HomeMy WebLinkAbout734"Section taken from Bear's Historical Atlas - 1877, page ix.
PICKERING.
Part of the early record of the old township of Whitby also belongs to Pickering.
Like Whitby, it is a fine, fruitful, well-tilled, well-farmed and well-settled township ;
the character of the soil a loamy clay, and the face of the country well watered.
It embraces an area of 74,660 acres. Population 7,375, according to last returns.
The value of real and personal property, $3,688,928 ; number of ratepayers, 1,657.
The principal villages are Brougham, Greenwood, Duffin's Creek, Whitevale,
Claremont, Balsam, Green River, Kinsale, Dunbarton,
The name of ""Peak"" of Duffin's Creek occurs in records previous to 1800. We.
have already given those chosen for officers for Pickering and Whitby in 1803.
In the record for 1811, for Pickering alone, we find the following :—
""Agreeable to an Act of the Legislature of this Province, made and passed in
the thirty-third year of His Majesty's Reign, for the, purpose, of choosing and
nominating certain fit and proper persons to serve as Parish and Town officers,
We, the Inhabitants of this Town, met the first Monday of March for the purpose of
choosing the following officers :
""Thomas Hubbard, Town Clerk. David Crawford, John Haight, } Assessors.
Abraham Townsend, Collector. Noadiah Woodruff, Thomas Mathews,
John Lawrence,
Abraham Townsend }Pathmasters.
Joseph Wixson,
Timothy Rogers, } Pound Keepers
John Richard,
James Powell, } Town Wardens.
"" By-Law.— Voted that fences be four feet and a-half high and Not more than five
Inches between Rails.""
In the next year, under date March 2, 1812, the name of Nicholas Brown
is to be found as one of the "" Sessors."" James Lamoru occurs as pathmaster.
And there is the following very brief and explicit memorandum at foot:
"" Our to-wn ofisors ware Put in By the Qarter Sesons for the year A.D.
1813 By Reason of the wor that was Declearede against us By the States in the
year: 1812.""
"" By the Same Reason our townd metin the same manner.""
Timothy Rogers, who built a mill at Dufiin's Creek, was one of the earliest settlers.
Nicholas Brown came in from Vermont in 1810, and after him came the Quaker
settlement of the same family. The Haights, whose representatives still reside on the
old place, were very early settlers.
In 1815 the names of McCauslin, Stott, Clark and Smith occur amongst the town
officers.
In 1816 Vanceleek, Post, Flowerfield, Powell, Crawford, Ray, are new names
occurring amongst the officers. Andthere is a by-law as follows :— ""Hogs is not to
Run as free commoners nor Horses."" If the grammar be bad, there is a brevity in it that
might well commend itself to the lawmakers of the present day.
1817. The names of James Sharrard, Peter Mathews, Joseph Brown, and Samuel
Doolittle appear in the list of township officers.
1818. The names of Spenser, Udell, and Andrew Losson occur. By-law :
""Hogs is not allowed to run on the commons without a yoak that is six inches
above the Neck and four Below.""
1820. Zephaniah Jones, James Wood, Daniel Yeak, appear. Voted—
"" That our fences is to Be Nabourly and Law full."" Voted—""
That Horses Shal not be commoners.""
1821. The names of Joseph Winters, George Caster, Asher Wilson,
Joseph Webster, are found on the list of officers. More by-laws restraining horses,
cattle and hogs, and as to fences. And that the next meeting is to be holden at
John Major's in 1822. ,
1822. James Brown, Samuel Eves, Solomon Sly, George Anderson, John Albright,
and Cornelius Churchill appear. By-laws as to fences and cattle, &c.
1823. John Sharrard becomes ""Town Clerk"" and Thomas Hubbard, Collector.
Joshua Richardson, John Blair, David Wood, Pathmasters. The family of the
Richardsons are from the Queen's County, Ireland, and have numerous descendants
from the old stock, all well to do, in Whitby and Pickering.
1824. Silas Orvis, Reuben Steel, John Henry, Daniel Betts, William Smith, and Win.
Losie appear in the list.
And the following by-law :—
'Firstly voted that the Fences shall be five feet high and Not More than four inches
between Rails two feet from the ground.""
"" 2nd that hogs are to Run at large till they Do damage and then the owner of the
hogs is to pay the same and yoke them with a Croch yoke six Inches above the Neck
and four Inches below the neck and Let them Run.""
