a determined resistence, and only after a hotly contested affair
and the loss of several of their men and being out-numbered four to
one, they at last decided on a rctrcat.
It is much to their credit, that being surrounded by such a superior
force and such and unscrupulous encmy, they did not surrender, but
were able to effect their retrcat with but a small loss. The American
General claimed in his despatches, to have inflicted a logs on the Cana-
dians of one Captain and 17 Privates killed, nine Privates wounded
and 3 Captains, 5 Subaltrans and 103 Privates made prisoners. \Ve
arc satisfied that these figures existed largely in his imagination and
were not verified by later developments. He admitted a loss of only
one killed and six wounded.
. To gi,.e some idea of the desperate resistance made by the Cana-
dian Militia and the dcadly accuracy of the Kentucky Riflcmen, we will
mcntion here the casc of one of the Oxford .l\Iilitia, who was left for
dead on the field. It was found that no less than 17 balls had pierced
his clothing, 7 of which had entercd his body, but being of a robust
constitution, he afterwards rccovered but partly lost the use of his left
arm.

Early on thc morning of thc 7th .l\fcArthur continucd his march
and headcù towards Port Dover, at which point he expected to receive
rc-inforccments. lIe had also expected them by the Grand River and
the detachment alrcady mcntioned which pcnetrated through the Grand
Rivcr swamp, in addition to their efforts to mislead the British troops,
now hurrying forward, made diligcnt enquiry as to thc arrival of any
boats at the mouth of the rÎ\'er.
Finding none had bcen heard of, thc raiders now commenced their
rctrcat towards Dctroit, through Norfolk and by way of the Talbot
H.oad, arriving at thcir headquartcrs on the 17th, having plundered and
burncd e,.erything in their path. H.esidcnts of :\ orfolk and the Talbot
settlement ha,.ing sufTercd much more scverely than those of Burford.

230

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

The Troops engaged at Malcolm's l\ílills on the 6th November,
.1814 were as follows :-
,

1st Regiment of Middlesex l\ílilitia, under 11ajor John Eakins.
1 st Regiment of Oxford Militia, under Lt. Col. Henry Bostwick.
1st Regiment of Norfolk lVIilitia, under Lt. Col. Joseph Ryerson,
and lVlajor \\'111. D. Bowen,-\vho became Lt. Col. of the
1st Oxford. in May, 1816.
2nd Regiment Norfolk Nlilitia, under :Major Ceo. D. Salmon. (the
Lieut. Col. of this corps, Robt. Nichol, having been ap-
pointed quartermaster General by General Brock, at the
commencemcnt of the war, was elsewhere on Staff Duty.)

porhe Further Career of Benajah Mallory.

\Ve will now take up the further career of Benajah 1Iallory, Bur-
ford's First lVIIilitia Captain and Oxford's Second representative in the
Provincial Legislature. After his failure to secure the appointment of
Deputy Lieutenant of tbe County and his defeat by Malhon Burwe.ll
at the election in the Spring of 1812, he left Burford, a sorely disap-
pointed man, to visit and confer with his friend and adviser Joseph
\\Tillcocks at Niagara.
vVhen in the Legislature, Mallory had been closely associated with
this individual, who in the House and in his journal, printed at Niagara,
had for long been a bitter and unyeilding opponent of the Executive.
It is stated that \Villcocks tendered an offer of his services to the
Government of Upper Canada, at the opening of hostilities, if so they
were refused. It was not long before he was in communication with
the Government of the State of N ew York, and eventually he was au-
thorized by the latter to organize and recruit in Upper Can.ada, for a
corps to be called the "Canadian Volunteers", to be at the disposal of
the United States for the Invasion of Canada. \Villcocks was pron 1 i-
sed the command, with the rank of Lt-Colonel and the selection of his
officers. This proposition he laid before Benajah lYlallory, with the
offer of a majority and a request for his assistance in gaining recruits
in Oxford County. vVe 'believe that at first the proposal was repugnant
to lVlallory, he had still many warm friends among his old :rvIilitia n'en
and as a large land owner in the Township of Burford, he had men.'
than one interest at stake.
Such a dangerous step on his part required grave consideration and
he returned to Burford, but the events now transpiring, only had a ten-
dency to make him more discontentecl, too restless to remain inac-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

231

tive, in the neighbourhood of his defeats, too irritated and incensed with
his political opponents to make an offer of his military services and the
request of an appointment to a suitable post, Benajah :Mallory at last
gave ear to the sinster advise of \Villcocks ; and in the early part of
the year 1813, he left Burford forever, to take service against the
country of his adoption in that traitorous Corps known as the Canadian
Volunteers, and to give him his due, there was, during the remainder
of the war, no more desperate or able fighter in the service of the ene-
my, than the first commanding officer of the Burford :\1ilitia.
\ Yhen hostilities ceased he held the rank of Lt.-Col. and we believe
that no officer in the United States forces better earned their promotion
than Benajah :\Iallory. It seems most unfortunate that such a man,
however much we must condemn his conduct, could not have been re-
tained in Burford, as a loyal and faithful subject of the King.
X 0 more able or efficient leader of the Burford :\lilitia could have
been found. \\"e ha\'e no intention to endeavour in any way to excuse or
palliate the treasonable course persued by the man, who was Burfords
first citizen more than one hundred years ago, but we feel satisfied,
that the frustration of all hi
military and political aspirations and the
murderous attack by personal enemies upon his home and person, al-
ready mentioned, were the causes which embittered his mind and in-
flucnced him in the reckless undertaking he now engaged in.
One of his first exploits was in the month of November, 1813,
when he suddenly appeared on the Eastern bank of the Grand River,
in the heart of the Indian Country, with some 30 well armed followers.
11allory was well known to mO.:3t of the chiefs, and was not molested
by them in any way. He communicated his arri,-al to Buffalo and sent
emmissairies to Burford and Blenheim, to try and securc recruits for
his party, the residents upon whom these individuals called and the in-
ducements held out to seduce thcm for thcir allcgiance, would make
an intcresting story if gi\ en in detail. i\S far however, as Burford
was concerncd the mission of l\lallory's cmmissaries proved a failure.
\Ye next hear of f'vlallory at the burning of Xiagara, on the night
of 10th. Decemher, lHl3. After this atrocious and dastardly act, com-
mitted by the orders of General ::\lcClure, 1lallory's Corps wcrc ordered
to Buffalo, thc)' had suffcrcd scverely during thcir recent raid
into
Canadian tcrritory, and were reduced to about 60 mcn.
General .:\IcClure now sent \\ïllcocks on a mission to Governor
Tompkins, and 1lallory in command of his corps was ordered to Schlos-
ser. Such a storm of indignation swcpt over the province after the
burning of Kiagara, on account of this wicked and cruel affair, which
caused untold suffering and privation among the pcaceable inhahitants,
that Lt.-Gen. Drummond determincd upon an act of rctribution. No

232

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

repudiation of General l'vlcClure's conduct haying been tendered to the
Commander-in-chief by the U. S. Government, a sufficient force of
British and Canadian troops, under l\Iajor General Riall, were ordered
to cross the Riyer on the night of the 18th. Dec., 1813, a;ld invade the
enemy's country. The destruction of Lewiston an.d Buffalo followed,
the country along the frontier being also deyastated.
An extract from a letter written by Genral :l\1cClure, to the Go-
vernor of the State of New York, informs us of l'vlajor Mallory's mo-
vements at this time.

Headquarters Buffalo, N. Y.

20th December, 1813.

Dear Sir :-

I am sorry to inform you that the enemy have invaded our country
in great force on the night of the 18th inst, at Lewiston. I had a small
detachment stationed there, consisting of about sixty men of Col. Grie-
ves Regiment and about forty Indians. The enemies allies appeared
in great numbers and surrounded our people, some fought their way
through, and those who have not come in I presume are cut to pieces.
The enemy is said to be 3000 strong.
Ivlajor Mallory being stationed at Schlosser, with Colonel \Vill-
cocks corps of Canadian Volunteers, advanced to Lewiston. He attac-
ked their advanced guards and drove them in. I have not heard from
him to-day, and have my fears of their being cut off. I have used every
exertion in my power to call forth the Militia of the neighbouring
counties, "en masse". About 400 l\1ilitia have arrived, but they are
more engaged in taking care of their families and property, by carrying
the into the interior, than helping us 'to fight, etc."
From this report it would appear that l\lajor Mallory was the only
officer in the American forces, who had offered any effective resistance
to the avenging troops under General Riall. Fears for his safety had
been expressed by General l\IcClure, but l\Iallory was not fated to fall
in this conflict as he turned up in Buffalo the following day with the
remnant of his Regiment.
It is interesting to note here the attitude of the State troops at this
period, as compared to their standing at the commencement of the war.
On April 13th, 1812, the numbers of the several brigades and Regi-
ments of Infantry and Cavalry, in the state of New York, was officially
reported as follows :-
Infantry Brigades 40. Regiments 160.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

233

Cavalry Brigades 3. Regiments 10.
To return to :Major :Mallory. In the Official report of the Briga-
dier General, sent to the United States Secretary of \Yar from Buffalo,
on the 22nd, December, detailing the operations on the Niagara fron-
tier, and the loss of Fort Kiagara to the British, we take the following.
":i\Iajor
lallory, who \\'
s stationed at Schlosser with about 40 (so
called) Canadian Volunteers, advanced to Lewiston Heights and com-
pelled the advanced guard of the enemy to fall back to the foot of the

Iountain. The 11ajor is a meritorious officer, he fought the enemy
two days and contested every inch of ground to the Tonawanda: Creek.
In these actions Lieut. Lowe 23rd. Regiment of the Unittd States
.Army and eight of the Canadian Y olunteers were killed."
General 11cClure did not long remain in Buffalo, his conduct of
the war was execrated by many prominent inhabitants of that Village
and the adjoining Country. He had been mobbed when passing through
the street, and according to his own account, he was grceted with cries
of "Shoot him", "Shoot him" and several muskets were discharged in
his direction. A resident of Erie, Pa, commenting on the destruction
of Lewiston and other places by the British, in a letter to a friend in
Pittsburg, concluded as follows :-
"This all arises from the wanton and abominable act of General
1IcClure in burning Newark, after he and his 11ilitia abandoned Fort
George, and indeed it will give a new aspcct to the war, which will no
doubt be carried on after this, more to satiate the reveugeful feeling of
commanders and individuals, than to obtain any great national benefit
from it."
:\lajor Mallory was left in Buffalo with instructions to repçrt events
to G
neral ,McClure, who was now in Batavia. On the 24th, December,
the former scnt a despatch, stating that Buffalo was in great danger,
as thc British regulars and the Canadian
Iilitia werc concentrating
their forces at Fort Erie. About this time the American General found
it cxpedient to issue a statement, addressed to the Public, in which he
cndeavoured to excuse and justify his conduct of the war. Among
other matters referred to, is the surprising statement, that he had paid
four hundred dollars to twenty artillerists, stationed at Lewiston, for
voluntecring thcir scrvices thrce wceks, but before the place was attac-
ked they nearly all deserted.
He praises thc services of 1Iajor
Iallory and calls him an officer
of geat merit, General
lcClure now decided to cff<:ce himsclf and
repue"ted :\Iajor Gcneral Hall, an able officer, to assume command of
the frontier. Hall arrivcd in Buffalo on the 25th, and found some
2,000 mcn of various corps, but in a disorganized state and everything
in confusion. ^ rcvicw was held on the 27th, among tt1e corps taking

234

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

part we find the Canadian Volunteers under Lt .Col. Mallory, to the
number of 97.
At midnight, on the 29th Dec., 1813, the long expected attack by
the British took place, by morning the latter to the numTJer of 965 Re-
gular, 50 Militia and 400 Indians, had effected a crossing and a gene-
ral engagement followed. Col. Mallory, with his corps of Canadian
Volunteers, was placed on the right wing of the American army and
found himself opposed to the left wing of the British; composed of
Regulars, Incorporated Militia and Indians. Mallory fought with his
usual courage, but nothing could withstand the steady unflinching ad-
vance of the British, the desertion of a portion of the American Militia,
when the battle opened, had weakened the latter forces as well as their
courage, but for sometime the ground was hotly contested and there
were many individual acts of bravery recorded upon both sides. 1\Iajor
General Hall finally found it necessa"ry to order a retreat, when with the
remnant of his force, he moved his headquarters to Batavia, leaving
l\Iajor Benajah .l\Iallory in practical command of the Niagara Frontier.
A high official, in a communication to the Governor of New York
State at this period, makes the following reference to Mallory, which
gives us some idea of the estimation in which he was held by his supe-
rIors.
"Colonels Davis and Brooks are good citizens but feeble men. Ma-
jor Mallory of the Canadian Volunteers, being more efficient, has in
effect the command of our frontier."
It was not for long however that Colonel Mallory was to retain
this prominence, the success of a militia officer, or of an officer con-
nected with a partizan corps, is sure to arouse the jealousy of many
officers connected with the regular army, men who in very many ins-
tances owe their position more to political influence than to any natural
ability, men who continually blame someone else for their own blun-
ders and defeats, and, are always found ready to claim the rewards due
to others, when there is a success or a victory.
By the machinations of some such individuals, Col. J'vIallory was
soon superseded, and the authority upon which he was commissioned was
questioned, the matter was brought before the Major General, and this
officer now refused to recognize Colonel 1\Iallory as an officer in the
United States service, on the grounds that his commission had not
emenated from the proper source, or been predicated upon any prior
regular commission.
The case was carried to Governor Tompkins, under whose autho-
rithy the Canadian Volunteers had been organized, in due time the fol-
lowing reply was received by Lieut. Colonel Mallory.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

235

Headquarters \\ïlliamsvilIe, Feb. 19th, 1814.

Lieut. Col. :Mallory,

Sir :-

I have the honor to inform you, by direction of 1Iajor General
Hall, that an answer, from His Excellency the Governor, had just been
received, to the letter of the General requesting to be informed in what
light he should consider appointments circumstanced as in yours and
the officers of your corps," to which His Excellency has been pleased
to reply in the following words :-"\\ïth respect to the brevet commis-
sions, of which you spoke in a former letter, I have written to General
\Vilkinson and he returns for answer, that they were given for a tem-
porary purpose and are not now to be regarded as giving their posses-
sors rank and pay."
The General deemed it due to you and the officers of your corps, to
communiacte thus early, the opinion which His Excellency, the Com-
mander-in-Chief entertains of your rank and claims.

I have the honor to be, etc.

(Signed) GEO. HOS:\IER.

After the close of the war, :\Iallory receivcd a grant of land from
the Unitéd States govcrnment, to compcnsate him for the loss of his
estate in Burford and he became a permancnt citizcn of the United
States. It is possible that subsequently he visited Burford and met
some cf his old friends, if so the writer has no recorJ of the event.

CHAPTER III.

MUSTER ROLLS A
D PAY LISTS. BURFORD BLENHEIM
AND OXFORD COMPANIES. PAY OF NEW YORK STATE
MILITIA. DETÀCHMENTS AT LONG POINT. SUSTE-
NANCE. PE
SIONEERS, BRANT AND OXFORD COUN-
TIES

I st Regiment Oxford Militia.

Pay Lists and Muster Rolls of the 1st Flank Company of the 1st Regi-
ment, Oxford IVIilitia, July 21st to July 24th, 1812, 4 days inclu-

lVe.

RANK

NAMES

Capt.
Lieut.
"

Marvel White
Joseph Baker
John \Villiams
Peter Martin
Adam Yeigh
_\braham Rounds
J as. Pelton, J r.
George Rouse
Josiah Rouse
Samuel Winkin
Nathaniel Landon
Herman Barns
Gordon Chapple
Sam Chapple
John Graham
George Lane
Elijah Mudge
Joseph Davis
Jonathan Kipp
Isaac Kipp
Samuel Doyle
Ethan Burch
Ahraham De COll
Alanson Rease
Robert Greason
J 01111 David
Jacob Stephen
John \Voodley
T osiah Drown
j olm Green

Ser,?t.
Pri vate
"

Rates of
Pay Per
Day

1.. S. D.
O. 10.6
O. 6.6
O. 6.6
O. O. 16
O. O. 16
O. O. 6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6'
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6

Amounts due.

L. S. D.
2.2.0
1. 6. 0
1. 6. 0
0.5.4
0.5.4
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
O. 2. 0
0.2.0
0.2.0
O. 2.. 0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Isaac Uptcrgro
e
J oim V ollock
Peter Shorf rith
John Emmons
Henry \Villscy
Total for Non. Com. Officers & Privates.

O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6
O. 0.6

Private
"

2'n

0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
O. 2. 0
0.2.0

i.3. 12. 8

I do hereby certify that the sum
of 3.12.8 has been actually and bona
fidë received for by me and paid to
the N. C. O. and Privates of this
Company as above stated.

Sworn before me at Burfcnl this
seventh Day of .May, 1813.

( Sgd.) Col. Thomas Talbot, J. p.

( Sgd.) !\Iarvel \ Vhite, Captain.

In these distressful days, when the preservation of the Country
depended largely upon the affection and loyalty of the settlers, it was
not a question of renumeration with the early soldiers of Burford, the
sentiment of patriotism was superior to every other consideration. \Vith
a population numbering but four hundred souls, the township provided
a company of stalwart militia men, who voluntarily came forward to
assist in the defence of their country, not for the paltry sum of six
pence per day, auout $3.75 per month, but from those motives of self
protection and mutual co-operation which every good citizen feels com-
pelled to take, when his own or his neighbors house is invaded or e:xpo-
sed to the unprovoked attacks of the burglar and the housebreaker.
.\ comparison of the rates of pay pre,'ailing in the Canadian :\Iili-
tia as comparcd with that grantcd to the New York State :Militia.

C
\
AlJI.\N :\[1 LIT I \

U. S. l\IILITL\

RA
K

PEl{ D.\ Y
L. S. D.
O. 14. 10
O. 12.0
O. 10.6
O. 6.6
O. 5.6
O. 1. 4
O. 0.6

R\KK

Licut-Cot.
Major
Capt.
Licut.
Ensign.
Scrgt.
I 'ri \'atl-

Cot.
Lt-Cot.
Major
Capt.
T t T .icut.
2nd Lieut.
Ensign

crg-t.
Cprporal
Pri\ ate

PER
IONTH

$75.00
60.00
50,00
40,00
30.00
25.00
20.00
11.00
10.00
8.00

238

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

It is not quite clear why this íÌ.rst pay shect of the Burford Compa-
ny was made out for four days only, the 4th day ending on a Friday, as
the Company continued on active duty and all future pay sheets were
made out monthly.

Pay Lists and Muster Rolls of Capt. :Marvel \Yhite's Burford Company
of the 1st Oxford l\Iilitia, from July 25th, to August 24th, 1812,
inclusive, 31 days.

RANK

Capt.
Lieut.

Se
ft.
Private
"

NAMES

Man-el \Vhite
\Villiam Botsford
J olm \Villiams
Peter Martin
Adam Yeigh
Abraham Rounds
Henry Babcock
J ames Pelton, Jr.
George Reade
Josiah Rouse
Samuel \Vinkin
Nathaniel Landon
Herman Barns
Gordon Chapple
Samuel Chapple
John Graham
George Lane
Elijah Mudge
Joseph David
Jonathan Kipp
J saac Kipp
Samuel Doyle
Ethan Burch
_-\hraham De Cou
AJanson Rease
Robt. Greason
J olm David
John \Voodley
Josiah Brown
T aIm Green
Peter Shorfrith
J olm V ol1ock
T saac U ptergrove
Tohn Emmons
Henry \Vi11sey

Total for Non. Com. Officers & Privates.

D:\YS
31
"

u
c,
.,

Cc

c,
.,
.,
.,

.,

.,

.,

.,

.,
.,

.,

.,
.,

.,

.,
"
.,

1

20
20
31
.,

20

AMOUNT
Ð6. 5.6
10. 1. 6
10. 1. 6
2. 1. 4
2. 1. 4
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 7.6
O. 10.0
O. 10. 0
O. 15. 6
O. 15.6
O. 10.0
26.3.2

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

239

Sworn before me at Burford this
sevcnth Day of :May, 1813.

(Signed) Col. Thom. Talbot, J. P.

I do hereby certify that the sum
of i26.3.2 has been actually and
bona fide received for by me and
paid to the Non. Com. Officers and
Privates of this Co. as above stated.

(Signed) l\larvel \Yhite, Capt.

Com. above Coy.

Iuster Roll of a Detachment of the First Flank Company of the Oxford
l\Iilitia, from the 25th No\'. to the 2-1- Dec., 1812, both days inclu-
ded.

PERIO
BAXK KA
lES
YRO\l
Lieut. \ W m. ßot..ford
5th Ko\".
,John \Villtams 25th ..
He

t. I Peter )lartin
5th II
IEd\\urd Logun :!:Jth II
1'1'Ï\ ate Henry Bahcock I :!.')th "
.Jonah Bm\\ n I:!.;th
Ant'hv \\" c
throok '2;')th . ,
(;odfl'
Y Huffman :!,ïth
.James Carrol l'l;;th
.Joll/ltlJan (:r:.JI,lm :!.ït h
Pd
r Phillips ':!.ïth ..
Henr) Ballcock :!5th II

D AMOCNT
Days
TO cB R d
1!J l>ec. :!5 S. 2. 6.
211 ..
:) H.
. 6. cB16. 5. O.
:W ..
Ii J. 14. "\.
:J) .. :,W 1. H. S.

I) .. :!Ii O. l:t O.
21) .. 2() U. ) :'t U.

n II
Ii II. 13. n.
.w " =.!6 O. )3 U.

U "
t.i 0. J :{. II.
:!II II :!6 U. J:J. n.
:.!u " :W (I. I ;{. U.
2-1 II :u O. 15. (j H. 15. 10.

I hereby certify that the persons abü\'e namcd were doing duty for
the pcriod stated annexed to thcir names.

( Signe I) JOT IX \YILLL\:\IS,
Commanding Company.

First Regiment of Oxford Mi(itia.

:\Iu
te. Roll of thc
ccond Flank Company undcr thc command of
Captain Juhn Carrul, from the 21st, July to the 2-1-th Day of July,
1:--: 12. -1- (lay
indu
i, e.

240

THE HISTORY OF BURFORP

R.\NK

N.\
IES

A
IOUNTS DUE
1.2. 2. 10
1. 6. 0
1. 6. 0
O. 5.4
O. 5. 4
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
O. 2. 0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
0.2.0
3. 16. 8

Capt.
Lieut.
Ser.
t.
Private
..

"
"

"
"

J olm Carrol
\Vm. Botsford
James Johnston
Orme Marks
Nathan LJurch
Ed ward Logan
Caleb Burdick
Henrv Lewis
_ \rclld Durch
Dan'l Shaw
Sam'l Lewis
\Varner Dagert
.\dam Dodge
Rohert Clark
Isaac
lcNames
Ethan Fuller
Dan'l Carrol
James James
\\'m. Underwood
Godfrey Huffman
J ahez Thornton
Garrit Stevens
Barn. Flanagan
Sam'l Sage
\\'111. Cartwright
Hiram Baily
Elijah Harris
Peter 11cN ames
_\h-a Ludington
John Sevins
James _\llan
J olm Briant
Da vid Graham
. \lanson Tousley
Comfort Sage
Dan'l Durch
_ \ rch' d Hickly

I do hereby certify that the sum
of 3. 16. 8 has been actually and
bona fide received for and paid to
the
on Com. Officers, Drummers,
Fifers, Private
Ien of this Com-
pany as above stated.

Sworn before me at Burford the
íth day of l\Iay, 1813.

(Sgd.) Thomas Talbot, J. P.

(Signed) John Carrol, Captain.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

241

J st Regiment Oxford Militia,

Capt. J. Carrols' Company, from July 25th to Aug. 24th, 1812, 31 days
inclusive.

Capt.
Lieut.
Se

ts.
Private
"
"

"
"

"

"

"

"

John Carrol
Joseph Baker
Trueman Johnson
Comfort Marks
Nathan Burch
Edward Logan
Caleb Burdick
Henry Lewis
Arch. Burch
Daniel Shaw
Sam Lewis
\Varner Dagert
Adam Dodge
Robert Clark
Isaac .MeN ames
Ethan Fuller
Daniel Carrol
James James
Wm. Underwood
Godfrey Huffman
Jahez Thornton
Garrit Stevens
Barn. Flanagan
Samuel Sage
\Vm. Cartwright
Hiram Baily
Elijah Harris
Peter
IcN ames
Alva Ludington
John Sevins
James Allan
John Briant
David Tousley
Comfort Sage
Daniel Burch
Archibald Hickley

Ð6. 5. 6
10. 1. 6
2. 1.4
2.1.4
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. IS. 6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15. 6
O. 15.6
O. 15. 6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15. 6
O. 15. 6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15. 6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
i28. 18. 8

Sworn before me at Willoughby the
7th day of May, 1813.

(Signed) THOS. TALBOT, J. P.

I do hereby certify that the sum of i28. 18. 8 has been actuallY and
bona fide received for and P aid to the Non. Com. Officers Drum
mers
, ,
Fifers and Private Men of this Company as above stated.

(Signed) ]OIIl'; CARROL, Capt.

212

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

First Regiment of Oxford Militia.

Pay Lists and :Muster Rolls of Captain Carrol's Company, 23rd. Sept.
tû 24th. Oct. 1813, 30 days.

RANK

Lieut.
.'

Sergt.
,.

,.

"

Privates
"

"

..

.e

ee

"
"

.,

"
"
ee

.,

NAMES

L. S. D.
15. 15. 0
9.15.0
9. 15.0
2. 0.0
2. 0.0
2. 0.0
2. 0.0
O. 15.0
O. 15.0
O. 15. 0
O. 15.0
O. 15. 0
O. 15. 0
O. 15. 0
O. 15. 0
O. 15.0
O. 15. 0
O. 15.0
O. 15.0
O. 15. 0
O. 15.0
O. 15. 0
O. 15. 0
O. 15. 0
O. 15.0
O. 15. 0
O. 15. 0
O. 15. 0
O. 15. 0
O. 15. 0

John Carrol,
Joseph Baker,
William Botsford,
Peter Martin,
Firman Johnson,
Hiram De cou,
Hugh Malcolm,
Elijah Mudge,
Lewis Craw,
Jonathan Graham,
Edward Logan,
.-\.lanson B. Pear,
J ames Carrol,
1 ra Allen,
Josiah Brown,
Noah Brown,
Peter Malcolm,
Jacob Lafter,
Henry Babcock,
John Malcolm,
Isaac McNamara,
Anthony Westbrook,
Ben. Suchmore,
Jacob Keeper,
Abraham Rounds,
George Reynolds,
Stephen Uptergrove,
Godfrey Huffman,
\Vm. Myers,
Peter Philips,

I do hereby certify that the sum
of 18. 5. 0 has been actually and
bona fide received for and paid to
N. C. O. and Private man Drum-
mers and Fifers of this company as
above stated.
( Sgd.) John Carrol, Captain,
Com. the above company.

Swo!"n before me at \V oodhúuse,
the 25th, day of Dec. 1813.

(Sg"':.) Samuel Street, J. P.
__

t

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

243
-"

First Regiment Oxford Militia.

Iuster Roll Captain John Carrol's Company, from 25th Oct. to 24th
Nov., 1
12, 31 days inclusi,'e.

RAKK

KA
IES

L. S. D.
16.5.6
10. 1. 6
10. 1. 6
2. 1. 4
2. 1. 4
15. 6
15. 6
15. 6
15. 6
15. 6
15. 6
15. 6
15. 6
15. 6
15. 6 ·
15. 6
15.6
15. 6
Ð3. 8. 8

Capt.
Lieut.
II

u

John Carrol
\\"m. Botsford
John \Villiams
Peter lIartin
Edward Logan
Elijah 1Iudge
G
dfrey Hoffman
Lewis Carrol
J ames Carrol
Jacob Keefer
Anth'y \Vestbrook
Isaac .McNames
Jonah Brown
Peter .Malcolm
Peter Philips
\Villiam Meyers
T onathan Graham
Henry Babcock

Se

ts.
Private
II

..

Total for non-com. Officers, Drummers, Fifers and Privates of
Capt. John Carrol's Company, 13. 8. 8.
By order of the Commd'g OAicer do hereby certify that the sum of
.l13. K 8 has been actually and bona fide received for and paid to the
non Com. Officers, Drummers, Fifers and Private men of this com-
pany, as above stated.

(Signed) JOHN CARROL, Capt.

Comd'g thc above Company.

Sworn before me at \\ïlloughy the 10th
day of January, 1X13.
(Signed) SA
IUEL
TREET, J. P.

First Regiment of Oxford Militia.

Pa\ Lists and :\Iuster Rolls of Captain John Carrol's Company C\Ton-
day) 25th. Oct. to 2Sth, Nm"., 1R13, 31 days inc1u
i,e.

144

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

RANK

NAMES

L. S. D.
16.5.6
10. 1. 6
10. 1. 6
2. 1. 4
2. 1. 4
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
o. 15.6
O. 15..6
o. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
O. 15.6
o. 15. 6

Ca

.
Ser.
t.
Privates
..

John Carrol
Wm. Bostford
John Williams,
Peter Martin,
Edward Logan,
Elijah Mudge
Godfrey Huffman
Lewis Carrol
Jacob Keefer
Anthony Westbrooke
Isaac McNamara
Jonah Brown
Peter Malcolm
Peter Philips
\Villiam Myers
Jonathan Graham,
Henry Babcock

First Oxford Militia.

Pay Lists and Muster Rolls of Captain Edward \Vatson's Co., Oct. 22nd
to Dec. 25th, 1812, 45 days.

RANK NAMES DAYS 1. S. D.
Capt. Edward Watson, 45 23. 12. 6
Lieut. Henry Carrol, 35 11. 7.6
Sergt. Thomas Dollard, 34 2. S. 6
,. Daniel Hazen, 35 2.6.8
Private ..\nthony Conkwright, 37 O. 18. 6
" \Vm. Reynolds, 36 O. 18. 0
E. Scott, 24 O. 12.0
John Youngs, 23 O. 11. 6
John Talhot, 23 O. 11. 6
James Fuller, 36 O. 18. 0
T acob Carrol, 18 O. 9.0
Daniel Harris, 23 O. 11. 6
Calvin Martin. 18 O. 9.0
Luther Colley, 32 O. 16.0
Rot-ert Grison, 35 O. 17.6
Thomas Fowler, 17 O. 8.6
Samuel Sage, 37 O. 18. 6
Caleb Burdick, 37 O. 18. 6
Jonathan Wright, 39 O. 19.6
W. M. Canfield, 37 O. 18. 6
Jacob \Vallick, 30 O. 15.0
Abner De Cou, 11 o. 5.6
Ch<J rles Eddy, 7 O. 1.6
Simion Mabee. 23 0.11.6
i53. 3. 8

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

245

Sworn before me at \Voodhouse
this 12th, day of J an, 1813.

I do hereby certify that the sum
of 18. 7. 6. has been actually and
bona fide received for and paid to
.N. C. O. and Private l\len, Drum-
,
menrs and Fifers of this company
(is above stated.

(sgd.) Thomas Bowlby, J. P.

l Sgd.) Erhvard \ Yatson, Captain.

Com. above Company.

Muster Roll of a detachment of the 1st Regt. Oxford l\1ilitia, Com. by
Capt. Ed. \Vatson from 25 Oct. to 2 Nov., 1813, inclusive, 9 days.

Capt.
Lieut.
Ensign
Ser.!f t .
Private
..

E. Watson
T. Williams
A. Decou
Peter Martin
Edward Logan
Garrit Stephens
\Valter Brown
Mathias \Voodley
Frederic Teeple
John Philips
Josiah Drown
Charles Foashea
Neal Brown
Peter Malcolm
Xathan Burch

125
125
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
3.9.0

Total amount for non commissioned Officers and Privates in Capt.
Watscn's Company, net pay i3. 9. O.
Certified

Thomas Talbot,
Co!. Com. Militia,
London District.

(Sgd.) ED\VARD \VATSON, Capt.

First Regiment of Oxford Militia,

Capt. Edmund \Vatson's Company, Oct. 22th to Dec. 5th, 1813, 45 days
:!1cIusive.

246 THE HISTORY OF BURFORD
- -- ---
RANK NAMES PERIOD No. of Days Amount
Capt. Ed ward "T atson Oct. 22 to Dec. 25 45 23. 12. 6.
Lieut. Henry Carroll Oc
. 22 " Nov. 25 45 II. 7. 6.
Se
.gt. Thomas Dowland Oct. 22 .. Nov. 24 34 2. 5.4.
Daniel Hazel Oct. 24" Nov. 22 35 2. 6.8.
Private Anthony Cartwright Oct. 22 to Nov. 27 37 fl. 18. 6.
,. \Vm. Reynolds ., 26 36 O. 18. O.
., E. Scott 24 24 0.12. O.
'. John Youngs " ,. 13 23 O. II. 6.
John Talbot 23 O. II. 6.
James Fuller " 26 36 0.18. O.
1. Thornton I' 24 ,. 13 23 O. II. 6.
" Jacob Carrol . . 2t .. 8 18 0, 9. O.
, . Dan'l Harris ,e " 13 2:
O. II. 6.
, . Cah'in Martin ' I " " 8 18 O. 9.6.
.. Luther Colley ., 24 '. , . 24 32 O. 16. O.
" Robert Grisen " " .. 27 35 O. 18.6.
" Thomas Fowler .. ,. " II 9 17 o. 8.6.
Sam'l Sage " 22 " 27 37 O. 18.6.
Caleb Burdick ., ., " 37 O. 18.6.
, . Jonah \Vright . I " " I I :m O. 19. 6.
., Wm Canfield II 27 37 O. 18.6.
Jacob Wallick Kov. 6 " Dec. 6 30 0.15. O.
, I Abner De Cou I' 20 ., Nov 30 11 O. 5.6.
" Chs. Eady I' 24 II . I 30 7 O. 3. 6.
eimon :Mabee Oct. 22 I' II 18 28 fl. 14. O.
Total for N. C. O. and Privates. . ..... .. . . ,......... . . . . . . . . . . . 18. 7. 6.

I do hereby certify that the sum of :f18. 17. 6 has been actually
and bona fide received for and paid to the Non Commissioned Officers
anù Private men of the Co. as above stated.

Sworn before at \i\ïlloughby the
12th day of Jan., 1814.

(Sgd.) ED\VARD \VATSON,
Commanding above Co.

(Sgd.) THOS. BO\VLBY, J. P.

Muster Roll of Volunteers, from the 1 st Regt. Oxford TvIilitia, Com-
manded by Lieut. \Villiam Teeple, 011 the Expedition taking and
conveying prisoners from Oxford to Burlington, by order of Ma-
jor S. Tousley, Commd'g at Oxford, from 17 to the 23 December,
1814, inclusive.

RANK NAMES RATE AMOUNTS
Lieut. William Teeple 1.4 9.4
Sergt. Arch'd Burch 6d 3.6
Private Alanson Tousley " 3.6
" Leonard Cain 3.6
Nathan Griffin 3.6
" \Varner Daggat 3.6
David Graham 3.6

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

24;

Edward Teeple
Isaac .McName:::
J ames Harris
Adam Dodge
Daniel Carrol
John Morrison

3.6
3.6
3.6
3.6
3.6
3.6
5.7. 10

I hereby certify on honour, that all for whom Pay is charged herein,
were on duty as above stated.
I acknowledge to have recei,'ed the sum of Five Pounds seven s1ì.il.
lings and ten Pence for the non, Com. Officers and Privates of my
Company, as above stated.

(Sgd.) \VILLIA11 TEEPLE, Lieut.

1Iuster Roll of. Capt. Curtis Company, from 2
Oct. to 24th Nov., 1813,
31 days inclusive.

