A history of Simcoe County : in two volumes

Contents

VOLUME 1 ike Navigation. @

List of Illustrations

Vola

Introduction

pereian c¢ He Mooour Judge Ardagh od was an imprint tp oo “Phe How J 8. Du ae : on Jae 9,

A History of Simcoe County.

Chapter

Chapter IL ie OM BWAYS AND THEIR St the early J for thie teat was £00 ester tang place January qth 1884. The rye uf Se jamen in Oring nee his ape at dent an 9g pears ye many

Hs tyes in St. James" Carcyard at Oia, In is wil he te mor ecample, we rnd in the our) ot Re, ets Jones, in Jane, 18, hen the dtu of penn od at Orlin, on Jay avs oF the FUR TRADERS. a

Newmarket, bs wie di Jan 51858 and Be ded 3 om Tete Si John Franklin on he overland kp, and petape

Chapter IV.

(Om Jely 7th of the inn a

SETTLEMENTS. a

(Chapter VI.

ad they ad had ote property wied and tained. They & rn il

Chapter X.

ts

ROADS UNDER DISTRICT COUNCIL (S4y9) 98 they petton the Legare in Fabry, 18 for a

James Adam, the a grier of Le fom the

Chapter XL

4 cen ile Sree in January er a ee

Aehetures or (Linio Tor ech roud, as the debentures inthe days were tad ed iy to the ltord Road, ao eo. tothe

Fue, pased by aw Ne. 306 Jo Jane 878, hy bi all thr ean

‘Op ths etn in an o the Narr Bdge, pire Jue, 87 toe County Cau

An anutry, 884 by Janey 8.1 ron January #88 In the mam

By jee tye ace from June, 1872, when $40 at 4 uisToRY oF siicoe cousTy reeves Jey,

‘atthe session of June, 18 o come payment

Fame 195, mrnsl the eared of be

Chapter XL

J, Monto,

Chapter XItL i Willa Alge, Pt hi th Magus

3.8 Fd y i

Canaa, 0899), we Fad te sateen ot by one Jn Stith repo te same Bok odo July 23 28

Tue NORTHERN RanLAvaY 16a

SD foruthan Lane, in ston to Mss Si nat ee

Tus NORTHERN RaLLWaY m9 ct. By_ Jone, fo, ander the new sep te

‘his ose, ape ofthe osc nek

Chapter XV.

The legal opinion of James Mactennan, Gy sad of DA hy, QC, on the amalgamation of vents on the Tepid, in Jone, oy tet they sid, the rally company seat petton (November ite) a

Chapter XVIL

Chapter XIX.

och 183), which the La to akist him, ithe person a Joe A “ork, ‘Upon Juige Goma’ relgeation es Sener Joige in September, 1885, Judge Ardagh war promoted t the poston SeriorJodge, and Willy Foye wr appited en

When Judge Boys reigned in fot, Fh. Winner, of Exes

James Re Cater Spy onan,

GeNBRAL COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, 349

Mostots Township, te County Cound, at seson, Je 3,196, County Counc jnury. sg, A aren By we poe June, 1860, to seporate 5 for mui perp ra Cir i a ed Oy the Spi cin Fos

Chapter XX.

re

192 Joveph Whiteside, Es,

The Sexe Warde, the Hon. Jacob nios tevin,

Join MoWatt, John Sirah. ene Richard Bernard, anny, Robert an. Flt, ge.

RA. Bays, March 186-88, tug De Laly’s term of ace, il faiy ee tat the Coc

‘Tere noteworthy In fn, he was the cate pure the ntaion

‘ore with hs amily to California, where he ded September 1854

Sai mncer

“The let mentioned Trane, §, J. Sanford, became @ dealer

‘Join Bessey, mo igi, and High Cansabie ofthe County in Jane 1858 he County Count granted $3200 toward the Try, iy

Sane, 187. $100 to the Ridgeway monument im Ques’ Pat

Tanwar, 188, S200 9 rive distress a ‘The County Counc, in November, 148, granted 84oo toward ‘Towastip of Ore Uewiee ranted S200. The Ontario, Proviodal Trewerer, to whom the S420 jar fei, eased treet the

1s Janey, 273, the Coulee the County Clr tp chase 6 copies of Hogg’ aew map of he County, 8454 Bln expended Ie January, 80, the County Covel grated Sgo0 ia ald of te County Counc grntd, in Jar. i, the smo 50 toward {a January, 18, Sto was grnted toward he aid of he eufleres The su of S150 ws ranted ip January, 1885, to asst he su

Chapter XI

(Chapter XXL

200 A MIsToRY OF siucos county

Mla James Haet 185 J.J. Ssaoiy Jane, s8600; Reve Rev. SB. Anda, 18556; J. We No Monga, 1858; Robert Con 839% Jobe Ch

Rey Jaco ont, Jane, A. Clferd, 8530 Juma Shue, 1-43 6 TH Hrs i and rs Rev. WJ

P Conways

THE SCHOOLS Pt rm, Duncan Ca, 85; Rev. John Gray, 185249: Rev. James Stevan ‘st i fous OA), joie ieee Re Iie Fesgonn, 186

Tay and Tay. Wm. Siopson, 857: George Mit June, ship Reve S. L- AMterton June, 1868; Res. Jon Fld, 1859.

