DURING the latter part of the seventeenth century and the beginning of the eighteenth, the French Monarchy, under Louis XIV., had reached the height of its power. The wholesome restraint that Cromwell had acquired and maintained on the Continent of Europe had passed away. A new order of things had been established in Britain at the Restoration, which had destroyed her prestige and her power. From the front rank of the nations to which she had been raised by the masterly policy of Oliver, she had sunk to the lowest depths of infamy and imbecility. Wise and patriotic men stood aloof from the truculent and immoral debauchees that swarmed around the court of Charles II. The iron hand of perhaps the greatest ruler that Britain has ever seen was no longer felt, and the poor remains that had been dug from their last resting place to satisfy the cowardly king were no longer feared. The Edict of Nantes had been revoked, and the followers of the doctrines of the Reformation were subjected to such persecution as threatened them with extermination. Notwithstanding all the efforts of the Prince of Orange after he had ascended the British throne, he was quite unable to overthrow the

DAVID BRETHOUR

power of the Grand Monarch. With the united power of the States-General and Great Britain in the field, he only restrained to some extent the power of Louis, and his greatest victories on the continent were barren of results. In the reign of Anne, in the beginning of the eighteenth century, the power of Great Britain asserted itself once more, and under John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, she attained to a greater glory than she had ever before reached. For a number of years the persecution in the Palatine, a province on the Rhine, had been unbearable, and many of those who professed the reformed doctrines had been subjected to the most cruel treatment, and had sealed their affection for the Protestant faith with their lives. An application was at last made to the British General for protection, with whom it was arranged that those who chose to go should be sent across the Atlantic to seek freedom for themselves and their families in the forests of America. Accordingly three ships were freighted with the poor persecuted people of the Palatine and sailed for the west. After putting out to sea they were overtaken by a great storm, and one of the ships was cast away on the southwest coast of Ireland, where all those who were aboard finally settled. On board of this vessel were the ancestors of some of the pioneers of Blanshard, particularly the Brethours, Switzers, Shiers, and others. The ancestor of our present sketch was among the ship-wrecked on that occasion.

COMING TO CANADA

David Brethour was born in the village of Ballangrane, in the county of Limerick, Ireland, in 1831. He was the youngest of a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters. He was unfortunate in the loss of his mother when he was nine months old, she having fallen a victim to that terrible scourge, Asiatic cholera. His father had a small farm in Limerick, on which he labored to support his family and pay the yearly rent to his landlord. In 1833, having but the little piece of land, he decided to come to America, sailing from the town of Cork for Quebec, making the long, dreary passage with his children in eleven weeks. After arriving at Quebec his father came on west till he reached the county of Ontario, and settled in the township of Georgina, on the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe. That township was then, and was for many years afterwards, a complete wilderness. This part of Ontario was far away from the great water-ways that skirted the southern part of the Province, and was consequently far removed from the markets where produce could be disposed of. Mr. Brethour being only about three years old, the first thing he remembers was the little episode of his father shooting a great bear in a small patch of oats that grew around the shanty. Being fully alive to the dangers attending bear-hunting in that wild country, he wisely took precaution to secure his safety if the result should turn out otherwise than well. He therefore, by the aid of a ladder, securely placed himself in a hemlock tree and awaited with his gun the arrival of bruin. He had not long to wait when his bearship came out of the woods for his evening meal of the new settler’s oats. Taking a good aim, he fired and shot the animal dead. He was desirous, however, to make sure before he descended from his perch in the tree, and one of his sons came out with another gun and fired a couple of shots into the dead body lying among the oats, after which he safely descended from his seat.

In the young period of Mr. Brethour’s life he escaped that terrible ordeal through which the youth of all civilized countries have to pass, the public school. In the township of Georgina there were no such institutions for the training of the young mind. He had accordingly passed the period of life when boys are supposed to learn and ought to be taught the various branches of education which fit them for the duties of after life. As he grew to manhood he felt most severely the want of some education, or at least that he should be able to read. He therefore, during the hours of recess from labor, made such progress in his studies as at least placed him on a par with the settlers who surrounded him. Since that time he has been a most varied and extensive reader in every branch of literature, and is, perhaps, the best historian in the township of Blanshard.

THOSE EARLY DAYS

Fifty or sixty years ago the life of a young person in the backwoods of Canada was uneventful and monotonous. In those times there was no debating club at the corner school-house, where the youthful orators of the bush could air their eloquence or exhibit their powers of declamation to the admiring elders in the district. There was no concert or literary society, no tea-meeting where the young people, dressed in their most splendid habiliments, could come to see or be seen of each other. There were no churches, or very few, where the pious settlers could gather together and listen to the word from some veteran old minister who had travelled far through the trackless forest to break among the few waiting ones the bread of life. All such meetings, when they did take place, were held in the shanties of the settlers. The life of a young person, therefore, in those days consisted of a continuous round of labor, eating, and sleeping. Mr. Brethour, occupied his time in assisting his father to clear up the farm until he reached his fifteenth year. From this time until he was twenty-one he worked with the neighboring settlers, and considered himself amply rewarded with the sum of $8.00 per month. In 1851 he married Elizabeth Shier, of the adjoining township of Brock, a sister of Mr. Shier, of Woodham. The issue of this union was seven children—Rebecca, (Mrs. Heron) of Manitoba; Catharine Ann, (Mrs. Miners) of Manitoba; Wesley, Reeve of Hamiota County, Manitoba; Augustus, in Blanshard; Mary Jane, in Blanshard; Harriet, in Blanshard; and Michael, in Blanshard, the last three on the old homestead. After his marriage he rented a farm till 1853, when he came west into the township of Blanshard, and settled on lot 4, on the 7th concession, which was then all woods, and on which he has remained ever since.

