Saturday, December 27, 2008

Pgs. 71 & 72 "History of the Ottawa Valley" Gourlay

A great swamp elm stood by against which they could lay their heads between the rots, and with leaves and moss make it tolerable. They go asleep and were awakened by the united vigorous crowing, in the hen roost of Mr. Nicholas Sparks, and starting with their bags at daylight, following the direction of the sounds, came out all right at last. The Government Hill and Ashburnham Hill, were then covered with hemlock , beech, and maple. The rest of the place was a deep swale, through which years after, when the cows waded along Bank and O'Connor streets, they hat to be washed before they could be milked.

We never heard why these distinguished colonists chose the banks of the Jock in preference to those of the Rideau or the Ottawa. They arrived in the middle of August at the Richmond landing, having left Quebec on the 28th of July, 1818, passing and saluting the fine man-of-war vessel at anchor, that had the Duke on board. Under Sergeant Hill, they organized to cut the road from the Flats, the place of their encampment to the Jock, ever since known as the Richmond Road. They kept within hailing distance of the river on their right hand until they reached the sandy hill, when the sight of the great bay directed them to the left, and at what was soon after, Bell's Corners; turned still more to the left till they struck the Jock, up which they kept their course till they reached the little falls, which Captain Lyons soon improved into a mill dam. The leaders of this Richmond colony were: Colonel Burke, Mayor Ormsly, Capts. Lyon, Lett, Lewis, Bradley, Maxwell, Surgeon Cullis; Lieuts. Maxwell, Bradley; Serts. Cunningham, Dempsey, Dunbr, Hill, McElroy, Spearman, Mills, Fitzgerals, Vaughan, with a long list of privates and a fes civilians, sucha as, Joseph Hinton, Edward Malloch, Hugh Falls. Mr. Graham and David McLaren; soldiers, S.. W. and T. McFadden, Donald Mathieson, Jonas Berry, M. Donaghue, James Greene, James Bearman, Wm. Lackey, John McGuire, Robert McMullen, Alexander McCasland, James Munce, D. Harrison, Wm. Copeand, Robert Birtch, Wm. Pender, John Withers, Pollock, McKinstry, Walsh, Murrays, Withers, Stanleys and Denisons were men of the line. Read and Enough were both teachers.

These were among the founders of the village and it's environs. Lots were set apart for churches, graveyards, manses, parsonages, squares or parks, al on a grand scale. Malloch was in the boot and shoe business, Hinton went to storekeeping , Malloch & Lyon

Friday, December 26, 2008

Pg.30 "History of the Ottawa Valley"

Father Peter SMITH of Richmond supplied back Huntley. East side of Huntley has much useless land, hard and thin covered with birch, pines and swamps with not outlet. But its north-east corner can be matched with difficulty as to the excellent quality of the soil for thousands of acres.

The Grahams, Wilsons, Blacks, Burrows, Roes, Boyds, Hartins, Dailey's Evoys have land in plenty of the best quality and in the highest state of cultivation. North of the town line opposite these the Richardsons, Robertsons, McCurdies, James and others exhibit fine buildings, well cultivated fields, large herds of improved stock of much value. We have recommended tree planting for the lighter soils. In former days when the country was covered with forests, the wild pigeon came thick as clouds in the spring and summer, rendering the air vocal with the action of their wings. They were shot in great numbers. We have heard of fifty-two falling by one musket-shot. We have not seen nor heard of a single one appearing in these parts for several years. Wild ducks and geese still come but in greatly diminished numbers. Partridges are thinned out very much and rabits are very rare. Deer and fur-bearing animals that were plenty are nearly all gone. Wolves were very numerous. Sheep, deer , calves and some heifers became their victims. Bears took pigs and calves. But we have not heard of wolves devouring human beings. It is told of an Indian belated who climbed into a beech tree to escape a pack and made it his shooting gallery for the night. As a wolf fell to his careful aim the others feasted on it whilst the Indian fired away. When daylight came the remnant disappeared and he thought he was safe to get home but his former visitors or a fresh lot were soon on his track in hot pursuit. He ran like an Indian but they gained on him and he had to stand at bay and defend himself as best he could occasionally with his back to the tree, splitting a skull with his sharp tomahawk. His squaw came to his aid in time. They cut, clubbed and made their escape reckoning twenty dead wolves as the trophies of their bravery.

