CONTENTS—Kingston—First capital—First act of government—Niagara—
Selecting the capital—Niagara in 1788—Carrying Place—Landing
Place—Newark—In 1795—Mr. Hamilton—The inhabitants—Little York—The
Don—The Harbor—Survey—De la Trenche—London—Inhabitants of the Don—
Yonge Street, a military road—Governor at York—Castle Frank—York
in 1798—The Baldwins—In 1806—Buffalo—York, 1813—Taken by the
Americans—The Combatants—Toronto—“Muddy York”—A monument required.
THE CAPITALS OF UPPER CANADA.
The site of the old Fort Frontenac, the first township to be surveyed,
and the place whereon to form the first village in Western Canada, was
in reality the first capital of Upper Canada. Here the first Governor
was inducted solemnly upon a Sabbath to his office; here he formed his
first cabinet, the Executive Council; here he selected the gentlemen to
form his first Legislative Council; here he issued his proclamations
forming the province into counties and arranging the representation.
Although the first Parliament did not meet here, the first acts of
government were here performed, and public documents were dated at “the
Government House, Kingston, 1792.”
We have elsewhere spoken of Niagara River and the early French Fort here
erected, and its capture by the English. We have learned that the place
was garrisoned by troops during the rebellion, and that many refugees
here found a safe retreat.
Lord Dorchester desired Simcoe to make Kingston the capital of the new
province. But he was unwilling to do so until he had informed himself of
the advantages which other places might offer. It seems that he became
impressed with the belief that the seat of government should be placed
in the peninsula of Upper Canada, and finally determined to fix it at
the mouth of the River Niagara, notwithstanding the recommendation of
Dorchester, the wishes of Bouchette, the Commodore of the Navy, and the
urgent requests of the Kingston merchants.
Collins in his report 1788, speaks of Navy Hall, near Niagara; that the
buildings of Navy Hall, are for the most part in exceeding bad repair,
and the wharf is in ruins. Of the Ranger’s Barracks one pile has been so
far dismantled as to be past re-establishing, one end indeed, might
perhaps, with some fitting up, be made to serve for some time as a
blacksmith’s shop to the Indian Department, which they say is much
wanted; the other pile is capable of being repaired, and might also
answer for a temporary accommodation, (at least in part) this same
department, their storehouses, &c., on the Niagara side as already
observed being in absolute ruin and not repairable; the fitting up of
this pile of buildings would cost about £35. The storehouse at the
landing place, which is of round log work, is mostly rotten, and
altogether in exceeding bad repair, and should be rebuilt; the dwelling
house is much out of repair. The ways, wharf, cradle, and capstan, want
some repair, which may be done for about £20, all the picketing and
small platforms in the angles of Fort Schlosser, are rotten and in a
tottering state, part of the wharf has been washed away, and the
remainder cannot last long. The barracks and store houses are not in
much better condition, they have been kept standing by the temporary
repairs which have been annually performed, merely to keep the weather
out.
“From Niagara to the landing place, below the Falls, is about seven
miles and a quarter, there is a tolerable good road, but the
merchandise, store, &c., are carried up the river in batteaux or
vessels, there being sufficient depth of water all the way up, and also
alongside the wharf to unload, beyond this place the current becomes too
strong to proceed any further by water without great difficulty, boats,
indeed, but not vessels, go about half a mile higher, but no advantage
can be obtained from it as the shore then becomes impracticable, being a
precipice of loose rock about three times as high as where the present
landing is. From the wharf at the landing, goods are drawn up the side
of the bank about fifty feet high upon ways, on easy slope by a capstan
fixed at the top; from this place there is a waggon road of seven miles
to Fort Schlosser, a mile and a half above the Falls, where the goods
are again put into boats and carried up eighteen miles to Fort Erie,
from whence they are conveyed in vessels across Lake Erie to Detroit.
“I think a better situation for a landing place might be chosen below
the present one, about half a mile distant by land, and three-quarters
by water. The bank of the river here is not half the height of the
other; the water is sufficiently deep at a short distance from the shore
for vessels to unload; and by raising a wharf and lowering some of the
bank for a road, the labor and delay of hauling goods up by ways, as is
the present practice, and would be avoided; it would also be much more
convenient and expeditious for vessels to come up to, as the worst part
of the navigation would be avoided, which in passing round a point
between this place and the landing. The length of road to be made from
this proposed landing place, will be about half a mile, but it is mostly
good ground and will not require much expense. The real length of land
carriage, however, to Fort Schlosser, will not be increased, or at most
more than 100 or 150 yards.”