Capt. David Curtis i16. 5. 6
Lieut. Isaac Burdick 10. 1. 6 i26. 7. 0
Ser.
t. \Villard Sage 2. 1. 4
Elisha Harrris O. 15. 6
Private Alanson Tousley O. 15. 6
., Benj. T. Lomis O. 15. 6
., Ashe! Lewis O. 15. 6
., Dan'l Lick O. 15. 6
., Calvin Martin O. 15. 6
" John Young O. 15. 6
., Peter McN ames O. 15.6
., Isaac :\fcNames O. 15. 6
., Gcorge Carne O. 15. 6
., Leonard Carne O. 15. 6
., Elzear Scott O. 15. 6
.,
Iun Moe O. 15. 6
" Comfort Sage O. 15. 6
., Adam Dodge O. 15. 6
., \Yw. Ranold O. 15. 6
., Garrit Stc\'ens O. 15. 6
., Edward Teeple O. 15. 6
Gcorgc
icho)as O. 15. 6
., \Vm. Scott O. 15. 6
., Calf. Rodcrick O. 15. 6
., Sam') Sage O. 15. 6
" Ethan Fuller O. 15. 6 il2.1. 0
( Sgd.) D.\ VID CURTIS, Capt.
Commanding above Company.

248

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

:Muster Roll of Captain D. Curtis Company, from 8th Jan. to 24th Jan.,
1814 inclusive.
,

Capt.
Lieut.
"

Sergt.
..

Pri vate

,.

"

II

"
I,
, ,
II

II
'I

D. Curtis 17 days 10. 6. 8. 18. 4.
'V. Teeple II " 6.6. 5. 18. 4.
James Hairris I, I' 6. 10. 4.
'V. Brown . , , . 1. 4. 1. 2.8.
H. Savles II 1. 2.8.
'V. Rèynolds 6d. O. S,. 6.
E. Teeple ., " " O. 8. 6.
W. Scott . . , . " O. 8. 6.
H. Owens " O. 8. 6.
S. Mabee o. 8.6.
:Mun Moe O. 8.6.
G. Nichols " ., O. 8 6.
Caleb Burdick ., II O. 8.6.
Warner Degret II , , , , O. 8.6.
A. Tousley ., , . . , U. 8.6.
T. Dowling O. 8. 6.
Comfort Sage .1 O. 8.6.
E. Scott II O. 8.6.
D. Harris " II O. 8_ 6.
B. Loomis " " O. 8.6.

I certify on honour that all for whom pay is charged herein, Wtre
on duty as above stated.
I acknowledge to have received the sum, of Eight pounds, twe;V('
shil1ings and ten pence for the non com. officers and privates, as above
stated.

(Sgd. ) DAVID CURTIS, Capt.

Jst Regiment Oxford
Militia.

Lieut. B. B. Bringham's Rifle Company, 24 Oct. to 24 Nov., 1812.

RANK NAMES DAYS L. S. D.
Lieut. B. B. Brigham 32 10.8.0
Ser,ff t . Joseph House 30 2. O. 0
Senneca Allen 32 2.2.8
Wm. Teeple 30 2. O. 0
Private James Tashloid 32 O. 16.0
., William Paritland 32 O. 16.0
Gideon Botswick 32 O. 16.0
Edward Teeple 30 O. 15.0
J ames Allan 30 O. 15. 0
John Thompson 30 O. 15. 0
John W. Clark 28 O. 14.0
Peter Vanater 28 O. 14.0
J ames Secord. 28 O. 14.0
Da vid L. Miller 28 O. 14.0
Abram Cartwright 29 O. 14.6
Samuel Mather 27 O. 13.6

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

249

I certify that the sum of :.U2. 5. 8 has been actually and bona fide
received for and paid to the Non.; Com. Officers, Drummers, Fifers &
Pr:vate men of this Company, as above stated.

(Signed) B. B. BRIGHAM,

Commanding the above Co.

Sworn before me at Burford the
22nd day of April, 1814.
(Signed) \Vm. D. BO\YE
, J. P.

Statement of pay of the Commissioned and ""arrant officers (If the
Oxford Ivlilitia, from 25th No\'. to Dec. 24th, 1812.

Capt.
Lieut.

B. B. Brigham
John Wllliams
Abner Owen
\Villiam ßostford

5 Nov. to 24 Dec.
25 ' · "19 "
25 " I' 24 "
2.) .. .. J 9 II

;[13. 17. 3.
';. I. (I
8. 9.3.
7. 1. O.
,D
6. 8. 7.

NON. CONI. OFFICERS Ai\D PRIVATES.

Se

t. James Allan 25 Nov. to 24 Dec. 30 ùays L 2. O. O.
Joseph House
o days 2. O. O.
" \Villiam Teeple ' , 30 days 2. 0.0,
L 6. U. O.
Pri vat.e Asa Lane 25 Nov. to 20 Dec. 26 days L O. 13. O. Died
.' James \\T arù ' .
I :JO da vs O. 15. O. In hospital
Peter Hiblin 30 days 0.15, O.
\Vm. Johnson 30 days O. 1.3. O.
" \\T m. Gillis 30 duys O. 15. O. In hogpital
Freeman Johnson 11 " 1'; dn.ys 8.6.t
.. , James Tashloid " 16 II 22 days 11. O.
..
, , "Tm. Cramble " 2t " 30 days 15. O.
Tno'! Fowler 16 " 2
days 11. o.
" John Fowler 16 . , 22 days ) 1. O. On
nïdeon Bostwick II 4 .. 10 days 5. O. J Furlong
James Allan ' , R " 1( days 7. o.
" .T ameR Secord 6 " 12 days 6. O.
David L. Miller ' , 8 " 1( days 7. O.
Obid )Iuster 11 ' , 17 days 8.6.
L 9. 13. O.
( Signed) B. BRE\YSTER BRIGHAM, Capt.

250

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

First Regiment of Oxford and Middlesex Militia.

Captain Bla Brewster Brighams Rifle Company, 25th Nov. to 25th D(:
.
1814, 30 days inclusive.

RANK NAMES L. S. D.
Capt. B. B. Brigham, 15. 15. 0
Lieut. Abner Owens, 9. 15.0
Se

. Seneca Allan 2. 0.0
Joseph House, 2. O. 0
Wm. Teeple, ? 0.0
Private Asa Lane, Õ: 15.0
.. James Ward, O. 15.0
Peter Hibler, O. 15.0
Ie Wm. Johnson, O. 15.0
Wm. Gillis, O. 15.0
Trueman Johnson, O. 15.0
James Tashloid, O. 15. 0
II Wm. Crandle, O. 15.0
Thomas Fowler, o. 15.0
Joseph Fowler, O. 15.0
Gideon Bostwick O. 15.0
II J ames Allen, O. 15.0
James Secord, O. 15. 0
David L. Miller, O. 15. 0
Obed Murten, O. 15. 0
42. 15. 0

As will be observed, Capt. Carrol's Company contained a good
number of Burford men the Malcolm family being particularly well
represented. We have f
und also Militia men from Burford Town-
ship served in all the Companies and detachments of the 1st Oxford
Regiment; which were on active service during the War. It was at
this period that Lieut. Joseph Baker's name disappeared from the ser-
vice Rolls of the Regiment. According to the records, this Officer de-
serted and joined the enemy. He appears to have drawn his month's
pay, amounting to i9. 15. 0 on Christmas Day, 1813, and then cleared
out to celebrate his New Year among his new friends, whose emmissa-
ries were active all through the Western part of this Province in endea-
vouring to seduce, corrupt and mislead loyal Canadians from their alle-
giance to the British Flag.
From the 25th Oct. to the 25th Nov., 1813, only a part of Capt
Carrol's Company were in the field.

Lieut. Brigham's Rifle Company.

Among those Militia Officers who greatly distinguished themselves
during the \Var, was Bla Brewster Brigham who commenced active as

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

251

Lieut., under Capt. John Carrol. Being an expert Rifle shot he con-
ceived the idea of organizing an independent Company of sharp shoo-
ters, the same to form another unit of the 1st Oxford and a part of
Co1. Bostwick's command. Lieut. Brigham was present at the taking
of Detroit, in 'Aug., 1812, received medal and clasp, also Prince Regent's
Land Grant, for services during the \Var, was mentioned several times
in dispatches, promoted Capt. 5th Nov., 1812, Lieut-Col. commanding
1st Reg. Oxford :Militia on 19th Nov., 1834, l\lagistrate 1833 and Col.
()n gth Feb., 1838.
\ Vhen first organized, the Company of Riflemen was composed of
the following members

Lieut. B. B. Brigham
Se
,gt. Seneca AllBn
,Jo'ieph House
'Villium Treeple
Private James ðecorù
Samuel
Iarthar

Pri\'ate Jas. T8.shloid
(;ideon Bostwick
James Allen
John ,Yo Clarke
David L.
Iiller

Prinite ',"me Partiland
Edw:nd Teeple
.John 'fhomlJ
on
" Peter Vanater
" Abram Court\\ right

After Lieut. Brigham's promotion to a Captaincy, his Company
was strengthened by the addition of a Lieutenant in the person of Ab-
ner Owens and the following new members

Asa Lane
William Gillis
Wm. Crandle
Obid Murten

Peter Hibber
Trueman Johnson
Thomas Fowler

\Villiam Johnson
James Tashloid
Joseph Fowler

During the \\ïnter of the year 181-t-, Captain Brigham was living
quietly at his home in Delaware, taking a much needed rest, after :.m
arduous and toilsome campaign. Active operations in the field had only
terminatcd with the close of the year Igl3 and a short season of rest,
to recuperate their almost cxhausted energies was most welcomc. It
was not thought probable that in thc dead of \Yinter, the cnemy would
leave their comfortable quarters in Detroit, to molest the peaceable in-
habitants and no spccial precautions were taken to prevent a surprise.
\Vhen therefore a considerable body of armed men appeared .suddenly,
in the Village of Delaware, and Capt. Brigham found his house sur-
rounded by American marauders, he was obliged to submit to capture
at their hands. He was trussed up with cords and subjected to great
indignities at the hands of his captors, who carried him off to Detroit
as a valuable prize.
\Vhen Lieut. General Drummond learned of the shameful and in-
human manner in which Capt. Brigham had bêen treated, he directed
that :Major General Riall send a flag of truce to the Officer commanding

252

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

the United States forces at Detroit, to request that Capt. Brigham be
relased and returned to his home, on the grounds that his capture and
detention was contrary to all the customs and usages of \Var among ci-
vilized nations, and a plain intimation was given, that if such conduct
on the part of the U. S. forces was persisted in, the most full and ample
retaliation must unavoidably be the result, on the Detroit as well as
every other point where an opportunity might offer.
Major General Riall was further directed, to permit Capt. Rowe
of the United States militia to return to his home, he having been cap
tured some time previously by the Canadian forces, but not being in
service at the time of his apprehension, his case was precisely the same
as Capt. Brigham's and the Lieut. General had decided, in any case, to
order his release.
On receipt of these instructions, the l\fajor General directed Lt-Col
Alexander Stewart, Royal Scots, to select an officer to carry out the
above orders. Lieut. Jackson, Royal Scots, was selected for the ser,.
vice. He at once proceeded to Detroit and delivered his papers to Lieut.
Col. H. Butler, the Officer commanding the United States forces it.
the Michigan territory.
In his reply, directed to Major General Riall, Lt-Col. Butler at.,
tempts to justify the capture and detention of his prisoner and refuse

to set him at liberty, unless one Bladget, then a prisoner at York, be
released and exchanged for Capt. Brigham.
Some time after this, Capt. Brigham's release was effected and du-
ring the Summer and Fall of 1814, he was again on active service.

Militia Officers Pay, J8J2-J4.

Statement of the Pay of the Commissioned and \Varrant Officers of
the 1st Regiment of Oxford Militia, from 21 st July to 24th Sept.,
1812, inclusive.

RANK NAMES Amounts Signatures
L. S. D.
Lt-CoI. Henry Botswick 49.2. 3

Major Sykes Tousley 20. 19. 6
C
pt. Marvel White 16. 3. 150
John Carrol 16. 5. 50
Lieut. Bla B. Brigham 16. 16. 9
" Wm. Botsford
John Williams 9.9. 9

Adj utant John Eakins 24. 11. 12

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

253

All have signed Pay Sheets exepect \Vm. Botsford.

Statement of the Commissioned and \Varrant Officers of One Company
of the Oxford Militia from the 25th Sept. to the 24th Oct., 1812.
30 days inclusive.

RANK

NAMES

AMOUNT
L. S. D.
13. 17. 3
8. 9. 3
8. 9.3
8. 9. 3
-1.29. 5. 0

Capt.
Lieut.
"

John Carrol
Joseph Baker
William Botsford
John Williams

Statenlent of the Commissiðned and \Varrant Officers of one Company
of the Oxford 1filitia from the 25th day of Oct. to 24th Nov., 1812,
31 days inclusive.

RANK

KAMES

AMOUNT
L. S. D.
14.6 6
8. 14. 1O

8. 14. 1O

9. o. 6

-1.40. 16. 10

Capt.
Lieut.
"

Ie

John Carrol
Wm. Botsford
John \Villiams
n Brigham Brewester

Statement of the Pay of the Commissioned and \Vrrant Officers of the
1st Regiment of Oxford 11ilitia, from 25th September to 24th Dec-
ember, 1812, inclusive.

RANK NAMES AMOUNTS
L. S. D.
Lt-Col. Henry Botswick 67. 14. 4

Capt. Edward Watson 20. 15. 1O

Lieut. Henry Carroll 9. 17. 5

Adjt. John Eakins 8. 18. 7

Statement of the Pay of the Commissioned and \Varrant Officers of
the 1st Regiment of Oxford Militia, from 25th October to 24th No-
vember. 1813. inclusive.

254

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

RANK

NAMES

DAYS AMOUNT
L. S. D.
31 23. 1. 4

31 14. 6. 5

9 4,3. 2
9 2. 11. 110
31 8. 16. 110
9 2.2. 2

55. 1. 6

Lt-Col.
Capt.

H
nry I30tswick
D
.\":d Curtis
Ed\'lard \Vatson
1 ()hn Williams
Enoch I3urdick
Abner De Cou

Lieut.

Ensign

Certified Correct

TH011AS TALBOT, J. P.

Accou:It of Money due to Officers of the London District Militia, bet-
ween the 28th June, 1812 amI the 2-t-th December, 1814.

Regiment

RANK & NAMES

COM.
25th June, 1814.
25th Oct., 1814.
25th April, 1814.
25th Oct., 1812.
25th May, 1814.

ENDING
24th July, 1814.
24th Nov., 1814.
24th Nov., 1814.
11 th Jan., 1813.
24th July, 1814.

1st Oxford. Capt. Ichabod Hall
,. .. John Malcolm
Bla B. Brigham

11uster Roll of three men of Capt. Carrol's Company of the Oxford
11ilitia, from the 25th Sept. to the 24 Dec., 1812. doing duty on
Board Gun Sloop for that per
od and discontinued on the 11uster Roll
of the Company.

RANK N AlVIE PERIOD No. of Rate Amount
FROM TO Days [, S. D.
Sergt. N eil.Marks Sept. 25 Dec. 24 91
6. 1. 4.
Private John Graham .' " 91 6el 2. 6. 6.
, . Nat'l Burch " " 91 6d 2. 6. 6.
110, 19. O.

\Ve the subscribers, Commissioned officers belonging to the First Bat-
talion of the Oxford Militia, assembled at Long Point, do acknow-
ledge to have received the respective sums against our names ex-
pressed, being our net pay, between the 25 Oct. to the 24N oV', 1813,
incll1isive

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

255

RANK

NAME

PERIOD
FROM TO

Lt. Col.
CaRt.
Lieut.

H. BOE-t\\ ick
D. Curtis
E. \YatE-on
J. Williams
Isaac l1urdick
Abner Decou

25 Oct. 24 Nov.
"
2 N ov .
I'
24 "
" 2 "

No. of
D
Js
31
31
9
9
31
9
Total

Ensign

Certified,

(Signed) TH011AS TALBOT,

Col. Com. Militia.

London District.

Militia General order.

HEADQUARTERS, YORK.

Amount
l 8. D.
23. I. 4

14. 6. 2X
4. 3. Ó

. II. 4}{
8. 16. 1l.Yz
2. 2. 2

l55. 1. 6j{

7 April, 1813.

His Honor the 11ajor General commanding, deeming It proper there
should be a
lilitia force assembled for the protection of the Lake Erie
frontier
One field officer, 2 captains, 3 subalterns, 4- sergeants and 80
rank and filc will be stationed at Turkey Point; One captain 2 subal-
terns, 3 sergeants and 50 rank and file at Dover :Mills ; and 1 subaltern,
1 sergeant, 20 rank and file at Port Talbot.
The under mentioned regiments will furnish this force in the fol-
lowing proportions, which will be relieved monthly.
Thc 1st amI 2nd Regiments of Norfolk :\[ilitia, each
1 Captain, 2 subalterns, 2 sergcants, 50 rank and file............ .100

1st REG1
lENT OF OXFORD ßIIL1TL\.

1st REGII\IENT uF
IIDDLESEX.

1 Captain, 1 subaltern, 2 sergeants, 30 rank and file............... 30

1 subaltern, 2 sergeants, 20 rank anù flle........................ 20

150

256

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

=====:.=:::: == =====::::=:::

His honor approves of :Major Bowen, 1st Regiment of Norfolk, for
this service.

By Order,

(Signed) Aneas Shaw,
Adjt. General, Militia.

Estimate of Subsistence required by a division of Militia of the District
of London, Assembled at Long Point, from the 25th Oct. to the
24 th Nov., 1813, inclusive.

1 Colonel
1 Lieut. Col.
2 Majors
10 Captains
12 Lieuts.
1 Paymaster
6 Em;igns
16 Sergeants
250 Privates
1 Quart<.Jrmaster
1 Sergt. .Major

Thomas Talbot
Henry Bostwick

DAYS
:31
:31
62
152
133
31
45
203
3,000[
9
9

Deduct Income tax i20. 5. 9.
The amount of the regulated stoppages
for provisions to be received from of-
ficers, per statement annexed i6. 7. 9.
Amount to be deducted

Army Sterling

RATE
178
lis
16s
10. 6.
6. 6d.
10
5. 3.
1. 4.
6.
;6.6.
2.

[, 26. 7. O.
16. 7, O.
MI. 12. O.
79. 16. 9.
43. 4. 6.
15. 10. O.
II. 16. 3.
13. 10. 8.
75. O. O.
2. 18. 6.
O. 18. O.
344. 19. 1'.

26. 13. 6

i 318. 6. 5

I hereby certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the above
estimate is correct in every particular.

Long Point,

(Signd) JOHN ROLPH,

15th Nov., 1813,

Acting Paymaster.

We the Subscribers, commissioned Officers, belonging to the first Batta-
lion of the Oxford Militia, assembled at Long Point, do acknowledge
to have received the respective sums against our names expressed,
being our Net Pay, betwen the 25th September and 24th October,
1813, inclusive.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD 257

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258

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

RANK

NAMES

PAY

Lt-Co1.
Capt.
Lieut.
Ensign

H. Botswick
E. Watson
J. Williams
Abner Decou

L. S. D.
22 6. 6
13. 17. 2
8. 11. 3
7. O. 7

i51. 15. 7

Certified,
( Signed)

THOMAS TALBOT,

CoI. Com. Militia, London Disi.

Sustenance Militia London District.

Estimate of sums required for the Norfolk, Oxford and Middlesex

1ilitia, and Kent Volunteers, from :May 25th to June 24th, 1812.

i773. 16. 1

12. 11. 1O

329. 7. 6
22. - 100
,i1. 156. 16. 6.

Amount of net pay
1209 Rations at 2.-
13,175 Rations at O. 6
Income Tax

Estimate of SU111S required for the Norfolk, Oxford, Middlesex Mili-
tia, and Kent Volunteers, from June 25th to July 24th, 1812 inclusive.

Amount of net pay
1209 Rations at 2.-
13,175 Rations at O. 6
Income Tax

i773. 16. ly.í
12. 11. 100
329. 7. 6
22. - 100

Transport Certificate.

I certify that the bearer hereof, Isaac Burdick, has been employed
with two yoke of Oxen and cart, conveying Prisoners and stores, with
a detachment of T rops on their march to Amherstburg, for the space
of five days.
Delaware, Feb. 20th, 1813.

(Sgd.) THOMAS WHITAN,

iï. 10. 0

Cap. Nwf. Reg. Com.
Oxford, August 27th, 1812.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

259

Received of \Ym. 1lcCartney, for the use of the Indians in His
!Vlajesty's Service, pro\"isions to the amount of Four Pounds, Seventeen
Shillings N. Y. Currency, also whiskey for Four Shillings more.

i.5. 1. a

(Sgd.) JOHN
ORTON,

On Service.

Perth, December 1st, 1813.

Received from :Mr. Finlay .Malcolm, 10 gallons of \Yhiskey for the
D
tachmel1t of Troops on their march to Do\"er.

(Sgd.) ALEX. STE\VART,

Capt. Royal Scots.

List of Names of Disabled Persons Admitted as Militia
P ensioneers.

KAMES

RANK

REGDIE
T ACTIU
I:-l wllIcn
OR HOW WOUKDED

WHE'" "OU
nF..D

Samuel Allen

Team
ter Oxford Stabb,.d by a mili-
tia man Sept. I;, IRI2
Pri vate . C Facture of his arm Oct. 1], 1Rl4
Scrgt. Disease Dcc. 10, 1812
.Jan. I, 1813
Private . , :\Iarch 27, IHl3

Arthur Sells
{ Eli7abeth J :Jhnson
Trueman Johll"on
{ Ruth :\Iarks
Cornelius )Iarks
{ Mary Tü.ylor
Peter Taylor

J0hn Malcolm's Flour Mill.

t\.dmitted by the Board
of claims f..G. 17. 6. G. G. C.

I certify that 11r. John Malcolm of Burford Gore, provided 11 Rus.J
hels of \ Vheat, which was floured at his 11ill on the 5th and 6th. N ovem-
ber last, for the use of the
1ilitia assemblccl at that Dlace, at my parti-

260

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

cular request, there being no Comt. stores there at the time ; which flour
was taken and destroyed by the enemy, at the time they burned his Mill
on the 7th November, 1814.

(Signed) H. BOTS\\i ICK, Lt. Col.
Com. Oxford :rv1ilitia.

Burford,
26 March, 1815.
i6. 17. 6.

1812.

Government to
Henry Botswick. D!'.

Admitted by the Board
of Claims. is. O. O.

To 2 tons of hay furnished to Provincial Light Dragoons, in August
1812, is. O. O. Halifax Currency.

(Signed) H. BOSTWICK.

Admitted by the Board
of Claims i1. 100. C. G. C.

This may certify that Capt. 1Iarvel \Vhite has furnished provisions
and liquors to a party of Indians, under command of Captain Jack, on
their way to Niagara, to amount of il0. 19. 0 New York Currency.

(Signed) H. Bostwick,

Burford,
31st. August 1812.
il. 1. 100

Lt. Co!. Commanding. Oxford Militia.

Endorsed on behalf of last certificate, received on the within re-
teipt i9. 4. 0 New York Currency.

(Signed) M. WHITE.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

261

Notice.

President's Office, Upper Canada.
Kingston, 2-1-th :\Iard., 1814.

His Honor the President has been pleased to appoint by commissions,
bearing date this day, hte under mentioned gentlemen to be Commissio-
ner for carrying into effect the provisions of an act passed in the late
sessions of the Legislature of this Province, entitled. "An act to em-
power His l\Iajesty for a limited time to secure and detain such per-
sons as His :Majesty shall suspect of a treasonable adherance to the ene-
my," in the several districts of this Province respectively, the \Yestern
District excepted, that is to say :-

For the District of Londor.-
Thomas Talbot,
Thomas Rolph,
Robert Nichol,
John Backhouse,
:Malhon Burwell,
George ('. Salmon and
Thomas Bowlby, Esquires.

Proclamation.

By Lieutenant General Gordon Drummond, commanding His l\fa-
jesty's forces in the Province of Uppcr Canada ,etc., ctc., etc.

A Proclamation.

\Vhereas it is found necessary for the public safety that the most
efficacious means should be used for supplying His l\Iajesty's troops
stationed in the Province with provisions and forage, which, though
abounding in the Province, are withheld from the Commissariat and
their agents, notwithstanding the most liberal prices have been offered
for the same, I do therefore hereby declare that so far as relates to the
procuring of provisions and forage for the said troops martial law shall
be- '11 force therein and ordered to be acted upon accordingly.
Given under my hand and sea] at Kingston this twelfth day of
April, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen.

(Signed) GORDON DRU:\C\IO
D, Lt. Gcnerdl

262

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Brant County Militia Pensioneers War 1812.

POST OFFICE NAMES MONTHLY
Brantford Peter Buck $20.00
Ephraim Lowrey 20.00
Burford Charles Strange Perley 20.00
Cains ville Robert Carson 20.00
" Malchie Files 20.00
Harlev Henry Lester 20.00
Harrrisburg Charles Vanevery 20.00
Langtord , John Oles 20.00
Ben. Strawbridge 20.00
Mohawk Robert McAllister 20.00
.. Asa Secord 20.00
J olm 11. Sturgis 20.00
Mount Vernon Stephen Landon 20.00
Oakland Jolm Beacham 20.00
" John Chambers 20.00
John Pebrie 20.00
Paris J ames Cassada 20.00
" Ebenezer \Vilson 20.00
Scotland Dan. A. Freeland 20.00
" Charles Petit 20.00
Philip Beemer 20.00
St. George Joshua Bonham 20.00
Tuscarora Joseph Fraser 20.00
., J ames Givens 20.00
., Henry Silversmith 20.00
" John Tutlee 20.00
" J aeob \Viney 20.00
" John S. Johnson 20.00
" \Vm. Johnson 20.00

Oxford Militia Pensioneers War 1812.

Princeton
Tillsonburg
Woodstock
"

Ira Fuller
Richard Moote
Finlay Cameron.
Abraham 1Iarkle
\Veston Allen
Brunton P. Brown
Levi Burch
CaJeh Hopkins
David Rice
Comfort Sage
Rohert Collard
J. Gill Woodrow
Aaron Horning
Thomas Piper
Richard Taylor

dmund \Voodrow
Daniel Smith
James Lounsherry
Ahraham Van Norman
Sam. T. Clement
J olm B. Tree

20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.0fl
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00

BeachV1lle
Burgessville
Drumbo
Inge.
soll

N orw :ch

Otterville
"

Oxford Station
"

CHAPTER I V

After the War. Confiscations of Lands, War Claims.

On July 17th, 1815, a General Order was issued f.rom the office of
the l\1ilitary Secretary, Kingston, notifying those concerned, that to each
officer 200 acres, and to each soldier 100 acres of land would be awar-
ded, and that provisions for themselves and their families for one year,
and implements and tools to those who had lost, or woulù require them
on new land, would be furnished.

The country between the Detroit and Kiagara Rivers had been
swept clean of supplies, time and again marauding parties from the
United States, had made sudden raids "into and through the country,
burning and destroying what they could not carry away. Before the
raid of the Kentuckians under :l\IcArthur a return of the resources of
,
Oxford County, carefully compiled by the commissariat, gave the follo-
wing figures :-

Flour 407 cwt ; \Vheat 2,í98 Bushels; Rye 983 ; Oats I,
61 ; Corn
831 ; Peas 129. Cattle to fat 8 ; Oxen 278 : Cowns 648 ; Young cat-
tle 623 ; Sheep 1,395 ; Hogs 1,050. Tons Hay 232 ; Horses 242. \Yag-
gons 41 ; Sleigh 63. Acres of \Yheat sown ::;72 ; Acres of Rye 132.
,\fter the \Yar the \Vestern part of the PrQ\ ince was in an exhaus-
ted condition, population had decreased, immigration had iJeen checked,
many had rcmoved to the United States, large parts of the clearcd lands
were untilled. Grain and prQ\ isions were scarce, robbery and wanton
destruction by bands of American raiders and the nccessities of the Bri-
tish troops, had caused a great scarcity of stock and all products of the
soil. l\Ioney which had circulated freely during thc conflict, suùùcnly
disappearcd. l\Iany of the scttlers found they were decp in debt, out
of which they wcre unablc to extricate themselves and as a result, many
lots in Burford and othcr townships changed hands. Abandoncd anå
confiscated lands, in many cases, were rcg-ranted to Veterans of the
war, who were able to establish their claims to the Princc Regcnts hE,

grant.

264

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

The Confiscation of Lands.

By an Act passed in March 14th, 1814, during the Third Session of
the Sixth Provincial Parliament, which met at York on 15th. Feb. it
was declared that persons, inhabitants of the United States, claiming to
be subjects of his Majesty, and renewing their allegiance as such by
oath ,did solicit and receive grants of land from His lVlajesty, or became
seized of lands by inheritance or otherwise within the Province, which
person
since the declaration of war have voluntary withdrawn them-
selves from the said allegiance, and the defence of the said Province

since the first day of July 1812, or who may hereafter, during the pre-
sent war, voluntary withdraw themselves, from the Province into the
said U. S. without license granted, under authority of the Governor

Lieutenant Governor or person administering the Government of this
Province, shall be taken and considered to be aliens born, and incapable
of holding lands within the Province.
It was further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the Execu-
tiv
should have power to authorize any Sheriff, Coroner, or other per-
son in any District, to summon twelve good and lawful men as Jurors,
to form a court of inquisition, to investigate upon the different cases,
and report their finding to the proper authority, and after finding by
such inquisition, His Majesty became seized of the landg so found to
have been in the possession of such persons on the said first day of July.
From such lands so confiscated, many of the Officers and soldiers who
had served in the Canadian Militia were rewarded for their patriotic

erVlces.
James Mitchell and George C. Salmon, were appointed commissio-
ners for the London District, to inquire into forfeited estates. Among
those having landed property in Upper Canada, who did voluntarily
withdraw from the province, without leave during the Wte war where
Jacob DeLong, Benj. DeLong, Silas Dean, Samuel Doyle, James James

Benajah Mallory, Josiah Dean, Ebenezer Decou.

War Claims 1812
14.

After the War, claims for losses sustained in various ways and for
material and provisions of all descriptions furnished, were presented to
the Commissioners appointed by the Government to deal with such mat-
ters. After many delays and disappointments, during which more than
one of the claimants had died in straightened circumstances, and the
fulfilment of sundry legal and other requirements, notice was given in
the Official Gazette, that the Commissioners had awarded those whose
names appeared, 25% of their claims, the same to be paid forthwith. The

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

265

TJurford School, the only public building in the yillage, h:td been u
(Ò
:is a guard room and occasionally as 01ficers headquarters, a
d what fuc1
there was on hand from time to time, had been consumed Ïor the bene-
fit of the State.
On June 3rd, 1824, the Rec
Î\'er General notified all claimants,
that on the 24th instant, he would commence to pay claims, as awarded
by the Commissioners, under the Pro\"Încial Statutes of George 4th.
Every individual was required to produce an affidavit, sworn to before
a Justice of the Peace, in proof of tile legality of his claim.
List of claimants residing in Burford TownsI.ip and other clai-
mants connected with this history :-

NAMES

Adam Yeigh
John Yeigh
Benjamin Wintermute
Peter Wintermute
John Winegarden
George W. \Vhitehead
Freeman Burdick
Isaac Burdick
Burford School
Archibald Burch

1alhon Burwell
Capt. John Carrol
Colonel \Villiam Claus
\Villiam Bowen
Henry Bowen
John Fowler
Robert Hamilton
Henry Lester
Finlay Malcolm
John !\.1alcolm
J ohn
[alcolm & Finlay
[alcolm Jr.
Henry Near
Henry Bostwick

AMOUXT A\VARDED
L. S. D.
30. 0.0
27. 15. 0
529. 1. 6
189. 7. 6
20. 0.0
120. O. 0
127. 6. 9
30. 15. 0
25. 0.0
165. 17. 0
656. 17. 0
116. 3. 9
19G7. 5. 0
29. 5.0
35. 4.6
4.t 6.6
694. 8. 0
23. 18. 9
1450. O. 0
155. O. 0
328. 4. 8
14. 10. 0
225. O. 0

Militia Genera] Orders.

25%

L. S. D.
7. 10.0
6. 18.9
132. 5. 9
47. 6.2
5. 0.0
30. 0.0
34. 16. 8
17. 13. 9
6. 5.0
41. 9. 5
176. 2. 6
29 O. 11
499. 6. 3
7. 6.3
8. 16. 1
11. O. 1
173. 12. 0
5. 19. 8
362. 10. 0
38. 15. 0
90. 1. 2
3. 12. 6
56. 5.0

Adjutant-General's Office, \\Tork.

April 21st, 1821.

The Lieutcltant Go\"ernor has great satisfaction in announcing to
the Officers, non-commissioncd officers and privates of the late incor-
porated battalion of militia, and to the militia of the province in gene-
ral, that he has received the following dispatch from his :Majesty's Se-
cretary of State for the Colonies :

266

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

DO\VNING STREET, Jan. 1st, 1821.

Sir,

In reply to your letter to me of the 16th September last, I have the
honour to acquaint you, that the necessary directions have been given
for providing colours, intended to be presented to the incorporated mi-
litia of Upper Canada, having the word "NIAGARA" inscribed on them.

I have the honour to be, etc, etc, etc.

(Signed) BATHURST.

By command of His Excellency
the Lieutenant Governor.
(Signed) N. COFFIN, Colonel,

Adjt. General, :Militia, Upper Canad3..

CHAPTER V

The further history of the First Oxford Officers of the First Re-
giment Oxford :Militia 1817. The reorganization in 1822. Thomas
Horner appointed Colonel. The l\liddlesex and Gore 1Iilitia. List of
Officers 1829-36. The Five Rcgiments formed in 1838, their Officers.
Re-organization in 1846. The Burfonl and Oakland Battalion.

Officers of the First Regiment Oxford Militia, 18 J 7.

RANK
Lt-Col.
Major
Ca

ain

Lieutenant

En
Jgn

Quartermaster
Adj utant

NAMES

W. D. Bowen
Sykes Tousley
Marvel \Vhite
ß1a Brewster Brigham
David Curtis
J aIm Malcolm
AMES
Henry Carrol
,\bner Owens
Jacob Yeigh
J ames Carrol
Finlay Malcolm
T ohn \\ïlliams
\Villiam Reynolds
Ahner Decou
J olm Kelley
George \\'. \Vhiteheau
Daniel Brown
John Stephens
\Villiam Lossing
(
eorge Nichol
Hu
h
Ialcnlm
Henry Daniel
Cab. in
fartin
W m. McCartney
George \V. \\'hitehead

DATE of CO
DnSSION.
1st.
Iay, 1816.
19th. May, 1812.
5th. Sept., 1807.
5th. Nov., 1812.
1812.
1813.
1814.
12th. Fcb., lR17.
IHlï.
1812.
1813.
1813.
1812.
12th. Fcb., 1817.
4th. June, 1817.
4th. June, 1817.
4th. June, ISI7.
1812.
4th. June, 1817.
4th. June, 1817.
4th. June, 1817.
4th. Junc, 1817.
4th. June, 1817.
4th. June, 1817.
12th. Feb., 1817.

\Ve have carefully traced the history of the Burford l\lilitia, from
the days when Benajah ,Mallory rcceived his commission as Captain,
from thc hands of Col. \Villiam David Smith, until thc year 1814 and a
further perusal of thcsc records will give our prcsent and future mili-
tary readers, some information of the various changcs which have takcn
place, during a period of more than one hundrcd years, and will, we
hope,-provc of intcrest to the desccndants and thcir frien(ls, of the old

268

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

11ilitia men of Burford and Oxford, who have, with very few excep-
tions, now answered the last "Roll Call".
The First Regiment Oxford :Militia, like many other :Militia Corps,
now enjoyed a long period of rest. The assessors annual returns gave
the list of those subject to service, but more attention was given to re-
pairing the losses and effacing the ravages of war, than to the Annual
Parades, the militia existed only on the Militia list.
By the death of Lt-Col. Bostwick, at \Voodhouse, 27th July, 1816,
the First Oxford lost a gallant, highly efficient, and most popular offi-
cer. To succeed him, :Major \Villiam Daniel Bowen, an excellent offi-
cer, and a Burford man, who had served through the war as second
in command of the 1st. Regiment of Norfolk Militia, was appointed
Lt. Col. 1st :May, 1816. During the war his services as instructor pro-
ved invaluable to the :Militia Officers in the District, he possessed a
thorough knowledge of Company and Regimental drill. Captain Daniel
Bowen, father of \Villiam Daniel Bowen, had seen service, during the
Revolutionary \Yar, but took no part in the war of 1812, he being then
a man over 70 years of age. Statements have appeared in the Press,
to the effect that the Bowens were British Officers, sent out to Canada
during the war of 1812, such information is quite incorrect, they were
both American born and never had any direct connection with the Bri-
tish Army.
\Villam Daniel Bowen was one of the first settlers of the Town-
ship. On the 17th. May, 1802, Lot No. 17, in the 5th. Concession, had
been acquired by him, and later on a part of the :Mallory estate. For-
melly a Lieutenant in the Indian Department, the Bowens were friends
and adherents of the Johnson family, and accompanied Sir. John to
Canada during the Revolutionary \tVar. About the year 1728, they had
removed from New England to Tryon County, Province of N ew York.
The Bowens were all staunch loyalists. The death of Lieut. Col. Bowen
in the year 1821, at the early age of 43, was felt as a personal loss by
his many friends and acquaintances in Oxford and Norfolk Counties.