Tay. ft Uvingy 8

Fisher, egg: J. Wy Nowa, SD.

Ths, Mathes, 18708

Revs Job Rcka John A

(Chapter XXIUL as#8arh Rew. Joba nes Gowan, Jie of Sin

Th Rev Jon Melniye tee clengyman of Oia i 184 cutvrcuss. ar rite pioneer cHuRcHES. ae in then Sir J

31 Iho Samuel Roe.

Chapter XV.

tails at Saginaw or Bay City, Mich, oe a, Mich, Me. bia. He died, November 4, 1906 itocated AGP, Dedge, a well figure of the amber tade J. B Smith & Son fo Anges Petins & Coy T. Mulbolland (of i 98 4 nistoRY oF sicon 1 f (con COUNTY f io ert chs mil Toe reer taped een Sect set patton tthe Conn Janay, Th o te sb

nd mucin (he eat otf exceed Ste) to Se county Thi tne na gran tom fax al ot Brdrd of Seo

Sune June, 188

| Tame Yous ‘ners Cheech if nthe along Jone im Jone 185 the Come san sabsried 0 inthe sock of the StayoerAgritral Ameiation, ad made a et f S00 9

Index

A History of

By ANDREW F. HUNTER

IN TWO VOLUMES

BARRIE, ONT.

PUBLISHED BY THE COUNTY COUNGIL 1909

Capyrig, Cand, 1909 By Ander F. Hunter

CONTENT.

VOLUME I

Chapter Page. 1 The Hurons and the Early French «...- 1 Ii, The Ojibways and their Surrenders of the Lands. 10 Ml, The Days of the Fur Traders... 2 IV. The Old Military Route and the War of 1812 3 V. Surveying the Land and Preparing for Setlers 30 Vi. ‘The Subject of Land Grants. So 0 Vil. The First White Settlements and the People who mado

them i 02 VIII. ‘The Beginning of Lake Navigation 3 ° IX, |The First Colonization Roads « 80 - X. The Roads under the District Council (1843-9. 9% Xi, The Common Roads and Bridges of later yeas. ue Xil. The Old Stage Lines, before the Railway Days. 1a XII. ‘The Early Postal Service vs..ssessessse +s 132 XIV. ‘The Northern Railway 160 XV, The H. &N. W. RR. and the Amalgamated Norehern

and North-Western System XVI. Other Railway Lines

XVII. Canals XVIII. Old Elections and Parliamentary Representation. XIX. General County Administration. .

XX. County Municipal Affairs « XXI. Military Aas = XXII. The Schools XXII, The Barly Press...

XXIV. The Pioneer Churches.

XXV. The Industries of the Inhabitants

tii)

Wa We eriy

List of Illustrations Volume 1.

‘The fest map of North Simeve (1660)

Memorial Church at Penetangguishe

Chief Vellowhead's House, Orillia -

Indian Council House and Church, Orilia (1831)

A view of " The Narrows” at the present day

The site of Fort Nottawasaga (1816-8)

George Lount, the fest County Registrar of Lands (1886

Jacob -Emilius Irving, the frst Warden of Simcoe (1843)

James Dallas, Orillia, Warden, 1844-5,

Main Street, Penetanguishene

The Steamer ** Morning,” (1854)

Steam Craft in tne Harbor, Collingwood

The Inner Harbor, Collingwood

The “ Midland Prince” in the Docks, Collingwood

In Lovering Park, Coldwater 5

Win. Armson, West Gwillimbury, Warden, 1845

Lavender Falls es

The Colonization Roads of the County, 1849.60 ,

Henry Creswicke, County Surveyor, 1843-89.

James Sanson, Orilia, Warden, 1853-6

Orilia—The Bay from Couchiching Park

Archibald Pass, the Pioneer Doctor, 1838.01

William F. A. Boys, Junior Judge, 1883-1908,

John MeWatt, the fst County Clerk, 1843-62

Collingwood Railway Termins—The docks with elevator

The fest clevator, Collingwood (about 1860)

The second elevator, Collingwood.