The original British fort at Niagara was upon the east side of the mouth
of the Niagara River, upon the present site of the American Fort. By a
treaty entered into in 1794, Great Britain was to vacate this fort, with
others situated to the south of the lakes, namely, Oswego, Detroit,
Miami, and Michilmacinac, which was done in 1796. Upon the west side of
the river, upon a point known as Mississauga Point, had sprung up a
small village. This, it is said, was the largest collection of houses
after Kingston when Governor Simcoe arrived, and here he decided to make
his residence, and the permanent capital of the new province. He lived
“in a small frame house, half a mile from the village.” To this place he
gave the name of _Newark_. There was up the river, at the end of
navigation, and at the commencement of the portage around the falls to
Lake Erie, a small village which had arisen from the course of travel
upwards to the western lakes. The boats which left Kingston, on their
way westward, were here unloaded. And this place had taken the name of
Queen’s Town, a name which it retains to the present day. Rochefoucault
says, in 1795, “The different buildings, constructed three years ago,
consist of a tolerable inn, two or three good storehouses, some small
horses, a blockhouse of stone, covered with iron, and barracks. Mr.
Hamilton, an opulent merchant, who is concerned in the whole inland
trade in this part of America, possesses in Queen’s Town, a very fine
house, built in the English style; he has also a farm, a distillery, and
a tan-yard. The portage was formerly on the other side of the river; but
as this, by virtue of the treaty, falls under American Dominion,
government has removed it hither.” The same writer, speaking of Newark
says, “About a hundred houses, mostly very fine structures, have already
been erected, but the progress of building will probably be arrested by
the intended removal of the seat of government. The majority of the
inhabitants, especially the richest of them, share in the
administration; and consequently will remove to whatever place the
government may be transferred. In point of size and elegance, the house
of Colonel Smith, of the 5th Regiment, is much distinguished from the
rest, being constructed, embellished, and painted in the best style.”
YORK.—Governor Simcoe was thoroughly English; unlike Governor Maitland,
who gave foreign names in his time, he was intent upon erecting another
England in America. One new England had alienated itself, and he
determined another should arise in its place, and hence he gave to his
new capital the name of York. The present New York had been named York,
after James Duke of York, brother to Charles the II. The term new being
prefixed to distinguish it from old York of England. To distinguish the
new capital of Canada from both of the others he designated it _Little
York_.
As soon as Simcoe learned that the Niagara fort was to be delivered to
the United States, he saw the necessity of removing the capital, as it
would never do to have it under the guns of a foreign government. The
extreme dislike with which he saw the fort pass into the Republic’s
hands no doubt led to the haste with which he set about the removal of
the Seat of Government. After examining several points upon the upper
lakes, and Lake Ontario, he selected the present site of the City of
Toronto, back of which was a fort of the same name, or rather Taranto.
Upon this spot, which then had for inhabitants but two families of
Mississauga Indians, Governor Simcoe immediately quartered one division
of his old regiment, the Queen’s Rangers, which came the 1st July, 1793.
The same summer Bouchette, of the Royal Navy, surveyed the harbour or
bay.
The harbour of Toronto was first examined, by Deputy Surveyor Collins,
in 1788, when he made a survey of all of the waters of the Upper Lakes,
and the several forts, by instructions from Lord Dorchester. In his
report he says, “The breadth at the entrance is about half a mile, but
the navigable channel for vessels is only about 500 yards, having from
three to four fathoms water, the north of the main shore the whole
length of the harbour, is a clay bank from 12 to 20 feet high, and
rising gradually behind, apparently good land and fit for settlements.
The water is rather shallow near the shore. The shoalness of the north
shore as before remarked, is also disadvantageous as to creating wharfs,
quays, &c. In regard to this place as a military post, I do not see any
striking features to recommend it in that view, but the best situation
to occupy for the purpose of protecting the settlement and harbour
would, I conceive, be on the point A, near the entrance thereof.”
Subsequently however, Simcoe relinquished the intention of making York
the Capital, and determined to erect one at a central point in the
peninsula lying between Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron. He selected a
site upon the river De la Trenche, which he named the Thames, and, to
the intended Capital he gave the name of London. He also gave the name
to the town of Chatham, a place intended by him, in carrying out his
plan of forming a navy, for a navy yard, which he intended to have
communicate with a route between Lake Huron and Lake Ontario. In the
mean time he kept troops to work, to cut a military road to the Thames,
which he called Dundas Street after the Home Minister. At the same time
he “intended York the centre of the naval force on Lake Ontario.” In
1795 there had not been more than twelve houses built in York, which
stood on the bay near the Don. This year the land was surveyed into
lots. “The inhabitants” says Rochefoucault do not possess the fairest
character, to which Gourlay adds, in spite, “Nor have they yet mended
it.” The River Don was an old Indian route to the waters of Simcoe Lake
and the Huron. The portage to a Lake, subsequently named after the
Governor, was thirty miles. The barracks, where Simcoe’s regiment was
stationed, was two miles from the Don, the present site of the old
barracks. At that time, in a circumference of 150 miles, the Mississauga
Indians were the only neighbours of York.