The First Oxford under Colonel Horner.

In the year 1822 the Government decided upon a thorough reorga-
nization of the l\lilitia Regiments, a considerable increase in the strength
was authorized, many new men were commissioned, and for the first
time in the History of the Militia, all corps were placed under the com-
mand of a local officer having the full rank of Colonel.
l\laryel \ Vhite had resigned his command and removed to the grow-
ing village of \V oodstock. It was not until the year 1824, that a new

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

26

commanding officer was appointed to the Burford Company, in the
person of George \V. Whitehead.
Lieut. Co!. Bowen was succeeded in the command of the First Ox-
ford by Thomas Horner, the one time Deputy Lieutenant of the County,
whose military star was again in the ascendant. Having been elected
a member of the Provincial Parliament in 1820, his political influence
was sufficient to effect his appointment over the heads of two deserving
officers, whose war record during the years 1812-13-14, entitled them to
the first consideration, viz. Sykes Tousley, gazetted Major, 19th. May
1812, and Bla Brewster Brigham, Captain, 5th. November 1812. An
additional claim to promotion was the fact of their long and continuous
connection with the first Oxford, in this instance, however, their servi-
ces and rights of Seniority did not count with the Officials in control
of the :Militia Department and on the 13th day of June, 1822, Thomas
Horner was appointed to the command of the Regiment with the rank
of "Colonel", a grade in the Canadian Sedentary l\1ilitia Corps here-
tofore closed to ordinary Colonial l\filitia Officers. Thomas Talbot,
formerly Lieutenant Colonel of the 5th. Foot, did hold this rank in the
1st. :Middlesex, but he was an old and experienced Ex-Officer of His
l\lajesty's Regular Army, and held the supreme command of all the
l\1ilitia in the London District.
To assist Colonel Horner in the discharge of his duties, an Ex-Ca-
valry Officer of considerable experience was selected to fill the posi-
tion of Lieutenant Colonel, by the appointment of Charles Ingersoll
to this post on December 15th, 1
23. The re-organization of the First
Oxford was now under way, but that slow dilatory system, so well
known and so disheartening to the exterprising and enthusiastic mili-
tary man, of doing nothing to-day of what can be put off until to-mor-
row, or for many days thereafter, was still in vogue at Headquarters
and the various commissions to fill the establishments must be doled
out by instalments, apparently in order to keep in suspense and impress
the recipients with the trust eventually reposed in their loyalty and good-
will.
The Regiment as now constituted consisted of eight companies, and
in the month of January 1824, the vacancies were filled up. The offi-
cial list being as follows :-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

270

List of Officers.

First Regiment Oxford Militia, J 824.
NAMES D. of A.
13th. June, 1822.
15th. Dec., 1823.
19th. May, 1812.
5th. Nov., 1812.
12th. Feb., 181Ï.
20th. Jan. 1824.Vice Curtis resigned
21st. Jan., 1824.Vice Ames deceased
22nd. Jan" 1824.Vice Owen left country
23rd. Jan., 1824. Vice Malcolm resigned
24th. Jan., 1824. to fill a vacancy
17th. Aug., 1818.
19th. Jan., 1824.Vice White resigned
12th. Feb., 1817.
19th. Jan., 1824.Vice Yeigh resigned
20th. Jan., 1824. " Malcolm resigned
21st. Jan., 1824. " Carrol promoted
22nd. Jan., 1824. " \Vhitehad promoted
23rd. Jan., 1824. " Kelley promoted
24th. Jan., 1824. " \\Tilliams left country.
26th. Jan., 1824.
27th. Jan., 1824.
28th. Jan., 1824.
12th. Feb., 1824.
20th. Jan., 1824.
19th. Jan., 1824.
21st. Jan., 1824.
22nd. Jan., 1824.
23rd. Jan., 1824.
24th. Jan., 1824.
2ïth. Tan., 1824.
28th. Jan., 1824.
12th. Feb., 1824.
Capt. John Carrol's Flank Compan)T.

RANK

Co\.
Lt. Col.
Major
Ca
:-

Thomas Horner
Chas. Ingersoll
Sykes Tousley
Bla Brewster Brigham
Henry Carrol
Geo. W. Whitehead
John Kelly
Daniel Brown,
John Stephens
Robert Alway
J. H. Throckmorton
J ames Carrol
VI/m. Reynolds
Geo. Nichols
Calvin Martin
i- Henry Daniel
H ugh Malcolm
Thomas Ingersoll
Cah-in McNie
Alex. McGregor
William Lane
Jacob Goble
Peter Martin
Joseph O'Brien
Joseph \Voodrow
Archibald Burch,
James Ingersoll
\Villiam Underwood
Eli Withers
Leonard Kern
Silas \Villiams
Q. Master \Vm. McCartney
+ Formerly a Sergeant m

.,

Lieut.
.,

"

.,

.,

"

.,

"

.,

En :
gn

Capt. Geo. \V. \Yhitehead's Company of Burford !\1ilitia was, nu-
merically and physically, one of the strongest and best in the Regiment,
and in the long list of the Townships military units, they also had the
distinction of having existed and paraded annually under three British
Sovereigns. For a period of ten years, from 1824, until 1834, the Mus-
ter Parades were held regularly in Burford Village.
In the year 1834, the 1st. Oxford again lost their commanding officer,
the removal of Co!. Horner by death, was felt to be a real loss to the coun-
ty, in the upbuilding of which he had taken so prominent a part, as a mili-
tary man, a politician and a magistrate from the earliest settlement days.
His acquaintances were large and varied, friends praised and opponents
admitted his strict integrity and the honesty of his convictions on public
matters. To his enterprise and personal efforts were due the early deve-
10pment of Blenheim Township.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

271

Last List of Officers.

of the original First Regiment Oxford l\filitia, 1836.

RANK
Cot.
Major
Capt.
,.

,.

"

,.

,.

"

Lieut.
"

Adjutant
En
}gn

"

NAMES

DATE OF RANK
19th. Nov., 1834.
19th. Nov., 1834.
12th. Feb., 1817.
17th. Aug., 1818.
19th. Jan., 1824.
20th. Jan., 1824.
21 st. Jan., 1824.
22nd. Jan., 1824.
24th. Jan., 1824.
12th. Feb., 1817.
19th. Jan., 1824.
24th. Jan., 1824.
26th. Jan., 1824.
27th. Jan., 1824.
28th. Jan., 1824.
20th. Jan., 1824.
12th. Feb., 1817.
19th. Jan., 1824.
20th. Jan., 1824.
21st. Jan., 1824.
22nd. Jan., 1824.
23rd. Jan., 1824.
27th. Jan., 1824.
28th. Jan., 1824.

Bla Brewstesr Brigham
William Brearly
Henry Carrol
J. H. Throckmorton
J ames Carrol
Geo. W. Whitehead
John R. Kelley,
Daniel Brown
Robert Alway
\Vm. Reynolds
Geo. Nichols
Calvin McNee
Alex.
fcGregor
\Vm. Lane
Jacob Goble
Calvin Martin
Peter Martin
Joseph Woodrow
James O'Brien
Arch. Burch
James Ingersoll
\Vm. Underwood
Lenord Kern
Silas \Villiams

The Middlesex and Gore Militia.

In carrying out the reorganization of the Upper Canadian l\Iilitia

authorized in 1822, a Militia General Order was issued from the office
of the Adjutant General at York, dated 18th June, 1822, under authori-.
ty from the Lieutenant Governor Sir P. l\Iaitland, K. C. B., and signed
by Colonel N. Coffin. This order divided the
Iiddlesex Regiment of
,Militia, commanded by Colonel Thomas Talbot, into four Regiments.
Lieut. Colonel l\Ialhon Burwell was promoted Colonel commanding
the Second Regimcnt. Lieut. Col. John Botswick, from the First Nor-
folk, was promoted to be Colonel commanding the Third Rcgiment anù
James Hamilton to bc Colonel commanding the Fourth Regiment.
l\Ialhon Burwell, of English descent, was born in New J erscy and
came into Upper Canada at a yery early date. lIe was a thoroughly
compctent land surycyor and in 1811, was appointed Register for the
County of l\Iiddlesex, succeeding the first Register, Thomas Horner,
who had becn appointed Rcgister of land titlcs for the Counties of
Oxford and l\Iiddlesex in 1800.
l\Ialhon Burwell had a long- parliamentary career, he was first
electcd in 1
'H2, having defcated BCIlajah l\IalIory in the contest for the
counties of Oxford and l\liùdlesex, he was re-eIected in 1817, and for

2;2

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

11iddlesex alone in 1820. Defeated in 1824, he was re-elected in 1830,
he was again defeated in 1834, but in 1836, when the town of London
became entitled to a representative, he became its first member.
John Bostwick, was a son of the Revd. Gideon Botswick of Massa-
chusetts, and a brother of Lieut. Colonel Henry Botswick. In 1800,
he was appointed high Constable and in 1805, succeeded his father-in-
law, Colonel Joseph Ryerson, as Sheriff of the London District.
James Hamilton-a brother of the Hon. Robert Hamilton, the great
Queenston 11erchant-was one of the first business men who located
in St. Thomas. In buying wheat from the farmers, in exchange for
merchandise from his stores, both at his own prices, he soon amassed a
comfortable fortune. He was appointed sheriff of the District and
removed to the growing city of London.
For a detailed account of Col. Thomas Talbot's career in Upper
Canada, we would refer our readers to that valuable and interesting
work "The Talbot Regime", by Judge C. O. Ermatinger of St. Thomas

The Gore Militia Appointments.

On April the 2nd, 1822, James Crooks was appoic l teù Colonel C0rJ
1
manding First Gore Militia.

James Racey,
William Kirby,
John Findlay
Thomas Perrin,
John Wilkes,

-Lieut. Col.
-Lieut.,
-Lieut.,
-Ensign,
-Ensign,
Captain, Luke B. Spur,

December 26th, 1823.
April 14th, 1823.
April, 17th, 1823.
June 15th, 1827.
June 15th, 1827.
Dec. 2nd., 1823.

4th. Gore

Further Changes in the. First Oxford.

. p'.......
.;

On the year 1834 the Veteran soldier, Major Sykes Tousley, who
had been connected continuously with the First Oxford since it first
organization, retired from the service and Capt. Brewster Brigham
was promoted to the command of the Regiment with the rank of Lt.
Colonel, his commission bearing date November 19th, 1834. For seve-
ral years subsequent to these events no muster parades of the Militia
were held in Oxford County. The political unrest, the loudly expressed
discontent over the arbitrary actions of the Executive, in disdainfully
ignoring the will of the people, as declared through their representatives
in the House of Assembly, had raised suspicious in the minds of the
political Hierarchy at Toronto, as to whether the majority of the rank
and file of the men enrolled on the Militia Lists in Oxford County,
would not be more inclined to follow the advice and instructions of
their popular member, Dr. Duncombe, in the event of an attempt to gain

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD
-t=

273

by force, what they could not obtain by constitutional means, a govern-
ment by the people and for the people, than to uphold a small clique of
heriditary rulers, who clained the exclusi\"e prerogative to govern the
county by divine right of inheritance.
The uprising of 183ï was not a revolution against the crown, or
against the British connection" a United Empire", as it is called in the
present day, but the natural outburst, the explosion of a quiet peace
loving people of unusual intelligence, who had gradually become exas-
perated beyond all powers of forbearance.
After years of toil and hard labor, in carving homes out of the wil-
derness, and at last with a majority of representatives in the House of
Assembly, there still appeared no possibility of getting rid of the obno-
xious "System", maintained by the despotic Council, who seemed deter-
mined to ride the country to death, and retain in their own selfish and
grasping hands and that of their descendants, the sole power to create
and fill all civil and military appointments, and to remove instantly
their appointees if they did not pro\"e to be humble and obedient follow-
ers.
tJnder such conditions it is not surprising that the First Oxford
became disor
anized, and for a time non-effective as a matter of fact
this old corps, fo
3-+ years the pride of Oxford C
unty, practically cea-
"cd to exist ; under different conditions however and confined to a more
limited space of territory Col. Brigham again appeared at the head of a
militia corps.

Oxfords Five Militia Regiments.

In thc carly part of the year of 1
3
, proYÎsion was made for the
organization of five separate and ùistinct corps of l\Iilitia within the
confines of the county of ()xford, the recruiting ground of each Regi-
ment was distinctly specified. l\lost of the names suhmitted for ap-
pointments werc recommcndcd by Col. J 01111 B. . \skin of London, a good,
respectablc Tory of the oM school.
The 1 st. Regiment was gi,.en their old Commander, Bla Brewster
Brigham, promoteù Colonel
th Feb., 1838. Onc Regimcnt wa::. to be
recruitcd in ßurfonl and Oakland, but when the appointmcnts wcre Ga-
zetted, it was found that the commanòant and fifteen other officers were
residcnts in another county, needlcss to state that the ,Militia mcn of the
two townships looked coldly upon this inovation, there was no feeling
against the commandant, an Ex:. Ufficer of lIer ,l\Iajesty's Regular Ar-
my, who was well qualified to lead any military body, but it was thought,
that there were plenty of intelligent and capable mcn within the county
to providc sufficicnt officers to complete the establishment. - ,

274

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

This corps howevt::r, while it lasted existed only on paper, and no
muster parade of the rank and file eyer took place, a portion however
of one or two companies were on duty for a short period in 1838,
under the orders of Lieut. Col. Geo. \Y. \Vhitehead, second in command
of the 4th. Oxford.

First Regiment Oxford Militia 1838.

Lieut. Joseph Woodrow. 12

, A
g. 1

1.
" Joseph Agar.
Ensign. Alfred Bear1v
Ensign. .-\1f red Drearly
" Philip Fall.
Rohert Stroud.
Henry J. Hamskeigh
George \Vardell.
John Carroll.
Sam. \Valler.
Joshua Corbin.
Robert Cummings.
Charles Austin.
\Villiam Searles.

lU\:\K
Col.
Lt. Col.
Maj or
Ca
r

Former and Rank & Kame

Lieut.
"

Lt. Col. Bla B. Brigham.
:Major \Villiam Brearly.
Capt. James Carrol.
Lieut. \Ym. Reynolds.
.. George Nichols
Calvin
Iartin,
Silas \Villiams.
J aIm Jacques.
Thomas \ V allace.
Ensign. James O'Brien.
.. Joseph \Voodrow.
Leonard Kern.
Charles Friend.
Joseph Agger
Alfred Breaely.
John Geo. Bridges.

"

Ensign
Surgeon

Promotions.

Ca

.
Lieut.
"

"

Ensign
"

"
"
"
"

Capt.
"

Lieut. Daniel Carrol.
" Robert Stroud.
Ensign. Samuel \Valler.
" T oshua H. Corbin.
Rohert Cummings.
\Vm. Searles.
\Villiam Grey.
James Dagg.
James Glove:-.

Lieut.
,.

"
"

Ensign
,.

u

DA TE OF COlV
.

b., 8
? 1
38.

J an. 30th, 1838.
March 18th, 1838.
" " "
" .

"
"
II

"

"

"
"
"
"
" "

"

"

"

" " "
" " "
" "

25
?

y, 1843.

" "

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

275

Alex. \V. Light Jan. 19, 1

8.Resigned 29th Aug., 1839.
P. Graham Ft::b. 8,
C. Beale Apr., 23,
J. Gihson Jan. 19,
Ed. Deeds Jan. 19, .. Promot. Major 19 Feb. 1840.
J olm Jackson Jan. 19,
D. Burns Jan. 19,
H. Chambers Jan. 19,
M. Johnston Apr. 25,
R. H. Place Sept, 23, ..
H. .McGregor Sept. 23, ..
EHjah Nellis Sept. 23, ..
\Vm. Marygold Sept. 23, "
J. Bouviere Jan. 19,
\tV. Light Jan. 19, "Prom. Capt. 19th Feb. 1840.
\\-m. Carrol Jan. 19, "
Robt. Deeds Jan. 19, "Prom. Capt. 27th Jan., 1840.
Henry Finckle Jan. 19, "Prom. Capt. 29th Jan., 1840.
IJ. de Lanquiere J an 19, ......., "
Philip Graham Jr. Sept. 27, ..
\Vm. Dawson f'ept. 27, "
C. Beard Sept. 27, "
F. Groves Sept. 27, "
Geo. Cazlett Jan. 19,
.\Iex. Light Jan. 19, "Prom. Lieut. 19th Feb., 18.to.
\Vm. Burch Jan. 19,
J. Reynolds Jan. 19,
Hugh Chambers Jan. 19, "Adjutant.
\\'m. Granton Jan. 19,
\Valter Martin Jan. 19,
Didemus Burns Jan. 19,
\'Tarren Snow Jan. 19,
Kelson Burdick Jan. 19,
George Alexander Jan. 19,
.. \. \Y. Light, appointcd to command the 2nd, Regiment, was a half
pay officer, he was formerly Lieutenant Colonel of H. 1\1. 25th Regiment
of Foot. His son Theodore served three years in Spain, as a Captain,
and was badly wounded there. Colonel Light resigned command of the
Second Regiment, 29th. August, 1839.

RANK

Col.
Lt. Col.
.Major
Ca

,

Lieut.

En
:gn

'f

Second Regimen t Oxford Militia 1838.

Limits Blenheim Blandford and \ Y oodstock.
,

NAMES

Date of Com.

ALTERATIONS

"

Promotions 2nd Regiment Oxford Militia.

Commissions signed by His Excellency Charles T. l\Ietcalf.

RANK

Former Rank and Name
Lieut. Jacob Choate.
" Robert Deeds.
,. Henry Finckle.
Henry de Blanquere.

Date of Commission.

Ca
r

29 J an.,
844.
u" "

"

276

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Qr. Master

Philip T. Graham. 29 Jan.. 1844.
William Lawson. " ,.
Ensign Wm. Grinton. ..
" Geo. Alexander. ,.
Walter Martin. ,.
Didemus Burns. ,.
\Varren Snow. ,.
Nelson Burdick. ,.
John Stevens. .,
John Hutch.
Hamilon Burch. .,
Fort. A. Graham. .,
Robt. Light. "
Richard Impets.
Jihn 1Iuttleberry. ,.
John Cummings. ,.
Walter Jones.

Capt.
"

En
Jgn

(Signed)

RICHARD BULLOCK,
Adjt. Gen. of Militia.

Staff officers in J 837.

Lt. Col.
Maj or

J ames Carrol.
William Light.

May, 9th, IRSl.
May, 9th, 1851.

Third Regiment Oxford Militia. 1838.

Limits Township of Zorra.

RANK NAMES Date of Com. AL TERA TIONS.
"..01 James Barwick Tan. 20, 1838.
Lt. Col. P. de Dlanquiere -Tan. 20, "
Major Robert Riddle "Tan. 20, " Prom. Lt. Col. 21 Sept. 1839.
Ca

. Henry Vansitard 'Tan. 20,
David Bott )an. 20,
J. Dohson Tan. 20,
Wm. MacKav Tan. 20,
" R. MacDonaid Sept. 21, "
H. C. Barwick S'?pt. 21, .,
Alex. Murray Jan. 30, "
Lieut. \Vm. McCauley Jan. 20,
" J. Sutherland Jan. 20,
J. Watson Jan. 20,
1- Barwick Jan. 20,
W. Murray S
pt. 1.7,
" James Lewis Sept. 27,
W tr... Lapenotiere Sept. 27,
Robert Campbell Tan. 3l',
Alex. Cardon Jan. 30,
Ens;gn J. Griffith Tan. 20,
" James McDonald Jan. ZO,
Wm. Fraser, Jr. Sept. 27,
Wm
Campbell Tan. 30,
A. MacKay )an, 30, "
Wm. Lepenotiere .Tan. 30, " Quartermaster

'\
1.

..

."(t

Two Old Militia, Men.
Alex. Mclrvine. James Me Irvine

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Ca
r
Lieut.
En
}gn

Promotion List.

Lieut. Alex. Murray
Lieut. \Vm. .McCauley
Ensign Wm. Fraser
James S. Barwick
\Vm. Ross
Sergt. Thomas :\fatthewson
A. H. Fonquere

z77

30 Jan., 1839.
27 Aug. 1839.
23 June, 1841
23 June, 1841
23 June, 1841
23 Feb., 1842
23 Feb., 1842

List of Officers.
Fourth Regiment Oxford Militia, 8th Feb., 1838.

Limits :- Townships of
Burford and Oakland.

RANK

NAMES

Col.
Lt. Col.
Major.
Ca

.

James \Vinnett.
Ceo. \V. Whitehead.
John Weir.
Chas. S. Pearley.
Z. Bailev.
James Brown.
John Moore.
Augustus :\la1colm.
Caleb Merritt.
Ceo. McDonald
.-\. Holston.
\Vm. D, Taylor.
\Vm. D Auhigney.
\Villard 1\1:. \Vhitehad.
Chas. Patrick.
J. \V. Longbourne.
Jacoh Smith.
Allen Cameron .
Robert \Veir.
\Vm. UUon.
J. R. McDonell.
Ahraham Greney.
\Vitliam Kirby.
Jeremiah Cowin.
B. G. Tisdale.
C. \V. I ves.
Wm. Smiley.
Wm. D. Bowen.
Adjt. Samuel Dixon.
Qr. :Master Wm. Ahhott.
Surgeon. Peter :Master.
Asst. Sur. James Dinon.

Lieut.
"

En

gn

RANK

Date of Rank.

28th, Feb., 1838..
29th, Feb., 1838.
28th, Feb., 1838.
23rd Apr. 1838.
23r(l .,
23rd .,
23r(l .,
23rd
23ftl .,
23r.-1 .,
23rd "
_3rd .,
23rd .,
73rd "

3rd .,
23rd .,
23rd "
23rd ..
23rd .,
23rd .,
23rd .,
23rd .,
23rd .,
23rd .,
23rd "
23rd .,
23rd .,
23rd "
2Jrd "
23rd .,
23r
l "
2Jni .,

..

Former Rank and Name.Date of Rank.

Promotions.

Ca

.

RESIDENCE.

Brantford.
Burford.
"

Brantford.

Burford.
Brantford.
Oakland.
Brantford.
Burford.
Brantford.
"

Burford.
Hrantford.
"

Burford.
.,

Brantford.
"

Blenheim.
Burford.
"

Rrantford.
Oakland.
Brantford.

RESIDENCE.

Lieut. Luke V. Spur. 12th, Aug. !841. Ont of District.
" Mattias Summerhorn" ., "Burford.
Capt. Roht. Hunter .,
Licut. \Vill.
1. \Vhitehead "

!78

Lieut.
"

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

En
}gn

Ensign Jeremiah Cowin
., Bradford G. Tisdale "
\Vi11iam Smiley
Wm. D. Bowen
J ames Eakins
\V. F. Wal1ace
A. Eddy
Chas. H. Whitehead "
Jame
H. Underhil1 "
Paul Moore
\Vm. H. Serpel1
Joseph Heywood, Jr.
Henry Horner
John Vivian

"

" Blenheim.
" Burford.
.. Blenheim.
.. Burford.

.,

.,
.,

"

.,

.,

-.

.,

" .

.,
.,

..

"

Commissions signed by His Excellency Chas. T. Metcalf.
Co!. James \Vinnett, formerly l\1ajor in Her :Majesty's 68th. Regiment
of Foot, \Vas transferred to Rifle Brigade, 17th. l\larch, 1841.

Fifth Regiment of Oxford Militia. 1838.

)

Limits Nissouri, East, \Vest and North Oxford.

RANK

Col.
Lt. Cot.
Major

Capt.
"

Lieut.
"

T<:n sign
"

NAMES.

W. Holcroft
R. Hunter
James Ingersol1

,.
,.
,.
,.
,.
,.

Geo. Chambers
Thos. Ingersol1
G. W. Marsh
Robt. Cameron
Edward Burton
'AT. Yale
J. Daly
J. Baker
Thomas Peacock
R. Garnett
T. Holcroft
C. Marygold
David Canfield
Ed. Haycock
J. W. Marsh
J. Stuart
'\lex Murray
D. Cronk
C. de Btanquiere
Boyle Travers
\Vliliam Withers
John Phalen
Henry Crotty
J. Dundas
E. l\I arygold
E. McIntyre
J ames Nichol
Abraham Carrol

,.
,.

,.
,.

Date of Com.

Feb. 8,
Feb. 8,
Feb. 8,

Nov. 8,
Nov. 8,
Jan. 19,
Jan. 20,
Mar. 8,
Mar. 8,
Mar. 8,
Mar. 8,
Jan. 31,
Tan. 31,
Nov. 6,
Nov. 6,
Nov. 6,
Nov. 6,
Nov. 6,
Nov. 6,
Nov. 6,
Nov. 6,
Nov. 6,
Nov. 6,
Jan. 30,
.T an. 30,
.T an. 30,
Nov. 8,
Nov. 8,
Nov. 8,
Nov. 8,
Nov. 8.

RE
fARKS.

1838.

" From 1st Oxford, promo-
ted Lieut. Col. 23rd Feb.,
1840.
" Prom. Major 4th May
1840.

" Prom. Capt. 30th Jan., 1839.
., Prom. Capt. 4th May, 1839.
" Prom. Capt. 4th May, 1840.

.,

.,
.,
II
'I
.,
.,

Prom. Capt. 30th Jan., 1839.

" Prom. Lieut. 4th :May, 1839.

" Prom. Lieut. 4th May, 1840.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

279

En

gn.

G. W. Burton
Henry Reynolds
L. R. Marsh
P. H. Bowman
S. Eakins
J. Barker

" Prom. Lieut. 4th
fay, 1840.
" Prom. Lieut. 27th May, 1840.

"

Nov. 8,
Nov. 8,
Jan. 30,
Jan. 30,
Nov. 8,
Nov. 8,

" Adj utant.

Cavalry.

Capt.
Lieut.
Cornet

Peter Carrol
\ V. L. Carrol
J. Reynolds

Nov. 8, 1838
Apr. 23, 1838
Apr. 23, 1838

For a considerable period after the Rebellion, the 4th Oxford remai-
ned in a dormant state, in fact the Regiment raised during that period,
under Co!. James vVinnet, had become practically disbanded. Time
must be given to heal old sores and soften the bitter antagonistic fee-
ling aroused in the country, by the events leading up to and subsequent
to the insurrection. By the year 1846, further legislation was passed
concerning the 11ilitia and a reorganization of the 4th Oxford was au-
thorized.
A selection was made from the ex-officers of the defunct corps of
1838, and in due time the following appointments were gazetted :-

i\lontreal, December 2nd, 1846.

Forth Regiment Oxford l\lilitia.
To be Lieut. Co!. Commanding,
Lieut. Co!. Geo. \V. \Vhitehead,
(Sgd.) A. GUGY, Adjt. Gen. of :Militia.
:l\Iontreal, 11ay 12th, 1847.

4th Battalion Oxford 1Iilitia.

To be Captains
"" "

,." ,c

Charles S. Perley
Caleb :l\Ieritt
John I\loore
\Villard 11. \Yhitehead
Bradford G. TisdaIe
\Villiam BO'.';l n
Charles H. \Yhitchead
James H. Underhill
Paul ::\loore
\Villiam H. Serpell.

"u "

To be Lieutenant

.." "

To be Ensign
"" "

"" "

"" "

(Signcd) PLOl\fER YONGE, Co!.
Adjt. Gcn of I\[ilitia.

80

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

George \\'. \Vhitehead had been connected with the Burford Mili-
tia since the days of Lieut. Col. Bowen and his promotion to the com-
mand of the new Battalion was well earned, as well as being his by right
of seniority. During the ensuing few years the annual muster was held
in Burford Yillage, (called Claremont at this period). A supply of flint
lock muskets had been receiyed, and with these the men paraded on the
Common, on a portion of which the present Cavalry Armoury now stands.
In 1850, Lieut. Col. Geo. \V. \Vhitehead left Burford to reside in Wood-
tock and when the township was separated from the county of Oxford,
he resigned his commission and became interested in many commercial
and other enterprises.
The Battalion continued to exist in a state of somnolency and the
annual Parades ceased entirely. \Vith improved laws and a largely
increased immigration, the Province was expanding rapidly and a period
of profound peace now existed.

....

\

, "'"

\\

.

.......

'",

Lt. -Col. Chaa. S. Perley
Com. 5th Brant Militia
1856-63.

./

..
/ l
t t
,AI
\

If

I!f

..

'"

..-'

Capt. Willard M. Whitehead
Com Burford Militia Coy.
1838-56

Dr Charles Duncombe.
at the age of 74.
from "The Talbot Regime" (by per.)

CHAPTER \ YI.

I
BRANT COU!';TY FORMED. FIVE
IlLITL\ BATTA-
LIONS AUTHORIZED. THE FIFTH (BURFORD A
D
OAKLAND) BATTALION. LIST OF OFFICERS. CAPT.
ROBERT C. MUIR'S COMPANY 18W. TOTAL STREXGTH
OF THE UPPER CANADIAX SEDENTARY MILITIA. THE
REPORT OF 1862. THE SERVICE Ar\l> RESERVE l\II-
LITIA.

The act of 1851, altering the territorial divisions of Canada \Vest,
which became effective on the 1st. of January, 1852, had separated Bur-
ford and Oakland from the County of Oxford, and made them a part
of the new county of Brant.
This readjustment t of county line; at o
ce
evered the 4th Oxford
1 -
from all their old military assoCiates. To meet thè changed conditions,
the Militia Department made provision for an establishment of six militia
corp
tb be formed in the new county, the limits of No.5 to be the town-
ships of Oàkland and Burford, but no steps were taken to organize these
Battalions until several years later and even then the process of organi-
zation was extremely slow, until the Government of the day was at last
stirred into' activity, with the advent of a great war in which the Empire
was engaged.
In 1854 the British Garrisons in Canada were ordered to the Cri-
mea, the regular an;ny having been reduced by a weak Government to a
dangerous state of numeral efficiency. Nearly all .troops stationed in
the colonies werc recallcd to strcnghthen the delcted ranks of the Re-
gulars dispatched to the war and the government of Upper Canada set
about the formation of a body of men to be called "Volunteer 11ilitia",
and also the reorganization of the sedentary militia, in which they were
ably assisted by the Adjt. Gen. Baron de Rottenburg and his Deputies,
The particulars of the initial organization of the Volunteer force will
be found on another page of this work.
A large increase in the strength and number of the sedentary Bat-
talions was determinated upon. The recently formed county of Brant
was authorized to establish and maintain six Battalions of sedentary
militia, each corps to be commanded by an officer with the rank of Licut.

282

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Cot., the highest grade in future permitted to any militia Regimental
staff officer.
Ex officers and militia men of prominence, accepting commissions,
were required to provide themselves with uniforms and equipment, in
conformity with dress regulations, as set forth in general orders. Brant
Co. (G. O. of 12th. July 1855) was added to the 8th military district.
The first official order concerning the fate of the Burford and Oak-
land ,Militia, which first as a part of the 1st. York Regiment, then as
part of the 1st Oxford and later formed the 4th Oxford and had as
such preserved a continuous existence since the beginning of the nine-
teenth century, was issued on the 29th Jan., 1852, as foIJows :-

Adjt. General's Office,
Quebec,
9th Jan., 1852

His Excellency the Governor General,

Has been pleased to direct that the several Battalions. hereinafter
mentioned, shall be composed of the Militia residing within the limits
assigned to each respectively, and styled and numbered as follows.
The 5th Battalion shall comprise, as a Battalion Division, the town-
ship of Burford and Oakland (late 4th Oxford).

(Signed) D. MACDO
ELL, Lieut. Col.,
Dept. Adjt. Gen. of Militia, for U. C.

Quebec, July 12, 1855.

G. O.
No. 8 Military District shall consist of Middlesex, Elgin, Oxford,
Norfolk, Brant Co's and London City.

District Headquarters London City.

(Signed) DE ROTTE
BVRY Col., Adjt. Gen. of Militia.
DONALD IVIACDONELL Dept. Adjt. Gen. of Militia, for U. C.

!vf. D. No.8

Toronto, Jan. 17th, 1856.

5th Brant fBattalion.

1 (i be Lieut.-Cot. Capt. Chas. Strange Perley late 4tíl Batt Oxford.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

283

11. D. No. 8

Toronto, 1h.rcÌ1. :"Oth. 1856.

To be Capt., Capt. Caleb 11errit, irom late 4th Oxford.
C$lpt. \Villard l\1. \Yhitehead, late 4th Oxford.
Capt. Robert Hunter, late 4th Oxford.
James \Yestmore, from Xew Brunswick 1lilitia.
Ensign Issac Brock Henry, {rOgI late 10th Gore.
Robert \Veir, Esq.,
Charles Hedges, Esq.,
\Vm. 1\1. Thompson, Esq.,
Abdel Eddy, Esq.,
"Lieùt., Ensign \Vm. Henry Serpell, from late 4th Oxford.
" ., " Charles Perley, Gentleman.
" " " Henry Taylor, Gentleman.
Robt. C. 11uir, Gentleman.
Eliakim Malcolm, J r. Gentleman.
Francis Fairchilù, Gentleman.
Joseph Loney, Gentleman.
\Vm. Cannady, Gentleman.
" "Ensign. John Catton, Gentleman, appointed Adjutant.
Capt. \Villard 11. \Yhitehad. .
Joseph Miles, Gentleman.
Russel O. Gage, Gentleman.
Caleb. P. Fowler, Gentleman.
Mathias Smith, Gentleman.
" "" David Beemer, Gentleman.
" " " Thomas Merritt, Gentleman.
" " " James 11alcolm, thc younger.
., Edmond Yeigh, Gentleman.
" "Adjt. Ensign John Catton, [;entleman.
" "Quarter 1Iaster,
\lonzo Foster, Gentleman.

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

.,

"

"

.,

"

"

G. O.

5th Brant Battalion.

"

"

.,

"

.,

"

"

"

"

"

"

Toronto, Apr
l 3nl,' 1

')

5th Brant Battalion.

To be l\lajors Capt. Caleb 11erritt.
" " Capt. \Villarù :\1. \Vhitehad.

284

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Toronto, Oct. 21, 1856.

5th Brant Battalion.

Memo.

The appointmnet of the following Gentleman to this Batt., in the
G. O. of the 20th lvlarch last, has not taken place. Viz. Ensign Issac
Brock Henry, Chas. Hedgers Aldel Eddy (to be Capts.) of Will. Canna-
dy to be a Lieut. of Russel O. Goge to be an Ensign.

Promotions.

M. D. No. R

Toronto, April, 2nd, 1857.

5th BRA
T BATT.

To be Capts., Lieut. "\T. H. Serpel1,
It ,. " Lieut. Chas. Perley;
" " " Lieut. Henry Taylor,
" " Lieut. Robt. C. Muir,
" " " Lieut. Eliakim :rvfalc01m,
To be Lieuts., Ensign and Adjt. John Catton,
It " " Ensign J osepþ Milès,
" " " Ensign Caleb p. Fowler,
" " Ensign Mathias Smith,
It " " Ensign David Beemer,
" " Ensign Thos. .l\Ierritt,
" " " Ensign ] ames lVlalcolm, the younger
" " " Ensign Edmund Yeigh.
To be Ensigns, \Villiam Rixon, Gentleman.
" " " Geo. \Veir, Gentleman.
It It Thos. Perley, Gentleman.
., "" Samuel Oles, Gentleman.
" " " Isaac T. Horner, Gentleman.
" " " Gideon Rider, Gentleman.
" <,,, Geo. Willets, Gentleman.
<. " " John Rand, Gentleman.
" " Isaac Malcolm, Gentleman.

