IN the preceding chapters we have in our imperfect way given a record of the early settlement of the township of Blanshard, but this in itself would be incomplete without any reference being made to the town of St. Marys, which, as if under the wand of the enchanter, had sprung up sixty years ago. In the year 1843 was completed the grist mill (now owned by the Carter family), at the point where the main street of the town crosses the River Thames. This enterprise had been entered into by Mr. Ingersoll at the suggestion of the Canada Company, and for which he received a grant of a certain portion of land as a remuneration for his outlay in its construction. This convenience was of the utmost importance to the settlers, and formed the nucleus o the future town. In 1842 a saw-mill had been completed where Water Street crosses the stream, a short distance above its confluence with the river. Queen Street, east and west of the Thames, still presented to the emigrant a primitive aspect, and the ingenious hand of man had as yet made no impress on the old forest trees that still stood on that now important thoroughfare. At the comers of Queen and Water Streets the first settlers had erected the only business places which then composed the rude hamlet, and exposed such wares for sale as would be required in a new country. In 1841 Mr. George Tracey had erected the first building of any description ever built in St. Marys. This dwelling was on what is now Church Street, and appears to have been a stage in advance of the shanty, as it contained two rooms, and had an upstairs, which was reached by a ladder constructed of two poles, between which were the rungs. Mr. John Ingersoll, son of Thomas Ingersoll, opened the first general store St. Marys, on the corner of Queen and Water Streets, in 1842. The next store was opened by Mr. Cruttenden in 1843, and the first dram was sold by William Carroll in a log shanty on Water Street, opposite the saw-mill. The influx of settlers and the rapid improvement of the Township of Blanshard created a great demand for the class of goods required in new settlements, and the hamlet in the valley of the Thames made great progress. Millner Harrison, who was a man of strong and robust frame and overpowering energy, had arrived, and entered into projects which by his prudence and foresight led to a fortune. T. B. Guest had also become a citizen. James McKay was early on the scene, and assisted, in 1841, to prepare the site for the new saw-mill. Amongst the old pioneer business men who had located in the town, besides those already mentioned, we find the Messrs. Hutton, Whelihan, Moscrip, Barron, Flawse, McCuaig, McDonald, and Dunn. Mr. Long, the present respected treasurer of the town, is also one of the old pioneers of St. Marys, and succeeded Mr. Steel, of Brantford, whose manager he had been in the St. Marys business. Mr. Long carried on his store in a long, low building extending from the corner on Queen Street back along Water Street, and on which spot is now the large stone structure occupied by John Woods. He did a large business with the new settlers in the township, and divided with Mr. Harrison the trade in potash, which was then the only article of merchandise produced on the farm for which money could readily be obtained.

In 1843, when Mr. Cruttenden arrived, came also Mr. Nicholas Eogers, who began teaching the first school ever opened in St. Marys. Mr. Rogers is still hale and hearty, and he seems to recall vividly many of the events that occurred in the woods nearly sixty years ago. At that time no building had been erected in the town where the young idea could be trained, and the old pioneer teacher taught the little school in his own house. Of the appliances used at the present day to train the young mind Mr. Rogers had none. History is not silent, however, regarding his school management, as it avers that while he was a good-hearted man he was inexorable in the enforcement of his scholastic regulations, even to the most liberal and rigorous application of the taws for any infringement.

Previous to the year 1845 the town was known by the name of Little Falls. In this year Mr. Commissioner Jones, of the Canada Company, with his wife, was visiting Little Falls on business in connection with the Company. The honor of giving a more appropriate name to the little village was given to Mrs. Jones. She called it St. Marys, her own Christian name being Mary. In recognition of the honor conferred on her on that occasion she made a gift of ten pounds to the town for the purpose of erecting a school building. Thus originated the little stone school-house at the top of the hill on Queen Street, the first building of its kind in St. Marys.

In 1847 was opened the St. Marys post office, with Thomas Christie as post-master. Previous to this period the mails for the new settlement were brought from Embro or Beachville. In those days, however, carrying of mail matter was not of much importance. The places of business were but few, and those not of a very extensive order, in the township o Blanshard. As the population began to increase rapidly by the influx of new settlers, a post office was eventually opened for the accommodation of the people. This office was located on Water Street, very near its present site, where, with the exception of a short period when it was removed to Queen Street, it has ever since remained. Mr. Christie, the first postmaster, was succeeded by Arundle Hill, Mr. Hill by Peter Nicol, and he by the present official, Colonel H. A. L. White.

