CONTENTS—Prince Edward—The name—Rich land—Size of peninsula—Shape—
Small Lakes—Sand hills—The Ducks—Gibson’s rock—The past—First
settler—Col. Young—Prospecting—Discovery of East Lake—West Lake—
Moving in—Settlers in 1800—East Lake—Capt. Richardson—“Prince
Edward Division Bill”—Office seekers—Township of Hallowell—The
name—Formation of Township—First Records 1798—The officers—The
laws—Magistrates—Picton—Its origin—Hallowell village—Dr. Austin—
Gen. Picton—His monument—Naming the villages—A contest—The
Court-house—An offer—Enterprise—Proposed steamboat—Churches—Rev.
Mr. Macaulay—Rev. Mr. Fraser—Rev. Mr. Lalor.
PENINSULA OF PRINCE EDWARD.
The name of this district is derived from Prince Edward, Duke of Kent,
the father of our Queen, who visited Canada at an early date (see under
Early Government).
The peninsula is a rich and beautiful tract of land stretching away from
the main land, to be washed on the one hand by the quiet waters of the
bay, and on the other by the more turbulent waves of Ontario. It is some
seventy miles in length, and varying in breadth from two to twenty
miles. The neck of land, or isthmus which separates the head waters of
the bay from Lake Ontario, is something less than a mile-and-a-half
across. It is known as the Carrying place.
Prince Edward district is irregular in outline, on both the lake and bay
sides. Along the lake coast there are numerous bays extending inward,
two or three being of considerable size. The larger ones are Weller’s
bay, Consecon Lake, West Lake, and East Lake. In places, the shore is
rendered exceedingly picturesque, by the presence of irregular and
beautifully white sand-hills. They have been gradually formed by well
washed sand which the waves have carried shoreward, so that the wind
might, in the lapse of time, deposit it heap upon heap. The mariners
regard this coast with justifiable concern, at the extreme southerly
portion, off Long Point, in the vicinity of the Ducks, where many a
vessel has come to grief.
The geological formation of the peninsula is of considerable interest;
and the observant student of this interesting science, may trace many
steps which indicates the geological history.
In a valley, upon the second concession road of Ameliasburgh, may be
seen a huge mass of rock, known as Gibson’s rock, whose history carries
us back, far into the remote past, when the continent of America was
covered by a vast ocean, and when massive icebergs, cast loose from
their native place in the frozen north, carried with their icy scales
huge rocks from the north land coast. Then, carried southward by wind or
tide, and reaching water of a milder temperature, the ice became melted,
and the rocks were deposited in the depths of the ocean. When the
continent of America was upheaved, and the waters departed to their
present limits, this huge body of stone, unlike the stone forming the
geological bed of this region, was found fast fixed to the soil, ever to
form a part of it.
In the whole of Upper Canada, there is not, perhaps, any section so full
of historic interest, excepting Frontenac, as Prince Edward. We have
seen that the forked peninsula was well known by the Aborigines, and
that they were accustomed to cross from the south side of the lake to
Point Traverse. It was always a favorite hunting and fishing ground,
where abundant supplies were obtained. And, not unlikely, some portion
of Indian Point belonged to the Seigniory, granted to La Salle.
Moreover, the two points stretching far into the lake, became early
locations for the refugees and disbanded soldiers.
In the history of Marysburgh, reference has been made to the early
settlement of the point east of Picton Bay, which commenced in 1784. But
it appears by the statement of John C. Young, that his grandfather,
Colonel Henry Young, made the first settlement in the summer, or fall of
1783. For an account of this half-pay officer, the reader is referred to
the Royal combatants of the rebellion of 1776.
With a brother officer, Young left Cataraqui, or, Carleton Island, in a
canoe, and ascended what was then called (perhaps first by these
parties), the South Bay, now Picton Bay. They landed at the commencement
of the Indian Carrying Place, subsequently, for some time known as
Hovington’s Landing, after the individual who here built a convenient
house. They left their canoe here, and set out southward. We have been
told that they intended to seek the bay now known as Smith’s Bay; but,
according to his descendant it would seem they had no particular point
in view, desiring only to examine the land. Following, no doubt, the old
Indian path, they came out at the north corner of East Lake, a point
afterward called the Indian Landing, which name it still retains.