(Signed) BARO
DE ROTTENBURY, Adjt.-Gen. of .l\Iilitia.

THE HISTORì OF BURFORD

285

I. D. No.8

Toronto, April, 29th, 1858.

5th Brant Batt.

To be Capt., Lieut. Joseph Loney.
"Lieut., Ensign \Ym. Rixon.
" ., Ensign, Neil Leffler.
" " Isaac lVlerritt.
" " Joseph Jackson.
" " \Vm. \Vooden, Vice C. Oles left limits.
" " J ames Lockhart, Vice J. Rand left limits.
" " Surgeon Edwarù Hipkins, 1\1. D.
Yice Stimson left limits.

M. D. No.8

Quebec, 26th April, le6L

5th Brant Batt.

To be Major, Capt. James \\"estmore Vice C. :l\Ieritt.
who is permitted to retire retaining his rank.
" "Capt., Capt. Jacob Bringham, late of 1st Batt. Oxford.
" " " Lieut. and Adjt. John Catton, retaining the Adjutancy.
" " " Lieut. Joseph :Miles, Vice R. Hunter left limits.
" ., Lieuts., El1Sigl1 Ceo. \\Teir.
" .. Ensign Thos. Perley.
" " Ensigns, Samuel Oles, formerly of this Batt.
Allen Perley, Vice J. l\Ia1colm, who is permitted to retire
retaining his commission.

" "

M. D. No 8

Québec, 9 Oct. 23rd, 1862.

5th Brant Batt.

To be Capt., Lieut. Caleb P. Fowler, Vice Loney left limits.
., "Lieut., Ensign \Vm. Hersee, formerly of the 7th Batt. Oxford.
" "Ensign, David Huffman, Vice J. Lockhart.
H " " John p. Eddy, Vice \Villets deccased.

286

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Quebec, Jan. 23rd, 1863.

5th Brant Batt. Drill Associations.

A drill association is hereby authorized at Burford, under the com-
mand of Lt. Col. Chas. S. Perley, to bc composed of the officers and
.
C. O. of the 5th Brant Batt.

1. D. No.8

Quebec, Jan. 20th, 1863.

5th Batt. Brant, Capt. \\'m. Thompson is permitted to retire with
the Honorary rank of Capt.

5th Brant Eattalion.

Dress Regulations.

Toronto, February 7, 1836:

Frock coat blue, double breast with stand up collar, rounded off in
front, cuffs and lapels alllJlue, two rows of buttons down the front, nine
in each row at equal distances. On the left shoulder a crimson silk cor.i
to retain the sash with a small button.
Trousers, dark blue cloth with a scarlet welt down t!-,e OUÌ\"ô.l d
seams during Autumn and \Vinter, and white linen dtlrin
the summer.
Forage cap blue cloth with black silk maple leaf hce, with the name
üf the Regiment and the number of the Battalion, thereof. \vorked in sil-
yer embroidery. The number to be one inch and a Inlf bng, sash crim-
son silk net, with fringe ends, united by a crimson runHer, worn diago-
nally over the left shoulder, and the ends of the fringe not to hang- below
the bottom of the coat.
\Vaist Belt, enameled white leather, worn over the coat, s,',;ord the
same as perscribed in H. 1\1. Army Field Officers to wear bras3 sc
h-
bards, Adjts. Steel scabbards, all other officers leather scabbards sword
knot crimson and silver with buillon tassels. The lace and buttons worn
on all militia uniforms to be Silver.
Field Officers to have the distinction of their rank, crown and star
for Colonel, crown for Lieut. Col. Star for lVlajors, embroidered in gold
at each end of the collar. The collars of the other officers, to be plain.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

2H7

Roll of number 4 Company of the Fifth BattaJion of Brant
Militia for the year 1860.

Limits of the Company. Parts 9th 10th 11 th and 12th Cons.

RANK

Capt.
Lieut_
Ensign.
Se
?ts.

Pri vates

.t

H

"

N .-\1fES

RA
K

NAMES

Three Sergeants and three Corporals are by law
allowed to each Company of Militia.

l{ohp
t C. lIuir.
J oS{'1I h :Miles.
Thomas Perley.
Otter.
John Little.
Baptist Burton.
J nhn llillar.
Elijah
Iillard.
\Villiam Millar.
Baptist Johnston.
Elliot 11 iles.
] ames
IcGuoin.
Daniel M cC
ee.
Thomas \Villiams.
1 ames \\Tilson.
James Smith.
Hiram Smith.

fat O'Hearn.
George Wood.
James Kent.
John Hyland.
Tavlor Smith.
Hènry Lewis.
James Conners.
\\ïlliam Rush.
Rohert Long.
Rohert Kellv.
J aeoh
Ioorë.
\Vil1iam Rickman.
\Vi11iam Dwire.
Ahraham Johnston
T ohn Dunn.
)<'rank Bolter.
J(Jhn Laydan.
f)a\'id Hanvoo(l.
Thomas 1(arrrah.
\Iichel O'N('il
f'.phra;m T)üteher.
1);1\ ir l f-
;
I':'1er.
Tamcs "p,
'i('.
j('<;q,h P. Carter.
. \ lIan
rcClùud.

Privates.

"

"

,.

, .

,.
"
"

,.

,.

"

Edward She11ington.
\Vi11iam H. P. Carter.
\Villiam Kiff.
J ames Clement.
Georges Raylon.
Hugh Ste\ enson.
Russell Gage.
James Ekworth.
John Burkly.
J aim Smith.
Elias Zimmerman.
Edward Doyle.
Charles Rand.
Philip Eadie.
James \\ at son.
Patrick lIcCartney.
Pau 1 Flock.
Samuel Hilyard.
Daniel Rennie.
Dap-iel Smith.
John Bowman.
\Villiam Drown
John Brown.
William .\insle.
James Brown.
George Sha\'er,
1 C\ i {)le

John
[CIn'inc.
John Ol1et.
\ \ïl1iam Posel.
Henry Pnstel.
ThC:Plas Derhv.
Chris. SO\ erei-n.
\\ïlliam H.
bnws Dovle
Smith Cnñkwright.
Charles Riõer.
\\ïlliam Stuart.
\\ïl!id.m Gr, am
Thomas Cai rns.
John Clemtnt.
Samps ìn Howell.
Gt'nrQ'(' Fraser.

288

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

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THE HIS10RY OF BURFORD

Military District No.8

Brant County Militia for 1857.

Brant County .\lilitia.

1st Batt. L. -Col \Villiam
Juirhead. 35 12
2nd ., .Tames \Vilkes. 28 H
3rd " Thomas Perrin.
8 24
4th (;eorges Stanton 30 II
5th ' . Charle
S. Perley. 35 2

6th .. , . .Mathias \\ïlson. 23
Oxford
1st Batt. L -Col Thomas \ 'T allace- 2ft U
2nd . . .Tames Carol, :JO
3rd Henry Van5ittart. 4
4th " Arthur Fanier. 1
5th .James Inger'loU. 29
6th ' . , . Ben Van. Norman. 24
';th " Edmund Deed
. 33

!lÏ

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230 }fiÛ
2f12 2 465 -1
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161 6
û
2i5 i68
251 98S

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305 I 1145
new.
..
263 1026

new.
2
lï ,103;

290

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

291

Office of the Adjt. Cen. Toronto, 4th Feb. 1858.

Rcport of the Sedentary :Militia of Upper Canada for the year
U
57, consists of 257 Battalions, an addition of 8 Battalions during 1857.
.Annual Reports received from 210 Battalions, to be received 47.

l{,ecapitulation of the Sedentary 11ilitia of Upper Canada for 1857.

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No. of men IS
to 40 years.
h,t class.

No. of men 18
to 40 )- ears.
2nd class.

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6 'ift 2S46 11264 122

2 2j 3 ';47 47
46
6 1!1 4:
83 .')7 3040 12120 1334S
3 24 3 74
572 54:{8 7'; 6106 !I!I 3472 15HI2 16510
4 22 3 612 331 5170 90 61ô8 'iO I
651 If.(JH
1 lliO
5
5 41 3 1061 478 7515 14!1 7791 155 4501 20111 216.í:J
6 4:!
H:!1 2fiO 4!162 15 6017 45 3692 14731 15815
7 26 '-I ';H7 4H7 ß521 151 6015 R9 40';0 17846 HIl2u
S 35 3 9S6 ö30 nOl)
6-1 J(l578 100 611
6

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36:) 253 298,)

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8U - 1 40411 1 51065

Battalions organized and reports received
Battalions organized and reports not received.
Battalions organized in part reports not received.
Battalions not organized reports not received.

Total reports not received.

Total Battalions.

Staff Officers
Batt. Officers.
Sergcants.

Ien 1st. class
11cn 2nd. class
Rescrve 11en.

Total all grades.

27
6ï12
3915
51086
56027
33298

151065

210
15
9
23

47

257

292

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

D. MacDonell, Lt. Col. Dep. Adjt. Gen. of l\Iilitia for Upper
Canada.
Col. Baron de Rottenbury C. B. Adjt. Gen. of l\Iilitia.

Sedentary :\Iilitia of Lower Canada for 1857.

o. of 11ilitary Districts. 10
" Battalions. 136
.. Officers. 53RO
.. Sergeants. 3
71
.. i\len Cnmarried 1st Class (18 to 40). 30662
.. "11en \Yidowers without family 1st class. 495
" :Men :Married 2nd class (18 to 40). 30641
" :rvlen \\ïdowers with ch. 2nd cl. (1
to 40) 79..f.
.< Reser\'e men 40 to 60. 333..f.O

Total. . . . . . . ., 123.329

The Report of 1862.

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In the early part of the year 1862, the Goyernment app0inted a
commission to report a plan for the better organization of the depart-
ment of the Adjt. Gen. of :\Iilitia, the best means for reorganizing the
lVIilitia of the Pro\'ince and to prepare a bill thereon.
This committee was composed of Geo. Et. Cartier, John A. lVlac-
Donald, A. T. Galt, Allan N. l\lcN abb, E. P. Tache, Col. D. Lysons,
T. E. Campbell and A. Cameron. In their report, which was submitted
at Quebec on :l\Iarch 16th, they recommended that the Province be di-
,'ided into such :l\Iilitary Districts as the Commander-in-Chief migl
t
from time to time direct. That each l\lilitary District be cliyided into
Regimental diyisions, that in order to facilitate the enrollment and rein-
forcement of an actiye force, each Regimental division be diyided int:>
Sedentary Battalions and sub-divided into Sedentary Company Div:.-
SlOns.
That each Regimental diyision should furnish one actiye and one
reserve Battalion, to be taken as nearly as practicable, in equal propor-
tions, from the male population of such diyisions. between the ages of
18 and 43.
It was further recommended that the service men of each batt1.
ior.
oe the first for service, the Reserye men could only be required under
extraordinairy circumstances, as it appearel from the census returns

THE HISTORY OF DURFORD

293

of 1
51-2, in Canada \Yest, there were llï,332 bachelors, between the
ages of 18 and 40 years.
To enforce a correct enrollment of the several classes of the Se-
dentary :l\Iilitia, the Commissioners proposed that the commanding Offi-
cers of Battalions be instructed to direct the Company Officers and
Sergeants of each Company, within the limits of the respecti,-e batta-
lions, to divide the labor of enrollment amongst them, as the business
would be better pcrformed, and much more correctly done than by
requiring each militia man to appear before his Captain.
One of the most important propositions was that relating to the
armament of the Sedentary
Iilitia, they recommended that arms and
one hundred rounds of ammunition for each musquet, should be depo-
sited in the ..\rmouries set apart for the Sedentary .l\Iilitia, also they
were impressed with the belief that great advantage would be derived
in keeping in stores a certain number of Great Coats for the use of the
Sedentary l\lilitia, in case that force should be called into active ser-
vIce.

The Service and Reserve Militia.

By the l\Iilitia General Order of 13th December, 1864, the Burford
Sedentary l\lilitia, which had preserved a continuous and almost Ull-
broken existence of 66 years, was practically abolished. The new
organization provided for a select body of men in the county of Brant,
795 strong, formed into one corps, to replace the Six Battalions of Se-
dentary :Militia hertofore existing. Burford was to contribute 158 men,
the remainder of the force was to be known as "Reserve l\lilitia." All
candidates for commissions in the "Service l\Iilitia", were required be-
fore appointment to obtain a certificate, as hereinafter mentioned, from
the commandant of one of the schools of military instruction" and no
pcrson was to be appointed or promoted to the rank of Field Officer in
the ..
en'ice
lilitia", who llid not obtain a first class certificate.
First class certificatcs to be awarded to those candidates only, who
proved themselves, to thc satisfaction of the commandant of the school
of !\Iilitary Instruction, able to drill and handle a Battalion in the field,
and who should have acquired a complete acquaintance with the inter-
nal economy of a battalion.
Second class certificates to be given to those candidatcs who should
pro,-e themseh'es ablc to command a company at Battahon drill, and to
drill a company at "Company Drill", and who should have acquircd a com-
petent acquaintance with the intcrnal economy of a company and the du-
tics of a company's officer.

294

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

All candidates were required, before admission, to satisfy a Board
of Officers of their competence for the position of a commissioned officer
of the :Militia. Travelling expenses going to and returning to their homes
were allowed, and to those \\Tho obtaincd commissions, the sum of fifty
dollars was paid. Candidates while attending the school were attached
to the corps, which constituted the School of Instruction, for all purposes
of drill and discipline.
In theory only were the new regulations superior to the old order of
things, it was found that those who qualified at the :Military schoolê, young
and ambitious men, had acquired a taste for military affairs, and that
the Service 11ilitia furnished too limited a field in which to display and
keep bright their superior military knowledge, it would be also im-
practical to call out for drill and discipline for more than one or two
days per year, the men of the new sedentary militia corps and the gra-
duates generally, were offered and accepted commissions in the reguhr
Active :Militia.
The following list gives the names of Service 1Vlilitia-men from
Brant County, who attended the Toronto lVIilitary School, with dates
of their certificates of qualification :-

Andrew H. Baird,
David Spence,
Wm. G. McWilliams,
George Bryce,
Nicholas Murphy,
Colborne Nellis,
Aaron B. McWilliams,
Samuel Wilcey Fear,
Banfield Capron,
Osborne Totten,
William Hewson,
Warren Totten,
John F. O. Neil,
Edward H. Read,
Nathaniel Hunter,

1st. Class
2nd "
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd

2nd. June, 1865.
24th. June, 1864.
14th. July, 1864.
12th. Aug., 1864.
4th. Nov., 1864.
24th. MaL, 1865.
6th. Apr. 1865.
6th. Apr. 1865.
20th. Apr., 1865.
5th. May, 1865.
19th. May, 1865.
28th. Sept., 1865.
28th. Sept., 1865.
24th. Nov., 1865.
24th. Nov., 1865.

Service Militia.

Quebec 8th. December, 1864.
His Excellency, the Commander in chief, is pleased to order the
Organization of a service Battalion, from the several Regiments of 1\li-
litia of this Province undermentioned and that the Ballot shall be taken
on Friday the 30th day of Decembe; instant., in manner prescribed by
law, for the purpose of organizing such service Batts, respectively,
according to the proportion of men to be furnished for each Batt, 'from
each Township, City, Town or Incorporated Village, as follows, that is
to say :-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

295

Brantford Town,
Brantford Township,
Burford Township.
Uakland Township,
Onondaga Township,
Paris Village,
Dumfrics Township South

176.
194.
158
31
58
67
111

No. of service Batts, to be organized
from each Regiment.
-One.

795

Under the
lilitia General Order of the 13th December, 1864, a
Ballot was ordered to take plac
on 30th of same month, and 48, 495
men, the aggerate strength, was apportioned amongst the various Regi-
mcntal Divisions, and divided into 61 Regiments of Service :Militia,
consisting each of 795 men, Commissioned Officers and Privates.
Privates.
The total
umbcr of ::\Iilitia mcn in Upper Canaùa, as returned
on the county Rolls in 1
64-, werc :-

1 st. Class
2nd. Class
Reserve men

Total

;)5,081.
130,353.
5-1-,489.

270,123.

Aftcr an inten"al of some five years, the militia Department again
turned its attention to the Sedentary bodies, now designated "Reser-
ve :Militia." The South Riding of Brant was dh"idecl into two com-
pany divisions, each to be under the immcdiate command of a captain.
On the 29th Jan. lRG9, the following appointments were gazettcd :-

Reserve Militia.

Rcgimcntal Division of South Riding of Brant.

To be Licut. Cot., Lieut. Col. Charles S. Perley, late 5th non serVIce
Battalion, Brant.
To bc l\lajor. .Major Thomas Racey, late 3rd non service Batta-
lion, Brant.
To be :Major, Captain HC1 1 ry Ta
'lor, late 5th non scrvice Batta-
lion, Brant.

296

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Ottawa, 2nd, 1\larch, 1869.

General Order.

Reserve Militia,

Regimental Division South Riding of Brant. No. 1 Company Di-
vIsIOn, the southern 10 concessions of the township of Burford.
To be Captain. Captain \\ïl1iam Hcnry Serpell, from the first non-
reserve Battalion.
No. 2 Company DiYÌsion. The four northern concessions of the
township of Burford and that portion of the township of Brantfor\!,
lying north of the northern Kerr line, and \Yest of the Grand River.
To be Captain. \Villiam 1\Iiles, late non-reserve Battalion.

The Enrollment of 1869.

Reserve lvlilitia South Riding of Brant.
1 st. Class unmarriect or widowers without children 18 to 29 years, 958
2nd. Class unmarried or widowers without 30 to 4--4- years, 164
3rd. Class married or widowers with children 18 to 44, 1530
4th. Class all of and over 45 years of age but under 60, 771

Total of all Classes 3423
Additional Seamen Dominion \Yaters, 2
Bona fide members of Volunteers, 239

Lieut. Col. Charles S. Perley, the Veteran 1\1ilitia officer, was nearly
73 years of age when he received his appointment as Commanding Of-
ficer of the Reserve Militia of the South Riding of Brant. After his
death in 1879, he was succeeded in the command by Major Henry Tay-
lor, commissioned Lieut. Col. in 1880.
Since the date of their enrollment, the Reserve 1\1ilitia have never
been out or assembled for drill and discipline, and Lieut. Col. Taylor's
appointment w
s the last made in connection with the organization.

CH
-\PTER \11

THE REGGLAR ARMY. THE CAN.\DIAN REGUL-\}{S.
THE CANADIA:"J YOLUNTEERS. THE FIRST CANADIA

CAVALRY. THE BURFORD CAVALRY. IXFAXTRY AXD
:kIFLES. SOUTH AFRICA. C.\PTAIX ALLAN \YALLACE
ELLIS. THE )IIXISTERS OF
IILITIA.

The ::\1ilitary establishment, maintained by all nations at the pre-
sent time, are the product of centuries of e>...periment, invention and
expenence.
Charles VII of France, was the first Sovereign to establish a stand-
ing Army. In 1444 he organized fifteen companies, each six hundred
strong, and at their head placed the famous uody of Scottish .Archers
and Scottish .:\Ien-at-Arms, which for long retained their place at the
head of the Army list of France, as the trusted and valued Body Guards
of the French Sovercigns.
\Yhat might ue called England's first efficient standing Army, was
created uy ordinance, issued on the 15th. Feuruary, 16
5, which callcd
for the organization of 22,000 men, to consist of twelve Regiments of
foot, each diddcd into ten Companies of one hundred and twenty men
each. Each Regiment was ()fficered by one Colonel, one Lieut. Colo-
nel, one i\lajor, sen
n Captains, ten Li(:utenants and ten Ensigns. ()ne
half the men carried pikes and the other half .:\lusqucts. Each Cap-
tain carried a pike, Licutenants a partisan, and Ensigns a sword.
The Cavalry consisted of eleven Regiments, divide{l into six Troops
of one hundred men each, to each Rcgiment was alloted a Colonel,
Lieut-Colonel, four Captains, six Licutenants and six Cornets. The
men wore iron helmets and cuirass, and carried a brace of pi
tols, as
wcll as a sword. Thcre were also tcn Companil:s of Dragoons, each of
one hUlHlrcd men and tl?ree Officers. For the :Military Train, two
Regiments of Infantry and two Companieo.; of Firelocks.
By the year 16:;2, the new model army, which had becomc famous
undl:r Cromwell and his Gcnerals, had grown until it amounted to thirty
Regiments of Foot, eighteen of Horse, and onc of Dragoons, in all
auout fifty thousand men, and 113.d attained to a high state of efficiency.
The I3riti
h ..<\rmy, as at prescnt con
tituted, dates its origin from
thc rcstoration of the House of
tuart. The gradual di
bandll1('nt of

2HH

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

the new model army, had been carried out by Geqeral l\lonk, Colonel
in Chief of the Cold stream Regiment. By January 1st, 1661, there
remained only l\lonks own Regiment, which were asembled by order
of the King on Tower Hill. Here in the presence of the highest military
and ci,'il officials, this corps, which was originally tonned in 1630,
grounded their arms, signifying their final disbandment. Having taken
the oath to serve the' King. their arms were taken up and they becamc the
first Regiment of Foot Guards.
The "Royal Scots", can claim the distinction of being the oldest
regiment in the British Army, it has been styled "Pontius Pilate's Body
Guards" on account of its claims to antiquity. The nucleus of this
corps was formed in Scotland, centuries ago, and as an organized mi-
litary body they were famous throughout Europe as the Scottish Ar-
chers. Led by Sir James Hepburn they fought in 1625 under Gustavus
Adolphus.
The name of Sir James Hepburn, comes first in the British .Army
List, his colonelcy dating from 26th Jan. 1633. The Royal Scots howe-
ver, remained in the service of France until the year 1678, when they
came to England. Their first commanding officer after becoming a
part of the British Army was Colonel Sir Robert Douglas.
In 1635, the Scottish Regiments in the employ of Sweden, merged
together and passed into the service of France.
In 1663, Troops of horse were first supplied with carbine, in ad-
dition to swords and pistols.
The title of Captain was first introduced in the year 1335, and up
to the year 1444 the second officer was known as the Petty Captain,
this ,vord became obsolete by the year 1563. The name of "Lieutenant"
signified a high officer, and for long was reserved to the King's Depu-
ties or Lord Lieutenants. .After the year 1444, Ensign or Standard
Bearer, was the designation of the third Officer of a Company of Foot.
Sergeant, has been the title of the expert at drill since 1528. In the
year 1587, the title of Colonel and Major and the word "Regiment"..
came into general use, and a little later the term "Infantry" was first
used, this word, like most titles, terms and Military expressions, was
derived from the French.
Foot soldiers in France were first called Infanterie, of Fanterie
in 1550. Officers with the title and duties of Colonel were first appointed
in the French Army in 1524.
Red coats were first worn in England by Henry's Body Guard in
1544, and the English Army were for the first time clothed in Scarlet
in the year 1645.
In 1835, the cumbersone hand guns, then in use, were first fitted
with a stock. Bows and Bills were in use up to the year 1569, when

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

2f9

they were replaced by Pikes and Firearms. In 1663 Ca,'alry were
supplied with Carbines, in addition to Sword and Pistol. In 1697 :Match-
locks were substituted for Flintlocks, and two years later the "Socket
Bayonet" was introduced.
In 1688 the term Fusilier was adopted, to designate foot soldiers
who carried the Fusil or Flintlock. The term "Fencibles" originated
hundreds of years ago, and was a term applied to Corps of regular
troops enlisted for home service during the \Var only.
1\ledals were first issued by the French, in 1558. The first medals,
ever issued by the English were for the victory of Dunbar, fought
Sept. 3'J! 1650, whcn the troops of the new model army defeated the
Scotts.
In 1698 the British Army was reclucecl to sc,'en thousan(l men,
English establishment, and an Irish establishment of twclve thousand,
the latter to be maintained at the expense of Ireland. The year 1701
saw a large increasc in the Army, and a further increasc was made in
1703. Pikes were issued in the proportion of onc to every five mus-
kets, but they were done away with in 1704, since which date .. Pikes"
\vere considered useless and 11usquets and Bayonets issu
d to every
man. The 1\1 usquet in use at this period carried sixteen bullets to the
pound.
The order of precedence in the British Army is as follows :-

1st. The Royal Horse Artillery, mounted or dismopnted.
2nd. The Regiments of Household Cavalry.
3rd. The Cavalry of the Line.
4th. The Royal Artillery.
3th. The Royal Engineers.
6th. The 1\tlilitary Train.
7th. The Foot Guards.
8th. The Infantry of the line according to their numuers.
9th. The Depot Battalions.

The Canadians Regulars

The Queens Rangers, whose organization was completed at Xia-
gara in 1791, for servicc exclusively in "Cpper Canada, and who serve:i
continuously throughout the Province until the Fall of I R02, when tht)'
were disuanded in "roronto, may be considered as the first Regular '::t-
nadian soldicrs.
In the ycar 1796 it was found necessary to organize another Corps
for Active SerYÌce, the Qucens Rangers not bcing able to provide a

300

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

sufficient force to garrison the further Posts, which were being e

i-a-
blished, as the country continued to grow. This new corps was the
firl;)t raised in Upper Canada and was designated" the Royal Canadian
Regiment of Foot."
John :MacDonell, member for the Second Riding of Gleil
arry, was
appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd. Battalion. He 1.ad scrveù
during the Re,'olutionary \Yar as an Officer in the 84th. :!:
e;
im{'nt. a:1d
also in Butler's Rangers.
In 1812, the Volunteer Incorporated J'vlilitia Battaii '11 wa
, 'j' ga-
nized, for sen,ice during the \\'ar. Lieut Colonel \\"illiam Roh:r.son,
formerly Captain in the 8th. Regiment, an able and efficient of[ÌLer,
'vas appointed to the command.
The Royal Canadian Rifles, organized in 1841, was, like the Queens
Rangers, recruited from the regular Regiments for service exclusively
in Canada. They continued to garrison the Frontier Posts l1nti! he
year 1870.
\Vith the rapid development of the Dominion of Canada, and the
necessity of providing trained Officers for the forces of _ \ctive J'vIilitia,
the :\Iilitia Department issued a General Order on the 20th October
1871, authorizing the formation of two Batteries of Garrison Artillery,
to be stationed in the Fortress at Quebec and the Tête du Pont Bar-
racks at Kingston. Here Ca,.alry and Infantry Instructors from the
Imperial Army were attached for the benefit of Candidates, who de-
sired to qualify for Commissions in the different branches of the Ser-
nce.

\n Officer of the Royal Artillery, T. Bland Strange, was appoint-
ed to command .. B " Battery with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel,
and another Imperial Officer, Captain French R. A., was appointed
to the command of A. Battery.
On December 21st, 1883, Sir. Adolphe Caron
linister of 1\Iilitia,
authorized the formation of one Troop of Cavalry, to be }
nown as the
"Cavalry School Corps", with Headquarters at Que.o(,.-c until further
orders. The following officers were appointed to tl
e corps from date
of organization.
Captain and Brevet Lieut. Colonel, Ja t !1es .e. Turnbull, from B.
Troop of the Queens Own Canadian Hussar
, to be Commandant.
To be Lieutenant, Edward H. T. Heward, from the Gov. Gen.
Bod,. Guard for Ontario.
. ,

To be 2nd. Lieutenant, Francis Louis Lessard, 11th. June 1884.
The present Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry also date their

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

201

organization from 21st. Decemuer 1SX3. The several units comprising
this corps are stationed at various Jepots, where their "en' ices are
invaluaule, for instructional purposes, to the Officers of thc \" olunteer
Force.

.

The First Canadian Cavalry.

The :Militia Act of 1ï93, which provided for the organization of
the Cpper Canadian l\lilitia made no arrangements for the establish-
ment of independent Troops of Cavalry. These early corps were partly
modclled on the lines of Colonel Simcoe's old Regiment, the "Queen's.
Rangers" which contained one Or two units of cavalry. These units
of thc First :\lilitia Regiments were numbered consecutively with the
the companies of Foot and were practically l\Iounted Infantry. These
::\Iounted Infantry Units were styled Dragouns and Light Dragoons.
In lXl2, there were ten of these troops in existence, one of which
formed a part of the First York Regiment of
Iilitia. This compan\'
'\as organized at the ureaking out of the \Yar by John Button who ,,-as
promoted Captain, uut there is no mention of this unit taking any active
part as Cavalry, in the operations on the frontier.
In the early part of the munth of June 1
12, 1\Iajor Thomas :\Ier-
ritt, formerly Cornet of Cavalry in the- Queen's Rangcrs of Re,'olutio-
nary \\ ar fame. who had settled near Xiagara and held the officc of
Shcriff of the District, was given authority to rccruit for an indcpen-
dcnt Troop of Cavalry, to bc known as the ")Jiagara Light Dragoons."
:\Iajor l\Ierritt desired to form a Squadron of two or three troops hut
was unahle to make satisfactory arrangements, ho\\-ever, the organiza-
tion of the Troop authorized was promptly carried out. \lc),.ander
J Iamilton was appointcd Captain, \ \ïlliam f Jamilton :\Ierriu, Lieutcnant,
and Charlcs Ingersoll of ()xfonl, Quarter-Ì'.laster, thc latter was promo-
ted Cornet on the 2-t-th. Octoher lX12. \fter se,'eral months strenuous
scrvice they were disbanded in the month of Fehruary lR13.
On the 3rd. l\1arch 1813 a :Militia General Order granted permission
to \\ïlliam Hamilton :\Ierritt organize a new troop of Ca,'alry to be
designated "Prm'incial Dragoons", they are also known to I Iistory a
the
")Jiagara Frontier Guides." Cornet Charles Ingcrsoll was promoted se-
cond in command uf this Troop. They have already been rcferred to in
a previous part of this work.
Thc Canadian Light Dragoons authori7e(1 21st. January alHl dis-
banded 1\Iay 2..hh, IBIS, were raised in :\IontreaJ and took part in
the engagement under Proctor at 1\Ioravian Town on thc 5th. October
lRU, when thc famous Indian Chieftain. Tccu111
eh, ,,'as kiJ1ed.

302

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

After the war all the cmbodied and sedentary :Militia Troops were
disbanded and became defunct.
In 1
22, eight years after the \Yar, in a reorganization of the l\1ili-
tia, Captain Denison, grand father of Colonel George T. Denison the
famous Cavalry man, raised the original troop of the Governor Gene-
ral's Body Guard, it was uniformed and drilled periodiacIly for fifteer..
years, and was in good shape in l::ß7, when it was taken put on active
sernce.
After the Rebellion all other corps were again disbanded but the
Denisons determined to keep their Troop as a p
nnanent institution
and the sons of the Captain purchased uniforms and equipment, and
kept up the troop drilling a few days every year until 1
55, during this
period up to 1853 there were no other cavalry in existence.
In 1843 Denison's Cavalry escorted Lord :Metcalf on his visit to
Toronto, they also formed Lord Elgin's escort when that functionary
was in Toronto in 1850-51. Lord Elgin was so pleased with the appea-
rance of the troop, that he asked Captain George Denison the Second,
to raise another three troops and make a Regiment. Acting on this
request Captain Denison met John Button, Norman :McLeod, and
Stoughten Dennis, when each promised to raise a troop. These addi-
tional troops were organized in 1853.
In 1
55, when the active force was organized, Denison's trop was
çrazetted into the new force under Class ..\., and a joint troop was made

f McLeods and Dennis' troops as a second troop Class A, and Button's
Troop was gazetted as Class B. There is no corps in Canada that ranks
back as an effective organization further than the First Squadron of
the Body Guards in 1822.
Under the command of Colonel George T. Denisun (George the
third) the Body Guards became famous during the Fenian Invas
on,
and under that clever officer reached a very high state of efficiencv,
in fact they were considered by 110 less an authority than Lord W 01-
:5eley, to be more suitable for the erroneous duty of patrolling the Nia-
gara Frontier, work which continued for several months subsequent
to the fight at Ridgeway, than any body of Regular Cavalry.
The name of Denison and the term Cavalry may almost be said to
be synonymous. It has always been a sUQject of speculation with the
writer why the valuable and instructive l\1ilitary works of Colonel G.
T. Denison are not to be found in the curriculum of our Military schools
of instruction, a part of the pupil's valued time could not be better oc-
cupied then in studying the important subjects so ably treated by this
officer. The works are conspicuous only by their absence in the schools
and the hands of the Canadian Cavalryman, yet they are to be found

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

303

well known to the Cavalry branch of the service not only in the Euro-
pean -'- \rmies, but in those of China and Japan.
In his interesting work "Story of a Soldiers Life", Britains great
Field l\Iarshal, Viscount \\T olseley, in writing of his experience in Ca-
nada, refers to Colonel George T. Denison, as a born Cavalry leadcr,
poss
ssed of natural gifts strengthened by deep study, which have made
him bctter fitted for high military command than ninety-five percent of

he .. \nny officers. He further remarks that Col. Denison would
ha ve been a :\Iilitary leader of note in any army he joined, and that is
much to ue regretted that he did not adopt the army as a profession, had
he done so he must have risen to eminence.
Gm'ernment of United Canada in the year 1855, the first corps to be
gazetted being the first troop Frontenac Cavalry, with headquarters in
the old Garrison City of Kingston, who were gazetted Sept. 20th. 1855,
three months later two Troops were formed at Toronto and one in St.
Catherines, two of these Troups were later on to ue closely associated
for many years with the Burford Cavalry.

The Canadian Volunteers.

rheir Organization in 1855,

Un the 27th day of Octobcr in the year 1854, commissioners were
appointed by Letters Patent under the Grcat Seal of the Province, for
the purpose of investigating the state of the l\.Iilitia of Canada, of re-
organizing the said l\Iilitia and of providing an efficient and economical
systcm of public defence, and further to r
port on an improved sy
tem
of Police for the better preservation of the puulic peace.
The Commissioners appointed for this most important work werc,
Allan N. 1\IcNaub, E. p. Tache, T. Edmund Campbell and Col. George
Frederick Dc Rottenberg, Assistant Q. 1\1. Gen. in Canada.
:='hc report of the commissioners, a very able comprehensible and
suitaulc plan, for the defensivc fequirements of a young and growing
country, was presented to the govcrnment for their consideration, on the
10th day of February 1855, and after discussion was, with very little
altcration, finally adopted, became law, and the organization of the first
V olnnteer 1\Iilitia commcnced.
The scheme proposed by the Commission, recommcnded the esta-
blishment of Volunteer Troops of 1\lilitia Cavalry, Field Batteries and
Foot Companies of Artillery and Companies of Infantry, armed as Ri-
ßetllen.

31)4

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

The force to consist of Sixtcen Troops of Cavalry, Seven Field
Batteries of .\rtillery, Five Foot Companies of _-\rtillery
and Fifty Companies of Riflemen.
_\mounting in round members t8 404ï of all arms.

It was further recommended that, Cavalry Troops be armed with
Sabres, and Pistols. That Field Batteries of Artillery be armed with
2 (two) six pounder Guns and 2 (two) twelve Howitzers for each Batte-
ry, and that 8 (eight) Precussion Carbines be supplied to every Field
Battery, also a sabre to every Gunner and Drummer.
That the Foot Companies of Artillery be armed with Precussion
Fusils and Bayonets, and that the Infantry Companies be armed with
the best description of
Iinie Rifle, and Bayonet, and that the whole of
the accoutrements supplied to the Volunteer Force be of Brown leather
-which arms and accoutrements be provided free of expense to the V 0-
lunteer Force.
The uniform to be prescribed by the Governor General, and that
towards defraying the expenses of such uniform, a sum of two pounds
(f2) be granted to every non-commissioned officer and man on enrollment,
and on duly providing such uniform. And that a further Sl1111 of two
;)ounds (f2) be granted to each Volunteer on the expiration of three
years service, and a further sum of two pounds (f2) on the completion
of sevlen years service, and in case any Volunteer should retire from
the ser\'Ìce before the expiration of fi,.e years, that such individual be
required, either to hand over the uniform, or to refund the sum of two
pounds (f2) to whatever person shall enter in his place.
That the officers and men composing the Y olunteer force be exemp-
ted from sen'ing 011 ] uries, and the horses of officers and men in Troops
of cavalry and Field Batteries of Artillery, if duly enrolled, be exempted
from execution, distress or assessment.
The Officers and men comprising the Volunteer Force of Cavalry
Infantry and Field Artillery, to be required to drill ten consecutive days
every year, and the Field Batteries of Artillery, twenty days annually,
ten days of which to be consecutive e.nd to receive pay at rates hereby
specified :-

Captains. .. ... ... ... .......... ... ...
Lieutenants. ., ...... .., ..... ..... .. . .
2nd. Lieutenants, Cornets or Ensigns. . . . . . . .