The desire of Simcoe to fix the capital at London was overruled by Lord
Dorchester, who, although a true friend of Canada, seemed to oppose
Simcoe. Having decided upon Toronto as the capital, Simcoe proceeded to
have constructed a military road from the waters of Lake Ontario to Lake
Simcoe. This road is now Yonge Street. From 1794 the Governor resided at
York, part of which time was in his camp tent, until his departure.
Governor Simcoe caused to be built at York, upon the Don River, about
three miles up, on a beautiful eminence, a somewhat large frame
building, which he named after his son, Castle Frank. This building was
standing in 1829.
By the kind favor of Mrs. Murney, relict of the late Hon. E. Murney, of
Belleville, and her most estimable parent, Mrs. Breckenridge, sister of
the late Hon. Robert Baldwin, we are able to give some particular notice
of the appearance of York at a later date. Mrs. Breckenridge’s father,
with his family of three sons and four daughters, arrived from Ireland
after innumerable delays and losses, dangers, and escapes by sea and
land, at York in 1798. They found it composed of about a dozen houses,
“a dreary dismal place, not even possessing the characteristics of a
village. There was no church, school-house, nor in fact any of the
ordinary signs of civilization, being in fact a mere settlement. There
was not even a Methodist chapel, nor does she remember more than one
shop. There was no inn; and those travelers who had no friends to go to,
pitched a tent and lived in that so long as they remained. My
grandfather and his family had done so during their journey. The
Government House and the garrison lay about a mile from York, with a
thick wood between. After remaining a few days at York, the family
proceeded to take possession of a farm in the township of Clarke. They
traveled in an open batteau, when night came pitching their tent on the
shore of the lake.” The following year Mrs. Breckenridge, then a young
girl, accompanied her father and sister to New York, whither the latter
was going to be married to Mr. Morgan, grandfather of Gen. Dix, the
United States Minister to France. She returned in 1806, and found many
changes and improvements—“where cities now stand, there was then only
woods,” for instance, at Buffalo, where she passed a night, was a
solitary inn with a swinging sign. But York was mostly changed, there
was a church, a jail, a light-house building, and many nice houses, and
the woods between the garrison and town were fast disappearing. Governor
Gore was then there.
On the 27th April, 1813, 2,700 Americans landed a little west of
Toronto. Two companies of the 8th, or King’s Own, with some Indians, one
company being the grenadiers, the other being the 3rd company, under
Capt. J. H. Eustace, both being led by Capt. McNeale, were sent to
oppose the landing. The portable magazine of the advance battery was
accidentally blown up killing some twenty of the grenadiers, Capt.
McNeale, was also killed. This accident led to Sir R. H. Sheaffe’s
retreat, and the destruction of the magazines. The total loss was 97,
including two officers and four non-commissioned officers. “The force
engaged, including the two companies of the 8th, consisted of one
company of Newfoundland Fencibles, one company of Glengarry Light
Infantry, a detachment of Royal Artillery, Militia, Volunteers, and
Indians—in all about 600 men. Among the volunteers was the present
highly esteemed Chief Justice of Upper Canada, Sir J. B. Robinson, and
Sir Allan McNab.” The gallantry of these two gentlemen was most
conspicuous. The unequal contest continued for 4 hours. The month
following the remnant of the 8th was nearly annihilated at the attack
upon Sackett’s Harbour. The above facts and eulogium upon two
distinguished Canadians are derived from Edward Hincks, who was Lieut.,
and who was present in charge of a two gun battery, and “Another of the
surviving officers of the 8th regiment,” published in London in 1860,
upon the discovery of human remains near the old fort at Toronto, which
proved to be some of the grenadiers who were killed by the explosion of
their magazine.
The name of York continued to belong to the capital till 1834, when it
received the more appropriate name of Toronto, an Indian word we are
told, which signifies “trees growing out of the water,” referring to the
low level shore, with the trees at the waters edge. For many years
before the name was changed; from the vast quantity of mud which made
the streets almost unpassable, the place obtained the designation of
“Muddy York.”
In 1820 a Parliament House was built near the site of the present County
Jail, at the front of the present Parliament Street; this building was
burned down in 1824.
In 1830 an address was carried by the House, to be presented to the
Governor, “to remove the Seat of Government from York to a place of
security,” but no action was taken in the matter.
The wisdom in the choice of selecting this situation upon which to found
a capital for Upper Canada cannot be questioned. The proof is found in
the handsome and richly circumstanced City of Toronto. Should not
Toronto, now again the Capital of Ontario, the seat of learning, of
magnificent Universities, the home of refinement, the abode of wealth,
erect a monument to the memory of its founder, the illustrious first
Governor of the Colony?