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HomeMy WebLinkAbout726Photocopy of an article, 4 pages,on the history of Pickering. "HISTORY OF PICKERING History records that as far back as 1669 missionaries worked with the Seneca Indians at Frenchman's Bay, but the first serious attempt to settle the area was made in 1791 when the District was surveyed and the Township marked out; the Township was named Glasgow, but when the mapping was completed, it appeared as the Township of Pickering. In 1809, Pickering Township had a population of 180 — 40 men, 35 women and 105 children. In two life spans, or 148 years, the Town of Pickering now has a population of approximately 24,000. In 1884, the population was 6620 and in 1913 it dropped to 4219. The understanding is that the decrease was due to the opening up of new lands in Grey County and later, to the opening up of Western Canada. In driving through the side roads in the area, one can see many clumps of lilac and old English rose bushes, tiger lillies and other English flowers, where once stood a cottage whose owners worked for the neighbouring farmers. Often, one farmer employed as many as 20 men during the hoeing and harvest seasons. From the ""Doomsday Book"" copies have been made of all the original Crown Land grants in the Township. Much of the 70,000 acres was granted to King's College, which became Clergy Reserves, The Canada Company, who brought out settlers, and to English officers. A few of the grants were: King's College, 4600 acres; Canada Company, 5200 acres; Major Smith, 5000 acres; Lieutenant Hill, 1200 ; Lieutenant Gainsport, 1200; D.W.Smith, 2750; Dr. Holmes, 3400. Locally, Alexander McQueen received lots 28-29, Concession 2 - 400 acres - which is now owned by Miss Violet Swan, Donald Milne and Arthur Taylor; Canada Company, 200 acres, now owned by Mr. Tindall; Mr. and Mrs. Davey, 400 acres in Lots 31 and 32 in Concession 2, and the Hon. Peter Robinson was deeded the 200 acres back of Cherrywood School." "- 2 - The first Municipal government was organized in 1811 when a Town meeting was called and two Town Wardens, a Town Clerk, two Assessors, a Collector, four Pathmasters and two Poundkeepers were elected to carry out the Municipal duties. Since this time _______ By-laws have been passed by succeeding councils. Probably the shortest and most easily understood was By-law Number 1 which stated, ""Voted that fences be four feet and a half high and not more than five inches between the rails"". James McCreight came from Ireland in 1834 and settled on the farm until recently owned by Mac Armstrong and it was at his suggestion that the Village of Cherrywood be named as such. It is not known if he paid taxes or not until 1851, but in that year he was assessed for £600 on his real estate and £35 on his personal property, which possibly included his livestock, implements and furniture. He paid in taxes; County rate — 11 shillings, 9 pence; Township rates — 7 shillings, 4 pence; Lunatic Asylum - 3 shillings, 2 pence; and Special Assessment — 10 shillings, 7 pence; for a total of £1, 12 shillings and 10 pence together with 5 days statute labour. Now, over 100 years later Mac would have received a bill for five to six hundred dollars. It would be quite understandable if Mac asked why the increase, and a little difficult to give a satisfactory answer. Benson Wilson, of Green River, who died several years ago, used to tender his first tax bill, amounting to $57.00 each year as a joke, then come up with a current bill of $600.00 or $700.00. It is interesting to note that no Council meetings were held in the years 1813 and 1814 because the ""States"" had declared war against us. Each farmer was required to register with the Clerk, his official livestock ""Brand"", so that from 1811 on, we have a record of over 100 different brands. The brands were no doubt necessary, due to many unused and indifferent fences." "- 3 - Pickering Township had many industries in the early days. It is noted that its 24 sawmills produced over 5,000,000 board feet yearly; carding mills over 25,000 pounds of cloth, with 17,000 yards of fulled cloth, linen and flannel being produced in the houses yearly. About 18 tons of maple sugar were produced yearly. There were shipyards at Frenchman's Bay and at the mouth of the Rouge River. Some of the residents can remember drawing grain to the elevators at Frenchman's Bay, from whence it was shipped by boat. Today, to the east of Frenchman's Bay is the Pickering Nuclear Station. This is one of the largest of nuclear generating plants in the world, and Ontario Hydro is presently enlarging it to double its present capacity. In 1851, the Township assessment was £467,836, with taxes of £14 30. In 1979 there was an assessment of over $300,208,583.00 with $11,818,070.00 in taxes. ""Past Years in Pickering"", is a book written by Rev. Wood, of Claremont, about the Township of Pickering. Other books are: ""The Pickering Story"" by Dr. McKay ""The Ontario Village of Brougham - Past: Present! Future!"" By Robert A. Miller ""History of the County of Ontario"" By Leo A. Johnson ""FROM PATHS TO PLACES"" BY Lilliam M. Gauslin James McCreight came from Ireland and settled on Mac Armstrong's farm in 1834. Wm. Gourlie, England, settled near Erskine Church in 1832. David Gilchrist, England, settled on Swan farm in 1832. Daniel Hoover, Pennsylvania, settled north of Cherrywood Village in 1832. Thos. Peat, England, settled on part of Arthur Taylor's farm in 1835. John Taylor, England, settled on Concession 1, Lot 32, in 1836. W. Wilkie, England, settled in Concession 2, Lot 28, in 1832; Alex Davidson, England, settled to the east of Cherrywood in 1846." "- 4 - A number of descendants of these early settlers are still living in the area. The first school in Cherrywood was built of logs in 1850; the second of brick in 1860; and the third in 1947. On March 2nd 1972 the Federal Government announced the plans for the huge airport in the north west section of the Municipality, with the result that all the people in that area would be expropriated and that the Village of Brougham would be practically obliterated. A few days later the Provincial Government announced a huge urban development south of the airport and west of Brock Road, and most of the residents in that large area have since been expropriated. On January 1st 1974 the Village of Pickering and the Township area east to Whitby and south of Concession 5 went to make a larger Town of Ajax. The part of the Township west of the Rouge River went to Scarborough. The remainder of the Township of Pickering became the Town of Pickering. **************************** "