S. D.
10 8
7 6
6 6

on Com. Officers and Pri,"ates.............

5 a

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Staff .

305

It was further recommended that a Field Officer of 1\lilitia to hold
the rank of Colonel, be nominated to command the 1\1ilitia in e
ch Mili-
tary District, and that an Assistant Adjutant General of :Militia, and an
Assistant Q. 1\1. G. of l\1ilitia be appointed to each District, with the rank
of :Majors of :Militia, to act under the orders of the Colonel corrnnanding
the Districts.

Report showing proposed localities for the Volunteer Force 111 Canada
and the No. of Troops, Co's, etc, at each.

CANADA \Vest

No. of
Troops of
Ca v.alry.

No. of
Field Batte-
ries of

No. of Coso
of Foot
Artillery.

No. of Coso No. of
of Infantry men.

Localities.

----------

1. By town.
2. Cornwall.
3. Prescott.
4. Brockville.
S. Kingston.
6. Belleville.
7. Napanec.
8. Cobourg.
9. Port Hope.
10. Toronto.
11. Hamilton.
12. St. Catharines.
13. Niagara.
14. Brantford.
15. London.
16. Chatham.
17. .\mherstburg.
18. Woodstock.
19. Paris.
20. Simcoe.
. 21. Dunnville.
22. Galt.
23. Guelph.
24. Peterboro.
25. Pcnetanguishcne.
26. Picton.
27. Perth.
28. Sandwich.
29. Dundas.
30. Port Sarnia.
31. Barrie.

1

2
1
I
I
I
1
I
I
I
2

lïl
50
100
50
171
50
50
100
50
2
1
]71
100
50
50
171
100
50
100
50
DC
60
60
50
50
50
Wo
50
IOn
50
50
60

1
1
I
I
I
I
I
1
]
1
1

= I
I
=--+- - :
::

nmlTo
__I

,_
_
_ _ 50 =1 4047

306

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

1. Quebec.
2. Three Rivers.
3. Sherbrooke.
4. Sorel.
5. Berthier.
6. St. John.
7. St. Hyacinthe
8. Stantead.
9. Chambly.
10. Odel town.
11. Henryville.
12. Montreal.
13. Coteau du Lac.
14. Nicolet.
15. St. Marie.
16. St. Thomas.
17. St. Ann.
18. Rivière du Loup.
19. Rimouski.
20. Eboulments.
21. Deschambault.
Total

1

I
:!I
1 50
1 I fJO
I 50
I 50
I IvO
1 50
I 50
1 50
1 50
I 50
2 2
1
,')1)
I ,W
1 lOti
1 50
1 50
I 50
' I
I gg
I 50
--;--1- 21 -\ ]:')42

5

2

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Establishment Active
Iilitia Gpper Canada, Class A, 1856.

307

__ _Wcatio
__L______ __-'___
:

::
-'

_ Men.

City Ottawa.
City Ottawa.
Cornwall.
\\'illiamsourg.
Prescott.
Brockville.
Drockville.
Kin!f,ston.

1\ apanee.
Picton.
Brighton.
Cohourg.
Cobourg.
Toronto.

"

"

ßrampton.
Barrie.
Hamilton.
&<

Dundas.
Guelph.
Galt.
St. Catharines.
St. Catharines.
Paris.
\V oodstock
London.
&<

St. Thomas.
Chatham.
Sarnia.
Sandwich.

Toronto.
Toronto.
Collingwood.
Hamilton.
Grimsby.
Grimshy.
Port Dover.
Dunnville.
London.
St. Thomas.
Kingston.
Kingston.

st. Com.
2nd. Com.
1 Troop Cavalry.
1 Co. Infantrv.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Co. Infantry.
Batty. Artillery.
Battj. Artillery.
1 Troop Cavalry.
1 Co. Infantry.
2nd. Co. Infantry.
! Troop Cavalry.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Troop Cavalry.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Battery Artillery.
1 Troop Foot Artillery.
1 Troop Cavalry.
2nd. Troop Cavalry.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Field Battery.
1 Troop Cavalry.
1 Co. Infantry.
2nd. Co. Infantry.
1 Co. Foot Artillery.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Troop Cavalry.
1 Co. J nfantry.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Co. Inmntry.
1 Field Dattery.
1 Troop Cavalry.
1 Co. Infantry.
nd. Co. Infantry.
1 Troop Cavalry.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Co. Infantry.
1 Troop Caval.y.

Co. Infantry.
Co. Highland.
Co. Highland.
Co. Highland.
Troop Cavalry.
Co. Infantry.
Co. Infantrv.
Co. T nfantry.
Co. Highland.
Co. Infantry.
Co. Infantry.
Co. Highland.

Capt. Patterson.
Crt pt. Turgeon.

fajor Dickinson.
Cd}!t. Carmal 1 .
Lt. Col. J es<;ap
Major Smythe.
Major Smythe.
Lt. Col. Jackson.
Lt. Col. Strange.
Capt. Shaw.
Capt. 0' Reilly.
Capt. Sweetman.
Capt. \Vebster.
Capt. Davidson.
Capt. Boulton.
Major Ruttan.
Maj or Dennis.
Capt. Denison.
Lt. Denison.
Capt. McLeod.
Capt. \\'right.
Lt. Col. Durie.
Maj or Booker.
Capt. Ryckman.
Capt. Gray.
Capt.
[acDonell.
Lt. Col. N otman.
Capt. Kingsmill.
Capt. Date.
Capt. Bate.

Iajor Clarke.

Iajor l\IacCartney.
Capt. Clarke.
Capt. Shanly.
Capt. Rivers.
Capt. Darker.
Capt. Hammond.
Capt. Bannerman.
Capt. McCrea.
Capt. Vidal.
Capt. \Vigle.
CL.\SS B.
Capt. Campbell.
Cllpt. Hnllth.
Capt. Stephen.
Capt. McCraig.
Capt. Teeter.
Capt. Randell.
Capt. Riddell.
Capt. .\msden.
Capt.
Ioffatt.
Capt. Stanton.
Capt.
racNee.
Capt.
IcIntoch.

3
3
:

:J
:{
:

1
-1
:

:

:

:J
:

3
:

:-4
4
:i
3
:-4
3
3
4
3
3
3
:3
3
:

:i
3
:J
:J
4
3
:J
:

3
3
:J
3

iO
in
50
70
io
iO

(\
71
5U
S<:!
iO
50
60
60
.>0
70
il
.)0
f,O
50
io
60
71
!}O
iO
70
50
75
.70
50
iO
iu
in
71
50
70
70
filJ
70
60
50

:

:J
:

:i
:

3
3
:J
3
:\
:J
:J

70
'io
70
70
fiO
60
iO
lin
'in
iu
"-")
,')..
70

308

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

CLASS B. (Continued.)

\ 1 Co. Infantry.
1 Troop CM"alry.
L Co. Infantry.

Capt. Pontin.
Capt. Button.
Capt. 0' Brien.

3
3
3

70
50
50

Belleville.
)larkham.
Orillia.

E
til11atc of the probable annual cost of pay and allowance
to the volünteer Militia of Canada.

Cavalry Troops.

Officers and Men.

Daily pay and allo- Pay and allowances
"\\ances.
20 diiys drill.

Annual Cost.

L. S. D. 1... S D.
1 Captam. O. 10. 6. 5. fi. U.
1 Lieutenant. O. 7. G. 3. 15. O.
1 COl'net. o. ti. ti. 3. 5. U.
50 N. C. O. & Man at
5 S. 12. 10. O. 125. O. O.
Allowance 53 horses at
f) 8. 13. 5. 0 132. 10. O.
1 Drill Instructor. U. 7. 6. 3. 15. O.
')- 7. 6. 273. 10. O.
-I.

L. IS. D.
498t. O. O.

16 Troops in C. E. and C. 'V. at 1; 2ï:{. 10. n. each.

Field Batteries of Artillery.

1 Captain. O. 10. 6. 10. 10. O.
21st. Lieuts. O. 15. 5. I;} O. O.
1 2nd. O. 6. 6. 6. 10. 0,
70 N. C. 0." & Man. 17. 10. o. :J50. o. O.
Allowance for 56 hor-
ses at 5 S. each. H. O. 0, :!SO. 0, 0,
Allowance to Sergt.
Major. 50. O. o. I 50. O. O.
Total :33. 2, O. ';12. O. O. E,. 49ö4-. O. o.

7 Field Batteries in C. E and \V. E, at 712. each.

Foot Companies of Artillery and Co's of Infantry.

1 Captain. 0.10. 6. 5. 5. 5.
1 Lieutenant- O. 7, G. 3. 15. O.
1 Ensign. O. 6. 1. 3. 5. O.
50 N. C. O. and :\1 en
at 5. S. each. 12. 10, O. 125. O. O.
} Drill Instructor. O. ï. 6. 3. 15. O.
14. 2. O. 141. O. O.

55 Companies of Foot Artillery and Infantry in
E,. 141. each.

C. E. and \\". at
E,.7755. O. O.

,
"

"" "

f

t

..J.t.:

Major R. C. Muir.
Com. Burford Cavalry.
1898-1902.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

309

Keturn of the Volunteer Force in Ontario.

Ottawa 31st. Dec. 1867.

13 Troops of Cavalry
6 Field Batteries of .Artillery
19 Batteries of Garrison Artillery
1 Naval Company
41 Battalions, co
prising 302 Coso
IS Independcnt Coso

648 11 en
479 l\ien
1109 l\len
57 1ien
18010 Men
1044 1ien

'rurAL

21347

Grand Trunk Ry. Brigade.

5 Battalions comprising
12 Batteries of Garrison Artillery
1 Engineer Co.
23 Coso of Rifles

742 :\Ien
58 Men
1358 l\1en

Civil service Rifle Regiment, 6 Co.

2158
338

Total Vol. Force Officers & l\len
Quebec
( )ntario
G. T. Ry Brigade
Civil Service Rifle Reg.

9911
21347
2158
338

33754

The Burford Cavalry.

1866-1902.

In compiling these records of the Burford l\lounted Volunteers,
from its organization in 1866, up to and including the year 1902, scarcely
any documentary detail or official correspondence \Vas a ,'ailable, prior to
the year 1884, as no effort appears to have bcen made to preserve any such
correspondence or commit to writing any systematic record of the services
of what was first known officially as the Burford Troop of Ca,'alry, later
on as No.5 Troop of the 2nd. Regiment of Cavalry and subseqncntly as
"C" Sqnadron, 2nd. Dragoons.

310

THE HISTORY OF eCRFORD

fhere may be some e, ents related, ,,,hich will perhaps be thought to
belong more to a lIistory of the Regiment, or the 11ilitia Force generally,
but many will be interested in reading some of the particulars of those
days connected with the early organization of the Canadian \-olunteer
Army.
The principal event which hastened the first organization of a Y 0-
lunteer l\lilitia force in Unitp.d Canada and aroused the military autho-
rities to take measures for home defcnce was c3.t1sed by the Crimean \Yar.
To encourage the local gm-ernment in furtherance of We scheme, the
home authorities fonvarded a large number of Rifles and Carbines know}1
as the Enfield and Spencer pattern.
The Yolunteer :Militia Act of 1866 provided that the daily pay of
Cavalry officers should be as follows :-Lieut. Co!. 11. 3.0: l\Iajor 0.19.3:
Captain O. 14. 7; Lieut O. 9. O. Cornet O. 8. O. The
-\ct of 1864 provided
for three hours drill per day during sixteen days. Pay was to be allowed
for horses at the rate of seventy five cents per hour, for each drill of three
hours for the number of horses actually and necessarily present at each
such drill for each Troop of Cavalry.
Prior to the date on which the Burford Troop of Cavalry were Qfri-
cially organized, there had been for sometime in existence in Burford a
body of J\Iounted men which may be rightly called a Volunteer Cavalry
Troop, they were under the command of Captain J\lunger, who resid
(l in
the eastern end of the village. Captain l\1 unger and his men provided
their own uniforms, saddlery etc, and their services were giyen witllout
any renumeration.
The organization of this Troop, it would appear, had been unofficialJy
authorized by the l\linister of l\lilitia, the Honorable Etienne Pascal Tache,
but never confirmed by a General Order. Drills and iustructions were
given alternately in Burford, Bishopsgate and l\lount Vernon, the latter
place at that period was known as the "Checkered Sheds." The uniforms
were dark blue and consisted of a short shell Jacket trimmed with 1\10-
hair braid, trousers with one wide white stripe. Flat cap with white
band and straight leather peak
The principal e,-ent of interest which occurcd during the periofl of
Captain 1\lunger's command, was their attendance at the .'Great Review",
held in Brantford under General 1\ apier, in which the Royal Canadian
Regiment and a considerable number of Imperial Troops took part. Cap-
tain J\lunger's cavalry rendered efficient aid, in holding the lines and rê3-
training the in1l11ense crowds from encrwching on the Parade Grcund,
situated on the Sand Hills North of the city.
Sometime during the year 186"', ';
aptain l\Iunger removed from B r-
ford, and the organization practicall.f ceased to exist. It I1ad been e
pec-
ted that l\Iunger's Troop would have been added to the strellgth o

he

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

311

Volunteer forces, under Class "B", but fortunately for this branch of the
service, the old system of having two classes in the Cavalry, which was
always of doubtful utility, was abolished.
nd the Cavalry Corps wer
:J11
placed upon the same footing. '
After the raid of 1866 and the battle, or skirmish at Ridgeway, the
Government decided to largely increase the defensive forces of the coun-
try. An unofficial meeting of a number of the old members and others
interested, among the most prominent of whom were \\ïlliam
Iarshall,
Thomas Lloyd-Jones, D. G. Hanmer and \\ïlliam Serpell. was held in
the General Stores of Loney & Kirkland, situated on the north-east corner-
of what is now known as King Street and
laple Avenue. To these men
were chiefly due the credit for the formation of the First Regular V olu
-
teer Ca\"alry in Burford, which Las ever since maintained 2 '\1igh
tate of
efficiency.

Application was made to the Department at Ottawa, presided over by
the Honorable John A. ßlacDonald, who was then l\linister of l\:I:ilitia.
l\Ir. T. Lloyd Jones, Secretary of the Committee, was authorized to corres-
pond with the l\Iinister and had at least one personal inten'iew with him
on the mattcr. The result was in every way satisfactory, and shortly
afterwards the following names, ,\ hich had been selected by those inte-
rested, were forwarded to Headquarters for their consideration and con-
firmation

For Captain Jacob Bingham
For Lieutenant \Villiam l\Iarshall
For Cornet Thomas Lloyd-Jones
The first official order, regarding the Burford Troop of Cavalry,
signed by the Adjt. General, was issued from Ottawa on Sept. 7th, 1866.
The Burford Troop of Cavalry, having been ordered to organize by
the late l\linister of :l\lilitia, and having provided themselves with equip-
ment, in cQnsequence is placed on the list of the Volunteer l\lilitia as a
special case.
To be Captain till further orders, Jacob Bingham. Esq.
The second order effecting the Troop was issued from Ottawa, De-
cember 14th, 1866.

Burford Troop of Cavalry.

To be Lieut, acting till further orders, \Yil1iam :\Iarshall.
To be Ensign. acting till further orders, Thomas Lloy(l-Jonec;.
Thc oquipment mentÏoned in the first Ordcr. whkh con
i"te1 of
swords and saddles, \\'I....e as might hc (,Xl'

C(! cf var: h:S ,lcsigns ê.1}(J
patterns, this equipment. with the excel.tt,)); of that of thc officer
. was aU

312

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

discan
ed almost immediately after, 'w
en thc Government issued firs::
clothi!" g, and then arms and e,!l1i
ll.ent, '11aking a complete outfit fc,r all
the
on-commissioned Officer
and Pïi \'J tes.
o..Jn November 16th 1866, the first issue of clothing was forwar'led
from Headquarters and shipped direct to Captain Bingham, Paris Sta-
tion, this issue consisted of

Cloth Tunics
Cloth Trousers
Busbies
Great Coats

(Hussar Pattern)
(Hussar Pattern)
t Hussar Pattern)
(Hussar Pattern)

40
40
40
40

The Busbies were ornamented with Brass plate, Chain and straight
white, horse hair plume. The Tunics were handsomely trimmed \vith
Yellow Cords, and the Trousers with two white stripes. The Uniforms
and Great Coats were dark blue in color, all of the very best material,
and there, is no doubt that the splendid appearance which the Cavalry
made at this time had considerable to do with the large number of ap-
plications for membership always on file. \Vhite Belts, long swords
and Spencer Carbines completed the equipment.
At this period there were no Canadia
J\1ilitary Schools of Instruc-
tion, and the gentlemen selected for officers were required to proceed
to Toronto, where they were attached to the 13th. Hussars, one of the
crack Cavalry Corps of the British Army, who were then stationed in
the old Fort Barrracks.
Charles \Veir of Cathcart, who had received the appointment of.
Troop Sergeant, as well as most of the other non-commissioned officers,
accompanied the officers to Toronto, as it was considered to be a matter
of importance, at that time, to have only thoroughly qualified men to
fill these positions.
After some two months steady drills and studies, Certificates were
granted, and in due course a General Order was issued confirming t1:e
officers in their rank. On his return home, Captain Bingham proceeded
to complete the enrolment of his Troop up to a strength of 35 including
N. C. O. and Privates.
The men were frequently called together and evinced the greatest
interest in making themselv
s acquainted with the various drills and
movements necessary in the Cavalry branch of the service.
Under Captain Bingham, the parades were held at both Bishops-
gate and Burford Village, the men, many of whom resided at a consi-
derable distance, attended cheerfully at these meetings, and gave their
time without any renumeration.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

313

Referring to the G. O. of 14th. Dec. 1866, appointing \Vm. Marshall
as Lieutenant and T. Lloyd-Jones as Ensign, it is clear that the desi-
gnation of the 3rd. Officer as "Ensign" was a clerical error, the proper
title at this period being Cornet.
Some of the charter members of the force who at that time or later
on were appointed non-commissioned Officers in the Troop, were \\ïl-
liam Henry Serpell, Sergeant Major, promoted in 1872 to be Quarter-
master of the new Second Regiment of Cavalry. Sergeants John Car-
lyle, George Tisdale and Charles \Veir. Corporals Eli Eddy, Robert
Shellington and Henry :Marshall. Troopers D. G. Hanmer, Jacob Law-
rence, Ephraim Dutcher, Benjamin Ha
m, Benjamin Smith, John Thomp-
son, Sherman Townsend, Henry Ballard, James Carlyle, George Clin-
ton Henry Aaron 1Ic\Villiams, James :Mc\\ïlliams, Robert Jamcs,
Francis :Ylarshall and F. \V. 11iles.
Captain Bingham, had formerly resided in Oxford County, where
he had been an Officer in the First Battalion, Oxford l\:I:ilitia, after his
removal to Bíshopgate, he was gazetted Captain in the Fifth Brant :\Iili-
tia. For a number of years he carried on an extensive, business in I1i-
shopsgatc, as a manufacturer of Agricultural implements. The first crude
mowers and reapcrs manufacturcd in Brant County, of fearful and won-
derful construction were turned out from his workshops.

The First Camps of Exercise.

The first camp of instruction, for the benefit of the Y oluntcer :\Iilitia,
held in this Province was formed at Thorold, on AU!"rtlst 17th, 1866,
and continued until October 6th, 1866. The Regiments In attendance
were changed weekly. During this period of time the total number of
).1. C. O. and men present amounted to 6.201 and 475 officers. The only
Cavalry in attendance was the Cobourg Troop under Licutenant Colo-
nel Boulton, three officers and forty-four N. C. O. and men, also a de-
tachment of one officer and eight men from Colonel Denison's Troop,
the latter were present during the whole of Camp, the remainder being
stationed in detachments at Chippewa, Black Creek, Fort Eric, Ridgeway
and Port Robin
on.
On the 18th, September, 1868, the 11ilitia Department decided to
hold a Camp of Instruction at Toronto, for the benefit of the Cavalry
amI Artillery branches of the service.
By G. O. No.1, of that date, a Camp of Exercise \Vas authorizcd
to be held on 1 st October next ensuing, composed of Field Batteries
and Troops of Cavalry, for Volunteer Militia. The Comm.andcr-ll1-

314

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Chief having appointed Colonel Andcrson C. B., of the Royal Artillery,
to command the Field Batteries, and Col. J enyns C. B., 13th Hussars,
to command the Troops of Cavalry there assembled. The experience
gained at this Camp was of lasting benefit to the Troops of Cavalry
present among whom were the Burford soldiers. This was the first
occasion in the History of the Burford Troop on which they attended
a Camp of Exercise. They were not again called away from home
until the year 1871. During this interval the drills were performed in
the vall of the year at Troop Headquarters, the manoeuvres and tacti-
cal work being carried out on the estates of R. C. Muir, J. p. and
Elisha Stuart.
..--\t this time, and for a number of years after, a great deal of
attention was given to training the Volunteers how to SI100t, the cons-
tant practic developed a very much higher average then has been made
during the past twenty years. The targets first used ,,-ere construc-
ted of wood and were placed against one of the large straw stacks always
to be found on the Stuart farm. After every shot tÍ1e "Flag-man"
would appear from the back of the stack, plug the holes, and signal the
result to the firing line. Later on an iron target was received from the
!vIilitia Department and this was erected on the southern end of a large
field, the property of Squire 1\1 uir. All balls missing the target finding
lodgement in the large trees in the ',' Yinskel Grove".
At the close of the Annual Drills, the usual inspection was held
by a Staff Officer, this duty was carried out by Lieut. Col. Henry V.
Yillers. Brigade-l\1ajor, with Headquarters at Hamilton, who never
failed to highly compliment the officers on the soldierlike and creditable
manner in which the drills and ll1anoeuvres were performed.

The Field Day at Brantford.

On the 18th day of September, 1869, the Burford 'l"roop of Caval-
ry had their first experience in Brigade and Review \ V ork. Assem-
bling at Burford early on the morning of that day, they marched to
Brantford, when in company with the 3Sth. Battalion, consisting of 23
Officers and 291 men, under the command, of Lt. Co!. Patton, and
four Companies of the 3rd, Batt, Grand Trunk Brigade, the latter under
the command of 1\lajor Larmour, they formed up in Review Order on
the Heights north of the city, where they were inspected by the Adju-
tant General, Colonel p. Robertson Ross. The Cavalry on this occasio'-l
werc undcr command of Captain Bingham and made a splendid appea-
rance, they were highly compljmented by the _\
ljutar.t General, who in

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

31.3

his Official Report referred to the Troop as a splendid body of active
young men especially well horsed. After a minute inspection, the men
were supplied with blank ammunition, a regular Field Day followed,
both Cavalry and Infantry skirmished, advancing and retiring and made
occasional charges which greatly impressed the crowds of visitors.
The Honorable George Etienne Cartier was now :Vlinister of J\Ii-
"litia, and during his term of office the Volunteer militia particularly
the Cavalry, received very little encouragement. The period of Drill
was rcduced from 16 to 13 days, with permission to perform
this by extra drills in 60 days, this gave the men $1.00 per day,
but the pay for the horses remained the same. l\lembers of the
:\Iilitia who resided at a distancc from their lIeadquarters and were
obliged to prO\'ide themseh-es ,vith accommodation at the Hotels, received
practically nothing for their time. J n face of this and other discoura-
gements, such as rumors that the days of mounted mt:n - were over in
the Army, and that Cavalry was a useless branch of the service, the
Burford Troop was always up to full strength with picked men.

\t the close of the year 1869, the Canadian Y olunteer J\Iilitia num-
bered (on paper) as follows

Cavalry 1500
Garri<;on _\rtillery 353

Field Batteries (10) 730
Engineers (4 Cos ) . 232
Xa,'al Brigade (Halifax) 233
Inftry and Rifles (73 Batts) 37,268

Officers & :\Ien
Officers & :\Ien
Officers & :\Icn ..t2 Guns. 441 Hor's.
Officers & J\len
Officers & :\Ien
Officers & :\Ien

TOTAL

43,5-1-1

In the month of October, lRï1, there assembled at Xiagara-on-the
Lahe, for a pcriod of 16 days Drill, three Squadrons of Cavalry, three
Fid(l Batteries, (twelve guns) and scveral Rural Corps of Infantry.
In all, 4.753 men, the whole under thc Command of Lt. Col. Durie.
The Cavalry present, among whom where the Burford Troop, were

ivcn a taste of regimental drill, and the rcsult proved so satisfactory,
that the ::\Iilitia Department decifled to fort11 the various inclcpendent
Ca\'a1ry Cnits into a Pro\ incial Rcgiment, this scheme wa

arried out
the following year.

316

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Organization
of the Second Regiment of Cavalry.

After Confederation, in 1867, the new Dominion Government set
about the reorganization of the yarious Provincial Corps of Volunteer
l\lilit.:a. It ,ras decided to form the isolated rural Troops and Com-
panies into Regiments and Battalions.
On February 6th, 1869, a General Order stated that the following
Corps) enrolled under the Act 31 Vic, Chapter 40, respecting the Mili-
tia and Defence of the Dominion of Canada, as well as those organized
prior to 1st October, 1868, which have within three months after the
day on which the said Act came into force, regularly enrolled as V 0-
lunteer l\Iilitia, are hereby declared to be existing and are continued as
such, subject to the Provisions of said Act.
No.3 l\Iilitary District, Cavalry.
Governor General Body Guard, Toronto.
York Squadron (Oak Ridges and :Markham Troops).
St, Catherines Troop, Grimsby Troop, Burford Troop.
This order fixed the status of the Cavalry in the new Canadian
Army.
By General Order of 10th l\Iay, 1872, the formation of a District
Regiment of Cavalry composed of the following Troops \Vas authorizcd
in l\lilitary District No.2, to be known as

"THE 2nd. REGI:\IE
T OF CAY ALRY."
with lIeadquarters at Oak Ridges.
St. Catherines Troop as
Oak Ridges (lst Troop York Squadron)
l\Iarkham (2nd Troop York Squadron)
Grimsby as
Burford as
Queenston as
Barrie as
\ V elland as

No 1 Troop
No 2 Troop
No 3 Troop
No 4 Troop
No.5 Troop
No 6 Troop
No 7 Troop
No 8 Troop

Previous to the formation of the 2nd Regiment of Cavalry, only
five of the eight Troops composing the new organization, were In exis-
tance, but on the samc elate, 10th l\lay, 1872. the Queenston Troop or
l\lottnted Infantry were changed to a Troop of Cavalry, with the follow-
ing Officers :-

Captain
Lieutenant
Cornet

Lieut. T. J. Brown,
Ensign Alex. Servos,
Sergt. Nelson Y ottng,

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

317

Also on the above date, a Troop of Cavalry at \Velland was au-
thorized, with the statement that Arms and the neces
ary Equipment
woulrl be furnished, when the Department of 1\lilitia and Defence were
in a position to do so.
The different Troops comprising the new Regiment were numbered
according to seniority and the same !Jlan was followed when making a
selection of Regimental Staff Officers.

Official Orders, authorizing formation of the Torunto, St. Cathe-
lines, Cri111sby and :Markham Cavalry.

T lOOp Organization.

Toronto, 27th December, 1855.

o 3 :Military District, Upper Canada.
Two Troops Volunteer :\Iilitia Cavalry to be formed at Toronto,
LO be styled 1st and 2nd Troops of Volunteer 1\lilitia Cavalry of the
County of York, with théir Headquarters at Toronto. The following
Officers are appointed to these Troops. Viz :

First T lOOp.

To be Captain,
" Lieutenant
" "Cornct,

Capt. Rohert B. Denison, from York Light Drag's.
Lieut. Peter 1\1. .McCl1tchon, from York Light Drag's.
Cornet Geo. T. Denisan, Jr, from York Light Drag's.

Second Troop.

'.

"

" Captain, Capt. Norman T. 1-IcLeod, from York Light Dragoons.
" Lieut., Capt. J. S. Dennis, from York Light Dragoons.
" Cornet, Ed. C. C. Foster, Gentleman,

"

Quebec 27th, September, 1855.

The formation of the following Corps are hereby authorized : 1Iili-
tary District No.7. St. Cathari
lcs.
One Troop of Cavalry to be styled the 1st Volunteer 1\Iilitia Troop
of Cavalry of St. Catharines.
To be Captain, Lieut. Bate from St. Catharines (Sedcntary) Troop
of Cavalry.

318

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Toronto, 13th. December, 1856.

1\1 ilitary District No 7.
One Voiunteer 'froop of Cavalry a tGrimsby, to be styled the 1st.
Volunteer 11ilitia Troop of Ca\alry of Grimsby.
To be Captain, Conrad Teeter,
To be Lieut., John Byam Cutler,
To be Cornet, Andrew 11. Pettit.

Toronto, July 17th, 1856.

:ßlilitary District No 5.
One Volunteer Troop of Cavalry at Markham, to be styled the 3rd.
Troop of Volunteer :Militia Cavalry of the County of York.
To be Captain, "\,om. Button.
To be Lieut.
To be Cornet.

DE ROTTENBURY Col.
Adjt. Gen. of Militia.

DOXALD l\L-\CDO:\'ELL,
Dep. Adjt. Gen. of :\Iilitia.

The York Light Dragoons, were a Corps of sedentary militia, reor-
ganized on 29th. Jan. 1852, on which date Robert B. Denison and Norman
T. J\IcLeod were gazetted Captains in that Corps. In after years when
Capt. R. B. Denison became the head of the most important l\1ilitary Dis-
trict in the Dominion of Canada, he always retained a warm interest in
the Cavalry, and was on particularly friendly terms with the officers of
the Burford Cavalry.
The Denison family were undoubtedly the fathers of the Cavalry
service in the Province of Upper Canada, and the fortunes of their Com-
mand and that of the 2nd. Regiment of Cavalry, were to be incorporated
at different periods.
On the 10th l\lay, 1
72, the same date on which the Regiment was
organized, the following Staff were gazetted :-

Lieut.-Col. commanding, Brevet Lt. Col. and IVlajor Norman Torquil,
McLeod, C. S. l'vI. S., from 1st Squadron York Light Cavalry.
11ajor, Brevet Lt. Co!. and Capt. \Vm. Button, C. S., from No.3 (l'vlark-
ham) Troop.
:l\1ajor, Capt: George Book, C. S., from No.4 (Grimsby) Troop.
Paymaster, Brevet-J\lajor and Capt. Currie V. B., from Queenston Moun-
ted Infantry Company.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

319

.\djutó_nt, with rank of Captain, Adjutant Silas \\'. Spillette C. C. 11. s.
t formerly of 9th. Lancers), fl0111 19th. Battalion.
Quarter master, with rank of Cornet, Sergt, ,Major \\. H. Serpell, C. S.
Surgeon, J. .Ackland De La Hooke, from 1st Sq. York Light Cavalry.

\sst. Surgeon, Thos. Clarke, 11. D.
Yeterinary, Charles Elliott, :\1. S., formerly Lieut. 36th. Battalion.
Xo 7, Barrie Troop, does not appe:::.r to ha,-e ever joined the Regiment

n Cant) or perfected their organiz<.Lticn, but for many years the \Yelland

.i'r,Jop continlled to be rcÍLrred to in an official orders as ..
o. 8."

x o. 8 Troop \ Yelland

Ottawa, 7th June 1872.

To be Captain \Ym. Buchner :\1. S.
To be Lieut. Provo Ruben l-luus<.\
To be Cornet, Provo Hampden D. \\ïlhon.

The June Camp of 1872.

Regulations for the Annual Drill of 1872.
The Annual Drill for the 1Iilitary year of 1872, will be carried out in
the following manner :-Camps of Exercise will be formed in evcry 1Ii-
litary District; at which the Cavalry, Field Artillery and Infantry Corps
will be concentrated in tactical Brigades and Divisions of the three Arms,
for 16 days Drill and l\Ianoeuvres.
Officers, non-commissioners officers and men attending such camps,
will be paid and supplied during the period as if called out for actual Ser-
\'Ice.

The Brigades amI Di\"Ìsions will be under the personal Command of
the Deputy \djutants G-cneral, commanding the 1Iilitia, in 11ilitary Dis-
tricts, who accompanied by the permanent Distrid Staff Officers, will
encamp with the Troops during the whole period the Camps are in opera.
tion, in order to superintend the Drill and Tar
et practice of Corps, carry
out the supply and transport arrangements, as well as to take 11ilitary
command and regulate all duties in Camp.

Military District No.2.

A Division composLd as follows will be assemblcd in a Camp of
EÀercise on the
iagara Frontier at Niagara on 12th June :-

320

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Cavalry.

Xo. 1 Troop, the Governor General's Body Guard and the 2nd. Re-
giment of Cavalry, 8 Troops, Lt. Col. l\IcLeod.
No.1 Troop of the Governor General's Body Guard will be attached
to the 2nd. Regiment of Cavalry for pay, rations, an<l discipline, during the
period the Division is assembled.

Field Artillery.

Toronto FielcI Battery.
Hamilton Field Battery.
'Yelland Field Battery.

1 st, Infantry Brigade.

2nd. Queens Own Rifles
10th. Royals Infantry
12th. York Infantry
13th. Hamilton Infantry
19th. Lincoln Infantry

2nd, Infantry Brigade,

20th. Halton Rifles
31st. Gray Infantry
34th. Ontario Infantry
33th. Simcoe Infantry
36th. Peel Infantry

3rd, Infantry Brigade.

37th. Haldimand Rifles
38th. Brant Rifles
39th. Norfolk Rifles
44th. \Velland Infantry
77th. \Ventworth Infantry

P. ROBERT
O
RCSS Adjt.

cncra!.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

321

Division Staff.

Quartermaster Gen. Lt-Col. R. B. Denison,
Asst. Quartermaster Gen. Lt-Col. H. V. Villers.

Troop Officers of the 2nd. Regiment of Cavalry 1872.

No.1, St. Catharines Troop.
Captain, John Johnson Gregory.
Lieut., Joseph Grobb,
Cornet, Roland W. Gregory.

No.4, Grimsby Troop.
Có.ptain, \ Villiam H. Patterson.
Lieut., Robert B. Patterson.
Cornet, Francis O. Burch.

No.2, Oak Ridges Troop.
Captain, James Bucllanan Baldw111,
Lieut., James
fcConnell
Cornet, \\ïlliam Morton.

:r\o. 3, :Markham Troop.
Captain, James Elliott,
Lieut., Francis Button.
Cornet, John Reynolds Button.

N o.
, Troop, \ Ve1land.
Captain, \\ï1liam Buchner.
Lieut., provo Reuben House.
Cornct, provo Hampden D. \Vi!.:()!1.

Burforll Best shot
Queenston " "
St. Catharines "
Oak Ridges " .,

Iarkham " "

rimsby " "

No.5, Troop Burford.
Captain, Jacob Bingham.
Lieut., \Villiam 11arshall.
Cornet, Thomas Lloyd-Jones.

No.6, Troop, Queenston.
Captain, T. J. Brown.
Lieut., Alex. Servos.
Cornet, Nelson 'X.oung.