In the middle of November, 1859, about ten o’clock on a dark, rainy night, the writer stepped from the train at the old station. Three other travellers alighted at the same time, apparently strangers, as he was himself. No town was to be seen, and in the darkness none of us knew in which direction to turn to find St. Marys. In our dilemma we were approached by a gentleman clad in a great water-proof coat, from the tails of which, as also from his hat, the water was dripping to the ground. He carried in his hand a lantern, at the bottom of which a piece of tallow candle emitted a feeble light that seemed only to render more perceptible the surrounding darkness. The conductor had given the last call of “All aboard,” and the train started for London, for as yet the road to Sarnia was not open for traffic. At last the lantern with the tallow dip reached us, and the gentleman who carried it asked if we were going to town. On being answered in the affirmative, he took the place of leader of the party, we following the light in true Indian style. On stepping from the platform we entered a sea of mud through which we plodded after our leader till we reached the Empire Hotel, on the corner of Queen and Wellington Streets, on which spot now stands the brick block of Mr. Box. This man was James McKay, one of the old time pioneers of Blanshard.

St. Marys at this time contained very few good buildings. Of the private residences, the largest and most pretentious was the house of Mr. Tracey, now owned by Mr. Weir. The surroundings of this dwelling, now one beautiful mass of foliage in the summer months, were then naked and bare. On Queen Street, then as now the principal commercial centre of the town, few good buildings had as yet been erected. The stone block extending from the corner of Water Street to the bridge was built. The Guest Block, on the south side of Queen and west of Wellington Street, the stone building which has been long occupied by A. Beattie & Company, at the corner of the Market Square; the stone building occupied by Mr. White as a general store;—these, with the old National Hotel, were nearly all the substantial business places on Queen Street. True, both sides of this thoroughfare were as closely built then as they are to-day, but it had not the imposing appearance it now presents. With the exception of the places we have mentioned, the structures were all frame, a few of which still remain. The Central School was the only public building in St. Marys in 1859 which exists at present and which was at all worthy of the town. Previous to 1859 there had been erected a rookery which was dignified by the name of the Market Building, and which through some merciful interposition of Providence was destroyed by fire some years ago. On this spot, after its purification, was erected the splendid municipal building which is an ornament to St. Marys as well as a testimony to the taste and public spirit of those gentlemen who controlled the municipal destinies of the town at that particular period.

In every Christian country temples have been raised for the worship of the Most High in the decorations and architectural designs of which, in many lands, have been displayed the most matchless conceptions of the human mind and the most splendid operations of human hands. In her churches St. Marys equals if she does not surpass any other place of her size in Canada. It was long before she rose to her dignity in this respect, however. The churches in the town, for many years after better things might have been expected, were not creditable to a place of such importance. But the trust has been amply redeemed, and the churches of all the denominations to-day are indicative of a high appreciation by the people of the fact that altars erected to the worship of God should be worthy of Him from whom all blessings flow.

In the matter of education the citizens have always been fully alive to its advantages. They have not been niggardly Ln making every provision for the training of their children. In 1875 was erected the Collegiate Institute. The town has spared no expense in its equipment, and to-day it is fully abreast with the great movement of higher education. Under the able management of the principal, Mr. Martin, and those associated with him, the school has attained to a wide celebrity. There is perhaps no other school in the province, and no section of surrounding country, which have given, not to Canada only, but to the world, a greater number of distinguished characters. From Blanshard we have William Dale, once a professor in the University of Toronto; William Stevens, now of New Zealand, who was awarded the University Medal presented by the Marquis of Lorne, Governor-General of Canada; George Somerville, manager of the largest financial concern in the City of London; C. Clarkson, who obtained honors at the University, now High School teacher; Mr. J. McVannel, Professor in Columbia University, United States; Arthur Beatty, Professor in Madison, Wisconsin, and many others who have won enviable distinction.

From St. Marys we have two individuals whose names stand out clear and prominent above all others—Miss Norah Clinch, the greatest violinist in the world; and Mrs. Charlton Black, nee Agnes Knox, whose name and fame extend from one end of this country to the other. It is a proud distinction which crowns the St. Marys Collegiate Institute, that in its class-rooms these great characters received their early training. We are pleased to give in our own humble way our testimony to the work done in this seminary, and to acknowledge our pride in these men and women who have distinguished themselves, and who look back to Blanshard as the place of their nativity.

And here we will conclude this sketch of Blanshard and its old settlers with the hope that we may have rescued from oblivion some incident in connection with pioneer life which by the future historian of this country may not be thought unworthy of recital to a generation yet afar off. To the memory, therefore, of those who have left us, and to those of their descendants who are here, we bring this our humble offering—

The Pioneers of Blanshard