Savages are said to be truthful, being so free from the vices of polite life. Would they not stretch a little for self-glorification? We give the substance of what we have heard without denial, coloring or confirmation. We had the honor, so called, of killing a wolf by laying poison on a sheep he killed, which he took and died. We had the great pleasure of saving of saving a boy whose load of ashes had been upset on him on a hillside. His horses were held and his face was in the snow so that he did not suffocate by the dry ashes. My young brothers came up as the ashes were dashed off him. We thought him dead and carried him to the sleigh and held his head in my lap whilst one drove and another put snow in his mouth. His breathing became perceptible as we drove the team at a gallop. We were soon at his home and had the satisfaction of seeing him restored. We were barely in time to save life.

John Graham of the Bay got the north half of Sans Bradley's lands. James his son, died there and his family now live in the city. In 1833 John Gourlay came from Drumquin, Tyrone, Ireland , and settled in March. His youngest son Hugh owns the old home, but lives in Huntley where he built the finest farm house and planted the largest and best thriving orchard in all the Ottawa country.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

pg.28 "History of the Ottawa Valley"

Surnames found in this page for all those researching : Pinhey, Lloyd, Edwards, Logan, Scott, Erskine, Montgomery, BRADLEY, Cavanaugh, Mooney, Stars, Wilson, Graham, Evans, McEldowney, Roberts, Gourlay, Morin, Holmes, Hyde, Ahern, Rivington, Pearson, Moffet, Hays, Cowie.

pg. 28
"After gaining one of these elections, Mr. Pinhey indulged in some poetical descriptions of the rare occurrences at the place of polling. we give from memory a couple of lines as a sample of the fun in such cases:

Thom Acres, as cunning as any pet fox,
The bread and the cheese he locked up in a box...

In after times when he was warden of the county he would sit and enjoy the debates, sometimes throwing in a word gleefully to supplement or balance the opposing parties, or restore good humor if irritation had appeared. We recollect at the first formation of the council of the county of Carleton, they had agreed to have a district surveyor. Then the question of his salary was discussed. Some would borrow the $700 and pay in advance, others thought it should be earned first. The friends of the surveyor then fell on six months pay in advance. The mover dwelt on the fact that hte surveyor could not live six months on the air. The seconder also in an eloquent speech said he could not live six months on nothing. But he had known many a man that could live six months on or more on credit. The motion was dropped. The history of Mr. Pinhey's life would be the history of his township, and county, and the whole valley, as he was a very great actor in all the movements of note during his busy life. Col., afterwards General Lloyd, Col. Edwards, Capt. Logan and others lived in quiet retiremet on their farms and half pay otium cum dignitate, taking little to do with municipal or school affairs or anything but to finish a green old age in the peace and comforts of rural and religious seclusion from all the rush and conflict in the busy world. The north of March like the south of Huntley and much land on both banks of the St. Lawrence has a very thin soil on the rock foundation, adorned with wild roses, orange lilies, blueberries and shrubs in multitude, all so beautiful in their season. North Huntley and South March from the Carp valley of rich lands well cultivated as any part of the Dominion. The Ottawa & Parry Sound R. R. runs through this valley.

About 1818 or 1819 the first settlers of the Huntley side of the valley were John Scott, William Erskine and William Montgomery. The last cut the first tree. Their lands were soon the property of Lieut. Sans Bradley who built the little mill so long used there. John Cavanaugh came in 1819, William Mooney in that or the following year. The first located on the 3rd line, the second on the 4th line. The Stars, James and George, came from Hull about the same year and Moses Wilson from Cavan, Ireland. George and Thomas Graham from North of Ireland held lots 5 and 6, 1st concession Huntley. Evans, and Englishman, drew lot 9, which he sold to Arthur McEldowney. Thomas Roberts, a Welshman, had lot 10, which he sold to John Gourlay. James Morin, James Holmes, Samuel Hyde; the latter sold through Col. Ahern to John Gourlay. Richard Rivington sold to Pearson. David Moffet, Jas. Hays and Michael Rivington filled up to the rock spur where the land is worthless. Sergen Cowie settled west of the Carp Village and sold to Robert Wil -

If you want to know more...email me...at karenprytula@sympatico.ca