| Notes |
- Richard & Jane M Hamilton lived in one of the first brick houses in the Village of Acton, ON.
- Richard L Hamilton, Part One:
Two Hamilton siblings married two McCutcheon siblings:
Richard L Hamilton married Jane Matilda McCutcheon &
his sister Hadassah Hamilton married John McCutcheon.
. 1840 - There were 2 flours mill on Lot 28 in Con 2 & 3. A Water on the next lot 29 in the third concession, there was a water saw mill.
Ref: A Sketch of Co. Halton, Canada West, 1862.
. 1846 Smith's Canadian Gazetter, Province of Canada West:
Esuesing, Twp. in Gore District, with excellent land & many good farms, generally well cultivated. What of superior quality is grown in this & adjoining townships. Nine hundred acres of Crown lands are open for sale at 8 Shillings per acre. 4 grist & 11 saw mills.
. 1852 Agricultural Census Chinguacousy Twp., Peel Co., Ontario
Hamilton, Con. 4, Lot 1, Chinguacousy, 100 Acres, 75 A. cultivated 43 A. under crops in 1851; 31 A. under pasture 1851, 1 A. garden or orchard; 25 A. under wild wood; 25 A. produced 400 bushels of wheat.
4 A. produced 80 Bsh peas.; 4A. produced 150 bsh. oats; 10 Acres produced 15 tons of hay, 47 lbs. wool; 5 bulls, oxen or steers, 5 milch cows, 5 horses, 24 sheep, 4 pigs, 300 lbs. beef; 21cwts. Pork.
> REMARKS on the January 1852 CENSUS, written by Allen Bowfield (b. c1825, also farmer in Chingoucousy.)
In reference to the soils: The nature of the soil will be best explained by stating that there are 2 kinds of land in the ward. The one may be called sandy loam. In the neighbourhood of which soil in a few cases most excellent building sand is founded. The sandy loam with sharp subsoil grows good wheat, barley, & peas. The other goes by the name of clay land has a deep black top soil with heavy clay below. Grows first rate vegetables as good crops of hays & oats. Ward No. 2 is not as favourably situated for water as some localities. In many instances the farmer depends principally upon the well. The water of which is generally of superior quality. There are a few living streams. On one of which there is a grist mill. Incapable, however of doing must dry weather for want of bountiful supply of water. The average valve of land throughout the Ward is about £7 per acre.
Note1: No Fulled cloth or linen or Flannel. Impling James Hamilton, Sr. was no longer weaving.
. James Hamilton owned an high number of animals in comparison with most neighbors whose average was 2 bulls, 4 milk cows & double the number of sheep! These were likely raised for the market. Also indicates a dependable water supply. Not for nothing was James Hamilton a Canada Land Agent. - PJA 2011.
. ACTON VILLAGE. Instrument 355C Mortgage 28 MAR 1856, Reg 4 MAY 1856, Richard Hamilton.
#54 F Quit Claim, 25 NOV 1863. Reg 11 NOV 1864, Richard Hamilton.
(Investment group Glass factory; subdivided lot). The next lot is the Halton Disciples of Christ Church, South of Mill Street. (Document is too faint to know for sure who was the grantor/grantee. There was much land speculation in Acton & consequently continual land partitioning by the Glass factory group. P J Ahlberg. )
ACTON VILLAGE. Instrument 355C Mortgage 28 MAR 1856, Registered: 4 MAY 1856 Richard Hamilton.
#54 F Quit Claim 25 NOV 1863. Reg 11 NOV 1864 Richard Hamilton.
Note1: Investment group Glass factory; subdivided lot). The next lot is the Halton Disciples of Christ Church, South of Mill Street.
Note2: The documents are too faint to know for sure who was the grantor/grantee. There was much land speculation in Acton & consequently continual land partitioning by the Glass factory group . P J Ahlberg. )
Ref: Archives of Ontario, L1 Block 14, GSU Reel 178978, Page 187.
ACTON VILLAGE, Abstract Book L2 Block 14. Ins. 355 Mortgage 2 & 1856. Registered: 4 MAY 1855. Grantee: Richard Hamilton.
# 54.
Quit claim 25 NOV 1863. Reg. 11 NOV 1864. Richard Hamilton.