Trooper Thomson
Cookhull
Disher
Copeland
Perkins
Burns

Figure 18
" 17
" 18
" 19
., 25
" 23

"

Captain Bingham's Retirement,

Towards the latter part of Captain Bingham's command he had be-
come carelesc; and indifferent reganlin
the efficiency Qf his Troop, the

3')'-)

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

equipment being left mostly in the hands of the men, in some cases the
.ßlilitary Headstalls, Halters, Tie chains etc, were for a time in daily use
by a few of the citizen soldiers in their peaceful pursuits. Captain Bing-
ham's neglect for the safe keeping of the Government stores, and his ne-
gligence in the discipline of his men, was principally the result of business
difficulties, which culminated in the loss of the greater part of his trade,
owing to competition from stronger and better equipped concerns. Finding
'ïis :financial affairs in extricable confusion, he left suddf'i11y for the Un
-
ted States, and Lieut. \\'m. :Marshall immediately assumed command.
This Officer. who during his connection with the force proved him-
self to be an able, cfficient and popular Cavalryman, issued a positive
order to every meinber of the Troop to at once return to stores all GO\"ern-
ment property in their possession, at the same time Constable Daniel Dunn
was sent out to recover any equipment wherever found.
After a considerable amount of work, Trooper Dunn gathert:d in
nearly all the missing articles and was placed in charge of all Troop stores,
a position he held for many years. Cnder his care e\'erything was kept
in perfect order. Trooper Daniel Dunn \Vas for long considered the most
expert swordsman in the Regiment, a most loyal and enthusiastic soldier;
he was finally promoted to the rank of Regimental Quartermaster Ser-
gean t.
On the promotion of Lieut. \\'m. ::\Iarshall to the command of the
Burford Cavalry, Cornet Thomas Lloyd Jones became Lieutenant and
'':ergeant 11ajor Charles \ \' eir w
s L
!)poil1ted Cornet, the iatte!" was :::'-l(-
ceeded as Scrgcant :\Iajor by Jacob La\\Tence, who had joined in 1
66,
the latter served continuously for some twenty-five years, and deserves
special mention for his never failing courtesy and his tact with the men
under his command. He was noted for his punctuality and as a member
who never missed a Drill or a Camp. During the first camps of Exercise
at Niagara his services were invaluablt: to his superior officers, to a large
degree he possessed the instinct of always doing the right thing at the
right time.
Having reached the age limit, Sergeant l\lajor Lawrence retired, after
serving at the June Camp of 1891, and was succeeded by the Senior Ser-
geant, \V. K. :Muir.
In the month of May 1873, Orders were issued for another large
Camp at Niagara-on-the-Lake, but to further economize, pay would only
be allowed for two Officers per Troop, and further, all Troops whose
Headquarters were over forty miles distant, had the option of drilling at
Troop Headquarters, or marching to Camp.
\ short time after this Order was issued, Lieut- Lloyd-Jones recehoed
a personal letter from the D. A. G., Lt-Col. R. B. Denison, in which he
was offered a position on the Staff durjng tHe ensuing Camp, the accep-

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tance of which would permit Cornet \Yeir to tah.e his place with the Troop
and draw the usual pay. After consuitation with Capt. 1\Iarshall, Lieut.
Jones replied signifying his willingness to accept the position, and warmly
thanked Col. Denison for his kind offer.

Retirements' Promotions, Appointments.

On the 26th September, 1873, a General Order appeared in the Ca-
nada Gazette, confirming Lieut. \Vm. l\larshall in the Captaincy, and pro-
moting his subalterns.
To be Captain, Lieut. \\'m. 1\larshall C. S., Vice Bingham, left limits.
To be Lieutenant, Cornet Thos. Lloyd-Jones, C. S. Yice :Marshall pro-
moted.
To be Cornet, Troop Sergt.-1\lajor Charles \\Teir, C. S., Vice Jones pro-
moted.
On the 12th June, 1874, by General Order, the first Commanding
Officer of the 2nd Regiment of Cavalry, Lt-Col. Norman Torquill .ì\lc-
Leod, who had previously sent in his rcsignation, was permitted to retire,
retaining rank. This Officer had served for a considerable length of
time in the York Dragoons, he "as gazetted Captain of the Oak Ridges
Troop on December 27th, 1855, l\Iajor in lRó5, and Lieut. Colonel of the
York Squadron in 1867.
()n the retirement of Lt. Col. .l\lcLeod, the command of the Regiment
devolved on :Major \Vm. Button; foqnerl) in command of the :\larkham
Troop. This Officer, howeycr, did not long retain the honor, haying sent
in his resignation, by General Order of 18th. December lR74, he was per-
mitted to rctire, retaining his Breyet Rank of Lt. Co!. 1\lajor George
Book C. S., formerly in command of the Grimsby TroolJ, now succeded
to the command of the Regiment, but he, like l\lajor Button, was neyer
gazetted Lt. Colonel.
:Major Book haying remm'ed from the Province, a General Order
was issued from Ottawa on 30th. l\lay 1879.
Captain and Bre, ct
Iajor John J. Grcgory C. C. of K o. 1 Troop
will, during the absencc from Regimental limits of l\Iajor Book, assume
thc command of the Regiment until further orders.
During the Summer of 1879, there bcing no word of l\Iajor Book's
return to Regimental limits, Captain J 01111 Johnston Gregory pressed for
his promotion. On the 17th. October, 1879, the following G. O. was
is
ued :-
1\Iajor George Book having left limits, his name is hereby removed
from thc List of Officers of the Active :\1 ilitia.
During the Fall of I
G7, John J. Gregory was attached to the 13t1i
IT U
"
lrs, Toronto, for Drill and Instructions. Obtaining a fi rst cIas,

324

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

certificate he was immediately gazetted Cornet to No. 1 St Catharines
Troop. On 5th. April 1867, promoted Lieutenant, and in January 1870
succeeded to the command of his Troop.

2nd. Regiment of Cavalry Troop Commanders, 1879.

No. t Troop,
2
3
4
5 '.
6
8

St Catha rines, Capt. and Breyet :Major, John J. Gregory.
Oak Ridges, Capt. l\IcConnell.
Markham, Capt. and Brevet :Major, James Elliot.
Grimsby, Capt. Patterson.
Burford, Capt. l\larshall.
Queenston, Capt. Brown.
\ Velland, Capt. \\r m. Buchner.
Establishments 385, Actual Strength 241.

Why the Cavalry Drilled only Biennially during the Seventies.

During the Seventies, a period of great Commercial depression pre-
vailed in Canada. The Government, who had first to provide for the
North \Vest Mounted Police, and the newly formed permanent Batteries
in Kingston and Quebec, found very little money left to provide for the
Drill of the Active :l\Iilitia, taking for instance the year 1877,when L. R.
l\lasson was Minister of l\Iilitia, we find that the 2nd. Regiment of Ca-
valry like many others, were not required to perform Annual Drill.
The Militia Grant this year was less than one Million doUars, the
exact amount being $931.956, from which deduct $30ù.356 for North
\Vest Mounted Police, $50.000 for Royal :l\1ilitary College, !eaving some-
what more than half a million dollars, for 1filitia purposes proper, and
the supply of all \Varlike stores, clothing for the whole force and for the
two Gunnery Schools, Rifles, Ammunition, Guns, Saddlery, G1-tn Powder,
as well as Accoutrements and Equipment of every description that an
Army requires, for the Drill Pay and incidental expenses attending on
Drill and training. There remained only the meagre and insufficient sum
of $155.000, a sum altogether inadequate to keep the 42.000 Volunteer :Mi-
litia of Canada in a proper state of training and effectiveness.
The following year, 1878, A. Campbell was appointed Minister of
Militia and Dcfen
e. The Burford Troop was at 1 thorizecl to drill at
Troop Headquarters. On the 27th Day of September l
ï9, it was inspec-
ted by the Brigade-l\Iajor, Lt-Col. H. V. ViIliers, and found to be in a.
throughly efficient state. The horses were particularly good. The Ins-
pection was carried out on the farm of R. C. l\luir, J. P.

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THE HISTORY OF EURFORD

325

Gn the previous day, Co!. Villiers had inspected the Queenston Troop
of Cavalry, undcr Capt. Brown, on Niagara Common, where they had
performed six days drill. The remainder of the Troops of the Regiment,
like Burford, carried out their drills at Troop Headquarters.

The 2nd Commanding Officer of the 2nd Regiment
of Cavalry.

After the retirement of Lt-Col.
IcLeod on the 12th June 18ï4, the
Regiment remained without any positive head, until the 8th June 1883, a
period of about nine years, On the latter date a General Order was is-
sued.
2nd. Regiment of Cavalry.
To be Lt-Col. and Command the Regiment, Capt. and Breyet l\Iajor
John Johnston Gregory, C. C. from No.1 Troop; Vice 11cLeod retired.
It is interesting to note by the above order, that the Commanding
Officer of No. I Troop, had the unusual experience of being promoted to
the Colonelcy, without ever hm'ing being gazetted to the intermediate gra-l'
of 1Iajor ; although since the year 1879, he, as Senior Captain, had acted
as Commanding Officer of the Regir:'lent.
During Colonel J. J. Gregory's tenure of Command, the Reginu:I:t
met biennially on Niagara Camp Ground. At thcse Encampments the
Cavalry were left entirely to themselves under the trees in Paradise Groyc.
except on Field Days or when Brigade Movements were being carried out.
A leading future of the Cavalry Quarters was the heavy Regimental
Guards that were maintained, from four to six Sentries were constar.tly
to be seen on their Beats surrounding the Cavalry Camp Ground. This
meant the cmployment of some twenty four Privates, one Sergeant, one
Corporal, and one Trumpeter. This Guard which was later on almost
entirely dispensed with, was the most exacting and disagreeable part of
Camp Life. 1Iany old members can doubtless recall the times, when
they were called up every four hours, during their twenty four, to pace
for two hours on their Beat. To be called up in the middle of a dark Lod
rainy night, from a sound sleep, by the inexorable Corporal of the Guard
and hurricd out to their Posts of Duty, was a taste of real soldering. In
those days the Sergeant of the Guard was considcred to be a great man.
The Corporal a very lucky man, while the Trumpeter would not exchange
places ,':ith the Coloncl. .
Stable Duties wcre carricd out at such times, and ill such a manner,
as hest suited the time of the men and the idcas of the Troop Sergeant-
::\Iajors. After the first week in Camp, when the Regimcnt camc togethcr,

326

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

a considerable part 'of its work consisted of wild gallops, from one end of
the Common to the other, when these furious charges '" ere made by the
Regiment in liúe with dra,vn Sabres, the gallant Colonel in the lead, ,,'110
no doubt had in mind the famous "Charge of the Light Brigade," at the
Battle of Balaclava.

.
The sight of these charges were so inspiring, and made such an 1111--
pression on the Camp ConuÌ1andant, Col. R. B. Denison, that he i
sued
strict orders to the effect that the ground lying in front of old Fort Geor-
ge, and extending from the English Church to the Railway Cut, he left
entirely for the use of the Cavalry.

On the promotion of Capt. J. J. Gregory to the <:ommanrl of
lie
Regiment, the :l\1ilitia Dept. decided to complete the Staff, and on 2
nd.
] une 1883, a further General Order was issued.

2nd. Regiment of Cavalry.

To be l\lajors, Capt. and Brevet-l\lajor James Elliott, C. C. from
o. 3
Troop, vice Button retired. Capt. \\Tm. ::\larslnll C. C.
from No.3 Troop, vice Book left limits.

OUa w
. 8tl: FdJreary, 138..1-.

G. O. No.5, 2nd. Regiment of Cavalry, No.3 Troop Burford. To
be Lieutenant. Sergeant Robert Cuthbertson :l\Iuir, C. C. vice Jones pro-
moted.-l\lemo ; 2nd. Lt. Charles \Veir having left limits, his name is
hereby removed from the List of Officers of the Active l\lilitia.
It is a peculiar fact to note, that although Cornet Charles \Yeir hat!
left limits nearly ten years previously, no official notice was taken of his
absence, and in the above order he was referred to, as 2nd. Lieut. To ex-
plain this matter to the readers of this History, it will be necessary to state
that in the month of June 1874, the l\1ilitia Dept. decided to reduce the
strength of the Active :\iilitia Force to 30,000 Officers, non-com. Officers
and men at the same time, a number of new Corps gazetted, but not yet
equipped, were removed from thc list of the Active :rvlilitia.
Among this list were 7 Troops of cavalry. A Gel1eral Order was
also issued stating that the nominal strength of each Troop of Cavalry
was not to exceed 40 officers and me.n. It was further stated that as va-
cancies for officers occurred, the strength of officers was to be reduced to
2 per each Troop of Cavalry.
Referring to the above order of 8th February, 1884, it will be noted

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that Charles \Yeir is referred to as 2nd. Lieut. \\'e find from the Records
that the title of the third Troop Officer, Cornet, was dropped in the year
1880, and that of 2nd. Lieut. substituted.
On 6th July, 1877, General Orders permitted Cornet and Quarter-
master, \\'m. H. Serpell, to have the Honorary Rank of Lieut.
On 20th July 1883, the following l\lemo appeared :-"Quartermaster
with the honorary rank of Lieut. \\'m. H. Serpell, to have thc honorary
rank of Captain, from 6th July, 1X82."
To continue the Record of Capt. Serpell's services, he continued to
act as Quartermaster until 30th June, 18t:;7, when he was placed on the
retired list retaining his honorary rank.
Capt. \\'m. H. Serpell is another old veteran who deserves special
mention here from the fact of his long service in both the Sedentary and

\cti,.e l\Iilitia. He was first gazetted Ensign in the 4th Batt. Oxford, on
12th :\lay, 1847. On 20th 1Iarch 1856, he was gazetted the Senior Lieut.
in the 3th Batt. Brant. On 2nd of April, 1857 promoted Captain, and on
27th :\Iarch, 1864, when the South Riding of Brant was formed into a
Regimental Division, consisting of 2 Divisions, numbered 1 and 2, he was
appointed the Capt. of
o. 1, in what was called The Reserve Batt. Brant.

Ottawa, 30th June, 1887.

To be Quartermaster with honorary rank of Captain, 2nd, Lieut.
James Shcppard S. C. from Xo. 6 Troop, vice honorary Captait) Joshua
U. Fowler, who is hereby permitted to retire retaining his honorary rank.
\Vhen this Order appeared, the ()fficers of the Regiment were some-
what mystified, never having heard of or known any Quartermaster in
connection with the 2nd. Regiment of Cavalry of the abo\.e name. After
considerable inquiry had been made, it was found that a most unusual
error had been made at J lead Quartcrs, and to correct this mistake, there
appeared on the 15th July 1887, this memo:
2nd. Rcgiment of Cavalry.
ERRATA: In 1\0. 3 of G. O. (12) 30th June, 1887, read \Vm. I-I.
Serpell instead of Joshua U. Fowler.
.\fter the appointment of Quartermaster Sheppard, who resided in
Quecnston, it was found to be a decided advantage to the Rcgiment, when
going into and rcturning from Camp, to have this officer li,'ing su near the
Camp Ground.

The Colonel's Impromptu Review.

During the June Camp of lXX3, just aftcr the promotion of lA-Cot.
Grcgory to the Command uf the }{egimcnt, it had heen arranged to hold

328

THE HISTORY OF BllRFOHJJ

a Grand Review and "March Past" on the morning of the second day
before Camp broke up. Visitors from Toronto, Hamilton, St. Catharines,
Buffalo, and the adjacent country poured in to enjoy the spectacle, and
there was a great cleaning up and furbishing of Steel Hatter chains, and
whitening of Belts for the occasion, but to the great disappointment of
both soldiers and visitors, about 9 A. M., the hour set for Muster Parade,
the rain commenced falling and as it showed no signs of letting up, the
Order for the Reyiew was cancelled and during the balance of the fore-
noon, the Cavalry passed their time entertaining their numerous visitors.
About 1 o'clock the sky cleared off and the various Corps in Camp
paraded for Regimental Drill. Fort George was crowded with sight-
seers, and as usual the ground in front of the Historic old Earthworks
was pre-empted by the 2nd. Regiment of Cavalry, who it should be stated,
was the only Cavalry Corps in Camp.
The Regiment, with its 7 Troops of clean, active looking men, pre-
sented a splendid appearance, and the Colonel decided in his mind, that
the opportunity of gratifying the visitors with a Military Display, for
showing off the Regiment to the best advantage, and to the satisfaction of
the officers and men, was too good to be lost. He immediately communi-
cated with the Commanding Officers of several Infantry Regiments, whose
men were casting longing eyes towards the Grand Stand, and it was arran-
ged that these Corps, with the Cavalry, should form in line, and march
past to the music of the Massed Bands.
The Cavalry being the first branch of the service and the proposi
ion
having come from the Colonel of the Cavalry, that Officer assumed com-
mand of the Brigade. Accompanied by several pro-tern aids and Staff
Officers, Lt-Col. Gregory took Post at the Reviewing- Point, when the
Bri
ade wheeled into column and commenced the "1'larch Past."
The various Regimental Officers and men, with due formality salu-
ting the Reviewing Officer, who acknowledged the same with all the di-
gnity and impressiveness of an Inspector General. As a matter of fact,
most of the visitors from a distance dill not know the difference.
During the performance of the yarious movements incidental to a
1:1arch Past, the attention of the Camp Commandant, Lt-Col. Robt. B.
))enison was drawn
o the display taking place on the Common, after
a lengthy survey of the movements through a powerful Field Glass, he
decided not to interfere with the operations ; but for the future he decla-
red that, rain or shine, all such displays should be carried out ; at the time
and dates set, under his own personal supervision.

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A Non-Com. Officer at the
Burford Cavalry, 1887.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

329

The Age Limit for Officers.

Previous to the year 1883, there was practically no limit to the age
at which an Officer was compelled to relinquish the Command of Troop
or a Regiment, and as a result many Lieutenants and 2nd. Lieutenants, in
certain Troops and Companies of a Regiment, found that after from ten
to twenty years scr\'ice, they were still where they started, while other
Junior Officers who had perhaps joined only a few years previously, were
through various circumstances quickly promoted from Cornet to Captain
in their Troops. This state of affairs led to a great deal of grumbling,
and remonstrances were frequently made to Brigade Office. As a partial
remedy the 11ilitia Dept. issued an order on 9th November 1883.
vVith the view of maintaining the Acti\'e l\Iilitia in a state of efficien-
cy. Lt-Col's. who attain the age of 60 years, rvIajors the age of 55, Cap-
tains the age of 50, and Lieutenants the age of 45, may be placed on the
retired list. This regulation will apply also to Regular Staff Officers,
according to their relative rank.
In the year 1884, :Major General R. G. A. Laurd, then in command
of the Canadian 1'Iilitia, at the June Camp of 1884, inspected the 2nd. Re-
giment of Cavalry. In his .\nnual Report, this cle\'er and distinguished
soldier recommended a new uniform for Cavalry, requiring neither pipe-
clay nor yellow washing. This was one of the most common sense re-
commendations ever made by a General OfIicer, and showed the Cavalry
that his Inspection had not been a superficial one, and that his remarks
were the result of close observation and an earnest desire to advance the
interests of the Cavalrymen. This was also his last report before leaving
Canada.
During the year a reconstruction of the Cavalry Corps had been
effected by transferring the Oak Ridges and :Markham Troops from the
2nd. Cavalry to the Gov. Gcn. Body Guards, and making the latter a Re-
giment of 4 Troops. \Yhilc this change did not effect the efficiency of
the first named Corps, which had still 5 Troops, it very much improved
that of the latter.
Thus it happend that the York Cavalry, which had formerly been
connected with Dcnison's Command, were after a period of some 28 years,
as part of the 2nd. Rcgiment of Cavalry, to again become a part of their
old Corps, and form the left wing of their new Regiment.
Reporting on the change, the Dep. Adjt. Gen. under date of 10th Nov.
1

9, remarked as follows :-
The I!1spection of this Corps (The Gov. Gen. B. G.) was made by
me on 29th. June on the Garrison Common, Toronto, at the end of its 6
days Drill. The 2 'l'roops lately transferred from the 2nd. Rcg. of C3-
,aIry, wcre prcsent in full
trength amI though a marked diffcrcncc was

:330

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

apparent between them and the old Troops in point of cleanliness, I am
satisfied that competition will in a very short time dispel and other simi-
lar defects. The augmentation of the Body Guards must of necessity
bring about increased enthusiasm and efficiency.
\Ye will now dismiss from thcse records the
Iarkham and Oak
Ridges Troops of Cavalry.
It was during this year of remarkable changes in the formation of
the Regiment, that the old order of Ilumbering by figures was done away
with, and that of letters substituted, therefore.
The 'Yelland Troop had, since its organization in 1872, continued to
be designated in all Official orders, as No.8 Troop. On Aug. 30th, 1889
it was last referred to as No. 8 Troop. General Orders stating that i

future it be known as "E" Troop. No.7 Troop (Barrie), so far as the
Regiment was concerned, had practically never existed, and we are quite
sure that many officers of the 2nd Regiment never knew or heard of the
Barrie Troop.

J 889.

Establishment 168. Actual Strength 168.

Figures of Merit.
A. Troop Capt. Gregory 16.29
B. Troop Capt. Burch 17.23
C. Troop Capt. Jones 26.18
D. Troop Capt. Servos 26,00
E. Troop Capt. Buchner 1R1G

The Adjutancy of the 2nd, Regiment of Cavalry.

As already stated in these Records, on the formation of the Regiment
on 10th l\lay 18ï2, Silas \y. SpiIlette C. C. 1\1. S. was appointed Adjutant.
This Officer at the time, was serying as Adjutant of the 19th. Battalior.,
but had pre\"Îously been an old Lancer Non-Com. Officer in the Regular
Army. It was brought that an offIcer cf his experience would be of
great help in the interior economy of the new Regiment.
It was found however, that his views and ideas on many points, like
most old soldiers, were not adapted to a Y olunteer Cayalry Corps in Ca-
nada, although a hard-working and cnthusiastic officer. he was much in-
clined to argument, and made the fatal mistake of not being able to dis-
tinguish the proper difference between a regubrly cnlisted soldier, as

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

331

well as the rcgular officers of the British Army, and the Canadian Y 0-
lunteer.
Cnfortunately Adjt. Spillette had a good share of that prejudice, so
common at that period in the minds of the old soldiers of the Imperial
Army, \'iz, that Colonial Volunteers could not possibly become efficient

oldiers , unless both Officers al1d
Icn follow(-',1 exactly the same routine
and the same discipline as in the Regular Army, where 110 man was SUi)-
posed to think or act for himself, in any emergency, but simply obey or-
dcrs and follow all the old Rules and Camp Regulations pre\'ailent in
older countries, and which were not at all suitable or advisable when ap-
plietl to the Canadian Y olunteer l\lilitia. or in a new country like Canada,
where the force sure to be called upon , to resist the first in\'asion of an
enemy would be a purely voluntary one and not an army of profession:1.Í
soldiers.
. \Íter a service of four years in the Second Regiment of Cavalry,
\djutant Spillette resigned , and four months later, on Sept, gth. 19ï6,
Cornet R. \\T. Gregory, from No.1 Troop, was appointed Adjutant with
the rank of Lieutenant, Adjt. Gregory remained in this position until
June 8th. 1

3, when, on the promotion of Captain J 01111 J. Gregory to the
command of the Regiment , he was promoted Captain of X o. 1 Troop
(St. Catharines). During Lieut. R. \Y. Gregory term of office as Adju-
tant, he proved himself to be an able and efficient Officer for that position
residing in the same locality as the Commanding Officer of the Regiment ;
the necessary work, during the intervals between Camps, could be carried
out promptly and satisfactory.
_\fter the retirement of Lieut. Gregory from the Adjutancy, no ap-
pointment was made to fill the vacancy created until a period of over thre

years had elapsed. On Sept. lith, 19
6, Captain James Buchanan Bald-
win C. S., from retired list of Captains, who had previously been rccom-
mendcd, was appointed to the position. Captain Baldwin was an old
Cavalry man. During the Fenian Haid of lS()(), he held the position of
Cornet in the Gov. Gen. Body (
uard, and accompanicd his corps to the

iagara Frontier. Lca, ing Torontu on thc morning of June 2ml. of that

car, Cornet Baldwin's Troop undcr Lieut. Col. Gcorge T. Denison,
crosscd the Lake by stcamcr to Port Dalhousie and proceeded from thcre
hy rail to Port Robinson, from this point the Guards marche(l to Chip-
pawa on the
iagara River. After a haIt at this place they set out in
thc evening to overtake Col. Peacock, "ho was rcportcd to bc at X ew
Gèrmany , advancing to intercept thc Fenians who were wo;J...ing to-
wards Port Colbornc. On ovcrtaking Col. Peacock's Column thc Ca-
\'alry were sent to the front, to form the _ \(h"ance Cuard, and at du<;;k
<..'ame in contact with the enemy.

332

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

After the retreat and expulsion of the Fenians from Canada, De-
nison's Cavalry continued for several months to Patrol the Niagara
Frontier, between Fort Erie and Suspension Bridge. At the Thorold
Camp, held during the months of September and October, they were
the only Cavalry in attendance during the full period of camp. This was
chiefly owing to the high regard entertained by General Napier and
Colonel \Yolseley, for the great military talents displayed and the perfect
topographical knowledge of the adjoininl Cour.try poss
sscù by Licl

.
Co!. George T. Denison.
N early five months of hard, active service in the performance of
day and night Patrols , keeping a close watch on the River and other
military duties, had made a Veteran of Cornet Baldwin while still a
very young man , and the impression made on him \Vas to be a lasting
one.
On :March 5th, 1867, he was promoted to be Lieutenant, and in
1872 succeeded Captain Armstrong in the command of the Troop. On
April 24th, 1874, Captain Baldwin was permitted to retire retaining
rank.
On the breaking out of the North \Vest Rebellion in 1885, Dr.
Baldwin immediately offered his service as Surgeon to CoI. Denison,
and received the appointment in his old Corps and in that capacity
accompanied the Body Guards to the North \Vest , where he remained
during the Campaign , returning home again at the close of the Re-
bellion.
This short account of the l\Elitary career of Captain Baldwin will
give future readers of these Records some idea of the man who was
now to accept the difficult and important position of Adjutant to the
Second Dragoons. Ouside of a passing acquaintance with one or two,
Captain Baldwin was personally unknown to the Officers of the 2nd.
Dragoons, his advent at the first Camp, after his appointment, \Vas
awaited with much interest, scarce
y anything was known of his past
services , but the report that the late Surgeon of the Body Guards was
to be our new Adjutant created considerable interest. At our first
meeting at Niagara Camp grounds ; Captain Baldwin was found at
his post, in advance of any of the Units of the Regiment, each Troop
on its arrival was closely scanned and no doubt mentally compared with
his old Corps. Right from the start Captain Baldwin made a good im-
pression upon both Officers and Men, and before long it was found
that he was a decided acquisition to the Regiment, an enthusiastic and
hard-working officer and a thorough gentleman, he made warm frie!1d

among all the Troop Officers , as there was never the slightest attempt
on his part to boast of his past services, or harass or irritate Troop
Officers by expecting them to do work \\,hich properly belonged to the

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

3:33

Non. Corns. Of striking appearance, standing six feet six inches, and
always faultlessly attired, his influence had a noticable effect in the
improvement in dress and appearance of some of the officers , who
had heretofore considered that most anything in the shape of a Uni-
form was good enough to appear in during Camp. On Xov. 17th 1896,
Captain Baldwin received his Brevet Rank of Major. He continued
to serve as Adjutant until the 20th. April, 1897, when he accepted the
appointment of Paymaster
Iajor B
ldwin has asked for this change on
account of advancing years and failing health, before however the month
of June rolled round, 11ajor Baldwin had answered the last Roll Call.

The Fourth Adjutant of the Second Dragoons.

Second Lieut. J olm Edgar Burch of the St. Anns Squadrons, was
appointed Adjutant, from 20th. April, 1898. This young Officer had
attended the Royal School of Cavalry during the \Vinter of 1898, where
he secured a First class Certificate, and was awarded the highest points
on nearly all subjects, both practical and written, the writer of these
records, as it happened, was taking a course of study at the Cavalry
School at the same time and writes from personal observation, to the
writer. Lieut. Burch often expressed his desire to follow the career of a
soldicr , and take part in a great campaign, he little thought at the time
how soon his wishes would be gratified, it is possible that his thoughts
at this time ran more in the direction of war and all that it means, from
the fact, that during his leisure moments he was greatly interested in
reading, that famous account of the Battle of \Vaterloo, written by the
celebrated author, Alexander Dumas.
Adjt. Burch was present at the June Camp of 1898 and 1899, when
he exhibited great ability and capacity in the performance of very erro-
neous duties,
On the breaking out of the Boer \Yar, he recei\"ed an appointment as
spccial officer to proceed to South Africa, he arrivcd therc in company
with the Canadian "Mounted Rifles, and was taken on the strength, by
the COlI!manding Officer, Col. F. L. Lessard, and was immediately placed
in command of one of the Troops.
It was while lcading his men in
desperate charge úf1 the Boer posi-
tion in one of the engagements near Pretoria, on 110nday July 16th,
1900, that a ball from the enemy brought to untimely end the :l\Iilitary
career of our Adjutant at the early age of 26, had he lived and returnef1.
to C'anarla, his experience with the Army in South Africa would hav

bccn of immen<.;e hencfìt to the 2nd. Dragoons.

3l!

THE HISTORY OF BURFCRD

The Organization of "C" Squadron 2nd Dragoons

By G, O.
o. 43, the oh1 organization was done away with and the
old independant Troop for111ation changed for a full Squadron, to be
commanded by an officer hadng the rank of l\lajor. The promotion
and confirmation of the Squ3.åron officers, howevcr, were dela

d and
held back for se,
eral years, to the great injustice of every Squadron
officer in the regiment.
\Yhy _was this? \Vas it neccssary to delay the promotions of offi-
cers who carried Long Sen'ice .Mcdals and Decorations these se,reral
years, until, in the course of time, a ne\'v Squadron, with a new man at its
head, ,vas gazetted the latter to the rank of l\Iajor, thus giving him
seniority, before the indisputiable rights of the old Squadron officers were
recognized.
\ V ere the latter inefficient or unqualified men, with no enterprise
or justifiable ambition: or was there a man "Higher Up", whose sel-
fishness and obstinacy, held back the promotions, One who was looking
sorely to his own intrests. Oh
o, certamly noí:, we must not entertain
such hercsies for a moment.

Ottawa, lVlay 2nd, 1898.

The Reorganization of the 2nd. Dragoons on a basis of three Squa-
drons has been approved as follows :-
A Squadron to consist of the present "A" Troop, (St. Catharines)
and "D" Queenston, with Headquarters at St. Catharines. "B" Squa-
dron to consist of the present "B" Troop (St. Anns) and "E" Troop,.
(\VeIIand) with Headquarters at St. .\nn
. "C" Squadron to consist
of the present "C" Troop, (Burford) with Headquarters at Burford.
To be Captain, Lieut. Robert Cuthbertson 1\1uir ; Vice Jones, ap-
pointed Paymaster 4th l\Iay, 1898.
To be Lieut, 2nd. Lieut John Zimmerman Fraser; Vice l\Iuir, pr'J"
moted, -.1-th l\lay, 1898.
To be 2nd, Lieut. Sergt. J 01111 Baulger Lloyd-Jones, Vice Fraser
promoted and \Villiam Kelso :Muir, gentleman, to complete establish-
ment.

G. O. No. 94.
2nd. Lieut. J. B. Lloyd-Jones, is transferred to "E" Squadron, with
the rank of Lieut, 13th August, 1898.
G. O. No. 19.
To be 2nd. Lieut. provisionally, Captain 1\1. F, Muir from the 38th
Eattalion ; Yice R. C. l\luir promoted 28th Jan., 1899.

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

335

To be supcrnumery 2nd. Lieut, provisionally, Sergt. H. H. Ross,
2Ì"\th January, 1899.
G. U.
o. 134.
To be Lieutenant, 2nd. Lieut. and Captain 1\1. F. :\Iuir to complete
establishment, 21st, December, 1
99.
G. O. N"o. 55 Supernumcry, 2nd. Licut. H. H. Ross to be taken on
the establishment ; Vice J. B. Lloyd-Jones transferred, 2nd. June, 1900.
G. U. No. 37.
To bc :-Iajor, Robert Cuthbertson 1\Iuir, to complete establishment,
úth February, 1902. To be Captain, Lieut. John Zimmerman Fraser,
to complete establishment, 6th February, 1902.

Toronto, April 14th, 1899.

From the D. O. C. 1\1. D. No.2.
To the O. Comdg. "C'" Squadron 2nd. Dragoons.
lnstructions have been issued to O. C. "A" "B" "0" and '"E" Troops
to tran
fcr, to complete thc Equipment of your Squadron.
The Arms etc. as shown on attachcd list
You will please report to me, when all the articles have been receive\.l
by you.

(Sgd.)

\Y. D. OTTER, Lt-Col.
Com. 1\1. D. No.2.

To Capt. R. C. :Muir
Com. "C" Squadron
2nd Dragoons
Burford.

List of \nns, Equipments etc. to be transferred from Troops "A"
"B" "D" and "E" to complete "C" Squadron.
Sets Saddlery complete 23
Arm
J and Accoutrements complcte 28
Clothing 28.
\ Yhen the above communication 'was received by the Officcr com-
mal1l1ing "C" Squadron, he did not eÀpect that the Troops, which had
!,ecn ordcred to contribute a part of thcir Equipmcnt to supply his addi-
tional men, ,,,"ould selcct the bcst of thcir saddles and uniforms, and was
not greatly disappointed when about the 1st. l\Iay the goods arrivcd and
with the exception of the lot from
t.
\nns, which were apparently not a

c1ected assortment of worn out articles, hut a fair average of lOB" Troop

Equipmcnt, werc foun(l to he more likc a lot of condcmncd stores than
anything suitable for the new Squadron.
It was fully expectcd that with the reorganization of the Regimcnt,
ncw Saddlcry of thc impro' e(l pattern would be recci'T(1. as thc old oncs

86

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

had been in use continuously since the year 1866, in fact, some of them
had been used previous to that by the G. G. B. G. :Maný of them were
still in very good order, although most of the attachments were completely
worn out. This Saddlery was of English make and had been all manu-
factured of the very best material and on perfect workmanship, or they
never could have stood the hard service they had been accustomed to for
over forty years, without any special care or attention. They were a
most comfortable saddle for the rider and very easy on the horse much
more so than the new pattern saddle. The greatest improvement' of the
latter however, was the attachment, by which the sword was carried on
the left side to balance the carbine.
The Cavalry-man dismounted for work, with his carbine, was fatally
impeded by a heavy sword, dangling round his legs, hanging from the
waist by long slings, and it also greatly interfered with the free move-
ments of the body and added much to the fatigue of both officers and
men in the saddle.
It was not until the month of April 1900, that new Saddlery for
"c" Squadron was forwarded to Burford ; at the same time orders
were received to pack the old Saddlery for n.turn to district Stores,
Toronto.
This was done some months later, in the meantime the officer
commanding, made application for permission to have the old Saddlery
disposed of by sale in Burford, where much better prices could have
been realized than in Toronto. Lieut.-Col. Petcrs, "acting D. O. C.,
during Col. Otter's absence in South Africa, favored the idea, but the
Department decided otherwise and when they were finally sold in To-
ronto, not more than about the value of the Bits and Headstalls was
obtained for each complete set of Saddlery. The same may be stated
of the Snider Carbines which were returned to Stores about the same
time, having been replaced by the new Lee Enfield. Thousands of these
Snider Carbines and Rifles were sold "En Bloc", for about $1.00 each,
when two or three times that figure might have been realized, had the
Militia Department disposed of them at Corps Headquarters.

The June Camp of 1899.