Following the east shore of this lake to the south corner, they were
surprised to hear the roaring of Lake Ontario, having thought they were
following the shore of an inland lake. They crossed the strip of land
covered with cedar, spruce, and balsam, and taking off their shoes,
waded from the beautiful sand-beach across the outlet of the lake to the
opposite point, and proceeded along the west side to the north corner of
the lake, to where David McDonald now lives, having entirely walked
around East Lake. They here constructed a hut, of cedar bushes, in which
to stay the night. The following morning they set out in a north-west
direction, and came to West Lake, following the east side, they reached
the sand-beach. Traversing this, they arrived at the point where
Wellington now stands. Here they stayed the night. The next day they
continued on around the north side of West Lake through the woods, and
the same evening regained their canoe. They observed plenty of deer and
other game, and fish, the former of which Ensign Young’s wife
subsequently assisted him to hunt. The succeeding day they returned to
Carleton Island. Mr. Young, from this rich land over which he walked,
selected the west side of East Lake for his future abode. His eldest son
Daniel, who had belonged to the Engineers, was at Carleton Island,
having been with his father during his stay at Fort Oswego. His second
son, Henry, was at St. John’s with the rest of the family. He sent a
message for him to come up. This must have been in July or August. In
September, the father and two sons, having procured a large canoe,
loaded it with provisions, and other necessaries, and ascended to the
Indian Carrying Place, Hovington’s Landing. They carried their
provisions across, and constructed another boat with which they conveyed
their things to the point selected for settling, about three miles. Here
they proceeded to build a log shanty. Sometime after, the father left,
leaving behind his two sons, to winter alone in this out-of-the-way
place. They were the first settlers in Prince Edward County. Mr. Young
descended to St. John’s, where his family still remained, and stayed the
winter.
In the spring he came up the St. Lawrence with his family as far as
Fredericksburgh, where he left his daughters while he went to see how
his sons fared, and had passed the winter. He found them all well; and
remained the summer with them, during which they built a more commodious
log house. In October, he returned to Fredericksburgh for his daughters,
who accompanied him to the wilderness home. These four daughters,
Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine and Sarah, subsequently married Henry
Zuveldt, Jonathan Ferguson, William Dyre, and John Miller. They all
lived to be upwards of eighty years.
On the first day of January 1800, the settlement at East Lake, in the
township of Hallowell, consisted of the following families, in the
following order, commencing at Silas Hills, at the head of East Lake,
near the place now known as the Cherry Valley, and proceeding around the
north side of lake, viz:—“Colonel John Peters and family, half-pay
officer; Major Rogers and family, do; David Friar, Mr. Friar, U. E. L.;
Roswell Ferguson, do; Elisha Miller, do; Blasdall Tailor; Caleb
Elsworth, Lieut. Heny Young, half-pay officer; Henry Young, Jun.,
U.E.L.; Augustus Spencer, half-pay officer; George Wait, U. E. L.;
Benjamin Wait, do; William Dyre, do; George Elsworth.”
“_List of settlers on the south side of the lake._—Henry Zuveldt,
(Zufelt) U. E. L.; Johnathan Ferguson, Sen., U. E. L.; Johnathan
Ferguson, Jun., do; Anthony Badgley, do; John Miller, do; Farnton
Ferguson, do; William Blakely, do; Sampson Striker, do; Barret Dyer, do;
Daniel Baldwin, John Ogden, U. E. L.; Richard Ogden, do; Solomon
Spafford, Joseph McCartney, Joseph Lane, William Ensley, Col. Owen
Richards, U. E. L.; James Clapp, do; Charles Ferguson.”
“At this time there were no settlers in the second concessions neither
side of the lake.”—(Rev. G. Miller.)
East Lake is about five miles long and one and a half wide. It was for a
time called Little Lake. West Lake is about fifteen miles in
circumference.