VILLAGE of ACTON. Copy Book Vol. 11, 8 OCT 1874. (i.e. duplicate copy) Richard Hamilton, Carpenter of Acton. Grantor Wm. Stephenson Registration $50 W1/2 L 28, C3 Township of Esquesing, is now a part of Village of Acton. Original grant from Crown, too faint ... Part of first part & part of second...
. 1856-66 Mitchell & Co.'s Canada Classified Directory Canada West:
Carpenter & Builders, Acton. Hamilton, R., carpenter.
. 1856 son Richard L Hamilton was living alone in a long cabin near Acton, Esquesing Twp., Ontario, working as a carpenter, no doubt earning money to help support his mother & siblings. In 1864 Alex Hamilton emigrated first to (Ohio) & then Michigan to farm.
. Esquesing is a native word for which lies at the end.
. 1859 Acton Esquesing Tp., Halton Co., A Telegraph Station on the GTR.
. 1861 Jan 25, Enumerated TWICE,
> First in Flamborough Twp., 'Family member not present' &
> 1861 Agricultural Census Chingoucousy Twp., Peel Co., Ontario.
Richard Hamilton, Con 4, Lot 4, 200 Acres, 110 cultivated, 85 A. in 1860, Orchard/Garden 2 A., Woods 10 A., Farm value $12,000.
Fall Wheat 76A /1 bushel., Spring Wheat 20A/6000 bu., Barley, Rye nil, Peas, Oats, Potatoes, Turnips, Hops 20 Acres. [This census is somewhat blurry.]
* 1861 Jan 24 - Congregational Church, Halton Co., Georgetown,
Jane M McCutcheon, Born & resides Erin Twp., Age 20 /1841, daughter of Mary & Hugh McCutcheon,
married Richard Hamilton, Age 26 / born 1836, Toronto, resides Esquesing Twp., son of Rebecca & James Hamilton.
Note2: Brother Alex was witness at his wedding. It is probably that his mother was present at Richard's wedding as she did not emigrate to the US until 1864.
. 1861 Jun 15 - MARRIAGE LICENSE.
Hamilton, RICHARD, born 'City of Toronto', residing Esquesing Twp., Age 26*,
Son of Rebecca & James Hamilton, married
McCUTCHEON, Jane M, Age 20 (=1841*), b. Erin, daughter of Mary & Hugh McCutcheon,
Wit: Stuart McCutcheon of Erin & Alex Hamilton of Esquesing, Ontario & Married 24 OCT. 1861 at the Congregational Church, Georgetown, Halton Co.
Note3: The marriage license is just before his birthday on April 20 when he would be 27 years old.
XReference: His mother Rebecca Lawrence Hamilton's Land Grant states Town of York, Residence 1833.
. 1866 Toronto Peel Directory: Richard Hamilton, Con 4 Lot 4, freeholder, Chinguacousy Twp.
James Hamilton: Con 4, Lot 1, Chingoucousy Twp.;
John Hamilton Con 4, Lot 5,
John Hamilton Con 6, Lot 25 house. Chinguacousy Twp. [i.e. near Acton, Ontario].
. 1869 Prov. of Ont. Gazetteer & Directory Acton: A station on the Grand Trunk Railway, in the Township of Esquesing, County Halton, containing 2 flour mills, 4 sawmills, 2 shingle factories, 1 planing mill, 1 tannery, 1 foundry, 1 cloth factory, 4 churches, 1 common school, 3 hotels. The principal trade is in grain, lumber, cord wood, leather & hops. Land averages from $28 to $35 per acre. Distant from County Town 11 miles, from Toronto, 30 miles, and from Guelph, 14 miles. Money order office. Daily mail. Population, 700. Hamilton, Richard, carpenter.
. Hamilton, Richard, Acton, carpenter, Lovell's Business & Professional Directory of the Province of Ontario for 1882, (Montreal: John Lovell & Son, 1871), page 204.
. 1877 Peel Co. Atlas, Chinguacousy S Twp.,
Richard Hamilton, Farmer, Settled 1831, Brampton Post office, 1877 [deeded from his father?]