""3rd that any unruly Creature of any Description either horse or ox or Cow or Bull Mully
or young Creature of any sort or size shall Not be a free Commoner but shall be liable
to be taken up and put In the pound By any person Either Man woman or Boy and the
owner shall pay all Damages, poundagees and Costs whether said Creature was
found Doing Damage or Not.""
In 1825 William Sleigh appears as Township Clerk. Elijah Foster and George
Clark are new names amongst the township officers.. And in subsequent years up to
1835 we find year alter year the additions of Francis Leys, Joseph Morel, John Cair,
Amos Griswold, Geo. Barclay, George Caster, Herbert Gager, Win. Carling,
Wm. Peek, Alex. Dunlop, Benjamin Cool, Ezekiel Me Wain, Eli Leavens, John Davis,
Lawrence Smith, Geo. Berry, Abraham Stoner, James Monger, Thos. Thompson,
Parnell Webb, John Laur, Wm. Crothers, Wm. Hatrick, Nicholas Austin, John Palmer,
Joel Hughes, Timothy Gates, Benjamin Locke, Robert Richardson, James Richardson,
Wm. Wright, John Tool, Job Burton, David Richmond, Michael B. Judge,
James McKay, Abm. Knowles, Landon Wurts, Ashael Scott, B. Blanchard,
Christian Stotfer, Josh. Chapman, John Terry, Israel Gil,bs, Benjamin Holmes,
Chas. Ward, John Lan an, John Van Horn, Platt Betts, Alex. Horsburgh, Kichard
Lankern, Danl. O'Brien, Thos. Reason, Isaac Campbell, Chas. Hadley,
Joseph Thornton, Martin Niswander, Allan Granger, Samuel Plumb, James Kowe,
Peter Rushnell, David Crider, Robert Knox, Roland Brown, Ambrose Boon,
Richard Dale, Urick Binkboluer, John Jackson, Joseph. Gormley, Wm. Wilkey,
Ebenezer Birrell, Wm. Bice, Wm. Tracey, A. K. Stevens, Wm. Dunbar, Thos. Annan,
Jacob Walten-bergerj and' others appearing amongst the Wixsons, Woodruffs,
Rogerses, Sharrards, Browns, Haights, Mathews, Posts, and Churchids of an earlier
date. When Mr.' Birreil settled in 1834 there were few settlers back of the 6th
concession, and even that line was but partially opened. The leading roads were,
the front or Kingston road, and the Brock road (heretofore mentioned), running through
the centre of the township northwards to Brock. The leading men on the front road then
were ""Squire"" Galbraith, a P.L.S., and "" Squire "" Leys, who kept the only post-office
for years.
Caleb arid Henry Powell Came in in 1810 and settled on No. 6 Broken Front; their
descendants still live on the old place ; and their sister, Mrs. Vail, at the age of 86,
now resides at the Base Line. Mr. J. B. Powell, of the firm of Lowes & Powell,
is also a son of Caleb.
Mr. Leys died in 1853, deservedly regretted and esteemed. There was also a
Mr. Smith, a J.P., near Duffin's Creek. And with the late Mr. Donald McKay,
and occasionally ""Squire"" Fothergill, from Toronto, and Dr. Boyes, from Whitby,
these gentlemen formed the Commissioners of the Court of Request. The Court sat in
Squire Leys' school-house. The house belonging to the Posts was the only brick
house then in Pickering, and was kept as an inn. Mr. Ballard,' at the Rouge Hill,
also kept a house of public entertainment at that place, and there was a little
way-side public-house occasionally kept at about Dunbarton. Mr. Leys was then the
only storekeeper in Pickering. His house was a great place of resort. Along the Brock
road, Elder Barclay, James Sharrard, and Joshua Wixson lived on the 9th con.,
where he and others had old cleared farms. This latter was the only person in
Pickering who had a grist mill ; it was built about a mile east of where Claremotit now
stands. About this time Mr. Fothergill commenced building a mill on Duffin's Creek,
near the present line of the Grand Trunk Railway, but it did not continue long in
operation. James Demorest built, a saw mill on lot 12, in the 6th concession,
which was of immense benefit to that portion of the township. A Mr. Sicelly had
also a saw mill and grist mill on lot 15, on the 5th, which, much about that time,
he sold to Mr. Howell, who erected a distillery and built a store, and with his sons
carried on a considerable business. Mr. Henry Howell, the only surviving son,
still resides in the town of Whitby. Mr. Crawford had afterwards a saw mill on the
4th concession, and John Palmer one on the west branch of the creek, about lot 21,
in the 2nd con. The closest settlement eastward was rear of the 5th con.,
where were located Messrs. Mackie, John Clerke, and Isaac Campbell
(a brother of the Campbells of the township of Whitby). Beyond this there was no
open road. Captain Macaulay, having considerable wild lands in that quarter,
gave 50 acres to have the side line between 10 and 11, in the 4th and 5th concessions,
arid 6 and 7, in the 6th and 7th and south half of the 8th concession, opened.