IN PUBLIC LIFE

Like nearly all the old settlers of Blanshard, he was a member of the Orange Order, having joined this institution in 1852. His first duty after reaching the township was, of course, to construct a shanty for himself and make a small clearing on which to plant or grow food for the family. This he had no sooner accomplished than he undertook to build an Orange hall on the corner of his piece of clearing, early in 1854. From that time forward he has taken a most prominent part in all the affairs of the Order, but of this we will have occasion to speak later on. After the township was organized under the existing Municipal Act, the council of Blanshard appointed him as the first License Inspector in the municipality. The hotels in the township were quite numerous at this period of its history. A constant supply of liquor, however, was easily obtained from a distillery that was operated by Mr. Shoebottom, at Silver Creek, on the Mitchell Road, in the old log building which still stands near a spring that flows from the bank adjoining. The whiskey made in this, the great central emporium, we have heard spoken of in most eulogistic terms. Considering the quality, it was exceedingly cheap, being easily obtainable at thirty-five cents per gallon. There was no doubt as to the purity of its constituents, or as to its potency. It had this wonderful peculiarity, however, which placed it far in advance of all modern distillations, and which was told us the other day by a gentleman who has had an intimate acquaintance with the products of both periods, “that it had not the harsh, burning taste of the decoctions of the present time, but was nice and sweet, and ‘ sorter ’ soothing to the taste, and a whole barrel of it did not contain a single headache.”

During these years, from 1853 till 1859, Mr. Brethour had become quite popular in the division of the township in which he resided. At the election of 1859 he was brought forward by a section of the people in Polling Division No. 2, to oppose Mr. Cathcart, who had been sitting at the board almost continuously since 1852. The contest arose chiefly out of the policy pursued by Mr. Cathcart in the building of the base-line gravel road. The contest was a keen one and the vote polled at an early hour, when he was defeated by Mr. Cathcart by one vote. This vote was cast by Mr. William Fotheringham, of the 8th concession, now of the township of Tuckersmith, Huron County.

Mr. Brethour took an active part in promoting the base-line gravel road scheme, and on the formation of the company was elected one of the directors, |and sat on the Board for four years. This road was used for a number of years throughout the municipality as an election cry against candidates residing on it, and cost more than one aspiring young politician a seat at the council. It remained, however, for Mr. Brethour to remove all difficulty in connection with it a few years later. In 1872 he contested the municipality for the reeveship, his opponent being the present chairman of the Road and Bridge Committee of St. Marys, Mr. Lawrie, whom he succeeded in defeating. In 1873 he was again elected reeve. In the meantime the gravel road company had gotten into difficulties, when the sheriff seized and sold the road, Mr. Little, of Prospect Hill, being the purchaser. Under the proprietorship of Mr. Little the road was allowed to get sadly out of repair, and complaints were loud and numerous regarding its condition. The action of Mr. Cathcart a few years previous, in taking over the London and Proof Line gravel road, had given the best satisfaction to the ratepayers generally. When it became known, in 1873, that the reeve and the then clerk of the township had opened negotiations with Mr. Little for the purchase of the road, the people were anxious that an amicable arrangement should be reached, and the road assumed by the township. A settlement was soon effected. The road was bought for the sum of $1,100, the toll-gate removed at once, which, with the exception of the little episode between the town and the township, was the last toll-gate ever seen in the township of Blanshard. Mr. Brethour retired from the reeveship and has not since been a candidate for municipal honors. Prior to his acting as reeve he was appointed, in 1867, as collector of taxes, which office he held for four years.

In the year 1866 events occurred along the frontier of Canada that stirred the people of this country to the core. The civil war in the United States had been closed by the South returning to their allegiance, and the Stars and Stripes again floated over every part of that country. The whole army was disbanded and thousands of the very scum of society that had served in the ranks were without employment.