Mrs. Hamilton, Con 2, NDS, Lot 11, 100 Acres, non-resident 1877, Non Resident;
Ada Hamilton, Con 4 E, Lot 2 Chinguacousy South, (now Peel Co.), 50 Acres, Non Resident.
Con. 3E, Lot 4, 150 Acres; Con 3E, Lot 3
Con. 4E, Lot 4, 200 Acres
Con 4E, Lot 2, 50 Acres, Ada Hamilton, Chinguacousy S, Ada Hamilton [i.e. Hadassah?]
James Hamilton Con 4, Lot 1, Chingoucousy Twp.;
John Hamilton Con 4, Lot 5 also a John Hamilton Con 6, Lot 25 house. Chinguacousy Twp.
Note4: Wages in Upper Canada 1842: Carpenters, 6 s, 10 p. Halifax Currency per diem.
Note5: 1855 Transferred by his WILL: Richard Hamilton, Con 4 Lot 4, freeholder, Chinguacousy Twp. Halton. &
Note6: Concession 4 East is now located between Bramalea Rd. & Heart Lake Road, Peel Co., it was split in half, with the northern half becoming part of the town of Caledon, & the southern half, along with the township of Toronto Gore, joining the town of Brampton. - PJA 2010.
. Acton School Minutes Book:
1874, 1875, 1876 - Trustee: Richard Hamilton;
. 1870 Nov. Richard Hamilton completed his contract for the building of the new woodshed & closets & received $160 for material & Work.
. 1876 Jan 3, Annual meeting of the School Board: Moved by C S Smith; seconded by Richard Hamilton, that we give the same of $30. toward the replenishing of the Acton School Library & that it be a condition that no works of fiction the purchased. Carried.
ACTON FREE PRESS:
. 1875 Aug 27 - The Village Council met last Thursday evening. Petition was presented from J H Smith & others for a drain on Main st. from Mr.smith's residence to the crossing opposite Richard Hamilton's. Also one from A. Stephenson, R Hamilton & others to have Willow St. graded from the corner opposite the Post Office to the new plow factory.* Both petitions were laid over till next meeting. [*Acton Plow Co., Substantial frame bldg. 22X54 & engine house 21x24 for the mfg. of Stephenson Iron Plow, Machinery cost $7,000.Willow St.]
. 1875 Nov 12 - Acton's Progress, Acton has grown more the past 3 years than at any time, during many years of its previous history & the season now closing has probably been productive of a greater number of new buildings & a greater outlay of money than any previous year.
. Main Street: Wm. Stephenson - A 1 ½ story frame dwelling, 22 X 30, Gothic front, upright battens, neatly designed, & well finished, at a cost of about $800. Built by RICHARD HAMILTON.
. ROBERT AGNEW - ADDITION TO THE DOMINION HOTEL, RICHARD HAMILTON, builder. Cost about $300.
1875 Dec 16 - Acton Municipal: For the Council, we hear several new names mentioned, among them being, Richard Hamilton. We have, however, no positive information from the parties themselves.
> 1875 Dec 28, page 1 - Village of Acton, For Reeve, Dr. McGarvin - proposed by F Snyder & R. Hamilton. For Councillors: D D Christie, H J Hall, Ed. Moore - Proposed by R. Hamilton.
. Speeches of the Candidates: I am very sorry Mr. Hamilton is going to retire [from the race], as we have always been co-workers in the interest of the village. Glad to see that Acton is keeping her place among the villages of the county, & whether in the Council or out I shall do all in my power to help her to keep that place.
> 1875 Dec 30 - (A printed election ballot to be cut out & filled in:)
Election of Members for the Municipal Council for the village of Acton, in the County of Halton, On Monday, the 3rd day of January 1876, 1876 January - For Councillors. #2, HAMILTON, Richard Hamilton, carpenter.
. 1876 Dec 7 - Municipal elections will be on. We presume the present Reeve & other members of the Council, with the exception of Mr. Hamilton, will soon be making their obeisance to the elections again.
. 1876 Dec 28, Thrus. Village of Acton for Reeve. Dr. McGarvin, proposed by S Snyder & R. Hamilton. Dr. McGarvin has not had much municipal experience, but is an active, energetic man of business & capable of taking charge.