‘The railway bridge at Tollendal—the change from wood to iron 1863

Angus Morrison, M.P., receiving an Address Lieut.-Col. RT. Banting, County Clerk, 1860-1902 DiAlton MeCarthy, M.P. for N, Simcoe, Solicitor, 1873.96 W.D. Ardagh, Warden, 1860-71. te vi 4 HISTORY OF SIMCOE COUNTY

Capt. Elmes Steele, M.P. for Simeoe, 1841-4 Hon, W. B. Robinson, M.P. for Simeoe, 1890-41 and 1844-57, Sir James R. Gowan, County Judge, 1843-83 Sasee John A. Ardagh, Junior Judge, 1872-88; Senior Judge, 1883. E. A. Wismer, Junior Judge, 1908.

The first Court House, 1845-1

“The Court House after 1877

The first Jal, 1840-63.

“The County Jail of to-day.

John Steathy, County Clerk, 185%

County House of Refuge, Beeton.

General and Marine Hospital, Collingwood

Royal Victoria Hospital, Bartie....-

Armory of the 35th Regiment f

Rev. S. B. Aedagh, the frst Cousty School Inspector, 1841-6 Collegiate Tostivute, Collingwood...

Thomas Fox Davies, the pioneer printer and publisher

“The fist Trinity Church, Barre (erected, 1834)

Introduction.

‘This work naturally divided itself into two parts, distinct from cach other in some ways, yet interwoven in other respects

First, a bistory of the public affairs of the county, and of its material progress, its institutions, ete

‘Second, record of its pioneers with brief sketches of their lives, more especialy those pioneers who took some part in public affairs

‘Aste the sources from which the material has been gathered for this work, only a few remarks are necessary. In some degree, the trork of a person who undertakes to write a history of modern times, Nhether general oF local, consists in going over newspaper files and Mnilar records, The weiter did some work of this kind, but he had nico to develop the history of the days before the newspapers began in the county, and in so far as any plan could be made it was his chief aim se cecure as much material as possible about the pre-newspaper days: ‘ehile it is atll possible to get i, since it becomes more difficult to do sage time passes. For parts of the first volume he went through the Printed. proceedings of the District Councit and of its successor, the County Council, fom the begioning in 1843 to the present time, and like the Canadian statutes. For the second volume much was gathered at various times during the last thirty years from pioneers, most of whom are now passed away To cite all the authorities, for the Statements made herein, would take space only a trifle less in amount than the work itself, So it has boen thought inadvisable to encumber the present text with footnotes stating the authorities, as these can be, for the present, supplied by the author to those who may require them and will apply to him

Attempts at the compilation of a general history of this county have hitherto heen confined for the most part to two or three directories feeued more than thirty years aga and to an Atlas issued to subscribers in 1880 at the high price of 612.75 each. ‘The Gazettcer and Directory of Simcoe for 1866-1 (McEvoy & Co., Toronto, 1866) had some historfoal notes interspersed throughout its pages, and similar notes appeared in later editions of the same published by W. H. Irwin. A nove extended compilation was the Historical Sketch in Belden’s Atlas (Toronto, 1880) issued at the unpopular price mentioned above, These

Teil vill A HISTORY OF SIMCOE COUNTY compilations, all the work of non-residents, and anonymous, have a high percentage of error, which the conditions made inevitable. ‘They give but scanty aid, as pilots, to anyone aiming at the preparation of a full history. Notwithstanding its faults, the Atlas sketch shows much patient toil and research, and as a frst effort it deserves some credit.

‘The printing, in 1895, of the Minutes of the first District Council fof Simcoe, 1845-1, which was the period before the advent of the printing press in the county, was accomplished in 1895 under the Supervision of His Honour Judge Ardagh, and was an important step as it aroused some interest in the county's history. Besides its utility it discloses some of the quaint proceedings of the governing body of the ‘county in the easiest years ofits existence.

‘The first draft of this History appeared as a serial which the author wrote and published from week to week in the columns of the Barrie Zxeminer, heginning in the issue of that newspaper for October 24, 1889, and concluding in that of February 5, 1891. Appearing in that shape, it had the advantage of a winnowing through the columns of a newspaper, and it underwent the criticisms and corrections which such a process brings.

The Hon. J. S. Duff addressed the County Council on January 30, 1908, requesting them to take the initiative in having a History of the County brought to completion. The Council having thereupon resolved to bring out a History, and having appointed a special committee consisting of Councillors A, C, Garden (Chairman), Messrs. Clark, Picotte, Scanlon, Potter, Lawson and the Warden (Donald Currie Barr), who has taken a lively interest in the production of the work, the author placed the original material at their service, with the reminder that much work was required to complete it. This they ‘authorized in the following May, and the work then proceeded, Numerous long extracts were expunged from the original, and the remaining matter fully revised and inereased fivefold, the result being the work now presented. ‘The engravings are by the Grip Company, Toronto, and the typography of the work itself by Warwick Bros. & Rutter, Toronto.

A History of Simcoe County.

Vol. 1.—Its Public Adairs