Notwithstanding the want of roads, the lands in this quarter of the township were
mostly settled upon, or bought up and settled within a very few years.
Most of the recent settlers were immigrants—a fair mixture of English, Irish and
Scotch. About this time Samuel and Joseph Jones, with their large families, settled on
the 7th concession, and have left their descendants comfortable homes. Messrs.
Waddell, Hickingbottom, Gordon and James I. Davidson settled at this date.
John Miller settled in Pickering in 1835. He came out in 1832 from Scotland,
bringing sheep and pigs to his uncle George, in Markham. In '39 his father Wm.
Miller and family followed, locating on the old homestead, lot 25, 7th con.
The Millers afterwards commenced the importation of thoroughbred stock,
for which they have become so famous, and for which so many stock-breeders of
Pickering have since made the township famous. It then took three days to go to
Toronto and return from Mr. Millei's.
A by-law of the township provided, in 1835, that "" Any dog found two miles from his
master should be shot."" The meeting this year was held in Andrew Thompson's tavern,
where the meetings also continued to be held during many subsequent years.
In 1836 John Clerke appears as Township Clerk. The Commissioners appointed
were John A.Haight, Isaac Campbell and Jos. Wilson. The names of Linton, Logan,
Bentley, Agnew, O'Connor, Heaney, Carpenter, Michell, Sullivan, Gibson, Burns,
Brannan, Stickney, McKittrick, Gilchrist, appear on the list. The Commissioners met
several times during the year, and gave judgment in a good many cases,
fining parties for road obstructions and non-performance of statute labour.
In 1837 it was resolved that the township on every concession be divided into four
divisions, and that every division appoint its own overseers. This does not appear to
have worked well, for at the next meeting of the Commissioners it is "" resolved that it
have no effect.""
Mr. Birreill is elected one of the Commissioners in '39; James Sharrard, Town Clerk.
The name of Peter Matthews, which has hitherto appeared year after year very
prominently in the list of officers, disappears this year. He was hanged with Lount for
taking part in the rebellion.
The names of Greig, Burkholder, Collins, O'Leary, Valentine, Anson, appear in'39.
Joseph Wilson was appointed Clerk in 1840, and in'41 the township had a librarian,
Mr. Thompson, the tavern-keeper, to take charge of the books (viz., Journals of the
House of Assembly) presented by the sitting member, Mr. Small, to the township.
The first district councillors, were elected in 1842. They were Alexander Campbell
and W. H. Michell. In 1846 Mr. Hector Beaton, the present Township Clerk,
who with his brother settled on one hundred acres in Pickering in 1836,
and who has been an upright and faithful township officer for upwards of thirty years,
was first appointed to office this year as assessor and collector.
In 1849 Mr. Beaton was appointed to the three offices of clerk, assessor and collector,
which he held for many years. Thenceforward the record is in his well-known hand as
clerk. Mr. Trueman White, the present Reeve, came into Pickering from Markham in
1845, having been born in the latter township, on the 10th con., 20 years before.
He built the saw mill and grist mill at Whitevale, previously known as Majorville,
and afterwards the fine woollen mills recently burnt down, and again in course of
erection. He has long represented the township in the County Council,and has been
one of the most prominent men of Pickering since his early manhood.
James McCreight, of Cherrywood, a county Dublin Irishman, settled in the township in
1834, and has since occupied several important positions, including that of Reeve of
the municipality. ""Cherrywood"" is called after "" the old place at home."" ""Squire""
Green, after whom the village of that name has been called, settled there some thirty
odd years ago, and is still hale and hearty. Mr. S. J. Green, his son, is first
deputy-reeve of the township, and has long been a prominent member of the
municipality. Mr. Hoover, the second deputy-reeve, is a Canadian miller like Messrs.
White and Green, and an old settler. Mr. Sylvester Mackie, the third deputy-reeve,
is an old settler, as is likewise Mr. Joseph Monkhouse, the only simple councillor in
this important township which sends four representatives to the County Council.
Dr. Tucker settled in Pickering a quarter of a century ago, and is one of the most
prominent gentlemen in the township."