****Date? Acton Village Council met on Tuesday evening. Councillors: Duncan Kennedy, Benjamin Nicklin, Thos. Easton, Peter McCass were proposed by R. Hamilton.
. 1877 Jan 18, p.3, The last meeting of the old Council was held shortly before noon on Monday, all the embers present except Mr. Hamilton.
. 1877 May 3, pg 3, - Mr. Richard Hamilton, ex-councilor of this village, has secured the contract or building & equipping Mr. Beardmore's new tannery at Bracebridge. He will probably be absent all summer.
Note7: The following construction was under the direction of Richard Hamilton:
. Beardmore's Tannery at Bracebridge. The Bracebridge Gazette of the 27th ult., gives an interesting account of the new tannery premises being erected at that place. The editor of the Gazette mentions having interviewed our friends, Mr. Richard Hamilton, the contractor, & Mr. Z A Hall, the manager, by whom he was courteously received & from who he obtained information concerning the capacity of the building & the process of manufacturing leather: Tan yard, 65X112 ft., one story; leach house & bark shed 84X34 ft. with lean-to, 3 ft; dry house, 61x37ft., 5 stories; sweat pits, stone building, 45x345ft., one story; boiler house 35x45 ft., brick; engine house 14x35ft, brick; in the centre of the engine house there will be a brick chimney, 90 ft high, with a stone foundation 4x14ft, 6ft deep; the chimney being hollow at the bottom, & consisting of inner & outer walls of brick work, but tinselly carried in the solid, as the wall tapers on the outside.
There will be 8 coolers, 14x16ft, in the leech house. On the top of them will stand 4 tubs, 14ft. in diameter & 10 feet high. From the engine house to the yard a shaft will cross about 34 ft. long, to work the hide mills & water pumps.
Tramways will run from the various buildings to the dry house & store shed, & from the store shed to the wharf. A wire rope to turn the shaft in the dry house & work the hoist, will run from engine house to the dry house - thus the loads of hides will be conveyed to the different stories of the dry house, each floor of which is traversed lengthwise by a trimway working in the centre of hall on either side of which are five rooms, each containing 100 sides of leather; the dry house could thus contain, 5,000 hides, though in practice this number will not be reached, because some of the lower stories are occupied by a congress? of steam pipes.
About 450 cords of tan back [ Xtree pat??] have been delivered on the piling grounds at opposite sides of the river.
. 12 carpenters, 4 masons & an average of 10 laborers are employed on the works, & the whole concern when finished will make so big a hole in $20,000, that the residue will be nowhere.
The Beardmore tannery will probably be the largest tannery in Ontario & certainly the model tanner in the Dominion. - . -
. 1877 May 10 - Complementary Supper: On the eve of Mr. Zolman hall's departure from Acton, a number of his friends assembled at the Dominion Hotel to honor him with a complimentary supper, as a token to the universal esteem in which he is held in this his native place. ... removing to Bracebridge. The party comprised a large number of our most prominent citizens, ... Richard Hamilton. Mr. Hall responded warmly.
. 1878 Feb 28 - We are pleased to see Mr. Richard Hamilton has recovered from his late illness enough to him to return to Acton from Bracebridge. He arrived home on Monday evening.
. 1881 Oct 20 - Eramosa Fall Fair: Rockwood, last Thursday, Successful exhibitors: Agricultural Productions, Class 11, Grain etc. Indian corn: R. Hamilton.
1882 Jul 13 - Richard Hamilton - Assessment from $1100 to $800 on pt. lot Block 1 the owner.
. 1882 Jul 13 - Court of Revision met on the 5th ins. The following changes were made in the Assessment Roll:
9. Richard Hamilton - Assessment reduced from $1100 to $800 on pt. lot block 1, is owner.
. 1882 Dec 28 - Richard Hamilton - nominated by Wm. Hemstreet, 2nd by A A Secord, Sr.; H.W. Storey, Nominated by Richard Hamilton. For Councillors: R. Hamilton.
. 1883 Jan 1883 - Richard Hamilton desires us to state that he did not consider himself a candidate at the recent municipal elections.
> 1883 Mar 15, p. 3 - Mr. Richard Hamilton, of Acton, who is to take charge of the building department of J. McMillan & Co.'s, Lumbering Mill, has moved into Erin. - Reported in the Erin Advocate.