Prince Edward was one of the original nineteen counties of Upper Canada,
established by the proclamation of Simcoe in 1792. By this proclamation,
we learn that the Peninsula was called by the French “Presque isle de
Quinté.” Originally it was divided into the three townships of
Marysburgh, Sophiasburgh, and Ameliasburgh. Subsequently the townships
of Hallowell and Hillier, were formed, and in later days the township of
Athol.
In 1831, an act was passed to erect the county into a district, “so soon
as the Governor shall be satisfied that a good and sufficient gaol and
court house has been erected therein, when a proclamation should
announce the formation of the new district.” The act specified that the
“gaol and court house should be erected in the village of Picton, upon a
certain block of land, containing two and a half acres, granted, or
intended to be granted and conveyed to Asa Worden, Simeon Washburn, and
James Dougal, Esquires, agreeably to a resolution adopted at a public
meeting in May, 1826,” unless a majority of Justices of the Peace of the
Midland District should declare the site ineligible.
We find the following respecting the division of Prince Edward. “Pro.
Parliament,” “Prince Edward division bill.” Mr. Roblin moved the
adoption of the Preamble in a few remarks, stating its (the Peninsula)
geographical position, the population being 10,000, the remoteness of
the inhabitants from the location of the District Court House and Gaol,
at Kingston, the earnest desire of the people for separation. Mr. Samson
moved, as an amendment, that the village should have a member when it
contained 1,000 souls. The debate upon the bill, resulted in one of
those fierce encounters that was then not unfrequent between William
Lyon McKenzie, and the Solicitor General, afterwards Chief Justice
Robinson.
If we may credit the _Free Press_, there were plenty of applicants for
office in the newly erected district, there being no less than sixteen
seeking the office of Sheriff.
HALLOWELL.
We find in Sabine, that “Benjamin Hallowell, of Boston, Commissioner of
the Customs in 1774, while passing through Cambridge in his chaise, was
pursued toward Boston by about one hundred and sixty men on horseback,
at full gallop. In July, 1776, he sailed for England. While at Halifax,
he said, in a letter, “If I can be of the least service to either army
or navy, I will stay in America until this rebellion is subdued.” It
appears from another letter that he frequently tendered himself to the
Commander-in-Chief without success. In the autumn of 1796, Mr. Hallowell
came to Boston. He was accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Elmsley, and by
her husband, who had just been appointed Chief Justice of Upper Canada.
He died at York, Upper Canada, in 1799, aged seventy-five, and was the
last survivor of the Board of Commissioners. The British Government
granted him lands in Manchester, and two other towns in Nova Scotia,
_and a township in Upper Canada, which bears his name_. He was a large
proprietor of lands on the Kennebec, Maine, prior to the revolution; but
proscribed and banished in 1778, and included in the Conspiracy Act a
year later, his entire estate was confiscated. His country residence at
Jamaica Plain, was used as a hospital by the Whig Army during the seige
of Boston; and his pleasure grounds were converted into a place of
burial for the soldiers who died.”
We are unable to learn whether any part of the township of Hallowell was
granted to Benjamin Hallowell, or not, but, it is not at all unlikely,
that at first he did hold some portion of the land. At all events, there
seems every reason to believe that the name was derived from him. On
July 3, 1797, an act was passed, whereby it was provided “that a
township shall be struck off from the southern-most parts of the
townships of Marysburgh and Sophiasburgh.” The reason set forth was,
that “the inhabitants of the townships experience many difficulties from
the uncommon length of the said townships.” The Governor was by
proclamation, “to declare the name of such township before the first day
of August next.” Mr. Hallowell’s brother-in-law, Mr. Elmsley, had
recently been appointed Chief Justice, and doubtless the distinguished
position Mr. Hallowell had held, led to the naming of the new township
to commemorate his loyalty.
Surveyor Gen. William Smith, was the person employed to lay out the new
township.