This was in many respects, the most memorable Camp of Instruc-
tion which had so far been assembled at Niagara. The Voluntec
s
were worked early and late. The drills and parades were the easiest
part of the days work, the Cavalry Brigade in particular were scarcely
given time to eat their meals. A great effort was being made to convert
the Canadian Volunteer into a finished soldier, during a short period

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

337

of ten days. The hours of Drill wcre lengthened, Squadron Cowman-
ders were obliged to perform the extra duties of Paymasters, and to
attend long and irksome Stable Parades. Routine was the order of the
day, officers and men worked and slept, rode and drilled, ate, drank,
smoked and worked again to the sound of the bugles..
l\lajor Gen. E. T. H. Hutton arrived in Camp of Friday, 10th June,
and assumed command of the Division. The Cavalry Brigade, under
Brigadier Lt-Col. F. L. Lessard, were camped in the open near the town,
the hottest spot on the grounds.
On Tucsday June lSth, tactical manoeuvers were carried out on an
extensive scale, the whole of the 1st Cavalry Brigade and the 2nd Divi-
sion taking part. The scene of operation covered all the country from
Kiagara to Queenstown Heights, between the River and the G. T. R.
The force was didded into two :I.rmies called the Blue and Red, C.
Squadron formed part of the attacking forcc. On Friday, June 16th,
the whole force was reviewed by His Excellency the Go,.. Gen. and the
::\linister of ::\Iilitia, Sir F. \Y. Bordcn, large crowds of sight-seers were
present to view the military display. :\fter the :l\Iarch Past, the 2nd
Dragoons were selected by the Brigadier, from the Cavalry Brigade,
to give an exhibit of Horsemanship, the Regiment was formcd in line
of Squadron column, facing Fort George, at a distance of some five
hundred yards from the outer earthworks, the heights, slopes and base
of the Historic old Fort werc packed with thousands of visitors, while
hundreds of carriages and waggons were lined up at the sides for a
con
idcrable distance.
Thc Staff and Squadron commanders were called out for consulta-
tion, and received orders to charge at the gallop, straight towards the
Fort and whcn within a safe distance, to wheel outwards and return
and reform. It happened that the curb bits had been discardcd during
thc camp and were not worn on this occasion, and once thc Regiment
was fairly started it seemcd impossible to check or control thc speed of
thc horses, as a rcsult thc spacc between the starting point and the crowd
of sight-seers, as well as the camp staff, was cO\'ered in an incrediblc
short period of time, and when the outer flanks of the wheeling Squa-
drons flcw round to right and lcft, thcre was not thc spacc of a man's
hand between them ancl the front of the crowd of visitors. Needless
to say that the visitors and most of the staff, who faccd thc fierce chargc
of 300 yelling shouting cavalry-men, waving drawn sabrcs, and the
thunder of the charging hoofs on the hard ground, felt certain that thcy
would he riddcn over, and many of them made a mad run 11P the slope
of the Fort.
After the regimcnt had reformed and no casualities were reported,
the officcrs offercd to repcat the performance but the l\fajor Genera],

33S

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

who had faced the charge, decided it was a very close shave, which
indeed it was, and not only vetoed any repetition but blamed the Com-
manding officer of the Regiment for what he called a reckless and dan-
gerous performance. Lt-Col. Gregory however, protested that he had
only carried out the orders he had !'eceiyed. Kever before, at
iagara,
or at any other camp of Instruction in Canada, had \T oluntecr Ca "aIry
attempted a similar preformance, and we feel safe in stating that never
again will a similar charg
be witncssed on Niagara Camp Ground. It
is doubtful if any other Volunteer Cavalry Corps in Canaûa, could have
cxecuted the charge, the wheel, when almost on top of the crowd, and
the retirement without a serious disaster.
During this camp, many rumours of the coming struggle in South
_ \frica were in circulation. The
Iajor General had intimated that the
difficulties were not likely to be settled without the arbitrement of war,
and in that event, that the services of Canadian troops were sure to be
accepted. The Commanding officer of the 2nd Dragoons, after con-
sulation with his officers, made a formal offer of the entire regiment
for s
rvice, to continue for such time as the struggle should last.
This offer was never accepted but later on the Regiìí1ent was asked
to furnish some 30 men, to help fill the ranks of the first mounted Corps
dispatched to South Africa, and one officer,-Lt. J. E. Burch-received
an appointP-lent as Special Service officer.
The weather during the camp was extremely hot and dry. Many
of the men were severely affected by swollen eyes, owing to the intense
heat.
Camp Commandant, Col. \\". D. ()tter.
Chief Staff Officer, Lt. Col. F. H. Cotton.
Cavalry Brigadier, Lt-Col. F. L. Lessard.
::\Iajor, The Hon. L. Forestcue, 17 Lancers, A. _'\. G. for Cava]!y

President of Board to report on condition of old and ncw Saddlery.

The Royal Visit to Canada, 1901.

rhe Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, (later The Princt'
and Princess of \Vales) left England on Saturday March 16th, 1901,
from Portsmouth, on the ship "Ophir". Gibraltar was the first point
of call. On March 25th Malta was reached, passing through the Suez
Canal, and across the Indian Ocean to Ceylon and Singapore. They
landed at Melbourne, Australia on Monday May 5th. The Royal party
said farewell to Australia at Freemantle on Friday July 26th, arriving
at Durban, Natal, South Africa, on Tuesday Aug. 12th and at Cape
Town on .'\ug. 19th.

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

339

On
\Pgust 23rd the "Ophir" sailed from Cape Town for Canada,
arriying at Quebec City on 1\Ionday Sept. 16th. After a tour through
"Canada" to the Pacific Coast, The Royal Party on their way East arri-
ved in Toronto at 2 P. 1\1. on Thursday October 10th. 1n their Cana-
dian Tour, they trayelled more than seyen thousand miles.

The Royal Rev!ew, Toronto, October J 1 th, 190 J.

For some timc previous to the date of the Royal Review, it was
under
tood by the Ufficers of the 2nd. Dragoons, that this crack Regi-
ment of Cayalry would receive orders to attend, and the Commanding
Officer conceiyed that it would be an opportune time to discard the his-
toric white belts, which had been worn ever since the organization in
ISúú, and incidentally to insist on those officers who had not yet provi
ded themseh'es with Full Dress Tunics, to do so without delay, and for
all to provide themselves with Brown Leather Belts. On Sept. 8th the
first Official Order was received:

Brantford, Sept. 7th, 1901.

Regimcntal Orders by
Lt-Col. R. \V. Gregory,
Com. 2nd. Dragoons,

Strength of Squadrons will be 55 l\lounted men each.
Officers of Regiment will adopt Brown Leather Belts, same style
as now used, Cross Belt and Field Glass Pouch, Sword Belts and Sabre-
tache. Belts will be made at one place so as to be uni form Any Offi-
cer who has the proper trimmings and wishes to use them, will forward
at once to Adams Bros. 1ï6 King St. East, Toronto, when the best
arrangements as to price will be made.

To Capt. R. C. l\luir,
Com. "C" Squadron,
2nd. Dragoons,

By Order,
( Signed)

C. \Y. BROOKS Lt,
.. \ct. .. \dgt.

Toronto, Oct. 5th, 1901.

Capt. R. C. l\luir,
Burford, Onto

Dear Sir :-
Co!. Ottcr sent the transport requisitions to
t. Catharincs last night,

o I will not bc able to semI you yours until ::\lonclay. Include :Major

340

THE HIS TOR Y OF BuRFORD

T. Lloyd-Joncs and servant and Lieutenants Jones and Brooks and ser-
yants in your transport.
As I wircd you this morning, the Regt. goes on \Yednesday instead
of on Tuesday. You will require nose-bags but no heel-ropcs.
I have also arranged for 16 cots, mattresses and pil10ws and 6 was!:
and men, so no cooks or cooking utensils or knives or plates will be
required.
I have also arranged for 16 cots, mattrasses and pillows and 6 wash
stands, for $16.00. Blankets will be issued but I think perhaps each
Officer should bring extra blankets. \ Ve have to provide two waiters
for the mess and I have written 1\lajor Jones to bring them from Brant-
ford. Include them in your transport 2.1so I expect to be home on
Monday or Tuesday.

Yours truly,

(Signed) ROLAND \V. GREGORY, Lt-Col.
Comdg. 2nd. Dragoons.

District Office,

Toronto, 4th Oct. 1901.

District Memo,
Royal Review,
Transport Detail
O'Comg. "C" Squadron, 2nd. Dragoons.

"c" Squadron 2nd. Dragoons, will proceed to Toronto on Wed-
nesday, the 9th inst., leaving Burford at 9 A. 1\1. by Special G. T. Ry.,
reporting to the Officer Commanding your Regiment at Exhibition
Grounds, immediately upon your arrival.
Transport Requisition is herewith attached, which you will please
sign and carefully fill in number in ink, before handing over tQ tht>
Railway Authorities.

Capt. 11uir,
Comdg. "c" Squadron.
2nd. Dragoons.

(Sgd.) \V. D. OTTER, Colonel,
D. O. C. :M. D. No.2.

In accordance with above order, "C" Squadron entrained at Bur-
ford station at 8 A. M. on the morning of October 9th, arriving at the

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

:341

Exhibition Grounds about 1 P. 11 The officers of the 2nd. Dragoons
were quartered entirely by themseh"es
n a seperate budding, the men
along with men of other corps in 11achinery Hall, and the Horses in
the Horse Sheds.
On Thursday October 10th, a rehearsal of the Review and 11arch
Past was held during the morning, all the Troops in Camp taking part.
At 2 P. 11. The Royal Train arriyed at North Toronto station, when the
Royal Party detrained and were driyen through the streets, which were
lined with thc Troops, to the City Hall, where the Ciyic _\ddress was
presented, and from the City Hall to the residence of the Lieut. Gov.
The Cavalry were stationed at the street crossings, to prcyent traffic and
check the crowds. "C" Squadron being placed at the Y onge Street
crossings in the yicinity of Queen Street.
Friday October 11th the Troops in Camp were joined by the To-
ronto Garrison, the whole being- formed in Line in Review order, ex-
tending along the South side of the Exhibition Grounds and the Garri-
son Common facing
orth. The Duke of York, in Grenadiers Uniform,
accompanicd by his Staff Officers,-Lieut The Duke of Roxburgh, Royal
Horse Guards, :\1. Y. O. A. D. C. Lt-Col. T. T. Byron, Royal Austra-
lian .Artillery, _ \. D. C. Capt. Viscount Crichton, Royal Horse Guards,
D. S, o. A. D. C., Capt. II. S. H. Prince ..\lexander of Teck K. C. V. O.
7th Hussars,-were cOIn oyed by Col. \\. D. Otter, in front and rear
of the line ; the Duke of York making a close Inspection of the Cana-
dian Soldiers.
Immediately after, the Duke and Staff took Post at the Reviewing
point, and the 1Iarch Past of the Division commenced. The Cavalry
Brigade passing in Squadron column, the Officers salute being acknow-
ledged by the Duke of York in person.
After passing the Grand Stand, the Cavalry Brigade formed Co-
lumn of fours and passed through the gate, on the \ Vest side of the
Exhibition Grounds; from here, after a circutl10uS march through
Parkdale, they returned to their quarters by way of Strachan AYe. at
the Easter!'! entrance, whcn preparaticns were made for returning home.

342

THE HISTORY OF BVRFOIU)

R_-\
K

Muster Ron "C" Squadron Royal Review.

N A
lES

Captain.
Lieut.

Sq. Sgt.
.Major.
Sq. Q. 1\1.
Sergt.
Troop Sergt.
"

Corporal.
. .

"

Trumpt;ter.
Private

, .

"

, .

, ,

"

"

N A:\IES

:r.T uir R. C.
Fl"áscr..J Z.
l\luir. .:\1. F.
l\1uir. "T. K.
Ross. H, H.

Hearne. G. .l\I.

Cnvin \Vm. (Acting)
l
Jdy C F.
Force B J.
Tavlor. H. J.
Fo;ce. H.
Palmer, A.
Croome. A.
Ti pper. E A.
Aver E. A.
Agas::;iz. H..
Brown. G. R.
Brown, \Ym
Beemer. D. I.
Blair. \V.
Beer. W. T.
Cramer. R
Clarke. R
Cole E. J.
Deyman. D.
Dalton. R.
Dalton D.
Force. H.
Flahagan. Alex.
Gardhmn, J.
HanrlersllOt D. K.
Hamilton. D. H.
J ohn
ton R .J.
Link. Arthur.
)lcClellan. J.
l\1cCaunon .J.
Manuel Fred.
)lcCombs. John
Oli\rier -"1.

RA
K

Priyate.

, .

, ,

Reg Employ.
"

4.

Percell \Y.
Pa t.terson F H
Patterson \\'m.
Pearson John.
Shawcro
s ,J. H.

howers \Y.
Sowden G. O.
Sinclair .J. A.
Storey F.
Shellmgton \V.
Sinclair .J.
Stuart )1.
Tune Ed.
Kenney E.
\Yelsh Frank.
Reid C. 1\1. H.
Lewis F,
Beckon A.
\Vedge Arthur.
Cayin John.
Edge G.
Briers Peter.
Hnycrs J.
"Piper F.
\Yoodhouse E.
House A.

"

The Royal Escort, Hamilton, October J 4th.
At the close of the Royal Review, Col. \V. D. Otter D. O. C. as
well as the other staff Officers, commended very highly the appearance
and steadiness of the 2nd Dragoons,4' particularly "C" Squadron, when
marching past the Reviewing Post, in fact it was conceeded that "C"
Squadron was one of the best, if not the best in the whole Cavalry
Brigade, and their services were immediately in request to act as Es-
corts for the Duke and Duchess of York, and the Governor General,
on their yisit to the City of Hamilton, on the following 1ionday.
As this was a decided compliment to the officers and men of "C"
Squadron, the Officer Commanding same, after consulting his subal-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

343

terns, and finding his men anxious to take pan. duly signified his wil-
lingness to furnish the required Escort.
, but before leaying Toronto,
asked for something more than ,'erbal instructions. The following le
-
ter was then received :-
Regimental Orders by Toronto, 11th Oct. 1891.
Lt-Col. R. \Y. Gregory
Com. 2nd Dragoons

Escort 1. "C" Squadron will supply two Escorts, consisting of one
Subaltern, one Sergeant, and tweh.e
len each, at Hamilton
on the 14th of October 1901.

To Capt. R. C. l\luir
Com. "C" Squadron

By Order
(Signed) \V. D. BROOKS, Lt.
Act. Adj. 2nd. Dg.

In addition to the aboye order, Lt-Col. Gregory ,"erbally stated to
the officer Commanding "C" Squadron that. pay for 13th and 14th Oc-
tober would be allowed, and to make out Pay Sheets accordingly.
"C" Squadron entrained at the Exhibition Grounds Platform at
6 P.
I. on Friday October 11th, arriying at Burford about 9 P. 1\1.
During the run home, the following officers and men were selected to
form the Escorts :-

RANI\.. RUYAL ESCURT RAXK (
OV. r: E". ESCORT
NA:\IES K A
l ES
Lieutenant. Fraser, ,Jehn Z. Lieutenant Muir, \\ïlliam K.
Serg.mnt. Tavlor. H. .J. Sergeant Hearoe. (
.:\l.(Sq S.)I.)
Corporal. El1ùy, C. F (Sergt) CorJ-loral Force, H, J (Sergt. )
Trooper. Palmer, A. C. (Corporal) Tro
per Crfuldock, E (Çorporal)
" Shawcro.,<I, .J. H. Force Hl'11I'V
" Hendershott. D. L. Reid. C. W: H.
I I FlanagAn, Alex. Force, Harr\'
:\lcClelllln, ,John Sov.den. (
eò. O.
II (
ardham, .J. , PnUer..,on \\", \V
" Link, Arthur . , Croome, Arthur
" Clarke, R. Sinclair, ,JI1<:.
I" Hamilton. D, R. " Beer, W. T.
Stunrt. )l. A. I' Halton, R.
)fanuel. Freù Tipper, E.
" Kinney, E. Edge, (;eo.
. I Cole, E. B. " Ollivcr, N.
.

344

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

The Armoury.

"c" Squadron, 2nd. Dragoons,

Burford, Ont. Oct. 12th. 1901.

Squadron Orders.

Escort. 1. Lieut John Z. Fraser, with one Sergt, one Corporal and
thirteen Men, will proceed to Hamilton by Grand Trunk
Railway, on :l\1onday the 14th. inst, leaving Burford at 7.30
A. lvi. and returning at 4 O'clock P. 11.
You will report at the Railway Station, Hamilton, at
11.45 A. 1\1. sharp, to act as escort for II. R. H. the Duke
of Cornwall and York.

In carrying out this important and distinguished duty
you will be responsible for the safety of the Royal visitor
and will exercise the utmost vigilance and care in the per-
formance thereof.

By Order,

(Sgd.) R. C. l\IUIR, Capt.
Comdg. "C" Squad. 2nd. Dragoons.

The Armoury.

"C" Squadron 2nd Dragoons

Burford Ont., Oct. 12th. 1901.

Squadron Orders.

E -I'()t't. 2. Lieut. \V. K. 1\luir, with one Sergt one Corporal and thir-
teen Men, will proceed to Hamilton by "Special" Grand
Trunk Ry., on Monday the 14th, in st., lea'-ing Burford at
7.30 A. M. and returning at 4 O'clock P. 1\1.
You will report at the Railway Station "Hamilton"
at
11-45 A. :M. sharp, to act as Escort for His Excellency, The
Rt. Hon. the Earl of Minto, G. C. 1\1. G. Governor General
of Canada.

In carrying out this important and distinguished 0Uty

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

34 ;)

you will be responsible for the safety of His Excellency, and
will exercise the utmost vigilance and care in the perforrr.aI ' -
ce thereof.

By Order
(Signed) R. C. :\lüIR, Capt.
Comc 1 g. "C" Squadron.

Burford Onto Oct. 15th 1901.

From O. C. Royal Escort

To O. C. "C" Squadron 2nd. Dgns.
"C" Squadron 2nd. Dragoons.

Sir

lIaving becn ordered to proceed \\,ith a dctailed escort of one Ser-
geant, one Corporal,. and thirteen l\Ien to the city of Hamilton on the
14th. inst, to act as escort for their R. H. the Duke and Duchess of
Cornwall and York, I beg lea ,'e to report.
I proceeded by G. T. Ry. as per Transport Requisition from Buri,:;nl
to Hamilton and return, lea ,'ing Burford at 8.00 o'clock .. \.
L and ar-
riving in Hamilton about 9.50 .\. 11. Returning we entrained at 6.30
P. 11. but owing to the line
bcing closed to all but the Royal Trains,
were l'ot ablc to lea,-e till 9.30 p.
1. _ \rriving in Burford at 11.30
P. 11.
I. accompanied by a similar escort, for His Excellency The Rt. I Ion.
The Earl of
Iinto, G. C.
L G. Governor General of Canada, ul1cÌcr
command of Lieut. \V. K. 1Iuir.
Owing to the absence of I lis Excellency, and by order of 1Iajor
Forre
ter, (>rderly, Officer, both escorts were united and placetl utHler
my command, the entirc Detail, with the exception of six men, under
Sergt. Eddy, who were detailed by me to act as escort To lIer Excel-
lency, Lady :\Iinto, being nonc too amplc, in view of thc swarming
crowds which prevailed on thc strce t ..., for the protection and safety of
the Royal \Ïsitor.
I am pleased to report that the combined cscorts performed their
duty with satisfaction to myself, and credit to thc corps to which they
belong, so much so, that His Royal Highness conveyed to me through
] lis Secrctary, Sir \rthur Big-ge, His great pleasure in the efficient and
soldierly manner in which they had performed their duties.
I regret to report that more consideration was not shown for the
comfort and welfare of my mcn and horses, by those in control, a:>
refreshments ha ,'ing been provided till 4.30 p. 11., thoÜgh many of th

men had been in the
<lddle earlier than 5.00 .\. 11. This, I was assured

:346

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

"'as an oversight, which you know is likely to occur in the bustle and
excitement incident to a civic demonstration of this sort.
X a Rations or Forage were provided, we being billoted at the Fra'l'
klin House, and I left orders that a detailed bill of expenses be sent me,
which I expect will be done, unless, the city should generously pay the
bill.

I attach a roll of the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men
that composed the escorts, also my "marching" "In" and "Out" "Sta-
tes. "

I cannot close my report withcut expressing the gratitude of my
Officers and l\Ien at the kindness and courtesy shown them by the citi-
zens of Hamilton, more particularly those who catered to our wants
at the Franklin House.

I have the honor to be
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
JOHN Z. FRASER, Lieut.
2nd. Dragoons.

South Africa.

The 2nd Dragoons Offer for Service.

From the D. O. C.
No. D. No.2,
To the Officer Commanding
2nd. Dragoons.

SERVICES OF 2nd. DRAGOONS S. AFRICA.

I am directed from Head Quarters to forward for your informa-
tion, the undermentioned copy of the remarks of the 1Iìnister of l\1i1itia
and the Gen. Officer Commanding, upon the subject named in the
margm.
1. Thc
lajor General Commanding desires, that Lt. Col. Gregory,
Commanding 2nd. Dragoons, be informed that his letter of the 20th Jun.

was submitted to The Honorable The 1Iinister of l\filitia and Defence,
for the information of the Gov. General in CounciL
2. The .l'vlajor General Commanding has been desired by The Hon.
The :l\linister, to inform Lt. Col. Gregory "that his offer has been re-
ceived with great
atisfaction, as indicative of the zeal and loyalty of

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

34';

himself and his rcgiment, and that in the eyent of war his offer will
receiye careful consideration."
Remarks of Gen. Officer Commanding, his minutes to the )'Iinister
of
lilitia.
3. "1 t ,...ill be noted that the whole of the Officers and seventy per
ccnt of the K on. Coms. and 1\len have placed themselves at the dispo-
sal of the Goyernment, in the event of their seryices be1ng required. I
would invite your attention to the good military and patriotic "spirit"
which has been 'eyinced by this regiment, whose example I am fully per-
suadcd \\ ill be quickly followed by others, in the eyent of a war "Crisis"
unhappily arising."

Toronto, June 28th. 1899
By Order,
\Y. D. OTTER, Lt-Col.

By Order,
(Sgd.) H. FOSTER,
Chief Staff Officer.

Correspondence.

Capt. R. C. :Muir,
Burford, Ont.

St. Catharines Oct. 12th., 1899.

Dear Sir :

It looks to me as if there would be a Canadian Cuntingcnt sent to
South Africa. 1f they do, could you get from your Squadron, say
{rom 10 to 20 young men of good physique, good horsemen and fairly
good marksmen? I see "a number of Commanding Officers are offering
a certain number and if I should be called upon for any I would like to
be prepared to give an answer. I have nothing yct, but, am anticipa-
ting.

Yours sinccrely,
RUL_\XD \V. GREGORY, Lt-Col.
Commanding 2nd. Dragoons.

P. S.-Send me the names of any men who would volunteer to go
hy :\Ionday, if you can.

348

THE HISTGRY OF BURFORD

Lt. Co1. R. \\T. Gregory,
St. Catherines, Ont.

Burford October 14th., 1
99.

Dear Sir :-

Replying to yours of 12th. inst, re recruits for South African Con-
tingent, would say that there will be no difficulty in my furnishing wha

tever quota of men are required from "C" Squadron in fact were the
offer of the Regiment's services accepted as a whole, the Burford Squa-
dron could easily be recruited fun strength.

Yours truly,

R. C. MUIR, Capt.
Com. C. Squadron.

Capt. R. C. Muir,
Burford, Onto

St. Catharines, Dec. 19th. 1899.

Dear Sir :-
If you have any men in your Squadron who desire to volunteer for
services in South Africa with a Mounted Contingent, send me their na-
mes as soon as possible, as I fully expect to be called upon to supply a
certain number of suitable men.' I have received and forwarded offers
from Dr. \Varren, Capt. Stull and Lieut. and Adjt. J. E. Burch. I sent
one in for myself on Saturday.

Sincerely Yours,

ROLAND \V. GREGORY, Lt-Co1.
Comdg. 2nd. Dragoons.

St. Catha rines, Dec. 26th. 1899.

capt. R. C.
Iuir,
Burfard, Onto

Dear Sir :-
I have just received orders to recruit ten men for Mounted Rifles.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

349

I commence to-morrow, if you have any men of your Squaùron who
desire to join send them here.

Yours truly,

ROLAND \V. GREGURY.

Men's Application.

Capt. R. C. Muir,
2nd. Dragoons.

Br:li1tford, Dec. 20th. 1899.

Sir :-

I suppose you will be considering me somewhat of a nuisance In
writing you so often, that it is not necessary for you to judge. I am
anxious to be enrolled in this Cavalry Contingent for service in the
Transvaal. I have offered my services twice during the past six months
and I beg you to accept and forwarù this my third application, hoping-
this will meet with your appro\ al.

I bcg to remain,

Yours respectfully,

Y\" E. l\IOLASKEY,
150 Darling Street,
Brantford.

5-1- Eagle A vcnue,

Capt. R. C. I\luir,
Commanding C. Squadron.

Brantford,
Dec. 25th. 1899.

j)ear Sir :-

Card received on Saturday. I have informed members of Brant-
ford Troop your 1lemo, and you will have their applicat
orJ forthwith.
I would like vcry much to go myself, but I see by Saturday'::: paper,;

50

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

that married men's wives only get 16 Cents per day, alid children 4
cents, and as I have two children wouM only draw 24 cents per day,
of course they could not possibly live on it. I would also have to
enlist as Trooper which \\ ould come rather hard on mc, who has been a

. C. O. for so many years. If you can solve this probler,l I am quite
,yjll
'
g to Volunteer for South Africa and follow you as SqH
droll lea-
d...
r.

Yours truly,

FRED \V. KERf{

P. S.-1 understand the names are,
Trooper Kerr.
l\:Jolaskey.
l\layo.
:May.
Taylor.

," t
.:.erg.

:!\Tajcr.

,.

Brantford, Dec. 25th., 1399.

Capt. R. C. 11 uir,
2nd. Dragoons.
Dear Sir :-

Having learned from Sergt. l\lajor Kerr about the sending of men
from the Second Dragoons for South Africa, I write to ask you to pUl
down my name with Trooper E. Molaskey, our names and measure-
ments were sent in to Col. Gregory when the First Contingent wa3
asked for, if there is any possible chance I want to go. I don't think
we will have any trouble getting men. Do you know where we will be
examined?

389 Colborne Street,
Brantford.

Yours respectfully,
EL\YOOD G. l\IAYOT.

Capt. l\luir,
Burford Dragoons,
Burford Ont.

Brantford, Dec. 25th., 1899.

Dear Sir :-
I am very desirous of becoming a member of the Second Canadian
Contingent for South Africa. Having a brother in the First Contingent
it is of interest to me and if you could hold forth any encouragement I

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

351

would take pleasure in seeking an interYÏcw with you, and would consi-
der it a lifelong oblig,-
tion.

Yours very Truly,

FRED BURGAR
,

St. CL'.therines, Dec. 28tí.. 1910

l\IE
IO.

Dear Capt. Muir :--

The following men have been enrollcd from your Squaùron :-H. J.
Taylor. \Y. E. :i\lolaskey, II. H. ::\Iay. You will kindly give them their
clothing and takc a receipt, which will be acccpted by Officer inspecting
your stores.

Yours truly,

R()L
\XD \V. GREGORY, Lt-Col.
Comd 'jng 2nd. Dragoons.

Brantford, Onto Jan. 1st. 1900.

Capt. R. C. !\Iuir,
Burford, Onto

The iollowing additional men have been taken on the strength of
the New Contingent by Col. Gregory, Emerson Bal(lwin, Fred Burgar,
George England, J 01111 Pilgrim. These men rcport that the Colonel
orders them to report in uniform, at 7 P. 1\1. this evening.

) oU!'s truly,

11. F. l\IUIR, Lieut. and Capt.
C. Squadron.

St. Catherines, Jan. 29th. 1900.

Dear Capt. :Muir :-

I underc;tand that the 111t111icipat:tie-: from which two of the men
came who cnliste(l in the C. ::\1. R. ha, e insured their Ih.es for $1.000.

352

THE HISTORì- OF BCRFORD

for one year. This is in the County of \Yelland and I expect the County
Council of Lincoln will insure the lives of the men who enlisted from
this County.
There is an Agent namcd Houth, of I thing the Standard Life, who
is taking the Policies out and they are charging $50.00 as a \Var risk
in addition to the regular rate. It seems some of the Companies will
not accept the risk. Re new Saddlery. I have a letter from the D.
O. C. informing me, that the Saddlery intended for my Regiment was
issuer to the C. 1\1. R. and he had no idea when we would have a new
issue. They took a number of sets from the G. G. B. B. also. You had
better write me officially regarding the condition of your Saddlery
with a request that it be repair eü as you desire and I wi1l forward it" Your
receipt from the men you furnished clothing will be sufficient
on inspection of your clothing, and it is likely a new issue will be made
to you on the strength of your receipts. I have not yet received the
belts from CoI. \Vhitley, but, I suppose they have not yet arrived from
England.

Sincerely Yours,

ROLAND \V. GREGORY, Lt-Col.
2nd. Dragoons.

The Canadian Mounted Contingent.

On
m;ember 2nd 1899, His Excellency sent a cabIegram to :rvlr.
Chamberlain conveying an offer of a 2nd contingent from Canada. On
Dec. 7th a reply was received declining offer.
On December 16th :l\1r. Chamberlain telegraphed His Excellency
signifying a willingness to accept further assistance.
On Decembcr 20th prm"isiona1 ordcrs were issued for the organi-
zation of a Regiment of Mounted Rifles of three Squadrons in accor-
dance with the army establishment for a Cavalry Regiment 1898, of a
total strength of 25 officers, 417 other ranks and 536 horses.
On December 28th the provisional orders issued on 20th, were amen-
ded to provide for a regiment of mounted rifles of two battalions, to be
designated 1st and 2nd Battalions the Canadian Mounted Rifle
.
Enrollment in the 1st Battalion was carried on and the troops were
concentrated as hereunder :-,

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

353

A. SQUADRON.

Place of Enrollment

Place of Concentration

1 st Troop
2nd Troop
2nd Troop
Jrd Troop
3rd Troop
3rd Troop
4th Troop
4th Troop

Toronto
Toronto
St. Catharine:.
Peterboro
QUa \Va
Montreal
London
Kingston

Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Montreal
Montreal
Montreal
Toronto
Toronto

B. SQUADRON.

1st Troop
2nd Troop
Jrd Troop
4th Troop

Manitoba
Manitoba
Quebec
N ova Scotia

Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Quebec
Halifax

The sccond Battalion was recruited from the North \Vest Terri-
tories.

Casualities R. C. D. during service in South Africa.
Killcd in action or died of wounds received ip.. action.

()ffice
s
2

N. C. O.
2

Privates.
3

Died of disease

3

2

13

-\\-ound
(i in action

:J

2

20

Tot. 10

6

36

Officers.

The folIo" ing is a list of thc Ufficcrs
'IJPuinted to Commissions,
their appointments dating from Deccmbcr 29, 1899. The distribution.,
of officers helow are those tirst made, which were subjcct to change
by the Commanding Officers after embarkation.

1st. Battalion.

Commanding Officer.

Lessard, F. L. (Lieut.-Cot., Royal Canadian Dragoons.)

354

THE HISTOR1 OF BURFORD

Major.

(2nd. in Command.)

Evans, T. D. B. CJ\tlajor and temporary Lieut.-Co!. Royal Cana-
dian Dragoons.)

" A " Squadron.

Commanding Squadron.

Forester W. (Capt. Royal Canadian Dragoons.)

Captain.

Pearse C. St. A. (Capt. Royal Canadian Dragoons.)

Lieu t
nants.

1st. Troop, Elmsley J. I-I., (Lieut. Royal Canadian Dragoons.)
2nd. Troop, Cockburn H. Z. C., (Capt. G. G. B. Guards.)
3rd. Troops, Yan Ltwen R. .M., (Capt. 4th. Hussars.)
4th. Troop, King A. H., (l\:lajor 1st. Ht:

ars,)

"B" Squadron.

Commanding Squadron.

WiHiams V. A. S., (Capt. Roy
J Canadiar: DragoonE.)

Captain

Greenwood H. S., (Lieut.-CoI. 3rd. Dragoons.)

Lieutenants.

1st. Troop, Van Straubenzee C. T., (Lieut. Royal Canadian Dra..
goans. )
2nd. Troop, Young F. V., (2nd. Lieut. Manitoba Dragoons.)
3rd. Troop, Turner R. E. \V., (Capt. Q. O. C. Hussars.)
4th. Troop, Borden II. L., (Major K. C. Hussars.)

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

355

Adjutant.

X e11es C. :\1., (Capt. Royal Canadian Dragoons)

Quartermaster.

\ \ ynne J. H., (Capt. 2nJ. Regiment C. f\ _)

Medical Officer.

Duff H. R., (Surg.-l\laj. 4th. Hussars.)

Transport Officer.

l];lrrison C. F., (Capt. 8th. Hussars.)

Veterinary Officer.

lIall \\. B., (Vet. l\Iajor, Royal Canadian Dragoons)

Promotion since organization .
Lieut. A. II. King, to be Captain, \"Ice Pearse, de'
cas
d, from 0.:.
tob'
r 17, 1900.

Departure of "Milwaukee."

The remainùer of the 2nd contingent embarked on the 1\lilwall
,ee
on February 21.
The following is the detail of the forces cmbarkeù : --
(a) 1 st. B;tttalion, the Canadian l\founted Riflcs : Ii officers, 3:,2
othcr ranks and 3ó8 horses, being 2 officer
short of the authorized
cstablishmcnt (Lieut.-Colonel Lessard and :Major Forester who were in
South Africa), also 7 horses.
(b) "C" Battery, Canadian Brigade Divi"ion of Ficld Artillery:
4 officers, IG8 other ranks and 13i horses, being short of establishment
1 officer (Captain Panet who was in South Africa), and 1 man.
( c) .Attached to 1 st. Battalion, the Canadian :Mountcd Riflcs De-
tachment of 2nd. Battalion, C. 1\1. R., unable to embark on SS Pome-
ranian for want of accommodation: 1 officer, 37 other rank and 58
horses.
( d) For instructional purposes to rcplace officers of the Cana-
dian :\1 ilitia in South Africa anù appointed to the Canadian :Mounted
Riflcs or Brigade Diyj"ion of Field .\rtillcry: Lieut.-Colonel \V. D.

356

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

Gordon, D. O. C. No. 5 Military District.
commanding 1st. "Quebec" Field Battery.
Dragoons.

l\Ilajor T. L. Boulanger,
Lieut. J. E. Burch, 2nd.

Organization.

\Vhen the regiment arrived at Cape Town, South Africa, it was
styled the 1st Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles and had been raised
as a special service regiment for duty in South Africa, the Royal Cana-
dian Dragoons forming a nucleus.
It was therefore placed at a disadvantage to the Canadian Perma-
nent Artillery and Infantry, both of whom retained ùistinctive Royal
titles.
It was felt by all that the changing of the name of the corps, from
that conferred by the Queen, to that of 1st Battalion Canadian Mounted
Rifles, precluded the Regiment from wearing in the field the distinctiv

badge given them by Her .Majesty, and from attaching to the regiment
the honours it would strive to earn in his campaign.
The regiment desired to be allowed to feel that they were serving
as members of a corps which Her Majesty had specially honored, but
which had for the first time an opportunity of showing its devotion to
Her Person and Empire.
Col. L
ssard therefore applicd, that the Royal title be given back
to the regiment, which was granted by the authorities.

Arrival of SSe "Milwaukee. n
Thc SS. Milwaukee arriyed at Cape Town at 4 p. m. on the 21st.
l\.larch, 1900, but owing to the rough weather prevailing the disembar-
kation of the regiment did not take place until 10 a. m. 011 the 26th.
1iarch, 1900.
As soon as the regiment had disembarked it was ordered to camp at
Green Point, Cape Town, and remained at the latter place until 1 p. m.
on the 4th. April, 1900.

Marching Orders.

Th
regiment received orders to march on the 4th April from Cape
Town t) Stellenbosch, a distance of 33 miles. The march was accom-
plished in one and one-half days, arriving at Stellenbosch at 5 p. m. on
the 5th. April.
On July 16, the enemy made a strong attack on their line of out-
posts at vVittpoort, Dorsfontein, Koffyspruit and Oliphantsfontein.
"R' Squadron 1st C. M. R. were detailed to support the 110unteã

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

357

Infantry outposts, and "A" Squadron 1st C. 1\1. R., formed part of a
resen'e of troops remaining in camp.
This reserve, was eventually sent to the left of the position (\Vitt-
poort) to strengthen their left flank, held by New Zealanders, which had
been turned by the enemy. The 2nd Battalion C. 1\1. R., under Col.
Evans, were detailed from the reserve for this special work which they
successfully did, and the Boer attack was frustrated on that flank.
"B"Squadron, 1st Battalion C. 11. R. was sent to the ridge on the
right of \ \ïttpoort, to support the Royal Irish Fusiliers, who were holding
the Poort.
It was here that, on the advance being ordered, the following ca-
sualties occurred :-
Lieut. H. L. Borden, kilied.
Lieut. J. F. Burch, killed.
1\0. 61, Pte. A. \\r. Brown, wounded.
No. 175, Pte. L. X. R. :\Iulloy wounded.

Headquarters, Belfast, Nov. 20, 1900.