. 1883 May 31, p3 - Mr. R Royce has moved into the residence on Main Street, recently purchased from Mr. R. Hamilton.
. 1884 Mar 6 - Acton, Messers. R. Hamilton & C Walker, of Erin, were in town on Monday.
. 1887 Dec 1, Richard Hamilton, of Erin was in town yesterday.
. 1887 Oct 20 , Thursday - A large number of citizens attended the World's Fair at Erin yesterday. ( ! )
. Erin show yesterday was a great success.,The weather was delightful & visitors crowded in swarms. The village didn't begin to accommodate the people. The reputation of this far-farmed exhibition has been fully sustained.
. 1887 Dec 11 - Mr. Richard Hamilton, of Erin as in town (Acton) yesterday. .
. 1888 Feb 9 - Mr & Mrs Richard Hamilton, Erin, were visiting friends this week.
Mr & Mrs. Chas. H. Walker, of Erin, visiting friends in Acton last week.
. 1896 Jun 4, Thrus. Richard Hamilton of Erin, a former resident of Action is preparing the plants for the new vats at the tannery. he has put the new vats at the tannery. he had put in nearly all the vats at the tanneries for 30 years.
> 1889 Oct 17, Erin, Mr. Richard Hamilton has just returned from visiting all over Michigan & other parts of the States, meeting relatives he had not seen in about 33 years. [i.e. since 1856!] Page 2 as copied from the [Erin] Advocate.
. 1897 Feb 11 - Mr & Mrs Richard Hamilton, Erin, were in town yesterday.
. 1899 Wellington Co. Directory, Hamilton, Richard, grocer. Population 700.
. ACTON'S EARLY DAYS: At the corner of Mill & River Streets occupied part of the site of John Holt was old woollen mill. It was built by Richard Hamilton, on of the best carpenters Acton ever had. He built it for his own residence about 70 years ago [1869]. He previously built the residence on Fairview Avenue, near Fairview Cemetery. After living there for a short time he sold that house to David Williamson, who lived there from shortly after his marriage until he went over to the Malcolm McPherson farm in Nassagaweya. Richard Hamilton lived in the brick house a good many years. ... The late George Beardmore thought no one in the community could put in (tannin) vats equal to Richard Hamilton.
Mr. & Mrs. Hamilton's only daughter (only child) married Mr. Charles Henry Walker, manufacturer, of Erin Village, & the family sold out their interests in Acton & moved to Erin. Mr. Hamilton went into the grocery business there & continued until his death [in 1909].
. Crossing River Street, which was opened when Acton Plow Company's works were built, we come to the Acton Creek. The source of this splendid stream is the spring on the third line, a little over a mile to the north, where it comes from the rock. The creek flows through the Near property, supplying the trout ponds & hatchery ...across Main Street into Fairy Lake which covers 88 acres. Many a trout have I caught in the bed of the creek when it meandered among the willows. Many a dozen speckled beauties have I seen caught in the big mill pond from flat-bottomed boats or long rafts. Ref: Acton Free Press, 1939.
Hamilton family photo available c 1895 Erin.
. 1902 May 22. Obituary: Mrs. James Brown, Ruth Ann Hall, eldest daughter of Asa Hall, Esq., Born 1841 in Acton. Her husband lived 14 y. on Lot 1, Con 4, Erin, where he operated a saw mill. Friends from a distance were in attendance: Mr. Richard Hamilton & (his daughter), Mrs. C W. Walker, Erin.
Ref: Acton Free Press.
. History of the Acton House Richard Hamilton built:
1926 Nov 18 - Old Times Along the New Highway: Beside the home of stone mason Malcom Kennedy's the wee cottage with a history. It was built by John Hold when he erected the Wollen Mills on the lot where M. J H Reid's fine brick residence now stands. Mr & Mrs Sidney Smith reside there while there palatial residence was being erected. It is known as Fairview Place for the past 50 or 60 years, Mrs C S Smith livered their most of her married life & where she passed away last spring.