The first record of this township is as follows: “The annual meeting of
the inhabitants of the township of Hallowell, held on Monday, the fifth
day of March, 1798, held by virtue of an act of the legislature of the
Province of Upper Canada, before Augustus Spencer, and John Stinson,
Jun., two of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, the following persons
were chosen town officers for the ensuing year:” Bazel Ferguson, Town
Clerk; Caleb Elsworth, and Peter D. Conger, Assessors; James Blakely,
and Thomas Goldsmith, Town or Church Wardens; Benjamin Wail, John
Miller, Owen Richards, Henry Zufelt, Ichabod Boweman, Aaron White, Carey
Spencer and George Baker, Overseers of Highways and Fence Viewers;
Daniel Young, and Isaac Bedal, Pound Keepers; Samson Striker, Henry
Johnson, Samuel Williams, and Isaac Garret, Constables.
At the first township meeting, “it was enacted that no fence is to be
lawful in the township under the height of four feet eight inches high,
sufficiently made.” Horses, horned cattle, hogs, sheep, were to be
permitted to run at large with certain exceptions. “It is enacted that
if any freeholder shall suffer any Canadian thistle to go to seed on his
farm, he shall forfeit and pay the sum of twenty shillings.” A law was
also passed, that if any one set fire to any rubbish or brush, whereby
his neighbors property was endangered, without previously making two of
his neighbors acquainted, he should pay a fine of forty shillings, to be
expended for the benefit of the highways. Bazel Ferguson, who seems to
have discharged his duty as Town Clerk, recording the proceedings in a
neat legible hand, was successfully elected to that office for ten
years. In 1810, James R. Armstrong was appointed, and again the
following year. The next following, Arra Ferguson was elected, who
continued in office three years, when Simeon Washburn received the
appointment, and remained in office two years, when Arra Ferguson was
again selected, and continued for three years. Robert Scott was Town
Clerk two years, and then again followed Arra Ferguson for eight years.
William Barker then was appointed.
The three Justices of the Peace, before whom the annual meeting
continued for many years to be held, were John Peters, Augustus Spencer,
and John Stinson, doubtless the first magistrates in the township. In
the year 1815, we notice as “present” at the annual meeting, Stephen
Conger, Barret Dyer, Ebenezer Washburn, Justices of the Peace.
The town meeting was held in the year 1801, “at the house of Richardson
and Elsworth,” “near Hallowell Bridge;” likewise the following year. In
1803 the meeting was held “at the house of Thomas Richardson.” The
following year 1805, it is “the house of the late Thomas Richardson.” In
1806, the meeting was “at the dwelling house of Thomas Eyre.” In 1807 it
is “the Inn of Thomas Eyre.” Here the annual meeting was successively
held for many years.
HILLIER.
In the year 1823 there was an act passed for the division of the
township of Ameliasburgh, in consequence of the inconvenience of the
inhabitants to meet on public occasions. The dividing line was
established between the fourth and fifth concessions. The act went into
force on the first of January, 1824. The Lieutenant-Governor at that
time was Sir Peregrine Maitland, who had for his secretary, Major
Hillier. There is no doubt the new township was called after Major
Hillier.
PICTON.
At the beginning of the present century the ground on which the town of
Picton now stands, was covered with a dense forest of pine and hemlock,
while in the low land existed a thick and tangled cedar swamp. A bridge
of very inferior construction was erected across the creek about the
time of the war of 1812, it was on the road between Kingston and York,
and was called for a long time Hallowell Bridge. Thus we find in an
advertisement, in the _Kingston Gazette_, 1815, that “Richard G. Clute
sold goods and groceries at Hallowell Bridge.”
The first settlers of Picton are said to have been Ebenezer Washburn,
Henry Johnson, Abraham Barker, Harry Ferguson, James Dougal, Cary
Spencer, Congers, Peterson, Richard Hare, Captain Richardson.
Among the early settlers of Picton were Dr. Armstrong, elsewhere spoken
of, and Dr. Andrew Austin. The latter was a native of Vermont, and a
doctor of medicine of the University of New York. He came to Picton in
1822, having obtained his license to practice in Canada. Remained
practicing his profession, very much respected, until his death in 1849.