To enable themselves still to live in idleness, and impose upon the unwary and the ignorant, a society was organized in New York, known as the Fenian Brotherhood. This institution was the head-quarters for the vile, the idle, and the hearts wherein lurked the dark demon of revenge for what they thought was the unjust measure of British rule in Ireland. O’Malioney was created head centre and gathered in the shekels, in return for which he issued through a portion of the press the mad ravings of an unprincipled vagabond, as unction to the souls of his dupes throughout the United States. A band of those ragged rascals had gathered together at Buffalo for the purpose of beginning the liberation of Ireland by spilling the innocent blood of loyal Canadians. In a quiet and still hour on the night of the 6th of June, about 500 of these misguided men crossed over into Canada with the avowed intention of making war on the Canadians, in order to liberate a people 3,000 miles away. This little army, which was commanded by one of the name of O’Neil, soon found itself in difficulties, and the gallant champion of the rights of Ireland had recourse to such tactics as we heard related of a certain captain in the civil war. This champion of liberty, having been ordered into action, addressed his soldiers before engaging the enemy somewhat as follows: “Soldiers of the Grand Army of the United States, you are now about to show your powers in the field. The eyes of the world are turned to you; be brave, be valiant, acquit yourselves like heroes, as did those warriors who followed the immortal Washington to glory and to victory. Soldiers, if you are forced to retire, retire like men, and seeing that I am a little lame, I’ll start now.” Such was the conduct of the mighty O’Neil. He had no sooner touched Canadian soil than he prepared to return as quickly as possible. The men of Blanshard, like the loyal men in every part of the Province, were up in arms. A meeting was called at McIntyre’s Corners to organize a company of volunteers. There was an immense gathering from all parts of the township. Enthusiastic speeches were made, and the military ardor of the people was roused to the highest pitch. A company was soon formed, and in choosing their officers, Mr. Brethour was chosen the first captain of the first volunteer company ever formed in the township. A ludicrous incident occurred on this occasion. After the company had been formed they had to be sworn in. A worthy member of the quorum lived a short distance from the Corners, and was at once sent for to perform that important duty. On his arrival on the scene he made every effort to discharge the function for which he had been called, but without avail, and he had to give up the matter in disgust. He was entirely guiltless of the ability to administer the oath to the men. In this dilemma Mr. Brethour went to St. Marys, was sworn in himself, and when he returned, administered the oath to the company. He held the office of captain for five years, when he retired, retaining his rank, and a young man who was lieutenant took the captaincy. This man was H. A. L. White, who, at present commands the 28th Perth Battalion.

As we have stated elsewhere, he became a member of the Orange order in 1852, and still continues an active worker in that institution. In 1875 he was instrumental in building the the neat brick hall at Woodham, for the accommodation of the members of the Society in that neighborhood. He acted as Master in this lodge for many years, and with such success that it has now a membership of seventy or eighty of the most respectable citizens of that section of Blanshard, and is considered the banner lodge of the west. He is untiring in his efforts to place the Order on the very highest plane, both as to sobriety and respectability. In this he so well succeeded that the Woodham boys have carried off the prize for the neatest outfit and most gentlemanly conduct at the various gatherings at the annual parade on the anniversary of the Boyne. He organized No. 492, and acted as District Master for ten years, and on his retirement was presented by the brethren with a watch in recognition of his services. He was also elected County Master, which position he held for two years. The Woodham Lodge also enjoys the distinction of having as one of its members the oldest Orangeman in Canada. Mr. Alexander Jameson, sr., was born in Ireland in the year 1810, and attended his first celebration of the 12th at the age of eighteen years. Since that period he has met the brethren on the morning of the anniversary of the Boyne without a single exception for seventy-two years. We venture to say that the whole history of Orangeism in Canada does not present a parallel case. Mr. Jameson is one of the old pioneers, and with Mr. Reuben Switzer, we believe, Blanshard can claim the distinction of having within her borders the two oldest members of the Orange order in Canada. The old gentleman is looking forward to the next 12th with as much ardor apparently as he would have done sixty years ago.

Mr. Bretliour was early trained in the principles of the Conservative party, to which he has strictly adhered during his life, with the exception of perhaps one occasion, when he, along with many others of that party in Blanshard, and, indeed, throughout the province, withheld their support from a measure, which they considered not for the best interests of their adopted country. At the time of the Mackenzie Rebellion, in 1837, his father with all his brothers were strongly in favor of the Government party. For the few settlers who were located at that exciting period in the township of Georgina, his shanty was the rendezvous of the Royalists. They met there and discussed their plans. The elder Mr. Brethour taught them to drill, how to load their pieces, and the various evolutions peculiar to a corps of armed men. Like most of the small farmers in Ireland, and who had emigrated to Canada, he had been a yeoman in that country, and was thoroughly acquainted with military tactics as taught at that period. The harsh and cruel opinions engendered in the minds of the Royalist party at that time against those known as the “Rebels,” have, in the heart of the subject of our sketch, passed away. The principles for which Mackenzie fought have long since triumphed in this country, and no one will say but that they have been a boon to the people. Not for what he did, but for the principles he attempted to introduce in the parliament of Canada, Mr. Mackenzie’s memory should still remain green in the hearts of Canadians.

Mr. Brethour is extremely good natured and kind in his intercourse with his friends and acquaintances. In all business transactions he is strictly honorable. He is widely read in all branches of literature, particularly history, in which department he is well posted. He is a member of the Church of England; in her communion he has lived all his life, and takes considerable interest in church work. Although a strong advocate of the principles of temperance, he is not now a total abstainer, and we believe never was; but his unflinching advocacy of those ideas put forth by temperance men cost him on one occasion his seat at the council board. Mr. Brethour is still strong, and from present appearances it seems that he will yet for many years to come enjoy life among the classic shades of Fish Creek.