> > > The fine home of James H Reid, at the corner of Main & River Streets, was erected by the late Richard Hamilton, carpenter and contractor, for himself and his wife and Miss Ella, their daughter. It was a perfect piece of construction and when built was regarded as one of the best houses in this country. Mr & Mrs Hamilton resided there until Richard gave up his contracting work & more to Erin, where he went into the grocery business.
Mr Robt. Royce purchased the property when Mr & Mrs Hamilton & daughter removed from Acton. Mr Royce's daughter, Mrs Orr was left alone through the removal of her children to make their way in life. After them, James H Reid, a retired farmer purchased the property & for the last 12 or 15 years has made this home. Mr. Reid has kept the place as neat as a new pin all the time.
River Street was at one time the site of the Mill race & flume from the dam to the Wollen Mills.When Acton Plow Co. was established, over where the Hydro Power Station & masonKitting Works are now, the course of the stream was diverted &the old mill race was discarded & River St. opened.The fine old car pine timbers of Plow Factory went up in smoke when the factory was destroyed by fire 30 years ago [1901].50 years ago I saw many shoal of speckled trout & under the old log bridge there I caught my fear share of them under the grass banks further down steam. On the north side of stream there was a saw mill on the Smith property. I remember when lumber was sawn there. Between the old mill & stone house, there was at one time a carriage shop of Tom Easton. Other houses on Main street were the first brick cottage built by Charlie Holmes, Royal Exchange Hotel (now Bank of NS & Patterson's Meat Market). Wm. Overton's blacksmith, the old school lane, Smith's Shingle Factory, Store Glove Leather Tannery. Mary is calling me to dinner. I must go. Signed, The Red Man McCutcheon. - 1 - [1, 2]
- Part TWO:
> Died, Hamilton - In Erin, on Thursday, February 4th, aged 74 years.
Ref: Acton Free Press, published 11 Feb 1909, p. 2.
OBITUARY1: Mr. Richard Hamilton, of Erin Village, died very suddenly last Thursday. He had been at his usual work & business about the store the day before & death came without warning. The funeral on Sunday afternoon was very largely attended. Mr. Hamilton spent his boyhood & middle life in Acton & was highly esteemed here. He was a house carpenter & builder & was foreman carpenter for Messrs. Beardmore & Co. at the tanneries for many years. During his residence here Mr. Hamilton built one of the first brick houses in town - the comfortable residence at the corner of Main & River streets, at present owned & occupied by Mr. J. H. Reed & family. About 20 years ago he removed to Erin. Mrs. Hamilton & her daughter, Mrs. C. H. Walker, survive. Mrs. Walker was bereaved by the death of her husband last fall.
Ref: Acton Free Press, 11 Feb 1909, P 3, Col 2.
OBITUARY2: That "in the midst of life we are in death" was most impressively forced upon Erin, Ontario, attended by a large number of sorrowing friends. The pallbearers were H. Mathews, D. McCleland, G. F. Sutton, J. D. Leitch, H. R.Smith & H. Barbour., one of our prominent & most highly esteemed citizens, was, almost without a moments warning, summoned from the activities of his life to the realities of the unknown world beyond. Up to the moment he was stricken Mr. Hamilton was in the enjoyment of his usual good health & his unexpected & startlingly sudden death within 24 hours thereafter, came as a great shock to his family, to his friends & to the community at large.
Deceased was born in Toronto 73 years ago, was for many years a successful builder & contractor & some 25 years ago came to Erin, where he engaged in the grocery business & won the respect & esteem of every one with whom he came in contact during that quarter of a century. His genial presence will be greatly missed in business, religious & social circles.
His youngest brother predeceased him by only nine months & those who survive are Alexander of Bangor, James of Grand Rapids, Mrs. Warner of Fairville, Mrs. McCutcheon of Grand Rapids & Miss Rebeckah Hamilton, Fairville, all in Michigan.
On January 24, 1861, he married Jane McCutcheon of the 3rd line, Erin & she & an only daughter, Mrs. C. H. Walker are left to mourn the loss of a faithful husband & a loving father. They have the sympathy of all. Deceased was a devout member of the Disciple Church & a member of the A.O.U.W. Services were held by Rev. G. O. Black in the above church on Sunday afternoon & the interment took place to Erin Cemetery, the funeral being attended by a large number of sorrowing friends.