Some time after the war of 1812, the Rev. William Macaulay, bestowed the
name of Picton upon a small collection of houses situated at the south
side of the stream which empties into the head of Picton Bay, in the
township of Marysburgh. The name was given in memory of the celebrated
British General who had recently fallen upon the field of Waterloo. At a
late visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral, we felt no little pleasure with a
touch of sadness in gazing upon the memorial which has been erected to
commemorate a nation’s appreciation of military worth. We transcribe the
following:—
“Erected by the public expense, to Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton,
K.C.B., who, after distinguishing himself in the victories of Buzaco,
Fuentes de Onor, Cindaet Rodrigo, Badajoz, Victoria, the Pyrenees,
Orthes, and Toulouse, terminated his long and glorious military service
in the ever memorable battle of Waterloo; to the splendid success of
which his genius and valour eminently contributed,” &c.
Prior to the naming of this collection of buildings, the village upon
the west of the stream, upon the first lots in Sophiasburgh, was known
as Hallowell. The Rev. Mr. Macaulay with the enthusiastic loyalty,
characteristic of his family, desired that both places should be known
as one village, under the distinguished name of Picton. The citizens of
Hallowell Village, however, were opposed to any other name than
Hallowell, and we find in a map published in 1836, the names of Picton
and Hallowell respectively applied to the two places. But when the whole
was incorporated by Act of Parliament, Mr. Macaulay had sufficient
influence, we are informed, to secure the name of Picton for the
corporation; yet we have the town of Hallowell spoken of in 1837. The
growth of Picton was not particularly rapid. At a meeting held at Eyre’s
Inn, Feb. 14, 1818, over which Ebenezer Washburn, Esq., presided, it was
stated that there was in the township of Hallowell, which included
Picton, but two brick houses, one carding and fulling-mill, one
Methodist chapel, now known as the old chapel at Congers, one Quaker
meeting house; and that preparations were being made to build a church,
that is for the Episcopalians. Orchards, it was stated were beginning to
be planted.
There seems to have been no little antagonism between the villages of
Picton and Hallowell. While an effort was earnestly made to make the
east side, the heart of the community, the inhabitants of Hallowell
strove to fix the central point upon the west side. When Prince Edward
was erected into a district, in 1831, and it became necessary to erect a
jail and court house, it became a warm question as to the site of the
building. The Hallowell _Free Press_ became the channel of a sharp
discussion.
In the Press of June 21, 1831, is a letter signed, “A farmer of
Sophiasburgh,” one paragraph of which says, “Among all these advantages
pointed out in the most striking colours, I have discerned none so great
as the $200 so liberally offered by Mr. Macaulay, which $200 must
otherwise be paid by the rateable inhabitants of the county.”
The year 1831 seems to have been an important one to the inhabitants,
not only of Picton, but the peninsula. Enterprise was the order of the
day, and improvements of a public character were in various ways
proposed. The _Free Press_ of 5th July, says, under the heading “Another
Steamboat,” “We understand that a number of the enterprising inhabitants
of this village, have it in contemplation to build a steamboat to ply
between this place and Prescott, to perform their trips in a week. A
number of merchants and capitalists have offered to take stock. We are
of opinion that a boat built and owned by the inhabitants of this
county, would be not only useful to the inhabitants of the Peninsula,
but profitable to the stockholders. We would suggest to them the
propriety of having the channel in the bay at the lower end of the
village cleared, so as to allow steamboats to pass up as far as the
bridge.”
The present English Church, standing on Church Street, was the first
built in Picton. It was erected by the Rev. Wm. Macaulay, aided by a
partial loan in 1825. Mr. Macaulay was the first minister; he came to
the parish after seven years of officiating at Cobourg, and has remained
as Rector ever since. The Roman Catholic chapel, now standing on Church
Street, was the first erected, in 1828 or 9, the land having been given
for that purpose by Mr. Macaulay. The new stone church was built in
1839. Rev. Mr. Frazer was first minister, in 1828; Rev. Mr. Brennan,
occasionally from 1832 to 1836; the Rev. Mr. Lalor from 1836 to the
present time.