"l\lajor General Smith-Dorricn cannot allow the Royal Canadian
Oragoons and the left section, "D" Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery,
and the Canadian l\lounted Rifles, to leave his command en route for
Canada without thanking them for the grand work they have performed
for him in the Belfast Flying Column.
In cight of the last nineteen days they have been engaged with the
Boers, and have proved themseh'es splendidly brave and mobile moun-
ted troops, and it has afforded the l\lajor General much pleasure to have
been able to send through General tne Honourable N. Lyttelton to the
Field 1Iarshal Commanding-in-Chief, detailed accounts of their splen-
did feats of arms and to have been able to bring to the special notice
of the Commander-in-Chief, fi,-e officers and seven non-commissioned
officers and men for distinguished conduct in the field during these
operations.
In wishing them all "good-bye and good-luck" he has no words to
exprcss how great a loss they will be to the flying column. He can me-
rely say that he would choose no other mounted troops in the world
heforc them if he had his choicc, and he sincerely hopes the day m:"y
come whcn he may havc them again under hi" command.

By Ordcr,
(Sig-ned) F. \\ ELD()
, Capt.
C. S. ().
mit11-norri('n', FCiTe.

358

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

From the above narrative it will be seen that the regiment marched
1,700 miles and took part in the following engagements :- .

April 22, 23, 24-Leeuw Kop. (\Yaterworks), 3 days' fighting.
)'Iay 3-Brandfort, 1 days' fighting.
l\Iay ...J.-Constantia, 1 days' fighting.

Ia:r :;- V ett Ri\"cr, 1 days' fighting.
.:\Iay ï- Virginia Siding, 1 days' fighting.

1ay 10-\Terdis Yerdrag, 1 days' fighting.

Iay 23- Viljeolls Drift, 1 day" fighting.
.May 27, 28-Klip R; \'crburg, 2 days' fighting.
1Iay 30-N car Driefontein, 1 days' fighting.
June 3-Kalkhen, el. 1 days' fighting.
June 11, 12-Diamond Hi1ls, 2 day
' fighting.
June 18-Loutspans Drift, 2 days' fighting.
July 6-Rietfontein (f)), 1 days' fighting.
July 7-0Iphansfontein, 1 days' fighting.
July 8, 9, 10-Rietfontein, 3 days' fighting.
July 12-\\Ïthpoort-Koffyspruit, 1 (lays' fighting.
July 16-\\ïthpoort-Doostfonteln, ] days' fighting.
July 23-Boschfontein, 1 days' fighting.
July 27-Bankfontein, 1 days' fighting.
August I-Buffelsprllit, ] days' fighting.

\t1gl1st 3-Dornkop, 1 clays' fighting.
.-\ugl1st 2:;, 26, 27-Belfast-Bergandal. 3 clays' fighting.
October 1-Booschpoort, 1 clays' fighting.
October 5-\Veltefreden, 1 days' fighting.
Ko\"ember 2-\\'itkloof, 1 days' fighting.
Xo,'cmber 6-Yan \Yyk.. \
lci-Lilidontcin, 2 clays. fighting.

O\'ember 13, 14, 13-\\ïtpoort
Xo\'ember 16, 17-Dulstroom. 3 days' fighting.

General Remarks.

The Canadian horses wcre good onc" and did very well, conside-
ring all the hardships they had to undergo and the hea,'y wcighb they
had to carry.
.\ few of them were
till in the 1
C!:6mcnt when they left thc front
for home.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

359

Disposition of Canadian Horses.

Died at sea in transit from Canada to South Africa.
Died of exhaustion, killed in .action, or destroyed . .
Rendered unfit for duty and left behind at difterent stations .
Sold to Imperial authorities on lea,ring South Africa as follows:
Handed oyer to O. C. 3th Lancers . . . . . . .
Handed oyer to O. C. Remount Depot, Pretoria . . . . . . . .

40
. 19-t-
123

7
11

3ï5

Establishment R. C. D. . . . . . . . . . . .

-:--:
. ,,/-

Service Roll, No.5 Troop, 2nd Regiment of Cavalry, June 1883.

RAXK NAMES Date of RANK XAMES Date 0 f
E'ROJ.. E
}WL.
Captain. Lloyd-,Jones, ThomlU:J l
fi6 Tlooper, l\fessecar, \Ym. ]R83
.Lieutenant, Muir. Robert Cuthherson. IX';, .. )lcIntyre,. Dug. 1881
Scrgt Major Lawrence ,Jacob 1866 R ice. Henry, ] 8R:J
Sergeant. Dutcher E. "'. 1866 Smith. C. lR8;

" Bawtinhimmer. \\. )R6
Secord, .Jamf:;C:; ]8S3
Cor
?ral. Fowler, (;eorge H. IS,ã Thompson, James 1881
Coucher Elijah IS" . . Tom, Mark 1
83
Muir W. K. 18,7 \Yooden, \\'illiam 1 HS:J
Trumpeter. :\Iuir. A. n. ]S81 "'hitaker, C. IsS3
Tro
per. Caven, Robt. ISS:
"'edge, .J oneq 1881
Dunn. .Juhn. ISoj
Cook". \Vooden, C. X. ]R77
Da.y. F. W. 11'\S3 Pettit, N. 188,
Elliot. F. 18S1
Fraser, John Z. IS83
.e Fraser, n. \Y. I HS:J ST.\t"..
French, G. \Y. I
'4:

( ; ra. y. Re
i HuM ISS;

Gedl1 \". Thoma'i ISS[ Trumpet Ylljor. Muir. Allan D.
.. Hull:Thom'ls 18" Hergt. Dunn, D.lIliel 1870
John:.ton. Ra.rti!-t 11'\71'\
d Mellor, S. :\1. IS
:J

Ottawa, May
!)th, 1
S:).

No.5 Troop, Burford.
To bo
nd. Lieut., Sergt. John Zimmerman Fraser, C. C. 1st B, Vice
Chas. \\
eir.

360

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

No.5. (Burfor-:l) Troop 2nd. Dragoons.
List of Members Enrolled. 1885.97.

Hunter, JoseJ.h
Henderson, A.
VanEvery, \lV.
O'Brien, W.
Sherman, Albert.
Brethour. Jos.
French, \Vm.
Johnston, B. R.
Swears, John.
Milmine, W m.
Balkwill, Robert
Kelly, Wm.
Standing, David
Merritt, C. L.
Fowler, A. R.
Hamilton. D. R.
Disher, E. 11.
Fowler, W.
Overholt, John
Force, Nedas
Lawrence, Henry
Biggar, James
Secord D.
Church, Charles
Elliott, E. S.
Douglas, Harry
Messecar, A. B.
Howey, Calvin
Howard, J osepl'.
Morgan, G.
Bawtinhimmer, 1.
Sillard, S. G.
Litchfield, ]. W.
Swears, Frank R.
Price, W.
Johnston, J oIm
Tansley, Eve
Pratt, Charles
Smith, H.
Gardham. J.
Porter, J. W.
Blair, J.
Stuart, H.
Day, F.
McWiUiams, A.

White, A. ).Iullen, V.
Willoughby, F. Coventry, N.
Ketchie, ]. C.
Ioore, I.
Fowler, Fred
1artin. Peter
Fowler George Bennett. Charles
Hearn George M. Elliott, H.
Philips, \:Vm. Dodds, Samuel
Baird, J. Lea, C. J.
Chrysler, E. Shellington, C. E.
Goudy, Wm. Buckborough, C.
Thomson. S. C. Force, James N.
Comeford, W. Roherts, A.
Holmes, W. Kerr, John
Robinson, E. Martin, Mark.
Clement, J. W. Maracle, Peter S.
Wiggans, R. Maracle, Joseph
Creighton, W. Maracle, Peter
Gillam. ]. Lickers, George
Cameron, George Martin, Joseph
Cavin, S. Groat, Henry
VanHorne, W. Martin, Fred
Franklin. A. Martin, George A.
Oakley, H. :Martin; Charles
Smith, D. M. Martin, Abraham
Percell, D. Martin, Albert P.
Stewart, R. B. Holmes, W.
Mainwaring, A. Blayborough, W. J.
Turner, Elmer Brown, Wm.
Fowler, Alex. Collins, Ben
Brown, John Cunningham, C.
Carder, H. Force, Harry
Smith, H. Terryberry, F.
Taylor, Wm. Vandusen. Harry
Ray, Walter Ledger, Harry
Rathburn, C. Pinney, Wm.
Shellington, Wm. Rowe, A.
Ledger, Harry Clarke, John C.
Williams, A. Teeple, G.
Chamhers, M. Martin, H.
Smith, Arthur Lewis, Ed.
Swain, \-Vatter Swain, Wm.
\Voodhouse, E. Kerr, F. H.
Shaver, \V. H. Elliott, H.
Smith, Dan \Valker. R.
\Vooden, C. M. Jarvis, S.

Brown, R.
French, G. W.
Walcot, R.
Sherman, Frank
Shel1ington, James
Eadie, R.
Eddv, Chas.
Kell)', \ V m.
1\1 cI n tyre, D.
Moore, A. N.
Stickless, John
Lattimer, ].
Tull, \-Vm.
Ion, Thomas
Force, Henry
Porter, J. W.
Brown, R.
Lloyd-Jones, John
Lawrence, H.
Porter, Peter
Stuart, Elisha
\Vinter, H.
Neff, Peter
Croome, Arthur
\V ooden, A.
Dauslaugh, J. W.
\Vil1iams, A.
Fyles, S. E.
Roberts, A.
Carder, P.
Fowler, G. E.
Chrysler, E. G.
A ulseybrook, G. A.
Col1ins. Ben

Non-Com. Officers Promotion List 1885-97.

1889. Corporals, Mark Tom ; J. J. Dunn ; D. R. Hamilton ; Sergt. 'V.
K. l\iuir. Regimental Sergt. :Major, G. 'V. Fraser.
1891. Corporals, C. F. Eddy ; Chas. PraU : H. Smith ; Sergeants. David
Standing; 'T eterinary Surgeon, J. ,Yo Porter.
1892. Troop Sergt-:\lajor, \V. K.
Iuir.

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

1
93.

361

Corporals, \Y. N. Kelly; G. \V. Hearn; F. \Y. Kerr Sergts.
Chas. Pratt ; H. Smith ; Staff Sergeant, Robt. Balkwill.
Corporal C. :M. \Yooden ; Sergeant F. \y. Kerr.
Troop Sergt.-
Iajor F. \Y. Kerr.
Corporals, H. H. Ross; H. Ledger. H. Lawrence; E. Chrysler.
Sergeants C. 1\1. \Vooden.

1
95.
1897.
1898.

Eaton, \Vm.
Lee, Reg.
Ross, H. H.
\Vooden. A.
Carder, ].
Tune. Ed.
Clement, C.
Cannel, C.
Quinn, B. F.
Shellington, B. S.
Pentland, John
McKeen, D. L.
Syer, J. M.
Radford, Chas.
Johnson, R.
Cavin, J.
Shellington, B. F.
Showers, \Vm.
Schofield, M. A.
Taylor, C. D.
Vantvery, Andrew,
Wilson, J. :M.
McWilliams, Fred
1Iayot. E. G.

lo1askey, VV. E.
Pi
rce, \Vm.
Pelton, Benson
Pan Every, Jolm
Ramsay, C. F.
Rutherford. J. 1-:1.
Cramer, Robt.
Palmer, Arch'd

c. Squadron 2nd. Dragoons.
List of Members Enrolled. 1898-02.

.\gassiz, R. \\'hite, H.
Brown, \Vm. \Veaver, B. J.
Brown, F..A.. \Vilson. L. G.
Brooks, \V. C. Campbell. M.
Chappin. C. D. Dr. Briers. Peter
Durham, Ceo. Kirkpatrick, E. A.
Force, J. N. Flanagan, A.
Gowe, Thos. Daniels. Geo. E.
Barber. Jess Durgis. G.
Link, Horace
fuir, Harry Ford
Tune, Harry -\ ver, E. S.
Martin, James Blair, 1\.
Beer, \V. T. Craddock. R. S.
Cornwell, A. Derhyshire, \Vm.
Cornwell, H. Hendershot, D. L.
Chrysler, O. J nhnson. R. J.
Churchill, J. Link, H.
Craddock, E. ?l.IcCammon, J. P.
Howes, A. Persall, \V.
)'lcCombs, \V. Tipper, E.
\.
!\IcCombs, J. Currie, J.
:\101 rJS. H. J. Dalton, H. R.

Ianuel, Fred (
ardham. J.
McLees, M. Lewis, F.
Nicholas, Ira Link. .-\rthur
Pembleton. VV. E. Lonshury, \V. E.
Reid, C. \V. H. Pettit, H.
Silverthorne, J. Pierson, J.
Sowden. Ceo. O. Sheppard. J. A.
Sinciair, James VValker, J. B.
Shawcross, J. H. \Vidner, John \V.
Storey, F. Wilson, B.

\\Tilson, C. \\.
\Vedge. A.
Dennis, C.
Armitage, W.
Baskerville, A. B.
Caperon, R.
Elmes, A. T.
Harris. E. R
Gillam, C.
Moore, HarT)
Simpso
,
Sigman. S. A.
Steeves, P. L.
Breeden, J. N.
Ritchie, R.
\\Tilliams, J. J.
Lane, \V.
Sherman, F.
Sinclair, John A.
Deemer, David
Patterson, VVm.
McLellan. John
Drynan. David
Cotes. E. G.
\Velsh, Frank
Patterson. F. H.
Olliver, N.
Kenney, E.
Ker, J no.
Campbell, Geo.
Pettit, Henry

Non-Com. Offic

Promotion List 1898-02.

Corporals, B. J. Force, H. ..\. Ledger; Sergeant. Ceo. :\I. Hea:.n.
Corporals, \\. J. Blayborough, Elisha Stuart, J. .\. Lattimore;
Scrgeant, B. J. Force.
Corporals, _\. Palmer, Chas. \\ïlson, E. D. Taylor, E. S. ::\Ia\ot,
I [arry Force ;
crgcallts, Elisha Stuart, lIenry Forcc ; Q. ::\1.
Sergeant, 11. . \. Ledgcr ;
q.

rgt-::\1a ior. G. ::\1. I learn.

189R
1899.

1900.

362

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

1901.
1902.

Corporals, E. Craddock, \\-, J L Brown; Sergeant, H. J. Taylor.
CorpOl-als, Ed. Tune, B. Pelton; Sq. Sergt-:\Iajor, n. J. Force
Sq. Q. 1\1. Sergt, Robert Balkwill.

The Burford Infantry Company.

During the summer of 1866, the Volunteer Force in Canada West
was being largely augmented by the addition of new Troops of Cavalry,
Batteries of ..-\rtillery and companies of Infantry and Rifles. For se-
,eral months. a number of the most interested in the praject had beel1
,yorking towards the formation of 3. V oÌt1l1teer Company in Burford.
The l\1ini
ter of ?\Iilitia, the Honorable John A. lVlacDunald, had been
communicated ,yith. and after some delay, the necessary authorization
,vas gIven.
In July, a largely attended meeting was held in Hearn's Hall, when
5tirring ad{lresses were deli,'ered by Edmund Yeigh, late ensign in the
3th Brant :Militia, Claudius Byrne and others. There was no difficulty
in securing the number of men required to fill the lists, as more offered
than therc was room for. The first officers were selected by those who
agreed to 5en-e in the Company, and on the 17th August, the Burford
\'olunteer Infantry Company was added to the strength of the Cana-
dian \ oluntecrs. ()n the same date the officers were gazetted, as ac-
ting onl
. until furthcr urders, as none of them were as yet in any way
f}ualified to drill or instruct their men.
\1r. .\aron n. ::\Ic\\ïlliams. a passed candidate from the Toronto
\Iilitary
d1001, was appointed as Instructor to drill and discipline the
m
mbers, \\ ho cheerfully and willingly attended the daily parades held
in the school grounds, from 7 P. 11.
In the month of September the belts and Sniders were recei\-ed,
and deli\ et ed to the new soldiers, from the old store of Be,njamin Jones,

'ituated where the Bank of Toronto now stands. In October, the clo-
thing, so anxiously looked for, which had left Ottawa on Sept. 13th,
arrived in Paris. and was carted to Burford amI distribute(l. This, the
fi rst is
ue of Coyernment clothing eyer sent into Burford, consisted of
55 complete outfits of cloth Tunics. Trousers. Shakos and Creat Coats.
These uniforms. manufactureçl in England, were of the very best
material, and the "Shakos", a most sen'icable head piece, far surpassed
the helmet in durability. and was most comfortable to thc wearer-the
only objection was the weight of the mctal plate in front, which someti-
mes cause(l the "Shako" to tilt forward. with this slight defect remedied,
the "Shako" has pro,'ed to he the bcst head piecc e\'er iI1Yented for In-
Lmtrv on actiyc sen,ice.

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THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

363

The first full dress parade of Burford's first Y olunteer cJmpü.ry,
f 'Jrty-six years ago, was an evcnt in the military history of the township,
and many of their friends were present to admire them in the l-
orgeous
h!storical scarlet of the British Army. The rank and hIe were physi-
c.1
ly as fine a body of mcn as ever wore the uniform, and marclicll with

he ,:"tearliness of 'eterans. The men who to-day are picked up any-
where, to help complete thc ranks of many of the Rural Cori.

' are of
a class that would not have been accepted in l
óó.
\ Y e ha, e becn unable to secure a full list of the fi rst memLc r ,. of
tbe company, but the list here given shows the remarkable fact, that
half a century ago, when Burford Village and its immediate vicinity,
contain cd less than half the habitations which exist to-day, there ,,'erc
more men of the right class a ,'ailable for the Y olunteer force, than caB
be found at the present time.

Service Ron of the Burford Infantry Company.

Captain
Lieutenant
Ensign
Se
7eant

Co
poral

Pri vate
"

"

,.

"

"

September 1866.

R.-\
K

Ira \Vooden
Claudius Burns
Edmund Yeigh

tephen \\' etmore
(
ilhert French
J olm Charles
\Villiam Briers
Elijah \Vhelpley
\]freel Catton
Tohn Padfield
) esse Crysler
Peter Briers
(
eon;e Padtield
Richard Rush
Levi TilIison
101m Johnston
Georg-e Lane
IT cnry Criffin
Hiram Farrel
Charles McCurdy

Priyate
"

"

cc

NAl\IES

James Holder
Tudson Henderson
) olm nouey
\ngl1s Douey
\lIan )kC'3.
kill
10hn \VhaJe
(
eorg-c \Vhale
James Sharpe
Edward Crysler
Fred Charles
Bradley Van Horn

H cctor Bouev
10hn Berry -
Joshua TiÍ1ison
John Munroe
J I.scph Ellchy
Rory John:-:ton
Rohert Farrel
\hon Singer
Thomas Fo,"

In addition to the abO\ c. thcre are t\\ 0 mell1bcr
of the Burford
\" olunteer Company. who joined in lR()
, who dc:-;en'c :-;pecial mcntion
for their long and faithful service, which continucel until thc hcadquar-
ters of the company was transferred to I1rantford in lXX2. viz, Sergl'ants
l\ngus John';t(m and Jo:-;eph lIunter, hoth of whom scn.c(l suh
equently
in thc Burford Ca,'alry.
\-ery few of thc original mcmber'" ,ti11 ,urvi,'c, a larger proportion
howcver are c:;tìll li\'lng than of the charter mcmber.. of the Burford Ca-

364

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

valry. Two of the first
on-Com. Officers, Sergt. John Charles and Cor-
poral John Padfield, !'till resiùe in the Village. The last surviving Offi-
cer, who was also one of the original members, in the person of Lieut.
Rory Johnston, is still hale and hearty and apparently quite capable of
several years more active service. Sergt. Gilbert French and Private
Angus Bouey, volunteered for service in the Red River Expedition of
1
70, under Col. Garnet '-tV olseley.

G. O.

Burford Volunteer Infantry Company.
Ottawa 17th Aug., 1866.

The following Volunteer Corps are hereby authorized. Officers
acting until further orders, except those holding military school certificates
whose appointments are temporary.
An Infantry Company at Burford, County of Brant.
To be Capt. Ira C. Wooden,
" Lieut. Claudius Byrne,
., Ensign Edmond Yeigh.

G.O.

Ottawa, 9th Nov. 1866.

38th, Brant Battalion.
No. 6 Co. Burford.
To be Capt. acting till further orders, Ensign Edmund Yeigh, Vice
\Yooùen resigned.

G. O. Ottawa, 14th Dec. 1866.

3Rth, Brant Battalion of Infantry.
No. 6 Co. Burford.
To be Ensign acting till further orders, Stephen '-tVetmore, Vice
Yeigh promoted.

G. O. Ottawa, Gth March, 1868.

38th, Brant Battalio
1.
Certificates Infantry :-

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

365

Lieut. Claudias Byrne, 26th, Feb. 186
, 2nù. Class.
Lieut. Gilbert French, 26th, Feb. 1868, 2nd, Class.
Above confirmed in rank this date.

G. O. Ottawa, 16th July, 1H69.

38th, Brant Battalion.
No. 6 Co. Burford.
To be Captain, Lieut. Claudias Byrne, 11. S., Vice E. Yeigh, whose
resignation is hereby accepted.

G. O. Ottawa, 10th Sept. 1869.
No. 6 Co. Burford.
38th, Brant Battalion.
To be Lieut., Ensign Stephen \Vetmore, Vice Byrne promoted.
" Ensign Gilbert French, Gentleman, 1\1. S. Vice \Vetmore pro-

moted.

G. O.

Ottawa, 28th 1\Iay, 1875.

3
th, Brant Battalion.
No. 6 Co. Burford.
To be Captain. Lieut. Stephen \Vetmore, V. B. Vice C. Byrne. who is
hereby permitted to retire retaining rank.
To be Lieutenant Ensign, Gilbert French, l\L S. Yice \Yetmore pro-
moted.

G. O.

Ottawa, 17th Oct. 18ï9.

38th, Brant Battalion.
No. 5 Co. Burford.
To be Lieutenant provisionally Sergeant Rory Johnston, Vice French
who is hereby permitted to retire retaining rank.

G. O.

Ottawa, 17th Dec. t&
O

38th, Brant Battalion.
No. 5 Co. Burford.

266

THE HISTOR\ OF BURFORD

To be 2nd, Lieut. proyisionally, Hospital St:rgeant Charles L. Daniel.
Vice French, promoted.

G. O.

ùttawa, 11th :May, 1883.

38th, Brant Battalion.
No. 5 Co. Burford.
The headquarters of this company are hereby changed from Burford
to Brantford, Captain Stcphen \ V etmore is hereby pcrmitted to retire rc-
taining rank and the resignation of Lieut. Rory Johnston is hereby accep-
ted. 2nd, Lieut. Charles L. Daniel, who had been transfered to No. 4
Company resigned his commission 31st, Aug. lð
3.

rhe Burford Rifle Company.

In the month of February 1896, :VIr. \lIan J). Muir, formerly Trum-
pet l\/[ajor in the 2nd. Dragoons, accepted a commis
ion as Second Lieu-
tenant in No.3 Company, 22nd. Battalion, Oxford Rifles. After a course
at \Volseley Barracks, London, where he was granted a first class cer-
tificate, a :Militia General Order, issued June 5th, 1896, promoted him
to the command of the Company with the rank of Captain. The Head-
quarters of No. 3 Company was now established in Burford Yil1age, an
excellent company was maintained here during the next five years, when
Captain 11uir resigned and the stores were transferred to Lieut. Louis
La Pierre, who removed them to Paris. This officer was shortly after-
wards promoted Captain.
The 22nd. Oxford Rifles may be considered as the successors of the
long line of Oxford's l\1ilitia Corps, from the days of the orig-inal four
companies commanded by Colonel \Villiam Claus. After an interval ot-
more than fifty years Burford had again furnished a Company to
strengthen the Oxford lVlilitia.
The retirement of Captain Allan D. :Muir was greatly regretted by
the Commanding Officer of the Regiment, Lieut. Colonel J. C. Hegler,
who used every effort to have Captain l\1uir change his mind, pointing
out the possibility of his getting command of the Regiment before any
great length of time. Captain Muir however, had always retained a
preference for the Cavalry, and when the 25th. Brant Dragoons were
organized he accepted the office of Paymaster of that fine Corps, a posi-
tion he is well qualified to fill. His last commission dates from 5th.
April 1909.

/!"

"

.. If,_
'. '

Capt. AlIan D. Muir,
Com. No.3 Company.
Oxford Rifles, 1896 - 1901.

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THE HISTOR\ OF BURFORD

36ì

Captain Allan Wallace Ellis.

The martial spirit is largely an inherited one, occasionly supprcssed
at times through force of circumstances it comes out periodically in cer-
tain familics, who show a natural adatAation for the profession of arms.
X 0 family identified with thc military history of Brant county, can
claim a more continuous succession of "\\'earers of the Sworù", thaI I
the Ellis family. For generations back thc names of various members
.Lre to be found in the Canadian :\Iilitary records.
1 lenry EPis, founder of the Canadian branch of thc tamily, and his
friend, Captain
-\mos Sturgus, with their families, consisting of sixteen
persons, left the Big Bend of the Susquahana Ri\"er in Pennsylvania
after the Re\ olutionary \ \' ar, their destination being Canada, they cros-
sed the Xiagara Ri\'er at Black Rock in the month of October, ISOX, and
spent the first" inter at the Short Hills, known as the l'pper settlemcnt,
from there they proceeded the following Spring westward, crossing the
CralHl Ri,'er at Brants Fording place, now the City oi Brantford (at
that time there was not e,'en a settlement there). From, tHere they pro-
cceded to what is now :\lount Pleasant, I lenr)' Ellis naming the place
after an estate owned by. his family in Flintshire, ""ales.
These two families (Ellis &
turgus) kascd from Captain Joseph
Bran 1 , acting on behalf of the Indidns, f:.. a term of 999 years, the first
400 acres of lanù thrown open for settlemcnt by Captain Brant.
These lands were part of a tract granted to the Six
ations and
their heirs forever by proclamation dated at Quebec, October 2:ï, lï84,
by order of General Haldimand, who was then Governor of the Pro, ince
of Qucbec. This grant consisted of 694,910 acres on the Grand Ri,-er,
six miles in depth on each side of the Ri,'er, beginning at Lake Erie and
extending to its source. This grant was confirmed by a patent issued by
Lt. Governor Simcoe, bearing date January 14th, lï93.
During the \\"ar of 1
12, .\llan Ellis, son of lIenry Ellis servcd in the
::\Iilitia and was at Qucenston Hcights and other engagements.
In 1
38 Allan ""allace Ellis, son of Allan Ellis, joined the :\Iilitia
Ca\'alry Troop which was authorized to be raised in Brantfon! under
Captain \Yelby. The Ot1icers of this corp" and the dates of thcir com-
mission were as follows :-
Capt. Thomas Earl ""elby, 2nd.
ovembcr 1
3R
Lieut. \\"m. J)'.\ubigny, 2nd.
o"emhcr lX38.
Cornet. .1o!'. Kcnnedy Smith, 2nd Xovember 1838.
In ]836, when Brant county's Six Battalions of ::\Iilitia were bcing
organized, .\llan ""allace Ellis was appointcd Ensign in the Third Bat-
talion under Lieut. Col. Thomas Perrin, his commission bcing dated at
Toronto lOth. Feb!'"uary 1
:ï7, hut gÎ\'ing him rank and prccedcn....c from

368

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

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C!:ì

THE HISTO
Y OF BURFORD

369

18th. September, 1856. He was subsequently promoted Lieutenant, and
during the Trent affair he applied for permission to raise a Yolunteer
Company in .:\lount Pleasant, authority to do sp \Vas granted by General
Order, issued from Quebec, 30th. J arlUary 1863, which established one
Volunteer Company of Infantry at :\Iount Pleasant, to be Captain Allan
\\rallace Ellis, to be Lieutenant "ïl1iam E. Phelps, to be Ensign Robert
Eadie, following this a second order appeared on 2nd, October 1863
appointing Crosby Eaton Lieutenant, \ïce Phelphs resigned.
\ Yhen the formation of the 38th. Brant Battalion of Infantry was
authorized, with Headquarters at Brantfon1. on the 22nd Septcmber,
1
66, the l\Iount Pleasant Company, then in Camp at Thorold, became
number four in the new Corps.
In the Fourth generation, 1\.1r. \Y. \Yallace Ellis, who as a boy had
often watched his father's Company at their exercises in the old Drill
Shed located on the village end of their property, served several years in
number 2. Company Dufferin Rifles. .At the present time they have a
representatÏ\'e in the Volunteers in the person of H. H. Ellis, who is a
Licutenant in the 23th. Brant DragooEs under LieutenaIft Colonel :\1. F.
:\Iuir.
The photo at the head of this article gi,'es the :\lilitary reader a
good idea of the uniforms worn by the Infantry Officers of the Canadian
\Iilitia some fifty years ago.

Organization of the 38th Brant Battalion.
The operation
during the short pcriod of active serd.:e on tht::
Xiagara Frontier, in repelling the marauding Fenian invaders, had taught
the l\lilitia Department many important facts. Pre\'iou
to this e\'ent
there were hut seven organized Battalions in the Prm'ince, the rcmain-
der of the force consisted of one hundre(l and eighty-six indepenclant and
isolated units, who performed their yearly drill at company headquarter:;
and neither the officcrs or thcir men, were gi, cn the opportunity of acqui-
ring any knowledgc of the tactics and mm ements of a battalion, or oi
larger hodies of troops in thc field.
()f the ten thousand men, called out on the 1st anel 2nd Junc, 19()ó,
and the fourtcen thousand who respondeel, it was, with one or Ì\\ 0 cxcep-
tiops, the rcgularly organized battalions only, which were ha
tily despal
ched to the front, the exception bcing one or two rifle compani
s ncar the
scenc of operation, who were attached for duty.
The one hundred
nd
ig-11ty
ix i
olatcd and indcp
ndent Rifle awl
Infantry companies, to he of any
ffedi\ e use during acti,.c sen'icc, IllU
t
be controllcd, manocu\Ted apd tl1e nece
sary disripli
l
and routinc rarried
out, hy uniting l
umhers pf the
c military units togethcr, to forlll corps,

370

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

alled at this period "Battalions" and the necessary field officers, prefe-
rably men of experience, appointed, without which no regIment can be
successfully led in the field.
One of the first of the new Battalions to be organized was composed
of all the existing or authorized rifle and infantry companies in the C0U11-
ty of Brant, one of the latter however, authorized with headquarters at
1\ ewport, failed to complcte its organization and the Drumbo Rifle Com-
pany, authorized by General Order of 3rd. June, 1863, was added to the
strength.
The Paris Rifle Company, authorized by a G. O. dated June 26th,
1836. \Vas the oldest in the county and became number ()ne Company of
the new battalion. The l\Ioun t Pleasant Yolllnteer Infantry Compan};
authorized 30th. January, 1863, under Allan \\Tallace Ellis, Captain, \\"111
E. Phelphs as Lieutenant, Robert Eadie, Ensign, did not long remain a
part of the 3t;th. Battalion, After the resignation of their first Officers
this Company gradually became inefficient and was remO\'ed from the list
of Y o!unteer l\.Iilitia, in consequence of which X o. 5 Company Brantf()j'(,
l
ecame No.4 and Xo. 6, Burford, became No.3.
The Regimental Staff Officers were selected, like the companies,
according to seniority, \\'m. Patton had been conllni
sioned Captain of the
Paris Rifle Company, 1'vlay
Oth, 1838., Captain \\ïlliam
rant. com-
manding the Seconù Rifle (Highland) Company Brantford, was the
next ranking officer his commission dating from July 3rd, ISó2, Captain
Grant accepted the Paymastership, and Captain Hiram Dickie, comman-
din?,' No. ()ne Rifle Company Brantiord, was promoted :Major.

Camp Thorold.

Some weeks previous to the organization of the 38th. Battalion,
the :Militia Department had established a Camp of Instruction at Tho-
rold, a number of prO\'isional Battalions were formed out of the va-
rious units, who, when attending this camp, were commanded by offi-
cers temporarily appointed. The Camp staff were as follows :-Colo-
t1el Garnet \Y olseley, Commandant, Lieut. Co1. Jarvis, V olunteer :Militia

Brigade J\tlajor and Camp Quartermaster. (Major Page \Vadsworth IV1.
I. relieved Lieut, Col. Jarvis.) Lt. Col. Haultain, acting Aide-de-Camp.
:Major Alger, Volunteer l\1ilitia, Camp Paymaster.
The Thorold Camp opened on the 20th day of August, 1866 and
continued for seven weeks, the various corps called .out serving conse-
cutively, as previously arranged. The several units, about to be formed
into the 38th. Battalion, had received Orders to concentrate at Camp
Thorold on Sept. 22nd, the same date on which the battalion was offi-

371

THE HISTORY OF BURFORD

cially organized, six companies, comprising 20 officers, 46 Non-C. O.
and 301 Privates, were present and performed their Drill under Lieut
Colonel Patton, during the ensuing six days. The other corps in camp
at the same time, were the 32nd Bruce, 4 Companies, under Lieut. Col.
Sproat and a Provisional Battalion, consisting of the York, Caledonia,
Dunnville, Oneida, Chippawa, and \ïrgil Companies, under Lt. Col.
Ða"is.
Lnder Lieut. Colonel Charles S. Jones, the 38th brant Battalion,
Dufferin Rifle:'\ of Canada rcached a high state of efficiency. This cle-
\er young officer, who ",as in command of Xo. 2 Company, had been
promotcd
\djutant on lith. Dccember, 1
80 and at the unanimous re-
qucst of the officers of the Regiment he accepted the command, con-
firmed by G. O. 3rd June, 1881.
Having decided to improve the standing of his corps, by the crea-
tion of a city Battalion, permission was granted by the
Iilitia Depart-
ment on 15th. September, 1882, and on the same date the headquarters
of thc Paris Company was changed from Paris to Brantford, eight
months later the headquarters of K o. 5 (Burford) Company was also
transferred to BrantfonI.
\\ïth its :-:plcn(lid Brass and Bugle Bands, the Thrirt
-eighth soon
became one of thc crack city corps of the Dominion.
Since that period the high standard reached has been maintained
"ith thc aid of a long list of competent and capable officers, ",hose ta-
lents alHl ability. ha ,'e hcen recogniz
d upon more than one occasion.
The present commanding officer, Lt. CoI. Frank Howard, a vete-
ran of the Xorth \\-est Rebellion, was born and bred in Burford and
recein.
d his education at Burford Public School.

NA
IES

Canadian Ministers of Militia
FRO:\I

TO

Sir Etienne Paschal Tache,
Sir John A. Macdonald.
Sir George Etienne Cartier,
Hon. Hugh. :\JcDonalù,
HOIl. \\ïlliam Ross.
Hon. \\'illiam Berrian V:Ú1.
Hon. \1fred G. Jones,
HOIl. Louis Fran. R.
1asson
Sir \. Cclmphell K.C.M.G.
Sir J. -\It. Caron, K.C.M.G.
Sir :\1acKe07ie Dowell,
Hon. J. CIJIe1Jr. Patterson,
Hon. Arthur Rupert Dickey,
Hon. Alphonse Desjardins.
Lt. Co!. Hon D. Tisdale. Q.C.
Lt. Co1. Hon. F.\\'. Borden. 1\1.0.
Cot. HOIl. Sam Hug-hes,

. 30th. :\larch, 1864,
1865,
1 st. July. 1867.
1 st.. J ul). lRi3.
7th.
ov. 1873.
30th. Sept. 1874,
21st. July, 1878.
19th. Octoher. 1878,
16th. Jan.. lR80.
8th. NO\-. lRgO.
5th. Jan., 18 0 2,
5th. Dec.. 1892.
26th. ?\[arch. 1895.
16th. J anuarv, 1806.
1st. Mav. 18%.
Bth. Júly, 1806.
10th. Oct., 1911.

30th July, 1865.
1867.
20th :\[av. 1873
4th 1'\ ()v
1873. .
29th Sept. 1874.
20th July, 1878.
19th Octoher, 1878.
15th Jalluary. 1880.
7th N 0\'., 1 RgO.
24th Jan., 1802.
4th Dec., 18<)2.
25th :\[arch, 1895.
15th January. lR0tí.
30th April, 1896.
12th July, 18%.
Oct. 1011