The pallbearers were H. Mathews, D. McCleland, G. F. Sutton, J. D. Leitch, H. R.Smith & H. Barbour.
. ESTATE FILE, Richard Hamilton died 4 Feb, 1909. Application of Jane Matilda Hamilton, widow, of Erin, Wellington Co.
Real & personal, valued at $3,050.00.
Richard Hamilton of Village of Erin, County of Wellington, Merchant.
All in favour of Jane Matilda Hamilton & thence of any surveying children.
The property #13 East side of Main Street, Erin, W 1/2 Lot 15, 10 Con., Erin Twp. According to a Plan of Survey made by Charles J. Wheelock, Esq., filed at Guelph.
signed, R. Hamilton. Witness Humphrey Matthews, Erin, Harness Maker, & Wm. M. Dowell, Barrister-At-Law.
PROPERTY $1,800.
Securities A.O.W.W. 150.
FARMING IMPLEMENTS 300.
STOCK-IN-TRADE 300.
$3,505.00 - . -
. 1919 Jun 12. Obituary: In his young manhood Mr. John Bell learned the trade of carpenter & framer. He & the late Richard Hamilton built numbers of the buildings in Acton & vicinity. They built the store on the site of the Secord block on the south side of Mill Street for Mr. Benzie, one of our early merchants.This store was burned down about fifty years ago. [1869]. When the Civil War broke out in 1862 the family moved to Niagara, NY & joined the American Army.
. JOHNSON COUSINS: Cousins Richd. Lawrence Johnson, Senior live also in Esquesing Twp. as did his brother Robert Lawrence Johnson (Lot 30, Con 1.) & also his son Richd. Lawrence Johnson, Junior, also live in Acton, & surely must have have known each other. R L Johnson, Jr. was born 1869 & thus 30years younger than R L Hamilton.
. 1856-66 Mitchell & Co.'s Canada Classified Directory Canada West:
Carpenter & Builders, Acton. Hamilton, R., carpenter.
. 1871 Ontario Directory: Acton West; Village, A large quantity of wheat is purchased here. There is a considerable mfg. of flour, lumber & leather. Hamilton Richard, carpenter.
. 1892 Ontario Gazetteer & Directory, Hamilton, Richard, grocer & crockery.
. 1898-99 Western Ontario Gazetteer & Directory: Erin, Hamilton, Richard, grocer. - 2 -
- Richard Lawrence Hamilton, Part THREE: Life in Old Ontario
PIONEERS of OLD ONTARIO:
One of the great privations at the beginning was in the long intervals between regular religious observances. I remember when we were crossing the ocean, William Hunter, who afterwards settled in Chingacousy, came to our quarters & had prayers with us every night & morning. After we arrived at our new home the first regular services were held by the Rev. Mr. McMurchy, who came over from Eldon township for the purpose. John Gunn, father of the founders of Gunn's Limited, was a volunteer helper. He made a regular practice of reading Scriptures & praying with the old people of the settlement, who, owing to growing infirmities, were unable to attend the regular church services that were held. Daniel Cameron was another who helped in this same way."
"When church services were held, people travelled as much as 30 miles to take part ' said Angus McDougall, the son of the speaker.
"I have known them, even in my time, to come in lumber-wagons from as far as Sutton on the south, Uptergrove? on the north, & Woodville on the west to the old stone church at Beaverton. Their earnestness was shown not only in the distance they travelled but in the patience with which they sat through services lasting from 11 o'clock till four, while their simple faith & devout thankfulness were voiced in the Psalms which filled the old church with a stern melody. Duncan Gillespie was the precentor. He read the Psalms line by line, & then led the congregation as they sang in praise & thanksgiving. The favourite Psalms were the 103 & 123rd. ... '
. A CHINGACOUSY VILLAGE:
Few men witnessed more varying stages of the pioneer period than did Abraham Campbell, whom I met at lot 28 on the first concession of Chingacousy in July, 1899. Mr. Campbell spent his life on the farm on which he was born when Chingacousy was the farthest settlement north of the lake. As a child & youth he saw other pioneers pass his door on their way to the virgin forests of Dufferin, Grey, & Bruce. He was witness of the annual summer pilgrimage of the men from the newer lands of the north to the older settlements of the south in search of employment in which they might earn bread for the winter. As the forests of the northland were pushed back before the attack of the axe-men, he viewed the winter procession of teams by which the grain of the north country was hauled toward lake ports. To all this Mr. Campbell was able to add what his father had told him of days prior to the period covered by his own recollection, the period when even the Niagara district was young. His father as a youth was at Queenston Heights, Stoney Creek, & Lundy's Lane, & one of the most prized possessions of the Campbell homestead, when I was there in 1899, was an iron pot,18 inches in diameter, captured from the American forces at Stoney Creek, & still doing duty in the Campbell homestead over 80 years later.
Mr. Campbell's father & 6 brothers took up 1000 in Chingacousy about 1820, after having journeyed from the old family home in Lincoln County by an ox-team. From Cooksville to their locations, the way led over a road made through the bush with their own axes. A quarter of a century later Campbell's Cross, on the highway connecting north & south, was a scene of bustling life. " There was a tavern there containing 18 rooms," said Mr. Campbell, "& in those rooms I have known 20 or 30 people to be accommodated over night. As late as two o'clock in the morning I have seen the bar-room so full of people that one could not get near the bar itself. There were three stores in the village at that time, & they were all busy places. Whence did the business come? Largely from the north country, which by that time had begun to produce a surplus. I have seen as many as one hundred teams arrive with grain in a single day. Part of the grain was bought by local merchants & teamed by them to Port Credit for shipment by water. Some of the farmers hauled their own grain all the way to the lake port.
" Teaming this grain was real labour. Between Chingacousy & the north, hauling was possible only in winter, & even then 25 to 30 bushels made a load. In coming down the Caledon mountain it was necessary to put a drag on the sleighs. Those who did their own teaming to Toronto or Port Credit frequently used ox-teams & sleighs to Campbell's Cross & then borrowed wagons for the journey to Toronto. On some of these journeys the snow was up to the backs of the oxen when north of the Caledon mountain, [Hwy. 10/ Hurontario St., Halton Co. - PJA], - while south of our place the animals wallowed to their bellies in slush & mud. Some of these northern farmers came from as far back as Owen Sound with grass seed, venison, & pork for sale, the round trip occupying well over a week. At times the nights were spent in the bush while sleet or rain beat in through the partial covering afforded by the forest. But the people were happy with it all. Return cargoes usually consisted of groceries & a half barrel of whiskey, & as long as the latter kept the interior warm, exterior cold did not matter much to the hardy men of that day.
"At the period covered by my earliest recollection bears & wolves were common in Chingacousy. I have more than once seen cows come home with flanks & udders so badly torn that the animals had to be killed. During the 'thirties, 'forties, & 'fifties, the father of Kenneth Chisholm, who for years represented Peel in the Legislature, made staves from the oaks that covered a good deal of the township. The staves were hauled to the Credit by oxen, floated down the stream to the Port, & thence shipped to England. About 1860, while I was assisting in removing an old oak stump, we unearthed a tool that had been used in splitting staves.
"One of my earliest election recollections is connected with the contest in which Colonel Ed. Thompson defeated William Lyon Mackenzie in the year before the Rebellion [1837]. That was the most exciting electoral battle we ever had. The electors of Caledon, Chingacousy, & Toronto townships all went to Streetsville to vote. The polls remained open for a week or two & for most of that time my father was engaged in hauling Tories to the voting place. On the last day of polling 5 or 6 teams were massed &, headed by bagpipes, took the last of the voters to the poll.
When Oakville rivaled Toronto: Robert W. Brock, whom I met at Belfountain about the same time that 1 had the interview with Mr. Campbell, gave some further information of early days in Peel & Dufferin. "At the time of my earliest recollections," Mr. Brock said, "the Centre Road had displaced the first concession of Chingacousy as the leading highway to the north. In the late 'sixties, I have seen that road black with teams & traffic going on day & night. This continued until the old narrow gauge T. GK & B. was built to Owen Sound & markets were opened at Orangeville, Shelburne, & Dundalk. Then the glory of Churchville & Streetsville began to wane.
Ref: When Oakville Rivaled Toronto, 1879.
Research & transcripts by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -
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1836 - 1903 (66 years)